Herrmann's analysis: Which direction will Isles take at trade deadline?

Someday the Islanders might thank themselves for squandering a two-goal lead in the final period. As painful as it was Sunday, they eventually might see it as a blessing disguised as a devastating loss. Now the whole franchise is free to look in the mirror and see reality, and not a minute too soon.

It was the most urgent game of the season for the Islanders because it was their last before the two-week Olympic break and the next-to-last before the March 3 trading deadline.

So there were huge implications about where everyone would be going - not counting coach Scott Gordon and defenseman Mark Streit, who were in a frantic rush to catch the last flight to Vancouver (takeoff was 9:45 p.m., the 4-3 loss to the Senators ended at 7:28).

Had the Islanders held on and beaten Ottawa after holding a 3-1 lead early in the third, they would have been only four points out of a playoff spot. As a result, they would have been locked in to giving it a go. They would have been on a roll, with three wins in four games. No way could they have justified trading prime chips such as defenseman Andy Sutton or goalie Dwayne Roloson.

Now the pressure is off. The team is six points out, tied for 12th. Islanders management can go whichever way it wants.

It can stay the course and hope Gordon's team catches fire again, which is a legitimate option. This peanut stand has said all along that nothing would give more impetus to the Lighthouse project than the Islanders being exciting, relevant and in the playoffs.

Or general manager Garth Snow can look at his team, see that it has lost nine of 11, and focus on acquiring draft picks for Sutton and Roloson or Martin Biron (Roloson might have more value based on his play before his most recent five losses). That would fit into the bigger picture that owner Charles Wang drew before this season. Let's face it, who really expected the Islanders to make the playoffs this season?

Amazing what one little defeat will do. Not that the Islanders saw any silver linings Sunday. The Senators' 3-0 third period knocked the wind out of them.

"I guess it's a chance for us to regroup and think about the things that are holding us back right now: missed coverage, breakdowns," Sutton said.

Matt Moulson, who scored the second goal Sunday, said, "We knew how big this game was. We talked about it. Our goal was to get to within four points this weekend. We didn't. I think we have a lot of work to do to get back in the playoff race. Every point after this break is crucial."

The real point is, they have two weeks to wonder who might be gone after the break.

"It always comes back to this as a player: You've got to do the best you can no matter where you are," Sutton said. "That's totally out of my control. I'm going to try to get as recuperated the best I can. I love it here. I'm an Islander. But as I've said before, that will be up to management to assess."

As of Sunday, Islanders personnel were headed every which way.

Sutton was going for warm weather. "If you fly far enough south, you can usually find it," he said.

Goaltending coach Sudarshan Maharaj was aiming as far north as you can go, to visit goalie prospect Anders Nilsson above the Arctic Circle in Sweden (where night lasts 24 hours this time of year).

Moulson is going to the Olympics as a spectator. His future sister-in-law is married to Kings goalie Jonathan Quick, who is on the U.S. team.

Ultimately, the Islanders - because of yesterday's loss - most likely are headed toward next season, which is not so bad.