Jon Sim was never one of my favorite players. Nope, I hardly knew anything about him when he signed a three year deal in July of 2007. I didn’t really get a chance to learn too much about him that season since fate would deal him a horrific blow in his second game in an Islanders sweater. A knee injury would take him out of the game and out for the season.

When he was capable of walking again, I watched him on game days standing in the tunnel in his dark suit staring at the team on the ice. I’ve never seen a more miserable man. If I passed him in the locker room hallway I was afraid to speak to him; I didn’t know what to say.

When he was cleared to practice again for the ’08 – ’09 season, I mentioned how surprised I was watching him at practice. He surprised me with his speed. I made note of it in a few entries, but really didn’t give him more than that. Once cleared by the medical staff, he played 49 games with the Islanders but could only come away with 15 points. However, once he was put on a ferry to Bridgeport, he became the Sound Tigers best player on and off the ice. In 18 AHL games he scored 13 goals and 10 assists.

“He was absolutely our best player. You would think that he could have been different about being sent down. But he was great." The Sound Tigers ex-PR guy told me on Sunday when I commented on how good Sim looked in a sea of rookies.

He looked so good on Sunday that when he passed me after the double session practice, I had to say something.

“Jon! Jon!” I called to him wondering if he was going to ignore me or growl at me. “You look good out there.” I stumbled a little on the words, but then something surprising happened. He smiled at me-- a broken tooth smile that made his eyes disappear.

“Thanks!”

I could have stopped talking there, but that just wouldn’t be me. “It’s great to see you smile for a change.” He nodded knowingly and walked off. A few minutes later, I decided to push my luck a little when he walked back towards me.

“Jon, can I ask you one question so I can get out of here? I’m starving, frozen and I really need coffee.” Again, I got a smile, a genuine, honest smile. When I asked my question I got a genuine, honest answer.

I asked his thoughts about Saturday’s home opener, “I CAN’T WAIT!" he meant it. "I think everyone is really excited. It’s obviously going to be a task with the Penguins, the cup champs, so we’ll see where we are right away.”

I know where Jon Sim is. He’s ready to get back the year he missed and ready to show that even when contemporaries and ex-Islanders Mark Parrish, Shawn Bates and Miro Satan are still looking for an NHL home this season, he’s going to make a case for himself to stay on Scott Gordon’s bench.

He skates hard. He has ten years and 358 games of NHL experience under his belt. He also has 164 AHL games, 142 IHL games and seven games with the Dallas Stars in the ’98-’99 season that got his name on the Stanley Cup. He also has a birthday tomorrow.

Tomorrow, September 29th, Jon Sim will turn 32. I hope he celebrates with a goal in New Jersey. That is if he plays tomorrow. If not tomorrow, then how about scoring one at the home opener on Saturday?

Either way… Happy Birthday Jon. And Many More.