Suspensions Announced: Gillies Nine, Martin Four, Godard Ten

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NHL.com: Reports Penguins enforcer Eric Godard has been suspended 10 games, while the Isles' Trevor Gillies has been suspended for nine games and the Isles' Matt Martin for four games. There is also a $100,000 fine for the Islanders.

NYIFC Comments:
About what I expected, apparently the NHL wanted to send a financial message to the Islanders, which will likely be reduced quietly upon appeal later. Gillies did not help his cause standing off ice, jawing at the player he hit. Martin did not merit four games for not hitting someone with a punch after what Jordan Staal got a complete pass for on 2/1.

Apparently, Dan Bylsma escaped the supposed mandatory penalty for his player leaving the bench, begging the question who will be next now that this dangerous precedent has been allowed to go by without the coach being held accountable?

Colin Campbell's comments/explanation:

"The actions by the Islanders' Gillies and Martin were deliberate attempts to injure by delivering blows to the head of players who were unsuspecting and unable to defend themselves," Campbell said in a statement issued by the NHL. "The message should be clear to all players: targeting the head of an opponent by whatever means will be dealt with by suspension.

"With respect to the Godard suspension, there can be no circumstance that allows for a player to leave his bench for the purpose of coming to the aid of a teammate."

The Islanders were also fined $100,000.

"The Islanders also must bear some responsibility for their failure to control their players," Campbell added.

NYIFC Comments:
Like when Mike Mottau hit Frans Nielsen in his head/neck, or the countless other head-shots we see Campbell simply ignore where a players head is targeted?

Was Pittsburgh controlling their players properly with Johnson at center ice again while Koskinen was in his net?

Dan Bylsma's player left his team's bench, he did not control his player, he should be accountable along with the Pens organization. I like Godard same as when he played here and was thrilled for Bylsma when he got Pens job and won cup.

I know it's not an easy job, but Colin Campbell has made one thing clear to virtually everyone over the years, what he says vs what he does are two different things.

Rules are supposed to be same rules for everyone.
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Unless there were other Islanders injured Saturday, Ty Wishart, Rob Schremp and will be available to the team Sunday.

Islanders website: listed everyone who participated in morning skate on Saturday.

The twitter box will return Sunday.

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You Know The Colin Campbell/NHL Media Double-Standards Very Well

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No folks, I don't like playing the victim card because it's not about the New York Islanders, and should not be about any team, however Colin Campbell's history of double-standards regarding some teams speaks for itself.

The rules don't apply to all players/teams the same, even when it's the same actions.

In Campbell's world, Thomas Pock suspensions are longer than Matt Cooke's, Chris Pronger's repeat-offender stomp, does not count the same as Chris Simon's. Tucker taking out Michael Peca by the knees after saying he was going to take him out, meaning injure him prior means nothing to Campbell or his staff. Gary Roberts charge from center ice and hands driving Kenny Jonsson's head to glass, five minutes...ejection/no suspension.

Jordan Staal's sucker-punch on 2/1/2011, and subsequent match-penalty, means no suspension and an automatic one game penalty revoked so he can play the New York Islanders that night?

If Staal got ten games for a sucker punch, give exactly the same to Martin and Gillies. If Stall received no games, the same has to go for Martin-Gillies. Set a precedent to where it's not about the laundry, but the act, regardless which player it is.

That would work fine for all fans, the players would know the consequences in advance.

But it never happens that way, and this is the problem.

Colin Campbell's always been hockey fans problem.
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Who is Brent Johnson kidding? Rick DiPietro in ten years never crossed center ice to fight another player, he was not throwing punches at another Penguin or giving another Islnnder an advantage when Johnson crossed center ice in Pittsburgh.

Johnson in less than two weeks was waiting at center ice twice.

What was he doing last night at center ice with Koskinen in his net not involved in anything?
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Fear not on the NHL media front. As long as life-long former Daily News Ranger fans Frank Brown, John Dellapina control the official NHL media spin, with another former Rangers Mike Murphy/Kris King as NHL Senior Vice Presidents of Hockey Operations, the New York Islanders will not be getting the same treatment as other teams either.

Brown and Dellapina made a career of beating on the New York Islanders at the Daily News.

I don't want to write any of this, but this is how things always work under this league administration.

Our media is James Dolan's Msg media, in other words, we have no media to defend this team, and in fact go out of their way to portray the opposite, with former Ranger beatwriter, Arthur Staple, never shy to rip the Islanders as he must sell James Dolan hockey team and seven million dollar captain with zero goals.

Sadly there are a lot of Paul Steigerwald's out there in print and on television, we don't need that on our teams side or against it.

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New York 9, Pittsburgh 3: New York's Core Grows Up A Little

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After the game in Pittsburgh, I was very unhappy with the hits the New York took without response, tonight was about payback. You can bet it was for DiPietro, Comeau, the recent hits on Tavares.

This was about all those words about being a close knit team having some meaning when it was time to take a stand and send a message.

Considering this franchises remarkable history, all time records for New York Islander penalties, it could have just as easily been an all-time record for New York Islander goals, if they wanted to play it that way.

The core of the New York Islanders grew up a little bit tonight, they got a look at what they will have to do long-term to be a winning team to win critical games.

They got the first, last and every laugh in-between tonight.

They had to over come Colin Campbell's officials, who gave the Penguins a ton of powerplays, which was the only way they were going to beat Koskinen, outstanding in net again. Sure Matt Martin/Trevor Gillies deserved five minutes, Eric Godard, who got in the middle of Haley/Johnson, should have negated most of it, but it didn't.

I don't think I have ever seen anyone put into the penalty box after a segment of a play continued, new standards of poor officiating.

New York knocked Johnson all over the building tonight and onto Hempstead Turnpike once or twice for good measure. They had the Pens reeling all night at even strength, and like I wrote before it just as easily could have been close to fifteen goals if the Islanders wanted to keep things only to the scoreboard. Grabner's missed penalty shot, the five on two with broken sticks, the Islanders did not even hit close to all their quality opportunities.

20-20-20 Will not get a lot of notice, but consider one thing. Two years ago the only twenty goal player was Bill Guerin, on a team with even more man games lost than this one.

Enjoy this one New York Islander Fans, our team sent you a message tonight, that all these words about what they are about is something to believe in.

Bailey, Gordie Howe-Hat-trick Hamonic, every player bought in. Gervais with his block down the stretch, Haley, who came up and looked like an enforcer, added a beauty for his first career goal.

Bailey put his man down with a punch. Hamonic looked like he was on his way to a five point game, that setup to Parenteau, he was locked in.

The supporting cast will change, but the core grew up tonight.

That's what it will take in long-term.

Remember this night when this team finally turns the corner, the core players will.

Now comes the fallout from Colin Campbell. You can bet Gillies, Martin will likely see a suspension longer than Matt Cooke.

No Mr Rose, no one cared about Nabokov tonight, he does not play for the Penguins, he seemed mighty annoyed he had to stick around an extra hour, and talked over countless good plays.

Updated:
For those scoring at home. Staal threw a sucker-punch on 2/1 that merited a five minute penalty, automatic ejection and supposed 24 hours off here.

Staal received no suspension, and was allowed to play the New York Islanders within 24 hours. How does anything Martin or Gillies do, not mandate the exact same standard if this is the precedent Campbell set by not suspending Staal?

Don't worry folks, the Tomas Pock rules of suspending New York Islanders are the double-standard for this one.

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New York Acquires Al Montoya For Sixth Round Pick

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New York has acquired goaltender Al Montoya from the Phoenix Coyotes, for a 6th round pick in the 2011 draft here and will report to Bridgeport.

Al Montoya has been struggling along statistically in the AHL.

Montoya is a restricted free agent and may well require waivers to be recalled to the NHL.

Updated:
The standings suggest unless Edmonton wants Montoya, it's not an issue.

NYIFC Comments:
Maybe Cablevision has some of those marketing signs for Montoya left over when he was drafted sixth overall?

He is heading for Bridgeport (for whatever reasons he was not San Antonio's starter/injury/beaten out) it should make for fun interviews with Rick DiPietro after they fought if they share a locker room by the end of this season.

Personally, I would go with Koskinen and Lawson regardless. Koskinen is not some eighteen year old prospect, he is twenty two years old and the first goalie taken in his draft class.

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Islander Notables: Hits on Tavares A Big Concern

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Seems a lot of games recently, John Tavares is receiving the anti-Crosby treatment in Colin Campbell's no-contact to head league as he is being targeted quite a bit.

Matt Moulson was never more upset Saturday in the last year and a half during the second period when Tavares was hit. Tavares again was rocked in the Leaf game.

I was thinking about this going into the Leaf game and not because of Toronto, but in general. Tavares has already taken some huge hits earlier.

No one is completely healthy after fifty plus games, but his plays to the net (not set-ups for goals) have dropped. I don't have an answer because putting Konopka or Martin on his wing to fight everyone who checks him is not an answer or going to create room for him to finish or make plays.

All I know is he has to be protected better than he has been or it seems a matter of time.

Garth Snow, Jack Capuano, the players better start yelling long and loud at the media, and Campbell/officials that these kind of hits should not be permitted also.

Sometimes you have to yell in advance.

You can bet Tavares agent will be very soon to protect his client.
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Sorry folks, anyone who wants to tell me aside from the last goal Mikko Koskinen did not play very well against Toronto is kidding themselves, or only looking at meaningless stats from games he has had little support in Bridgeport.

The Sound Tigers are in an Islander-like free fall between injuries/lack of veterans/call-ups.

The shots/setups and where the Leafs created those chances was all about the Islanders playing a very poor team game or willing to trade chances combined with their usual poor starts. The first four goals would have beaten any NHL veteran.

Kessel bounced off Hamonic (good play by Kessel) and found Nikolai Kulemin, who was alone and can finish for the fourth goal. Scott Allen, was as animated as I have seen at Matt Martin after the Leafs third goal when Kaberle walked in from the point, which I guess was his spot to defend as he was hitting someone in the corner.

Kevin Poulin has had knee problems before here and it is the left knee which he hurt in juniors. It's likely a terrible break for Poulin and an Islander team that cannot stay healthy, having written that I have seen enough of Bridgeport where I can tell our fans if Koskinen gets some defensive support, he can keep this team in games and win as Poulin was.

Problem is Koskinen a week ago had to sit behind Joel Martin for a weekend because of what was described as a lingering issue. Koskinen came off hip surgery last year and Garth Snow had three goalies in Bridgeport (as he did a year ago) not only for Rick DiPietro.

Joel Martin played five games in Bridgeport, he did not come from the CHL directly to New York. The Sound Tigers lack veterans with many of them here, and have been decimated by injuries themselves which put the club in a free fall. I cannot tell you anything else about Joel Martin.

I don't have a goaltending answer beyond that. I would not bring in a veteran with injury issues or a veteran not able to help immediately. I would not take a chance on a Michael Leighton or want his contract for next season either.

It was ugly and inappropriate seeing Mrs Placey and other Msg personalities, a bit too enthusiastic at the drama behind someone (on any team) being hurt during the telecast.

Personally I thought it was a first class job by the Islanders to have Joel Martin in a limo all the way from Bridgeport w/equipment so quickly, on a night ironically Bridgeport's road game was canceled.

The Islanders bounced Phaneuf around last year with the Leafs and Matt Martin buried Dion Phaneuf on 3/10/10, so why was it made such a story-line did not make much sense by the Cablevision paid announcers? They had no problem finding the hit on Okposo from Calgary preseason game (the Dolan's did not air) for Islander fans, but did not show Islander footage of Martin's hit which they own?



Want to see something no one is writing or discussing? I'm not going to debate the merits of trading Wisniewski again because this has nothing to do with any one specific player.

Having written that look at the shots allowed total here seems the Islanders are surrendering quite a few less shots, even with some poor defensive efforts like the Leaf game. When they went on their winning streak they were surrendering close to forty shots or more most games.

I guess sometimes it's not supposed to make sense. The injury pace leads the NHL, does not approach the 582 games two seasons ago.

You bet the pressure is on Jack Capuano. How he gets his team to respond speaks to his ability to do it in the future under adversity. Capuano knows when players take the easy way out in games, the Leafs were playing their fifth game in seven days and had more jump as game wore on.

That's not acceptable, New York was waiting home for this team.

What's next is they go play a struggling Canadians team that has a game Wednesday, then they come home and better be prepared to make up for their last effort in Pittsburgh.


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Quick Clarification On My E-Mail Question To The GM

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I would like to briefly clarify something in my e-mail to Garth Snow. Under no circumstances do I expect Mr Wang or Mr Snow to discuss other teams business, or start front-loading big contract offers to star free agents.

Anyone who read/reads NYIFC knows this.

If I wish to call other franchises by the corporations that own them, I feel that is my business to phrase it in my question as I choose.

Having written this my question was never intended to suggest the New York Islanders should start making front-loaded contract offers because that would completely unrealistic given the losses they have claimed. There are teams in brand new facilities, under corporate ownership unable/or to date, not willing to make such an offer to an unrestricted free agent.

Nor have I ever made the case, Mr Snow should be asking to spend more money on payroll.

The point I wanted to convey with my question was when a big front-loaded offer is made, the age of the facility does not matter as we see in outdated building like Msg or Joe Louis Arena.

It was not to suggest the New York Islanders should follow suit because Mr Wang does not own Cablevision or Little Caesar's. He is not Mr Snider from the Comcast Flyers that can front-loaded heavily. I have pointed out in the past Chicago could not do this without losing significant money here.

As I have written many times future judgment on Mr Wang in terms of spending will be in his ability to pay to keep the players that are crucial to Garth Snow's plans of building with prospects meaning resigning Tavares, Okposo, Bailey ect. His work on Nielsen, MacDonald, drafted prospects, Moulson, Hunter, Witt, Comeau, Bergenheim has been very impressive. Mottau, Eaton were also impressive signings in terms of finances at a time they could have gone with an inexpensive option in Dylan Reese or recalled a Kohn, Katic, Klementyev.

Instead resources were spent to protect the prospects and put the best possible team on the ice they could.

I have written enough on Paul Martin/other UFA offers made this summer per agent's side that this owner/gm are willing to spend.

Hope this clarifies.

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Garth Snow's Answer To My Heavily Edited Question Was Disappointing

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I submitted questions for Garth Snow's, GM Show, segment for Monday 2/7. One of my questions was read, in fact, it was the first answered.

Here was my e-mail. (second question not included)

Mr Snow,

Why is it the New York Islanders are holding themselves to a different media standard given 20+ teams not owned by corporations (in any kind of building) cannot sign marquee free agents either because they cannot offer front-loaded contracts which is what all top free agents require now? Is it more than fair to write the New York Islanders are not in a position to offer a front-loaded contract, while corporate Little Caesars Wings or Cablevision Rangers in a facilities that are frankly as outdated as the Nassau Coliseum or older only can make such signings because they are heavily front-loaded?

NYIFC Comments:
Sadly, it was edited to the point very little of what I asked was read to the general manager. I don't know if/how Mr King, Mr Snow or the Islanders p.r department edit these things in some manner.

No, I do not see Snow sitting there polishing up questions, if he read my complete question I did not expect him to discuss other franchises.

I guess Mr Snow told me the New York Islanders can offer a front-loaded contract as they apply different standards to each individual player. I gave the gm a chance to make it clear front-loaded contracts from corporate teams in buildings as old as the Coliseum can help make a huge difference in signings.

I get it that Wang-Snow have to push the arena issue to get a new facility and the Katz way in Edmonton (threats) is not going to help. Snow said the Coliseum was one factor a few years ago, media disregarded it was not the only factor he said, but Snow usually goes back to that issue often.

I felt I asked him an excellent question, too bad, he did not go for it and make a case front-loading in old buildings can bring free agents.

Too bad it was not read by Mr King as I wrote it or intended it to presented.

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