DECISIONS, DECISIONS: A view of the 09-10 NYI
forward depth chart as trade deadline nears
(UPDATED twice with my feedback to your Comments last night and this morning).
As the Islanders prepare for the March 4 trade deadline, here’s one view of their depth chart at forward for the 2009-2010 season.
Although we have stated that there are no dead-solid lock prospects on the rise for next season, we have included prospects in the list. We also have a series of notes on unrestricted free agency and other great unknowns.
First line: ____________ – _____________ – Kyle Okposo
2nd: Sean Bergenheim – Frans Nielsen – Trent Hunter
3rd: ____________ – Josh Bailey – Blake Comeau
4th: ____________ – Richard Park – _____________
Depth: Nate Thompson
Prospects challenging:
Trevor Smith – 3rd-line forward for 2009-10
Jeremy Colliton – 4th-line forward
Unrestricted free agents on July 1, 2009:
Andy Hilbert: chance of returning – 75% (3rd line LW)
Tim Jackman: chance of returning – 75% (4th line RW)
Doug Weight: chance of returning – 60% (center)
Bill Guerin: chance of returning – 20%
Mike Comrie: chance of returning – 1%
2009 Draft: Should the Islanders have one of the first three overall selections in the 2009 NHL draft and use it to select John Tavares or Matt Duchene, your top three center spots are likely filled with the kids. Although it would be wrong to slot an 18-year old as a No. 1 center, it’s all semantics anyway. Tavares/Duchene, Nielsen and Bailey would be the centers, no matter what line you put them on.
If the Islanders draft defenseman Victor Hedman, the need to re-sign unrestricted free agent Doug Weight or another veteran center would only increase.
The Questions Marks:
Sean Bergenheim as second-line left wing? May or not be the team’s view, but that’s my second line based on what the Islanders have. Sean would be a good sparkplug for Hunter and Nielsen. If the team signs higher-end talent, he simply slides down.
Where are Jon Sim and Jeff Tambellini? Both wings have a season left on one-way contracts, but if they haven’t won anyone over by now, tough to place them on the depth chart for 09-10.
Is there a chance any of the 7 forwards slotted for next season will be dealt at the deadline? While Garth Snow will undoubtedly get calls about Park, Bergenheim and perhaps even Hunter, I believe all 7 will be in Islanders training camp.
A little early to have Okposo as a first-liner, don’t you think? Yes, but unless the Islanders sign the Sedin Twins (don’t bet on it), that’s life. KO can handle it. Josh Bailey as only a third-liner? He’ll be good, but he’s only 19. That’s where he should be.
Where’s the heavyweight? I see no evidence the GM and head coach are true believers in the 8-10 minute heavyweight as an everyday player.
Wild Cards: Somehow, some way you have to believe Snow and Scott Gordon will try to import at least a pair of youngish free agents they believe 1) are better than they’ve shown with their current teams and 2) have the hockey sense and desire to excel if given more opportunity in a different environment in the Islanders’ style of play.
Effective pro scouting and free agent signings – not landing the big fish forward, which is the longest of longshots anyway right now – is the key to the Islanders making the jump to respectability next season. We’re talking about the kind of steal Jason Blake was when he was acquired from LA for a fifth round pick. We’re talking about Andy Hilbert-Plus-Plus. We’re talking about Chicago’s signing of Boston scrap heaper Kris Versteeg (22 years old, now 16-26-42 in 51 games with the Blackhawks).
If Gordon, who coached Versteeg in Providence, knows of other young men who could excel in his system, he and Snow should be identifying them and the scouts should be all over them. You have to believe they already are.
The defense rests until another day. We’ll get there. For now, Comments on the forwards. Before taking in the Monday matinee against the Penguins in the stands with my three sons, I’ll post a game chat thread. Unless news breaks, I’ll be back post-game. Looking forward to your heated takes on the depth chart…CB
113 Responses to DECISIONS, DECISIONS: A view of the 09-10 NYI
forward depth chart as trade deadline nears
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Mike from Philly says:
I agree that getting Tavares can be a nice selling point. The problem is that the Islanders have been such a turn off for the rest of the NHL right now that I do not see anyone of importance signing here right now anyways.
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Adam M. says:
Unless we draft Tavares or Duchene, I agree that center is a position of importance for the Isles moving toward the summer.
I would think Garth would have to send offers to Cammalleri or Antropov(C/LW)
Signing another winger that can finish will be necessary for us to even compete next year. One of Gionta, Burrows, or Sykora would suit me just fine
I think defense will need the most revamping this off-season. Outsite of Witt, Streit, and Campoli everyone else is expendable. This is the area we desperately need help.
Supposedly Figren is coming to North America next year but he seems to be struggling this year anyway.
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matt says:
if the isles do resign doug weight before the deadline since his value dropped because of the injury and we do draft tavares…does weight move to the wing because of the logjam at center with bailey tavares and nielsen….i dont wnat garth taking hedman because they have 3 centers for next year…they should choose the better man for the long run which i think they will do but i want to know what u will think th elines will be if we draft tavares and sign weight
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DINO says:
The Isles Have Done 1 Thing Right This Season, And That Is LOSE!!!! Continue To Lose…….Tavares Or Hedman Will Make Everything Worth It…Its A Solid Start To Year 1 Of This So Called “Rebuild”
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Mike from Queens says:
Not sure I would trust anything Gordon says about players. Nate Thompson has been serviceable, but has he been anything more than a body filling a spot on the ice?
That, and the Go-Go system has been a little less than a perfect fit at this level. So, if Gordon is going to be importing his own young players based upon his own system, then we should prepare for a few years of uncertainty.
I’m not saying it’s not going to work out. Just that there are a bunch of question marks when it seems like the organization is in need of exclamation points.
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I’m very surprised about your take on Sean. It seems to have changed a lot since last season.
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Matt says:
If the Isles get the # 1, i dont think there is any question that they draft Tavares. The last time we had a true scorer here was Ziggy.
As far as the Sedin twins, you are the second person to mention that to me CB. You think the Isles would have any chance getting them? I mean how much money would you have to throw at them? Long Shot but a nice idea.
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Isles1972 says:
Cb, I like your second line (you didn’t happen to copy that from my post in the other session, did you? LOL). Bergy deserves a chance to show he learned something from this year and that he will have the chance to show if he something to offer offensively.
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Big Z's Slapper says:
Assuming we draft Tavares and not a goalie (I’m kidding), why not keep Weight around purely to mentor the kids? (Tavares, Duchene, Bailey, Neilson, etc). PS- Does anyone remember the name of the legendary Smolinski-Reichel-Palffy line? Was it Smoke and Fire? I can’t recall.
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nyislanders93 says:
That #1 LW spot is going to be the Islanders offense’s biggest problem until it is fixed. I think they should find a way to draft John Tavares, resign Doug Weight and put him at LW for next season with JT at center and KO on RW. Then next year’s off season, they can go make a huge offer to either Ilya Kovalchuk or Rick Nash. It is probably a long shot to happen, but it is always possible.
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Pat says:
Atlanta 8 Ducks 4 FINAL SCORE
I don’t want to play “name the line” game for next year – I don’t even know who is going to play for us on March 5th !!!
Is Fritzie going to play on Monday ?
GO THRASHERS !
Pat
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SIR WILLIAM says:
Chris, Still ignoring my cap casualty theory, huh?
Last week you had Bergy pegged as a non top nie forward, who hadn’t made any significant progress this year.
Today he’s next years second line forward.
Did he really make that much progress in a week?
I think Bergy has worn out his chances here and will be moved on. I also think that Comeau has done nothing to make me beleive that he has won Gordon over.
Hilbert and Jackman come back because they will not get any other offers from any other teams.
Count on 3 players signing here who you never expected. The cap hit will see to that………SW
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redbull says:
thanks for pointing out how bad the islanders are. sometimes, fans see players under 24 as saviors for this franchise, based solely on age. This article further articulates how difficult it is to create a perennial winning franchise, with replenishable assets at all positions.
Isles are clearly at step 1.
Any chance we can grab Potvin, Bossy and Trottier in the draft this season?
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Wow!! Another head coaches job opens up and Nolan doesn’t get the call. I wonder why?………SW
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CB, are you assuming Nate Thompson won’t be back? I ask just because he seems to be a Gordon favorite. (I figure he or another favorite will be imported.)
I did an exercise like this a few weeks ago (won’t link to it per site rules), and I left Sim and Tambellini in because of their contracts. But buyouts certainly make sense given the ice time they’re (not) getting.
I think this depth chart is right on. Now guessing the defense chart — that will be even more interesting.
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PLEASE do the arithmetic… you do not have to wish for the Islanders to “continue to lose” anymore, they would need a better win% than any other team in the NHL for them NOT to have a high probability of finishing picking 1st or 2nd overall. WTH is the point of HOPING that the young players you supposedly love on the team you supposedly love are losers? It sounds so cheap and trashy for fans to root for failure. They arent going to go 7-8 games over 500 for the rest of the season no matter WHAT so come on already!
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SW (13): I dont see any contradiction in what CB said. He essentially gave his opinion that Bergie probably isnt a solid top liner, but said that the Isles could likely peg him as one next season, anyway. Whats contradictory about that?
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Strummer's Army says:
Pens will be pretty fired up tomorrow since they fired their coach.
Did ya’ll hear Crosby has a rap album coming out this summer? His rap name is Sir Whine’s-A-Lot.
Hartnell-Tavares-Okposo
Bergenheim-Neilsen-Hunter
Byfuglen-Bailey-Comeau
Orr-Collitton-Park/Jackman
That is two trades and 1 FA signings (plus drafting Tavares) to have a really good FA grouping. Hartnell is said to be available because Phi needs caps space and defense.
Orr is a former Gordon player.
Byfugelin is had because Chi needs defense and centers.I’d also like to see if the Isles could grab Ryan Kesler for center. Older but a young vet, leader, super fast, size, fighting etc.
The above adds leadership, hitting, scoring, much needed size, fighting you name it. Still cap friendly.
Snow and Gordon better wake up to the fact they need a full time heavy weight. Jeez ya wanna have all this young talent and have them decapitated it’s just dumb.
Defense:
Komisarik Streit
Sutton Bieksa
GilroyThe 5th d-man I would like to be a large well rounded up-and-coming d-man. Tuebert from LA would be wonderful but there are many others.
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ISLESFAN999 says:
I was hoping we could add a Chris Neil type of player to play 4th line. How about we try and sign Antropov I would like him.
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Given that we may have the top pick in the second round as well I wonder if someone falls that we can scoop?
That would make things interesting next season. Rarely do 2nd rounders make the NHL the next season. If it is the case then the Islanders will be a very appealing catch next season.
We take Tavares in the first my thinking is take some size in the second.
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I don’t think quibbling over the exact 2009-10 lines/slots or who’s “#1 LW” should draw too much heat — the lines change with each game and doghouse sentence anyway, and the Isles just need forward depth, period.
CB’s broader question about, essentially, “which 12 forwards will be here?” is the greater point. Unless Weight wants a ton of money or wants to retire, I’d bet he is one of them.
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Well said, Dominik.
BTW regarding all this calling to lose stuff, I just looked at the Isles stats- even if the Isles play a game OVER 500 from now to the end of the season, the Isles would STILL have a ninety-something percent chance of finishing at the bottom of the conference. Im telling you, its true.
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Chris A says:
See you at the game CB lets see how Dan Bylsma or w/e u spell his name does in his first game
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Justin says:
I wonder if the Penguins would’ve changed coaches when they did if they were playing at Boston or Washington tomorrow. Seems coaching changes are most often made when the next game is against a bad team.
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admin says:
eye on island (1) No. A top wing that will have a lot of offers is not signing here just because the Islanders may have Tavares. He’s still going to prefer playing with someone who’s not just a teenager, no matter how good JT could be down the road.
Adam M. (3) Figren may come to North America, but he is not a legit candidate for a spot on the Islanders next season. Not close.
Matt (8) I wrote “Don’t bet on it.”
Sir William (13) I can’t answer every question posted. I try to when it’s a Q & A or an in-game chat where I’m hosting. But I can’t get to every question on your terms and timeframe. If you think you have the answers, go for it. You also might want to read my stuff more clearly. There’s a difference between what I think of Bergenheim, what the team may think of him, and where he just might have to be slotted for next season because he’s under contract when so many other players are not.
Dominik (16) Good catch on Nate Thompson. Missed him since he’s on IR. I’m adding him to the depth chart. Thanks.
Chris A (24) I’ll probably be in the 200s behind the goal where the Pens shoot twice. Where all the action is…j/k, kinda. I’ve got Bylsma stories, so Dan better behave…CB
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CB;
The more I read you’re chart the more I wonder how much exctement another first round pick in this years draft would generate for the fans. The depth at Bport is really shallow right now and the guys we draft in 08 are so far away.
I don’t mnd if we don’t resign Hilbert provided there is some top flight talent to replace him with. At least the struggeling builds towards some upside.
I just hope they don’t do something stupid like rush Rahkshani or Joennsuu.
OTOH, I with the organization would at least make more attempts to get people more excited about the rebuild. The record doesn’t upset me this season. Would be worst if we were still trying to do what we’ve tryed in past with limited and talentless grinders every year.
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jon from nj says:
What I think this all proves is that this team is a LOOOOONG way off from having any sort of chance…anywhere, including the midgets.
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What this year proves is that the Islanders will be filtering out players who don’t fit the system in the off season, and a legit chance at a top three pick. That’s it. This team, if healthy, will be much better next year, and the fans will be pleasantly surprised.
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Atlanta won today. We are now 7 pts up in the Tavares race.
Atlanta 45pts
Islanders 38pts
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maybe not a heavyweight but i hope we sign someone that can fare better then jackman. love the guy but he cant be our set fighter. same goes for thompson even the pair of them. i wont make my list for the team after the deadline becuase i agree with yours and i either think it will be a firesale or a letdown. either way also, garth loses. if he doesnt trade, ppl will get on his case for not treating this like a rebuild and getting picks and prospects. and if he has a firesale then we all of a sudden have no mentors and he ruins this org. and if he splits it down the middle then he didnt trade the right guys and traded the worng.
pplfor next year:i dont know. we have too many guys. if we dont sign anyone we still will have too many guys. just add a fighter ( chris neil, rupp) and get the kids extra time and i wont complain. shed the dead weight ( vets ) trade weight ( maybe we get 3rd rounder, seriously dont tell me about the mentoring thing or its not enough, guerin to whever he wants, comrie so the fans can stop complaing and we get something good for a team wanting scoring depth, trade witt for somehting real nice and anyone else. wouldnt suprise me if thomspon got moved. same for if he got resigned. -
mm30 says:
Jeez theres a lot of blank lines there…LOL!
BTW…JT scored his 200th OHL goal tonight…catch some links/game summaries/insights at my blog.
http://tavarescountry.blogspot.com/
Thanks for the support CB!
Another interesting note…If the Islanders take Tavares they can send him down to the AHL if they wish, as he has already played 4 years of junior.
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Chris, Understood. I don’t expect you to answer every question on anyone’s time frame but your own.
But it doesn’t mean I won’t keep asking.If I had all the answers, I wouldn’t be asking you, now would I?
And finally, I agree with your assessment of Bergy’s talent. However, I guess in light of your longstanding relationship with the team, your understaning of how things work is greater than mine.
But if Bergy’s sole reason to return is because he is signed for next year, then this team is in worse trouble than I thought. Because that means that Wangs decided not to put any money into player salary and to get by as cheaply as possible.
Is that your take? Answer at your leisure……SW
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michael says:
i hope tim jackman comes back.. dude only knows how to go FULL SPEED.
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I wouldn’t give up on Sean Bergenheim as of yet. He’s had just as many nifty moves over the past few years as Kyle Okposo has had.
What I think really hurt was Bergenheim’s extra year in Europe due to his contract negotiations. He basically lost a year of learning and getting used to the NHL.
My vote would be to keep him around because before you know it he’ll start burying some goals…
My next vote is to make nearly everyone on the islanders roster expendable with the exception of Kyle Okposo, Josh Bailey, and Franz Nielsen. Bergenheim and Comeau I would have close to nonexpendable unless a ridiculous deal was available. Get more draft picks as long as the trade makes sense. Whoever we get in the first round will be great. With a bunch of second rounders aim to take one of the highest rated goalie prospects plus whoever else the scouting staff likes.
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DocDuke says:
I would resign hilbert & jackman and keep them on the 4th line with park. I would sign taylor pyatt and put him on the 3rd line with bailey & comeau. (assuming we get 1st pick) and i would sign zednik from the panthers and put him with tavares and k.o. I thing that would be a fun and affordable line-up.
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Sab says:
Hey Chris….
You mentioned Bylsma stories….now he flew under the radar while with the Isles since he was under the Stirling/Shaw era in ’05-06 right?
What was his role? The O? The D? The PP? The PK? The “Double Double Coffee”? hehe
I just think that although the Pens will come out strong in that ‘first game’ that the Pens are doing this wrong…they’re trying a Devils stint but without a proven coach to take over late in the season….
That’s just my opinion…
SAB
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Kristie says:
All I want is Mike Comrie gone at the deadline, I don’t care what the return is.
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Terry says:
I have a feeling we are getting hedman, and I have no great problem with that, except from a marketing standpoint. I have been hoping for Tavares since July 1, 2007, but I know that the way to build a winner is from the net out. Realistically though, without some big free agent signings this summer, which are unlikely at best, we are going to be in play for Taylor Hall in 2010.
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botta chance of the only guy who gives his all everynight 100% #28 TJ… chris you have alot of empty spots up there on those lines i think we have to get tavares and get the check book out otherwise its going to be awful again
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dose says:
But if Bergy’s sole reason to return is because he is signed for next year, then this team is in worse trouble than I thought. Because that means that Wangs decided not to put any money into player salary and to get by as cheaply as possible. Is that your take? Answer at your leisure……SW
you mean as in a ‘holding pattern. ”
hello?! -
DocDuke (37): LOL Taylor Pyatt? Zednik? What do see as the benefit in re-signing former supporting role type players to be Islanders yet again? And what about guys who are Islanders who would no longer have a spot thanks to these suggested signings? Frans Nielsen? Trent Hunter? Sean Bergenheim? Robin Figren? You really think that Pyatt and Zednik are that great lol?
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Steve C. says:
First Line: P. Sykora-Tavares-Winger from a trade
Second Line: Comeau-Bailey-Okposo
Third Line: Hunter-Nielsen-Smith
Fourth Line: Jackman-Park-Thompson -
Cruicky says:
The Islanders fans should look forward to a long rebuilding process. If the fans expect to be good again, soon, they should take a look around the league. The Yotes, LA and Pitt have been rebuilding for a while. With the exception of the pens last year, now showing some bumps in the road, it takes years to rebuild an NHL team.
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I think I look forward to the outlook on the defensive end of the spectrum more than the forward one. I do believe the Isles have a good shot of signing Komisarek if he is to make it to free-agency, however, would he be a better fit in this system than Brendan Witt? Matt Gilroy, who has been tremendous at BU, would definitely be a great defenseman to have. A dream come true off-season would feature us nabbing Bouwmeester, Gilroy, and Komisarek. Imagine a defensive corps that looked like this:
Bouwmeester – Komisarek
Streit – Gilroy
Campoli – Sutton
Meyer
Hillen
Gervais
*It all depends on if Witt stays or goes! -
If the Islanders are going to keep Flash, they need to build the team around the GO-Go system. Mike Komisarek is not the Go-Go style player and would not fit well with Flash. Match the playeers for the system, if the system is to stay.
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I have only been followin gthe Islanders for a couple of years now. From what I see, the Islanders could use some size. They have a pretty small team for the NHL. More 5 foot somethings than 6 foot somethings in the lineup.
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CB, nice breakdown.
Here’s something to think about, imagine Tambellini was able to play in the NHL half as well as he has in the AHL, we’d be alot closer to a legitimate, young, exciting team. His lack of scoring has set this team back more than expected. Damn you Tamby.
On another note, CB, do you think that Eric Nystrom will be playing for the Isles in a year or two. I think having a bunch of LI’ers on this team can help in the long run. -
Swan says:
Love these articles, CB. Agree with your assessments, yet again. Like most fans, I think Tavares is the best first choice if the Isles get the first pick. But no matter what, the Isles should sign Weight or a Weight-type for the #1 center role. It would guarantee another losing season to put any of the kids, including Tavares, as the #1 center next year.
A sniper LW and a #1 center are the FA priorities in the off-season, regardless of who the Team drafts.
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isles316 says:
SW, Nolan signed a 10 year deal to coach a junior team. So that is why.
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Bergenheim can be a useful forward if he stops taking 100 penalties. He can be a player with Hunter and Nielson, I agree.
The bigger look in my opinion will be on defense where I think the Isles lack any talent outside Streit that makes them tough to play agaisnt.
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Jimmy Mac says:
One guy we should target, in the way of a trade right now is Scottie Upshall.
Philly is looking to free up some cap space, and Upshall may be available.
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bossy22 says:
I heard on Hockey Night in Canada the other night that the Avalanche are shopping Ryan Smyth. He does have a no trade clause, but if his departing words from Long Island were true, he might be willing to waive it to come back…..what do you think CB?
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guerin13 says:
we should stay away from smyth. his body is breaking down, he prob doesn’t fit into the system, and his contract stinks. i hope that jackman, weight, hilbert are re-signed. i hope that garth gets creative to get some more offense here. i think t. smith is here most of next year. i hate matinee games, i always have to work during them. sigh.
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beatlebailey says:
personally i say F him – no chance for smyth back on the island
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Rich says:
Guerin 13, Do you think the Isles should trade our captain? He is the only one with trade value and you have his moniker. So I assuming you are a big fan. Although he has a no move clause I think he would accept a deal to east coast playoff caliber team. If the Isles were on the fringe of making the playoffs I would love to obtain a Guerinesque type player. He would fit nicely on a third line team. He also brings tremendous playoff experience. The Isles do not need him now, He has been a good soldier and he should continue to be one and bring us back a second rounder. What do you think Guerin 13.
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admin says:
SW (34): My opinion is the Islanders should stay close to the cap floor until they are ready to take the next step. $40-plus million is plenty to spend. I see no reason to give out blank checks next season to UFAs. How’s that been working out?
Sab (38) Disco Dan Bylsma was an assistant with Brad Shaw and Jack Capuano under Steve Stilring. He’s a good motivator, exactly what the Pens need right now.
Justin (46): Bouwmeester, Komisarek and Gilroy? Okey, dokey. I also think we have to be a little careful over-rating 25-year old college free agent Matt Gilroy.
Derek: If there’s a native of Long Island who’s a 40-goal scorer, the Islanders should absolutely snatch him up. But while loading up on Erics and Gilroys could be nice, it’s not gonna get you where you want to be. And to the readers wondering about the logic of giving 6 mill a year to stay-at-homer Mike Komisarek to be in an up-tempo system, I’m not going to argue with you.
Bossy 22 (54): On Smyth coming back or the NYI wanting him, I’m just going to assume you were out really, really late last night…CB
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Bringing in any players in the NHL right now, through a trade, may be an improvement, but it’s not a rebuild. For now, we need draft picks, not more contracts, no matter who it is. The Islanders are not in a position where we have 2-4 Bridgeport players ready to come up next year to push us into a playoff spot, and we have players who need more time developing in the NHL. I love reading all the great player suggestions, but we have to be realistic, it’s not what Garth will want to do.
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no thanks to Smyth.
I would take the twins if they were willing to come to the Island.
not much out there in free agency this year.
We should just keep drafting young good players, and just let the other teams keep overpaying for players.
Sooner or later… one will fall in our lap.
Teams keep spending and spending, and the cap will be dropping. They will need to make changes to their lineups.
Look at the Rangers, Philly.. they need to drop salary to add other players.
That’s why it would be nice to pick up Upshall, or Prucha for cheap.
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rich – yes i would deal guerin. i would to find a new screename but i think he’ll move on at the end of the this year anyway so if he agrees to wavie his nmc, i deal him. he should have good trade value.
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-Big Van Vader says:
As for “being up on Atlanta” in the race for Tavares, isn’t it time we started calling it the race to get the best chance
at getting Tavares?I HATE the lottery system. If you are the worst team, you should get the #1 pick, period. Or, at the very least, how about the last place team get something like a 60% chance at the #1? It’s 48% if we finish dead last. That means not even 50/50 that we get Tavares. Pretty crappy odds (yeah, I know, better than the rest of the teams)for finishing last place.
And I know the NHL put the lottery in place so teams wouldn’t be able to just tank it, but i still think it’s awful.
And as much as we should “build from the net out” and we “need a #1 d-man too”, we need excitement and a reason to believe here on the Isle much more.John Tavares will provide that.
Well, here’s hoping we get the next Captain Canada as well as next years #1 Taylor Hall.
GO ISLES!
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316, I agree. Your right about the defense, but I think it’s going to be more difficult to sign/find a stud, 2 way defenseman. Why would JayBo, for instance, want to come to LI?
With the injuries, it was difficult for me to get a handle on this blueline. Streit/Sutton, Witt/Martinek, Callahan/Meyer/Campoli look decent to me, if all are healthy. Problem is Sutton and Martinek, rarely are.
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Sir William, Your insight defintely comes from a differet perspective. Although CB got a little chippy with you, the man does a fantastic job of answering questions and providing info. I don’t understand your take on the Lighthouse Project. Although you want the Isles to bring in high quality talent, you do not want a top quality building. Is it the traffic that really concerns you? I will sit on the Meadowbrook parkway for an extra thirty minutes during gamenights if it means bringing a contender here. Let’s face it the LHP is not about traffic. Its about money and politics. Raising taxes and the big fish at Roosevelt Field. When the chips are down I do not think Wang will move the Isles. I have chnaged my opinion over the last month or so. Sir William I would like to know why you are so against it.
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chris tmc – Pyatt & Zednik are not my choices in a perfect world. and i was just going by the lineups set by CB. K.O. needs a center (tavarez) and a LW. And seeing as we don’t have a prospect ready to play that role, i think zednik is an affordable, talented, veteran who would help the kids shine. As for Pyatt, again, cheap, big, fairly young LW to play with Bailey & Comeau…and he can score (occasionally).
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Are we going back in time..Ryan Smyth, Taylor Pyatt and Richard Zednick. Is this is 2005-2007 Islanders? What happened here
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CB, this is my last post. I have a question that derives from one of your comments about Josh Bailey. Forget about the untouchable argument. I know you were against the Isles trading down twice to take him. Can you tell me your logic on what you think the Isles should have done. Do you think they should have drafted Schenn? Was stockpiling picks wrong in your opinion or did Snow not drfat correctly. We have a good smaple size for Bailey at the NHL level. Once he adds size and maturity I think he will be a second line center. That seems like a good pick to me. Bailey has certainly outplayed Comrie in almost every game I have seen. I respect your hockey knowledge but I would like to know what way you would have played it.
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A guy the Isles or anyone can probably get cheap next year is Prucha. I know he only has 3 goals but he could be part of the future IF given the proper chance.
Swan, I agree with you. I just think the Isles need tougher and more physical defensemen. They are lacking there.
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Coach B says:
Versteeg is a great example of a GM finding players. David Clarkson was never drafted an is now an important player for the Devils. Hope that Matt Martin develops into the Islanders version.
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Pat says:
You’re right, no reason not to go after
an Upshall, Prucha, or Chris Neil. This team needs some toughness. We can’t let this kids get killed or were done. I’d like to see Hilbert resigned. What about packaging Witt and Park. What do you think that would bring back -
OK, CB, I wanna put you on the spot here. Say the Isles don’t resign Guerin. Who is the Next Isle to don the “C”? Is any current Isle a potential Captain or are we looking for someone to come in? Will the Isles decide on a Captain that could be gone soon after?
One more question about the “C”, why wasn’t Witt named Captain after Yash was bought out?
Sorry, that’s alot of questions. Just hoping for your thoughts because the decision shows in which direction the team is going. -
CB Great article as always. My only comment to to the line setups is move Bergy to the third line (LW) and put T. Smith on the second line (LW). Smith has a good instinct for going to the net and Franz is a good passing center.
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So Trevor Smith who has one NHL goal should be penciled in as a 2nd line LW. Am I missing something?
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kevin fitz says:
I love when I see people state they should package two players and a draft pick for a good prospect or player. You can tell these people have played a lot of video games where you try and match overall talent numbers and the trade goes through. That does not happen in real life. If you are going to get a top end player you need to give up a top end draft pick, player or prospect. Giving a team 3 decent players is not going to bring back a top end pick or player. Sorry folks, Weight was the only way of getting anything remotely near a top end draft pick or prospect. With him now not tradeable, don’t expect much more than 3rd round draft picks this deadline. MAYBE we could squeak a second out for Witt from the right team. But that’s it.
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Justin Marques says:
Haha, thanks for the response, CB. I told you, I can dream about landing a few players, obviously I understand that we will not land all three, if any at all. As for Smyth coming back, why would we even want him. For nearly $6.5 million a season, and the salary cap bound to come down either next season or the following season, he is another over-paid player. As much as I wanted him to be here at the time, I am glad he is gone now because he would have been a tremendous paycheck for a team that can’t use players like him just yet.
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jonsson3 says:
1 okposo weight tavares
2bergy neilsen hunter
3 smith bailey comeau
4 jackman park hilbert -
BrassBonanza says:
Hey CB,
All this talk about prospects and two-way center icemen. What’s the deal with Ben Walter? Is he someone that could make the big club? What does management think of him? I mean they have to give the kid a shot don’t they, they wouldn’t just trade Nokey for a player that they don’t see having some sort of impact? -
jonsson3 (76)- The first line should be Weight-Tavares-Okposo. The rest of the lines I agree with though.
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This should stir the pot.
The lottery was put in place to prevent teams from “tanking it”.
The lottery was put in place to prevent “rebuilding” teams from sitting the NHL veterans and playing a group of rookies that should be playing in a developmental league, like the AHL.
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If we get Taveses…. try and sign Komiserek.
If we get Hedman…. try and sign the twins.
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JPinVA says:
Based on who is signed for next year (plus RFAs) and your assumption that the right handed comeau will move to RW this is where we stand right now going into October 2009:
Bergy-Nielsen-Okposo
Sim-Bailey-Hunter
tambellini-Thompson-Comeau
Smith-Colliton-ParkWhen you put that roster together with Gordon’s Jack Adams’ finalist coaching… there’s no way we’re not in the conference championships next year.
If they were to give Comeau and Smith $1M each, they’d be $8M under the floor. If we are fully healthy on “D” we’ll be okay.
But this team needs to spend resources on a LW that can put the puck in the net and a 1/2 Center. I think they need to kick the tires on Erik Cole. -
big jim says:
bossy 22 what were ryan smyth’s departing words when he left li?
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Quez says:
Bring back Weight for a year and give him the “C”, assuming Guerin is not back. Draft J.T. and Oliver Roy, or try and move back up into the 1st for Evander Kane (wishful thinking). Then go after vet FA’s like Erik Cole, Chris Neil, and maybe swing for the fences with an long term offer to Hossa. No Antropov, or Ponikarovsky or other Kvasha types!
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Chris, Where did I advocate giving anyone a blank check? On the contrary, I think that the Isles could pick up some very servicable players CHEAPLY because of the cap constraints.
Quite a few good second and third line players will be left out in the cold when the new cap hits. Almost all the top teams
are right up against the cap and when it drops somebody has to go. Those are the players I’m talking about.So you think Wang should not spend any money until his LightHouse is approved?
I guess that is sound business practice, but not very good news for the people paying for tickets.
As for the Lighthouse, I am specifically against high rise apartment buildings on Long Island. My opinion. Get rid of the apartment buildings and we’ll talk…..SW
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Big Van (62)… Yeah, the draft lottery is not very good… but becasue of the exact opposite reasons. The lottery should be 17-30, then 16-01. So if you just miss the playoffs you get the #1 pick.
That would end all the foolishness about dumping games.
It would also PENALIZE owners for cutting payroll and screwing their fans.
This is an era of FREE AGENCY. Well, collusive free agency anyway. If you run your team like a circus you shouldn’t be rewarded by POTENTIALLY ruining the career of the most sought after young talent.
This goes for all sports, not just hockey.
After december 15th this year there was almost no reason to root for this team to win. No incentive for it to get immediately better. The YEAR WAS OVER.
It is February 16th, and people have Tavares penned as their starting first center next year. LOL. They have a $29M payroll right now for 2009-10.
If they can’t sign any first line talent for the 9th year in a row then Wang needs to sell the team and/or let them move to where-ever they can be a healthy frnchise again.
This franchise has a plastic bag around it’s head.. a plastic bag with a LIGHTHOUSE LOGO ON IT!
This isn’t Kansas City… this is LONG ISLAND NEW YORK… There are some of the highest per capita income zip codes in the US within 20 miles of the coliseum…and OUR owner is giving away tickets at king Kullen with a quart of milk. the only thing I want to see on a milk carton is Wang’s picture.
-The voice of frustration! -
THN Columnist Ken Campbell is ripping on us…suggesting we purposely are tanking the season, but no mention of the absurd amount of injuries. Sorry CANADA, JT is coming to the island.
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Jax says:
Who cares that people are leaving Long Island in record numbers as long as we don’t have any high rise building on the Island it’s ok. It’s going to happen at some point, so it might as well be now.
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MM30- Go back and read the article again. He is not saying the Isles are tanking on purpose.
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Jonsson03 (#76) looking at those lines, I think there’s some potential there. I like Bergy with Nielsen alot more than with Bailey.
Quez #83 Weight would never take the “C”. There’s some sort of player code that would violate that, especially Billy G being his good friend. Which actually probably answers my earlier question about Witt.
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JAX. Sorry, Brother but the TOH pickecd up population to the tune of more than 50,000 residents in the last few years.
As Yogi said “you could look it up.”
You want to live with high risers move to Manhattan. I don’t. I moved here to live in the suburbs and wish to keep it that way.
And don’t give me any crap about housing. How many mid/low income people will be able to afford Wang’s luxury apartments.ZERO, that’s how many. It’s all about money, Jax. I see no need to fill Wang’s pockets at the expense of my town……SW
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88- copy that JAX…i read it again, it was tough to read through all the digs…but again no mention of the injuries.
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SW- Never said I wanted High Rises, but I could care less if there is. The place is a shat hole. Just look around the colisuem, it’s like the ghetto.You say 50,000 people in the last couple of years have moved to the toh. You failed to mention how many people have moved out of there in that time. How come? I’d be willing to bet anything double that or triple that have left.
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Also name one thing that has developed on the island that wasn’t for money making reasons?
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mm30- The article didn’t make much sense. If you ask me.
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jax-i’m with you, I think I read it 5 times and i still don’t get it— if your ripping us but saying we’re not tanking it but saying if you tank it you’ll get yours…?????????? why write it all?
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SW – I don’t think people are saying don’t spend until the Lighthouse is approved. I think people are saying that we’re more than 2-3 players away from being a serious Cup contender, so why should we spend money on players that will be stopgaps at best and take time away from kids at worst? If there were 2 missing pieces to get this team to Cup contention, I have to believe they would spend the money. I don’t advocate signing free agents so we’re just good enough to not get a lottery pick but not good enough to do damage.
As for your arguments about the Lighthouse, this is a snippet I took straight from the TOH web site:
By 1930, the population of Hempstead grew to just over 186,000. After the Second World War, returning GI’s and their families expanded the population from just over 265,000 in 1940 to 448,000 in 1950. Levittown serves as but one example of the suburban growth in the Town. Further population growth and development after the Korean War boosted the population to over 765,000 by 1960. The population peaked at just over 800,000 in 1970, and leveled at approximately 725,000 by the 1990s.
The TOH has 40,000 fewer residents than it did 30 years ago, according to the Town’s own figures. The Lighthouse could be a catalyst to bringing this area back and at very least stemming the very real exodus of younger people from the area. I have to be honest, I can’t believe that after all the venom you’ve directed at the Lighthouse that it’s just about high-rise buildings.
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Thank you Nick!!!!
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Sir William, If you want to live in the suburbs you had better get the hell out of LI, NY metro area!!!
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Nick,
From an Islander perspective you have to agree that the Lighthouse is choking the franchise. There are several questions that remain unanswered.
1. What is plan B if the Lighthouse NEVER puts a shovel in the ground.
2. If it does get done, and they extend the lease another 25 years, will the lease remain the same. This means to just own the Islanders is a LOSING proposition. This way there will NEVER be any interest in the franchise, and Wang can let it die on the vine.
3. THIS FRANCHISE HAS BEEN RUN LIKE A CIRCUS FOR 20 YEARS? Give me one iota of evidence that the Lighthouse is going to change THAT. Who says that if Oksposo pots 35 next year he’s not traded for University of Maine’s jock strap collection the following year. -
He, in THN article is sayin that management is not providing a quality line-up of NHL caliber hockey players to field a competitive team. It is not the players fault, they are playing as hard as they can. It is the team that Gordon has to play with is not capable of competing on a regular basis.
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SW… to add to Mike’s statement, you had better get a time machine and set it back to 1975 as well.
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JP – I completely disagree with that. The lack of a destination and a quality arena is choking the franchise. I read a blog from a Carolina newspaper talking about how awful Long Island was, and if you only knew the drive from LGA to the Coliseum you wouldn’t think it was that nice a place either. Aside from that, all the questions you asked are pretty widely available (for example the lease would obviously not be the same). It’s also widely known you’re against the project, so honestly I don’t want to spend time debating it. You will likely never see my point of view and I will likely never see yours, so it’s just 2 people talking at each other and eating up CB’s bandwidth.
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So Mr. Wang not only needs to build a new building, he need to cleanup and improve the drive from LGA to the rink….LOL…
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Nick,
You’re actually wrong. I’m not opposed to the project in general. I am not crazy about some aspects of it, but the area definitly can use a facelift.
What I am opposed to is that the team I’ve supported for 30 years is tied to a cinder block.
What I would really love to see is the Islanders moving to another venue that people could get to without fighting ever increasing rush hour traffic in the heart of the rush hour.
When the Willits point option was brought up it was like breath of toxic fresh air. Not that WP is best place for them, but Uniondale isn’t either.
The lighthouse, let the SW’s of the world fight that battle. I have a really nice house, in an excellent school district and nobody’s trying to shove a 25 story apartment building up my grass.
So you folks have fun with that… but stop ruining my team. -
Amen to that JP, loves these suburbs and even more the cheap real estate taxes.
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JP, the Lighthouse is the best option to keep this team where it is. Approving the project opens some doors for federal transportation dollars to make it a lot easier to get there. I don’t understand how you could call the Lighthouse a cinder block but be happy about a pipe dream suggestion from Queens. The whole point here is to maintain stability and continuity, and to give the team a chance to make money on Long Island.
And quickly about this high-rise argument – there are many high-rise buildings in that area, and the 2 buildings we’re talking about here are all the way in the back of the site. This is not a mini city we’re talking about here, and if it were shoved down everyone’s throats the Lighthouse never would’ve compromised on the original 60-story building.
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NIck,
with full respect to posting guidlines this will be my last entry.
“JP, the Lighthouse is the best option to keep this team where it is.”
1. Does where it is mean Uniondale? Uniondale hasn’t been the best place for the team for almost 40 years. they have had financial problems since day one.
2. Who says that is the best thing for the team? What happens if they are pulling in 12K fans five years from now and they are locked into another crushing lease.
3. Does the lighthouse need the Islanders?
4. Do the Islanders need the Lighthouse if you take the handcuffs off?
5. 2015, the lease is done. Why couldn’t somebody come in and buy the team and build something on the land where Aqueduct is… os someplace like that.
6. Why not the Coney Islanders… they could replace the Island on the crest with a HOT DOG! -
Dadi says:
I don’t mind about tickets selling! I want Mr. Stanley,so…bring me HEDMAN!
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JP you can twist yourself into the ground with hypotheticals. Even if someone addressed all of those you’d just come up with 10 more and it’d continue ad nauseam.
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Tom says:
I hope the Lighthouse falls through. Long Island is very bad for the Islanders. Queens please.
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Tom – you’re thinking of yourself and not the team. How could you possibly root against the best hope for the team (and one which has a very good chance of happening) in favor of a pipe dream?
CB,
Lets believe theres a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow and the isles do get tavares. Do you think selling a top line winger on playing w/ tavares and okposo for the next 5 years can be a sales tactic? How much does getting tavares change the overall perception of the franchise?