Monthly Archives: January 2009
12-29-4 is grotesque, an embarrassment, a stain on the franchise that will take more than the summer to cleanse.
If the Islanders had Rick DiPietro and half the man-games lost to injury, they’d be 18-23-4, out of the playoffs (as predicted by everyone in October) and on the road to nowhere – least of all a potential top 2 draft pick and cornerstone player.
-
Playoff push or not, Garth Snow had no business giving up a first round pick in a rental deal for Ryan Smyth.
In a rental, Dallas got Joe Nieuwendyk for…Jarome Iginla. In giving up Robert Nilsson and Ryan O’Marra, perhaps Snow proved he knew which inherited first-rounders to move before their value plummeted. Same for first round pick turned fourth-liner Petteri Nokelainen. Now Snow has to prove that he and his staff can pick the right players with their draft picks.
-
The Islanders are at least another full season away from being respectable.
Man, have you really watched Kyle Okposo lately? He’s looking so good, if this was a decade ago the Islanders would have already traded him!
-
In a press release, the NHL referred to “Toronto Maple Leafs rookie sensation Luke Schenn.” Nikita Filatov had a hat trick last week, and then did a really cool interview with Puck Daddy that makes you think he’s got the combined confidence of Ovechkin and Semin.
Josh Bailey has shown plenty enough in his play and approach to make you think that if the team and the kid grow together, the Islanders won’t look back on draft day 2008 with any regrets.
-
Seriously, what the hell is up with all the injuries?
When he took over the Giants, Tom Coughlin implictly criticized outgoing coach Jim Fassel and said injuries “were a state of mind.” Then Coughlin endured a hellish year of watching one of his players sidelined after another. He never talked about injuries again. While everyone wants to blame the trainers with each groin strain, ever think about pointing a finger at the players – the men ultimately responsible for putting in the work to be ready to play at the highest professional level?
-
The rebuilding Islanders do not have any representatives in the Young Stars Game.
Funny how that works. The NHL adds the game to All-Star Weekend to promote top young talent. But if you don’t get one of your kids in, it backfires as a poor reflection on your prospect pool. With the exception of Steve Stamkos, I’ll take Okposo over all the other 6 rookie forwards in the game. For the long run, I’ll take Bailey over half of them. Okposo will be on the sophomore team in next year’s game, and the Islanders’ first round pick in June will be on the rookie squad.
-
Brendan Witt is not the only Islander who has a problem with the Go-Go system.
Of the players that don’t, the over-under of how many of them will be in training camp in September? One.
-
Scott Gordon is a good teacher of young players. He has a stubborn 60-minute allegiance to a system that his NHL coaching career will live and die with. He has surprisingly thin skin with a tiny and tame press corps that hasn’t even hinted at his culpability in 12-29-4. (I mean, has a Newsday columnist written a critical word?) Beyond that, there’s still a lot we don’t know about Scott Gordon as a head coach.
Between the injuries and the roster of veteran players ill-suited to his style (or not inclined to commit to it), no one can say they know what kind of coach Scott Gordon is. You will be able to next season.
-
Weight’s hurt, Guerin has a no-move and wants to stay, Witt is -27, Sillinger’s done, the Country adores Park. For a team that’s supposed to be rebuilding, March 4 is going to be a quiet trade deadline.
Today is January 18. Too early to say for sure one way or the other.
_
You can’t say the Islanders planned this disaster so they could get a top-5 draft pick in June.
No, but the Islanders have been consistent with their plan – shouted to the mountaintop all last summer in Town Hall meetings – that they would rebuild from within and not go for quick fixes if the losses mounted.
-
The Islanders are playing a preseason game in Kansas City. That can’t be good.
The response of Islanders fans after word got out was overwhelming.
Comments.
This may come as a shock, but Chris Campoli has been sidelined with a groin strain. Per the NYI, Jack Hillen has been recalled – it’s an emergency! – from Bridgeport. Sans backup, I posted this from my phone from the train. So sorry if it looks awful. This is a test.
PB reader Mike Isserlis and his buddies made a fancy anti-Kansas City sign and brought it to the game last night. They came upon Islanders President Chris Dey and shared their passion for the team. Mike asked Dey if they could take a picture, and the president happily obliged. Dey “happened to be a real nice guy.” Here’s Dey with Mike’s friend from Searingtown, Eric.
Comments.
Larry Brooks uses his Top-100 power to make the case that, above all else, the game could help re-energize – and perhaps save – the Islanders franchise. Good for Larry. And to think, Islanders people and fans look at me cross-eyed when I suggest it’s a crime that the Post hockey columnist has not received the media Hall of Fame award.
Read the column here.
9:36 pm - The Devils – who played in Columbus last night – and their No. 3 goaltender entering the season defeated the rested Islanders and their No. 3 goalie 3-1 at the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum. The score was fairly indicative of the quality of play by both teams. The Islanders have scored 3 goals over the first 3 games of this 5-game homestand.
Beyond that, frankly, our lack of hockey expertise prevents us from trying to break down this game any further, and inspired us to move our traditional Ice Girl end-photo to the top. For Monday’s game, I’m going to take a seat in the stands with my kids. Oh, how I wish this season was different.
First, Second and Third Stars: Congratulations to Islanders fans for filling the barn tonight after more than 15,000 on Thursday. Take that, Kansas City.
MILESTONE MEN
Doug Weight (1,000 points) and Bill Guerin (400 goals) were honored in a pre-game ceremony for their milestones by Islanders President Chris Dey, general manager Garth Snow and NHL executive Jim Gregory.
Weight received an official NHL milestone Silver Stick and both veterans received their milestone pucks and gamesheets in commemorative frames.
JERSEY BOYS
A league source tells Point Blank that while the deadline has passed, the Islanders are still working with the NHL to clear their vintage mid-’70s jerseys as their primary uniform for next season.
It figures to be an uphill battle, probably because there’s inventory of their first RBK uniform “systems” still around. Nevertheless, the Islanders are pushing to make the move.
Worse-case scenario: the Islanders wear their once-and-future jerseys for 20 games next year and then go full-time in 2010-11.
By the way, don’t read anything into those vintage sweaters being Royal Blue.
FIRST WEEK REPORT CARDS
It has been a week since Scott Gordon officially declared that his focus will be on the development of the young players on the Islanders roster. With that in mind, here is our expert panel’s grades for the players 24 and younger. Players are only graded on their performances against the Rangers, Bruins and Devils this week. Sean Bergenheim and his strained side get an INC.
Bruno Gervais – (C+) Most improved player of the last few weeks, but still a long way to go to solidify a spot in a healthy top 6.
Josh Bailey – (B-) Team wants him to shoot more, while faceoffs are getting better. Proper mentoring of Bailey in final 35 games of rookie season is crucial.
Chris Campoli – (C) On paper, should be flourishing in the system. But something is amiss.
Jeff Tambellini – (C) Better since Bridgeport stint, creating more, but not enough. In one shift tonight, he was physically removed from the puck and then deked out by Travis Zajac.
Kyle Okposo – (A-) Breaking through a little bit each week. Not much doing tonight, but not much doing with anyone.
Nate Thompson – (B-) Meets level of expectations. As he gains momentum post-injury, let’s see if he can bring a little more.
Frans Nielsen – (B) Butch Goring said Nielsen reminds him of Jean Ratelle. Islanders would absolutely sign up for that.
Blake Comeau – (B+) Playing more physically, more consistently.
*
Game Notes: Peter Mannino was recalled on a really-big-emergency basis to back up Yann Danis tonight after Wade Dubielewicz was picked up on waivers by Columbus at noon today….Sean Bergenheim out again with the strained side.
Just Askin’: Can someone explain why as two hockey players are pummeling each other, some NHL arenas play “Rock Star” by that noted songstress of hardcore metal…uh, Pink?
Thumbs Up: Tomorrow the Islanders will host hundreds of local youth hockey players from 7 am – 4 pm at the Coliseum for the championship round of the Lighthouse tournament.
Reaction.
UPDATED, 6:30 pm: Point Blank will be a first-intermission guest on the Devils’ TV broadcast on MSG Plus 2. I should have dressed better.
Peter Mannino has arrived to back up Yann Danis. Brendan Shanahan will not play until at least Monday in Nashville. Revenge on Mike Mottau? I can see Nate Thompson trying to rough him up, but wouldn’t expect much. Five-minute pre-game ceremony honoring milestones of Doug Weight and Bill Guerin.
Talk about the game, within the Guidelines, in Comments.
UPDATED 12:38 pm - The Columbus Blue Jackets have plucked Wade Dubielewicz off the waiver wire. Columbus, without Pascal Leclaire, was the other NHL team that really wanted the goalie.
While the Islanders did all the work signing Dubie, because of an absurd rule in the CBA, Columbus gets to pick off the contract. It’s happened before. Bob Clarke ranted about it years ago and it still hasn’t been changed.
Here’s the crazy part. If Columbus had signed Dubielewicz, he would have had to clear waivers. As the team with the worst record, the Islanders could have picked him up.
For his part, Wade – with a pregnant wife and two-year old son in Connecticut – had bittersweet feelings about the move but was okay with the CBA rule. “Once I signed with the Islanders, my heart was set on playing here,” he said. “But the rule is fair. It’s there to provide opportunities for players.” Dubielewicz is now getting ready to board a flight to Vancouver, where he will meet the Blue Jackets.
The Islanders will try to track down the Sound Tigers’ bus – en route to Binghamton – to get a goalie, or find one elsewhere. Mike Dunham just told me he’s not an option.
I really liked my Dubie story. Please read it anyway.
AM SKATE NOTES: Yann Danis was going to change his number to No. 75 and keep your No. 34 Dubie merchandise alive. Yann left the rink and may not even know the latest news about his backup tonight.
Sean Bergenheim only took part in the first 15 minutes of the skate and could miss another game with his strained side.
“NY Hockey This Week” will be live on Sunday on 1050 ESPN Radio, following the Rangers-Penguins game. Don La Greca and I should be on from about 3:30 – 4:30.
Brendan Shanahan, back where it all started, skated in his Devils gear at the Coliseum this morning and could make his season debut tonight.
With Atlanta’s victory last night, the Islanders are now 7 points up in the Tavheduch Watch. Maybe it’s just my PR background, but with all this Kansas City talk and subsequent passionate reaction in Islanders Country, wouldn’t be the worst thing if the home team got a win in front of a large crowd tonight.
B.D. Gallof, a big help filling in with a dozen posts when I was away on assignment or from my laptop, is sidelined for the season with an upper upper body injury. My wish for Brian is that he takes the proper time off and makes a comeback when he’s ready.
Point Blank is now in need of a doobie Dubie. Some experience and availability to cover games on Feb. 3 and Feb. 5 required. Please contact us at the site email if interested.
Comments.
← Older postsNewer posts →
