That was a preseason game??

Wow....

If your an Islanders season ticket holder....or plan holder.....or just decided to take in an Isles -Ranger game on a Monday night....and you witnessed what I did tonight?....Give the rest of your tickets away. Don't go to another game this season....cause it doesn't get any better than this.

The newest Islanders left their stamp on this game on all fronts in a wild 5-4 OT victory over the Rangers. About 40 seconds into the game, Andy Sutton nearly beheaded a Ranger at the Islander blueline setting the tone. After being assessed a 2 minute minor for elbowing....(which I don't understand since Sutton's elbows are in line with just about every one's head). As he came out of the box....and was stopped on a breakaway....fight number 1....decision Colton Orr. Less than 2 minutes later....Kip Brennan wins bout number 2 with a vicious blow to the head to some Ranger player....(it's not even important who it was).

The entire first period was all about hitting and fighting. This Islanders squad is a very scrappy team. They hit....they skate and they are not afraid to mix it up. All of them. The second period is where it got wild....when Simon and Ryan Hollweg....(who I'm convinced can not hit a player who's facing him) got into it....as did just about everyone else. Just as Simon and Hollweg are getting started....Jason Strudwick jumps on Chris Simon....at this point Rick DiPietro grabs Strudwick and tries prying him off....getting in a few shots along the way.....reluctantly, Rangers prospect Al Montoya came down the ice, and judging from his body language, was there solely as a spectator. DiPietro had different ideas....as Montoya skated near the pile of players....DiPietro realized that Montoya had left his crease and was going to be automatically ejected...as was Ricky. At this point DiPietro is going to get his money's worth. Ricky immediately removed his mask and gloves in preparation for his own battle. Montoya was a little hesitant with this. He didn't remove his equipment for a few moments as Ricky skated around him....it actually took some coxing to get him to remove his helmet and actually fight. When it was all said and done...Montoya landed on the ice as Ricky was punching him from above. Now it wasn't the same as Cloutier pounding Tommy Salo many moons ago....but it definitely exacted some revenge.

With the resulting penatalies....the Isles fell behind 4-1 midway through the 2nd period. As for many fans....it didn't matter as they were still buzzing from the excitment. With 2 quick late power play goals....(both setup by Bryan Berard)...heading to the 3rd it was 4-3.

The 3rd period was much more like an actual hockey game....as the concentration was on scoring goals and winning the game. The Isles tied the game on a beautiful rush by Josef Vasicek.

The OT period was much the same as the 3rd as both teams were gunning for a win like it was December not September....

On a stupid penalty taken by Brendan Shanahan....the Isles had a power play....and with this new unit of Guerin, Comrie, Berard and Bergeron....they are dangerous. Comrie banked in the winning goal off something or somebody....and we have a happy recap.

Here are some thoughts

1. Bryan Berard pretty much locked up that final defenseman spot....as Freddy Meyer was loosing it...Meyer took 4 penalties...as Berard had 4 assists and was running the power play. You could see Berard shouting directions to Bergeron at the other point. This is a much different unit than last season....much more unpredictable....as both Berard and Bergeron have good shots and are not afraid to use them.

2. Andy Sutton is a man without fear. This guy will put himself in front of everything. He threw big hits....had 2 fights, and he set the tone early with that monster hit less than a minute into the game.

3. How the hell did no one sign Josef Vasicek? This guy is a solid 2 way player....he has some speed...and that was a beautiful goal he scored to tie it. Somewhere I am hoping Oleg Kvasha was watching Vasicek score that goal, as that rush was exactly what many coaches have tried to get him to do.

4. Mike Comrie is always around the puck. He is always around the net....and he seems to have very good chemistry with his linemates already. Personally 75 points is not out of the questions. And as it was pointed out to me....I would trade Carol Alt for Hillary Duff anyday of the week.

5. If this was just a preseason game....can anyone imagine what that last game of the season is going to be like at the Coliseum?.....and yes....it's against the Rangers.

6. I like Blake Comeau and Jeff Tambellini...and like the kid on the Verizon FIOS commerical so innocently asks...."Can we keep em??"

Thats it....bed time....

Would love to hear your thoughts....you can contact me at

Tony@islesnation.com

Thanks!

Tony

Your "New" New York Islanders

Sorry this has taken so long....but with last week being September 11th.....I had some family up from Florida and my back going out again....it's been a rough 7 days.

Training camp has officially started...and with the wonder that is the Internet....it's very easy to keep up with your teams....even though camp is being held some 759 miles away. (yes I googled Moncton)

Through the marvel of Islanders TV....I was able to watch a good part of each scrimmage and take some notes.....

First of all....we are going to see a new brand of hockey this season. With the team that has been assembled....there is going to be a lot of speed....a lot of hitting....and a lot of grittiness.

Surprise number 1

By default everyone thought the Sillinger-Sim-Hunter line was going to be the second line. Teddy surprised everyone by putting Vasicek-Satan-Tambellini as the second. So far these 3 together have been fantastic together. Tambellini....a lot like last year...has been flying around the ice scoring goals....and Vasicek might be the surprise of camp so far, with his calm demeanor on the ice...and his surprising offensive talents.

Surprise number 2

Blake Comeau looks like a ready NHL player. He has been extremely impressive so far as I've seen and scored a very pretty breakaway goal against DiPietro the other day. If he doesn't make the club....he'll back back up very soon.

Surprise number 3

The new kids....

Justin Bourne, Matthew Spiller, Olivier Labelle, Tomas Marcinko, Aaron Johnson and even Maxim Oulette have all look much better than I anticipated. Obviously none of them will be on the opening night roster.....(and other than Aaron Johnson....I don't expect to see any this season at all)....but at least we wont be seeing any Eric Bouginecki's this season.

Some notes so far....

Mike Comrie has come into camp like a man possessed. He has been buzzing around the net scoring goal after goal. He could be in for a monster year.

Btw....I love the new uniforms...

I don't put much stock into exhibition so i wont even bother.

Also....the NHL now will be broadcasting games live through each teams website....much like MLB does....though....I hope they fix the glitches that I encountered last night.

One last thought about Eric Cairns and Mike Dunham. I think it's a fantastic idea that the Islanders have instituted such a plan that allows former players the opportunity to come back and be part of the organization. As of right now....Bryan Trottier, Mike Bossy, Ken Morrow, Bob Nystrom, Steve Webb, Eric Cairns, Garth Snow, Mike Dunham, Anders Kallur, and Kevin Colley all hold positions with the team. It shows both current and former players that the Islanders organization takes care of there own.

More later this week....

Tony

A Sad Day

Today is Tuesday September 11th.

Those 5 words need no explanation.

Unfortunately, that sentence means something different to each one of us. To me...it brings back memories of when times were different. Before I had realized what being a man really was all about.

Let me explain....

I met my wife when I was just 20 years old. She comes from a big Italian family and there are many of them....(more than I can count).

One extremely special family are the Vigiano's. The father, John, is a retired Captain from the FDNY. He is remembered as the most decorated fireman in the history of the Department He battled and beat throat cancer to come back to full duty before retiring. His wife is Jeanette worked with special education children throughout her career in the public school system.....(if not enough being married to a fireman is a tough job). They had 2 sons, John and Joe. Both practical jokers like their Dad...both took different roads.

Joey took the test for the NYPD at age 18....he passed with such a high grade that he was called for the job....but had to wait to be of legal age to be hired. He was promoted to Detective at a young age....was shot on 2 separate occasions....and then entered the NYPD's elite Emergency Services Unit (ESU).

John on the other hand joined the FDNY in his father's footsteps. A die hard Ranger fan (I never held that against him)...he was the Alternate Captain of his Firehouse's hockey team. To this day his jersey hangs in the lobby of the Newbridge Skating Rink. Once a year he would rent out the rink and invite all his family and friends for a night of skating....and if you we're tough enough....some hockey after hours.

Both of these men were married to beautiful women and had equally as beautiful children. Joey had 3 boys...(Joey, Jimmy and John) and John had 2 girls (Nicolette and Arianna). They were good husbands and fathers, a parents dream for their children.

On September 11th....both Joey and John lost their lives at the World Trade Center....doing what each was made to do...saving lives.

I can't tell you what September 11th did to their parents, or wives, or their children...(little John was only a few months old when his Dad died), but I can tell you what it did to me.

It made me realize that life on this planet is way too short. Being a good husband, a good father, a good friend and a good general person is what's important. Not everyone can be a fireman, cop or EMT, but we can all make a difference in our lives. I have contemplated entering the Uniform Services for some time now and have even taken steps towards that life....but I knew most importantly that the above qualities are first and foremost.

Joey and John Vigiano helped me mature into a person I can say that I'm proud to be...and I can only hope that I have the ability to take it to the next level.

A few notes....

The Islanders traded disappointing Petteri Nokelaninen to Boston for Center Ben Walter and a conditional 2nd round Pick in 2009. Walter is supposed to have some offensive upside so hopefully a change of scenery will help both of these kids.

First of all kudos to the BST for honoring fan favorite Kevin Colley on their opening night. Colley is now the Assistant Coach for the Utah Grizzlies, our ECHL club.

Also....the new Sound Tigers jersey has been released....(it's really nice).....go to the website and check it out.

Thanks for reading....

Tony

Projects

Now that Labor day has passed....the countdown to training camp has begun. For the Isles....it's only 9 more days until the team reports for physicals. Thank God!.....I can't stand this waiting....this seems like the longest offseason ever.

With practically a new team this year....there is a lot of speculation with this year's squad. The subtractions, the new additions and 2 new assistant coaches, have us again have being picked to come in dead last in the Eastern Conference. As we witnessed last season....with Ted Nolan as our coach....anything is possible. The man who seemingly gets the absolute most out of his players (even the ones it seems will never reach their potential), will again have his work cut out for him. Here are a few "projects" Teddy has on his plate this training camp.

Ruslan Fedotenko - The Tank, as he's called, is a very talented player who as we've all heard has the knack for scoring clutch goals, was signed to a 1 year $2.9 contract. In all likelihood he'll be our top LW this upcoming season. Fedotenko is coming off a 12 goal season and fell into John Tortorella's doghouse. This former 20 goal scorer who once scored the cup winning goal for the Lightning is now looking to prove that last season was a fluke and that he can once again regain that 20 goal plateau. Liken this move to Viktor Kozlov of a year ago....if Nolan can get Fedotenko to believe in himself once again....this could be a very good signing.

Josef Vasicek - Vasicek is a immensely talented player who the Hurricanes were very high on a few short years ago. He has excellent size (6'5") and has a knack for being good in the corners and being a high energy player. The knock against him has been consistency and the ability to stay healthy the last few seasons. Like Fedotenko, Vasicek has the ability to score 20 goals and be a force on the 3rd line. Being only 27, and playing with Radek Martinek (who is amazingly from the same hometown) will be positives for him, and could help him realize some of his potential.

Chris Simon - After the tomahawk he threw Ryan Hollweg that ended his season, Islanders fans realized what a big role Simon plays on this team. Not only does he play policeman on the ice....he is an emotional leader both on the bench and in the room. Simon has an undying allegiance to Ted Nolan and would do anything asked of him. His play was shotty early on....but he improved immensely as the season progressed and was probably playing his best hockey when he was suspended. Nolan now has to worry....will he do something like this again?....or will it be in the back of his mind every time he gets into a scrap?....as insurance the team invited Gord Dwyer to camp.

Mike Comrie - Not exactly a problem having Comrie on your team....but there is some concern for this 27 year old. First of all....Comrie is as talented a player that you can get nowadays. The Islanders will be the 5th NHL team he's donned a jersey for in his short career. Given that he's made some mistakes...(demanding a trade from the Oilers)...was a trade deadline deal (this season to Ottawa...being in his walk year)....it hasn't been all his fault....but it seems that he has top line scoring potential and has never really given a chance. Comrie will now be given the responsibility of leading this team and being the go-to guy. Whether he's up to the challenge....is really up to him. He has been looking for a team to settle down with (Along with Hilary Duff as we've all heard by now)...and this could be the perfect situation for him. During the UFA period, Ryan Smyth called Comrie and gave a pretty good recruitment call, selling him on what a great opportunity the Islanders would be for both his career and Long Island would be to settle down (btw...one of the classiest moves by one of the games classiest players). If I was a betting man....Comrie has a breakout season and ends up with 80 points.

Bryan Berard - As a camp invite....this is a potential high reward for this team. Berard, who is only 30, when healthy is a dynamic offensive defenseman. His big problem has been his back the last year and a half. When he's on....you can expect him to score about 12-14 goals and is good for 40 or so points. A healthy Berard would be a great addition for this team at a relatively cheap price. If Berard shows he isn't healthy or isn't able to make the team....he'll simply be a UFA again. Expect Berard to come into camp like a mad man....the only way he doesn't make this team is that his back gives out.

Chris Campoli - Campoli is coming off an odd season. He technically didn’t make the team out of camp after getting hurt late and basically had to play his way back on the team. When he came back....he was unable to play the same reckless style he was allowed to play under the Stirling/Shaw regime. With Nolan.....Campoli was expected to play a defense first and jump into the play second. During the later stages of the season he saw his minutes decrease and players like Bruno Gervais and Marc Andre Bergeron get more and more playing time. During the first round defeat to the Sabres...he was reunited with his old Bridgeport partner Gervais and the 2 looked dynamic together. Campoli's major problem is his smallish stature and the fact that he's knocked off the puck somewhat easily. With the additions of Andy Sutton and camp invite Bryan Berard, and the emergence of Gervais as a more complete defenseman...there is a real possibility that Campoli could either not make the team...or be dealt during camp as part of a package. Either way...Campoli has to come to camp ready to battle it out with some stiff competition to make this team.

Obviously players like Satan, Bergeron, Tambellini, Bergenheim and etc also come in with questions....but the above are the one who have definitive questions and may effect this team either positively or negatively.

I'll be in chat tonight @ 7 with Steve...

For those of you who need the site again

www.islesnation.com

Thanks....

Tony

The Hockey News Top 50 NHL Players

The Hockey News have released it's list of the top 50 NHL players....and quite frankly....I dont agree with alot of it.

Here's the list

1 Sidney Crosby (6)
2 Alexander Ovechkin (5)
3 Roberto Luongo (25)
4 Nicklas Lidstrom (15)
5 Chris Pronger (2)
6 Jarome Iginla (7)
7 Vincent Lecavalier (21)
8 Joe Thornton (4)
9 Dany Heatley (10)
10 Martin Brodeur (11)
11 Patrik Elias (12)
12 Joe Sakic (17)
13 Miikka Kiprusoff (1)
14 Jaromir Jagr (3)
15 Martin St-Louis (47)
16 Marian Gaborik (27)
17 Dion Phaneuf (32)
18 Eric Staal (14)
19 Marian Hossa (24)
20 Ryan Miller (not ranked)
21 Daniel Alfredson (20)
22 Chris Drury (not ranked)
23 Marty Turco (49)
24 Jason Spezza (22)
25 Henrik Zetterberg (38)
26 Jonathan Cheechoo (36)
27 Daniel Briere (Not Ranked)
28 Tomas Kaberle (Not Ranked)
29 Dominik Hasek (Not Ranked)
30 Brad Richards (23)
31 Martin Havlat (26)
32 Daniel Sedin (Not Ranked)
33 J-S Giguere (Not Ranked)
34 Ryan Smyth (33)
35 Simon Gagne (31)
36 Pavel Datsyuk (35)
37 Rick Nash (9)
38 Rod Brind’amour (38)
39 Zdeno Chara (19)
40 Rick DiPietro (Not Ranked)
41 Scott Gomez (Not Ranked)
42 Sergei Gonchar (Not Ranked)
43 Henrik Lundqvist (Not Ranked)
44 Evgeni Malkin (Not Ranked)
45 Zach Parise (Not Ranked)
46 Dan Boyle (Not Ranked)
47 Brendan Shanahan (Not Ranked)
48 Ilya Kovalchuk (18)
49 Mathieu Schneider (Not Ranked)
50 Niklas Backstrom (Not Ranked)

Ok....I have some major issues with some of the names on this list. You cant really argue with 1-10....But lets start with number 11.

Patrik Elias is not the 11th best player in hockey. He wouldn't even crack the top 20 on my list...His line last year was 21-48-69. There are 9 players....not even on this list....that had more points than Elias last year. Read that one again.

Next Gaborik at 16. Sorry....Gaborik is not a better player than Marian Hossa.

Please tell me why Cheechoo, Parise, Shanahan and Niklas Backstrom all are on this list at all?? I can name replacements for all of these guys. Jokinen, Savard, Vanek, and Nabokov. Cheechoo playing with Joe Thornton has a great year 2 years ago....last season 37 goals and 69 points. Jokinen...playing on a horrible Panthers team 39-52-91. Parise 31-31-62...a good season none the less....but Vanek was 43-41-84. Shanahan?....29-33-62 in 67 games....Savard has 96 points on a terrible Bruins team. Backstrom has a fantastic year....but Nabokov has been better over the long run...besides a 29 year old that has a 1.97 could become the next Hasek....or the next Jim Carey.

Also....Kovalchuk is ranked 48th?....Shanahan, Parise, Rod Brind'amour!!, Matheiu Schneider, are all ranked ahead of him?

Here is my list....

1. Sidney Crosby (Best player...hands down)
2. Roberto Luongo (Vancouver is going to be dangerous this year)
3. Vincent Lecavalier (Has become an all around threat)
4. Alexander Ovechkin (Will become automatic 60 goal scorer)
5. Nicklas Lidstrom (Best defenseman of our generation)
6. Chris Pronger (No one can match his size and skill on the blueline)
7. Jarome Iginla (Ferocious player and a born leader)
8. Joe Thornton (Best passer in the NHL, anyone who plays with him is going to score)
9. Martin Brodeur (If you had to win one game...can you think of another goalie you'd rather have play?
10. Dany Heatley (Dynamic scorer....seems to be getting better)
11. Joe Sakic (scored 100 points at 40...now he has Ryan Smyth on his line)
12. Mikka Kiprusoff (Sometimes seems to get lost in the shuffle....phenomenal goaltender)
13. Jaromir Jagr (If he played every shift every game...could probably score 200 points)
14. Martin St.Louis (Amazing player with an amazing story)
15. Marian Hossa (Scoring, passing and going into his contract year)
16. Jason Spezza (Number 1 center on the best team in the east...and is only 24)
17. Daniel Briere (He's not playing with a powerhouse offense this year....but is still good for 90 pts)
18. Dion Phaneuf (Best young dman in the NHL...explosive hitter and has a booming slap shot)
19. Henrik Zetterberg (Plays an amazing 2 way game...2nd best player in the crease)
20. Olli Jokinen (Gets overshadowed...another Mike Milbury nightmare)
21. Ilya Kovalchuk (With some maturity....could be a top 5 player)
22. Marian Gaborik (Needs to stay heathy...but was having his breakout year)
23. Pavel Datsyuk (Unbelievable offensive skills with a top team)
24. Zedno Chara (huge defenseman, good hands....hard hitter....complete player)
25. Scott Niedermayer (hasn't retired yet...is still a top 5 defenseman in the NHL)
26. Marc Savard (Went from playing with Kovalchuk to Boston...and had 96 points....amazing)
27. Tomas Vanek (43 goals....now is the number one option in Buffalo)
28. Patrick Marleau (Is a number 2...behind Thornton....always good for 30g and 85 points)
29. Ryan Smyth (No one is better in the room....or in front of the goalie)
30. Tomas Kaberle (awesome offensive skills....smooth skater....fantastic player)
31. Eric Staal (Coming off a down season....is always dangerous enough to score 100 points)
32. Evgeni Malkin (Can score at will...has great size...plays second fiddle to Crosby)
33. JS Giguere (at 27 has been to 2 finals...and has a Stanley Cup)
34. Mike Cammalleri (2 80 point seasons at 24....undervalued in LA)
35. Daniel Alfredsson (Clutch player....still good for a point a game)
36. Simon Gagne (fantastic scorer....now he has Briere)
37. Rick Nash (Plays on a terrible team....will be a 50 goal scorer for years to come)
38. Brad Richards (Complete player...clutch....does it all)
39. Rick DiPietro (Has a huge heart and is growing into his game...can steal a game)
40. Henrik Lundquist (As fundamentally sound as any goalie in the NHL great rivalry with #40)
41. Chris Drury (Clutch scorer....now is on the big stage)
42. Ryan Miller (Has fantastic numbers....needs to be better in the clutch)
43. Kimmo Timonen (has been under the radar in Nashville....fantastic player)
44. Martin Havlat (If he can stay healthy....he'll be in the top 25)
45. Dominik Hasek (At 42 is a top 5 goalie)
46. Scott Gomez (Will now get a chance showcase his offensive skills with an offensive club)
47. Patrik Elias (Is a talented scorer....but now is missing a center his center)
48. Sergei Gonchar (not the greatest defender....but has fantastic scoring ability)
49. Dan Boyle (another player you dont think of....but his 20 goals and 65 points and top notch)
50. Zach Parise (Great young scorer....will only get better....imagine how many goals he would have scored if he didn't play for the Devils)

I would love to hear your comments and discussions on both the Hockey News' list and mine.

Notes...

Bravo to Isles GM Garth Snow for taking a flyer out on a very talented Bryan Berard and inviting him to camp.

Berard...(a former Islander fan favorite)...if healthy would give the team it's most needed replacement for the departed Tom Poti. A puck rushing defenseman who has very good offensive skills.

September 13th can't get here fast enough....

Tony

Islanders sign Defenseman Andy Sutton

Late Friday night the Islanders signed 6'6 Andy Sutton to a 3 year contract.

Sutton will essentially take the place of the departed Sean Hill on this year's blueline. Though rumors swirled that the Islanders would in fact sign Danny Markov, they could never come together on a contract. GM Garth Snow found out what many other GM did a while back, that Markov wanted ridiculous money and he wouldn't budge on his demands. After realizing that....Andy Sutton was a no brainer.

Sutton plays a similar game to Sean Hill, he's physical, blocks a ton of shots, and has a hard shot from the point. The fact that he's 5 years younger than Hill and is 6 inches shorter and about 35 lbs. lighter all makes his 3 year $9 million deal a solid one.

Whats next you ask??

Well all signs point to the Isles bringing in a 3rd line Center with offensive potential. Last year Garth did just that with Viktor Kozlov, this season it's looking like it will be Josef Vasicek. Vasicek split last season between Nashville and Carolina getting 22 points in 63 games. Vasicek is still young as he'll turn 27 next month, and displays the type of work ethic that this team is trying to achieve. Though nothing is set in stone....rumors point to this getting done.

An interesting rumor floating around is that the Islanders kicked the tires on Peter Forsberg. Now from what I understand Forsberg is still recovering from offseason foot surgery and wouldn't even be able to play regularly until around Christmas time, but the fact that we have inquired and even gone so far as to keep a pulse on the Forsberg situation....is a very positive sign.

If anyone looks at Greg Logan's blog today....you'll get a little more insight into the day most Islander fans dubbed "Black Sunday". It appears that Garth Snow out bid teams for both Ryan Smyth and Chris Drury, he also had a big offer in on Scott Hannan and remember he contact Bill Guerin on that day as well.

At least we know that Garth had a big plan going into UFA and it just seems that the players he was gunning for were already set on where they wanted to go. As for this coming season....with UFA's like Patrick Marleau, Dany Heatley, Marian Hossa...and others....it's looking like the Isles will be in a position to offer those deals again. Also, another season like last year would further the cause, showing players that the Islanders will be a contending team for years to come.

Enjoy this beautiful weather!

T

Isles re-sign Simon....Is Danny Markov next?

The Islanders re-signed forward Chris Simon to a very cap friendly 1 year $475,000 deal. As we all remember, Simon tomahawked Rangers forward Ryan Hollweg during the Isles run to the playoffs and earned himself a hefty suspention. Simon will have to serve the remaining 4 games of that suspention at the beginning of this coming season.

In other news, reliable sources have assured me that the Islanders will in fact sign D-man Danny Markov in the coming days. This is big news as Markov is coming off an outstanding season with the Detroit Red Wings. His +25 would have led the Isles. He in all likelyhood would be our #1 defenseman.

Hopefully my source is right and I'll have more to write about him in the coming days...

Enjoy your Sunday....

Whats Next?

Well, here we are in....in mid July....nothing going on....no signings....no trades....nada.

At least not in the news. So lets take a look at the current state of the Islanders and see what lies ahead.

Forwards

Garth Snow made a nice recovery with the signings of Bill Guerin, Mike Comrie, Jon Sim and Ruslan Fedotenko. Obviously adding Sim, Comrie and Guerin and retaining Ryan Smyth would have been ideal, but it wasn't meant to be. Moving forward here are some possible line combinations....

Guerin - Comrie - Satan
Hunter - Sillinger - Fedotenko
Tambellini - Park - Bergenheim
Simon - Bates/Hillbert - Sim

Guerin and Comrie together is a no brainer....hard shot with a good passer. Satan going into his walk year...playing with Comrie (a superior playmaker) is also a given...even though Fedotenko would slot in here nicely as well.

Hunter and Sillinger play like they have ESP. They are perfect for each other and Fedotenko will also fit in nicely with these 2.

The 3rd line is something me and 2 of my cousins were talking about over the weekend. (Some background...both of my cousins were college hockey players and have a lust for this franchise as much as I do). So as we were discussing this upcoming season one of them suggested that "throw Bergenheim and Tambellini together and just let them play together for a few years...." As we talked about what he meant....it makes a lot of sense. Put 2 young talented players together and let them grow together and learn the NHL game together. Besides the fact that Bergie and Tamby both have excellent wheels, play good defense, and can probably score 40 goals between them....make them a good match. Add Park to the mix (a gritty, defensivly sound forward)....and this could be a real solid 3rd line.

Bates, Simon and Sim obviously would be a solid 4th line as well. Simon and Sim are both capable of scoring 10-15 goals each and adding solid checking along the way. Bates....well is Bates....(I would much rather Hillbert in this spot....but Bates would probably get the nod at this point if he's not traded.)

D

Last Season....Tom Poti and Sean Hill were both major contributers to the Isles blueline. Poti signed in early July by then GM Neil Smith to a 1 year deal. New GM Garth Snow picked up Hill off the scrap heap in mid August as an extra defenseman. Both turned out to be steals....Poti was fantastic leading the Isles in assists and and Hill was the perfect compliment to Brendan Witt. Now both are gone and leave a glaring hole leading into next season. Snow has been busy trying to fill the holes....Missing out on UFA's Sheldon Souray and Mathieu Schneider and failing to trade for Ed Jovanovski and Bryan McCabe to this point. The options are getting thin....(UFA's Danny Markov and Andy Sutton remain on the market and Derek Morris and Jay McKee are available via trade). There is the option of going with the following combos...

Witt - Gervais
Martinek - Bergeron
Campoli - Meyer

Given, there are risks going with 3 young defenseman and one who seems to miss a chunk of each season with an injury. Giving increased minutes to both Gervais and Martinek seem to be a likelyhood at this point. Gervais has improved his game over the last season and Martinek being as spectacular as he was, before he broke his leg, have both earned it. Bergeron showed last season why he is a very important piece of this team...but with his penchant for giving up the puck....he best hang around the 18 min per game mark. Adding a Danny Markov to this group would be a major addition and a steadying force on the blueline. Markov also has the knack for getting hurt every year....(since he plays a very aggressive, hard nosed style game) but would be well worth the gamble.

Goaltending

Rick DiPietro....enough said.

Dubie will be the backup with newly signed Joey McDonald manning the nets for Bridgeport. McDonald, the former top goaltending prospect with Detroit, was an excellent addition for a team that has little goaltending depth throughout the organization.

Coaching

I did a little reading into Ted Nolan and let me share with you what I found.

96 - 97 Buffalo Sabres 40W 32L 12T
06 - 07 New York Islanders 40W 32L 12OTL

a little weird eh??....gets even better....

that team....was a bunch of hustlers....grinders and very few skilled players...like....

Leader in goals....Donald Audette 28

Leader in assists....Garry Galley 34

Points??.....Derek Plante 53.....yes....53 points.

No Pat Lafontaine....no Alexander Mogilny.....the one star player on the team...

Dominik Hasek.

Sound familiar at all....

This team has some holes....but I have to say....if we add a defenseman like Markov or Andy Sutton to the group we have....we could be in store for another special year at the Coliseum.

As always lets hear your thoughts and I'll hopefully have something else to write about in the coming days....

Tony

A Day of Redemption

Well....it's not like Ryan Smyth pulled a Michael Nylander and came back to Long Island....but it was definitely a day of redemption.

Islanders GM Garth Snow made 2 very important signings today, getting former All Star winger Bill Guerin and younger playmaker Mike Comrie signed, sealed and delivered. Guerin and Comrie essentially replace Jason Blake and Ryan Smyth in this lineup. Fedotneko will replace Viktor Kozlov....and with most likely promotions of youngsters Jeff Tambellini and Sean Bergenheim coming up....the Isles are looking much more solid up front. Lets take a look at the 2 newest Isles.

Guerin, originally drafted by NJ in the first round, had always been goal scorer....this last season was no different. Playing for both St. Louis and San Jose....Guerin rebounded from a sub par season by scoring 36 goals. Want to hear an interesting fact about Billy Guerin? Right before the trading deadline, the Isles offered a package of young players and a draft pick to St. Louis for Guerin. The Blues went with the deal from San Jose instead of Garth Snow's offer. The package consisted of F's Robert Nilsson and Ryan O'Marra...and the Islanders first round pick in 2007. That was the exact package we offered for Ryan Smyth. So in essence....the Islanders really replaced Smyth...with the guy who they inquired about in the first place.

Mike Comrie....is a highly skilled 26 year old. Comrie shows blazing speed, and a combonation or fantastic passing skills and a deft scoring touch. He has twice scored 30 goals in his career and has also reached the 60 point mark before as well. Comrie's whole problem has been his"attitude" issues. Sometimes a player needs the right coach in the right situation to thrive...and as Ted Nolan showed last year with classic under achivers Viktor Kozlov,Tom Poti and even Alexei Yashin to an extent, that he can get players on the right path.

Now....lets talk about the contracts.

Guerin is signed for 2 years for $9 million. This should be no concern.....since the Islanders are so far under the cap...they could bring in 3 Guerin's and still have some room. Good move giving him the extra year .

Comrie is only signed for one year.....but dont let that alarm you. Nolan and Snow intend to use Comrie on the top line with Guerin and possibily Fedotenko. Comrie is taking on much more responsibility centering that top line. If he is able to handle it....like they think he can.....Comrie will no doubt be offered a 4 or 5 year contract extention before season's end.

All 3 of these moves are outstanding moves by the organization....

Now all the Islander fan can step away from the ledge....

Good Bye Jason Blake, Ryan Smyth, Viktor Kozlov, Tom Poti, Richard Zednik, Mike Dunham and Alexei Yashin...Hello Jon Sim!

In what is turning out to be a disastrous few days....the Islanders are now in serious trouble. Let me explain....They right now have several holes to fill....and they also are under the minimum cap for this coming season.....way under......about $15 million under and the current cropo of free agents are dwindling fast. There have been rumors that the Islanders are very interested in F's Bill Guerin and Dainius Zubrus and D-man Sheldon Souray....though as of this morning....none have been signed.

In a very interesting article....Greg Logan wrote in this morning's Newsday that it seems that players are turned off but the incredibally old Nassau Veterns Memorial Coliseum.....personally I think that is a bunch of crap....there are arena's that are just as old and beat up as the NVMC....Pittsburgh for example.....think anyone would turn down an opportunity to play in Pitt?....Having Sidney Crosby and playing for Mario Lemiuex definitely makes it more palatable.

At this point the Islanders need to stop making a political issue about the arena (which needs to be replaced without a doubt)...and concentrate and bringing in a player. Start with one player and move on from there....since they need a top forward and a top defneseman.....they probably sign the best one available at this point....Sheldon Souray and Brad Stuart are the top available defenseman. Bill Guerin, Dainius Zubrus, Mike Comrie, Michael Peca, Ruslan Fedotenko, Wes Walz and Brendan Shanahan are the top forwards available. I am concerned by the fact that as players come off the board....for the prices that even I anticipated....(and last time I checked...I'm not a NHL GM)....why is Garth Snow so suprised by the money these players have been awarded so far. Rafalski went for more probably $1 million more than I anticipated....Gomez got a ridiculous deal for a guy who doesn't score.....but in retrospect....Adam Oates was an extremely good player and was only a 20 goal scorer, so the Gomez deal is not that bad. Briere, Drury, Smyth....etc all went for around what was expected. Sheldon Souray has been taking a beating in the Canadian media for his -28 he had this season.....but still scored 26 goals (btw that was more goals than all but 2 Islanders last year...Sillinger had 26 and Blake had 40). A power play with Souray and Marc-Andre Bergeron would be leathal.....throw in forwards like Satan, Tambellini, Hunter and Sillinger....and the Islander Power Play would be among the league's best. The team already has solid stay at home d-men in Radek Martinek and Brendan Witt....so adding Souray would be a good acquisition. Brad Stuart would also be a great move....as he is a better defender than Souray....but is less talented offensively as well.

As for the fowards.....Comrie is a player who has moved around alot....(Edmonton, Philadelphia, Phoenix and Ottawa) in the last 4 years....but is extremely talented and I think would prosper under Ted Nolan. Dainius Zubrus is a big bruising forward how can score and had a very good playoff....his health has always been a question....but he seems to have done a better job of staying healthy recently, the last 2 seasons he has played more than 20 games and scored more than 20 goals both years as well.

Things are looking bleak right now....I wonder what the rule is if the team doesn't spend the money necessary to hit the cap floor....at this point they need to find someone who will TAKE their money....rather than finding someone who they want to give it to.

I dont envy your job right now Garth....

More later.....I hope!

Tony

Black Sunday

July 1st 2007 will go down in NHL history. Thats the day fans realized that the season long NHL lockout was all a joke. Yup....you read it here first....a joke.

Management locked out the players or an entire season, for what....the reasons they gave us schmuck fans was to create parody....make sure the smaller market teams could keep up with the big market ones.....

Lets recap today's events....

Big Winners....

NYR siging Chris Drury and Scott Gomez for a combined $87 million.

Detroit signs Brian Rafalski for 5 years and $30 million dollars.

Philly signs Daniel Briere for 8 years and $52 million dollars.....(thats after they blew away the defenseman market with that ridicilous Kimmo Timonen contract)

Toronto signs Jason Blake for 5 years and $20 million dollars.

Matheiu Schneider to Anaheim for 2 years and nearly $12 million.

Big Losers....

Buffalo....lost their top 2 players with nothing to show for it.

Islanders....the team has lost 6 of their top 18 players in the last 2 weeks....including their future Captain and the former Captain, their leading goal scorer, leader in ice time and additionally a 25 goal scorer.

Devils.....losing probably their top 2 players the summer before they move into a new building.

Teams like Columbus, Nashville, Phoenix, Chicago, the Islanders, Buffalo.....we're just unable to attract any of the top free agent talent....why you ask?....well it's simple.....money

Not that the above teams dont have any.....they just havent been stupid with it.

Lets look at some of the big signings today....

Detroit and Rafalski.....Brian Rafalski is a very good NHL defenseman....he's durable and is a former Stanley Cup winner. Down side is he is 5'10....190lbs....and has never scored more than 9 goals in a season. Yet Detroit gave him an unbelievable 5 year $30 million deal. An average of $6 million per for a a 34 year old.....

Philly and Briere....this deal irks me to no end....why you ask???....well first of all....they are paying him $10 million the first year of his contract. Secondly....the contract has a no movement clause.....(this is something new)....that apparently means that the Flyers can not do ANYTHING to Briere for the next 8 seasons. They can't release him, demote him, trade him, buy him out......NOTHING!

The Rangers coming away with both Chris Drury and Scott Gomez.....the fact that the Rangers can afford to have Jaromir Jagr, Chris Drury, Scott Gomez and Henrik Lundquist is just sheer lunacy.....you have a team like the Penguins that are playing in a building that resembles the Newbridge Road rink....let alone an NHL arena....and the "Salary Cap" allows the Rangers to spend $87 million dollars in the same day.

I honestly believe that someone day in the future the NHL will be again in major financial trouble....and Gary Bettman will be replaced as Commissioner....and then.....and only then will the NHL be able to restore some of the glory it once had.

Now on to the train wreck that is the New York Islanders hockey Club.

This is what the Islanders have at this point.

They have a 2nd line center in Mike Sillinger....a man who has been traded and switched teams more than anyone in league history.

They have some young wingers in Trent Hunter, Jeff Tambellini, and Sean Bergenheim.

They have some young defenseman in Chris Campoli, Bruno Gervais, Freddy Meyer and Radek Martinek.

They have a franchise goalie in Rick DiPietro.

and very little else.....

in one day the Isles lost their potential Captain, Their most steady defenseman, their leading goal scorer, their reclamation project from the scrap heap, and any chance of saving their reputation.

Ryan Smyth, Tom Poti, Jason Blake and Viktor Kozlov are all gone....and pretty much any chance to better last years team also signed with other franchises today.....as formentioned Scott Gomez, Chris Drury, Daniel Briere, Matt Schneider, Paul Kariya....and the list goes on....

The deal that bothers me the most is Kariya.....reason being is....he signed the same contract that we offered to Jason Blake 3 months ago. Paul Kariya would be a better player that Jason Blake if he only had one hand!.....Where was that offer to Kariya?....at 12:01???....once again the Islanders had the opportunity to take a step foward....build on the momentum from last season....(and anyone who watched this team will tell you it was a special year)....and they have totally shot themselves in the foot.

The names that are left on the market...(Todd Bertuzzi, Danius Zubrus, Brad Stuart, Roman Hamrlik, Peter Forsberg, Ladislav Nagy, Robert Lang, Sheldon Souray, Mike Comrie, Bill Guerin, Michael Peca, Bryan Smolinski...etc all have question marks....or one kind or another...either health questions or age questions....

In order to make today be not a total disaster....Snow would need to sign at least 5 of the above players....Guerin, Bertuzzi, Comrie Stuart and Souray for starters....and for good measure....bring Peter Forsberg in and see what he has left. This team has some major holes to fill and Garth needs to fill them ASAP.

I dont blame Garth Snow for the problems they have had today. Snow is obviously a very good judge of talent and a shrewd trader as we saw last season....but the team needs to bring in someone who has an understanding of the financial part of the game to work with him. Cliff Fletcher, Bill Torrey....etc....someone of that stature would be a tremendous help.

I am probably rambling at this point....we'll see what tomorrow brings I guess....

As always your thought are always appreciated...

Tony

The Night before Free Agency....

Arrrgrhhhhhh......moving is the absolute worst thing a human being can do to itself......alright, maybe I'm being a little ridiculous.....but it's horrible.....I am never moving again....(quote me on this)

Anyway.....at noon tomorrow, the NHL's version of the day after Thanksgiving begins. Instead of GM's like Garth Snow, Glen Sather, Dale Tallon etc heading out to Roosevelt Field....they most likely will be dialing their fax machines to each of the top names on this year's free agent list. Daniel Briere, Chris Drury, Ryan Smyth, Sheldon Souray, Scott Gomez and Paul Kariya should all hear their cell phones ring tomorrow probably simultaniously.

Lets take a look....

Daniel Briere

Briere found his game in Buffalo a few years back after the Phoenix Coyotes gave up on him. Now in the "new NHL" a guy of Briere's size and speed is no longer a liability. Has rumors have stated, Briere was insulted by the Sabres latest....(5 years @ $25 was pretty insulting)....Briere will probably see multiple $7 million + offers over the next 2 days. My guess....he signs with LA as they are desperate for a player of Briere's caliber.

Chris Drury

Drury is a player who displays a rare trait.....(his game reaches another level when times are desperate). Drury is consistently a 30 goal scorer....a definite Captain....and proven clutch performer. He like his former teammate Daniel Briere....will receive multiple $7 million offers. I would have to say the logical landing point for him is the Rangers as he grew up rooting for them as a kid. San Jose, Los Angeles and the Islanders are all known to have significant interest in him as well.

Ryan Smyth

After coming over in a last second trade deadline shocker....Ryan Smyth was given a hero's welcome. Islander fans chanted his name in the parking lot, from their seats, on line for the men's room! Smyth has stated that he enjoyed his time on the Island....but as a first time free agent, he's stated that he was looking forward to hearing all the offers and seeing what would be the best fit for both his family and his desire to hoist the cup. I have no doubt that there will be many teams drooling at adding a player such as Smyth....someone who brings so much more that his 37 goals and 70 points show. He is a special player who contributes to your organization both on the bench, during practice, after practice and while he's on the ice. No one in the Canadian media gives any credience to the possibility that Smyth will stay with the Islanders....but I am going out on a whim....Smyth re-signs with the Islanders for 5 years and 6.5 per season. He becomes as popular as Rick DiPietro and retires one the all time fan favorites.

Jason Blake

Boy....has any fan base turned on a player as popluar as Jason Blake so quickly?? Blake who has had a huge following over the past few years.....has no been quickly dismissed by Islanders fans who have gone as far as calling him a puckhog. Now I always respected Blake's game....but you have to notice over the last 2 season or so....that he passes less an less and he loses the puck while trying to dance around 3 guys. Blake scored 40 goals last season and will definitely get higher offers than what Isles GM Garth Snow last offered. At age 34 Blake will most likely get a few 3 year offers and I see him sigining with either Minnesota or Toronto. The Leafs would have to be the favorite since the Ryan Smyth's and Chris Drury's will be priced way too high.

Scott Gomez

Gomez is a very intriguing player. He posses's every tool a hockey coach would want. Blazing speed, excellent vision, a deadly shot and strong defenseive skills. Problem with Gomez....as opposed with Jason Blake...is Gomez has never scored more than 33 goals....and he only did that once.....(19 was his previous high)....If I had to guess....I would say he re-signs with the Devils for $5 million per.

Paul Kariya

Kariya is no spring chicken....at age 33....but coming off a strong season playing for the Predators He'll be a commodity. Kariya was a college teammate of Isles GM Garth Snow and would be a good fit for the Islanders. Expect to see multiple offers for Kariya....but I think he comes to Long Island for a 3 year stay.

I'll have another blog posted tomorrow after the aftermath of day one.

Have a great Sunday!

Tony

MIA

Sorry I've been MIA guys.....I'm in the process of buying a house and moving all of my worldly possessions.

I'll try to get a new Isles blog up tonight.....if I can keep my eyes open long enough.

Thanks!
Tony

Isles Sign Bergenheim

The Islanders signed former 1st round pick Sean Bergenheim to a 1 year one way contract yesterday. Bergenheim sat out last season after the Islanders didn't offer him the contract he was looking for. After 9 games in the Russain Super League....Bergenheim realized he made a mistake and had his agent contact GM Garth Snow asking if he could sign the contract offered to him. Though as per team policy, any player who does not sign before the start of training camp, will not be offered a new contract until the following offseason. So Bergenheim signed in the Swedish Elite League and had a very good season.

Very good job by Snow for getting this done. He got this deal done quickly after a disastrous negotiation last summer. Bergenheim realized very quickly that he wanted to play in the NHL and his one-way contract all gut guarentees he'll be on the team next seaosn.

Bergenheim should fill in nicely with Sillinger and Hunter....a line that has very little speed. Theoretically he could play on any of the 4 lines and also see time on both the power play and the penalty kill as well.

A special thanks to Lyle Richardson (otherwise know as Spector)....for linking this blog on his website www.spectorshockey.net Please check out his site as he has excellent insight on all trade rumors and free agent signings. You can also find his blog on www.foxsports.com

Draft is Friday night and after yesterday's stunning trade between the Preadators and Flyers....I have a feeling it's going to be a very interesting weekend.

I'll have something posted on the first round on Friday night.

Isles Notes

The aftermath of the Alexei Yashin buyout....has the rumors are flying today....from the credible to the ridiculous.....here are a few...

According to multiple sources the Islanders have interest in bringing back Michael Peca as an UFA this summer. Peca played only 35 games last year with the Maple Leafs after injuring his knee. Not a bad idea as he is still a stong defensive player and would be a good guy in the room. Peca and Yashin couldn't coexist in their time on Long Island....now that Yashin is gone....anything is possible.

Alexei Yashin's agent will contact Ottawa GM John Muckler to guage his interest according to the Ottawa Sun.....(that should be a very short conversation as Muckler should just hang up the phone on Gandler.)

Interesting quotes by Ryan Smyth's agent Don Meehan....

"The buyout is a consideration on a number of levels, but I don't think it's a critical or determining factor for Ryan," Meehan told The NY Post yesterday. "We have not yet had serious conversations with the Islanders, but Ryan will give the team every opportunity to sign him.
"He has not told me that he is committed to becoming a free agent on July 1. We expect to have conversations with the Islanders in the near future."

Sooooo now Ryan doesn't necessarily have his heart set on testing the market??....very interesting....also interesting is that every trace of Alexei Yashin has magically disappeared from the Islanders website and has been replaced with an image of.....Ryan Smyth.....coincidence??...

The focus of fans now is how do we spend the $5.25 million dollars of cap space we cleared yesterday?....Scott Gomez, Chris Drury, Daniel Briere, Michael Peca, Sheldon Souray, Thomas Vanek, Pierre-Marc Bouchard and others are all on the fan's radar....but who's on Garth and Ted's radar??? If I was a betting man....I would say Drury, Gomez, and Peca in that order.

Kyle Okposo has announced he will return to Minnesota for his sophmore season. After meeting with Islanders management he made his decision to return. Probably will be best for his development....

I asked Newsday writer Greg Logan if the Islanders had any intention on changing their dark uniform to the "retro" 1972 Jersey they wore in January. He responded that he hadn't heard anything about that....but he added that also hadn't asked about it either. He also told me the NHL was going to revert back to the white jersey's at home and the dark jersey's on the road starting next season.....which would be nice.....Personally I loved the 72 jersey and would like to see the team ditch the navy blue and go back to the old royal blue. Let me know what you think about that....if I get enough fans interested in that....I would gladly pass that info along to Greg Logan to bring up at a later date with Garth Snow.

I have a feeling that it's going to be an extremely busy summer....so I'm sure this blog will turn into a 11 month thing....(probably excluding August....as it is normally a dead hockey month)...

Have a great weekend....

Tony

Islanders Buy Out Alexei Yashin

Fans....welcome to the "New" New York Islanders.
The Islanders will have a new Captain next season. In a stunning move that was well overdue....the team decided to buy out Alexei Yashin. The team still owe Yashin $17.6 million dollars....that they are required to pay him in equally monthly installments over the next 8 years. As a result of the buyout...the Islanders will take a $2.2 million cap hit for the next 8 seasons.
The move while to be hugely popular with fans, doesn't make much financial sense. Especially for a team that doesn't annually make much money, and now will be saddled with a $2.2 million cap hit for nearly a decade....The move will obviously will inject even more energy into a fan base that saw a resurgence with the hiring of Head Coach Ted Nolan, a stunning run to the playoffs....and the acquision of new fan favorite Ryan Smyth.
The biggest question now will be.....
What does this mean for the offseason.....
Well....a few things....
First, it could be either an amazing summer, or a nightmare. Best case scenario, Garth Snow resigns Ryan Smyth, and brings in Chris Drury and Sheldon Souray. Worst case scenario...Smyth signs elsewhere, Drury signs with the Flyers and our biggest free agent signing is Michael Peca. Either could happen. With the Isles now saving about $5 million dollars more than they would have had originally....the team has much more flexability. Do I think they could land both Drury and Souray....probably not....but it's not crazy to think about a Smyth and Drury situation, which would give Ted Nolan the 2 players who best display his penchant for clutch, gritty hockey. Both are students of the game and both would have the opportunity to lead this franchise back to greatness.
The move also means that the "C" is already sewn on Ryan Smyth's jersey if he so chooses to return. There is no doubt that he A. deserves it....and B. the team would be enthralled to have Ryan as their leader. As for Drury....the Islanders would be able to offer him a $6 million per year deal over 5 seasons. Drury no doubt knows the Island....(his brother Ted was an Islander during the lean years)...and knows the history of the franchise. Drury also got to experience the old barn during the playoffs with the Buffalo Sabres.
I know I know....lots of speculation....but now is the fun time....the Islanders will be heading into a talent rich free agent pool with almost $14 million dollars to spend, (that includes resigning their own free agents).
More to follow....I would love to hear some comments on the buyout and fan reaction

ISLANDERS SIGN DUSTIN KOHN TO 3-YEAR CONTRACT

The Islanders continue to sign junior prospects in anticipation for this upcoming season. The Islanders today signed Defenseman Dustin Kohn to a 3 year entry level contract. He will be at the Islanders Prospect minicamp next month in Moncton and will be at big league camp in September. Kohn is 6'1 and 190 lbs and should be able to contend for a roster spot in the very near future.

Kohn is coming off by far his best junior season in 06-07. His 5-45-50 led the Brandon Wheat Kings defenseman in scoring and his +23 mark was the best on the team. He also ranked among the league leaders in assists and power play assists.

With Chris Campoli and Bruno Gervais promoted to NHL duty....this signing along with the expected future signing of another defensive prospect Wes O'Neill, current Sound Tiger Drew Fata and newly signed Andrew McDonald ...the Islanders will have replenished their d-man stock at Bridgeport and given themselves plenty of options come training camp.

Mad Mike Departs

On a day that would be called on of the most ironic I can remember, Mike Milbury wil be leaving the New York Islanders front office after he stepped down from his VP position almost a year after being replaced as GM. The Ironic part of the day is that the man whom Milbury replaced 12 years ago, Don Maloney, was just hired by the Phoenix Coyotes to be their new GM.

Milbury will always be remembered by Islanders fans as "Mad Mike", a name he called himself on draft day 2000, when he traded 2 top goaltending prospects (Roberto Luongo and Kevin Weekes), and a forward prospect (Olli Jokinen), and passed on future all stars Dany Heatley and Marian Gaborik to select Rick DiPietro and acquire Raffi Torres, Oleg Kvasha and Mark Parrish.

Milbury has traded some of the Islanders most prized prospects over the years (Bryan McCabe, Bryan Berard, Wade Redden, Todd Bertuzzi, Jokinen, Luongo, Weekes, Zdeno Chara, Tim Connolly, Taylor Pyatt, JP Dumont and the list goes on). Whats sad is the good things Milbury did over the years go un-noticed. The acquision of Trent Hunter for a little know prospect before Hunter had even signed with Anaheim, rescuing a Jason Blake from the shuttle between Los Angeles and Manchester, the hiring of Peter Laviolette (even though he undid that by firing him 2 years later at the request of the team). The drafting of DiPietro was a good thing though Milbury went about it all wrong. If he had done his homework he would have found out that Atlanta had no intention of drafting Ricky with the second pick. At that point they might have been able to draft both DiPietro and Dany Heatley. At that point the Islanders could have walked away with DiPietro, Heatley, Kvasha and Parrish.....doesn't look as bad as how it actually went down eh? (I know I know....I rubbing salt in the wounds....but I suffered through this too!)...

Good Luck to Mike on his future endevors....he always provided a smile with some of his remarks and quotes through the years....(the one about Ziggy Palffy's agent Paul Krause depriving a village of a pretty good idiot is one of my favorites).

Isles News 5/24/2007

Some rare Islanders news on Memorial Day weekend!

First, Ryan Smyth's agent Don Meehan has stated that he will be contacting Garth Snow to have prelimeniary discussion on a contract extention. This is big news....though it doesn't guarentee the Isles will sign Ryan before the July 1st free agency opening. The fact that the discussions will be held ahead of time is a very promising sign for the Isles. Smyth enjoyed his time playing for Head Coach Ted Nolan and the fact that he is willing to hear the team out shows that he is truely interested in a possible return. Now....I totally expect that Smyth will at least hear what the open market has to offer....but there are no guarentees that he will get a better deal than what Charles Wang will offer him. I full expect a 6 year $35 million offer....besides the promise of the Captainicy and a sharing of the face of the franchise along with Rick DiPietro. There will be plenty of teams interested in Smyth....but not many who would place his value as high as the Islanders have put it. Obviously seeing what an effect that he had on the team during the playoff run puts his return at a premium. If I had to put odds on his return....75% he comes back.

The Islanders also signed Defenseman prospect Andrew McDonald to a 3 year contact. McDonald spent his junior years playing in Moncton (under Ted Nolan in 2005). McDonald, ranked as the Islanders 10th best prospect but hockeyfutures.com, played his way into Moncton's top 3 d-men after walking on to the team 4 years ago. He will be at the Islanders prospect camp in the June, ironically being held this year in Moncton.

Notes...

Forward Randy Robaitialle has signed a contact to play with a Russian team next season and wont be back.

Kyle Okposo has until June 1st to let his coach at the Universtiy of Minnesota know if he'll be returning next season. The fact that it's May the 25th and we haven't heard anything yet....means there is a possibility that we could see Okposo next fall.

Blake to Test Free Agency

All signs point to Islanders winger Jason Blake hitting the Unrestricted Free Agency market July 1st, and if this year follows suit....he wont last long.

Blake is still bent on his 5 year $18 million demands, and GM Garth Snow is still not buying. Blake who is to turn 35 before training camp isn't giving any hometown discounts and seems to be put off by the fact that the Islanders seem more concerned with the prospects of signing Ryan Smyth than giving him his ridiculous contract. Snow offered a 3 year $9 million deal just before the trading deadline that Blake turned down.

The Islanders are in a tough position, as Blake is an fan favorite....but the team should not overpay and make another long term mistake like they did with Alexei Yashin. Personally....if they are going to give out another $4-$5 million per year deal....i'd much rather they give it to a Scott Gomez or someone who hasn't reached their 34th birthday. I like Jason Blake....but as we saw in the playoffs....he is not a player who the Isles can't live without. With youngsters Jeff Tambellini, Sean Bergenheim and the recently signed Sean Bentivoglio all on the horizon, they should all be considered younger cheaper versions of a Blake type player and who can come in and produce immediately.

Speaking of Bentivoglio....he will be at the Islanders Prospect training camp at the end of June. He has been described as a player who leaves it all on the ice. I have an email in to Jeffery Bausch, who writes for hockey futures.com about Islanders prospects to get some background info on Bentivoglio and Trevor Smith who signed with the Isles late in the season and played with Bridegeport during the playoffs. As soon as I have a response...I'll post another blog.

Yashin to Return

Garth Snow in an interview yesterday that Alexei Yashin is an important part of the Islanders orgainzation.....in layman's terms.....Yashin will be back in 07. The speculation over a possible buyout should end at this point. I can't say I agree with it....but I certianly understand it. Let me explain....

Yashin is due 7.6 million dollars next season and the following season....the final 2 seasons he is owed less (about $6 million per average) it totals about $27 million over the next 4 years....with a buyout he would collect almost the entire amount only over the next eight years instead of the next 4. From a business standpoint....it makes absolutely no sense to buy him out. If Yashin was owed $5 million for 2 years it would make more sense....but to pay him nearly $25 million and to get absolutely nothing for that money is ridiculous.

There was little doubt that Yashin would be back with the Islanders next year....albeit in a much smaller role than he has been in year's past. Yashin will most likely not be the Captain anymore....and will not be the focal point of the offense. He will likely be relegated to a second or third line winger position. Much like Viktor Kozlov filled this year. I know that is a lot of money to pay for a player like that....but honestly....there is nothing that can be done about that. When you sign a player to a long term deal....thats the chance you take. You didn't hear any Islander fans complaining when we gave Yashin the contract during the summer of 2001. The franchise was starving for a star player and Yashin was coming off a 40 goal season for the Ottawa Senators and was widely regarded as a offensive force. He also was just entering his prime at age 27. Yashin had also not missed a game due to injury in 4 years. The deal at the time was a no brainer....and the contract seemed like a steal at the time given what Yashin would bring to the table.

Since that time Yashin has not scored a playoff point in his last 9 playoff games. Has missed significant time due to a variety of injuries....(lacerated arm, sprained knee...etc). After scoring 30 or more goals 5 of his 7 season in Ottawa....he has scored more than 30 only once since coming to Long Island...(his first season). In those 5 season he had more than 30 goals....he also had more than 70 points....2 of those years he had more than 80 and 1 he had 94 points. Since the trade Yashin has scored 70 points once....and his numbers have been declining each season.

Sorry folks....Looks like we'll be seeing ol' #79 back in the Orange and Blue for at least the next year.

Isles Sign Wade Dubielewicz to 1 Year Contract

After a stunning run to the playoffs....the New York Islanders have rewarded Wade Dubielewicz. The Isles signed "Dubie" to a 1 year one way contract to be the backup goaltender to starter Rick DiPietro.

Dubielewicz was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Islanders after a very successful career at the University of Denver. He was a Hobey Baker finalist during his junior season in 2001-02. Over the course of his Sound Tiger career, Dubie is an impressive 58-52-8 with a 2.48 GAA and a .919 save percentage and 13 shutouts.

Excellent move by the Islanders, rewarding a player who has waited for his chance for some time and who came up huge for them in a desperate time of need. Dubielewicz has been told his whole life that he would never make it....now he's an NHL goaltender....

Captain Desperation?

For the first time in almost 5 years as an Islander, Alexei Yashin is playing a desperate game. His agent Marc Gandler, said yesterday in an interview with Greg Logan that Yashin would be willing to give up the Captaincy in order to stay on Long Island.

Reason behind this??.....well there are a few...

First of all....if the Islanders buy out Yashin's remaining 4 years and nearly $25 million, he would only get about $17.5 million of it, and would collect it over the next 8 years....not the next 4. Also....Yashin's value is probably the lowest it's been ever. He would be no better than a 2nd or thrd ine player at a $2 million value. Secondly, Yashin know the Islanders will have make a change with the "C". With Ryan Smyth already the defacto Captain and with the Islanders needing to either sign him...or bring in someone else...the "C" will be a huge bargining chip. Smyth, though considered an excellent leader and voice in the room, has never been a Captain. Much like the Boston Bruins did with Zdeno Chara last summer.

Now.....I dont think Marc Gandler and Yashin came out of left field with all this....there has to be some discussion about a possible buy out and they are making the first move. Personally I'm insulted by this. Wearing the "C" is supposed to be one of the greatest honors that can bestowed on a hockey player. It obviously means very little to Alexei Yashin. If Yashin thought it would be in the best interest of the franchise to give it up....then I would commend him on this move, but thats not the case. Yashin is simply trying to save himself both cash and marketability. Knowing good and well that he would not be a top free agent if he was bought out....(he would probably have to do what Bill Guerin did last year and wait for a job to open up and accept a small one year contract to prove himself), and the fact that he will lose out on almost $7.5 million.

This discussion is far from over.....I guarantee that. This talk may go right up to the June 30th deadline.

We're in for a veryyyyy interesting summer.

06-07 Season Thoughts....

It's taken me a couple of days to get my arms around everything that's happened this season, and everything thing that’s been discussed for this summer. Only now do I have a clear enough head to talk about it.

I've broken down the season and the team into areas that are important for both the the 2006-07 season and for the future.

1. Was the 06-07 season a success?

Yes….Everyone always says that if you don’t win the Stanley Cup your season hasn't been a complete success. Regardless of whether or not this team won the cup or not….it was a great success. During the 06-07 season…the Islanders reinvented themselves into a viable NHL franchise. After all the madness of last summer (the Neil Smith debacle, the promotion of Garth Snow, the hiring of Ted Nolan, the sigining of players coming off career worst seasons Poti, Kozlov and Dunham). All of these things worked out much better than anyone could have expected. Neil Smith obviously wasn't a fit as he told Charles Wang he could work within the "board of directors" structure Wang had put into place after last season. He realized after a month that was a lie. Charles did the right thing by letting him go….but you have to wonder why Smith has never given another opportunity after being fired from the Rangers position nearly 7 years ago. Snow has established himself as a solid young GM making some fantastic moves (ridding the Isles of bad contracts of Zhitnik and York), bringing in such young talent as Marc Andre Bergeron and Freddy Meyer, and being able to make the impact deal (acquiring Ryan Smyth). He also deftly signed Sean Hill and Viktor Kozlov after being named GM last August. Wang also took a flyer out on his new coach. After the less than sexy names like Bill Stewart, Steve Stirling, and Brad Shaw ran the show the last few years…Charles did what no other team would do. He brought Ted Nolan back from the abyss and gave him a job. Nolan responded with a return to the playoffs. He has solidified himself as the long term coach solution here on Long Island and has been an active recruiter even going as far as waiting at the Garden City hotel until 1AM for Ryan Smyth to arrive after his trade from the Edmonton Oilers. Snow and Nolan have formed a bond and are very close and seem to work extremely well together. The franchise for the first time in a long time is in good hands. We finally have a stable owner, a solid GM and a long term coach in place.

2. Who's laughing now?

When the season started last October, the Islanders were the laughing stock of the NHL. A 15 year contract for a goaltender??....given to him by his mentor?? Who was a player only a few months before? We were all left shaking our heads, asking each other….why us?? Well now the $4.5 million that Rick DiPietro will be making is offically a bargin. DiPietro now has back to back 30 win seasons, he improved his GAA by a half a goal a game and his save % went up from 90% to 92%. He also had 5 shutouts this year….he had only 2 previous shutouts. He broke the Islanders record for saves in a game stopping 56 shots against the Rangers. Had 32 wins even though he missed 3 weeks with concussion problems. DiPietro would now be considered one of the upper eschelon goaltenders in the NHL. Names like Roberto Luongo and Marty Turco can be used in the same breath as DiPietro after this year. Goaltenders that on any given night can win you a game on their own.

3. Who comes back?

Ryan Smyth, Tom Poti, Richard Zednik, Viktor Kozlov, Sean Hill, Randy Robitaille, Jason Blake, Arron Asham, Chris Simon and Wade Dublielwicz are all unrestricted free agents. Who comes back? Obviously you NEED Ryan Smyth. Garth Snow's plan all along was not only to acquire the best player traded at the deadline but to also give the Islanders a 2 month head start on getting him signed long term. I have no doubt that Garth will give him the keys to the castle and anything else he wants Expect the Islanders to offer 5 years $32.5 million. Nex is Jason Blake….yes you do want him back….but probably no more than a 3 year deal (remember he's 34 already). Jason was nearly invisible in the playoffs and is not your typical 40 goal scorer. He is a complimentary player….not a superstar. He gives you everything he's got night in and night out…but he is not a $4 million a year player. 3 years $9.5 million is more than fair for Blake. I personally would love to have Tom Poti back. I think he flourished under Ted Nolan and he was as steady a defenseman we had in years. I do believe the Isles need to bring in a puck moving defenseman (which I'll get to next), but Poti is someone I would definitely like to have back. 3 years and $8 million should do the trick. I was impressed with Richard Zednik's play coming back from a 2 week absence. Besides the fact that we gave up a 2nd round pick for him. 1 year at $2 million would be a fair deal to get him back to being a 20 goal scorer. Randy Robitaille was probably our most consistant forward the last month of the season. He is just as strong a player as Shawn Bates and has a much better scoring touch. I would trade Bates and keep Robitaille. Kozlov was a fantastic pickup over by Garth Snow. Ufortunately I believe his price tag will be too high and there are other options at the same price that would be a better fit. Sean Hill and Chris Simon are both UFA's and both were suspended this season. Hill will miss approx. 1/4 of the NHL 07-08 season due to his suspention. Chris Simon will be able to come back at the beginning of next season. I loved what each brought to this team….both need not return. Arron Asham has been a good player or the Islanders. Acquired for Mariusz Czerkawski from the Canadians, he has provided hits, fights and some timely goals. Asham's biggest problem….he takes terrible penalities at the absolute worst times. You may not remember the last time he did that….but that's mostly because Teddy left him on the bench in the later stages of the game. Asham could be replaced for a more inexpensive player…(Sean Bergenheim). And finally Wade Dublielwicz….who in my opinion has cemented himself into Islanders lore forever with his amazing play down the stretch. Dubie….along with other Islander goalies such as Roland "Rollie the goalie" Melanson, Glenn "Chico" Resch and Glenn Healy al provided moments over the years….Dubie has left his stamp as well. Isles should and will bring him back as the backup to Ricky next season.

4. Who's available?

Many free agents will hit the market come July 1st. Here's a few….

Teemu Selanne, Daniel Briere, Chris Drury, Danius Zubrus, Tony Amonte, Craig Conroy, Jeff Friesen, Roman Hamrlik, Wayne Primeau, Brad Stuart, Ian Laperriere, Bryan Berard, Ladislav Nagy, Darryl Sydor, Todd Bertuzzi, Kyle Calder, Robert Lang, Mathieu Schneider, Petr Sykora, Martin Gelinas, Jaroslav Modry, Sheldon Souray, Paul Kariya, Kimmo Timonen, Scott Gomez, Bryan Rafalski, Mike Comrie, Mark Recchi, Bill Guerin, Jeff O'Neill and Michael Peca to name a few.

All of these players are UFA's as of today. The names on this list that are extremely intriguing are 2 from the Devils (Gomez and Rafalski), Laperriere, Schneider and Paul Kariya. Scott Gomez would be a HUGE addition to this team. His price tag shouldn't get to $6 million either. Considering he's only scored more than 30 goals once and has never scored more than 19 in any other year. Gomez has tremendous speed and his passing skills would be fantastic on this team (think a passing Jason Blake). Rafalski would give the Islanders the puck moving defenseman they so desire and would also provide the missing minutes vacated by a Sean Hill departure. Ian Laperriere is a Ted Nolan player….plain and simple. Here is the scouting report on Laperriere Assets Is a very hard worker and earns a lot of respect in standing up for his teammates. Has strong forechecking and penalty-killing skills. Tends to rattle his opponents with his in-your-face attitude. Flaws Will never lead his NHL team in scoring and is somewhat limited in terms of natural ability. Tends to rile the opposition up with on-ice antics. We need a player like Laperriere. Kariya is a stretch I know….but signing him (and by the way it would be Gomez or Kariya not both)….would add a scoring dymanic that we sorely need. Kariya's 24 goals and 75 points are not eye popping….but very solid none the less.

5. Prospects

Who is left after the Ryan Smyth trade you ask….plenty. First and foremost is Kyle Okposo. The pride and joy of the organization. Okposo had an extrememly successful freshman season at Minnesota this year. Chances are he will return there for at least his sopohmore season as the Islanders are not putting any pressure on him to leave school. If he so chooses to leave…Garth Snow will welcome him with open arms….but don’t count on it this season. Next is Jeff Tambellini…who I think is ready for the bigtime. I keep picturing him on a line with Scott Gomez and Jason Blake…(what a dream that would be). Tambellini showed last season that he can play with the big boys. Expect him to be a full time player next season. Next you have Sean Bergenheim who will no doubt be back with the Islanders next year. He should replace Arron Asham. Petteri Nokaleninen, Blake Comeau, Jeremy Collition and Franz Nielsen will all vie for spots though most will probably spend another season in Bridgeport.

6. Trades??

Probably….as the Islanders have an extra defenseman of Campoli, Gervais and Meyer. Witt will be back along with Bergeron and Martinek. If Poti is resigned and a defenseman is brought in via free agency….then at least one of the youngsters will be dealt. Though anything is possible there are no glaring canidates to be dealt.

7. Will Alexei Yashin return?

A week ago….I would have said no way. Today…..i'm not sure. Both Snow and Nolan stated yesterday that there hasn't been any talk about buying out Yashin's contract. They also said that keeping Yashin would not hinder them in bringing back both Ryan Smyth and Jason Blake. At this point I almost WANT them to bring him back. The feeling I have is that he should have to play out his contract and suffer through every minute. Ted Nolan is going to make him play the way he's supposed to….if not….he will sit. I don’t think this discussion is over….but it looks like Yashin will more than likely be back.

Now that I have carpel tunnel….I leave off with this….
This has been a great season, I have enjoyed it from beginning to end, and I can't wait to see what direction Garth and Ted take this franchise this summer.
I will be updating the blog periodically throughout the spring and summer…..

I hope to hear from you guys

Enjoy the nice weather

Tony

Welcome to the new Blog

Since the Myspace blog has become so popular I've decided to take it to the next level.....sooooo welcome to the New York Islanders Fan Blog.

I'll be posting updated information about the team and just some general thoughts.

Here is my New York Islanders myspace fan page

http://www.myspace.com/newyorkislandersfan

If you have any thoughts or questions please feel free to drop me a line

ajstabile@gmail.com

Thanks and enjoy

Tony