Islander News Articles 7/25 quick hits

Newsday: Greg Logan reports John Tortorella will meet with Garth Snow this Sunday as the beatwriter makes comparisons between Tampa Bay and the Islanders and also reports Mike Sullivan and Scott Gordon are expected to interview next week.

NYI Fan Central Comments:
Tortorella is an interesting choice but he has had a lot more talent to work with on offense in Tampa. By contrast he will have a lot of talent on defense and in goal if he is hired here. Garth Snow has no time for vacation and has a lot of interviews to go through, he may need some second or third interviews before a decision is arrived at.

Newsday: Greg Logan reports in the Islanders Newsday blog defenseman Bruno Gervais has been resigned to a three year/one way contract at a bit more than 2.1 million. At the conclusion of this contract he will still be a restricted free agent. His first-year salary equals his qualifying offer of $522,500 but will receive $800,000 and $900,000 in the next two seasons.

Islanders website: Has general manager Garth Snow's comments on the signing.

NYI Fan Central Comments:
Great signing but it does mean seven defenders are signed for at least the next two seasons. That finishes up contract negotiations with all restricted free agents and no distractions in terms of player contracts before camp.

Someone with a contract will not be happy opening night if everyone is healthy.

For those voting in the poll we can eliminate Gervais will not be signed.

Times & Transcript: Cole Hobson has Moncton Mayor Ian Fowler's comments on the 9/23 exhibition game against Boston. More details surrounding the camp, public activities and open practices will be released at a later date.

Long Island Business News: Henry E. Powderly II has an interview with new Dragons majority owner Steve Silva with a few words about Charles Wang and negotiations.

Daily Graphic: Has an interview with former Islander Aarom Asham who talks about his time with the Devils and why he signed with Philadelphia.

Quick Hits:
Why is it Ken Campbell's Hockey News article on Maurice a front runner for Isles job
appearing on Espn, I think this is a repeat from THN. How come Espn does not have enough hockey writers?

The days of a staff of writers like Al Morganti seems long gone for Espn leaving us with the Scott Burnside, E.J Hradek or Teri Frei perspective.

Not to kick around the Isles TV staff because they did a great job on mini-camp putting up prospect interviews in bulk and obviously need to get this months version done early in the month but the Isles Illustrated needed to do more than throw in a very quick blurb on Ted Nolan not returning even if it was only Bill Jaffe's video comments last week. By the looks of this some brief prospect camp footage was included but it looked like it was held for the August version.

So what is that now, forty shows a week on Msg Ranger centric and nineteen minutes of quality Islander content? Who padlocked the vault of games for the Islanders on Msg + this summer? I know I would not mind seeing Al Arbour night a few times or all those Ranger or Devils wins.

InsideCal.com: Los Angeles Kings writer Rich Hammond had defenseman Jack Johnson's comments the Coliseum area and the rink was the worst in the league a few days ago in a long interview.

NYI Fan Central Comments:
Which should be forwared immediately to town of Hempstead's Kate Murray and Smg.




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New York Islander Fan Central Notables

Islanders website: Reports the second installment of Islanders Illustrated will debut Thursday at 7:30pm on Msg plus.

Boston Herald: Steve Conroy reports the Boston Bruins have placed forward Glen Murray on waivers. If Murray clears waivers today, starting tomorrow the Bruins will have 48 hours to complete the buyout.

NYI Fan Central Comments:
Can the Isles claim Murray given how NHL waivers work? Sure.

Having written that where do you want to play a career right wing on a team with Guerin, Okposo and Hunter in your top three unless you want to keep Okposo in Bridgeport next season or give Murray your fourth line right wing slot and say goodbye to Richard Park?

Thenewpl.com: Reports former Islander Mariusz Czerkawski has announced his retirement.

Ct Post: Michael Fornabaio in his Sound Tigers blog notes Matthew Spiller is now listed as being with the Devils.

Finally Happy One Year Anniversary to New York Islander Fan Central and my thanks to all the readers of this blog on a fantastic first year.

Islander-Sound Tiger Notables/Quick Hits

St Catherine's Standard: Jim Wallace has a full interview with prospect Alex Pietrangelo who comments he visited Long Island (among several clubs) during the process leading up to the draft.

Columbus Dispatch: Aaron Portzline reports Nikita Fliatov wants to play in North American next season with the young Russians comments while the writer speculates he could be available for the Islanders at number five who pick ahead of Columbus.

NYI Fan Central Comments:
Why do I keep thinking of Alexandre Volchkov who Mike Milbury did not take in his first Islander draft and got abuse about who was one of the all-time draft busts for Washington. I will not bring that name up again before the draft.

Islanders website: Profiled the New Islanders Illustrated television show which will debut tonight at 6:30pm with it's host.

NYI Fan Central Comments:
No complaints with the Islanders here, they have to do the production from what I can gather and this can get very expensive/time consuming and they deserve a lot of credit for putting something together for the fans. It's a start but until Cablevision gives our fans the time and space on their networks (along with the classic games/player profiles) they do for the Garden's team on Msg this cannot be considered a fair partnership.

My suggestion is Jiggs McDonald would be perfect at doing half hour programs with supporting highlights and writers comments profiling each player with a few comments from the players themselves. Not only the legendary Islanders but the current ones.

This was done a long time ago with a program for Mike Bossy and Denis Potvin called Crowning Glory which was a one hour special on Sportschannel.

A lot of money to be made, DVD's for each season, the championships years. These highlights sitting somewhere are not helping the Islanders, Msg or the league.

Ottawa Citizen: Don Campbell has a full feature on prospect Zach Bogosian with his comments.

NYI Fan Central Comments:
Outstanding article, a lot of information that goes beyond what I have read to this point.


Intelligencer Journal : Greg Caldwell has a full feature on Sound Tigers Pascal Morcency with his comments about being named man of the year for charity work and his recovery from damage behind his patella with two meniscus tears that he is rehabbing from along with expectations that he can make the NHL with the Islanders or another club.

Note-Sound Tigers.com had this before I researched it and posted it on the website.

Sound Tigers website via hockey News: Posted a preview of the 2008 draft.

Miami Herald: George Richard has more from Marc Gandler on Olli Jokinen and that Tampa traded a seventh round pick to regain the rights to winger Vinny Prospal for negotiating purposes until 7/1 when he can become UFA again.

Quick Hits:
Not much to say about former Islander Glenn Healy leaving television to work for the NHLPA beyond what my impression that he seems like another person who would take the league into another lockout if he did not get what he wanted but that impression could be dead wrong. Where I live I do not get to see Healy's shock jock coverage often but it seems to have recieved mixed review.

Glenn Anderson in the Hall of Fame? I guess we can finally stop reading all the criticism Clark Gillies got now from the writers for his induction now that both are in and I can start asking how is Butch Goring not in the Hall of Fame?

Finally congratulations and best of luck to blog boxers Michael Schuerlein Islesblogger.com & Tom Liodice Tiger Tracks who were given credentials from the Islanders to cover the draft in Ottawa and will be in attendance live and will do a great job providing updates.