On Paper In July NYI Never Weaker During Tavares Era-The Short Verson

New York Islander Fan Central | 7/31/2014 10:14:00 PM |
No interest in wasting folks time, when the puck drop's we'll know.

And they could be very good ultimately. Not today.

A few folks must have Pierre Marc-Bouchard flu act up this time every year, calling a team summer winners (or even the biggest winners) for adding bought out Grabovski, Kulemin, T.J Brennan to go with Halak/Johnson?

Sure they have some good young prospects, but that takes years unless you Milbury them away for more quick fixes heading for UFA.

What I can write is in July on paper during the Tavares era they have never been weaker on defense in terms of a top pairing defender without Streit, MacDonald which is now Calvin deHaan attempting his first full year or at left wing with nothing replacing Moulson/Vanek.

On the right wing nothing replaces Parenteau, Boyes, Bouchard because the 2009 first line right wing (Okposo) has his spot back.

Halak replaces all this on-paper downside? I did not see goaltending as THE problem at five on five, or getting all those third period leads, and during the 17-5-2 road finish, or the same 55 points in final 48 games that meant a playoff spot in 2013.

I hardly saw goaltending as the problem at all, but many only watched six playoff games in two years, and ignored a prospect who won eleven games beating Boston/Rangers twice can't be the answer even with Kevin Poulin in goal during the teams longest road winning streak in twenty years. 

Snow agreed with those who watched the six playoff games, and changed both goaltenders. Halak is far better on paper for July (and from October-April) so we'll see.

The short version.


Radek Martinek Speaks From Europe

New York Islander Fan Central | 7/26/2014 05:50:00 PM |


NYIFC Comments:
Given Martinek exited witout an ITV video and was not quoted anywhere predating the Olympics, I wanted to post this in an entry for someone here almost his entire NHL career.


New York Resigns Kevin Poulin

New York Islander Fan Central | 7/24/2014 12:02:00 PM |

UMass Forwards Mike Pereira & Adam Phillips Signs With Bridgeport

New York Islander Fan Central | 7/23/2014 07:23:00 PM | |

New Haven Register has Pereira's comments on signing a one year-two way contract.

 Umass lists Michael Pereira as a forward, he signed an ATO with Worchester at the end of last season.

Ct Post: Michael Fornabaio reported on the Phillips signing.
Umass lists Adam Phillips as a forward in his profile.
Note-Mr Fornabio/Ct Post wrote about Phillips signing a week ago. 

Charles Wang Best Owner In New York/New Jersey Sports

New York Islander Fan Central | 7/19/2014 09:22:00 PM |
To say nothing of the countless taxpayer supported owners in modern facilities, like Craig Leipold of Nashville who cried poverty in a modern building in Nashville (now Minnesota) who still has his hands out for more taxpayer money.

Here's the truth, you don't have to like or read it, but someone needs to keep writing it.
This after years of not paying rent starting in the early 1980's, or threatening to move many times with baseball mayor Giuliani waving his Yankee hat. Wilpon only demaded the generational business there before Shea Stadium relocate on the taxpayer dime. And of course the baseball mayor was the first to call out the Tennis mayor for getting a new taxpayer stadium built in Flushing Meadows before he left office.


After getting a 1982 taxpayer gift that was supposed to be for only ten years, and low cost electricity. No Cablevision/Chase/ticket increase renovation no more 54 million dollar exemption checks from taxpayers every year.

Three teams that thanked the taxpayers by not even recognizing the state they play in anywhere in name or logo. 

You thought Mr Ratner paid for that building out of pocket with that smile? 

That would be after getting a taxpayer funded baseball stadium, milking Tiger Stadium for maintenance fees in a building that was not maintained, forcing it's demolition, and not paying rent for years or cable fees back to 1980 by an Amway sponsored team.

Yes, I know. Kevan Abrahams, Judy Jacobs, the injured list for Milbury/Snow are the only things longer since 2000 than that list of pathetic politicians.

Only thing more comical was listening to Steinbrenner bully, Randy Levine, berate Assemblyman, Richard Brodsky, with Yankee cheerleader Francesa blaming Brodsky for calling out a team for needing more taxpayer money for a steakhouse. Yes, Francesa is a friend of Wang and supported him getting taxpayer money while saying no team should get public support while every team did.

Would be fun to see him asked that question about the New York Islanders? Good week to visit Buffalo and get the Bills a new stadium or Terry Pegula some taxpayer money for his hockey real estate instead.

NY Times reported Dolan gave Cuomo another re-election check this week, Randi Marshall of Newsday who never met an campaign contribution article on Wang she did not report, stood muted about her employer as always. 


That would be prior to this ownership sharing AHL affiliates with everyone until Milbury pulled them in season. 

So much for that spending only for real estate theory. What a terrible person spending to a cap floor of fifty million (after being well above thirty/forty before any floor) in the only NHL building designed for a ten million dollar payroll. Mario sold off half his team with that Smg lease and the same treatment before the taxpayers, or slots licenses were approved. To say nothing about NYI qualifying for any revenue sharing until last summer for the first time ever.

Mr Wang, you could have said the man's name a lot more, it was his project too, and I remember the article about both of you partners in everything around 2005. He was/is the billion dollar developer.

Meanwhile the roof leaked, the sewage pipes bursts ruining them improved weight rooms Wang paid for.

Did you think Met fan Mario Cuomo celebrating outside of court at Madoff settlement with Fred Wilpon was getting only 600 million when Steinbrenner got 1.5 billion/more for soccer soon? Nope.

Wang hung a new scoreboard from Howard Milstein's hoists, the Coliseum had matrix boards before any local arena in 2001. 

And a NYC hyped superbowl. 

 Which is all they will do because our fans do not care, and Wang/does not speak up. And there are some reporters here and in Canada who never got over those four cups, they enjoy the extra kicks many teams who have never won a thing in this league with their own circus moves never receive.

New York Notables: Smitty, Trottier & Gilllies at Richard Pilon's Charity Event

New York Islander Fan Central | 7/17/2014 05:46:00 AM | | | |
The Peters and Pilon Celebrity Golf Tournament

7/17/14: This is our 9th year! This year we are paying tribute to the New York Islanders. Our celebrity guests are three Islander legends; Brian Trottier, Billy Smith, and Clark Gillies. They will be joining us on the golf course and will be taking part in a Hot-Stove interview at the Celebrity Banquet.

For more information please visit www.petersandpilon.ca
(link not working)

There are some great quotes from Billy Smith & Clark Gillies.

Smitty talks about the former teammates he went after who shot high at him in practice like it was yesterday. 






New York Resigns Calvin deHaan & Casey Cizikas.. Kabanov Waivers/Buyout

New York Islander Fan Central | 7/15/2014 05:20:00 PM | | |
Islanders website reports Calvin deHahn has been signed to a three year contract extension.  & Casey Cizikas has signed a two year extension.

NYIFC Comments:
Nice job by Snow/agents locking up deHaan, Cizikas.

Comments about Kabanov on twitter feed, never got past first season wrist injury. 

New York Re-Signs Matt Donovan for one year at $826,875

New York Islander Fan Central | 7/15/2014 02:00:00 AM | | |
7/15/14 Usatoday.com Mike Brehm Reported Matt Donovan has resigned a one-year extension on 7/14. 

sportreport.biz: Reports Justin DiBenedetto has signed in Germany.

NYIFC Comments:
The information on Donovan was posted ten hours earlier. Sadly, even the amateur fan websites produce team information faster than Newsday's Arthur Staple,  who should interview fewer bloggers, and provide our fans more news about the team like twenty nine professional beat-writers.

Anders Lee & Aaron Ness Resigned

New York Islander Fan Central | 7/11/2014 03:39:00 PM | | | | | | |


For New York A Time Of Mostly Meaningless Words/Notables

New York Islander Fan Central | 7/09/2014 09:48:00 AM |
Prospect camp is a positive thing, and a lot of fair reason to feel that way about the players given their upside/potential.

Beyond that Capuano saying jobs will be won based on how players work in camp mostly covers it.

As for the 2014-15/ prior entries back to last year say it all.

We'll know if the club is good enough when the puck drops, and we see if they are improved.

In July, it's just a lot of words with no value.........


New York's Mini-Camp Roster

New York Islander Fan Central | 7/03/2014 11:57:00 AM |
 Updated 7/8/14:
Islanders website updated player profiles of everyone in camp.

Kyle Schempp, who is majoring in physical therapy, said he had surgery three weeks after the end of the season, so he won't be able to participate in on-ice activities at the Islanders' rookie camp. However, he's still planning on going to New York to meet with members of the organization, and he's expected to be back to 100 percent by next season.

The dots are my poor attempt at identifying players invited to camp who are not part of the organization.

New York Signs Nikolai Kulemin & Mikhail Grabovski 4-year contracts

New York Islander Fan Central | 7/02/2014 06:02:00 PM | |
 Both Mikhail Grabovski and Nikolai Kulemin will take less in the first year of their new deals with the Islanders. Grabovski’s contract is $4M, $5M, $5M and $6M. Kulemin’s is $3M, then two years of $4.25M and a final year of $5.25M.

NHL's Worst Fan Support Since 1989/Selective Media Creating False Perception Sinks Wang/Snow Efforts Again In UFA

New York Islander Fan Central | 7/02/2014 05:20:00 PM |
Charles Wang again did his job, and more in a building with 1980 revenue streams, with AHL fan support.
A Saturday night crowd of 10,455 for an Islanders game against Florida. 10/30/2006 that has been the norm since the 88-89 season playoffs or no playoffs.

Wang opened his wallet, and authorized Garth Snow to make the contract offers he did.
A new owner/gm would do the same.

The front-loading/term was not a big factor this year. 

No, Jerome Iginla, Dan Boyle, and top free agents do not want to play their final games in front of 7,000 fans with Dolan+2 print/television coverage hiding the club to drive away the remaining fans as they slam the club from Ranger practice in Greenberg, New York or Canada. not Oilers, Leafs, Flames/house teams

I guess Doug Weight was the exception.

Of course those slams never come from full time daily writers traveling with the team, that would require those outlets spending to their own cap floor, and having one.


Folks do not believe me that playing in front of empty seats effects a team? Ok, go ask Brendan Witt in Oct 2006, same story win or lose, playoffs or not since 1989.

Owners come/go.


Garth Snow's Comments On Day One Of Free Agency

New York Islander Fan Central | 7/01/2014 08:54:00 PM |
Islanders website Garth Snow's comments on day one of free agency. 
7/1: Ct Post Snow also spoke about his depth, and some of the new signings commented.


Three players, center Cory Conacher, goaltender Chad Johnson and defenseman T.J. Brennan received one-way deals from the Islanders, while Kael Mouillierat, David Leggio, Jack Skille and Harry Zolniercyk received two-way contracts.

“Cory is a young player who has had a lot of success at the AHL and NHL levels.” Islanders General Manager Garth Snow said. “For us, the versatility to move him around the lineup was appealing.”

“We had a need for a backup goalie and Johnson had an excellent season last year,” Snow said. “We feel that he’s going to be more than capable to partner up with Halak. He’s someone who we’ve watched in the AHL and last year was his first stint in the NHL and he performed at a high level.”

 As the first day of free agency became the first night of free agency, Snow confirmed that pitches and negotiations were ongoing.

 “We’re always looking to improve the team,” Snow said. “We feel we’ve accomplished that today with our signings. We will continue to look at other possible options to help our team return to the playoffs.”

NYIFC Comments: 
What would you have me write?

New York Signs Cory Conacher/AHL Signings

New York Islander Fan Central | 7/01/2014 06:31:00 PM | | | | | |

#isles sign G David Leggio to 2-way deal.

Kael Mouillierat resigned a 2-way deal returning to organization. 

 Jack Skille has also signed a 2-way deal

Evgeny Nabokov has signed with Tampa.

New York Signs AHL Defender T.J Brennan

New York Islander Fan Central | 7/01/2014 01:11:00 PM |
NYIFC Comments: Something has to give on defense, too many signed at all levels.

New York Signs Goaltender Chad Johnson

New York Islander Fan Central | 7/01/2014 12:31:00 PM |