CHICAGO – Islanders GM/coach Mike Milbury shot back at Bryan Berard’s agent, Tom Laidlaw, yesterday for saying the team’s coaching staff is wasting his client’s offensive gifts.

Laidlaw said the conservative role the coaching staff has given Berard, an offensive defenseman, “is like having Picasso paint your garage. You’re definitely taking a talent and wasting it.”

Milbury intimated Laidlaw probably doesn’t even believe his own words.

“Tom has always been overly protective of Bryan,” Milbury said. “He knows better. He was a player. He sees things. But he’s can’t say anything to Bryan.

“He’s afraid to critique Bryan. He’s afraid Bryan will walk out the door and he’ll be short one premier client, which is embarrassing. You should be embarrassed [if] you can’t be honest with your client.”