I always get accused by some of my Blog Box brethren for not looking on the bright side of things. Some people would be hard pressed to come up with positives in the season the New York Islanders are having right now but NOT ME!!
1 - Mark Striet - Norris Trophy candidate? Well probably not but I tell you what not many people envisioned the kind of offensive and defensive prowess he has shown. He has been worth every penny o that free agent contract.
2 - Kyle Okposo - We all know he should still be in college, but hey this is about positives. The kid is really starting to heat up and show he belongs at this level. He is starting to stand out when you watch a game instead of blend in and that is a great sign for his development.
3 - Doug Weight - This season is considered a resurgence for the veteran. Just got his 1000th point and is well on his way to a point a game season. He could net the Islanders a high draft pick if a team gets desperate at the deadline.
4 - Trade possibilities - The Islanders have some chips to deal at the deadline to gain more young talent and draft picks. Guerin, Weight, Witt, Sutton, Sillinger can all be turned into draft picks if healthy.
5 - John Tavares - He is going number one in the draft next year. There is a decent chance the Islanders could net the number one pick. the kid is a franchise player and could be the Islanders version of the saviour. Thats until Gary Bettman rigs the draft lottery and he winds up in Toronto.
I know I could not resist a negative jab at our commissioner. These are just a few of the thing to watch this season as the half way mark of the season is just around the corner.
Let me know what else you think is positive about this season.
FCT
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Monday, December 22, 2008
Dead Last... Almost.
The Tampa Bay Lightning never cease to amaze me. Their level of ineptitude this season is really astonishing, considering the level of offensive talent they have. They have two of the top forwards in the game in Vinny Lecavalier and Martin St. Louis. Yes they made HUGE errors in trading Brad Richards and Danny Boyle but shouldn't they have MORE points than the Islanders, who have not even won a game this month?
Tampa has 7 wins. SEVEN. After spending like a drunken teenager with her daddy's credit card in the off season one would think that Boyle is laughing his ass off playing for the mighty San Jose Sharks who are topping the entire NHL at the moment. If Tampa Bay winds up with John Tavares Gary Bettman should start an investigation.
The focus of this season has changed from a rebuilding year to a "rock bottom" year. Injuries have again decimated the roster and voided any chance the team has to be competitive. Head coach Scott Gordon's system has come under fire in recent weeks and was even criticized by his own players.
If what we saw in Newsday with Witt was quoted just imagine what is being said behind the scenes out of ear shot of Greg Logan from Newsday.
When id the right time to sell of veterans to the highest bidder? I would say wait as long as you can for two reasons. One being the obvious injury. Weight, Sillinger, Sutton and Martnek are all out.
Two would be that teams will pay more when the trade deadline is near. If Doug Weight isn't hurt and has 55 points at the deadline, then he could net us a 2nd round pick. Same goes for Guerin.
Names that should go if and when they do go into sell mode - Mike Comrie, Mike Sillinger, Andy Sutton, Brendan Witt, Radek Martinek, Bill Guerin and Doug Weight.
Let me know what you think.. the fans must speak.
FCT
Tampa has 7 wins. SEVEN. After spending like a drunken teenager with her daddy's credit card in the off season one would think that Boyle is laughing his ass off playing for the mighty San Jose Sharks who are topping the entire NHL at the moment. If Tampa Bay winds up with John Tavares Gary Bettman should start an investigation.
The focus of this season has changed from a rebuilding year to a "rock bottom" year. Injuries have again decimated the roster and voided any chance the team has to be competitive. Head coach Scott Gordon's system has come under fire in recent weeks and was even criticized by his own players.
If what we saw in Newsday with Witt was quoted just imagine what is being said behind the scenes out of ear shot of Greg Logan from Newsday.
When id the right time to sell of veterans to the highest bidder? I would say wait as long as you can for two reasons. One being the obvious injury. Weight, Sillinger, Sutton and Martnek are all out.
Two would be that teams will pay more when the trade deadline is near. If Doug Weight isn't hurt and has 55 points at the deadline, then he could net us a 2nd round pick. Same goes for Guerin.
Names that should go if and when they do go into sell mode - Mike Comrie, Mike Sillinger, Andy Sutton, Brendan Witt, Radek Martinek, Bill Guerin and Doug Weight.
Let me know what you think.. the fans must speak.
FCT
Monday, December 8, 2008
Random Thoughts - Still No Progress?
Random Thoughts returns to the voice with some thoughts on the state of the Islanders from the fans point of view.
1 - Repeated calls to the Town of Hempstead have revealed no new information and no one is talking. A poll on this web site and most of the people I speak to at Islander games are worried so why can't we get any answers? It is now December 8th.
Are hearings scheduled for January or not?
Is there a chance the Lighthouse group breaks ground in July or not?
All we have is questions and no answers. Do not be surprised if this is the beginning of the end for the New York Islanders.
2 - On the Islanders themselves, each step forward is met with 2 steps back. This is to be expected with a team in the state they are in. With all of the injuries, inconsistencies to be expected with a team of youngsters coupled with the ridiculous level of ineptitude with Jeff Tambelini.
I never thought anyone would challenge Andy Hilbert's level of ineptitude from last season but "Tambo" is making a run.
3 - Whats the word on Rick? Knee injuries usually have a time table of recovery. Rick DiPietro's knee injury (the latest one) does not seem to have a time table of a possible return. Why not? Something is going on with this guy and it isn't good. We all knew he is injury prone, but the team is obviously hiding something more serious.
4 - Scott Gordon gets high marks. Results be damned, Scott Gordon is doing a great job in his first year. Its good to see everyone in the organization seems to be on the same page and it should be great to see how the team progresses over the next few seasons. The only thing that scares me is that the Islanders will be just turning the corner to contention as they are moving off Long Island.
5 - Avery gets 6 games and anger management for using harsh words. Anyone want to compare what Avery did to what Mike Mattou did to Franz Nielsen? No? What about what happened to Patrice Bergeron? Mattou and Randy Jones both got 2 games. Avery got 6. So what your saying is its ok to maim and show depraved indifference to fellow players, but insult an actress and look out baby Gary Bettman and his band of disciplinarians will really come down on you.
I am all for protecting the NHL's image, but this kind of hypocrisy is what makes Gary Bettman the worst commissioner in sports.
Let me know where you stand on these and other issues surrounding the Islanders.
FCT
1 - Repeated calls to the Town of Hempstead have revealed no new information and no one is talking. A poll on this web site and most of the people I speak to at Islander games are worried so why can't we get any answers? It is now December 8th.
Are hearings scheduled for January or not?
Is there a chance the Lighthouse group breaks ground in July or not?
All we have is questions and no answers. Do not be surprised if this is the beginning of the end for the New York Islanders.
2 - On the Islanders themselves, each step forward is met with 2 steps back. This is to be expected with a team in the state they are in. With all of the injuries, inconsistencies to be expected with a team of youngsters coupled with the ridiculous level of ineptitude with Jeff Tambelini.
I never thought anyone would challenge Andy Hilbert's level of ineptitude from last season but "Tambo" is making a run.
3 - Whats the word on Rick? Knee injuries usually have a time table of recovery. Rick DiPietro's knee injury (the latest one) does not seem to have a time table of a possible return. Why not? Something is going on with this guy and it isn't good. We all knew he is injury prone, but the team is obviously hiding something more serious.
4 - Scott Gordon gets high marks. Results be damned, Scott Gordon is doing a great job in his first year. Its good to see everyone in the organization seems to be on the same page and it should be great to see how the team progresses over the next few seasons. The only thing that scares me is that the Islanders will be just turning the corner to contention as they are moving off Long Island.
5 - Avery gets 6 games and anger management for using harsh words. Anyone want to compare what Avery did to what Mike Mattou did to Franz Nielsen? No? What about what happened to Patrice Bergeron? Mattou and Randy Jones both got 2 games. Avery got 6. So what your saying is its ok to maim and show depraved indifference to fellow players, but insult an actress and look out baby Gary Bettman and his band of disciplinarians will really come down on you.
I am all for protecting the NHL's image, but this kind of hypocrisy is what makes Gary Bettman the worst commissioner in sports.
Let me know where you stand on these and other issues surrounding the Islanders.
FCT
Friday, November 21, 2008
Wins and Losses, What Will it matter?
I am quite surprised at the lack of response and interest from the fans that I speak to as well as my readers on this site as well as my fellow NYI Blog Boxers to the very possible issue that It is a very good possibility that the Islanders days on Long Island are numbered.
Let go back in time to the other areas around the NHL who thought they could get away without building or renovating a new arena, or having a putrid on ice product for extended periods, or asking the fans to swallow major league ticket prices for what amounts to an overall minor league product from top to bottom.
The Winnipeg Jets move to Phoenix... Phoenix? That hockey hotbed. The Winnipeg Jets franchise had a huge following in Winnipeg but wound up being the victim of the NHL playoff structure of the time, and that being in the same division as the Powerhouse Edmonton Oilers franchise in their heyday, and the Calgary Flames meaning that if the Jets were going to make it to the semifinals, they had to go through BOTH of them to do so and my friends, that's simply not going to happen and certainly didn't as Edmonton dispatched Winnipeg 6 times int he playoffs. Winnipeg has since built a new arena for hockey, seating just over 15 thousand fans and are hoping to try and lure an NHL franchise back to Winnipeg. The Jets ownership ran to Phoenix with the promise of American dollars and I think we have all seen that the Coyotes have not exactly lit the world on fire, in the ice or off it.
The Quebec Nordiques go to Colorado. I'm sure all of the fans of the Nords in Quebec, who tried until the last minute to save the franchises move to Denver, all had a collective heart attack when the Avalanche won the Stanley Cup in their FIRST season after leaving Quebec City. Here was a team that had a huge rivalry with its richer larger brothers in Montreal - you may know them as the Canadiens. So why would a team with a built in blood rivalry, immense young talent, coming off their best season in years and the biggest improvement in points in the history of the NHL move AFTER their team announced new uniforms and logos to the press? Money and arena. Quebec refused to build a new arena for their beloved franchise, and the Canadian dollar at the time was so weak that it left team ownership with no other choice but to sell.
The Hartford Whalers become the Hurricanes - The Whalers troubles were simple. They needed a new arena. Then Owner Peter Karamnos engaged in a game of chicken with then Connecticut Governor John Rowland demanding the 45 million in losses he incurred over the time of his ownership. A most puzzling move being that the deal for the new arena was imminent. the deal falls through and the Whalers announce they are moving. The Whalers had other problems also in horrendous trades, Larger market fans swamping their arena for when their teams came to Hartford and the arena issue. Sound familiar Islander fans?
This is just 3 examples of teams fleeing for greener pastures and please for one second do not think the Islanders are exempt from this. The only reason the team is still here is because of its very lucrative cable contract. The Lighthouse project is an over bloated project everyone knows that. But its not our money and if Charles Wang wants to use the Islanders as a pawn in his chess game to get his legacy project built then so be it. The area is dilapidated. The Coliseum is a joke. The area does nothing but enhance the notion that the Islanders are a second rate franchise in the shadows of the Rangers. No one of any marketability wants to play here, and no one is showing up to the games.
It all sounds like a swan song to me. for the first time I actually believe that moving the team could be a reality. Gary Bettman has even spoken in favor of getting the deal for the arena in place. All we hear from The town of Hempstead is... nothing. The ball is in their court and it is their turn. The fans have spoken. Can someone please give the Town of Hempstead a swift kick in the ass because quite frankly if this deal does not go by this summer we can all start looking for a new NHL franchise to root for. How does the Kansas City Scouts sound? The Seattle Storm? The Winnipeg Jets? Or you can go root for the Devils or Rangers... hows that for a thought.
Don't think for a second that it cannot happen because there are some people in Winnipeg, Hartford and Quebec that can tell you what its like to lose your franchise after mismanagement, horrid trades, expensive games of chicken and poor facilities.
FCT
Let go back in time to the other areas around the NHL who thought they could get away without building or renovating a new arena, or having a putrid on ice product for extended periods, or asking the fans to swallow major league ticket prices for what amounts to an overall minor league product from top to bottom.
The Winnipeg Jets move to Phoenix... Phoenix? That hockey hotbed. The Winnipeg Jets franchise had a huge following in Winnipeg but wound up being the victim of the NHL playoff structure of the time, and that being in the same division as the Powerhouse Edmonton Oilers franchise in their heyday, and the Calgary Flames meaning that if the Jets were going to make it to the semifinals, they had to go through BOTH of them to do so and my friends, that's simply not going to happen and certainly didn't as Edmonton dispatched Winnipeg 6 times int he playoffs. Winnipeg has since built a new arena for hockey, seating just over 15 thousand fans and are hoping to try and lure an NHL franchise back to Winnipeg. The Jets ownership ran to Phoenix with the promise of American dollars and I think we have all seen that the Coyotes have not exactly lit the world on fire, in the ice or off it.
The Quebec Nordiques go to Colorado. I'm sure all of the fans of the Nords in Quebec, who tried until the last minute to save the franchises move to Denver, all had a collective heart attack when the Avalanche won the Stanley Cup in their FIRST season after leaving Quebec City. Here was a team that had a huge rivalry with its richer larger brothers in Montreal - you may know them as the Canadiens. So why would a team with a built in blood rivalry, immense young talent, coming off their best season in years and the biggest improvement in points in the history of the NHL move AFTER their team announced new uniforms and logos to the press? Money and arena. Quebec refused to build a new arena for their beloved franchise, and the Canadian dollar at the time was so weak that it left team ownership with no other choice but to sell.
The Hartford Whalers become the Hurricanes - The Whalers troubles were simple. They needed a new arena. Then Owner Peter Karamnos engaged in a game of chicken with then Connecticut Governor John Rowland demanding the 45 million in losses he incurred over the time of his ownership. A most puzzling move being that the deal for the new arena was imminent. the deal falls through and the Whalers announce they are moving. The Whalers had other problems also in horrendous trades, Larger market fans swamping their arena for when their teams came to Hartford and the arena issue. Sound familiar Islander fans?
This is just 3 examples of teams fleeing for greener pastures and please for one second do not think the Islanders are exempt from this. The only reason the team is still here is because of its very lucrative cable contract. The Lighthouse project is an over bloated project everyone knows that. But its not our money and if Charles Wang wants to use the Islanders as a pawn in his chess game to get his legacy project built then so be it. The area is dilapidated. The Coliseum is a joke. The area does nothing but enhance the notion that the Islanders are a second rate franchise in the shadows of the Rangers. No one of any marketability wants to play here, and no one is showing up to the games.
It all sounds like a swan song to me. for the first time I actually believe that moving the team could be a reality. Gary Bettman has even spoken in favor of getting the deal for the arena in place. All we hear from The town of Hempstead is... nothing. The ball is in their court and it is their turn. The fans have spoken. Can someone please give the Town of Hempstead a swift kick in the ass because quite frankly if this deal does not go by this summer we can all start looking for a new NHL franchise to root for. How does the Kansas City Scouts sound? The Seattle Storm? The Winnipeg Jets? Or you can go root for the Devils or Rangers... hows that for a thought.
Don't think for a second that it cannot happen because there are some people in Winnipeg, Hartford and Quebec that can tell you what its like to lose your franchise after mismanagement, horrid trades, expensive games of chicken and poor facilities.
FCT
Saturday, November 15, 2008
Islanders to Move? The Threat is REAL.
Plans for the approval of the Lighthouse project sit in the Town of Hempstead's office waiting for review. Why is this? Why isn't Charles Wang screaming at the top of his lungs and using every weapon in his arsenal to basically tell the people this. If Mr. Wang does not get this project off the ground then two things will happen. He will sell and the team will move.
He will sell the team and this time it wont go to someone who is willing to deal with insane amounts of red tape and political delay after political delay. Every elected official on Long Island is looking to put his personal stamp on the project and use it to get his or her meaningless name in the paper. I am so sick and tired of hearing some elected official from Nassau County who has his job because he managed to hand out more fliers than his or her opponent tell me that they know better than me what is good for the county. The county is bleeding money. The Islanders are bleeding money. The coliseum is a wreck. The surrounding area is a rotting parking lot. Either let the man build his project or just say no and let the team move already because all of this unknown is driving the fan base insane whether they are for or against the project. Mark my words today - If the deal does not get done there is a very good chance the Islanders will move to Kansas City, who has been eyeing the Islanders as a target for years and guess what, they already have a nice new arena for hockey.
Gary Bettman in his usual "well i cant really say whats going to happen" voice is going around telling anyone who cares that the county better get the deal done. Bettman wants the team on Long Island because of the rivalries the Islander shave with some of his favorite franchises.
It is time to open our eyes people. Either get he damn thing built or kiss the Islanders goodbye.
This time the threat is real.
FCT
He will sell the team and this time it wont go to someone who is willing to deal with insane amounts of red tape and political delay after political delay. Every elected official on Long Island is looking to put his personal stamp on the project and use it to get his or her meaningless name in the paper. I am so sick and tired of hearing some elected official from Nassau County who has his job because he managed to hand out more fliers than his or her opponent tell me that they know better than me what is good for the county. The county is bleeding money. The Islanders are bleeding money. The coliseum is a wreck. The surrounding area is a rotting parking lot. Either let the man build his project or just say no and let the team move already because all of this unknown is driving the fan base insane whether they are for or against the project. Mark my words today - If the deal does not get done there is a very good chance the Islanders will move to Kansas City, who has been eyeing the Islanders as a target for years and guess what, they already have a nice new arena for hockey.
Gary Bettman in his usual "well i cant really say whats going to happen" voice is going around telling anyone who cares that the county better get the deal done. Bettman wants the team on Long Island because of the rivalries the Islander shave with some of his favorite franchises.
It is time to open our eyes people. Either get he damn thing built or kiss the Islanders goodbye.
This time the threat is real.
FCT
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Don't get to Excited - A Deeper Look at 2 Wins.
I wouldn't be making any plans for the Islanders trip to the Stanley Cup Playoffs any time soon people. While the 4-3 victory over the depleted Blue Jackets and the 2-1 victory over the blue shirts are fine and dandy, the circumstances of both victories still paint the same picture.
The Islanders were up 3-0 to Columbus who were playing without a litany of their best players and their top goaltender when they imploded again and allowed 3 goals in the third period blowing a 3 goal lead twice in two games. The only thing that saved them was Chris Campoli's overtime winners.
The Islanders locked in a 0-0 tie at the Garden after two periods has all the indications of a competitive game. The problem is, it wasn't.
The Rangers dominated the Islanders for two periods and the Joey McDonald absolutely stood on his head earning the Islanders the 2-1 victory only because of two Ranger mistakes on the power play resulting in two shorties.
Two victories is a good start but I remain un-impressed at the teams play this season. The Islanders have looked over-matched in almost every game this season despite the 4 victories they have.
What does this mean?
It means that the long term prospects of a team that is 30th in every NHL power rankings of every major web site and hockey publication that cares to write about hockey have not changed much because of a couple of hollow victories.
Like it or not, this is still shaping up to be a long season.
FCT
The Islanders were up 3-0 to Columbus who were playing without a litany of their best players and their top goaltender when they imploded again and allowed 3 goals in the third period blowing a 3 goal lead twice in two games. The only thing that saved them was Chris Campoli's overtime winners.
The Islanders locked in a 0-0 tie at the Garden after two periods has all the indications of a competitive game. The problem is, it wasn't.
The Rangers dominated the Islanders for two periods and the Joey McDonald absolutely stood on his head earning the Islanders the 2-1 victory only because of two Ranger mistakes on the power play resulting in two shorties.
Two victories is a good start but I remain un-impressed at the teams play this season. The Islanders have looked over-matched in almost every game this season despite the 4 victories they have.
What does this mean?
It means that the long term prospects of a team that is 30th in every NHL power rankings of every major web site and hockey publication that cares to write about hockey have not changed much because of a couple of hollow victories.
Like it or not, this is still shaping up to be a long season.
FCT
Saturday, November 1, 2008
Finding Ways to Lose - The Story of the Islanders Young Season
I grew up an Islander fan and have been a fan of the team from the earliest point I can remember which was the 1975-76 season. My father, who became an Islander fan when the team was granted entry into the NHL in 1972, told me all about that season when the Islanders started dominating the NHL in the late 1970's. He tole me the team was so bad that it just found ways to lose. He said one game they would look better, then lose 2-1. Then they would look even better, score a couple of goals and lose 3-2. Sometimes they would get their doors blown off and lose 9-1. Then they would be up 4-1 and blow that lead and lose 5-4. See any parallels here?
Maybe the Islanders picked the wrong season to introduce throwback jerseys to their first season in the NHL. It took the Montreal Canadiens 7:31 to score 4 goals on the Islanders sending the thousands of Montreal fans who were in attendance on their 350 mile trek home extremely happy. I expected the Islanders to at the very least compete on their route to another losing season and this has the makings to get ugly, and ugly very quickly. This team, unless it starts to gel VERY quickly will be out of any possible playoff hunt by Thanksgiving, already last in the NHL with 5 points and a 2-7-1 record.
The Nassau Coliseum isn't the Islander home arena this season. Let me explain this one. Usually, an NHL franchise can count on 41 games per season to have their home faithful, no matter how many actually show up cheer them on. Something disturbing is happening this season. Ranger fans are outnumbering Islander fans in the old barn. Montreal fans numbered probably somewhere near 4,000 tonight. Devils fans, Flyer fans, Penguin fans, Buffalo fans Toronto fans are making the trek to Nassau Coliseum because they cant get tickets in their own home arenas and they KNOW they can get tickets at the Coliseum very easily or cheaper. Think of the message it sends to the players when they hear chants of GO HABS GO, or GO LEAFS GO, or LETS GO RANGERS, or LETS GO FLYERS at every home game. Think of how it feels when the opposition is to far away for their fans to take a bus ride to the Island, there are 8,000 empty seats glaring at them. It has got to wear on a player, on a team, on a coach, and on an owner. I know it has gotten REALLY old for me. The Islanders are playing what amounts to 65 road games per season now and a lot of them in their own arena.
All this being said with all of the negatives around the team right now there are a few glimmers of hope. the younger players save Jeff Tambelini are playing better. Doug Weight is enjoying a renaissance of sorts, and Mark Streit is more than earning his pay check. Most importantly if this trend of futility continues there is John Tavares looming as this years number one overall pick. At the very least we will have a shot at him. THAT is something to look forward to.
FCT
Maybe the Islanders picked the wrong season to introduce throwback jerseys to their first season in the NHL. It took the Montreal Canadiens 7:31 to score 4 goals on the Islanders sending the thousands of Montreal fans who were in attendance on their 350 mile trek home extremely happy. I expected the Islanders to at the very least compete on their route to another losing season and this has the makings to get ugly, and ugly very quickly. This team, unless it starts to gel VERY quickly will be out of any possible playoff hunt by Thanksgiving, already last in the NHL with 5 points and a 2-7-1 record.
The Nassau Coliseum isn't the Islander home arena this season. Let me explain this one. Usually, an NHL franchise can count on 41 games per season to have their home faithful, no matter how many actually show up cheer them on. Something disturbing is happening this season. Ranger fans are outnumbering Islander fans in the old barn. Montreal fans numbered probably somewhere near 4,000 tonight. Devils fans, Flyer fans, Penguin fans, Buffalo fans Toronto fans are making the trek to Nassau Coliseum because they cant get tickets in their own home arenas and they KNOW they can get tickets at the Coliseum very easily or cheaper. Think of the message it sends to the players when they hear chants of GO HABS GO, or GO LEAFS GO, or LETS GO RANGERS, or LETS GO FLYERS at every home game. Think of how it feels when the opposition is to far away for their fans to take a bus ride to the Island, there are 8,000 empty seats glaring at them. It has got to wear on a player, on a team, on a coach, and on an owner. I know it has gotten REALLY old for me. The Islanders are playing what amounts to 65 road games per season now and a lot of them in their own arena.
All this being said with all of the negatives around the team right now there are a few glimmers of hope. the younger players save Jeff Tambelini are playing better. Doug Weight is enjoying a renaissance of sorts, and Mark Streit is more than earning his pay check. Most importantly if this trend of futility continues there is John Tavares looming as this years number one overall pick. At the very least we will have a shot at him. THAT is something to look forward to.
FCT
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