Monthly Archives: September 2010
2:15 pm: I’m extremely proud to announce that Islanders Point Blank has formed a partnership with Sportsnet New York, more commonly known as SNY – “the home of the Mets, Jets and all things New York sports.”
It’s an honor to be joining Matt Cerrone and his pioneering MetsBlog and the many powerhouse sites that make up SNY.tv’s network of blogs for New York sports teams.
Point Blank’s partnership with SNY, which is will begin in October, was negotiated over a grueling period of months…actually, the partnership was very amicably established over a pair of lunches at the Rock Center Cafe in midtown Manhattan.
This is an extremely gratifying development on a personal level, of course, but I also see no reason why this won’t be anything but a significant positive for the Islanders and the team’s loyal fanbase. A partnership with SNY increases the profile of the blog and the team’s press coverage. There will also be some eventual upgrades to the site, most notably in video production.
Beyond the welcomed addition of some SNY branding along with some new advertisements you’ll see in the next few weeks, the look and the spirit of Islanders Point Blank will remain the same. I retain complete editorial control of the site. The network knew anything different would be a deal-breaker for me. From an editorial standpoint, more doors have been opened.
I’m particularly proud to be joining SNY because, although I’m a fan of the Yankees, I’m a huge fan of the network’s open approach to coverage. The network is jointly owned by the New York Mets, Time Warner and Comcast, yet SNY broadcasters, analysts and commentators – in addition to sny.tv’s writers and bloggers – are not held back from criticizing any of management’s business entities.
Thank you to SNY management, especially SNY Digital Media general manager Fred Harner for first approaching me with the idea of a partnership. Thanks also to my editors and colleagues at AOL FanHouse for the opportunity to cover the entire NHL. I’m looking forward to my second season at FanHouse. My sincere gratitude to Jesse at Generations Beyond for his design for Point Blank and assistance with SNYing the site over the next few weeks.
Most of all, and for the umpteenth time, thank you to the residents of Islanders Country. It is purely a testament to the dedication and passion of Islanders fans that SNY made the business decision to connect with this website. Together, we’ve come a long way in just two years.
Comments on this post are welcomed. Islanders hockey talk continues below. Thank you.
FanHouse: Why I’m all for the Wade Redden Loophole
10:15 am: No one needed to tell Andrew MacDonald what the long-term injury to Mark Streit meant for him.
“It was pretty much understood among all the D that this would be an opportunity,” said MacDonald, the 24-year-old defenseman who impressed in the second half of last season. “Management added a lot of depth and we have some great young players coming up, so if anything the competition is even more ramped up.”
MacDonald, who averaged 20 minutes of icetime over 46 games last season, could very well be the defenseman counted on the most during Streit’s absence. In a conversation with reporters earlier this week, coach Scott Gordon was asked about players such as Jack Hillen filling the void on the power play. Gordon made a point of bringing MacDonald’s name into the equation.
“I think one player we’ll want to take a look at is Andrew MacDonald,” said Gordon. “Over the last few years in Bridgeport and last season with us, Andrew has shown that he’s capable of handling a lot.”
Sure enough, MacDonald was one of the Islanders’ best players in his squad’s 3-2 loss to the Calgary Flames in Saskatoon on Wednesday. Since Streit went down with a major shoulder injury, MacDonald has been partnered at times with James Wisniewski. As poised off the ice as he is on it, the pride of Judique, Nova Scotia is handling Gordon’s vote of confidence as if it was an oncoming forechecker.
“It’s always nice to hear the good stuff, but I have to prove it on the ice,” said MacDonald, who had a goal and six assists in the NHL last season. “One thing I’ve learned since junior is that when you think too much, when you over-analyze a situation, you put yourself in trouble. Last year, I was pretty much focused at the NHL level on my defense. If the coaches decide to give me more of an offensive role, I would welcome the opportunity.
“The one thing I can pretty much guarantee you is, not one guy is going to replace Mark Streit.”
Notes: Kirill Petrov was traded within the KHL from Ak Bars to Yugra for a fifth round pick in the 2011 KHL draft. Since Ak Bars is a veteran-filled powerhouse and Yugra is not, this could lead to much more icetime for the talented Petrov. For the third straight season, Petrov was hardly playing for Ak Bars.
“This is a fresh start for Kirill,” said his agent, Sasha Tynjynch. “Yugra is a new team and their coach really likes Kirill’s play. I’m thankful Ak Bars did this good thing for us by placing Kirill with a team where he has the chance to get much more icetime. This is good for the Islanders because it is good for Kirill’s development as a hockey player.”
Petrov will play the rest of this season in the KHL. After that, no one knows. Still, this is potentially good news for the Islanders, who hope to have Petrov in North America next season or – at the latest – hopefully in 2012.
Comments.
9:25 pm: In Philadelphia, the B squad acquits itself well after the Flyers took a 3-0 lead after one. Krys Kolanos scored for the Islanders. Dwayne Roloson played the entire game and made 33 saves. NYI took 33 shots on Sergei Bobrovsky. Travis Hamonic (draw with Daniel Carcillo) and Jesse Joensuu (loss to Braydon Coburn) engaged in fights.
11:25 pm: As in Philly, the Islanders got behind 3-0 before coming to life. Calvin de Haan and Trevor Gillies scored the goals. Rick DiPietro allowed three goals over two periods, including one on a giveaway, and Mikko Koskinen played the third. The game is tape-delayed on NHL Network at 4:00 am and later on Thursday.
The Islanders are off on Thursday, but Point Blank will have posts.
Talk about your Islanders in the Comments space.
10:30 am: Trevor Gillies on Kirill Kabanov, his buddy “Yabo” and keeping the peace in Calgary.
Scott Gordon interview and both lineups are below. Philly game pulled off NHL Network. Saskatoon game tape-delayed at 4:00 am. Comments about this video and tonight’s games are encouraged. Thank you.
8:00 am: Here’s Scott Gordon, about an hour before getting on the plane to Saskatoon for the opening of the preseason schedule. The NHL Network has canceled its broadcast of tonight’s NYI-Flyers game. At this point, root for health.
NYI Roster at Philadelphia
Goalies: Roloson, Legace
Defensemen (8, will need to scratch one): Eriksson, Gervais, Hamonic (said to be ok), Hillen, Katic, Klementyev, Kohn, Reese
Forwards: (11) DiBenedetto, Haley, Joensuu, Kolanos, Marcinko, McAmmond, Moulson, Nielsen, Ortmeyer, Romano, Yablonski
NYI Lineup at Saskatoon (vs Flames)
Comeau – Tavares – Parenteau
Bailey – Schremp – Niederreiter
Martin – Ullstrom – Hunter
Gillies – Konopka – Rakhshani
MacDonald – Martinek
Eaton – Wisniewski
de Haan – Jurcina
DiPietro
Koskinen
Comments relevant to this video or tonight’s games are welcomed. The Okposo injury was covered yesterday, and there will be other days to discuss. But for now, moving on…
3:20 pm: Katie Strang tweets that Okposo needs surgery for a torn labrum and will be back in December.
2:10 pm: As first reported by Katie Strang, Kyle Okposo needs surgery on his right shoulder and will be sidelined indefinitely. At this point, with details not fully released, all that remains is the hope that Okposo’s prognosis is not equal to the full tears of Mark Streit’s left shoulder that will keep the defenseman out for approximately six months. In other news, the Islanders have signed defenseman Mike Mottau to a two-year, one-way contract at $800,000 per. Comments thread closed.
12:50 pm, NVMC: After spending 80 minutes with each of the Islanders’ two groups at the Coliseum this morning, Scott Gordon shed some light on Wednesday’s split-squad lineups and why he’s going to Saskatoon.
To sum up, the head coach said he wanted to be with “the new guys.” Reading between the lines, he also wanted to be where the competition is.
Gordon singled out by name a few players he was particularly focused on:
Nino Niederreiter
PA Parenteau
Matt Martin
David Ullstrom
Rhett Rakhshani
Calvin de Haan
Zenon Konopka
Gordon also made a point of saying that no one should read into Matt Moulson’s presence in the lineup for Philadelphia. He’s already on the team. “I know what Matt Moulson can do,” said the coach, who leaves with the Saskatoon group on a 2:00 pm flight today. “I want to see some of the other guys in a real game situation.”
Gordon made no bones about the fact that he wanted an “A” team in one of the two games on Wednesday. “It’s important for us to see what we can do,” he said.
Make no mistake: players on one-way deals like Parenteau – a fixture on the Tavares line since the start of camp – and Konopka are going to be here. But there are jobs open and this week’s slate of five games on three days is a showcase for kids like de Haan, Niederreiter, Ullstrom, Martin and Rakhshani to prove if they’re ready for NHL work.
Asked how many lineup spots were open, Gordon hedged. Then he pointed out the obvious. “We have one major injury with Mark (Streit) and we have one we’re waiting to hear about with Kyle (Okposo).” Doug Weight, who skated on his own today, is expected to resume practice with the team later this week and could play in one of the exhibition games on Friday.
It probably won’t be until Monday – at the earliest after Saturday’s preseason finale – when the Islanders will be down to 22-25 players, not counting injuries.
Okposo Update Comes Next: The Islanders said Kyle Okposo was undergoing another evaluation today and they should have a prognosis to announce this afternoon. Okposo politely declined to comment to one reporter. He did not look to be 100%, but at least his arm was not in a sling.
Comments. More later.
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