Wednesday notables

National Post: Cam Cole has a few words from Oilers general manager Kevin Lowe on the 1983 Islanders in one of the countless articles building this final up as the best one since the New York & Edmonton met twenty five years ago.

NYI Fan Central Comments:
All due respect to Pittsburgh but they did not dominate their conference like the Oilers in 1983. All due respect to Detroit but they are not in the universe as the Islander team that went into that final with three Stanley Cups in a row.

Very good matchup with a lot of star players but time to tone down the comparisions.

All due respect to the 83-84 Edmonton Oilers but the Islanders would have made ten finals in a row if they came out the Western Conference with that playoff format that it changed after 1981 so a Western Conference team could qualify for a final after years of the West being playoff fodder for the East. Atlanta relocated to Calgary and went from a marginal team in th East to a top team come playoff time.

To this day I have little doubt if the finals format was not changed for the first time to 2-3-2 from 2-2-1-1-1 Edmonton would not have beaten the Isles in the 1984 finals given how bad Gretzky looked in games one and two at the Coliseum.

Newsday/Newsday blog and a bunch of sites confirm Chris Simon signed in Russia starting with the Minneapolis papers the last fews days. (including today)

NYI Fan Central Comments:
I blogged on this all the way back on Saturday, still no one can get the full story on whether he signed a contract where he can still resign with an NHL team come July or if he is locked into the deal he signed?

Not much else happening on a quiet day for the Isles, nothing on Ridderwall or Kim Johansson signing but the clock is running regarding contract offers.

Sure would be nice if Newsday or any paper did an update on Dubielewicz and the club's pending UFA with July 1st about five weeks away.

If the NY Times is going to include fan blogs why not get some Islander bloggers in there being that they seem to have hockey content for a lot of teams out of town?

No, I'm not talking about my blog.

Islander News Articles 3/17:

Newsday: Greg Logan reports on Kyle Okposo's callup with comments from his Bridgeport teammate Ben Walter.

Ct Post: Michael Fornabaio has a few words on what Okposo's recall means for Bridgeport in their playoff drive with speculation on who could be returned to the AHL.

Mississauga News: Gary McCarthy reports defense Alex Pietrangelo of the Niagara IceDogs is currently ranked among the top five players in the Ontario Hockey League in an interview.

Edmonton Sun: Cary Castagna has a full interview with Bryan Trottier on how he stays healthy, all the legends games he plays, how he relishes his job with the Islanders and plans that he is not ruling out a return to coaching.

Toronto Sun: Mike Zeisberger reports Mats Sundin and Nik Antropov will not play against the Islanders Tuesday.

Star Tribune: Michael Russo has Chris Simon's comments Sunday that he was treated unfair by Colin Campbell and will be speaking to his agent about this matter with the writer speculating there could be legal action.

Pronger receives eight game suspension

Newsday: Greg Logan reports in the Islander blog at Newsday Chris Pronger was suspended eight games by the league. Ted Nolan wondered why two players with long records of being suspended got a different amount of games.

Pronger's suspension ends for the final game of the regular season so he will be permitted to play in Anaheim's playoffs.

Tsn video has Chris Pronger, Chris Simon and Islander captain Bill Guerin's comment who flat out feels this is unfair.

http://broadband.tsn.ca/?vid=38275

NYI Fan Central Comments:
What can I write that I have not written already on this? Clearly there is a double standard here and a star player must play in the NHL playoffs so he receives just enough games so that he's well rested and ready for them. Colin Campbell's explanation that he was trying to free his skate is a joke. His skate was already free after getting tangled up, he got angry and stomped down on Kesler's leg.

Sad show across the board from the league here.

Islander News Articles 3/15

Newsday: Greg Logan's article is on the line changes and the powerplay. Miroslav Satan, Mike Comrie give their comments.

Brendan Witt skated but is unlikely to play, Bruno Gervais might miss the remainder of the season with his concussion/knee injury.

NYI Fan Central Comments:
I wonder why Mr Logan is trying to pass this off as a demotion or raise it as an issue with Comrie or Satan? Does this team have a first line on paper at this point in the season? It seems from here the coach wants Comeau where he belongs on the left wing with the teams best center so how is that a demotion?

If Mr Logan wants to play this angle how come he did not play up a Richard Park promotion to first line center?

Is any one line seeing a significant drop in minutes or is it simply a question of finally putting players at the positions they belong in because that's what it looks like to me.

Tambellini-Park-Guerin
Comeau-Comrie-Jackman
Regier-Walter-Satan
Bergenheim-Vasicek-Hunter

A day or two ago Ted Nolan gave the impression Gervais and even Sutton could return by the Montreal game. Any doubts at this point and both players should be shut down for the year. I'm wondering why Satan is even playing with an injury at this point that could cost him big money in free agency or from the Isles.

AP: Chris Simon was very critical of the league for not suspending Chris Pronger what he feels is unfair treatment.

Globe & Mail: Alan Maki reports Chris Pronger's situtation will be looked at again by the league with more from Chris Simon.

NYI Fan Central Comments:
Impossible to disagree with his comments.

Ct Post: Michael Fornabaio's article was on the Sound Tigers 4-1 loss to WBS Pens and a six on six player brawl with Jack Capuano's comments about all the players called up to the Isles.

Ct Post: Michael Fornabaio blogs on the loss and the playoff picture for Bridgeport which is not looking too good right now.

Times Leader: Michael Fornabaio also wrote a WBS Pens-centric article to supplement road coverage.

Citizen Voice: Jonathan Bombulie covered the brawl from the WBS Pens point of view.

Simon vs Pronger double-standard

Tsn.ca: Reports Chris Pronger, a repeat offender who was suspended twice within the last year will not face any disciplinary action from the National Hockey League for stomping on Vancouver Canucks centre Ryan Kesler on Wednesday night.

For those who did not see the play:





NYI Fan Central Comments:
It's decisions like this that make me wonder what's going on in the league office and if it's about the popularity of a player that determines discipline because this is just a disgrace and a complete double-standard that even makes me wonder if Chris Simon was treated fairly?

At the time Chris Simon received his suspension for thirty games I thought it was not enough and felt he should be suspended for the season and the Islanders should not enable this conduct by allowing him to play or they are a part of the problem.

Now a player who was suspended twice in last year's playoffs and recently returned in January commits an act just as bad if not worse than Chris Simon and not only does he not draw a suspension along the same lines as Simon but is not disciplined at all for a stomp at a man's leg?

I don't blame Chris Simon, Garth Snow, Ted Nolan if they have some reaction here because if the idea is to set a standard for conduct it has to apply to everyone equally in situations like this or why have any rules?

Meanwhile Islander fans will cheer Pronger and boo Simon if he returns in another teams uniform next season.

This is just a disgraceful decision by the league but the norm with Colin Campbell and why there have been so many problems with him in this job for years now. He does not have it easy making decisions but after looking at both video's how does one play merit no action and the other thirty games, especially after Pronger was suspended twice in last year's playoffs?

Updated Friday pm:
Point Blank: Mr Botta has more on this in his blog with the league perhaps re-opening this after new footage shows it looked intentional which even Bob McKenzie now has reconsidered his early article here.

NYI Fan Central Comments:
The updated video with the better angle has replaced the first video for those who viewed this here already.

The first video even had the announcers comments that it looked deliberate. Now the league may reopen this and suspend Pronger after announcing no disciplinary action?

That sound is Chris Pronger, Brian Burke and his agent contacting the NHLPA and more well deserved criticism for the league.

Islander News Articles 3/4

Newsday: Mark Herrmann covered practice Monday had Ted Nolan, Freddy Meyer, Mike Comrie's comments about how the club must pull together here and his own speculation about how important the upcoming games are.

NYI Fan Central Commments:
Islanders may as well be playing Florida again tonight for all the indifference the local and city media have for hockey in the New York market today. Just no time or room in the baseball dominated media any longer for a niche sport.

Big business baseball in the newspapers now with the competition between writers and papers for advertising dollars critial.

A lot more critical than the games themselves.

Philadelphia Daily News: Ed Moran reports Flyers defenseman Derian Hatcher could play Saturday against the Islanders.

Edmonton Journal: Joanne Ireland has an updated on how well Robert Nilsson is doing recently.

Star.com: Damien Cox reports former Islander Chris Simon has started a blog to reach out to the Minnesota Wild fans at the Wild gm's request because of the strong negative response the trade has received.

NYI Fan Central Comments:
You think Mr Cox would at least provide a link after going to all this trouble to write an article he is blogging?

Here is the link to Chris Simon's interview with Chris Snow here. Tough to tell if this is in fact a blog or a one time article.

Islander News Articles 2/28:

Newsday: Katie Strang's article on practice was about the club's powerplay and how it struggled against Pittsburgh with Ted Nolan, Bill Guerin and Bryan Berard's comments. Mike Sillinger had successful surgery, Brendan Witt traveled to Atlanta after practicing.

Newsday: Katie Strang blogged on the Islanders page on new defenseman Rob Davison with Ted Nolan and Bill Guerin's comments.

Star-Tribune: Michael Russo reported on Chris Simon's first game with the Minnesota Wild in a win and how he played with his comments. Simon was given # 16.

Ct Post: Michael Fornabaio has the Sound Tigers weekly explains clear day, reviews the upcoming schedule and had an injury update on Ben Walter among several items.

Islander News Articles 2/27:

Newsday: Mark Herrmann's game article was on the all the shots the Islanders got but did not finish with Rob Davison, Ty Conklin and Sean Bergenheim's comments.

Newsday: Greg Logan blogged during the game on the Islanders youth and Garth Snow's plan to build.

Newsday: Mark Herrmann's other article had Ted Nolan and Garth Snow's comments on the trades of Chris Simon and Marc-Andre Bergeron and what Mike Comrie brings to the roster. Garth Snow talked about working the kids in, Ted Nolan about having to coach who he has. Mr Herrmann points out this team will not be winning the Stanley Cup.

NYI Fan Central Comments:
It could well be true that the Isles do not win the cup this year but it's a little early to write off anyone who has a chance at a playoff spot is out of any chance at winning a cup this year. Conklin had to play very well in the game and the Isles did outwork Pittsburgh for most of the night. Isles took fifty shots and lost, Conklin had to make a few great saves.

Newsday: Greg Logan's article is on Chris Simon's trade with Ted Nolan's comments. Chris Simon declined comments, Mr Logan talked about the compromise between the coach and gm to keep the core players for a playoff run but did subtract Simon so Tambellini could play. Mike Comrie talks about why he wanted to resign here.

NY Times: Dave Caldwell had Ted Nolan, Garth Snow and Chris Simon's comments on his trade to Minnesota, the Islanders moves at the trade deadline and Miroslav Satan's comments that we have basically the same group and do not have to change anything.

NYI Fan Central Comments:
Other than noting the game result into the article, nothing was written, why no game article?

Daily News: Peter Botte's game article was on the loss of Chris Simon with Ted Nolan's comments as well as a full article on the Comrie signing and the other Isles moves around 4pm. here.

NYI Fan Central Comments:
I'm satisfied, not asking for huge articles but two articles in one day with updates is fair. Let's see more space and a Daily News Islander blog now so this team get's more exposure and more fans attending.

NY Post: Mike Puma covered the beat with a small article on the game and the trade deadline with a small portion of Garth Snow's comments with nothing on Mike Comrie resigning.

NY Post: Also reported Dan Martin's father passed away Saturday.

NYI Fan Central Comments:
My condolences to Dan Martin and his family.

Minnesota Wild Website: Jamie MacDonald has Chris Simon's comments from the Wild site on his trade. The video pondcast included during Minnesota's game Tuesday has a full interview with Simon between periods where he says he was quietly hoping something would happen in terms of being traded.

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: Dave Molinary recaps the Penguins win after a big day with a lot of coverage on their deadline trades.

Pittsburgh Tribune Review: Rob Rossi recaps the Penguins win.

Anaheim website: Has Brian Burke's comments on adding Marc-Andre Bergeron to his teams lineup and his expectations for him.

NYI Fan Central Comments:
Hopefully at some point I can add some comments from Bergeron. Not the worst day going to play on a defense with Pronger and Niedermayer but will he play is the question?

Pioneer Press: John Shipley was critical of Wild management for adding Simon but had reaction from Gm Doug Risebrough. coach Jacques LeMaire, Chris Simon and Gary Bettman where he said I am a believer in progressive discipline at some point, under some circumstances, you get to a point where enough is enough.

NYI Fan Central Comments:
Chris Simon made it clear no one has ever missed a game or a shift from one of his suspensions, that may be true but as he has said at times it does not excuse his actions.

Going to be interesting to see the Minnesota press reactions after some media there felt Kyle Okposo was signed by the Isles to distract from Simon's suspension in December.

Yahoo spots.com: Ross McKeon gave Garth Snow a D+ for his trade deadline deals citing he did not improve the offense.

NYI Fan Central Comments:
I'm not sure this is a deadline day only grade but he did resign Hunter and Comrie which to me has to be a part of the overall grade.

Star-Tribune: Patrick Reusse was very critical of Doug Riesbrough and has his comments on the acquisition of Chris Simon.

Espn.com: Scott Burnside had a quick paragraph on each team and noted the Isles did not improve but of course feels it's inexplicable but they will hang around the playoffs for a while longer.

NYI Fan Central Comments:
He credits Chicago and Edmonton for modest winning streaks but never credits the Isles. They did have fifty shots against Pittsburgh, close to fifty against Philadelphia and Atlanta so how about a little acknowledgement they simply are not as bad as you expected.

Why would anyone pay for their IN service for such shoddy hockey coverage across the board if the limited free coverage is this bad?

Ct Post: Michael Fornabaio had a brief update on the Sound Tigers at the NHL trade deadline with Jack Capuano's comments. Isles on paper demoted Blake Comeau and Frans Nielsen to make them eligible to play in the AHL playoffs. They were recalled immediately after.

The AHL's clear day roster must be submitted by Thursday at 3 p.m., the AHL's Clear Day deadline, is when teams have to set their rosters for the remainder of the season.

Ct Post: Michael Fornabaio's blog had several updates at the trade deadline.