Monthly Archives: December 2009
FanHouse: Roloson’s saves last night
1:20 pm, Iceworks: Doug Weight suffered a shoulder injury in early November that the Islanders initially estimated would keep him out one week. Soon after, additional tests revealed more damage and he was listed as out 4-6 weeks.
In reality, the captain’s season is at a crossroads. Instead of having surgery that might have shelved him for the season, Weight opted for extensive rehabilitation of the shoulder. The 38-year-old captain is still not at 100%, but seems determined to test out his shoulder and start contributing on the ice to his slumping team.
“I want to give my best to the guys,” Weight said after practicing today on a fifth line with Jeff Tambellini and Tim Jackman. “This has gone on too long. I feel good enough that it was time to put on the pads and see how I can do.
“I want to contribute in any way possible. They can play me whenever and wherever. Maybe I can help the power play. It’s killing me to see the guys struggle and not be able to help other than some support in the room. It’s time to get back in the lineup.”
Weight would not provide specific details about the extent of the damage to his shoulder. He will not play Wednesday against Toronto and is doubtful for Saturday at the Garden. But after he gets in another practice or two, expect him in the Islanders’ lineup.
Make no mistake: what Weight is attempting to accomplish is admirable, maybe even foolish. If he’s successful, the captain may help his Islanders make this season different than last year’s collapse. If he’s not, Weight is likely facing season-ending surgery and the possible end to a terrific career.
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Same line combinations and defense pairings for practice today. Rick DiPietro shared two nets with Dwayne Roloson and Martin Biron. DiPietro will have no one to practice with on Christmas Day and with the Islanders playing in the city on Dec. 26. He needs to get to Bridgeport after Christmas.
Of the injured players, Tim Jackman is the closest to a return. Gordon said he would talk to trainer Garrett Timms before declaring Jackman an option for tomorrow’s game.
(Sidenote: on the bright side, the Islanders must be in top condition and getting the hang of the Go-Go skating style. Can’t remember the last time we heard about a groin injury).
For the second day, Sean Bergenheim (rib injury) skated before practice. His return is not imminent. The way the team has looked without him, Sean is achieving Most Valuable Player Status.
Gordon after practice on the urgency of winning a few games: “Every game is important for us. We’re fortunate we’re as close as we are (the playoff positioning) considering our results the last few weeks.” Asked about the difference between this season and 2008-09, the coach said, “At some point, we need to put together a winning streak. I don’t think last year you could say a four-game winning streak was right around the corner. Right now, we still have a lot more work to do, but we could get there.”
The latest illustration of the dangers of relying on kids: at one point in his conversation today with reporters, Gordon said, “We’re still waiting for Kyle (Okposo) to score. I don’t remember the last time John (Tavares) scored five-on-five.”
He was stating facts more than complaining, but the coach’s frustration is understandable. Still, everyone had to know at the start of the season that there would be weeks like this.
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Regarding the latest in Islanders fans’ attempts to squeeze rainchecks from the organization after high wnds, ice and 27 inches of snow on Saturday, incredibly the franchise remains not interested in reaching professional standards. The Islanders still refuse to let everyone know its policy for Saturday’s game on the team website.
However, Point Blank continues to hear from readers who are getting exchange tickets for a game in January – only after they sent a complaint email to customer service.
And yes, right on official team message board Islandermania, you can find this wonderful exchange between a ticket-buyer and an Islanders employee:
Fan: “Do you really expect me or any of the 10,000 or so fans who stayed home in a blizzard of two feet and saw that you cancelled the next day’s Open skate to EVER buy another Islanders ticket in advance again”?
Employee: “Honestly? Yes. We’re all Islanders. This is our team. We’re going to let a little snow stand in the way of us showing our support? I say, no way.”
“A little snow”? “We’re all Islanders”? How condescending. My, has this organization lost its way.
Comments.
FanHouse Video: Roloson’s Acrobatic Pair of Saves
9:30 pm, NVMC: This is not how the Islanders drew up their December in New York. Interactive Plus/Minus begins. Join in the holiday fun!
Minus: Although the Islanders won only one of their first ten games this season, the Islanders are now actually a season-low four games below NHL .500.
Minus: John Tavares has gone a rookie-season-high five games without a point. This is going to happen when you’re 19 and not playing with vets like Lecavalier and St. Louis. Spit, it happened to Steven Stamkos last season and he played with Lecavalier and St. Louis.
Minus: The feeling Tavares is not playing at 100% health.
Minus: In their four-game home losing streak, the Islanders have been out-scored 19-5. They are 1-21 on the power play. They have given up 10 power play goals in their 17 times shorthanded.
Minus: The feeling the young Islanders are getting frustrated and losing focus. On a power play with three minutes left, Rob Schremp was three feet offsides.
Minus: On that power play and down 4-2, Scott Gordon opted not to pull his goaltender.
Minus: One of the smallest holiday week non-blizzard crowds…ever.
Plus: Dwayne Roloson’s stick and pad saves seven minutes into the game, and the NHL suite in Toronto for getting the no-goal call right. Roloson’s saves were the best back-to-back stops in the NHL this year.
Plus: Trent Hunter’s power play goal ends 0-19 slump.
Even: As Lightning beat writer @erlendssontrib tweeted during the first, “Seriously getting outworked to this point, Islanders are forechecking the %#!@# out of them right now, NY 13-6 shot advantage.” But Erik, we have seen this before.
Plus: Josh Bailey came out flying. While the natural finish may never be there – in junior, he scored 22 goals and then 29 in his draft year – there’s no reason why the Islanders cannot help him develop into a top-flight playmaker.
Plus: Bailey-Nielsen-Okposo were so good, they even got Nate Thompson his first goal of the season.
Plus: Nate was so excited, he stuck the landing. 9.80.
Minus: John Tortorella vented last week about Jon Sim’s goal against his Rangers being the kind of work ethic goal they never get. Tampa Bay’s first two goals were the kind of pure-skill goals the Islanders hardly ever get. On a power play mid-third, the Islanders could not take advantage of the Lightning failing to clear the puck for almost the entire two minutes.
Plus: Who says hockey isn’t a gentleman’s game? In second period, Steven Stamkos semi-boards Kyle Okposo. After he picks himself up, Okposo skates over to Stamkos at the whistle and the two peacefully talk it over.
Minus: The refs need to understand Jon Sim is an antagonist of opponents, not officials. If said opponents decapitate Sim, it should be a two-minute penalty – just like it is when Sidney Crosby is breathed on.
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Plus: To the Philadelphia Flyers, whose attendance has been over 95% capacity for a decade, for offering rainchecks to fans who chose not to travel in blizzard conditions to their game on Saturday afternoon against the Rangers.
Minus: To the National Hockey League, which has a quiet but firm policy that if both teams are in town, games will be played despite the conditions for the fans trying to get to the game. (As I noted in Saturday’s morning report, the game was never going to be postponed). And, worse yet, for the NHL’s practice of discouraging franchises from giving refunds or exchanges for blizzard games.
Even: To the Islanders front office, which is not offering tickets as a matter of public policy to their fans who stayed off the roads on Saturday, BUT apparently are forking them over if you protest. As found on the Islanders official message board Islandermania, one Islanders staffer emailed to a fan, “It does not have to be announced. Our policy has always been fan-friendly and accomodating.”
Yeah, why tell all your fans the right way via your team website and Long Island’s newspaper when you can be accomodating only to people who squawk? For the record, elsewhere on Islandermania a team customer service staffer says there are no refunds. “Sorry you couldn’t make it on Saturday,” he posted today. “Hope to see you tonight”!
Send your emails to customerservice@newyorkislanders.com. Maybe it will help if you tell the Islanders you also – as they requested – gave up a day at work to support the Lighthouse Project.
Your Plus/Minus and comments on tonight’s game.
FanHouse: CB on Andrei Markov’s return to the Habs
11:45 am - If per the CBA the Islanders need Rick DiPietro’s permission for another conditioning stint in Bridgeport, the goaltender is ready to give his A-OK.
“Whatever it takes,” said DiPietro, after skating on the Coliseum ice before the Islanders’ pre-game practice in preparation for tonight’s tilt with Tampa Bay. (Since it’s a game day, DiPietro gave the full reps to net colleagues Dwayne Roloson and Martin Biron).
DiPietro reported to be feeling great and not concerned about the leg tightness that took him out of the third period of his second AHL game and off the ice for almost a week. “We figured some things out and I think we might’ve solved the problem,” said DiPietro.
He said the medical and training staff “continue to do the right things” to prepare him for a return to the NHL. Scott Gordon acknowledged that DiPietro could use a full 60 minutes of game action as part of his rehab.
Since DiPietro has yet to play a full game with the Sound Tigers, expect him to play one for Bridgeport before he plays his next game for the Islanders.
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The crowd could be at less than 50% capacity tonight, but at least it will be 99% Islanders fans when the Tampa Bay Lightning come to Uniondale. The home team must re-claim some dignity at the Coliseum, where they lost their last three games by a combined score of 15-3.
Dwayne Roloson is back in goal for the Islanders.
Tim Jackman is almost ready, but needs a practice. If all goes well at Tuesday’s workout, he could return Wednesday for the Maple Leafs. Then Gordon will need to scratch a forward, assuming no one gets hurt tonight.
Sean Bergenheim skated today, believed to be for the first time since he suffered his rib injury. Doug Weight is this year’s mystery injury. No one is saying much about what the captain’s got. Weight is still not practicing. His return does not appear imminent.
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The Islanders spent a large part of their 9:30 am meeting today talking about their penalty kill, which has allowed 16 goals in their last 36 times shorthanded.
On the Islanders’ 0-17 power play, Gordon said, “I don’t have any complaints” because his team has been generating countless scoring opportunities and run into some top-quality goaltending. Gordon did mention Montreal’s Mike Cammalleri and his desire to shoot the puck through the goal even if he’s two feet out.
When I asked him about counting on so many young players to score on the power play, Gordon said, “It’s not so much the inexperience as much as cashing in. We don’t have that killer instinct. We’re trying to pick corners.”
Islanders Country gets its first on-ice look tonight at Victor Hedman, the No. 2 pick in the 2009 draft behind John Tavares. This is Hedman’s second visit to Long Island. The big Swedish defenseman met for a few hours with Charles Wang and Garth Snow in early June for a pre-draft interview.
Tampa Bay also features a trio of pretty good forwards named St. Louis, Lecavalier and Stamkos.
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Two for Canada: Travis Hamonic scored a power play goal and Calvin de Haan had an assist in Team Canada’s 6-2 victory over Sweden in an exhibition tuneup for the World Junior Championships. An NHL scout, not with the Islanders, emailed Point Blank by request with a brief report: “de Haan was okay, Hamonic was outstanding in every phase of the game.”
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ASK THE EDITOR, mini-version
IronIslander77: Is Taylor Hall projected to be as good/better then Tavares?
CB: Projection being the key word, here’s the NHL expectation level as scouts had them in their respective draft years: 1. Stamkos 2. Hall 3. Tavares. Of course, all three should have spectacular careers – all maybe ending up in the Hall of Fame.
Alex Kinkead, 19, Holbrook: Does Tavares have a chance for the Canadian Olympic Team? He should considering his stats, his age and Canada loves him.
CB: His country’s love will not put John over the top, Alex. Tavares moved himself into consideration with his fine play these three months with the Islanders, but I doubt he will make it. As you know, Team Canada is pretty deep.
Pete, Newburyport, Mass.: At this point in the season would you still pick Tavares first and do you really think he is going to be the best player from that draft? (I vote Duchene after watching him play a few times despite tavares’ point total)
CB: I’ll always believe Charles Wang and Garth Snow made the right pick for the Islanders, and certainly nothing has happened the last three months to make me even hesitate to change that opinion. Will Tavares ultimately be the best player to come out of the 09 draft? Maybe not.
What was cool about the top three is we talked almost all last year about the Tavheduch Watch. All three players ended up where they should – Tampa needed Hed’s D, Duch was a big ‘Lanche fan – and all three are playing well.
Comments on tonight’s game and this post.
Please post your Qs RIGHT HERE
Ask The Editor: First round of answers
Please do not send in any more trade questions. Every variation has been submitted. I will address trades down the road. For now, here’s the next batch:
Danny, 34, New Jersey: Chris – It seems like the Islanders are very well off in the prospect department in juniors, canada and in Europe. Where do they stand league wide in terms of prospects in their system. Are they one of the top teams? Thanks for all your work.
CB: Thank you, Danny. Thanks to excellent work by Ryan Jankowski and his scouts, especially with some later round picks, the Islanders have moved in the last two years from one of the five-worst franchises in terms of prospects to the middle of the league. That’s very good, and when you consider three of their recent top picks are in the NHL – Okposo, Bailey, Tavares – even better. Their ranking should continue north over the next two years.
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Alex: Chris, I think you were around in the organization when Ziggy Palffy got traded, and we all know it was because Milbury was forced to do it for money, but any stories about what happened behind the scenes when it went down, or reactions to it? Thanks for all the great work over the past year+!
CB: I appreciate that, Alex. Yes, I was with the team and have a few memories. While the trade talks were going on, I worked the Stanley Cup final for the NHL. Buffalo played Dallas, the year of Brett Hull in the crease with the Cup-winner. I couldn’t go anywhere without a reporter asking me if I’d heard anything about a Palffy trade.
Only two teams made trade offers: the Kings, basically with what ended up the final deal, and the Rangers. New York offered non-stars like Todd (Heartbeat) Harvey and Niklas Sundstrom, but the key was they were also dangling a very large check. The money was the only reason the Rangers were considered, that and having one other team gave Mike Milbury something to try and get LA to up their offer.
The NHL made it clear they didn’t want the Islanders accepting the Rangers’ millions. Then-Islanders co-owner Steven Gluckstern even met with Rangers management in seats behind the basket during a Knicks game to continue negotiations.
Before Charles Wang came here and started generously/foolishly donating tens of millions of dollars to the cause to keep the Islanders afloat, there were scenes you would not believe. I spoke with a former Islander the other day who reminded me about the final season in Cantiague Park when the team practiced without painted lines on the ice.
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Alex Kinkead, 19, Holbrook: Are we the Marlins of the NHL?
CB: No, I don’t think there’s any way you can make that analogy right now. The Islanders should be playing somewhere in New York for this generation and the next one. Players like Tavares and Okposo will be signed long-term. The Marlin-Royals thing only works if the Islanders lose their current batch of top young players to free agency or forced trades. Right now, there’s no reason to forecast that happening.
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Alex, 28, Brookline, Mass. via Manhasset: With less than two weeks now until the official roster is announced, what are Kyle Okposo‘s chances looking like for making Team USA?
CB: It’s funny, Alex, because Kyle is hardly getting any respect from most of the top hockey writers in their roster predictions. Now, you could write this off as a bunch of jackass writers like me not knowing what they’re talking about, but some of these writers I know to have good working relationships with Brian Burke.
Personally, I still believe Kyle has a solid chance. I know he deserves it over a few of the players recently cited as locks. If Burke’s committee is not recognizing all Okposo could bring to the team, they have failed. Of course, his 16-game goal-scoring slump is not helping!
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Greg, 36, Charlottetown, PEI: Hey Chris, with all the questions surrounding the lighthouse, do you feel the Islanders will be in a position to make even a ripple in the free agent market this coming offseason? Assuming the Isles continue to play .500 hockey.
CB: Of course, the Islanders will be able to make a ripple. Never mind the Lighthouse; even if there is a ground-breaking in May – very iffy – it’s going to take three years to rebuild the Coliseum and a decade to complete the entire project. The Islanders will sign a free agent or two because there will be holes to fill and a rebuild that needs to take the next step.
In the last two offseasons, they signed Mark Streit for $4 million (in 2008) and Dwayne Roloson and Martin Biron for $4 million total. I see the Islanders spending at least $4 million in the summer of 2010, probably a lot more. Keep in mind that Andy Sutton, Doug Weight, Jon Sim and Biron could be coming off the books. That’s about $7 mill right there and players who may need to be replaced.
At the very least, look for Garth Snow to get his pro scouts to identify a top-four defenseman who could play big minutes and excel in Scott Gordon’s style of play next season for the Islanders. Do I think they will be serious players for Ilya Kovalchuk if he becomes a UFA in July? Right now, I don’t think so. I expect the Islanders to continue the slow and steady rebuild.
Comments.
9:39 pm, NVMC - 3-0 Canadiens in front of 6,000 fans during a Long Island blizzard - more than half from Montreal. Let’s get to it.
Plus: The Islanders played a pretty good hockey game tonight. They could not finish and Jaroslav Halak was extraordinary in goal. With Henrik Lundqvist on Thursday, that’s two sweltering goalies faced in a row.
Even: When you’re counting on most of your offense to come from players with under 150 games of NHL experience, there are going to be patches like this over the long season. This is too much for anyone to expect from John Tavares, Kyle Okposo, Josh Bailey, Frans Nielsen, Matt Moulson, Rob Schremp and Jesse Joensuu. It’s also too much for anyone to expect of the coaching staff.
Minus: Canadiens are 10-0-2 in their last 12 against the Islanders and are undefeated in their last five at the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum.
Plus: After watching a few of his teammates get hit by Andy Sutton, Montreal enforcer Georges Laraque invited the big Islanders defenseman to dance with two minutes left in the first. Sutton declined, as he should have. Sutton, not intimidated, did not stop hitting. The pro scouts in the Coliseum box office continue to notice.
Minus: The Islanders have allowed 16 power play goals in their last 36 times shorthanded.
Minus: The Islanders’ power play is 0-17 over the last four games.
Minus: In recent weeks, the Islanders have lost to teams that were having trouble beating anyone else: the Rangers, Montreal, Tampa Bay, Philadelphia (twice).
Minus: Two forgettable home games in a row: Islanders stoned by amazing goaltending, give up three power play goals, don’t score a PP goal, lose to team in red, white and blue in front of crowds with lots of fans from the visiting team.
Minus: The Islanders’ four-minute power play to get back in the game early in the third? Plenty of shots, not nearly enough traffic.
Minus: Now that the event has occurred for a second season in a row, the sight (and sound) of so many Canadiens at the Coliseum is not startling. What was shocking tonight is that so many of them were in the best seats in the house.
Plus: Figure about 3,500 tickets X an average price of $75, and on the positive side the incredible passion of Montreal Canadiens fans tonight brought more than $250,000 to the Islanders coffers.
Minus: Since his hat trick in Atlanta on Dec. 3, Matt Moulson has one goal in his last eight games. He was robbed in the final minute of the second period by Halak. This wouldn’t even be an issue if Matt hadn’t raised the bar so high, so quickly. Darn expectations. Think about it: without Moulson coming out of nowhere, the Islanders’ second-leading scorers would be Josh Bailey and Jeff Tambellini with 7 each at the 36-game mark of the season.
Minus: Richard Park shanks a breakaway, Nate Thompson fails to convert all alone in front of Halak. Islanders out-play Canadiens and out-shoot them 14-6 in first, but trail 1-0. Sound familiar?
Minus: If any prospective Islanders No. 2 center needs to shoot more, it’s Frans Nielsen.
Minus: The Islanders made some fan announcements tonight. They invited Islanders fans wearing NYI jerseys to move down to the lower bowl with, um, five minutes left in the second period and the team down 2-0. They also offered free popcorn to fans wearing Islanders jerseys. Sucked if you were a die-hard Islander fan and drove through the snow and frost, but went with the wool sweater instead.
The announcement we’ve yet to hear: the Islanders offering all ticketholders for tonight’s game – whether you braved the nasty weather or not – tickets to another game. It’s the right thing to do and, besides, the team could fill a few more seats for games like Monday against Tampa Bay.
Your Plus/Minus and comments on tonight’s game.
Ask the Editor: send your questions HERE
6:33 pm – If you thought my Canadiens fans forecast was a hysterical over-reaction, you should see the site at warmups.
Gervais in, healthy Meyer out.
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11:50 am, NVMC – O-lay, O-lay Fest: If you recall, Habs fans made up half the crowd at an Islanders home game a year ago. When the Canadiens made a wild, successful third period comeback, the Coliseum morphed into the Molson Centre. I’m told as many as 3,000 Canadiens fans have already arrived in the metropolitan area. Especially if the snow drives some of the New Yorkers away, could be another surreal scene tonight.
Figure on Game On: In recent seasons, the Islanders and the NHL have not postponed games here played on days with blizzard conditions and a lot of snow. Two years ago, the Islanders played a game against Phoenix on a weeknight in front of about 1,000 fans braving icy conditions. Six years, the Islanders hosted a Saturday night game against Chicago that I still can’t believe was not postponed. The Islanders were struggling, the Blackhawks were bad and the Islanders wanted the two points. They got them in front of a very small crowd.
Two reasons why tonight’s game will not be postponed. For starters, there are so many Montreal fans that have paid for their tickets and probably unable to return for a makeup game. Then there’s the matter of the game being on Hockey Night in Canada. Check the Islanders’ website during the day for updates. Although the league talks about fan safety, they have been historically hesitant to postpone games.
Markov’s Back: The Canadiens welcome the return of Andrei Markov, their best defenseman. Markov has been out of the lineup since the season opener, when he suffered lacerated tendons when Carey Price’s skate sliced him up. Markov’s return is a few weeks ahead of schedule, but not soon enough for the Canadiens.
Morning Skate Report: Martin Biron starts tonight against Montreal. Tim Jackman skated all-out this morning. Looks like the same forward lines. Blake Comeau was still with John Tavares and Matt Moulson, Josh Bailey still with Kyle Okposo and Frans Nielsen.
On defense, there’s a chance Bruno Gervais could return. Freddy Meyer was the last defenseman to leave the ice after the morning skate.
DiPietro Speaks: Rick tells Katie Strang that he was just being “precautious,” that “I think that shows I’ve matured a bit,” his leg tightness was unrelated to his surgeries and playing another game in the AHL is up to the organization. So to sum up: DiPietro took himself out of a minor league tuneup eight days ago, didn’t practice with a hockey team for a week after and the Islanders had him see a few specialists. Good to hear this is no big deal.
On Aug. 24, we were also told DiPietro was on schedule and would be a participant in training camp. “I haven’t held my end of the bargain the last couple of years, but this year I’ll be ready,” the goalie said four months ago after I wrote that his return was still a long way off.
4:45 pm - The Islanders have just announced that Rick DiPietro will begin practicing with the NHL club next week. “Rick has followed the protocol for his rehabilitation diligently,” said Garth Snow in a statement. “He experienced tightness and discomfort in his leg during the Bridgeport game on Friday, December 11 and we felt it was in his best interest to sit out the rest of the game. He will resume practicing with the Islanders beginning next week and we will continue to be cautious and look at his recuperation as a long-term process.”
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