Islander Zone

Doug Weight Named Captain

2009-10-01T21:50:00.001-04:00

After a team vote today, Doug Weight has been named Captain of the New York Islanders for the 2009-2010 season.

Isles Claim Schremp

2009-09-29T15:31:00.001-04:00

The Islanders have claimed former Oilers forward Rob Schremp off of waivers, confirming speculation weeks ago that he would be claimed by the Islanders if waived.

Invite to Miro A High Possibility

2009-09-08T12:53:00.002-04:00

Stanley Cup Champion and former Islander Miroslav Satan is reportedly skating with the team. Recent speculation seems to lead to the possibility of an invite. We shall see.

Isles Agree To Terms With Martin

2009-09-04T15:48:00.002-04:00

The Islanders and 2008 5th round selection Matt Martin have agreed to terms on a 3 year entry level contract. This ends previous speculation that the Islanders would not come to a deal with the 20 year old grinder.

Martin has scored 63 goals and 46 assists for 109 points in 166 games for the Sarnia Sting over the past 3 seasons. Martin finished 3rd in team goal scoring with 25 goals alongside Steven Stamkos in the 07-08 season. Denying any claims that Stamkos was the reason for Martin's production, the 6'2" 192 pound winger finished second in goals on the Sting in 08-09, with 35, behind fellow Islanders prospect Justin DiBenedetto, who scored 45.

Financial terms were not immediately released.

Training Camp Invite?

2009-09-02T12:00:00.003-04:00

Can't be fully sure on this one, but don't be surprised if Mark Parrish gets a training camp invite from the Isles.

Training Camp Lurking; Forward Combinations

2009-08-31T15:12:00.005-04:00

With the start of training camp just around the corner, there have been many questions surrounding the Islanders' line combinations to start the year.

It's obvious that the Islanders do not have many legitimate top 6 forwards. Almost the entire forward group is in for a year of proving their own capabilities. What we do know is that John Tavares will get all the ice time he can possibly be given. But will he be at center, or on wing? Here's my take on the forward lines for Oct. 3.

Tambellini-Weight-Tavares
Comeau-Bailey-Okposo
Bergenheim-Nielsen-Hunter
Park-Thompson-Jackman

I'll go from bottom to top on the analysis:

4th line - Don't expect Jackman to be anywhere else other than the 4th line. Thompson, in my opinion, is not an NHL player. Stick him on the 4th line for now, and don't be surprised if you see him in the AHL at some point. Park is defined as a high energy 3rd liner, but he'll get his time on the PK and he should not be given ice time ahead of the "youth".

3rd line - On a winning team, this is a textbook 3rd line. Energy, speed, and grit. Yet even on a team such as the Islanders, each of these players are capable of putting up 40 points. Bergenheim and Tambellini could be switched around.

2nd line - No doubt, Bailey was drafted in hopes of complimenting Okposo. He has built up his frame this summer and should be able to prove his abilities as an elite 2nd line center. This is the "kid line" that thrived for a couple months in the latter part of the season. Let's bring that back together.

1st line - Doug Weight is the only proven player up front. He should be the 1st line center. Tavares would slot in nicely at RW this season. Crosby and Malkin both started on the wing, so it must be a horrible idea to put Tavares on wing, right? And then, Jeff Tambellini. The guy with all the skills that he can't translate into NHL production. He has a half a season left to prove himself, so put him with the guys who can help him produce. If he doesn't fare well here, put him on the 3rd line and bring Bergenheim up to this spot.

The most important thing in putting together lines is chemistry. The lines above have a lot of that. But my opinion is as good as anyone else's. Time will tell at this point. I don't think training camp and pre-season will alter opinions on players, so I'd like to see how these lines work before we start flipping things around.

Islanders acquire Bobby Hughes

2009-08-31T14:39:00.002-04:00

In a minor prospect deal, the Islanders have dealt center Rob Hennigar to Carolina for injury prone center Bobby Hughes.

Comeau Signs for 2 Years

2009-08-03T19:04:00.001-04:00

The Islanders have finally agreed to terms with Blake Comeau, signing him to a 2 year deal. Salary has not been released.

Thompson Re-Signs

2009-07-25T12:28:00.002-04:00

Word has come in that the Islanders and Restricted Free Agent Nate Thompson have agreed to a 1 year, 2-way contract avoiding the arbitration hearing that was set for Monday.

Islanders Sign Biron

2009-07-22T17:31:00.004-04:00

The Islanders have signed G Martin Biron 1 year 1.4M.

The signing appears to give DiPietro more time to fully heal his knee injuries.

Scott Allen Named Assistant Coach

2009-07-21T22:27:00.001-04:00

Scott Allen will join Dean Chynoweth as the Islanders assistants to Scott Gordon in the 09-10 season.

Isles Sign Tavares

2009-07-15T11:48:00.002-04:00

The Islanders and 1st overall pick, John Tavares, have agreed to terms on a 3 year Entry Level Contract. His cap hit will be $3.75M per year.

Koskinen Signed

2009-07-13T17:31:00.003-04:00

The Islanders have signed 2009 2nd round pick Mikko Koskinen to a 3 year Entry Level Contract. Salary and cap hit were not released.

The 6'7" finnish goalie will likely start for Bridgeport come the fall.

Free Agent Frenzy; Day 1

2009-07-01T10:34:00.045-04:00

ISLES RUMORS

-Dwayne Roloson signs with Isles (100%)

OFFICIAL NHL SIGNINGS

(11:18 AM)
-Henrik and Daniel Sedin re-sign in Vancouver 5 years $30.5M

(12:19 PM)
-Tampa signs Mattias Ohlund 7 years $24.5M

(12:47 PM)
-Florida re-signs Radek Dvorak 2 years $3.4M

(1:13 PM)
-Toronto signs Colton Orr 4 years $4M

(1:54 PM)
-Colorado signs Craig Anderson 2 years $3.6M

(2:02 PM)
-Chicago signs Marian Hossa 12 years $62.4M

(2:05 PM)
-Tampa signs Matt Walker 4 years $6.8M

(2:09 PM)
-St. Louis signs Ty Conklin 2 years $2.6M

(2:19 PM)
-Isles sign Dwayne Roloson 2 years $5M

(2:26 PM)
-Chicago signs Tomas Kopecky 2 years $2.4M

(2:44 PM)
-Buffalo signs Steve Montador 2 years $3.1M

(2:53 PM)
-Washington signs Mike Knuble 2 years $5.6M

(2:54 PM)
-Rangers sign Donald Brashear 2 years $2.8M

(3:11 PM)
-Anaheim re-signs Scott Niedermayer 1 year $6M

(3:11 PM)
-Vancouver signs Aaron Rome 1 year $550k

(3:12 PM)
-Nashville re-signs Joel Ward 2 years $3M

(3:41 PM)
-Philadelphia signs Brian Boucher 2 years $1.85M

(3:48 PM)
-Montreal signs Jaroslav Spacek 3 years $11.5M

(4:03 PM)
-Edmonton signs Nikolai Khabibulin 4 years $15M

(4:18 PM)
-Carolina re-signs Erik Cole 2 years $5.8M

(4:33 PM)
-Florida signs Scott Clemmensen 3 years $3.6M

(4:39 PM)
-Philadelphia signs Ian Laperriere 3 years $3.5M

(4:46 PM)
-Montreal signs Hall Gill 2 years $4.5M

(4:46 PM)
-Pittsburgh signs Mike Rupp 2 years $1.65M

(5:10 PM)
-San Jose re-signs Kent Huskins 2 years $3.4M

(5:11 PM)
-Colorado signs David Koci 1 year $575k

(5:24 PM)
-Montreal signs Mike Cammalleri 5 years $30M

(5:45 PM)
-Minnesota signs Greg Zanon 3 years $5.2M

(5:48 PM)
-Phoenix signs Vernon Fiddler 2 years $2.2M

(5:56 PM)
-Toronto signs Mike Komisarek 5 years $22.5M

(6:09 PM)
-Boston signs Steve Begin 1 year $850k

(6:13 PM)
-Nashville re-signs Steve Sullivan 2 years $7.5M

(6:22 PM)
-Columbus signs Samuel Pahlsson 3 years $7.95M

(7:26 PM)
-Columbus signs Mathieu Garon 2 years $2.4M

(8:19 PM)
-Rangers sign Marian Gaborik 5 years $37.5M

(8:42 PM)
-Montreal signs Brian Gionta 5 years $25M

(8:43 PM)
-Ottawa re-signs Chris Neil 4 years $8M

(9:03 PM)
-Chicago signs John Madden 1 year $2.75M

(9:26 PM)
-Calgary signs Fredrik Sjostrom 2 years $1.5M

(10:01 PM)
-Phoenix signs Jason LaBarbera

(11:10 PM)
-Minnesota signs Martin Havlat 6 years $30M

Isles Make Minor Deal

2009-06-30T17:34:00.003-04:00

The Islanders have dealt Ben Walter and a conditional pick in 2012 to the New Jersey Devils for Tony Romano.

Romano scored 36 goals and 69 points in 65 games with the Peterborough Petes of the OHL in 08-09. The 21 year old Romano is from Smithtown, NY.

Free Agency - Who Will the Isles Target?

2009-06-29T14:37:00.002-04:00

The draft is behind us and July 1st is only two days away. GM Garth Snow said that the team would not be much different than the 08-09 team. Obviously, Tavares is already a difference. But who will the Islanders target on the free agent market come Wednesday?

*Veteran Winger*

Plan A ALEX TANGUAY
A skilled, fast, veteran LW that has put up 80+ points only a couple years ago. He is just 29 years old, and would not be a poor addition to the lineup to complement one of our young centers.

Plan B MIKAEL SAMUELSSON
A bit older than Tanguay, and much less talented. Still provides veteran leadership to the lineup and 40 or so points.

Plan C ALEXEI KOVALEV
Likely more of a longshot, but Kovalev may look to Long Island if he does not get money elsewhere.

----

*Enforcer*

Plan A COLTON ORR
Someone will be needed to protect Tavares. Colton Orr is the perfect fit. The Islanders will not have a plan B and C for this position.

---

*Veteran Backup Goalie*

Plan A TY CONKLIN
Conklin has made the Stanley Cup Finals in both of the past two seasons. He'd be a solid 1B to DiPietro. The Islanders will give him a look, but he likely won't be interested.

Plan B BRIAN BOUCHER
Would not be likely to play as many games as a Ty Conklin, but would be a serviceable backup if DiPietro remains healthy.

Plan C MATHIEU GARON
Just won the cup with the Penguins, and will likely look to sign somewhere that he can start 30-40 games. Long Island would be the place for him.

---

*Longshots*

Plan A MIKE KOMISAREK
Every team loves a little star talent. The Islanders will give an offer to this Long Island boy, but Komisarek seems to like being away from his home.

Plan B MIKE CAMMALLERI
One of the top point scorers in the league in the 08-09 season, and will go where the money takes him. The Islanders may give him a good offer.

Plan C SEDIN TWINS
Henrik and Daniel Sedin will seek around 5 or 6 million each, and the Islanders are one of the few teams who could give it to them.

---

And that's all. I don't see the Islanders doing much, but they will sign a couple. Don't expect Rob Scuderi to be in an Islander uniform, even though he is from LI. The Islanders will not be interested in Hossa or Gaborik, even though they can afford them. Bouwmeester would be great, but he will search for a more competitive team.

Tavares to Throw First Pitch Sunday

2009-06-27T23:16:00.005-04:00

The Islanders #1 overall selection from Friday night's draft, John Tavares, is already heading to Long Island. Tavares will be throwing out the first pitch at Citi Field Sunday night prior to the start of the 8 PM game between the Yankees and Mets. ESPN will be broadcasting the game nationally.

2009 NHL Entry Draft Day 2

2009-06-27T09:45:00.018-04:00

After the Islanders selected John Tavares and Calvin de Haan on day 1 of the entry draft, we move on to day 2 where the Islanders are scheduled to make 2 picks in the 2nd, 1 in the 3rd, 5th, and 6th.

31. Mikko Koskinen (G)
62. Andreas Nilsson (G)
92. Casey Cizikas (C)
122. Anton Klementyev (D)
152. Anders Lee (C)

-Islanders trade 56th overall to Columbus for 62nd overall and 92nd overall
-Islanders trade 91st overall to Phoenix for 3rd 10

2009 NHL Entry Draft

2009-06-26T18:35:00.038-04:00

1st Round Draft Order

1 New York Islanders: John Tavares
2 Tampa Bay Lightning: Victor Hedman
3 Colorado Avalanche: Matt Duchene
4 Atlanta Thrashers: Evander Kane
5 Los Angeles Kings: Brayden Schenn
6 Phoenix Coyotes: Oliver Ekman-Larsson
7 Toronto Maple Leafs: Nazem Kadri
8 Dallas Stars: Scott Glennie
9 Ottawa Senators: Jared Cowen
10 Edmonton Oilers: Magnus Paajarvi-Svensson
11 Nashville Predators: Ryan Ellis
12 New York Islanders: Calvin deHaan
13 Buffalo Sabres: Zack Kassian
14 Florida Panthers: Dmitri Kulikov
15 Anaheim Ducks: Peter Holland
16 Minnesota Wild: Nick Leddy
17 St. Louis Blues: David Rundblad
18 Montreal Canadiens: Louis Leblanc
19 New York Rangers: Chris Kreider
20 New Jersey Devils: Jacob Josefson
21 Columbus Blue Jackets: John Moore
22 Vancouver Canucks: Jordan Schroeder
23 Calgary Flames: Tim Erixon
24 Washington Capitals: Marcus Johansson
25 Boston Bruins: Jordan Caron
26 Anaheim Ducks: Kyle Palmieri
27 Carolina Hurricanes: Philippe Paradis
28 Chicago Blackhawks: Dylan Olsen
29 Tampa Bay Lightning: Carter Ashton
30 Pittsburgh Penguins: Simon Despres

-------------------------------------

Trades

To Flyers: Chris Pronger, Ryan Dingle
To Ducks: Joffrey Lupul, Luca Sbisa, 1st 09, 1st 10, conditional 3rd
---
To Islanders: 16th overall, 77th overall
To Blue Jackets: 26th overall, 37th overall, 62nd overall, 92nd overall
---
To Islanders: 12th overall
To Wild: 16th overall, 77th overall, 182 overall
---
To Devils: 20th overall
To Flames: 23rd overall, 84th overall
---
To Ducks: 26th overall, 37th overall
To Blue Jackets: 21st overall
---
To Lightning: 29th overall
To Red Wings: 32nd overall, 75th overall

UPDATE: Tavares Hopes Not Looking Good

2009-06-26T17:01:00.001-04:00

It seems to be widely accepted around the draft floor that the #1 pick will be Matt Duchene.

UPDATE: Jaffe Says Duchene

2009-06-26T12:51:00.003-04:00

The almighty Billy Jaffe, the only one who mentioned the possibility of a trade-down last year, says he expects Matt Duchene's name to be called tonight when the Islanders make their 1st overall selection.

Today's the Day

2009-06-26T10:23:00.002-04:00

Draft Day. It's the most exciting time of the year for us Islander fans. And this year, the excitement is at a new high. Not many people seem to have a clue who will be drafted 1st overall. I have to congratulate Garth Snow on being able to hide his selection from the fans and media for so long. He has done a fantastic job.

A lot of big trades may fall into place in the hockey world today, with names like Kaberle, Lecavalier, Heatley, Pronger, and Bouwmeester.

Every trade, and every first round draft pick will be covered here at Islander Zone. No matter who the Islanders select, this is a big day for Islander Country.

And then there were Three...

2009-06-25T19:06:00.015-04:00

24 hours before draft time. 24 hours before the most exciting moment in recent Islanders history. Garth Snow has been having fun hiding his #1 overall selection from the fans. Whoever he picks, it will be one of Matt Duchene, John Tavares, and Victor Hedman.

MATT DUCHENE

Age: 18
Pos: Center
Shoots: Left
Height: 5'11"
Weight: 200 lbs
Team: Brampton Battalion
ISS: 2

Stats
Duchene has scored 61 goals and 68 assists in 121 OHL games with the Battalion. He put up 28 points in 26 games in his playoff career.

Accolades
-Best Playmaker Award in the OHL Eastern Conference
-Best Stickhandler Award in the OHL Eastern Conference
-Led OHL in GWG in 2009 playoffs
-Appeared in 2009 OHL All-Star Game
-Appeared in CHL Top Prospects Game
-Gold in Under-18 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament
-Gold in World Under-17 Challenge
-Gold in Under-18 World Championships

Scouting Reports (islanders.nhl.com)
“Matt Duchene is a pure offensive player who also is a great penalty killer. He helps the Brampton Battalion in all facets of the game. A pure sniper, he plays the point on the power play and is a threat to score on the penalty kill, as well. He reminds me, probably most of the new breed of snipers, Patrick Kane, Sam Gagner and Steven Stamkos as he grows into his offensive position in the NHL.”
-Director of NHL Central Scouting E.J. McGuire

“Duchene has the ability to dominate a game. He is an excellent all-around skater with great speed. His playmaking, ability to see the ice and move the puck through traffic to create offense are outstanding. He has a very good shot, but I see his best asset as his speed and ability to beat defensemen to the middle or outside.”
-NHL Central Scouting’s Chris Edwards

“The best prospect available in this draft might possibly be the soft-spoken Duchene. While his numbers aren't gaudy (a point a game over his two OHL seasons) they don't tell the entire story. Duchene is a marvelous two-way talent who has played second (and at times even third) fiddle in Brampton to Vancouver first-rounder Cody Hodgson and Rangers' selection Evgeny Grachev, two of the O's most exciting players. Throw in the fact the Battalion under head coach/GM Stan Butler have never been known to play a wide-open, firebrand style of game and you can understand our point. Duchene, in another team's system, could have put up eye-popping stats.”
-Red Line Report

Video Profile

JOHN TAVARES

Age: 18
Pos: Center
Shoots: Left
Height: 6'0"
Weight: 195 lbs
Team: London Knights
ISS: 1

Stats
Tavares has scored 215 goals and 218 assists in 247 OHL games. He put up 56 points in 38 games in his playoff career.

Accolades
-Holds all time record of goals scored in the OHL
-Named OHL's Top Prospect
-#1 Ranked Skater in North America
-Led OHL in goals
-Led OHL in points
-2007 CHL Player of the Year
-2007 Most Outstanding OHL Player
-2006 CHL Rookie of the Year
-Gold in 2008 World Junior Championships
-Gold in 2009 World Junior Championships
-2009 World Junior MVP
-2009 World Junior Top Forward

Scouting Reports (islanders.nhl.com)
“He is probably better than any other player in the Draft from the top of the circle down at being a threat to score. He’s an offensive player who is reliable in his defensive zone and getting better at that, but yet not asked to do that very frequently. He is pure offense and for his first years in the NHL will probably be asked to do just that…He’s a pure scorer who’s going to be an asset to teams for years to come. His numbers statistically speak for themselves. He is going to be, we predict, an All-Star caliber player for many years in the NHL.”
-Director of NHL Central Scouting E.J. McGuire

“The way he sees the ice and passes the puck through traffic, draw the comparison to whoever you want, but when you watched Wayne Gretzky, if you put your stick on the ice, you’d get the puck on your stick at some point…John is phenomenal at getting the puck through traffic to his linemates, getting to openings. The way he reads the play and can get to where he figures the rebounds will be and bangs in the rebound. He’s a real smart player."
-NHL Central Scouting’s Chris Edwards

“He has great vision and anticipates plays before they develop. Has excellent offensive ability, with a quick hard accurate shot and is a threat to score anytime he has the puck…One-on-one he is absolutely deadly and is deceptive to read on what he will do with the puck. He has a very sublime hockey IQ. He definitely thinks the game at a higher level than anyone else in the Ontario Hockey League.”
-HockeyProspect.com

Video Profile

VICTOR HEDMAN

Age: 18
Pos: Defense
Shoots: Left
Height: 6'6"
Weight: 220 lbs
Team: Modo
ISS: 3

Stats
Hedman has scored 9 goals and 16 assists in 82 SEL games with Modo.

Accolades
-SEL 2008-2009 Rookie of the Year
-Silver in 2008 World Junior Championships
-Silver in 2009 World Junior Championships

Scouting Reports (islanders.nhl.com)
“Victor Hedman brings to his game unsurpassed combinations of size, explosiveness in his skating, quickness and offensive ability. He is indeed the whole package and that just might get him the number one selection overall.”
-Director of NHL Central Scouting E.J. McGuire

“For being that young, he’s very mature, and he’s big, but moves like a smaller guy. Very mobile, and his puck sense is excellent. Hedman is dominating the game, playing on the first defense pair on Modo. He’s playing around 20 minutes per game.”
-Director of European Scouting Goran Stubb

“An extremely gifted defenseman. Hedman is pegged as the next great NHL defenseman to come out of Sweden. He has great size and mobility and skating that is very good for a fellow of his stature. Furthermore, Hedman has a good understanding of the game, nice technical skills and is a skilled passer. He is more noticeable in the offensive end, where he likes to join the rush and create offense. His shot is accurate and powerful, which makes him a good option from the point. Aggressive and with a very obvious winning mentality, but considering his physical advantage, he could play the body even more.”
-EliteProspects.com

Video Profile

Tavares will be an Islander

2009-06-20T08:54:00.004-04:00

The Great Debate. I'd sure love to join in. Several media outlets report different things. Isles beat writer, Greg Logan, believes the Islanders will be taking Matt Duchene 1st overall. Bob McKenzie of TSN says that it's Hedman. Chris Botta at NYI Point Blank has a strong feeling that Tavares is Snow's and Jankowski's guy.

It's a complete toss up. GM Snow is certainly not helping the fans' cause. We are all desperately reaching out our arms for some sort of hint. Nope. Nothing. Garth is being as professional as he can be.

My guess, and I really mean guess, is that Snow will be announcing John Tavares' name on Friday.

Thing is, not one of these bloggers has a single clue of what Snow's going to do. I don't have anything near the quality sources that the likes of Logan, McKenzie, and Botta have. But for once, my prediction has an equal chance of coming into effect as theirs.

A couple weeks ago, to be honest, I'd say Hedman was their guy. I've always wanted them to take Tavares, and in the back of my mind, somewhere, Snow agreed with me.

I'm not going to go into ridiculous detail of why it will be Tavares. Read Botta's blog for that (May I add, I'm a daily reader there and he has a lot of good stuff). Garth is not going to embarrass our fanbase again. This time, despite what he might be saying, he will be taking the popular choice. The Islanders are not selling 17,000+ free draft party tickets just to let the Coliseum explode with angry fans. Do not be fooled by the recent hype for Duchene, it's all a ploy to keep discussion alive.

I would go into further analysis, but at this point it's all opinion. The Islanders are drafting first overall. John Tavares will be an Islander.

It's Back, and I Mean it

2009-06-20T08:45:00.002-04:00

I started this blog two summers ago and have all intentions of keeping it going. This season may have been a bit boring for Isles fans. I know Islander Zone wasn't the only blog that hit a standstill in the past few months. But with the draft less than a week away, and free agency opening in 11 days, it just seems natural for me to start the blog up again.

I'm not sure how many still check the blog once in a while, but I'm not too concerned about that. I'll be posting for whatever little community is still reading.

1st Pick a Selling Point

2009-05-02T11:11:00.004-04:00

After retaining the 1st Overall Draft pick in this years draft, the Islanders have seen how marketable the pick really is.

According to a NHL.com article, the Isles' ticket sales department has received 300% more phone calls and emails regarding tickets. They are also on pace to have at least 90% of season ticket holders renew thier seats.

"There is a lot of excitement surrounding this year's NHL Entry Draft for the Islanders organization and its fans," says Isles president Chris Dey. "That enthusiasm is being felt through the increased interest in our various ticket packages."

As part of the draft party at the Coliseum on June 26th, the Islanders are holding an open house in which people willing to buy season tickets may walk around the entire arena to pick the exact seats that suit them the best.

If just HAVING this pick will show this much of an increase in ticket purchasing, just think of what will happen if we do see #91 in an Isles uniform.

Weight Re-signed

2009-04-07T12:30:00.000-04:00

islanders.nhl.com

"The Islanders have signed center Doug Weight to a one-year contract extension. In his first season with the Islanders, Weight is third on the team in scoring with nine goals and 26 assists for 35 points despite missing 29 games due to injury.

Weight originally signed with the Islanders as an unrestricted free agent on July 2, 2008. The contract runs through the 2009-10 season.

“Long Island has been a wonderful place for me and my family,” Weight said. “It was an easy decision to come back for another season. The Islanders have been a first-class organization and I’m looking forward to helping our team continue its development into a contender.”

Weight is a four-time NHL All-Star and won a Stanley Cup with Carolina in 2005-06 and was an Olympic Silver Medalist with the United States in 2002. Weight has played in 1,180 games and has scored 274 goals and 730 assists for 1,004 points in 17 NHL seasons.

He recorded his 1,000th NHL point on January 2nd, 2009 at Phoenix and became the eighth American-born player and 73rd NHL player to reach that plateau. Weight is also one of 45 all-time NHL players, and one of four American-born hockey players, to have recorded at least 200 goals and 700 assists in their careers

In addition to the 2002 team, Weight also played on the 1998 United States Olympic Team and represented the United States in the World Cup of Hockey in 1996 and 2004.

A native of Warren, Michigan, Weight played collegiate hockey for two years with Lake Superior State University from 1989 to 1991. After the 1990-91 season, Weight was named to the CCHA First All-Star Team and the NCAA’s West Second All-American Team."

Jackman Extended for 1 Year

2009-03-19T15:31:00.001-04:00

The New York Islanders announced Thursday morning that they have re-signed 27 year old winger Tim Jackman for the 2009-2010 season. Jackman had been scheduled to become a free agent this summer.

Financial terms were not disclosed.

Isles Trade Guerin to Penguins

2009-03-04T15:25:00.003-05:00

On a relatively boring Trade Deadline day, the Islanders have sent forward Bill Guerin to the Pittsburgh Penguins for a conditional 5th round draft pick. The pick becomes a 4th round pick if Pittsburgh makes the playoffs, and a 3rd rounder if Pittsburgh wins a round an Guerin plays half of the games in that round.

Jon Sim has been sent to Bridgeport, and Nate Thompson has been activated from the Injured Reserve.

Amidst the Snow: Joensuu Called-Up, Guerin Sitting Again

2009-03-02T16:40:00.002-05:00

As Long Island gets controlled by Snow today, there is a hockey game to be played. 6'4" 207 lb Jesse Joensuu has been called up from Bridgeport to make his NHL debut and replace the once-again-sitting Bill Guerin (I'll have more on that topic today, hopefully).

Bridgeport has played 3 games in 3 days coming into tonight, which will mark Joensuu's 4th game in 4 days. Joensuu has tallied 17 goals and 13 assists in 56 games for Bridgeport this season.

Tonight's game against the Avalanche will be broadcasted nationally on Versus and Versus HD.

Wear White Tonight!

2009-02-21T13:08:00.002-05:00

Islanders fans and Lighthouse supporters are teaming up to form the "Whiteout for the Lighthouse".

Tonight, the Islanders host the New Jersey Devils on Town of Hempstead night. Multiple groups are encouraging all fans to wear white jerseys, or a white shirt tonight to support the development of the Lighthouse Project.

Spread the word!

http://lettherebelighthouse.blogspot.com/2009/02/white-out-for-lighthouse.html

http://www.islanderspointblank.com/

http://hfboards.com/showthread.php?t=610213

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=126836065227

http://thehockeywriters.com/white-out-for-the-lighthouse/

Isles Deal Comrie, Campoli for McAmmond, SJ 1st 09

2009-02-20T16:45:00.003-05:00

from islanders.nhl.com

"The Islanders have acquired center Dean McAmmond and a 2009 first-round draft pick from the Ottawa Senators in exchange for defenseman Chris Campoli and center Mike Comrie.

“We’re excited that we are able to add another piece to our rebuilding plans while bringing in someone like Dean who will provide additional depth for our team,” said Islanders General Manager Garth Snow. “The Islanders organization would like to thank Mike and Chris for their contributions both on and off the ice over the past few seasons.”

McAmmond has played in 44 games with the Senators this season, scoring three goals and four assists for seven points. In 916 career NHL games, the 15-year veteran has recorded 176 goals and 246 assists for 422 points and 442 penalty minutes. The 35-year-old Alberta native was originally drafted by Chicago in the first round (22nd overall) of the 1991 NHL Entry Draft.

The Islanders also receive a 2009 first round draft pick, which originally belonged to the San Jose Sharks.

Campoli was drafted by the Islanders in the seventh round (227th overall) of the 2004 NHL Entry Draft. In 228 career NHL games—all with the Islanders—he recorded 20 goals and 63 assists for 83 points.

Comrie was signed by the Islanders as a free agent on July 5, 2007. The 28-year-old Edmonton native has played in 503 career NHL games, scoring 151 goals and 180 assists for 331 points with Edmonton, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Ottawa and the Islanders."

Weight out 6 weeks

2009-02-13T20:57:00.001-05:00

Current Injury Report per islanders.nhl.com

-Forward Trent Hunter, hip flexor, day-to-day, has missed one game

-Defenseman Mark Streit, upper body sprain, day-to-day, has missed four games

-Defenseman Freddy Meyer, strained groin, day-to-day, has missed last 13 games

-Defenseman Thomas Pock, hand, expected to be out 3 weeks, has missed four games

-Forward Nate Thompson, shoulder, expected to miss 4 to 6 weeks, has missed three games

-Center Doug Weight, sprained MCL, expected to miss 6 weeks

-Defenseman Andy Sutton, broken foot, expected to be out 5-7 weeks, has missed last 22 games

-Center Mike Sillinger, hip injury, out for season

-Goaltender Rick DiPietro, swelling in knee, out for season

Injury Update

2009-01-23T21:41:00.002-05:00

Per islanders.nhl.com

Andy Hilbert has been activated from the Injured Reserve after being out of action since December 26th, following a fractured foot.

Chris Campoli: strained groin, day-to-day
Trent Hunter: lacerated hand, day-to-day
Sean Bergenheim: strained side, day-to-day
Freddy Meyer: strained groin, day-to-day
Doug Weight: lower-leg injury, out 1-2 weeks
Joey MacDonald: strained groin, out 1-3 weeks
Andy Sutton: broken foot, out 7-9 weeks
Mike Sillinger: hip injury, out indefinitely
Rick DiPietro: swelling in knee, out for season

Isles Pass on Sabourin

2009-01-21T15:31:00.002-05:00

The Islanders have not claimed goaltender Dany Sabourin and have announced that open tryouts will be held on Saturday!

...

All joking aside, Joey Mac is expected to be back earlier than first anticipated, supposedly eliminating the need for another goaltender.

*sighs*

DP Officially Shut Down

2009-01-20T21:21:00.000-05:00

from islanders.nhl.com

"Goaltender Rick DiPietro will miss the remainder of the 2008-09 season. Team doctors have referred to the decision as precautionary, due to swelling in the knee that DiPietro had arthroscopic knee surgery on to repair a meniscus injury on October 31st. DiPietro is expected to resume skating this summer in preparation for the 2009-10 season.

"This has been one of the most frustrating situations I have ever had to deal with, but this is the right decision for me and the team," said DiPietro. "I am confident this will allow me to make a complete recovery, be ready in plenty of time for next season and compete to my highest ability for many years to come. I’d like to thank Islanders fans for their patience and I look forward to playing in front of them next season."

DiPietro, an NHL All-Star starter in 2007-08, has played in five games this season. Drafted by the Islanders with the first overall pick in the 2000 NHL Entry Draft, DiPietro has played in 273 NHL games and has a record of 117-112-8-24 with a 2.79 goals against average and a .905 save percentage.

"After extensive consultation we feel this decision is in the best interest for Rick and the team," said Islanders General Manager Garth Snow. "This will allow Rick ample time to make a full recovery for next year. There has been no discussion of this being a career-threatening injury and we expect Rick to make a full recovery."

Sabourin on Waivers

2009-01-20T15:35:00.002-05:00

Edmonton has placed Goalie Dany Sabourin on waivers. Somewhere within the depths of the Coliseum, Garth Snow is contemplating a claim. We hope.

Campoli Out, Hillen Recalled, Mannino Down

2009-01-18T12:41:00.002-05:00

The Islanders made a couple transactions this morning, as defenseman Jack Hillen was recalled from Bridgeport. He will be subbing for Chris Campoli who is day-to-day with a strained groin.

Also, Peter Mannino has been sent down, opening speculation of Dany Sabourin possibly being traded to the Isles. Sabourin was acquired by Edmonton yesterday, but the Oilers told him not to even report to Edmonton, as they are looking to trade him promptly.

Dubielewicz Claimed by Columbus

2009-01-17T12:57:00.001-05:00

The Columbus Blue Jackets have claimed Wade Dubielewicz off of waivers. Dubie had to clear waivers to play for the Isles since he played in Russia this year.

DP Out, Joey Mac Out; YODA RETURNS

2009-01-15T15:29:00.004-05:00

As word struck Long Island yesterday that #1 goaltender Rick DiPietro would be out for the remainder of the 2008-2009 season, GM Garth Snow got right on his phone.

Word out of Isles' beat writer, Greg Logan, is that the Islanders have signed goaltender Wade Dubielewicz for the rest of the season for a pro-rated $500,000.

Dubie has been living with his family in Connecticut since being bought out by AK Bars Kazan of the KHL. Wade is expected to practice tomorrow and likely start for the game against the Devils on Saturday.

On another note, Joey MacDonald will be out 2-4 weeks with a groin strain. Peter Mannino has been called up to back up Yann Danis for tonight's game.

Isles Acquire Junior Lessard

2009-01-13T15:39:00.003-05:00

The Islanders have sent AHL defenseman Brett Skinner to the Atlanta Thrashers for AHL right wing Junior Lessard.

A career AHLer, Lessard has played in 298 games and recorded 86 goals and 92 assists for 178 points.

Lessard has immediately been assigned to Bridgeport.

Streit Named to All-Star Team

2009-01-09T07:10:00.002-05:00

Mark Streit was named to the 2009 NHL All-Star Game on Thursday, chosen as the Islanders' representative. He is first in points among defensemen, second in assists, and fifth in goals.

"This is an unbelievable honor and I’m truly excited to represent the Islanders in the All-Star Game," said Streit, who was presented with an Eastern Conference All-Star Jersey at the Islanders’ morning skate in Calgary. "It’s going to be a great experience to go back to Montreal and it will be a lot of fun."

Mark Streit left Montreal on July 1st, 2008 to sign with the Islanders. The All-Star Game will mark the second time he's returned to Montreal.

Weight Out vs Oilers

2009-01-05T20:34:00.002-05:00

As the Isles prepare to take on Edmonton at 9:30 tonight, Doug Weight is not in the lineup and was seen with a walking boot. No word on his injury as of yet.

Weighting for 1,000

2009-01-02T13:53:00.002-05:00

As Mike Comrie netted his second goal of the game on Wednesday, Doug Weight became 1 point closer to achieving the milestone of 1,000 career points.

"We had the lead and we were playing pretty good, so I was thinking about it a little bit. It's hard not to, you're thinking about hunting it down and getting it over with," said Weight in an interview following the game on Wednesday.

Tonight, Doug Weight, with 999 career points in the NHL, will look to get just one more. Be sure to tune in to MSG Plus 2 tonight to see Weight attempt to get his 1,000th point.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Game Notes: ISLES @ COYOTES 1/2/09 9:00 EST

-Yann Danis did not make the trip, and has been assigned to Bridgeport. This leads to the assumption that DiPietro will likely be in net tonight.

-Mitch Fritz has cleared waivers and has also been assigned to Bridgeport.

-Trent Hunter is on the roster for the game, no word on who will be scratched, as Trevor Smith is still with the team.

-Mike Sillinger has been placed on the injured reserve, and appears to have already played his last NHL game.

-Mikael Tellqvist is the probable starter for the Coyotes, Bryzgalov will sit with a sore back.

Happy New Year! Islander Zone Returns!

2009-01-01T10:27:00.002-05:00

I'm not sure if anyone still reads here, but Islander Zone is returning for the New Year! Expect daily site updates, just as the original Islander Zone blog was.

G10 - Canadiens 5, Islanders 4

2008-11-02T10:22:00.004-05:00

DiPietro Out 4-6 Weeks

2008-11-02T09:29:00.004-05:00

The Islanders announced Saturday night that their goalie, Rick DiPietro, had undergone arthroscopic knee surgery. This was to repair a minor meniscus injury, which is supposedly unrelated to previous injuries. The injury was apparently suffered during warmups of the October 25th game against the Carolina Hurricanes. DiPietro was pulled after one period of play.

He will be out for 4-6 weeks.

Isles Unveil 3rd Jersey

2008-10-27T17:45:00.000-04:00

from islanders.nhl.com

"The Islanders unveiled their new alternate uniform Monday night at an Islanders Business Club event prior to the start of their game against the New York Rangers. The new uniform, which is reminiscent of the ones the Islanders donned in the mid-1970s, is royal blue with white numbers and letters, outlined in orange."

"It reminds me of the glory days," said Mike Curry of Milro Associates. "I like how it brings back the heritage of the team. It's like you're seeing the guys from the early days."

"One thing about the jersey that is different than the original from the 1970s is that the stick—within the Islanders logo—has four lines on it. This is to recognize the Islanders four Stanley Cup championships."

"I think the new jerseys are fantastic," said Bob Nystrom, a member of the original 1972 Islanders squad. "The colors really bring me back to our early teams. I think the fans are really going to buy into the jerseys because anybody who saw the team when we played, will appreciate the original colors. Plus, I like the subtle change they made to add another strip to the stick, signifying the four Cups."

"The jerseys are really nice," said Josh Bailey, who modeled one at the IBC event. "They're really cool to wear, especially for the young guys because it's a little bit like being part of the team's great tradition."

Isles Claim Nate Thompson

2008-10-08T18:00:00.003-04:00

The New York Islanders claimed Nate Thompson off of waivers from the Boston Bruins on Wednesday, as per Boston Globe writer Kevin Dupont.

Validation link to come soon.

Josh Bailey Signed to Entry Level Contract

2008-10-02T15:23:00.003-04:00

from islanders.nhl.com

"Josh Bailey’s 19th birthday is one he will remember forever. On Thursday, the Islanders signed their 2008 first round draft pick to a three-year, entry-level contract.

Bailey, a center, was selected with the ninth overall selection in the draft this past June and has been attending Islanders training camp. The contract is a standard NHL entry-level contract.

“This is an exciting day for the organization as we continue to build our team with young players like Josh who have very bright futures,” said Islanders General Manager Garth Snow.

For Bailey, a native of Bowmanville, Ontario, it is a dream come true.

“This is an exciting day for me and my family, especially when you sign your first NHL contract on your birthday,” said Bailey, who played the past three seasons in the OHL. “It’s certainly a day I’ll never forget. I still have a lot of work to do and I’m willing to do it.”

Bailey is coming off his best season in the OHL by scoring 28 goals and 67 assists for 96 points in 69 games for Windsor. He led his team in scoring, while ranking 10th overall in the league in points. His 67 assists also ranked third overall in the OHL. In 191 career OHL games, Bailey has scored 58 goals with 125 assists for 183 assists.

"Josh's hockey intelligence is definitely there," said Head Coach Scott Gordon. "He has a good head on his shoulders, which will make transitioning to this level easier."

An alternate captain with Windsor last season, the junior club has named him team captain if he returns to the team this season."

Injury Update- Sutton Out 6 Weeks

2008-10-02T15:18:00.002-04:00

-Islanders defenseman Andy Sutton could be out up to 6 weeks per Chris Botta, as he will have hand surgery.

-Chris Campoli will be back by November 1st, possibly earlier.

-This lands Thomas Pock a sure spot on the Isles' roster, for now.

-DiPietro is scheduled to practice Friday and play on Monday.

-Sean Bergenheim is ready to go and will likely be in the lineup tomorrow.

Isles Sign Thomas Pock

2008-09-29T15:18:00.001-04:00

from islanders.nhl.com

"The New York Islanders have claimed defenseman Thomas Pock off waivers from the New York Rangers. Pock has played in 59 career NHL games and has scored seven goals with seven assists for 14 points.

Last season, Pock played in one game with the Rangers and went scoreless. He also played in 74 games with the Hartford Wolfpack of the American Hockey League and scored seven goals with 37 assists for 44 points. Pock finished tied for 11th among AHL defensemen in assists last season.

Pock has played in a total of 195 AHL games during his career, all with Hartford. He has scored 23 goals and 89 assists for 112 points and a plus/minus rating of +40. In 2005-06, Pock was named to the AHL’s Second All-Star Team.

A native of Klagenfurt, Austria, Pock was originally signed by the Rangers as an undrafted free agent after playing four seasons at the University of Massachusetts. Over the course of four seasons with Massachusetts, Pock played in 130 games and scored 44 goals and 58 assists for 102 points. He was named to the 2002-03 Hockey East Second All-Star Team, the 2003-04 Hockey East First All-Star Team and the NCAA All-Tournament teams in 2003 and 2004."

Isles Put Down the Bruins in OT, 2-1

2008-09-23T21:42:00.004-04:00

PREVIEW: Bruins @ Isles 9/23/08 6:30 PM EST

2008-09-23T16:48:00.004-04:00

Catching Up.....

2008-09-20T13:11:00.006-04:00

Wow, it has been almost a month since I last posted. Ouch. I finally had the motivation to put together a big update post to get caught up.
-----------------------------------------------------------------

ISLANDERS RE-ASSIGN GALLANT

-----From islanders.nhl.com-----

"The New York Islanders announced Friday that Assistant Coach Gerard Gallant has been re-assigned as a special consultant to General Manager, Garth Snow.

"Gerard has been an essential member of our coaching staff," said Snow. "He will serve as a valuable asset within the hockey operations department."

"I am grateful to the Islanders organization for affording me the opportunity to continue my coaching career last season," said Gallant. "I am excited about the opportunity to work with Garth, which at this point in time will also allow me to spend more time with my family and even get a chance to watch my son play in junior hockey."

Gallant served as an Assistant Coach with the Islanders in the 2007-08 season. He previously served as the Columbus Blue Jackets head coach from the 2003-04 season to midway through the 2006-07 season. Gallant was an original member of the Blue Jackets franchise, serving as an assistant coach before his head coaching tenure. "

SILLINGER NOT READY FOR SEASON

-----By Greg Logan-----

"By the end of last season, the Islanders had more talent on the injury list than they did on the ice. But with the veterans scheduled to report for training camp [today], it appears 37-year-old center Mike Sillinger is the one key player who is not ready for camp and might not make it back for the season opener Oct. 10.

Sillinger, who has anchored the checking line the past two seasons while contributing offensively, had to shut it down last January. He missed the final 30 games because of a right hip injury that eventually required him to undergo microfracture surgery. Many of the Isles' injured veterans skated Thursday in an informal workout at the club's training facility in Syosset, but Sillinger has not been cleared for contact and will be on his own rehab schedule in camp in Moncton, New Brunswick.

In mid-July, Sillinger suffered what he described as "a little setback" because his hip joint wasn't producing the normal amount of lubrication and required an injection to speed the process. "For me to jump right back in and take two or three steps backwards, we don't want to do that," Sillinger said. "Am I going to be ready Oct. 10? Who knows? That's a question we can't answer right now."

As part of the surgery, he had two holes drilled in his hip. He has regained strength in the hip muscles, but he said the joint is tight and the muscles aren't firing properly yet. "There's pain in the joint," said Sillinger, who has been skating since June. "I have to work with it to get back the mobility ... The stuff that hurts is the side-to-side movement and the shooting and opening up."

San Jose defenseman Rob Blake came back from similar surgery last season, and Sillinger is confident he can do the same. "I want to finish the year," Sillinger said. "I want to start it as well, but I'm more concerned about finishing it. I've done a lot of rehab, and I don't want to take a chance of going backwards now."

NYI ROOKIES DEFEAT BOSTON ROOKIES

-----From islanders.nhl.com-----

"The familiarity factor was at a high Thursday afternoon during the New York Islanders and Boston Bruins' rookie game, which saw the Islanders skate to an 8-4 win at The Rinks at Shelton. Scott Gordon, the former coach of the Providence Bruins, Boston's AHL affiliate, took his place for the first time behind the Islanders' bench as head coach. But by the end of the game, all eyes were on a former Bruins' prospect that played last season with the Sound Tigers, Sean Bentivoglio, after he tallied three second-period goals.

"This summer I really worked on my shot after hearing upper management tell me I needed to shoot more instead of my usual first instinct of passing," Bentivoglio said. "I was paired on a line with (Rob) Hennigar today and he fed me a bunch of nice passes in my wheel-house which made it easy to shoot."

Boston broke the scoreless tie only 1:18 into the first period when Jordan Knackstedt scored the first goal of the exhibition season on an assist from Mikko Lehtonen for the early Bruins' 1-0 lead.

Islanders' first round draft pick, Josh Bailey, would even the score at 1-1, just over 10 minutes later. Mark Katic took a shot from the right point, which was stopped by Bruins' starting goalie Kevin Regan, but the rebound popped into the slot where Bailey—the Islanders first pick in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft—snapped the puck past Regan's blocker.

Before the period would come to a close, Boston regained the lead when Levi Nelson shoveled a loose puck through the legs of Islanders' starting goaltender Peter Mannino for the 2-1 lead entering the second period. Brad Marchand collected the lone assist on the tally.

Tomas Marcinko tied the score at 2-2 nearly seven minutes into the middle frame. Max Gratchev threw a centering passing on net that deflected in traffic and came to Marcinko in front where he one-timed the puck past Regan's out-stretched pad. At about the halfway mark of the second, Bentivoglio scored his first marker of the game to take the Islanders' first lead of the game at 3-2. Hennigar hesitated in the right corner, waiting for Bentivoglio to get to the far post, and snapped a pass to him for the tap-in goal, his first of the pre-season, coming on the man-advantage. The Bruins would tie the score at three when Blake Wheeler scored his only tally of the game on an assist from Arthur Fritch.

The two teams swapped goals minutes later but Bentivoglio would complete his hat-trick with two goals before the period would end. His third goal came with only 37 seconds remaining in the period while the Islanders were short-handed when he emphatically one-timed the puck past net-minder Michael Hutchinson, who replaced Regan mid-way through the stanza.

"For him (Bentivoglio) to be effective, he has to use his skating ability," Gordon said. "He's had a history of not shooting the puck but tonight he did and got some great chances. He shot the puck and didn't worry about setting up the perfect play."

In the third, the Bruins were shutout by goaltender Kevin Poulin after he also entered the game during the second period. Max Gratchev and Justin DiBenedetto would close out the scoring for the Islanders with two goals within the last 30 seconds of the contest.

Both Islanders goalies surrendered two goals while Mannino had 18 saves to go along with Poulin's 16. For the Bruins, Regan had 15 saves, giving up two tallies and Hutchinson turned aside 13 while giving up five goals. The Islanders were 1-for-5 on the power-play and were a perfect 8-for-8 on the penalty-kill. "

Stats:

Bentivogolio- 3g 0a 3pts
Marcinko- 1g 2a 3pts
Bailey- 1g 1a 2pts
Smith- 1g 1a 2pts
Gratchev- 1g 1a 2pts
DiBenedetto- 1g 1a 2pts
Henniger- 0g 2a 2pts
Nikiforov- 0g 1a 1pt
Katic- 0g 1a 1pt

BRANDON SUGDEN INVITED TO CAMP

Enforcer Brandon Sugden has come out of retirement to attend the Isles' training camp. Keep a close eye on him to see if he makes the team.

TRAINING CAMP STARTS TODAY!

It's what we've all been waiting for since the start of the summer. The beginning of training camp! The players arrived in Moncton last night, and started practicing this morning. Here at Islander Zone, there will be day-by-day coverage of training camp, leading up to the season opener on October 10th. Plus, Game Previews and Reviews for all pre-Season games, starting with the first game on Tuesday against the Bruins.

There will be a new game review feature this year; Video Highlights! You may see them in the pre-season games, you may not, but it's something that will certainly be added to all the reviews this season.

Mats Sundin? Wait a Minute....

2008-08-28T09:48:00.009-04:00

If you have been following the offseason so far, I'm sure you're absolutely disgusted by the Sundin saga. It's the end of August, so he HAS to make his decision soon, right?

A couple weeks ago, someone (I believe it was Eklund, not so sure though) said that the Isles were a darkhorse in the Sundin race. Now, it looks like we have something to back it up.

Darren Dreger of TSN reportedly had an interview with TSN's SportsCentre, in which he said that the final teams in the running for Sundin were the Rangers, the Islanders, the Flyers, and the Maple Leafs. If he would not go to one of those teams, he would retire. I'm not so sure what happened to the Canucks' 10 million dollar offer to Sundin, but apparently they are out of the race, after saying previously that they have a Plan B if they can't get Sundin.

Last night, Dreger made a post on TSN.ca, giving an update on the Sundin race. Here's the quote that jumps out: "At least six teams have continually expressed interest in signing the unrestricted free agent, with the New York Islanders described as a dark-horse based on Garth Snow's persistence to keep his team in the mix."

I know what you're saying. Link? Link please? Fine, here.

Of course, the Isles are in desperate need of a number 1 center. But in the midst of a rebuild, would it really make any sense to get a 37-year-old superstar? I'm sure many Isles fans would love to have him, rebuilding or not. The Isles have the cap space to do it, with roughly 13 million left right now. So if Snow can pull this off, it would be fantastic.

But what would motivate Mats to sign here? I'm pretty sure he would want to be on a contender, so Long Island is probably not the best place. But he has said he likes it here in New York. Although, that makes it seem logical for him to go to the Rangers, who are rumored to be trying to trade Scott Gomez to the Canucks, in hopes of grabbing Sundin.

Still, the Isles' $13,000,000 is most money left out of these 4 teams. The Rangers having just $715,000 left, the Flyers, who are over $1,000,000 OVER the cap, and the Maple Leafs, who have about $6,000,000 left. If Sundin is focused on money, then the Isles will get their shot.

We'll see. Snow has done some odd things in his time has the Isles GM, so you never know what he will do. But just the fact that he is trying and trying to stay in this race, makes me think that he wants to be winning and rebuilding coincidentally.

If you take a look at the link I gave a little while ago, it also mentions that the Isles are in a race for Mathieu Schnieder, which I had made a post about a month ago. Dreger's article reads, "Vancouver is in the market for a defenceman and a centre and sources indicate Anaheim Ducks veteran Mathieu Schneider is a prime target. However, the Islanders, L.A. Kings and Montreal Canadiens are also interested in Schneider, who will be moved to clear space for the signing of Teemu Selanne."

I'd think that Schneider would be a nice fit, but I would hate to see what we'd have to give in that trade, since we are stacked on defesemen.

One more note. That McCabe rumor has very little chance right now, as he appears to be headed to the Panthers. Remember that losing McCabe will give the Maple Leafs 5 million dollars of more cap space, which could help them get Sundin.

I hope you had the patience to read through this. If you made it through, thanks. Sorry about making this post so long.

Happy Birthday Islander Zone!!!

2008-08-24T15:41:00.002-04:00

One year ago today, I started this site with no clue of the direction it would go. It began as a little blog with barely any readers. Now, it has expanded into something I could never have thought up. Thanks to everyone who reads, you guys are the reason I keep this going. Happy Birthday Islander Zone!

New Islander Review: Mark Streit

2008-08-22T14:05:00.004-04:00

Yes, the NIRs are back in action! Since most readers probably weren't reading when this blog opened up almost a year ago to the day, I recommend going to the Archive, and scrolling down to get a taste of last year's New Islander Reviews. Good thing is, I only have to do two of these this year, opposed to last year's nine.

Anyway, let's get this underway.

MARK STREIT

Mark Streit was signed by the New York Islanders on July 1st, 2008. The signing came as a shock to a bunch of people across the NHL, being that he was ranked a top 10 free agent on some sites.

Originally drafted to the NHL by Montréal with their 262nd overall pick in 2004, Mark Streit was already playing professional hockey. Since 1994, Streit has been jumping around between teams in Europe. When the NHL was revived in 2005, Mark would find himself a spot on the Canadiens.

In that season, he played 48 games, putting up a disappointing 2 goals and 9 assists. However, in the 06-07 season, he stayed healthy, playing in 76 games and scoring 10 goals and 26 assists.

That must have been signaling a breakout year. This past season, Streit made an unexpected impact, as he would go on to score 13 goals and 49 assists in 81 games for the Canadiens, leading them to the conference title. In the playoffs, he would play 11 games with 1 goal and 4 assists, as the Habs would be knocked out in the second round.

Now, don't be expecting much from anyone this year. Especially Streit. Him being an offensive defenseman will make the scoreboard work a bit, though. You may see him score around 35 points, with 10 goals and 25 or so assists. Fairly decent. Snow signed him to play defense, so he will be a top 4 defenseman for the Isles, some games top 2.

Mark Streit's Player Page

Chris Dey Named Isles President

2008-08-20T19:01:00.001-04:00

Article from islanders.nhl.com

"Chris Dey was promoted to President of the New York Islanders, it was announced Wednesday by Islanders owner Charles Wang.

In his role as President, Dey will expand his responsibilities beyond Sales, Marketing and Event Operations. He will oversee all business operations for the team as well as the Islanders Children's Foundation, the Islanders office in China and the Charles B. Wang Ice Hockey Project Hope in China. He will also work with the Lighthouse Development Corporation on the planning, as well as the sales and marketing, of the transformed Nassau Coliseum.

"Chris has been the driving force behind the change that the business has undergone over the last year," said Wang. "The promotion is well deserved and will enable him to do even more to improve the business – the way we service our fans, the impact we can have on amateur hockey on Long Island, the leadership we show in the community and more. I know Chris well enough that he will stop at nothing less in making the Islanders the model franchise in the NHL."

Despite missing the playoffs, the Islanders had their highest average per game paid attendance since 2002, and a year over year increase that was top 5 in the league. Contributing to this increase was a group sales department that ranked third in the league in total sales. Corporate sponsorship sales set a team record last season and the launch of the Islanders Business Club has allowed for larger participation with the team by local businesses and business executives.

"I'm so appreciative of the confidence that Charles and the organization have shown in me," said Dey. "We're continuing to build a very talented staff that is committed to being the very best in the business. I hope that our hard work will be felt most by the fans."

Last season, the Islanders community outreach made a significant impact by raising and donating more than $1 million to non-profit organizations last season. In addition, the RexCorp Islanders Inspire, a program of the Islanders Children's Foundation was launched, enabling more than 12,000 children to attend Islanders games last year. Starting this summer, the Islanders committed to a comprehensive Amateur Hockey Development program that will run year round for current and new youth hockey players

"It's important that the Islanders take a leadership position in the community whenever possible, investing in those who we're asking to invest in us—both financially and emotionally. It's a priority of ours and we believe it will lead to an even stronger relationship between the team, our fans and the community as a whole," Dey added."

Isles to Debut 3rd on November 1st?

2008-08-18T17:26:00.002-04:00

I have some 3rd jersey news today. Chris over at Icethetics made a post today about an email he recieved by a reader who has the "On Ice" 3rd jersey release dates for a bunch of teams.

The Islanders are listed as wearing their alternates for the 1st time on November 1st, 2008 against the Montreal Canadiens. Retailers would get it on November 6th.

Now, this makes things interesting. Although this email cannot be considered a legit source, it could still very well be true. Thing is, that post from Islander Mania says that the jersey will be available for purchase before the season begins.

I guess only time will tell!

Isles Hire Scott Gordon as New Head Coach

2008-08-12T19:39:00.003-04:00

.
After Ted Nolan was fired on July 14th, Scott Gordon was named the new head coach of the New York Islanders this evening.

The 45 year old Gordon was last year's AHL Coach of the Year. He has spent the past 8 years with the Providence Bruins of the AHL, serving as assistant coach for 3 years, and head coach for 5 years. Gordon has never had an NHL coaching job.

In his 5 years of serving as head coach of the Providence Bruins, Gordon compiled a 221-141-20-27 record. This past season, he led his team to a 55-18-3 record, which was the best record in all of the AHL last year.

"For me, the bottom line was finding the right coach for our organization at this time," Garth Snow said. "It was a rigorous interview process, extremely thorough. I don't want any perception the other candidates weren't qualified or weren't good people because they were. I just found the candidate that's the right coach for our organization. Scott Gordon really stood out."

"Scott has been one of the top up-and-coming coaches in hockey and with good reason," Snow added. "Through his work in the minor leagues and most recently with Providence over the last eight years, he has gained an impeccable reputation. The entire Islanders organization looks forward to working with Scott."

"Garth has given me an unbelievable opportunity to coach in the NHL with the Islanders,” said Gordon. “From my time coaching in Providence, I’ve seen firsthand the talented young players in this organization. I look at the direction and the vision for this team and see a bright future.”

This comes about three days after Snow had cut the candidates down to Bob Hartley, Paul Maurice, and Scott Gordon. He obviously felt that Gordon would be the best to fit the current phase of the club. Although Gordon has no NHL coaching experience, he does bring in the knowledge of how to coach younger players. The Islanders do have plenty of young players on their team, and aren't too much better than a good AHL team. At this point, Gordon is the right choice. He is now signed on a multi-year deal.

RUMOR: McCabe for Meyer and a 4th

2008-08-12T15:16:00.003-04:00

According to The Insider On Pittsburgh Sports, the Isles are very close to acquiring Bryan McCabe from the Maple Leafs for D Freddy Meyer and a 4th round draft pick.

More on this soon. (Hopefully)

TO GET THE LATEST UPDATES ON THIS RUMOR, VISIT THE RUMORS PAGE, LOCATED IN THE "NEWS" PAGE.

Islanders Name New Affiliate

2008-08-12T11:57:00.002-04:00

The Islanders added a new affiliate on Tuesday, by signing an agreement with the Odessa Jackalopes of the Central Hockey League.

"I know first-hand what kind of organization the New York Islanders are," Joe Clark, the Jackalopes General Manager said. "We are fortunate to be part of their family, and are committed to helping them in any way possible."

"We are very excited about our agreement with Odessa," Sound Tigers president Howard Saffan said. "Having strong affiliates is imperative to building the Islanders’ future."

"The Odessa Jackalopes are a top-rate organization and we’re proud to have them as an affiliate," Garth Snow said. "Joe Clark and his staff run a great program in Texas and we’re looking forward to working with them."

The Jackalopes add to the Bridgeport Sound Tigers and the Utah Grizzlies as the Islanders' minor league affiliates.

Snow Narrows Possible Coach List to 3

2008-08-10T10:20:00.005-04:00

Snow has cut down the list of possible coaches, and we are now left with Bob Hartley, Paul Maurice, and Scott Gordon.

BOB HARTLEY

Early on in Garth Snow's hockey career, Bob Hartley coached him in the AHL. Their long friendship could help make him the top candidate. Hartley also led the Colorado Avalanche to the Stanley Cup in the 2000-2001 season. A few years later, he moved on to coach the Atlanta Thrashers, and help them make the playoffs for the fist time ever in the 2006-2007 season. But Hartley and the Thrashers decided to part ways after a terrible start this past season.

PAUL MAURICE

Paul Maurice spent 9 seasons coaching the Hartford Whalers and the Carolina Hurricanes, leading them to the Stanley Cup Final in 2002. Later, he would coach the Toronto Maple Leafs for 3 years, but only sent them to the playoffs in 2003-2004. If we want NHL experience, Maurice is our guy.

SCOTT GORDON

Scott Gordon would not be your guy, if you want NHL experience. Last year's AHL Coach of the Year, Scott Gordon, has never coached one NHL game. He has spent the past 8 years with the Providence Bruins of the AHL, serving as assistant coach for 3 years, and head coach for 5 years. If we are focused on rebuilding, and want to let the younger guys get the playing time while getting coached well, Gordon is our guy. Spending 8 years in the AHL means he has worked with younger guys throughout his entire coaching career. After all, the Isles aren't much more than a great AHL team.

Who will be the next coach of the New York Islanders? We will find out this week.

Coaching Search Coming to an End

2008-08-08T21:49:00.004-04:00

I have to admit that I have not been covering, or even reading about the head coaching situation as much as I should be.

Well, after a few candidates dropping out, Gerard Gallant, Bob Hartley, Mike Sullivan, Paul Maurice, Marc Crawford, and Scott Gordon are the remaining candidates, and all have already had an interview with Isles General Manager Garth Snow. Snow is projected to make his selection in about a week or so.

I'd rank them in this order.

Hartley
Gordon
Sullivan
Maurice
Crawford
Gallant

I'd say that one of the top three would be more likely, and to my preference as well.

More on this soon.

Blog Updates

2008-08-04T17:38:00.003-04:00

You obviously notice a difference if you're reading this right now. The background of Islander Zone is now a royal-ish Islander blue. It made my eyes feel much calmer seeing this new background. Also, the little border lines on the side of the site are now orange, opposed to the light blue they were with the past background. I've added a new footer banner at the bottom of the page as well, to match with the top banner.

To top it off, and I'm really excited about this, Islander Zone is now compatible with all monitor resolutions! As always, Internet Explorer 7 and Windows Vista are recommended to assure all features work properly.

I'm still working on a couple more things, but I'm very pleased about today's update. I hope everyone likes it!

Let's Go Isles!!!

Isles to Bring Back 1972-73 Jersey as Third

2008-07-27T19:19:00.003-04:00

Just like we have assumed, it appears confirmed that the Islanders will use their royal blue jersey that they wore in their first season, as their new alternate/third jersey.

Howard Berger of Hockeybuzz made a post on his blog that describes all of the alternates being used next year. Some of them were quite interesting. But the one that matters most to us is the one about the Islanders:

"NEW YORK ISLANDERS: The Isles are going back to their original road jersey from 1972-73, when they joined the NHL along with the Atlanta Flames. It is a royal-blue base, with broad orange and white stripes on the arms and at the bottom of the jersey. The uniform numbers – as they appeared during the club’s inaugural season – are orange with white trim. Player names will also be orange. The Islanders switched to white jersey numbers after their dreadful first year in the league; when they compiled a 12-60-6 record… worst, to that point, in NHL history."

I'm pretty darn excited about this. In the 06-07 season, the Isles brought back this jersey for one game. It will be exactly the same as that, just in the RBK EDGE cut, I'd think.

What I do want to know is if they will wear a navy blue helmet and shorts like they did in that game last year.

Anyway, I can't say that it is completely confirmed until I see Greg Logan post it. I'll be waiting for that now.

Gervais Signs a 3-Year Contract

2008-07-24T22:44:00.003-04:00

Isles RFA Defenseman Bruno Gervais has signed a three year, one way contract with the New York Islanders. He will earn $522,500 in the upcoming season, $800,000 in 09-10 and $900,000 in 10-11.

Gervais Nears Long Term Deal

2008-07-24T21:11:00.003-04:00

Spiller to Devils

Just popping in quickly here, as I'm hearing that Bruno Gervais could sign a long term deal as soon as tomorrow, per RDS.

EDIT: It also seems that Isles RFA Matt Spiller has signed with the NJ Devils.

Frans Nielsen Re-Signs For 4 Years

2008-07-18T22:03:00.002-04:00

Frans Nielsen and the Isles have agreed on a 4-year contract worth $2.1 million. It is a one way contract, assuring him a NHL roster spot. He will earn $525,000 a year.

Third Jerseys Confirmed For 2008-2009!!!

2008-07-17T21:25:00.003-04:00

Today, there was a post on IslanderMania by someone who came into contact with the Isles Team Store, confirming there will be third jerseys in the 2008-2009 season. What they are, we still don't know.

Some good news to end off our Thursday.

Mathieu Schneider Long Island Bound?

2008-07-17T19:58:00.003-04:00

There is a rumor that a trade may be going through that would mark the return of Matt Schneider. I'll have more on this, as we see if it is true.

2008-2009 Schedule Released

2008-07-17T14:47:00.001-04:00

Just like I had told you guys yesterday, the 2008-2009 Schedule has been released.

I will put it on the sidebar soon.

NHL Schedule to be Released Tomorrow?

2008-07-16T16:16:00.008-04:00

Word is that the 2008-2009 NHL Season Schedule will be released tomorrow. I will put the Islanders' schedule on the sidebar, where I currently have draft listings. I do have some info on the schedule, though.

The Isles will open on October 10th at the New Jersey Devils. The next night, the Isles will play their Home Opener against the Blues. The schedule will have several Saturday games, as well as several matinees, and will have games on a few holidays.

Just some quick info.

Bergenheim Agrees to 2-Year Deal

2008-07-16T13:44:00.008-04:00

Colliton and Walter Also Sign New Contracts

Sean Bergenheim has avoided arbitration, signing a two-year deal worth $1.725 million to remain an Islander. This happened a week after he fired his agents, who had originally forced him to file for arbitration.

“We’ve always had a high regard for Sean,” general manager Garth Snow said. “The events that transpired a week ago allowed us to get this done.”

Bergenheim will once again be a RFA when this new contract ends. He will make $800,000 next season, and $925,000 the year after.

This also comes a day after the re-signing of RFA forward Jeff Tambellini.

Ben Walter and Jeremy Colliton have accepted their qualifying offers, which are both 1-year 2-way contracts.

Tambellini Signs 2-Year Deal

2008-07-15T20:31:00.003-04:00

Isles RFA winger Jeff Tambellini signs a two-year deal worth $1.175 million to stay with the Islanders.

It is a one-way contract, as he hopes to prove himself as a top-6 winger. Tambellini will make $550,000 next season and $625,000 in the 09-10 season.

Ted Nolan Fired

2008-07-14T14:03:00.001-04:00

Isles' Coach Ted Nolan has been fired this morning.

"Ted has helped us achieve some success over the last two seasons, however it has become clear that we have philosophical differences and have decided together to part ways," said Snow. "Since last season and continuing into the summer, I have realized we do not share the same philosophies. I would like to thank Ted for his two years with the team and wish him the best."

"I have a list of several qualified candidates. After a thorough process, we will hire the very best coach to lead the Islanders on the ice."

"While I am disappointed I will not be coaching the Islanders next season, there have been philosophical differences and we’ve agreed it’s a good time for me to move on," replied Nolan. "I want to thank the Islanders organization for giving me a chance to coach in the NHL again. I have tremendous respect for what the team is trying to do and I wish them well."

I have one comment:

WHAT?

Bergenheim Fires Agents to Avoid Arbitration

2008-07-11T21:12:00.005-04:00

After filing for arbitration over a week ago, Isles RFA winger Sean Bergenheim has fired his two agents, in hopes of avoiding arbitration.

Snow and Bergenheim are currently negotiating, and I'd expect to see a signing to come soon.

Please Garth, lock him up long term!

Good Luck Davison, Regier, and Johnson

2008-07-10T18:56:00.003-04:00

The Isles have lost three more players to free agency. Rob Davison has signed with Vancouver, Steve Regier has gone to the Blues, and Aaron Johnson inked a contract with the Blackhawks.

I wish the best to all of them, but I really hoped we would keep Davison. I am not at all a happy camper right now.

Isles Sign Witt to a Contract Extension

2008-07-08T19:46:00.011-04:00

The New York Islanders have signed Brendan Witt to a 2 year contract extension. Witt will earn $3 million a season. He is now under contract through the 2010-2011 season.

"Over the last two seasons, Brendan has been a warrior for us on the ice and a great leader off the ice," said Islanders General Manager Garth Snow. "We're thrilled to keep him in an Islanders uniform."

"My family and I are excited to stay on Long Island for the next three years. We love the community and our fans, and I couldn't be happier," said Witt. "I want to thank the Islanders organization and the fans for making Long Island our home."

After signing a three-year contract with the Islanders in July 2006, Witt's contract would have expired in July 2009. It now runs two years after, and the contract will expire in July 2011.

Up and Running

2008-07-08T18:12:00.004-04:00

I got the work done way faster than expected. We now actually have a full archive in the archive page! Click the "Archive" link to check it out.

On the page, it says, "2007-2008 Season Archive". In my terms, a hockey season will be August to July. So once it turns August, there will be a new Archive page for the 2008-2009 season. Just to keep things more organized.

I will be doing a few different things to this site over the summer. You'll see more of these maintenance days.

Closing For Maintenance...6/8/08 6:00 PM

2008-07-07T16:41:00.003-04:00

Islander Zone will be closed for maintenance on Tuesday July 8th, 2008 at 6:00 PM EST until further notice.

I'm adding a small thing to one of the pages that I have always wanted to add, but the process cannot be completed without closing down the site for public viewing. The process should take 30-45 minutes most. Just giving a heads up before hand.

Thanks.

No Part 3....

2008-07-03T10:00:00.001-04:00

I'm not making a Free Agency day 3 today. Not enough big names left. If the Isles sign someone, I'll make a post about it.

Free Agency Madness; Day 2

2008-07-02T09:43:00.022-04:00

ISLES RUMORS:

-Isles interested in Georges Laraque (30%)

-Isles talking to Pavol Demitra (20%)

BLOGGER'S THOUGHTS:

-After a goalie filled day 1, with the Isles signing D Mark Streit last night, we head on to day 2, with top free agents Marian Hossa and Mats Sundin still on the market. Although they are most likey not Long Island bound, I have a handful of rumors still out there to start the day.

-I'm progressively working on updating the rosters and such.

-Yann Danis. That's our goalie right there!

-Hossa....Detroit? One year? What the hell?

-Doug Weight is an Islander. Nice.

-Huselius front is looking good. I'll look more into this.

-Ehh...Huselius thing looks like a fake rumor, sorry.

-Huselius..gone. Ughh.

ALL NHL OFFICIAL SIGNINGS:

(9:24 AM)
-Vancouver signs Ryan Johnson for 2 years $2.3 million

(10:30 AM)
-Tampa Bay signs Janne Niskala (undisclosed)

(11:13 AM)
-Carolina signs Josef Melichar for 1 year $1 million

(11:46 AM)
-Carolina signs Joni Pitkanen for 3 years $12 million

(12:15 PM)
-NY ISLANDERS SIGN YANN DANIS (undisclosed)

(12:36 PM)
-Detroit signs Marian Hossa for 1 year $7.4 million

(1:00 PM)
-Calgary signs Jim Vandermeer and Curtis Glencross

(1:05 PM)
-Dallas signs Sean Avery for 4 years $16 million

(2:33 PM)
-Ottawa signs Sean Donovan (undisclosed)

(3:03 PM)
-Ottawa signs Jarkko Ruutu for 3 years $3.9 million

(3:43 PM)
-Atlanta signs Ron Hainsey for 5 years $22.5 million

(6:20 PM)
-NY ISLANDERS SIGN DOUG WEIGHT FOR 1 YEAR $1.75 million

(9:23 PM)
-Columbus signs Kristian Huselius for 4 years $19 million

Free Agency Madness; Day 1

2008-07-01T09:31:00.064-04:00

ISLES RUMORS:

-Doug Weight to sign with Isles (70%)

-Ron Hainsey to sign with Isles (20%)

-MARK STREIT TO SIGN WITH ISLES!!! (100%) - OFFICIAL

BLOGGER'S THOUGHTS:

-If we are in the rebuilding mode, why are we trying to sign older players? We already have Guerin and Sillinger. Who knows?

-Ryder would be a good pickup. I'll look deeper into this and see what's really happening. Nothing is official yet.

-Wow, goalies are going everywhere today.

-Isles have to be doing something soon.

-Goodness. Tampa is going to be a contender next year.

-8 goalies have new homes so far today. Amazing.

-Well, Rolston is gone. Epic fail version 2.0?

-Streit!!! WOO!!!

ALL NHL OFFICIAL SIGNINGS:

(12:52 PM)
-Tampa Bay signs Radim Vrbata for 3 years $9 million

(12:55 PM)
-Boston signs Blake Wheeler to an ELC

(1:03 PM)
-Toronto signs Curtis Joseph for 1 year $0.7 million

(1:58 PM)
-Minnesota signs Andrew Brunette (undisclosed)

(2:50 PM)
-Phoenix signs Kurt Sauer for 4 years $7 million

(2:53 PM)
-Washington signs Jose Theodore for 2 years $9 million

(3:03 PM)
-Colorado signs Andrew Raycroft for 1 year

(3:07 PM)
-Detroit signs Ty Conklin for 1 year $0.75 million

(3:09 PM)
-Phoenix signs Todd Fedoruk for 3 years

(3:24 PM)
-Toronto signs Jeff Finger for 4 years $14 million

(3:38 PM)
-Tampa Bay signs Adam Hall for 3 years $1.8 million

(3:40 PM)
-Pittsburgh signs Eric Godard (undisclosed)
-NY Rangers sign Aaron Voros (undisclosed)

(3:41 PM)
-Florida signs Cory Stillman for 3 years $10.6 million

(3:41 PM)
-Chicago signs Cristobal Huet (undisclosed)

(4:02 PM)
-Colorado signs Darcy Tucker for 2 years $4.5 million

(4:14 PM)
-Tampa Bay signs Olaf Kolzig for 1 year $1.5 million

(4:27 PM)
-Ottawa signs Alex Auld for 2 years $2 million

(5:04 PM)
-Buffalo signs Patrick Lalime for 2 years $2 million

(5:40 PM)
-Chicago signs Brian Campbell for 8 years $56.8 million

(6:01 PM)
-Columbus signs Mike Commodore for 5 years $18.75 million

(6:06 PM)
-Philadelphia signs Ossi Vaananen for 1 year $1 million

(6:15 PM)
-NY Rangers sign Patrick Rissmiller (undisclosed)

(6:24 PM)
-New Jersey signs Brian Rolston for 4 years $20 million

(6:32 PM)
-Philadelphia signs Glen Metropolit (undisclosed)
-Philadelphia signs Nate Raduns (undisclosed)

(6:34 PM)
-Vancouver signs Darcy Hordichuk (undisclosed)

(6:42 PM)
-Toronto signs Niklas Hagman (undisclosed)

(7:18 PM)
-New Jersey signs Bobby Holik for 1 year $2.5 million

(7:37 PM)
-NY Rangers sign Wade Redden for 6 years $39 million

(8:16 PM)
-NY ISLANDERS SIGN MARK STREIT FOR 5 YEARS $20.5 million

(9:58 PM)
-Boston signs Michael Ryder for 3 years $12 million

Tomorrow is the Big Day

2008-06-30T13:46:00.003-04:00

As many hockey fans know, tomorrow, July 1st, the Free Agency period opens. Teams get into rushes of giving offers to players, hoping that their offer is accepted.

So what will I do?

You guessed it, EVERYTHING will be covered right here on Islander Zone. I'll keep you updated with a post that has all of the New York Islanders rumors and signings.

My only rumor for you today is that the Isles will make an offer for goalie Olaf Kolzig. With Joey Mac under a 1-way contract next year, I have to wonder what the crew is planning.

All for now.....

LIVE! 2008 Draft Coverage

2008-06-20T13:04:00.057-04:00

The first round of this year's NHL Entry Draft will be covered LIVE here on Islander Zone.

Here we are, a few hours away from the draft. It's been a grueling two months, and now we are finally here, on June 20th 2008, waiting for it to be 7:00 PM EST. The draft will be held in Ottawa's Scotiabank Place. If you are in the USA, tune into Versus at 6:00 PM EST to get a draft preview, and then at 7:00 PM, the draft will start. If you are in Canada, watch TSN at those times. If you can't be at a TV at all, tune in to XM radio, on the NHL channel.

I'm here to give full coverage of the draft as well, if you can't be there. I know many of us Islanders fans will be at the Coliseum's Draft Party to watch the draft, but I'm still doing this for the thousands that are watching from the comfort of their home.

I've done the work. Go to my 2008 Draft page to see a preview, and scouting profiles of 5 of the most probable players that could be picked by the Isles with the 5th overall selection. Also, stay here to get the latest updates.

1ST ROUND

1. Tampa Bay selects Steven Stamkos
2. Los Angeles selects Drew Doughty
3. Atlanta selects Zach Bogosian
4. St. Louis selects Alex Pietrangelo
5. Toronto selects Luke Schenn
6. Columbus selects Nikita Filatov
7. Nashville selects Colin Wilson
8. Phoenix selects Mikkel Boedker
9. NY Islanders select Josh Bailey
10. Vancouver selects Cody Hodgson
11. Chicago selects Kyle Beach
12. Buffalo selects Tyler Myers
13. Los Angeles selects Colten Teubert
14. Carolina selects Zach Boychuk
15. Ottawa selects Erik Karlsson
16. Boston selects Joe Colborne
17. Anaheim selects Jake Gardiner
18. Nashville selects Chet Pickard
19. Philadelphia selects Luca Sbisa
20. NY Rangers select Michael Del Zotto
21. Washington selects Anton Gustafsson
22. Edmonton selects Jordan Eberle
23. Minnesota selects Tyler Cuma
24. New Jersey selects Mattias Tedenby
25. Calgary selects Greg Nemisz
26. Buffalo selects Tyler Ennis
27. Washington selects John Carlson
28. Phoenix selects Viktor Tikhonov
29. Atlanta selects Daultan Leveille
30. Detroit selects Tom McCollum

TRADES

(9:39 AM EST)
To Predators: Blues' 4th round pick
To Blues: G Chris Mason

(7:00 PM EST)
To Calgary: F Mike Cammalleri
To LA: 12th overall pick
To Anaheim: 17, 28 overall picks

(7:18 PM EST)
To Pheonix: Olli Jokinen
To Florida: Boynton, 49th overall pick, Ballard

(7:43 PM EST)
To Montreal: Alex Tanguay, 138 overall pick
To Calgary: 25th overall pick, 2009 2nd rounder

(7:54 PM EST)
To Islanders: 7th overall pick, 2 conditional picks
To Maple Leafs: 5th overall pick

(8:08 PM EST)
To Philadelphia: 19th, 67th, overall
To Columbus: RJ Umberger, 118 overall

(8:19 PM EST)
To Islanders: 9th overall pick, 40th overall pick
To Nashville: 7th overall pick

(8:52 PM EST)
To Buffalo: 12th overall pick
To LA: 13th overall pick, 2009 3rd round pick

(9:11 PM EST)
To Ottawa: 15th overall pick
To Nashville: 18th overall pick, 2009 3rd round pick

(9:52 PM EST)
To New Jersey: 23rd overall pick, 58th overall pick
To Washington: 21st overall pick

(10:08 PM EST)
To New Jersey: 24th overall pick, 3rd round pick
To Minnesota: 23rd overall pick

(10:35 PM EST)
To Philadelphia: Steve Emiger, 84th overall pick
To Washington: 27th overall pick

(10:40 PM EST)
To Anaheim: 35th overall pick, 39th overall pick
To Phoenix: 28th overall pick

NYI Zone Scouting Central: Alex Pietrangelo

2008-06-20T12:39:00.003-04:00

ALEX PIETRANGELO

Team: Niagara IceDogs (OHL)
Position: Defenseman
Born: January 18, 1990 in King City, ON
Age: 18
Height: 6-4
Weight: 210
Shoots: Right
ISS Final Ranking: 5

2007-08 Regular Season Stats
Games Played: 60
Goals: 13
Assists: 40
Points: 53
PIM: 94

2008 Playoffs Stats
Games Played: 6
Goals: 5
Assists: 4
Points: 9
PIM: 4

Pietrangelo finished the 2007-08 regular season ranked seventh among OHL defensemen in points with 53. Pietrangelo helped lead the Niagara IceDogs to a fourth seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs, where they defeated the Ottawa 67’s in a four-game sweep. Pietrangelo ranked second in points among defensemen in the OHL playoffs, tallying five goals and four assists in six games.

However, his season has been ended prematurely. Suffering from mononucleosis and an enlarged spleen, Pietrangelo has been told by doctors to stay off skates for six weeks. His absence from the postseason is highly unlikely to affect the scouts’ view of this talented young defenseman.

Alex uses his 6-4, 210-pound frame to his advantage, and is known as an offensive defenseman. His biggest attribute so far has been his plus/minus rating, which was +40 last season and +29 this season. His efficiency when on the ice helped the IceDogs score a league-high 326 goals in 2006-07.

“Alex is a towering, smooth skating mobile defenseman, with great offensive skills. Pietrangelo plays with great maturity and smarts at both ends of the ice. His calmness and confidence while handling the puck, makes him a tremendous offensive threat from the back end. He has slick hands, great vision, and the skating ability to rush the puck at will. He quarterbacks the power-play, makes hard crisp passes and has a hard shot from the point. Not a physically dominating defenseman, but uses his great foot speed, positioning and long reach to fend off the opposition very well. Reacts very well under pressure, reads the ice well, and makes quick, smart decisions.”
-C. MacNamara / ISS Scout

“This kid will eventually one day be like Chris Pronger. Guys say he is not as tough as Pronger, but he is still a young man and when he becomes 21, look at the potential in the kid.”
-Mario Cicchillo / Niagara Head Coach

“Pietrangelo boasts more untapped upside than any of the top defensemen.”
-Matthew Wuest / The Hockey News

Sources: islanders.nhl.com, nhl.com, hockeysfuture.com

NYI Zone Scouting Central: Luke Schenn

2008-06-20T12:14:00.003-04:00

LUKE SCHENN

Team: Kelowna Rockets (WHL)
Position: Defenseman
Born: November 2, 1989 in Saskatoon, SK
Age: 18
Height: 6-3
Weight: 209
Shoots: Right
ISS Final Ranking: 6

2007-08 Regular Season Stats
Games Played: 57
Goals: 7
Assists: 21
Points: 28
PIM: 100

2008 Playoffs Stats
Games Played: 7
Goals: 2
Assists: 2
Points: 4
PIM: 6

Schenn finished his 2007-08 Western Hockey League season with seven goals and 21 assists for 28 points in 57 games. He appeared in seven playoff games, registering two goals and two assists, but the Kelowna Rockets fell in the seventh game of their first round series to the Seattle Thunderbirds. He missed time with Kelowna due to his commitment with Team Canada.

Schenn played a prominent role in helping Team Canada win Gold at the 2008 World Junior Championships. He appeared in seven games, and while he did not register a point, he led Canada with a plus-five rating.

Schenn adds a big, physical presence as a shutdown defenseman, to go along with his big slapshot. Schenn clocked a 94 mile-per hour slapshot at the CHL skills competition this year. Schenn is considered a shutdown blueliner, but also has great passing ability.

“Schenn can play a mean game and plays a tough NHL style defense that is guaranteed to get him a long hard look and career in the National Hockey League.”
-E.J. McGuire / Director, Central Scouting

“Showed a display of complete calm and poise amid the cauldron of pressure playing for Canada at the world juniors was really impressive. We were never on the bandwagon before, but we're starting to come around.”
-Kyle Woodlief / USA Today

“He’s a warhorse. He stands up, forces the play and blocks shots.”
-Matthew Wuest / The Hockey News

“He is often compared to Dion Phaneuf for his no-holds-barred physical game. Mature beyond his years in every aspect. A treat to watch as he uses both his body and stick to effectively remove opponents from the puck. Offensive ability rapidly rounding into form.”
-Matt Bugg / Fantasyplayers.com

Luke Schenn Highlights

Sources: islanders.nhl.com, nhl.com, hockeysfuture.com, youtube.com

NYI Zone Scouting Central: Nikita Filatov

2008-06-20T11:55:00.002-04:00

NIKITA FILATOV

Team: CSKA Moscow (RJL)
Position: Left Wing
Born: May 25, 1990 in Moscow, Russia
Age: 17
Height: 6-0
Weight: 158
Shoots: Right
ISS Final Ranking: 3

2007-08 Regular Season Stats
Games Played: 32
Goals: 34
Assists: 32
Points: 66
PIM: 90

2008 World Junior Championships Stats
Games Played: 7
Goals: 4
Assists: 5
Points: 9
PIM: 10

Filatov had an exceptional showing at the 2008 WJC. In the tournament, Filatov recorded four goals, five assists and a plus-seven rating. His nine total points ranked second at the tournament as he helped Russia claim the Bronze medal by recording two goals and an assist in a 4-2 win over the United States. Filatov appeared in 32 games with CSKA Moscow of the Russian Junior League in 2007-08, where he tallied 32 goals and 34 assists for 66 points in 32 games.

Filatov has tremendous speed. His ability to see the open ice and pass, especially when moving at high speed, makes him a threat anytime he is on the ice. He has shown that he will crash the net and battle in the corners for pucks. Filatov plays at a very high intensity every shift on the ice.

“He is a young talented hockey player with a good technique and good speed too. He has definitely an NHL upside because he can score, he is a well-rounded player and he is responsible in the defensive zone.”
-Sergei Nemchinov / U-20 Russian Team Coach

“Filatov may have the purest skill set of anyone in this draft. Stamkos receives the nod over Filatov for his overall game, but Filatov takes a backseat to no one in this draft in skill.”
-Ken McKenna / The Sporting News

“Alexei Cherepanov was skilled, but everybody worried about his work ethic. This guy’s more talented and he plays real hard, too.”
-NHL Scout

“The young, English speaking, CSKA Moscow winger looks almost like a cross between Ilya Kovalchuk and Maxim Afinogenov in terms of playing style.”
-Jante Abrahamsson / McKeen’s Hockey Prospects

Nikita Filatov Highlights

Sources: islanders.nhl.com, nhl.com, hockeysfuture.com, youtube.com

NYI Zone Scouting Central: Drew Doughty

2008-06-17T10:42:00.003-04:00

DREW DOUGHTY

Team: Guelph Storm (OHL)
Position: Defenseman
Born: December 8, 1988 in London, Ontario
Age: 19
Height: 6-0
Weight: 213
Shoots: Right
ISS Final Ranking: 4

2007-08 Regular Season Stats
Games Played: 58
Goals: 13
Assists: 37
Points: 50
PIM: 68

2008 Playoffs Stats
Games Played: 10
Goals: 3
Assists: 6
Points: 9
PIM: 14

Doughty's numbers have dropped in 2007-08 (58 games, 13 goals, 37 assists) from the previous season (67 games, 21 goals, 53 assists), but he is still among the top canidates for this year's Entry Draft.

Doughty played in seven games with Canada at the 2008 World Junior Championships, and recorded four assists while helping Canada win the gold medal. He was named to the WJC All-Star team and won the Directorate Award given to the best defenseman in the tournament.

The Guelph Storm, Doughty's team, finished fifth in the Western Conference, but lost in the second round of the playoffs. Doughty's 50 points on the season ranked ninth among OHL defensemen and his nine points in 10 playoff games ranked sixth among defensemen.

Doughty was awarded the Max Kaminsky Trophy this year, given annually to the OHL's most outstanding defenseman.

Doughty is known as an offensive defenseman. He has excellent speed and vision and an extremely hard shot. He is excellent at jumping into the play in the offensive zone to create scoring chances.

"He is the complete player for the new NHL: big, excellent skater, great first pass, low panic threshold and great offensive instincts.”
-Tony Saxon / Guelph Mercury

"The enthusiasm that he brings every time he steps on the ice, whether it's a practice or a game, is what makes him a special player, along with his high skill level.”
-Dave Barr / Guelph Storm Head Coach/GM

"The hockey gods gave him a great mind for the game. He relies on that and does a phenomenal job reading and reacting.”
-NHL Scout

"Doughty has very quick feet, coming from his background of playing soccer and it shows when contesting the puck with his skates.”
-Hockeyprospects.com

Drew Doughty Highlights
http://video.aol.com/video-detail/drew-doughty-feature-march-28-2008/1702637009

Sources: islanders.nhl.com, nhl.com, hockeysfuture.com, youtube.com

NYI Zone Scouting Central: Zach Bogosian

2008-06-16T15:56:00.003-04:00

ZACH BOGOSIAN

Team: Peterborough Petes (OHL)
Position: Defenseman
Born: July 15, 1990 in Massena, NY
Age: 17
Height: 6-2
Weight: 197
Shoots: Right
ISS Final Ranking: 2nd

2007-08 Regular Season Stats
Games Played: 60
Goals: 11
Assists: 50
Points: 61
PIM: 72

2008 Playoffs Stats
Games Played: 5
Goals: 0
Assists: 3
Points: 3
PIM: 8

Bogosian had his career season in 2007-08, almost doubling his point total of 33 in the 2006-07 season by leading the Peterborough Petes with 61 points. His 50 assists led the OHL among defensemen. He was the only defenseman in the league to lead his team in points.

Bogosian was chosen to participate in the 2007-08 CHL Top Prospects Game, and the 2008 OHL All-Star Game. Bogosian was chosen as the League's Top Defenseman, finished second in the Offensive Defenseman award, and third in the Smartest Player and Hardest Worker poll.

"Zach is a big player and he plays defense very big. Zach's combination of skating ability and his size are what set him apart. There are some bigger, taller defensemen, who have to grow into their body, but Zach is right there, fully proportioned and ready to make that step into the NHL very quickly."
-E.J. McGuire / NHL Director of Central Scouting

"Bogosian uses his team's success as a barometer for how he is performing. He thrives on the pressure of shutting down the opposition's top forwards."
-Aaron Bell / NHL.com

"He's solid defensively, and at the same time he can skate with the puck. He doesn't lose any speed when he's handling the puck. He's good offensively and knows when to jump into the play. He's got a complete game."
-Vince Malette / Peterborough Head Coach

"The difference between Drew Doughty and Zach Bogosian is the difference between what is today and what might be down the line. Bogosian is bigger and probably a better athlete who has made improvements in the second half of the season."
-Gare Joyce / ESPN.com

"The Peterborough Petes have a long history of producing great players for the NHL. Names like Pronger, Yzerman, Stillman, Murphy, Ricci and even Tie Domi all played their junior hockey for the franchise. Another name that may be added in due course to this list is Zach Bogosian."
-Steve Fitzsimmons / Ontario Hockey Now

Zach Bogosian Highlights

Sources: islanders.nhl.com, nhl.com, hockeysfuture.com, youtube.com

And on the 14th Day.......Still Nothing Happened

2008-06-14T11:53:00.008-04:00

I have to say, it's a really boring time in the NHL World. But we are only 6 days away from the 2008 NHL Entry Draft, which takes place on Friday in Ottawa, Ontario.

This year, the draft means more than the previous season to the Islanders. Obviously, center Steven Stamkos will be the first pick in the draft, by the Tampa Bay Lightning. But with the Isles slotted in at the #5 pick, who will they take?

Top defensive guys like Drew Doughty or former New Yorker Zach Bogosian will probably be going top 5. Sorry. Definitely going top 5. Tough defenseman Luke Schenn will also be going top 7, at least. Also, LW/C Nikita Filatov will be on the Isles' radar.

This is how I'll draw up the top 5 picks:

1. Tampa Bay - Steven Stamkos
2. Los Angeles - Drew Doughty
3. Atlanta - Zach Bogosian
4. St. Louis - Luke Schenn
5. New York Islanders - Nikita Filatov

That would be the most likely to happen. Also, that could really turn in the Isles' favor. Sure, we'd love to have Doughty or Bogosian, maybe even Schenn (I sure hope not), but Nikita Filatov, a huge offensive threat, is what we need.

Another guy to throw out there is defensman Alex Pietrangelo. His outstanding previous season was put to a halt when he was diagnosed with mononucleosis. He took a big fall from #2 in the ISS top ten, all the way to #5. The Isles may consider him, but if Filatov is available at #5, it would be the better move to draft Filatov. If Filatov is not available at #5, then Pietrangelo would be my choice over Schenn. It's not like mono lasts forever, and Pietrangelo is the better defenseman.

I'll do some more coverage of the draft later in the week. And where you see the 2007-2008 schedule, there will be a list of the first round of the draft. LIVE updates of the draft will come on Friday!

Let's Go Isles!!!

DP Undergoes Successful Knee Surgery

2008-06-03T18:10:00.004-04:00

Another scare came to me when I saw that DiPietro had knee surgery today. It was reported as a "minor meniscus injury", and the procedure was completed today to prevent any further knee promblems.

Wow, 26 years old and he's getting all of these surgeries. We must hope him the best.

Let's Go Isles!!!

Islanders Re-sign Tim Jackman

2008-06-02T16:44:00.001-04:00

Article from islanders.nhl.com

"The New York Islanders and forward Tim Jackman have agreed to terms on a one-year contract extension through 2008-09. Jackman played in 36 games with the Islanders in his first season in the organization in 2007-08 scoring a goal with three assists for four points at 57 penalty minutes.

“Tim proved to be a versatile player for our organization last season," said Islanders General Manager Garth Snow. “He provided toughness and leadership in Bridgeport and served as a great role player with the Islanders when called upon."

The 26-year old Jackman split time between the Islanders and the Bridgeport Sound Tigers of the American Hockey League in 2007-08. In 44 games with the Sound Tigers, Jackman recorded 15 goals and 21 assists for 36 points while recording 67 penalty minutes.

Jackman has appeared in 68 career NHL games, tallying two goals and five assists for seven points to go along with 104 penalty minutes. In addition to his NHL career, Jackman has played in 395 AHL games, scoring 89 goals with 92 assists for 181 points along with 577 penalty minutes.

Jackman signed with the Islanders as a free agent on July 5, 2007 after stints in the Columbus Blue Jackets, Phoenix Coyotes and Los Angeles Kings organizations. He was originally drafted in the second round (38th overall) by the Blue Jackets in the 2001 NHL Entry Draft."

Islanders to Let Go of Dubie, and Other Free Agents

2008-06-01T08:27:00.002-04:00

Come July 1st, 2008, you probably won't be seeing G Wade Dubielewicz, or F Ruslan Fedotenko, Josef Vasicek, and Miroslav Satan signing with the Islanders.

"We made a significant offer that he turned down," Snow said of Dubielewicz, who had a 9-9-1 record last season with a 2.70 goals-against average and a .919 save percentage. "We wish him the best." Joey MacDonald, who was 0-1-1 in his two starts with a 3.00 goals-against mark and a .918 save percentage, has a one-way contract next season that positions him as the logical backup to starter Rick DiPietro.

Fedotenko, Vasicek, and Miroslav Satan have not recieved offers to re-sign with the Islanders. As part of the "youth movement", the Islanders will look to lose the contracts of underperforming veterans, and replace them with the younger players, whom you may have seen skating in an Isles jersey sometime in the last season.

Restricted Free Agents (RFAs) Jeff Tambellini, Frans Nielsen, Ben Walter, Jeremy Colliton, Sean Bergenheim, and Bruno Gervais will all look to re-sign with the Islanders, and they all possibly will have a spot on the Opening Day Roster.

Tim Jackman, another RFA, is close to signing a 2-way contract to stay with the Islanders for at least another season. RFA Aaron Johnson will probably not recieve an offer, because he can go to arbitration and possibly win a one-way contract.

Let's Go Isles!!!

RIP Luc Bourdon

2008-05-29T15:56:00.002-04:00

The Vancouver Canucks announced defenceman Luc Bourdon passed away in a motor vehicle accident on Thursday morning. Bourdon was 21 years old.

Yes, I know it is not Isles news, but anything like this is just terrible to see. The Canucks GM made a statement:

“We are deeply saddened by today’s news and on behalf of the entire Vancouver Canucks organization, I would like to extend my sincere sympathies to Luc’s family,” said Canucks General Manager, Mike Gillis. “Luc was an extremely talented player with a bright future. He brought great passion to the game and was a valued team member on and off the ice. He will be greatly missed.”

He was a guy who I thought could have a great career. Today is a terrible day.

Huselius on the Isles' Radar?

2008-05-18T14:59:00.002-04:00

A few reports have come in that the Islanders are looking to sign UFA winger Kristian Huselius this offseason.

Jim Matheson of the Edmonton Journal believes the Islanders could be the front runners for Huselius, and given their lack of first line depth it wouldn't be surprising. He might also thrive playing for Ted Nolan, who has a way of getting the most out of his players, even those with reputations as underachievers like Huselius.

He has only missed 2 games in the passed two seasons, making him a very durable guy who can come in to play night in and night out. He is coming off of a 25 goal 41 assist season, and a 34 goal 43 assist season the year before.

Overall, he has remained pretty healthy throughout his career, and can score and pass. Frankly, that is what the Isles need.

Let's Go Isles!!!

Islander Zone Articles to be Featured on Bleacher Report

2008-05-16T20:01:00.002-04:00

This has been news I've known for a while, but I believe it is time to announce it to all.

In mid-March, I was invited to write on a new and popular sports fan site, Bleacher Report. http://www.bleacherreport.com/

I accepted the offer, signing up right away. Starting next week, I will be writing articles on Bleacher Report. I had to think over how I'd do that, since I have this blog going strong already.

So, I figured I would write the articles here on Islander Zone first, like normal. I would then transfer the ones I specifically want onto my Bleacher Report account. (I'll give that info at a later time)

Most articles on Bleacher Report get at least 500 reads and some can go up to 30,000. This will be a great opportunity for myself, and it will spark more hits on Islander Zone. Bleacher Report has also very recently become affiliated with Fox Sports. Some articles from BR have already reached the front page of www.foxsports.com.

To see a few articles from other writers at Bleacher Report that have already made it to the Fox Sports website, go to http://msn.foxsports.com/search?sp_q=bleacher+report.

Like I said, this is a great opportunity for me, and just to clarify once again, this will NOT make me slow down posting on Islander Zone. In fact, it will actually increase the amount of posts, and hopefully increase popularity.

Let's Go Isles!!!

Conference Final Predictions

2008-05-07T15:43:00.002-04:00

It's once again that time, time for me to show my knowledge of playoff hockey. Wait, what knowledge?

Yeah, if you read that post I had a little while back about the playoffs being unpredictable, you'll know what I mean. Go ahead and read that again, because you won't find any of that in this post.

So, anyway....

EASTERN CONFERENCE FINAL

(2) Pittsburgh Penguins vs. (6) Philadelphia Flyers

Pittsburgh in 6. Umm, nothing much to say with this one.

WESTERN CONFERENCE FINAL

(1) Detroit Red Wings vs. (5) Dallas Stars

Dallas in 7. Yeah, I know. Detroit seems unbeatable, but if the Stars can beat the Ducks and Sharks in 6, why can't they do it again?

I had a pretty good showing last round, with getting the Pens/Rags series 100% correct, missing the Stars/Sharks series by one game, and...yeah, the rest isn't so good.

We'll see what happens....

Let's Go Isles!!!