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General Manager Garth Snow, Trades and UFA

Many folks in media always write, x summer is the biggest one in years for x team to a point where it's over-used.

I do not believe this is the New York Islanders biggest summer in years, but like every summer it is important.

Having written this general manager Garth Snow, is in a position where he has some roster/limited cap flexibility, and frankly some players he can continue with or move on from, and is at a cross roads.

Let's also be clear with Alexi Yashin's big cap hit next summer (4.75m) and the chance of DiPietro again not playing at 4.5m, that's close to ten million in cap space already used. This does not include a possible buyout of Brendan Witt or possible bonus money to Tavares, Okposo, Bailey.

It is to a point where we need to see if this gm can pull off a transaction that improves this club next season in terms of winning hockey games, knowing full well the decisions on Mark Streit, Dwayne Roloson and Matt Moulson, along with Andrew MacDonald, and Jack Hillen were outstanding.

Fair to write, Ryan Jankowski's reflections about drafting high next summer speak for themselves about expectations next year.

I'm not writing about a huge trade where Garth Snow gives up his first draft pick, two other first rounders like the Ryan Smyth trade, but a trade where he can take advantage of a club that may need to make a trade with cap issues and fill a need.

I'm obviously not writing about Weight, Park, Jackman or the current UFA who most likely will go into 7/1 without a contract, but Sean Bergenheim, Jeff Tambellini, Rob Schremp, Trent Hunter, Frans Nielsen or Blake Comeau, which includes Bruno Gervais, and Brendan Witt.

This also extends to Jesse Joensuu, Robin Figren, Tomas Marcinko in the right circumstances.

If Ottawa wants to move on from Jason Spezza, as long as the price is not a first rounder or includes, Tavares, Bailey, Okposo, everyone listed above should be on the table with second rounders.

Sure, there are twenty other clubs that can write the exact same thing, and may have better players/packages to offer.

There is also no flat guarantee Dwayne Roloson will want to continue playing hockey approaching age forty one, regardless of Rick DiPietro's future playing status.

As for the spending, I have written it countless times.

Charles Wang and most NHL owners cannot afford a front-loaded contract because of the huge short-term financial price. That is the ONLY thing preventing a top free agent from signing with about twenty five plus clubs, including this one to go with cost of living here + taxes.

If Mr Wang were willing (not feasible) to give someone fifty million dollars w/twenty million paid the first two years, they would not care what the Coliseum looked like. Same as buildings that are frankly dumps like Msg, Pittsburgh, Detroit or Edmonton. Players saw what happened during last lockout, they want their money in hand, and that plays a huge part in where they sign.

No star player signs anywhere without a front-loaded contract now.

Even Jason Blake got some of his money front-loaded, this is why players who get the bulk of the money early are traded. Colorado paid the bulk of Ryan Smyth's contact, Cablevision the bulk of Scott Gomez deal.

It'a another area Garth Snow can look at, but that's usually a larger risk, those players are available because they have struggled and are not the right fit.

As for Garth Snow's team needs? Everything. Size, speed, offensive skill, scoring, and toughness have to continue be developed or brought in, with a dramatic upgrade in third period play, and special teams performance.

I have written in the past on Snow-Gordon working relationship. After the Boston game the coach was outspoken about the teams size on defense, the coach played Nate Thompson over several players, Garth Snow put him on waivers. Having written this we have no idea what happens behind closed doors in terms of how decisions are made.



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Islander Notables/Speculation

Updated:
A lot of twittering on 2009 draft picks, Anders Nilsson and Casey Cizikas, who reportedly have been extended contract offers. Links to Nilsson's comments on twitter.

Deadline for Nilsson to sign is 6/15, if he wants to play in North American next season. Retention rights for Nilsson (SEL) is age twenty two, Cizikas 6/1/11.

According to CBA rule 8.6, draft picks not in college/or countries with no transfer agreement at this time must receive a "bona-fide" contract offer after the first year for teams rights to continue. Michael Fornabaio, told me this was a formality and rarely mentioned.

Draft Central is posted on all three NYIFC blogs.
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Not much to write these days, however some random items.

Hopefully Charles Wang and/or Scott Rechler for now will be content to run the Nassau Coliseum per the new Smg agreement, and keep things quiet/out of the media where they cannot win, regardless of what they say.

In this never-ending game of what can Nassau/TOH do not to be held accountable for their decades-long failure, to renovate/replace their own building, ultimately they have to come up with a plan so the hockey team can be self-sustaining in the Nassau County/TOH facility.

Even Glendale for one year is willing to put up twenty five million to subsidize potential losses.

At the very least Nassau/TOH must present something to force Wang-Rechler to turn it down to hold themselves as blameless as possible. Still Wang-Rechler are entitled to a formal rejection per vote of the full LH project submitted.
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Regarding the upcoming draft, I have included links to major sites, rankings and will twitter what I can find. My preference is a forward which is far different, from best player available traditional strategy.

I could not give you any preference with one specific player due to my lack of knowledge on this draft class. I will not become a draft expert based on a few reviews.

What I do know is between deHaan, Hamonic, MacDonald, Katic, Kohn and several others (college) vs the lack of tangible (statistical) progress from higher selections like Figren, Marcinko, Joensuu, the need to add scoring, size and skill seems more urgent with the top pick this summer. I don't see the Isles paying Kirill Petrov or his Russian team to vacate his KHL contract, nor do I see the player or agent walking from guaranteed money vs possible AHL salary.

Petrov can come over and train in July, beyond that his agent has to settle things with his team in Russia, not the New York Islanders.

Anyone still prefer Luke Schenn or Nikita Filatov over a package of Hamonic/other selections-Bailey? Things change, but for now I like how this is turning out.
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Mostly indifferent on the finals, the team who's goaltending is least poor will win, but Hawks overall talent is superior to a very mediocre Flyer club.

Still cannot believe San Jose, after beating Wings, lost so handily.

Flyers are overdue for their losing streak and free-fall, my guess is goaltending is catching up with them because now both Leighton and Boucher are healthy. It seems like the Islanders, once they got both (or three goaltenders) healthy, too many options changed the chemistry.
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As for the apparently canceled trip to China, I see it as a big disappointment for a man who wanted to bring his team to his home country, after bringing kids to China and North America for several years. Once again Wang/Snow are not obligated to speak to the media, and like their counterparts, many rarely, if ever speak.

What an NHLPA spokesman claims vs what actually happened, can be two different things. To go beyond that is frankly worthless, because we don't know. My guess is if there is a standing agreement waiting in Saskatoon (and they are scheduled to play there anyway plus game in Quebec) that is what will make them a little money, and what will happen.

Sure with Wang/Rechler running Coliseum, Isles could play a bunch of pre-season games at Coliseum, but at a big loss. If enough ticket holders want to pay full fare on season tickets (as many other teams fans must do) for those games, then no doubt Wang would play Coliseum home preseason games.

What Wang-Rechler cannot do is hold free preseason games at the Coliseum, that's why games go out of town for many NHL clubs, especially in hockey's most invisible market that cannot compete with baseball or New Jersey football.
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From what I understood per new SEL transfer agreement, David Ullstrom did not have to be signed until his 22nd birthday (Stefan Ridderwall), however this organization needs all the size they can add to the depth chart.

Nothing announced if Jared Spurgeon has been signed, if not his draft rights to the Islanders expire.
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I have been updating prospect blog with signings/departures. Only fifty NHL contracts can be signed.

Beyond draft, next big date is qualifying offers, which means Tambellini, Bergenheim, Kohn, Nate Lawson.

Garth Snow should not sign any of his pending UFA heading into 7/1. Not many available spots if you go by current depth chart, including RFA. (less Tambellini)

Moulson(RFA)-Tavares-Okposo
Bergenheim (RFA)-Bailey-Hunter
Comeau-Nielsen-
-Schremp (RFA)-

Gillies (AHL) several AHL prospects.

Gervais, MacDonald, Streit, Martinek, Hillen, and Brendan Witt all signed.
Kohn RFA, Dylan Reese RFA.

When was the last time, significant trades happened at draft?

Don't count on answers in that area for any NHL club.













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