Monthly Archives: September 2008
by B.D. Gallof
Details are just through the pipeline on a new weekly one-hour hockey show on 1050 ESPN Radio. Don La Greca and our own Point Blank’s Chris Botta are going to be the co-hosts of “NHL Hockey This Week.” The show debuts this Saturday, October 4 from 10:30 – 11:30 am.
The show, which will cover the Islanders, Devils, Rangers and all of the NHL, will likely have a roving one-hour time slot. According to Botta, it will usually be on one weekend night, one hour before Rangers pre-game shows on 1050 ESPN. The odd start time for the debut is because the Rangers open the season in Europe with a noon EST puck-drop. Whenever possible, the show will have an Islanders presence.
I have heard that the hosts are venturing to have Scott Gordon and Brent Sutter as their guests on Saturday and that they will take calls in the final quarter of the show. Questions and feedback can be placed by Point Blank readers in the Comments area.
Botta told me earlier tonight that La Greca and he have talked about the privilege of co-hosting the only hockey show of its kind on all-sports terrestrial radio in New York. “Don and I feel a bit of a responsibility to the hockey fans to get this right, and to 1050 and the sponsors to prove more hockey talk belongs on the radio,” said Botta. “It may take us a little while to get our legs, but we’re going to make the most of every hour we get.”
In the proverbial desert of all things hockey on the regular sports landscape, you have to give credit to 1050 ESPN Radio for having the guts and vision to give a hockey show a try. Stay tuned to Point Blank for more details, including a show schedule beyond this Saturday.
Tagged 1050 ESPN radio, Brent Sutter, Chris Botta, Dan LaGreca, Islanders, NHL, Scott Gordon |Greg Logan just blog-posted his take on Rick DiPietro’s schedule to return. I believe Greg’s pretty bang-on, although you have to wonder about the logic – not Logan’s, but possibly the Islanders’ – that DiPietro could play half a game in Boston after just one or two days of practice this week at Iceworks. For those of you keeping score at home, Rick has not practiced with the team yet. It is Tuesday.
If DiPietro is scheduled to start against the Panthers on Monday, I’m going down to Florida to provide regular updates. As I have mentioned, I don’t plan on being a regular on Islanders road trips during the first half because I prefer to use the time providing some different perspectives, including coverage from Bridgeport. But DiPietro is Story No. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 with this franchise right now. If DiPietro plays Monday, I’ll be there.
What do you think? Bring it on in Comments.
William Houston of the Toronto Globe & Mail has this eulogy on the slow, but painful death of hockey beat coverage in “the States.” Thank you to Lisa of Islandermania for finding the story.
The story of Tim Panaccio and the Philadelphia Inquirer is particularly depressing. I was a PR intern for the Flyers in the 86-87 season, when they went to the Stanley Cup Final and Jay Greenberg (Philadelphia Daily News) and Al Morganti (Inquirer) wrote thousands of words on the Fers daily. It’s one thing to say the Eagles own the town; it’s another to act like the Flyers don’t own a big chunk of the city’s brotherly love.
Brian Biggane was an excellent writer of all things Panthers for the Palm Beach Post. The paper has not just taken their coverage off the road. They eliminated the beat.
If anyone around the game still wants to put their head in the sand and believe the media desertion at the All-Star Game, Cup Final and now on the daily beats is not a crisis, go ahead.
And can you believe the New York Daily News still runs that radio spot where they say the sports editor makes sure every team in New York gets the same passionate coverage?
I hope you’re enjoying Islanders Point Blank. Any suggestions, please place in the Comments box.
- After practice, Point Blank was able to confirm some details for Wednesday’s exhibition game against the New Jersey Devils:
Josh Bailey will play, likely centering Jon Sim and linemate-of-the-future Kyle Okposo, and Jeremy Colliton will center a line with Brandon Sugden and Mitch Fritz.
The Islanders will probably not dress established veterans Brendan Witt and Radek Martinek, meaning ticketholders will witness an open competition for blueline jobs among contenders such as Jack Hillen, Chris Lee and Brett Skinner. Thomas Pock is expected to sit this game out. Expect his debut Friday in New Jersey.
Raves for Streit: Management, coaching staff and even teammates appear giddy over the arrival of UFA defenseman Mark Streit. They believe he will have a major impact on the Islanders’ power play, which for large sections of last season was unimaginative, boring, ineffective and just plain sucky.
Scott Gordon did not make any predictions of success (too early for that), but his respect for the former Canadien was apparent. Gordon also reeled off facts off the top of his head – “Mark played two games for us. I think in those two games we gave up a combined 38 shots and Mark wasn’t on for an even strength goal against.” Gordon’s like a machine. I haven’t talked to a coach this organized since Al from Sudbury. Talking to Gordon is like talking to Islanders radio analyst/savant Chris King.
No F in Power Play: The coach didn’t rule it out, but it’s obvious placing a forward on the point of his power play is far from his first choice. Said Gordon, “I think the teams that do that are teams that feel they don’t have a better option on defense. We have the guys here.” At Providence, Gordon only used two forwards at the point – and one of them was Patrice Bergeron. So there.
Fight Club: Fascinating scene at the end of practice, with Brandon Sugden and Tim Jackman fighting without actually hitting each other. It looked like Sugden was showing Jackman a few measures of self-defense. Soon after, assistant coach Dan Lacroix skated over to lend his experience. Then noted brawlers Jeff Tambellini, Blake Comeau and Frans Nielsen came over to take notes. The heavyweight convention was completed when 6-8 Mitch Fritz joined the club. I’m thinking Tambellini-Gionta tomorrow night.
Tomorrow’s Not a Show: Give Gordon credit for honesty. I asked him if tomorrow’s game being the only one in front of the home fans would affect his roster decision or approach to the game. While showing appropriate respect to the fans, Gordon made it clear his priority was not putting on a show but evaluating talent.
He’s right. As much as it might be fun for the fans to see a front-loaded lineup win big over the Devils, it would be a temporary joy no one would remember a week later. Of course, that doesn’t mean the Islanders can’t win anyway.
Gordon has also changed his approach to injury questions. Instead of the dance he did yesterday, today when asked if there was any update, he quickly said, “No.” When Garth Snow hears about this, he’ll be choked up with pride.
11:15 am
Practice started around 11:00 at Islanders Iceworks. A very spry Mike Sillinger took the ice before practice, flying around the rink like a kid at his first hockey camp. I’m no doctor – although I guess we’ll be making prognosisesesesses all season – but Sillinger stopped, started and spinned like someone who could play for a team at some point in the autumn.
Breaking news: Rick DiPietro is still not practicing with the team. Yet I continue to hear he could play at least one of the last three exhibition games. Those are this Friday, Saturday and Monday.
The more fun immediate news has to do with tomorrow’s lineup when the Islanders host the Devils at the Veterans Memorial. Some pre-practice buzz has a trio of must-sees in the lineup: 2008 first round pick Josh Bailey, plus enforcers Mitch Fritz and Brandon Sugden. Damn. I’m on record as saying pre-season games don’t move me, but I actually might get to the Coliseum on time tomorrow.
No clue at this point about the Devils lineup. From my experience on the PR side, they’ll probably send it over around 6:30 pm Wednesday (just kidding, Mr. Altstadter). I don’t even know if they have anyone interested in a go with Fritz or Sugden.
But when you think about it, good idea to dress both of them. Everyone knows Fritz and Sugden can fight. If Snow and Gordon want a true test of their ability to skate and think at the NHL level, no better way than to throw them out there against the New Jersey Devils.
Dom “My Friend” from Islandermania is here, live blogging away. I probably won’t have any more until after practice, unless someone limps off the ice. For a minute-by-minute account, check out the Dominator on Islandermania.
Let’s be real: as much as we await the arrival of Thomas Pock, wonder if Josh Bailey will go 9 and are intrigued by Scotty’s Beam-Speed, there really is only one major story of camp – whether Rick DiPietro will be ready for Opening Weekend, November or worse.
Not to blow to much smoke up the all-star, but any Islanders success this season hinges on it. If The Franchise isn’t back there, the Islanders are in big trouble – unless they have, pardon the pun, a backup plan.
Understand this about Joey MacDonald’s ascension to the job as Islanders backup goalie: he won the gig in July of 2007 when he was signed to a two-year contract with a one-way provision for 2008-09. If DiPietro makes a full recovery early in the season, still no reason to think MacDonald would start anymore than 15 games.
The Islanders have two goaltenders with one-way contracts. This means camp is not a competition, but simply a showcase for the backups to show what they can do. If DiPietro or MacDonald goes down with an injury, Yann Danis gets the call.
Here’s a look at the only three goaltenders likely to play for the Islanders this season, barring a major roster move. We know of one great goaltender on waivers (that happens, and this Roster Review thing gets outdated real quickly!). An NHL team goalie consultant provides a scouting report on each.
YANN DANIS
6-0, 185 pounds, 27 years old
Rating: 1.0
Contract: signed one-year, two-way deal on July 2, 2008
Consultant’s Take: “He won’t push MacDonald for the job yet, but he’s a good project and should be able to carry the load in Bridgeport…Getting out of the Montreal system may be good for him. He has plenty of talent and should be motivated knowing he has a chance to get to the NHL.”
Point Blank: Danis will primarily be under the tutelage of Mike Dunham in Bridgeport. This is a big opportunity for him.
RICK DiPIETRO
6-1, 210 pounds, 27 years old
Rating: 4.5
Coaching Change Effect: A major TBD. A former goalie-turned-NHL head coach directing the team’s most important player? Should be a fun watch.
Contract: third year of a 15-year contract signed in 2006
2008-09 salary: $4.5 million, now and forever
Consultant’s Take: “Skill-wise, a top-5 NHL goalie, but you can’t put him there yet in terms of accomplishments. He’s knocking on the door of the top-10 and he’s never had the greatest defense in front of him. If his hip and knee injuries are behind him, this could be the year he cracks the top 10 and stays there for a long time…Plays the puck better than anyone in the league…I don’t know what his shootout record is, but on breakaways in-game he’s as good as anyone…His only weakness is he could be better seeing the puck through traffic. He’s gotten better at it and his defense needs to help him out there.”
Point Blank: The years of being regarded as the cocky kid are behind him, although unsourced reports of DiPietro’s influence on management decisions – the latest being the sacking of Ted Nolan – are absurd. Besides his health, the thing to monitor with Rick during this season is his attitude should the Islanders struggle early on in this first season committed to a youth movement. DiPietro’s desire to win is immense and he cannot let his frustration level rise if the Islanders sink. He may be the most respected leader on the team, especially with the kids Campoli’s age and younger. With that comes monumental responsibility during a rebuilding period.
JOEY MacDONALD
6-0, 195 pounds, 28 years old
Rating: 1.5
CCE: Plus. Couldn’t hurt!
Contract: second year of 2-year deal signed in July, 2007
2008-09 salary: $500,000
Consultant’s Take: “He’s a competitor with skill who’s been good the last few years in the American League and hasn’t shown much yet at the NHL level…His best years were with Grand Rapids his first few seasons of pro, but last year with Bridgeport he was just average…This is where Sudsie (Islanders goalie coach Sudarshan Maharaj) comes in. He’s a great coach and MacDonald has ability, so I guess we’ll see.”
Point Blank: The NHL’s history is filled with goaltenders who get a chance later in their careers and take off. The consultant is right: Maharaj is a heckuva goalie coach, and this is going to be a major project for him. The big story will be not just how MacDonald plays, but how much he plays.
Have any thoughts on the Islanders’ perilous goaltending situation? Comments, please.
(Deb is on the right)
Neil Best, the sports media columnist for Cablevision-owned Newsday, just broke the news about a development over at Cablevision-owned MSG Network. (Yup, no conflict of interest there, Neil!).
Deb Kaufman Placey has left Islanders broadcasts to be one of the regular co-hosts of “MSG, NY.” Over at MSG World, this is a major promotion so congratulations go out to Deb, as wonderful a person as she is a broadcaster.
The loss of Deb in Islanders Country is compensated in part by the news C.J. Papa got the nod to replace her. C.J. has been anchoring news reports on the Islanders scoreboard the last few seasons and deserved a big break. He’s such a nice guy, a long, long time ago I told my closest woman-pal that it was okay to date him. (Yes, she asked my opinion).
Deb will be missed, but I’m sure her devoted fans will catch her on some pre- and post-game shows. Congratulations to C.J. and his son, Kyle.
First thing we learned about Thomas Pock after our last post was all we needed to know. Pock is on a one-way salary for the 08-09 season at $675,000.
Folks, NHL teams do not pick up 26-year old defensemen (that have played 57 NHL games over 5 pro seasons) with one-way deals on waivers unless…
1. They have a spot for him at the NHL level
2. They really like him
3. Injuries have caused a depth problem
4. All of the above
In the case of Pock and the Islanders, it is No. 4. Make no mistake: Thomas Pock will be a member of your 2008-2009 New York Islanders. We still do not have confirmed details of the injuries that prompted the Islanders to take a player from their top rival, but you have to believe Chris Campoli and perhaps Andy Sutton have ailments that could keep them out a few weeks. At least.
Let me reiterate that because the Islanders are not issuing complete injury reports to the media – and therefore to you, the ticket and merchandise-buying fan – this is simply guesswork. But having been there before, let’s call it educated guesswork. You can also call Pock’s acquisition not the happiest of news for Brett Skinner, Chris Lee and maybe Jack Hillen.
The GMs that hide injuries will tell you Garth Snow keeping the Campoli and other injury news close to the vest may have bought him some time to acquire a defenseman like Pock at the right price. If every GM in the league knew the Islanders’ blueline was hurting before the opener, they all could have held out for a third round pick for a fringe player. If Pock is what the Islanders think he is, Snow did okay for himself – the sneaky bastard. As I grumble about the injury report thing, only fair to explain the other side of the story.
I’m always interested in what the fans have to say on this subject. Bring it on in Comments.
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