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Isles “Mindset” Entering Training Camp

As the Islanders officially embark on there final season at Nassau Coliseum, there has not been a more important training camp in recent memory this one. Rebuilding the organization via the draft was completed this past summer with the selection of Josh Ho-Sang.  This summer saw the goaltending and team depth completed through free agency. There are still some questions, but the answers will be coming in a short few weeks with the completion of training camp. All the cards are out on table, no more aces, no more tricks, it’s all or nothing. While the offseason reminded some New York Islanders fans what happened over a decade ago with the acquisitions of Yashin, Peca, and Osgood, the feelings are the same as it was in 2013: It’s all up to the players. Continue reading.....

Bailey A Top Trade Candidate

Time to step up.

The Hockey News recently moved Josh Bailey as a potential trade candidate for this upcoming season.

Josh Bailey

 

At 24, it’s still not clear what Bailey is as an NHLer. Is he going to be a productive second-liner, or is he going to continue being a streaky player who struggles to score goals and reach the 40-point barrier? Bailey had two pointless streaks of 10 games or more last season, but then he ended the season with 17 points in 22 post-Olympics games. Meanwhile, the Islanders need an upgrade on defense very badly – it’s an area that may hold them back from reaching the playoffs. And there’s likely to be a team out there that believes it can unlock Bailey’s full potential. His $3.3 million contract may be high for a 38-point scorer, but at least he’s locked up for four years – a team that believes in him will find value in that. GM Garth Snow has stood behind his core of players (sometimes stubbornly) but the defensive need is so great and the pressure so high for this team to move forward that something has to happen this year. If it’s not Bailey who moves, perhaps it’s Michael Grabner, another streaky scorer who makes $3 million against the cap and is only signed for two more years.

My Take: This rumor will not go away until he's traded. One scenario, as stated above, he does not perform as expected and he's gone. The other scenario is that he does fulfill the expectations and is still traded by many because you're getting back maximum value at this point. As the season moves along, we shall see what Islanders general manager Garth Snow will do with either Grabner or Bailey. 

Isles Come To Camp With Playoffs As Goal

Will Reinhart make the team out of camp?

NY POST:

If the playoffs are a legitimate goal – and they are, in the final season at Nassau Coliseum before the team leaves for Barclays Center in Brooklyn – then the most important new cog in the wheel is goalie Jaroslav Halak, coupled with capable backup Chad Johnson. Superstar center John Tavares is still the heart of the team, and still one of the five best players in the league, but even he recently admitted this is the first time in his career the goaltending situation has been solidified going into camp.

My Take: I think The Isles should indeed be contenders for the playoffs this year and while there is a build up as to who will make the team, it's still my belief that the Isles already know who is on this team and will just go through the motions and say all the right things before the start of the season. The goaltending is fixed and should be ready to go, which will alleviate some of the pressure off of the defense. Get ready, it's almost time.

Could The Isles Trade Up For Reinhart?

Brothers unite? Isles have done this before.

From Elliot Friedman CBC

18. Another draft idea to wonder about: Will the Islanders try to unite the Reinharts? Griffin was drafted fourth overall in 2012, Sam will be a high pick this year. Will have to try to move up to get him. GM Garth Snow is not afraid to try something big, offering all of his selections for Ryan Murray two years ago.

My Take: It's the summer, so there's not much more to write, however you have to wonder the possibility. I wrote a few months back if the Isles finished 4th would Sam drop down in the ranks and still be available. As of this piece, he's slated to go number 2 to Buffalo. From what's going on, it appears Florida may be pulling a 2008 Garth Snow move and trading down a few slots while acquiring a few more assets. What will it take to land the number 1 position? Obviously the Isles 5th pick, and possibly a player who's ready now, maybe an extra pick somewhere.   This is just an opinion piece, no truth to any of this, but it would be a interesting story, especially if the Isles pull this off and Buffalo loses out on Reinhart. The consolation for Buffalo is that Ekblad is right there waiting for them. Would they trade down like Florida or draft the Top defenseman in the draft? Thoughts?

In Honor of David Volek

Add Reimer To Potential Isles Goalies

Photo courtesy of Wikipedia.org

From the Toronto Sun:

If Reimer requests a trade and the Leafs pull the trigger, it has been speculated that the landing spot could be one of the Winnipeg Jets, Calgary Flames, New York Islanders or Edmonton Oilers.

My take: just as I get done with Ward, here comes Reimer. The first part to that is important....IF Reimer requests a trade. Everyone's guess is that he will request one. The Flames and the Oilers are pretty much done in acquiring goalies, which leaves the Jets and Islanders. The Jets would have to do something with their struggling starter Pavelec, but I believe the Isles and Jets would be front runners. The cost for a disgruntled goalie would not be much, look to the Nino Niederreitter trade but favoring more of the Isles for the longer term.  

I'll say this now, these goalies could be had at the draft so that money can be spent on free agents. Even if the Isles do not decide to pick in this years draft, they could very well make a splash.

Cam Ward To The Isles?

Photo courtesy of www.nhlsniper.com

From the Edmonton Journal:

- If I was a betting man, I’d say Cam Ward will be the starting goalie for the New York Islanders next year, with the Carolina Hurricanes going with Anton Khudobin. The Isles could certainly move forward Josh Bailey and a young defenceman.- Jim Matheson

My take: I cannot find the tweet from Art Staple (@StapeNewsday) but the Isles may take a run at players like Ward/Reimer/Holtby. I'm nervous about Cam Ward coming, strictly because of his injury history. He would certainly help the Islanders get into the playoffs if he were healthy. Perhaps splitting up more time with Nabokov as the potential backup will help with that. He has two years left on a 6.3 millon/yr. contract so the old "Cap Floor" discussions would be over. Carolina is looking to shed payroll and Ward has been in the rumor mill now for a few weeks. Not sure if I want to give up Bailey for Ward when both teams are in the same division. Cam Ward does have a no trade clause, but with him losing his starting job, would he even consider coming to the Islanders? Someone call Doug Weight to recruit him. Still, out of the three goalies mentioned, Ward is one up. Thoughts?

Islanders Have An Eye On Evander Kane?

Could Kane be JT"s next line mate? Photo courtesy of
rivercitysportsblog.com

From the Winnipeg Free Press: via Spectors Hockey

Only three members of the current Jets should be considered untouchables and they are Wheeler and rookies Mark Scheifele and Jacob Trouba.

Cheveldayoff hasn’t been in this position until very recently, but he can now deal from a position of strength. He’s got some chips to play and replacements in the pipe.

Just whisper the name Evander Kane at the NHL Draft in Philadelphia this June and watch the offers come zipping in.

An NHL GM recently told me Kane would fetch a major return — roster players as well as prospects and or picks depending on the team or the structure of the deal. 

From  Hockey This Week Nightside Radio: Mike Carver (@mikecarverwfan) and Paul C. Cuthbert (@cuthbertonline) had NHL.com writer Brian Compton (@BComptonNHL) on to talk about the local hockey teams and when he gets towards the end of his Islanders segment Compton states that Garth Snow will have Evander Kane on his radar with Snow's biggest trade chip being Ryan Strome. The 11 minute Islanders segment can be found starting at 22:00 mark and ending at the 33:00.

My take: I had heard the HTW segment last night, but I read the Winnipeg article this morning. Had that article not come out, I wouldn't be writing this now. I needed confirmation in Jets country that Kane was indeed available.The Islanders will not be the only team going for Kane, but the Islanders now know what the Islanders have in their system and the potential, which makes this idea even a possibility. I must state this is ONLY AN IDEA that has possibilities. If the sale of the Islanders does in fact take place before the NHL draft, could the likelihood of such a move be possible? Would Islanders owner Charles Wang give his approval for such move? Brooklyn could certainly afford Kane's salary and with a number one goalie over the summer and Evander Kane on John Tavares' line, you have a different team heading into camp in September.  

Bailey Trade Bait?

From Newsday:

After a strong finish to 2012-13, Bailey signed a five-year, $16.5 million contract that seemed to be a reward for playing well on the two-year, $2.1 million bridge deal he signed just minutes before the start of the 2011-12 training camp.

Instead, this long-term deal has seemed more of a burden. Islanders GM Garth Snow fielded some mild interest in Bailey before the March 5 trade deadline but chose not to sell low on the 24-year-old, who has the fourth-most games played among players in his 2008 draft year.

That may change this summer if there's interest.

My Take: Unless the Islanders get a decent deal or they can sign Vanek, the Isles may give Bailey some more time to prove he can contribute more to this team. One thing is clear, Islanders General Manager Garth Snow will improve this club during the offseason and Bailey's name will probably be in the mix to any kind of trade rumors.

Why Hiller Could Be Off The Market For Isles

If there was ever a position the Islanders needed to and continue to improve on it’s goaltending. Among them being sought out is Anaheim Mighty Ducks goalie Jonas Hiller. Continue reading...

Amac Goes To Philly

From every media you can find:

Andrew MacDonald is a flyer.

The Isles get a 2014 3rd round pick and a 2015 2nd round pick.

More to come as Vanek should be next. He's been scratched for tonight's game against the NHL Jets.

Where Do The Islanders Go From Here

I tweeted something to the affect of “It doesn’t get any worse than that” referring of course to a goal that no one saw and it was awarded to the Colorado Avalanche after they had just beat the New York Islanders by a final of 5-3. Thomas Vanek threw his stick in the direction of the puck, so it’s awarded to the opposing team. No one realized it until later on that the final score had changed. That was quite possibly the lowest point for the Islanders this year. Now what? What do fans look forward to for the rest of this season? Continue Reading....

Vanek To LA Talk Intensifies

Hearing trade talks between the Kings and Islanders have intensified. Also told NYI want to move Vanek by tmrw's roster freeze. Match?
— David Pagnotta (@TheFourthPeriod) February 6, 2014

Furthering @TheFourthPeriod latest on Kings/Isles intensified talks, could be reason we haven't seen Gagner deal close
— Dennis Bernstein (@DennisTFP) February 6, 2014

My Take: As of now, Vanek is playing tonight so is he being moved tonight? Not likely. I feel tomorrow will come and go with nothing going on. It really does depend on which team wants to pull the trigger and when. Most general managers would like to wait until after the Olympics because there is that fear of players with big trade potential like Vanek could get injured during the Olympics, which is why the Islanders would like to move Vanek now. The money situation doesn't really matter because they are just above the cap floor anyways. Also read that Grabner is also available and could help the Kings. Stay tuned.

Interest In Vanek & MacDonald Heating Up!

From Bob McKenzie of TSN

The Los Angeles Kings and Pittsburgh Penguins are amongst those teams that would be interested in getting a scoring winger, a rental at the deadline. Pittsburgh has some cap issues, but Vanek's exactly what the doctor's ordered for a lot of contending teams.

My take: I'll look into who's available from the Kings in a bit, but if Pittsburgh really wants to trade again (last time the Isles did, the Pens won the Cup: Hello Bill Geurin) I would hope Simon Despres is in the mix and of course another first rounder. The Isles may want to trade Vanek before Friday so they don't have his contract throughout the duration of the Olympics. More to come.

Also from McKenzie is that there are teams very interested in Islanders defenseman Andrew MacDonald. I have read on multiple occasions that the St. Louis Blues were interested in A-mac, but at this point, with his very reasonable $500,000+ contract, I don't expect him to be traded until the trade deadline in March.

Don't forget to follow me @Netminder39

Let The Vanek Rumors Begin

Will Tavares be enough to convince Vanek to stay?

From now until Thomas Vanek is either signed or traded, you can expect to see his name in the rumor mill almost everyday. Enjoy!