Islander News Articles 6/27

New York Islander Fan Central | 6/27/2010 11:43:00 AM |
One of my favorite days of the year.

Today/tomorrow some professional media needing page views must do an eye-candy, winners/losers draft article for something it could take five to ten years to determine, about kids most know absolutely nothing about, and in most cases likely never even saw them play one minute of hockey in person.

The writers who do these kind of articles are the only real losers, take the day off or just go make some calls, provide some background information on these young players because that's what winners do with their space for the fans.

Winners/Losers articles are for players you see play each game, and for trades/upcoming UFA, not this, and many of them turn out wrong.

But this is done now because it's necessary so some can get their page views.

The CHL Import Draft is Tuesday at 9am, but most of the Islander current selections are committed to school. It could be a possibility Kirill Kabanov's CHL rights are moved here to another team.

AP: Recaps many of the trades made during the weekend.

NY Daily News: Ranger beatwriter Michael Obernaure actually had to use his Ranger blog to to discuss, Kirill Kabanov, giving us some stories from former Islander, Gordie Clark, about the Isles pick.

NYIFC Comments:
Imagine if Peter Botte was sent, given a full-time New York Islander blog, and the proper space each day to cover the team? Always great listening to the newly drafted players correctly call our team, New York.

In the comedy department, Larry Brooks writes the Hall Of Fame selection process is tainted by personal agendas and long-standing grudges because Pat Burns was not selected, adding they have no accountability, credibility, or heart.

NYIC Comments:
Kind of like Mr Brooks and the writers, who constantly snubs players, coaches, or league executives because of long-standing grudges in the many things they control the voting for?

Make no mistake, I have a lot of respect for Pat Burns and what he's going through is beyond terrible. His hockey record, for me, does not indicate he should be inducted the first time around as a coach.

Oh yes, the same 2003 Devils that won the Stanley Cup under Pat Burns, that Mr Brooks writes is comparatively weak, gave the MVP to the goalie from the losing Ducks team that year, snubbing Martin Brodeur.

After three articles selling Rangers (likely written only to keep the Post from making him go cover Yankees-Dodger baseball as an extra) he devoted one Kabanov quote, to the Islander draft Sunday.

Montreal Gazette via Edmonton Journal: Jim Matheson repeats many of Kirill Kabanov's comments from Saturday, then surprisingly claims the general consensus is the Islanders sold junior hotshot John Tavares to their fans so he had to be selected him when they had second thoughts before the draft and seriously considered taking Matt Duchene instead, also that Duchene looks like a more well-rounded center with the Colorado Avalanche.

NYIFC Comments:
Mr Mathewson usually seems to have it in for the Islanders in his shock-jock column and today was no different. I have no doubt if Kabanov was drafted by Edmonton, he would not have made claims about where anyone supposedly slinked, because his job as an Edmonton Oilers salesman is to sell the home team, that just fired/retired it's head coach.

As for John Tavares vs Matt Duchene, the Islanders did not have to sell anything to anyone, because this was done by Canadian media for years.

I have no doubt a year from now if Tyler Seguin is doing better than Taylor Hall, considering the disparity in talent between Edmonton and Boston, Mr Mathewson will be among the first to point out that Seqiun's supporting cast is why he seems the more well-rounded player vs the new home-town media ticket for the Edmonton Journal.

I hope Mr Mathewson understands there was a talent disparity between Colorado and New York last season from day one, just as there is in Tampa Bay who had LeCavalier, StLouis, and others to mentor Steven Stamkos the year before.

Make no mistake, Matt Duchene is an outstanding your talent, as is Taylor Hall, and Tyler Sequin, but to claim after a single season anyone is more well-rounded than the other and what Islander management was doing last summer is a poor job.

As for Islander management, Edmonton is paying Robert Nilsson and Ryan O'Marra.

Fox Sports: Reports a record twenty two players out of high school were drafted which is a new record, and has a few words from Islander draft pick, Ben Nelson, about his selection.

NYIFC Comments:
It's great this many high school prospects were drafted. Having written this between the salary cap, cost of employing scouts with travel expenses, the problems with transfer agreements/KHL, the two year rule with regard to signing North American drafted prospects, it's a safer cost-effective strategy to draft out of high school.

What's next for the Islanders is we see who they qualify, I have read two items from professional media that claim 6/28, I have now seen two others write 6/30, so I give up.

Try to remember the Islanders can only have fifty contracts and look at the roster going into Thursday knowing there are very few spots available for UFA, unless the general manager subtracts someone. If I am correct, Dustin Kohn has to be brought to the NHL, and that may apply to Dylan Reese.

Add that to MacDonald, Streit, Gervais, Martinek, Hillen plus perhaps a spot left open for deHaan, Harmonic and there is no room to give Andy Sutton or Anton Volchenkov (insert x defender) a multi-million dollar contract.

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