This is a free agent frenzy?
In the free agent class of 2007, 27 contracts were negotiated and announced on the first day of free agency on July 1. Names like Chris Drury, Scott Gomez, Danny Briere, Ryan Smyth, Jason Blake and many many others went on the first day to huge contracts not only in terms of years but in overall value.
On the second day another 20 names were crossed off the list and when the first week was over another 57 were signed sealed and delivered, most to monster contracts.
This season although the number of players signed through the first week have actually been higher the dollar amount of the contracts handed out have been a mere fraction of what they were then even factoring in Kovalchuk's monster would be deal.
We all know the salary cap has played a major role in curtailing the amount of money thrown around but the reasons go a little beyond simply the cap itself.
Would Ilya Kovalchuck remained unsigned for as long as he was this year if he were a free agent in 2007?
Keep in mind that there was a salary cap in 2007 also. One that was much lower than it is today at around 59 million now to 40 million then.
So what are the other reasons for the huge step down in money commitment?
Could it be the talent available?
Could it be that General Managers are no longer willing to throw big money at players that are coming from other organiations?
Could it be that the big money teams that typically have the cash to throw around are at or near the salary cap?
Let us examine.
2010 has been no banner year when it comes to free agents. I would not be the first writer to say the class of 2010 is a weak one.
This being sead it is now July 30th and to see some of the players that are still available is simply mind boggling.
Some notable forwards are - Lee Stempniak, Paul Kariya, Teemu Selanne, Maxim Afinogenov, Bill Guerin, Brendan Morrison, Raffi Torres, John Madden, Mike Modano and Glen Metropolit.
Granted this is 2010 and not 2000 so Selanne, Kariya and Modano do not have nearly as much clout as they used to but any one of them could help a team.
Stempniak and Torres are still very young and personally I would love to see the Islanders sign one or both of them.
Morrison has had injuries derail his career at times but is a gifted playmaker.
On goaltenders and defense we have Kim Johnsson, Mike Mottau, Andy Sutton, Marc-Andre Bergeron, Marty Turco, Jose Theodore, Ray Emery and Aaron Ward.
Any one of these players can help a team considerably including former MVP of the league Theodore who had an amazing 30-7-7 record last year with the Capitals.
Turco may be past his prime but he is still a very solid netminder.
Looking at some of the names up there makes me wonder why after over 4 weeks of free agency they still remain unsigned.
Let us examine.
1 - The Salary Cap puts the usual big spenders on the sidelines. This is not a rumoror or a speculation it is a fact.
The Rangers, Toronto, Montreal, Chicago, Boston, Detroit, Philadelphia are the usual big spenders coem free agent time.
They are all for the most part dormant in July and it is because they simply cannot spend any more money due to the cap.
Maybe if the Maple Leafs weren't throwing around 16 million dollars to Jeff FInger they could have made a run at Kovalchuk and bring a face to their franchise.
With the big money teams out of the picture it lets the middle level teams have real shots at signing the big names. Would the New Jersey Devils despite their sparking new arena have a ghost of a chance of landing a guy like Kovalchuk if he could run to the millions of one of the big boys?
Its like taking the Yankees and Red Sox out of the picture in baseball.
2 - This years free agent class is sub par. There are lot of people who would disagree with this. Most of the top defenseman have been snapped up already some going for what some would say Jeff Finger money.
The forwards and goaltenders seem to be the ones lingering here. There are 3 bona fide number one goaltenders out there. One of them is a former MVP and the other has won The Stanley Cup.
There is talent there so I do not believe that talent is the main issue.
3 - Free Agency is not the way to build a franchise. If the leagues current top teams have taught us anything its that signing that flashy 40 goal scorer should be the final piece to the puzzle of building your team and not the starting point.
In the past big market teams have thrown obscene amounts of money at what is perceived to be the "top free agents" of any given year and it took hours, not weeks to complete multi year, multi million dollar mega deals.
Now it takes a proven, young 40 goal scorer 3 weeks to sign a contract after July 1?
That is something that was unheard of as recent at 2 years ago.
Needless to say the landscape has drastically changed.
The top dogs will always get their money. That free agent who is perceived to be the top guy, the corner-stone type player.
Gone are the days of multi year mega contracts to second and third tier players like Scott Gomez, Jason Blake and Chris Drury just to name a few.
In are the days of one year deals to players who would normally be getting this type deal.
Where else would a guy lead his team in goaldsand get only a one year deal? (Matt Moulson)
How about a guy who gets 58 points and 20 goals and only gets a one year deal (Vinny Prospal)?
The landscape has changed people. So many teams have abandoned the free agent fix and now favor building through youth. Especially now that 18 year olds making an impact for $375,000 per season over paying a free agent millions more for the same output.
Free agency will always be prevalant but it seems in order to cash in big time you have to actually BE big time.
It has turned into a way to tweak your team and teams have finally figured out it has never been a successul tool in the NHL to build a winning franchise.
Please post your thoughts below.
Friday, July 30, 2010
Monday, July 12, 2010
NY Islanders: Murray Drops Bomb on Lighthouse
This may be the death knell of the Lighthouse project as envisioned by Charles Wang and Scott Rechler.
Charles Wang, owner of the New York Islanders and real estate magnate has yet to respond to the latest attack on his project.
Kate Murray, Town of Hempstead Supervisor and top opponent to the project has unveiled her new zoning of the 77 acre site that will result in The Lighthouse project either being scaled back to something not even resembling the plans we have seen.
The square footage of buildings being built would be severely cut down.
The building heights would be limited to 9 stories, down from Wang's proposed 35 stories.
The amount of housing units that can be built from over 2,300 proposed by Wang to just over 500.
This is what took Kate Murray and her Town cronies 5 years to come up with.
Charles Wang and Scott Rechler have spent more time and money on this project and sat around waiting for one bureaucrat and her silly Town Board to tell them yes or no.
Nassau County approved the plan. New York State is behind the plan. Long Islanders by a wide margin are behind the plan.
The Town of Hempstead? They know better than all of us.
What they did is next to criminal. They said maybe. They said everything to keep Mr. Wang and his 3 billion dollars from walking away from the table.
So where does this leave the project?
In its current form and location it is dead and buried.
So what is next for the project? What is next for the New York Islanders franchise?
That is any ones guess but I can take a stab at it.
Charles Wang will not bow to the wishes of the Town of Hempstead. He did not make himself a billionaire by mistake and will not just lay down and take whatever the Town gives him.
There are other options. The best and most attractive one right now would be to get behind Nassau County Executive Ed Mangano's plan to bring in the Shinnecock Nation to build a mixed use project that could resemble most of Wang's current plan with one notable addition, a casino.
The Shinnecock Nation have land out east on Long Island that they can offer in trade for the rights to build on the 77 acres around Nassau Coliseum.
All Charles Wang would have to do is get in bed with them and Mangano add a casino to his plans and he would be back in business.
Why would this make a difference when it comes to the Town of Hempstead?
Because with the Shinnecock Nation Mangano, New York State, Charles Wang all would NOT need Town of Hempstead approval to build whatever they want on the site.
The key is the Shinnecock Nation. Being a recognized American Indian tribe if they were granted the land to build on by New York State they would be outside the Town of Hempstead's jurisdiction.
Presto. The Lighthouse project is back albeit altered to include a Casino and lets not forget a nice brand new renovated home for the New York Islanders.
One thing people around Long Island are in agreement of is that Long Island needs a reason for people to stay here.
For some reason the Town of Hempstead and Charles Wang have not met in the middle. Wang presented his project and said this is it. Kate Murray has presented her zoning plan and said this is it.
Something has to give in this long strange saga of The Lighthouse project.
What do you think is next? Leave your comments below.
Charles Wang, owner of the New York Islanders and real estate magnate has yet to respond to the latest attack on his project.
Kate Murray, Town of Hempstead Supervisor and top opponent to the project has unveiled her new zoning of the 77 acre site that will result in The Lighthouse project either being scaled back to something not even resembling the plans we have seen.
The square footage of buildings being built would be severely cut down.
The building heights would be limited to 9 stories, down from Wang's proposed 35 stories.
The amount of housing units that can be built from over 2,300 proposed by Wang to just over 500.
This is what took Kate Murray and her Town cronies 5 years to come up with.
Charles Wang and Scott Rechler have spent more time and money on this project and sat around waiting for one bureaucrat and her silly Town Board to tell them yes or no.
Nassau County approved the plan. New York State is behind the plan. Long Islanders by a wide margin are behind the plan.
The Town of Hempstead? They know better than all of us.
What they did is next to criminal. They said maybe. They said everything to keep Mr. Wang and his 3 billion dollars from walking away from the table.
So where does this leave the project?
In its current form and location it is dead and buried.
So what is next for the project? What is next for the New York Islanders franchise?
That is any ones guess but I can take a stab at it.
Charles Wang will not bow to the wishes of the Town of Hempstead. He did not make himself a billionaire by mistake and will not just lay down and take whatever the Town gives him.
There are other options. The best and most attractive one right now would be to get behind Nassau County Executive Ed Mangano's plan to bring in the Shinnecock Nation to build a mixed use project that could resemble most of Wang's current plan with one notable addition, a casino.
The Shinnecock Nation have land out east on Long Island that they can offer in trade for the rights to build on the 77 acres around Nassau Coliseum.
All Charles Wang would have to do is get in bed with them and Mangano add a casino to his plans and he would be back in business.
Why would this make a difference when it comes to the Town of Hempstead?
Because with the Shinnecock Nation Mangano, New York State, Charles Wang all would NOT need Town of Hempstead approval to build whatever they want on the site.
The key is the Shinnecock Nation. Being a recognized American Indian tribe if they were granted the land to build on by New York State they would be outside the Town of Hempstead's jurisdiction.
Presto. The Lighthouse project is back albeit altered to include a Casino and lets not forget a nice brand new renovated home for the New York Islanders.
One thing people around Long Island are in agreement of is that Long Island needs a reason for people to stay here.
For some reason the Town of Hempstead and Charles Wang have not met in the middle. Wang presented his project and said this is it. Kate Murray has presented her zoning plan and said this is it.
Something has to give in this long strange saga of The Lighthouse project.
What do you think is next? Leave your comments below.
Friday, July 2, 2010
NHL Free Agency Begins: Defenseman are a Premium
The NHL free agency period has begun and defensemen are getting scooped up on day one and being paid handsomely.
One of the biggest winners so far is Paul Martin formerly of the New Jersey Devils scoring a 5 year 25 million dollar contract from the Penguins. The Devils quickly turned around and replaced Martin with Anton Volchenkov by coughing up $25.5 million over 6 years and 4 years and 13.5 million for Henrik Tallinder.
Sergei Gonchar did not let the door hit him on his way out of Pittsburgh by taking a 3 year 16.5 million dollar deal from Ottawa.
Toni Lydman managed to get someone to give him 3 years and 9 million continuing the free agent parade out of Buffalo that has been going on since Briere and Drury left.
In a bit of a head scratcher Pittsburgh also picked up former Phoenix Coyotes defenseman Zbynek Michalek and gave him $20 million over 5 years. Michalek is not going to wow you with his skills but he can eat minutes and dependable NHL defenseman are at a premium.
Also in the head scratcher category, Dan Hamhuis scored a $27 million dollar 6 year contract from Vancouver. $4.5 million per year for this guy? Really?
Other defenseman who are off the market are Derek Morris (4 years, 11 million) resigning with Phoenix, Sean O'Donnel (1 year, 1 million) with Philadelphia and Kurtis Foster (2 years, 3.6 million) with Tampa Bay.
While I am surprised the Devils did not push harder for the young, talented Paul Martin to resign it is obvious that defensemen scored some long, rich contracts on day 1.
Most of the more attractive free agent forwards are still out there including Mr. Kovalchuk who is sure to net well over 100 million dollars and the only question is - Who is going to give it to him?
On the Islanders front Martin Biron making the odd move of signing with the Rangers to back up Henrik Lundqvist. Lundqvist is going to play 70 games and unless the Rangers are going to reduce his work load Biron is going to spend a lot of the next two years on the bench.
I just figured that Marty after the frustrating season on the Island would want to play more games than he did a year ago and unless Lundqvist gets injured that is simply not going to happen.
Jeff Tambellini took a 1 year $500K deal from the Canucks so the bane of Ted Nolan is gone and if you ask me good riddance. It was way past the time for Jeff to produce on the Island and his spot can be taken by one of the Islanders prospects on the rise. I wish him well.
Jeremy Reich left the Island and signed with the Bruins. Yawn.
If I may be so bold to offer Garth Snow some advice, go sign Lee Stempniak.
Who do you think will land Kovalchuk? Who should the Islanders pursue if anyone? Who overpaid their free agent defensemen?
Leave your comments below.
One of the biggest winners so far is Paul Martin formerly of the New Jersey Devils scoring a 5 year 25 million dollar contract from the Penguins. The Devils quickly turned around and replaced Martin with Anton Volchenkov by coughing up $25.5 million over 6 years and 4 years and 13.5 million for Henrik Tallinder.
Sergei Gonchar did not let the door hit him on his way out of Pittsburgh by taking a 3 year 16.5 million dollar deal from Ottawa.
Toni Lydman managed to get someone to give him 3 years and 9 million continuing the free agent parade out of Buffalo that has been going on since Briere and Drury left.
In a bit of a head scratcher Pittsburgh also picked up former Phoenix Coyotes defenseman Zbynek Michalek and gave him $20 million over 5 years. Michalek is not going to wow you with his skills but he can eat minutes and dependable NHL defenseman are at a premium.
Also in the head scratcher category, Dan Hamhuis scored a $27 million dollar 6 year contract from Vancouver. $4.5 million per year for this guy? Really?
Other defenseman who are off the market are Derek Morris (4 years, 11 million) resigning with Phoenix, Sean O'Donnel (1 year, 1 million) with Philadelphia and Kurtis Foster (2 years, 3.6 million) with Tampa Bay.
While I am surprised the Devils did not push harder for the young, talented Paul Martin to resign it is obvious that defensemen scored some long, rich contracts on day 1.
Most of the more attractive free agent forwards are still out there including Mr. Kovalchuk who is sure to net well over 100 million dollars and the only question is - Who is going to give it to him?
On the Islanders front Martin Biron making the odd move of signing with the Rangers to back up Henrik Lundqvist. Lundqvist is going to play 70 games and unless the Rangers are going to reduce his work load Biron is going to spend a lot of the next two years on the bench.
I just figured that Marty after the frustrating season on the Island would want to play more games than he did a year ago and unless Lundqvist gets injured that is simply not going to happen.
Jeff Tambellini took a 1 year $500K deal from the Canucks so the bane of Ted Nolan is gone and if you ask me good riddance. It was way past the time for Jeff to produce on the Island and his spot can be taken by one of the Islanders prospects on the rise. I wish him well.
Jeremy Reich left the Island and signed with the Bruins. Yawn.
If I may be so bold to offer Garth Snow some advice, go sign Lee Stempniak.
Who do you think will land Kovalchuk? Who should the Islanders pursue if anyone? Who overpaid their free agent defensemen?
Leave your comments below.
Saturday, June 26, 2010
The Good and the Bad: The NY Islanders Draft
The 2010 draft has ended and the Islanders had another top 5 pick in the draft. Did they come away with another blue chip prospect or did they blow it not selecting the best player at their position in the draft?
I present 3 points for and 3 points against what the Islanders did this draft. Which side is correct?
Tou be the judge.
First we will get The Bad out of the way.
THE BAD
1 - Nino Who? No Cam Fowler? No Brandon Gormley? No Brett Connolly? They were all rated higher than Niederreiter and that means that Snow saw something different than the rest of the league. The rule is you take the best player at your position in the draft and The Islanders simply didn't do that.
Snow loves trading down so much, why didn't he try and trade down and get something for drafting this kid instead of someone rated higher?
2 - Trade two get one? Trading 2 second rounders to move up 5 spots? This Brock Nelson kid must be pretty good to give up the chance at 2 prospects down to get one. Snow and his staff usually add picks not give up picks and to move up only 5 spots and give up a second round pick? He had better be worth that.
3 - Win When? This Islanders team needs to start showing some results now. Tavares is in his second year and the team needs to show him and the rest of the team they are serious about winning and doing so now so as to not risk demoralizing the young players.
Lets switch it up now and present:
THE GOOD
1 - El Nino is the Man. Anyone who knows this kid knows the Islanders got a gem. If he makes the Islanders this season and that may be a long shot but if he does fans will love his style of play.
He is tough and has a big game mentality and is very comfortable in traffic. When he does make the Islanders there will be a sign in Nassau Coliseum (or wherever the Islanders are) that reads "EL NINO" Bank on it.
Consider this also - Gormley and Fowler went 12 and 13 so the Islanders were not alone in passing them up.
A poll on NHL.com shows that the fans think Niederreiter has the biggest up-side than any of the other forwards chosen in the first round.
2 - Win Soon, Very soon. - The Islanders need to stick to their plan. Draft smart and build within. The Islanders improved so much last season and the young core is only got better as the year wore on.
This season could be the breakout year for the young Islanders. Tavares Will know exactly what to expect from the NHL, Josh Bailey will be another year wiser and Kyle Okposo is due for the breakout season we all know he is capable of.
Stick to the plan. Build not just a winner, but a long time winner.
3 - You See Something You Like, You Take It - No one knows how good Brock Nelson is going to be. Snow and his team of scouts saw something they liked in Nelson and paid a steep price to get him.
This isn't a bad thing, its a good thing. Why? Because it shows Snow and Co. are willing to take a bit of a risk here and there to make the Islanders a winner.
A Lot of people passed on Kirill Kabanov because of off ice issues and concerns about his character.
I love this pick because the kid wants to prove the other 29 franchises wrong and the Islanders will be his means to do so. He said all the right things and he is still only 17. There is a lot of time for him to right himself and if he does? Look out. He has the talent to become a top six player.
There we have it. 3 points for and 3 points against what the Islanders have done in the 2010 NHL draft.
Where do you stand? Leave any comments you may have below.
I present 3 points for and 3 points against what the Islanders did this draft. Which side is correct?
Tou be the judge.
First we will get The Bad out of the way.
THE BAD
1 - Nino Who? No Cam Fowler? No Brandon Gormley? No Brett Connolly? They were all rated higher than Niederreiter and that means that Snow saw something different than the rest of the league. The rule is you take the best player at your position in the draft and The Islanders simply didn't do that.
Snow loves trading down so much, why didn't he try and trade down and get something for drafting this kid instead of someone rated higher?
2 - Trade two get one? Trading 2 second rounders to move up 5 spots? This Brock Nelson kid must be pretty good to give up the chance at 2 prospects down to get one. Snow and his staff usually add picks not give up picks and to move up only 5 spots and give up a second round pick? He had better be worth that.
3 - Win When? This Islanders team needs to start showing some results now. Tavares is in his second year and the team needs to show him and the rest of the team they are serious about winning and doing so now so as to not risk demoralizing the young players.
Lets switch it up now and present:
THE GOOD
1 - El Nino is the Man. Anyone who knows this kid knows the Islanders got a gem. If he makes the Islanders this season and that may be a long shot but if he does fans will love his style of play.
He is tough and has a big game mentality and is very comfortable in traffic. When he does make the Islanders there will be a sign in Nassau Coliseum (or wherever the Islanders are) that reads "EL NINO" Bank on it.
Consider this also - Gormley and Fowler went 12 and 13 so the Islanders were not alone in passing them up.
A poll on NHL.com shows that the fans think Niederreiter has the biggest up-side than any of the other forwards chosen in the first round.
2 - Win Soon, Very soon. - The Islanders need to stick to their plan. Draft smart and build within. The Islanders improved so much last season and the young core is only got better as the year wore on.
This season could be the breakout year for the young Islanders. Tavares Will know exactly what to expect from the NHL, Josh Bailey will be another year wiser and Kyle Okposo is due for the breakout season we all know he is capable of.
Stick to the plan. Build not just a winner, but a long time winner.
3 - You See Something You Like, You Take It - No one knows how good Brock Nelson is going to be. Snow and his team of scouts saw something they liked in Nelson and paid a steep price to get him.
This isn't a bad thing, its a good thing. Why? Because it shows Snow and Co. are willing to take a bit of a risk here and there to make the Islanders a winner.
A Lot of people passed on Kirill Kabanov because of off ice issues and concerns about his character.
I love this pick because the kid wants to prove the other 29 franchises wrong and the Islanders will be his means to do so. He said all the right things and he is still only 17. There is a lot of time for him to right himself and if he does? Look out. He has the talent to become a top six player.
There we have it. 3 points for and 3 points against what the Islanders have done in the 2010 NHL draft.
Where do you stand? Leave any comments you may have below.
Friday, June 25, 2010
The 2010 NHL Draft: NY Islanders Edition
It seems like yesterday we were all sitting around waiting and wondering whether The Islanders and their brain trust would do what we all wanted and expected them to do and that is draft John Tavares.
Now that JT has his first Islanders season and his first 24 goals under his belt the focus can be shifted to the very important question of "Whats Next?"
The Islanders hold the number 5 overall pick this season and should be able to net themselves another blue chip prospect. Who that will wind up being is any ones guess.
After top prospects Tyler Seguin and Taylor Hall the door is wide open to who will go third, fourth and fifth.
With all of the analyzing going on over trying to figure out who the Islanders will draft and all of the dealing the Islanders have done in past drafts that task is next to impossible to determine but that does not mean we cannot discuss it.
I would love to see the Islanders stick to their guns and draft 5th if they cannot move up into the top 2 which is a pipe dream. The Oilers and Bruins will draft 1 and 2 unless they switch positions which has been rumored.
Taylor Hall will likely go number one to the Oilers and Tyler Seguin will likely be drafted by the Bruins. The bottom line is this you take the best player available at your position in the draft and these two kids are the class of this years draft.
Toronto Maple Leaf nation is probably kicking itself in the rear again after its failed attempt to get John Tavares and now trading for Phil Kessel will cost them dearly again if Seguin turns into the player he is projected to.
After the big two, we could see a run of defenseman being drafted with top prospects Brandon Gormley, Erik Gundbranson and Cam Fowler project to go in the top 6 or 7.
The Big question will be which one of them will be left for the Islanders to take? Most mock drafts have Gormley and Fowler going 3 and 4. If that is the case I would love the Islander to select RW Brett Connoly. He always seems to be around the net and is not afraid to get in the thick of things and pick up the so called "ugly" goal.
He is not going to blow past defenders and roof the puck and be on TSNs highlight reel but he can score and that is what the Islanders need.
If Fowler falls to 5th then he should be the selection. although his stock has fallen a bit as he was originally projected to be in the top 3 with Hall and Seguin maybe that can be to the Islanders benefit.
The wild card in my eyes is Vladmir Taresenko who has a KHL contract that may scare away many GMs. The Islanders still have the rights to Kirill Petrov of the KHL and he is also under contract to the Russian league so it is doubtful Snow would want to repeat that situation at least this high in the draft.
If Teresenko was a sure bet to be in the NHL next year his talent alone would put him easily in the top 3 of the draft.
Is he worth a shot? Only Garth Snow and his staff knows for sure.
The only sure thing at this time is the Islanders stand to get themselves yet another blue chip prospect for their ongoing rebuilding process.
The process is working as evidenced by the teams improvements last season and if things break right the team should contend for a playoff spot this season.
That is a discussion for another day as the focus is on the NHL draft and the Islander adding to their fully stocked cupboard of prospects.
Once the draft is out of the way we can discuss free agency and more which the Islander will have to be more active in filling roles unless they intend to promote from within to fill the holes in the team.
Who from the Islander system is ready to make the jump to the NHL?
On the forward line I would love to see Jesse Joensuu get more than the cup of coffee he has received. Robin Figrin may be ready for a long time look as well as Matt Martin. Trevor Smith should be able to stick with the team also if they do not pursue free agent help he is a capable 4th line center.
Anyone want to see what David Toews is capable of? I sure do.
On defense, Calvin de Haan had some injury trouble last season which will probably derail his shot at the big club at least for the beginning of the season.
Dylan Reese played very well in his stint at the end of last season, Mark Flood did not embarrass himself and could prospect Aaron Ness be ready for a shot? Training camp should be very interesting to say the least.
If the Islanders stay true to the rebuild free agency will not be an issue. They will promote from within and sign one or two hole filling free agents.
At this point bringing in big free agents is a mistake and Snow and Company should stick to the plan and build from within. The fans of the team have seen what building a team the right way can do i.e. Chicago and Pittsburgh.
After the draft tonight I will post a "Good and the Bad" of the Islanders draft so stay tuned to what should be a very interesting draft and another chapter in the building of the NY Islanders.
Now that JT has his first Islanders season and his first 24 goals under his belt the focus can be shifted to the very important question of "Whats Next?"
The Islanders hold the number 5 overall pick this season and should be able to net themselves another blue chip prospect. Who that will wind up being is any ones guess.
After top prospects Tyler Seguin and Taylor Hall the door is wide open to who will go third, fourth and fifth.
With all of the analyzing going on over trying to figure out who the Islanders will draft and all of the dealing the Islanders have done in past drafts that task is next to impossible to determine but that does not mean we cannot discuss it.
I would love to see the Islanders stick to their guns and draft 5th if they cannot move up into the top 2 which is a pipe dream. The Oilers and Bruins will draft 1 and 2 unless they switch positions which has been rumored.
Taylor Hall will likely go number one to the Oilers and Tyler Seguin will likely be drafted by the Bruins. The bottom line is this you take the best player available at your position in the draft and these two kids are the class of this years draft.
Toronto Maple Leaf nation is probably kicking itself in the rear again after its failed attempt to get John Tavares and now trading for Phil Kessel will cost them dearly again if Seguin turns into the player he is projected to.
After the big two, we could see a run of defenseman being drafted with top prospects Brandon Gormley, Erik Gundbranson and Cam Fowler project to go in the top 6 or 7.
The Big question will be which one of them will be left for the Islanders to take? Most mock drafts have Gormley and Fowler going 3 and 4. If that is the case I would love the Islander to select RW Brett Connoly. He always seems to be around the net and is not afraid to get in the thick of things and pick up the so called "ugly" goal.
He is not going to blow past defenders and roof the puck and be on TSNs highlight reel but he can score and that is what the Islanders need.
If Fowler falls to 5th then he should be the selection. although his stock has fallen a bit as he was originally projected to be in the top 3 with Hall and Seguin maybe that can be to the Islanders benefit.
The wild card in my eyes is Vladmir Taresenko who has a KHL contract that may scare away many GMs. The Islanders still have the rights to Kirill Petrov of the KHL and he is also under contract to the Russian league so it is doubtful Snow would want to repeat that situation at least this high in the draft.
If Teresenko was a sure bet to be in the NHL next year his talent alone would put him easily in the top 3 of the draft.
Is he worth a shot? Only Garth Snow and his staff knows for sure.
The only sure thing at this time is the Islanders stand to get themselves yet another blue chip prospect for their ongoing rebuilding process.
The process is working as evidenced by the teams improvements last season and if things break right the team should contend for a playoff spot this season.
That is a discussion for another day as the focus is on the NHL draft and the Islander adding to their fully stocked cupboard of prospects.
Once the draft is out of the way we can discuss free agency and more which the Islander will have to be more active in filling roles unless they intend to promote from within to fill the holes in the team.
Who from the Islander system is ready to make the jump to the NHL?
On the forward line I would love to see Jesse Joensuu get more than the cup of coffee he has received. Robin Figrin may be ready for a long time look as well as Matt Martin. Trevor Smith should be able to stick with the team also if they do not pursue free agent help he is a capable 4th line center.
Anyone want to see what David Toews is capable of? I sure do.
On defense, Calvin de Haan had some injury trouble last season which will probably derail his shot at the big club at least for the beginning of the season.
Dylan Reese played very well in his stint at the end of last season, Mark Flood did not embarrass himself and could prospect Aaron Ness be ready for a shot? Training camp should be very interesting to say the least.
If the Islanders stay true to the rebuild free agency will not be an issue. They will promote from within and sign one or two hole filling free agents.
At this point bringing in big free agents is a mistake and Snow and Company should stick to the plan and build from within. The fans of the team have seen what building a team the right way can do i.e. Chicago and Pittsburgh.
After the draft tonight I will post a "Good and the Bad" of the Islanders draft so stay tuned to what should be a very interesting draft and another chapter in the building of the NY Islanders.
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
NY Islanders: Free Agency and the Lighthouse
Our new intrepid Nassau County Executive after running on a platform of support for the Lighthouse project has been working on a deal with the Shinnecock nation on putting a casino smack dab in the middle of Nassau County on the Coliseum site.
That's right Islander fans. Mangano has been in office for exactly 4 months and he is already looking at other possibilities and has not made any public statements on the project that Charles Wang and his group have put 6 years and spent millions of dollars into trying to get off the ground.
Even Kate Murray the high demoness of the Lighthouse project has feigned ignorance and said she knows nothing of this deal.
I smell something and its not pretty.
A Casino has bad idea written all over it. I am not against gambling. I am not against Casinos. What I am against is political meandering. I am against politicians who use private enterprise for their own personal gain or to further their careers.
I have heard opponents of the Lighthouse project spout venom about traffic, waste, garbage and more traffic.
What would surrounding areas traffic be like with a version of The Borgata on that site? The idea smacks of a shady back room deal and it deserves all of the scrutiny it has coming.
While your thinking about that think about this. While i am not an opponent of gambling I question the wisdom of putting a casino a stones throw from a college, much less 2 of them. College is hard enough with every day distractions and the idea that a $2-$5 no limit table is around the corner would make anyone rush to finish their paper to get to the tables.
Another question is this. Wang and his group have in place a lease and a contract to develop the land. What is Mangano going to do? Condemn the lease? Does that sound familiar? Any deal with anyone other than Wang will bring back all of the painful memories of the Millstien/Gluckstern fiasco that threw the Islanders into a doldrum they are only crawling out of today.
This whole thing stinks on ice people and any Long Islander should be mad as hell that this kind of corruption goes on in our backyards by the very people we trust to carry out the will of the people who elected them.
Switching gears, now lets talk hockey, something we may not be able to do on Long Island for much longer.
The Islanders improved this year. People took notice.
John Tavares netted 24 goals in a very successful rookie season.
Matt Moulson exploded on to the scene with his breakout year scoring 30 goals.
Kyle Okposo showed why he should be the team captain for many years.
The defense is young but capable and will only get better.
There are seeds of greatness here and all they need is water.
The water this off season? The number 5 overall pick can hydrate the need for more growth.
Another method to get the Islanders to the next level is free agency. While the Islanders are not likely to go sign Ilya Kovalchuk to a massive contract there are a couple of capable veterans out there that can finally get the Islanders into playoff contention. Lets examine.
1 - Lee Stempniak (26) RW - Capable offensive threat and still young enough to improve. I would love to see the Islanders sign this kid. Scored 28 goals this season and is only going to get better. While the big market teams fall all over each other to sign Kovalchuk and Marleau to humongous contracts maybe the Islanders can steal this kid.
What will it take to get him? - 5 years, 25 million.
2 - Raffi Torres - (27) LW - Found himself in Buffalo after his breakout seasons in Edmonton and a short disappointing run in Columbus. Surrounded by the youth of the Islanders he would feel right at home back with the organization that drafted him. He can score, he can hit. Still at 27 has the ability to improve. Right a wrong Garth and bring him back.
What will it take to get him? - 4 years 16 million.
3 - Paul Martin - (28) D - Sure The Islanders do not need a defenseman but look again at the depth chart. Now that is out of the way this guy may be above what the Islanders are willing to spend as he is likely to get 5+ million a season. Injuries cost him most of 2009 and the Devils are not likely to let him walk away.
What will it take to get him? - 5 years 30 million.
4 - Andrew Raycroft - (29) G - You know it so I am just going to say it. The Islanders cannot depend on Rick DiPietro to come back any more. I personally believe Rick is finished and it pains me to say that because he is ultra talented and loves Long Island. Raycroft backed up Roberto Luongo this year and did excellent work with 9 wins and a .911 save percentage.
5 - Ilya Kovalchuk - (26) LW - Now that we are all done laughing at the prospect of this lets look at the facts. The Islanders would have to grossly overpay to get him. He is 26 years old. He is one of the most dynamic players in the world. What better way to say to the world the Islanders are back. Give him the keys to the store and stick him with Josh Bailey's natural play making skills and look out. I know its the longest of shots but if the Islanders are going to show the world they mean business I can't think of a better way to do it. The Islanders have more than enough cap room and the fan base is dying for a reason to come back to the team. TV ratings while still low were up 105% this season. People are interested in the Islanders again. Go knock their socks off.
What would it take to get him ? - 14 years 126 million.
Please use the comment section to leave your thoughts on free agency and the debacle going on with the Lighthouse Project.
That's right Islander fans. Mangano has been in office for exactly 4 months and he is already looking at other possibilities and has not made any public statements on the project that Charles Wang and his group have put 6 years and spent millions of dollars into trying to get off the ground.
Even Kate Murray the high demoness of the Lighthouse project has feigned ignorance and said she knows nothing of this deal.
I smell something and its not pretty.
A Casino has bad idea written all over it. I am not against gambling. I am not against Casinos. What I am against is political meandering. I am against politicians who use private enterprise for their own personal gain or to further their careers.
I have heard opponents of the Lighthouse project spout venom about traffic, waste, garbage and more traffic.
What would surrounding areas traffic be like with a version of The Borgata on that site? The idea smacks of a shady back room deal and it deserves all of the scrutiny it has coming.
While your thinking about that think about this. While i am not an opponent of gambling I question the wisdom of putting a casino a stones throw from a college, much less 2 of them. College is hard enough with every day distractions and the idea that a $2-$5 no limit table is around the corner would make anyone rush to finish their paper to get to the tables.
Another question is this. Wang and his group have in place a lease and a contract to develop the land. What is Mangano going to do? Condemn the lease? Does that sound familiar? Any deal with anyone other than Wang will bring back all of the painful memories of the Millstien/Gluckstern fiasco that threw the Islanders into a doldrum they are only crawling out of today.
This whole thing stinks on ice people and any Long Islander should be mad as hell that this kind of corruption goes on in our backyards by the very people we trust to carry out the will of the people who elected them.
Switching gears, now lets talk hockey, something we may not be able to do on Long Island for much longer.
The Islanders improved this year. People took notice.
John Tavares netted 24 goals in a very successful rookie season.
Matt Moulson exploded on to the scene with his breakout year scoring 30 goals.
Kyle Okposo showed why he should be the team captain for many years.
The defense is young but capable and will only get better.
There are seeds of greatness here and all they need is water.
The water this off season? The number 5 overall pick can hydrate the need for more growth.
Another method to get the Islanders to the next level is free agency. While the Islanders are not likely to go sign Ilya Kovalchuk to a massive contract there are a couple of capable veterans out there that can finally get the Islanders into playoff contention. Lets examine.
1 - Lee Stempniak (26) RW - Capable offensive threat and still young enough to improve. I would love to see the Islanders sign this kid. Scored 28 goals this season and is only going to get better. While the big market teams fall all over each other to sign Kovalchuk and Marleau to humongous contracts maybe the Islanders can steal this kid.
What will it take to get him? - 5 years, 25 million.
2 - Raffi Torres - (27) LW - Found himself in Buffalo after his breakout seasons in Edmonton and a short disappointing run in Columbus. Surrounded by the youth of the Islanders he would feel right at home back with the organization that drafted him. He can score, he can hit. Still at 27 has the ability to improve. Right a wrong Garth and bring him back.
What will it take to get him? - 4 years 16 million.
3 - Paul Martin - (28) D - Sure The Islanders do not need a defenseman but look again at the depth chart. Now that is out of the way this guy may be above what the Islanders are willing to spend as he is likely to get 5+ million a season. Injuries cost him most of 2009 and the Devils are not likely to let him walk away.
What will it take to get him? - 5 years 30 million.
4 - Andrew Raycroft - (29) G - You know it so I am just going to say it. The Islanders cannot depend on Rick DiPietro to come back any more. I personally believe Rick is finished and it pains me to say that because he is ultra talented and loves Long Island. Raycroft backed up Roberto Luongo this year and did excellent work with 9 wins and a .911 save percentage.
5 - Ilya Kovalchuk - (26) LW - Now that we are all done laughing at the prospect of this lets look at the facts. The Islanders would have to grossly overpay to get him. He is 26 years old. He is one of the most dynamic players in the world. What better way to say to the world the Islanders are back. Give him the keys to the store and stick him with Josh Bailey's natural play making skills and look out. I know its the longest of shots but if the Islanders are going to show the world they mean business I can't think of a better way to do it. The Islanders have more than enough cap room and the fan base is dying for a reason to come back to the team. TV ratings while still low were up 105% this season. People are interested in the Islanders again. Go knock their socks off.
What would it take to get him ? - 14 years 126 million.
Please use the comment section to leave your thoughts on free agency and the debacle going on with the Lighthouse Project.
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Looking to the Future
The Islanders are not a "now" team. No one can dispute that. They have become a future team. Its all the Islanders talk or speak about so lets take a moment or two to consider the future.
The Young core of the Islanders is just about in place. With young players succeeding at the NHL level instead of just taking up space for a change. The NHL has transformed into a young players league Chris Chelios not withstanding.
It has become commonplace for 18 and 19 year olds to come directly to the NHL instead of going through their growing pains in the minors or in the juniors. Age is no longer a factor. Its only the matter of if you can play or not whether your 18 or 48.
With John Tavares making strides on not only his offensive game but his total game he will be the cornerstone of making this team a contender. He currently has 20 goals and 41 points which is right on par with what the serious expectations were.
Could we see a next season Steven Stamkos like jump in production for Tavares? Not likely because of the talent around Stamkos outweighs what the Islanders can put out there - at least for now.
The Islanders found 2 jewels this past off season in bringing in Matt Moulson and Rob Schremp. Rob Schremp has the kind of stick handling ability that very few in this league can match. I know that's a bold statement but the only thing keeping this kid from becoming a force in this league is himself. His attitude got him bounced out of Edmonton, a team starving for a star. He so far has been quiet and impressed the heck out of the Islander fans with his skill level.
That is what star players do, keep their mouths shut and let their play do the talking.
Matt Moulson is a guy that came in almost as a courtesy to Tavares as they are friends. Little did we know he would lead the team in goals. Moulson could be a major piece of the Islanders puzzle because every team needs a guy not afraid to go to the nest and collect all of those dirty goals that players can make a career out of.
This off season presents some interesting choices Garth Snow and his crew must wade through. Doug Weight, Jon Sim, Tim Jackman, Richard Park, Freddy Meyer and Martin Biron all are unrestricted free agents and none are likely to be resigned.
That will open up roster spots for some of the Islanders young players who have only gotten cups of NHL coffee.
Free Agency is unlikely once again to net the Islanders any high priced free agents but may yield one or two players to fill some gaps left by the departures listen above if the young players cant fill those roles, and with the little they have provided the Islanders as a group filling the void should not be hard at all.
The 2010 NHL draft has again a nice group of prospects lead by the Windsor Spitfires Taylor Hall who will undoubtedly go number 1.
It is way to early to look at draft order but it would seem the Edmonton Oilers already have the last spot in the NHL locked up and will be the favorites to land the number 1 pick.
The Islanders are right on the brink of getting another lottery pick and should net themselves a very high pick. They currently have 67 points. which puts them right smack in the middle of the 8th and final playoff spot and the second from last Maple Leafs.
The Islanders aren't helping things by their current winning streak but they are still tied with Columbus for the final lottery spot and are very close to Carolina and Florida who are 1 and 2 points behind them respectively.
As I always say if your going to miss the playoffs you may as well miss them big. I hope the Islanders can land themselves in the Draft Lottery and even if they don't still have a shot at another impact player.
The Lighthouse Project still sits in limbo and if we are going to talk about the future of the Islanders then you have to talk about it.
The Town of Hempstead has gone ahead and taken complete control over what can be built there by rezoning the site so that they can put legal limits on what can be built there. There are rumblings that this is the straw that broke the camels back and Charles Wang is going to announce once he has real plans in place to announce her is going to move the team.
Thinking about a possible move logically there are 5 spots that would welcome the Islanders. ( I will not discuss the pros and cons of each for now) They are -
1) Brooklyn. Brett Ratner has broken ground on his Brooklyn Yards project and it is finally moving forward. He has made no bones about the fact that the Islanders would be welcome there.
2) Queens. The Borough of Queens has made it know that not only would they take the Islanders and build a nice new arena near CitiField, but allow Charles Wang to bring the Lighthouse project with him. Of course it would have to be redesigned for the area but they have made it known that they will allow him the leeway the Town of Hempstead will not.
3) Suffolk County (Pilgrim State) there has always been talk of moving the Islanders to the site but this one is the most unlikely.
4) Kansas City. They have an arena and have no tenant. the only way it makes sense is if Wang sells the team and buys out the remaining years on the lease.
5) Las Vegas, Winnipeg, Quebec City, Hamilton. They want a pro hockey team. Will they ever get one? If every other option falls through it is possible.
Obviously options 1-3 would be more favorable because Charles Wang would retain the team and its lucrative cable contract.
Obviously as fans our first preference is to keep the Islanders where they have been their entire existence. The on going battle between The Lighthouse Group and the Town of Hempstead have reached a standstill and anyone that knows anything about Charles Wang he feels as though he has waited long enough.
Please use the comment section to voice your opinions.
The Young core of the Islanders is just about in place. With young players succeeding at the NHL level instead of just taking up space for a change. The NHL has transformed into a young players league Chris Chelios not withstanding.
It has become commonplace for 18 and 19 year olds to come directly to the NHL instead of going through their growing pains in the minors or in the juniors. Age is no longer a factor. Its only the matter of if you can play or not whether your 18 or 48.
With John Tavares making strides on not only his offensive game but his total game he will be the cornerstone of making this team a contender. He currently has 20 goals and 41 points which is right on par with what the serious expectations were.
Could we see a next season Steven Stamkos like jump in production for Tavares? Not likely because of the talent around Stamkos outweighs what the Islanders can put out there - at least for now.
The Islanders found 2 jewels this past off season in bringing in Matt Moulson and Rob Schremp. Rob Schremp has the kind of stick handling ability that very few in this league can match. I know that's a bold statement but the only thing keeping this kid from becoming a force in this league is himself. His attitude got him bounced out of Edmonton, a team starving for a star. He so far has been quiet and impressed the heck out of the Islander fans with his skill level.
That is what star players do, keep their mouths shut and let their play do the talking.
Matt Moulson is a guy that came in almost as a courtesy to Tavares as they are friends. Little did we know he would lead the team in goals. Moulson could be a major piece of the Islanders puzzle because every team needs a guy not afraid to go to the nest and collect all of those dirty goals that players can make a career out of.
This off season presents some interesting choices Garth Snow and his crew must wade through. Doug Weight, Jon Sim, Tim Jackman, Richard Park, Freddy Meyer and Martin Biron all are unrestricted free agents and none are likely to be resigned.
That will open up roster spots for some of the Islanders young players who have only gotten cups of NHL coffee.
Free Agency is unlikely once again to net the Islanders any high priced free agents but may yield one or two players to fill some gaps left by the departures listen above if the young players cant fill those roles, and with the little they have provided the Islanders as a group filling the void should not be hard at all.
The 2010 NHL draft has again a nice group of prospects lead by the Windsor Spitfires Taylor Hall who will undoubtedly go number 1.
It is way to early to look at draft order but it would seem the Edmonton Oilers already have the last spot in the NHL locked up and will be the favorites to land the number 1 pick.
The Islanders are right on the brink of getting another lottery pick and should net themselves a very high pick. They currently have 67 points. which puts them right smack in the middle of the 8th and final playoff spot and the second from last Maple Leafs.
The Islanders aren't helping things by their current winning streak but they are still tied with Columbus for the final lottery spot and are very close to Carolina and Florida who are 1 and 2 points behind them respectively.
As I always say if your going to miss the playoffs you may as well miss them big. I hope the Islanders can land themselves in the Draft Lottery and even if they don't still have a shot at another impact player.
The Lighthouse Project still sits in limbo and if we are going to talk about the future of the Islanders then you have to talk about it.
The Town of Hempstead has gone ahead and taken complete control over what can be built there by rezoning the site so that they can put legal limits on what can be built there. There are rumblings that this is the straw that broke the camels back and Charles Wang is going to announce once he has real plans in place to announce her is going to move the team.
Thinking about a possible move logically there are 5 spots that would welcome the Islanders. ( I will not discuss the pros and cons of each for now) They are -
1) Brooklyn. Brett Ratner has broken ground on his Brooklyn Yards project and it is finally moving forward. He has made no bones about the fact that the Islanders would be welcome there.
2) Queens. The Borough of Queens has made it know that not only would they take the Islanders and build a nice new arena near CitiField, but allow Charles Wang to bring the Lighthouse project with him. Of course it would have to be redesigned for the area but they have made it known that they will allow him the leeway the Town of Hempstead will not.
3) Suffolk County (Pilgrim State) there has always been talk of moving the Islanders to the site but this one is the most unlikely.
4) Kansas City. They have an arena and have no tenant. the only way it makes sense is if Wang sells the team and buys out the remaining years on the lease.
5) Las Vegas, Winnipeg, Quebec City, Hamilton. They want a pro hockey team. Will they ever get one? If every other option falls through it is possible.
Obviously options 1-3 would be more favorable because Charles Wang would retain the team and its lucrative cable contract.
Obviously as fans our first preference is to keep the Islanders where they have been their entire existence. The on going battle between The Lighthouse Group and the Town of Hempstead have reached a standstill and anyone that knows anything about Charles Wang he feels as though he has waited long enough.
Please use the comment section to voice your opinions.
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