AT: As anyone who reads the blog knows, I am not a Nassau County resident. I have lived in Suffolk County for my entire life except for my year at college last year where I lived in the Financial District in Manhattan. Next, I'm going to be living in Albany for school. I went from Coram, to Mt. Sinai, to Stony Brook and now I live in Port Jefferson. Long Island, and more specifically Suffolk, has been all I've known my entire life. While I certainly had a very difficult childhood, it would have been much more difficult if I had not been living in such a stable location. With low crime and getting an education at a fantastic high school (in terms of education at least), Long Island was probably the best place to grow up. My mom grew up in Dix Hills, my father in Port Jefferson. My heritage is here.
The Islanders hold a special place in my heart. As a child, I never really had too many passions. Hockey was the first one to really flare up. After my dad bought Islanders season tickets in the summer of 2001, I went to about 30 home games in the 2001-2002 season including all 3 home playoff games against Toronto. Chris Osgood quickly became my favorite player and I had finally found a major interest that has stayed with me and of which my passion has only grown. I was as big of a fan as you could get, and the Islanders remained a huge part of my life and being able to take in games with my father helped me deal with the difficulty of my childhood. The 45 minute drives to the Coliseum were relaxing and helped me bond with my father, talking about life, friends, girls, and everything of the like. Since my father worked, going to the games was really the only time I had to talk to him about things in my life that made me both happy and sad.
As I stated, I did not have many passions in my childhood. I had on and off depression until 2010, I was almost always overweight until I finally got the willpower to lose 60 pounds and have kept it off since, and I was generally an outcast in school. Watching the games in person and going to such an invigorating environment helped keep me stable and develop a major interest to keep me from going off the deep end. While I have turned my life around completely, I can not help but think at least part of that is due to the fact that I was able to take such a huge interest in something for the first time in my life. After all, what drives a human above all else more than his/her passion? Having a team that helped me identify with where I was growing up, one that allowed me to bond with my father and one that drove me into my first major interest was a major spark plug in my life.
While obviously not everyone will fall into the same situation I did, there are bound to be children out there who will. Children who are growing up in a time period that is, to say the least, unstable. Politically, militarily and economically. We can not and should not deprive them of the same experiences we were all lucky enough to enjoy and take in. These are memories that will last me a lifetime. Memories I hope and pray I will be able to share with my children if I choose to come back to Long Island after I'm done with my military career.
We live in a black hole of suburbia. The Nassau Coliseum, even in its deteriorating state, always remained that one "big" location on Long Island. In my area specifically, the most notable location is the Smithhaven Mall. That says a lot about Long Island. We must not allow New York City to continue to swallow our tax dollars. Long Island is very unique, and it needs its own unique locations. Jones Beach and Montauk alone will not and should not cut it. We are more than that, and we need to show that to the legislature and NIFA. We need to grow, and the only way to grow is to invest. Just like the saying goes, you need to spend money to make money. Just like how Charles Wang was going to spend on the Lighthouse in order to make a profit. Just like how banks give out loans with interest to customers who want to start up a business.
If the Coliseum is gone, so many memories, so many good things... will be terminated. Gone. Revenue from the Coliseum will vanish, people will continue to leave the Island, the only professional sports team on Long Island that has brought joy, sadness and hope to tens of thousands of people over the years will be relocated. This is not just about the Islanders, and it really never has been. Obviously, we all want the team here for good, but the loss of the Coliseum is a loss of part of the heart and soul of Long Island.
That is why I am supporting the yes vote. I believe in investing in worthy projects, and I believe in this Island that turned me into the man I am today. The Lighthouse project would have been better, yes. We all agree. However, this is the last option for Long Island to keep an arena. You might not agree with the entire premise of it, but almost everyone agrees keeping an arena is quintessential to keeping Long Island great and from keeping Long Island from falling off the edge economically. It's time to suck up some pride and do what's best for the community. With that, I plead all Nassau residents - invest in your community. Allow my children, your children and the children of others to share the memories that I and others were able to enjoy. Vote "YES" on August 1st, 2011.
- Alex Tessler
Jul 30, 2011
Jul 28, 2011
Trade: Islanders acquire Brian Rolston from NJD for Trent Hunter
In a solid move before the extremely important vote on Monday, the Islanders made a somewhat large move in acquiring Brian Rolston from New Jersey for the oft-injured Trent Hunter. Rolston carries a $5m cap hit for the final year of his contract.
AT: Can't really hate this deal. Most fans including myself were simply hoping for the end of Hunter's deal, and very soon. One of the slowest Islanders and one who is consistently injured, Hunter had a sharp decline from his Calder nominee run in 2003-2004. Since then, he has only had 1 20 goal season, and generally did not fit into the system anymore. Rolston, while also on the decline, is a veteran presence and slots into the 3rd line a little better than Hunter would have.
It's just very curious that after Rolston was on waivers last season, the Islanders decided to trade for him now. He is still a solid player no doubt, but I think his $5m cap hit would be better spent elsewhere, specifically in the defense sector. However, that leads me to my next point, in that signing Rolston could mean that Comeau or Bailey are on their way out as part of a trade for a D-man. In that case, I have absolutely no problem with this deal, but obviously we have to wait and see.
This trade is not going to rattle the NHL like the Havlat-Heatley trade earlier in the offseason, but Rolston is a nice acquisition. Just not the acquisition we really need right now. Regardless, welcome to the Island, Mr. Rolston.
CH: I have very mixed feelings on this trade. If you look at it under a microscope, the Islanders got the better of this trade. Hunter is a 40 year old player playing in a 30 year old body. His injuries have severely hampered his career to the point where he is not a viable NHL option unless he is on the 4th line. On the other hand, although he was waived last season Rolston can still play in this league, mostly due to his blistering slap shot and skating ability. He can slot anywhere in the top 9, and should be able to produce in the 40 point range if he stays healthy.
However, you can't just look at this under the hypothetical microscope. There are two main results from this trade that I take some issue with. First, the Islanders help the Devils in their quest to sign Zach Parise. Yes, they would have worked out a deal anyway but Garth Snow gave the Devils an extra three million to play with. This is a division rival. Why would you help them? Especially with someone as talented as Parise.
But even if you want to disregard that, and some will, there is the cap floor situation. The Islanders are now in clear striking distance of the floor and do not have to acquire anyone else to get there. Is Brian Rolston the guy you expect to make a difference here? It is about clear the Isles want be about .99 cents above the floor if they could pull that off. I don't believe Rolston is the ideal option. This also does not get them a top 4 defenseman, which they are still in dire need of.
I also do not think this will affect the Alexei Yashin situation. Like I've been saying the whole time, if Wang wants Yashin, he will sign Yashin. Which leads me to the question of if this is the end of Blake Comeau. I surely hope not, unless the team gets a legtimate top 4 defenseman for him. After years of developing Comeau, why not let him play the next stage of his career here? Granted I am fine letting him go, but only for the right player. With the top 9 having 10 forwards if you include Niederreiter, someone will have to move.
While my guess is that Comeau moves, its possible they send Nino down for one more season while Rolston is used as a placeholder. It will be interesting to see how the rest of the summer plays out.
Finally, all the best to Trent Hunter, who was a proud Islander for nine seasons. He wore the jersey proud and even signed a 5 year extension when he certainly could have gotten more money on the market. I hope he is able to revive his career for the Devils. Best of luck, Trent.
AT: Can't really hate this deal. Most fans including myself were simply hoping for the end of Hunter's deal, and very soon. One of the slowest Islanders and one who is consistently injured, Hunter had a sharp decline from his Calder nominee run in 2003-2004. Since then, he has only had 1 20 goal season, and generally did not fit into the system anymore. Rolston, while also on the decline, is a veteran presence and slots into the 3rd line a little better than Hunter would have.
It's just very curious that after Rolston was on waivers last season, the Islanders decided to trade for him now. He is still a solid player no doubt, but I think his $5m cap hit would be better spent elsewhere, specifically in the defense sector. However, that leads me to my next point, in that signing Rolston could mean that Comeau or Bailey are on their way out as part of a trade for a D-man. In that case, I have absolutely no problem with this deal, but obviously we have to wait and see.
This trade is not going to rattle the NHL like the Havlat-Heatley trade earlier in the offseason, but Rolston is a nice acquisition. Just not the acquisition we really need right now. Regardless, welcome to the Island, Mr. Rolston.
CH: I have very mixed feelings on this trade. If you look at it under a microscope, the Islanders got the better of this trade. Hunter is a 40 year old player playing in a 30 year old body. His injuries have severely hampered his career to the point where he is not a viable NHL option unless he is on the 4th line. On the other hand, although he was waived last season Rolston can still play in this league, mostly due to his blistering slap shot and skating ability. He can slot anywhere in the top 9, and should be able to produce in the 40 point range if he stays healthy.
However, you can't just look at this under the hypothetical microscope. There are two main results from this trade that I take some issue with. First, the Islanders help the Devils in their quest to sign Zach Parise. Yes, they would have worked out a deal anyway but Garth Snow gave the Devils an extra three million to play with. This is a division rival. Why would you help them? Especially with someone as talented as Parise.
But even if you want to disregard that, and some will, there is the cap floor situation. The Islanders are now in clear striking distance of the floor and do not have to acquire anyone else to get there. Is Brian Rolston the guy you expect to make a difference here? It is about clear the Isles want be about .99 cents above the floor if they could pull that off. I don't believe Rolston is the ideal option. This also does not get them a top 4 defenseman, which they are still in dire need of.
I also do not think this will affect the Alexei Yashin situation. Like I've been saying the whole time, if Wang wants Yashin, he will sign Yashin. Which leads me to the question of if this is the end of Blake Comeau. I surely hope not, unless the team gets a legtimate top 4 defenseman for him. After years of developing Comeau, why not let him play the next stage of his career here? Granted I am fine letting him go, but only for the right player. With the top 9 having 10 forwards if you include Niederreiter, someone will have to move.
While my guess is that Comeau moves, its possible they send Nino down for one more season while Rolston is used as a placeholder. It will be interesting to see how the rest of the summer plays out.
Finally, all the best to Trent Hunter, who was a proud Islander for nine seasons. He wore the jersey proud and even signed a 5 year extension when he certainly could have gotten more money on the market. I hope he is able to revive his career for the Devils. Best of luck, Trent.
Jul 26, 2011
Arena: Why I Am Voting Yes
This is going to be one of the only times I make a post like this. This isn't my style, nor will it ever be my style. But special times call for special circumstances. For the sake of argument and from the perspective of a 21 year old resident, here is my story:
Let's backtrack to 2007. I had just committed to the University of Pittsburgh, which I decided on after careful consideration against other schools. Being the hockey fan that I am, I took an interest in the upstart Pittsburgh Penguins and their quest for a new arena. To make a long story short, I watched the Penguins all but have both feet out the door before an agreement was met to build a new arena that Sidney Crosby (and company) could play in for years. Again, as a hockey fan, I was both relieved and happy, for as much as Penguins fans have a bad reputation, there are quite a few die-hard fans that deserve the success the Pens have after all the bad years they had beforehand.
Two finals appearances and one Stanley Cup championship later, the Penguins are now home in the Consol Energy Center. How does this pertain to me? Well, really, it doesn't. I am not a Penguin fan by any stretch, but as an Islander fan, I can certainly relate to franchise uncertainty. That said, I graduated from Pitt this past April. I had the ability to explore options to settle down and make my home in Pittsburgh, which would have been a very easy choice. It is a city that is great for young professionals to live. It has a great history of sport with three very historical franchises (Ed note: my house last year was no more than two minutes behind the remaining Forbes Field wall). Quite frankly, Pittsburgh would have been a great fit for me in both the short-term or the long-term.
I decided not to pursue that route, and instead packed my bags and moved home to Long Island. I am crazy for it, really. There is nothing on Long Island that isn't in Pittsburgh other than fantastic pizza and bagels. But Long Island has been my home for my entire life, and like Charles Wang, I did not want to give up on it just yet. There is plenty wrong with Long Island, from the 30-going-on-40 year old strip malls, the incredibly high taxes, the inability to get anything substantial done, etc. Still, I decided to take the plunge and move back.
No more than two weeks after I moved home, the referendum was announced. Perfect. After a year of silence, this is what was needed. We can run through the details, but by now everyone reading this knows them. The fact is that I am in the exact demographic that is leaving Long Island and not coming back. It's essentially a foregone conclusion, given the market, that I will leave Nassau County in the next few years. That doesn't mean I won't come back - unless nothing gets done. It has been a personal wish for years to raise a family on Long Island, and to take my children to the Nassau Coliseum for Islander games just like my father did. I do not want to lose that chance.
A YES vote for me means hope. Hope for the place that I grew up in and that things can and will get better. A new arena is not going to solve all of Nassau County's problems - quite frankly, it may not even solve a fraction of them. But it will be a symbol that rundown strip malls and infrastructure will not be tolerated anymore, and that Long Island can move into the 21st century with the highlight of a new arena with a hockey team that has an extremely bright future. It means that one day I may be able to come back and raise a family and take them to Islander games. It means people who are out of work will have a job, even if it is only temporary. And it means that we can once again be proud of where we live.
For too long the Nassau Coliseum has been nothing more than a political football. Like Charles Wang said today on WFAN, if the Republicans come up with the idea then the Democrats hate it - and vice versa. It is time to do what is best for the people that live in this county. If they want to allow the bonding to occur, then who are the politicians - who represent us - to say no?
Quite frankly, a NO vote means the end of my time on Long Island. The Coliseum is a microcosm of Long Island as a whole. Nothing gets done, but it takes years to even accomplish nothing. If a project comes along, all we hear about is the usual political grandstanding from either side of the aisle. It means an entire business (make no mistake, the Islanders are a business) will pack up and leave, and they will leave a quarter of a billion dollars of revenue each year behind. It means that Long Island becomes a nothing-land in the middle of suburbia. Sure, we have Roosevelt Field and Jones Beach, but everywhere in the New York metro area is close enough to a big mall and a beach. What exactly will keep me here? It surely won't be the taxes, or the rundown infrastructure, or the politicians. I will move and I won't come back, and that is exactly what Long Island is trying to stop right now. But without any development, I won't really have a choice. Much of my age group feels the same way.
We, as residents, have the ability to jump start the re-development of Nassau County. Let's do that by voting YES on Monday.
-CH
Let's backtrack to 2007. I had just committed to the University of Pittsburgh, which I decided on after careful consideration against other schools. Being the hockey fan that I am, I took an interest in the upstart Pittsburgh Penguins and their quest for a new arena. To make a long story short, I watched the Penguins all but have both feet out the door before an agreement was met to build a new arena that Sidney Crosby (and company) could play in for years. Again, as a hockey fan, I was both relieved and happy, for as much as Penguins fans have a bad reputation, there are quite a few die-hard fans that deserve the success the Pens have after all the bad years they had beforehand.
Two finals appearances and one Stanley Cup championship later, the Penguins are now home in the Consol Energy Center. How does this pertain to me? Well, really, it doesn't. I am not a Penguin fan by any stretch, but as an Islander fan, I can certainly relate to franchise uncertainty. That said, I graduated from Pitt this past April. I had the ability to explore options to settle down and make my home in Pittsburgh, which would have been a very easy choice. It is a city that is great for young professionals to live. It has a great history of sport with three very historical franchises (Ed note: my house last year was no more than two minutes behind the remaining Forbes Field wall). Quite frankly, Pittsburgh would have been a great fit for me in both the short-term or the long-term.
I decided not to pursue that route, and instead packed my bags and moved home to Long Island. I am crazy for it, really. There is nothing on Long Island that isn't in Pittsburgh other than fantastic pizza and bagels. But Long Island has been my home for my entire life, and like Charles Wang, I did not want to give up on it just yet. There is plenty wrong with Long Island, from the 30-going-on-40 year old strip malls, the incredibly high taxes, the inability to get anything substantial done, etc. Still, I decided to take the plunge and move back.
No more than two weeks after I moved home, the referendum was announced. Perfect. After a year of silence, this is what was needed. We can run through the details, but by now everyone reading this knows them. The fact is that I am in the exact demographic that is leaving Long Island and not coming back. It's essentially a foregone conclusion, given the market, that I will leave Nassau County in the next few years. That doesn't mean I won't come back - unless nothing gets done. It has been a personal wish for years to raise a family on Long Island, and to take my children to the Nassau Coliseum for Islander games just like my father did. I do not want to lose that chance.
A YES vote for me means hope. Hope for the place that I grew up in and that things can and will get better. A new arena is not going to solve all of Nassau County's problems - quite frankly, it may not even solve a fraction of them. But it will be a symbol that rundown strip malls and infrastructure will not be tolerated anymore, and that Long Island can move into the 21st century with the highlight of a new arena with a hockey team that has an extremely bright future. It means that one day I may be able to come back and raise a family and take them to Islander games. It means people who are out of work will have a job, even if it is only temporary. And it means that we can once again be proud of where we live.
For too long the Nassau Coliseum has been nothing more than a political football. Like Charles Wang said today on WFAN, if the Republicans come up with the idea then the Democrats hate it - and vice versa. It is time to do what is best for the people that live in this county. If they want to allow the bonding to occur, then who are the politicians - who represent us - to say no?
Quite frankly, a NO vote means the end of my time on Long Island. The Coliseum is a microcosm of Long Island as a whole. Nothing gets done, but it takes years to even accomplish nothing. If a project comes along, all we hear about is the usual political grandstanding from either side of the aisle. It means an entire business (make no mistake, the Islanders are a business) will pack up and leave, and they will leave a quarter of a billion dollars of revenue each year behind. It means that Long Island becomes a nothing-land in the middle of suburbia. Sure, we have Roosevelt Field and Jones Beach, but everywhere in the New York metro area is close enough to a big mall and a beach. What exactly will keep me here? It surely won't be the taxes, or the rundown infrastructure, or the politicians. I will move and I won't come back, and that is exactly what Long Island is trying to stop right now. But without any development, I won't really have a choice. Much of my age group feels the same way.
We, as residents, have the ability to jump start the re-development of Nassau County. Let's do that by voting YES on Monday.
-CH
Arena: Charles Wang and Jay Jacobs on with Mike Francesa
Today, Charles Wang and Jay Jacobs, the chairman of the New York State Democratic Committee, were on with Mike Francesa on the YES Network and WFAN to discuss the arena. Jacobs ended up embarrassing himself and the rest of the Nassau Country Democrats by showing up uneducated, misinformed and attempting to play politics like a child's game.
What a killer for the opposition to the referendum. For one, Francesa is usually against taxpayer funded arenas, and supports the new Coliseum for the better of the county. He stressed the fact that if the Coliseum were to be demolished, all of the revenue would disappear. And that is based off revenue coming in off of a subpar arena where the hockey team struggles to bring fans to the games. With a new arena and a hockey team with an incredibly bright future about to begin, that revenue would only increase, and Francesa honed in on that. Everyone would have preferred to have this as a private project such as the Lighthouse Project, but once again political games shut that down.
Jacobs claims he wants a new arena and to keep the Islanders on Long Island, but at this point, this is the last chance for the Islanders in Nassau County. Again, we all wanted this to be privately funded, but it's not happening. Sometimes you have to settle, but this has become a game of "I want credit" between the two parties, which is a sham. Jacobs, in this interview, was clearly shown to be heavily involved with this game. It's not about Long Island anymore for these people, which makes it all the more important to go out and vote.
One thing Jacobs also suggested was using PSLs, or personal seat licenses, to fund the arena. That is a ridiculous notion that wouldn't work even in a better economy and a county with lower taxes. PSLs for teams are already unpopular, suggesting that Wang could use them to build a new arena is ridiculous. Say the Islanders had 10K season ticket holders on the first day of the new arena. Divide the costs of the arena by the PSLs and you end up with a ridiculously high cost. It won't happen, nor should it.
Jacobs and the Democrats still believe there is no way the Islanders leave Nassau County, and I can only warn them now that if this vote ends up in a no or is rejected by NIFA even with a yes vote, they're in for a harsh wake up call, and very soon. This was a major moment for the vote, as Francesa reaches a very broad audience and absolutely destroyed Jacobs in every aspect possible.
On behalf of Carey and myself, we urge you to contact the Nassau County Democratic Committee at 516-294-3366 and express your frustration. The vote is in less than a week. We need this now more than ever. Put in a call and ask why Nassau politicians continue to choose their egos over the future of the Island.
-AT
What a killer for the opposition to the referendum. For one, Francesa is usually against taxpayer funded arenas, and supports the new Coliseum for the better of the county. He stressed the fact that if the Coliseum were to be demolished, all of the revenue would disappear. And that is based off revenue coming in off of a subpar arena where the hockey team struggles to bring fans to the games. With a new arena and a hockey team with an incredibly bright future about to begin, that revenue would only increase, and Francesa honed in on that. Everyone would have preferred to have this as a private project such as the Lighthouse Project, but once again political games shut that down.
Jacobs claims he wants a new arena and to keep the Islanders on Long Island, but at this point, this is the last chance for the Islanders in Nassau County. Again, we all wanted this to be privately funded, but it's not happening. Sometimes you have to settle, but this has become a game of "I want credit" between the two parties, which is a sham. Jacobs, in this interview, was clearly shown to be heavily involved with this game. It's not about Long Island anymore for these people, which makes it all the more important to go out and vote.
One thing Jacobs also suggested was using PSLs, or personal seat licenses, to fund the arena. That is a ridiculous notion that wouldn't work even in a better economy and a county with lower taxes. PSLs for teams are already unpopular, suggesting that Wang could use them to build a new arena is ridiculous. Say the Islanders had 10K season ticket holders on the first day of the new arena. Divide the costs of the arena by the PSLs and you end up with a ridiculously high cost. It won't happen, nor should it.
Jacobs and the Democrats still believe there is no way the Islanders leave Nassau County, and I can only warn them now that if this vote ends up in a no or is rejected by NIFA even with a yes vote, they're in for a harsh wake up call, and very soon. This was a major moment for the vote, as Francesa reaches a very broad audience and absolutely destroyed Jacobs in every aspect possible.
On behalf of Carey and myself, we urge you to contact the Nassau County Democratic Committee at 516-294-3366 and express your frustration. The vote is in less than a week. We need this now more than ever. Put in a call and ask why Nassau politicians continue to choose their egos over the future of the Island.
-AT
Jul 25, 2011
Arena: The Curious Timing Of Wednesday's Rally
Last week, the Islanders announced they are having a rally on Wednesday, July 27, at 4 PM at the Nassau Coliseum. Among the speakers will be Ed Mangano and Charles Wang. Islanders of the present and past will be in attendance. And Long Island's own Blue Oyster Cult will be performing live.
CH: I think it is great the Islanders are having a special event just days before the special election. It's exactly what they should be doing. What I don't understand at all is why they are having this rally on a weekday at 4:00 in the afternoon. The majority of the people that would come out for a Blue Oyster Cult concert are working. The majority of Islander fans are working. Yes, I'm sure there will be a ton of union workers there, without question. However, I went to the first rally and the meeting at the legislative offices. Unfortunately, there were not enough people there to make an impact that will be absolutely necessary at the Coliseum on Wednesday.
I have no idea what the turnout will be on Wednesday. I hope it's as big as what we saw before the public hearing for the Lighthouse in 2009. It's going to have to be. That's why this time is so curious. The Islanders run the Nassau Coliseum, so if there is a free date between Friday-Sunday, they should have used that and get the fanbase and residents riled up. Instead, we are getting a late afternoon showing in the middle of the week.
If you are going to be around on Wednesday, please try and make it. It's important to show this proposal has support. But make no mistake, the age group that needs to be targeted: the 25-55 year olds, are mostly going to be at work. And that is going to hold this thing down.
AT: To be quite honest, I'm floored that the only headliner they could get was BOC. As much as I love them and enjoy their music vastly, there are so many local celebrities who I know for a fact would come out and lend their support if asked. Jerry Seinfeld, Jennifer Lopez, Kevin James, Kevin Connolly, Billy Joel, Christie Brinkley (best not keep those two close together!), even James Dolan and a few former Rangers who have already voiced their support for the referendum such as Brian Leetch and Adam Graves. That, as well as the odd timing of the event, certainly does lead to some suspicion. I don't believe the Islanders believe this is a good idea, so you have to think there's some other motivation behind the timing. Just some very curious things by the Islanders right now.
CH: I think it is great the Islanders are having a special event just days before the special election. It's exactly what they should be doing. What I don't understand at all is why they are having this rally on a weekday at 4:00 in the afternoon. The majority of the people that would come out for a Blue Oyster Cult concert are working. The majority of Islander fans are working. Yes, I'm sure there will be a ton of union workers there, without question. However, I went to the first rally and the meeting at the legislative offices. Unfortunately, there were not enough people there to make an impact that will be absolutely necessary at the Coliseum on Wednesday.
I have no idea what the turnout will be on Wednesday. I hope it's as big as what we saw before the public hearing for the Lighthouse in 2009. It's going to have to be. That's why this time is so curious. The Islanders run the Nassau Coliseum, so if there is a free date between Friday-Sunday, they should have used that and get the fanbase and residents riled up. Instead, we are getting a late afternoon showing in the middle of the week.
If you are going to be around on Wednesday, please try and make it. It's important to show this proposal has support. But make no mistake, the age group that needs to be targeted: the 25-55 year olds, are mostly going to be at work. And that is going to hold this thing down.
AT: To be quite honest, I'm floored that the only headliner they could get was BOC. As much as I love them and enjoy their music vastly, there are so many local celebrities who I know for a fact would come out and lend their support if asked. Jerry Seinfeld, Jennifer Lopez, Kevin James, Kevin Connolly, Billy Joel, Christie Brinkley (best not keep those two close together!), even James Dolan and a few former Rangers who have already voiced their support for the referendum such as Brian Leetch and Adam Graves. That, as well as the odd timing of the event, certainly does lead to some suspicion. I don't believe the Islanders believe this is a good idea, so you have to think there's some other motivation behind the timing. Just some very curious things by the Islanders right now.
News: Nabokov to request trade in September
The infamous (on Long Island, at least) Evgeni Nabokov's Russian agent has told Dmitry Chesnokov from Yahoo! Sports that he will attempt to have his client traded after training camp after he shows that he can still compete in the NHL. Last season, Nabokov refused to report to the Islanders after he and his agent both claimed he would play for whoever claimed him on waivers, and the Islanders tolled his contract.
AT: Can't say I'm surprised by this, and I don't think anyone else is either. We needed Nabokov last year with our plethora of goaltending problems such as the normal injuries to Rick DiPietro, Kevin Poulin's knee injury, Lawson's dreadful play and Koskinen being wholly unready for the NHL. However, with Montoya looking like a solid starter and DiPietro most likely being ready for camp and the season and giving it another shot (much to the chagrin of the fanbase), Nabokov's services are most likely not needed here. Clearly he does not want to play here and although many including myself wish he would, there is nothing you can do about it. If he doesn't want to play here, get back what you can for him.
While he will not fetch much on the market alone, he could be packaged in a deal for a defenseman, as Garth had been claiming he was attempting to try and trade for since the first day of free agency. This, IMO, is the best situation and one Garth should be looking for. Alone, he's not going to get more than a 5th or 6th round pick at very best considering his poor play in Russia and at the Worlds. It could be interesting to see what happens if DiPietro is not healthy. Perhaps with the notion that he could be the starting goalie for an up and coming team might entice him, although clearly a similar notion did not do much enticing with his decision to not report. Hopefully, Montoya proves as solid as he was last season, and we needn't worry about this.
P.S., apologies for my lack of activity on the blog recently. Went through a major change in college choices due to financial constraints and will now be back 24/7, as well as closer to LI for college.
CH: Ah, the infamous point-counterpoint argument right now. Personally, I think the Islanders should absolutely keep Nabokov this season. He is worth more to the team now than a mid-round draft pick, which I guarantee is all they would be able to get for him. With the uncertainty (to say the least) of Rick DiPietro and the NHL immaturity (in service time) of Al Montoya, the Islanders goaltending situation is a huge question mark - possibly the biggest going into next season. So why would the Islanders trade a former perennial All-Star, one that even if his playoff success is limited has the ability to lead this team through a productive regular season? The last thing the Islanders need is having to force Kevin Poulin, Mikko Koskinen, and Anders Nilsson into roles they cannot fill at this time.
I understand this is not the ideal situation for Evgeni Nabokov, and I understand that he insulted the organization as a whole last season. Move on, and start fresh. The chances that Nabokov can help this team are more than a mid-round pick ever playing a game in the NHL. He has no choice but to play for the Islanders unless he wants to lose another year of his career. If nothing else, he can showcase himself until the trade deadline before being sold to a team who needs goaltending. Or he could be part of a playoff push with the upstart Islanders. All I know is that Nabokov should be on Long Island this year, as he is a cheap, talented option who can provide a stopgap type role before some of the Isles top goaltending prospects are ready.
AT: Can't say I'm surprised by this, and I don't think anyone else is either. We needed Nabokov last year with our plethora of goaltending problems such as the normal injuries to Rick DiPietro, Kevin Poulin's knee injury, Lawson's dreadful play and Koskinen being wholly unready for the NHL. However, with Montoya looking like a solid starter and DiPietro most likely being ready for camp and the season and giving it another shot (much to the chagrin of the fanbase), Nabokov's services are most likely not needed here. Clearly he does not want to play here and although many including myself wish he would, there is nothing you can do about it. If he doesn't want to play here, get back what you can for him.
While he will not fetch much on the market alone, he could be packaged in a deal for a defenseman, as Garth had been claiming he was attempting to try and trade for since the first day of free agency. This, IMO, is the best situation and one Garth should be looking for. Alone, he's not going to get more than a 5th or 6th round pick at very best considering his poor play in Russia and at the Worlds. It could be interesting to see what happens if DiPietro is not healthy. Perhaps with the notion that he could be the starting goalie for an up and coming team might entice him, although clearly a similar notion did not do much enticing with his decision to not report. Hopefully, Montoya proves as solid as he was last season, and we needn't worry about this.
P.S., apologies for my lack of activity on the blog recently. Went through a major change in college choices due to financial constraints and will now be back 24/7, as well as closer to LI for college.
CH: Ah, the infamous point-counterpoint argument right now. Personally, I think the Islanders should absolutely keep Nabokov this season. He is worth more to the team now than a mid-round draft pick, which I guarantee is all they would be able to get for him. With the uncertainty (to say the least) of Rick DiPietro and the NHL immaturity (in service time) of Al Montoya, the Islanders goaltending situation is a huge question mark - possibly the biggest going into next season. So why would the Islanders trade a former perennial All-Star, one that even if his playoff success is limited has the ability to lead this team through a productive regular season? The last thing the Islanders need is having to force Kevin Poulin, Mikko Koskinen, and Anders Nilsson into roles they cannot fill at this time.
I understand this is not the ideal situation for Evgeni Nabokov, and I understand that he insulted the organization as a whole last season. Move on, and start fresh. The chances that Nabokov can help this team are more than a mid-round pick ever playing a game in the NHL. He has no choice but to play for the Islanders unless he wants to lose another year of his career. If nothing else, he can showcase himself until the trade deadline before being sold to a team who needs goaltending. Or he could be part of a playoff push with the upstart Islanders. All I know is that Nabokov should be on Long Island this year, as he is a cheap, talented option who can provide a stopgap type role before some of the Isles top goaltending prospects are ready.
Jul 24, 2011
Arena: Why Tonight Was a Wakeup Call
Tonight was the first of the polls that Chris Botta was referring to in one of his recent tweets: that the outcome may be a "NO." Newsday came out tonight with an article saying that 75% of the 620 residents who were polled wanted to keep the Islanders, but not on their tab.
According to Botta, the Association of Better Long Island (I still crack up at their name) is starting a week-long advertising campaign to promote the "NO" vote.
So, it's now eight days before the vote. All hands are on deck here, and if nothing else, this should serve as a wake-up call. Forget the Alexei Yashin rumors. Forget Charles Wang and his curious decision making. Forget the fact that Garth Snow still has not traded for a top-4 defenseman. At this point, it absolutely does not matter. I respect and understand the viewpoint that hockey operations are tied in with public relations, but they cannot coincide in this situation.
If you hate everything the Islanders are doing right now, be it their inability to reach the cap floor on July 24, their four straight bottom-5 finishes, or their extremely loyalty to players who may not deserve it, it does not matter. If you love everything the Islanders are doing right now, be it accumulating high-end talent for the future, smart asset management and drafting, and the rebuilding process as a whole, it also does not matter.
We need to come together as Islander fans and put this vote through. Yes, I realize Newsday's poll had over 325 voters who are over 55. In some ways, it was flawed. But again, not the point. The point is the referendum in that poll was shot down, and while it does not matter, it should serve as a motivational symbol to not take this for granted. There are no guarantees in life, and this is a perfect example of that. I urge anyone who lives in Nassau County to vote YES, no matter if you are the Islanders' biggest criticizer or their biggest superfan. If you live in a New York City borough, Suffolk County, New Jersey, Connecticut, Switzerland or wherever else - if you know anyone in Nassau County, get them to vote YES.
This vote is in our hands, and it's in our hands to even get the politicians to look at the proposal. We wanted to be heard, so now we have our shot. We have to make it count.
-CH
According to Botta, the Association of Better Long Island (I still crack up at their name) is starting a week-long advertising campaign to promote the "NO" vote.
So, it's now eight days before the vote. All hands are on deck here, and if nothing else, this should serve as a wake-up call. Forget the Alexei Yashin rumors. Forget Charles Wang and his curious decision making. Forget the fact that Garth Snow still has not traded for a top-4 defenseman. At this point, it absolutely does not matter. I respect and understand the viewpoint that hockey operations are tied in with public relations, but they cannot coincide in this situation.
If you hate everything the Islanders are doing right now, be it their inability to reach the cap floor on July 24, their four straight bottom-5 finishes, or their extremely loyalty to players who may not deserve it, it does not matter. If you love everything the Islanders are doing right now, be it accumulating high-end talent for the future, smart asset management and drafting, and the rebuilding process as a whole, it also does not matter.
We need to come together as Islander fans and put this vote through. Yes, I realize Newsday's poll had over 325 voters who are over 55. In some ways, it was flawed. But again, not the point. The point is the referendum in that poll was shot down, and while it does not matter, it should serve as a motivational symbol to not take this for granted. There are no guarantees in life, and this is a perfect example of that. I urge anyone who lives in Nassau County to vote YES, no matter if you are the Islanders' biggest criticizer or their biggest superfan. If you live in a New York City borough, Suffolk County, New Jersey, Connecticut, Switzerland or wherever else - if you know anyone in Nassau County, get them to vote YES.
This vote is in our hands, and it's in our hands to even get the politicians to look at the proposal. We wanted to be heard, so now we have our shot. We have to make it count.
-CH
Jul 22, 2011
Speculation: Re-Visiting Alexei Yashin and the Implications of Signing Him
Well, here we are again. We posted a piece on Yashin a few days back when it first came out that Alexei was talking with a few teams: some KHL, one NHL. Obviously, it was easy to put the pieces together. The former Islanders captain still has a relationship with owner Charles Wang, he has a history on Long Island with a team that doesn't get much interest to begin with, and he's a free agent. The worst kept secret in hockey the other day was that the Islanders were the team Yashin was negotiating with.
Fast forward to today, and Katie Strang confirms all of this (and more) on her blog on Newsday (complete with quotes from Snow and Yashin's agent Marc Gandler). Islandermania and Islanders Point Blank go up in a frenzy, so where does this leave us?
As I posted today on Twitter, this is a Charles Wang executive decision. While Garth Snow is going to get the scrutiny here, he is just doing what he is told. If you want to criticize Snow for that, go ahead. But let's focus on the real problem here. By even announcing that they are negotiating with the biggest fan pariah outside Kirk Muller in Islander history, they are showing they are more concerned about friendships than accountability. Yes, Charles Wang is a very loyal man - we've seen it on a few occasions - trying to make it work in Nassau County, the Rick DiPietro contract, and now this. A line needs to be drawn, however, and they are crossing that line.
There is a point of ridiculousness where the Islanders will be paying a player to play - the same player who they are currently paying NOT to play for them. You can call a buyout what you want, but it's essentially a firing with the severance package being the sum of money the player gets over the course of the term. The Islanders are actually contemplating bringing back a 37-year old Alexei Yashin after "firing" a 32-year old Alexei Yashin five years ago.
Of course, there are some pretty important cap implications when you take a closer look at it. The Islanders will be somewhere in the ballpark of $5 million under the floor after Blake Comeau's arbitration case. Yashin is 37 years old, which means he is eligible for 35+ bonuses, or the Doug Weight clause, if you will. The Isles can give him as many unattainable bonuses as they like, all of which will count on his cap hit. If they want to give him $500K for each playoff round won, they can do that. That's an extra $2 million right there. They may not even have to make a move for the defenseman everyone wants if they do this,
But before we get ahead of ourselves, this is still a hockey blog and not a PR blog. In this case, the two things certainly mix. From a hockey perspective, Yashin can help. He will not be brought in to be anything more than a support player, and one that could produce approximately 45 points and could fill in on a one-year term if a guy like Comeau is traded. That's not the point. You have to look at the whole package. Yashin, who is one of the nicest players in the business, carries too much "Islander baggage" for this thought to be at all tolerable. Yashin's problem has always been his killer instinct - he is not lazy and he does care about winning. He just won't go the extra mile to do so, and that is what has always kept him from being elite.
Obviously, there is no question this report comes at the worst possible time for the New York Islanders. With just ten days before the referendum vote, the Islanders need every fan's unconditional support. The problem is, bringing back Alexei Yashin was one of those conditions that will turn away a lot of people. The buzz from the fans just melted, and whether they sign him or not, the damage is essentially already done. It is clueless and without thought to the customers that have helped this franchise so much over the past few years. There really is just no other way to put it.
That said, anyone who is going to Vote NO because of this needs their head checked. We can argue forever about Yashin, but Charles Wang will not be here forever. It is up to us to make sure the Islanders are here for the foreseeable future. If that means a year of Alexei Yashin and more of Charles Wang's meddling ways, that's the trade-off. Do not sacrifice NHL hockey, jobs, an arena, Nassau County's future because the Islanders are thinking of doing the unthinkable. You will just be as shortsighted, if not more, than those who are voting no for the sake of voting no. It looks terrible, but hockey operations are different than the arena campaign. This needs to be a time when things are separated.
We will see how things play out over the next few days, but it's clear that a Yashin return is possible, if not even probable at this point.
-CH
Opinion: What If a Lease Was Signed Elsewhere?
This week we have seen a very interesting rumor manifest on the popular Isles message board, Islanermania. In a nutshell, a poster who works for the parking staff was in a meeting where a top Isles executive slipped and said the Isles would be signing a lease with another municipality, declining to specify if it was local, regional, or even international (kidding). Without discussing the merits of the rumor itself, as that is not what we do since we have no inside information, I thought a discussion of the strategy of agreeing to some sort of Memorandum of Understanding would be interesting and relevant.
First, let's look at the perspective of the league before we get into the implications of a vote. The Islanders, as we all know, are tied into a lease with Nassau County for another four seasons. Essentially unbreakable, the Isles have announced countless times they will honor the lease, but nothing more. Hypothetically, if the Isles agree to an MOU with Quebec City or Kansas City, they instantly become a lame-duck franchise. For four years. The NHL already has a lame-duck franchise in Phoenix, so why would they to essentially authorize another? That's why if this rumor has legs, it would be my guess that it is with a local municipality, such as Queens or Suffolk County.
Chris Botta came out and tweeted the Isles denied the report, as they should have regardless if this rumor is true or false. Obviously, news like this would have great implications on the August 1 vote. Especially if there is an MOU with a local municipality. Why would people come out and vote if there is no urgency? What the Isles would have is a contingency plan, which would be their first one after all this political banter. If this rumor is true, the Isles should come out on August 2 (or soon after) and start to put the pressure on the politicians. This especially works if the municipality is local. Would it hurt Nassau County more if they left the county for Queens or for Houston, Texas? Easy one. The county gets kicked in the gut if they move, but they get kicked somewhere less favorable if it's right next door.
Still, this puts even more pressure on the vote a week from Monday. It is so important that this referendum passes, and if it does, that along with an MOU with a neighboring county could finally give the Isles enough leverage to swing a deal in their home. Time will tell, but for now we'll continue to playfully speculate. But make no bones, August 1 is still one of the most important dates in Isles history. We have the chance to be heard, so let's be heard.
-CH
First, let's look at the perspective of the league before we get into the implications of a vote. The Islanders, as we all know, are tied into a lease with Nassau County for another four seasons. Essentially unbreakable, the Isles have announced countless times they will honor the lease, but nothing more. Hypothetically, if the Isles agree to an MOU with Quebec City or Kansas City, they instantly become a lame-duck franchise. For four years. The NHL already has a lame-duck franchise in Phoenix, so why would they to essentially authorize another? That's why if this rumor has legs, it would be my guess that it is with a local municipality, such as Queens or Suffolk County.
Chris Botta came out and tweeted the Isles denied the report, as they should have regardless if this rumor is true or false. Obviously, news like this would have great implications on the August 1 vote. Especially if there is an MOU with a local municipality. Why would people come out and vote if there is no urgency? What the Isles would have is a contingency plan, which would be their first one after all this political banter. If this rumor is true, the Isles should come out on August 2 (or soon after) and start to put the pressure on the politicians. This especially works if the municipality is local. Would it hurt Nassau County more if they left the county for Queens or for Houston, Texas? Easy one. The county gets kicked in the gut if they move, but they get kicked somewhere less favorable if it's right next door.
Still, this puts even more pressure on the vote a week from Monday. It is so important that this referendum passes, and if it does, that along with an MOU with a neighboring county could finally give the Isles enough leverage to swing a deal in their home. Time will tell, but for now we'll continue to playfully speculate. But make no bones, August 1 is still one of the most important dates in Isles history. We have the chance to be heard, so let's be heard.
-CH
Jul 21, 2011
News: Islanders Sign F Tim Wallace
As reported earlier by Katie Strang, the Islanders have signed AHL F Tim Wallace to a one year, two-way contract for the 2011-12 season. Wallace, 26, is an Anchorage, Alaska native who has spent his entire 5-year professional career in the Pittsburgh Penguins organization. He finished with 20 goals and 37 points in 62 AHL games with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins last season.
CH: Obviously this is a depth signing for the Sound Tigers, and it's one they needed. I know that a lot of people will take the cynical view to these types of signings, especially with the NHL team needing work in itself, but when you look at the move in a bubble, this helps a Bridgeport team in need of an influx of talent. Wallace will replace Jesse Joensuu in a top-6 role down on the farm with the option for a call-up. He does have 24 games in the NHL under his belt, with only 2 assists. That said, good depth signing and Bridgeport's looks a little brighter today.
Jul 18, 2011
Around The NHL: Alexei Yashin Has NHL Offers
According to his agent Marc Gandler via Dmitry Chesnokov, former Islanders captain Alexei Yashin has an offer from one unnamed NHL team. When asked if it was the Islanders, Gandler had no comment and said he would talk to Yashin later in the week. CH: I honestly never thought that we would discuss Alexei Yashin on this blog, but here we are. Yashin is now 37 years old (will be 38 in November) and has been out of the NHL since 2007, when the Islanders bought him out for a multitude of reasons. Yashin has put together decent enough seasons in the KHL in Russia since then. He has maintained a relationship with the Islanders and Charles Wang, despite having essentially been fired from the team.
There's two things to look at here. First, I don't see the Islanders bringing him back, thought I can't imagine any other team having interest. If you recall, Gandler said the Islanders had interest last year and if Yashin ever wanted to come back to the NHL the Isles would have the first shot. (Um, duh?) Anyway, Yashin does not fit into the team right now, even as a support player - which is exactly what his role would be. The Islanders are better off bringing in a player like Vinny Prospal, who would provide similar production but would not carry the extra baggage that a player like Yashin.
But let's face facts here. If Alexei Yashin is brought back, it will not be a Garth Snow move. It will be a Charles Wang executive decision - or a Charles Wang special, if you will. Wang still adores Yashin and there is little doubt that he would love to get Yashin back here playing. But the Islanders already are paying Yashin 2.2 million dollars this year (and the next 4) to sit at home. So if they sign him, and it won't be a minimum salary contract, you will have to add that on top of what they are already paying him. They paid Yashin 4.7 million in buyout money last year. A 2.5 million dollar contract, which is probably around what Yashin is looking for, would equal the same amount of money they paid him last year to sit home. Sounds like a great investment, right?
Obviously, Yashin is not the right guy. There is no reason to mix the failed past of the early 2000s (though a lot of that is due to not recognizing the need to capitalize on 2001-02 and not Yashin himself) to the new, fresh, young players the Islanders are building around today. There is already enough of that connection with Rick DiPietro and Trent Hunter, two players past their primes who are still languishing on this team. It's time to move on, and for good. And I imagine, barring any Wang involvement, that Garth Snow has.
AT: Look, there's no doubt we need an improvement on the top 6. PA Parenteau put up a respectable 53 points last year, but if we're looking to succeed in the playoffs, he is not the person who is going to help us on the first line. However, if this is the route Wang/Snow are looking to take, god help us. Yes, Yashin would be an improvement upon PAP, but what would it say about this management's tendencies? They're going to bring back a player who had a petition against him attempting to get him bought out? He's a nice guy. One of the nicest players I've ever met. But bringing him back does not show this organization is dedicated to winning. It's showing that we will once again go for the scraps when nobody else is available or willing to sign with us.
Yes, the guy put up respectable numbers in the KHL, I just don't believe he's right for this team right now. Or ever again. There's a reason he was bought out, and it wasn't just because of his contract.
Jul 17, 2011
Prospects: Recap - Blue wins Scrimmage 9-8
The Islanders held their annual Blue and White Scrimmage on Saturday, July 19th at Nassau Coliseum. The game included two 25 minute periods and a skills competition that ended with a Blue victory, coming from behind to win it in the breakaway competition on a shot by Nino Niederreiter.
AT: What a great game. In the main game we saw some fantastic play from UND's Brock Nelson, incredibly strong play from Notre Dame's Anders Lee who scored 2 goals and was going hard all night and very strong goaltending from Sweden's Anders Nilsson. The most notable for me was Ryan Strome. Strome scored 2, one on a penalty shot and another later in the game on an incredible slapshot from the right. He has truly shown why he deserved to be picked 5th overall and is going to be a major part of this organization's core for years to come. Not to mention his dazzling highlight reel goal in the breakaway competition which I will get to in a second.
The game was also rife with "Vote YES" advertisements, one of which was from Clark Gillies, another from Boomer Esiason as well as a general commercial on why losing the Coliseum would be a terrible thing for Long Island. There were also statements from Wang and Snow during the game on why we need to invest in order to grow. Great job by the Isles to be stepping up their PR campaign.
Lastly, there was the skills competition. Matt Donovan showed why he is on a quick pace to be in the NHL next year with his 95MPH slapshot. Strome had a ridiculous spin around goal in the breakaway competition and Anders Nilsson stopped 6/6 shots in the relay. All in all, all of our prospects showed their talent off beautifully and we saw some lesser thought of players show why they deserved to be picked by the team. A great game, a great job by the Isles media crew to stream the game for free, and a great night.
CH: I was at the game and was able to stay in the season ticket holder's lounge (thanks to my cousin), so I was able to watch the game right up against the glass. Obviously, from that angle it is very hard to see plays develop, but with players right in front of your face, it was very easy to see skill sets of certain players, so just going to go down the list here (mostly on the blue team, with some white):
Calvin de Haan looks incredibly more refined as a player now than he did when he was drafted. His skating was outstanding, he looks filled out, made smart defensive plays, played physical in front of the net and the boards. Though he was offensively hesitant, towards the end of the game he seemed more confident with the puck and scored a goal. Definitely needs a year (or a half year) in Bridgeport, but he's got the potential to be a very good defenseman.
Brock Nelson and Anders Lee were dominant for the white team. Both of these players have outstanding hands and an outstanding nose for the net. Every shift it seemed like they were cycling behind the net or whacking away at rebounds in front of the goalie. They really had great chemistry. This was the first time I saw Lee play, and came away very impressed by him. Nelson looked ten times better this year than last year - way more confident, more filled out. Given his size, another year or two at North Dakota and he will be able to make an impact at the NHL.
Ryan Strome has an outstanding skillset. He's skating, stickhandling, shot (as we saw on that blister), vision, and hockey sense are all high-end. He did not dominate, but rarely do we see a first round talent dominate these - Tavares and Niederreiter did not. Obviously, his move in the shootout sticks out move, but his overall skillset is top level. He needs another year in junior to fill out and get stronger, but he should be ready to go next season.
Nino Niederreiter looked decent this year, but really did not have a lot of chemistry with Ryan Strome and Kirill Kabanov. His skating improved somewhat, but he certainly is not fast. Nino is going to have to get a little stronger as well, as being knocked down on the boards by Rhett Rakhshani was really not good and against stronger NHL players, he will suffer as well. This is only a one game scrimmage, so not much to take away from Nino other than that he has great skills, but it just wasn't his night. The same really goes for Kirill Kabanov, who is a very good skater but really didn't put it all together last night.
Of the goalies, Anders Nilsson was absolutely outstanding. People have been touting this guy up for a year, and you can see why. He is big, both tall and filled out. He is extremely mobile in net, and showed it in the skills competition stopping all 6 shots from close range. You could even see Casey Cizikas skate by and say "It's impossible!" Nilsson has a very bright future ahead of him, and the combination of him and Kevin Poulin in Bridgeport next year will do wonders for that team - who sorely needs quality goaltending.
Obviously, that is just a glimpse of what we saw last night. It was a fun night that really gets you excited about the future of this team.
AT: What a great game. In the main game we saw some fantastic play from UND's Brock Nelson, incredibly strong play from Notre Dame's Anders Lee who scored 2 goals and was going hard all night and very strong goaltending from Sweden's Anders Nilsson. The most notable for me was Ryan Strome. Strome scored 2, one on a penalty shot and another later in the game on an incredible slapshot from the right. He has truly shown why he deserved to be picked 5th overall and is going to be a major part of this organization's core for years to come. Not to mention his dazzling highlight reel goal in the breakaway competition which I will get to in a second.
The game was also rife with "Vote YES" advertisements, one of which was from Clark Gillies, another from Boomer Esiason as well as a general commercial on why losing the Coliseum would be a terrible thing for Long Island. There were also statements from Wang and Snow during the game on why we need to invest in order to grow. Great job by the Isles to be stepping up their PR campaign.
Lastly, there was the skills competition. Matt Donovan showed why he is on a quick pace to be in the NHL next year with his 95MPH slapshot. Strome had a ridiculous spin around goal in the breakaway competition and Anders Nilsson stopped 6/6 shots in the relay. All in all, all of our prospects showed their talent off beautifully and we saw some lesser thought of players show why they deserved to be picked by the team. A great game, a great job by the Isles media crew to stream the game for free, and a great night.
CH: I was at the game and was able to stay in the season ticket holder's lounge (thanks to my cousin), so I was able to watch the game right up against the glass. Obviously, from that angle it is very hard to see plays develop, but with players right in front of your face, it was very easy to see skill sets of certain players, so just going to go down the list here (mostly on the blue team, with some white):
Calvin de Haan looks incredibly more refined as a player now than he did when he was drafted. His skating was outstanding, he looks filled out, made smart defensive plays, played physical in front of the net and the boards. Though he was offensively hesitant, towards the end of the game he seemed more confident with the puck and scored a goal. Definitely needs a year (or a half year) in Bridgeport, but he's got the potential to be a very good defenseman.
Brock Nelson and Anders Lee were dominant for the white team. Both of these players have outstanding hands and an outstanding nose for the net. Every shift it seemed like they were cycling behind the net or whacking away at rebounds in front of the goalie. They really had great chemistry. This was the first time I saw Lee play, and came away very impressed by him. Nelson looked ten times better this year than last year - way more confident, more filled out. Given his size, another year or two at North Dakota and he will be able to make an impact at the NHL.
Ryan Strome has an outstanding skillset. He's skating, stickhandling, shot (as we saw on that blister), vision, and hockey sense are all high-end. He did not dominate, but rarely do we see a first round talent dominate these - Tavares and Niederreiter did not. Obviously, his move in the shootout sticks out move, but his overall skillset is top level. He needs another year in junior to fill out and get stronger, but he should be ready to go next season.
Nino Niederreiter looked decent this year, but really did not have a lot of chemistry with Ryan Strome and Kirill Kabanov. His skating improved somewhat, but he certainly is not fast. Nino is going to have to get a little stronger as well, as being knocked down on the boards by Rhett Rakhshani was really not good and against stronger NHL players, he will suffer as well. This is only a one game scrimmage, so not much to take away from Nino other than that he has great skills, but it just wasn't his night. The same really goes for Kirill Kabanov, who is a very good skater but really didn't put it all together last night.
Of the goalies, Anders Nilsson was absolutely outstanding. People have been touting this guy up for a year, and you can see why. He is big, both tall and filled out. He is extremely mobile in net, and showed it in the skills competition stopping all 6 shots from close range. You could even see Casey Cizikas skate by and say "It's impossible!" Nilsson has a very bright future ahead of him, and the combination of him and Kevin Poulin in Bridgeport next year will do wonders for that team - who sorely needs quality goaltending.
Obviously, that is just a glimpse of what we saw last night. It was a fun night that really gets you excited about the future of this team.
Jul 16, 2011
Arena: NIFA, Extortion, Economic Loss - What Is Going On?
CH: It's been a while since we have posted on the arena subject, mostly due to busy work schedules, but much has happened since the last post, which was five days ago. Since then, we've had a front page on Newsday regarding NIFA's thoughts on the project, we've had extortion accusations from the office of County Executive Ed Mangano, and we finally received a valuation of the losses Nassau County will suffer if the Islanders leave town, even if it's just right over to Queens or Suffolk County.
To start with NIFA, we'll have to backtrack a little bit. NIFA met the other day to discuss the budget that Ed Mangano submitted, which of course was shot down. Without making an official statement on the Coliseum project, they pretty much all but criticized the project, even asking if Nassau fans wanted to voluntarily raise their property taxes. Ouch. What was really the most interesting part of all, as noted on Islanders Point Blank, was that the Islanders are not the main tenant. From what I understand, instead, it's Arenaco SPE (special entity), which essentially leaves the onus on Nassau County if the tenant defaults. The Islanders are not tied to the lease - Arenaco is - which means theoretically the Islanders could leave for Tokyo in 20 years if they so desired. Coupled with the fact that Nassau County is on the hook if the Islanders were to go bankrupt, things do not look as promising given NIFA's concerns.
That said, it places so much more importance on the vote itself. It is clear there need to be an overwhelming majority in favor of the referendum for the proper channels to put it through. A 51-49 split is not going to get it done. If you are in Nassau County and can vote, do NOT take this for granted. Get to the polls and get your vote in. Even if it "doesn't matter" for the majority vote, we need more than that. This needs to be a landslide and only the help of every Nassau County resident can the Islanders get there.
AT: I don't think anyone expected a positive response from NIFA, but even without an official comment, it was overwhelmingly negative. Definitely not what we needed right now and as Carey said, all the more reason that any lethargy from people should be quelled immediately. We need this to be an overwhelming victory.
CH: Last night, we read that the office of Ed Mangano has accused ABLI leader Desmond Ryan of extortion, saying that Ryan would have offered his support of the Coliseum plan if he got the rights to develop the Coliseum. Naturally, Ryan denied these claims. Well, this is interesting. It's certainly about time that Ed Mangano went on the offensive here. Ryan has been shooting his mouth off with misinformation about the plan to anyone that will listen. Newsday hasn't even mentioned his conflict of interest until about a week ago. Things certainly escalated when Ryan accused the Executive Office of campaigning their own plan. This situation with the ABLI is a complete mess, and it's both the faults of Mangano and Ryan. Mangano needed to shut this guy up immediately, and Ryan needs to live up to his organizations name and stop spewing lies about the plan just because he was not chosen to develop the land. It's immature, it's unnecessary, and it hurts Long Island and the people that live there.
AT: A real estate mogul looking to cash in for his own profit? Unheard of! I'm glad Mangano is finally going on the offensive about this. With 2 weeks till the vote, we can't let someone like Ryan sway any undecided minds. If he is the leader of the opposition (even if not in an official post), he needs to be silenced as the only thing we've heard from him has been nothing but lies.
CH: Finally, a report in Newsday finally came out about the economic effects of the Islanders leaving Nassau County. It's exactly what we have been waiting for, and the details are out in plain view. The County cannot afford to lose close to $250 million in tax revenue each year. Plain and simple, every dollar counts here, and the Islanders are a big contributor to helping the dollars flow in. With no tenant in the Nassau Coliseum, it's doors will close very soon after the Isles leave. It's clear that losing the Islanders has more implications than just a civic pride issue.
Overall, this situation has become messy. And I expect it to get messier as we get closer and closer to the vote. All I know is the Isles PR machine better be out in full force, because this is too important to let it slip away.
AT: It's about time. The stats are on the table. It should be a very simple vote: have your taxes go up substantially and permanently, or have them go up for a very short time and then have the money given back and more over the years. It's your choice, Nassau. Make the smart one. Time to hammer home that point in commercials, radio ads, and lots and lots of fliers.
To start with NIFA, we'll have to backtrack a little bit. NIFA met the other day to discuss the budget that Ed Mangano submitted, which of course was shot down. Without making an official statement on the Coliseum project, they pretty much all but criticized the project, even asking if Nassau fans wanted to voluntarily raise their property taxes. Ouch. What was really the most interesting part of all, as noted on Islanders Point Blank, was that the Islanders are not the main tenant. From what I understand, instead, it's Arenaco SPE (special entity), which essentially leaves the onus on Nassau County if the tenant defaults. The Islanders are not tied to the lease - Arenaco is - which means theoretically the Islanders could leave for Tokyo in 20 years if they so desired. Coupled with the fact that Nassau County is on the hook if the Islanders were to go bankrupt, things do not look as promising given NIFA's concerns.
That said, it places so much more importance on the vote itself. It is clear there need to be an overwhelming majority in favor of the referendum for the proper channels to put it through. A 51-49 split is not going to get it done. If you are in Nassau County and can vote, do NOT take this for granted. Get to the polls and get your vote in. Even if it "doesn't matter" for the majority vote, we need more than that. This needs to be a landslide and only the help of every Nassau County resident can the Islanders get there.
AT: I don't think anyone expected a positive response from NIFA, but even without an official comment, it was overwhelmingly negative. Definitely not what we needed right now and as Carey said, all the more reason that any lethargy from people should be quelled immediately. We need this to be an overwhelming victory.
CH: Last night, we read that the office of Ed Mangano has accused ABLI leader Desmond Ryan of extortion, saying that Ryan would have offered his support of the Coliseum plan if he got the rights to develop the Coliseum. Naturally, Ryan denied these claims. Well, this is interesting. It's certainly about time that Ed Mangano went on the offensive here. Ryan has been shooting his mouth off with misinformation about the plan to anyone that will listen. Newsday hasn't even mentioned his conflict of interest until about a week ago. Things certainly escalated when Ryan accused the Executive Office of campaigning their own plan. This situation with the ABLI is a complete mess, and it's both the faults of Mangano and Ryan. Mangano needed to shut this guy up immediately, and Ryan needs to live up to his organizations name and stop spewing lies about the plan just because he was not chosen to develop the land. It's immature, it's unnecessary, and it hurts Long Island and the people that live there.
AT: A real estate mogul looking to cash in for his own profit? Unheard of! I'm glad Mangano is finally going on the offensive about this. With 2 weeks till the vote, we can't let someone like Ryan sway any undecided minds. If he is the leader of the opposition (even if not in an official post), he needs to be silenced as the only thing we've heard from him has been nothing but lies.
CH: Finally, a report in Newsday finally came out about the economic effects of the Islanders leaving Nassau County. It's exactly what we have been waiting for, and the details are out in plain view. The County cannot afford to lose close to $250 million in tax revenue each year. Plain and simple, every dollar counts here, and the Islanders are a big contributor to helping the dollars flow in. With no tenant in the Nassau Coliseum, it's doors will close very soon after the Isles leave. It's clear that losing the Islanders has more implications than just a civic pride issue.
Overall, this situation has become messy. And I expect it to get messier as we get closer and closer to the vote. All I know is the Isles PR machine better be out in full force, because this is too important to let it slip away.
AT: It's about time. The stats are on the table. It should be a very simple vote: have your taxes go up substantially and permanently, or have them go up for a very short time and then have the money given back and more over the years. It's your choice, Nassau. Make the smart one. Time to hammer home that point in commercials, radio ads, and lots and lots of fliers.
News: Ty Wishart, Dylan Reese, Micheal Haley Accept Qualifying Offers
Arthur Staple yesterday that F Micheal Haley, D Dylan Reese, and D Ty Wishart have accepted their qualifying offers for next season. We are waiting on Capgeek to get the specifics of each contract.Josh Bailey and Blake Comeau did not accept their qualifying offers and are the only remaining RFA's unsigned. Bailey's agent announced that their camp and the Islanders are currently negotiating, while Blake Comeau's arbitration hearing is set for August 4. No matter what, the Islanders will hold both of their rights unless the Isles walk away from Comeau's decision. Bailey cannot become a UFA.
CH: For the three who did accept their qualifying offers, it was not a surprise at all. All three are still trying to find their way in the NHL and had no leverage, so having the Islanders extend a qualifying offer was all they needed. Reese will obviously be in Bridgeport as the veteran presence for a lot of young kids like Calvin de Haan and Matt Donovan. I expect Ty Wishart to stay in the NHL for the season as he is subject to waivers, and the Islanders will not want to lose his rights for nothing after giving up Dwayne Roloson for him. As it stands, however, I do not expect Wishart to start in the top-6. Like Wishart, Haley is trying to hold down a spot in the lineup. He certainly had his moments last year, but his quality of play may not be enough to hold down a regular fourth line spot as of yet. Given that he also did not have any leverage, he had no choice but to accept.
I am somewhat surprised Bailey did not accept his offer, but from Bailey's perspective, he probably thought he could get more from the Islanders. I'm not that surprised from his end, but if he thinks he is going to get a lot more money than his qualifier per year, he is very misguided. I could see the Islanders giving Bailey a 2-year deal at a low salary, but realistically anything more than that would be an overpayment. That doesn't mean Bailey doesn't have potential, but he has not reached that just yet. It will certainly be interesting to see where the Islanders go with his contract, or if they even try and trade him.
AT: Really, where is Bailey coming from that he believes he's in a position to negotiate? He regressed this year, was incredibly inconsistent and some fans are even fed up with him and want to cast him out. Perhaps he wants more years, but in terms of salary... above what the QO offered, I don't see how he can possibly expect any more.
As for the others, completely expected and I'm very happy we'll be seeing Haley again next year. Look out, Pittsburgh.
Jul 14, 2011
Prospects: Mayfield To USA Camp; Strome Contract? Not Yet
Kevin Allen has reported that Scott Mayfield has been invited to the USA Junior Evaluation Camp, which is the first step to being on the roster of the 2012 United States WJC-20 team in December.
CH: Mayfield is a top American talent, so it was surprising in itself that he was not on the original roster for the camp, but the fact is he is there now, and he'll have plenty of opportunity to showcase his skills. If USA Hockey needs his type of defenseman on the backline, they may go for him but with other options like Derek Forbort available, it may not be his time yet. And that's okay. He is clearly on the radar of USA Hockey and could be a shoe-in for the 2013 team as long as his play keeps up. For now, this is a great first step to showcase his skills.
AT: High hopes for Mr. Mayfield. He's still very young and Forbort, as Carey mentioned, is available. As he progresses in terms of skill and age, he will get the time he needs.
In other news, Katie Strang is reporting that Ryan Strome's camp and Garth Snow have not started discussions on an entry level deal. She did say, however, that the two sides will "touch base after camp."
CH: Deals have already been signed for Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Mika Zibanejad, among others, but this is far from a big deal. Last year, Nino Niederreiter did not receive an ELC until training camp, and I expect the same for Strome. The Islanders are not in any rush to get this done, as they hold his rights until June 2013. It's obvious that Strome wants to be an Islander, and it's obvious the Islanders want him, so when they do sit down and talk, it should be a relatively smooth negotiation. Of course, if they want to do a deal this summer, his contract would not start until his 10th NHL game (in a single season), so the Islanders would have the option to slide the contract back a few years, much like they have done with Calvin de Haan. Regardless, signing Strome will have zero bearing on his chances to make the NHL squad. It's just something the team can do sooner rather than later, which
AT: Strome was wearing his Isles jersey even on the 2nd day of the draft. A deal will get done. Unlike Nino, I doubt he even gets the 9 game tryout after it is signed though. Strome is still fairly small and needs to bulk up. Nino at least had a body that was ready for NHL play. He will receive his contract soon and be developed properly. As it should be.
AT: High hopes for Mr. Mayfield. He's still very young and Forbort, as Carey mentioned, is available. As he progresses in terms of skill and age, he will get the time he needs.
In other news, Katie Strang is reporting that Ryan Strome's camp and Garth Snow have not started discussions on an entry level deal. She did say, however, that the two sides will "touch base after camp."
CH: Deals have already been signed for Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Mika Zibanejad, among others, but this is far from a big deal. Last year, Nino Niederreiter did not receive an ELC until training camp, and I expect the same for Strome. The Islanders are not in any rush to get this done, as they hold his rights until June 2013. It's obvious that Strome wants to be an Islander, and it's obvious the Islanders want him, so when they do sit down and talk, it should be a relatively smooth negotiation. Of course, if they want to do a deal this summer, his contract would not start until his 10th NHL game (in a single season), so the Islanders would have the option to slide the contract back a few years, much like they have done with Calvin de Haan. Regardless, signing Strome will have zero bearing on his chances to make the NHL squad. It's just something the team can do sooner rather than later, which
AT: Strome was wearing his Isles jersey even on the 2nd day of the draft. A deal will get done. Unlike Nino, I doubt he even gets the 9 game tryout after it is signed though. Strome is still fairly small and needs to bulk up. Nino at least had a body that was ready for NHL play. He will receive his contract soon and be developed properly. As it should be.
News: Islanders Re-Sign C Jeremy Colliton
As reported by Katie Strang today, the New York Islanders have re-signed forward Jeremy Colliton to a one year, two-way deal. Terms of the deal are unknown at this time.
Colliton had 2 goals and 1 assist in 15 NHL games last year, primarily playing on a line with Blake Comeau and Josh Bailey.
CH: Obviously, this is a depth signing, but it's not a bad one. People will look at Colliton's NHL career and think this is a waste of time, but he has put together a very nice, solid career at Bridgeport. He joins a center core of David Ullstrom, Casey Cizikas, Trevor Frischmon, and Tony Romano and is sure to get top-6 minutes next year. It's no secret Bridgeport needed veteran help, and they got some by keeping Colliton in the organization. The rub here is that we cannot see a repeat of last year with Colliton in the NHL again. Nothing personal, of course, but the team needs to take the next step and playing a guy like Colliton for any extended period of time means things are not going as planned on Long Island. Let's hope that Colliton stays in Bridgeport, where he is sure to have a solid AHL season for the Sound Tigers.
AT: Colliton is a very last resort for a callup with the new depth, so I don't think we'll be seeing him soon. He's a great AHL vet who knows the system, knows the core and should develop a strong bond with Thompson, the new coach. He put up very good points last year and will almost certainly help Bridgeport succeed this year. Smaller signing, but a good one.
CH: Obviously, this is a depth signing, but it's not a bad one. People will look at Colliton's NHL career and think this is a waste of time, but he has put together a very nice, solid career at Bridgeport. He joins a center core of David Ullstrom, Casey Cizikas, Trevor Frischmon, and Tony Romano and is sure to get top-6 minutes next year. It's no secret Bridgeport needed veteran help, and they got some by keeping Colliton in the organization. The rub here is that we cannot see a repeat of last year with Colliton in the NHL again. Nothing personal, of course, but the team needs to take the next step and playing a guy like Colliton for any extended period of time means things are not going as planned on Long Island. Let's hope that Colliton stays in Bridgeport, where he is sure to have a solid AHL season for the Sound Tigers.
AT: Colliton is a very last resort for a callup with the new depth, so I don't think we'll be seeing him soon. He's a great AHL vet who knows the system, knows the core and should develop a strong bond with Thompson, the new coach. He put up very good points last year and will almost certainly help Bridgeport succeed this year. Smaller signing, but a good one.
Jul 12, 2011
Prospects: From Lemons To Lemonade - An Organization Transformation
CH: Those who read this blog know I am far from a kool-aid drinker. But there is a lot to be said about the transformation of the Islanders prospect pool from the day Mike Milbury left to today. It wouldn't be fair to give all the credit to Garth Snow, as former Isles GM Neil Smith led the 2006 Draft. That was a watershed draft for the Islanders, as they have had three graduates from that draft, with two playing in prominent roles for the Isles. They are of course, Kyle Okposo (first round), Andrew MacDonald (sixth round), and Jesse Joensuu (second round).
They joined, at the time, a decent enough prospect pool with future NHLers Blake Comeau, Frans Nielsen, Sean Bergenheim, Jeff Tambellini, and Bruno Gervais. Headlined by Ryan O'Marra, Robert Nilsson, and Petteri Nokelainen, it was clear while there was average NHL depth in the system, there wasn't enough to compete. Isles fans used to get excited over Igor Volkov and Dustin Kohn. After that draft and a dominant WJC, Robin Figren became that guy.
After a playoff appearance in 2007, and a major trade, the Isles were not left with much in the 2007 draft. They picked up solid depth in Mark Katic, Jason Gregoire, and Blake Kessel. However, it looks like only Katic will play games for the organization.
Then, after one last try at mediocrity, the Islanders decided it was time to rebuild from the ground up. With that, the 2008 draft became the first step in the redefinition of the New York Islanders. With their first round pick, the Islanders shocked the NHL by picking Windsor center Josh Bailey. While he has not nearly panned out as expected, he has shown flashes of excellence. Now entering his fourth season, it's time for Bailey to take the next step. In the later rounds, the team took current Isles Travis Hamonic, Matt Martin, and Kevin Poulin. They took a chance on a first round talent in Kirill Petrov. Aaron Ness, Justin DiBenedetto, and up-and-comer Matt Donovan have or will play games for the Islanders organization.
That draft is nothing short of a success with at least 4 every-day NHL players. The Islanders were rising amongst the ranks but were not in the top half of the league yet. Then came 2009, a watershed draft for this team. The Isles finished last in 2008-2009, and had the right to choose first overall. After a laborious month or two of anticipation, the Isles selected their franchise player: John Tavares. After finally getting a top-end talent, the Isles complemented him with stud D Calvin de Haan. They selected another top end goalie prospect in Anders Nilsson, the Isles took another chance on Casey Cizikas - now a top 7 prospect with the Islanders. A sleeper in Anders Lee was chosen, and draftees Mikko Koskinen and Anton Klementyev have both played games in the NHL.
Now on the verge of a top 10 system, the Isles were to select fifth in the 2010 draft. In a bit of a surprise, they chose a dominant Swiss forward, Nino Niederreiter. They finished the first round by selecting a raw, but very promising center in Brock Nelson. And then they took a misguided wonder in the third round. A player who was predicted to be a top 10 (or better) talent in Kirill Kabnov. Finally, the Islanders had a top 10 system.
The Isles had the opportunity to select fifth one more time in 2011. They chose a skilled leader in Ryan Strome - a perfect complement to John Tavares. Couple that with a pair of bruising defensemen in Scott Mayfield and Andrei Pedan. Johan Sundstrom and Robbie Russo put the cap on a very solid draft class, putting the Isles organizational system in the top-5.
Now, it's time to use these assets. Develop, trade, whatever they have to do to ensure a winning team. The Isles fans are tired of losing. They have the talent to win - management needs to just help them get there. But from Evgeny Tunik to Scott Mayfield, it's certainly been quite the transformation. And that is something to be proud of.
AT: It's been quite the change in management style since the days of Mad Mike. We've come a long way since Justin Mapletoft and Justin Papineau were considered high end prospects. Garth Snow and the scouting crew have done a magnificent job in finding players with talent and stocking the pool with players with gigantic potential.
The 2007 draft is excusable as Gregoire and Kessel - both talented players - used a loophole to sign elsewhere, and Katic is in the system and looks to be a Jack Hillen replacement as a 7-8 defenseman. The 2008 draft, as much as some hated the choice to trade down, brought in major pieces of the core today as well as our current prospect pool. Those who wanted Nikita Filatov, who was just traded for a lowly 3rd round pick, should be ecstatic with how that draft panned out. While yes, Bailey still has yet to come into his full potential, the rest of the prospects gathered in the '08 draft such as Ness, Donovan, Hamonic, Martin and Poulin make me think of the '08 draft as a major success. The '09 draft brought in the franchise center we so desperately needed and his potential has been entirely shown so far. In addition, we have a top pairing D-man potential in Calvin De Haan, two major goaltending prospects in Koskinen and Nilsson, as well as Casey Cizikas who should find himself as being part of the "core" very shortly. The 2010 draft was very good as well, and we saw Garth go for a big power forward in Niederreiter as well as a player with top 10 potential in Kabanov. And finally, the 2011 draft had the Islanders draft someone who I believe should be the final piece of the youth core, Ryan Strome.
We know it's extremely difficult to attract high end free agents to Long Island. We've known that for a long time. Drafting correctly and with intelligence is absolutely essential to the future success of this team. Chicago did it and so did Pittsburgh, and I'd like to say it worked out pretty well for them. Let's not forget how many times Chicago and Pittsburgh were considered "jokes". The Pittsburgh team that once had Dick Tarnstrom as its leading scorer a few years leader had it's #1 draft pick raising the Stanley Cup. Let's hope we can see the same here. Garth has done a good job. Yes, not all prospects pan out as planned (Corey Trivino anyone?) but if developed properly, we almost certainly will see success on Long Island with almost all homegrown talent.
Another knack Garth has is his ability to scout out potential in players who have been cast off by other teams. We saw it with Moulson, a perennial AHL'er, becoming a 2 time 30 goal scorer on a line with John Tavares. We saw it with Michael Grabner, a 2006 first round draft pick who was let go by the Canucks, cut by the Panthers and then finally made it to the Islanders with a rookie of the year nomination by year's end. And while some will argue this, he also found it in P.A. Parenteau, who with all of his flaws still managed to put up a very respectable 53 points last season. He has added to both the prospect pool and roster both via drafting and through close watch of players who have been let go by other organizations.
Sometimes, you have to give credit where credit is due. In terms of his scouts and drafting so far, Garth receives outstanding grades.
They joined, at the time, a decent enough prospect pool with future NHLers Blake Comeau, Frans Nielsen, Sean Bergenheim, Jeff Tambellini, and Bruno Gervais. Headlined by Ryan O'Marra, Robert Nilsson, and Petteri Nokelainen, it was clear while there was average NHL depth in the system, there wasn't enough to compete. Isles fans used to get excited over Igor Volkov and Dustin Kohn. After that draft and a dominant WJC, Robin Figren became that guy.
After a playoff appearance in 2007, and a major trade, the Isles were not left with much in the 2007 draft. They picked up solid depth in Mark Katic, Jason Gregoire, and Blake Kessel. However, it looks like only Katic will play games for the organization.
Then, after one last try at mediocrity, the Islanders decided it was time to rebuild from the ground up. With that, the 2008 draft became the first step in the redefinition of the New York Islanders. With their first round pick, the Islanders shocked the NHL by picking Windsor center Josh Bailey. While he has not nearly panned out as expected, he has shown flashes of excellence. Now entering his fourth season, it's time for Bailey to take the next step. In the later rounds, the team took current Isles Travis Hamonic, Matt Martin, and Kevin Poulin. They took a chance on a first round talent in Kirill Petrov. Aaron Ness, Justin DiBenedetto, and up-and-comer Matt Donovan have or will play games for the Islanders organization.
That draft is nothing short of a success with at least 4 every-day NHL players. The Islanders were rising amongst the ranks but were not in the top half of the league yet. Then came 2009, a watershed draft for this team. The Isles finished last in 2008-2009, and had the right to choose first overall. After a laborious month or two of anticipation, the Isles selected their franchise player: John Tavares. After finally getting a top-end talent, the Isles complemented him with stud D Calvin de Haan. They selected another top end goalie prospect in Anders Nilsson, the Isles took another chance on Casey Cizikas - now a top 7 prospect with the Islanders. A sleeper in Anders Lee was chosen, and draftees Mikko Koskinen and Anton Klementyev have both played games in the NHL.
Now on the verge of a top 10 system, the Isles were to select fifth in the 2010 draft. In a bit of a surprise, they chose a dominant Swiss forward, Nino Niederreiter. They finished the first round by selecting a raw, but very promising center in Brock Nelson. And then they took a misguided wonder in the third round. A player who was predicted to be a top 10 (or better) talent in Kirill Kabnov. Finally, the Islanders had a top 10 system.
The Isles had the opportunity to select fifth one more time in 2011. They chose a skilled leader in Ryan Strome - a perfect complement to John Tavares. Couple that with a pair of bruising defensemen in Scott Mayfield and Andrei Pedan. Johan Sundstrom and Robbie Russo put the cap on a very solid draft class, putting the Isles organizational system in the top-5.
Now, it's time to use these assets. Develop, trade, whatever they have to do to ensure a winning team. The Isles fans are tired of losing. They have the talent to win - management needs to just help them get there. But from Evgeny Tunik to Scott Mayfield, it's certainly been quite the transformation. And that is something to be proud of.
AT: It's been quite the change in management style since the days of Mad Mike. We've come a long way since Justin Mapletoft and Justin Papineau were considered high end prospects. Garth Snow and the scouting crew have done a magnificent job in finding players with talent and stocking the pool with players with gigantic potential.
The 2007 draft is excusable as Gregoire and Kessel - both talented players - used a loophole to sign elsewhere, and Katic is in the system and looks to be a Jack Hillen replacement as a 7-8 defenseman. The 2008 draft, as much as some hated the choice to trade down, brought in major pieces of the core today as well as our current prospect pool. Those who wanted Nikita Filatov, who was just traded for a lowly 3rd round pick, should be ecstatic with how that draft panned out. While yes, Bailey still has yet to come into his full potential, the rest of the prospects gathered in the '08 draft such as Ness, Donovan, Hamonic, Martin and Poulin make me think of the '08 draft as a major success. The '09 draft brought in the franchise center we so desperately needed and his potential has been entirely shown so far. In addition, we have a top pairing D-man potential in Calvin De Haan, two major goaltending prospects in Koskinen and Nilsson, as well as Casey Cizikas who should find himself as being part of the "core" very shortly. The 2010 draft was very good as well, and we saw Garth go for a big power forward in Niederreiter as well as a player with top 10 potential in Kabanov. And finally, the 2011 draft had the Islanders draft someone who I believe should be the final piece of the youth core, Ryan Strome.
We know it's extremely difficult to attract high end free agents to Long Island. We've known that for a long time. Drafting correctly and with intelligence is absolutely essential to the future success of this team. Chicago did it and so did Pittsburgh, and I'd like to say it worked out pretty well for them. Let's not forget how many times Chicago and Pittsburgh were considered "jokes". The Pittsburgh team that once had Dick Tarnstrom as its leading scorer a few years leader had it's #1 draft pick raising the Stanley Cup. Let's hope we can see the same here. Garth has done a good job. Yes, not all prospects pan out as planned (Corey Trivino anyone?) but if developed properly, we almost certainly will see success on Long Island with almost all homegrown talent.
Another knack Garth has is his ability to scout out potential in players who have been cast off by other teams. We saw it with Moulson, a perennial AHL'er, becoming a 2 time 30 goal scorer on a line with John Tavares. We saw it with Michael Grabner, a 2006 first round draft pick who was let go by the Canucks, cut by the Panthers and then finally made it to the Islanders with a rookie of the year nomination by year's end. And while some will argue this, he also found it in P.A. Parenteau, who with all of his flaws still managed to put up a very respectable 53 points last season. He has added to both the prospect pool and roster both via drafting and through close watch of players who have been let go by other organizations.
Sometimes, you have to give credit where credit is due. In terms of his scouts and drafting so far, Garth receives outstanding grades.
Jul 11, 2011
Arena: Isles Ask Nassau For $4 Million In Repairs
According to Newsday (but broken by Chris Botta), the Islanders have asked the Nassau County Legislature for $4 million dollars to repair the "antiquated" Nassau Coliseum. As per the lease signed by the Islanders and Nassau County, the County is responsible to maintain and repair the Coliseum whenever necessary.
CH: What a great, sly move by the Islanders. They are going to take a lot of heat from the average Nassau resident here ("They want to take MORE of our tax money?"), but let's think about this. The County is required to pay for the repairs. Where do you think that money is coming from? Most likely the general fund, which comes from the taxpayers. It just goes to show that the Coliseum is in terrible shape, so they can continue the status quo with these quick fixes (that cost millions at a time), or they can build a new one and be done with it. Yes, it is more expensive, but the quality of life at a new arena is ten times that of the Coliseum. But again, everyone reading this knows all that.
It's bold, but it's smart, because it is exhibit A of why the Coliseum needsa facelift to be rebuilt. It makes the people who think the Coliseum is still a brand new piece of architecture look stupid. That actually might be my favorite argument against the referendum: "There's nothing wrong with the Coliseum! I went to a game there and it was fine!" Yeah, I went to an OHL playoff game in Erie and that was fine (actually one of the most fun games I've been to). This is a professional hockey team and they should play in a first-class, professional building. All of us have attachments to the Nassau Coliseum - a lot of us, including myself, practically grew up there. But we have to stop living in the past here.
The Islanders will get criticized, and maybe rightly so, but they at least showed everyone that there is a problem. Recognizing that will hopefully go and change the minds of a lot of people who think the Coliseum matches up well to a professional sports arena.
AT: This should quiet the opposition who claims the Isles will stay in the building past 2015 and that the building itself will stay open after 2015. It won't. It's broken, it's falling apart, and they'll be lucky if they can get it to maintain the Isles for the next 4 years. Yes, it's got character, but the old barn is falling apart and has been for years. We all knew that. I'm just not sure how this move is going to sway voters that are undecided. It'll reinforce the yes voters, but if I was undecided I would see the Isles asking Nassau for money as indicative of the future. We'll see. I'm not sure if this will play any significant role in the process.
CH: What a great, sly move by the Islanders. They are going to take a lot of heat from the average Nassau resident here ("They want to take MORE of our tax money?"), but let's think about this. The County is required to pay for the repairs. Where do you think that money is coming from? Most likely the general fund, which comes from the taxpayers. It just goes to show that the Coliseum is in terrible shape, so they can continue the status quo with these quick fixes (that cost millions at a time), or they can build a new one and be done with it. Yes, it is more expensive, but the quality of life at a new arena is ten times that of the Coliseum. But again, everyone reading this knows all that.
It's bold, but it's smart, because it is exhibit A of why the Coliseum needs
The Islanders will get criticized, and maybe rightly so, but they at least showed everyone that there is a problem. Recognizing that will hopefully go and change the minds of a lot of people who think the Coliseum matches up well to a professional sports arena.
AT: This should quiet the opposition who claims the Isles will stay in the building past 2015 and that the building itself will stay open after 2015. It won't. It's broken, it's falling apart, and they'll be lucky if they can get it to maintain the Isles for the next 4 years. Yes, it's got character, but the old barn is falling apart and has been for years. We all knew that. I'm just not sure how this move is going to sway voters that are undecided. It'll reinforce the yes voters, but if I was undecided I would see the Isles asking Nassau for money as indicative of the future. We'll see. I'm not sure if this will play any significant role in the process.
News: Ducks Win Ballpark Bid
According to Newsday, the owner of the Long Island Ducks won the fight to bring another minor league Atlantic League team to Long Island, beating out a joint bid by the New York Mets and Syosset developer David Blumenfeld. The ballpark would cost around $50m and is attached to the August 1st referendum to develop a new Nassau Coliseum. The field would open in the Spring of 2013.
AT: I don't think anyone is surprised by this. From a previous blog post, we noted that it seemed as if another Atlantic League team would bring in more revenue than a minor league Mets team. While having a double or triple A team next to the new Nassau Coliseum (should it happen) would be nice, Mangano and Nassau County should be showing that they're looking out for money to bring in to the county first and foremost. This adds one more thing to the HUB to make it a prime destination and further the development of the surrounding areas along.
CH: This is clearly all about the money, which it should be. Have to remember Nassau County needs the money more than the prestige, so that's where we stand. I do think the economic benefits long-term were best suited with the Mets, but Nassau residents are short-sighted and will only look in the short-term. From that sense, since the stadium will only cost an estimated $25 million and the County will bring in more revenue with the Atlantic League, this made more sense.
AT: I don't think anyone is surprised by this. From a previous blog post, we noted that it seemed as if another Atlantic League team would bring in more revenue than a minor league Mets team. While having a double or triple A team next to the new Nassau Coliseum (should it happen) would be nice, Mangano and Nassau County should be showing that they're looking out for money to bring in to the county first and foremost. This adds one more thing to the HUB to make it a prime destination and further the development of the surrounding areas along.
CH: This is clearly all about the money, which it should be. Have to remember Nassau County needs the money more than the prestige, so that's where we stand. I do think the economic benefits long-term were best suited with the Mets, but Nassau residents are short-sighted and will only look in the short-term. From that sense, since the stadium will only cost an estimated $25 million and the County will bring in more revenue with the Atlantic League, this made more sense.
Jul 8, 2011
Arena: Get Out The (YES) Vote
CH: This really should fall under the "opinion" heading, because while no new substantial arena news came out today (other than Chris Botta's announcing the Isles are asking Nassau County for $4 million in repairs of the Coliseum found here), there was a lot of debate and anger over Twitter and other social media forums today (by the way, have you seen the new marquee at the Coliseum?) because of some opposition organization.
So here's a little bit of a story.This morning, detractors of the referendum plan woke up bright and early with the rest of the commuters and handed out anti-referendum flyers. I was at one of these stations this morning, Hicksville, on my commute to work but did not see them up close. I did however see a few people holding these flyers, but I couldn't make much out. What I did see was a New York Islanders logo with the Islanders name cut out, so it was really just a picture of Long Island. Instead of "NY" up to, it read "NO." Then, the flyer contained the (disgraceful) Daily News editorial and a bunch of drivel about taxes.
Well, I saw these pamphlets and I saw people reading them and I got very upset. Thankfully, there were a lot in the trash, but their efforts were surely noted. I got upset that these intolerant residents are so against the semblance of change. I got upset that these residents spent more money preparing and printing and handing out these flyers than it would cost them to pay the first year before the Coliseum opened. And I got upset that these people are not for a better Long Island, and that they are okay - or even happy - with accepting the status quo. As anIslander fan Nassau County resident, this is beyond disappointing.
Alex and I have predicted negative articles and negative comments, but from my end, I did not expect this type of organization. Apparently, Hicksville was not the only station they were at (not sure of any of the others), but that's not the point. We've been hearing about the major PR push from Nassau County and the Islanders. Through the Vote YES campaign, we know that one is coming from the Islanders first-hand. The time is now for all hands to be on deck - and it will be. I have no doubt that the Islanders are going to pull out all the stops they can - the only question is, is it too late? I don't think it is. This vote is hinged upon the ability of community influencers and residents to get their votes out. There's plenty of Islander fans. There's plenty of Ranger fans. There's plenty of union workers and plenty of people who support growth.
What's the other option? Just sit back and watch the Coliseum die? That's not good enough for me. We can talk about the Lighthouse project for hours on end, but that's backwards thinking. That's not what I believe in. So we have 23 days - let's get the vote (YES) out. This is a total group effort from Floral Park to Oyster Bay to Bethpage to the heart of Uniondale. And most importantly, let's make sure we have a beautiful new arena in 2015. Nassau County, despite the ridiculous and corrupt politics, deserves one.
AT: It's time. Carey's story just shows us why. The opposition is formulating and needs to be quelled. Leave any lethargic tendencies at home, people. This is your team. This is my team. This is our team. Naturally, any referendum that goes up like this will receive some natural opposition. That's completely normal. However, when the opposition comes up with no solid facts and nothing other than an editorial that was rife with misinformation to begin with... are we really going to let these people ruin 40 years of Islanders history and a major Long Island destination? That's a rhetorical question, because obviously the answer is: OF COURSE NOT.
If you love this team as much as I do, if you want to continue to raise your family on Long Island, if you want to raise a future family on Long Island and if you want this great location which holds a special place in all of our hearts to continue to prosper, then drop what you're doing and start rocking the vote. Anyone who sits back and waits for others to do the job for them is just as bad as those who vote no. We need this. Let's go.
So here's a little bit of a story.This morning, detractors of the referendum plan woke up bright and early with the rest of the commuters and handed out anti-referendum flyers. I was at one of these stations this morning, Hicksville, on my commute to work but did not see them up close. I did however see a few people holding these flyers, but I couldn't make much out. What I did see was a New York Islanders logo with the Islanders name cut out, so it was really just a picture of Long Island. Instead of "NY" up to, it read "NO." Then, the flyer contained the (disgraceful) Daily News editorial and a bunch of drivel about taxes.
Well, I saw these pamphlets and I saw people reading them and I got very upset. Thankfully, there were a lot in the trash, but their efforts were surely noted. I got upset that these intolerant residents are so against the semblance of change. I got upset that these residents spent more money preparing and printing and handing out these flyers than it would cost them to pay the first year before the Coliseum opened. And I got upset that these people are not for a better Long Island, and that they are okay - or even happy - with accepting the status quo. As an
Alex and I have predicted negative articles and negative comments, but from my end, I did not expect this type of organization. Apparently, Hicksville was not the only station they were at (not sure of any of the others), but that's not the point. We've been hearing about the major PR push from Nassau County and the Islanders. Through the Vote YES campaign, we know that one is coming from the Islanders first-hand. The time is now for all hands to be on deck - and it will be. I have no doubt that the Islanders are going to pull out all the stops they can - the only question is, is it too late? I don't think it is. This vote is hinged upon the ability of community influencers and residents to get their votes out. There's plenty of Islander fans. There's plenty of Ranger fans. There's plenty of union workers and plenty of people who support growth.
What's the other option? Just sit back and watch the Coliseum die? That's not good enough for me. We can talk about the Lighthouse project for hours on end, but that's backwards thinking. That's not what I believe in. So we have 23 days - let's get the vote (YES) out. This is a total group effort from Floral Park to Oyster Bay to Bethpage to the heart of Uniondale. And most importantly, let's make sure we have a beautiful new arena in 2015. Nassau County, despite the ridiculous and corrupt politics, deserves one.
AT: It's time. Carey's story just shows us why. The opposition is formulating and needs to be quelled. Leave any lethargic tendencies at home, people. This is your team. This is my team. This is our team. Naturally, any referendum that goes up like this will receive some natural opposition. That's completely normal. However, when the opposition comes up with no solid facts and nothing other than an editorial that was rife with misinformation to begin with... are we really going to let these people ruin 40 years of Islanders history and a major Long Island destination? That's a rhetorical question, because obviously the answer is: OF COURSE NOT.
If you love this team as much as I do, if you want to continue to raise your family on Long Island, if you want to raise a future family on Long Island and if you want this great location which holds a special place in all of our hearts to continue to prosper, then drop what you're doing and start rocking the vote. Anyone who sits back and waits for others to do the job for them is just as bad as those who vote no. We need this. Let's go.
News: Blake Comeau's Aribtration Hearing Set
According to Katie Strang, Islanders F Blake Comeau's arbitration hearing is set for August 4, which is last on the docket, even after stars like Zach Parise and Shea Weber.
CH: With the obvious vote on August 1, I almost wonder if the Isles requested this date, without guarantees of course. This will give them a couple of days after the vote to try and work out a deal. As Strang said in the article, the two sides ave not had discussions yet. Not surprising, as there is no rush and Comeau is getting married next week. More than anything, this is just a notification post with a hint of baseless speculation.
AT: Absolutely no rush. I'm sure he'll get a fair deal and both sides seem to want one done. The date certainly is interesting though. We'll see where the situation lies once the vote is over.
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| New York Islanders |
AT: Absolutely no rush. I'm sure he'll get a fair deal and both sides seem to want one done. The date certainly is interesting though. We'll see where the situation lies once the vote is over.
Jul 7, 2011
Prospects: Isles Mini-Camp Invite List
Below is the list of the players that will be attending the Islanders rookie mini-camp next week. You can find it on the Isles site here. Surprisingly, a lot of college players this year, which is a great sign. It will certainly increase the competitiveness of the camp. And a reminder, the Blue/White Scrimmage is July 16, at 7 PM at the Nassau Coliseum.
Players whose rights are not owned by the Islanders in Italics
Forwards
Stephan Alonge
Max Capuano
Casey Cizikas
Justin DiBenedetto
Brett Gallant
Kirill Kabanov
Anders Lee
Max LeSieur
Danny Linell
Matt Martin
Cody McNaughton
Tyler McNeely
Brock Nelson
Nino Niederreiter
Dan O'Donoghue
John Persson
Rhett Rakhshani
Tony Romano
Ben Rosen
Ryan Strome
Johan Sundstrom
Mitchell Theoret
K.J. Tiefenwerth
Corey Trivino
David Ullstrom
Anton Zlobin
Defenseman
Art Bidlevskii
Calvin de Haan
Matt Donovan
Travis Hamonic
Mark Katic
Brenden Kichton
Mike Marcou
Scott Mayfield
Aaron Ness
Benn Olson
Andrei Pedan
Robbie Russo
Bennett Schneider
Mei Ushu
Tiegan Zahn
Goaltenders
Mikko Koskinen
Anders Nilsson
Kevin Poulin
Chris Rawlings
Nicola Riopel
Cody Rosen
Players whose rights are not owned by the Islanders in Italics
Forwards
Stephan Alonge
Max Capuano
Casey Cizikas
Justin DiBenedetto
Brett Gallant
Kirill Kabanov
Anders Lee
Max LeSieur
Danny Linell
Matt Martin
Cody McNaughton
Tyler McNeely
Brock Nelson
Nino Niederreiter
Dan O'Donoghue
John Persson
Rhett Rakhshani
Tony Romano
Ben Rosen
Ryan Strome
Johan Sundstrom
Mitchell Theoret
K.J. Tiefenwerth
Corey Trivino
David Ullstrom
Anton Zlobin
Defenseman
Art Bidlevskii
Calvin de Haan
Matt Donovan
Travis Hamonic
Mark Katic
Brenden Kichton
Mike Marcou
Scott Mayfield
Aaron Ness
Benn Olson
Andrei Pedan
Robbie Russo
Bennett Schneider
Mei Ushu
Tiegan Zahn
Goaltenders
Mikko Koskinen
Anders Nilsson
Kevin Poulin
Chris Rawlings
Nicola Riopel
Cody Rosen
Podcast: July 6, 2011
Rundown of Free Agency, what's next for the Islanders, Blake Comeau, and more!
July 6, 2011 from Carey Haber on Vimeo.
News: Gregoire to Winnipeg; Martinek to Columbus
Former Islanders prospect Jason Gregoire has signed an entry level contract with the Winnipeg Jets according to Ken Wiebe of the Winnipeg Sun. The Winnipeg, Manitoba native spent the last three years with the University of North Dakota, culminating with 43 points in 35 games this past season. Gregoire, who was drafted in the 3rd round of the 2007 NHL Draft, became a free agent after completing his college season and going pro.
CH: Like I said on earlier podcasts, this is extremely underwhelming by Gregoire. It's a real slap in the face to the team that drafted him and took a shot on him when he really was not ranked very high in 2007. He seemed like a character guy, and I certainly did not expect him to leave the Islanders like this. That said, he'll get more of a chance to crack the NHL roster on a Winnipeg team who is still rebuilding. Either way, whether people brush this off or not, just remember the only other player to use this loophole was Blake Wheeler, who was picked in the top 10 of the NHL draft (and I did not defend him when he did). That said, life goes on, and the Islanders will too with their elite level prospect pool.
AT: I would've liked Gregoire in the depth charts, but he'll probably have a better chance at being higher in ranking in Winnipeg's system. Not to mention he's actually from Winnipeg, so his first team will be his hometown team. A shame as he should've signed with the team that drafted him, but there's not much you can do in this situation. I hope this loophole is fixed in the next CBA.
Secondly, the Columbus Blue Jackets have signed former Islanders defenseman Radek Martinek to a 1 year, $2.2 million contract on Wednesday. Martinek, a 10-year veteran (all with the Islanders), finished with 16 points in 64 games last year.
CH: Martinek was a good Islander for many years and I'm very happy to see that he found a home in Columbus next season. He will fit in well with that system and collection of players, and if he stays healthy will be an underrated piece as the Blue Jackets push for their second playoff appearance in franchise history.
As for the Islanders, this was their back-up plan. Now he's gone. So it's really up to Snow now. We've identified some free agents and trade targets that are still out there. It's only July 7, so there is plenty of time, but the Islanders need to act before this August 1 vote. Waiting until arbitration will not make the fanbase happy, which normally is not a big deal, but with such an important day in Islanders history they should be doing their best to get the fans excited for the next season. And that does not include signing Kirill Kabanov to an entry-level contract. I remain patient and hopeful, because it is still early, but with free agent defensemen off the board daily and trades happening seemingly every other day, it makes every fan antsy. How many more players will be moved? Will there even be players available? I'm all for Garth Snow to wait for the move that fits best for the team, but that move has to come. Anything less would make this off-season a complete failure. He has two months to make it happen, but more and more targets will be gone as the days go by.
AT: I liked Radek. I really did. He was amazingly the healthiest D-man on the Isles this past season. But as Carey mentioned, he was their backup plan, and he's gone now. Where do the Isles go now? You have to hope and pray Garth is on the phone constantly looking for a top 4 D man to deal for. It is absolutely essential for success at this point. Hope Radek fits in well in Columbus. Beautiful city, he'll be with another former Islander in Wisniewski, and he seems the be excited.
CH: Like I said on earlier podcasts, this is extremely underwhelming by Gregoire. It's a real slap in the face to the team that drafted him and took a shot on him when he really was not ranked very high in 2007. He seemed like a character guy, and I certainly did not expect him to leave the Islanders like this. That said, he'll get more of a chance to crack the NHL roster on a Winnipeg team who is still rebuilding. Either way, whether people brush this off or not, just remember the only other player to use this loophole was Blake Wheeler, who was picked in the top 10 of the NHL draft (and I did not defend him when he did). That said, life goes on, and the Islanders will too with their elite level prospect pool.
AT: I would've liked Gregoire in the depth charts, but he'll probably have a better chance at being higher in ranking in Winnipeg's system. Not to mention he's actually from Winnipeg, so his first team will be his hometown team. A shame as he should've signed with the team that drafted him, but there's not much you can do in this situation. I hope this loophole is fixed in the next CBA.
Secondly, the Columbus Blue Jackets have signed former Islanders defenseman Radek Martinek to a 1 year, $2.2 million contract on Wednesday. Martinek, a 10-year veteran (all with the Islanders), finished with 16 points in 64 games last year.
CH: Martinek was a good Islander for many years and I'm very happy to see that he found a home in Columbus next season. He will fit in well with that system and collection of players, and if he stays healthy will be an underrated piece as the Blue Jackets push for their second playoff appearance in franchise history.
As for the Islanders, this was their back-up plan. Now he's gone. So it's really up to Snow now. We've identified some free agents and trade targets that are still out there. It's only July 7, so there is plenty of time, but the Islanders need to act before this August 1 vote. Waiting until arbitration will not make the fanbase happy, which normally is not a big deal, but with such an important day in Islanders history they should be doing their best to get the fans excited for the next season. And that does not include signing Kirill Kabanov to an entry-level contract. I remain patient and hopeful, because it is still early, but with free agent defensemen off the board daily and trades happening seemingly every other day, it makes every fan antsy. How many more players will be moved? Will there even be players available? I'm all for Garth Snow to wait for the move that fits best for the team, but that move has to come. Anything less would make this off-season a complete failure. He has two months to make it happen, but more and more targets will be gone as the days go by.
AT: I liked Radek. I really did. He was amazingly the healthiest D-man on the Isles this past season. But as Carey mentioned, he was their backup plan, and he's gone now. Where do the Isles go now? You have to hope and pray Garth is on the phone constantly looking for a top 4 D man to deal for. It is absolutely essential for success at this point. Hope Radek fits in well in Columbus. Beautiful city, he'll be with another former Islander in Wisniewski, and he seems the be excited.
Arena: Long Island Association Backs Project; ABLI Still Opposes
Newsday reported today that the two biggest Long Island business groups were split on the issue of the Nassau Coliseum. The Long Island Association, headed by Kevin Law, is made up of mostly business owners. The Association for Better Long Island, which is led by Desmond Ryan, is made up of real estate owners. The LIA backs the project while the ABLI is steadfastly against it.
CH: This shouldn't be surprising at all. The business owners, who this directly benefits, are for the project and the guys that didn't get a piece of the pie, the real estate group, are against it. Both sides are looking out for their own self-interest here, but it seems more selfish from the ABLI side. Why else would real estate owners not like this project? If one of the ABLI members were building it, I guarantee we would not hear a thing. The same goes for the LIA. This project clearly helps business owners, so they support it - in that sense, it's very similar to the Lighthouse project. This whole article is just a reminder that issues like this are all about self-interest. Which is exactly why the majority of the readers are making it a point to go out and vote YES on this referendum.
AT: This all boils down to the usual political turmoil everything turns into. I hate to get into a political discussion here, but this is about politics. Look at the fighting over the debt in Washington right now. The problem has always been the same - people want cuts, until it hurts what they care about. The same applies here. If it doesn't benefit them, they don't want it. If it does, they support it. It's always been the same game in any political arena. I'm just tired of it when it comes to a project like this that's so desperately needed to keep Long Island such a big destination for families and tourists alike.
CH: This shouldn't be surprising at all. The business owners, who this directly benefits, are for the project and the guys that didn't get a piece of the pie, the real estate group, are against it. Both sides are looking out for their own self-interest here, but it seems more selfish from the ABLI side. Why else would real estate owners not like this project? If one of the ABLI members were building it, I guarantee we would not hear a thing. The same goes for the LIA. This project clearly helps business owners, so they support it - in that sense, it's very similar to the Lighthouse project. This whole article is just a reminder that issues like this are all about self-interest. Which is exactly why the majority of the readers are making it a point to go out and vote YES on this referendum.
AT: This all boils down to the usual political turmoil everything turns into. I hate to get into a political discussion here, but this is about politics. Look at the fighting over the debt in Washington right now. The problem has always been the same - people want cuts, until it hurts what they care about. The same applies here. If it doesn't benefit them, they don't want it. If it does, they support it. It's always been the same game in any political arena. I'm just tired of it when it comes to a project like this that's so desperately needed to keep Long Island such a big destination for families and tourists alike.
Jul 6, 2011
Speculation: What's Next?:The Trade Route
As the July 4th holiday has now passed and the Islanders roster remains the same, here are some possibilities the Islanders may explore to add the top-4 defenseman they sorely need this coming season.
1. Keith Yandle - Phoenix Coyotes - Contract: 5 yrs/26 million
While Yandle did sign an extension yesterday, he is not eligible for a NTC so if the Isles severely overpay, they may have a chance at enticing Phoenix to make a move. After the signed extension, however, it doesn't seem likely.
2. Zach Bogosian - Winnipeg Jets - Contract: RFA
The Jets have stated there are no plans to trade Bogosian, but they are also far apart on contract talks. It would make no sense to publicly put Bogosian on the block, but even if there is no shot of trading him, Snow should inquire anyway.
3. Mike Green - Washngton Capitals - Contract: 1 yr/5.25 million
Green has his faults for sure, but the chance to add someone as dynamic as Green does not come every day. The Caps are very close to the cap, and you almost get the sense they are not as enamored with Green as they once were. If they are looking, to shed salary, the Isles could come calling.
4. Jeff Schultz - Washington Capitals - Contract: 3 yrs/2.75 million
Like Green, if the Capitals want or need to shed salary, Schultz could be had and with a lower price than Green, who is an RFA after the year. Schultz is a very solid defenseman at a very affordable price.
5. Keith Ballard - Vancouver Canucks - Contract: 4 yrs/4.2 million
Ballard's play really suffered in his first year with the Canucks, in which he fell out of favor with coach Alain Vigneault over the course of the year. GM Mike Gillis said Ballard will get a fresh start with Vancouver this year, but I'm sure the team would love to shed his salary.
6. Jordan Leopold - Buffalo Sabres - Contract: 2 yrs/3 million
The Sabres are literally at the cap and may need to make a decision on who to keep and who to get rid of. Garth Snow and Darcy Regier just made a deal for the rights to Christian Ehrhoff so maybe they get together and strike a deal for this solid defenseman.
7. Andrej Sekera - Buffalo Sabres - Contract: RFA
Sekera is headed to arbitration, which means he could be a cap casualty of the Sabres. If they do decide to let him go, expect Snow to be on the call. Sekera is an extremely underrated defenseman.
8. Cory Sarich - Calgary Flames - Contract: 1 yr/3.6 million
Sarich is declining, but he still is solid and fits the need of the Isles perfectly. If other options run try, maybe Snow turns to Jay Feaster and checks on the availability of Sarich.
9. Jay Bouwmeester - Calgary Flames - Contract: 3 yrs/6.68 million
Bouwmeester hasn't panned out the Flames have liked him to, and I'm sure Feaster would love to unload his contract. It's hefty, but Bouwmeester is a definite top-4 guy. The only question would be if he could find his game on Long Island.
10. Rob Scuderi - Los Angeles Kings - Contract: 2 yrs/3.4 million
It's very possible this Long Island boy could be on his way home if the Kings exceed their budget as they try and re-sign Drew Doughty. Definitely capable of top-4 minutes, he is exactly what the Isles are looking for.
11. Pavel Kubina - Tampa Bay Lightning - Contract: 1 yr/3.85 million
Not quite sure if the Lightning want to give him up, but if they need the money while they try and sign Steven Stamkos, he could be the guy to go. Another player that fits the Isles needs perfectly.
1. Keith Yandle - Phoenix Coyotes - Contract: 5 yrs/26 million
While Yandle did sign an extension yesterday, he is not eligible for a NTC so if the Isles severely overpay, they may have a chance at enticing Phoenix to make a move. After the signed extension, however, it doesn't seem likely.
2. Zach Bogosian - Winnipeg Jets - Contract: RFA
The Jets have stated there are no plans to trade Bogosian, but they are also far apart on contract talks. It would make no sense to publicly put Bogosian on the block, but even if there is no shot of trading him, Snow should inquire anyway.
3. Mike Green - Washngton Capitals - Contract: 1 yr/5.25 million
Green has his faults for sure, but the chance to add someone as dynamic as Green does not come every day. The Caps are very close to the cap, and you almost get the sense they are not as enamored with Green as they once were. If they are looking, to shed salary, the Isles could come calling.
4. Jeff Schultz - Washington Capitals - Contract: 3 yrs/2.75 million
Like Green, if the Capitals want or need to shed salary, Schultz could be had and with a lower price than Green, who is an RFA after the year. Schultz is a very solid defenseman at a very affordable price.
5. Keith Ballard - Vancouver Canucks - Contract: 4 yrs/4.2 million
Ballard's play really suffered in his first year with the Canucks, in which he fell out of favor with coach Alain Vigneault over the course of the year. GM Mike Gillis said Ballard will get a fresh start with Vancouver this year, but I'm sure the team would love to shed his salary.
6. Jordan Leopold - Buffalo Sabres - Contract: 2 yrs/3 million
The Sabres are literally at the cap and may need to make a decision on who to keep and who to get rid of. Garth Snow and Darcy Regier just made a deal for the rights to Christian Ehrhoff so maybe they get together and strike a deal for this solid defenseman.
7. Andrej Sekera - Buffalo Sabres - Contract: RFA
Sekera is headed to arbitration, which means he could be a cap casualty of the Sabres. If they do decide to let him go, expect Snow to be on the call. Sekera is an extremely underrated defenseman.
8. Cory Sarich - Calgary Flames - Contract: 1 yr/3.6 million
Sarich is declining, but he still is solid and fits the need of the Isles perfectly. If other options run try, maybe Snow turns to Jay Feaster and checks on the availability of Sarich.
9. Jay Bouwmeester - Calgary Flames - Contract: 3 yrs/6.68 million
Bouwmeester hasn't panned out the Flames have liked him to, and I'm sure Feaster would love to unload his contract. It's hefty, but Bouwmeester is a definite top-4 guy. The only question would be if he could find his game on Long Island.
10. Rob Scuderi - Los Angeles Kings - Contract: 2 yrs/3.4 million
It's very possible this Long Island boy could be on his way home if the Kings exceed their budget as they try and re-sign Drew Doughty. Definitely capable of top-4 minutes, he is exactly what the Isles are looking for.
11. Pavel Kubina - Tampa Bay Lightning - Contract: 1 yr/3.85 million
Not quite sure if the Lightning want to give him up, but if they need the money while they try and sign Steven Stamkos, he could be the guy to go. Another player that fits the Isles needs perfectly.
Jul 5, 2011
News: Blake Comeau Files For Salary Arbitration
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| Credit: New York Islanders |
Comeau had 24 goals and 22 assists last year in 76 games.
CH: Comeau had his most productive year in the NHL to date last season, so it makes sense that he will want a substantial raise over his qualifying offer, which is approximately $880,000. Hopefully the Islanders and Comeau can settle on a multi-year deal before arbitration starts. That said, this probably lowers the trade value for Comeau since whoever would take on his rights would only have Comeau on a one-year deal. So if the Islanders were shopping Comeau before, they may have to come to an agreement for 2-3 years before they trade him. Even so, the Islanders can not afford to ship out a 24 goal scorer without getting very good value in return.
If this case does get to arbitration, I would look for a verdict somewhere in the $2-2.5 million range. Similarly, if Comeau signs a longer-term deal, he'll probably earn around that amount as well. All this really tells us is that unless he is traded for a top-4 defenseman, Blake Comeau will be a New York Islander next year. So that is good news.
AT: As a 3rd line winger with the underwhelming Josh Bailey as his center most of the time, I think his stats last season as a growing player were pretty solid. Comeau has always shown great potential, just a lot of inconsistency which he seemed to be working on this past year. I have very little doubt Blake won't hit his 24 goal mark again, and I feel with the proper motivation could hit 30. I have a feeling this doesn't even make it to arbitration and ends up much like the Moulson deal did with Comeau signing just before the hearing. Hope to see him back unless trading him lands us a great D-man, in which case I'd be all for it.
News: Islanders Sign F Trevor Frischmon
The New York Islanders have signed forward Trevor Frischmon to a one year, two-way contract, which was announced by the Isles AHL affiliate Bridgeport.Frischmon, 29, has spent his entire professional career in the Columbus Blue Jackets organization, playing at for both Syracuse and Springfield of the AHL. He had a career year in Springfield last year, as he notched 29 points (4 goals) with a +6 in 80 games. The playmaking center has 102 points in 327 career AHL games.
The center, who is 6'0" and 200 lbs., played three games with the Blue Jackets in 2009-10, going scoreless.
CH: The Islanders let Rob Hisey go, so this is the guy that will probably replace him in Bridgeport. Frischmon, who is a checking line center, adds veteran stability to the Sound Tigers, which is something they sorely needed over the past few years. He will round out the Sound Tigers centers, most likely, joining David Ullstrom, Casey Cizikas, Tony Romano, and Tomas Marcinko. The Tigers still need more forward help on the wings, as Rhett Rakhshani, Tyler McNeely, and Justin DiBenedetto are the only signed players down there. From that perspective, look for a bunch more depth signings in the coming weeks. Solid signing, and addressed a need that the organization needed.
AT: There's definitely a lot more depth in Bridgeport nowadays. With the influx of young players, re-signing of Marcinko, and with some more moves to come, I think Bridgeport is pretty well off next season. Let's just hope Poulin can stay healthy and perform at the level he had before he was called up. Let's also hope he doesn't need to be called up.
Jul 4, 2011
Speculation: The FA Route - Where Should Snow Go?
As the July 4 weekend winds down, the Islanders are left in the same situation in which they entered it. They've filled one of the three holes that we targeted for them (fourth line center), but their work has not been completed yet. Chris Botta recently tweeted that Islanders GM Garth Snow is still talking to agents about adding one forward and one defenseman (however, that's more likely to be done through trade). So, with that said, here are 12 free agents (some obvious, some not) still out there that the Islanders may consider adding.
1. Tomas Kaberle - D - Boston Bruins
Kaberle showed signs of breaking down during the playoffs, but he still could be considered a top 4 defenseman, and if the Islanders show him the money, could make his way to Long Island. A Mark Streit/Tomas Kaberle first PP unit would be lethal.
2. Sergei Samsonov - F - Florida Panthers
The Panthers loaded up on FA during the off-season, but have opted not to keep the skilled Samsonov. After having a great end of the season, possibly playing with John Tavares could continue his revival.
3. Antti Miettenen - F - Minnesota Wild
More likely the Isles sign him and look to trade a guy like Blake Comeau for a top-4 defenseman. Miettenen is still a very useful player, but is probably best suited for third line (and spot second line) duty.
4. Jason Arnott - F - Washington Capitals
The aging Arnott would provide leadership and stability to the Isles C core along with John Tavares, Frans Nielsen, and Marty Reasoner. Could be a great mentor for Nino Niederreiter as he will most likely start his NHL career this season.
5. Bryan McCabe - D - New York Rangers
As we mentioned before, McCabe loves Long Island and would take an offer from the Isles in a heartbeat. Maybe the Isles go this route if they trade a defenseman like Eaton or Mottau as a salary dump (much like the Lebda deal with Toronto). Otherwise, those guys have no value and McCabe should have no value to the Islanders.
6. Vinny Prospal - F - New York Rangers
Prospal is versatile and can play anywhere in the top-6. As of now, with the Rangers signing Brad Richards, it doesn't seem like they will be retaining Prospal. After in injury-ridden season, will the Isles take a chance on him?
7. J.P. Dumont - F - Nashville Predators
The wheels really fell off for Dumont after many productive NHL seasons. With only 19 points last season, does he have enough left in the tank to be productive? The former Islander #1 pick could head home on a cheap contract if Snow feels that he can. Look for this as a definite possibility at least through training camp.
8. Radek Martinek - D - New York Islanders
Like Chris Botta said, don't close the door on Martinek. The Islanders haven't and shouldn't, because at the very least you know what you'll get out of Martinek on a 1-year deal. The only question is his health, however.
9. Steve Bernier - F - Florida Panthers
We'll call him the Matt Moulson special. Only 26 years old, but hasn't quite reached the level of play everyone thought he would. The Islanders have been the land of opportunity, which may be exactly what a player like Bernier needs. His potential is obvious, but if he can't put it together soon it may never happen.
10. Sami Lepisto - D - Columbus Blue Jackets
Like Bernier, Lepisto is only 26 but hasn't totally put it all together yet. After a decent season last year, the Islanders may bring him in, but is he that much of an upgrade over Mike Mottau?
11. Scott Hannan - D - Washington Capitals
The only other player aside from Tomas Kaberle who still could fill a top-4 role for the Islanders. A shutdown D-man through and through, Hannan fills an immediate need for the Islanders. However, the fact that he is still available may raise a few eyebrows. At this point, no way the Capitals bring him back. Definitely someone the Isles should be looking at.
12. Shane O'Brien - D- Nashville Predators
A shutdown guy just trying to find his way at age 27. The Isles may take a chance on his upside and hope that he can bring it over an 82-game season. But more than anything else, they need a proven guy like Hannan back there over an O'Brien.
CH: Do I expect the Islanders to sign any of these guys? Maybe one of the forwards, but I do think they'll head for a trade for a defenseman. As far as the forwards go, it's possible that Vinny Prospal makes the most sense on a 2 year contract. He can slot in anywhere, the Islanders have enough depth if he were to get hurt, and the upside for his production to return is pretty high. Plus, the fact that he just played for the Rangers will mean he won't have to go very far. In a way, it is a typical Islander signing, but at the same time, Prospal is a player that has the ability to be a very productive asset.
Other than that, maybe they take a shot at Antti Miettenen, who is a great defensive forward and PKer. He'd fit right into a third line role and still can provide 15-20 goals from there. His biggest issue was that he was miscast in Minnesota, but that would not be the case here. He'd be a solid signing and would allow the Isles some flexibility on forwards to trade for a top-4 defenseman, which we will look at tomorrow.
AT: Of the forwards, Prospal or Samsonov seem most likely. Prospal came back pretty strong from injury last year and we know Samsonov has the potential to be a 60+ point scorer. Garth knows that PA Parenteau on the first line is not going to cut it if we want to exceed to the next level. Prospal playing on the first line with Tavares and Moulson is very intriguing. He was very capably able to feed a 40 goal scorer in Marian Gaborik 2 years ago, you have to wonder what he would be able to do next to a 30 goal scorer and a budding superstar.
As for the defense, Scott Hannan is still someone who I would be perfectly okay with. Consistently healthy, Hannan is known for his ability to completely shut down a forward and throw big hits. Having a Streit-Hamonic and MacDonald-Hannan top 4 would be very, very good. We'll see. I do like Hannan, but if a better D-man is available through trade, you go for it and don't look back. Keith Yandle, please.
1. Tomas Kaberle - D - Boston Bruins
Kaberle showed signs of breaking down during the playoffs, but he still could be considered a top 4 defenseman, and if the Islanders show him the money, could make his way to Long Island. A Mark Streit/Tomas Kaberle first PP unit would be lethal.
2. Sergei Samsonov - F - Florida Panthers
The Panthers loaded up on FA during the off-season, but have opted not to keep the skilled Samsonov. After having a great end of the season, possibly playing with John Tavares could continue his revival.
3. Antti Miettenen - F - Minnesota Wild
More likely the Isles sign him and look to trade a guy like Blake Comeau for a top-4 defenseman. Miettenen is still a very useful player, but is probably best suited for third line (and spot second line) duty.
4. Jason Arnott - F - Washington Capitals
The aging Arnott would provide leadership and stability to the Isles C core along with John Tavares, Frans Nielsen, and Marty Reasoner. Could be a great mentor for Nino Niederreiter as he will most likely start his NHL career this season.
5. Bryan McCabe - D - New York Rangers
As we mentioned before, McCabe loves Long Island and would take an offer from the Isles in a heartbeat. Maybe the Isles go this route if they trade a defenseman like Eaton or Mottau as a salary dump (much like the Lebda deal with Toronto). Otherwise, those guys have no value and McCabe should have no value to the Islanders.
6. Vinny Prospal - F - New York Rangers
Prospal is versatile and can play anywhere in the top-6. As of now, with the Rangers signing Brad Richards, it doesn't seem like they will be retaining Prospal. After in injury-ridden season, will the Isles take a chance on him?
7. J.P. Dumont - F - Nashville Predators
The wheels really fell off for Dumont after many productive NHL seasons. With only 19 points last season, does he have enough left in the tank to be productive? The former Islander #1 pick could head home on a cheap contract if Snow feels that he can. Look for this as a definite possibility at least through training camp.
8. Radek Martinek - D - New York Islanders
Like Chris Botta said, don't close the door on Martinek. The Islanders haven't and shouldn't, because at the very least you know what you'll get out of Martinek on a 1-year deal. The only question is his health, however.
9. Steve Bernier - F - Florida Panthers
We'll call him the Matt Moulson special. Only 26 years old, but hasn't quite reached the level of play everyone thought he would. The Islanders have been the land of opportunity, which may be exactly what a player like Bernier needs. His potential is obvious, but if he can't put it together soon it may never happen.
10. Sami Lepisto - D - Columbus Blue Jackets
Like Bernier, Lepisto is only 26 but hasn't totally put it all together yet. After a decent season last year, the Islanders may bring him in, but is he that much of an upgrade over Mike Mottau?
11. Scott Hannan - D - Washington Capitals
The only other player aside from Tomas Kaberle who still could fill a top-4 role for the Islanders. A shutdown D-man through and through, Hannan fills an immediate need for the Islanders. However, the fact that he is still available may raise a few eyebrows. At this point, no way the Capitals bring him back. Definitely someone the Isles should be looking at.
12. Shane O'Brien - D- Nashville Predators
A shutdown guy just trying to find his way at age 27. The Isles may take a chance on his upside and hope that he can bring it over an 82-game season. But more than anything else, they need a proven guy like Hannan back there over an O'Brien.
CH: Do I expect the Islanders to sign any of these guys? Maybe one of the forwards, but I do think they'll head for a trade for a defenseman. As far as the forwards go, it's possible that Vinny Prospal makes the most sense on a 2 year contract. He can slot in anywhere, the Islanders have enough depth if he were to get hurt, and the upside for his production to return is pretty high. Plus, the fact that he just played for the Rangers will mean he won't have to go very far. In a way, it is a typical Islander signing, but at the same time, Prospal is a player that has the ability to be a very productive asset.
Other than that, maybe they take a shot at Antti Miettenen, who is a great defensive forward and PKer. He'd fit right into a third line role and still can provide 15-20 goals from there. His biggest issue was that he was miscast in Minnesota, but that would not be the case here. He'd be a solid signing and would allow the Isles some flexibility on forwards to trade for a top-4 defenseman, which we will look at tomorrow.
AT: Of the forwards, Prospal or Samsonov seem most likely. Prospal came back pretty strong from injury last year and we know Samsonov has the potential to be a 60+ point scorer. Garth knows that PA Parenteau on the first line is not going to cut it if we want to exceed to the next level. Prospal playing on the first line with Tavares and Moulson is very intriguing. He was very capably able to feed a 40 goal scorer in Marian Gaborik 2 years ago, you have to wonder what he would be able to do next to a 30 goal scorer and a budding superstar.
As for the defense, Scott Hannan is still someone who I would be perfectly okay with. Consistently healthy, Hannan is known for his ability to completely shut down a forward and throw big hits. Having a Streit-Hamonic and MacDonald-Hannan top 4 would be very, very good. We'll see. I do like Hannan, but if a better D-man is available through trade, you go for it and don't look back. Keith Yandle, please.
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