Monthly Archives: February 2010
Chris Botta on Twitter
Andrew MacDonald has not spoken to Ted Nolan in a while, but when he gets the chance in the offseason, the young defenseman has a lot he wants to say to his old junior coach.
“I wouldn’t be here today if it wasn’t for Ted,” MacDonald told Point Blank.
“Here” could have meant in the Islanders’ locker room, in the NHL, heck, even in professional hockey. It was Nolan who convinced MacDonald the best way for his skills to develop was to play in the Quebec Major Junior League. It was Nolan who gave MacDonald big minutes on the blue line with the Moncton Wildcats.
And if that wasn’t enough, it was Nolan – then the Islanders coach – who used his powers of persuasion to convince then-GM Neil Smith, the scouts and even team owner Charles Wang at the 2006 NHL draft to use a sixth-round pick on 19-year-old Andrew MacDonald. There’s a very real chance that, after first round pick Kyle Okposo, MacDonald will be the best Islander to come out of the 2006 draft.
“I’m well aware of everything Ted did to see that the Islanders gave me a chance,” said MacDonald, third on the team at plus-7 in 32 games this season.
Nolan believed in MacDonald when he recruited him to play for him with Moncton of the QMJHL. The defenseman, then 18, had been offered a college scholarship to play hockey at Bemidji State in northern Minnesota. Nolan told MacDonald he had the ability to someday play in the pros, but he would be best served by the long junior schedule. The Wildcats coach also pledged to provide the blueliner with the icetime and responsibility he probably would not get as a freshman and sophomore at Bemidji. As the host team, Moncton had an automatic invitation to the Memorial Cup.
Nolan also asked nicely. “Ted is a persuasive man,” said MacDonald.
The Wildcats lost in the Memorial Cup final, but MacDonald proved why Nolan had so much faith in him. He logged big minutes and racked up 46 points in the regular season and another 13 in the playoffs – impressive for a first-year junior player of any age.
After the Memorial Cup, Nolan was hired by the Islanders. Well before the scouts assembled at the draft, the new coach said that if the team had a late-round pick and no one the scouts were certain of, his support was completely behind MacDonald.
The Islanders had three sixth round picks in the 2006 draft, so they took Nolan up on his recommendation. The teenager from Nova Scotia thought he was so out of the picture when it came to NHL scouts that he didn’t even follow the draft. He did not learn of his selection by the Islanders until the morning after.
“I couldn’t believe it,” said MacDonald. “I honestly didn’t think I was on anyone’s radar – even Ted’s.”
Now MacDonald is the best Islanders prospect to emerge out of Bridgeport this season. Perhaps his steady arrival is because he has come through the system slowly and surely.
“The impressive thing about Andrew is that he has played at every level, and he has figured out with each step how to become a better defenseman,” said Islanders head coach Scott Gordon. “I’ve seen the improvement in his skating in just the year and a half I’ve been following him closely. I’ve seen improvement from game to game at the NHL level since he’s been here.”
“I think of a player I had in Providence – Mark Stuart, a first round pick with the Bruins. You could see that the more Mark practiced with the big club, he got better from the competition. Andrew is the same way. Since being with us, he has elevated his game in practices and in our games.”
MacDonald, who has averaged more than 24 minutes over the last six games, takes pride in his improvement throughout his journey in hockey. He played Tier II before joining Moncton. In his first year in the Islanders organization, he played 38 games with Utah of the East Coast Hockey League. That was just two seasons ago. He credits his progress at the AHL level to coaches Jack Capuano and Pat Bingham and development coach Eric Cairns. “They always have time to help me improve my game,” said MacDonald.
Now he’s in the big leagues, where he watched Tomas Kaberle, his favorite player growing up in Judique, Nova Scotia, and his idol – Hall of Fame defenseman Al MacInnis, who is from nearby Port Hood. “Mr. McInnis is still involved in our community,” said MacDonald. “He’s donated a lot of time and money to the rinks and our youth hockey programs. He’s someone to look up to.”
MacDonald knows he won’t be the big blueline scorer McInnis was in his heyday, but the next step in his NHL development is getting more involved on offense.
“I have to use my attributes, which I think are strong skating, good positional play and moving the puck,” he said. “Let’s face it: I’m not the biggest guy so I’m not going to be a punishing defenseman. As long as I take care of my own end, I want to start contributing to some goals for us. I think I’m a good fit in Scott’s style of play, so I’m determined to do what I can to stay with the Islanders.”
And whenever the season ends, MacDonald plans on reaching out to Ted Nolan – the man most responsible for him being in the NHL and as an Islander. “That’s definitely a call I’ll be making,” said MacDonald. “I owe him a big thank you.”
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Nick Boynton was passed up by the Islanders and 28 other NHL teams. No biggie there. Next!*** In other news, Brendan Witt should be ready to go in one of the Islanders’ next 2-3 games. Dustin Kohn – who has played a combined 15 minutes over the last two games – is still with the team.
UPDATED at 1:50 pm - As tweeted by Katie Strang from Florida, Josh Bailey has an upper-body injury. He has left the team to travel to New York for a medical evaluation. Bailey missed a game morning skate last week, but has tried to play through a mysterious injury (shoulder?).
***In other words, we’re moving on.
Comments on Andrew MacDonald. Comment Guidelines.
CB on FanHouse: On Olli Jokinen to the NYR
After three minutes of action, Trevor Gillies has been placed on waivers with the goal of returning him to Bridgeport. This is not a surprise because the Islanders have been indecisive in their use of protectors for the last season and 50 games. Also on waivers is Nick Boynton, the hitting, 6-2, 215-pound, 31-year-old Ducks defenseman with $700,000 left on his ’09-10 deal before becoming a UFA. Boynton is not Borje Salming, but a quality depth dman.
Chris Botta on Twitter
Since the Islanders are enjoying a day off in Fort Lauderdale, it’s time to step away from the game (and the ledge) for a few hours.
This is long overdue, but a perfect time to thank the readers of Point Blank for their continued and growing support of this blog over the last year and a half. This has become bigger than anyone intended it to be or planned on it being, and it is all because of the underrated, often unappreciated but always fierce dedication and loyalty of the residents of Islanders Country.
January 2010 set a new high for page views for Point Blank. Readership has grown with each month since the start of the season, but January blew the rest away.
This in no way can be attributed to the writer and editor. How can I can say that? Easy. Since my employment at FanHouse takes up most of my days and nights, I’m no longer posting three or four stories a day as I was during the team-sponsored season. Most days I write once, maybe twice. For home games, I try to hit the morning skates and at games together we write the Plus/Minus feature. This will not win me a Pulitzer Prize.
So the reason Point Blank had more than 1.5 million pageviews in January is you. The Islanders helped immeasurably by going on a big winning streak, followed by a big losing streak. (If a team is not making personnel moves, there’s nothing better for an internet audience than wild mood swings from the team, fanbase and writers). Yes, January was even bigger than the lottery and Tavares draft.
To be honest, I had no idea what to expect from the readership this season. A friend/fan wrote at another site that Point Blank had “gone by the wayside,” believing that the blog was now “just another person’s opinion” because it was no longer affiliated with the team in any way. Although I have the same access at practices afforded the one full-time and pair of part-time newspaper beat reporters, the remark was primarily a fair point I would not argue. My hope is that when I’m at Long Island practices (most of the time) and morning skates and games (just about all of the time), my reports and interviews have been useful.
As for opinions, yes, like you-know-whats, we all have them. I’ve had just as many this season, positive and negative, as last year. Some may respectfully disagree. Using a Blackberry bursting with league contacts established over two decades working in the game, I’ll stand by my performance grading Islanders prospects and forecasting what management has in mind for the roster.
This has been a blast, so I cannot thank you enough for giving me the opportunity to cover the Islanders for another season. Thanks also go out to Islanders PR aces Seth Sylvan and Kimber Auerbach. Two kinder, classier gentlemen you will not find in this business.
My thanks also go out to Scott Gordon, who has been accessible, honest and consistent throughout the season. The Islanders players, with a tone set by current captain Doug Weight and future captain Kyle Okposo, are a good group to cover. They may not always be happy with everything written, but they are extremely professional in their approach with the media.
John Tavares and Josh Bailey, two fine young men who have to deal with every high and low analyzed day-to-day, define what it means to be dignified and gracious. The Islanders are very fortunate that John and Josh will be in their organization for a long time.
Final thanks go to the bosses at FanHouse, who made the decision to back Point Blank this season. I’m told they are very happy with their investment. As one said, “No one around here will ever doubt the size and devotion of the Islanders’ fan base.”
This has never been a surprise to me. Thanks, everyone.
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SOCIAL Dinner with Bossy, Nystrom on March 15
For reservations call Social at 516.489.8080 and ask for Max. Or email max.feinberg@socialsportskitchen.com Mention Point Blank
This is not a Point Blank event, but merely a plug for the crew at SOCIAL in Uniondale who treated all of us so nicely when we had our night in early December. The restaurant is also offering a significant discount exclusively to Point Blank readers.
On March 15, SOCIAL (across the street from the Coliseum) is hosting two dinner seatings for Islanders fans at 7:00 and 8:30 pm. Included is a three-course meal from Danny Gagnon of “Top Chef” and personal visits to your table by Hall of Famer Mike Bossy, “Mr. Islander” Bob Nystrom and, for any kids in attendance, Sparky the team’s mascot.
Autograph requests and the taking of photographs are highly encouraged.
Each fan will also receive from Bossy or Nystrom a voucher for one complimentary ticket to an Islanders 2009-10 home game.
The inclusion of the free ticket makes the $75 price for the dinner and Bossy-Nystrom meet-and-greet a darn good deal. But for Point Blank readers, it’s even better. SOCIAL is offering the event for just $50 each.
So for 50 bucks, you get a ticket to a game, meet a pair of legends and enjoy an appetizer, entree and dessert. Not a bad way to spend an hour.
For reservations call Social at 516.489.8080 and ask for Max. Or email max.feinberg@socialsportskitchen.com Mention Point Blank
My hope is Point Blank readers fill the place on March 15, and SOCIAL extends an invitation for us to have an end-of-season event blog event there with drinks and one of Danny’s incredible buffets.
Comments. Comment Guidelines. Since it is not a PB event, please contact SOCIAL directly for details on their dinner with Bossy and Nystrom.
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