I likely will do an entry Sunday during the NHL draft linking to articles about the players selected. No preference at all beyond what's considered best available.
Best moment a year ago was ITV unscripted with Wang/Snow where both were caught on an open television camera for a long time with Snow mocking Wang for not screwing up his ITV draft appearance like he used to before take two.
I'm looking to see where the business side of the Islander draft table will be Sunday or if Wang will occupy his usual seat.
Day two a year ago turned very long after Visnovsky said he may play in the KHL.
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* The Islanders to date have not released a list of who they qualified which extends to Europe. There is a deadline for the player to accept or reject the offer. Somehow a year ago Ty Wishart rejected an offer he turned around and accepted after the deadline which was likely poor reporting at the very least never explained.
* When the Islanders announce who's coming to prospect camp (or not coming) there will be something to write, not before.
* Unless someone is directly quoted, it's of no value at all. Rumors/gossip are for those selling themselves, if you need that you came to the wrong website.
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* Rick DiPietro played eighteen games in forty nine days from March 1st-April 19th at 9-9 on the AHL's worst defensive team, and appears healthy for the first time since 2008.
I want to see much more as he recovers his game ability....I could care less if that means he does that in Europe/ECHL. I do not want him blocking Nilsson or another prospect in Bridgeport. I do not see him in New York or this working without a ton of games, he's not helping anyone as a backup.
For me no buyout, no backing up. RDP has to go play fifty games somewhere, and that's not in New York until his game recovers. You could see flashes/rust in Bridgeport, but most important a healthy goaltender which was step one, that took five years.
Will I get what I want? Perhaps not if it's about a popularity contest. If he's healthy for the next two years he's likely a winning NHL goalie again for someone. I know at his best he can carry a team.
As for RDP's they lit my heart on fire quoted comments, he can keep those to himself, and conduct himself in a professional manner.
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I take nothing positive about writing this, however it needs to be.........again.
Some may notice I'm being very proactive/critical of our fans for not supporting this franchise on my twitter account......so be it. I was a few years ago in two entries.
I'm no longer pulling punches on this subject. I'm not writing here to gain followers or want anything, never have or will.
I simply desperately hoping this franchise survives....That's the bottom line..how about you?
Having an NHL franchise is not an entitlement, but a privilege, one this fan base has taken for granted.
This teams fan-base is great at finishing last in attendance since 1989. This is a business, the excuses end now...... fill the Coliseum/Barclay's Center or very soon there will be no more team anywhere.
Twenty nine other members of the BOG want to see revenue/attendance from this franchise now, and when it moves like the Devils fans have done in Newark. Dolan would desperately love to stop writing those television contract checks that are growing faster than his taxpayer exemption checks.
You really like John Tavares, and these players? Show up/pay up and support them like every other franchise would (win or lose) in North America or it's over.
The ticket revenue determines the budget, and how high Snow can offer. Wang's closed his church, I don't blame him one bit considering how many owners are getting much more fan/local government support with corporations. I do believe it cost the franchise Mark Streit, who the public will likely discover will be badly missed starting with Tavares.
Fill the Coliseum, and the Barclay's Center at the same ticket prices Flyer or Leafs fans pay regularly or stop demanding management spend or Yormark keep the colors/brand, it's a business, and his job is to generate revenue.
No one wants the colors/name to remain more than myself, you think if tickets were being sold Yormark would consider a name/color change with this teams history? Never.
That's the cold hard reality. Cities all over North America will be thrilled to pay top dollar for season tickets to see any NHL losing team, and put in a five year commitment for tickets at corporate level prices.
They got the mesage in Minnesota, they got it in Winnipeg.
Our fans refuse support, and lead the pack in excuses. Time's up.
How many years can the Florida Panthers (operated by Brett Yormark's brother Michael) outdraw this one? Atlanta when moving outdrew this fan base.
If this fan-base filled the building it would have been political suicide for Mangano, Suozzi or Gulotta to even consider refusing financial support every other NY/NJ team got or put out a referendum to get rid of the team once and for all under the will of the people card.
I support Charles Wang all the way regardless what he decides. He spent first, renovated a building he rents, and unlike every other team who receives taxpayer money has received nothing aggravation for his trouble.
Bloomberg, Booker gave the teams their money as a public trust quickly/quietly behind closed doors, and those teams feel they are entitled to it. Wang/Rechler spent millions for absolutely nothing, running for years to get the Lighthouse done.
Howard Milstein said fill the building first, Wang spent first.
I remember how incredible it was before the cups with this fan base from 1976-1979, the fans packed the building, and got behind those teams full time from October with no televised home games.
It has to go back to that right now.
Go purchase full season tickets, and give whoever operates this business a reason to keep John Tavares, and just as important reason for him to want to be here for the rest of his career.
It's not about Charles Wang, it's about the New York Islanders survival.
Our fans better get as desperate as the tone of what I writing.
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As for Barclay's Center they have two plus years to make that facility NHL seating ready. Consider what you saw of those boards enclosed a 1971 Nassau Coliseum construction image.
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Phoenix voted to give an owner 19m of taxpayer money every year to manage a team in Arizona, who bailed out and stuck Shane Doan with a lie. Now if they don't approve a plan to give another owner 16 mil every year by 7/2 Bettman says time is finally up.
And it should be.
Every thing is backdated by about a week, the schedule most likely more because of this which is not good in an Olympic year.
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Bridgeport released six games of it's schedule already.
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Long Island Business News had article on final Coliseum proposals 6/28 & Blumenfeld shots at Msg/Bruce Ratner.
* Cablevision, Comcast (Smg is here) and their brands all want the Coliseum. Reading between the lines, Ratner/Blumenfeld are upping their offers again which smells like catch-up against Msg, who's media own the story/spin on every outlet.
Msg is putting up little resistance besides some remarks by Rechler about Ratner, Blumenfeld went hard after both according to LI business news.
Always fun seeing News12LI leave out the part that they are owned by
Cablevision, who are part of the bidding. Fox (NY Post owner) interviewed Hank Ratner,
not touching Dolan's Msg tax exemption or operating permits they demand in perpetuity.
Mangano will likely pay Wang back for his comments about politicians, and give Msg the bid right around the time of NHL free agency 7/5-7/15.
What bid would I select? As written before the New York Islander fans deserve forty one home games in one place, and they announced a move to Brooklyn so that's home. How would some feel if the Islanders decided to play six games every year somewhere besides the Coliseum since 1972?
Whatever I feel of the Blumenfeld past connections to Hofstra/Rabinowicz/Smg/Lighthouse/Wilpon, a brand new building is superior to a renovated one. Don Monti going to dominate that site beyond the Coliseum so all these grand plans are going to be scaled back. Wang has his Marriott, and some control beyond the decision which finally was announced would be made by Mangano/legislature around 7/15 so we know something about the decision process but not the political contributions to the legislature from the bidders who all want positive election coverage in Msg/Newsday/Cablevision's paper.
To be fair, long-time Dolan friend, Sheldon (No West Side Stadium/Special Msg privileges) Silver has taken a huge beating in Dolan's paper for a few weeks which is astounding on a Wang/D'Amato reversal level.
Yes, I would also like to see Charles Wang keep his AHL team in Bridgeport with their binding lease, not be used as a possible pawn to be moved to the Coliseum simply to help Ratner's bid even if I like the Islander brand remaining at the Coliseum. Those fans in Bridgeport have been loyal, and agreement there has been good for both sides.
Whatever hockey option Blumenfeld presents will not be an NHL related brand. Flyer owner Ed Snider is not bringing a Flyer affiliate here, they just got a new AHL taxpayer facility. I do not see a Flyer ECHL team at a downsized Coliseum.
The other Smg related bid is making noise, but does not seem like a major player, unless D'Amato/Mondello machine are pushing Mangano for it.
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Funny, the Montreal Canadians website or media relations coordinator/blogger issued no release on Ryan Jankowski leaving for Hockey Canada? So far I have seen nothing in Gazette.
Was his contract up? Did they replace him?
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Pat Lafontaine wants a finder's fee from ME-$$-I-er for that resignation statement.
I bet if Jack Capuano were fired, and assistant gm, Doug Weight, were interviewed, then resigned if he did not get the job, the Islanders (who have no professional home media of their own) would never have received this much selective spin/positive propaganda from the limited Ranger media cheerleaders needing Msg ad money.
This after the bickering players got the coach fired by a gm who's never been fired himself, the one who came to Cablevision's team and promised a different open game at his very first practice?
Imagine if all this happened in New Jersey?
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This in the new NHL media where even speaking means loss of draft picks, hundred thousand dollar fines, and Shanahan's so-called head-hunting rules completely gone come the finals.
