The Twitter box goes up at 12pm Friday as UFA begins. Quickest way to post the signings/ provide brief analysis here. Plenty of radio/media outlets on the sidebar to watch/listen in free agency section.
New York Islanders: Announced their 2011-12 preseason schedule. Training camp will be at the Nassau Coliseum.
Fri Sep 23 at Bruins 7:00 PM TD Bank North Garden
Sat Sep 24 vs Devils 7:00 PM Nassau Coliseum
Tue Sep 27 at Flames 9:00 PM Scotiabank Saddledome
Fri Sep 30 at Devils 7:00 PM Prudential Center
Sat Oct 1 vs Bruins 7:00 PM Webster Bank Arena/Bridgeport
NYIFC Comments:
No split-squad games, two road trips, and this year we did not have to piece it together from other teams sites. A second home game in Bridgeport is also a nice bonus.
Ct Post: Michael Fornabaio reports on the game and Bridgeport has resigned, Benn Olson, to an AHL contract.
Sporting News: Reports Christian Ehrhoff signed a ten year contract with Buffalo, forty million dollars, massively front-loaded with eighteen million being paid in the first two season.
NYIFC Comments:
Congratulations to Christian Ehrhoff. He is entitled to make the most money he can as per the CBA, Buffalo is allowed to massively front-load the deal per the rules.
The countless entries here on front-loading speak for themselves, with the damage it is doing to the NHL. In NYIFC viewpoint the Islanders made the correct decision to negotiate and move on quickly if that kind of money is what it took.
Ehrhoff knew little about Buffalo, a lot of calling around. In the end it comes down to money (upfront) from a new owner in the honeymoon period, financial security.
NOTABLES/FREE AGENCY:
My viewpoint on UFA is I would try a brief quick hit on Erik Cole, and push a trade involving Blake Comeau/Hunter with Mottau/Eaton/Jurcina for a quality defender.
Frans Nielsen is included if another team wants him, as he enters his final year before UFA if that brings a prime defender. Great intangibles, but his lack of five on five scoring at this point is something this team cannot carry as Bailey develops.
If not, I would resign Radek Martinek, who is a better defensive defender on the list of available players out of the remaining players, or see who can win a spot between Wishart, deHaan and the clubs prospects. Donovan, Ness or Katic could be the answer when camp opens.
With the production from Moulson, Grabner and Comeau, a left wing upgrade is far from a necessity or a trade of Comeau, but Cole brings intangibles that are hard to find.
Comeau could hit thirty goals next year, his production over six month is spotty, but the final numbers do not lie, he could produce a bigger number than Cole.
Having written that, the last two years he was silent offensively when he was needed to produce most.
No interest in the older retreads like McCabe, Kaberle or Hamrlik on the backline.
No interest in a massive front-loaded contract to Brad Richards, who will want a NMC and will be a concussion risk, plus brought little success to Dallas. With Tavares, Bailey, Nielsen, Strome, Cizikas, Ullstrom in the middle, it makes no sense to be interested in Richards.
The next fighter by appointment does not interest me unless he can provide a plus rating, with some goals to match.
If that's Zenon Konopka, fine.
If it's someone else, that's fine too.
The fourth line cannot be an even or a minus, it has to be a plus.
Cablevision owned Newsday, will keep it as negative as possible for their competition on all fronts regarding our team, while over-hyping their own properties.
Ted Drury was treated better by the New York Islanders, Yashin looked like Yzerman here by comparison.
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