If the Isles get in and the Devils don't, I'd have no problem rooting for the team from Short Iceland in the playoffs

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla —

I'm gonna take a lot of heat for this — but so be it.

Earlier today, during my buddy Joel McGuirk’s show, another good friend, Tom O’Connell, who like us is a huge New Jersey Devils fan, came on to the show and announced that he’d be rooting for the Islanders in the playoffs since it looks more and more each day like they’ll be in — and our team won’t be.

And immediately, I found myself in total agreement with Tom on the matter — and it’s not even hard to do so.

Now I’ll be the first to admit it — and the posts here on this site reveal it quite easily — that I make fun of the Isles a lot. Too much at times.

But when you think of it, folks, there is no rivalry, whatsoever, between these two teams — even though theirs is one of the few arenas our fans travel to visit.

So rarely have the Devils and Islanders been good at the same time. 

Going back to the 1980s, when the Islanders were winning Cups, the Devils, new to Jersey, were struggling to win 20 games a season. 

In 1988, we caught them at a great moment in their franchise’s history — at the tail end of so many illustrious careers — when the  Devils beat them in six in the Patrick Division Semi-Finals.

We haven’t seen them in the playoffs since that first time.

And while we’ve gone on to have a multitude of success, starting as early as 1994, during that same period, the Islanders have been muddled in futility.

The last time the two teams were in the playoffs the same year, 2007, the Isles lost in five in the first round to Buffalo — and we were knocked out in the second round by Ottawa in five, after having beat Tampa the round before.

The 1993 Islanders were easy to root for — and that's true of the 2013 team, too.

So in essence, save for a few years, these two teams have never been good at the same time — and this year is quite different.

In many ways, this 2013 Islanders team reminds me of the 1995 Devils. A slow start. A miserable middle of the season — and a solid finish.

And unless the Islanders totally collapse — and let’s face it, they are the Islanders, and a collapse can’t be ruled out here — chances now seem rather great that the Islanders not only get into the playoffs, they may even get a seed better than 8. Better than 7. Hell, they could still get the 6 or 5 seed.

And really, because there’s no rivalry here, I can see myself rooting for them, regardless of who they play, in the post-season.

I did it in 1993 — and I did it then, mostly, because they were a team with a lot of likable players — like Stevie Thomas and Ray Ferraro.

This team has a lot of guys on it like that, too. There’s no reason to dislike John Tavares (though he has, in reality, really killed us this year). Their coach, Jack Capuano, is a decent guy from Cranston, R.I. And hell, if like me you’re a fan of the Mets, you can’t help but feel for Howie Rose, who year after year, goes from one losing team to another — behind the mic for Mets and Islanders games all year long.

That alone is enough for me to root for the Islanders, especially now that Mr. New York Rangers himself no longer considers the Rangers his team — even though he’s forever linked to it thanks to stupid Stephane Matteau. 

And I'd also be happy for Jason Byczek, who roots for the Isles in the absolute worst of times — and best. I think McGuirk might even enjoy an Islanders run, too.

I haven’t fully given up on the notion that the Devils could make the playoffs in 2013. I still don’t think Martin Brodeur will end the season with 666 wins — though it does seem plausible at times given how they’ve played.

But if they don’t get their asses into gear — there’s no reason to think they will otherwise — I’m prepared to enjoy what could be a decent run from our foes from Long Island.

And quite frankly, I don’t feel badly about that one bit. 

And lord knows, I could and never would say that about the team from the Garden or the one from the Well.