New York Resigns Colin McDonald Through 2014-15

Islanders website Report Colin McDonald has been resigned to a 2 year extension.

NYIFC Comments:
Given how he's been used, it's likely a one way contract, another player signed very early for the next two years based on a short body of NHL games, and a long AHL resume.

Of course in this cba even if sent down (via waivers) he would receive his full salary.

Bottom line another part of the 2013-14 season for New York.

Updated:
Islanders website confirm this is a one-way contract with McDonald's comments.

Questionable Moves Out Of Bridgeport Jack Combs Traded

On 1/9 Jack Combs and Chad Costello, former teammates were reunited in separate signings for the remainder of the 2012-13 season with Bridgeport. Combs came in on a tryout earlier.

Jack Combs was traded in the AHL on Thursday to San Antonio for future considerations, leaving Bridgeport likely a forward short for a very important three game weekend with John Persson still hurting, and Kirill Kabanov in and out of the lineup frequently.

AHL trades of players signed for a full season traded like this for future considerations at this stage of the schedule is unusual.

Both are now gone, with ECHL league leading scorer Costello, being very critical of how he was used. Articles were posted (via twitter) with Scott Pellerin's Ct Post response.

Bottom line here a team that has had allowed this many goals, that has struggled at franchise record levels to score one goal on the powerplay, with two seven game losing streaks, now with an ECHL player asking out, and another being given away shorting your roster reflects very poorly on, Scott Pellerin, who has had the benefit of very few NHL call-ups taking his depth.

This did not happen in the Dan Marshall era at Bridgeport, along with some other very poor seasons.

It's the kind of thing that can take a team getting some marginal traction defensively, with a modest streak going, and sink it for good.

The New York Islanders do not have an official ECHL affiliate.

How Does This Play Out?
I'm not really sure given the new CBA. Jason Clark can be recalled from the ECHL but has not played for close to a month, and struggled statistically here. 

Max McKay can be returned from his loan to Wheeling.

Perhaps someone signs an ATO from the college free agent ranks?

The new CBA seems to allow the chance of a player who was qualified by the Islanders (Justin DiBenedetto, Rhett Rakhshani IE) to sign upon conclusion of their respective season in Europe, but these were players who turned down staying in Bridgeport despite the qualifying offer.

Mitchell Theoret was traded to Barrie, his team's regular season concludes on 3/16, but they are division champions. He must be signed by 6/1 by New York or his rights are forfeit so the answer will not be an ATO as we have seen with past Islander prospects.

All I do know is there is no hiding from the limited depth at the forward position or the points behind in the standings.

New Conference Format A Total Joke For New York/NHL

NHL.com/Islanders website announced new conference format that will be in place for the next three seasons. 

NYIFC Comments: How poor a format is this for the Eastern Conference, much less the New York Islanders? This is even worse than the CBA that within five years will have 90m dollar payrolls packed with front-loaded contracts with a floor near sixty million that many teams cannot keep up with now that were losing money at fifty million heading into the lockout already.

A sixteen team conference vs one with fourteen, but each conference has eight seeds?
Now if one conference is Southeast-like terrible, they have three automatic playoff spots regardless? Does anyone remember the eighty point Canes getting a division title third seed in 2002, that pushed the ninety six point seeded New York to the 5th seed vs Toronto, and four road losses in round one?

Then add in two wildcard spots. 

Under this poor format, it's division playoffs all the way, one conference champion will emerge to play what will likely be the mild, mild west to produce finals that will not be of high interest.

Anything to make Little Ceasars Wings owner, Mike Illitch, lead Amway sponsorship happy with Columbus? 

Gary Bettman/BOG/NHLPA never figured out the old 1-16 format that worked until the early eighties was easily the best. Anyone could play for a Stanley Cup or in any playoff series.

Last I looked air travel has improved since that era.

The road for teams not front-loading in the Eastern portion of this poor three year system just got much harder.

The NHL product overall just got much weaker.