NYI at TAMPA BAY, 7:30 pm – Witt clears
$4.4 mill in the AHL…Tamby in…Love from Brooklyn
12:13 pm - As expected, Brendan Witt has cleared waivers and will be sent to Bridgeport of the American Hockey League.
Witt, who was signed to a three-year, $9 million contract extension a few days before Ted Nolan was fired and replaced by Scott Gordon, has never thrived in the coach’s system. Now he goes to the minors for the first time in 13 years. In his pro career, Witt had only played 30 games in the AHL.
If a contender needs a defenseman before the trade deadline, perhaps they will scoop up Witt on re-entry waivers. For little money in March and just $1.5 million next season, Witt would be an outstanding asset in the right situation. Given the chance on a contender to prove he’s still got something left, you know Witt would go to the wall for that team.
The Islanders have told Katie Strang of Newsday that they don’t plan on putting Witt on re-entry waivers. That’s their way of sending a message to the other 29 teams that they’ll have to trade for him. Good luck with that.
*
Six games left for the Islanders until the Olympic break, and now all of them are crucial because of the current five-game losing streak. The Islanders need wins over the next ten days to carry the good feelings of a fairly-decent season into March. Allowing this slide to get much worse would take some buzz away from the team post-Olympics.
Before facing the exhausted (this week in Edmonton, Calgary, Buffalo on Friday) and possibly Cam Ward-less Hurricanes at the Coliseum on Saturday, the Islanders will need to find a way to get at least a point tonight in Tampa Bay. Since the Lightning are in the Logjam of Mediocrity in the East, a rare regulation victory would be more like it.
The Islanders get another look tonight at 2009 first overall pick Steven Stamkos, who continues his ascent as a star. He has 29 goals in 55 games this season. In his first 15 games of 2010, Stamkos is 8-12-20. Quite a challenge for Andy Sutton and the blue line boys.
Look out for Steve Downie (11 goals, 155 penalty minutes) to agitate and Ryan Malone (21 goals) in front of the net on the power play. 2009 second overall pick Victor Hedman is -4 and averaging just under 22 minutes a game. For a rookie defenseman who just turned 19, Hedman has shown enough over his first 52 NHL games to prove he’ll be what scouts forecasted.
Nate Thompson – have the Islanders won since he left for free? (just funnin’, folks) – has won 26 of 39 faceoffs and is averaging 13:07 of ice with the Lightning. On the other hand, the grinder doesn’t have a point in his five games with his new team, so the Hate Down With Nate crowd have that going for them…which is nice.
The Lightning do have some distractions. They are in the process of being sold again.
Jeff Tambellini returns to the lineup for the Islanders after playing twice in the last two months. Despite scoring 7 goals in 24 games – Ovechkinesque numbers on this squad – Tambellini last played on Jan. 2. Tambellini is playing, of course, because there in no one left to play. Josh Bailey is out until the Olympic break with an upper-body injury.
If Tambellini or any other forwards falter, don’t be surprised if Jesse Joensuu is called up. After tonight, the Islanders are at the Coliseum for four of five games before the Olympics. The 6-4 Finn is 10-19-29 in 44 AHL games this season – two points behind leading scorer Sean Bentivoglio despite playing in seven fewer games.
With Witt gone, the Islanders’ defense remains Mark Streit, Andy Sutton, Andrew MacDonald, Bruno Gervais, Freddy Meyer and Dustin Kohn. Mark Katic is the best prospect in Bridgeport, but even his biggest supporters know he’s not ideally ready for prime time. Rushing defense prospects to the NHL is not part of the Islanders’ plan. If they need to recall a defenseman, their best option is Brendan Witt, but they’d have to put him through re-entry waivers.
The U.S. Olympic team is hosting a media conference call to announce the two injury replacements on defense for Paul Martin and Mike Komisarek. The selections are Ryan Whitney of Anaheim and Tim Gleason of Carolina.
*
Biron in Bridgeport: Making it a combined $4.4 million in a pair of NHLers in Bridgeport, goaltender Martin Biron will play for the Sound Tigers this weekend. Sounds like the conditioning stint was Biron’s idea.
“We talked to Garth about getting into game shape,” said Biron, who has not played in a game since Dec. 27. Biron said he had the option of staying with the Islanders in Florida until Thursday, but “I wanted to get in a few practices and get ready for the games.
“You have to play games on a consistent basis to get your rhythm back. With the Islanders’ schedule, many of the practices are short so I would try to get in whatever work I could before and after. This will help a lot.”
Biron said he was excited driving New York to Bridgeport on Tuesday night because he cherished his memories leading Rochester to a Calder Cup final a decade ago and the AHL was very good to him for two years. “I also like spending time with the young players,” said Biron. “If I can help them in any way, I will.”
The Sound Tigers are in Springfield on Friday and host Manchester on Saturday. Count on at least a half-dozen scouts at the game in Bridgeport. A good showing by Biron could result in a roster spot with another NHL team this month and a mid-round draft pick for the Islanders.
*
Most Valuable Blog: I wrote about this earlier in the season, but it merits another mention. For the few of you left who do not read Lighthouse Hockey every day, it’s time you bookmarked it. Dominik, whose site is more about Islanders hockey than the arena project, has only stepped up his game over the last few months.
He’s not even based in New York, but Dominik works his tail off and comes up with the stuff I was only able to do last year in my full-time daze days. He speaks with Travis Hamonic. He provides heady statistical analysis. He has fun with bad rumors (Brendan Witt for two draft picks…gotcha). The site also has a message board area, called FanPost, where readers can bring up any Islanders topics they want to discuss.
Don’t make me say it again. Lighthouse Hockey – go there before ever thinking of coming here.
*
A Valentine from Brooklyn: Here is Brooklyn borough president Marty Markowitz yesterday in his State of the Borough Address:
Of course, in 2009 confident investors also rushed to buy bonds for Atlantic Yards – meaning they believe Brooklyn is the future. Soon we will have affordable housing, union jobs, and the downtown cultural center that the fourth-largest city in America deserves – with a state-of-the-art arena hosting everything from music and theater to pro basketball. And maybe even a hockey team called the “Brooklyn Islanders!”
Okay, so the crowd did not exactly go nuts when Markowitz yelled “Brooklyn Islanders!” but it’s still nice to know he was thinking of the hockey team.
*
One last thing. To the conspiracy theorists and the Garth’s-Got-Something crowd:
Brendan Witt was injured. He was playing with a bad knee for over a month.
Josh Bailey is injured. When an Islander suffers a serious injury on the road, the doctors don’t go to the team – the player goes to New York.
Even if the Islanders wanted to be mischievous, the punishment for going against the CBA does not make it worth the gamble.
In the last few weeks, the Islanders have gotten nothing for or out of Nate Thompson, Jeff Tambellini, Martin Biron and Brendan Witt. Call it a “team in transition” if you’d like, but it would be nice to start seeing some real action…or results.
Comments on tonight’s game and this post.
68 Responses to NYI at TAMPA BAY, 7:30 pm – Witt clears
$4.4 mill in the AHL…Tamby in…Love from Brooklyn
-
mw147 says:
Chris- are the Isles really going with only these 6 d-men until Hillen comes back? What if someone else gets hurt? Westgarth? Flood? Wotton? Oy vey!
Is it possible that the Witt move was in order to free a roster spot for a trade that is coming?
-
Lighthouse Hockey is a top-notch Isles site- its great to see you giving Dom some more well-deserved praise!
-
Avolp55turgeonfichaud says:
Chris Botta is a hero.
Lighthouse hockey has been great as well. I recommend it to anyone who is yet to check it out. These two sites are my Islanders destinations.
We need to get some points here, because this has the potential to get really bad, fast. It is definitely fun to see this team continue its transition of old-to-new, but it will also be very weird not seeing Witter out there for us.
Lets go isles
-
RvaIslesGuy says:
>>He doesn’t have a point in his five games with his new team, so the Hate Nate crowd have that going for them…which is nice.<<
The “hate Nate” crowd? That’s a bit harsh Chris. I don’t HATE anyone who dons a sweater for my favorite hockey team. I do not however, think that successful teams play the Nate Thompson’s of the world with stunning regularity, as was the case on Long Island.
I also don’t think it’s fair to ask fans to shell out big league money to see Jon Sim, Richard Park and Nate Thompson when followers in Pittsburgh and Washington get to see players like Alexander Semin, Alex Ovechkin, Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby.
I’m glad Nate has found a home and is filling his niche. Good for him.
-
Eric Nystrom says:
MY TWO WISHES –
WISH #1 – ERIC NYSTROM
WISH #2 – BROOKLYN -
Staten Islander says:
Lighthouse hockey is a great site and I’ve become a big fan, but this is the best site for Islanders news, bar none. Lets hope we get a regulation W tonight, Josh gets healthy and Witt and Biron go to better situations for them.
-
isles316 says:
Good luck to Witt as well. I still scratch my head on this one. Although Witt hasn’t been good, Kohn playing 15 minutes in 2 games is a pretty good indication of Gordon’s confidence. I would think with the injuries that Witt would be the better choice for a lot of reasons over Kohn. Who knows..
-
I have even more respect for Witter now after the way he handled his demotion. He’s a classy veteran….knows that the Isles are in transition and that the game has more or less passed him by.
Some contender needing a veteran in the 6th or 7th spot could do a lot worse than pick up someone like Brendan…..Here’s hoping he can latch on somewhere and go out in style….
-
MJS says:
In the back of his mind, I’m sure Brendan Witt is just a little bit relieved to possibly be going somewhere else. He gave the Isles all he could, but he left Washington to avoid being in the middle of a rebuild, and then after he was with the Isles he was extended a minute before the rebuild talk got serious. At $3 mil per season I can’t feel that bad for the guy, but I hope that he lands on a playoff team on re-entry waivers.
Nice to see a place in New York that actually might want the Isles. With some success there, being in Brooklyn could even stoke the Rags/Isles rivalry, but that may be counting a lot of chickens before they hatch.
-
Michael says:
I find it hard to believe that Witt would clear re-entry waivers for less than 700K this year and $1.5M next year. I’m really struggling to understand why we would make this room being that we’re so thin on defense. Snow must be planning to add a couple players either via trade or call up.
-
Spartiarti-RVC says:
Not suprised Witt Cleared. Sad that a NHL veteran dman has to play in AHL.
No thanks to Kovalchuk trade especially if include hamonic or bailey. We can make him offer beginning of next season.
Tambellini should really take this opportunity seriously. starting with tonight. Chances are he gets First line Mins with Bailey out.
6 games to prove himself or he pretty much has his walking papers.Lets go ISLANDERS.
-
Brandon says:
Now’s the time to give Trevor Smith a chance.
-
Examiner says:
This is Snow’s last ditch effort to get something for Witt. When no one bites and the deadline passes Witt will be put on re-entry waivers and be gone. The 1.5 million they’ll be paying for him is still less than they’re paying Yashin.
At least Bates will finally be off the books.
-
Mike P says:
i think one side positive thing that comes out of the Witt situation is Garth is showing that he is going to give young organizational players the chance before going elsewhere to fill holes. It has to give hope to young players in Bridgeport that if they work hard and play well they will get an opportunity
-
Brian in VA says:
Get a lottery pick! JUST LOSE BABY!
-
Islander86 says:
Would be nice if ISLES move to Brooklyn.
And the name of the team is still Islanders, because as Queens, – Brooklyn geographically is on Long Island. -
Uconn husky says:
cb if the isles go under 500 in the games remaining until the break will you start the halowerguin watch during the olympics!?
-
DoubleW says:
I think the demotion of Witt makes it clear the organization wants to evaluate Dustin at the NHL level and decide if he is worth hanging on to. With Hamonic, De Haan, and potentially Ness, Niemi and Donovan all making the transition to Bridgeport, makes for a crowded blueline.
-
Blizzard says: …..how much you wanna bet Tambs scores tonight!
-
Mike L says:
Whitney? really? I like how Burke passed over some of the better point scoring defensemen. I think Snow would form a better team USA than Burke. Anyways, I hope Tamby does well tonight, hey, he’s got 3 points in his last 4 games. Not bad for a guy who Gordon thinks isn’t cutting it.
CB, you think there’s any chance Snow would put Witt on re-entry waivers?
-
Isles Fanatic says:
Great read CB….
-
Mikey says:
Great reporting Chris. My thoughts:
1-In an ideal world the Islanders would love to trade Witt, but they are planning to re-call him in the hopes that somebody picks him off re-entry waivers. This move would save Charles Wang 500K b/c they would only have to pay 1/2 of Witt’s remaining salary on re-entry, whereas a buyout would require the Isles to pay 2/3.
2- Little known tidbit re Brooklyn: Critics suggest that the current design of Barclay’s Center cannot accommodate hockey (which is true according to public documents). But the structural engineer’s website (Thornton Tomasetti) actually says that the arena will have an ice pad. Also, the same website recently stated that the arena was going to be 750K sq. feet (much bigger than the publicly reported size), but that figure has been scrubbed off the site during the past week. This fact, combined with the Markowitz statement and the Goldman Sachs documents, leads me to believe that Ratner already has redesigned the arena to accommodate hockey. Brooklyn is very likely(much more likely than Nassau) to becoming our new home.
-
local25rooster says:
no disrespect to the warrior that is Witt but if he was in effective in the system at the NHL level and Gordon has the BPort playing THE SAME system to make the transistion for call ups easier why would one think Witt in the AHL would be good place for him to get in game shape?
-
isles72 says:
witts cap hit next year is 3.0 but his salary is only 2.5
so I think if someone claimed him on re-entry waivers he would only cost them 1.25 next year but 1.5 cap hit
-
Eric Cup says:
We all knew it would take an injury for Tambs to get in the line-up so here’s his chance. He’s got to be chomping at the bit. Still can’t beleive it took this long for him to re-appear. It’ll be interesting to see if this extended time off in warm Florida has a negative or positive effect.
-
IslesinOside says:
Note to Jeff Tambellini:
You have to score 14 goals in the 1st period to prove that your are good enough for this team. 13 goals are unacceptable and you have no longer than 20 minutes to do it. This is your last shot.
Love,
Flash, Garth and Chuck! -
Absolutly Ulster! (I live here too). Brooklyn islanders makes me wanna puke. What would the new logo be? Ugh.
Hopefully it’s Nassau, queens and Brooklyn only as a last resort.
The New York Islanders won 4 straight cups and I want the New York Islanders to win another!
-
Chris in DC says:
The “Hate Nate” crowd? You’ve got to be kidding me…
-
islanders1983 says:
Honestly if the team is renamed the brooklyn Islanders, The St louis Blues may be getting a new full time fan. Brooklyn islanders sounds awful
-
I’m torn on this…I want them to stay in Nassau but Brooklyn would add some cache and it’s better than KC.
Actually no, I want them to stay on LI. Has to be…
Need a win tonight!
-
Frans Dish says:
I don’t care where we move to in new york but, please lets get the wheels moving so we can evetually attract a free agent with some arena stability
-
jeff says:
What’s next? Isles give Sutton a 3-year extension @ $4M per year and then send him to Bridgeport?
-
JD says:
I just want to hear something from Wang regarding our future. This has gone on way too long.
-
Eastonhockey says:
IMO biron would pass through waivers also. No way Wang pays biron 30 grand a week to do nothing. Snow probably couldn’t get single offer for biron
I want someone from the islanders to voice displeasure with one of the worst records in hockey. Young team or not it’s unactaple to be content with failure. Unless your a loser.
Stamkos? The guy obviously got off to slow start due to playing time last year it had little to do with expierence. Tavares fans please stop bringing stamkos slow start up. -
Joey303 says:
Da Brooklyn Fuhgeddabotis
-
Chris Mc says:
Easton you may want to get your facts straight. Stamkos did get minimal playing time for the first month and didnt produce, but then for a month straight he got 15-20 mins a game and still didnt score with an regularity, so he got his mins cut again. So saying he didn’t produce bc of playing time is completely incorrect.
-
doc says:
Wow…! you would think that Eric Nystrom has actually done something in the NHL the way some people carry on about him.
5 goals 6 assists in 57 games. whoop de damn do.
I’ve seen his name brought up on this board as someone the Islanders NEED to acquire as if he’s the 2nd coming of his dad.
He’s closer to a Nate Thompson than a Bobby Ny.
DOC
-
Steve says:
It’s nice to hear that Brooklyn wants the islanders. However, the Islanders should still be called New York Islanders whether they’re in Brooklyn or Queens.
-
Joe says:
Ill definitely miss Witt, he has been bad for awhile though, still better than Bruno. Why is Tamby back? Man, Im ready to see Garth hit the road.
-
Hoser14 says:
The last time I looked out my window, Brooklyn was still part of Long Island. Better they that play in Kings County than in KC, Quebec City, Seattle and Saskatoon.
At least Brooklyn wants them, which is more than what you could say about Nassau County!
-
I’m on-board with Nystrom, but not because of his scoring abilities. He’s a gritty forward who can help to open up the ice for the more talented forwards. I’d love the Isles to add Rene Bourque, too, but I doubt Calgary is going to let him go. He actually can score a little.
-
dose says:
pretty certain isles fans further out on LI don’t like hearing this stuff, and the borough president is seen as a bit goofy at times, but i’m not sure marty would have made reference to the ‘brooklyn islanders’ like that without having some kind of a hint or inkling about something.
-
Boss12 says:
I doubt they will get anything for Witt in a trade but I would like to see them let him go, even if they take a hit via reentry…The guy is at the end of his career, let him go out with some dignity playing on an NHL team.
-
Okposo=GOD says:
CB, whats goin on my man, maybe my timiing is way off here, and i was to lazy to look up exactly when it happened, but theres no way the Witter, who i Love by the way and will be upset to see him go, Hurt his knee during that car accident, is there??
-
Strummer's Army says:
Witt might be back, I never thought we’d see Jon Sim again after Snow waived him last year and yet……
I think the Isles should part with Witt (and a few others).
I understand and support Snow’s longterm plan but his short term management of the organization is a continious head scratcher.
Like the Brooklyn, amazing how some people can get things done and the TOH
-
Julie says:
I really hope that Witt (my favorite Islander from the moment he arrived) can land on a team that will be a better fit. I don’t like to see a veteran treated this way, but if he ends up with a chance to play in a system that actually works, it’s worth it.
-
A positive on Witt to the Bridge is anytime he spends around the prospects will benefit them tremendeously.
“In the last few weeks, the Islanders have gotten nothing for or out of Nate Thompson, Jeff Tambellini, Martin Biron and Brendan Witt. Call it a “team in transition” if you’d like, but it would be nice to start seeing some real action…or results.”—-AMEN!!!!!!!!!
-
ed says:
I cannot believe how much crap Snow gets away with and how we all are supposed to think he is a great GM. Anyone remember that Guerin Fiasco last year? Now they send Witt down when we only have 6 defenseman? Any injury or suspension and we are screwed. Nate Thompson, Witt and Biron for nothing. Throw in Weight,Park, Sim,Hunter,Gervais etc. Snow’s claim to fame is picking Tavares for finishing dead last which was a no brainer. Then proceeds to trade away a bunch of picks for DeHaan. Then picks two goalies! I will give him credit for Hillen and Moulson, but Moulson was also playing with Tavares so that has something to do with it. Team is small and weak and can’t score goals. Helluva GM.
-
JPinVA says:
Great stuff yesterday CB. Your comittment is greatly appreciated!
I don’ think Tambellini sitting for so long is a major issue. Who would have sat in his place? Bailey, Moulson, Bergy or Sim… None of them have been an issue.
If they are undecided on Jeff’s future than he should play at least until Bailey returns. If/when he seals his ex-Isle status then it’s time to ride Jesse for a while.
Do you know if there are any hot undrafted college kids on the radar for Garth to scoop up to help the “D”? -
Sending Witt and Biron to the AHL makes the Islanders the LOWEST salary team in the NHL at $38,419,000. The Isles have 12,716,600 in cap space. Phoenix at $39,350,000 is the closest to the bottom..
-
NYICHAMP39 says:
I was just starting to think that this whole lighthouse thing sounded awfully quiet recently. Kinda getting scared now…hopefully Brooklyn/Queens will work out. Does anyone know if there have been ANY talks recently between Kait Murray/TOH and Wang’s lighthouse party????
-
Mario says:
My how everyone loves Witt all of a sudden. Everybody wanted to trade his A$$ in December then he scores 2 goals and you love him then he plays awful and you hate him. Now he gets sent down and everyone loves him again. I’ve liked him from day 1 because of his toughness. But he has gotten slower and is just vulnerable out there. Good luck Witt, hopefully you find somewhere to play that suites your style. I will see you Saturday at the Bridgeport game.
-
doug says:
I just got back from a business trip in Tampa. I happened to be at the hotel the Islanders were staying at.Met Garth Snow…nice guy…he said if “we could put the puck in the net we would be ok”. I said you need to trade for a goal scorer. He said the price was too high. All the teams want one of their good young players or a 1st round pick. He said he wasn’t going to do it.
Also saw DP…nice guy and also bumped into Tavares, Moulson, Tamby, Bergy,Neilson and Streit. They were getting out of a cab and I was trying to their cab. I asked if they played for the Islanders and then we had a nice conversation for few minutes. While they all were good guys, Tamby was the most personable. Hopefully, he shows Gordo tonight that he should be playing. Go Tamby!!!
I also noticed that there is good team chemistry. I saw about eight of them lounging at the pool together and then the six I met getting out of a cab.
So CB, you’re right there probably won’t be bringing in any players in the next month.
-
19 Isle in NJ 22 says:
Wondering if the “Brooklyn Islanders” would exclude fans from Staten Island, New Jersey, Bronx, Westchester or Connecticut from their contests?
***
I hope that Josh can use this injury time to recharge … he was playing well.
***
I hope Witt finds an NHL team … if no takers in trade by the deadline … Snow should expose him to re-entry waivers so he has another chance. Don’t let a warrior like Witt finish in the “A”.
***
Lastly … I have to agree CB … These next 6 games are going to determine whether or not the Isles play meaningful hockey in March / April. -
TM says:
I want NYI in Queens or Brooklyn and out of Nassau in the fastest way possible. The original Barclays plan included space for an ice rink according to the original engineer. The trick is making sure an NHL rink will fit and since it’s not built yet it should be a no-brainer.
Dominick’s Lighthouse hockey is the best site on the web. There used to be a couple that were better but they’ve gone downhill. Chris’s blog and Dom’s are much needed since NYI gets such little media attention.
-
Islander says:
#49, Nate Thompson has been gone for the past two weeks?? By the way he is no longer part of the Islander Team; I am sure he is saying “Thanl God>” So why continue being nasty and that goes for you too CB.
-
puckhead says:
I think the SNOWMAN is gunna do something big…..5 game losing streak….somethings gotta change…..
Bailey injured??? doubt it…….can any-1 say blockbuster?
-
BR says:
Looking forward to the game tonight. Will be interesting to see if Tamby steps it up.
And enough already with the insinuations that Bailey isn’t really hurt and is part of an impending trade. As CB suggested, that line of thinking is bunk. Isles fans need to face the cold hard truth that the team is not in a position to make a “blockbuster” deal. Not unless you are willing to give-up the 2010 1st round pick along with players and prospects with names like Tavares, Okposo, Bailey, Streit, Hamonic, De Haan. And, sorry to burst bubbles, but Sim, Park, Weight and Tamby do not equal a stud D man or a big scoring winger… -
corey says: Very happy to see Tambellini back in the line up. We need some more scoring and he can bring it. after all he is still 5th on the team in scoring even though he hasn’t played very many games
-
znatokhokkeya says:
team chemistry is a good thing when it translates to victories. i am sure caps and hawks also have a good team chemistry
-
JP says:
#50 Amen…. He has sat on his hands for 2 years. No one will be traded except for Biron and at best we get a 3rd rounder. No Free Agents will want to come to the Island this summer when this ship is about to sink in a sea of uncertainty. I just ordered my Taylor Hall jersey only because Cam Fowler is #1 in next years draft and I dont think we can finish 30th 2 years in a row. RaRa
-
Ethan K says:
Happy that Nate Thompson is doing okay on another team, but not missing him much.
Biron and Witt are both worth draft picks. Are teams that are contending for the Cup really concerned with their late 3rd and 4th round picks?
-
anthony says:
i for 1 am VERY glad to see Tamby back in, he was the 3rd leading goal scorer on the team when the banished him. 7 goals and 3 asts in 24 games. just about .50 point a game. no doubt if put in baileys spot with KO ans JT he will thrive. trust me, he will now earn a spot on the team.
Also, I def see witt to the Caps, he may be older and slower and not fit in with Gordo BUT he is better than the Caps own John Erskine. LOL
-
Thomas says:
CB you do some great stuff, but your Thompson obsession neds to end..the guy has no points in those minutes. Last I checked we have a scoring problem and it was CLEARLY the right move, just as it’s the right move with Witt. Witt was a great Islander but the game has passed him by.
The team is young your going to have your ups and downs..my concern is Tavares at this point. I have been dissapointed with his speed and honestly he hasn’t shown great hands especially on a pass he needs to one time. CB I hope your confidence in him provesout, I am not convinced yet he is going to be a consistent 30-40 goal scorer at the NHL level. I really hope your right.
Also once again when is someone in this organization going to realize the old 1980′s stand in the box PK doesn’t work anymore. The PK is predictably 28th in the NHL and it’s been terrible for years and at the bottom most of those years..not sure how much statistical evidence you need to figure this out. Atack the puck and rotate, not stand around and hope your goalie survives the shooting gallery. Very few teams are passive anymore.
-
LES says:
screw brooklyn the islanders need to stay
-
LES why do the Islanders need to stay in Nassau County under scrutiny of Kate Murray and TOH? Do you think it will be better for the Islanders to stay in Nassau and throwing opportunity to make more money in Brooklyn and Queens? Brooklyn and Queens have much higher population density than nassau county and that will be better for the islanders long term than being stuck outside NYC forever and get ignored by the media
Miss you Witter. you were a Warrior. Hope you land on your feet on a contender.