Islander News Articles 6/2

Los Angeles Times: Helene Elliott has a few words from former Islander & Red Wings coach Dave Lewis who was traded before the Islanders won their first stanley cup for Butch Goring and replaced Scotty Bowman in Detroit before Mike Babcock was hired as coach.

NHL.com: Brian Compton has a full feature with comments from former Islander scout Jimmy Devellano who today is the Detroit Red Wings Senior Vice President and Alternate Governor with Bill Torrey's comments about his tenure in New York and how his scouting help bring together the pieces for a dynasty.

Tsn.ca: Compares the core Red Wings to some of the great dynasties in league history.

THN.com: Brian Costello looks at the top picks in the upcoming draft and feels this group will eventually go down among the best ever as it's compared with the draft class of 1979 after the WHA disbanded.

Point Blank: Mr Botta in his blog describes his 6/10 upcoming column in the THN and his thoughts on writing as opposed to being in media relations as THN.com THN also has a small picture of the 6/10 issue.

NYI Fan Central Comments:
Wherever Mr Botta decides to work I will be happy for him and know he will do an outstanding job. I never met him but my impression from my own experience is he will miss doing his blog after 7/7 for the same reasons I decided to return to hockey cyberspace after a year off. At first you love the time off but when the puck drops there is a void.

New York Islander fans need his blog and he obviously still will be a fan of this team by his own words and even his views as an outsider would be of great value to everyone.

Updated 3:15pm
THN.com: Adam Protrau made his point once again from last summer the Islanders overpaid for Ruslan Fedotenko but toned down his stance he was the worst UFA signing from last year with brought some strong reaction from Islander fans and this blog at the time.

Saturday notables

Sean Bergenheim did not play for Finland Saturday in the game for third place against Sweden at the WC.

Finland defeated Sweden 4-0.

The championship game between Russia and Canada is on Sunday at 1pm EST.
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Both eliteprospects and europeanhockey report former Islander Chris Simon has signed with Vityaz Podolsk/Chekhov.

NYI Fan Central Comments:
For now we have to see if this is a contract he can opt out of if he signs with an NHL team in July but it is a sign he is looking to make sure he has a team to play for. Either that or he was offered a high salary and this deal locks him in as Alexei Yashin's contract locked him in.
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Islander fringe prospect Vladimir Gorbunov has transferred from CSKA Moskva to HK MVD Balashikha.

NYI Fan Central Comments:
I write fringe because with no transfer agreement technically the Isles still own his NHL rights.
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Dallas earns a trip back home for a game six and a little pressure now goes on the Wings. Reasonable now for a little 75 Islanders talk but we saw this in the San Jose series.
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I cannot be bothered linking to Arthur Staple's Yankee Stadium outdoor game article with his un-named NHL sources claiming they do not want to offend the Isles or Devils so they may not have a New York game. Mr Staple is so far behind on this story he's writing about a November game for an event that will take place new year's day. That is the only thing everyone can agree on and he could not get that correct.

Bergenheim and random notables

Sean Bergenheim did not play in Russia's 4-0 win friday against Finland.

Finland will play Sweden in a game for third place.

NYI Fan Central Comments:
Tough WC for Islander fans. One player who's been hurt aside from a few games and no one else participating. I'll keep checking through Sunday when the tournament concludes but I would be surprised if he plays again.

Islanders website: Reports on the latest meetings regarding the Lighthouse project and requesting the fans support.

Dates and times: May 22 at 10 a.m. and May 27 at 7 p.m.
Where: Nathan L. H. Bennett Pavilion
Town of Hempstead Town Hall
One Washington Street
Hempstead, NY
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Regarding the NHL playoffs it's amazing how much tradition and story lines keep coming back to the New York Islanders. From the comeback against Pittsburgh and comparisons to the 83 Islanders/Oilers matchup with a possible Pens-Oilers series to the playoff beards.

Seems like this time of year everything comes back to the New York Islanders incredible traditions. Seems like the Isles should be an original six team for all they mean to hockey this time of year.

Philadelphia-Dallas extending their series and getting games on NBC is good for the league this weekend.
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Looks like all that Yankee Stadium construction I talked about for months is becoming a factor. Easy for me to spend Mr Wang's money but he pays for work on the field to get the Isles in as the host team it will help the Islanders exposure. If the Rangers are the other team they can be the visitor and not lose a home game but part of that deal should be Islander fans get majority of tickets.
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Jacques Martin signing a long-term extension must make for a marvelous day for Olli Jokinen. It would not shock me to see him moved this summer and no I cannot see him wanting to come back to a franchise he demanded out of a decade ago.
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I appreciate Garth Snow telling us about the draft and know he cannot give out specifics. Having written that it does not make for anything entertaining. Even a Ridderwall, Johansson update would have worked for me.

I wonder when the gm is going to respond about the coaches own comments that he's in a difficult situation?

If Ted Nolan feels this way the subject is now fair game to be asked by Mr Logan or anyone.
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I have mixed thoughts on Mr Dey's approach to reach out to the kids. Part of it is a good idea and the right way to create new fans and always something you should be trying to do. Having written that it seems like they know they have done all they could for the long-time diehard fan and if they cannot get those people back must get a new generation of families vested in the product.
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Regarding some television shows for the Isles that's nice but Msg owns the stations and if the Isles get one program while the competition gets countless shows each day I cannot see it helping much.

Msg wants to impress us why not show all four Islander wins against Pittsburgh this week from 1993? Get Jiggs McDonald in there and have him do half hour shows with every Islander great they can bring in.
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It's funny the Pittsburgh papers did a short article on the 93 series, meanwhile our friends at Newsday did not write a word?

Like I said I do not get any pleasure being critical of the media/Newsday but this is just terrible coverage and it hurts the team at the gate.
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For those wondering the Post is going up to fifty cents next week yet they have enough revenue to send Jay Greenberg back to his former stomping grounds in Philadelphia to cover games while the Isles go all season without a full time beatwriter or a blog?

Cutting out Larry Brooks on Sunday should save a few bucks. Why is Mark Everson providing full time Devils coverage again or why is the post paying to travel to road Ranger games?
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Responding to a few e-mails:
I have not found a good poll worth doing and do not want to do one just to generate response. If anyone has a good hockey suggestion for a poll I would be happy to go with it. I was thinking of a poll for coaches who you would want to replace Ted Nolan but given the club has said he will be back it's kind of pointless to ask.

I have no idea how a live draft blog will go here in terms of participation. All I know is I will be here and anyone who wants to talk Islanders draft in the blog will be welcome to do so also.
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No, the Islanders do not provide me scoops nor am I interested in that sort of thing. I am not an insider and have no desire to be. I take things as they happen with the club and try and be fair whether it be positive or negative.
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Mr praise for Mr Botta has very little to do with the blogbox, he's done a great job representing this franchise for two decades. I have never met him and do not participate in the box as someone who goes and sits there but I can tell my readers the Isles have been first class in how they have treated me because that's the way it is.

My blog comes from a viewpoint of the traditional fan watching without access and that's the way it will stay. If there was a reason to be critical of Mr Botta I would be. I have blogged and disagreed with some things he has done this year too but I have nothing but respect for him.

Islander Notables

Islanders website: Recaps Wednesday's open house with comments from Garth Snow, Chris Dey, Ted Nolan & Bruno Gervais.

Newsday: Katie Strang attended the open house and has Garth Snow's comments on what he's looking for at the draft.

Globe & Mail: Tim Wharnsby has an article on the 1975 Islanders with comments from Lorne Henning and Clark Gillies.

Sean Bergenheim did not play in Finland's 3-2 overtime win vs US at the World Championships on Wednesday. Finland lost a 2-0 lead in the final minutes before winning in overtime after the US tied the game.

Finland's semi-final game will be on Friday.

NY Times: Jeff Z. Klein is doing a live blog at the times and lists Bergenheim on his lineup sheet but he's not playing.

NYI Fan Central Comments:
The Times has been all over the WC but barely cover the three local teams or provide blogs to supplement New York Islander coverage?

Apparently the budget allows for Dave Caldwell to cover Pens-Flyers.

Ct Post: Michael Fornabaio is blogging on the AHL playoffs, providing some Utah coverage for the Finals, the WC and reports Islander prospect Luciano Aquino's Ft Wayne Komets won the Turner Cup in triple overtime coming back in the series.

Ft Wayne Journal-Gazette: Justin A. Kohn has blanket coverage and blogs on the Komets Championship.

NY Times: Richard Sandomir also questions Cablevision's ability to be objective as the owner of Newsday and writes about Garden media policies in the past restricting writers and content.

WC update, Mr Botta, Newsday/Cablevision

Finland will again play team USA in a rematch at the WC on Wednesday as the Quarterfinals begin. If there is anything printed on Bergenhiem's playing status I will add it to the blog.

For the semi-finals in Quebec City, the winner of CZE-SWE will play the winner of NOR-CAN, and the winner of RUS-SUI will play the winner of USA-FIN.
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Point Blank: Mr Botta continues blogging, tells us about the Islanders concept for podcasting that never happened he hopes will and talks about some segments completed which include one where Garth Snow was interviewed.

He also talks about Ryan Jankowski who oversaw the 2006 draft among other subjects and feels he will do an excellent job.

NYI Fan Central Comments:
I expected nothing less from Mr Botta but great Islander information as his blog remains very active from a first class individual who obviously is a fan of the Islanders above all.

If Garth Snow's comments are correct that he's trying to sign prospect Stefan Ridderwall and bring him to Bridgeport you have to think Joey MacDonald with a one way signed contract for next season already would become the Islanders new backup goaltender and Wade Dubielewicz could be moving on but I suppose anything could happen in that regard.

Truth is Dubie could start for a few teams in this league right now and I have little doubt he would do an excellent job. The Islander fan in me wants him to stay and the Dubielewicz fan in me wants to see him start for someone.

SI.com: Richard Deitsch also praised Mr Botta today writing he was one of the few pleasures of interacting with the Islanders franchise during the past decade. He predict's Mr Botta will be proved as a visionary when it comes to the relationship between professional sports teams/bloggers and echoed Adam Proteau of THN in that the Isles are far poorer today without him.

Newsday: Several writers contributed to today's report on the sale of Newsday to Cablevision and what's ahead with the Dolan family comments.

NYI Fan Central Comments:
I think I read the same thing a decade ago when Sportschannel and Msg merged, next thing we knew the Islanders home opener was taken off television, playoff games were put on Metro, Islander coverage starting getting reduced and ratings went down.

If folks think I'm not being fair here or overestimating the impact because I'm an Islander fan all I can do is invite you to look at what the people covering Msg in the media say in this article by John Koblin in the New York Observer here this is what insiders say covering sports under Cablevision, not myself.

I cannot add to that.

NHL Notables, Bergenheim, Wilson fired, Yashin

Updated 8:30pm:
Sean Bergenheim did not play in Finland's 6-3 loss vs Canada Monday.

Globe & Mail: Eric Duhatscheck reports neither Chris Osgood or Mike Riberio will be suspended by Colin Campbell after Osgood provoked Riberio into a baseball-style love tap at the end of game two which received a match penalty.

Mr Duhatschek also asks isn't everyone getting tired of talking about the 1975 Islanders or Leafs if Dallas cannot win game three?

NYI Fan Central Comments:
I'm not going to tell anyone this was a Chris Simon like hit to some one's head but my point is Riberio did go after a players chest with his stick and if the so-called precedent is to suspend for such action once again Colin Campbell only applies his personal standard of what the rules are. It sure does seem like there are different rules for different players at different times. Osgood looked like he butt-ended Riberio in the head.

The show goes on. The Stars will have their leading scorer in the lineup and the Red Wings will have their starting goalie - which is the way Colin Campbell and both teams want it.

If his name was Chris Simon he would have been made an example of again with another thirty games. If his name were Chris Pronger he would have gotten a slap on the wrist or a game and only because the media would have brought up his number of suspensions which would have influenced Campbell.

This is why it's impossible to respect Mr Campbell who seems over his head in his job. There were teams that had their seasons decided on penalties in deciding games in overtime (Washington) with the rule to call everything at all times but when the person in charge of player discipline is under that pressure with plenty of time to get it right from his office (unlike officials who have to make split-second decisions) he constantly makes up his own rules as he goes.

As for Mr Duhatschek and the 42 Leafs/75 Islanders sidebar getting tired perhaps he should give the Ranger media fans a call for the spam show selling us the thirty three year angle (42 Leafs/75 Isles) that this was the Rangers time as JP Parise and Clark Gillies were contacted at a point the series was 3-0.

Speaking of spam shows Cablevision announced it has acquired Newsday Monday here with details of the announcement. Mr Wang had a few words of praise for Charles Dolan a few days ago here.

NYI Fan Central Comments:
A newspaper featuring the Cablevision agenda?

If it's run like Msg network people will be laughing at the content if Garden events receive space on the backpage over the major sports stories. Considering the Garden's sport properties lost a combined 19m in the first quarter of 2008 don't they have enough problems with what they already do own?

Not like the Isles coverage can get much worse at Newsday then what they are getting already. It will be fun reading the horror stories as long-time employees get the Marv Albert treatment for their content and shown the door. This is a media company that has restricted or turned off Islander coverage completely over a decade doing a ton of damage to local hockey ratings by restricting content.

Going to get interesting when we start seeing tons of advertising for Cablevision owned teams all over Newsday. Will the Isles even be allowed to advertise in the local paper anymore?

Ottawa Sun: Bruce Garrioch has Alexei Yashin's agents comment that he's not going to be available to sign by July 1 because he'll already be committed to going back to Russia but would like to return to the NHL if the right offer happens now.

NYI Fan Central Comments:
A Bruce Garrioch article with actual quotes from someone involved to confirm his update for once may be the bigger story? Yashin through his agent is talking himself out of the NHL forever with statements like this from his agent. Cannot have your agent tell teams sign me now or I'm not waiting.

Tsn.ca: Reports the Nashville Predators resigned RFA Martin Erat to a contract worth $31.5 million contract over seven years.

NYI Fan Central Comments:
Somewhere Trent Hunter and his agent must be wondering what's going on here because even though Erat's production has improved a seven year deal for that kind of salary seems very high or Nashville is sending it's message they are not going to lose any more players like last year.

Updated 8:30pm:
Tsn.ca/several sources: Report San Jose Sharks General manager Doug Wilson (brother of Ron) today fired long-time head coach Ron Wilson.

NYI Fan Central Comments:
Shows how out of touch I am with the Western Conference when I do not know the general manager is the head coaches brother or how hard it is to follow the other conference with such limited coverage? Second round of playoffs obviously not enough for Bob Wilson. I sure loved the peace and quiet of Jeremy Roenick in San Jose last season and he did a great job for them.

Time to update the fired coaches list:
Quenneville, Hartley, Hanlon, Maurice, Wilson, Paddock.

Am I missing anyone on the list? Nonis was Vancouver's general manager. Waddell is still in limbo with reports he may be back or was asked to step down.

For that matter why does Mike Keenan still have a job after what he did to his franchise goaltender in the deciding game?

Bergenheim not in lineup for Finland at WC

Sean Bergenheim after barely playing in Finland's last game was not in the lineup for Sunday's 3-2 comeback win against the United States. Major brawl erupted at the end of this game.

Adam Barush had a game miscounduct for butt-ending late in this game. Olli Jokinen was given a match penalty in the first period for Finland. Dustin Brown got a ten minute penalty at the end of the game for a check to the neck/head. Matt Greene got twenty four miuntues for leaving the penalty area. David Backes and Anssi Salmela each received twenty five minutes in penalties.

NYI Fan Central Comments:
Sure glad Colin Campbell is not handing out discipline.

IIHF: Reported Finland added a forward to it's roster Sunday.

Finland plays Monday against Canada, big win coming back down 2-0 after the second period against the US.

NYI Fan Central Comments:
From what I understand Bergenheim is a healthy scratch but that could be incorrect.. I'll check again on Monday to see if he is in the lineup against Canada. Fair to say a few more players may need to be added for Finland after Sunday's events so if he is healthy he will be in the lineup.

Updated:
IIHF.com: John Sanful's game summary report does not discuss Bergenheim but Jokinen, Salmela, match penalties draw an automatic one game suspension. Both will miss Monday's game.

NYI Fan Central Notables/WC update

Sorry folks, looks like the blogger monster shut things down for a day or so with some problems.

From what I understand one of the new blogger feeder widgets was the problem for a lot of folks but being that I had a feeder for all those websites anyway I deleted it.

Along those lines the page may load slowly but for now it appears to be back which is what matters.

The comments in Joel Rechlicz topic got caught up in what happened and were lost as I attempted to approve them on Thursday so the wrecker apparently lived up to his nickname.

I deleted/reposted the thread but the comments I could not recover. If the same folks want to again repost what they had to say of course I will approve it.

I did push back some blogs I had scheduled for the next few days so they would be released at a point everyone can read them when hopefully things are back to a hundred percent.

Just wanted to update everyone on why you have not been able to access the page and of course thank everyone.

As for the important hockey-related items:

IIHF.com: John Sanful reports Finland needed a sixty one shot effort to win again at the WC Friday in their 2-1 win against Latvia.

Note-Sean Bergenheim had no stats, only played three minutes and did not see the ice in the third period after seeing a little more than a minute in the first two periods. He was not the only forward benched but he has not been seeing many minutes at the WC so far.

Finland's next game is Sunday against team USA.

It goes without saying Mr Botta's blog will continue here as long as he decides to write updates which seems to be 7/7 according to his update. I hope folks contact his blog and ask he keep it going permanently because obviously he loves hockey and what he has to say is always worth reading.

The Edmonton Sun had some comments from the Oil Kings on Robin Figren.

Katie Strang in Newsday's blog is promising a feature.

Mr Fornabaio in the Ct Post has been updating his blog on the AHL playoffs and some other things.

I did update the draft center with the latest update today from the Islanders website.

Of course by now everyone knows Toronto fired Paul Maurice.

Espn.com: Scott Burnside reports the Thrashers are about to ask gm Don Wadell to step down.

Denver Post: Adrian Dater reports Joel Quenneville will not be returning as coach of the Colorado Avalanche with comments from the former coach and and general manager Francois Giguere.

NYI Fan Central Comments:
Can anyone imagine if Charles Wang or Garth Snow decided to do this. Quenneville was not hired by this general manager, he was hired by former gm Pierre Lacroix.

For those scoring at home: Dave Nonis, Bob Hartley, Joel Quenneville, Glen Hanlon and Paul Maurice are among the name coaches currently looking for work.