tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25108885510148397152024-03-13T10:29:47.266-04:00Voice of the Islander FansVOICE OF THE ISLANDER FANSUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger168125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2510888551014839715.post-59442229756385497462020-10-29T20:04:00.001-04:002020-10-29T20:05:12.302-04:00New York Islanders - Let's See How Long This Lasts<span> </span>Sitting here wondering what to do with my time has led me to log into my old
Blog Box Blogger (Is that still a thing?) account and try to put some words
together again as it pertains to our favorite team, the New York Islanders. <div><br /></div><div><span> </span>Looking back at past posts, I haven't posted a blog here in a LONG time. So much
has changed. Lou Lamoriello is the General Manager of the New York Islanders. I
know that isn't exactly Earth shattering news these days but if you look at my
last article from 2016 something like that happening was absolutely unthinkable.
The last article I wrote was after the Islanders lost to the Tampa Bay Lightning
(Irony!) in the second round of the playoffs after beating the Florida Panthers
in the first round for their first playoff series win in 23 years. Garth Snow
was still the GM. Jack Capuano was the coach. Barclay's Center was their home
arena. </div><div><br /></div><div><span> </span>The thought of a brand new arena in Nassau County was a pipe dream and no
Stanley Cup winning coach or GM with any kind of winning pedigree would ever
come here to coach. Now we have Lou, Barry Trotz and UBS Arena, a state of the
art, ONE BILLION dollar building growing right next to Belmont park that will
open up in approximately one years time for the Islanders to call home. </div><div><br /></div><div><span> </span>The
changes that have gone on since the last time I clicked "publish" at the top
right of this screen are absolutely astounding and those are the changes off the
ice. Looking on the ice the Islanders just came within one short handed
breakaway goal by Brock Nelson from forcing game seven of the Eastern Conference
Final. What planet are we on Islander fans? </div><div><br /></div><div><span> </span>Things have gotten so bright here
just two years after our former captain turned his back and walked away from a
team that failed to make the playoffs and walked into what he thought was a
Golden State Warriors like super team up in Toronto. They got worse. Yes. They
are worse. They have broken up a team that had 105 points that showed so much
promise in 2017 and handcuffed themselves paying four players 40 million
dollars. </div><div><br /></div><div><span> </span>The Islanders, under Barry Trotz, the 2017 Stanley Cup winning, 2018
coach of the year and three time Stanley Cup winning, Hall of Fame and current
General Manager of the year have flourished after "he" walked away. Anders Lee
has become the leader we all wished that other guy was. Ilya Sorokin, the guy
who everyone said would never come to the Islanders, is here. Mat Barzal has
turned from a dynamic one way center into a two way center who resembles a young
Pavel Datsyuk. Brock Nelson has blossomed into maybe the most under rated center
in the NHL. Josh Bailey, the perennial whipping boy of a small sect of Islanders
fans has become a valuable two way winger who always seems to make the smart
play or come up big when it matters most. </div><div><br /></div><div><span> </span>Adam Pelech, Ryan Pulock, and Scott
Mayfield all at one point under former administrations as guys who could never
be top four defenseman have all become exactly that. The Islanders are so deep
at defense they were able to trade Devon Toews for draft picks and there still
aren't enough spots in the top seven for everyone ready to play at this level in
the organization. </div><div><br /></div><div><span> </span>That's not all that is different. At the trade deadline the
New York Islanders acquired arguably the best forward available in J.G. Pageau. Before he had the opportunity to become the next Ryan Smyth, he was promptly signed to a six year contract extension. That wasn't all. To shore up the defense beat up with the injuries they acquired Andy
Greene, the captain of the Devils. Let's not over look the fact that Greene had
a full no trade clause and waived it to come to the Islanders. Could you ever
imagine anyone waiving their no trade clause to come to the Islanders before
now? </div><div><br /></div><div><span> </span>While you're thinking about that think about this. They are seemingly one
piece from being a team that could realistically win the Stanley Cup. Everyone
knows they need power play help. Someone who can fire the puck to open up the
ice and relieve the pressure on the points on the power play. Despite the salary
cap constraints we have (well most of us, anyway) the confidence in the management as fans that they will
address this at some point this off season. Will it be from within? Will it be
someone like Mike Hoffman who still hasn't signed a deal despite being the best
shooter available? Will Oliver Wahlstrom be that shooter? Bellows? Will they go off the board and take a shot at Andreas Athanasiou? We as fans just do not
know. </div><div><br /></div><div>For the first time in decades literally anything is a possibility. It's finally not a
pipe dream any more Islander fans but a real possibility. The sky is the limit.
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2510888551014839715.post-88631852391622998722015-10-26T15:43:00.001-04:002015-10-26T15:43:29.727-04:00New York Islanders to Have Salary Cap Issues? It may seem like a Twilight Zone episode, but yes the New York Islanders may be running into some salary cap problems in the coming years. <br />
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Now before we panic and consider trading Kyle Okposo, Frans Nielsen or some other part of the Islanders core let's take a look at what the issues are. <br />
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Right now the Islanders sit about Six and a half million under the cap. The issues are Kyle Okposo, Matt Martin, Frans Nielsen will be unrestricted free agents, and Casey Cizikas and Ryan Strome are going to be restricted free agents. If Garth Snow were to re-sign all five, not make any trades the Islanders could easily be over the salary cap. <br />
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Contracts coming off the board will amount to roughly three point six million in players likely not to re-sign in the off season with Mareck Zidlicky, Brian Strait, Eric Boulton and Steve Bernier. That gives the Islanders general manager about ten million in cap space to work with assuming no one gets traded. <br />
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The biggest raise due will be to Islanders right wing Kyle Okposo. Other comparable players are earning in the neighborhood of five to seven million in average annual value (AAV) so lets just cut that in the middle and say Kyle is going to get an 7 year deal worth about 42 million putting his AAV at six million per season. That leaves just 4.5 million in room. <br />
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Frans Nielsen in mine and a lot of other peoples opinions is one of the most under rated players in the NHL. That being said, he is not a front line center, but if you think he or his agent does not see the five million dollar salary Mikhail Grabovski is earning and says.. yeah.. That is my number Garth. That eats up the remaining cap space right there. <br />
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Strome will be in for a raise, probably in the 2-3 million dollar range, Cizikas and Martin will also be in for raises and I would not be shocked if another team over pays to get Martin and offers 2-4 million per season. Look at the contracts Brendan Prust and Benoit Pouliot got. <br />
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Some tough decisions are going to have to be made this off season. Now if Garth Snow can clear some cap space maybe by trading some assets and giving some line up spots to Michael Dal Colle, Josh Ho-Sang, Matthew Barzal or one of the other prospects in the system, then maybe it would be possible to keep all of the free agents the team has. Who would be expendable? <br />
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Playing arm chair GM for a minute, as well as doing pretty well in my "Be A GM" mode in NHL 16, the first two names that come to mind are Nikolay Kulemin and Mikhail Grabovski. After this season both players will have two years left on their respective contracts. Now if Garth Snow could find someone to take the two off his hands he would have to be very careful how much of that cap savings he uses because at the end of the 2018 season some guy names John Tavares is going to have to be paid, and paid very well. <br />
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In closing, in order to keep Okposo, Nielsen and Martin Snow is going to have to make some sacrifices or let Kyle walk away, which absolutely no one wants to see. Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2510888551014839715.post-87705574911841103292014-03-04T12:20:00.001-05:002014-03-04T12:20:53.732-05:00The Voice of the Islander Fans Returns: Another Year Another Dissapointment I am going to resume writing this blog now without the support of Bleacher Report and The Islanders Blog Box. It has been a tough year personally and I did not write for a long time and writing about the Islanders was something I really enjoyed despite the team's struggles. Enough about that let us jump right back in. <br />
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I sat at the Islander game on Sunday against Florida watching the Islanders blow for a loss the twelvth third period lead of the season that had me wondering why I continue to support a team that is so inept. The answer to that question is pretty simple as I am sure it is the same for the 13,000+ fans that showed up on Sunday also. We love hockey and we do not abandon our favorite team. If you were going to abandon the Islanders believe me, we would have done it by now considering the calamity of failure Islander fans have endured. <br />
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If you look at just this season you shake your head in disbelief at what has gone wrong in Islander Land. <br />
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Charles Wang has completely vanished. Look around the Coliseum and you will not see him any where. Is he afraid of fan backlash from fans angry about the move to Brooklyn? Is he embarrassed at the teams horrendous performance this season? Is he looking for a buyer for the Islanders? No one knows the answers to these questions because Mr. Wang simply is not talking. We as fans can speculate but at the end of the day all that and a rain shower gets us is wet. <br />
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The team has absolutely no idea how to play with a lead. The Islanders are really good at jumping out to leads. That in of itself shows the team has the talent to compete at a high level in the NHL. Sure their defense is on the weak side and the goal tending has been questionable but the team has the talent. John Tavares, Kyle Okposo, Tomas Vanek, Frans Nielsen and Michael Grabner give them the scoring punch up front. The young players Ryan Strome, Brock Nelson and Anders Lee bring a ton of promise. The defense with Lubomir Visnovsky (when healthy) Travis Hamonic, Andrew MacDonald and Thomas Hickey are quick and mobile. <br />
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I know what you are thinking. If all that is true, what went wrong this year? The answer is quite simple. You can blame goaltending, injuries, a weak defense but the blame must fall squarely on Head Coach Jack Capuano's shoulders. The man is supposed to be the one who teaches the team not only his system but what to do in certain situations such as holding a lead. If the team does not know how to play with a lead, which the Islanders obviously do not, then there is a reason for that. Jack Capuano has failed at his job. I like Capuano as a person but he is simply out of his league here. For the first time in years the Islanders came in with high expectations this season after last years run to the playoffs. <br />
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If hockey was a two period game the Islanders would be among the top teams in the NHL. If you look at the numbers they are simply staggering. The Islanders have taken 15 games into the third period with a lead and wound up with a loss or an overtime loss in THIRTEEN of them. That constitutes a loss in points of roughly 20 points. People wonder what the problem is this season with the Islanders? There it is right there. How Jack Capuano still has a job is simply mind-boggling because the on ice performance of the team falls directly on his lap. <br />
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The Thomas Vanek trade has been debated about for months and now he is on the verge of being traded from the Islanders along with long time Islander Andrew MacDonald. Both turned down multi-year contract offers to stay with the team and why would they want to stay? The team this season is going no where and the prospect of playing for a contending team this season has to be enticing to say the least after the way this season has gone. Now Garth Snow has the task at hand of unloading both players before tomorrow's trade deadline. Why Snow has not traded either player yet is also vexing in that one injury to either player and they walk for nothing in July when free agency begins. Both players should have been dealt when it was apparent that neither was going to sign extensions. <br />
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The problem is with trading Vanek and MacDonald is I do not want Snow to come away with trading these two guys and wind up with only draft picks. What good are draft picks to the Islanders? They are already chock full of young prospects waiting for an opportunity to play in the NHL. What good are two or three more draft picks? No. Garth Snow needs players in return for both who are ready to come to the team and challenge for spots next season. If Snow comes away with only draft picks I will view the trades as failures. The Islanders need to start winning. The Islanders need players who can help now. not in three to five years. <br />
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I do not know if Snow's job is in danger but it should be. If Garth Snow does not clean house behind the bench this off-season, then he himself also clearly needs to be replaced. Most people think Garth Snow should be fired right now. I do not disagree with this assessment of his job performance. I just do not believe for one second that Charles Wang will fire him and neither does anyone else. Capuano is clearly coaching out the string as he has no contract beyond this season and there is no way he comes back next season. What message does this send to the players? Jack Capuano has made more mistakes this season and simply has no clue what to do when the team has a lead. What more information does Garth Snow need before he cuts the coaching staff loose? <br />
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Please comment below and voice your own opinion. <br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2510888551014839715.post-61003404077370468792013-03-07T11:59:00.001-05:002013-03-07T11:59:03.078-05:00Islanders and Rangers Face-Off for Real for a ChangeThis has got to be the first time in years than the New York Islanders and New York Rangers will face off with equal amounts to lose and gain at the same time on both sides. <br />
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The Rangers have been near the top of the NHL for the last few years and the Islanders have been near the bottom of the NHL for a good while. Sure Islander Ranger tilts always have a little bit of rivalry juice in them but that juice has run largely dry the last few seasons. The problem was Islander-Ranger games have been for the most part meaningless. Beating the Rangers used to be the only thing Islander fans had to look forward to at this point of the regular season. Now? Things are a bit different. <br />
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No it is not a make or break game for either team but make no mistake about it: Whoever walks out of Nassau Coliseum with two points tonight is going to feel pretty good about themselves in the morning. The Islanders are one game under .500 for the season and two points out of a playoff spot. The Rangers are looking to keep their recent winning streak alive and advance higher in the standings where they are used to being. <br />
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Both teams are fighting against wild inconsistencies this season and both teams at times have looked like contenders only to turn around the next game and look like pretenders. <br />
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Tonight's game could go a long way to restoring this rivalry to the heights it once enjoyed. Both sides fan bases used to look at every Islander-Ranger game as a playoff game and a game that had to be won. You could sense a true dislike in the players of each team when they played. Goal celebrations had that extra fist pump, body checks had extra bang behind them. Fights seemed more intense. The crowd hung on every pass, check and shot. The rivalry used to garner national attention as one of the best not just in hockey but in all of sports. Now they can't even get on a "Wednesday Rivalry" game on NBC Sports. The game when I checked this morning, still had tickets available, something that would be unheard of back in the day.<br />
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The reasons for the lack of interest are obvious. The Islanders have not been very good at all and the Rangers have had their rivalries with the Devils and Flyers amped up because of the playoff battles they have had. Meaningful hockey is the key to it all. The Islanders have been a floundering franchise looking to gain a little swagger by beating its rich successful rivals to the west. Have the Islanders returned to playing meaningful hockey again? Tonight's game will go a long way in answering that question. <br />
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I miss the days of this rivalry when the game was just not another game. When it was an event. When players from both teams would talk about playing each other like it was special and not like now when it seems like it is just another game. When the Islanders move to Brooklyn it will bring automatically a renewed interest to the rivalry but maybe the Islanders and Rangers can lay some of that groundwork to reestablishing this rivalry as one of the best in sports tonight at Nassau Coliseum. Unknownnoreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2510888551014839715.post-46161954018447424312013-03-01T15:14:00.004-05:002013-03-01T15:14:45.701-05:00New York Islanders: Impressions on The Barclay's CenterIn attending last nights latest Islander loss in overtime to the Toronto Maple Leafs it suddenly dawned on me while I was sitting in Nassau Coliseum that the place is all used up. Its finished. Its time has passed. Granted a winning franchise would make the place feel differently but the Islanders have not done any of that with any consistency at any point in the last 20 years. <br />
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Some people will say that winning will solve all of the problems and make the place happening again. Guess what? It wont. The New York Yankees drew horribly in the early 1990's until they started winning world series again. The thing is no one in their right mind will ever compare the old Yankee Stadium to the Nassau Coliseum. Yankee Stadium, with all of its issues as an outdated facility had character. It was a venue that lived and breathed sports history in spite of its status as an outdated venue. <br />
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Despite the Islanders success in the early 80's Nassau Coliseum has never had that aspect of being a mecca of sports. It has never been a place steeped in hockey history. It was never maintained or presented as a top flight venue. It was always just adequate enough to house the Islanders. The shortsightedness of John O. Pickett, the Islander owner who signed the Islanders to the worst lease agreement in professional sports back when the Islanders were one of the premier teams in the NHL. That lease is finally coming to an end in 2015. <br />
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I received tickets to a Brooklyn Nets game and attended the game with my two boys on February 22. From the moment we arrived in Brooklyn until the moment we left the event the arena, the concessions, the amenities everything lived and breathed first class. Make no mistake this venue is a place that NBA players have to be looking forward to coming into and playing the sport they love instead of that look of pity visiting hockey teams give when they have to play a game at Nassau Coliseum. Not even one year into their move to Brooklyn, the Nets are an attraction. They are something unique and are treated and looked at as a first class organization. Top flight NBA players are coming to the Nets as a destination they want to play and the Nets are a power in the NBA as opposed to being a joke. <br />
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The value of having a marquee destination to play cannot be understated. The problem for the Islanders is they have to wait to move to Brooklyn's beautiful Barclay's Center and play out their prison sentence in Nassau Coliseum for two more years after this season. Something has to be done about this. The Islanders need to be paroled. They need to relocate to their new shining jewel of an arena sooner than later. Why? Because all they are doing in Nassau Coliseum is all they have done for the last 20 years, and that is tread water waiting for the rescue ship to come in and bring them to greener pastures. <br />
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In traveling to Brooklyn for the first time to take in the Nets game I made sure to be observant of everything I possibly could. So much has been said about how traveling to the Barclay's Center was going to be more difficult, more expensive and more time consuming. Depending on where you are traveling from this may or may not be true. Islander fans in Suffolk County and out east would be better served taking the LIRR to the arena (Atlantic Terminal is literally across the street from the front door of the arena) but that does not mean that driving is impossible. I decided to drive and park in one of the lots available near the arena. I bought my parking pass online for 20 dollars drove to the arena and found the lot with no problems at all. The total travel time was 50 minutes from Popeye's in Westbury to walking into the doors of the Barclay's Center. Yes it was that easy. 40 minutes of driving time and an 8 minute walk to the doors. <br />
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People will say oh I can be at the Coliseum in 10 minutes. The reason getting into the Coliseum is so easy these days is because the attendance is in the proverbial crapper. I'm not sure how many people remember what it was like getting in and out of the Coliseum when people flocked to Islander games in the early 80's. To be short, it was horrendous. If you factor everything into the mix getting to and from the Barclay's Center will take you longer than Nassau Coliseum but not nearly to the levels you would think. <br />
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Walking through those doors at Barclay's Center you are met with friendly, smiling greeters welcoming you to the Barclay's Center. I have been to a lot of venues, and I have never been met with this kind of greeting. It was warm and inviting and a great experience. The concessions and the amenities available are simply top of the line and not so especially expensive as say Madison Square Garden or Yankee Stadium. We had infinite choices for refreshments, food, shopping for Nets gear, tickets or anything you could possibly imagine. One very nice touch was that at every concession stand they offered famous Brooklyn eateries specialties. <br />
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Then we arrived at our seats. We were sitting in the section of the seats that will be annexed for the extended room needed for the hockey playing surface at one of the ends of the arena. To put it mildly, the sight lines are spectacular. The seating is roomy and comfortable. The atmosphere in the arena is exciting and new. The sound system is spectacular. The scoreboard is amazing. The video boards throughout the arena are HD clear as crystal. The arena announcer is a professional and he presents the announcements in a way that gets you excited to be there. The presentation of the game was absolutely amazing. The way the floor was lit was not destroyed with light but perfect. My sons who are 13 and eight, were amazed at the presentation of the game itself and the full house crowds reactions to the action. I have taken them to many Islander games and I cannot remember them being so impressed with the show the home team put on from the product on the court to the public address announcements to the way the game itself was presented. <br />
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Things like this cannot happen at Nassau Coliseum. After sitting in the Barclay's Center and then sitting in Nassau Coliseum essentially back to back, you simply cannot understand what simply moving this team to Brooklyn will do for the Islanders. They are currently in the worst arena in pro sports, they have the worst accommodations of any pro team in the country in any league. Moving to Brooklyn will bring an excitement and a new energy to the team. Imagine if Ryan Smyth had come into the Barclay's Center when the Islanders traded for him. What about other free agents that have spurned Islander millions to take less to go elsewhere. What about all of the players who have been traded to the Islanders react as if they are being sent to the NHL's version of Siberia? There is a reason the Islanders are having to scrape the bottom of the free agent barrel and scouring the waiver wire looking for anyone who can come in and help the team. <br />
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Its because no one with any modicum of freedom wants to play for the Islanders unless they have no other alternative. That is why John Tavares signing his six year extension with the team was such a shocker. Here is a marquee player, a budding superstar committing a six year extension two years before his contract expired that had the hockey world in an uproar questioning whether Garth Snow had some compromising pictures of Tavares in his back pocket. The national and Canadian hockey media was absolutely stunned that someone would commit to playing hockey for the Islanders long term. The Islanders main problem is not all players are John Tavares and will sign with them based on loyalty and the desire to bring the Islanders back to their long awaited former glory. <br />
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Mark my words. When the Islanders move into the Barclay's Center no one will question why a player would sign with the Islanders. Make no mistake about it. That is why Charles Wang has to do everything in his power and buy Nassau County out of the last two years of the lease and get his team into Brooklyn sooner rather than later. <br />
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All my kids asked me the whole way home was why the Islanders can't move there now. They didn't complain about the drive or the walk to the arena or anything else and neither did I. I have ask the same question: Why cant they move there now? Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2510888551014839715.post-21424900858509937062012-11-15T10:01:00.001-05:002012-11-15T10:01:57.553-05:00Shame! Why the NHL & NHLPA Should be Ashamed of ThemselvesThe NHL lock-out has entered day 60, Thanksgiving is one week away and we are again in danger of losing another entire NHL season 7 years after having already lost an entire season. <br />
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That statement in of itself is so out there ridiculous when you consider what exactly is at stake here. <br />
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Both sides are content to sit and play to the press and tow the line and tell the public that the other guy is wrong and they are the one who is not at fault for the lock out. <br />
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A lot has been said about 50-50. Split all of the revenue down the middle and lets play hockey. After all there cant be an NHL without the teams, and there cannot be an NHL without the players. It would seem the NHL and its players association are in the same boat and its a 3.3 billion dollar boat and they cannot decide which state room to call their own. <br />
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All fans of the game want is there to be hockey to watch especially in times like this. I live on Long Island. This is an area that was just ravaged by Hurricane Sandy and things for the fortunate ones who still have homes are slowly returning to normal. For those who lost their homes well that is another story. They are staying with relatives, good samaritans, shelters and hotels waiting for insurance money or FEMA assistance. <br />
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Think for a minute how it must feel when all of they things that you work for are floating around in the Atlantic Ocean all while two spoiled children are fighting over a 3.3 billion dollar pie. Maybe if the NHL was in session it could give someone who has lost in this tragedy something to think about other than how they are going to recover from a disaster.<br />
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Another casualty of the NHL lock out are jobs. There are thousands of people out of work right now in direct cause of the NHL lock out. Arenas have cut back in staff. Teams have laid off hundreds of workers because right now, the NHL is out of business. You can take it further than that. What about the popcorn vendors, concession workers, team store employees, box office workers, security personnel and arena ushers. <br />
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Take it further than that. How about the small business owner? The bars, hotels, restaurants and shop owners who are doing no business thanks to the lock out? <br />
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Everyone mentioned above are fans of the NHL. They may not be hockey fans but they make all or part of their living off of the NHL. Not while this joke of a lock out continues. <br />
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So much has been made of "make whole" provisions to make sure players get every cent of every dollar they have coming to them. That is understandable but who is going to make all of the people listed above whole? <br />
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The NHL owners do not care about fans in the respect that they know that they will never want for anything. I cannot feel bad for guys in the NHL owners who basically have NHL franchises as play things and if they play or do not play it really doesn't effect their lives one way or another. If the NHL folded and went out of business they would write off the loss and move on and look for another multi-million dollar toy to play with. <br />
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The NHLPA does not care about the fans in the respect that most of them are millionaires many times over and have risen above a normal life of the 99%. They play hockey for a living. Granted players are under intense pressure from the media and fans but at the end of the day they play a game for a living. I know not all of the NHLPA are millionaires, but a very high percentage of them are. If the NHL went out of business tomorrow they would do as they have done now and that is go find hockey to play somewhere else. <br />
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Will their lives be effected? Sure. Will they still play a game for a living and make millions? Yes they will. <br />
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The fans of the NHL are its bread and butter. The NHL does not make a tremendous amount of money from TV like the other three major sports do. They need to build the game without major TV money. You do that by putting out an entertaining product on the ice and draw as many people to the games as possible and build a fan base to the point where more people increase the TV ratings. The bottom line in the NHL is if you do not draw at or near capacity over a season you do not turn a profit. <br />
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You cannot continue to grow a games fan base when you shut down the league every few years to argue over more money than any fan will ever see in a lifetime. <br />
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NHL fans are fiercly loyal this is true, myself included. You would think if this is the case then why does the NHL and its players treat its fans so poorly. Damage is being done to the fan base of a league that depends almost entirely on its fan base to spend big money to come to the 30 arenas in the NHL. After the 2004 debacle I would not for a long time spend my money on the NHL. Why should I? I watched games on TV sure, rooted for the team sure but I was not going to spend my money on a league and players who would cancel an entire season of hockey over money. <br />
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Time heals all wounds right? I came around eventually and started buying tickets, jerseys and NHL things again. I will go on record and say this: If they lose another entire season over money, I will not spend my money on the NHL again. There are people who will go right back but they should not. If another season is lost the fans of the NHL should ban together and boycott this game if and when each side decides they have enough of the golden nugget. <br />
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Imagine this. The NHL loses another season as talks break down and there is no time to fit in even an abbreviated season. Next summer the NHL and NHLPA hunker down and get a deal done. They both write long drawn out meaningless apologies to the fans and take full page ads in all NHL cities newspapers apologizing for losing another season. They open their doors and finally start playing hockey. The Rangers open at Madison Square Garden in front of 2,500 fans. The Toronto Maple Leafs face the Montreal Canadiens in front of 3,000 fans. Edmonton and Calgary open in front of 2,200 fans. The Stanley Cup Champion LA Kings open against St. Louis and raise their Stanley Cup banner in front of 2,000 fans. <br />
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Do you think they NHL and the NHLPA would get the message? This would be the NHL fans, the equivalent of the skinny wimpy kid punching the bully of the NHL and NHLPA right in the nose. The message would be received much like it was received by Major League baseball when attendance and ratings were down huge after they lost the second half of the season in 1994.<br />
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It took years for baseball to recover from the strike of 1994. Granted the NHL fan base is not nearly as large as baseball's. That is no excuse. If the NHL loses this season if attendance and ratings are not down by a large margin then as fans we are accepting of this treatment by the NHL and the NHLPA and will be inviting the same in the future. <br />
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In short, there has to be repurcussions. There has to be pay back. If there isn't, then we are just as bad as the NHL and the NHLPA for accepting it. <br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2510888551014839715.post-12999651992892138802012-10-25T10:35:00.000-04:002012-10-25T10:35:26.260-04:00The New York Islanders are Moving to Brooklyn: Thoughts From the FansThe saga is over Islander fans. We now know something that has been a question since the mid 1990's. The New York Islanders, who have called Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum home for 40 years are leaving the aged arena for the brand spanking new Barclay's Center in Brooklyn. <br />
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We will have some time to contemplate how this is going to change our hockey lives as Islander fans because as of right now, The Islanders have to honor their lease which anchors them to Nassau until 2015. <br />
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Shocked? Surprised? Angry? <br />
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These are words that I am hearing from a lot long time Islander fans. The anger however is not directed at Islanders owner Charles Wang for the most part. It is directed at those who are squarely to blame for the Islanders moving west. The story begins back in the 1990's as the Islanders were owned by what Islander fans have known as the Gluckstern-Milstien disaster. These guys were the saviors at the time, rescuing the Islanders from John O. Pickett and his absentee ownership as well as the NHL's debacle allowing a scam artist in John Spano to "buy" the team when he could not even afford to buy season tickets. <br />
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The Gluckstern-Milstien disaster was basically the Islanders ownership group trying to have the Nassau Coliseum condemned so they could break the lease with Nassau County and try to strong arm the construction of a new coliseum. As we all know, you cannot strong arm your way through Nassau County red tape and Town of Hempstead politics. They moved the Islanders offices out of the building and claimed it was unsafe to inhabit an said the Islanders would not play any games in the arena. They even went so far as to say that the scoreboard was in danger of falling from the ceiling. <br />
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Tom Gulotta, the Nassau County Executive at the time called the Islanders owners "pigs at a trough" for trying to strong arm a new arena out of the county. Maybe not the best way to negotiate for a new arena? Once it was clear that the ownership was not going to get what they wanted they immediately gave up and slashed payroll to the bear minimum and put the team on the market again. <br />
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Enter Charles Wang and his ex partner Sanjay Kumar and the Islanders have had something they haven't had in what seemed forever. Stable ownership. Not only stable ownership but one with super deep pockets and a desire to work <i>with</i>, not against the powers that be to get what The Islanders and Nassau County needed - a renovated or new Nassau Coliseum. <br />
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There is no doubt that Charles Wang bought this team and the Marriott Hotel right next to the arena and other surrounding properties as a means to an end. That end would be the much ballyhooed "Nassau Hub" project. Which has been talked about for many many years as a "destination spot" for Long Islanders to be able to come live, shop or see a show or a sporting event. Charles Wang had grand plans for this project which he had designed and called "The Lighthouse Project". Partnering on the deal with monster real estate developer Rexcorp gave the project a real shot at getting off the ground.<br />
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Mr. Wang did not try to force this project on anyone. He did not try to get the tax payers of Nassau County foot the bill. This was going to be a privately financed monster construction project that would have created construction jobs for thousands of workers. It also would have created much needed lower to mid cost housing for singles out of college looking to build a life on Long Island. The Lighthouse project went through several design iterations during the long, drawn out approval process. Ultimately the project was given Nassau County approval. It was given New York State approval. Then it fell to the governing body known as the Town of Hempstead. Surely this would not be an issue, right? Surely they could see the benefits of such a project, right? Surely they would work with Mr. Wang to get this deal done, right? Wrong. Instead of trying to work with Mr. Wang and his Lighthouse project the Town of Hempstead had the audacity to <i>come up with their own vision</i> of what they thought should be built there going so far as to present an artists rendering. <br />
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Excuse me? Since when does a publicly elected governing body tell a private developer what he can build? They presented a zoning plan that cut down the project to such a level that not only did Charles Wang not see the value in it, <i>no one else</i> has seen the value in it either. Not one private developer has seen a way they can take the Town of Hempstead's zoning plan and create something that is economically viable. <br />
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That ended the Lighthouse project as Mr. Wang saw no further options and killed the project. If you didnt see the writing on the wall there, then I have a bridge to sell you. <br />
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But wait. Newly elected Nassau County Executive Ed Mangano has a plan. Why don't we ask the people of Nassau County to foot the bill and we can repay them with the revenue a new arena would bring in! Sounds brilliant right? The people of Nassau have voted themselves thousands of dollars in tax increases every single year in school budgets without anything to show for it other than the school districts saying "vote for the kids". It would have cost the Nassau tax payers a minimum of $12 a year in increases to build the arena. Oh. Wait a minute I said minimum. What about the maximum? The maximum one time tax increase would have been $58. No people that is not a typo. We could have had a new arena built in Nassau County and had our taxes raised a maximum of $58 dollars a <i>year</i>. Not every year, but one time. <br />
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No matter how small the amount, the ill informed masses came out to vote against the referendum voting it down 57% to 43%. That people would be the final straw. The main reason people voted against it is because they said Charles Wang is a billionaire. He can afford it. Oh he can afford it? Does that mean he should biuld a $300 million dollar arena that he doesnt own on land he doesnt own? Maybe If you can convince me that anyone would pay money to build something that is not theirs maybe you can get Charles Wang to build me a new kitchen. <br />
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The bottom line is that this was the last ditch effort to keep the Islanders in Nassau and it not only failed, it tanked because it showed the short sightedness of a majority of the people who voted. <br />
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Enter Brett Ratner and his brand spanking new Barclay's Center, opening its doors and saying hey it isnt perfect but I want you here. They will build the Islanders a state of the art locker room, training facility and give the Islanders the stability they craved in Nassau. They will in one swoop, bring the Islanders the solid foundation that players can look at and say to themselves that is a place I want to play, not a place I go when no one else wants me. No people, those days are coming to a close. <br />
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Charles Wang tried everything to do what was best for Nassau County. He spent tens of millions of hos own money keeping the franchise running. He spent tens of millions of dollars on plans and development studies. He spent thousands of hours negotiating the political red tape and politicians empty promises to come up with nothing. All the while this jewel of an arena was growing brighter on the horizon promising everything that Nassau County has failed to deliver. <br />
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For the Islander fan who is angry at the situation look at it this way: Charles Wang knew when he bought the team he had a long hard road ahead but all he had was time. He had 15 years on the lease with the County. 12 years later, tens of millions spent, countless hours wasted, countless lies by politicians told the end of the road is here. There is not enough time for the team to get an arena done. Not only that there are no prospects for an arena to be built. The County sent out a Request for Proposals this year and what have they gotten in return. Nothing. The Town of Hempstead's zoning plan makes redevelopment of the 77 acre site a non starter with an arena on the site. <br />
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If you want a villain, look at Kate Murray and the Town of Hempstead. This is the reason we will be boarding the LIRR to watch the Islanders in 2015. And you know what, we will do it. <br />
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To me it comes down to a simple fact. If we are still fans of this franchise after all of the trials, jokes, embarrassments, bad trades, bad contracts, leaky roofs, free agent failures, embarrassing promotions, that ridiculous logo change, Mike Milbury, Neil Smith, and other issues that have surrounded the team if moving 22 miles to the west is a deal breaker, then you were never a true Islander fan to begin with.<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com60tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2510888551014839715.post-73152633581949862612012-06-26T08:41:00.001-04:002012-06-26T08:41:43.078-04:00NY Islanders: Shoring Up the DefenseThe Islanders used the 2012 NHL draft for one express purpose. That was to revamp the teams number one problem in 2011. Before the draft Islanders GM Garth Snow sent a 2013 second round pick to the Anaheim Ducks for 35 year old NHL veteran blue-liner Lubomir Visnovsky.
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xhXnAHvEQ0o/T-mtil1m2lI/AAAAAAAAAYg/fm1ZcCDarO0/s1600/lubomir_display_image.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:left;margin-right:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="320" width="229" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xhXnAHvEQ0o/T-mtil1m2lI/AAAAAAAAAYg/fm1ZcCDarO0/s320/lubomir_display_image.jpg" /></a>
Visnovsky is an outstanding pick up for the Islanders for many reasons. One is his cap hit which at 5.6 million is exactly what the team needs to reach the salary cap floor. Then there is the fact that his actual salary is three million, which helps maintain the Islanders low budget.
In addition he also presents an outstanding trade chip option should the team falter in 2012-13 and fail to challenge for a playoff spot. He will be an unrestricted free agent after this season so he does not come with a lengthy commitment.
Now the to the nuts and bolts. He is an excellent puck moving and power play defenseman who with Mark Streit will make either an excellent 102 punch on the point with the Islanders power play, or be the backbone of the number two power play unit. Either way the Islanders pathetic power play has been vastly improved.
Onto the draft itself. What would the Islanders do with their pick? The top three picks went exactly as most people thought with Nail Yakupov, Ryan Murray and Alex Galchenyuk going with the first three picks. There was a collective gasp with NHL commisioner Gary Bettman walked to the podium and announced the there was a trade to announce. Were the Islanders trading down? Did they trade the pick for a veteran?
As it turns out all Bettman was doing was announcing the Islanders aquisition of Visnovsky. Garth Snow was on the clock and there was pretty much one name most of the fans in the know wanted to hear. 6'4" Griffin Rienhart was the kid the fans wanted and when Garth Snow walked up and made just that pick a wave of cheers and applause went through the almost ten thousand people at the draft party.
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vFiJbywdh3U/T-mtxSPFijI/AAAAAAAAAYs/EkgLUAtIRD4/s1600/griffin-reinhart.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:left;margin-right:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="227" width="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vFiJbywdh3U/T-mtxSPFijI/AAAAAAAAAYs/EkgLUAtIRD4/s320/griffin-reinhart.jpg" /></a>
When exactly Reinhart will be in an Islander uniform is anyone's guess. It is doubtful he will be in an Islander uniform this season. The Islanders defense for 2012-12 looks to be set from one through four with Mark Streit, Visnovsky, Travis Hamonic and Andy MacDonald. Who will be the fifth and sixth defenseman you ask? Well Its time for Calvin de Haan to show he belongs in the NHL and he should fill one of those spots. Then you have Ty Wishart, Mark Katic and Aaron Ness who should all get consideration. One wild card could be 6'4" Scott Mayfield who should get a long look in prospect camp.
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WQaiSHYifxQ/T-mt2EWxDII/AAAAAAAAAY4/4zCEiuwuQxQ/s1600/Scott%252BMayfield%252Bw0L_g2AxxIPm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:left;margin-right:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="213" width="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WQaiSHYifxQ/T-mt2EWxDII/AAAAAAAAAY4/4zCEiuwuQxQ/s320/Scott%252BMayfield%252Bw0L_g2AxxIPm.jpg" /></a>
On a side note, or maybe it isnt a side note and should be more front and center, the Islanders are hyping the heck out of their "Inaugural Game" at the Barclay's Center in Brooklyn. The are selling T-Shirts hyping their "Inaugural Game" in Brooklyn. I will examine this development in my next article. Please discuss these and any other topics you want.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2510888551014839715.post-59002826842242365152012-01-03T10:52:00.002-05:002012-01-03T11:51:14.224-05:00New York Islanders: Will the Most Recent Successes Last?Two impressive victories over the Edmonton Oilers and Calgary Flames have begun to let optimism shine on the Islanders again. Will or can it last? <br /><br />The Islanders have shown that they are capable of being responsible in their own end of the ice. Any NHL coach will tell you that team defense is the key to success at the NHL level. Right now the Islanders are minimizing their mistakes which this season have been glaring at times. Opposing forwards are not being given time to create quality chances in front of Evgeni Nabokov. <br /><br />The defense is also keeping the puck to the outside of the slot where offensive chances are few and far between. Giving up outside shots 25 times a game as opposed to ten quality chances in the slot is going to be the key for this team moving forward into the second half of the season. <br /><br />The offense has shown signs of being a bit more balanced as Head Coach Jack Capuano has chosen to break up his most effective line of John Tavares, Matt Moulson and P.A. Parenteau. Tavares and Moulson are now teamed with struggling but talented right wing Kyle Okposo. The results so far have been good as Okposo has managed to replace Parenteau's passing ability by giving Tavares more room on the ice using his size to draw players to him. Tavares has responded by creating many more scoring opportunities. <br /><br />Parenteau, who in my opinion should be signed to a multi-year contract has played very well with Frans Nielsen and Brian Rolston. He also is still teamed with Tavares and Moulson on the top Islander power play unit. <br /><br />The rest of the Islander forwards have shown signs of life with Josh Bailey still looking to define his role with the team. Bailey is a perplexing player to watch. At times he can look like he will fulfill the promise as he has shown in short stints. The problem is these flashes of brilliance are followed by long periods of maddening inconsistency and poor decision making. More experience will serve him well. <br /><br />Matt Martin is growing as a player and given some more time can really turn into a player the Islanders need badly. Its one thing to skate around and simply bang bodies all game. Its another to bang bodies, agitate the opponent, score a few goals here and there and contribute at all facets of the game. Martin has the tools to become a fine power forward in the NHL. <br /><br />Michael Grabner has been hampered with a few injuries here and there slowing him down at times. Once healed he should return to being the weapon he was last season. <br /><br />In goal Evgeni Nabokov has stabilized the position with his solid play over the past two weeks. The difference now is the team in front of him is performing and minimizing the high quality scoring chances against. Al Montoya remains out with a concussion has as of last report has not even resumes skating. Rick DiPietro is traveling with the team to Carolina but it is very doubtful he will get the nod over Nabokov. <br /><br />The goals for the Islanders moving forward this year are to keep the offensive chances of the opponent to a minimum. Nabokov's goaltending should be enough to keep them competitive in every game as long as he stays healthy. <br /><br />As far as goals for second half of this season, is a playoff berth still a plausible goal? As anything with the Islanders there are a lot of "ifs" attached. They currently sit last in the Eastern Conference nine points behind the Winnipeg Jets for the last playoff spot. In front of the Islanders blocking their path to that spot are the talented but underachieving Washington Capitals, Buffalo Sabres, Montreal Canadiens and Tampa Bay Lightning. <br /><br />Despite that fact the Islanders chances could be boosted by the fact that there are only three points separating fifth from eighth place in the East. Maybe that is enough if the Islanders can put together a solid stretch of ten games to minimize the distance between themselves and the coveted eighth playoff spot. <br /><br />The Islanders can either make the second half of the season an exciting chase or another lost season. Which way do yo think it will go?Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2510888551014839715.post-3828291770620840212011-12-27T10:17:00.003-05:002011-12-27T10:48:42.785-05:00Another Lost Season: Thoughts of a Die Hard Islander FanSo here we sit three games later from my last column proclaiming that these next three games were going to go a long way in determining whether the Islanders would be relevant this season or just another joke of a season where the team says all of the right things and does all of the wrong things. <br /><br />You can talk about injuries all you want but the team cannot use that as an excuse this time. <br /><br />So why are the Islanders so horrible? <br /><br />We can start with coaching. Every analyst and writer said this was the the year the Islanders were going to make that big step to being relevant. What they have done is taken a huge step back. <br /><br />Who gets the blame his time? All experts believe the Islanders have the tools to compete so the finger of doom must point directly at Jack Capuano. It is time for Jack to go as the losses pile up and the Islanders become more of a laughing stock than they already are. The problem is firing Capuano will be like a punch line in the channels of the NHL media. I can see the TSN report now. "Leafs.. Rangers.. Canadiens.. Canucks... Jets... Red Wings oh and haha.. the Islanders fired another coach. Lets get back to the Leafs.. The Rangers.." etc and so on and so forth. <br /><br />We can all see the headlines like they are already written. We can see the bottom line coming like a headlight on a black highway at night. <br /><br />You cannot fire the players. They tried that already by making an example out of Blake Comeau sending him packing. The only solution is to clean house upstairs. The problem is does anyone believe that Charles Wang will fire Garth Snow, Jack Capuano and his entire upper management team for basically doing nothing. Sure they try, but they have no credibility with any established players or agents. When your a player and Garth Snow calls you and says "hey the Islanders are interested in bringing you in" I wonder if any player agent takes him seriously or entertains the thought at all. <br /><br />It is time to fire Snow and his entire staff including the coach and all of his assistants. Charles Wang needs to do something drastic and bring in a veteran GM with a pedigree of winning. Bring in a coach who has won something at the NHL level. Bring in a general manager with years of experience. Charles Wang has said he will spend money to make the Islanders better. If that is true then the time has come to spend that money on upper management and coaching. Enough of the AHL never was's trying to find another Peter Laviolette. Its not going to happen. <br /><br />The Islanders are an absolute embarrassment of an organization and it really pains me to admit that but I cannot condone what is going on here any longer. I love the Islanders. I love their history. That history has to mean something and if it does, Charles Wang will do something before its to late. Screw the arena and focus on making the on ice product the best it can be by putting people in charge that have a background and success at this level. <br /><br />I was one of the guys watching the Islanders get pounded in the 1990's by the original Winnipeg Jets 8-1 being one of about 1,500 people in attendance. I am one of the guys who sits in the stands as the Islanders blew a 5-1 lead against the expansion Ottawa Senators and lose 6-5 against a team that could beat absolutely no one. I was a guy who chose to saw the good in the 15 year contract to Rick Dipietro. I was a guy who chose to look at whatever positive I could out of Mike Milbury's bone headed trades. I was also one of the guys sitting in the stands wondering how the Islanders could play 20 games and win only one in 2010. <br /><br />I have reached the end of my rope.<br /><br />Now I'm sitting here questioning why I am still a fan of the organization. I have been one of the biggest Islander apologists out there and even I have reached a point of throwing my hands up and saying "why do I do this to myself?" There is no joy in rooting for the Islanders any more. Admitting your a fan of the team always is met with a snicker or a look of sympathy from a fan of any other NHL team. <br /><br />When you reach that point as a fan which many other Islander fans have already reached then what is there to do any more? Hope for a miracle? As we all know as Islander fans there are no more miracles left. Despite the once a decade success the Islander have enjoyed since their days of dominance in the early 80's the only thing Islander fans can depend on is disappointment and misery. <br /><br />When will the suffering end?Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2510888551014839715.post-73721899665904690142011-12-22T10:11:00.002-05:002011-12-22T10:37:52.064-05:00New York Islanders: Its Time to Make a StatementInjuries, injuries, injuries. <br /><br />Every team has them. Its time to stop with the excuses. Now is the time for the Islanders to do something with their 2011-12 season. Right now. Tonight against our higher profile, richer, more glamorous and big spending neighbors in Madison Square Garden. This is not just another game against the Rangers. The Rangers themselves are under the cameras of HBO's outstanding "24/7: Road to the Winter Classic" along with the Orange Crud.. excuse me the Philadelphia Flyers. A game which by all rights should be Islanders vs. Rangers in Yankee Stadium, but that is another column for another day. <br /><br />The Islanders have floundered along long enough with people, writers and fans making excuse after excuse of why the team still flounders at the bottom of the NHL standings every year and HBO will be sure to capture at least a part of the Rich Man Poor Man mini story arc sure to be showcased in episode 3 of the HBO's popular mini-series. <br /><br />The time has come for the young talented Islanders to make the kind of statement they did last year against the Penguins and the last part of the season. The Islanders started off this season in the same fashion as last season with early success followed by a long poor stretch. Before all of the Penguin fans jump all over me for condoning the Islanders so called goonery from last seasons fight filled affair with the Penguins, I do not mean the Islanders should emulate the Thunder Bay Bombers from "Youngblood" and simply take the Rangers apart with their fists. <br /><br />What I mean is the Islanders have to play solid hockey and come away with two points on Garden Ice in front of HBO's cameras. The Rangers are enjoying a fine season with their newest high priced free agent for once being exactly what they needed to be successful in Brad Richards. <br /><br />If the Islanders want to make something of their season this year then go out and beat the Rangers in front of HBO on their home ice and steal just a bit of the spotlight from them. The Islanders have been playing well and its time for the team to take it to the next level and what better way to make a statement for your own confidence than to take it to your fiercest rival in front of their own crowd when the spotlight is brightest?<br /><br />If not, they can go back to being cellar dwellers and hope the next top five pick can be the one that pushes them to respectability. <br /><br />They have two opportunities to do so tonight and on December 26th both at the Garden against the Rangers with a home game against the Canadian version of the Rangers in the equally high profile Toronto Maple Leafs on Friday. <br /><br />Three games that could very well define this season for the Islanders or in turn break down whatever chance this team has to be any assemblance of successful. It is all in their hands as the Islanders have the ability to do it, but will they? Tune in tonight at seven o' clock and find out.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2510888551014839715.post-91592829439284310622011-12-14T10:30:00.003-05:002011-12-14T10:40:50.960-05:00New York Islanders: Two Steps Forward and Two Steps BackThe Islanders are on a bit of a merry go round right now. <br /><br />After ending their annual horrid stretch of futility, the team gave everyone a bit of hope by stringing together some solid performances and getting some points and managed to get to within five points of eighth place in the East. <br /><br />Enter Pittsburgh. <br /><br />The Islanders played well enough in the first jumping out to a 2-0 lead before folding like an accordion in losing 6-3. <br /><br />Last night against Montreal, they managed to make it competitive coming back from 3-1 down before losing 5-3. <br /><br />The most troubling element of these losses was the play of Al Montoya who for the first time does not look so good. <br /><br />The Islanders will not put together the kind of streak they need unless for the first time this season they can all manage to achieve some level of consistency as a group. The talent is int he locker room but in these losses it always seems like one aspect of the team whether it be offense, defense or goaltending fails in grand fashion. <br /><br />Evgeni Nabokov will probably get the green light on Thursday against the Dallas Stars and hopefully he can rebound from his sore hamstring and give the Islanders some stability in the crease. <br /><br />It seems like the Islanders go well enough during a game until something happens in game that completely derails the team, whether it be a blown call a bad goal against or a failed power play. <br /><br />This young team has the talent to compete every night the problem is they are failing to compete every night because of one problem or another. Jack Capuano and company have to feel like they are trying to plug a leaky dam with and are running out of fingers. <br /><br />The Islanders are still capable of salvaging this season, hopefully they can develop some consistency before the whole damn gives way.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2510888551014839715.post-81635534903390699812011-11-22T13:38:00.003-05:002011-11-22T14:15:49.194-05:00New York Islanders: Embarrasment on a National ScaleThere is one thing about being an Islander fan that us Islander fans never seem to get used to. That is being embarrassed. That is just what happened against two of the leagues best being completely out-played, out-worked, and out-classed against the Boston Bruins and Pittsburgh Penguins. <br /><br />One of those things is understandable. Being outclassed by the leagues best is OK for a young team supposedly on the cusp of a major step forward. <br /><br />Being out-worked is not one of them. <br /><br />How many times has the opposition scored the first goal? While you think about that, how many times has the opposition scored on the very first shot of the game? <br /><br />The Islander started this season like we all expected them to. Hard working, fast skating and competitive. What has happened since them is absolutely unacceptable. So what are the major problems here? Is it time to clean house? <br /><br />Think of it this way. The Islanders have failed every test set before them this season to this point. One quarter of the season is over and there they sit again, at the absolute bottom of the NHL with one point separating them from the even more disappointing Columbus Blue Jackets. <br /><br />The difference this season from last is that the Islanders actually look worse than they did during their horrid but similar futile stretch last season. Maybe we would see one game like the one we saw last night against the Penguins. But how can you show an utter lack of caring and work ethic for so many games in a row? <br /><br />Its disgusting, disappointing and something needs to be done about it. Its almost like the Islanders believed their hype and thought all they had to do was show up and presto! They would be competitive every game. The Boston Bruins alone have made a mockery of the Islanders this season with how they have bombed them off the ice like they are a High School team. Last year the Islanders would have been in the faces of the Penguins and Bruins and both teams may have left the Islanders with two points, but they would feel those effects of a hard fought contest and not the pond hockey exhibition the Islanders are putting on these days. <br /><br />What can the team do? The Islanders core of Tavares, Moulson, Okposo, Bailey, Streit and DiPietro, are all signed to contracts. The veterans on the team, Rolston, Pandolfo, Eaton, Mottau, Jurcina and Staios all have little or no value. <br /><br />Jack Capuano has been absolutely lost behind the bench and appears to have lost his young team already and who could blame them. Putting Grabner with Tavares and Moulson makes no sense whatsoever. None of the three is a play maker as they are all shoot first guys. Benching Okposo for three games does what exactly besides wreck his confidence? What on God's green earth did anyone have to gain by starting rookie Anders Nilsson last night against the Penguins? Your paying Rick DiPietro to play hockey and he has not been horrible this year, so why the heck do you go with a rookie? <br /><br />It's no secret that the fans have turned on Rick DiPietro. It was in my mind the biggest danger when he signed his 15 year contract. Not injuries, not poor play but his own fans turning on him which seems to inevitably happen with players signed to very long contracts.<br /><br />That being said, why the hell didn't Rick start last night? Say what you want it makes absolutely zero sense to stick the kid in goal last night. None at all. <br /><br />Jack Capuano gave the Islanders something last season. He gave them an attitude, some confidence, and a strong work ethic. Why has the team taken such am incredible step backward is beyond any one's comprehension to explain. The second half of last season the Islanders were a team no one in the NHL wanted to play. Right now, the Kellenberg High School team could kick their ass. <br /><br />Someone has to be responsible. Something has to be done. What exactly that is is up to one man, Charles Wang and secondly Garth Snow assuming Snow gets to keep his job. <br /><br />Maybe its time to bring in a veteran coach and a veteran general manager and let them have a go with this team and give them more than 30 days to do it.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2510888551014839715.post-21371149809232530962011-11-15T08:18:00.003-05:002011-11-15T09:14:52.821-05:00New York Islanders: Same Old Islanders?Well this is not how we expected the season to go did we? <br /><br />The Islanders sit at the bottom of the Eastern Conference and are risking digging themselves another impossible hole that could result in the team's season being over before Christmas again. <br /><br />The numbers are ugly, the performances of late have been ugly. <br /><br />What the heck is going on? This year was supposed to be different. This was the year the Islanders made a run at the playoffs and were competitive. The Islanders right now have three major problems that are fixable. Can or will they be fixed before its to late? <br /><br />1) Porous defense. Plain and simple the team is allowing way to many good offensive chances against. Its kind of hard to win games when the other team is up one zip on you in under a minute into the game. The Islanders have had a lot of problems this year and letting the opposition skate directly down the ice after the opening face off and score has got to stop. <br /><br />Marl Streit and Steve Staios have been the only defensemen to play anywhere near his ability and even Striet is a minus six. Its easy to see why GM Garth Snow took the shot at Christian Erhoff in the off season. The rest of these guys are not performing. Mike Mottau, Milan Jurcina, Mark Eaton, Andrew MacDonald and Travis Hamonic have all bee mediocre at best. <br /><br />So what do you do about it? Bring back in the young guys who finished the season last year? Do you make a desperation trade? No you cannot do that. What you can do is hammer the point home with the group of verterans you have that its time to wake up before your playing meaningless games in December. <br /><br />2) Goaltending Merry Go Round. All three net minders have been good. Is it a major distraction when the team has no idea which of the three goaltenders its going to be? I doubt its a major distraction, but it has to be at the very best a little distracting. <br /><br />All three goaltenders have played from good to very well this year, with Al Montoya being the best of the three. Its time for the team to pick two guys and run with them. If that means trading one, then get it done soon. <br /><br />3) What the heck is wrong with the secondary scorers? Islander fans have been waiting for what seems like years for Kyle Okposo to emerge as a bona-fide NHL player. Blake Comeau has been abysmal, and Josh Bailey has not been good. They are all now liabilities to the team. In a combined 40 games they have one goal and four assists and are a minus 16. <br /><br />The three of them need to have a stunning turn around. Tavares, Parenteau and Moulson cannot do it all by themselves. <br /><br />The Islanders are headed for another lost season if things do not turn around and this time they cannot blame injuries for it. The team has looked disjointed, uninspired and lost at times. Something needs to happen soon before the hole gets to big to climb out of.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2510888551014839715.post-51899909280183423372011-11-11T12:33:00.003-05:002011-11-11T13:06:37.419-05:00New York Islanders: Islanders Play Two Games in One NightNo its not what your thinking. They did not get rained out and play a double header. Don't you know true double headers do not happen any more? <br /><br />That aside, the Islanders were dominating the Colorado Avalanche last night just about through two periods leading three zip late in the second period. <br /><br />Then something happened. <br /><br />The Islanders totally imploded after the Avalanche scored a late second period power play goal. <br /><br />Then the Avalanche came storming back in the third period putting 16 pucks and two goals on the Islanders before ending it on yet another power play in overtime. <br /><br />Not to say the Islanders did not have their chances and they did not play a perfect game mind you. Goaltender Al Montoya bailed them out in the second period when the Avalanche threw 19 shots at him and some really good chances also. <br /><br />Three goal leads in the NHL are supposed to be safe leads. Now this is obviously not the first time a three goal lead has been blown, but this is a game that should have been all Islanders at the end. It wasn't. <br /><br />So what went wrong? The first thing you can look at is that what was supposed to be a strength for the Islanders is looking like a weakness. They allowed 47 shots on goal. Now The Avalanche are a good young team but no one is confusing them with the Capitals. <br /><br />The Islanders defense has been spotty this season with the lone bright spot being Mark Streit. <br /><br />What can the team do to fix the problem? Well, they tried to fix the problem with someone named Christian Ehrhoff in the off season but he decided he did not want to be on the Island. <br /><br />The Islanders are going to have to make due with what they have and they have a compliment of defenseman that should be able to handle it. Hopefully they can straighten this out and find five guys to play with Streit that can hold the opposition down.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2510888551014839715.post-30072383571175528412011-10-31T12:11:00.003-04:002011-10-31T14:34:35.738-04:00New York Islanders: Winless Streak Must End NowFive games. It doesn't seem like a lot especially when two of them are 1 point overtime losses. <br /><br />How Islander fans always know that things can spiral out of control. Of course we know. We're Islander fans are we not? <br /><br />Last season a promising start was derailed by a horrific win less streak that killed the season before it had the chance to get under way. Will this season be any different? <br /><br />The Islanders played one of the better games that they have played all season against the San Jose Sharks in defeat Saturday night. The 3-2 overtime loss was amplified by the fact that a mystery call led to the winning goal in overtime as Travis Hamonic was whistled for a delay of the game call when clearly the puck bounced off the glass before it went out of play. <br /><br />Non of the four officials on the ice seemed to agree and Travis was assessed a 2 minute minor that resulted in the winning power play goal for the Sharks. <br /><br />There is no question the Islanders are not the same team that went through that horrid win less streak last season. Problem is, Islander fans are concerned. These games are strikingly similar to some of the games during the streak last season. Overtime losses, close one goal defeats, valiant efforts. When does it all end. <br /><br />It has to end with the Islanders next game against the Winnipeg Jets on Thursday night. If there is such a thing as a must win game in November, this is it. The Islanders have to get a win under their belt and it has to be now. <br /><br />Plug that hole before the erosion of losing spins out of control again. The Islanders and their coached are all saying the right things, they are all doing the right things. Except winning. Winning fixes everything. Get that win and people stop worrying. Lose, and the beat goes on and not in a good way.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2510888551014839715.post-5903996831260275042011-10-18T08:03:00.005-04:002011-10-18T08:30:24.614-04:00New York Islanders: Islanders Top Line Flexing Offensive MusclesWow. <br /><br />That is what you have to say at the scoring totals of the Islanders top line of John Tavares, P.A. Parenteau and Matt Moulson. <br /><br />John Tavares is looking like the player that Islanders fans went nuts for at the Draft Party when he was drafted. His only criticism of the game he plays was his skating and strength. That issue has obviously been solved with Tavares working extensively with his skating coach to build up his strength on his skates. If the first four games of the season are any indication Tavares has been much tougher to push off the puck and has demonstrated a nose to find open space on the ice. <br /><br />P.A. Parenteau is another story and is in a lot of ways the polar opposite of Tavares. If you called him a late bloomer you would be accurate. Last year was his breakout season when he scored 20 goals and had 33 assists primarily playing with Moulson and Tavares. So much is made of Garth Snow's pick ups of Michael Grabner and Matt Moulson. Do not forget about P.A. Parenteau. He has become a valuable asset to play with Tavares and is an excellent play maker. He currently has one goal and six assists in four games. <br /><br />Matt Moulson was basically signed to make John Tavares more comfortable in his rookie season. He lit up the preseason two years ago and people said, he wont score in the regular season. Score he did. he netted 31 goals. The next year, people said he wont score near that many again. Then he went ahead and scored 30 more. He currently has four goals and six points in four games. <br /><br />The chemistry exhibited by these three cannot be ignored any longer. Long gone are the days where three guys played together for a season or multiple seasons. Now coaches are always looking for the right mix and will mix and match lines. I happen to believe this is the wrong approach. Teams should be built the way the Islanders are building theirs. If you fine three guys who exhibit some chemistry and you stick with it. <br /><br />To start the season Nino Niederreiter was slotted to play with Tavares and Moulson. Is it a stroke of luck that he pulled his hamstring and is now on injured reserve? The Islanders first line is in tact and should stay that way no matter what. These guy are playing like they are wirelessly connected and that is something you simply cannot teach. <br /><br />Islander head coach Jack Capuano has a lot of other pieces besides his first line which should remain together untouched. I love the aspect of the high draft pick and two guys that Garth Snow plucked off the scrap heap and are now lighting up the NHL. He should absolutely try and find two more lines with chemistry and absolutely not touch the first line. They should lead the Islanders this season if the first four games are any indication. <br /><br />It works. Stick with it and ride it for as long as it can possibly lasts. If its one month, great. If its the whole year, great. If its the rest of these young men's careers, great.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2510888551014839715.post-88077296143163268582011-10-14T13:33:00.003-04:002011-10-14T13:58:47.955-04:00New York Islanders: Offense Wakes Up, DiPietro ConcussedThe Islanders season is three games old and this season already is different from the past few years in quite a few ways. <br /><br />First of all the Islanders came into this season with a positive on ice outlook for the first time in many years. That in of itself is a major change. <br /><br />In addition to that the Islanders came into this season with stability, a powerful young offense teeming with potential to improve on a very sucessful second half last year. They have an expereinced veteran defense with a few young stars on the rise and rookies ready to step in if anyone falters or gets injured. <br /><br />The Islanders also have a lot of depth in goal, with Al Montoya, Rock DiPietro, Evgeni Nabokov all on the main roster with 2 excellent prospects backing them up yes the Islanders are deep, young and very talented. <br /><br />The offense was non existend against the Panthers on opening night and struck twice in game two against the Minnesota Wild. <br /><br />Last night the Islanders faced their most skilled opponent yet in the Tampa Bay Lightning and quite simply rolled right over them chasing ex team mate Dwayne Roloson out of the net and beating the Lighting 5-1. <br /><br />The Islanders first line of Matt Moulson, John Tavares and PA Parenteau skated like they were joined by some new Apple technology bridghing thier brains together and frustrated Tampa's veteran defense which includes Zdeno Chara wanna-be Victor Hedman.<br /><br />Al Montoya was sharp again stopping 34 of 35 shots and the defense was poised and calm against a high powered offense forcing most shots tot he outside of the prime shooting areas. <br /><br />Rick DiPietro came into this season healthy for the first time in four years and came in with a much improved attitude knowing that he had a lot of competition in the crease this season. Not only did he come in healthy but he also looked very sharp in pre-season games giving fans hope that he would become the all star goalie again we all know he can be. <br /><br />Then something very familiar happened. <br /><br />Brian Rolston hit him in the temple with a shot in practice causing a concussion that has Rick out indefinitely. Is there anyone that you can think of that has had worse luck than Rick? Rick did everything right so far this year and for his troubles gets rung like a bell by a shot in practice. <br /><br />Rick should stay far away from Atlantic City and Las Vegas because his luck cannot possibly get any worse. The Islander fans while skeptical DP can regain his pre injury form had some hgope with his performance in pre-season. Now they say oh well it is a good thing we have Nabokov now. <br /><br />I cannot help but feel awful for Rick. Yes that's me, an electrical contractor making a small fraction of what Rick makes feeling bad for a guy who gets to play pro sports and make millions of dollars. All the guy wants to do is play and show everyone he can still be a number one goalie and now this. <br /><br />I hoe this is not a major issue for Rick and he can come back in quickly and get a few games under his belt. I remain a skeptic, but that does not mean i cant root for the guy.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2510888551014839715.post-66802599813896690562011-10-10T08:56:00.003-04:002011-10-10T09:09:41.736-04:00New York Islanders: Laying an Egg On Opening NightIn the grand scheme of the season that is about to unfold the 2-0 shutout loss to the Panthers on opening night really is not that big of a deal and is not indicative of how this season will unfold for the young Islanders. <br /><br />What it did do was disappoint a sold out Nassau Coliseum crowd that was absolutely jacked at the start of the game. As the game unfolded you could feel the frustration and dissapointment in the Coliseum. That is something the Islanders cannot afford to do.<br /><br />Fans who went to the game to see the young Islanders take the first steps of a season filled with opportunity and expectations all left disappointed. Short of Al Montoya's performance there was nothing for fans to point at and say "yeah, well at least.."<br /><br />The game was a total bust. <br /><br />The sad part is that so many of the Islander fans that showed up were leaving the Coliseum who were going to stop by the box office and buy tickets if they were impressed by what they saw left saying "no, I'm not spending money on that team." <br /><br />The Islanders had the chance to come out flying and feed off of the rabid crowd at the start. Instead they came out like it was a mid December game that had no meaning. Call it nerves, call it what you will no matter how young they are the team is a group of professional athletes. The effort on opening night was inexcusable. <br /><br />Is it a reason to panic? <br /><br />No one is panicking yet but the Islanders better show their fans that there is a reason to be optimistic pretty soon starting with Monday's game against the Minnesota Wild. That is unless they want to play in front of a half empty coliseum. Everyone knows that the Nassau Coliseum is not going to draw anyone to see the Islanders play. The only thing that will draw people to see the Islanders is wins and exciting hockey. <br /><br />That is not what we saw opening night.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2510888551014839715.post-9457938893531840132011-10-05T10:23:00.003-04:002011-10-05T10:51:55.705-04:00New York Islanders: Expectations High For a ChangeDo not look now, but it appears that the New York Islanders have earned a bit of respect in the NHL circles. <br /><br />Predictions still have the Islanders for the most part finishing out of the playoffs but not at the bottom of the Eastern Conference.<br /><br />Thats progress, but well short of what this team is capable of doing. <br /><br />Now that that is out of the way let us look at what is apparent about the Islanders that has not been apparent in the past. The NHL season begins on October 6th and the Islander begin their campaign Saturday the eighth against the revamped Florida Panthers.<br /><br />What can we expect from this group? Seriously?<br /><br />The Islanders who failed in another bid for a new arena that has been an anchor around the teams neck for a while, seems to have been pushed to the side for the time being while the politicians and the powers that be fumble around looking for a new solution to the arena issue. <br /><br />Belmont Park, A new complex on site with a parking garage, all that will be sorted out at some point. <br /><br />Let's focus on the team itself on the ice. <br /><br />The Islanders young core has a few additions this season to add to the mix. Notable adds are Marty Reasoner who will essentially take the place of Zenon Konopka in the Islanders lineup is also capable of killing penalties, winning face-offs and scoring the occasional goal. <br /><br />Former long time Devil Jay Pandolfo has also been added to the mix and should provide some veteran leadership to the group and is a capable third or forth line penalty killer. <br /><br />Veteran defenseman Steve Staios has the chance to make a nice impact to bring stability to the Islanders defense and will most likely be paired with the returning from injury Mark Striet. <br /><br />Evgeni Nabokov has decided to continue his career with the Islanders and play out his contract and at the very least brings the Islanders a veteran net minder who has had a lot of NHL success under his belt. <br /><br />Ryan Strome has signed a three year entry level deal and will at least get the obligatory nine game look to see if he can be the next 18 year old to crack an NHL line up. Odds are he goes back to juniors but there is always the chance he "wows" the Islanders brass to stay for the season.<br /><br />Nino Niederreiter has made the team also and will likely get some top six forward minutes as he starts his full time NHL career. He has been hampered with a minor injury but saw time with John Tavares and Matt Moulson in the pre-season.<br /><br />Brian Rolston is a serviceable forward who should be able to help the team across the board in all aspects of the game most notably penalty killing and giving the team three lines that are a scoring threat.<br /><br />The new comers give the Islanders a couple of proven NHL veterans to lean on when the young Islanders either start to crack under the pressure of a long NHL season or need a guy who has "been there" to speak to about remaining consistent over an 82 game NHL season. <br /><br />The Islanders biggest problem as of late seems to be the issue of remaining consistent and avoiding a season killing win-less or losing streak. <br /><br />Every team has losing streaks, the key is to minimize the damage and get past it before it manages to kill your season.<br /><br />From top to bottom the Islanders put what can be the most complete NHL team the franchise has seen since the 2002 season. <br /><br />Dare I say this, the goaltending appears to be solid with the addition of Nabokov, the return of Al Montoya and the resurgence of Rick DiPietro who has had a solid pre season and managed to stay off injured reserve so far.<br /><br />The defense is back and healthy from top to bottom. <br /><br />The forwards are young, hungry, talented and have been spotted with a few veterans to steady the ship through the rough patches. <br /><br />The team has stated that they think the rebuild is over and the time to win is now. <br /><br />I whole heatedly agree that. The old barn in Uniondale will be a fun place to be this year and I am not talking about Rhianna concerts and monster truck rallies.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2510888551014839715.post-48603675943357180162011-09-09T14:39:00.003-04:002011-09-09T15:45:55.797-04:00NHL: The Summer of Tragedy Darkens the Hockey WorldNever before has the NHL seen such a summer. <br /><br />Some aspects of it were just like any other summer in the NHL. Free agents became rich, some players were over paid, some were underpaid. Some player retired with huge fanfare, some retired with little or none. Some are still not signed to contracts. Some are unwanted. Some chose to continue their careers in other leagues scattered around the world. <br /><br />Hockey is a worldwide sport and players looking to extend careers or revitalize them have many professional leagues around the world to choose from if the playing in the NHL is no longer an option. <br /><br />The one league that has stepped up and really tried to offer players competitive salaries is the 18 team Russian based Kontinental Hockey League, otherwise known as the KHL. <br /><br />European and Russian players are not only looking at the KHL as a back up plan to the NHL, but a league where they can stay close to home and play the sport they love. <br /><br />When former NHL All-Star Pavol Demitra decided to leave the NHL and continue his career in the KHL I am sure he knew he would be giving up some of the luxuries of playing in the NHL. <br /><br />I highly doubt that in his mind he thought he would be tragically killed in a horrific plane crash while heading to his first game in his new league with his new team, Lokomotiv Yaroslavl. the crash claimed the lives of everyone on board with the exception of one crew member and one player, Alexander Galimov who survived but are in critical condition. <br /><br />To gauge the tragedy in terms we as hockey fans can understand, for one moment close your eyes think about how you would feel if God forbid your favorite hockey team suffered such a horrific fate. <br /><br />The feelings go beyond just hockey. This is life and death. <br /><br />As if the plane crash that claimed the lives of so many was not enough, earlier this summer the NHL lost three other players in three separate incidents. <br /><br />New York Ranger player and former Minnesota Wild fan favorite Derek Boogaard passed away to an apparent lethal mix of alcohol and pain killers. <br /><br />Vancouver Canucks forward Rick Rypien who battled depression for years claimed his own life in an apparent suicide. <br /><br />Nashville Predators defenseman Wade Belak was also a victim of depression and though authorities have not announced his cause of death, but suicide is feared to be the means. <br /><br />These 4 separate events all in total mark the darkest summer in NHL history and something that will haunt the sport of hockey's players, personel and fans for many years to come. <br /><br />Think of lone Lokomotiv surviving player Alexander Galimov, if he does survive, and that is a big if, what kind of life will he have knowing that all of his team mates did not make it, and he did? One hopes that he will be spared and can live a healthy long life. Lets not forget about the surviving crew member who will also battle the same issues, if they survive. <br /><br />Soon the puck will drop on the 2011-12 NHL season and lets hope that the NHL pays tribute to those lost no matter the circumstances and reminds everyone of the importance of air safety. <br /><br />The NHL should also have psychiatric care available for players who need it. It is time for professional sports leagues to try and help players where they can. If it saves one life, then it is worth it. <br /><br />KHL officials have already said that Lokomotiv will play this season that the other 17 teams will donate players and that they will promote players from its "youth team" to fill out the roster. <br /><br />Let us hope that Russian aviation takes this as a calling card to improve their bad safety record so that this tragedy does not happen again to anyone. <br /><br />Air safety should be 100%. Hopefully they get a wake up call as a result that will prevent future senseless deaths. <br /><br />Prayers go out to the two survivors of the Lokomotive crash, and the families of all of the families touched by the tragedies of the darkest summer in the sport of hockey. <br /><br />To see video of the ceremony in place of what was supposed to be the opening game of the KHL season, please click here:<br /><br />http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/blog/puck_daddy/post/Video-Dynamo-Minsk-8217-s-hockey-funeral-for-L?urn=nhl-wp12157Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2510888551014839715.post-84132700942819274782011-08-02T08:52:00.003-04:002011-08-02T10:17:36.946-04:00New York Islanders: New Coliseum Voted Down: You Cannot Defeat StupidityIt is the enemy of progress on Long Island. Stupidity has killed the Lighthouse Project, and stupidity has now infected the 88,389 people who went to the polls yesterday to vote down progress. <br /><br />88,389 people voted it down is because of three main reasons. <br /><br />Reason 1) They are partisan, and will vote against anything that their political party does not endorse. <br /><br />This is the main problem in this country. People will say no the economy is or the wars in the middle east are or the dependence on foreign oil is or the environment is. <br /><br />The biggest problem in this country is partisan politics. Our founding fathers as far back as George Washington saw that this could become a problem which is why the day the Republicans and Democrats basically seized the power in this country was the day all of the problems were seeded. <br /><br />Can you imagine living in a world where people ignore what is morally right and wrong and make all of their life decisions based on what their political party tells them to?<br /> <br />We are in that world people. <br /><br />Reason 2) They are misinformed.<br /><br />No voters say Charles Wang is a billionaire and he can afford to build it himself. This statement shows one thing. People are misinformed. Nassau County owns the land the Nassau Coliseum sits on as well as the building itself. The people want Charles Wang to build an arena on land that is not his and donate $350 million to build it? <br /><br />If Charles Wang owned the land or the county sold it to him then you would have a point with this, but he doesn't. Hey as long as the "no" voters want Wang to build stuff for free, maybe he can build me my new kitchen for free too. Hey he can afford it right? <br /><br />No Voters also said "I will not vote for anything that increases my taxes." OK. Every year our school taxes go up an average of 5-12%. How does this happen? Oh yes, WE VOTE TO INCREASE THEM IN THE SCHOOL BUDGET VOTES IN MAY. <br /><br />Critics of the project said that taxes in a worse case scenario would increase $58 dollars a year. That is $1.12 per week. Keep in mind that this was a one time increase. Keep in mind not an increase every year like our school budgets but a one time increase. <br /><br />Unlike school budgets where districts tell the voters "vote for the kids" and do not offer any information as to where the increases every year are actually going but at the very least we knew where our $1.12 per week was going.<br /><br />Don't people realize that in the case that the Islanders leave Nassau County and the Coliseum closes as a result, that all of the people that work at the Coliseum will be our of work, all of the tax revenue collected by events at the Coliseum will be gone, all of the people that came to all of the events at the coliseum wont be coming to Nassau County to spend money shopping or eating, boosting the local economy. <br /><br />Lets not mention what will happen with the coliseum site. What will they put there? A shopping mall? Office buildings? Hotels? Senior Housing? Assisted Living? <br /><br />Yeah, I know what your thinking, that's exactly what Long Island needs, more of what we have to much of. <br /><br />Reason 3) They are stupid - Being smart and rational thinker is not a requirement to vote in the United States, but it should be. <br /><br />This is a statement quite a bit of the no voters used. "Why do I have to pay for a new arena? I can go to Madison Square Garden or the new Brooklyn arena to see a show and pay nothing." <br /><br />Is gas free? Are train tickets free? Is parking in New York City free? <br /><br />Next.<br /><br />This is another statement no voters told reporters on the way out of the polls - <br /><br />"Traffic and taxes are two things I don't want." Talk about dense. <br /><br />Here is another gem. <br /><br />"The Yankees, Mets, Giants, Jets, Nets are all built new arenas and stadiums with private money and it didn't cost me anything, so why should I pay for this?"<br /><br />Yankee Stadium and CitiField were built with tax free bonds that otherwise would have been collected by the state and the city. Yes, that is tax dollars that should be in the city and states coffers that they signed off on letting go. <br /><br />The land that Yankee Stadium is built on was DONATED by the city until the project was completed. Then the city took the land that the old stadium was on, which is far smaller by the way than the land the stadium currently occupies.<br /><br />Where did the land come from that the new Nets arena in Brooklyn come from? Imminent Domain. Yeah, that's a way to build a fan base in Brooklyn. Tell your residents to leave your home and take this check so we can build a sports arena. <br /><br />How did the Giants and Jets help finance their new stadium? Extortion. Oh excuse me they offered their fans "Personal Seat Licences" for the right to buy season tickets. Yes, in order to keep seats that many fans have had for many years, fans had to pony up thousands of dollars per seat for the right to even purchase the tickets they have already been paying for. <br /><br />Has the average fan tried to buy a ticket for a Yankee, Met, Ranger or Knick game lately? If you did, you would find that for a family of four for seats that will impress no one you would have to pay at the very least $500.00 to anywhere around $1600.00 just for the tickets. <br /><br />The average fan cannot afford it. This is something that was not true for the Islanders. Sure pro hockey is not cheap, but you could spend $160.00 and take a family of four to the Coliseum for a game and sit where you know, you can actually see all of the action without binoculars. <br /><br />Who knows what is next but we are back to square one. We are guaranteed only one thing and that is four more seasons of Islanders hockey in Nassau County. If County Executive Ed Mangano has a plan B, he better get to it soon just do not depend on the intelligence of your voters to get it done.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2510888551014839715.post-65604528828600827132011-07-31T21:08:00.003-04:002011-07-31T22:33:05.266-04:00New York Islanders: The Real Truth Behind the Arena ProjectIm sitting here trying to fond the angle to play with this article and decided to go and talk frankly about what is going on at the moment. <br /><br />First a little background on what has been done to this point. <br /><br />Charles Wang bought the Islanders for many reasons. One being most prominent is that he is a Long Islander and wherever he went, people said hey Mr. Wang, help out us Islander fans and buy the team. <br /><br />Men like Charles Wang, who admittedly did not know much of anything about the sport saw something in the Islanders back then that not a lot of other people saw, value. <br /><br />Maybe not in the horrid attendance figures and equally as bad performance but he saw value on the team. <br /><br />Financial value. <br /><br />Charles Wang had a vision for the Nassau Coliseum and the surrounding area and he figured if he owned the team well then it would put him at the forefront of the battle that was to be had over the 77 acre Nassau Coliseum area. <br /><br />The Nassau Hub project if you will is something that has been talked about for many years dating back to the 1980's.<br /><br />I will not go through all of the plans that have been put forth because for whatever reason none of them ever made it past the planning stage. <br /><br />Charles Wang has a much more grandiose vision of what was to be placed on the site. <br /><br />The Lighthouse Project was a complete area make over with e new renovated arena and tha fully developed 77 acre development plan that was so big and so huge that the idea that someone wanted to build such a project in Uniondale was mind boggling. <br /><br />Price tags of between three and four billion dollars was what it was going to cost. <br /><br />Charles Wang brought on a partner for this project in the Rexcorp, only the largest and most successful real estate developer on Long Island. <br /><br />He was serious and he was going to finance the project himself. <br /><br />Yes you saw that right. <br /><br />The project went through most of the legal hurdles and tens of millions of dollars was spent. <br /><br />The Town of Hempstead effectively killed the monster project saying it was to dense for Nassau County. <br /><br />This put us back at square one. <br /><br />Enter Ed Mangano. <br /><br />In a stunning upset, Ed Mangano unseated incumbent Nassau County Executive Tom Suozzi. <br /><br />So where did this leave the development of the area? <br /><br />Mangano decided to get everyone to the table, The main entities in the deal are Nassau County, The Town of Hempstead and Charles Wang. <br /><br />They all agree on one thing. The Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum needs to be replaced. It is outdated and way past its prime as a new arena has been talked about on the site as far back as the late 1980's.<br /><br />They all came up with the plan that will be voted on by Nassau County residents August 1st at a special referendum to see if the people of Nassau County agree with their elected officials on whether the arena should be replaced with County money. <br /><br />They want to borrow 350 million dollars to pay for the project and another 50 million for a minor league baseball park. <br /><br />Here is the kicker. opponents of the project say that residents of Nassau County are in effect voting themselves a tax increase if they vote yes on August 1st. <br /><br />That sounds bad right? No one likes new taxes do they? <br /><br />Well how much more taxes are we talking about? <br /><br />That number is in dispute but here is the range of money were talking about. <br /><br />Anywhere from $18 to a worst case scenario of $58. <br /><br />Wow. that sounds like a lot of money to pay extra every month. <br /><br />Wait a second. Its not monthly? Its YEARLY? <br /><br />So the big problem people have is that people will have to eat a monstrous 31 cents to $1.12 PER WEEK to pay for a new arena, and that is if the profits the new arena would take in does not cover the debt service. <br /><br />Hey if that's the case, sign me up for 3. <br /><br />So obviously money is not the issue here, unless there are people who are going to go into bankruptcy from an extra 31 cents to $1.12 per week on their tax bill. <br /><br />Opponents of the project are plain and simple resorting to the one thing that is ruining not only life on Long Island, its making it awfully hard for this country to get anything done. <br /><br />Newsday, owned by Cablevison and the same entity that owns the Rangers, which just so happens to own the currently being renovated Madison Square Garden. So ask yourself this question: With the new arena being constructed in Brooklyn, do you think the Dolans want another brand spanking new state of the art facility in their market as competition for the Garden? <br /><br />While your thinking about that think about this: Remember how crazy the Dolan's went when the Jets wanted to put their stadium in Manhattan? <br /><br />Yeah, I am really sure Jim Dolan would be crying a river if the new Coliseum does not get built.<br /><br />Don't forget that Jim Dolan owns Newsday, you know, Long Island's newspaper.<br /><br />The next major stinkfest at work here mucking up the water is partisan politics. Something that is so prevalent in today's American society that the stench of it reaches all the way to Washington DC. <br /><br />Do you think the Democrats, who are still shell shocked from losing the Nassau County executive position to the Republicans want Mangano and the GOP to get credit for getting that new arena? <br /><br />Partisan politics is something that could kill anything it touches because it is in my mind a mindless creeping disease that only serves to get worse over time.<br /><br />There is no one, and i do mean absolutely no one who thinks that the Nassau Coliseum does not need to be replaced. <br /><br />Everyone agrees that Long Island cannot afford to lose all the good that comes from having such a venue to go to without having to go to Brooklyn or Manhattan not just to see a hockey game, but for anything. <br /><br />Pro Wrestling, Ice shows, circus events, Disney on Ice, Concerts the list goes on and on. <br /><br />Yes the Islanders need a new home, we all know that. But this goes way beyond what the Islanders need. This is what Long Island and Nassau County needs. I would absolutely love to be able to bring my kids not only to an Islander game or two at this venue but maybe go see Monday Night Raw without having to sit uncomfortable in the seats that are so bad. <br /><br />I am a Life long Nassau County resident. I am voting myself a tax increase tomorrow and for the first time I will know exactly where that tax money is going. <br /><br />Can anyone tell me exactly where my tax increase dollars are going when I vote for a 4-12 percent school tax increase? They get over 56 million dollars to run my school district. Why do they need such a mammoth increase every single year? <br /><br />Yet we keep doing it because of the signs they plaster all over the place that say "Vote for the Kids." <br /><br />People will vote themselves anything as long as it is for the kids. <br /><br />This arena is not for the kids. Its for EVERYONE. <br /><br />You will hear account after account of people saying why we should vote no tomorrow. <br /><br />They blame Chalres Wang for not building the arena with his own money. <br /><br />Yeah OK, the guy is going to build something that essentially isn't his? <br /><br />Everyone knew that his money went away when the Town of Hempstead killed the Lighthouse project. <br /><br />Everyone says well the Giants, Jets, Mets and Yankees all built their new sports venues not with public money, but with private money.<br /><br />Really? Really? REALLY?<br /><br />Where did the land come from that the new Yankee stadium is built on? Where did the money come from to help pay for the new Football stadium in East Rutheford? How many tax breaks did the four of the richest sports franchises in the United States get to build their palaces? <br /><br />The answers are right in front of you - in one way or another out of your pocket. <br /><br />Instead of thinking about what Partisan politics or financial agendas are telling us to do why don't we look at that building sitting on Hempstead Turnpike in Uniondale and let that tell us what the right thing to do is. <br /><br />Please post your comments below and if you would be so kind as to tell us why you think it should be a yes or no vote.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2510888551014839715.post-90763617366129280042011-07-18T16:43:00.004-04:002011-07-19T08:54:08.096-04:00NHL Free Agency: Why the Islanders Should do Everything to get Drew DoughtyOpportunities like this do not come around often if it even is an opportunity. <br /><br />Drew Doughty is arguably one of the best defensemen in the NHL and he is a free agent at the age of 21. <br /><br />Yes I know he is a restricted free agent and signing him is not as simple as throwing the most money at him. <br /><br />The Kings have the right to match any contract Doughty chooses to accept. <br /><br />It is no secret the Islanders have the most cap space in the NHL right now and have millions and millions of dollars to spend to even just get to the NHL's mandated salary cap floor of $48.3 million dollars. <br /><br />Meaning that if the Islanders are going to be salary cap compliant for this season they need to add about $9 million dollars in salary as per the current league rules. <br /><br />Yes you read that right. <br /><br />So how are they going to do that? they must have a bunch of restricted free agents to sign right? <br /><br />Wrong. <br /><br />The Islanders currently have three RFA's on the team. Josh Bailey, Blake Comeau and Jesse Joensuu. <br /><br />Assuming the team resigns all three players, that would likely leave around five to six million to spend. <br /><br />So where are they going to spend it. <br /><br />I say Garth Snow: go out and do everything humanly possible to get Drew Doughty in Islander colors. <br /><br />So what would it take to get him? <br /><br />Well the Islanders would have to sign him to an offer sheet so extremely high that the Kings would walk away from their right to match or work out a trade.<br /><br />Let us explore the most likely way it could happen and that is trade. What do you trade for a 21 year old all star defenseman? <br /><br />Realistically, were talking a package of Calvin de Haan, Josh Bailey, Brock Nelson and two first round draft picks. <br /><br />Then there is the matter of actually signing Doughty but that is something that Islanders GM Garth Snow should already have an idea of what it will take because Doughty is a free agent so negotiations could have already begun. <br /><br />The other route is signing Doughty to a over priced offer sheet that the Kings would not be able to or unwilling to match. <br /><br />How much would it take? <br /><br />The Kings have just over nine million in cap space right now. So any deal with Doughty would have to be over that amount. <br /><br />The beauty of it is is that if you sign Doughty to lets say a three year, 36 million dollar contract you would be paying him an average of 12 million dollars a season. <br /><br />The Kings would not be able to match that and be cap compliant. <br /><br />If they refuse to match, the Islanders would then have to pay restitution to the Kings in the form of four first round draft picks. <br /><br />Either case the Islanders should be exhausting all avenues to get Drew Doughty if at all possible on his team. <br /><br />Garth Snow, you want to show the world that the Islanders are for real? <br /><br />I cannot think of a better way. <br /><br />Can you?Unknownnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2510888551014839715.post-19991967393857705702011-07-08T10:35:00.002-04:002011-07-08T14:19:54.979-04:00NHL: Circumventing the Salary Cap: Why is it Allowed?The NHL has the right to void contracts they feel circumvent the salary cap when they are presented to them when a player and an organization agree. <br /><br />If this is the case, why have so many contracts been approved that so clearly are meant to get around the cap and lessen the cap hit over the length of the contract? <br /><br />Lets examine some player contracts and why not go into the New York Rangers newest prized free agent signing Brad Richards. <br /><br />The Rangers signed him to a nine year 60 million dollar contact, or an average of 6.6 million dollars a season. That doesn't sound so bad does it? Not on the surface it sure doesn't. <br /><br />When you look closer it becomes more unsettling.<br /><br />Looking at the contract it breaks down like this:<br /><br />Year One - Age - 31 - Actual Salary: $12,000,000<br />Year Two - Age - 32 - Actual Salary: $12,000,000<br />Year Three - Age - 33 - Actual Salary: $9,000,000<br />Year Four - Age - 34 - Actual Salary: $8,500,000<br />Year Five - Age - 35 - Actual Salary: $8,500,000<br />Year Six - Age - 36 - Actual Salary: $7,000,000<br /><br />Here is where it gets interesting. <br /><br />Year Seven - Age - 37 - Actual Salary: $1,000,000<br />Year Eight - Age - 38 - Actual Salary: $1,000,000<br />Year Nine - Age - 39 - Actual Salary: $1,000,000<br /><br />OK so what is going to happen between years one through six and years seven through nine? Does Glen Sather have some magical crystal ball that says Richards production as a player is going to drop by 1,200 percent from the start of his contract? <br /><br />No it is a clear and concise way of reducing the cap hit the Rangers will incur to 6.6 million from the 9.5 million it would have been in years one through six. <br /><br />How can the NHL or anyone else for that matter look at this contract and say its all fine and dandy and is within the rules of the NHL CBA and allow such blatant breaking of the rules in this case? <br /><br />Hey do not blame the Rangers for this. They are not at fault for this disturbing trend. the blame falls solely on the NHL for allowing the practice.<br /><br />Sure the Rangers have given out massive contracts before most recently to Wade Redden, Scott Gomez and Chris Drury and they were sort of front loaded in Gomez' case starting at $10,000,000 and reducing to $4,500,000 in the final year of the seven year $51,500,000 contract.<br /><br />Sure that is an over 100 percent drop in value but no where near as egregious as Brad Richards new contract. <br /><br />Let's examine some other questionable contracts. <br /><br />Chris Pronger at age 35 signed a seven year contract worth $34,500,000 for an average cap hit of just over $4,900,000. Here is how this one breaks down. <br /><br />Year One - Age - 35 - Actual Salary: $7,600,000<br />Year Two - Age - 36 - Actual Salary: $7,600,000<br />Year Three - Age - 37 - Actual Salary: $7,200,000<br />Year Four - Age - 38 - Actual Salary: $7,000,000<br />Year Five - Age - 39 - Actual Salary: $4,000,000<br /><br />If the contract ended there, no one would say anything about it. <br /><br />Here is where the interesting part is. <br /><br />Year Six - Age - 40 - Actual Salary: $525,000<br />Year Seven - Age - 41 - Actual Salary: $525,000<br /><br />Does anyone actually think Chris Pronger is going to play two years of hockey for $525,000 at age 40 and 41? Something tells me Pronger will be celebrating his retirement after cashing the last of his paychecks exactly two years before his contract expires. <br /><br />Here is another head scratching contract.<br /><br />Roberto Luongo is 32 years old and at age 31 signed a twelve year $64,000,000 contract with the Canucks. Smart move by the Canucks to get this guy tied up for the rest of his career right? <br /><br />How the NHL allowed this contract to be approved is beyond comprehension. <br /><br />The contract breaks down like this:<br /><br />Year One - Age - 31 - Actual Salary: $10,000,000<br />Year Two - Age - 32 - Actual Salary: $6,716,000<br />Year Three - Age - 33 - Actual Salary: $6,716,000<br />Year Four - Age - 34 - Actual Salary: $6,716,000<br />Year Five - Age - 35 - Actual Salary: $6,716,000<br />Year Six - Age - 36 - Actual Salary: $6,716,000<br />Year Seven - Age - 37 - Actual Salary: $6,716,000<br />Year Eight - Age - 38 - Actual Salary: $6,716,000<br />Year Nine - Age - 39 - Actual Salary: $3,382,000<br />Year Ten - Age - 40 - Actual Salary: $1,618,000<br />Year Eleven - Age - 41 - Actual Salary: $1,000,000<br />Year Twelve - Age - 42 - Actual Salary: $1,000,000<br /><br />Now tell me how the Canucks are not using the final three years when Luongo will be age 40-42 and well on his way to playing golf full time to lower the cap hit of this contract. <br /><br />The Organizations in question are not at fault. They will do whatever the league allows them to to get one step ahead of the rest of the teams in the NHL. <br /><br />Why have some organizations, like the Toronto Maple Leafs come out publicly and called contracts like the ones highlighted above cheating? <br /><br />Why has the NHL not stepped in and nipped this one in the bud so to speak before the practice became more common? <br /><br />These are not the only contracts that employ such a practice. Ilya Kovalchuck is the only instance where the league said enough is enough. But they allowed his restructured contract which is just as insultingly cap hit lowering than the first one which is 15 years in length and worth $100,000,000. <br /><br />The last 5 years of the contract pay him $8,000,000 out of the total value of the contract. <br /><br />How was his voided 17 year contract any less ridiculous? <br /><br />There are other players signed to equally questionable contracts, Marian Hossa of the Blackhawks, Ilya Bryzgalov of the Flyers and Henrik Zetterberg of the Red Wings.<br /><br />The NHL tried to fix this with the "Kovalchuck Amendment" which says that if a player retires before the end of his contract then the cap hit stays on the teams payroll for the duration of the contract. <br /><br />OK that may work, but then what is a players incentive to stay and play for pennies on the dollar when he is way past his prime? Loyalty? Not many players are Niklas Lidstrom that can win major NHL awards at age 40.<br /><br />The only answer is to make the cap hit of a contract the actual value the player is being paid instead of the average of the contract. <br /><br />At this rate, the Rangers could have paid Brad Richards $60,000,000 dollars this season and then $1 every year after. <br /><br />The CBA leveled the playing field when it was ratified the salary cap was $39,000,000. Six years later it is $64,000,000. We are right back in the situation we were in before the salary cap was implemented. The players have to be laughing at the NHL for thinking they got the short end of the stick back then. <br /><br />So what will happen when the CBA is opened again for negotiation? Will the NHL insist on an actual numbers salary cap or continue the average method that allows teams to so easily get around the salary cap? <br /><br />Something has to be done. Hopefully it does not result in another lost season. <br /><br />Please post your thoughts below.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com37