New York/Bridgeport Announce Rosters

New York Islander Fan Central | 9/30/2013 05:28:00 PM | |
Islanders website: Announced it's 23 man roster to begin the 2013-14 season. 
Forwards
Josh Bailey
Pierre-Marc Bouchard
Eric Boulton
Casey Cizikas
Michael Grabner
Matt Martin
Colin McDonald
Matt Moulson
Brock Nelson
Frans Nielsen
Kyle Okposo
Peter Regin
John Tavares

Defensemen
Matt Carkner
Matt Donovan
Travis Hamonic
Thomas Hickey
Andrew MacDonald
Griffin Reinhart
Brian Strait
Lubomir Visnovsky

Goalies
Evgeni Nabokov
Kevin Poulin

Injured Reserve
Cal Clutterbuck

Ryan Pulock, the Islanders’ first pick (15th overall) in the 2013 National Hockey League Draft, has been returned to the Brandon Wheat Kings of the Western Hockey League.

Radek Martinek was released from his professional tryout agreement. 

Bridgeport announced it's roster/changes. 
Mike Halmo, Kirill Kabanov, Anders Lee, John Persson, Alan Quine, Ryan Strome, Johan Sundstrom. Calvin de Haan, Scott Mayfield, Aaron Ness, Anders Nilsson, Joe Finley.

Forward Justin Johnson, goalie Ken Reiter were released from professional tryout agreements, while forward Riley Wetmore was released from an amateur tryout agreement. Johnson, Reiter and Wetmore will report to the Sound Tigers Training Camp, which continues Tuesday, Oct. 1.

Ct Post fills out Sound Tigers roster/status.

NHL contracts in normal font, AHL contracts in italics, PTOs in bold:

F (16)–Chris Bruton, Jason Clark, Joey Diamond, Brett Gallant, Mike Halmo, Brayden Irwin, Justin Johnson, Kirill Kabanov, Anders Lee, Greg Miller, John Persson, Alan Quine, Ryan Strome, Johan Sundstrom, Riley Wetmore, Sean Wiles

D (9)–Marc Cantin, Mike Dalhuisen, Calvin de Haan, Joe Finley, Dallas Jackson, Mike Keenan, Scott Mayfield, Aaron Ness, Andrey Pedan

G (2)–Anders Nilsson, Kenny Reiter

NYIFC Comments:  
Playing split-squad games that late in the preseason came with some expensive price-tags, despite some meaningless wins.

And sure if I'm going to be critical of the early losses, the later wins (especially the one at home against Nashville) with close to the opening roster has to be acknowledged. 


No real surprises outside of Martinek, who could still be signed if Hamonic goes on IR which made Sunday's games very expensive along with breaking up your opening night roster that late to play meaningless split season games. (No, I forgot to include the eight man veteran rule in my previous entry because those kind of games are still somewhat new)

Makes playing those split-squad games an even bigger risk at a point the roster should be final. 

Maybe a trade comes/waiver pickup.

Alan Quine has  left juniors, he's now a Sound Tiger. 






New York Signs Ryan Pulock/Alan Quine To Three Year ELC/More Roster Cuts

New York Islander Fan Central | 9/28/2013 06:35:00 PM | |
Updated: Alan Quine has agreed to terms on a three-year Entry Level Contract
Islanders-twitter.


Islanders website: The New York Islanders announced today that Ryan Pulock has agreed to terms on a three-year entry-level contract.

Islanders website: Also announced Forward Jason Clark, along with defensemen Marc Cantin and Andrey Pedan have been loaned to Bridgeport. Forward Greg Miller and defensemen Mike Dalhuisen and Mike Keenan have been released from their amateur tryout agreements (ATO), while defenseman Dallas Jackson was released from his professional tryout agreement (PTO). All seven players will report to Sound Tigers training camp, which continues Tuesday, Oct. 1.

Bridgeport Sound Tigers: The Bridgeport Sound Tigers have announced that the following players have been assigned the the organization's ECHL affiliate, the Stockton Thunder: Mathieu Coderre-Gagnon- D Nathan Deck- D Sean Escobedo- D Ryan Hayes- F Nick Larson- F Parker Milner- G Shawn Mortin-Boutin- D Landon Olslanski- D Ben Rosen- F


NYIFC Comments:
Was looking for a Pulock ELC signing, a little later than usual. Alan Quine a nice surprise.  This organization needs some signed forwards from it's very small draft pool remaining.

Friday's roster (less injuries) is likely close to the final team which means Martinek could be in some trouble or he will split time with Carkner, and Finley. With Nelson here, expect Lee/Strome to debut in Bridgeport, with Sundstrom likely closer to an early call-up.

After Sunday's games expect the second split squad team to be sent to Bridgeport/rest of the players. Expect Reinhart/Pulock returned to juniors unless there is a injury or trade.

Three New York/Bridgeport Practice Groups

New York Islander Fan Central | 9/24/2013 12:06:00 PM | | |
There seems to be some confusion out there.

One group is practicing at Nassau Coliseum, that is mostly the players who have NHL spots or are still in competition for them.

Second group is practicing at IceWorks in Syosset. that may be players more on the outside of the NHL but this could also change quickly.


John Persson, Kirill Kabanov,  Aaron Ness are not getting a lot of ink or mentions.


Ct Post list names of a third group mostly of invites/ECHL players from Stockton at Sound Tigers camp

Updated-The Sound Tigers website has twittered the ECHL/invited players are practicing at IceWorks in Syosset.

Oddly, the Islanders will have one more split/squad game in Canada against Ottawa which is very late for such an event. 

Even for preseason this collective roster has struggled badly in games outscored 13-2 in second periods, winning a game in New Jersey with two shorthanded goals, a Boulton goal out of the penalty box, one powerplay goal, and an unassisted goal among seventeen shots, it's not impressive in terms of five on five play.

Misc:
I asked Ed Mangano, Kevan Abrahams to publish the letter Charles Wang sent regarding the Bridgeport Sound Tigers presented at Monday's legislature meeting.

Obviously Nassau County's post 19-0 vote release makes clear the Sound Tigers are still not the AHL team Bruce Ratner will bring to the Nassau Coliseum by 2017-18 or sooner.


19-0 UNANIMOUS LEGISLATURE APPROVAL OF RATNER COLISEUM BID

New York Islander Fan Central | 9/23/2013 01:34:00 PM | |
Highlights on twitter:

Coliseum renovations will begin  August 1st 2015, with the building set to re-open by September 2017.

Video Conference Post 19-0 vote.

Mangano said in video 11:00 mark NIFA has contract, more information from them Tuesday 9/24.

Bruce Ratner, flat out dazzled with eloquence, experience, and information. Legislature members who were voting no changed their mind. 

Ratner said when plan submitted to league on Islanders playing six games at Coliseum, Dolan must approve, this has not been submitted to NHL yet. 

Still murky on Sound Tigers depending on lease agreement to 2021 can be changed earlier. Ratner said he tried/will bring in another team if not Sound Tigers. Wang submitted letter on Sound Tigers to legislature.

Ratner may need Dolan's AHL team if Sound Tigers not allowed to move. 

Only feasible for Wang economically to play maximum of six Coliseum game. 

Construction begins Aug 2015, will take two years for everything which would be done all at once (inside/outside) that means there will be no two, four, six, whatever New York Islander hockey games for 2015-16, and likely 2016-17.

The timetable given was fifteen to eighteen months for renovation so for the older readers think 1973-1976 Yankee Stadium renovation.

Spending to retain the Islanders, increasing capacity of Nassau Coliseum was not financially viable given small scale of project. 

Ampitheatre just a grassy area, not a big concert venue.
Skating rink in grassy area more like Rockefeller Center, just for skating, not to compete with local hockey. 

NEC Coliseum lease with Ratner was listed as item one on agenda Ordinance. No. 134-2014

Long Island Press reported Gov Cuomo made major changes to NIFA Nassau's Democratic Board which could hold it's first meeting on Friday 9/27, and would be the final hurdle if legislature approval is given because the minor changes to the Coliseum's footprint obviously fit in TOH/re-zoning.

September 27th 1972 First Nassau Coliseum Preseason Game

New York Islander Fan Central | 9/21/2013 11:16:00 PM | | |
New York losses first ever game at Coliseum 6-4 (9/27/1972) Billy Harris goal, Glen Sather on defense.

Kind of looked like 1972 tonight at Barclay's Center.

This team was badly out-skated, outworked, outclassed for the entire sixty minutes with absolutely no clue how to move the puck in transition without Mark Streit to say nothing of how lost it's powerplay looked.

I don't care where the game was played. 

The passes were slow, telegraphed, predictable, and the Isles painfully lethargic the entire game. The Devils easily read the play, and dominated from beginning to end. I'm not even sure they played very well or were forced to.

Sure it's preseason, but this is four games now the club has been collectively outplayed for most if not all of the games, even in winning at Newark.

The one thing you don't want to see are weakness that do not seem correctable with the current roster in a preseason. Win/lose not issue at all.

How they are collectively playing as a unit is a very alarming trend.

Last time I saw an Islander team with transition problems like this from defense to offense, it lost 2-0 opening night to the Florida at home in 2011-12, and things went down hill from there. 

Now they fly to Nashville on a gameday likely with a different group.

Barclay's Center was not the story tonight, how poorly this team competed at every level for an entire sixty minutes was. 



New York Playing Top Prospects Out Of Position Again

New York Islander Fan Central | 9/20/2013 05:56:00 AM |
I'm a little more interested in sticks/pucks so far then I thought, so why not a few words. 

I'm well aware it's training camp, and only seven days since the team even gathered, however it's also painfully obvious once again the New York Islanders are taking someone they used a high draft pick on, and changing their position along with asking them to make the jump to the NHL/AHL level.

There was even a brief period of making John Tavares a wing that ended quickly as soon as he spoke up. Funny, leaving him at his natural position worked out just as expected.

Sometimes all you have to do is teach players at their natural position. 

We have all seen this before with center Josh Bailey, many forwards changing wing. Brock Nelson's been moved around a lot also,  he should be an NHL center.

I asked this question a few years ago when Strome/Nelson were drafted and wondered what the team is going to do with all these natural centers? 

Is drafted center Ryan Strome really going to be made an NHL/AHL winger so Frans Nielsen, Peter Regin,  cannot produce in the middle? Casey Cizikas is not at their draft level talent.

Isn't it tough enough that so far it seems Frans Nielsen is back to being Mark Streit's powerplay replacement on point, plus he's going to be centering two players he can only set up well?

Frans Nielsen should be a fourth line player with his production, at best he should be the checking center which means someone else in the middle who can score plays between Bailey/Okposo or Bailey moves back to his natural position.

We saw this game with Blake Comeau, he became so versatile he forgot how to score, and played his way off the Islanders when his late season hot streaks ended as soon as the next season/change of plan for him was announced but did a heck of job skating around the perimeter.

At the end Bergenheim was asked to play the off wing, he did not want to change his position.

Bottom line these are Garth Snow's drafted talents now, not Mike Milbury's. 


Of course Ryan Strome says all the right things, they all do for a while.
"I'm definitely 100 percent comfortable there now," Strome said of playing right wing. "I learned some habits I needed to work on, learned how to get the puck a little bit more since you're a bit more restricted than at center. But I like it so far, I'm able to use my creativity."

What's so bad again about Strome-Nelson being the #1-2 centers in Bridgeport or one of them taking Peter Regin's spot? 

What's so bad if Nielsen sets up other forwards on a lower line.

It's time to develop a second line center long term to take the next step as a team. Pittsburgh did not decide to make Malkin or Crosby wingers, they both play center most of the time (not powerplay) on a different line. 

Jack Capuano on the day he has those options can start talking about this team winning games more than one way of playing.

Teams all over this league draft players at their natural position leave them alone, and they become very good NHL players. Sure many teams also change prospects positions from center to wing also.
****************************
Notables:
I know it's only two games, but to borrow a phrase out of Minnesota,  Griffin Reinhart, screams NHL defender. He cannot beat out Matt Donovan, who obviously is ready.

Matt Carkner screams Eric Boulton's minutes or waivers. I can see Radek Martinek or Joe Finley, not both. One's signed, the other is here on a PTO.

I would risk Joe Finley on waivers, keep Martinek because he can skate in traffic, and is solid at moving the puck if that's the menu. Strait/Hickey worked out that's 2/3 so a good percentage. deHaan/Ness or someone else is going to push likely MacDonald or one of these players out of a job.

Kevin Poulin's body movements were that of an unmade bed (even with a few very good saves) in goal for two periods against the Devils, and a few undeflected pucks that found the net were like his game against Carolina at home 2013.

He said he settled down in the third period which I missed. 

I trust him to be the backup, know he can play at this level, however he has to be the goalie he was at this level a few years ago. This is camp but as a backup, he's getting more work than usual.

Bridgeport needs one starting goaltender, not two. Based on last year that should be Anders Nilsson.

Ratner Coliseum Legislature Vote Set For Monday 9/19/13 1pm

New York Islander Fan Central | 9/19/2013 06:25:00 AM | |
89 million dollars for Coliseum, 140m for restaurants/bowling/theater. Lawn is winter ice-skating rink Ratner added.


The images posted here before showing scale of project, who has rights to what area.
The first image is the final Coliseum blueprint. 
 
Long Island Herald: Reports the legislature vote will be Monday afternoon 9/19 in a 1pm meeting. 

The Live Stream link that worked last week is down as of this entry. 

A simple majority of republicans in a republican controlled legislature is required for approval of Mangano's deal with Bruce Ratner, that in September received  unanimous approval of the county lawmakers' finance, rules and economic development committees.

D-Kevan Abrahams had the following:

He also said he wants to be certain that the Bridgeport Sound Tigers, the New York Islanders’ American Hockey League affiliate, would be a permanent tenant of the refurbished Coliseum. Last month, Ratner announced that the Sound Tigers would make the move, but that it would require the approval of owner Charles Wang.

Abrahams added, however, that officials from Forest City Ratner were “receptive” when he raised those concerns during committee meetings on Sept. 9, and was scheduled to meet with them again on Thursday of this week. (9/19)

“We feel that Forest City and Bruce Ratner have a tremendous track record …,” Abrahams said. “We’re glad to see that they’re part of this process to rebuild the Coliseum.”


On August 22nd Mangano said NIFA “sees no issue” with the NEC plan. 


NIFA at this time has no scheduled meeting

Ratner has committed to bringing the team back to the Coliseum for six home games per season once development is complete. Such a move would require approval by the NHL, but Ratner said last month that he was “confident” he would get it.

NYIFC Comments:  
Hard to believe, however this time it's really the end of the process.

There is nothing to stop it beyond Ratner not having financing at some later point. 

Once legislature/NIFA approve, the Coliseum's future is decided (not the TOH approvals Master Developer Don Monti will need for rest of property) I know you have read that many times before, but Monday is the true big vote if you believe Mangano about NIFA.

Kate Murray is Don Monti's problem, not Bruce Ratner.  The scale of the images shows you why because Coliseum is a very small RFP.

Abrahams wants no part of stopping this, Nassau County legislature wants the Coliseum issue decided with an election coming after a generation of many of them being rightfully blamed for it. The New York Islanders are pawns in this. Wang can reject any plan he deems would hurt his hotel, but obviously not Bruce Ratner's.

Huge questions from there would be Sound Tigers future/NHL approval to let the New York Islanders be the only NHL team with two home facilities.

All Gary Bettman has to say if the league approves of this plan. Either way the New York Islanders own all NHL territorial rights to Nassau/Suffolk, from Brooklyn, same as they do now from Nassau Coliseum over Brooklyn/Queens/Suffolk. 

Charles Wang did not say one word about the Sound Tigers nor was he asked. If Sound Tigers President Howard Saffan works for him, Ratner, Wang, Saffan need to have a discussion.

Of course if the Coliseum remains open as is through the Islanders lease in 2015, and a renovation requires a closing of the facility for a period of time, that can be at least three years in the future.

NYIFC Notables:
The header now includes the 2013-14 New York Islanders/captain John Tavares.

A few years ago it was hard finding current upcoming players to feature, now there were so many some had to be left out. Also many prospects two years ago were wearing 40th anniversary patch.

Ryan Strome is wearing Ed Westfall's number, Reinhart, Gary Howatt's.


The twitter wallpaper has images of Griffin Reinhart (did not use poor image of his first NHL goal) and Ryan Pullock.

New York Preseason 101

New York Islander Fan Central | 9/16/2013 11:38:00 AM |
Schedule:
9/17: NY Islanders (split squad) at Calgary (split squad), 9 p.m.
9/17: NY Islanders (split squad) vs. Calgary (split squad), at Regina, Sask. (Brandt Centre), 9 p.m.

9/19: NY Islanders at New Jersey, 7 p.m.
9/21: New Jersey vs. NY Islanders, at Brooklyn, N.Y. (Barclays Center), 7 p.m.
9/22: NY Islanders at Nashville, 6 p.m.
9/27: Nashville at NY Islanders, 7 p.m.
9/29: NY Islanders (split squad) vs. Ottawa (split squad), at Barrie, Ont. (Molson Centre), 6 p.m.
9/29: NY Islanders (split squad) at Ottawa (split squad), 7:30 p.m.

Bridgeport opens it's training camp Sept 23rd. 

Expect many/most games live streamed somewhere/none on the teams official television network starting with Calgary. 

Jobs Available?
For a prospect to win a job means someone (outside of Radek Martinek) is going to lose their job or there are going to be injuries. That's a dangerously thin center position in terms of scoring after Tavares, also  painfully weak scoring on defense on paper.

Everyone will get a look or two, but for a Brock Nelson, Matt Donovan or Ryan Strome (among many) to make this roster it may require someone go (or someone's hurt) for a spot to open.


Many of those forwards are signed beyond one year.
Moulson-Tavares-Bouchard
Bailey-Nielsen-Okposo
Grabner-Regin-Clutterbuck
Martin-Cizkias-McDonald
Boulton

Hamonic-Strait
Hickey-Visnovsky
MacDonald-Carkner
Finley-Martinek (tryout)

Nabokov
Poulin

New York/Bridgeport Will Practice At Charles Wang's IceWorks Past 2015

New York Islander Fan Central | 9/14/2013 03:24:00 PM | |

Iceworks Remains New York Islanders Official Practice Facility After 2015 per Charles Wang' Oct 2012.

That's what Charles Wang said at the Brooklyn press conference in October 2012.

Wang purchased the facility lease in a bankruptcy sale at or around March 2nd 2001. At the time former Islander Gerry Hart dropped a competing bid as he managed the Rinx at Hidden Pond Park in Hauppauge which still has ties to the club in 2013  with the P.A.L. Junior Islanders & the USPHL merger with Eastern Elite, Empire Junior Hockey Leagues which start in Sept 2013 and include Garth Snow's comments. 

On May 26, 2004, Hart sold the Rinx, and day camp to Francis J. Palamara, a business consultant, who formerly served as Executive Vice President for Aramark.


The Islanders release on 2013-14 team joining the new league at the Rinx
                                          
In an earlier entry here travel distances were compared to NHL rink among other teams in the division, the distance was a little over thirty miles, with some teams over twenty miles.

Some will recall the Islanders moved their offices out of the Nassau Coliseum basement in 2001. Wang's original plan was to construct a practice facility in Plainville, N.Y. for the club but had decided against it in this 2003 article.

Plainville is the home of Neulion TV, and the clubs offices in another building Charles Wang owns. 

Robert Thornton the first gm of the facility under Charles Wang passed away on Sept 3rd 2013. 

Mr Thornton and his wife resigned on 5/24/2004 filing a lawsuit in 2006 against the Islanders which from Islanders end was handled by 2011 Referendum firm of Nixon-Peabody.  Thornton was thrilled at Wang's purchase in 2001.

A few will recall the name of Dan Marshall became general manager of Iceworks, then was named head coach of the Bridgeport Sound Tigers, only lasting for 2005-06.  The Ct Post reported in 2012 Marshall coaches and manages junior teams on Long Island

History: 
The New York Islanders 1972 training camp was held in Peterborough, Ontario. Trainer, Nick Garen, had the Islanders do strength and flexibility exercises on the infield of a nearby harness track. One driver complained that the players were scaring the horses. Bill Torrey did not allow the players to keep cars at camp, so everyone—Torrey included—had to walk the half mile from the Holiday Inn, where the team was staying, to the rink.

The New Yor Times actually paid a beat-writer named, Gerald Eskenazi, to attend camp---some things were better in 1972.

In 1972  the team would change into its equipment at the Coliseum and then travel by bus to one of the smaller, recreational rinks on Long Island, sometimes as much as an hour away. One time at Skateland in New Hyde Park, the Rangers were using the ice according to a 1982 SI article here.

By the mid 1970's the New York Islanders training facility was  Racquet and Rink in Farmingdale where a lady named Barbara Williams helped Bob Nystrom/other Islanders skating as the NHL's first female skating coach.

Barbara Williams power skating.

Some may recall the 1975 comeback practice video's aired a few years ago which was written about here, those were at Raquet and Rink. The three rink facility in an airport hanger was closed in 1980 due to financial losses here.
 
Cantiague Park  was the New York Islanders (National Hockey League) practice facility from 1979 to 1992. 

In Sept 2012 the Islanders opened a Pro Shop there with the players appearing.

In Sept 2011 the club opened a Pro Shop At Dix Hills Ice Arena

In October 1992, Hart, along with college roommates Thomas Mattioli and Randolph Nash, opened The Rinx recreation complex in Hidden Pond Park in Hauppauge, New York with a 20-year land lease from the Town of Islip..
 
The Rinx at Hidden Pond Park in Hauppauge was an Islander training camp facility in 1993, which Al Arbout & Don Maloney praised but one issue (money/personal) included was travel distance to Nassau Coliseum which ties into the Barclay's story  

The Rinx was re-branded to HPP Rinx, now it is again called The Rinx.

Islanders Iceworks was called the Long Island Skating Academy back then, it was re-branded to it's current name in 1997 here.

The club's current business directory does not list a specific operator or general manager of iceworks, only pro retail & merchandise operations.

My Point: 
Very simple. The New York Islanders owner made clear his team is going to continue to train at his facility in Syosset past the Brooklyn move. This team may well also be playing a few games at the Nassau Coliseum, and then there is the Sound Tigers factor. 

Islanders Iceworks is not going anywhere, it was time for some historical background.

The Ferraro Bros Ice Center, expected to be opened in Fall 2013 in Eisenhower Park was heavily advertised by Msg salesman Billy Jaffe earlier this year. 

Both Chris (via corporate bicycle) & Peter played for the New York Islanders or Sound Tigers in their later career.

"It really has no effect on players wanting to play hockey or not," Peter says. "The athletes on Long Island are great. There's great soccer players, great lacrosse players, great hockey players. The Islanders making the move to Brooklyn, I don't think that has an effect on youth hockey."

Plaza Surf N' Sports is a small family-owned retail store which was established in 1972 by the Ferraro family.

Ceremonial Day At Barclay's Center Over For New York

New York Islander Fan Central | 9/12/2013 02:19:00 PM | | | |



Very little to write on a ceremonial day above all. It will go into the historical archives.

There are no images of the Islanders first Nassau Coliseum practice in Sept/Oct 1972 so this will be part of the club's history.  Many of the players in attendance will never play a regular season game in this facility.

Folks got some nice images of the New York Islanders future home, the Stanley Cup banners for the first time ever hung from the same roof as the Nasssau Coliseum ABA championship banners which are the only ones the Barclay's Center can feature.

The seat count changed to over 15,000, expect it to keep changing with every press conference. Some nice designs of the locker room.


 I wanted to know about the Sound Tigers future in Ct, where Bruce Ratner said they are moving to Coliseum, which, Charles Wang's, Bridgeport President, Howard Saffan, said was " irresponsible. "

Ct Post apparently did not spring for the train fare to send Michael Fornabaio to ask despite many Sound Tiger players in attendance with an avg of over 5,000 Sound Tigers fans at each game wanting an answer also. 

The amateur fan bloggers kind of dominated the short press conference to where Jack Capuano  got most of the questions like this was a day at Iceworks. Charles Wang said he's very happy, there is a chance they could play more games at Barclay's Center prior to 2015-16.

Mr Yormark said over 10,000 seats have been sold for next week's game between two fan bases, and those curious hockey fans. The real test comes Oct 2015 on a Monday night against Calgary.

Here is the temporary experimental seating that will be used behind one goal during the preseason game:


I believe Wang also said they had a 2:05 train to catch.



New York Practice At Barclay's Center 9/12-Full Media Event

New York Islander Fan Central | 9/10/2013 06:22:00 PM |

Islanders website: Announced Islanders To Hold Training Camp Sessions At Barclays Center On September 12

The New York Islanders will take the Long Island Rail Road to Brooklyn where they will hold training camp sessions at their future home, Barclays Center, on Thursday, September 12.





IslandersTV and www.barclayscenter.com will stream a live show of the first training camp sessions at Barclays Center beginning at 11:45 a.m.

Schedule for Media Day on September 12, 2013: 8:15 a.m.: Press Conference at Garden City Station with LIRR representatives and Islanders General Manager Garth Snow and Islanders players Matt Martin and Frans Nielsen

8:51 a.m.: Train carrying Islanders and media leaves Garden City station

9:35 a.m.: Team arrival, photo-op outside of the arena

9:40 a.m.: Team photo-op outside arena on Daily News Plaza

10 a.m. – 11 a.m.: Bruce Ratner and Brett Yormark to lead media on a tour of hockey set-up at Barclays Center

10:45 a.m. – 11:45 a.m.: Group A on ice.

11:45 a.m. – Live stream of practice begins on IslandersTV and www.barclayscenter.com.

12 p.m.: Lunch is available in the Honda Club

12 p.m. – 1 p.m.: Group B on ice

1:20 p.m. – 1:40 p.m.: Charles Wang, Garth Snow, Jack Capuano available for questions in the Ortsbo Interview Room

The Islanders will host the New Jersey Devils in a preseason game at Barclays Center on Saturday, Sept. 21.

The game will be broadcast on WHRU 88.7 FM Radio Hofstra University.

New York Names John Tavares Captain/Wang Speaks Later

New York Islander Fan Central | 9/09/2013 06:20:00 PM | |
ITV has the entire six minutes press conference, also individual interviews with Tavares, Snow.

Charles Wang was present, but did not speak at press conference. He made up for it with a full interview in Cablevision's Newspaper where he makes clear he's happy owning club, it's direction on ice, has no interest in selling, and laughed at the notion of breaking Barclay's lease to return to Coliseum permanently beyond 4-6 games.

More Nassau approvals for NEC Ratner Coliseum on 9/10, legislature debate or possible vote 9/23 with simple majority required for passage (which Republicans have) then if approved NIFA is final hurdle before the Coliseum renovation issue ends for the next forty nine years.


D Kevan Abrahams still wants to retain the Islanders at the Coliseum, same song/dance he's done for a generation with no support of any plan to make it happen.

9/9 Long Island Press & Nonprofit Fair Media Council. Executive Director Jaci Clement, blasted Cablevsion/Newsday & News12 LI for it's failure to report political contributions to Tom Suozzi, vs others, included were charges of selective coverage of Coliseum/RFP, among many items.

Nothing to add here on Tavares becoming captain. It was a foregone conclusion with Mark Streit's departure. Worst kept secret, joining a fraternity of legendary players that includes Westfall, Gillies, Potvin, Sutter. Along with Flatley, Peca, Yashin, Guerin, Weight, Streit, among others.

New York will play it's first preseason game on Sept 17th.





Anything Can Happen, But Expect New York To Take Step Back Out Of Playoffs

New York Islander Fan Central | 9/07/2013 08:06:00 PM |
"The season was very positive for the team. It was short but dynamic," he said. "We fulfilled one of our tasks: We made it to the playoffs. The Islanders took a great step forward. However, now we are facing greater challenges, and it will be much more difficult to take the next step. We will have to make the playoffs again, but the tasks will be very different this time. I think that this season will be much more difficult for us than the previous one."  -Evgeni Nabokov 8.28.2013

Anything can happen, however some harsh reality cannot be ignored. This was a sub-five hundred club in late March 2013 that finally learned out to play in the third period, that also started getting some balanced scoring. The result was 11-1-2/playoff spot they would not have qualified for with Detroit/Columbus in their conference as they are now.

No one's replacing Mark Streit's ability to carry the puck, or set up an offense, players like that are a dwindling talent in the NHL, one the New York Islanders will miss badly with the percentage of scoring he provided. 


The trend most will not remember, but is really the biggest positive to build on would be the forty games in 2013 New York Islanders were tied or leading entering the third period.  In some of the other eight games this team came back to earn points so the notion they did not compete better than most franchises stands out.

Also all this club had to do was be moderately successful at home last year to be in the top five, they were a terrible home team playing it's best games on the road, not a long term formula for success to build on at all or a good trend.

Trends however are fleeting, just as Matt Donovan's huge plus rating on a Bridgeport team, that could not keep the puck out of it's own net last year. Some times they make sense, others no.

I write virtually every year the New York Islanders can finish anywhere from 1st or 2nd to 14th or 15th depending on variables, that's true entering 2013-14. Some players are going to take a step up, others will take one back.

Sure a prospect can step in, and be a big success, it's overdue, and they have many of them from Nelson, Strome, Persson, Sundstrom, Kabanov for openers up front.

Matt Moulson Watch:
Moulson's agent, at some point will get his offer from the Islanders about resigning. If not taken, we know what the organization's trend is which means he's traded if club out of contention or retained if the club has a chance with no return, then gone come 7/1/14. 

The organization also decided Matt Moulson was not fast enough to skate on Tavares line come playoffs for the first time, perhaps he was hurt, but that bears watching.

Andrew MacDonald Watch:
Same can be written about Andrew MacDonald, even more so given depth waiting for contracts/job.


If Club Competitive:
If Nabokov can be as steady as he was during forty eight games, someone replaces Streit/Boyes production, there is balanced scoring, and the defenders create enough offense, plus the team continues to close out games (getting them to overtime/not losing in regulation) they will likely qualify (or be at top of division) unless the injuries catch up with them.

If Club Not Competitive:
We have seen this act before. Expect Nabokov gone by December/Jan with Visnovsky going to a team on his list faster than you can write Roloson/Wisnieswki with a ton of  defensive prospects to be signed by next summer. No one knows Capuano's contract status, but if  resigned this summer, he likely here for the season.

Projection: 
Anything Can Happen, But Expect New York To Take Step Back Out Of Playoffs in 2013-14. 
The loss of Streit, the more extra teams (one corporate) to compete for  playoff spots in a far tougher format, and no real top line alternative next to Tavares likely means the late 11-1-2 stretch that took the club from another lottery to a playoff spot (one that should have been much higher) was more just a great run that is not sustainable.

Especially with a team that did most of it's winning on the road. 

Garth Snow will face pressure like he's never faced before. 

What's needed is a Mariusz Czerkawski that got his twenty five goals with little help, that buys Tavares room to work. 

Teams are going to be all over Tavares with no Streit/no real secondary scorer or play-maker to watch like never before, with that " C " being just another reason to target him as Streit was with Matt Carkner or Steve Staios. 

I expect the Hickey/Strait defense to be a little of the best/worst of both.  The Joe Finley story is not over, but a lot of prospects on defense will challenge.  

Matt Martin/third fourth liners have to produce/challenge for more time/higher lines.  Waiting on Peter Regin (0 goals), or Pierre-Marc Bouchard (8 goals), Cal Clutterbuck/Kyle Okposo (4 goals) to produce could be fatal as someone sits for Mr Boulton to have his fight by appointment.





New York Rookie Camp Roster Announced

New York Islander Fan Central | 9/05/2013 04:17:00 PM |
Bridgeport Sound Tigers website: The New York Islanders have announced the roster for their 2013 Rookie Camp, beginning today at Nassau Coliseum. The 31-player roster is comprised of 13 forwards, 15 defensemen, and three goaltenders. Of those players, 21 are Islanders draft picks

Note-The Sound Tigers website has not been changed for 2013-14 at this time. Also the black 3rd jersey's were officially retired after being used to honor the Sandy Hook victims.

Forwards

Clark, Jason                                
Crus Rydberg, Victor                   

Diamond, Joe                                 
Halmo, Mike                                  
Kabanov, Kirill                             
Lee, Anders                                   

Miller, Greg                                            
Nelson, Brock                               
Persson, John                               
Quine, Alan                                   
Strome, Ryan                                
Sundstrom, Johan                        

Wetmore, Riley                               


Defensemen

Burroughs, Kyle                           
Cantin, Marc                                
Dalhuisen, Mike                                    
de Haan, Calvin                          

Donovan, Matt                              

Graham, Jesse                             
Jackson, Dallas                             
Keenan, Mike                                
Leduc, Loic                                   

Mayfield, Scott                            
Ness, Aaron                                 

Pedan, Andrey                            
Pelech, Adam                            
Pulock, Ryan                               

Reinhart, Griffin                        


Goaltenders

Milner, Parker                             
Nilsson, Anders                         
Reiter, Ken                                 


Bad Marketing 101: Brett Yormark/Brooklyn Strategy

New York Islander Fan Central | 9/03/2013 03:46:00 PM |
The New York Islanders change their website look every year around this time, the most notable thing for me is you can immediately chat with a live sales representative on site.

Our fans better purchase tickets whether it be the Coliseum or Barclay's Center. 

Is Brett Yormark, brother of Florida Panthers President, Michael Yormark that misguided or is his employer demanding these marketing decisions for the Brooklyn Nets now (New York Islanders moving forward) or does someone not want him to make the most revenue he can for his employer?

Mr Yormark was hired in 2005 by the Nets. In 2012 he discussed how he marketed the team while it remained in New Jersey.
Just two years ago, Yormark was arguing with spectators at the Izod Center to take bags off their heads (pictured above). He was coming up with shameful ways to get people to the arena, giving away reversible jerseys with the opposing team on the one side, and offering free tax returns to anybody purchasing a Nets ticket. Yormark was marketing the unmarketable -- a lameduck, terrible team.

“I needed that moment. It kind of crystallized things for me. Also, I used that moment to reflect. And I reflected on some of those challenges moments in Jersey, some of the phone calls with Bruce (Ratner) where we knew we had a daunting task in front of us. “But we found a will and a way.”

There is a David Seldin feel to this when he came to the Islanders to work for Howard Milstein from the Jacksonville Jaguars long ago. 

The Barclay's Center in year one was a success because it was brand new. It did not sell all those event tickets because every act/concert/whatever wore black and re-branded themselves Brooklyn, and the same goes for the Nets. 

The Nets since leaving the Nassau Coliseum have been called everything whether it be New York/New Jersey or simply Nets, wearing practically every color scheme, including some black.

The Nets have had attendance years to rival the Islanders, even with the demographics/coverage for basketball far easier than hockey, still they had crowds around 10,000 at Prudential Center. 

Who moves a basketball team into the New York City market, then makes tens of millions of potential customers in Manhattan/other boroughs/tri state area feel like they are not your team unless the idea is alienate possible customers?


Great Marketing 101 in June 2010.

Did the Mets decided to call themselves Queens when they temporarily opened up shop at the Polo Grounds, then move to Shea Stadium in 1964, and market themselves as Queens team? Of course not.

Did the New York Highlanders between name changes to Yankees, or moves to the Polo Grounds/South Bronx who shared the Polo Grounds with the baseball NY Giants decide to name themselves Bronx? Ridiculous. 

The New Jersey Devils got it right, and never saw the need to call themselves Newark or East Rutherford.

The New York Red Bull also refuse to acknowledge their home state, which financed their new stadium.

The WNBA Liberty changed their name to Fox woods Casino during last season, but changed back in 2013, as they play at Prudential Center.

It would be an easy generational sell here to write the Brooklyn Dodgers moved because of branding, however that would be untrue for many reasons. Baseball's New York Giants also moved. 

There are two football teams in New Jersey that refuse to acknowledge the state they play home games in since 1976/1984, along with an entire league, and it's media including an upcoming Superbowl. Guess why?

Even the re-re-re-re restored decades later New York Cosmos saw the value was in it's name/history, as they currently play at Hofstra. Nassau County of all places has not messed that up yet.

In two years (perhaps one) the New York Islanders will re-locate, and at the very least play all but four regular season home games at the Barclay's Center at a point any buzz about a new facility or a new team will be long gone.  

Charles Wang said the colors/logo will not change while he remains owner, and is not selling. Whether you agree or not make no mistake you don't gain more customers because you confine your brand to one borough.

This is how you lose customers, restrict business, generate less revenue. New York City/Tri State Area is New York Islander County, that logo/tradition is special like no other US based hockey franchise.

The Nets never had that to market themselves.  

That is how Mr Yormark/his employer should be marketing this team all over New York City, Long Island, and the entire Tri State Area. The Nets owner started great putting his billboard up (above) outside Msg as New York's team. What happened since the club relocated has reflected the exact opposite.

Bad Marketing 101. 

Unlike the Nets past our teams fans have historically packed Msg, and filled the Meadowlands, with it's New York fan base. Enough video/articles have been posted to support this, and as Mr Wang said in 2011 (pre referendum) & 2012 forty percent of his season ticket base came from inside NYC limits in WFAN audio interviews posted here.

Mr Yormark included a comment one month before Islanders announcement that should be see as a cautionary tale for our fan-base in the above article.

 “I think the moment’s even bigger than I expected,” says Yormark.” I think this is so big that many of us won’t have a moment like this again.”

The New York Islanders will require such a moment.