Monthly Archives: July 2009
UPDATED at 8:45 pm - Here’s Charles Wang’s 38-minute sitdown with Mike Francesa, primarily on the Lighthouse and what happens if he doesn’t get certainty from the Town of Hempstead by October 3.
And here’s a Moneypuck story from James Mirtle on the game’s top goalies. Based on his list, Martin Biron at 1.4 is an even greater steal. Depends on how much you value save percentage. One of Mirtle’s readers had this fun fact: the Islanders are paying Biron and Dwayne Roloson combined less (3.9) than what the Oilers are paying Nikolai Khabibulin and Jeff-Drouin-Parise-Deslauriers (4.45). Comments.
Later on the 18-year old defenseman said he thought he needed at least one more year, and probably two, with the Oshawa Generals before he could even think about playing in the National Hockey League.
Then he showed up at Islanders prospect minicamp, was told by development scouts like former NHLers Eric Cairns and Trent Klatt that he belonged, and started acting like it.
de Haan played well in the scrimmage and was singled out by head coach Scott Gordon for his skating and poise. He made friends with future teammates and went fishing, to ballgames and a concert with them. He listened to Bryan Trottier on the ice and was transfixed by a passionate lecture from Bob Nystrom on what life could be as an Islander in New York. “That was really inspirational,” he said. Perhaps the focus on former Oshawa teammate John Tavares made it so much easier for de Haan to play without hardly any attention.
By the end of minicamp, he looked like a different person. So much so, that we had this conversation on the last day…
You know what, Calvin? For a kid who thought at the draft that he needed to go back to Oshawa, it looks like there’s a small possibility you could start the season with the Islanders.
You think so? Well, that’s my plan.
Your plan? Two weeks ago, you seem shocked you were taken so early and you were telling everyone you had a long way to go.
That’s true, but a lot has changed since then. This camp has been great. I’ve heard from management. I’m not going to say I was dominant, but I felt real comfortable out there in the scrimmage.
I would think it wouldn’t be a Josh Bailey situation where you stay all year. But I can see you staying with the big club until the 10th game, before the first year of an NHL contract kicks in. Then it’s back to Oshawa and maybe the Worlds.
We’ll see. I’m just telling you that I’m going to come to camp as strong and as fit as possible and with a goal of making the Islanders. What makes you say I have a chance?
It’s not, as some might think, to prove the Islanders were right making the jump for you. It’s just that they’re saying a lot of good things, and the little I know about the game tells me you’re far from out of place out there.
That’s good. Everyone says that’s not what minicamp is about, but I wanted to make an impression. It’s been a great week for me. I’m having so much fun, I wish it were longer.
Is getting stronger your biggest need?
Definitely.
Where are you now?
I’m 6-0, 180. Still growing. I’ve grown a lot just over the last year and have a ways to go.
I’m sure the team doesn’t want you to over do it getting too strong too quickly.
That’s the challenge, I know. Let’s see. I’m just saying I want to be in the NHL this season and I’m going to put myself in the best position to make it happen. I think I have a chance.
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Comments. Goaltending talk continues in next thread.
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11:30 pm - So now that the Islanders have more than compensated for the loss of Rick DiPietro – even as, sources continue to tell Point Blank, they plan for his return to the lineup by Thanksgiving – now what?
Solid value aside, it seems almost extravagant for the team to spend $1.4 million on Martin Biron to join Dwayne Roloson as the bridge to the return for DiPietro and development of Mikko Koskinen. The Islanders had a need and filled it with Roloson, who played 63 games last year for the Edmonton Oilers. Fact is, if they are looking to compete next year – the Biron signing sure illustrates they want to win as many games as they can – they could use at least two top-9 forwards and one top-4 defenseman.
Don’t get me wrong. It’s been a while since Islanders fans could say they had an embarrassment of riches at any position. No one is complaining. It just feels like they signed Biron as gravy when the Roloson deal got the job done as a perfect stop-gap. The official press release hadn’t even been distributed before fans and bloggers (guilty) started talking up Marty as tradebait. Whoop-de-do, another second or third round pick. Yeah, I know, asset management. Got it.
Maybe Garth Snow is really enjoying his new rep as a conservative, patient bargain hunter. Maybe Biron at $1.4 mill for just one season was too irresistible. He’s a good goalie who wins fans and friends wherever he plays with his megawatt smile and Bruno-like charm. That’s Gervais, not the movie guy.
But you’ll have to forgive me for not getting caught up in the OMG reaction on Wednesday. Biron is good, an upgrade certainly over Yann Danis and Joey MacDonald, a step up from Scott Munroe. But how many games was Munroe going to play in support of Roloson? With Munroe now ticketed for Bridgeport, does this mean Koskinen may have to get his starts in the East Coast League? Taking a 21-year old from the Finnish Elite League to the “Coast” is generally not the recommended route.
And let’s take it easy on the standing Os for Biron, who dominated the Islanders but not many other teams last season in Philadelphia. The Flyers, who spend money like no other team in the league outside of New York, walked away from him and signed Ray Emery. Biron was available to every team in the league for three full weeks at the cost of only his contract. His best opportunity, it turned out, was to sign with a team whose GM said in a press release, “Now we have three bonafide number one goaltenders.” Biron must also know the rebuilding Islanders are not the beast of the East. Despite his talk of “opportunity” to Greg Logan, Biron signed here because it was the best offer he could get in late July.
Did the Islanders’ goaltending need improvements more than their injury-prone, bottom-10 defense? Did the Islanders’ goal need more enhancements than their power play? If you were asked before 5:00 pm Wednesday what do the Islanders need more – another proven NHL goalie or more size and toughness – which would you have chosen?
Of course, the good news is there are plenty of shopping days left before the start of the season. Perhaps Snow will get it all.
Last week I wrote that the Islanders had spoken with Alex Tanguay and would attempt to acquire a skill forward at their price. On Monday I wrote of the team’s efforts to up their toughness quotient at their price.
Garth Snow took Martin Biron at the Islanders’ price. This would seem to be proof he’s not done improving his team. Actually, it proves that he couldn’t possibly be done improving his team. A team that signs Roloson and Biron while believing they’re getting DiPietro back obviously doesn’t want any part of the Taylor Hall sweepstakes.
With three free agents and two early-round draft picks, Snow may have just wanted to build from the goal out. Now he needs to get to the “out” part.
Comments.
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UPDATED at 5:40 pm - Well now we know for sure Rick DiPietro isn’t starting the season in the NHL, as we document below. Maybe he’ll be out even longer than we projected.
Larry Brooks of the Post exclusively broke the news that the Islanders have signed Martin Biron to a one year, $1.4 million dollar contract. The team has just sent out its official press release.
A few thoughts. Hopefully for DiPietro he’s on some island without access on his honeymoon. How’d you like to be Scott Munroe. “Hey Scott, I know you thought you had a chance of starting the year in the NHL, but you remember your Philly teammate Marty”?
At such a good value, Biron is very tradeable for a pick before the deadline if Dwayne Roloson plays well – even if DiPietro doesn’t have a perfect return from rehab. And how about this – Logan goes on vacation, Larry gets the scoop on an Islanders story. Amazing coincidence!
I joked in my DiPietro piece earlier today how Garth Snow has proven with Streit and Roloson that he’s good at signing UFAs and should do it more often. In the release, Snow says he now has “three bonafide number one goalies.” We’ll see about that. Now on to adding some size, toughness and skill.
Reality check: signing Martin Biron today is a good move, but this doesn’t make the 2009-10 Islanders any better. They already had Roloson. What this means is they are insured if DiPietro or Roloson can’t play, and maybe they’ll get yet another second-rounder for an extra goalie before the deadline. A good signing, not a breakthrough for the rebuilding program.
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11:30 am - Dwayne Roloson will play at least 40 regular season games for the Islanders this season. Rick DiPietro will play no more than 40 regular season games for the Islanders this season, and maybe a lot less. That’s because I believe Roloson will start most, if not all of the Islanders’ first 20 games of the jam-packed regular season schedule between Oct. 3 and Nov. 14.
That’s, of course, if the Point Blank DiProjection turns out to be accurate.
As August approaches – you know, the month Rick DiPietro is to begin skating on his own – it’s time to predict what will become of the team’s franchise goaltender. The team has said nothing for months and I do not expect they will between now and the start of camp, so my projections are based on conversations with people close to the team and to DiPietro.
Consider this my injured goalie version of John Tavares-Victor Hedman-Matt Duchene, except this will be our one and only segment.
DiPietro will not begin skating in early August. In fact, he may not even begin light skating on his own until late August at the earliest.
- As the team has said, he absolutely will be with the team for training camp in Saskatoon. Note that the Islanders never said anything about him being a regular participant. I don’t expect DiPietro to take part in any Saskatchewan scrimmages or pre-season games. You’ll more likely read about him in Newsday working one-on-one with his goalie coaches.
To summarize, my projection is that the original Islanders timeline, which the club set with him resuming skating in August, will likely be pushed back at least one month.
This is no longer Rick DiPietro’s team, and that’s good for everybody – especially Rick DiPietro.
His delayed-again comeback would be far from a crisis for several reasons. In Dwayne Roloson, the Islanders signed a legit No. 1 goaltender – one of the best value UFA signings of the month. (With Roloson and Mark Streit, Garth Snow’s so good at the free agent thing, he really should consider doing it more!) Former Phantoms goalie Scott Munroe will be the backup early on, but Roloson played more than 60 games two of the last three seasons. Even with a stuffed early-season schedule, the 40-year old can carry the ball. Nathan Lawson and Mikko Koskinen will be your goalies in Bridgeport.
As long as the Islanders don’t puck this up by getting cute with DiPietro health updates, this story will not come close to overshadowing the biggest one of October: the NHL debut of first overall pick John Tavares. Handled properly, DiPietro’s slow-but-steady return will not affect ticket sales and press coverage.
After some first-half missteps – and the still unfathomable decision to have DiPietro sit as a “healthy” backup – the Islanders got smart and were transparent with the media and their fans. I’m confident the Islanders will do the right thing with DiPietro this season.
Most of all, it’s not a crisis if the proper, cautious handling of DiPietro’s rehabilitation leads to him being stronger in the long run. Reports from those sources close to the team and the player are consistently optimistic that DiPietro, newly-wed and 28 in September, will get his NHL career back.
While the former U.S. Olympian and NHL All-Star has become that unique combination of Fan Favorite/Lightning Rod – here comes another round of “DiPietro cross-checked my dog” and “I know someone who knows someone who said Ricky isn’t nice” Comments! – the team is a whole lot better with DiPietro. The league is also a whole lot better when a talented and charismatic young man doesn’t have to retire well before his time.
Comments.
As reported by Greg Logan, two good men in Steve Mears and Chris King are silenced as the Islanders make the business decision to simulcast their TV broadcasts on the Islanders Radio Network. Steve and Kinger are friends. I played a part in Steve’s hiring as a young radio prospect out of the Central League. Other than saying they are great pros and underrated broadcasters, this one’s close to home so for now I’ll read what everyone else writes on mine and Logie’s blog. Comments.
4:05 pm, Point Blank Exclusive: Details are being finalized for New York State Governor David A. Paterson to appear at the Coliseum on Monday to throw his complete support behind the Lighthouse Project. With the mega August 4 hearing with the Town of Hempstead just weeks away, the momentum of a positive press conference is a huge boost for developers Charles Wang and Scott Rechler. Comments.
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As we first reported last week, Scott Allen was officially named assistant coach today.
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From the blog that brought you “S/V/F: What’s the Deal with Alex Tanguay?” comes a look at the Islanders’ search for a heavyweight. Should be a reality show.
SCOOP: Point Blank has learned that the Islanders banged on the door of at least one prime NHL enforcer seconds after the opening bell of the unrestricted free agent market. Before the Maple Leafs blew all other suitors away with a four-year contract at a million bucks per, ex-Rangers heavyweight Colton Orr was seriously courted by the Islanders. We’re told more Islanders personnel than just GM Garth Snow reached out to the 27-year old pugilist.
Orr made sense on many levels. He’s big, does not lose a majority of his fights and Tom Renney was comfortable enough with the heavyweight’s skills to play him in the final minutes with the Rangers protecting a lead. And oh by the way, Islanders head coach Scott Gordon was Orr’s development coach for two years when they were with the Bruins’ AHL affiliate in Providence. Gordon didn’t hesitate to use the 6-3, 230-pound Orr in all 17 Calder Cup playoff games in the spring of 2005.
Alas, while the Islanders got John Tavares, Brian Burke did snag Orr.
VIEW: The Islanders may not have reeled in Orr, but their pursuit proves Snow isn’t kidding himself that his rebuilding team of many kiddies doesn’t need a sitter. Publicly, the general manager will say – and should say – Joel Rechlicz has every chance of making the 2009-10 opening lineup. You never want to hold back your prospects, no matter the position. Behind the scenes, you better believe Snow’s still in search of some muscle. (We don’t need to go over the list of Eastern beef, do we?)
Keep in mind what Gordon said to me a few weeks ago about the importance of an enforcer: “Contrary to what you may believe, I’m a big proponent of that aspect of the game.” With finesse players like Tavares, Mark Streit, Josh Bailey and Frans Nielsen dotting the roster, Gordon might now be the biggest proponent.
Burke and assistant GM Dave Nonis made Orr a very generous offer and did a good job of getting their man. The Islanders, like many teams, chose not to present guaranteed dough to Brian McGrattan (Calgary). Donald Brashear (Rangers) would not have been a good fit at age 37 for a rebuilding team. Chris Neil (Ottawa) – $2 million a year for four years? No thanks.
Travis Moen (Montreal for 3 years) would have been a solid pickup as a bottom-6, but even his advocates acknowledge he grinds more than he enforces. There were others, obviously deemed by Snow to either be poor fits or poor value. Besides Orr, there may have been others whose demands he could not or would not meet.
That’s fine, as long as the GM eventually solves the problem and actually gets an experienced, fight-winning tough guy into the lineup. It’s one thing for a rebuilding team to be beat, another to be constantly beaten up. The first game is Oct. 3. The Homecoming opponent is Pittsburgh, in no mood after having about three weeks to heal between winning Game 7 of the Final and the opening of camp (I exaggerate, slightly). If an Islander like Brendan Witt even looks at Sidney Crosby, the Penguins’ agitators will target Tavares and Nielsen for hits and well-rested Eric Godard and Mike Rupp will be puttin’ on the foil. Fun!
FORECAST: So who’s still out there on the free agent market? Andrew Peters, a few others. (Whatever you may think of Peters as an enforcer, he’s got a brain and a heart. When Sports Illustrated went after Chris Simon, Peters – who’d brawled with Simon a few times – stood up for Simon and said Ryan Hollweg running everyone from behind was why enforcing was still necessary.)
Snow could work out a trade for a heavyweight, but another approach would be to extend a training camp invitation or three. Line ‘em all up, “The Contender” style. If a Peters or an AHL heavy like Trevor Gillies (would be neat, if only for the Third Jersey) comes to camp and proves to Gordon he can keep up with the skating, he wins a contract. It would help to win a fight. No doubt The Wrecker would be ready.
There’s also the waiver wire. Bottom line: the Islanders are still looking for their enforcer. Snow has not thrown in the towel.
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