Qualifying Offers Deadline 6/30..Weak UFA Market 7/1

New York Islander Fan Central | 6/30/2014 08:02:00 AM |
Anders Lee, Calvin deHaan, Casey Cizikas & Anders Nilsson/Kevin Poulin, Aaron Ness, Matt Donovan were all given qualifying offers on Monday 6/30.

Matt Mangene, Marc Cantin, and Joey Diamond were not qualified, and are now UFA. 

If the player accepts the offer, he is signed, if not accepted, a contract has to be worked out.

Anders Nilsson needed an offer for the team to keep his NHL rights.
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UFA:  
I understand that many of our fans just want never ending Milbury plans or rotisserie hockey,  that should not be the approach here.

Perhaps Garth Snow is desperate, and needs a Milbury trade (or three) to get  his championship players  qualify for the playoffs/make a significant run at a stanley cup, and keep his job.

I liked the team that finished with 55 points in their final 48 games (same as 2013 playoffs) & the 17-5-2 road record in the final 24 games

That is not something to completely disregard. 

I'm not a fan of making moves simply for the sake of making them, a lot of mediocrity out there, not worth signing someone to take a potential roster spot from a young player. 

Even if they signed here please don't tell me Matt Niskanen, Dan Boyle, Christian Ehrhoff, Ed Jovanowski are the answer at over payments to fixing the Islanders defense, along with many of the other retreads.

As with the forwards many are too old, most are too inconsistent or limited. Some would help here, but not worth a massive overpayment which is what it usually takes.

Trades?
I would have been very happy to see Snow do a sign/trade with Boyle. 

No first round pick to trade in a deal, would like to get one back instead. No interest in moving the core young players Lee, Strome, Nelson, or Okposo, Bailey, Grabner, Nielsen unless the return brings a star talent, in his prime, signed long term. (not for two years)

If moving Clutterbuck, Matt Martin, Casey Cizikas, McDonald improves the club, you do it in a second, same with Brian Strait, Carkner. (return price for all of them would be very low)

No idea what will happen with goaltending, Nabokov's best chance at starting for an extended period may still be here, but not at his former price. A lot of names on market, many younger with middling stats but perhaps better suited to be a backup?

I prefer they stick with Kevin Poulin, who a lot of years/time/money have been invested in, his six game road winning streak was the highest in twenty years last season for this franchise. 

New York Notables

New York Islander Fan Central | 6/29/2014 01:06:00 PM | | | | |
Star Phoenix: Lukas Sutter discusses being drafted a second time in two years by the Islanders.

Boston.com: Had Tsn personalities, Craig Button, Jamie McLennan and Dave Reid discuss and analyze the New York Islanders young players in their farm system on video during the second day of the NHL draft.

Devon Toews & Kyle Schempp both spoke on the clubs website or their twitter accounts.

Ilya Sorokin is signed for the next three seasons in the KHL, there is a quote he in sport.ru, that he was never contacted by the Islanders, was surprised he was selected in the third round, and remembers Nabokov, Yashin, but little else.

Linus Soderstrom is signed for the next two seasons in the SEL.
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Qualifying offers next up.

Ehrhoff becomes the latest to prove with UFA they want their money up front, before teams buy them out, and they already have most of their money beforehand. 
New York Islander Fan Central | 6/28/2014 04:41:00 PM |

New York Final Selections Kyle Schempp & Lukas Sutter

New York Islander Fan Central | 6/28/2014 12:34:00 PM | |
 ferrisstatebulldogs.com profile page, stats, and highlights.




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NYIFC Comments:
As written above, uncle Dwayne, Brent.

New York Selects D Devon Toews

New York Islander Fan Central | 6/28/2014 11:53:00 AM |
quinnipiacbobcats.com statistics for Devon Toews




New York Selects Goaltender Linus Soderstrom

New York Islander Fan Central | 6/28/2014 11:44:00 AM |
Is signed through 2015-16 in SEL.
New York has selected  goaltender Linus Soderstrom of Djurgården of the SEL


New York Selects Goaltender Ilya Sorokin

New York Islander Fan Central | 6/28/2014 11:18:00 AM |
Signed in KHL through 2016-17. The New York Islanders have selected goaltender Ilya Sorokin with the 78th pick in the 2014 NHL entry draft.


New York Trades Pick 65 To Florida

New York Islander Fan Central | 6/28/2014 10:58:00 AM |
NYIFC Comments:
Did Snow just miss out on Dominic Turgeon?

New York Trades Picks 35/57 For Josh Ho-Sang At 28

New York Islander Fan Central | 6/27/2014 10:06:00 PM |
Garth Snow traded picks 35/57 to Tampa Bay for the 28th overall selection where they have selected Josh Ho-Sang.





NYIFC Comments:
Kirill Kabanov revisited, it's a boom or bust for a prospect many teams said they would not touch, and not the trade up for Brock Nelson in a better pool of talent. In this draft class, it's not a bad gamble with his obvious skill to cash in pick #57. One thing for sure, he's highly outspoken given his comments.

One of the two players who's video I did watch, some nice goals, few on outside shots, many on broken plays.

Reading the articles about him, he seemed to be treated a lot like the team that drafted him, by some media, which means he will have no help at all with the worst media for any team in North America covering him.

I'm aware of Garth Snow's comments, only interested in the hockey.  NBCSN loves ending draft coverage on time.
 

New York Selects LW Michael Dal Colle

New York Islander Fan Central | 6/27/2014 07:49:00 PM |
The New York Islanders have selected LW Michael Dal Colle with the 5th overall selection in the 2014 NHL entry draft. 




“Drafting a player of Michael’s caliber is another building block in what is an important offseason for the organization,” Snow said. “We’re excited to see him develop into another key piece of our core. Michael has top-end offensive skill, paired with two-way instincts and hockey sense, which are assets we are thrilled to add to the Islanders.”


Islanders website profile pre-draft.


NYIFC Comments:
I wrote the entry at around 2:30pm.  Exactly what's needed over a two year rental for a pending UFA. Bridgeport very weak in prospects, and this is a solid offensive talent.



New York Draft Notables

New York Islander Fan Central | 6/27/2014 02:45:00 PM |
Not expecting anything major from Garth Snow, or in general around the league in terms of major trades beyond those players who have demanded trades to teams of their choice.

Yes, Kessler got his trade, no doubt Spezza will also.

With the NHL today all the top free agents signed long-term deals with a no trade/move clause, it's not something you can quickly engineer without player/agent approval at any time much less during a draft on live television.

Even Garrison had his NTC which he had to waive to be moved to Tampa to pay less taxes on his contract.

To get something done on draft day, or at the podium it takes deals involving fringe players with no trade refusal rights or just moving picks. Granted Staal, Schneider were host team draft moves that were not inexpensive but projected well in advance.

A lot more rhetoric/hype than trades, as usual.

Will the free agent discussion period that opened 6/25 change anything today or Saturday? No, beyond the fact Snow has days to talk to free agents who are usually signed by 1pm on 7/1 before he likely picks up the phone or after it's decided.

It's a nice showcase for others to claim how aggressive he's been recruiting.

Does it influence a player to sign with the Islanders (not front-loaded) on 7/1.

History says no because all top free agents want front-loaded money only.

Interesting to see if Charles Wang is at the draft table/interviews for ITV... I'm betting absolutely.

One for one..




As for Friday night, I have a 7:46 entry on Michael Dal Colle I hope can be posted. Not as big on the potentially lower scoring Reinhart simply to unite the brothers.

Bad Marketing 101: Brett Yormark/Brooklyn Strategy (9/3/13)

New York Islander Fan Central | 6/25/2014 07:29:00 AM |
It's pointless to re-write the same entries.

What I can add is Michael Yormark left a similar job with one of the lowest attendance NHL teams in Florida since this was written in September 2013, and it was made clear outside of the Islander campus to be constructed in the Barclay's Center this is how it will be in October 2015.

My honest impression is Brett Yormark's not very good at his job, or the people who hired him demanded this is how they want things done, and do not know what they are doing.

Mr Yormark is not responsible for the badly misguided Long Island mantra that this teams management has advertised since the organization first went on-line, and back to 1972 far too often.

NEW YORK, Mr Yormark, every single release, ad, interview, third jersey......................NEW YORK.
 
That's how you fill the building, and make profits while the Brooklyn Nets have been losing money since day one at Barclay's Center with Bruce Ratner looking to again sell his remain stake in the team.

The Brooklyn Nets campaign took millions of potential customers in Manhattan/all over the tri-state area, and basically told them our Brooklyn Nets are not your team with a media very happy to keep them second class citizens permanently.

Seriously, how does someone not lose their job for this historically bad decision? Long-term that's at least a billion dollar loss in potential revenue from customers who may well have wanted to become fans. 

As for the New York Islanders create all the secondary merchandising for New York, Manhattan, Brooklyn, Long Island, Queens and any place else you want.

If a New York Islander logo tweak is done to the map it must include Manhattan, it should be as subtle as the fourth stripe on the stick to represent the four stanley cups.

NEW YORK. 

Bad Marketing 101: Brett Yormark/Brooklyn Strategy 9/3/13


Is Garth Snow Desperate For A "Milbury" Plan?

New York Islander Fan Central | 6/23/2014 07:14:00 AM |
We saw this in 2000, 2001, back then Mike Milbury gave the fans want they wanted, a playoff team at a very high cost. It seems those who love complaining about him to this day still have not learned their lesson for wanting a similar plan again.

Our fan spoke with their wallets, they did not show up for Milbury's prospects, he produced three playoff teams, and likely saved his job.

Why would Garth Snow do differently if he faces pressure to save his job?

Clutterbuck for Niederreiter was a Milbury plan. Give up a young, big, player with offensive ability, a first round pick for a player of limited offensive ability, at a point you must get back a player of comparable talent. (no Niederreiter was signed, had to report/play where management decided, and never said one negative word about anyone)

Trading for Vanek was a Milbury plan, no 2015 pick.
Now perhaps another 1st rounder could be moved at the draft by Snow when his forward prospect base is frankly very thin?

The day is coming when Tavares, Okposo could/will test free agency.

Unless you have a billion dollar corporation funding your payroll (with taxpayer support from Governor Cuomo/Shedon Silver) you cannot give out massive front-loaded contracts (IE: Brad Richards) that make a Milbury-plan a yearly viable option.

Not here or for many NHL teams.

If Snow takes a team deep into the playoffs or wins a cup, all will be forgotten regardless how they got there faster than Rick Nash  articles about his defense were written by some spin-doctor/writers. What if the road to the cup means only beating Ray Emery, concussed Steve Mason, Fleury, and Dustin Tokarski next spring?

What I do know is if Snow goes the trade market at forward he has to break up with group of thirteen forwards here now.

Unless there is a surprise out of Bridgeport or this draft class, we saw all the forward prospects in the NHL short of Alan Quine.

I'm not expecting Kabanov, or Petrov's folly to come here & contribute. Sebastian Collberg is not a franchise prospect.

Bottom line you do not trade a 24 year old Josh Bailey unless the return is that of a franchise player signed long-term, same as you don't trade Okposo after four goals in 48 games.

No more Milbury plans, and I write that knowing full well prospect movements fail as they have in Florida.

Thirteen Jobs:
Lee-Tavares-Okposo Grabner-Strome-Bailey Nelson-Nielsen-Clutterbuck Martin-Cizikas-McDonald Boulton.

Islanders cannot keep extra forwards waiting to play.
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Comments:
Perhaps it's best for Snow to simply keep Dan Boyle's rights. (not that he has a choice with any team being able to speak with him in a day or two?)

If Snow made the best offer when Boyle/agent are done talking he may decide to sign here before 7/1.

Because of the new rules that let teams talk to players more signings will happen on 7/1. The negotiating will have taken place already.

New York Islanders 2014-15 Schedule

New York Islander Fan Central | 6/21/2014 03:08:00 PM |

Is NYI Iron-Clad Lease At Barclay's With "Someone" Really Binding?

New York Islander Fan Central | 6/21/2014 07:15:00 AM |
Let's be clear very about this, we have no idea who Charles Wang signed that 25 year iron-clad lease with which he said closed around 7am before that press conference. Bruce Ratner being there does not make this one hundred percent with him because he does not fully own the facility. 

In Nassau it was very simple, the Islanders lease was with the county, we saw how hard they fought to enforce it against Howard Milstein.

Nassau County cannot be sold/moved. (insert joke)
Nassau's had it's lease with Smg to operate the building until 2015, and the Isles 1985 agreement with Smg were both basically iron-clad despite all the rhetoric about condemning or buying it out. All Wang could do is get a sublease done with Smg which required Nassau approval & met Mangano criticism because Tom Suozzi made the agreement in the final days of his administration.

And of course when the schedule is released 6/22/14, we will know the final forty two days the New York Islanders will ever play at the Coliseum full time. 

So Who Is This Iron Clad Lease With?
 Bruce Ratner owns 55 percent of Barclays Center. Russian industrial magnate Mikhail Prokhorov owns 45 percent of Barclays Center at this time.

Both are/have sold/bought Nets ownership shares. Ratner has sold off his stake in Nets, while Prokhrov wants to transfer basketball operations to Russia with stakes he's acquired from Ratner.

Onexim Sports and Entertainment
Onexim Sports and Entertainment Holding USA, Inc., a new company established by Mikhail Prokhorov, closed on the agreement for the purchase of an 80% stake in the capital of the Nets basketball club and a 45% share in the Barclays Center arena in Brooklyn on May 12, 2010.

Jay Z owned a little less than one-fifth of one percent of the venue, a stake that's currently valued at about $1.5 million.

If They Sell Their Shares In The Facility, What Becomes Of The Islanders Lease?
Good question, impossible to know the language of the terms. If their stakes in the Barclay's Center are sold all leases likely transfer to who new buyer and become binding on them, same for Wang's successor's as owner when that day comes. 

But again, we don't know when it's no longer binding. 
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Comment: 
Outside of  Charles Wang's statement on the teams website, nothing from the credible professional media has been release on any possible sale of this team to anyone. 


New York's Preseason Schedule (To date) Notables

New York Islander Fan Central | 6/19/2014 12:00:00 AM |
Updated 6/20/14: 
 Sept. 30: Boston Bruins vs. New York Islanders (TD Garden, 7 p.m.)
 Oct. 2, New Jersey Devils vs New York Islanders Prudential Center 7 p.m.


Expect the full preseason schedule in the next few days with the obligatory game in Newark, and a possible game against Boston.

Carolina announced it's schedule, the Islanders will not be traveling to North Carolina. 

10/3: Boston/Bridgeport
9/26: Devils/New York-Barclay's Center
9/24: Carolina/New York-Nassau Coliseum
9/22: Ottawa/St John's
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The plan at this time is to be here for the draft as always. 

Doug Weight New Assistant GM/Greg Cronin Returns/Promotions

New York Islander Fan Central | 6/16/2014 04:48:00 PM | | | | | |
Islanders website announced Doug Weight has been named assistant general manager of the New York Islanders, keeping his spot as assistant coach & former assistant/Sound Tigers coach Greg Cronin has been rehired as an assistant coach on Jack Capuano's staff.

Bob Corkum, who was in player development, is now one of Jack Capuano's assistant coaches.

Matt Bertani was hired by the Sound Tigers on July 28, 2008, and was an assistant coach for Bridgeport. His many past duties include all of the team's video analysis of opponents, skills and skating development as well as helping develop practice plans.

NYIFC Comments: 
Does not seem like an ownership planning to sell, we'll see?

A lot of in-house maintenance, that leaves Brent Thompson in Bridgeport to fill his own staff.

Bridgeport's performance suggests no one deserved a promotion to an NHL position.

Weight adding the title of assistant gm could eventually mean a promotion to general manager.

Cronin, who was left go by Toronto, returning to New York is interesting. Cronin was here before/during Wang/Milbury, and coached the Sound Tigers before leaving for college.

Cronin replaced Steve Stirling, when he was hired to replace Peter Laviolette in June 2003 so he predates, Jack Capuano's hiring in the summer of 2005. 

Bottom line the pressure is on the current general manager/head coach, and it should be. 

New CBA Means Snow's Exclusive Negotiating Window Ends 6/25 On Boyle

New York Islander Fan Central | 6/16/2014 05:10:00 AM |
That's the date teams can now speak with all pending free agents in the new CBA.

The days of showing up at midnight at players homes on 7/1 are long gone. 

The rules make clear no one can be signed until 7/1 unless the team has the rights to that player. 

If Snow wants to get his pick back for Boyle, and another team wants exclusive negotiating rights before 6/25, a trade has to be made realistically in a few days.

In short it's a trade for a nine day window now.

New York Acquires Rights To UFA D Dan Boyle

New York Islander Fan Central | 6/05/2014 06:38:00 PM |

NYIFC Comments:  
Very interesting, however a long-shot if he signs.

Snow moved a 2015 draft pick for negotiating rights. He could always move Boyle again to get the pick back before 7/1. By the conditions of the trade Snow has all summer, however expect Boyle to have plenty of offers from NHL teams.

This carries a huge risk in what will be an over 35 contract. If this 37 year old signs, and get's hurt, like Visnovsky, the Islanders are stuck with the contract.

Absolutely Boyle's offense would help a lot, but there is potential downside with this. 

What's noticable above all  is this defense which already has many NHL contracts, with others waiting for their chance means if Boyle signs here someone absolutely losses a spot.

This attempt at Boyle could mean potential bad news from Visnovsky, who's concussions remind us why these signings are a risk.

No folks, Boyle's not signing at a discount. 

Once again:
deHaan RFA
Donovan RFA
Visnovsky-Over 35 contract.
Czuzman-Requires waivers to be sent to AHL.
Hamonic
Strait
Hickey
Carkner
Martinek UFA

So that's eight defenders, and Griffin Reinhart/others waiting for an NHL job?

Let's just write the 2015 draft is not going to be packed with draft picks for the New York Islanders as of the present time.  


New York Organizational Depth Chart On Defense

New York Islander Fan Central | 6/01/2014 07:18:00 AM |
Jesse Graham would make five of seven defenders now drafted/signed/paid by Charles Wang/Garth Snow with the picks only the Columbus Dispatch, Aaron Portzline, gossiped the club was trading for Ryan Murray at the 2012 draft.

Other papers/writers disputed this speaking with Snow before/after draft.

Sign a quality veteran defender? There is little quality out there and those one dimensional Ehroff-Wisniewski contracts cost forty million front-loaded.

We all know the price for a Shea Webber defender, even in the new CBA. 

Buffalo would be very happy to move Christian Ehrhoff now that he has most of his money in his bank account because he was signed front-loaded. Ehrhoff was asked to waive his NTC at the deadline. 

Want to trade a prospect for the rest of that low cost/cap hit contract?

Does Snow need another Carkner, Staios, Eaton, Mottau veteran? Will they help these kids on the ice or hinder them?

I would submit they will not help. Donovan struggled this year but he had slow/struggling Matt Carkner next to him far too often which is not the best way to help a young player gain confidence at this level in October.

Here is the organizational depth chart.  What prospects do you want to "Mike Milbury" out of the organization to improve short-term?

Let's also be clear for every Chara there were many more Branislav Mezei's, or Mathieu Biron's who never turned into a quality NHL player. Kristian Kodroc anyone?

Ty Wishart was a first rounder who has not panned out so far.

You can fail going the prospect route also. 

I also get the impression Griffin Reinart after almost making the club out of camp, has to be penciled into the NHL lineup or the player/agent could potentially not be happy.

The other players/agents will be watching that very carefully, starting with Ryan Pulock or anyone entering their second or third year riding buses in the AHL from Europe.

What if one of these kids is as ready as Jared Spurgeon?

One other thing, more defenders will likely be drafted in a few weeks, what if the top pick is used on a defender? Best available player.

New York:
Hamonic
Czuczman-Must play in NHL would need waivers to play in Bridgeport on the Jack Hillen plan.
Visnovsky-Over 35 contract the club must pay whether he plays or not.
deHaan-RFA
Strait-Signed next two seasons.
Hickey
Carkner
Donovan-Nothing left to prove in AHL-RFA
Martinek-UFA

Reinhart-Can play in Bridgeport
Pulock-Can play in Bridgeport.

Bridgeport:
Ness-RFA
Cantin-RFA
Joe Finley-UFA
Pedan
Pelech
Mayfield
Graham
Pokka-Could play in Europe.
Leduc
Vaugh-Resigned

Juniors:
Kyle Burroughs-Must be signed by 5/31/15 Signed an ATO and made a Bridgeport cameo.

College: 
Robbie Russo-Senior must be signed by graduation or 8/15/15.
Jake Bischoff-Entering sophomore season.
Doyle Somerby-Entering sophomore season.