" Source " Games Over At NYIFC

From this point forward regardless of what is reported, unless the professional media uses actual names of their co-called sources to report news for our fans, it will not be part of information posted in NYIFC blog entries, or in our twitter updates until confirmed by the team/NHL itself.

Simply put NYIFC has higher standards, if you take time to visit this blog you deserve better.

Information based upon sources of professional media, with their speculations/beliefs of what could happen, is not worth our time.

The standard set for the folks here at NYIFC, is to provide credible information regarding the New York Islanders from professional media. From day one the policy here has always been to be dead last and a hundred percent correct with information.

As to the opinion of professional media, who speculate, using sources?

Thank You, however no Thank You, we'll wait for official confirmation, or please do a better job, and provide us a direct quote confirming information.

I personally do not believe that is a hard thing to do when you are already interviewing someone. No law against asking a question, getting a no comment, and writing someone had no comment when asked.
**********************************************

In far more important news, Islander training camp officially opened on 7/7, a special section was opened here linking to the Islanders website that is providing running updates of camp. Head Coach Scott Gordon was on ice, a group of prospects were on ice, another group was off.

Owner Charles Wang, General Manager, Garth Snow watched from the stands.

ITV.com: Has head coach Scott Gordon, on day one of camp.

Saturday's prospect game will be covered live on ITV for those interested in watching.

Washington Post: Tarik El-Bashir, reports Washington placed center Michael Nylander on waivers in the hopes that another team is interested in taking him off the Capitals' payroll, and it could be a viable option for a franchise that needs to reach the salary cap floor to claim him because Nylander's cap hit next season ($4.875 million) is more than his salary. ($3 million)

NYIFC Comments:
To the best my knowledge, Nylander played in the SEL after leaving AHL. Caps did have to pay his salary while in AHL, but I'm not sure if they had to pay him when he went to Europe. I'm not completely sure if Islanders would have to pay him if they actually did put in a claim. Given the current roster and likely signing Doug Weight, it's hard to envision him actually coming here to play hockey.



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Next Up for New York?

What's next for New York is prospect camp begins, as no doubt the general manager continues to contact agents (Kovalchuk) or someone else, to improve his hockey team.

Despite my countless blog entries last season on the Islanders extended scoring struggles, it does have to be noted, even with all the injury problems that landed them in the lower/middle of the pack
(a vast improvement on the previous two years) even with all the inexperience, they did score the exact same two hundred twenty two goals the Devils did last season, who won the Atlantic division.

They also outscored a lot of playoff teams, with far more veterans, and went undefeated vs Detroit, Chicago and Vancouver.

In terms of 2010-11, those writing they are not ready and it will take a few more years, should take a good look at the final standings, how competitive they were against the top team in the division/western conference.

It took a very poor stretch before the trade deadline, and the last few weeks to finish nine points out, in between they made a run that almost put them back in the race.

Every year is different, and 09-10 likely was as mediocre as the East is going to be in terms of final point totals. I'm not writing the 2010-11 New York Islanders will win the Stanley Cup, but there is also no reason they cannot make the exact same run as mediocre eighty eight point Philadelphia did to the finals next year, if things fall into place.

Of course you can write that about all fifteen teams in the East.

As for Ilya Kovalchuk as the waiting goes on:
It has been a very poor show by the media across the board.

Claims via sources of what teams "could" offer with dollars/term by professional media like Darren Dreger? Claims of deals, "almost finalized", by others out of sportsnet?

Incorrect reports of signing out of the NY Post by Mark Everson, who's work will never be mistaken with that of someone who is enthusiastic about the New Jersey Devils. Headlines of signings pulled (without explanation) to go with Larry Brooks Islander contradictions from 1/14/2010 to 7/4 about what signing Kovalchuk would have meant to New York?

Katie Strang claiming the Islanders were not signing Kovalchuk on Monday, to date she has still not even gotten a direct quote confirming this from the general manager in her article? That on top of still not getting one comment from the gm on Bergenheim or Tambellini not being qualified, from the same paper that told the public a year ago three hours before the draft, they were not selecting John Tavares?

Any wonder thirty goal player Matt Moulson, did not make list of notable
restricted free agents, who filed for arbitration?

Of course Ms Strang is likely correct and has a 29/30 plus KHL factor in her favor, but a quote from the general manger is required, not her beliefs or what it appears to be. Not that tough to do, or simply write the general manager would not confirm where they stood in negotiations.

She needed a quote confirming her beliefs, she still needs a quote on why a player drafted in 2002 with the first pick was not qualified, along with Jeff Tambellini.

NHL.com/Espn-Pierre LeBrun, did not even notice Ms Strang's claims as of 1am on 7/6, despite referencing Hellen Elliot in the LA Times late at night on East Coast, with Kings updates when news broke.

A few as of this entry have still not noticed Ms Strang's article, which says a lot about Newsday's Islander coverage and her current standing/connections to media outlets, that also includes former Ranger beatwriter Arthur Staple, who is never shy about keeping the glass half-empty.

This is why you have to go very careful with sources, that includes the professional media. Sure the general managers/agents are still negotiating, sometimes they are doing it indirectly in these statements.

Of course, a few Islander fans, once again, will blame Islander management for not making negotiations reality television for them, however the gm made his statement's and was not hired to clean up the incorrect/misleading reports or claims by others, not associated with the team.

Overall this was just brutal media work, top to bottom, with no accountability from those making these mistakes to this point.

In terms of Ilya Kovalchuk, good luck to him regardless where he decides to sign whether it be with the New York Islanders or elsewhere. Only one team in the NHL can sign him. If he does sign here there will be a lot more on that if it happens.

Moving forward now that the general manager has showed interest in one veteran scoring forward, this indicates he feels he has to address his veteran scoring.

That means he must continue to work to bring in someone whether it be through UFA or a possible trade, regardless of his roster depth.

A lot of unknowns invited to camp, a few prospects injured, but it will be a fun few days watching the young players.



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No Monday Announcement on Kovalchuk, Moulson to Arbitration

Condolences to the entire NHL family, on the loss of Bob Probert, who passed away Monday at the age of 45.
**********************************************
Ilya Kovalchuk's agent, Jay Grossman has announced on his twitter page, his clients choices have been narrowed down, details to be finalized but no announcement Monday night.

Mr Grossman, earlier wrote, Ilya Kovalchuk looking to make decision on his future today, meaning 7/5.

NYIFC Comments:
Between the very shoddy NY Post media staff, who did not respect it's readers enough to report they changed a headline of a confirmed signing with New Jersey, and now Mr Grossman's contradictions, it has not been a good day.

Too much misleading or incorrect, information out there across the board on these negotiations.
************************************
Matt Moulson apparently will take the club to arbitration, with today the filing deadline, with a hearing date posted on 7/6. As of this time the other Islander RFA, are unknown, but by age perhaps are not eligible yet.




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Questionable Media Dominate New York Islander Hockey Coverage

The New York Islanders have another problem in signing free agents, it's not just the money, the facility, or the teams lease because most contracts don't run more than five years.

Unless Ed Mangano agrees to let the team move, even walking away from the sub-lease will not free the club before 2015 without Nassau approval.

I will get ahead of myself and submit Ed Mangano and Kate Murray (who could not correctly remember Islanders Stanley Cups) cannot even spell the word Kovalchuk.

If he won the Stanley Cup in 2010-11, scored a hundred goals, and brought the Cup to Nassau and TOH, it would not mean a thing for the LH, those suggesting it would are kidding themselves or have a very short memory.

Our team has a much bigger problem right now, it's an old story, the perception game the media plays, complete with agenda's that influence outside media, potential free agents, and the fans.

This is not really being written in regards to Ilya Kovalchuk, he played here long enough for the Devils, he experienced what will happen already in terms of limited/negative hockey media.

The Devils, at least have the Newark Star-Ledger, some excellent hockey writes, and the team moved to it's mostly, Newark-financed arena.

No US based franchise has the problem that is the New York Islanders media in 2010-11, the coverage even back as an expansion team was far superior.

Virtually nothing positive, going negative as possible at every opportunity, lack of player features, the Long-Island label slapped on everything, which the team itself has badly misplayed through several ownerships that has provided the dwindling Manhattan hockey media a very easy out to save on coverage.

Anyone think the Washington Capitals in Landover for thirty years, were ever referred to as Landover Caps? Or the Detroit Pistons at Palace of Auburn Hills, ever written up as the Auburn Hills Pistons?

It's 34.2 miles from Auburn Hills to Joe Louis Arena in Michigan for those curious.

Think the Detroit Free Press/News is going to slap an Auburn Hills label on Pistons in terms of their perception, if or Wings relocate there and share that building?

Maybe in 80's when 3,000 people were lining up to win a car to attend games, not today, even with Wings playoff attendance issues.

Of course, we all know the comical media and league standards involving the two New Jersey football teams, who shared the same parking lot with the Devils and Nets for decades.

It's a nice little media fan club with absolutely no one on the New York Islanders side, not in Newsday or in the Manhattan papers.

Why would anyone want to come to a media, that will put a negative slant on practically anything because it's not a team that publication needs to sell in a positive light for their financial bottom line?

If a player on the New York Islanders does well then the game becomes, if they played in a different market, we have seen a career of this done to Martin Brodeur.

Meanwhile the same people asking these questions in print, control the game and create the perception in the first place.

This is the journalism landscape (insert free agent) will face here if he does sign.

If someone is up for the MVP or a league award, don't think for a second this is not a huge problem in negotiations because other players can have that bonus put in contract, expecting a fair shake in voting from writers, not here.

I dislike bringing attention even to professional media people with zero credibility in terms of being honest, who will write with virtually no recollection of past articles.

I'm only doing it now to once again demonstrate a clear double-standard/agenda or bias in reporting, whatever you want to call it because this is not honest journalism, and regardless of what team you are a fan of, deserve better.

NY Post: Larry Brooks for his 7/4 column claims maybe Kovalchuk is an attempt by Islanders to get free publicity/good will among the battered fan base, and makes it about the LH which is silly because Wang spend 130m dollars on UFA a decade ago, and was told he could not get a renovation in 2002 from Nassau.

Mr Brooks also writes today:
It would be different, if Kovalchuk goes to the Island, where he's likely to be lost even while commanding the spotlight.

Meanwhile on 1/14 he wrote something entirely different that acquiring Kovalchuk would give the Islanders a huge boost on the ice in their effort to make the playoffs, it would give them a marquee box office attraction and a presence in New York sports they currently do not have.

To write one thing on 1/14, then something entirely different on 7/4 is not credible journalism, it indicates an agenda beyond hockey, or someone doing a brutal job at the very least.

Meanwhile at Newsday we have the only man in North America telling the public to trust Glen Sather, who's paper sells a dump like Msg.

In the end, it's up to you to believe what you read.

I can only write for myself, I do not want positive spin, only fair, reasonable and consistent coverage based on how teams do and players perform.



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Snow Fires Back At Coliseum Critics In Negotiations....More Kovalchuk

CBC: Elliotte Friedman does an article with comments from Paul Martin's agent, Ben Hankinson on his negotiations with GM Garth Snow.

Snow's confirmation on contacting Kovalchuk's agent, even forced the NY Daily News to actually have Peter Botte write a July article on a baseball Saturday which is a bigger sidebar than Kovalchuk.

NYIFC Comments:
So CBC had more information than Cablevision-Newsday? No shock there.

Am I shocked the Islanders were the team in negotiations for Kovalchuk?

This may be hard to believe, but not at all.

A lot of reports out of nowhere surfaced the Islanders were interested in him before he was traded from Atlanta back in February and I remembered them. It was obvious they needed veteran scoring, and have the cap space.

Sadly, Cablevision/Newsday is too busy selling 100m-max contract signings to injured basketball players today with them even paying the insurance here the usual very negative Devil beatwriter, Mark Everson got in some digs at the New York Islanders.

Ilya Kovalchuk signing or not, Snow and the Islanders are getting their money's worth in pr (some not good) and it's great to see the former outspoken player, who is now the clubs general manager surface once in a while.

Doug Weight is also doing some recruiting for free agents.

Snow is right, the bench is the same in all thirty arena, unless Paul Martin is the backup goaltender, he's not going to the concession stands or sitting with the crowd during the game.

That's what he needed to say three years ago, he's learning.

What do I think about a possible ten million contract over ten years?

Under the condition, these terms were actually offered per legitimate NHL media, which Snow did not confirm.

It kind of changes the history of not winning lottery for him a decade ago, when Isles were favored, and set into motion what happened afterward because he likely would have gotten Alexei Yashin's contract back then at the time, and there never would have been a trade with that pick.

Lot of articles Mike Milbury was furious they lost that lottery for Kovalchuk and forced him to change plans entirely.

Signing Kovalchuk will help New York local hockey in terms of a Devil-New York rivalry, Lou Lamoriello will not be thrilled with having lost his biggest trade ever to a local team, future games will be circled in big bold letters from here on with Martin Brodeur starting every one of them.

Other Thoughts:
* That it may well be Charles Wang's last stand to get the old generation of Islander fans to pay attention to his hockey team, under his watch and fill the seats, with no local media help regardless of what happens on ice with or without Kovalchuk.

* The few Ranger fans in the limited print media will likely kill the signing regardless of whether it happens, that's not relevant.

* Ten years at ten million is the only way Charles Wang can pay him because it's too much money for him to lose yearly in a front-loaded contract, unless he wants to approach thirty million in losses next season.

* Mr Wang likely will not own the Islanders for another decade into his mid-late seventies, so it would not be his money paying him at the end of the contract.

* A star player can only increase teams value, and interest (locally) if the time comes he feels he has to sell.

* Don't think it makes a LH difference at all. Nassau/TOH have never proven themselves big New York Islander fans attending games or showing much pride in organization, win or lose. Wang after 2002 got a proclamation from Tom Suozzi, and was told they can not afford to do anything with the Coliseum.

* If Leetch, Holik and all those players can make nine million dollars a year almost a decade ago, to watch Yashin, Kvasha make the playoffs, why can't Ilya Kovalchuk make ten million again, almost a decade later?

* It will not improve the local coverage one bit, as we saw with Devils or Rangers, it's a baseball town packed with superstars already.

Bottom line, he's not costing them a first round pick, he will not cost them a potential franchise defender this time (that no one could keep in UFA) and there is no Bill Muckalt to lose.

If Kovalchuk wants to sign for ten million over ten years here, and it is an accurate offer, if the New York Islanders want to add him to a payroll below the cap floor, go for it.

If the Islanders cannot/will not sign him, no problem.

Use the money and move on to the next free agent. Now that they feel they need to address offense and are willing to spend, no turning back.

Funny how two teams supposedly ready to throw the franchise keys to the league are now making offers on Kovalchuk, and the one trying to keep him did not fill the seats with him in a new building even come playoff time, knowing well in advance they were making the playoffs.

We do love our infamous "sources" and their so-called claims, even the professional print media is using them more and more.

Nothing negative to write about the Los Angeles Kings, they have struggled for a good decade plus on the ice before finally improving last season.

I don't know what will happen, if he signs here good, if he signs elsewhere good luck to him.

I appreciate the New York Islanders trying (making inquiries) to bring in a franchise talent that cost them nothing on trade market.

Finally, I would like to apologize to my twitter followers for asking some tough but fair and mostly sports-related question of Newsday's Arthur Staple. My other questions were on reporting double-standards between teams covered in Newsday.

I was trying to get us some fair and reasonable answers, it was obviously a waste of our time and space on NYIFC twitter to do so.




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Kovalchuk and Goodnight

Updated 12:09 am EST:
Los Angeles Times: Helen Elliott reports, the infamous insider sources claim the Islanders could be close to finalizing a deal with Ilya Kovalchuk.

NYIFC Comments:
Garth Snow confirmed he's inquiring/in on Ilya Kovalchuk and doing what he does with other free agents, so I'll provide a few quick thoughts, and call it a night/early morning after two days of endless blogging & twittering.

The sources/claims of anything mean absolutely nothing without a confirmed signing.

Maybe Kovalchuk is in a place where it's daytime and things will continue through the night.

It's nice the Islanders are inquiring/interested, but until he is actually signed this can work a lot of ways, pr and negotiation wise for both sides.

From the Isles side, that the message is out they will try to spend, as Snow has repeatedly said he could, whether he lands Kovalchuk or not.

Both the owner and gm look good for making the effort, if he passes on huge money, it's not the first team he reportedly turned down.

It also means if Snow fails to sign Kovalchuk, this move indicates Snow has to be financially committed right now to improving their scoring for next season. This move indicates he is not satisfied with his scoring, regardless of roster depth in previous entry.

From Kovalchuk/agent's side, they could well be using Isles to get final/best offers from other teams, they would be foolish not to.

Both sides play these games in negotiations.

We'll see.





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Islander Notables on Day Two of Free Agency

You want to pay a Mark Eaton, Anton Volchenkov (at five million) or bring back Andy Sutton so Travis Hamonic or Calvin deHaan, have no shot to make this team out of camp?

I do not.
NYIFC Entry 6/27/10

Which is why amateur fan bloggers, like myself are not NHL general managers.

I cannot go against what I wrote only a few days ago, just because the Islanders signed Mark Eaton for two years today.

I hope I turn out to be wrong.

Of course, I can understand why these signings were made.

Eaton gives me the impression (right or wrong) of someone who will never be better than the player he has been in Pittsburgh, just like many players who are very good with one club (Derek Morris/Czerkawski) and seemingly out of place anywhere else.

I thought he was older, so that is a positive.

The Islanders absolutely needed some size, and got it from a championship level team with a player familiar with this division. He has been more durable than Andy Sutton recently, but this was not a contest between them because I did not want Sutton back either, who I thought did a very good job here, when healthy.

On the defensive front Eaton is a twenty minute player, who is steady, and makes the safe/smart play. With the new rules on head-shots the first thing I thought of was Sutton's high hits, and new intent rules. I don't know what Eaton brings in this department.

We'll see.

As for the rest of the defense, the group is bigger. Adding Milan Jurcina, who took less money than he made in Washington or Columbus. He also brings skill, but inconsistency, regardless of whether Scott Gordon has worked with him.

The way I see things, you cannot add Hamonic plus deHaan both in the same year, so one had to be added this year, the other, the next.

At least if stated plan is to make the playoffs now.

There is already someone who played over twenty five minutes a game who will start his first full season here in Andrew MacDonald, plus perhaps Dustin Kohn/Dylan Reese, and Jack Hillen is very young.

The depth chart got filled quickly pending some trades.

Streit-Martinek-Gervais-MacDonald-Hillen-Jurcina-Eaton
Kohn-Reese-Katic-Klementyev-Tony DeHart-Witt-Wotton plus.

In my viewpoint they needed to a spot open for Hamonic.

If things stand as is there is no room for some very talented prospects, and obviously Hamonic is no lightweight in the hitting department, plus has an offensive upside.

That's what Garth Snow said he needed, some size with some offensive upside, if he could not sign a player who does both in free agency, or a trade, he needs to promote it from within.

I really do not have much to write about PA Parenteau, he got the same one-way contract as a year ago, but has some grit/scoring, and may well win a job here.

If he goes to Bridgeport, he has to clear waivers. If he plays here as a right wing there goes the spot with Hunter-Okposo-Weight on right side, pending a trade of Hunter.

I know absolutely nothing about Konopka beyond what I read the last few hours. He is no AHL callup, but a full time NHL player, obviously he has no problem dropping the gloves.

If he can win some faceoffs/kill penalties/fights by appointment plus respond to hits on Tavares, Bailey or Okposo, that's good because the division no doubt got tougher with some signings, and the Isles needed another player in that department.

Still, he's likely not going to skate often with Tavares/Okposo, they still have to fight their own battles.

Michael Fornabaio reported he saw an article Snow was outbid by Tampa for him two years ago, plus he got a two year contract from Tampa, but that was a very short sighted ownership during their short tenure.

Once again, the problem is roster spots look locked tight on paper, unless the gm has a trade or two.

Garth Snow's scoring is still very suspect, that is a very small/inexperienced center spot,still with no spot available for Josh Bailey in his natural/drafted position.

Updated Forward Depth Chart:
Moulson-Tavares-Okposo
Bailey-Schremp-Hunter
Comeau-Nielsen-Parenteau
Gillies-Konopka-Weight

Martin, Joensuu, Figren, Petrov, Kabanov, Niederreiter, Marcinko,Rakhshani, DiBenedetto, Ullstrom, and a lot of players I likely missed.

Trevor Smith/Greg Mauldin signed with Anaheim and Colorado Friday.

We'll see what the weekend brings, if anything.

Truco Daily Sports: New York Islander Hall of Famer, Denis Potvin, and current defender Andrew MacDonald were in Annapolis Valley to speak at a fund-raising banquet for the Acadia Axemen hockey club.

NYIFC Comments:
Good article on Potvin and MacDonald.



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NYIFC TWITTER UPDATES 7/2 FREE AGENCY LIVE

Islander Notables

First of all, best of luck to Tim Jackman, Martin Biron, and Jeff Tambellini along with Jeremy Reich, reviewing how they played here at this time is not important.

No doubt the list of soon to be former Islanders will be increasing.

Day two will also be in twitter format here, which began with Nate Lawson resigning a one-year, two-way contract with the Islanders.

Vanouver Province: Has Jeff Tambellini's comments, who received the league minimum, on a two-way contract to return to Vancouver, who made a very fair point about New York media hockey coverage.

Vancouver Province: Dan Hamhuis direct comments on negotiations with other teams.

"Philly and Pittsburgh were quite a bit lower on our radar," said Hamhuis. "A few last-minute calls came in that raised our eyebrows, but by that time we were pretty secure."

Newark Star Ledger: Had Paul Martin's comments on offers he received, and his apparent problems with the Devils.

NYIFC Comments:
If Garth Snow was targeting defense, as he reportedly said, he failed in day one to address those needs. Only he knows what his specific offers were or how contract offers he made were structured in terms of value.

Snow at least of this writing has not gone to the media, and made public what the Islanders offered, but some professional media took the usual lazy way out.

Katie Strang failed to report what specific offers the Islanders made vs other teams, she just went with stock answers (off unnamed sources) that the Isles offered more, and quickly turned speculation to the Coliseum discussion which is always the easy way out for a writer with no connections, who to date has not gotten one word of comment (or a no comment) from the general manager about a player who had been here since 2002, not being qualified.

Obviously her NHL connections are weak, either she is not allowed to discuss the Islanders on other media outlets by her employer or not invited/interested in doing so.

That's not good for business folks, at least the New York Islanders business.

This was not a great class of UFA defenders, Dan Hamhuis would not sign with Pittsburgh or Philadelphia, Paul Martin left the Devils, and Sergei Gonchar wanted his extra year at five million more than he wanted to stay in Pittsburgh. Anton Volchenko is a nice defender, but six years with some of the wear on him is no bargain.

Phoenix lost a solid defender to Pittsburgh, they also overpaid big for Derek Morris, who's NHL stops other than Phoenix were a disaster.

Did I want Jordan Leopold, to sign here as his fifth team since 2007-08? No.

Having written this all those teams were able to import some replacements in lateral moves, or add more than one defender as the Flyers and Pens did.

Garth Snow has not to this point, he said he wanted to.

From here the risk factor only increases with more suspect players left in UFA on the backline or he enters the trade market to get what he is looking for in this department.

We're already close to Andy Sutton territory vs many of the remaining UFA, or just giving deHaan-Harmonic or someone else a spot, if they show they can handle it.

So Darryl Sutter really said all those things about Jokinen last year, played him knowing he was going to be traded, put the player he got back on waivers after taking his contract, then brought back Jokinen, and gave Alex Tanguay even more money then he received a year ago before he had a terrible season in Tampa Bay?

Must be nice to have fans in the Calgary media as beat writers, who will eventually wrap themselves up in the teams logo, and sell the product to the public because the newspaper needs the advertising.

Tampa did a first class job on Martin St Louis's extension, and getting a fairly solid goaltender, plus unloading an underachiever in Andrej Meszaros for a second.

Cue Andrej Meszaros coming here as the Flyers start unloading.



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