HURT BY OILERS, PICKED UP BY THE NYI
Scenes from the Dwayne Roloson conference call
Feel free to start the Night Shift of UFA Commentary in this thread, aka Fight Club.
6:44 pm: Just wrapped up a media conference call with Dwayne Roloson. The highlights…
On why he left Edmonton: “It was strictly the extra year. It’s the same deal we proposed to them. They didn’t want to do it. I got the deal I wanted.”
On what he has left: “I didn’t play a lot when I started, before I went to Edmonton. I don’t have the mileage some other starters have. Physically, I’m still healthy.”
On Rick DiPietro: “I have a relationship with Rick that goes back to when he was in college. We shared a goalie coach back then. We’ve met at PA meetings. We talk about everything. No matter who plays, we’re going to get along great.” Roloson added that hasn’t asked DiPietro about his health.
On playing for the rebuilding Islanders: “My mindset is to help our team win. Whether I’m playing or on the bench, I’m going to do my best to help the team.” Roloson said he thought the Islanders played well for half of last season, but the loss of DiPietro hurt.
One thing was very clear on the conference call, which included as many reporters from Edmonton as New York. No doubt by the time he throws on the Islanders uniform he’ll be well past it, but Roloson was deeply disappointed the Oilers did not give him what he wanted. “It’s a lot tougher than people might imagine,” he said.”
Comments.
148 Responses to HURT BY OILERS, PICKED UP BY THE NYI
Scenes from the Dwayne Roloson conference call
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Joe says:
We need an enforcer, Rangers and Flyers both picked up tough guys. We better keep Rechlicz up or sign someone.
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matt says:
yea i agree with number 1 and scuderi
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Andrew Ryan says:
well he’s an Islander now and I am extremely happy
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Madchef says:
none of those guys are on their way here…..i hope roloson can get over his loss in oiler land and find a way to stack the pads here on the island
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islesfan999 says:
I think he will be perfect for us. Hes a veteran goalie.
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Pez says:
it’s ok rolie cry on tavs shoulder
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M Howard says:
I wonder if Garth didn’t promise Roloson that he would get “x” number of starts considering DP’s health situation?
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JD (e_godard) says:
Dwayne, welcome to Long Island!
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#9 he really liked it there and liked the community there and thought that they liked him enough to give him another year but obviously they didn’t so i would imagine he feels like they felt like he wasn’t worth it after all he’s done for em
hopefully he comes back with a vengeance
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Can we sign some big tough players please….
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TimQ says:
Roloson will be fine. He can even get the AARP rate at local hotels until he finds a place to live. Now we move on.
Scuderi, Bouchemin, or Mara (in that order)
I’d be fine signing Gionta IF we sign Neil. Otherwise another smurf to push around
Just say NO to Antropov. I’m just getting over the Kvasha nightmare
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islanders1984 says:
Garth forget about overspending this year have one more good draft and then sign kovalachuk next year
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IslesPassion21 says:
I have a good feeling about this guy…
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why does everyone cry when they leave teh oilers, Gretzky, messier, smyth, and now roloson
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Matt says:
welcome to long island, dwayne. assuming the islanders don’t sign anyone else, we might be looking at another tough year but garth snow is all about the future and i love it.
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Ron says:
Be smart, sign no one major, get another high pick (maybe not #1, but high enough) and build from Taveres, Okposo, Bailey, Streit and the 2010 #1 as the core. THEN add the big money FA. By then we’ll know what we have in net…either gimpy or stretch should be ready (I hope!)
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bCarey says:
well there goes taylor hall.
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19 ISLE in NJ 22 says:
Well … One thing for sure … Dwayne and / or his agent certainly found a sympathetic former goalie now GM in Garth Snow … and I trust that Garth knows what he’s getting in Rollie … that is good enough for me.
Dwayne … welcome to the Island … your numbers speak for themself and you’ll be appreciated here for sure.
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isles99 says:
roloson signed purely for the money..that bothers me……anyways im happy garth is doing nothing..i wouldn’t have signed roloson because rebuilding is a synonym for losing and getting high picks, not signing 40 year old goalies
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kreatiiv says:
this sounds great to me. a veteran netminder who is dying to prove that he can still play and now has a bit of a chip on his shoulder, it sounds from what i have read, about being able to play two more years instead of just one…. he will have an attitude of having something to prove and it sounds like he is still in top shape despite his age.
good off-season so far, garth!
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coral springs isle fan says:
As long as he does not cry like “Cryin Ryan” did then I am happy to have him. Maybe it is something in the Alberta air that brings tears to the eyes of the departing players. Garth had money to spend, and his biggest need was a backup goalie and he got what he needed. Could be some “Rolie, Rolie” chants with the assitance of our organ player, and that is a + in my book
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JD says:
Just adding some balance here…
This was a good signing for us. And I’m actually happy that DR has some emotions about leaving Edmonton. It means that he has something to prove (which usually results in solid play), and that he’s not some plastic jerk that would be sniffed out in about 5 seconds by his new Islanders teammates, leading to an uncomfortable locker room.
And I hope we don’t sign more than 1 or 2 players at this point. If there’s a Streit type of deal to be had, so be it, but I have no illusions about what to expect in the spring of 2010, so let’s just keep on the rebuild and see if everyone can stay healthy for once. If we make a run for the playoffs next year by some miracle, then we have the trade deadline and plenty of cap room to play with.
Steady. Steady as she goes…
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Brian B says:
A few friends of mine were worried about his age at 40. But as we know NHLers tend to be able to last longer than athletes in other sports…especially goaltenders.
I like this signing a lot. If DP is healthy this year than any time the Isles lose it will rarely be because of bad goaltending
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mike says:
Thank God we didn’t have Rollie last year because he would have cost us JT this guy will win 5-10 by himself he is as good if not better then a healthy DP.
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Matt Brosseau says:
I admit I did not initially feel good about this signing, but after a few hours to reflect upon it I like this signing a lot.
The Islanders have been conducting the first part of Ricky’s career without much veteran support behind him. I haven’t looked at the records but I’d bet it’s about 50% Snow-Dunham and 50% Dubie-cast of thousands.
Roloson is a clear upgrade over last year’s goalies and most importantly didn’t quit on a bad Edmonton team last season. Sounds like he knows his way around the media, and is entirely correct about having a low mileage. An effective tandem of a slowly improving DiPietro and steady goaltending from Roloson could be extremely effective.
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Maybe we have a shot at Havlat now that Hossa is a Hawk? He would definitely help a Tavares/Weight line. Add a big tough guy on D, and we’ll be somewhat better off for next year. Maybe we can make an acquisition or two come trade deadline. We can’t just throw money at everyone cause we have it. We’re going to need money in our savings for when Tavares,Okposo and Bailey get good and contracts are up. I’m sure they will be looking for mega bucks. Stay on the path Garth. Follow Detroits model…..it works.
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Ben says:
Welcome to Long Island Dwayne – I wish the best for you for the next two years and look forward to watching you play!
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holy crap if you look at youtube videos on him the first one or the dan cleary one he basically did what mac did maybe even better against the red wings he’s looking like a beast i can’t wait for 09-10
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and look at the one where he’s mic’d up shows what a great leader he can be and what class he has
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Strummer's Army says:
Like the Roloson signing. Better resign Fritz and keep him in Bridgeport for emergency call up. Also better make some deals for toughness. Not talking one guy but at least 3-4 of various levels.
There is a long time before camp starts but until the Isles improve the defense and increase the toughness I’m worried. Riechlecz is getting better all the time but with the arms race going on in the NHL one guy isn’t enough. If they had to play Boston today they’d have to fight Thorton, Lucic, Chara, and Bitz just to name a few. One guy can’t do it.
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dose says:
the g.m. must have some secret weapon for getting tougher.
i mean, he must. -
Bri on Li says:
He sounds a lot like Mark Streit last year, dissed by his team. I wouldn’t mind seeing Rollie stand on his head a few times to show the oilers what they lost… maybe an All Star in 2010 ala Streit?
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maybe in the off season rechlicz had some boxing lessons.
like keith magnuson.
good move. -
Benjamin K says:
hahaha CB, fight club…
I’m very happy we picked up a 1-A/1-B goaltender early on…this has put many of us (in my opinion) at ease. All we need know is some type of enforcer. -
upwithsnow says:
Tavares must be gagging watching these free agent signings and looking at the islanders roster.
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westfall says:
Very happy with the signing of Roloson. He is not a 1B or 1A goalie, he is a legit #1. Isles should have solid goaltending next year. Great job Garth.
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Eric says:
Rolson is way to old. The islanders need a player. We are under the mininum requirment for the salary cap and thats sad.We are putting to much pressure on the young core
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nickystix says:
I like the Roloson signing, but Garth can make my day by adding Francois Beauchemin
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robby d says:
We need to get over our Tavares honeymoon and get on Garth for not getting any tough players. Tim Jackman doesn’t cut it. Neither does the “Wrecker”. Why arent we signing Chris Neil or Travis Moen? Either one or both would be perfect.
We have 19, 20, and 21 year old stars in our lineup. Who is going to protect our young kids? That has not been addressed! Not to mention, we are still way below the cap minimum.
Is Garth golfing with Tavares today? Wake up, Garth!
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Steve says:
This is no doubt the right move. Like that he has a pre-existing relationship with DP. I get the sense our goaltending situation will be 100% better this season. Now we just need a defenseman bigger than 5’8. I don’t count Sutton since he’ll be hurt by October 23rd.
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now that i think about it, the rechlicz project seems like a great idea. the kid can skate, and he’s willing to take on the role. if he’s also a good fighter, you may have a helleva player there.
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IslanderFAN says:
Why put all the blame on Snow…maybe Neil or Moen have no interest on signing with the Isles, Snow might be trying but if they dont respond..nothing he can do
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I am happy with the current addition to the Islanders line-up. I believe Roloson is exactly what we needed, and is much more than I expected. For two years, he is a perfect stop-gap, and to quell all the doubters, he is without a doubt a better goalie than Conklin or Anderson!
As for UFA’s we should look into, I would love to check out Rob Scuderi. At only 30 years old, he doesnt blow the rebuild out of proportion. A four year deal worth 10 million would be a great fit for Scuderi. Also, I hope the Islanders would inquire into Francois Beauchemin. What he can fetch on the open market, I am unsure, but he would be a nice addition as well. Beauchemin could play a number 2 role next to Streit, and Scuderi and Witt could play as the 3-4. Will we sign two d-men, doubtful! Too much movement needed, but just saying.
As for forward, I would ignore any call for Antropov, Tanguay, Bertuzzi, or Gionta. The last three are too old and take away from the rebuild, and I believe Antropov is the next Kvasha.
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ed says:
The only thing Snow did right was draft the consensus #1 pick. He passed on Kassian and traded away way too many picks to move up to #12. He hasn’t signed anyone with toughness again this off-season(yet) and signed a 40 year old goalie after reaching for one in the second round. I am supposed to love Garth because he picked Tavares?? I am all for rebuilding but playing a bunch of soft players against tough teams in the east is not going to be enjoyable.
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Quagmire says:
Wow – what’s that line about a picture tells 1,000 words. I don’t know if the photo at the top of the story here is from tonight or a stock picture, but that guy looks seriously depressed and sad. Not exactly the image you want to portray to your new employer and its fans. I like the signing, hope he is not as miserable here as he looks in that pic.
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Gionta signed with the Habs
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mets/jets/isles says:
Garth must know the first rule of fight club is you never speak about fight club.
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Tim says:
Edmonton’s loss is our gain. Welcome to Long Island, Dwayne!
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and in breaking Islander news Garth Snow just woke up at his desk and realized there was nobody left to sign.
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Heineken says:
welcome dwayne! atleast garth doesnt give gaborik a 5yr 7.5 mil a year contract for always being hurt.
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Blizzard says: Why am I having Ryan Smyth flashbacks?
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CJCB says:
Is it possible that we signed Roloson, so that DP can become our next Enforcer. Rechlitz/Dipietro?
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Cb, can you tell us how the Rangers can keep signing big money guys year after year with the cap? It usually doesn’t work out for them but it’s insane the money they throw at folks to be not much better then the Isles.
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MT says:
Neil is staying in Ottawa
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The reason we ended up with Fritz last year is the same reason we will end up with a Fritz type this year. You have to be in it to win it!!!!
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nystrom23 says:
Some of these signings are just gettin really ridiculous
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I think the Islanders still think fighting is going to be banned some time in the next 10 years or so??? It always seems the Islanders are the last team to get the memo, No dumb fights off the faceoff penalty. Get another Enforcer and forget the undersized 3rd liners that compromise 90% of our organization!!!
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Jeff Kuntz says:
The number one rule of Fight Club … keep bugging Garth about Fight Club (until he gets us someone – and not Chris Neil)..
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Gaborik to the Rags.
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pj says:
Dear Mr Snow, i am very happy with the drafting of JT and happy with the draft for the most part. I am happy with the signing of roloson today. I just can’t grasp the fact that all this talent went off the boards today without you signing any of them or making an effort. This team is a player or 2 away from a playoff spot. Please sign some players to improve us, don’t let JT grow up learning to lose. We have all this youth from last yr that learned to lose. Can we please change that. You are required to spend money to meet the cap minimum, please do it before everyone else is off the floor. I have a lot of faith in you. There are still some good players out there to sign, lets go get some please. I know most of us fans have faith in you. please do the right thing and sign some players that can make us compete this year to give this young team a feeling of how to win. I trust you wil ldo the right thing please prove me right.
Sincerely a very patient islander fan.
pj -
#57- I’ve been doing it for 21/2 years now
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Chris says:
I am so sick I just want some good news and more things to look forward to this off season. It is great we have JT and Okposo, but who else is going to put the puck in the neck and keep it out of the net? I am praying for some good news by the end of the night
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I just want some good news and more things to look forward to this off season. It is great we have JT and Okposo, but who else is going to put the puck in the neck and keep it out of the net? I am praying for some good news by the end of the night
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Trade for Godard!!
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so your telling me garth if edmonton wanted to sign roloston for 2 years instead of one then he would of went to edmonton and we would not of signed ANYBODY today. thats totally unnaceptable.especially since we have to spend to get to the cap.
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TIM says:
relax guy’s nobody wins the cup because of what they did on july 1st
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Jislander7 says:
There is no way Garth gets one of the top Dmen. I’d expect Tanguay on a 1 year deal
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evertime i click on a hockey site someother team is still signing players. how come not us. i mean i dont expect a big time player but altlest someone to fill out the roster that people like us know and are willing to spend money to go see.i just dont get it.
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Garth, we have to spend money, did you get the memo?
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give me tanguay and leopold, isn’t leopold still out there. if not there are plenty of dman still left, but lets start out with tanguay he is perfect for this team. why not mara from the rags, he is free, he is good, i would take him. just give me something please lol…….i am begging..
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forget dman. we need a tiugh guy who could put the puck in 10 to 15 times that is a tough guy that can protect the younger guys. or the younger guys are going to be afraid to fight for the puck in the corners
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James says:
ja I have gone on record in saying I would love Travis Moen on this team
Snow will make those moves, have faith
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John Madden to Chicago
1 year/$2.75 million
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@67 – There is no sense in increasing the number put on some NHL player’s W2 form just for the sake of spending the money. We need the player to be the right fit. We have to spend smart and the Isles have shown (recently) that they’ll do that. This is day 1 of R/UFA and we got our number one hole plugged. Sure I woulda liked Komisarek but not for the kind of money Toronto paid. In my opinion today is a success.
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admin says:
Got all your notes. Gaborik to the Rangers, Gionta to Montreal (I heard the Islanders may have called on him), Neil stays in Ottawa. Next! CB
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dalcy says:
so refreshing to finally see a GM make smart pick-ups for the Isles. Garth, keep doin’ what you’re doin’
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jeff kuntz. i agree with u but their were some good young guys that could of helped this team put the puck in the net and we passed on them.
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Rich says:
Relax… We have Tavares and a starting goalie even if DP only plays 5 minutes this year.
Guys you are dreaming if you thought the isles were goign to spend big $ on snything other than a 1B goalie.
Have you been reading anything Botta or Logan have written in the last 2 months.
genius Sather over there just dumped Gomez and went out and sunk 5 yrs 7+M per year on Gaborik — as a fantasy owner who has had Gaborik he cannot stay healthy — Ranger fans will regret this one as much as Redden.Did we really want Donal Brasheer stilling minutes from some good young talent.
We still have Sutton and Witt who are as tuff as hey come and the wrecker and Jackman who will drop them whenever they want.
Also after the qualifying offers and Tavares is signed we will be close to the min salary.
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dmen77 says:
CB, do you think there is anyone else still on the Isles radar worth mentioning?
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Austin H says:
It is what it is. Everyone will complain no matter what happens to this team. Let’s just see what happens.
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sean says:
Actually #37 Tavares was told the same things all of the fans were. You know, the thing about building with youth through the draft, the thing we’ve been told for two years now? But for some reason it seems an 18 year old kid understands which direction his brand new team is going while 50% of the fans are still confused.
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They are waiting till almost everyone signs and then they will make their move and scoop up all that AHL talent that is left over. We will play the “AHL” or “The Islanders” card, take your pick. It is pure genius!
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absolutely agree with you austin #86. lets see what happens, but adding a player or 2 wont hurt this team. i know garth will get another steal like he did last yr with streit, but lets make it happen sooner then later. I want to compete this year. I dont thinks that too far fetched. so lets sign a guy or two and compete.. we have a sick young nucleus lets add to it.
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#85…Moen, Beuach, Tanguay.Afinogonov,Grier
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I guess signing Streit would be considered “building through the draft”?
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mrlbem says:
I understand passing on the high profile players. I really do. What I can’t comprehend is how our GM can do nothing to improve the toughness of this team.
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Jay L says:
Any chance we go for a restricted free agent?? Maybe Kessel?
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#93 thats what i been basically be venting about the whole time.
a great day would of been roloston, brashear,and neil. thats all. want asking for alot. then we could watch the young guys play and we could be tough, i mean very tough at the same time.wasnt asking for the stars here. i hope some agree with me -
lenny says:
You see what these teams are paying and how long these deals are and you understand why Snow is right to stay away. Stay with the plan Snow, good work so far.
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Chooch says:
Haha! The Rag$ signed Gaborik for 5 years at $7.5 million per year. HAHAHAHA! All the respect I gained for Sather last night is G-O-N-E!
Anyways, don’t lose sleep over today. They will sneak a signing in the next day or so.
Just be thankful that when the cap goes DOWN next year, as everyone is indicating it will, we will be in a good position. Unlike the Rag$ or the Habs.
Also, who on the UFA list can really help this team.
If Garth had half a brain, he should be on the phone with Chiarelli trying to trade for Kessel. 25 years old, scoring winger. I doubt we have the assets for Boston, but maybe Sutton, Comeau and next year 2nd round pick?
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maybe if the isles promise to promote Blake kessel, then maybe phil would come here lol..
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LouD says:
#80 I completely agree. The only thing that Garth needs to do now is sign a fighter to help keep the balance. If he doesn’t do that I will start having serious questions about his mental capacity. I have never watched a team sign an 18 year old talent like Tavares and not have someone on the team to watch his back. We can not rely on Rechliecz because no one in the NHL is afraid of him. They need a proven fighter and if Garth doesn’t get one he had better give us an explanation as to why he didn’t think it was necessary because the first time I see JT take a cheap shot and the team can’t or doesn’t do anything about it I will personally start a “fire Garth Snow” petition and web site.
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JT says:
As drunk as Sather, 7.5M 5 years for an injury prone guy
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AngryPete says:
Know what I love? How the organization UBER-HYPES people like Hilbert, Comeau, Thompson etc to the fans. I read the garbage on NYI.com and I want to vomit about how I should be excited about these guys. You see teams lining up to sign these guys? No …. outside of Uniondale, no one thinks anything of some of the people we parade out there.
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#92, you know very well you need a few veterans on each unit to help the kids learn how to be better players and citizens. You build through the draft but you still need a couple of free agents. But people are suggesting we sign centers. Where are they going to fit? And which young winger do you want to move down to the 4th line and get 6 minutes a night and how does that help their development? Can’t send them down to the minors when they’re signed to one way deals so it is what it is.
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Dan says:
From what I understood I thought the rangers and philly were already close to the salary cap and they seem to be adding some big contracts between gaborik and pronger although the nyr were able to relieve some of their burden with the gomez trade. So put an offer in for a rfa like dubinsky or callahan and see if the rangers could match it. they might not be able to afford them. I definitely would love to sign a player or two but Garth would probably have to way overpay to get them here and then you get stuck with a player like Mike Comerie. garth probably has made a few calls but nobody was really interested. although I agree a tough guy would be nice.
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Mike says:
If im doing the math right we have just over $35M on the books. What is the floor? $40M?
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Tony HoTstick says:
The isles need to sign a dman,a decent scoring wing and add some toughness,i hope they do something before everyone’s gone tho
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al says:
rangers sign gaborik, islanders sign 39 yr old goalie. this is going to be a great season. Also, who is going to protect tavares!!!
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Thompson is a joke of an AHL middleweight. Should not touch NHL ice.
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Pete, that’s business. The sales department hypes whomever they want so I wouldn’t blame the entire organization for some stupid website promotion.
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Ryan Flinn?
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Mikey says:
Like many of you, I am disappointed that the rest of our conference is getting meaner and tougher while the Isles remain small and relatively soft. How can our young guys develop properly if they are not protected? You can’t develop a prospect when he’s injured. However, I think Garth understands this and will look to address the problem in a SMART way. He does not want to put our future in jeopardy by giving out huge, long-term deals. Overall, I think the Isles have been one of the winners today. We made a good, strategic signing in Roloson, and we didn’t harm the future of our franchise with any outlandish deals. Komi, Neil, Cammy, and a lot of other guys are going to be eating up a lot of cap space on long term deals. We need to avoid moves like that. Good job Snow.
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#102….Don’t forget Comeau, Hillen, Thompson and Tavares. That brings us to 40 mil. The floor is 40.8.
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I heard Jim Cummins is willing to get his face rearranged for the right price… Man still to this day i dont know how he survived his days on the island?? Brutal!! His face during the Islanders game against the Rangers(Purinton/Simon i forget who kicked his face in but it was BAD) kinda sums up how i feel about the Islanders toughness.
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Although he is a defensive liability, I wouldn’t mind the Isles getting Moen now. It’s slim-pickens among tough forwards with size. And I’ll say it again, if we aren’t big up front we might as well be on D. Sign Jay McKee!
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isles08025 says:
CJCB …. Flinn fits the mold
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CB – What’s your take on teams that traditionally go bonkers on July 1st … driving up the market in contrast with Garth’s more conservative and disciplined approach.
After seeing all these contracts today for both huge bucks and long terms I have to say for once … I’m actually happy that Garth isn’t jumping into the market with both feet.
He signed a goalie that fits the situation pretty well considering the questionmarks with DP … we still need toughness … but don’t need to over spend for a role player.
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steve says:
i just saw that Orr got 4 million for 4 years. I know we need an enforcer but thats a lot of money per fight. Hopefully Garth can find someone to protect our young guys.
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pat devlin says:
Scotty Gordan’s system if I am correct works well with speedy offensive Defensemen. So a good relatively cheap guy for us could be bringing MA Bergeron back he was 14-18-32 last season playing only 72 after minor back surgery this offseason and he will be ready for camp. Also what is the rule with the isles being under the salary floor?
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Danny Nyc says:
Great move.From what I read on TSN Oiler fans are really going to miss this guy.Excited to have him.More positive press for the Isles
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Adam M says:
My prediction for tomorrow. . .Moen, Scuderi, Tanguay. =P
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I would like to sign Antropov or Kotalik and an enforcer. Also would not mind Mara Eminger Beauchomin .. I would like to get 2 forwards and a dmen.
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Angry Pete….do you call the Isles Offices to voice your complaints at times……Pete R??
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Bob Bassen says:
Yeah, Moen might be pretty cool too!
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AveryinPanties says:
Why would anyone want Antropov. He is Kavasha take 2. He is worthless. He has no heart, no skill and is lazy. Burke tried very had to get rid of him at the trade deadline for a reason. In fact Burke called him out on being lazy and if it wasn’t for moron Sather he would never of sold him at the trade deadline. PLEASE PLEASE GARTH do not get antropov.
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Mikko Makela says:
Garth can you please put a call in to Moen’s agent already? Without a protector for Tavares, Brashear or Pronger are going to seriously injury him.
Anyone else excited for next year’s draft party?
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I hate waiting…just sign someone already so i can stop hearing crap from my ranger fan friends…come on garth
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isles316 says:
I know it’s frustrating to see other teams in the division make moves to get players. However, when has signing guys to giant contracts ever worked for any of those teams? Look at Pittsburgh, they refrain from making ridiculous signings and they have been to the cup the last 2 seasons. The Flyers and Rangers are morons. The Flyers go out and get all these guys yet have Emery and Boucher as their goalies and the Rangers won’t be able to re-sign their young players. Don’t fret, Garth Snow is doing it correctly.
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Michael from T.O. says:
CB, with all the players the Flyers are signing, think they may work something out with Garth? Maybe one of their tough guys?
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This team still needs a wing and it would be nice to add a solid Dman…i don’t think that should be out of the question and would make the team a little more competitive every night.Tavares isnt gonna make that much of a difference in his first year,he needs someone else to play w/ .
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Harold C. says:
Looks like Havlat has a verbal agreement with the Wild. I was hoping that he might fall to Islanders but I suppose that was a pipe dream. I am just trying to figure out what players at this point are likely and what isn’t. The economy hasn’t affected the NHL UFA market thus far…
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Tony, what kind of crap could your Ranger fans possibly be giving you? The only thing they have done well sofar is Gomez/Higgins, then they turned around and gave that money right back to stinking Brashear and Gaborik? LOL, seriously… the Rangers always make big deal FA trades, its their thing- always has been. Thats why they have been mediocre for so long. Dont fall for their quick fix mentality, stick with the plan- and the plan garth (and CB) pained was NEVER that the Isles were going to be big spenders come July 1st. As long as we get a goalie (check!) as well as some size and maybe a winger that is fine with me and all we should expect considering what has been stated by this organization and everyone affiliated with it in any way.
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AZS says:
I don’t understand what everyone is getting so excited about?
Didn’t Garth pretty much say outright that he wasn’t going to be that active in the UFA market? Many of you are acting like it’s next season when many people think the Isles will start to make major moves to sign UFAs …I believe CB even mentioned that himself …
A lot of the players signed today were over paid for …Gaborik, Komisarik, Neil …I mean I know we have holes to fill but no need to add too much salary and years when next year we’ll be sitting pretty to add quality talent.
We have Witt, Sutton, the Wrecker, and Jackman – I know none of these guys are legit heavy weights, but they’re not ballet dancers either …
Let’s look at the big picture – we have JT, KO and other good initials coming up through the pipeline …it’s going to take time but the team is heading in the correct direction …
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AZS, I understand that is what Garth said and is sticking to it, but there are/were players out there that are still young and entering the prime of their careers. These players could help with the development of the young kids. If this team continues to lose like last year over the next couple of years, that could destroy those kids and make it another uphill battle. Last thing you would want to here is that JT or KO want out because they want to win.
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D Scuderi, Beauchemin, or Mara
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eye on the island says:
there seems to be alot of talk about needing another dman which really is just showing a short memory. sutton was playing his best hockey in gordo’s system before he got hurt and is going to be an excellent trading piece due to his expiring contract(not to mention he provides toughness). his return is like a fa signing in its own right considering how he was limited the whole second half of the season.
this clamoring for another dman makes no sense(outside of the part there are a few li boys on the open market)
the team is still a year or two away from being a contender and we should commend garth for acting like it.
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Brooks Simpson says:
Trust Garth … to do the obvious, and present it as a stroke of genius to a fanbase that’s relieved he didn’t muck it up.
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Hey Chris Tmc…They were sayin nice signing,a 40 year old goaltender thats all u got.I actually like the deal for and defended it but it just pisses me off that sather can just write checks and get whatever player he wants even tho i think they totally overpaid for gaborik as usual.I would just like a decent signing,a decent scoring wing or a solid dman.I know Garth plan is to build w/ youth and I’m totally on board but u have to add some pieces via free agency cause the isles have some deep holes to fill and i don’t see guys like Nate Thompson as the answer!
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doc says:
You can look at the teams that made “big” signings… but they are the same teams that “lost” a player or two also.
Rangers: Gain Higgins/Brashear/Gaborik and lose: Gomez/Mara/Orr etc.
Gaborik is always hurt, Higgins is coming off of a bad year with injuries. Did they really gain?
Same with a lot of the other teams.
Islanders may not have made major moves… but still moving in the right direction.
Tavares, Roloson maybe Joensuu and Sutton for an entire season. Dare I say DiPietro can contribute also.
I’ll take it.
DOC
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I hear what ur saying brooks,but he didn’t screw it up and i think hes done a pretty good job so far,but he still needs to improve this team some more and how he goes about that will determine his grade as GM.I dont see whats wrong w/ adding a guy or 2 to make the team a little more competitive for next year,there will still be plenty of spots open for the young guys.You just don’t want to be awful again like last year and finish last again.U want people to have a little something to root for when they come to games and watch on TV.
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Tony HoTstick (137): I know how mad it makes you, its totally understandable (and thats what it is intended to do) but thats how Rangers fans always are. Just smile at them, and perhaps remind them of how smug and happy they all were when they signed Gomez, Drury, Redden, etc. They thought they had it made throwing ridiculous money at those players, and actually had the audacity to chant about winning the Cup with those guys lmao. Yeah, RIGHT.
We will see how well they do with who they got, their newest overpaid FAs. They probably wont be last in the league in scoring next season, so yay and whooptey-do for them. But are these the kinds of players that will suddenly make them real contenders? NOPE. But, the fans will lap it up anyway- because they like to think they are the big dogs every single July 1st.
The Isles are honestly a better team long-term for NOT doing what the Rangers did. And, deep inside, your Ranger fan friends know it- but they cannot admit it. I have Ranger fan friends too, and in their moments of weakness they admit that the Isles are doing the right things nowadays. The Isles DO have deep holes to fill, no question… but high-flying FAs will not fill them. Development and time are whats going to fill them the right way, and THEN you add FAs to what youve already developed. The Isles just arent there yet… but if they stick to this plan, they will get there!
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Ajay 22 says:
guys dont forget about Yashin and Bates buyouts, thats 3.7mil this year and Yashin alone is 4.75 next year. so without Tavares were at 38 mil add him at 4mil and you 2mil over. never mind throwing money for cap floor at goons. add grit some size, sure something will work out without even really trying.
NHL numbers is the best cap site
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#122……I’m a ‘Pete R.’ but I’ve never called the offices. I’ve e-mailed in a fit of rage twice and was actually fortunate enough to get a response from a ‘K.C.’
I thought it was awesome that someone actually responded, I give the Sales/Customer Service Dept. a lot of credit for that one, lol.
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Tom B says:
Rolo is a BIG BOY. He will get over it. WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE ROLO.
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Marc from Troy says:
Heard about signing Roloson, was happy. Read this post, now a little less so. Seems like Ryan Smyth with fewer tears. He gets over it, however, great move.
And those of you disappointed/angry/confused that there haven’t been any more moves by the Isles have really just not been paying attention. Snow & Co have a plan, and they’re sticking to it. I, for one, couldn’t be happier about that.
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He is a pro, and he is just being honest. I bet a lot of free agents feel the same way when they leave the team/city they have been in for a long time. I know I would. I have no doubt that he’ll be happy and give 110% for the Islanders come October.
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bob l says:
geez… i’m 7-8 years younger than roloson and look 5 years older than him… guess it’s time to start working out again… we sure he’s turning 40?
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Atari8bit says:
Umm, Rollie the Goalie choose to sign with the Isles, he wasn’t traded here (a la Smyth). So he is emotional in leaving a place he loved- what’s wrong with that? He’s a big boy, he made a choice to give him and his family some extra security (2 yrs)and will do his best to help the Islanders. Nothing wrong with this picture at all.
Also it was Day 1 of the FA signings. It didn’t end at midnight. Garth will bring in a couple of bodies over the next couple of weeks and likely at a far better value than the guys who signed yesterday. Also I wouldn’t rule out a trade with us picking up some salary.
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Will C. says:
Great pickup! Hell of a goaltender and still fresh.
Garth add Neil & Antropov or Gionta & the natives will be happy