Islander Saturday notables

New York Islander Fan Central | 6/28/2008 05:33:00 PM | | | | | | |
Newsday: Greg Logan does a Saturday blog with comments from Wade Dubielewicz agent Kurt Overhardt about negotiations with the Isles and what's ahead for Dubie in Russia.

Mr Logan is promising a Sunday article article about a failed deal at the February
26th trade deadline last season and a look ahead to the opening of the NHL
free-agent market on Tuesday and the problems Snow faces signing anyone.

NYI Fan Central Comments:
How long has Mr Logan been holding the information about this deal Snow tried to make at the trade deadline from the fans. Was he saving it for release just before July 1st to stir up some more negative fan reaction about the club?

All I know is it took a question from a fan in a chat a week ago for Mr Logan to finally tell us something about Sean Bergenheim's contract negotiations even though he knew all this when he interviewed Marc Gandler a few weeks ago because he said so in his chat begging the question what has he been he waiting for?

I guess it's time for our friends at Newsday to get out that perception all over North America no one wants to sign here just in case a few players and their agents have not read it yet from our primary paper yet.

I hope Mr Logan will report how few spots are actually available on this roster and to try and sign an UFA means a prospect may have to go before likely telling us why no one will want to sign here once again.

Of course what I do not expect to read is players like Zdeno Chara to Boston (among countless examples) if the money is right practically anyone in this league would play anywhere, regardless of what the locker room area looked like or the club on paper.

Lets see Wade Redden or Brian Campbell turn down nine million to play here for the next five years if no other club offered it? My guess is regardless of how small the Islander lockeroom is will no longer matter. Think Jagr would refuse to sign here for that kind of money considering how much the Islanders have beaten the Rangers the last two seasons?

Next time a free agent turns down an offer well above market to sign here will be the first.

Of course it's been a long time since this franchise made an above market offer for a prime unrestricted free agent.

Tsn.ca: Report Tampa Bay traded a fourth round pick to Pittsburgh to negotiate with Gary Roberts and Ryan Malone exclusively until Tuesday.

Updated 8pm:
Tsn.ca: Report the Atlanta Thrashers have placed former Islander Alexei Zhitnik on waivers.

NYI Fan Central Comments:
Interesting but not completely unexpected given his age and the contract the Islanders signed him to a few years ago. For those who recall this was not Garth Snow's signing after the lockout so I do not expect interest from the Islander general manager.