PRACTICE, NVMC: 10.29.08
Line changes…Fritz…Sutton…a new Beach
1:15 pm, NVMC - A few quick notes after a 75-minute practice at the NVMC before the Islanders bus departs for Phillies-mad Philadelphia…
Scott Gordon on his reasons for the line-tinkering (see post below): “I thought maybe it was time to change things. I thought a bigger body (Okposo in for Tambellini) might be good for Frans and Trent. More grit (Sim in for Park) might suit Mike Comrie’s line (with Hilbert).
“I didn’t want to jump the gun on the lines. I’ve given it a chance. Now I’m getting another look.”
- On one line rush, enforcer Mitch Fritz scored two goals. So when Gordon called out the start of power play practice, Fritz hopped over the boards. “One can only hope,” said Fritz. We’ll stick with our prediction that Fritz has a fight with Cote makes his Islanders debut tomorrow night in Philadelphia.
- Andy Sutton makes his season debut tomorrow, possibly with Bruno Gervais at his side. Working off a custom-built program by strength coach Chris Schwarz to increase mobility and flexibility, Sutton came to training camp 15 pounds lighter and determined to be a top-4 dman on the Islanders. Then, proving that strength coaches and trainers can only prevent so much, the 6-6 Sutton suffered damage to his hand in an exhibition game.
- While discussing Joey MacDonald’s solid play, Gordon offered this tidbit from his goaltending manual: “You can always tell when a goaltender is doing the right things - when he’s not always ending up on his butt.”
- Congratulations to our dear friends Linda and Islanders Events & Ops VP Tim Beach on the birth this morning of a baby girl, Annemarie. Mom and daughter are doing great. Daddy’s days of road trips to see The Who are officially over, whether he accepts that reality or not.
31 Responses to “PRACTICE, NVMC: 10.29.08
Line changes…Fritz…Sutton…a new Beach”
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I like KO on that line. Didn’t really make much sense to me to have KO on a line with Park (whom I like but don’t really consider an offensive threat) and Comrie.
KO has really been showing his skating skills but really needs to be a tad more selfish with his shooting opportunities. Eventhough he had 7 shots during the Ranjerk game he passed up on many chances to go to the slot for a great shot and went for the pass to the point …I think he’s slowly turning a corner though …
Love coach’s comment on the goalie!
I know CB doesn’t have the time to respond to every crazy trade rumor this early in the season, so I wonder what other readers think. I don’t have delusions that any trade at this point will improve the team that dramatically. Just saw on hockeybuzz(once again, I know it is EK)that the Isles may be kicking the tires on Andreas Lilja, who is ready to return to action from having an appendectomy last week. He isn’t exactly young.(31 y/o or so)Detroit has him listed as their #5 D-man behind Lidstrom, Kronwall, Rafalski and Stuart. Given the injuries to our D, woud this be a good pickup? What do you think it would cost?
I like the Okposo line change, too. Hunter and Okposo on either wing, with their size, will at least give the other team’s D something to think about, and it’s probably the closest thing the team has right now to a “one-two punch”…other than Fritz’s fists if he’s in for Thursday.
There’s a simple rule of thumb when it comes to trade rumors on that certain site: if you read it there, then it is definitely NOT going to happen.
Why doesn’t KO play with Weight? Give him the best playmaking centerman we have, so he can develop properly. Put Guerin with his other buddy Comrie.
ok okposo and hunter that line will see major minutes and be our best line ..good move!!
okposo is really going to excel with hunter..hes got game
keith,
the only thing relevant on hockeybuzz.com is B.D. Gallof. Ek has the WORST predictions.
Lilja would be an interesting pick-up. but i don’t see it happening.
uhoh….he said the bad word…its just like when Opie and Antony couldnt utter Howard Sterns name when that schmuck was on K-Rock
I am with you James and Andy, and I agree that B.D.’s work is great, and that some others, not so much. It wasn’t like he said we were trading for Rafalski or Lidstrom or other elite d-men. Lilja has been out the last couple of games, and Detroit might deem him expendable…..and then again, maybe not.
FWIW my opinion is Snow has had at least one opportunity to bolster his defense when at least Campoli and Sutton were injured (and possibly Martinek), and he opted not to. Kyle McLaren was available via waivers and he chose not to select him. I’m not sure if there is a message there or not, like I said it’s just my opinion. But based on that, I would not put much stock in Snow making calls to pick up a defenseman through a trade right now.
I agree the line changes are better.
I think at this point we are getting a better idea of who is a player and who is not. Of course, we have known for years now Hilbert is not and he’s still here.
Botta does an excellent job of informing us what teams scouts are at every game. Montreal, Pho, and Det has been shadowing us consistently recently.
We play Montreal soon so no big deal.
However, Pho and Det I find interesting.
I’d love to get Mueller or Turris from Pho but don’t see them parting with either.
The Lilja thing is interesting. Not an elite fella but very big, will drop the gloves and steady I think (haven’t watched him in years). I am in agreement about hockeybuzz I just stopped reading it because I think he is just plain making up info and his sources are his imagination, guessing, and what he hears/reads.
Picking up guys from waivers has its limits. You cant just keep picking up guys, theres only a certain # of players you can have with NHL contracts, anyway.
Im not a Lilja fan really, big guy that isnt overly physical, decent defensemen. Im excited to see us with a legit fourth line tom night, will it be Fritz-Thompson-Park? I think the KO combo with Hunter and Neilsen could be very good. With an inconsistent guy like Comrie, I dont think he was going to progress very well, Hunter plays day in and day out.
When will the next trade be??? I would love to trade half the team. How about Park for Lilja and a pick…
I’d love to see KO-Weight-Guerin skating as the “top line” for a couple of games. Weight has shown he can still be a playmaker (like someone noted previously) and Guerin’s shot still commands some respect. Pair these two slow guys with the wheels KO appears to have, and couple the respect needed for his own shot and playmaking abilities, and it could be interesting…
Isles can’t make any trades for good players. Remember Snow said good players don’t want to play for the Islanders. It’s incumbent upon the Isles to keep expectations as low possible. Garth’s no fool, he watched Milbury, he’ll be GM for 10 years. Zero Stanley Cups.
I cannot see what Detroit (stanley cup champs who only got stronger over the summer) could possibly want from us. It would have to be a young player (perhaps a D like Hillen…rafalski and lidstrom are getting older), and I dearly hope Snow is not willing to ruin the “rebuilding” plan so soon, for a less-than-impact player like that
ShardZ,
I don’t know how many picks Detroit has in the upcoming draft. Maybe for the Isles extra 2nd round pick?
filatov sent down to AHL - guess he wont be here on Monday. So neither he nor bailey will be on ice next week.
Lilja to Isles (e3) Lilja to a team on the east coast (e3.5) Lilja to a team that ends in S (e4) Lilja staying with wings (e3.75) Also, Isles interested in a d-man who is bigger than 5′11″ (e4)
I dont care (e9)
Snow is re-building (e1)
Joey303:
LOL
lol. idk it seems like a good idea. maybe another defenceman is hurt or is playing with and injury. its possible.
are we gonna win a game?
I hope Silly’s coming back soon, and already looking forward to see Hunter-Sillinger-Okposo line together…
The Khabibulin rumor, however, makes a bit more sense to me, if we believe that Dipietro is going to stay injured (or keep having “unrelated injuries” every few games). I had thought that getting a stronger “backup” was a possibility after Ricky sat out the first 2 of the season. JMac was never intended to be a 30-40 game player, it does not seem unreasonable to want a stronger goalie with a single-year contract until Ricky heals up. I don’t know what we’d give up or get in the process…but if we could get a few solid picks in the process, I would not complain. What do people think about this?
Tell you the truth, unless a good goalie happens to fall in our lap ala Osgood, I just want to see our current fastfood tandem battle it out.
The question is, will it be McDonalds or Dennys that replaces Wendy’s Chili?
All served with Islander Kool-Aid.