New York Acquires D James Wisniewski For Conditional Third Rd Pick

Before we get to the trade, the Islanders website reported on the passing of long-time fan Bill Hayes here with a very classy feature.

I remember Mr Hayes at the games for many years, and express condolences to his family. His love and passion for the New York Islanders will never be forgotten.
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Islanders website: Reports the New York Islanders have acquired James Wisniewski from the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for a conditional third round pick in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft, GM Garth Snow comments.

Orange County Register: Eric Stephens, has comments from Anaheim General Manager, Bob Murray on why he made this trade, along with the newest Islander.

Wisniewski's comments:
“This year, if you look at it, it was all injuries that kept us out of the playoffs in my opinion. And they didn’t feel I was worth it but hopefully the Islanders can see the potential that I have and maybe it’ll be great for my career. It’s another chapter in my life.”

The draft pick is optional in nature as the Islanders have until June 1 to give the Ducks their own third-round selection or Colorado’s third-round pick that they acquired in a prior deal. NHL.com reported that the trade is conditional upon Wisniewski passing a physical by 5 p.m. EDT on Sunday.

Tsn.ca: Scott Cullen breaks down trade from both sides.

NYIFC Comments:
I'm frankly shocked on a lot of levels. No doubt a steal for Garth Snow from a club that did not want to take on that kind of salary, but still signed the player before suddenly moving him.

I did follow Wisniewski's negotiations here before he resigned and felt he received above his market value, but you almost never see a signing to avoid arbitration, followed by an immediate trade.

Reminds everyone this is a business, some felt this player would receive more than he signed for in arbitration. Was Bob Murray that interested in conditional third, when he could have walked away from an award or simply not qualified him?

As for Garth Snow, his defense improved a great deal in the physical department, and adds a top four defender with twenty minute ability. It also likely sets up what will be another trade given his depth chart.

Mark Eaton is a big defender, but not an overly physical player, Wisniewski brings that element at a young age missing from this backline, but is not big in terms of size.

Wisniewski will be an UFA next summer, but a very good move by Garth Snow.

Would be fun to see Matt Martin, Wisniewski, Travis Hamonic & Zenon Konopka knocking teams around.

Downside with this move is the new NHL rules on hits to the head, plus this player being a repeat offender in terms of suspensions (once for eight games here) means Islanders will lose his services for a long time if he is suspended again.

The days of Gary Roberts charging in from center ice for a head shot in 2002 playoffs against Kenny Jonsson, with no suspension are over.

Does this mean Anaheim will claim Brendan Witt's salary in exchange off unconditional waivers? Not likely, but it may set the table for another future deal between the clubs. Cam Fowler was signed and they have Bobby Ryan to sign along with filling out their roster.

NYIFC Notables

I though this would be a good time for a boring NYIFC history story, given we just passed four years, with an update on a few items.

In truth, NYIFC is still here today only because of luck, coincidence, and some very fortunate timing.

Also many folks asking me to keep it going last summer.

A few mistakes turned into good breaks along the way.

When Islanders-Sound Tigers closed after seven years, there was no such thing as blogger, when I decided to close NYIFC, Twitter was only getting started. I knew nothing about twitter beyond putting the rss feed there so a few folks could read blog entries.

1999 to May 2006 Islanders-Sound Tigers:
HF writer 2004/board moderator 2002-06. (a few of you please stop sending me e-mails about how terrible the old board is now or about the ten plus individuals moderating, I don't know them.)

July 2007-Feb 2009:
NYIFC Opens Full Blog entries daily. One of the first to use live chats and do updates during trade deadlines, UFA or NHL draft.

Feb 2009:
Announced NYIFC would close permanently after the season.

April 2009:
Closed NYIFC, kept page viewable.

May 2009:
Finally got Islanders to take NYIFC out of blog box after several e-mails requesting link be removed after season. My intention was to close, which is why I asked the Islanders to remove my link in first place.

A lot easier to get in the box, then it was to get out. At least my suggestion after 2008 to add another ten individuals for 2009 was used for a while.

May 2009:
Decided to keep NYIFC visible during WC for page updates which led to a few blog entries, page was still viewable at time and was updating it anyway for myself as kind of my own website.

June-July 2009:
Started looking at audio format and figured out how to embed blog entries here, which kept things going for draft/UFA so of course a few blog entries were done at that time.

Late July 2009:
Decided audio entries would stop, and blog would be closed in near future, but that was fun, and very rare for blogger community to do entries in that manner.

August 2009:
Closed NYIFC but needed page for other computer related items with blogger, so put in some hockey updates with what I was doing, some folks again asked me to keep page open so I did.

What's ironic was in August 2009 when I was doing all these things and needed this page to try new colors, or pictures in backgrounds, I completely forgot because I claimed my domain and paid for it, blogger was free.

I could have started a new blog and deleted NYIFC at any time. I could have used prospect blog. Folks were asking me to keep the pages viewable, so I did until September, but it was simply dumb luck I forgot blogger was also free.

Sept 2009:
Camp opened, closed NYIFC for good at time and made page not viewable, I had no intention of reopening ever again.

Then came Twitter:
Sept 2009:
Started dabbling with twitter entries during camp/preseason which to that point only was hooked into rss for blog updates, it was very easy and did not require changes/re-edits.

I then discovered how to put a twitter box in blogger as an individual blog entry, so three weeks later, I reopened NYIFC and announced it would return for good using twitter box.

I had no intention of doing blog entries, but added some during select times, and currently at times during off-season which brings us to where we are now.

NYIFC never returned to it's former interactive format, with no blog comments, polls or live chats we used to have. 09-10 was mostly twitter updates in the forum of a blog entry. Enough folks are kind enough to e-mail.

In the end, a lot of coincidence, some breaks, or dumb luck, but in the end it turned out for the best, NYIFC is still here.

No idea where things go from this point, all I can write is NYIFC will never return to the full daily format of only blogger entries.

I also again formally request no one e-mail me with advertising opportunities, NYIFC is a non-profit hockey blog.

I will of course listen to those with individual Islander sites I consider of quality for my readers, but that does not mean I want to do a link exchange. I do not accept blogs interested in breaking news or cartoon blogs. Serious individuals, not so much interested in making themselves popular, but telling our teams story for our fans.

In short, folks in it for the Islanders before themselves.

That's why I started doing this in 1999. I hope there are one or two individuals who feel the same way, willing to put in the time.

I have no interest in writing for anyone, if I write at all, it will be here.

Media policy will not change with sources, or content used in entries or twitter updates. I do not care if NYIFC is the last place in North America to do an entry, it will be confirmed by professional outlets using their names, and it will be correct, just like we have done with trades from the beginning.

As for NYIFC page itself:
I like the new template and looking at expanding it to cover the full page, even if in the end, blogging/twitter updates stop. I'm not changing the prospect blog at all. It's perfect as an Islander prospect reference page in a stand-alone format.

An updated NYIFC header will be released when 2010-11 season begins after current team is set, the classic look will remain.

There will be no announcement regarding the future of NYIFC.

This will also be the final NYIFC update ever, this was the correct time to do an entry about it.

Wake up for this part...
My Thanks as always to everyone, it's been a great four years.

I have no doubt if things break right this team can win the Stanley Cup in 2010-11. Three teams with less than ninety points went to the playoffs in this conference, the Isles competed well with all the top teams, they had third best record among Eastern teams against the Western Conference.

Some of these kids, up their scoring, some veterans produce. and the man games lost to injury finally drops to less than a hundred fifty, this will be a tough team to keep out of the NHL playoffs.

We'll see. Sometimes correct, sometimes not.

I had sound off during Isles selection of Nino Niederreiter, thought the young man standing next to Garth Snow was his son after seeing Mr Wang and his child on stage? I only knew of the name Kevin Connolly until the draft.



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Matt Moulson Signed, Ryan Jankowski to MTL

Islanders website: Report Matt Moulson avoided arbitration, and agreed to a one year contract with the Islanders for the 2010-11 season, GM Garth Snow comments.

Canadian Press: Reports Moulson will get a raise from $575,000 to $2.45 million.

NYIFC Comments:
Not surprised, sometimes this goes to final moments before a hearing when a compromised is reached. Obviously the Isles were not dealing from a position of strength. Next year Moulson will be an UFA, how he was treated here will likely be remembered when/if there are future contract negotiations.

Tsn.ca: Report Islanders assistant general manager, Ryan Jankowski has been hired as an amateur scout with the Montreal Canadians.

NYIFC Comments:
This is the first professional media confirmation we have Ryan Jankowski was not retained.

I'm not going to hit this very hard, nor am I going to speculate on why Ryan Jankowski was not retained, but teams not announcing a contract expiring is a very common practice by many NHL organizations.

I know with many folks demanding reality TV for every decision made by the Islanders, that does not sit very well, but this is how it is done all over the NHL.

Montreal Canadians: Fired six of their scouts on 5/31, before the NHL draft which is why these jobs became available, nor did the Canadians website issue a release here but did one for Guy Boucher when he was hired by Tampa Bay to be it's new head coach on 6/10.

Christer Rockstrom, worked 21 years for the Rangers, last five as director of player personnel for Europe, his contract expired, it was not announced by team and Edmonton Journal noted it on Saturday as a blurb in an Oilers article.

Sometimes you do not even read about the person being let go until he finds a job somewhere else, or the club announces a replacement, and it's a footnote.

Rockstrom was also hired by Montreal.

Of course, the good news is Ryan Jankowski has been hired by another organization, all Islander fans should wish him the best and thank for him for his work here.



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Islanders New ECHL Affiliate is Kalamazoo Wings

ECHL.com: Report the Kalamazoo Wings of the ECHL, announced they have reached an agreement to be an affiliate of the National Hockey League’s New York Islanders for the upcoming 2010-2011.

Kalamazoo Wings: Issued a release with GM, Garth Snow's comments:

“Having a strong ECHL affiliate is crucial to our organization’s future,” said Garth Snow, Islanders general manager. “The Kalamazoo Wings have a rich history, and I’m confident that they’ll provide the necessary resources to properly develop our prospects and provide a stepping stone to the AHL and NHL.”

NYIFC Comments:
From what I can gather this will be a shared affiliation with San Jose Sharks. I will add a section for prospect blog. The Philadelphia Flyers affiliation with Kalamazoo Wings was concluded on 7/2/10.

This affiliation is in Michigan, so travel with be closer to Bridgeport.

NHL.com: Brian Compton does a feature on Islander prospect, Aaron Ness where he discusses whether he will turn professional and leave school, along with Head Coach, Scott Gordon's comments on his play at mini-camp.

NYIFC Comments:
Several months ago, Ness's father made it very clear his son would be returning to Minnesota for his junior season. This article leaves open chance he could sign and report to Bridgeport or return to school.

NYIFC.blogspot.com has been closed for good because it's too much work to add updates to both sites. The link to all NYIFC twitter related entries/comments has been substituted.



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