Monthly Archives: March 2009
11:40 am, 1050 ESPN Studios - Just got word from the Islanders that Kurtis McLean is getting the call today to replace Trent Hunter in the lineup. Talk about Islanders-Coyotes in this space and I’ll catch you after the game with a story or two.
After the Islanders returned from an oh-for-4 West Coast swing in early January, Scott Gordon declared that the development of the franchise’s young players was more important than wins and losses.
An NHL head coach says this when…
A. He sees a lot more losses than wins in his future.
B. His team’s PR platform needs to change from, “We’re going to win every game!” to “Hey, didja hear about our young players”?
C. He really means it.
For Gordon it was D, all of the above. The Islanders first-year coach made the remark one game past the mid-season mark. After 42 games, the Islanders were 12-26-4. Although the reality was the franchise had nowhere else to turn, Gordon’s sincerity was not in question – okay, except by three or four players no longer on the Islanders’ roster.
So forgive us if we pour just a little bit of cold water on today’s soul-stirring 7-3 triumph over the New Jersey Devils or any of the other impressive wins in the last two months. The coach was right to say it then and remains so today. Take Scott Gordon at his word.
These wins aren’t all that important.
Of course, what matters most – as Gordon said – is bountiful evidence of the kids coming around. No offense to good man Dean McAmmond, but if the Islanders are winning games behind the renaissance of a 35-year old checking center, wins like today’s wouldn’t mean squat. In fact, they’d be painful – the sort of just-our-luck cheap shot absorbed by the fan base should the Islanders “lose” a top-2 draft pick.
But if wins include Josh Bailey threading Turgeonian passes from behind the net to Blake Comeau, so be it. If they feature Jeff Tambellini fighting through traffic on his way to a goal, it’s all good. If players like Jesse Joensuu and Jack Hillen are coming up from Bridgeport and not looking out of place, savor the victory.
Another step in the possible rise to stardom of Kyle Okposo? Sweet.
Mike Iggulden driving down 95 for the afternoon to get two first assists? Sean Bergenheim with a hat trick? Now let’s not get crazy!
It’s the job of the players to win games. They could not care less about some 18-year punk in Ontario or Finland. Like they did today, they want to just win, baby.
Here’s the truly cold water part of this pour. As any Islanders fan of the last two decades can tell you, these games are a lot easier to play – a lot easier to coach – when you’re out of the playoff race. The die-hards can tell you about the three weeks Bergenheim-Yashin-Nilsson was the best line in hockey. They can tell you about a bad team in 1997-98 finishing the season 6-3-1, mostly behind shutouts by Tommy Salo.
Today was a lovely afternoon at the old barn on Hempstead Turnpike. After all they’ve endured this season, Islanders fans deserve to relish this one with a few responsibly-downed pints. If they didn’t have a game at 3:00 tomorrow against Phoenix, Bergenheim, Hillen, Comeau, Frans Nielsen and the rest of the boys who endured this season and are finishing it as men would have every right to join you. All of them, of course, except for the underage Bailey.
The Islanders dropped three straight close games after Gordon’s “losses don’t matter, development does” edict. But then a funny thing happened, maybe something even the coach didn’t count on: They’ve been 9-8-3 since.
Gordon said in his post-game presser today that he told his young players at the mid-season mark of “the opportunity to make this their team.” They’re getting there.
Two months later, Gordon’s declaration about what matters most rings with even more truth. Development, in the form of the prospects getting on the scoresheet, rules. The losses, and all these darn wins, not so much.
That is, unless we’re talking Thrashers and Lightning.
ETC: Trent Hunter is out for the year with a fractured ankle. The Islanders said the injury was suffered during today’s win over New Jersey and was unrelated to Hunter’s recent ankle injury. Hunter is the team’s current leader in goals with 14, now tied by Bergenheim.
Bergenheim said his hat trick compares as a memory with his first NHL goal. “This really is a dream come true,” he said. On a team level, Bergenheim said, “I think this system has grown on every player.”
Comments.
11:15 am - Mike Iggulden finally gets the reward for his production (23 goals and 58 points) in Bridgeport. He’ll make his Islanders debut in today’s matinee against the legendary Martin Brodeur and the Devils. The Islanders just texted that Iggulden is up, as are the predicted Jesse Joensuu and Joe Callahan.
This could mean Thomas Pock is back, which could result in some Pockian comment-ary. My response would be the Islanders are okay with Pock playing 10 minutes here and Andrew McDonald playing more than 20 in the playoff drive for the Sound Tigers.
Talk about the game in Comments. Enjoy the beautiful weather, too…CB
Bill Guerin walked into the room where all the rookies were waiting to hear the next day’s itinerary.
“Everybody has to be at the bar in an hour, 3-beer minimum. Everything is on Comrie and me. You better show up.”
Huh. That was a bit of a bomb, coming from the captain of the team I was trying out for, the night before I had to play my first exhibition game of camp in September, 2007.
There are a couple of crucial things you need to do well to make any team, let alone have any chance at a future in the sport of hockey. The obvious one is to play well. The less talked about and less important one is to be a positive part of the dressing room.
I know it sounds high-schoolish, but you can get crucified in a hockey dressing room if you aren’t on your guard. This can make things rather uncomfortable, as I can attest, having been one of two non-drinkers on my junior hockey team. As a result, I had to learn to have a pretty sharp tongue. I went from being a survivor in that dressing room to somebody you needed to survive. Hey, the best defense is a good offense.
But that wasn’t exactly an option at an NHL training camp. I wasn’t in a position to tell Miroslav Satan that yellow laces stopped being acceptable the same year we started taking the previous layer of tape off our sticks before putting a fresh layer on.
And Bill Guerin was the man in that Islanders locker room, because he transcended the need for player approval. In my experience, the biggest jerks are always the pros in their first few years, the guys who carry themselves like they think they deserve the change in lifestyle the game has afforded them. Bill didn’t have to prove himself; he was past that part.
And the more I think about it, the more Guerin sticks out in my mind. Everyday, us lowly rookies took to our stalls in the dressing room and looked down until it was time to practice. And everyday, there was Bill, cruising around the room, shaking some nervous pup’s hand, talking and joking with the type of kids who, in that dressing room, were the equivalent of your high school’s Dungeons and Dragons club (but significantly tougher).
Billy’s an immensely likable character. He seems to love the game in the same way that Brett Favre exudes that obvious passion for playing. This past summer, 10 months after camp, I ran into him at a Dunkin’ Donuts in Huntington. Arm-in-sling from his recent shoulder surgery, the captain greeted me like an old friend. He introduced me to his dad, and invited myself and my girlfriend Brianna to go boating with him and his wife. I wasn’t even sure the guy would remember me.
But that was 10 months later. Back to September, 2007.
“Everybody has to be at the bar in an hour, 3-beer minimum. Everything is on Comrie and me. You better show up.”
Let the battle begin.
Shoulder Devil: “Go! Drink on Bill’s tab. Do something stupid. Punch Andy Sutton. Make a memory.”
Shoulder Angel: “Think about your future. You need to be at your best tomorrow. You have a huge opportunity here”!
Shoulder Devil: “Punch. Sutton. If you live, best story ever.”
That guy always gets the last word.
Of course, I didn’t actually punch Andy Sutton. I did, however, enjoy my Guerin-imposed team minimum before tucking into bed a wee bit later than I would have liked. Sleep when you’re dead, right?
I was lucky enough to get to know the captain fairly well while I was there. He had organized a little outing for some of the veteran players and alumni. As luck would have it, my father Bob happens to be one of those, and apparently it’s nice to play golf in multiples of four. Enter me.
I don’t know who paid for the round, but I get the impression whoever it was doesn’t check their bank balance before they swipe for a Quarter Pounder with Cheese. The golf provided me another opportunity on one of the first days of camp to mingle with some of the Isles guys and find out who was like what, while trying to not have anyone notice that I was like nervous.
After the round it had been settled that Bill’s group had won, so another group was on the hook for dinner and drinks. Nothing was too serious that day, especially after 18 holes and a couple casuals. We had an exchange that I particularly enjoyed. Keep in mind that in the middle of 16 hockey guys talking, this was light-hearted and fully tongue-in-cheek:
Me: “Four kids, wow, that must get expensive.”
Bill: “Well Justin, not to be a d–k, but I’m kinda rich.”
Me: “Ahhhh, rrright.”
When the guys weren’t looking, he snuck his card to the waitress and paid for everybody’s dinner and drinks. He didn’t actually want the free dinner; he just wanted some fuel to abuse the losers with.
But it’s not the money that Bill was generous with at camp that’s important, it was his time. He didn’t have to waste his time on kids who were clearly not going to be teammates that year. The Islanders are chock-full of young guys who needed to see what leading is all about, and what class looks like.
I’m glad he now gets the chance to play for the Cup, because for the rebuilding Islanders, Bill Guerin provided the ultimate example.
Comments.
The Islanders took their team photo this morning on the ice at the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum. Most notable about the set-up was the Islanders’ (wise) decision to take the picture in their vintage Third jerseys.
It was a particularly meaningful moment for veteran center Dean McAmmond, who grew up in Alberta an Islanders fan. He was such a big fan, the cake at his 13th birthday party was adorned with the Islanders’ logo.
Asked if McAmmond is in consideration for a return next season, Islanders head coach Scott Gordon said, “He’s fit in well and has grasped everything we’ve thrown at him very quickly. He also can still skate with great speed. He says he’d like to come back and he’s done everything possible to put himself in a favorable light.”
*
Joe Callahan, Andrew MacDonald, Jesse Joensuu and Joel Rechlicz were returned to Bridgeport, some of them not for long.
Figure on Callahan and Joensuu being back in the Islanders’ lineup for their home matinees on Saturday against New Jersey and Sunday against Phoenix. If both play tonight for the Sound Tigers, they’d be looking at 4 games in 4 days. Maybe they won’t play tonight for the Sound Tigers.
Depending on the health of some Islanders roster players, MacDonald (or another dman) and Rechlicz (or another forward) could return to the Island for the weekend. Thomas Pock may be closer, while Richard Park, Nate Thompson and the suspended Brendan Witt took part in the kind of exhausting post-practice skate that signals they’re not playing tomorrow.
Witt sits out the final two games of his ridiculous punishment and will return to the Islanders on Tuesday when they play in Toronto – of course, a date better known for being Point Blank Night II at Gabrielle’s in Rockville Centre.
*
Scott Gordon on the play of Joensuu, initially penciled in to play all this season (and likely next) in the AHL:
“It’s night and day for Jesse from how he looked in training camp. His skating, his foot speed, his positional play…Jesse’s made huge strides in every aspect of his game.”
As he never hesitates to do, Gordon credited the coaching of Jack Capuano and his staff at Bridgeport. “I think we’re around 39, 40 players that have been in our lineup at one point this season,” said the Islanders coach. “Whenever we get a player from the Sound Tigers, I never have anything to worry about. They’re conditioned, taught in the system. The link between the two teams has been outstanding.”
Comments.
Don’t forget about Point Blank Night II. It’s Tuesday at Gabrielle’s in Rockville Centre at 7:30 pm. Free wine and appetizers. NYI at TO on the TV. Between-periods live in-person interviews. Raffle prizes, including tickets and a signed game-used Eric Brewer stick of ten years ago from the Point Blank Collection. Hockey talk all night. Read all about it and RSVP here.
The news about prospect Robin Figren possibly joining Bridgeport in the next few days (source: Mike Fornabaio) comes with a major IF.
This being a mostly-free world, the Islanders’ 3rd round pick in 2006 is always welcome to come and hang out in Connecticut. However, he’s only free to actually play in the American Hockey League if the Swedish hockey federation allows it. Since his homeland may insist on holding back Figren so he can represent Sweden in the World Championships, that’s not a slam dunk.
Figren is a good prospect who did not take a step forward in his development this season. (Three months ago, we ranked him No. 4 among non-AHL prospects). While the Islanders gave their blessing for the left wing – who turns 21 on Saturday – to play a year in the Swedish Elite League after two in the Western Hockey League, Figren received limited icetime with Djurgardens. In 49 games, he had 3 goals and 6 assists.
The Islanders need to get Figren playing in North America as soon as possible. Despite his uneventful season in Sweden, he remains an important prospect for the franchise.
A year ago, Jesse Joensuu had the invaluable experience of joining the Sound Tigers late in the season. He took part in practices and suited up for one game. With the Bridgeport lineup decimated by injuries and call-ups to the Islanders, the Sound TIgers could use Figren every night in the scramble for a playoff berth.
Right now, his AHL availability for this season is not a given.
Comments.
← Older postsNewer posts →
