P.S. (PURE SPECULATION):
DiPietro, Meal Deals, Mathieu
(Editor’s Note): P.S. is what it is, Pure Speculation that does not meet any of the standard codes of journalistic ethics – or whatever they used to be. Except for our image posting, Point Blank will strive for integrity almost everywhere else on the site. Not here. We repeat: the following is Pure Speculation.
RICK DiPIETRO: The franchise goaltender last stood before NHL shots more than six months ago, in a March 15 game in Montreal. He has spent the first five days of training camp working on the ice with goalie consultant Sudsie Maharaj, not with the rest of the team. The Islanders hope to have DiPietro for their last two exhibition games, Oct. 4 (in Boston) and Oct. 6 (in Florida).
P.S.: The buzz throughout the Islanders Internets predicts, even in the best-case scenario, DiPietro playing in just one of the back-to-back games to open the 08-09 regular season. And as much as Rick loves to match up against Martin Brodeur, smart money would be on Joey MacDonald starting the season opener in New Jersey on Friday, Oct. 10 and DiPietro starting the home opener the next night against St. Louis. But I wouldn’t be so sure about that. It is simply too early to tell.
The doctors are being cautious. DiPietro is being smart, not pushing to get on the ice with his boys in Moncton. I would not rule out DiPietro starting Oct. 10 and 11. I would not rule out anything. If DiPietro was ever expected to miss a decent chunk of playing time, we’ll learn about it not from an injury announcement but from the news that the team acquired a more established backup.
GARTH SNOW: Some teams like to have the first week of training camp out of town so there’s time to bond. With so much roster turnover and a new head coach, team and staff meals are commonplace all over Moncton.
P.S.: Snow has probably had more meals with Scott Gordon in the last week than he had in two years with Ted Nolan.
MATHIEU SCHNEIDER: In a salary cap bind, the Anaheim Ducks have placed the former Islanders defenseman on waivers. His talents as a No. 2 defenseman and his $5.75 million salary for this year (ouch) are very much available.
P.S.: I doubt the Islanders are the frontrunners to acquire the native New Yorker. But only when we learn Matt is dealt elsewhere will I be convinced the Islanders are not bringing him back. Where does he fit with seven dmen on one-way contracts and Jack Hillen the hot name in camp? For Schneider, the Islanders would make room. And if Schneider was traded here, expect it to be for no more than a mid-round pick.
4 Responses to “P.S. (PURE SPECULATION):
DiPietro, Meal Deals, Mathieu”
Please Wait
Chris,
What a way to start with a bang! This site is phenomenal, and you are going to be packed out everyday with the thousands of die-hard Islander fans in the blogosphere. I can’t wait to see how everything unfolds over time. Congratulations and good luck with the site! I know I will be visiting numerous times a day.
Justin Marques
I am unsure as to why you believe the Islanders would trade a mid-round pick (or for that matter anything at all) for Schneider. Nothing against him is intended by what Im saying, but didnt the Islanders (along with 28 other teams) just pass on picking him up off waivers? That would have been for absolutely nothing and they would still own the mid-round pick in question.
Schneiders contract has them in a very difficult situation… and the rest of the NHL knows it. In my opinion, Schneider is probably not going to be traded FOR a pick, he will have to be given away WITH a pick- or more- in order to make another team willing to extend a helping hand and escort them out of cap hell.
Looking at the possibility of Campoli’s absence for an extended period of time, I would hope the Islanders take the route with Hillen instead of Schneider, not because of salary concerns (cause it ain’t my money and the Isles have plenty of cap room to spare) but for long term progression of the team. Schneider is a short term fix, as he will play out his contract this season and move on….but with someone like Hillen, the team can continue to work with him,(if he shows he can play at the NHL level) and continue the team’s development with younger, more mobile players.
The game is now a young man’s game, with speed and mobility as key components. Schneider has excellent passing skills and offensive abilities, but he’s 37 yrs old, let’s not focus on the past but move towards the futur.
I would take Schneider over Hillen for this year only. Schneider is in his final contract year, so he’s trade bait at the deadline. The focus this year is to develop the players and not rush them. If Hillen needs more time getting acclimated to the pros, and Campoli is out for a while, then yes go after Schneider now, and bring up Hillen towards the end of the year.