Free Agency Review.

Hey everyone, sorry for the length between posts. As i said before I went through some tough times but they seemed to be resolved as of now...
Onto our boys.....

I didn't feel that I had to write about what the Islanders were doing in Free Agency everyday. I knew we were going to shape up our roster. I was disappointed to see Smyth and Poti go. I was also upset that Snow was using the Coliseum as an excuse as to why we were not getting the big name players. But so far we've done a good job.

* Bill Guerin- The new captain can provide us with 30-40 goals if he stays healthy. He is also a good lockerroom guy. He fits into Ted Nolan's mold and will really help this team.

* Mike Comrie- He is only 26. He has a ton of talent. He has been tagged a underachiever. His dad is a billionaire and people think hes a spoiled brat. I think that he will do wonderful here. He has never had the chance to be a top line guy and now he has that shot. He signed a one-year pact which means the Islanders have flexibility and it also puts pressure on him to perform. I think he will feed Guerin and rack up close to 80 points.

* Ruslan Fedotenko- 'Tank' is a European who plays a hard-nosed style of hockey. He only scored 12 goals last year which is the same amount he scored in the Lightning's playoff run to the cup back in 03-04. He is known to be a clutch performer and also is signed to a one year deal like Comrie.

* Jon Sim- Right guy. EXACT WRONG TIME. Sim was the scapegoat for Isles fans during the first couple of days of free agency. He will fit in perfectly on this team. I look forward to a line that I think will compare to the lucky 7's line (Peca, Parrish, Bates) in 01-02. I see Sim on a wing centered by Nielsen with Hilbert on the other wing. That line will be a great two-way line with some scoring capabilities.

If we add one more defencemen (Markov or Souray even Tanabe) we will be a competitive team.

Thanks for Reading.

BORING and A Life Lesson.

The First Round of the NHL Draft was relatively quiet today. With the exception of Esposito and Cherepanov falling a bit. For tomorrow I would love to see the Islanders draft Akim Alui. He is a BRUISER. Straight up nasty player and I would love him to wear the Isles crest. Once again I apologize for being terse.

It is funny what sports can do to a person. I am having some tough times lately and my place of refuge is this blog and the Islanders. I just have no worries besides the Islanders when I get started.

Thanks.

What To Expect Tomorrow.

At the draft in Columbus we could see the isles do a few things:
Stay Put
Move Up- No first round pick, so we could see a move of a combination of Wes O'Neills rights and a current player .
Trades- Campoli, Hunter, Hilbert, or Minor Leaguers could all be dealt tomorrow.

Sorry for being brief....going through some tough times right now...bear with me

Hartnell and Timonen to the Flyers.

The Flyers pulled off a move to get them exclusive negotiating rights with Hartnell and Timonen and signed them both to six year deals.
Check TSN.CA for more

Bergie's Back.

Sean Bergenheim has signed a one year deal with the Islanders today. It was announced on Islanders TV. Probably means the end of Hilbert which is kinda disappointing, but Bergie is a good player and will help this team.

Souray, McCabe, and Peca.

Just some rumors to address quickly:

Sheldon Souray is a great point man on the PP. He can also lay the body on players in his own zone but he is going to get so MUCH more then what hes really worth this offseason. If we sign him for 5 Million dollars or under I'd do it, but nothing more.

Bryan McCabe would cost us 5.75 million dollars if he came here, he also has a great shot from the point and has improved in his own end but still needs to focus more. He also takes some bad penalties.

Mike Peca is coming off an injury riddled year. There is no way I'd pay him more then 1.5 Million dollars for one year. Although with him and Sillinger we would not lose a faceoff all year.

The Islanders have 28 + million dollars to spend if they want to this offseason. That is a lot of money and we should be looking to give it to the BEST UFA's not just the players that we all loved when they were here. Drury, Briere, Smyth, Kariya, Souray, Sarich, Sutton, Gomez, Comrie, Preissing, and Hartnell are all out there. So lets see if we can spend our money wisely.

Okposo Staying In School.

Okposo decides to return to Gophers for sophomore season MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - University of Minnesota hockey standout Kyle Okposo has decided to return for his sophomore season.Okposo was drafted with the seventh overall pick last year by the New York Islanders.He revealed his intention in a prepared statement released by the school this afternoon. Okposo says he spoke with the Islanders and felt it was in his "best interest" to play another season in college.Okposo was named to the WCHA's All-Rookie team after totaling 19 goals and 21 assists for the Gophers.(Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)http://kaaltv.com/article/stories/S105244.shtml?cat=10216

My Take- I think this is a good move, let him get even more confidence by having another big year in college before bringing him to the Bridge then eventualy to the Island. He will be on the team in the near future and we can't rush it. Let him go at his own pace.

More on Yashin

My Take...
Wow. Charles Wang really surprised me here, after Snow called Yashin a "vital part" of the team a couple of weeks ago, they turned the tables. Alexei Yashin is an extremely nice guy and always was open to sign autographs after the games in the players lot. That being said I am elated that he is gone. As a player he never reached half his potential. He didn't score consistently, play well defensively, or work hard on the boards. This move also means we should be able to land a BIG TIME UFA this offseason. The team is not hogtied anymore and has some financial freedom.
From tsn.ca....
6/6/2007 8:56:54 AM
NEW YORK (AP) - The New York Islanders are buying out the remaining four years on Alexei Yashin's 10-year contract in the first step of an off-season overhaul they hope will include re-signing Jason Blake and Ryan Smyth.
"It's going to make the team have a different look," coach Ted Nolan said of Yashin's departure in a conference call Wednesday. "Hopefully, we can work something out with (Blake and Smyth). We're trying to assemble a cohesive group here."
Yashin finished with 119 goals and 171 assists in 346 games with the Islanders, but struggled the past two seasons. He had 18 goals and 32 assists this season, when he missed 24 games with a sprained right knee. He was scoreless in the Islanders' five-game first-round playoff loss to the Buffalo Sabres.
"Unfortunately he got hurt and couldn't get back to where he was before. .. He couldn't get it going," Nolan said. "It'll be a nice fresh start for him and now we have to find someone to replace him."
Related Info
Alexei Yashin Player Bio
List of potential Unrestricted Free Agents
General manager Garth Snow and Nolan wouldn't disclose the team's off-season strategy, but acknowledged that re-signing Blake, their leading scorer, and Smyth would be priorities.

"We'd love to have Ryan back," Nolan said. "We're going to do everything we can to keep him."
Smyth, who was acquired in a trade-deadline deal, and Blake can become unrestricted free agents on July 1.
Yashin came to the Islanders in a trade after the 2000-01 season. New York signed him to a 10-year contract worth US$87.5 million. The four years left on the deal are worth $26.45 million. The Islanders can buy Yashin out by paying two-thirds of the remaining amount ($17.63 million) over the next eight years for a salary-cap hit of about $2.2 million per season.
Snow said the Islanders' decision was based on discussions among team officials and that Yashin was disappointed when he learned of the buyout Tuesday.
"From my time knowing Alexei as a teammate and as a general manager, I have learned that Alexei is nothing but a first-class individual," said Snow, who played with Yashin for four seasons before becoming the Islanders GM. "With him on the team, the Islanders made the playoffs four out of the last five seasons and I believe that we would not have been able to do that without him."
Yashin had his best season with the Islanders in 2001-02 when he had 32 goals and 43 assists in 78 games.
"I believe this is in the best interests of the team and player. .. " Nolan said. "Alexei will have the opportunity to pursue a fresh start and we'll look at options to fill his position."

From Greg Logan of Newsday
Facing a potential mutiny from Islanders fans, owner Charles Wang bit the bullet and made the decision Tuesday to buy out the remaining four years of captain Alexei Yashin's 10-year contract, Newsday has learned exclusively. Some might view it as the owner admitting a costly mistake, but second-year coach Ted Nolan described it as a chance for a "new beginning" that might restore the fans' faith in the franchise.The last four seasons of the $87.5-million contract Yashin signed after the Islanders traded for him in 2001 were valued at $26.45 million. Under the NHL collective-bargaining agreement, Wang is permitted to pay two-thirds of that amount ($17.63 million) over the next eight years to buy it out. The salary-cap hit will be approximately $2.2 million per season over that time.



"It was a hard decision," said Nolan, who came in charged with motivating Yashin to play with more consistent passion. "But when push came to shove, it was the best decision for this organization to give Yash a nice, fresh start. For us, it's a new beginning. You start looking for new players to come in. There's a time for people to move, and we just felt it was the right time."It's possible the Islanders also could lose leading scorer Jason Blake and trade-deadline acquisition Ryan Smyth to unrestricted free agency when the market opens July 1. That prospect plus the return of the unpopular Yashin might have had a depressing effect on ticket sales. Fans at one Web site organized a petition asking Wang to buy out Yashin's contract.General manager Garth Snow said neither fan reaction nor the effort to sign Smyth, who most certainly will be named captain if he returns, had anything to do with the decision on Yashin. "It's two separate entities," Snow said when asked if this move might facilitate a Smyth signing.The GM also said it won't affect his determination of what the Islanders are willing to pay to re-sign Blake, who had a career year with 40 goals and 69 points but will turn 34 by the time training camp begins. "We're going to have to pick up goal-scoring, whether it's keeping the unrestricted free agents we have on our roster or another solution," Snow said. "It's a void we have to fill."The real sacrifice was made by Wang, who not only must eat the buyout price but also must prepare to shell out major bucks for Smyth, Blake or any other free agents the Islanders go after. On a personal level, the decision was difficult for Wang, who was close to Yashin."This decision was one of the hardest I have ever had to make" Wang said in a statement. "The organization holds Alexei in the highest regard -- as a player, as a teammate and as a person." Yashin praised Wang in the statement and said, "I'm looking forward to this new chapter in my life."Although Yashin got off to a hot start under Nolan, with 28 points in the first 22 games, a sprained right knee put him on the disabled list twice for a total of 24 games to finish the season with 50 points in 58 games. As his production diminished, so did Yashin's role. He was scoreless in the Isles' 4-1 first-round playoff series loss to Buffalo.Despite the Islanders' failure to negotiate with Blake since the trade deadline, Nolan said he still has interest in the feisty winger along with Smyth. "Garth will negotiate with them," Nolan said. "I know he spoke to Ryan a couple times. I'm crossing my fingers and hoping things get worked out. We all know how important he can be to this team."Without Yashin, the Islanders have more flexibility to build a gritty, Nolan-style team. But the coach said it's not about him. "It's about the type of team Long Island fans can appreciate and love and come back to see," Nolan said. "We want a team that's going to rejuvenate the tradition of what the Islanders are all about."I give Charles a lot of credit. I never met a man more loyal to a team or more sincere in my life ... People don't realize what type of commitment Charles has to this team and how much it means to him to make decisions like this. He's a very passionate, caring man. Hopefully, people will see that and pack it here again."

From Spector...

The first word that leapt to mind when I saw this was, "Wow!". Not because the Isles had to rid themselves of the fading Yashin, but that Wang was willing to absorb that cap hit for the next eight years, something I really didn't believe he'd do. Snow can claim fan reaction had nothing to do with it but as Logan noted the franchise was facing a near-mutinty from its fans over this. It was the right decision to make, but a costly one that should serve as an example for rival GMs to be careful about signing players to expensive, long-term contracts. Note that he's not officially bought out yet, as the NHL's contract buyout period begins on June 15th.

Yashin Bought Out.

Alexei Yashin has been bought out, more to come with the details later!

Patrollin' Some Rumors

For the last week or so the rumors have been heating up in the NHL. I am going to address three rumors in this post:

• Ryan Smyth to Calgary- If anyone knows the type of player Ryan Smyth is they know that if he signed with Calgary, Edmonton's most hated rival, hell may very well freeze over. Smitty is as loyal a player in sports as you will ever find. I will be SHOCKED if this comes true.


• Jason Blake to Toronto- This is a feasible rumor. Blake wants to test the market, and you can't blame him. This is his most likely only shot at making big time money in this league because he is coming off two big years in a row. Somebody will overpay for him in both dollars and years and it will not be Garth.


• Miroslav Satan to Dallas for Miettinen- If this baseless rumor came true, I would be delighted. However Satan is a UFA after next season so he is worth hanging on to until at least mid-season next year.

Randy Robitaille has signed a deal to play for a Russian team, he may be using this as a bargaining chip as he is still allowed to sign with an NHL team.

FREE AGENCY PREVIEW PART 1.

Earlier today I drew up a Free Agency Preview. I will post it in parts. part 1 is first. Please do not I REPEAT DO NOT, compare me to Eklund with this. He has his "Chart" that has the free agents and where he believes they will wind up. Eklund is wrong about 98% of the time and I predict I won't be much better, I am simply putting the players in the place where they make the most sense.
I am doing the first 15 of the prominent free agents today. These are the top 15 UFA's in my mind. Here goes nothing..
It will go like this Name(06-07 team)-projected salary-projected 07-08 team.

1. C. Drury (Buffalo)-5-6 Million Next Year-Resigns.
2. D. Briere (Buffalo)-6 Million-Verdict-Flyers
3. S. Souray (Habs)-7 Million-Sharks
4. R. Smyth (Isles)-5.5 Million-Resigns
5. P. Forsberg (Predators)-5 Million-Red Wings
6. S. Gomez (Devils)-5 Million-Rangers
7. J. Blake (Isles)-4.5 Million-Canucks
8. K. Timonen(Preds)-4.5 Million-Resigns
9. B. Rafalski (Devils)-4.5 Million-Resigns
10. T. Bertuzzi (Wings)-3 Million-Stars
11. S. Hartnell (Preds)-2.5 Million-Edmonton
12. M. Schneider (Wings)-3 Million-Penguins
13. D. Zubrus (Sabres)-4 Million-Flames
14. M. Comrie (Senators)-3 Million-Resigns
15. B. Stuart (Flames)-2.5 Million-Toronto

Offseason Post 3. Defense

The defense this year was about 78,000 times better than it was in 05-06. That being said it still needs some improvement. Marc=Andre Bergeron was a good start at the deadline but, I think we need one more defensive-defensemen to really round out this group. Andy Sutton would be a perfect fit. Here are my grades on the defense of 06-07.

Brendan Witt- Witter was a perfect fit for this team. Neil Smith did a good job when he signed him to a 3 year deal. He is a leader and will always stand up for his teammates. He also cut down on silly penalties this year. He is a rugged veteran who will help us again next year.
Grade- A-

Bruno Gervais- Bruno is a fan favorite on the Island already. His happy-go-lucky attitude makes everyone smile when they hear him talk. He is also great with the fans before and after games. He had an impact on the ice this year too. He was one of the best defensemen in the playoffs for us and really picked it up with the big club this year.
Grade- B

Radek Martinek- I feel bad for the guy, he was having a tremendous season for us and looked great until he got hurt in Montreal. Hopefully next season he will be healthy for the whole year and really show us what he is made of. He is fast and has good instincts and a nice shot as well.
Grade- B-

Marc-Andre Bergeron- MAB was just what our depleted power play needed when he came over from Edmonton in February. His laser shot seems to either, break his stick, break someone else's stick, or go in. He did have some blunders in his own end with turnovers and bad passes but you gotta live with that
Grade- B

Chris Campoli & Freddy Meyer- I think both these players need to learn Ted Nolan's system a little bit better. Campoli came into the year thinking he was a sure thing and was sent to the 'A' quickly. He showed signs of improvement and had a pretty good post season. Meyer did a lot of good things but never really made a statement with the Islanders. He had some big hits and nice plays but no goals since coming over for Zhitnik. I think one of these two could be dealt in the offseason.
Grade- C

Tom Poti- Poti was neevr comfortable with the Rangers and it did not take long for him to fit in here. He played on the PP and the PK and made some great plays with his reach. He had more of an edge this year then I've ever seen him have and really played well. I'd like to see him back next year.
Grade- B+

Sean Hill- No excuses.
Grade- F-

My Dream Defense for next year:

Witt-Martinek
Sutton-Gervais
Bergeron-Poti

Campoli dealt for a high draft pick or a prospect.

Meyer 7th defensemen.

Offseason Post 2. Miro and Yashin

Well it has been a week since the Islanders were eliminated. Alexei Yashin has stated he would give up the "C" if asked. This seems to me like Yashin knows he is on thin ice. He knows that the Islanders need his money to lock up Smyth, Blake, and maybe another big timer like Drury, Kariya, or Briere. Yashin NNEEEDDDSSS to be bought out ASAP. Ryan Smyth wants to win a cup, and he knows that if they buy out Yashin they are making a bid for the cup. A rumor has sprouted that the Islanders and Leafs could swing a Yashin for McCabe deal. McCabe owns a house here and his wife also lives here. The contracts are similar with 4 years and tons of money left on each. The deal would favor the Islanders but Leafs Nation turned on McCabe this year. How awesome would that PP be with McCabe and MAB.

Satan, is a bit complicated. He had an off year but I think we should hold onto him until the deadline. It is his contract year so he will be playing hard. The Stars were interested in him before they got Nagy this year and he could fit in there. I think he will be on board for the beginning of the year.

Thanks for Stopping By.


offseason topic 3- defense.

Offseason Report Day 1. and My Pick

Well needless to say but I did not sleep much last night. The first issue I am going to tackle is an easy one. Backup Goaltending. Wade Dubielewicz is a character guy. He has always played well when he has been called up. I think he should be signed to a two year deal as Ricky's backup. Glad that was easy, it takes awhile to go into offseason mode. Thats why I wrote such a short column today.

Next Issue- Yashin and Miro.

Stanley Cup
Senators over Canucks in 6

Thank You Islanders.

To The New York Islanders,

I want to thank you from the bottom of my orange and blue heart for the past season. I want to thank each player, coach, and everyone else for a fun and exciting season. When the clock ticked down to the final seconds today and it hit me that I won't be watching you guys again until October I thought I would have the same reaction I had after every season, sadness and a feeling of emptiness. Strangely enough, I feel much better then I could have predicted. I realized it is because this team had a certain something about it. I attended a personal record 25 games this year, I do not have season tickets but I go to as many games as I can afford. I was there for some extreme highs (Rangers) and extreme lows (Rangers). I was there for shutouts, shootouts, and blowouts. And if i knew the outcome of this season, I would do it all over again. Because each and every player deserved to wear this jersey. From Smitty to Dubie, everybody made personal sacrifices to make this season worth every penny, whether it was taking a Chara bomb off the foot, or playing the Sabrefs with a separated shoulder. I know we are all disappointed in this seasons end and that change is obviously inevitable but I want you to thank you all and I can't wait for 07-08. Oh yeah, Ted Nolan is a Giant among mere men. WERE ALL ISLANDERS



Ill have an off season preview soon, thanks for reading.

Believe.

I have finally cooled down after Wednesday. Once again the Islanders got absolutely screwed. But anyways they can't feel sorry for themselves. They must use this as a rallying point and come out hard. They have it in them. I believe.

Let The Boys Play.

The New York Islanders are in the middle of a seven game series against the Buffalo Sabres and the National Hockey League. I was at the game last night so I was unable to tell if the contrversial goal was just that. But, I knew that Toronto would award the Sabres a goal. What was awful was the fact that the Sabres played what seemed like half the game with too many men on the ice and the refs got in the way of several Islander passes. AND GUESS WHO WAS IN THE BUILDING?!?!?!? GARY BETTMAN!!! NO WONDER THE REFS WERE SO AWFUL ITS BECAUSE COMMISH IS PISSED THE ISLANDERS MADE IT OVER THE LEAFS.
But a positive-the Islanders have hung with the Sabres for most of this series. I truly believe.
GO ISLANDERS!

First Two Games and Tonight.

I must say that I knew the Sabres would win game 1. But, I am extremely pleased with a split. The Sabres are so soft it is incredible. The first two games were complete contrasting images of each other. The first game the Islanders looked like they were fine with a loss and just wanted to feel out the Sabres, game 2 however, the Isles took it to the Sabres and played the way they have to. Bruno Gervais and Chris Campoli have been solid for the Islanders and I am happy to see Bruno get a goal. But the Player of the Game was Rick DiPietro. He really played extremely well and gave this team a lot of confidence.

Tonight is going to be interesting. The Islanders haven't won a home playoff game since 01-02. They split the first two games as the 8 seed in 02-03 against Ottawa and 03-04 against Tampa but went home and got hammered. The crowd should be insane, the question is will the Islanders play match the intensity of the crowd.

God Bless Those Involved in the Virginia Tech Shootings
Go Islanders.

DP To The Rescue?

Everybody was talking about how the Islanders would not be able to keep the Sabres offense in check. Well, they did a pretty good job of holding the Sabres in check for most of the game. After Asham's goal things looked to turn around until Witt shot the puck over the glass. Bad break. But, last night the Islanders made Ryan Miller's job waaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyy to easy. They need to get physical with these divas on Buffalo! That is how to beat them.
Rick DiPietro has been cleared to play for the Islanders. He's been taking shots from Shawn Bates after practices and is going to participate in practice today. I think he will start Game 2 and I am certain he will Game 3. It is only one game.
LETS GO ISLANDERS

Series Preview Vs. Buffalo

Well, we made the playoffs in shocking fashion. To move on in these playoffs, we have to shock the world once again. The Presidents Trophy winners, the Buffalo Sabres, are arguably the best team in the NHL right now. Lets see the tale of the tape:
GOALTENDING
-Buffalo- The Sabres goalies are Ryan Miller and Ty Conklin. Miller had a good season again this year posting 40 wins. He also had a .911 Save Percentage to go along with a 2.73 GAA. Conklin was traded to the Sabres after Martin Biron went from Buffalo to Philadelphia on deadline day. Conklin is a liability in between the pipes posting a .879 Save Percentage but unless Miller is hurt we won't see him.
-Islanders- The man with nothing to lose but oh so much to gain will likely play most of this series for the Isles. That man is bald but beautiful Wade Dubielewicz. He is the man of the hour in the NHL these days with his easy-going, me against the world attitude. In 8 games he is 4-1 with a .934 Save Percentage. He will be backed up by Mike Dunham.
Edge- Sabres

DEFENSE
-Buffalo- The Sabres defense is incredibly mobile and offensively gifted. Brian Campbell, Dmitri Kalinin, Teppo Numminen are all solid puck-moving rearguards. The way to beat the Sabres defense, and forwards for that matter is to get physical. If the Islanders stick to what they've been doing all year and go toe to toe against these guys they could see some success.
-Islanders- Brendan Witt and Sean Hill are going to have to turn into superheroes for this series. They have to get physical with the speedy Sabres. Bruno Gervais is back, which is huge. The Sabres are so fast and now the Isles have three mobile defensemen in Campoli, Bergeron, and Gervais.
EDGE- Even

Forwards
-Buffalo- Afinogenov, Drury, Briere, Zubrus, Hecht, Vanek, Pominville, Roy, and Kotalik. All these guys are fast, talented, creative, and oh yeah fast. They are however, soft. They will tear up this series if it is not a hard hitting affair. If it is we will see the Sabres have some problems.
-Islanders- The Islanders forwards must play grind it out hockey. They are all blue collar guys and need to fill that description. If they can do this we may see an upset.
EDGE- Sabres

COACHING
-Buffalo- Lindy Ruff has been to the eastern conference finals a few times now. He has his players believing in him and his style.
-Islanders- Ted "Jack Adams" Nolan, like Ruff, has his players confidence. Nolan has been to the playoffs before and led an underdog Sabres team into the playoffs back in the late 90's.
EDGE- Islanders

Prediction- Islanders in 6 (why not?)

Step 3 Complete!!! WOOOOO

WOW. WOW.
This game was the Islanders season in a nutshell. It looked like it was gonna be smooth sailing. But then disaster struck. If John Madden's last second goal propelled the Devils to a win, I woulda killed myself. Wade Dubliewicz went from 3rd Stringer to Folk Hero in less then a week. I will have a playoff preview coming up soon.
I TOLD YOU ALL ALONG TO BELIEVE IN TED.
GO ISLANDERS

Do Or Die.

Tomorrow at 3:30 PM EST, the New York Islanders will play in New Jersey against the Devils. On October 5th, the Isles played in Phoenix and lost 6-3. Now here we are a half-year later and the Islanders have a chance to clinch a spot in the playoffs. What a season it has been. The Islander players carry the hopes of every fan who wears the Orange and Blue. One game can change everything. This could be a defining moment in Islander history if they can pull this off tomorrow. After 81 games, it comes down to ONE GAME.
LETS GO ISLANDERS.
THANKS FOR READING.

STEP 2 COMPLETE.

THANK YOU KYLE WELLWOOD. If the Islanders win tomorrow, they are in. WOW, what a game. I watched the game on TV and I can tell you it was one of the best I've ever seen. The Devils are apparently starting Brodeur tomorrow, according to most hockey experts.
LETS GO ISLANDERS

Step 1 Complete.

The Islanders defeated the lowly Flyers 4-2 this afternoon to move into 9th place temporarily. They are going to need Toronto to beat Montreal tonight in Toronto. For the Islanders to make it they need to Toronto to win the game, period. BUT for Toronto to make it, they need to win in regulation. So, we may have an unusual circumstance if the game goes deep into the 3rd with the game tied. Toronto would pull their goalie and a Habs empty netter would eliminate both the Leafs and Islanders. This is nuts.
GO LEAFS GO!

B E L I E V E

What a game! If the Islanders play like that they can beat any team. What an effort by Ryan Smyth tonight. Sure, we gave up a lot but without him, this team is cooked I think. It is weird how he was in such a similar situation with Edmonton last year. Deron Quint has been quietly steady in his three games on the Island. Alexei Yashin did a lot of little things well tonight. Jason Blake hits 40 goals. Who woulda thought back in 01-02 that this checking line winger woulda hit forty? Good going Blakey. DUBIE! Wade Dubielewicz is a folk legend here on Long Island. He is playing extremely well right now. We are not in yet though.
Scenario
IF: Islanders beat Flyers and Toronto beats Montreal, the Islanders will need to beat New Jersey in the Meadowlands on Sunday @ 3:30.
B E L I E V E

Head Still Above Water

DUBIEE! That felt good. I am so glad the Rags did not clinch on our ice and we are still not done. We need the Rags to beat the Habs on Thursday. If they do that and the Islanders win against Toronto at home, we will have 88 points, Toronto 89, Montreal 90. The latter two teams then face each other in Toronto on Saturday while we will be at the Wachovia Center in Philly. Gonna be hard, nearly impossible, but weirder things have happened.
Wade Dubliewicz is a class act. What a guy. He is listed generously at 5'10 and yet is able to compete at the highest level. This guy deserves to backup Ricky next year. He has always played well up here.
BELIEVE

Two Scenarios Tonight

When the freefalling Islanders take on the suddenly tough Rangers tonight at the NVMC, the outcome will spur one of two reactions, a glimmer of hope or a nightmare. If the good guys win tonight they keep their hopes alive going into a do or die game against the leafs. If the Rags win they clinch on our home ice. Hurts to think about it. So Dubie will do his best to lead us to victory!
Richard Zednik where are you?
Go Isles

Dunham Flounders In Isles Loss

Once again Ted Nolan and the Islanders put their trust in Mike Dunham, once again he proved he is not trustworthy. Sure he was hung out to dry on a few of the goals but, it is crunch time. You need to make those stops, 5 goals in one period is ridiculous.
Ryan Smyth is out of here as soon as this season ends. I will tell you why. Smyth sat out tonight with a leg injury after being listed as a gametime decision today. If this was last year and he was in Edmonton he would have suited up. He has been good for the Islanders but I don't think he wants to be here.
We MUST win tomorrow. Dubie should get the start against the red hot Sens. If we can somehow pull out 2 points tomorrow we will gain momentum heading into Tuesday's showdown with the Idiots.
Other Notable Games:
Penguins @ Toronto
Sabres @ Habs
Rangers @ Flyers
Lightning @ Caps

Unlucky.......again.

I don't get it, when Smyth was acquired things finally seemed to be looking up for the Islanders. Now we are two points out of the playoffs with the least amount of wins of those figthing for the final three spots. We need to go at least 4-1-1 to have a hope of playing in April, and you know what I Believe. Ted Nolan will have this team working hard every game from here on out. Nobody will quit and hopefully Dipietro will be back in the cage this weekend. I also believe, like last year, the Idiots will collapse.
BELIEVE

Dipietro Out.

This is not good. Rick DiPietro is out indefinately with post-concussion syndrome. He was playing well since his return. After his collision with Steve Begin against Montreal a few weeks back, the Islanders went into a tailspin. Mike Dunham played horribly for the Isles while filling in for Rick.
Look for Wade Dubliewicz to get the nod tonight against the offensively challenged Devils.
Go Islanders
Go Dubie

We Gotta Believe

I am not gonna write about the Flyers or Rangers games. You all saw what happened hopefully. Good win, tough loss.
Why should we believe?
1) Ted Nolan- You just know Ted is going to have the team playing hard for the remaining 7 games. He has been everything I could have dreamed him to be when he signed.
2) Ricky- He is an elite goaltender. He has proven to us time and time again with him in the net we have a chance.
3) Leadership- Witt, Smyth, and Sillinger can provide the veteran presence we need for this HUGE stretch.
Sorry for not writing much this weekend.
I had a lot to deal with.
Go Islanders.

Team Building Win.

Phew! I am glad that streak is over. A solid solid effort by the Isles against the Pens Thursday. I loved the intensity on every shift, it is really good to see Islander hockey back. Ricky played outstanding once again proving this is a different team without him in the cage. How about Tom Poti? The guy was labeled as soft his whole career and when he was with the Rangers it showed. Last night however he showed the NHL he is not soft at all. He stuck up for his teammates on several occasions during the game. Brendan Witt was back to his old self and Mike Sillinger was really solid and showed a lot of grit as well. Ryan Smyth had a SUPERB game, maybe his best as an Islander. Blake, Kozlov, and Hunter all broke out of slumps with their goals. Certainly a win to build on BUT we can not overlook the Flyers on Saturday. They got walloped by the Rangers and will be playing hard. Were gonna need another good effort. Then after the Flyers, we play the Idiots. Should be fun.
thanks,
Lets Go Islanders.

As Is the Life of an Islander Fan.

What can you say. One goal off a skate and then the tying goal off of Randy. Tough Luck. Dipietro played well in his return. Nothing he could do on any of those goals in my opinion. Once again the officiating was awful. I am pretty sure Gary Bettman hates Ted Nolan.
I must rant now. Alexei Yashin must step up. Has this statement been said before? Oh yea....it has EVERY DAMN SEASON SINCE HE HAS BEEN HERE. He had such a promising start and then the knee injury killed his momentum. Well we are 1-4-1 since his return to the lineup. He was the guilty party on that Lecavlier goal. He completely gave up on the play. Ugh.
Onto the game against Crosby, Staal, Malkin, and Recchi. The Isles need this one so badly. If they can put together 60 solid minutes they can build on that for a nice stretch run.
1 Point out.
Thanks,
Go Isles.

Finger Inching Closer to the Panic Button.

Steve Begin may have ruined the Islanders season. It is not right to place the blame on Begin but still that collision has led the Islanders into a tailspin. I am not even going to write about last night's game because I will throw up. Instead I am going to focus on the future. First Tampa, The Isles have had a tough time beating Tampa Bay. They need to end this trend and begin to piece together a nice run to finish out the season. If Dipietro does not come back Dubliewicz better get the start. Mike Dunham has been awful for us. Also, Jeff Tambellini or Franz Nielsen need to be recalled to replace Zednik. Since joining the Islanders he has become Mike York reincarnated. He does not seem interested at all. The Isles have to play Tampa, Pittsburgh, the Rangers twice, the Devils twice, the Leafs, the Sens, the Sabres, and the Flyers twice to close out this year. We need to get to at least 90 points to have a shot at the Playoffs. It should be interesting. But I will close this out by saying, I trust Ted Nolan.
Believe,
Thanks.

Isles Get Burnt

Yikes.
Honestly how can a team that looked so good from January until the Rangers game fall apart like this. Ted Nolan was the first to say they have not played a good 60 minutes in a while, even in the win vs Washington he said they didn't give it all.
Mike Dunham was not on tonight. The Corvo goal was pathetic. Nobody was on tonight actually.
Here is an interesting thought. The Islanders played arguably their best hockey without Alexei Yashin and in the four games he has been back they are 1-3. He has a goal but he has not been anything special. I think that Nolan may want to bench him again to light a fire under this team. Also, Zednik must show up one of these days, we gave up a 2nd rounder in June for him and he has been a no show thus far. They need to step up. NOW
Thanks for Reading,
We're All Islanders.

****Dunham To Start Vs Sens****

Mike Dunham will appear in his second game since February 1st. He will get the start tonight with Rick Dipietro still feeling "General Body Soreness." C'mon Dunny!

Senators Play Host to the Isles...

Hello, tonight the Islanders face off vs the Ottawa Senators at 7:30 PM EST. We haven't won in Ottawa since game 1 of the play-off series in 02-03. In that game Eric Godard recorded a point. The Sens have one weakness really, that is goaltending. Even though Emery has been good this year a lot of people in the NHL don't think he's an upper echelon goalie yet. The Islanders can not take penalties and they must play 60 minutes of hockey. I think that if they contain Alfie, Heats, and Spezza they will succeed...easier said then done.
Thanks for reading,
Go Islanders.

Scary.

Tough loss. We took a period off and it hurt us. There was no spark in the third period and the Habs had a lot of spunk. They beat us to just about every puck in the third period. We can't take penalties that late in the game. The refs though, I mean come on. I am beginning to think the NHL wants to get back at us for the Simon incident and for what Ted Nolan said about the suspension. I think we can bounce back however.
Bottom Line: You play 2/3 of the game, you get 0 points.

Now on to Ricky....
He made a terrific play on the Begin break, but I was so scared when I did not see him get up. Nolan said he is groggy and day-to-day with get this, "General Body Soreness"-gotta love Ted. I think he should be alright to go in Tampa and Florida, Ottawa might be a stretch. It is on to Kanata for tomorrows game against the Sens.
Thanks for reading,
Go Isles.

Brendan Witt and The Leaders

After hearing about Brendan Witt calling the NHL's "Lord of Discipline", Colin Campbell I must say that he has impressed me so much this year. Last year nobody held anybody else accountable and nobody stuck up for eachother, this year however Ted Nolan and Brendan Witt have stuck up for Chris Simon in the past two days. Witt has always been a great leader and was the captain in Washington for a good amount of time. He has also been a standout defensemen for the Isles this year.
Our Captain may be Alexei Yashin but, the real leaders are Witt, Sillinger, Hill, and Park. Without these types of players the Islanders would be in dead last.
Thanks for Reading,
Lets Go Isles! BEAT THOSE HABS!

Contract Issues at Season's End

Even though we are in the middle of a play-off race, I need to talk about the upcoming off-season. Here is the list of Unrestricted Free Agents currently on the Islanders roster:
Aaron Asham, Jason Blake, Mike Dunham, Sean Hill, Viktor Kozlov, Tom Poti, Randy Robitaille, Chris Simon, Ryan Smyth, Richard Zednik. Trent Hunter, Chris Campoli, and Andy Hilbert are Restricted Free Agents.
The Cap should go up to about 48 Million dollars this year. So the Islanders have about 26 Million dollars committed to next years pay roll. So expect the Islanders to spend around 19 Million dollars on re-signing their players and attracting free agents.
Player by Player Analysis:
Asham-Arron Asham is a perfect 4th line player. He has been a fan favorite ever since he was acquired for Maruisz "the Polish Prince" Czerkawski earlier this decade. I think he will re-up before all is said and done for about 1 million.
Blake-He wants Marco Sturm-esque money. Sturm signed for 4 years 14 Million back in February. Expect Blake to try to up that to 5 years 4.5 Million. I believe he will sign a 3 year deal for about 13 million.
Dunham- Has been a good back-up goalie for us thus far. He is not going to be too expensive either. If we don't re-sign him, I'd like to see Dubliewicz get a shot as a back up in the NHL. He will most likely be back next year, one year 800,000 seems right.
Hill- We really got a bargain when we signed Sean Hill this summer. He has been a good physical defensemen and a leader on this team. However he is an older guy. We have good young defensemen who could fill his void. I think he will retire or sign elsewhere.
Kozlov- Another bargain in Kozlov. He came into the season with the notorious lazy Russian tag. He has since shaken that off and has scored 22 goals this year. He will be looking in the 1.75 million dollar range for two years. We can do that.
Poti-Poti signed a one-year deal worth 2.75 Million in the summer. I think he's been an unsung hero on this team. He has kept his composure all year and hasn't turned his home team's crowd against him yet this year. If we can afford to keep him, we should. But once again Meyer,Campoli, and Gervais are young capable rearguards. Toss up. I say he signs elsewhere unfortunately.
Robitaille- Been real good as of late. I think he will be relatively cheap. We do have some good young forwards though who may take his spot. I think he too, will sign somewhere else.
Simon- Simon has been a really pleasant surprise for the Islanders until March 8th. Because of the suspension though he will be cheaper. I say he re-signs a one-year deal worth 650,000.
Smyth- Ryan Smyth has been an Oiler his whole career. He is a prototypical Canadian forward. He is rugged and works hard every night. Charles Wang has been a nutjob his whole career. He is a prototypical money-slinging, do now-regret later type of owner. I think he will throw the world at Smyth. Watch out for a crazy 5 year 6 million dollar deal.
Zednik- Nice knowing ya Rich!

If those price ranges are right the Islanders will have around 6 million to play with for Free Agents after resigning the RFA's. I think a big bodied defensemen and a 3rd line center will be added via free agency. But then again its only March....
Thanks for reading,
Go Islanders.

Truckin' To Canada...and then Florida.

Don't you just love how every year the Islanders seem to get the weirdest schedule. They take on Les Habitants tomorrow night at 7:30 PM at the Bell Centre then its onto Scotiabank to take on the Sens in Kanata, Ontario. After that they will travel from Kanata to Sunny Tampa Bay and head into the Forum and take on the Bolts. Then they cap off the trip against the suddenly strong Panthers.

Tuesday @ Montreal 7:30 PM

The Islanders have had trouble in Canada since forever, but since Ted Nolan has come along the Islanders have won twice up north so far this year. (Montreal,Toronto) Montreal is reeling right now. They have a divided locker room, contract issues with their franchise player, two frustrated European Divas, (Kovalev,Samsonov) and a goaltending problem. This team is really vulnerable. They had a great start to the 06-07 campaign but are looking worse and worse everyday. If you get physical with the Habs, you win. It is that simple. Look for the SHH line to match up against the Habs top line usually Koivu centering Higgins and Ryder. Another big game, another chance for this team to show everybody that they are for real.
Thanks for reading,
Go Islanders