ISLANDERS DECIDE THEY WANT TO BE BIGGER
Matt Martin, Joensuu joining the slumping big club
Still searching for ways to put together a complete team, the Islanders have reached out for size and toughness. “The new boys,” Jesse Joensuu (size) and Matt Martin (toughness), arrive on Monday and will play Tuesday when the Islanders host Nashville. Jeff Tambellini (benched Saturday) is a leading candidate to sit, as are a host of others. Comments related to these callups are welcomed.
134 Responses to “ISLANDERS DECIDE THEY WANT TO BE BIGGER
Matt Martin, Joensuu joining the slumping big club”
Posting Your Comment
Please Wait
Please Wait
Wow. I hope this shakes things up.
Won’t someone have to be sent down now?especially with Biron back up?unless someones ‘hurt’
This was a great move as this season is over. They need to make more changes by exploring trade values of Bergenheim, Comeau, Tambellini, and Hunter. Realistically, what would Hunter get you in a trade? I would think a good prospect and 2nd round pick.
Tamby is a leading candidate to be scratched…you don’t say. Just release him already. Martin/Tavares/Okposo?
love that they have finally brought up Martin.. can u say LUCIC 2.0!!!!!!!
hope snow sends a memo to gordon about not hiding them on the bench then sticking them on the ice with 5 minutes to play.
guess we hit “that point”
Why always Tamby? Why not Hunter and Park? Would not be surprised if Biron gets a start in the near future as well.
I’m thinking this is now the next step of the rebuild. Get these kids up there let them play the rest of the season. They have now had enough time to evaluate who they are going to move at the trade deadline. I feel the moves are in the works now and the trade talks have begun. This is a good move.
Bailey was put on IR. I hope this shakes the guys up.
On a side note, is Gordon ever gonna make DP sit for pulling some of the stupid stunts that he pulls? I love DP’s energy but he’s gonna keep making high risk/low reward gamble plays and putting our team at risk. Scott needs to step up.
WOW! I did not expect Martin up so soon. I thought he was supposed to be about 2 years away. I will be going to the game on Tuesday and am looking forward to seeing him play. I wonder how many minutes he gets. This should be interesting.
I guess now we will see our first fight this year.
No downside here, call ‘em up for a few games and then ship ‘em back to Bridgeport for the break and see how they respond. Excited to see Matty M!
i know quite a few would like to see tambellini go, if he’s gonna be continually used like he is, so would i just to see him get an oppurtunity with another team. i would like to see him given another year as i think he can be an asset to this team
Hallelujah. Maybe someone will actually make contact with the opposition on Tuesday. Would have liked to see Haley though. He has paid his dues. Perhaps next recall.
A 2nd-round pick AND a prospect for Hunter? I wish that was the case. He’s slow and doesn’t score goals, a terrible combination. Let’s also temper our enthusiasm on Martin, he’s still pretty raw from what I’ve read. Still, a good move to see some new faces.
about time….big things to come from martin….big things
What do we have to lose at this poit, another game? Might as well see what these two kids can do. Maybe one of them will help Tavares get out of his scoring slump
More “Islanders stars of the future” like Mitch Fritz and Trevor Gillies.
Finding someone else to sit besides Tambellini is not the problem. Finding enough guys who can actually play is.
Why not? The season is over. Cut Park and Weight already. Agree with this shakeup. The Isles have been brutal to watch lately.
What are the chances Biron gets the start on Tues? We have nothing to lose. Show DP that if he can’t be more responsible with the puck he isn’t guaranteed playing time.
Good….but keep Tamby in the line-up and let him play consistently for awhile. Sit a vet like Park who clearly has struggled this year.
guys keep your expectations of mrtin low…he is VERY RAW and no where ready…however he has played really good lately and you gonna love him..he and jj were awesome last night
Wish it was Haley but ok, this is cool. Islanders need size.
WOW! I guess the future IS now. The forwards on this team though are ALL first and second year guys. I think that next year though Garth has to get some skilled forwards with experience to help all of these kids. But if you wanted a youth movement,you got it!
with that being said the guy is a bulldog and HITS EVERYTHING
I think we should SIMmer down with all the Tambellini to the bench talk. And maybe we can take a Weight and see approach as to who we should Park on the bench to play Martin and Jesse.
I believe we can start the Hasegfowbanov watch… I like Joensuu but he is slow (hunteresque) which is ok if this team had speed but they don’t, Martin is tough and will be a quality banger but he is not NHL ready yet.
I like Martin. Saw him last night in Bridgeport, he hits anything that moves and he scored their sixth goal.
Great Slapshot refernce, too, CB. Except I think the two of them are worth more than a used puck bag
I could care less if he fights. If he does I’ll be thrilled. I just want to see someone play with some energy and grit. Very excited for Tuesday, I hope Martin gets a solid chance, not just a 5 minute call up. Joensuu needs a solid look too…perhaps giving him good linemates.
So much of this team needs to be cut or traded, but I know we won’t get back anything much.
I’ve heard Martin looks good, but still has a ways to go. Is there anyone who watches BPort games that can give their thoughts? What has he done well and what looks like it needs more work? I’m definitely looking forward to seeing Martin, I just hope they’re not rushing him.
I know Tamby will be sat but I really don’t understand Gordon’s rationale. He has bullied this kid all year, and just look at this lineup. Older vets that haven’t been producing all year(ie Weight, Park, Hunter, Sim). Why is Garth and the assistants not sitting down with Gordon and Jeff to try to resolve this situation. I cannot stand to see him score 20 goals for another team. Glad to see JJ back up, hopefully Gordon will start doing what he did last year, playing the kids in big spots, giving them more ice time, etc. Don’t really expect it, sadly.
I don’t expect these guys to light it up, but this call-up is much needed. Maybe it’ll at least give the team a spark.
ya! be be be bigger st st st ssstronger
Excited to see Martin play, hope he gets a solid chance. JJ is progressing slowly, his top speed is good he just needs to improve his first few steps. This team needs the shake up and the size these guys bring.
I’m happy to see Martin up here, I’m not sure about JJ, he seems to have been lingering, I hope he doesn’t squander this chance.
Is Brendan Witt “bigger” ?
Weight should do the right thing and step down as Captain. Let KO take it from here on in.
Can’t wait to see Martin but hope it’s just temporary and he continues to develop properly at the Bridge.
What a organization Snow/Wang run. THe team is no good, so keep rotating new 4th liners. Thats like a baseball team in last place changing the mop of pitcher in baseball every 3 weeks cause the team is losing and they can’t afford to replace the position players or starters..or closer..or set up men.
I believe in rebuilding processes but as long as you have the right personnel to support it. That does not include Sim, Gervais, Hunter, Meyer, and even Sutton….these guys are fringe players anywhere else, some like the first three are AHL bound on other teams.
I meant Sim, Gervais and Meyer in my previous post….not Hunter…but he is not far behind
I would much rather watch young guys lose and develop than old guys. I agree with everyone on here which means we have all hit the wall lol. Park,Sim, Hunter and Weight have all given their all, but it is time to look at some of these young guys. We waived a warrior in Witt because they thought it was time, there is no excuse to not do that to the guys I just mentioned. I would also like to see more size come up. Make it Haley, Gillies or Wrecker. There are some legit enforcers on the market so let’s evaluate ours and address it in the off-season
islenation-this bs w/tambellini should have been nipped in the bud a couple of months ago and yes i am quite confident that he will be a 25 goal scorer for a team that will give him an oppurtunity
Matt Martin, nice!
How exactly can Jeff Tambellini score 71 goals in 113 games at Bridgeport but only 18 in 170 games as an Islander. I know there is a big difference between the AHL and the NHL but that much?
I am also wondering why people say no one will buy the Islanders if Wang sells but teams in bad markets like Phoenix, Tampa and Florida have found new owners in recent months.
Matt Martin will be intersting. Looking forward to seeing what he can do. Have seen Joensuu a lot in the AHL in person. Don’t know if he will ever stick in the NHL. Big, but slow. Not much offense.
why scratch tambellini? at least the guy trys to hit and has some finishing ability, has played in so many fewer games than anyone else and still is like 5th on the team in goals. SCRATCH PARK, SIM, OR HUNTER.
Bottom line, this will change nothing. Tambellini and Comeau will sit as usual. Hunter, Park, Weight, Sim and Bergie will not miss a shift. Martin gets 3 1/2 min of ice time and Jesse gets 4 min. Take that to the bank…
at this point i only care about getting hall seguin or fowler. then this team will take a huge step in the right direction
Matt Martin has a HUGEEE oppurtunity here to get 4 games in with the big club and prove he should stick for the rest of the season.
Great for Marty, I’m excited to see him up. I wish it was Haley, but Marty is a nice replacement
They needed to do something to shake things up since I do not see any big trades. Other than Sutton and Hunter, our vets have no trade value, unless we take back some big nasty contract.
Excited to see what Matt Martin can do. JJ has some potential as well. Just a thought as well, I believe they should let Trent Hunter play his game. Hitting and parking in front of the net. could help things.
cant wait to see martin go. this is a good spark
This move definitely represents the end of the season.
I’m excited about seeing both guys in the NHL. I do, as some have mentioned, have tempered expectations for both. But when your team has puddle depth at size(Sutton) and toughness(ZERO) this is a must happen move.
From the little I’ve seen Matt understands the dynamics of potential energy… he’s going to be fun. I hope they both get the 150+ games that Tambellini and Comeau have gotten… AT LEAST. PHASE III beginning!
who cares? Unless they can score goals too we’re still screwed
Love the Matt Martin call up. this is a great kid with heart an grit. Jesse Joensuu is a big kid that plays with no snarl. he reminds me of Oleg Kvasha.
i knew Tamby was done when he pulled up in the corner to avoid gettin checked an gave up the puck last game. thats the kinda play that Gordon won’t accept. let Martin finish the season up.
I think they should sit Weight honestly but they would never do that. And if they sit Comeau after being one of the better Islanders on the ice last night I’ll know that Gordon has no plans of him ever being part of the Isles future.
Good opp to give Martin that cup of coffee in the bigs this year so he can work on what he needs to do coming into camp next year. My fear though is they keep him up and it stunts his growth. While I know the team can’t let its prospects become over ripe… it would be good if they got enough seasoning so they can actually flourish when they finally make the show for good. Please New York… do not rush the prospects.
If the Martin/Tavares magic doesnt produce something…Then its time to sit JT and add two days to his olympic break
I just can’t get my head around the fact that it is always Tamby’s fault(5:44 of icetime last game)when the team loses.This is a team with a goal differential of -34.Jeff has been a healthy scratch in 32 of those games.What praytell are the little things the other players on this team doing that have allowed them to reach such lofty heights and maintain their icetime.No one can play well with the proverbial gun to their head.Hey kid ,the first mistake you make your watching from the pressbox,now go out there and have fun.
Great news about JJ, I’m concerned that they might be rushing Martin.
Of course Gordo will sit Tambellini. He only has 7 goals in 26 games, while getting little ice time. Gordo needs to have room for Hunter (9 goals in 43 games), Weight (0 goals in 28 games) and Park (4 goals in 58 games).
It’s time to end the Gordo experiment. Replace him now and let the next coach have the rest of the year to evaluate what he has, have some input in the lottery pick we’re sure to get and run a training camp in his own style.
Great moves, changes that needed to be made.
Give the kids the chance and experience while also mixing things up.
Now I’m actually looking forward to Tuesday’s game. Sad, right?
Tuesdays scratches: Tambrllini and Comeau
Should be Tuesday scratches: Park and Hunter
Just what we need, we can’t score goals, so we finally add muscle…. This team makes no sense… And Wang’s interview last night was pathetic, he’s starting to make no sense either…. The clueless leading the clueless… Please move the team to Brooklyn, and sell the team to Prokhorov.. He would love to add an NHL team to his NBA Nets…
CB,
I hope Martin and Joensuu get first and second line minutes. After JT, Moulson KO and maybe Schremp, the rest of them should be sitting…they all suck…
Also, I agree with you Ziggymeup, Wang should sell the team to Prokhorov… Wang is pathetic…
Like the move. Might as well bring them up.
.. Good news with some MUCH MUCH size/grit added to the team
..Yes they need ALOT more (I understand) but they really need *some* physical presence as well — Ya know its sometimes a good open ice hit, a big check or the odd fight that can spark a team during a game! And this team has been sleep walking for a looooong time!
.. Much More needed but hey at least its a start, lets go boyzzz!
I have a feeling Gordo will sit the wrong players and make the wrong line combinations. Call it a hunch. Gordo has a tendency to do things like that.
This coach is a disaster with his crapola “jeff needs to play a complete game.” He has something against him or his dad and fears that his success will somehow hurt his coaching ability. This tandem of our back-up goalie GM and minor league coach is never going to work. I’m disgusted.
maybe park, hunter or weight should sit. I don’t dislike hunter but the isles could find someone better to fit his role. I know it isn’t hunters thing but the isles need a power forward that isn’t afraid to be physical or occasionally drop the golves.
i guess we will be sellers before the olympic deadline?
Clearly sellers…Good call up..see what the kids got…I dont think well see the same #’s 7,10,15,20,32,43,93 by next season..anything is possible i suppose..Matt Martin hopefully will not be dropped as fast as Gillies and recieve some good minutes
like the call ups. either way i dont think this is ‘rushing’ martin. i mean the phone call probably went something like this:”we dont have anyone that hits kid, so go play your game and you might stick”. i dont see this as a pressure situation for him. worse case scenario is he plays a few, isnt ready and then goes back down. he wouldnt be called up if we werent so terrible lately so whats the harm?
I really can’t wait to see Matt Martin play.I have read a lot about him on Point Blank and from what I have read he is the type of player I really enjoy watchinand the type of player this team is missing. I also have seen Joennsuu play a few times and I like what he brings.
…and correct me if I am wrong but was the Carolina game one of the mostboring games we have seen in a long time. BOOORING.Tavares looked boring…Bruno looks like he is a nervous wreck…Is Richard Park using a Wiffle stick? I said to another season tix holder in between the 1st and second period “If you told me this team will never score another goal….I would believe you”
why scratch #15?
snow really needs to step in n give gordon the orders of giving players n oppurtunity. for anyone that thinks tambellini has gotten that oppurtunity for chrissakes don’t look at games played but minutes played
When the team loses 7 in a row, some kind of change needs to happen. This seems like a good move to me. If it doesn’t help, send them back down and at least they will have (hopefully) gained something from the opportunity.
Nothing will change until we get some real defensemen. They’re just grasping at straws now. A forward who can actually shoot and hit the net would be nice too.
Good grief - sit Weight, Park or Hunter and play Tmaby. In what world is it logical to sit a guy who has more goals than those 3 combined. Hunter and Weight have been completely invisible, complete non factors yet they crap all over a guy wh is finally showing signs of “getting it”
The way this team is treating Tamby is garbage.
Right on Gino!!!! If Gordon and his crew had any type of good leadership, they would try to develop the kid and give him some real playing time. It is not the kids skills that are holding him back, it is his confidence. A little bit of CONSISTENT ice time might just help that. Giving him is own Chair in the Press Box doesn’t do anything but worsen it!
FINALLY! This is a youth movement so why not lose with young players who can gain experience and get sick of losing. JJ always hustles and is visible when he is called up. Well deserved. I saw MM play in preseason. He is tough and will take on anyone. We need his swagger and toughness. He will be something in 2 years!
Get rid of Tambellini already. Sick of hearing about him. The guy has talent but refuses to adjust his game. AHL All-Star. Trade him to his dad in Edm.
Keep Comeau in there because he is young and has lots to learn. Maybe he will click with JJ and/or MM.
Bye Bye Richard Park and his -20. Thanks for your service and hustle.
As much as I like Hunter, if we ever wanted to get a real good return for him, now would be that time.
For the last time on trading jeff to edm with his dad..Its not going to happen. The both of them have even said it. He won’t play for his dad, and his dad don’t want him..End of those stories now. Put them to rest.
first nolan didn’t want tambellini, now gordon doesn’t want tambellini..two different coaches. one of whom was that is suppose to be a coach for the younger guys..jeff stinks, he is never going to make it in the nhl. goodbye jeff. nice knowing ya, don’t let the door hit yaa in the fanny on the way out, you fool.
Martin and JJ are a huge step forward. Glad the Isles management is finally understanding they cannot compete in the NHL with a small & soft roster. However, these two moves are only a step in the right direction so much more needs to be done.
Snow better buy out Witt and Martinek this summer. Unless his goal is to have a shot at #1 in 2011 there is no good reason to bring them back. They don’t fit. Martinek is small, soft, deflects a ton of pucks in his own net, and will never ever finish a season healthy. Counting on him is so dumb. Witt we know doesn’t fit the system. Pleny of teams were scoutin Bridge last night that would have an interest in Witt and maybe Biron.
I don’t think anyone would have a hard time figuring out who to scratch but rather who deserves to play.
What is it with everyone and Tambellini??? Did anyone watch Saturday’s game? He looked lost. Half the time he was just standing around. The other half he was chasing the puck and getting beat. He wasn’t skating. That’s why he puts himself on Gordy’s radar. Forget about hitting and checking. The guy’s his own worst enemy.
I guess 5 minutes is a good look to see what tambs can do? If you switched JT and tamby’s numbers, Gordo would’ve benched JT.
michelle n frankie d- tambellini played just over 5 min and 45 sec of that was at the end of the game so yeah when you get those minutes your not gonna look loose out there. you know what get rid of him through trade or waivers but i don’t want to hear the usual pissing n moaning about giving up on him too early when he finds an oppurtunity to play quality minutes somewhere
I am very psyched to get a look at Matt Martin, I just hope that when he doesnt blow minds immediately with his play that everyone doesnt go and turn on the kid.
The Isles are playing like a team that has stopped listening to its coach. They don’t believe in him or his system any more.
I suspect he could be fired during the break; if not, I have a hard time seeing him back next fall without a major turnaround. The December-January spurt energized the fan base; the current (and ongoing) collapse is driving people away.
Having dealt with him, Gordon comes off as the antithesis of a people person. He’s like Brent Sutter on steroids — nothing seems to make him happy (at least in public). Every time I see him, he looks like his dog died.
And his team’s on-ice performance is hideous. Isles have the worst special teams in the NHL, they lead the NHL in blowing multi-goal leads, and they’re puny (Snow gets a lot of blame on this count, though maybe Martin and Joensuu will help).
Despite all this, there is progress being made. And remember — Sidney Crosby’s Penguins finished 29th in his rookie season, added more talent and seem to be doing all right for themselves. Snow has about half a team. He needs to get rid of some of his vets for picks and prospects, get more size and work from there.
How can u blame Gordan ? first give him the players then judge the man ..wrong just wrong … for and AHL team in the NHL …WOW ..JUST ,WOW….HE IS DOING A GREAT JOB !
Tambellini is more talented than most of the current Islanders… why do we all hate him? Why doesn’t he get a chance?? Does he have an attitude problem I’m not aware of? Give him a chance or let him find some icetime on another club like he deserves. He should be insulted that people like Park, Weight and Hunter never get a game off when they play like crap. Even when Tamby plays a good game, they don’t let him get another chance.
Excited to see Matt Martin play.
I’m a diehard fan, but lets face it, we are not a good team. We need another good draft and a couple of good signings. We need a big time goal scorer. JT, even if he pans out, won’t be enough and a big time D Man. Until then, we won’t be very good. Or, we will be like the Tampa Bay Rays of baseball and wait several years and then make a run with some young guys. This is a replay of last year- we can’t score goals. Not even on a good AHL goalie like Carolina played on Saturday.
Scott Gordon is not going to be fired. It’s not his fault that the team isn’t doing well. When they were playing well in January, everyone was saying how good of a coach he is. The team is playing some unmotivated hockey right now, and can you really blame them? Stop expecting a playoff run in the second full year of a rebuild. Our best players are 21 and 19 years old. We have a few years to go.
We are 4-5 years away folks. Sorry but this team is still only 50% of the way to FINDING THE RIGHT PLAYERS to build a contender from. We have 2 lines and 3 Defensemen, and in net - a retiring goalie, & Rickety D. If the Malkins’, Ovechkin’s and Crosby’s, Kopitar’s take a few years to get going, add 2+ more for our 2nd rate superstars. Go ISLES!!
….Im not about to blame the coach. I actually think he has gotten a lot out of what he was given. Its a learning process for a young team. But I think its time to purge this team of some players that just are not part of the future of this team And they need to sign some veteran talent!! Sorry Dougie Weight just isnt getting it dome out there.
Give KO the C he deserves it. Bring up anyone from the Bridge who could possibly succeed for the rest of the season. Looks like they did but what about that Trevor Smith dude?
Please trade Sutton away already. We need to make a strong run for Cam Fowler.
From what I hear, I’m happy they called Martin. I just hope he doesn’t try to do too much in his first four games and plays within himself. With the favoritism to vets under Nolan and now Gordon, a rookie might think they have to shoot the lights immeditately or it’s back to Boys Town. Let’s get rid of the dead “Weight” and give the young, hungry guys their fair shake. And, give K.O. the “C” sooner rather than later.
I think we should give Sim a break. The only guy I ever see in front of the net is Sim. Park needs to sit and so does Bergenheim. Send these guys a message, maybe they’ll play harder.
And.. Can we PLEASE put JT-OK-MOULSON back together again. WE CAN’T SCORE!!
Fire Gordon, Every time this team plays bad they get a day off. Al Arbour would take control and never even let the players off the ice until they looked better. Special teams are awful, what are they telling the players to do out there?
I’ve always said Bob Hartley was the best choice has the Isles head coach the guy is a winner!..i can tell you from having the chance of watching Hartley on TV each day (he works on RDS the french sport network) and he always had good things to say about the Isles young talented players.
I think this is a very good move by Snow,we are not making the playoffs and its time to give these kids a shot.Time to cut ties with some of our vets who bring nothing to the table.We needed size and toughness and a spark,although I still think we need an enforcer to protect all our young players.Martin will drop the gloves but we still need a real enforcer bring Haley or wrecker up also while we are at it.
roloson should play at least 4 games before the break
Tambellini has had plenty of opportunities to play, he is 25 years old and been in organization for five seasons now. It’s time to just waive him. The fire Gordon stuff is ridiculous, what kind of stability is firing a coach in the middle of his 2nd season with a rebuilding team. When the bar is raised to expect the playoffs(possibly next year) then Gordon will have to produce but the rest of this year is about building towards next year.
Good call on the call-ups. They can’t possibly do any worse than the current squad, and it finally gives us a reason to watch the games. sigh—if only they would practice shooting into the net, it would be so refreshing to see someone, anyone on this team score a goal.
That’s right, let’s fire the coach who is sooooo bad he is an assistant for the US olympic team.
Sit Park and Sim.
DOC
Ok, I love seeing the kids play and give them the ice time and experience they need but I agree with most of the post’s on here that suggest sitting one of Park, Weight, Sim instead of Tamby and secondly, who’s roster spots are JJ and Martin taking? Who’s getting sent down/released/put on IR?
#s 88 and 107. Tamby actualy playd in the 1st and 2nd periods. The way Idesribed his play wa the reason he only had one shift in the 3rd. He’s had more chances than I can remember. Tme to get rid of him. As far as Sim goes, He’s the only guyon the team that showsany balls. He grinds and takes his lumps in front of the net. He iritates and draws penalties. Yeah, lets get rid of him or sit him, who wants that
#s 88 and 107. Tamby actualy played in the 1st and 2nd periods. The way I desribed his play was the reason he only had one shift in the 3rd. He’s had more chances than I can remember. Time to get rid of him. As far as Sim goes, He’s the only guy on the team that shows any balls. He grinds and takes his lumps in front of the net. He iritates and draws penalties. Yeah, lets get rid of him or sit him, who wants that
Not a big fan of rushing Martin to the bigs at this point….
we havent won without jack hillen. ill say it again, he was clearly the most valuable player when we were a point from 6th place in late january. i hope he is alright next year. getting your face destroyed by a puck can really change you…
and its not just his defense. gordons sytem is completely reliant on the defenseman pinching down the wall to keep the puck in deep. he is the only defenseman smart and swift enough to do it well. we miss him greatly. you can call up anyone you want, but until we get 4 NHL calibre defenseman, we aint going nowhere. we had 2. now we have one. kudos to andy mac donald, but look at his icetime lately. poor kid has to play pronger/neidermeyer minutes and thats a lot to ask of him at this point.
Charles Wang was a joke the other night; what punch is he drinking? This team is now being coached by a deer in headlights. Just leave KO, Tavaras and Molson together, and let the others try to do something. The dramatic downturn looks like deja vu again!
This is just to shake things up, and I like it. But great moves as some are saying? Great? Great move woulda been getting Kovy or Phanuef. Joennsu and Martin? Certainly not great, but I hope it shakes them up.
DP is not the answer… From what I hear he is a premadonna and I can only imagine his resurfacing with the club is what broke apart the great team chemistry that led to our january run… We need mikko to develop into our #1… Let dp get the tambellini treatment
I was at the tigers game Sat. night and Martin waqs hitting everyone and getting in the goalies face. If Gordo lets him play you will see an energy out on the ice like we havent seen since Webb. The kid is going to be the real deal. Gordon let him play 20 minutes with okposo and tavares, you wont be regretting it. Good luck Matt.
for the love of all that’s holy - please scratch Park (and his -19), Sim, and hate to say it but Weight and play Tamby, Martin, and Joensuu! As others have said, its time to dump the UFA vets and get a few picks to stock the draft.
why so much hype around joensuu? to me, he seems like the same player as hunter…a bigger, slow guy who has some ability but no speed.
i don’t get the people saying tambellini has had his chance. under 10 minutes a game with linemates who do nothing that can help create scoring chances is not going to help you develop as a scorer. and as far as him having a bad attitude, i really don’t see that, because if he did, he deserves an award for not once complaining or whining to the media about playing time.
adding a legit forward through trade or free agency does not stunt the youth movement. the whole team does not have to be 23 years old. dump the dead weight of sim, park, weight and so on and add a proven sniper, even if hes at an age near the upper 20s….it will still help develop the younger players!
i do not like where the team is heading there are just too many question marks and inconsitancies to make me feel good about the team.
Is it officially time to end the Jeff Tambellini experiment?
sadly 2277, I highly doubt the Isles could get a bag of pucks for the likes of Si, or even Weight at tis point. u might get a very late round draft choice for Park. The team might be forced to waie all three…
Get the draft choice now for Park. He is useless out there and is pretty much unnoticeable on the ice unless he makes a blatant mistake. I was a huge fan of his inspired play last season, but his play has taken a huge drop in the 2009-2010 campaign. The longer we hold onto him the lower his value drops. At least now we can maybe get a 5th or 6th rounder and we know Jankowski can find some nice blue chippers later in drafts. Scratch Park or Trade Him. He is not part of the rebuild and he is taking valuable ice time away from the likes of Tambellini, Comeau and the other young guns that may have a chance to be part of the rebuild. PARK MUST GO!!!
this is getting bad guys. Gordo is losing control of his team and he putting the blame on wrong players. Poor Tamebellini. He needs to get out of LI fast. Poor guy cant catch a break. He plays for one game of the 7 game losing streak we are on he gets benched.
If you want to point fingers - HUNTER, PARK, WEIGHT, GREVAIS, Comeau to name some.
How do you continue to put Hunter on PP when he cant get in good position to do anything.
How is gooning making team slower with Joenssu or gooning it up with Martin going to make us better.
Isles best hockey was played when we rolled out 4 lines. Not playing 3 lines and having guys ride bench playing 4mins a game.
To add to that point…
-Matt Martin was a 5th round pick
-Justin DiBenedetto (BPort leading scorer) was a 6th round pick
-Andrew MacDonald was a 6th round pick
Park for another guy like the one’s mentioned above is fine in my book. SELL SELL SELL!!! Make it happen Garth
I AGREE WITH #102 THE WRECKER WOULD ADD SOME PHYSICAL SIZE, AND NEEDED SPARK TO THIS TEAM. WE NEED SOME ENERGY OUT THERE.
I have never seen the wrecker do anything positive. The only thing he has wrecked is our chance to win. TALENT!!!! that is what we need.
I LOVE THIS MOVE! JJ is an underrated Defensive Forward. He is ready! Martin will be a fan favorite right away if he is given any icetime. Get rid of Park & Weight and time to look at the Future. This year is lost. Once we decided DiPi’s development was more important that keeping Roli in the Hot Streak he was on, that was it. Roli lost his groove, DiPi has been bad, & now we can’t score either. These 2 kids deserve big minutes. Let Kohn play 15 minutes; not 8 min! . I’ve basically given up on Comeau. I would package any of Gervais, Comeau, Tambellini, Witt, Biron, Weight, Park 2nd/3rd rd pick to try to get a 1st rd pick. Maybe give Sean Bentivoglio & Trevor Smith a chance down the road. The future is now. I’m praying we can draft Nino Niedereyer. Lets see what we have now because we need to give Kiril Petrov & Travis Hamonic 2 spots on the Roster next yr.
Well after playing in a Groundhog Day existence of losing the same games 3 to 1, with plenty of shots missed, posts hits, quick whistles and very few goals.
So it’s about time to insert real prospects like Jesse Joensuu and Matt Martin and sit the dead wood (ie Hunter, Park, Sim and Weight).
The season is just about done because of a lack of scoring, so what’s to lose!
I still dont understand the love affair with enforcers. Could they provide a spark? Absolutely. But you first have to bring in talent. That spark may make a crappy team play like a mediocre team at best
.. #128 Mike — Have you watched this team lately? Im NOT trolling or starting a fight but have you? They are ‘dead’ on the ice!!
.. Its NOT just about a enforcer, its about adding some grit and passion and emotion on the team. The current Isles team just SLEEPWALKS through these games - they are not doing *anything* on the ice, the games are beyond BORING!!
.. I know we need more talent (of course) but its easier to add some energy/passion than it is to add talent! The least they can do is play hard, forecheck, take the body and play a hard nosed game! If they are low on talent they should be high on energy and right now they are DREADFULL ZOMBIES out on the ice - they need a wakeup call!! These type players can only help
@ Spartiarti-RVC #122……i agree 100 percent
#129 …EXACTLY - grit and passion. No one has ever compared Martin to a Fritz or Wrecker.
I want an Enforcer on this team as bad as anything but the Wrecker is far from being NHL ready when it comes to the only thing he can provide, fists. Since his return to Bridgeport this guy looks worse than Jackman as a fighter if that is possible. Smoked in every fight he has had, a couple of times looking worse than Godard when he fought Orr. Martin is another kid who when i have seen him looks over matched physically against bigger guys and has done alright against the non fighting type but nothing that says wow this kid is ready. He does provide a spark and will have a bright future as an aggitator but not as a fighter. He really needs a guy like Gilles to ride shotgun with because the tough guys in the NHL will look to destroy him if he starts hitting guys like he does in the AHL and he cannot handle the tough guys here. I would like Gilles to be brought up as he has had a great year fighting does not get overmatched against anybody. But i guess Martin is better than nothing which is what we have physically on this team now.
Real hockey fan #129- I totally agree. I just dont like the idea of a four-minute enforcer (i.e. Fritz, Rechliz, Gillies). As RVC said I think a guy like Martin could provide a spark and still play the actual game. These are the kind of guys I hope the team goes after. Guys like Boogaard fight and could protect but only drop the gloves when they have to, not every game. I think Martin could be a poor-man’s Lucic and could help provide that spark.
Joensuu may have size, but since when did size make up for grit? Joensuu plays like a guy 5″10′. He doesn’t even bring a physical element to his AHL team. Martin, from what I understand (I only saw him in one game) brings the physical element the Islanders are looking for in a smaller package. Remember, size isn’t everything. The Islanders need grit (look at Avery and Carcillo) not necessarily size.