A Little Good News...Hamonic, Joensuu, Martin.....And Some Media

New York Islander Fan Central | 12/06/2010 09:04:00 PM |


It may well be a lost season, however there are some good individual things taking place here with the development of Jesse Joensuu, Travis Hamonic and Matt Martin.

Joensuu has more speed than I expected, and a nice ability to cut to the net, he has the scoring hands as he displayed against the Devils, and I love what he did against the Rangers to stick up for Nielsen. Win or lose was nice seeing an Islander have a size advantage in a fight/scrum for once.

Travis Hamonic may look like he is fourteen but apparently the Islanders liked what they saw in him so much, the very reliable Dylan Reese went back to Bridgeport Monday who are overstocked with depth again on defense. Cannot say he looks out of place or over matched to this point.

I know Matt Martin has not put up the numbers or do I see him driving the net as he did a year ago, but he hits a lot and is a noticeable player.

Rhett Rakshani/Robin Figren absolutely need to come up and get a look on this teams wings. I'm very impressed with Rakshani and feel he brings a scoring element lacking on this team.

I know Andrew MacDonald has had three puck go off him for goals the last two games, I'm not worried about his play one bit. He will settle in, get the rust off his game and at some point contribute on offense.
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I know folks don't want to read this and may get the impression I'm trying to spin how poorly this teams record and season has been, however this team has played competitive hockey all season.

So far this group is not going out and losing games 6-0 every night, to portray the club in those terms would contradict how games have been played.

For those who have followed NYIFC, I saw the signs of problems when they were winning, and wrote a free-fall could happen. Scott Gordon was talking about his offensive problems after the Tampa win, which I highlighted and agreed with.

And sure two years ago they lost a ton of one goal games also, it's nothing to celebrate at all, but does have to be written this team does not go out most nights and mail it in.
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You read this non-sense from a few over the top vindictive folks in the media, who go above and beyond to bury this franchise, most facts do get lost along the way because they need their page views and really don't watch the team play.

New York has twenty losses at 5-15-5.
Eleven were one goal games, five overtime/shootout. Three two goal losses via empty net.

The last six games New York could have easily won and absolutely were competitive, if their even strength scoring and pp gave them any timely goals/or anything.

I don't think that can improve this season, twenty five games is enough to see there are offensive issues not going away.

I do see some poor efforts and big losses coming, all teams have clunkers, this team has had about three or four this season, and are again due.

Plus Boston, and some upcoming teams can fill the net and embarrass anyone, I saw what they did to Tampa, winning 8-1.
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Good time to see how many friends this team has in NHL media circles, these days, the kind answer is not many.

I don't like to write about other teams, however for the very limited Ranger fans in the local media who love to kick the New York Islanders (for their personal enjoyment/past success, lack of money to cover them full time, or to satisfy some former employee's personal agenda/grudge) whether they are up or down, spare us.

The New York Islanders, Rangers both made four playoffs last decade, both scored same 222 goals last season (as did Devils) and both missed the playoffs, both play in dumps for home facilities.

I did/do not see articles from the same shock jock crews calling for the NHL/NBA to step in and remove James Dolan.

No doubt it's a very tough time for the New York Islanders and our fans, knock off the vindictive attacks or hold all local teams to the exact same standard or kick all teams when they are down. Charles Wang even paid out of pocket to upgrade a building he does not own nor was obligated to do, why don't you write about that?

Maybe the league should step in and have former Ranger beatwriters, Frank Brown and John Dellapina, never shy about bashing the Islanders, who currently occupy top media positions in the NHL, have a few meetings and request these money losing publications have their editors at the Post, Times and Daily News give this team full time coverage and blogs or demand the Dolan's open their pay wall and hire a full time, experienced professional beatwriter.

Writers that actually cover the team, all games, that interviews the players?

Coverage that went in the tank under past media relations coordinators that worked for the New York Islanders, and set them up for the lack of credible coverage they receive now in newspapers.
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When I twittered Ranger Newsday beatwriter, Steve Zipay why his article said New York was 1-13-1 at Msg recently, I asked if the Dolan's wrote that for him? He replied the Islanders media gave him the notes for a game in his own building?

I guess Mr Zipay does not proof-read his work or Sports editor, Hank Winnicki has a very short memory given the Islander were around 9-4-2 at Cablevision Garden going back to 2005-06. Most of those games Mr Zipay personally covered.

Msg does not provide the media notes in their own building about the teams record at home against the opposition?
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Have been a bit behind on WJC, however will have a few updates. Usual suspects like deHaan will play for Canada, of course Niederreiter, others.

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