Poll Update: Sign MacDonald or Danis

With a little over a day left in this weeks poll the question was who would you resign between Joey MacDonald and Yann Danis if you could only pick one for next season.

Joey MacDonald 7 (9%)

Yann Danis 65 (90%)

Votes so far: 72

I picked day one and selected MacDonald and find myself in the minority big-time which is ok. What he did early in front a a struggling team impressed me more as he held them in contention but it's a win-win choice given how both played from day one of camp.

The prospects for only one staying with Peter Mannino a signed prospect and Nate Lawson's outstanding play and new contract (yet to be announced by NYI.COM) makes it obvious unless DiPietro is not ready to play it will be one or the other as backup because there is no apparent spot in Bridgeport.

I also believe their collective play takes Wade Dubielewicz off the Islander radar entirely for good now in terms of any summer resigning unless both MacDonald and Danis signed elsewhere which is possible, but not likely.

Poll Update: Rick DiPietro

This weeks poll began before the idea of a Dubielewicz signing (or a MacDonald injury) hit the radar at a point the Islanders returned from the Western Conference trip where Rick DiPietto dressed but did not play and then stopped dressing missing a game in Calgary many thought he would start.

Yann Danis had to be recalled during the trip.

So our poll asked what should be done regarding his health? I voted for what the doctors say with regard to his health, I do not buy into the concept of not playing him simply because some are tired of taking about the issue, one vote recognized he could have the same issues in the summer, a few he should return when he is ready.

With a little over a day remaining the results were mixed but generally agreed the club must do what the doctors think is best or the status quo option:

Whatever the doctors say with regard to his health
17 (40%)

Shut him down for his own well being
10 (23%)

Shut him down for a better shot at a top pick or because I'm tired of reading about it.
11 (26%)

Play him as soon as he is ready
2 (4%)

Shut him down knowing he could have same problems in the summer again
1 (2%)

Status quo-Keep doing what they have been
7 (16%)

Thanks again for the solid voting turnout.

Poll Update

Our poll hits the final day and asks everyone:
Given the standings what players should be moved now?

Keep in mind now and moving forward not as easy as dumping players with a cap floor for Garth Snow and other general managers know it. You take my contract I'll take yours and give me a pick may be the game as things progress.

Poll leader Mike Sillinger may have entered Shawn Bates territory where he simply cannot play any longer if his groin-hip problems are related.

Anyway here is where things stand as of late Saturday:

Mike Sillinger 31 (60%)
Brendan Witt 17 (33%)
Richard Park 11 (21%)
Mike Comrie 29 (56%)
Trent Hunter 2 (3%)
Sean Bergenheim 1 (1%)
Radek Martinek 11 (21%)
Freddy Meyer 4 (7%)
Andy Hilbert 12 (23%)
Andy Sutton 16 (31%)
Chris Campoli 0 (0%)
Bruno Gervais 16 (31%)
Mark Streit 0 (0%)
Bill Guerin 16 (31%)
Doug Weight 12 (23%)
Blake Comeau 1 (1%)
Jeff Tambellini 17 (33%)
Patience-stick with it until everyone healthy 9 (17%)

Tuesday I will try and put some time into articles with the Atlanta pre and postgame but I will be traveling afterward.

Wednesday and Christmas Day there will be no blog updates beyond anything prewritten. Friday morning is up in the air at this time.

Only thing for sure is I will blog if Scott Gordon receives a lump of coal and a pink slip in his Christmas stocking.

Poll Update: Who would you call up for first time?

This weeks poll hits the final day and asked everyone what player would you like to see recalled for the first time in 2008-09?

The vote right now favors Trevor Smith.

Sorry about misspell on Jesse Joensuu, once a poll goes in it's locked after a few hours and cannot be altered beyond how long it runs. I did not notice it at the time.

Trevor Smith-F 17 (47%)
Mike Iggulden-F 6 (16%)
Jesse Joensuu-F 12 (33%)
Ben Walter-C 6 (16%)
Sean Bentivoglio-F 2 (5%)
Dustin Kohn-D 3 (8%)
Andrew MacDonald-D 2 (5%)
Kurtis McLean-C 2 (5%)

I voted for Smith, Iggulden, Joensuu. Give me some players with some offensive skills who can finish, we know Jackman, Fritz, Thompson, Park, Hilbert will not be doing that on a regular basis here.

If Sim sits it should not be for the players he sat for against Pittsburgh.
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For those interested here is the pre WJC information for each country and where they will have camp. I put the exhibition games for all teams in the WJC section.

Czech Republic: Dec. 16-23, PowerAde Centre, Brampton, Ont.
Finland: Dec. 20-23, Molson Centre, Barrie, Ont.
Germany: Dec. 20-23, Robert-Guertin Arena, Gatineau, Que.
Kazakhstan: Dec. 18-23, General Motors Centre, Oshawa, Ont.
Latvia: Dec. 18-23, Memorial Centre, Brockville, Ont.
Russia: Dec. 19-23, K-Rock Centre, Kingston, Ont.
Slovakia: Dec. 17-23, The Aud, Kitchener, Ont.
Sweden: Dec. 16-23, Hershey Centre, Mississauga, Ont.
United States: Dec. 21-23, K-Rock Centre, Kingston, Ont.


NYI Fan Central Update:

Some changes to the media feed widget on the sidebar.

I added in the Times, News & Post feeds (even if we see AP coverage) to bulk up the section and cut out the Islander website top stories (too many repeats/ads) keeping only the headlines feed.

Ct Post does not have a Sound Tiger centric feed for it's newspaper, only Mr Fornabaio's blog which is on the sidebar.

Poll Update/NYI Fan Central Notables

This weeks Poll had produced a big surprise with a few days left with the poll:

Most Impressive Prospect/Young Player Game by Game: Islanders
Jeff Tambellini 3 (4%)
Frans Nielsen 16 (24%)
Sean Bergenheim 3 (4%)
Kyle Okposo 1 (1%)
Josh Bailey 10 (15%)
Bruno Gervais 0 (0%)
Chris Campoli 0 (0%)
Nate Thompson 2 (3%)
Jeremy Colliton 30 (46%)

I would not have selected Colliton but if a big Bridgeport vote came in or a lot of folks see a player drafted in 2003 as the most impressive it's all good from here.

I selected Bergenheim because he seems to have the best impact most nights.

At first I had planned to separate the Islanders from the Sound Tigers and do two polls but it would take up too much space, Colliton was here a week ago so he was included.
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I did change the picture logo for the Islanders website on the sidebar, not my website so if they release something with the current slogan I feel obligated to display their website as they do. Earlier I had nothing so I used an old version.
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I hope folks have been checking out prospects blog which the Islanders website has done an excellent job with the weekly updates that I have been adding to the page.

I feel few if any Islander sites/blogs have that many links to reference information about a particular prospect.
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I will strictly be using the NHL/AP/CP/Ticker/Sports Network and Newspaper coverage for pre-post game coverage as opposed to the Islander website and have been doing this for quite a while for those who have paid attention. Aside from Islander website prospect updates the quality at the website aside from excellent ITV pre-post game interviews (usually posted on sidebar) has been lacking far too often with too many ticket ads which is understandable but takes away from the hockey content.

We still have feeders/live page view for anyone who wishes to read Islander website content.

Seems the work that was put into updates in camp tailed off badly since the club returned to New York.

The quality is better for our purposes here to look in the out of town papers to see how an opposing club is playing/who is injured going into a game to set up a preview for the readers.
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What's ahead will be more of the same with the WJC getting daily space here. When the tournament ends it will be transferred to the prospects blog and given it's own space like the draft, prospect camp.

Finally it's been a while but I would like to thank everyone for the incredible support this blog has received since it began back in July of 2007 and for all the great e-mails.

Poll/Mailbag/Quick Hits

With about four full days left in the latest poll we may not have a triple digit vote but we do have the best race ever in a poll with a tie at sixteen-sixteen as to what you would do with Josh Bailey in terms of whether he stays here or is sent back to Windsor?

Keep him with Islanders 16 (50%)
Send him back to Windsor 16 (50%)

I'm waiting until the final day to vote myself and have not made up my mind, he has to look like he can play at this level. For now I want to see the next few games and what he can do without Okposo.
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Usually I answer my e-mails directly instead of responding in the blog but Mike asks why I did not write anything on Msg NY/Hockey Night being cancelled given I discuss media here?

Mike,
My only initial thought is what this means for Butch Goring who I would like to see in a job with the Islanders and not the Cablevision-owned Garden but as long as he is on television like Howie Rose, Billy Jaffe they all are under contract to Msg with Mike Emrick, Chico, Steve Cangialosi, C.J Papa and anyone else you can name.

Only actual Islander employees are Chris King and Steve Mears calling games which is why Sherry Ross left the Daily News to call Devils hockey.

As for the rest I do not watch the Msg shows anymore and go out of my way to avoid it because of Msg's poor treatment of the Islanders for over a decade on a station that one year will show classic games before the opener and the next will not even allow live internet games from training camp. The team even had to fight for a pregame while the Devils received one with three side reporters while the latest Msg suit in President Michael Bair tells us what the Garden is going to do.

I'm glad the ratings were so poor that it was cancelled when my teams postgame show and the coaches press conference were cut off because Al Trautwig wanted to do another Ranger infomercial, I wish it were cancelled immediately.

Whatever MsgNY/Sportsdesk was it will be back in another format with a different name. Virtually all of what the Msg personalities contribute beyond the six broadcasters for three teams is worthless and over the last decade plus has only served to make hockey even more invisible.

My advice to all Islander fans is watch nothing but the pre-post games with the telecast and turn the channel when they shove High School Sports at us and do not watch one second of a Ranger game on Msg or help their ratings ever.

Do not ask the media any questions while Islander games are on a station called Msg Plus with some games on channel 51/199 that are not even advertised on the cable guide here in NYC as they tell us this is enhanced coverage?

Stop giving the other team a triple rating while our clubs games are buried on channels that are not good quality with only one Islander centric show. Folks like Neil Best will use it to make a case one team is more popular than another because it's been set up to help one club while hurting the other but it's not true.

Put eighty two Islander games on Msg with a full pre/post game and classic contests/shows year round while burying the Rangers on Msg+whatever with no programming or advertising for the next five years and then we will see who is more popular.

When Msg gives all four teams it owns tv rights (Sabres also) the exact same coverage and content space on television we can revisit it, until then no Msg.

Low ratings force changes, it's up to you.
Thanks.
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Steve asks what's the deal with the World Junior Championships?

I will be covering the World Championships like last year with a section on the main blog. It's too early to know who will be participating for the Islanders as most teams still have to have a camp and make final cuts for something that begins with invites in the summer.

Thanks for the question.
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Quick Hit:
The most funny thing I read this week was the same paper (Vancouver Province)here who ripped the Islanders was the only one who did not give Henrik Lundqvist the pass the local media did when he pulled himself with Iain MacIntyre writing " It must have been done telekinetically " as he tried claiming Ranger coach Tom Renney signalled him to the bench.

If DiPietro did this the media would have been all over him in a game against Robert Luongo for the rest of his career.
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This was Tuesday:

"Recently, we have had two supplemental discipline incidents involving direct elbow blows to the head," the memo from league disciplinarian Colin Campbell read.

"This is a play that we have been trying to remove from our game for a number of years. In one case there was no injury and in the other incident, the elbowed player received a concussion. Both players delivering the elbows had never before been involved in supplemental discipline.

"We cannot and will not tolerate blows to the head that are deliberate, avoidable and illegal," the memo read.

We better see the same standard held here or it's not worth wasting time talking about it any longer.

Love Chico Resch, always will but who is he kidding here?

Poll Update: Who should Snow/Gordon cut

The official return of our polls at NYIFC is off to a good start.

This weeks poll put you in the place of general manager Garth Snow and head coach Scott Gordon where you decide who you would cut if it were up to you.

The poll winds down around the time the club finishes up the preseason but already we have had one waiver pickup and the injuries adding up fast and furiously with some Bridgeport players recalled.

Joey MacDonald 13 (25%)
Yann Danis 19 (36%)

So far on the goaltending front Joey MacDonald has the edge on Yann Danis as to who stays but a lot of votes for both to go which I guess is a statement for Garth Snow to sign a veteran backup until DiPietro is completely ready to play without risking an injury.

Frans Nielsen 10 (19%)

Somewhat surprised after his four point game and a lot of good reviews even ten voters want Frans Nielsen and his four year contract to go down.

Andy Hilbert 29 (55%)

Not surprised so many have seen enough of Andy Hilbert but my guess is as long as there are injuries he has a spot.

Jeremy Colliton 22 (42%)

Jeremy Colliton was listed with the fourth line against NJ which is never a good sign and likely means as soon as some players get healthy he will be going back to Bridgeport which has to be considered a hit.

Tim Jackman 29 (55%)
Mitch Fritz 34 (65%)
Brandon Sudgen (tryout/release) 23 (44%)

I would guess from the voting most feel to this point the Islanders cannot afford an enforcer with limited skills but the publicity for Sudgen has made folks want to see more or have him signed. Jackman has AHL scoring ability but if there is a spot on this team I expect that role is a frequent scratch.

Richard Park 5 (9%)

I voted for Richard Park to be cut or placed on waivers. Isles cannot afford another winger who cannot score to hold back a prospect at this stage. I would give Colliton his spot and not look back even if it means a short-term hit with the penalty kill.

My guess is Park easily makes the roster with two years left on his contract.

Jack Hillen 11 (21%)

I guess the vote for Jack Hillen's departure will increase with a powerplay mistake that led to a goal against and Pock's acquisition but with Campoli and Sutton out for what seems a while that could be a mistake because we know the rest of this group is not going to score or prouduce offense with any consistency.

Bruno Gervais 3 (5%)

With the injuries I guess any questions on Gervais and his new contract going on waivers to be demoted are virtually over and never really began. No doubt he has a spot here even if it's in the stands when everyone is healthy.

Jeff Tambellini 10 (19%)

I guess the folks who agree with Ted Nolan or see him not producing chances would perfer Tambellini go on waivers or leave town. I do not see that happening under any circumstances because they want to know for sure and given Robert Nilsson and other prospects who left early it's impossible to blame them and goes against the youth movement Garth Snow is selling.

He got bounced around good by Holik last night.

Josh Bailey 25 (48%)

I guess a lot of folks have seen enough or read enough to think Bailey belongs back in Windsor at this age. Obviously not Garth Snow or Scott Gordon or he would be gone already, he does have to be signed to stay so this should get resolved quickly after the poll ends.

You can bet Bob Boughner and the folks in Windsor want him back ASAP.

Chris Lee 38 (73%)
Brett Skinner 39 (75%)

I do not know enough about Lee or Skinner to write they are depth defenders and even with the injuries are fill in players for the preseason, obviously many of the votes seem to reflect the same thing. Bridgeport seems to have two teams in their exhibition games so a lot of players down there.

Other 4 (7%)

Hate doing a poll where anyone votes for other, unless the folks who voted this way respond and have the names of who they want cut, I cannot do more than speculate Okposo, Comeau, Bergenheim or a veteran.

I guess that's everyone.

Quick Notables: Point Blank/Poll Update

Point Blank: Mr Botta checks in with a blog on several items including the coaching search and reports Mike Sullivan will interview for the Islanders head coach position on Monday and current Providence Bruins coach Scott Gordon will meet with Garth Snow on Wednesday. Marc Crawford and Gerard Gallant are expected to interview later in the week with Joel Quenneville having a day slotted at some point for an interview in the next few days.

Mr Botta has some speculation as to when a coach could be hired after second interviews.

NYI Fan Central Comments:
Seems like all the big name coaches have no problem coming here to interview. I would guess all the major magazines for hockey will not even have a coach in it's Islander preview because many are written by late July/early August.

I hate to remind Mr Botta how tough it even was for Cablevision to even play fair with the Hummer challenge or he's underestimating the situation. It's been a long summer with virtually no Islanders content provided by Msg in terms of airing a game a week while the house team is on about half the day. My guess is newspaper content will be along the same lines.

I'm not going to lose sleep over it but my guess is the days of even coverage between clubs in Newsday is over which was a joke in the first place because Newsday's editor should have dumped all Ranger coverage and doubled up on the Isles.

Poll Update:
Heck of a race going on for the sixth spot between Freddy Meyer and Bruno Gervais with both players now both signed for the next two seasons. (three in Gervais case)

This club stays healthy on it's backline someone is going to be very disappointed come opening night. For those who recall last year with the light schedule after the first week everyone was healthy and three players were sitting around.

Aaron Johnson played sixty plus games with Colmubus and had to wait, Meyer waited so long he wound up on waivers while Berard and Bergeron were in and out depending on who was playing better.