ASK THE EDITOR, ROUND 1: Petrov, 1993, Lighthouse chances, job safety and Bjorn from Holland
FanHouse: CB on Lundqvist saving the Rangers
Bruce Ciskie on Nate Thompson’s wide right
Adam Gretz on Matt Moulson and Rich Peverley
Submit your questions in the original thread RIGHT HERE
Yikes. Over 120 questions by lunch. I think we have just about every variation of a question about possible trades, so please…no more! I’ll address all of those another day. There is no rush, believe me.
So many questions, so this may take a while. Let’s get started.
Mike, 33, Wantagh: Hi Chris, What are the chances of either Kiril Petrov or Aaron Ness getting out of their current commitments and going to the Bridge?
CB: If you are to believe everything Garth Snow has told Newsday – and there is no reason not to – there is a chance Petrov could join the Islanders organization in the next few months. (Hopefully by then, Kirill and his representatives will also know about it!). As for Ness, I do not see another Kyle Okposo scenario. Count on Aaron finishing this year at the University of Minnesota and then thinking a long time about signing with the Islanders in the offseason of 2010. If he does, Ness will play in Bridgeport next season.
*
Alex: Hi Chris…if you could tell us your estimated percentage on what the odds of the Lighthouse becoming a reality is, what would it be as of today?
CB: I feel there is still at least a 51% chance of the Lighthouse Project becoming a reality on the current Coliseum site. This is not because of some of the nonsense politicians have been barfing out since Ed Mangano won the election, but because Charles Wang and Scott Rechler really do not want to go anywhere else. As pissed as they may be, I believe they will try to work with the government and make some changes.
By the way, have I mentioned that a very close relative whom I love dearly worked about 80 hours a week over the summer on County Executive Mangano’s campaign? Small world. Very proud of him.
*
Mike from Sarasota: The three Islander/Ranger games this season have lacked the emotion/passion we’ve come to expect. Both the players on the ice and the fans in the stands. Why do you think that is?
CB: Because both teams are under .500 and neither – at least in any non-fantasy world – are remotely within striking distance of contending for the Stanley Cup. Neither team is very good. Both teams have a lot of holes.
Oh yes, and there’s the small matter of ticket prices continuing to go up with the economy in the toilet. Such is the Islanders’ tradeoff: with the “gold” pricing for the Islanders-Rangers game, they probably made a little more money. But they also turned some fans away and off. By the way, Mike, last night’s attendance of 15,100 was approximately 750 over reality.
I thought the emotion from the fans and players at the Coliseum last night was solid until it became 5-2. At the Garden, that was just a case of a visiting team taking their opponent and the home team fans out of the game. Rangers fans went into Wednesday’s game unhappy, and they left that way.
*
Glenn: CB, how come there was never any formal ceremony to pay tribute to the 10 or 15-year anniversaries of the 1992-93 team? I know they didn’t win the Cup, but as the last Isles team that truly made noise in the postseason, I was surprised that nothing was ever done to honor the team as a whole.
CB: I’ve written in this space a dozen times about that team and this issue. Although it was raised when I worked for the team and since my departure, there has been no interest. One of the biggest problems – my theory here – is there is no one in the organization at a high level with a connection to ’92-93. So while Mike Bossy and Bryan Trottier and others can speak up for the dynasty, there isn’t much support for Turgeon, Thomas, Hogue, Flatley, Healy, Ferraro, Kaspar and company being placed on Charles Wang’s radar.
That said, of course, let’s not correlate winning two rounds – however beautifully, however memorably – with winning 19 straight.
*
Jim Clark: Do you feel Scott Gordon’s (and Garth Snow)’s jobs are safe if the Islanders made moderate improvement but miss the playoffs (say finish 12th)? How patient is Wang?
CB: Hi Jim. Nice meeting you last week at SOCIAL. The Islanders can make the playoffs or come in 14th in the East, it will not matter. Garth will be the GM at the start of the 2010-11 season, and Scott will be the head coach. That is a 100% certainty. If heaven forbid the Islanders completely fall apart and again finish 30th in the league, Garth’s percentage stays at 100 while Scott’s dips all the way down to 95.
*
Dan, 46, Dubai: Chris – I hear very little (good or bad) regarding Freddy Meyer. All of the other D seem to get commented on (Witt, Bruno – bad and Sutton, Hillen – good) even MacDonald gets alot of commentary. There seems to ‘radio silence’ on Meyer. What is his status?
CB: Greetings, and thanks for checking in from Dubai. My cousin Ryan is working there, so please look out for him. FMIV simply is what is expected – a 6th defenseman who gives his all. Expectations of Freddy are reasonable and he meets them. No big story there.
*
Bjorn from Holland: Hi Chris – January 22th I will visit NY and watch the Capitals game. How big is the chance I could meet one or more of the Icegirls?
CB: This reminds me of the scene from Love Actually when the European guys go to Wisconsin to use their accents and charm to meet beautiful women. I think you have a great chance, Bjorn. My suggestion: make a big sign that says, “I’m Bjorn from Holland and I flew all the way here to meet the Islanders Ice Girls.” Arrive reasonably groomed, flash the accent and charm and I have complete confidence at least a few of them will come over and say hello. More than that, keep your hopes at a reasonable level.
Comments on these answers only in this thread.
To continue to post Questions, please do so HERE.
20 Responses to ASK THE EDITOR, ROUND 1: Petrov, 1993, Lighthouse chances, job safety and Bjorn from Holland
-
Sal says:
Bjorn, to meet a few of the ice girls, buy a 50/50 raffle ticket for $2 @ gate 10. a few of them show up there and walk around the concourse before the game begins.
-
Bob Beers says:
What does Bjorn win for Question of the Week?
-
MSA says:
CB,
Thanks for taking the time to do this for us. I know you have to be busy with the holidays. You the man!!! -
anthony says:
Not for anything, but honoring a team that won 2 playoff rounds would be a joke. We’d be almost poking fun at ourselves pointing to our last playoff series win, all the way back in 1993. And as exiting as that was, and a much as I loved Turgeon & co., they got humiliated the following year in round 1. Their brief legacy is not of a champion, but as merely a good team. Good teams don’t deserve anniversary ceremonies…
BTW Chris, he may not be high level, but Hogue is still involved (with Jr. Islanders)
-
pattyb94 says:
thanks for taking the time out to do this cb. btw according to cap geek we have sent down MacDonald and Joensuu
-
admin says:
(6) That’s a paper-only transaction. Saves the Islanders money and cap space. Some teams do it. They’re still around…CB
-
Ted says:
I’m too young to remember the dynasty so the 1993 squad holds a special place with me. That being said, a night celebrating the team may be a bit much and may subject us to further mocking by the NYPost and the Canadian press. I recall some snarky remarks shot at the Isles for the many nights celebrating the dynasty players. They were criticized for being publicity stunts to generate some ticket sales for the current weak team. If they criticize the dynasty celebration imagine what a 2 round team celebration will be subjected to.
Instead of a 1993 night, Isles should have small events celebrating all (non-dynasty)fan favorites at the team stores or at the NVMC before/after games. Don’t make it an overdone televised pre game celebration and no retired jerseys, but bring back guys like Turgeon, Hogue, LaFontaine, Palffy, Webb, Jonsson, Volek and Bates for their memorable goals, Cairns, Vukota, have a meet and great and some autographs, maybe make it a charity fundraiser event. -
west coast isles fan says:
Petrov at bridgeport by Feb you think chris?
Need him and ullstrom together for as long as possible .
On a side note, while the port is struggling this year, next year with de haan and hamonic, petrov and a full year of ullstrum they will be much better.
-
Jason says:
I need an accent.
-
Anthony, #5, I couldn’t agree more. You can only honor things that count. 1993 epitomizes “flash in the pan”.
-
cgs878 says:
Bjorn, the Ice Girls are all over the concourse of the Coliseum during intermissions. You should be able to find at least 4 of them walking around amongst the fans.
-
Alex Kinkead says:
Bjorn after the game drive down the road and go to Hooters also.
-
Bjorn Holland says:
Okay Chris, Thanks! I will keep that in mind
-
CJCB says:
The answer to the Isles/Rangers games lacking emotion and intensity is completely false!! Even in the 90′s when no team was thinner than the Isles they always made great games with intensity and emotion. Its the New NHL and the Isles belief that the Bigger players that play with an edge are all gone. The reason the games stink is because no one on the Islanders plays with an in your face edge. Other teams dress their less physical players against the Isles because its widely known that they are a weak team that will play you like your team is compromised of 6-8 year olds at iceworks???? It would not shock me if they could carry eggs in their unis and not break them by the end of the game. So the real answer should be because the Islanders lack the physical element that propels rivalries in the NHL.
-
BringBackNyles says:
Honoring a team that lost the conference finals is crazy. Yes,, it was a fun run but we didn’t even make the finals.
Lafontaine should never be honored. Yes, ownership was bad, but the man had a contract to play and he sat out. He quit on his team.
I still remember his first game back…Hey Woodie thanks for the memories, hey Pat thanks for nothing..the chant was so loud it was written in the coverage of the game. That was back when the crowds were low, but 329 had some of the most creative stuff in sports.
-
David Volek says:
The 1993 team only got smoked by the Habs (who went on to win the cup), because Turgeon the leading scorer was knocked out of the playoffs by that FILTHY Dale Hunter. All these years later, I can still see Stevie Thomas vertical to the ice, jumping on Hunter for that hit. Noone every talks about Steve Thomas, but in my mind, he was one of the greater islanders to wear the sweater. The leafs had Wendel Clark, the Devs had Claude Lemiuex, and the isles had Stumpy…………all winners.
-
As #15 posted, the lack of phyical players on the islanders are the reason for the “less intense” Islander Ranger games. Add to that Jackman, and Bergenheim (two of the harder hitters) out of the lineup, and it makes for a softer game.
If you look at the playoffs post lockout, you will see the amount of fights in the playoffs are next to none. Teams are playing to win obviously, and when a team like the Rangers faces a team like the Islanders (sans heavyweight), there really is no need for Brashaer to even be in the lineup. If im coaching the Rangers (shoot me now for even saying that), im bringing up a speedy hungry kid from the “A”, who will actually use his hockey stick.
Either way, I feel that the islanders finally have a team that is exciting. Yes they are not contenders for the cup, but they have real talent. The PP has not been scoring as of late, but its light years ahead of the last 10 years or so. -
Rob says:
Why is DP pigeon holed as an ego maniac???
-
DAN says:
Hi CB
I know in the past it has been said that no free agent wants to come hear. Do you believe this to be true? Do you think it is more about the arena, does money always talk although apparently not in the case of Ryan Smyth, will the young talent of KO and JT help lure someone. I know we will never spend like the NYR because we also cannot take the chance on a huge mistake like Redden.
To the guy from Holland… you’d have a better chance if your sign said, “I was Bjorn in Garden City and my father owns a jewelry store in Roosevelt field… and I’d like to meet one of the Ice Girls”