Worcester New ECHL Affiliate 4/27 Announcement

New York Islander Fan Central | 4/27/2017 03:38:00 PM |
Worcester NHL affiliation announced 4/27

Telegram.com: Reports this is only a one-year affiliation but both hope it continues beyond that. Video of NYI brass at facility.

NYIFC Comments: 
This is the first one year agreement for NYI going through the long history with the ECHL, all of them have been two years so read what you will there.

Nothing to add since January when the first entries were posted here about this.  Welcome to Worcester, Thank You Missouri.

Sad day for Ken Morrow, who was at the Missouri press conference two years ago. 

NY Resigns Seidenberg/Notable

New York Islander Fan Central | 4/25/2017 08:23:00 AM |
Islanders website: Release on Seidenberg re-signing

NYIFC Comments:
Anyone who thinks he was given over a million dollars not to play the same role with the same minutes, has not been paying attention. Steady player, +25, veteran leader with cup experience.

Good resigning, up to prospects to beat him out for his spot. Cannot have enough depth on defense.
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A quick update to my last entry, see no reason at this time to shut things down until the draft or later. Simply do not need a break.

So Nashville with the exact same record as the Islanders is a cup contender, and the other is a catastrophe?

Sorry, not buying false narratives, even if Snow needs to be replaced.

94 points here is same in Nashville, Calgary in a 14-16 conference format?

New York Notables: Season Summary/Look Ahead

New York Islander Fan Central | 4/14/2017 08:47:00 AM |
Unless official news on the Islanders website, it's time for a break which I expect lasts until the NHL draft at the very least. (prospect site will be updated)

The only lease or arena news I'm interested in comes off the teams website, enough people going for page views or Dolan's puppets who are not credible.

Either folks understand the Dolan family has owned Newsday since 2008, and News12LI for a generation & did everything via their business & sports writers to defeat the Lighthouse Project, then 2011 referendum so Dolan could bid in 2013 to turn the Coliseum into the Rangers AHL home, and are not partners, friends or neighbors simply don't get it or care to.

Dolan wants NYI out of NY market, his 300 million back in his bank account through 2031 for the television contract, and full territorial rights in five boroughs and Long Island, with their AHL team at Coliseum, and other programming replacing crumbs our team gets on their joke of a television network.

Whatever you think of Mangano, or Ratner, Dolan lost 2013 bid for Coliseum because Mangano's committee did not want to give them more tax exemptions or full real estate rights to HUB so it's been nothing but one vendetta or another since. (while Cuomo's Albany feels they are entitled to a permanent tax exemption of close to fifty million a year on Chase-sponsored Garden)

To say nothing of Ranger fan Sheldon Silver, Joe Percoco scandals that lead directly from Albany to Chase Garden.

Randi Marshall, Robert Brodsky, Jim Baumbach (rehired by Dolan in 2010) and Ranger fan Staple write what Dolan's editors permit (with least Islander coverage/glass always empty) which means to whatever serves Dolan's interest or they go find another job with a big black mark on their resume. 

Since 2012 I wrote Dolan would do everything in his power to drive the New York Islanders out of New York City with every negative narrative they could create and push via the outlets they own and control.

This team needs to stay at Barclay's any way possible, and build up it's NYC fan-base, the numbers are good on weekends, and if it takes a decade (even with Dolan hiding them at every chance) they will build on what already is a good NYC following.  It took a decade + in Washington, the Devils still have problems on weeknights in Newark.

And the Rangers have plenty of ads for individual tickets, and empty seats themselves, it's hockey, not basketball. 

This has been a New York team since 1972, a large majority of the fans came from watching games on WOR in seventies from inside NYC, and as Wang said before the referendum vote in 2011 unscripted forty percent of season tickets were from inside NYC. (despite how low season ticket numbers were)

Negotiations are from now through 12/31/17 on a new lease, then from 1/1/18 to 1/30/18 we see if one or both sides opt out.

No one opts out the lease runs until 2040. 

Nassau does not work, has not worked since 1989, NYI needs to be a NYC team, and fight to improve it's professional media coverage, and eliminate credentials for all bloggers. (including those who are Stan Fischler's interns)

And most fans are smart enough to understand these amateur bloggers/pod casters want a job in media, and know bringing up Dolan is a bad career move as his long media arm can open or close doors for them permanently. The Islanders are an easy target with no media reach or ability to respond so they get hammered. 

The former Ranger beatwriters from Daily News who run NHL.com, and made a career knocking them in print would fire Brian Compton for a younger, cheaper writer if he did not sell the Islanders the way the Garden/Dolan want it.

Basically the best narrative to explain NHL.com coverage would be Rose and Kris King (former Ranger/NHL SVP) try to justify Vanek's no-goal with a straight face, they know what they cannot talk about which could have resume changing ramifications.

Either fans are smart enough to understand what's happening or they don't. Best way you can help this franchise is to fill seats at Barclay's and defeat the false narratives created. 

The Sound Tigers basically have to win or face a season where they will miss the playoffs in the division they are in vs finishing first in the other division. Worcester will be announced as the new ECHL affiliate when the current season is concluded.

Updated: Bridgeport lost 7-0/eliminated from playoff contention. 

As for the final NHL standings what can be written? Most years I write here it takes fifteen games over to qualify, that's what it took. Those fans/media on 6-3-1 bandwagon were wrong, 9-3-1 was not enough.

No team for a third straight year had a worse schedule, and this was the worst schedule of all. This team basically lived in hotels for the final month and a half, coming home was a one-day cameo. The Winnipeg cancelled game at Devils gave them a rest, and some time to practice, while the Islanders were exhausted entering that game.

Two years ago it took seventeen games over for the 8th seed, and in this division the Islanders would have been the 8th seed if they were nineteen games over.

My thoughts on Garth Snow are simple, eleven years is enough. This was the new majority owners chance to prove things have changed, and now they will pay at the box office. If Weight is the correct choice it should not have been Snow's decision to make.

Snow should not have picked any coach, his successor should have decided on Weight or someone with real experience, who has not been an assistant since 2011-12, and assistant gm since June 2014, with a power-play he could not improve.

Weight rarely had the chance to run real practices with 40 games in 75 days during his tenure, he has zero coaching experience, and being a good quote wears off fast if you don't win. Also many of his decisions were boom or bust gambles. In elimination games Hickey played left wing, while the 5th overall pick who plays left wing was not recalled.

Snow is great at always making sure there is depth around, even for meaningless games, I think Weight just went with his gut. He had some of those big losses, I kept asking here why they never lose badly during the first half.

Despite Weight's record the big losses arrived.

Not about Snow's decisions in a terrible market last summer, and Ladd was hardly a poor decision but has to produce more overall. Nielsen was an awful decision for Detroit who finished -20.

Okposo is a good player, and was the best right wing available, Snow left himself open there, and when you saw Clutterbuck as your most qualified RW, there is a problem, but they could have resigned Okposo, and had the same problem.

Overall it took too long for the new players to adjust here, whether Ladd was hurt or not. Chimera changed positions, and despite goal totals, how he got there did not help. Kulemin had a good year, Clutterbuck seemed like he could not keep gutting it out after doing it so many times the previous year.  Quine/Prince could not settle into a position long enough, or were hurt too often.

Bailey had his best year, but when he disappeared offensively it was noticeable. Ho-Sang will have to keep improving, and get his twenty goals to contribute. Write what you like about Nelson but a 6'3 230lb center at age 25 with three straight 20 goal/40 point seasons has value.

I understood the need to carry three goaltenders to start the season, and even though Halak has the highest ceiling, and proved it at the WC, he put the organization in this spot with his constant groin injuries, and something behind the scenes which makes other teams always trade him. The odds of him being healthy the entire season were long.

Halak/Berube have the same agent, Mr Walsh decided it was best for Berube to chance sitting again, and receive NHL money over AHL money, and work elsewhere, so no sympathy there.

No knock on Berube for me, he got seven starts, and had points in five of them. Halak/Greiss lost games in regulation to the teams he won or got a point against. 

Defensively Boychuk's loss was a big factor, Hamonic had a very rough year as if his injuries caught up with him. Seidenberg was the defender they needed for years at +25, but he's keeping Pulock off the defense so pick your alternative. Hickey struggled, de-Haan was excellent, as was Leddy.

Outside of Seidenberg everyone is signed, they have a ton of options, and some players who merit a look in Bridgeport. I don't think Mayfield (signed for next season) would clear waivers again, Pelech is a RFA.

My expansion draft guess is Strome or Nelson are claimed unless someone waives their NTC like Boychuk, or Ladd. If that is the case my guess is deHaan is selected. 

Most of this team will return because they are signed, it's not a league of big trades any longer with a cap, and those thinking Snow should have built a team like Pittsburgh/Chicago/Tampa/Edmonton did are not realistic, the NYI did not own the top of the lottery (besides Tavares pick) or in an era all those franchise players got the front-loaded money for over a decade you cannot sign players for in this CBA.

Tavares (like Stamkos) has until 6/31/18 to resign, the notion it must be done a year early is a Staple narrative, not reality for other pending UFA simply to stir the pot.

If Tavares wants to resign he will. Lee keeps proving he's a top line talent regardless who he plays with.

New York Hires Doug Weight As Head Coach

New York Islander Fan Central | 4/12/2017 11:45:00 AM |
Weight video for over seven minutes on 4/12 from Northwell.


 Islanders website: Release on Weight hiring, Snow/player comments.


NYIFC Comments:  
It's not unheard of that an outgoing president-gm hires a coach, and is dismissed afterward so stay tuned, but the fans will not support Snow, and it goes on the new owners if he stays.

Eleven years is enough & if Mr Ledecky-Malkin do not understand this they have not done a good job on their listening tour, and will lose plenty of season ticket holders.

Either they get that or they don't.

This was their moment to make a statement, after eleven years it should have been a very easy one because their expectations for this season were not met. 

Weight should not have be re-hired by Snow, he should have been fired or reassigned to accommodate whatever his contract terms are.

Snow's successor should have hired Weight. 

No knock on Weight, who will have mostly the same team return, but when the quotes go stale, and the team starts struggling, it will be on him from day one, along with a power-play he could not improve as a head coach or an assistant coach, he has zero coaching experience beyond being an assistant here since 2011-12 or as an assistant gm since June 2014. 

Staple apparently needed a year since last June (via NHL sources/aka former Rangers beat-writers in Manhattan) as he was headed to cover his employers hockey playoffs (with that glass completely filled) to claim Snow was given a long-term contract?

Personally I think that was his parting shot as he leaves this beat for good. 


New York Exit Interviews (Video)

New York Islander Fan Central | 4/10/2017 02:13:00 PM |
Islanders website has the players 4/10 exit interviews on video.

NYI Central Comments: 
Anything without Dolan media arm directly from players on video is of value.  

New York Wins 5th Straight But Eliminated

New York Islander Fan Central | 4/08/2017 10:46:00 PM |
What can be written? The players dressed/Halak left it all on the table, and won their 5th straight game 4-2 in New Jersey with Tavares/several players out.

They will exit this season with their heads held high. Some will try, and help Bridgeport qualify for their playoffs. 

New York will have one final game at home Sunday.

This team has spent about one day in their own beds over the final two weeks, after the horrible road schedule before that. The team that won it's first road game in late November (14rd shootout) finished the season two games over on the road.

It's the first time a New York Islander team with 92 or more points missed the playoffs, many qualified with less points.
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As for what happens next, it's crossroads time for Jon Ledecky-Scott Malkin as owners. What they do or fail to do with Garth Snow will be their legacy, and how they are perceived by the customers from this point on.

Their expectations were not met for the payroll, Garth Snow had eleven years/the last three with a very high payroll, this is not 2000 where Milbury was retained because he did not get a fair chance.

Snow will be hired elsewhere as a gm or in a front-office, he's proven his ability, but the fans want a clear message things have changed. Nothing short of Snow's dismissal as quickly as possible will be accepted.

New York Playoff Path-Short Version/Okposo Released From Hospital

New York Islander Fan Central | 4/07/2017 02:35:00 PM |
Great news on Okposo.
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Two wins both in regulation or overtime. (ROW) Shootout wins no good, would have to pull goaltender/score before OT expires.

Toronto can lose one game in a shootout, or both games in regulation. Anything else eliminates NY.

Garth Snow loves having extra depth around (as we see in goal at NHL/AHL level) so I do think this is one of Doug Weight's boom or bust decisions.

In March 2014 Snow flew Johan Sundstrom into Tampa for a game that meant absolutely nothing. (remember 14 round shootout?)

For this team to go 7 defense it usually meant being on west coast with one game left on a trip.

This team had two days to find a replacement for Hickey on left wing, & their 5th overall pick (Michael Dal Colle) playing left wing in Bridgeport, & had Kearns/others capable of playing wing ready in case Kulemin could not go.

They played a career defender in an elimination game, as a second line left wing.

I want them to get in the playoffs, but to not write about it would be a mistake.

Kyle Okposo At Hospital/Intensive Care

New York Islander Fan Central | 4/05/2017 08:15:00 PM |
NYIFC Comments: Obviously a very serious health issue for someone who's been out a while, but no idea if related. Hoping for absolute best for Okposo, and beyond concerned based on what's being reported.

New York Notables

New York Islander Fan Central | 4/03/2017 07:45:00 AM |
Here we are four games left, Ottawa free falls continues NY runs table (3-0) without Tavares/others, we have a head to head game 4/9 for a playoff spot but Tampa would also have to lose a few.

Likely? No, but NYI ran out of gas on road, blew leads all season to put them in this spot, and the lack of days off caught up with them. No team kept playing on one days rest for this long, home and away.

Winnipeg came in tired, but their game vs Devils was snowed out, they got to practice/recharge. 

They put up a good fight all things considered, but some players struggled here from game one.

I fully expect Jon Ledecky to react strongly/swiftly to his expectations not being met, it's not 2000. Garth Snow had 11 years, it's time to send the customers a message or it will be Mr Ledecky's legacy.

Whoever comes in must decide who is coach, Weight could not turn around powerplay, his gambles were boom or huge bust. What he proved most is fans like comments/communication, tough to do in Dolan's media. 

Unless you felt Okposo was the answer last summer it was a loss they could not compensate for in UFA, the market being bad (again) was not on Snow, who landed a good player when he finally got healthy in Ladd.

Nielsen was a huge dodged bullet. 

Chimera will get close to 20 but disappeared, Kulemin replaced #15's numbers who seemed to have his injuries catch up to him, same with Hamonic.

Given where Halak was last summer, Berube needed to be resigned, and he got a one-way deal for his role.

For all the grief Berube received he got points in five of his seven starts.

#72, 66 had some good starts, we'll see as the league catches up to them & Dal Colle/Barzal push for NHL spots on a team where almost everyone is already signed.

Hopefully we have some Bridgeport playoff games, eighteen over/barely holding on to final spot. 
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Clutterbuck is in room with team daily, and is Tavares friend, his sentiment is likely shared by players about ice, but Tavares was not injured by Barclay's ice or did his heel dig in. (unlike anywhere else)

My twitter feed has images of what happened (skate on skate with Devil/other skate kept stepping on back of net mesh, he lost balance, and did splits. His heel never touched ice or got caught in rut.

But hey, it's like Espn player polls on worst ice, when players polled all pick Dolan's building (Pittsburgh, Chicago, LA) the article disappeared fast to no attention.

Bloggers, media needing these teams, and their media, know it's a bad career move to touch it.

Kind of like Ozanian figuring out he could not add, guilty until proven innocent for every aspect of what happens around this franchise. 

Negative news about Barclay's is exaggerated all across North America immediately, Dolan has influence of a lot of that media or helps float the narrative. 

Tavares where I sit has until 6/31/18 to be resigned, no one must be resigned a year early and if Stamkos can wait, so can Tavares, who I believe will resign.

It's time for Staple to move on to his next career, one lazy writer having this much light on him paid by the family of another NHL team is awful for NYI.  
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The Coliseum looks fantastic, it will never be the NYI home again.

Thrilled the alumni stayed away from ribbon cutting, some Islander fans finally got the message Nassau never cared about this team, kind of like the fans always at bottom in attendance.

Nothing but excuses. 25 years of being at the bottom of attendance is enough. Barclay's is home.

Dolan will not approve six games & their newspaper/News12LI cannot discuss his role in this or writers will lose their jobs. They lost 2013 bid, Ratner won so they will have to pay for lost games or ask Mangano to give them a break or a million per year, but given the renovation price went from 130 million to 165 million, and a lot more money is coming from private investment brought in by Barclay's and FCR, Nassau seems ok with it. 

For the New York Islanders, it's Barclay's/inside NYC or out of town, it's that simple for a franchise that's proven the fans will not support the team in Nassau County 41 times. Nothing else should work for Malkin-Ledecky.

I see the usual 14-15,000 crowds on weekends with all negative media trying to get them out of  Barclay's, same as I wrote last season as the overall avg was 14,200 from Dec through Feb.

To me Barclay's has been a huge success for NYI, despite selective media spin since 2012 to defeat it almost daily.