“ISLANDERS INTERACTIVE” – Email Version, Part I
With Brian Compton of NHL.com
Our first email segment on some hot-button issues regarding your NYI. Your excellent questions make this work. A second segment, covering more of your emails, is right around the corner. An error here: in the final minute, I mistakenly said Matt “Martin” instead of Moulson when discussing the contract extension.
20 Responses to “ISLANDERS INTERACTIVE” – Email Version, Part I
With Brian Compton of NHL.com
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JT says:
Great job Chris and Brian. Love these segments. Keep up the great work!
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Anthony says:
CB, try to address my question it was around #35 and had to do with attracting FA’s earlier this decade compared to now, using the building as an excuse and Snow saying that in the media will not help, like you said and i mentioned, improving the team will take draft day deals and garth will HAVE TO surrender his favorite thing, PRECIOUS PICKS or as i like to say instead, darts thrown at a dartboard blind. that is what the draft is after the highly rated prospects and this yr is bad so whay not even at the deadline give up the #1 pick for a TOP VET who is locked in a deal for yrs. they have to spend money next yr with Witt off the books and Yashin’s cap hit reducing 2.5 mil, also Weight and his circumvention of the CBA, Bonus laden contract that counts 4 mil on the cap. NO MORE HIDING GARTH, YOU MUST SPEND NEXT YR. you got 2.2 in Yashin’s buyout to pay so you only can be that amount below the floor compared to what i mentioned above that occuring this yr. NO MORE SCAMS!
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dave b says:
not to call you out CB, but if Garth truly went after top FAs or even tried to trade for a big name established player, don’t you think we would have gotten at least one in the past 4 seasons?
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EdTurner says:
CB – where is your tie?
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Pete says:
Hey Chris, don’t feel bad about your “Martin/Moulson” mistake. Butch does that at least half a dozen times per broadcast. We’re used to it by now!
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Sean says:
CB please do not compare Josh Bailey and Lebron James!
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blitz says:
Hiring a well-established NHL coach before the draft would be a very smart move and bring some credibility before the draft and UFA period.
However, NYI’s track record under Wang has been to use inexperienced aka cheap coaches to date.
With the way NYI have their budget, I doubt they bring in a coach that commands some dollars. By going on the cheap and being bad, Wang must now understand he must overpay players/coaches to come to NYI.
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Charlie says:
Can the Islanders get a real GM and just let Garth Snow handle waiver wire pickups? Charlie, Islander fan since ’76, Fairfax VA.
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The New Isles GM says:
Chris,
If the Islanders decide to hire an experienced coach and Brian pointed out this off-season, I really hope the next priority to fill is giving you your PR job back. This team needs to be intimate with their fans the way PointBlank has done over the past couple of years. This is what it takes to build that community, this way Islanders Country doesn’t look like it’s heading to World War 3. I agree with Brian’s comments at the end, patience is what it’s going to take right now, my only problem is when you look at Matt Martin getting 8 minutes a game, why are they not sending him down to the minors as you suggested. If it’s that easy to understand, why aren’t we making those decisions that will improve our youth for the long run? It’s things like this that make me shake my head and wonder….I just really hope this summer, we get an impact player. Lord knows this team needs it. Good call on the Brooks Laich deal. I could see that as a good fit. Then again, he’d make a good fit anywhere he goes. Looking forward to the 2nd segment.
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Brother Rat says:
Another great job on the Q&A, CB and BC. Good questions, and perhaps no answers that were out-of-this-world shocking. I would love for Bailey (and other) young Isles to get back to their original position for next year, Bailey especially.
BC’s got that little winter goatee look going, interesting. I don’t think SNY has an extensive wardrobe dept, but one of you guys has to go Don Cherry or Clyde Frazier on us for one of these videos! Dark suits, dark table, dark background–pizzaz it up, CB.
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Anthony says:
CB thanks for answering my question about Matt Martin. Just to let you know,I do read your blog daily.I know a lot of fans would love to also see him get more ice time. Why is Colliton on a third line and Martin not. Great job guys!
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Jerky says:
Thank you both for taking my question. Brian made a great point about giving up the early goals which can deflate the confidence of this young team. And Chris hit the nail on the head when he stated that there are players (on every team) who have a softness to their game and may be afraid/unwilling to take a hit and therefore not drive to the net like they should to be more effective. I think accountability needs to start in the locker room among the players themselves but the coach and management need to intervene when it hurts the progress of the team. There comes a point in every rebuild where striving to be average is no longer acceptable and I think we’re finally there.
Love these segments. Thank you for continuing to provide outstanding coverage of the team and a forum to ask questions and share thoughts.
And thanks for the extra recognition for “Jerky”, a name I earned a long time ago. I had considered changing it but now I must live with it and accept the good-natured mockery!
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Ct 1970s says:
Good job as always. If proper, perhaps you could go deeper into what you think is holding back, Bailey. Is it being on wing rather than center? Is he teamed up with teammates best suited to each other’s style? How stifling was previous coach”s sytem on hos development if at all? As for Martin, is it only his skating? He reminds me of a young Bobby Nystrom. Similar areas need development. Nystrom did it and Martin can as well.
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Ray says:
Greta job CB! You and Brian Make a good team….
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IslandersJerseyMike says:
Grest job CB and BC, keep it coming!!!
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OhNoItsComeau57 says:
So Chris I have to ask a question of you and Brian. In multiple segments the topic of trading for a youngish under contract vet has come up, but I want to know which guys around the league you would target/who you think would be a good fit? I think the guy that could do the most short term would be Iginla but there are 3 problems with that a) doubt he waives NTC to come here, b) cost c) a great player but at 34 how much is left? giving up alot of young assets for that doesnt make sense. A few other guys that pop to mind (though there are issues with aquiring most)
Morrow – Doubt Dallas trades him, good all around but not too many points
Hartnell – A maybe but dont know that flyers would trade him especially within the division
Briere – same as above plus creeping into his mid 30s so again, a long term fix?
Elias – Same as above? Would Lou really move him?
Spezza – To me the most intriguing of the bunch. High end potential, still in prime and seems like he could blossom if he sheds the weight of the ottawa hockey spotlight. Cons – alot of money definitely seems to lack passion more than you would like.
Lecavalier – Cant see them taking on that much term and $. Also appears to be in decline.So who do YOU think they should go after? Most in their prime high-ish end players are locked up these days. I am anxious to hear your thoughts and sorry for the longish post.
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Also, I whole heartedly agree on Laich he is a guy I have my eye on this summer. Character, talent, passion. Could be a great fit. Think he could have an Andrew Ladd type impact and breakout for us the way Ladd has had for the Thrash. I also think Justin Williams (when healthy) and Hejduk could be could fits next year.
On the back end, for different reasons, I think any of Pitkanen, Phillips, Jovo and McCabe could be a great add. Now getting them here…..
One more question to you since you touched on free agency. If it was July 1, which 1 forward and 1 Dman would you call and make a better $ than they are asking for offer to try and wow them and get them here? For me I think I would say Laich and Pitkanen. Not superstars but could add to the overall skill level and game of the team.
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Capuano has always been a two line coach,
over playing his top lines. If you watched him in BP you would have seen this, also this season with the Isles. Take a look at ice times when the team wins, their 4-5 min per line per period, sometimes fluctuating periods but the forth line will average 12-14 mins a game. Now look at when they lose, Tav line playing over 17-18 mins is absurd, they are not 19 plus min players nor are any of the lines. Yet Capuano plays them 23-25 mins on many occasions and their gassed any unable to perform later in games, and remember the top lines are soft in the hitting dept. so not using your 4th line properly has been a recipe for disaster most losses. A look at last eve’s game vs Atlanta is a prime case, the forth line had approx. 5min 25 sec in the first per. averaged over 12 mins. Martin was slightly under due to taking zips after being hit in the eye with a puck. So its coaching not the players, stay focused play your lines and good things happen. Gassed lines playing too many mins is foolish esp. when your tough talent is getting cold legs, not being able to get their licks in on the opposition. This is not a playoff team, why? No way you can play seriously without a mix of toughness thru the lineup. I personaly like the rough stuff, watching 6 guys continually try to win by cycling thru the back door for a one timer is boaring poor hockey, and having a coach give me a steady diet of it is more sickening.
i really think josh baily is eventually going to be an excellent nhl player. i know he’s not scoring much but to me he looks like the most all around skilled foward on the team. overall – skating, hands, stickhandling, passing – its all there. he is super talented.
he just needs confidence and needs to stick his nose in there a bit more, AND PLAY CENTER. he’s just 21 and i include him in the good young foward core. he was extremely rushed which stunted some development but eventually i think he becomes a big time player