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Qualifying Offers. Notables.

Marc Gatcomb Simon Holmstrom Maxim Tsyplakov Emil Heineman
Not qualified: Samuel Bolduc, Aidan Fulp and Scott Perunovich.
I cannot provide a definitive answer yet on Travis Mitchell (think he got QO), however he would fall under the everyone else has been qualified section.
The prospect site lists names only 25/under. Have to admit been lazy applying that at times, as a few reach 26, we'll see if another way works but I did add a link for everyone at any age.
I'm still failing at Blusky, will decided on it's future before the season. Substack is free and will be used when I feel necessary/passionate about something.

Romanov Signed/Eight Years....Bridgeport Moving to Hamilton?

Happy for Romanov.
Wrote a ton on twitter about Bridgeport, the team had no comment. Expect 2025-26 to be the final season, likely Worcester also.

Don't Expect Much on 7/1 in UFA

The expectation is Tsyplakov/Homlstrom/Gatcomb will receive qualifying offers, plus they signed Gauthier/Foudy who have NHL experience. Regardless what I think unless they put players on waivers they have a largely filled forward group which means they must trade players or put them on waivers to add UFA.
Note-add Ritchie to the above list.

Darch absolutely failed. No rush to trade Dobson for subpar return unless Roy demanded it.

Darche failed. Who care what Dobson wants, New York owned his rights for the next year, you qualify him, left him go to arbitration, and play here with his one year prove-it contract. You don't move him for two picks in a weak draft, and a third liner traded twice already. They likely get more in what is expected to be a better draft class, and at the deadline they likely get another top prospect like Lamoriello got for Nelson.
Roy? Instead of firing Roy with Lamoriello, he never gave his season ending press conference, he's owed years/money on his contract, and likely had enough of Dobson so owners saved across the board. No paying Roy to stay home, no paying Dobson, and the new VP/gm likely costs less although they did pay for Bowness, and Martin.
That's how I see it. My thoughts on Roy being a bad coach have been written here often, his odd post-game comments were infuriating but team cut shots against, and they did work as hard as limitations permitted in the group.
I absolutely think Roy told Darche we can do without Dobson, when like Lou said, use the time. Now they have no scoring at RD. It easily could have come down to Roy saying Dobson goes or I go. He's walked before, and looked exhausted with all fight gone in him that he was advertised to bring even early in his tenure last season.
Now Dobson plays in front of 20k every night and 1/2 of Habs fans will be at Belmont to cheer for him.
All sites updated with 2025 NHL entry draft/prospect camp, some players 2025-26 TBD where they play. Will keep updating qualifying offers due Monday but most/all NHL players qualified already, and we have sections for prospect camp.
Very happy was able to do the draft as usual.

Foudy/Gauthier Part II

Gauthier had two years of injuries, Foudy was not trusted enough to be called up while Cizikas, MacLean, Martin/whoever did not score. Why waste money/space. I dare write these could be agreements Lou had done like Palmieri, we'll never know.

New York Selects: Sam Laurila/G Burke Hood/Jacob Kvasnicka

Updates to the prospect site will be made in the coming days with the new players, many who will be at prospect camp which begins on Monday which is also qualifying offer deadline.
No. 1 - LHD Matthew Schaefer No. 16 - LW Victor Eklund No. 17 - LHD Keshawn Aitcheson No. 42 - RW Daniil Prokhorov No. 74 - C Luca Romano No. 106 - LW Tomas Poletin No. 138 - LHD Sam Laurila No. 170 - G Burke Hood No. 202 - RW Jacob Kvasnicka

Day Two New York Selects: Daniil Prokhorov/Luca Romano/Tomas Poletin

Daniil Prokhorov.
Luca Romano
Many of the rankings had him in the forty-fifty range.
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Darche With Worst Trade Since Kvasha-Parrish/Luongo. Cutting budget?

Darche had a twelve minute press conference after midnight where he explained Dobson trade/other decisions here.
Nothing against the kids they drafted, good prospects in a weak draft. You don't trade a 70 point skating defender at age 25 for a bottom six player who was traded twice already. It's that bad a decision, they had a year to move Dobson, he's an RFA who could elect arbitration. They did not have a scoring defender like that since Potvin. Clearly Montreal loved him, and fleeced Darche. I want Nick Suzuki in a Dobson trade, not the bottom six forward.
It feels like cost cutting. Darche, keeping Roy, and not paying another coach who clearly struggled under Roy both seasons. It's a disappointing day, you keep Dobson, and not give him a contract extension now. No indication he wanted out or was unhappy here. You get rid of ping pong, never sign Palmieri to lose Dobson for this. Just horrific, and it's Kvasha trade revisited. Dobson is 25, you never trade that offensive potential at his age, and keep the expensive coach they brought back who deserved a pink slip for the teams record. Lane Lambert by far did better with Dobson.
Clearly Darche wanted to keep a coach with term on his contract who had a poor season vs getting a better coach to help Dobson improve his defensive game, and they rolled out everyone they should be looking to trade at the draft party, even Pulock. Would have been smarter to get Duclair out with the fans.
Darche had time, he decided not to use more if it on a RFA they could have waited until next March to re-sign. Dobson would have had a prove-it year, and New York likely gets a much better return at the trade deadline. It's a very poor decision, and they just made the team that beat them out for the 8th seed stronger.
Dobson had his say.

New York Selects: Victor Eklund/Kashawn Aitcheson

We will see Dobson trade announcement here.
LW Victor Eklund
Really like this pick.
D Kashawn Aitcheson
Also really like this pick.

New York Selects: 1st Overall- D Matthew Schaefer

New York selects D Matthew Schaefer with the first overall selection in the 2025 NHL entry draft here.
If there is one generational top pick in the draft, you take him. Period. If it does not work out so be it. Now that Dobson is gone the spot will be there when he's ready. Could be next season or not.

Dobson (signed by NYI) Traded to Montreal/Emil Heineman 15th/17th 1st Rd

For those wondering the draft is remote, Darche is here, the war room is the locker room at the failed Belmont experiment, the place is empty/upper deck all curtained off. The optics are horrific. I guess more money saved. Pens showed off their office building for the draft with several floors.
It's two middle 1st round picks in a weak draft, and Heineman for Dobson, a 70 point defender, who was signed by Darche for the 8th year, and sent to Montreal. Heineman was traded twice, with ten goals in sixty two games last year. here.
You make this trade in a strong draft class, not this one. Losing Dobson means losing a 70 point defender, and replacing him with? Seems like they want to save cap space or outright lower payroll. For now, New York is weaker.

Rocky Thompson Press Conference

Bridgeport Press conference
I gave my thoughts a day or two ago, Mr Thompson is five years between head coaching jobs. If you are a fan of Bridgeport, a team without a playoff series win since it's second season in 2003, a city that spent 30 million on renovations, and gave them a ten years, those people deserve a winning product, with veteran AHL winners. You can develop/win in AHL.

Ledecky Comments: Returing For Draft Party

Darche is also quoted. Ledecky said these things from Los Angeles where BOG meetings took place. Ledecky will be at the failed Belmont experiment Friday. He discussed 2009 draft party long before he entered the NYI ownership radar.
New York avgeraged an announced attendance of 12,735 in Tavares rookie season which was likely in reality around 9,000 a game max, lower on weeknights.

Darche Press Conference/Martin Retires/And Joins Staff

As everyone knows I rarely make site announcements here or discuss myself. I'm still a game-time decision for draft night/day two. Family circumstances. I very much wish to be here and available. I'm sorry. There will be no special posts moving forward on this subject.
here. Darche also went on WFAN 13:00 mark.
Preseason/Chara, we are past days where we had to wait well into summer to peacemeal articles for preseasons. Happy for Chara/Martin.

Brideport Hires Rocky Thompson as Head Coach

here.
To the best of my research he is not related to Brent Thompson. He's had three years of AHL head coaching experience, some jobs behind an NHL bench as an assistant/associate coach. Not a lot to be impressed with. After no playoff series wins since 2003, they have to start winning, Bridgeport renovated that arena, gave them their first lease ever. The fans there deserve a good product, as the attendance since the pandemic dwindled to nothing, the Ct Post dropped it's coverage.

2025 New York Islanders Draft Hub

POST TITLE
The team added this section today, I also added it to the prospect site. At this time I hope to be available both days of the draft as usual, family circumstances pending, cannot guarantee at this time. Sorry.

Ryan Bowness Named Assistant GM/Director of Player Personnel

Steve Pellegrini remains assistant gm, Chris Lamoriello remains in his role. Ottawa clearly wanted a change, and soured on him. He is Rick Bowness son who was head coach here in the 1990's.
We'll see if/how everyone is used by Darche.

6.14.25: Substack: Running It Back Again=Saving Money

New Substack 6.14.25

Prospect Site Change

This will be one of the new headers for the prospect site.
This contains all the first selections taken each year only. So Rick DiPietro, yes, Raffi Torres no. Nino Niederreiter yes, Brock Nelson, no. A year without a first round selection 23-22-21-20-17-07-01 do not have an image ie/Mark Katic. The 2025 prospect section will be updated as our prospect site when the team makes it's section. At this time 2023/24 draft summaries are still posted.

New York Assistant Coaches

No real comment here, they have NHL experience which is what Doug Weight's staff did not have that he picked himself entering 2017-18, which had major defensive issues, so what the hockey scoring streak ended, the team dropped like a stone.

New York Notables: Scouting Staff/Draft

New York Notables: Darche Local Media vs Canadian Media Interviews

This is what we saw when Roy arrived when his interviews were dominated by Canadian media, who provided the bulk of the questions. And not to pump my own tires but a Canadian writer posted the date of his press conference on 5/25, while the local media were clueless until the morning they were informed it would be at 11am. I just happened to read it on the NHL site before the paid beatwtiters and local bloggers.