Kyle Okposo At Hospital/Intensive Care

Sabres' Kyle Okposo is hospitalized and in intensive care, as @pham1717 first reported. https://t.co/hilSny1gTr

— John Vogl (@BuffNewsVogl) April 6, 2017

Statement regarding Sabres forward Kyle Okposo. pic.twitter.com/oUGXhy3gmX

— Buffalo Sabres (@BuffaloSabres) April 6, 2017

"The concern is with him and his family. We're thinking about him."#Isles send thoughts and prayers to Kyle and the Okposo family: pic.twitter.com/NSWxPMN7QW

— New York Islanders (@NYIslanders) April 6, 2017

NYIFC Comments: Obviously a very serious health issue for someone who's been out a while, but no idea if related. Hoping for absolute best for Okposo, and beyond concerned based on what's being reported.

---

6/17 Garth Snow XM Radio Interview

Garth Snow did an audio interview on XM radio, where he touched on several subjects, including Kyle Okposo UFA & the upcoming draft. 

Updated: Islanders website link

---

Tavares, Okposo, Wang At Barclay's Center

Daily News: John Tavares, and Kyle Okposo were at the Barclay's Center for a Smile Train event Wednesday night 4/2/14, with Charles Wang, who both commented on a possible sale of the team.

 John Tavares Wednesday at Smile Train's Power of a Smile Gala at Barclays Center:

“You don’t have any control over that stuff, so you try not to worry about it and just try to focus on doing what you’re supposed to do, preparing yourself to play, playing each day, and obviously in my case, doing everything I can in rehab.” 

“Hopefully that stuff gets taken care of. It’s something that it’s always good to have that stability. Charles has provided that for a long time. If there’s a change, there’s a change, but I know how much he’s invested in this team and this organization, and we’re looking forward to the future.”

Kyle Okposo:

“That’s for management and ownership to figure out,” he said. “Charles is gonna do what he thinks is best and what’s in his interest. We as players, we just have to go play the game. We can’t let that stuff worry us.”

**************************************
NYIFC Comments:
Not like the Daily News has the budget to cover these things called hockey games, Mike Milbury's corporate bicycle still works for something to help the News reach the coverage cap floor with the AP.

Not a classic in Ottawa, but the kids (looked tired) keep winning. 14-4-2 last twenty road games.

Edmonton Journal: Oil Kings Head Coach, Derek Laxdal had comments on Ryan Pulock and Griffin Reinhart.

That would be former Islander player, Derek Laxdal for those scoring at home.

Pulock/Reinhart also comment. 

Okposo Did Not Deserve USA Spot/New York Deserves Better Than Msg's Howie Rose Disrespect

We all like Kyle Okposo.
He had four goals in forty eight games during the 2013/whatever.
American Colin McDonald had three more goals, and only seven less points. (17/24)

Okposo's team is currently dead last in whatever this division is called, despite his numbers. These spots are not decided on part of one season. When team USA hockey sat down last summer to construct a roster the notion of discussing Okposo being included would be comical based on four goals in forty eight games.

The past matters.

Of course Okposo represented team USA/Islanders well for years.
If he puts together five years like his first half he'll be on the next team if there is one.
**************************************************************
Olympic Amnesia? 
Does anyone have any memory of the past?

The New York Islanders had Rick DiPietro, Mark Parrish, Jason Blake representing team USA in 2006, Peter Laviolette was the head coach. No Rangers were on the team. 

That would be the 2005-06 NHL season, the one the Islanders missed the playoffs for the first time since 2000-2001. The one Mike Milbury resigned, and Steve Stirling was fired.

Or the one the Rangers returned to the playoffs after eight years. 

The notion team USA was biased for/against the Islanders (or any franchise) is absurd. 

The NHLPA did not hijack the Olympic teams from amateurs until 1998, many of those clubs were comprised of same former amateurs who turned pro.
****************************************************************
When Will Howie Rose Time End With This Franchise:
Too bad Jiggs McDonald could not stay with the team a few more days.

Was the mini winning streak making Howie Rose so unhappy so he had to come out in the snow, and play the disrespect card, telling us how many opposing fans are in the stands all night long?

Never mind Charles Wang just ate the cost of 13,000 tickets out of pocket for future games while corporate teams never give fans any free tickets, and get taxpayer money to finance their payroll.

Long ago Joe Micheletti said Wang doing this cost him about five hundred thousand dollars. (end of Wang infomercial)

Butch Goring did not play the franchise respect card with Okposo (to make his point) or the team, he is a former Islander head coach who was fired (under Wang) in the last twenty years.

You know how quick the announcer would be fired in Columbus, Florida, and most other franchises for doing what Rose did?

Anyone who's read this website knows I have been very critical of Howie Rose in the past, and would be thrilled with his dismissal. In 2003 the NY Post reported Islanders wanted him out, but we know who hires/fires announcers, and it's not the New York Islanders so he stays. (Maybe Kenny Albert has passed him on Rosen replacement list)

Howie Rose has called Islander games for the Dolan family since 1996 when it was still Sportschannel, and they were just getting started operating Msg with ITT. (after owning the Isles cable rights since 1978 which is how Charles Dolan was able to start Cablevision to amass his fortune) 

Mr Rose is one of the big reasons for disrespect for close to twenty years between his many games off,  quick/constant references to any opposing fans at the Nassau Coliseum (never acknowledging Islander fans at MSG) an absence of doing anything for this franchise besides calling games, and quickly leaving afterward.

Google Rose name, he's pictured more at Msg recently (for renovation) than the Nassau Coliseum, he never met a Ranger interview he did not want to give. 

Howie Rose somewhat snobbish list of what he considers NHL outposts are also insulting to this franchise, and many others. Nashville's David Poile is team USA's general manage, one of his so-called NHL outposts. 

Sam Rosen runs downstairs, and interviews Cablevision's head coach on television after every game, when was the last time Rose went near the Islander locker room beyond telling the fans there should never be a morning skate?

Rose is off air five ten minutes after games. Goring goes downstairs to work with Peter Ruttgaizer on postgame, he's starts the pregame from the ice with an interview. 

Rose never talks up this team, playoffs or not between baseball references. He writes nothing/almost never does an interview unless it's Mets/Ranger related. He went to one Islander Casino night, showed up for one Referendum/Lighthouse rally. 

A lot of franchises did not make the playoffs in 2002, 03, 04, 06. Many franchises have never won anything do not put a twenty year referendum of league perception on a telecast.

Never mind Mr Rose true feelings coming out in Atlanta years earlier when he got caught on camera.

On 5/11/13 New York was eliminated from the NHL playoffs.
On 5/23/13: Mr Rose was out selling his book, and talking about his favorite NHL team.
It was not the New York Islanders.

 
 
Howie Rose is one of the biggest symbols of the teams struggles since 1996.

On Feb 6th 2013 he made clear he wants to remain with the Islanders the rest of his career even though he works for Msg here.

If you’re wondering about the chances of Rose ever succeeding either Sam Rosen or Kenny Albert for a Rangers “dream job,” think again. Rose was taken aback in being asked about that:

“I’m not going there, man. I’m with the Islanders for 18 years. I think the work I’ve done here speaks to the committment I’ve made here,” Rose says. “I’m the Islanders play-by-play voice. I’ve actually done it longer than anybody in the franchise’s history. My goal is to do every last hockey game of my career for the Islanders. It’s really a tired subject, I think.”

Beyond one stirring moment, on his short list of possibilities to eclipse that June night from 19 years ago involves his childhood favorite:

“Well, I’ll let you know if I ever get to make the final call of the Mets winning the World Series,” Rose admits. “I still think that’ll be the topper for me.”

“That would be the opportunity for me that would really be the icing on the cake of my career,” Rose says. “More than just the icing, it would be the taste, the flavor, the substance, everything if I actually got to announce the Mets are World Champions.”

Notice there is nothing on the Islanders winning the Stanley Cup as being something special for his career, he'll be gone doing Mets games long before.

He's been "faking it" long enough, our fans deserve someone who feels likes Mr Rose does about the Rangers, and Mets, he'll never be that person for our team. 

It's time for the New York Islanders to publicly request a change. 

New York Sweeps Pittsburgh: Bailey Five Points

When a team losses it's first back to games since Jan 10th-11th they are doing everything right, when another team beats them twice in a row this says something very positive about them.

You know it's a sign of something good when Steve Staios is breaking in shorthanded.

All kidding aside, New York was the better team, had the extra step, outworked the Pens, and earned their sweep of the home and home.

They have had success at home vs Pittsburgh before this season.

Not sure what to make of Bailey but a remarkable night to register five points. Of course for this blog he should play his natural position of center. The concept of him being a winger has been tried many times without success, but that's not for today.

Congratulations to Josh Bailey.

Nielsen-Okposo played with Grabner the entire second half of last season.

Congratulations to Kyle Okposo for a new career high in goals. 

That was an incredible effort by Pandolfo short-handed to get the puck to Bailey. 

When a dominating team hits the wall like Pittsburgh has, they are going to lose some games, and make some mistakes trying to do more, despite this they still almost came all the way back.

The Pens short-handed play was good, despite the goal they allowed off their defense.

Montoya's surprising me a little, he looked unplayable for a long time (even before injuries) but now he seems to have settled down which does not happen in a vacuum.

The shift Reasoner came off the bench and scored his first, like in Florida the team had a dominating shift, you could see the Isles were beating the Pens to the net.. Okposo found the quality spot, the first line did not finish but generated chances, Grabner, Niederreiter and Martin had chances.

Streit is just playing like he was told go play offense for a while now, he got caught in Pittsburgh when someone did not cover well, but he has to do it.

Isles took some big hits to clear some pucks on defense.

Overall this suggests nothing new, the Isles have been a team between five hundred and six under the entire season. This is no carryover to next season if there is one.  

Now we see what happens with Bridgeport, who need Ullstrom (plus Cizikas) and what happens when Boston/Ottawa visit over the weekend. 

Those teams have not hit the wall the Pens have, they will be much tougher.

For this day congratulations to the New York Islanders. 

Lottery Watch:
New York is five points clear of the 27th place team. Toronto is playing the kind of hockey where they may well not win another game, anything can happen. 

Beating Winnipeg/Columbus or even better having success against Boston/Ottawa/New Jersey could place the Isles around the 8th or 9th team from 30th spot. 

Okposo & Bailey vs Coaching/Development/Winning

For those who recall, Kyle Okposo, did not play a game under Scott Gordon a year ago.

He did play briefly under Jack Capuano in Bridgeport here  and no doubt worked under Capuano in summer or training camps.

The point is Capuano and Okposo were familiar with one another when he returned from his shoulder injury in January 2011.

Kyle Okposo is a young player, he's had success and shown he has first line potential. 

Jack Capuano is in a tough spot here. He's benched Okposo, put him on the top line where a pick of his potential should thrive with Tavares, however now again is off that line for Parenteau.

Okposo's been used with Nielsen most of the time since his return in 2011, that produced five goals, but did not get a lot of notice because of Grabner's success on that line combined with his injury. 

Seems the only thing that brought immediate improvement for a short-time was Okposo's benching this season, and not just the two quick goals against the Flyers, but his dive to the net returned.

Of course the numbers are important, however he's simply not generating chances, skating well, and visible in games for all the wrong reasons.

There are no easy answer here, this is not the same player before his injury.

The Milbury plan and a trade should not even be a thought.

The only acceptable plan is the staff does everything possible to get Okposo back to the player he used to be.

That's part of what the staff is paid to do, that's why the player got a five year contract extension. 
*****************************
As for Josh Bailey, many have read our 8/25/11 entry about him being mismanaged by the club.

Bailey dismissed returning to play his third forward position (RW) against Washington.

Despite scoring this blog feels players who teams use first round picks to draft, must play their natural position.

Bailey's been different than Okposo, he's had very visible games with a lot of unproductive wingers.

The answer is not to make Bailey a full time wing again. 
*****************************
Coaching:
The facts are the players here all praise this organization, that's a reflection of the head coach.

Blake Comeau went both ways first crediting his work with Capuano in Bridgeport, then praising Scott Gordon, who picked Nate Thompson over him and played the communication with Capuano card.

Rolston also had some comments that seemed odd considering the minutes and role he was given on the club's powerplay. 

One reason Jack Capuano was given a contract to return in 2011-12 was familiarity with the Isles prospects.

Garth Snow made clear recently he's very happy with his head coach.

Should he be satisfied getting nothing statistically from most of the veterans, or little aside from the natural progression Tavares has made with Parenteau?

The kind of natural progress you expect from Okposo and Bailey at this point, even without the statistics? 

Or is the reality no coach was going to make some of these veterans more productive, and this collectively hurt the ability of many forwards to do better?

Reasoner/Rolston second half numbers a year ago would suggest one thing.

Parenteau, Moulson progress/improvement says that works both ways.

Washington Loss:
Little to add from twitter comments.

Steve Staios does his absolute best in a role he should never have been entrusted with.

This team came out and should have been down four goals in the first period, even if they won 2-0 it was a terrible response to Sunday's game.

How they won the previous game in Washington is how they needed to play Monday, the scoreboard never reflected the disparity in skating most of that game. 

Upcoming Games:
Flyers come limping home after having a very tough trip to the west coast where they should be tired, it will make no difference if the Isles continue to struggle in games.

Will we see the Islander team that went into Philadelphia and earned a 5-2 win with excellent skating or the game where they looked shorthanded for sixty five minutes and Nabokov stole a shootout?

What's also is clear very soon, someone's going to have to start a game besides Nabokov.

Our new twitter box has it's first update on that front. 

Updated: Anders Nilsson signed/Islander Notables/Looking Ahead

Tweet

Updated 6pm:
Islanders website: Report goaltender Anders Nilsson has been signed to a three year entry level contract.

See twitter for link: Nilsson received a max contract, the highest awarded since lockout ended for a third round pick, and will be in North America next season per his agent.

NYIFC Comments:
That puts Nilsson, Koskinen and Poulin in Bridgeport with Montoya, Nabokov and DiPietro in New York. A lot of surgery/injury among current Islander goaltender ranks, but a signing that had to be done this summer or rights of a high draft pick would have been lost.

ITV: Released Doug Weight's complete press conference.

XM: Had an interview with Kyle Okposo on his new contract, Doug Weight and other items.

Will be toning down blog entries or posting them via twitter. NYIFC is supposed to be more of a blog that's an extension of it's twitter page. It has been a very busy stretch so more has been written here lately.

Setting the agenda:
NYIFC is a hockey blog, not a political blog. Entries have been written on the politics behind this, so from here on we're not going that deep into the political end of things, the recent/past archives have plenty on the Coliseum issue.

The order can suddenly change depending on sudden signings, trades or organizational changes. Bridgeport needs a head coach. RFA/UFA have to be signed or qualified and prospects have to be signed.

Seems every day something is happening, it was not this active during games.

1. The Memorial Cup and Casey Cizikas has to be signed by 5/31. St Michaels Majors plays semi-finals Friday night against Kootenay.

Toronto Sun: Terry Koshan had his usual issues with the Islanders, but Casey Cizikas comments on signing with the club on Wednesday.

2. 5/31 is the next Nassau County legislature chance to vote for a referendum vote happening in August, after last week who knows if that will be delayed again?

Instead of waiting on twitter updates/articles from this blog/wherever go to NassauCounty.ny.iqm2.com and simply watch meeting/hearing/vote live for yourselves.

3. After that no doubt more financial articles and spin in Cablevision's newspaper and a ton of rhetoric both ways. You know where this blog stands on these items, Mangano/politics/ect.

4. Draft updates/possible signings or qualifying offers to RFA or UFA. NYIFC has opened it's draft sections here and at the prospect blog.

As for UFA The Province: Zenon Konopka's comments on Trevor Gillies, and other subjects.

Notables:
It's great the Islanders locked up Grabner, Okposo and likely will do so with their other RFA. The backloaded contracts speak a great deal to Charles Wang's time as owner whether a Coliseum referendum passes and receives approvals or not.

Charles Wang may not be around to pay those players for a lot of reasons, he will be seventy two come final year of those deals.

It also has to be written who is going to buy this team from him if he becomes in effect, the next Smg with a lot of the property/hotel revenue going to him? It's obvious around the NHL simply owning the building and getting all event revenue is not enough to make owning a team self-sustaining, even when it's new.

When details come out from credible media (source free) with direct quotes regarding financing there will be more to read, not before.
************************
My initial reaction was taken aback when Doug Weight was assigned assistant coach/assistant to the gm. I wanted a reaction from Jack Capuano, who is now the full time head coach who has Scott Gordon's staff. Sometimes a general manager/coach relationship goes south which could be a problem for someone in that mix if Weight is in the middle which his role clearly suggests.

Doug Weight is as visible and respected a figure as there is in hockey. If there was an issue he would be outspoken so I do not foresee a problem here. Weight will not pull punches.

Previous assistant's to Garth Snow seemed very peripheral or not much detail was brought out or confirmed by articles vs what was advertised. If Weight will be behind the bench for every game we will see. Weight's efforts regarding pp at end of last season failed as someone behind the bench with a lot of injuries in a limited body of work.
***************************
If a job is available elsewhere for Scott Gordon, he should be let out of his contract immediately. If one is available here, and he wants it, he should be retained.
***************************
Put no stock on players invited to draft party who are UFA, some can be retained, others let go.
***************************
The silence is deafening out of Atlanta and very sad for their fans. If ASG can own and pay for the Hawks, they can pay for and operate the Thrashers, it's not the NHL's call until they have a sale to approve or reject.

Bill Daly's comment about Seattle were unexpected for a deputy commissioner who is usually guarded with his statements.
***************************
Tsn.ca: Absolutely hit a home run adding former referee, Kerry Fraser. His work is fresh, ground-breaking and comes from a hockey viewpoint few can relate to. I loved his story about Al Arbour and every entry is very good where we learn things.

No, that site does not have hockey centric rss and badly needs a redesign.

Tsn.ca: On the other side of that coin is Scott Cullen, who refused to acknowledge the Islanders 600+ man games lost to injury when we discussed them, but defended the Blues, John Davidson for not spending and cited injury several times when going through players.

NYIFC Comments:
All I ever ask is the playing field be level for all teams in viewpoints. If Scott Cullen wants to do thirty team reviews and he writes the Islanders season was over by the time Andrew MacDonald got hurt, of course I'm going to point out the club was 4-1-2, in first place when he got hurt in October.

If that bothers him to where he is defensive about it, that says something about his viewpoint not being informed, fair or objective.

Sorry.




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

Share |

CONTACT:NYIFANCENTRAL@YAHOO.COM

Kyle Okposo Signs Five Year Contract Extension

Tweet

Islanders website: Report Kyle Okposo has been signed to a five year contract extension, with comments from General Manager Garth Snow.

NYIFC Comments:
Will be interesting to see if Okposo's deal is backloaded as Grabner's was. Either way another in a long-ling of classy/quiet negotiations from this general manager.

Do not read a great deal into the players invited to the draft party (announced on teams website) who are unrestricted free agents.

The long spring continues Thursday with Doug Weight's 11am press conference.

Casey Cizikas/St Michaels Major have their finals rematch Wednesday night at Memorial Cup with his signing deadline 5/31.



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

Share |

CONTACT:NYIFANCENTRAL@YAHOO.COM