Islander News Articles 12/31

Newsday: Arthur Staple covered practice, had nothing on Doug Weight and instead played the speculation game on Rick DiPietro who discussed his recovery from injury and why he sat out Monday. Head coach Scott Gordon also comments.

Trent Hunter did not practice and went to the doctor, Mr Staple speculated his is out for the Panther game. Brendan Witt, Bill Guerin, Mike Comrie and Mike Sillinger rested.

Miami Herald: George Richard in the Panthers blog is not sure who will start against the Islanders Wednesday between Tomas Vokoun or Craig Anderson but center Shawn Matthias has been recalled for the game from Rochester.

National Post: Mark Masters has a feature on Panthers defenseman Bryan McCabe who will make his Panthers debut at the Coliseum before playing in Toronto.

AHL.com: Confirms Mr Fornabaio's blog James Sixsmith was recalled to Bridgeport from Utah.

Tuesday Notables

Media Blog: Cory Witt in the Islanders media blog had a nice surprise, the numbers most of the prospects will wear in training camp.

NYI Fan Central Comments:
And just like that we can update the prospects blog with the numbers of the Bridgeport players. No point listing Josh Bailey's number because if he plays for New York it could change again.

Mark Wotton and another player have the number four, aside from Kurtis Foster who is more a Utah player all the numbers should be correct. Jesse Joensuu changed numbers from his one game last season, Colliton will again wear John Tonelli's twenty seven.

Islanders website: Jonathan Morvay reports on Islander prospect Kirill Petrov at the four nations tournament with Islanders Chief European Scout Vellu-Pekka Kautonen comments. Former Islander Sergei Nemchinov was coach of the team.

NYI Fan Central Comments:
This article will be linked on the prospect blog in a special section for reference as will all updates like this.

Canadian Press/several outlets: Report Predators forward Alexandre Radulov has been suspended by the club without pay with general manager David Poile's comments.

Mike Van Ryan was traded to Toronto for Bryan McCabe and a fourth round draft pick as the saga finally ends, amazing anyone took that contract for anything.

SI.com: Darren Eliot has a few words on the new coaches with some speculation at how the transition will work for Scott Gordon with last year's assistant coaches.

Updated 10:30pm:
Newsday apparently want to make sure despite the lack of hockey blogs about the club we have the latest regarding old news on team owner Charles Wang here with a link to a news article on a sports blog.

NYI Fan Central Comments:
This is kind of a sad joke Newsday posted this on the Islander blog and just another example of the lack of professionalism at the paper. It belongs in the business section or the news section but apparently because of the lack of hockey information they throw us this to stir up the fans against the club once again?

Funny, I did not see negative articles about the countless lawsuits against the Dolans or the Garden posted on the Rangers blog?

Windsor Star: Jim Parker reports Islanders first round pick Josh Bailey came to camp briefly last week, but didn't scrimmage and returned to New York Thursday at the team's request even though the Islanders don't open camp for another 10 days.

Islander News Articles 9/2

Sarnia Observer: Dave Borody reports Islander prospect Justin DiBenedetto had two goals in a pre-season game against the London Knights.

Miami Herald: George Richard has the latest on the Bryan McCabe to Florida deal which will likely be announced today for Mike Van Ryn and draft picks exchanging hands.

Ct Post: Michael Fornabaio had a few blog updates and reports Russ Moyer will be invited to Islanders training camp.

Mr Fornabaio also had a few words on Brandon Sugden and the article in the Post-Standard by Lindsay Kramer a few days ago about him not being allowed to tryout with the Islanders because he retired and three clubs voted to uphold the rule he must stay retired here.

NYI Fan Central Comments:
Not much to write on any of this, a bit bush league on the rules regarding Sudgen considering he was playing in the same league Claude LaPointe was in and considering his father's condition this is a rule that needs to be looked at but he did retire on Syracuse which was not fair to them either.

I know nothing about Russ Moyer.

I guess the Panthers add some salary so Toronto can save money against the cap but this seems like a terrible move for Florida unless Toronto is sending a first round draft pick to the Panthers.

NYI Fan Central Update:
Major changes to the blog.....

We now have a second blog called NYI FAN CENTRAL PROSPECTS which is a brand new blog you can link to from the main page HERE and on the top of the blog tabs.

All Prospect, Bridgeport, Utah and Odessa Jackalopes sections have been transferred to that page and some new sections have been added like the Islanders Draft Central from June & July Prospect Camp Highlights.

The widget for all Junior League feeds and college has also been added to NYI Fan Central Prospects.

No blogs entries will be posted on that page, no comments permitted but it will have it's own special and unique look. This will clear up the clutter on the sidebar of this blog and help the pages load faster with a much better look I think everyone is going to like a lot.

As always all Prospect News, Sound Tiger updates and the World Junior Championships will have all News updates posted here.

This new blog is basically the sidebar for what used to be here but with a much better look.

Many changes to New York Islander Fan Central itself, some feeders moved or deleted because we had plenty of ways to subscribe already and a few things repeated in too many places are gone. Some scaled down features added back in like the standings and 08-09 schedule and a new look in terms of the graphics and presentation.

I think folks will also like the changes to this blog a lot also as we head toward the full rollout of the new features when training camp begins.

Any questions as always feel free to drop an e-mail.

Doug Weight Speaks/Notables

Islanders TV: Has the press conference with Doug Weight which lasts about twelve minutes with his comments.

Islanders TV: Radio analyst Chris King also has a two minute interview with Doug Weight who explains why he signed with the club.

NYI Fan Central Comments:
Good stuff from Weight, we'll see if he can produce as he did two years ago which will be required if this is going to work in terms of winning. Hopefully the move back to the Eastern Conference and how familiar he is with Guerin helps.

Newsday: Is promising something from Doug Weight for the paper tomorrow with Katie Strang and more on the Isles coaching search from Mr Logan.

NYI Fan Central Comments:
Katie Strang asked the majority of questions at the press conference so if you watch the ITV interviews you know the quotes for whatever article is written.

I guess this means Mr Logan's NHL source will finally tell us who is the finalist or the next Islanders coach or the general manager has something to say on the subject?

I guess Newsday sent Katie Strang to get a few words from Doug Weight after all despite the other Newsday blog.

I'm sure Mr Botta will have something soon and them we will know who the final choices are or he will have who will be hired.

You have to hand it to the Isles for making things tough on themselves.

Brett Farve is traded to the New Jersey Jets who train (for a few more weeks) at Hofstra next to the Nassau Coliseum (they are moving camp to NJ next year) and they bring him right into the city to meet the mayor and make sure the fans know he is Broadway Brett from New York for some publicity and he holds up a Broadway sign.

Everyone comes to the NEW YORK Islanders and they slap that Long Island label all over everything limiting their ability to attract media/fans for a New York team that actually plays in New York and make folks inside the city limits and around the tri-state area feel like they are rooting for the wrong team.

Can you imagine the Jets putting East Rutherford in every press release or statement coming out of their p.r department?

Not the best way for the New York Islanders to sell tickets which is one reason for all these events.

I guess Doug Weight wears ninety three or has a talk with Rick DiPietro, too bad the Isles could not get Farve to visit for a few minutes as other football players have done, sure would not have hurt given they got Michael Strahan to come over.

Times & Transcript: Has a few words from Bill Schurman, Summerside's director of community services about Bridgeport and Binghampton playing a regular season game on Prince Edward Island.

NYI Fan Central Comments:
No comment here at all on any of the good folks from PEI/Summerside. I know the weeknight games do not sell in Bridgeport but playing two home games elsewhere is not an answer to improving fan support when you have a fan advisor board. You find a way to get more people in the building and start by winning more games which goes on team President Howard Saffan, taking away games is not an answer.

Will be interesting to see if the Ct Post allows Mr Fornabaio to travel and cover these games given they did not let him travel to training camp and cut his schedule for a few road games last season. No one wins here without his coverage.

CBC.com: Reports former Islander Bryan McCabe may now be open to a trade with general manager Cliff Fletcher's comments.

NYI Fan Central Comments:
I wrote here the window for buyouts was between June 15th-30th, obviously that is not correct because players are bought out all the time. Maybe that was only after the lockout ended when the buyout did not count against the cap those first days?

It's amazing the Leafs will simply not buy him out or expect another club to take on that kind of salary at all for a declining player who could not help his own team and is simply not a very good defender. If the Leafs make all this revenue why not just do a buyout and move on with a cap hit? I guess Mr Fletcher feels there is a team out there who will agree to adding that kind of salary or his boss told him there will be no buyout under any circumstances at least until it gets to a point there is absolutely no where else to go.

McCabe has a no movement clause and can veto any deal, it will be interesting to see how far the Leaf media go to turn public opinion against him for wanting to play where he signed for the good of their favorite team improving?

There are no contracts the Isles can send to Toronto to offset such a trade without giving up a player of value. Unless the Leafs want to include Schenn or their first rounder next summer, Garth Snow should have no interest with his defense locked up for the next two seasons.

Daily Gleaner: Adam Bowie has an interview with Bobby Hull who comments the club his son Brett is co-gm with in Dallas may have made the finals if they had maybe a little more astute coaching?

NYI Fan Central Comments:
So they father of the co-general manager in Dallas says if coach Dave Tippett were more astute they would have beaten Detroit. Meanwhile here a raised eyebrow comment is an explosive situtation in Newsday?

I wonder if the media in Dallas will turn this into a firestorm like we saw here. Dave Tippett cannot be happy at all with this nor should he be given he is a well respected coach and clubs losing does not necessarily mean anyone was not astute enough.

Sportning News: Craig Custance lists Jon Sim as one of the players returning who could provide some jump for their club with Sim's comments he wanted to play two months ago and is ahead of where he was last year with training.

NYI Fan Central Comments:
You may be asking why Sim has comments here it would be because Mr Custance worked for the Atlanta Journal Constitition while Sim played in Atlanta.

Some Quick Hits for Saturday

Josef Vasicek looks like he is headed to Russia to play on Lokomotiv with Alexei Yashin here according to a Russian newspaper.

NYI Fan Central Comments:
Good luck to Josef Vasicek. He came here off two years with knee problems, stayed healthy and gave all he had. To ask for more production than he gave would not be in line with what he has done in his career. With Vasicek your going to get a player when he is healthy who could score ten goals in fifteen games but eventually will go twenty games or more without a goal. Last season that approached thirty games.

For a team using him as a second line center, that's a big problem on a team without a true first line talent.

In the Quick Hits Department:
No shock Kevin Lowe is firing back at Brian Burke. I'm a bit more on Burke's side
(maybe because he sued Larry Brooks) but this stuff does nothing for hockey and is worthless. Lowe since his holdout from Edmonton has always seemed about himself and has a little too much of that Messier sense of entitlement in him for me. I wonder how long before the new ownership puts their own general manager in place?

Dan Boyle is upset he was basically verbally threatened (players words) he would be placed on waivers and wind up in Atlanta if he did not waive his NTC. Impossible to blame Boyle here because the new owners in Tampa should have respected the old ownerships agreement or at least had more class in asking him to waive his no trade clause but this seems to be the latest trend which leads us to Bryan McCabe and the media reports about pressure being placed on him.

For all the revenue the so-called experts guessing about franchises making money vs losing money why didn't Toronto simply buy McCabe out and show some class if they make all the money so many claim?

That buyout period has ended, McCabe has a no movement clause which means exactly that.

No waivers, no trades, no AHL. He plays in Toronto or he goes home a suspended hockey player. I think the NHLPA will have something to say if they try and send McCabe home healthy.

A lot of Islander fans were not happy at the deadline about the NTC Mike Milbury gave Miro Satan when he signed, thankfully Snow kept his thoughts out of the newspaper.

One paper today wrote the New York Islanders will go into next season without a twenty five goal scorer on the roster. To be fair based on that I do not expect to see any predictions with them in the playoffs like the few from last year come August or September.

Good thing the Islanders have that twenty minute Islanders Illustrated to keep us going. I guess Cablevision forgot to release a schedule of Islanders games from last season with all that incredible programming on Msg Plus.

Now free agency starts getting interesting as some players get some serious lowball offers while others wind up on the unemployment line or also head to the new Russian league. If Garth Snow is considering a trade the battle of wits with other general managers looking to create cap space begins now.

Maybe that's why he kept Toronto's second rounder?

Saturday notables/quick hits

Point Blank: Mr Botta had a very interesting blog about how clubs sometimes make sure to point out in team press releases that a coach/player could have signed anywhere but decided to pick x team and felt it speaks poorly of your franchise that you even had to bring it up as he singled out Jacques Martin's hiring of a new head coach in Florida and did not like when he had to do it with the Islanders but maintained that it was the truth.

NYI Fan Central Comments:
I agree with Mr Botta here to a point but a lot of times the media will bring this out themselves pointing out how many teams were interested in a player. We saw this with Jack Hillen and Rob Hennigar recently. By contrast we also see a lot of media write about how players will not play in a certain market so when a team does break through with a signing they do try and make it clear they wanted to be here over other teams so it sends a message to the fans as well as other players and their agents that this is a misconception.

If the media will not sell a team to the public and free agents that organization has to take every edge they can get.

Toronto Sun: Mike Zeisberger has the usual rumblings Bryan McCabe would waive his no trade clause to play for the Islanders as gm Cliff Fletcher comments on the trade market and the state of his team but not McCabe to the Isles.

NYI Fan Central Comments:
If I had a dollar for every time the Toronto media tried to get Bryan McCabe out of Toronto and back to the Isles to get his big contract and poor defensive play off the roster....

Bottom line he has a no-trade clause, if he's bought out he can sign anywhere.

I'm a little concerned Garth Snow after misreading the market on Bergeron and leaving his backline short a big shot after winning six games in a row traded someone early when he could have moved him after the season and gotten the same return and kept his depth.

That's a sign of inexperience or someone who at the very least misread the market for one of his own assets begging the question if he misread the market on his own player how will he do with players from other organizations?

The Sault Star: Peter Rucci reports the Soo Greyhounds acquired left-winger Jordan Nolan from the Windsor Spitfires Friday.

NYI Fan Central Comments:
Good for Jordan Nolan. I saw some speeches Ted Nolan gave this week, if it's not Islander/hockey related, I'm not going to do a blog on most of them.

Ottawa Sun: Chris Stevenson has new Senators coach Craig Hartsburg's comments that playing in the 81 finals against the Islanders with the Minnesota North Stars was his career highlight.

NYI Fan Central Comments:
Another coach who has not been on a bench in a long time being hired by a team, it almost seems like Bryan Murray wanted another coach he could work with and not someone who could get the most out of his players. John Paddock was considered a good players coach for a long time.

Of course I remember the 81 finals and Hartsburg. Game one and those two shorthanded goals by the Isles on one powerplay were incredible.

Quick Hits:
Every year we see articles about big trades before or at the draft, since the Mike Milbury show in 2000-2001 that has not been the practice so I'm skeptical.

Personally I think we will see what we saw at the trade deadline, first rounders are off limits in a draft with this quality unless a franchise player comes in return.

Someone wants to say a first rounder can be moved for Olli Jokinen that makes sense but of course it does not make any sense for the Islanders to do this because he demanded a trade from them in 2000 and spoke about it last season and we all know the Isles need to add franchise prospects.

A Sillinger or Guerin could go for a second rounder but if you do that you have better have a player of equal ability ready to sign on July 1st to take their spot this time.

Lets hope Greg Logan graces us with some Islander updates before the draft. Steve Zipay had three in three days begging the question how some can defend the lack of updates because he does longer updates?

Less to me is less.

Islander News Articles 2/25

Newsday: Greg Logan reports NHL sources say the Islanders are fielding offers for forwards Miroslav Satan, Ruslan Fedotenko and Mike Comrie, all of whom are headed to free agency this summer and that the real offers start coming in today.

Garth Snow would like to sign Comrie by tomorrow if he agrees to fit in the salary slot for a second-line center. A lot more speculation here dominates the article with only one unnamed Western Conference personnel expert comments.

NYI Fan Central Comments:
At this point it's up to everyone to separate the fact from the fancy and as always, it is interesting how un-named NHL sources always seem to know the Isles business and talk to the local media which was the same back when Mike Milbury was general manager.

You do not see this as much with the Devils or Rangers.

We will get our answers today or tomorrow. With a game scheduled tomorrow night a sign to look for are possible call ups from Bridgeport in advance to replace traded players to fill a lineup.

Newsday: Greg Logan had a late blog on Bryan McCabe with all the twists and turns from most of the last year including the Sun article posted here last night where he said he did not want to be traded but would be interested if Cliff Fletcher approached him. His speculation is the Islanders would want the Leafs first rounder to take McCabe's contract.

NYI Fan Central Comments:
That's my price to add McCabe to the Islander roster and take the Leafs off the hook for his salary. I think Cliff Fletcher would get a lot of grief for trading a top ten pick for a franchise desperate for top draft picks and a rebuilding and doubt the Leafs will part with the pick under any circumstances.

Just remember this is the same Cliff Fletcher who gave the Islanders a first round pick with Kenny Jonsson a long time ago. It says a lot about McCabe if they go to that extreme to move him when a buyout is not part of a no-movement clause according to section 11.8 (b) of the CBA:

A no-move clause may prevent the involuntary relocation of a Player, whether by Trade, Loan or Waiver claim. A no-move clause, however, may not restrict the Club's buy-out and termination rights as set forth in this Agreement.

I also find it hard to see the Islanders having this many defenders under contract going into next season. McCabe, Witt and Sutton all take up over ten million of cap space and none of them are complete defenders who can be considered top two defenders. To do this leaves no space for a franchise defender to solve the problem and limits money to improve the offense with top six forwards.

Pittburgh Tribune Review: Rob Rossi reports Pens Goaltender would love to return from injury and start against the Islanders on Tuesday. He started five games with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton and went 3-2-0 with a 1.41 goals-against average and a
.950 save percentage

NYI Fan Central Comments:
That team has stepped up huge with Crosby and Fleury out, a ton of credit to the Pens who have proven they are far more than about one player and will be a very dangerous team down the stretch. Mike Terrien for all his critics pushes hard and gets results.

Espn.com: EJ Hradek obviously does not feel the way David Amber does about the Butch Goring trade but reviews some other past trades.
Ct Post: Michael Fornabaio reports on the Sound Tigers shootout loss to Albany with Mike Morrison and Jeff Tambellini's comments.

Micheal Haley got back into the lineup, replacing Justin Bourne. Jeff Dwyer and Andy Sertich were scratched again on defense. Walter was out, the team hopes for the last time, and Kip Brennan served the eighth game of his 15-game suspension.

The three papers covering the River Rats seemed to have provided AP/Staff reports on the game unless the Troy Record here has an update later.

Check back for more incoming updates:

Islander-Sound Tiger Sunday Notables

The folks over at Islesnation.com here were kind enough to ask me on the program Tuesday at a special 3pm time this week for the trade deadline show they are having. My Thanks to Tony, Steven and Pete for the kind invitation once again. I will also be visiting their chatroom between 1-3pm when I can.




Best of all it looks like I will be appearing on the program with my old friend and HF co-mod Tom Liodice who does an excellent job with his blog called Tiger Tracks here that is a must read for our fans and featured at NYI Fan Central with outstanding game updates from Bridgeport and the Coliseum. Tom is also part of the Islanders blog box for those who do not know here.

Toronto Sun: Mike Zeisberger has Bryan McCabe's comments where he makes it perfectly clear he does not wish to be traded after talking it over with his wife but would consider it if Fletcher came to him with an offer.

NYI Fan Central Comments:
Unless Mr Fletcher is allowed to include a number one pick with McCabe Isles should have no interest in a weak defender who is grossly overpaid.

AHL.com: Reports the Bridgeport Sound Tigers lost 2-1 in a shootout Sunday to the Albany at Harbor Yard.

Jeff Tambellini scored to tie the game in the third, Steve Regier assisted. Mike Morrison made twenty six saves.

That's 0-2-1 this weekend for Bridgeport and another big crowd at Harbor Yard.