There is little doubt at the moment that Nielsen is a much better player than Regin. It would be wrong to say, however, that this has always been so obvious.
Up until about 2-3 years ago, they were following very similar career paths, Nielsen being maybe one step ahead career-wise, but Regin looking like the flashier, more offensively skilled one. When a young Senators-team gave the heavily favoured Penguins surprisingly many fits in the playoffs in 2010 (a series remarkably similar to the Isles' one this spring), Regin was arguably Sens' best forward.
Not long after he was called into the a meeting with the Sens management along with Erik Karlsson. Karlsson and Regin were told that the Senators would build the future team around those 2...
Sadly, Regin has regressed as a player since then, maybe partly due to injuries (and from those injuries a loss of confidence that has led him shy away from contact), while Nielsen has thankfully continously improved.
In general, I'm biased as a Danish Islanders-fan who have always liked Regin a lot, but I find it to be a good depth signing - low risk, low reward. Same goes for PMB, actually. These 2 players might not set the NHL on fire, but they are both somewhat legitimate NHL players. Down the line where injuries are bound to happen, the Isles could benefit greatly from having them around rather than having to dress dubious AHL call-ups.
Fair post and accurate and well said.
If the key players are doing what they need to do (i.e. Tavares, Vanek, Bailey, Nielsen, Okposo, Grabner, Hamonic, MacDonald, Visnovsky, Nabokov) then the Islanders should win most games - and complementary/role players like Regin, Clutterbuck, McDonald, Cizikas, Martin, Bouchard, Hickey, Strait, Carkner, Martinek, are just that. Not difference makers.
Problem is, Isles need another defenseman and a goalie. When we don't have that, we tend to blame the fringe players (like PMB and Bouchard) and criticize those that fail in their role (over their head) like MacDonald, Nabokov, for example.
Players like Nelson, Donovan, Strome are not just "ahl call-ups" - they are important prospects that are (hopefully) part of the Islanders (near) future. They are as important as Bailey, Okposo, Grabner, Hamonic have been in recent years (the exact degree varies, obviously) so I'd like to see these guys integrated into the lineup instead of these "fill-in" types that, arguably, make us WORSE, not better.
It'll come, eventually.
No team's perfect but I think elevating Strome, Nelson, Donovan into more important minutes, with better players, serves the Islanders well, short term and, more importantly, longer term. This isn't forcing 18 year olds to carry the load (as the Isles have done with some players in the past).
I'd like to see these guys be given a real chance.