New York Notables

Tweet

Nothing ground-breaking for this time, the good news is prospect camp opens Friday/Saturday. New York prospects play Boston's prospects at the Coliseum in eight days.

With that New York Notables.

Tomas Marcinko Resigned...Dustin Kohn/Jack Hillen Not Qualified

Tweet

Bridgeport Sound Tigers website reported Tomas Marcinko, signed a one year, two-way contract on Monday.

2005 second round pick, Dustin Kohn and Jack Hillen have not been qualified.

Ct Post: Michael Fornabaio has a list (no idea if complete/final) of all NHL/AHL players not qualified here that apparently includes Robin Figren/Rob Hissey, who both signed overseas, but were eligible to be qualified anyway as Jeremy Colliton was.

Rob Schremp was not qualified by Winnipeg.


NYIFC Comments:
These players will likely enter the market come 7/1, however any player not qualified can be re-signed at any time.

Not surprised about Jack Hillen. It was a good risk Snow took signing him at the cost of giving up a year of eligibility, which is why he played his first two games two games in the NHL. The depth chart speaks for itself that there is a lot of competition for jobs here on defense.

Former prospect Jared Spurgeon was not signed here after being drafted, he was initially invited to Minnesota's prospect camp last July. Some organizations are a better fit than others.

A lot of quality players around the NHL, were not given qualifying offers. Roster spots/cap space are tight.

2005/second rounder pick, Dustin Kohn, not being qualified means the final draft class of Mike Milbury's tenure can now be written here.

Outside of Ryan Smyth's brief time here, no positive impact on the NHL organization from the the class of 2005. Obviously not a formula for sustained success.

Islander scout Trent Klatt: discussed the Islanders draft for six minutes.

Garth Snow had a brief video on Bruno Gervais, who was signed by Tampa Bay on Monday to a one-way NHL contract.

Free agency section opened at NYIFC. 2011 Draft section moved to prospect area before being deleted. (all new draft picks, in NYIFC prospect blog)



New York Islander Fan Central Twitter Page New York Islander Fan Central RSS/not Twitter.

Share |

CONTACT:NYIFANCENTRAL@YAHOO.COM

UPDATED: Next Up For New York 6/26 Qualifying Offers/Notables

Tweet

New York Islander Fan Central Prospect Blog: Has more updates/articles on 2011 draft class.

Working on newspaper/website comments from all the new players selected, and a perfect image of that great looking 40th Anniversary logo.

The NHL Draft is concluded, but business is ongoing.

The deadline to make qualifying offers to the teams restricted free agents is Monday at 5pm.

If Garth Snow was asked about who he qualified (as many professional beat-writers have asked respective general managers around the NHL), it did not make the local paper that controls New York Islander coverage as of this time. The beat-writer covering our team, keeps writing Ryan Jankowski, was dismissed two months after the Canadians hired him per their website?

In short: Josh Bailey, Blake Comeau, Michael Haley, Jack Hillen, Dylan Reese,
Ty Wishart, Dustin Kohn, Tomas Marcinko must receive qualifying offers Monday for the team to retain their rights.

Updated:
Josh Bailey, Blake Comeau, Micheal Haley, Jesse Joensuu, Dylan Reese and Ty Wishart were qualified. Jack Hillen was not as of this time, but subject to change before deadline.

Michael Fornabaio tweeted: Dustin Kohn not on that list of qualified as of Sunday. Tomas Marcinko only other unsigned RFA, not likely to get qualified, this is also subject to change before deadline.

Ct Post: Mr Fornabaio has a bit more, but nothing new on qualifying offers to the Bridgeport centric-players.

Bruno Gervais, must now be qualified by Tampa on Monday.

Rob Hisey, Robin Figren are restricted, however both signed in Europe. It is possible Snow could qualify them, as he did with Jeremy Colliton.

Some quality players are already salary-cap casualties, who will not be qualified and on the market as unrestricted free agents on Friday.

NYIFC 6/12/11: Entry went into more depth on qualifying offers process and what is next in that process.
***************************************
It was quite an interesting few days on the trade market with so many clubs scrambling to add/subtract cap space, or those which made outright huge trades, especially Minnesota-San Jose. Dale Tallon, who signed Brian Campbell to his contract with Chicago, traded for it once again in Florida.

As I wrote the other day, the CBA needs some changes, but it's working.

Hopefully Nikita Filatov becomes a star in Ottawa, same as I hoped he did with Columbus. Only issue here is the Columbus Dispatch beat-writers constant digs at the New York Islanders, but not the team they cover, for what was a player clearly mismanaged by the Bluejackets.

Fliatov also bears responsibility.

A lot of that going around this league in the media, knock other markets, not the one where paper needs local team advertising money.
**************************************
All I ever read is the Islanders are scrambling to reach the cap floor. Really?

The Islanders seemed to subtract Wisniewski/Roloson and still were over any cap floor last December? Hamonic's NHL contract was added early last season, Wishart's first-round contract was called up 2/5/11. Koskinen was called up with his contract, same with Poulin?

Don't believe everything you read in newspapers guessing, or fans sites doing cap numbers, that are not official NHL affiliate outlets. I understand in the absence of official league information folks will accept anything, however that does not make it correct.

How do you think Forbes decided to become NHL experts with only estimates?
Our professional media also uses these kinds of sites now also, very sloppy.
**********************************
No issue here with Ryan Smyth doing whatever he is allowed to do within the framework of his contract. The Kings can always refuse his request. This is another advantage of front-loading, because Colorado paid the bulk of his money early, Los Angeles paid less, and now if he goes back to Edmonton they will pay the least.

His average cap-hit only helps Edmonton, it's money they will not pay him.

Updated:
Smyth is finally a confirmed trade to Edmonton.

Darcy Regier really needed Ales Kotalik's three million salary that badly? Robyn Regehr is a solid player, but either Regier was watching old game films of Kotalik or he caught Terry Pegula in the honeymoon spending period?

Color me skeptical Ted Nolan, lasts very long now that Rochester is the Buffalo Sabres affiliate. Regier/Ruff go back to Nolan's time or replaced Nolan. Terry Pegula has his work cut out.

The lack of thanks/praise to former owner Tom Golisano, who kept that franchise going is not appropriate.
**********************************
The Islanders website coverage was frankly not good this weekend, virtually nothing archived (at least yet) from the scouts, or Snow in articles. Seemed to go video centric, and a lot of that was NHL-related.

A lot was done live with a team centric-ITV feed, it has not been made available as of yet.

Having written that those folks have been working very hard, and have had to go above and beyond for a while. Press conferences with Mangano at Coliseum, coverage in Las Vegas, in Minnesota, from the draft party.

Hopefully Wang meant his employees, when he praised the folks working round the clock, the other day. They sure do deserve it.
***********************************
I understand the hype will start soon to add UFA.

Look at the current roster and how many players are signed? Not immune to trades, or signings, but as I have written every year, to add, you must subtract.

No folks, this team does not need Brad Richards front-loaded, likely over 50m dollars/hopefully without concussions. Tavares, Bailey, Nielsen, Strome, Nelson, Cizikas, Ullstrom, and all the other centers under contract are good enough unless Snow is looking ahead to UFA for Nielsen, who is not a five on five scorer.

If Snow trades Nielsen, includes in a defender (Eaton/Mottau/Jurcina) in a deal and them wants to make a run at Richards, that risk makes more sense.

You qualify Josh Bailey, put him at center, and leave him there, unless a team is offering a star player at Bailey's age.
*************************************
No idea what will happen with the goaltending. I do not like the idea of three top quality players, who need to be number one goaltenders sharing the work in Bridgeport, who's head-coaching search just got much tougher with all the AHL hiring by their parent teams.

I more than understand two are coming off surgery, same as at this level. No doubt the Islanders do not know how to proceed either.
**************************************
As for NYIFC a free agency section will be setup Tuesday/Wednesday.
I like the new sidebar format for information, sorry the old one failed during draft.
Considering a twitter box for Islander centric/former players only here.




New York Islander Fan Central Twitter Page New York Islander Fan Central RSS/not Twitter.

Share |

CONTACT:NYIFANCENTRAL@YAHOO.COM

Islander News Articles 3/22

Newsday: Greg Logan's recap of New York loss to Ottawa had comments at length from Chris Campoli and Mike Comrie where the beatwriter brought up head coach Scott Gordon's recent criticism of bad apples no longer in the room with their reaction.

NYI Fan Central Comments:
This was a day that merited extra blogs and articles. If Mr Logan had Campoli's comments Friday as he writes where was the blog entry Saturday?

No pregame blog for Comrie, Campoli or even a report while Newsday provides blanket coverage and a live blog of the team they own for their game among several updates.

Sorry gang, no one else will write it so we have to here. Seems like only thing Newsday does more of is advertise their product during New York Islander Hockey games these days.

Campoli and Comrie as expected were both class acts with their comments who went out of their way to praise general manager Garth Snow and owner Charles Wang.

Hopefully there is something on Josh Bailey's two goal game and post-game from Scott Gordon.

Ottawa Citizen & Ottawa Sun: Recap Ottawa's win Saturday 5-2 with early Canadian Press update here.

AHL.com: Reports Bridgeport defeated Providence Saturday 3-2 at Harbor Yard.

2. PRO Ryder, (4) (Penner, Knackstedt), 13:27
2. BRI Sim, (8) (MacDonald, Smith), 13:45
2. BRI Lessard, (12) (Fraser, Sim), 19:39 (PP)
3. BRI Kohn, (4) (Colliton, Wotton), 13:05
3. PRO Marquardt, (8) (Lehtonen), 18:49

Nate Lawson started with twenty eight saves.
Robin Figren did not play.

Hershey won 5-4.
WBS Pens lost in regulation.

Ct Post: Michael Fornabaio recaps Bridgeport's 3-2 win against Providence at home Saturday night, with comments from Junior Lessard, Dustin Kohn and head coach Jack Capuano and Bridgeport is down to single digits for clinching it's first playoff spot in two seasons. Mr Fornabaio previews Sunday's home game at 4pm against Portland here with blog entries on the game.

Providence Journal: Uncredited special to the Journal covered Scott Gordon's former team in their loss at Harbor Yard Saturday.

Islander News Articles 3/1:

Newsday: Greg Logan's game article claims the source close to Guerin reported him being scratched was " precautionary" and will make his decision in the morning about agreeing to a trade.

Head coach Scott Gordon comments, who Mr Logan claims Guerin has been " at odds with much of this season " discussed how he will fill the possible leadership void as he addressed some of his younger players.

Newsday: Greg Logan in Islanders Newsday blog after Tsn report (8:45pm) writes according to a source close to Bill Guerin the team has a deal in place pending his approval with an announcement either late Saturday but likely Sunday.

Bad News is Mr Logan reports Guerin's situation has been exacerbated by what he writes is a rocky relationship with coach Scott Gordon, some details of which will appear in a story in Sunday's Newsday about tensions between several veteran players and the rookie head coach.

NYI Fan Central Comments:
So much for enjoying another shutout win.

How come Mr Logan simply does not give us all the details now or does it have to be dragged out over weeks/months to create as much negative perception as possible?

Seems like the only time the club gets a special story in Newsday is when it's along these lines or it's obvious bad news. The good news kind of just fades away without much followup.

I'm not in the room, obviously it's been a tough year and of course there are going to be problems especially with a rookie head coach. Every time the Islanders played Atlanta, John Anderson was seemingly blasting his players.

Is this the same Bill Guerin who has praised Scott Gordon on several occasions in papers outside Newsday around North America (with Doug Weight) and went out of their way to do so?

Again, I'm not in the room so I do not know.

I hate to write it but this has to be somewhat of a cross-roads again for Mr Botta who was the one who broke the story on Nolan-Snow last year at a time he went from team official to independent blogger. Will he dish the dirt or confirm where Greg Logan is going with this and if he knew it why did he not report it already?

Why did Mr Logan wait for Guerin's likely departure unless the captain wanted it that way?

I tend to think unless it's well outside the norm these things should be kept in house for all teams. No team in hockey (or any sport) has everyone happy with their coach/manager and when you are in 30th place with four hundred man games lost nothing can be better than ok on the best of days.

This should really help free agency, Snow's status as gm and the Lighthouse.

The other team Newsday covers does not report on their dirt, regardless of whether the coach is fired or the players do not like the coach or one another. Seems like things are done differently with the Islanders in the reporting beyond the lack of updates.

Newsday: Mark Herrmann gives his view of Mr Wang's long interview with the paper on Friday with several of his comments repeated.

Newsday: Mark Herrmann has a few words from Msg on Bill Guerin sitting out as apparently the Cablevision owned club again will receive the bulk of Newsday coverage.

Updated 12:00am:
Tsn.ca: Darren Dreger reports the Boston Bruins are not the team involved in a trade for Guerin and after referencing Mr Botta's earlier report
notes sources close to the veteran forward say he has not yet been asked to waive it and that sources tell TSN that Guerin has been told he likely will not learn which team has expressed interest until the morning, as the Islanders work on finalizing a deal.

NY Post: Dan Martin's coverage of the Islanders win has virtually nothing on the game besides a brief recap with all coverage centered around Bill Guerin. Kyle Okposo's comments about the current captain, calling him " tremendous " as he was asked about the captaincy role for himself in his future.

Daily News: Peter Botte's limited space gave us one paragraph on the game with no quotes from coach or players with all Guerin/other trade speculation.

NYI Fan Central Comments:
Sure would be nice to get an AP article link with that because Danis, Bergenheim and the team deserve some coverage on the win. When they play road games (or ex-owners go to prison) they get a sports ticker recap where more space is provided than this which is beyond the writer but should be able to manage his game space better.

Buffalo News: John Vogl already has a game article and reaction from the players with head coach Lindy Ruff.

NYI Fan Central Comments:
Good stuff from a paper that used to post it's articles by noon the next day after most games.

Los Angeles Times: Helene Elliott reports a source with knowledge of the situation confirmed Scott Niedermayer has been told he won't be moved before Wednesday's noon PST trade deadline despite his UFA status while Espn's Pierre LeBrun's speculates on this and other possible trades.

CP: Reports Philadelphia has cleared enough cap space to finally add Daniel Briere to it's lineup.

Cbc.com: Reports Derek Boogaard of the Minnesota Wild was suspened for five games after an elbow to the head of Brandon Prust in the head with just over one minute left in Minnesota's 4-1 loss on Friday night.

AHL.com: Reports Bridgeport despite Andrew McDonald's callup won a big game Saturday against WBS Pens 3-2 at Harbor Yard with Nate Lawson in goal.

Mitch Fritz had a five minute major in this game so it could result in an AHL suspension for any possible Islander recalls.

1. WBS Pesonen, (18) (Goligoski, Letestu), 16:41
2. BRI McLean, (15) (Joensuu, Kohn), 16:20
3. BRI Iggulden, (22) (Joensuu), 1:44
3. BRI Kohn, (3) (Haley, Bentivoglio), 2:47
3. WBS Engelland, (2) (Goligoski, Letestu), 12:24 (PP)

Ct Post: Michael Fornabaio has comments from Dustin Kohn and Nate Lawson on Bridgeport's win which moved them into second place in the Eastern Division with blog entries here.

Bridgeport plays the back end of this home and home at WBS Sunday at 5pm.

Times Leader: Has Pens coverage on their loss.

Norfolk 2, Bridgeport 1 Shootout: Mitch Fritz plays

AHL.com: Reports Bridgeport lost 2-1 against Norfolk Sunday afternoon in a shootout at Harbor Yard.

1. BRI Smith, (24) (McLean, Walter), 18:03 (PP)
2. NOR Segal, (16) , 9:04 (PP)

Mitch Fritz was back in the lineup for the Sound Tigers, Nate Lawson started in goal with thirty six saves.

Dustin Kohn had four penalties, one fight, three minors including one in overtime.
Penalties in overtime are only one minute long in the AHL which is a new rule.

It should be noted Fritz in his twenty one games for Bridgeport only has twenty four penalty minutes. Billy Jaffe's comments Fritz has not fought recently would not be correct with fights credited for Bridgeport twice in mid-late January here against Brandon Sugden.

Ct Post: Michael Fornabaio's game coverage has comments from Jesse Joensuu, Nate Lawson and head coach Jack Capuano with blog entries here.

Norfolk Virginina Pilot: Paul White's Admirals coverage if his paper let him make the trip.

Hockey Returns: Islanders Demote/Recall Jackman

With Jiggs McDonald, his wife out of Thailand and a change of government apparently ending the protesting at the airports allowing everyone to travel safely again we will return to a hockey format immediately.

My thanks to everyone for the kind e-mails of support for Mr McDonald and his family, for me it was the right thing to do with the blog until this was settled.

My special thanks to Kevin Allen for passing the news to the hockey media.

It will still be a story here at NYI Fan Central until he arrives home in Canada but we will go back immediately to a hockey centric format.

On that end something caught my attention today.
**********************************************************
Ct Post : Michael Fornabaio reported in his blog Tim Jackman and Mitch Fritz were both recalled to the Islanders on Tuesday. Thomas Pock who cleared waivers on Monday is also still with the Islanders.

On Monday Mike Sillinger was officially recalled from Bridgeport, Jeremy Colliton was sent down with Jackman.

NYI Fan Central Comments:
Reading between the lines seems something is up or someone got hurt. You send down two and recall three that's one too many by my math.

In effect they sent Jackman up and down in less than twenty four hours, this is not the end of last season where they are scrambling for bodies to put out a lineup and Bridgeport has a game on Wednesday.

Unless someone else got hurt in practice combined with Kyle Okposo not ready to return they have too many bodies even if Pock cleared waivers and can be assigned to Bridgeport.

If Okposo is ready to play they have two extra forwards and Bruno Gervais out of the mix with Jeff Tambellini stuck on zero goals and his father the Oilers general manager.

The numbers suggest something has to happen and I did notice the Edmonton professional media sources report here that the Oilers are poised to complete a significant trade and/or fire coach Craig MacTavish, likely this week.

We all know the Islanders historically do a lot of trades with the Oilers.

Robert Nilsson is out with an injury but Rob Schremp was recalled today
here for anyone trying to get a read on the Oilers.

Aside from that nothing major but congratulations to Joey MacDonald for being named NHL third star of the month. Islanders really overworked him and he did a fantastic
job regardless. Danis has to be given a few starts as things move forward now that he got some work.

Could be something or nothing but somewhat unusual on the surface unless a player is getting a seat in the stands or someone else got hurt. Tambellini played well Saturday from what I observed.

Updated:
NYI Point Blank: Mr Botta reported from practice Martinek, Okposo, Thompson not skating or somewhat banged up.
****************************************************
A few other updates:
Ct Post: Michael Fornabaio had a Monday feature on defenseman Dustin Kohn.

Ct Post: Mr Fornabaio also had the Sound Tigers weekly which at the time included Thomas Pock clearing waivers, Jackman-Colliton assigned to Bridgeport, Sillinger recalled and a Q A with Sean Bentivoglio among several items and upcoming games.

Espn: Scott Burnside in an article on NHL general managers and where they came from (specifically new Leaf gm Brian Burke) credited Garth Snow for getting the Islanders in one playoff and having them in contention this year to date despite his unusual ascent to the general managers job.

Tsn.ca/NHL.com: Reports Islanders goaltender Joey MacDonald was named third start of the month by the league. MacDonald posted an 8-5-1 record with a 2.64 GAA and .916 save percentage. He led all goaltenders in games (14) minutes (842) and shots faced (439), and shared the lead in victories.

Bad News is the Sports Business Journal reports the Islanders ranked in the bottom five of the Turnkey Team Brand Index only ahead of the Knicks, Nets and Indiana Pacers here.

NYI Fan Central Comments:
When I looked at this a year ago Islanders were among the top in terms of head coaches which helped improve their rating in this survey.
******************************************************************
In terms of the blog a new poll was released and the blog header tweaked to put all the players in the third jerseys as we hope Blake Comeau receives a recall but put him in the more traditional look. Brendan Witt takes a break with Mark Streit now in the picture.

DiPietro and Martinek are in their 2006 retro jersey's for now for those looking close.

Islander News Articles 11/24

Newsday: Greg Logan has speculation regarding Josh Bailey staying past Friday with comments from general manager Garth Snow, head coach Scott Gordon and Bailey who talks about the opportunity the Islanders have given him and how it's gone.

The Islanders head coach also credited his club for only taking three penalties against the Sabres.

NYI Fan Central Comments:
Could be wrong but I think Snow's comments are a repeat from a few days ago. Headline
notwithstanding (which is not written by Mr Logan) we'll know by next Saturday.

Until then I will watch the games and count the votes here.

The Flint Journal: Bill Marshall had an excellent feature about the life of the late Don Morrow who is a 2008 inductee to the Greater Flint Area Sports Hall of Fame. The writer described him an ambassador in the sport of hockey who unfortunately passed away before he could see his one of his sons in Kenny Morrow win Olympic Gold and the Stanley Cup with the Islanders.

AP: Has an early preview of the game against the Canadians Monday and the Islanders recent struggles against them.

Mike Komisarek is out with an upper body injury after his recent fight with Milan Lucic and is expected to be out another four-five weeks. Pat Hickey in the Montreal Gazette here reports forward Guillaume Latendresse was scratched Saturday after an apparent shoulder injury against Ottawa Thursday.

Ct Post: Michael Fornabaio has coverage of Bridgeport's 4-2 win including comments from head coach Jack Capuano on Mike Sillinger and the game. Sillinger talked about his conditioning and his hip still being sore, Blake Comeau/Dustin Kohn also are quoted on their play.

Mr Fornabaio also had the boxscore and three stars/report card here.

NYI Fan Central Comments:
For those scoring at home Sillinger's three game conditioning stint ends Saturday against the Binghampton Senators. Josh Bailey's ninth game will be Friday in Boston with the Islanders home against Ottawa next Saturday.

Philadelphia Inquirer: Has the Phantoms coverage.