UPDATE 2.13.10 Gregoire got his collegiate career off to a great start last year, and has continued playing well into the 2009-10 season. The 5’11, 175 lb left winger is currently North Dakota’s leading scorer with 13 goals and 11 assists in 29 games. He's gone back to having more goals than assists, as he did in junior.
"It gets tougher and tougher [to score in] every league," he told Hockey's Future in January. "It's good to be back to my old ways as you say. It takes a little time to get used to college hockey, it's a real good league and a lot of good players. To be scoring means a lot."
The Islanders may want to keep Gregoire at UND for at least another season to get stronger.
Third round pick (76th overall) in the 2007 NHL Draft.
Found some great stuff on Islesinfo about Gregoire. He's projected to be close to a 2nd or third liner, with not having one good aspect but all together a lot of small aspects to his game. He is currently in North Dakota, so there is no need to rush his progress. Look for him to be in Bridgeport around 2-3 years.
Islanders Minnesota Scout Jim Hillman: Jason has deceiving speed and is good around the net. He takes advantage of his opportunities because of his quick hands. I got a chance to see him play with Lincoln of the USHL and he was effective at winning the one-on-one battles at both ends of the ice. I didn't expect him to be available this late in the draft. (from nyi.com)
Islanders Director of Pro Scouting & USHL Scout Ken Morrow: In two of the games I saw Jason, he had hat tricks, so he has some goal scoring ability. He was a very smart player and good around the net. What I liked best about Jason was that he came on at the end of the season, and consistently got better as the season progressed. Scouting the amateurs is a whole different ballgame than watching the pros. These are guys, who we might not see play for the Islanders for another five or six years, but this kid stuck out in my mind. (from nyi.com)
His stats so far this year 2010:
2006-07 Lincoln Stars USHL 32 16 20 36
2007-08 Lincoln Stars USHL 54 37 32 69
2008-09 U. of North Dakota NCAA 42 12 17 29
2009-10 U. of North Dakota NCAA 34 15 12 27
According to MSG's Stan Fischler, Victor Hedman will be chosen by the New York Islanders, stating that Snow is envisioning the next Denis Potvin.
Just when we had heard it from the Toronto media, now MSG steps in. I still believe that Tavares will be an Islander. He's too promising both in the short and long term. But I'll delve more into that as the draft gets closer. Comments?
This entry is for the fans who have not had a great experience when it comes to the Islanders drafting quality players in the first round. This team was originally built through the draft, especially the first round picks. There are numerous reasons why this team has struggled over the years, but many just want to blame Mike Milbury, and the owners before Charles Wang. Some of you want to blame Wang, and the inexperience of Snow as a GM. If you really want to analyze the beginnings of the poor performances of this franchise, look no further than the architect himself, Bill Torrey.
Bill Torrey’s tenure has been well documented with the drafting he did to build the Islanders into a dynasty. However, there may only be a handful of older fans who will remember the following people that were drafted with the Islanders pick in the firstround: Brad Dalgarno, Derek King, Tom Fitzgerald, and Scott Lachance. Those four players were the only ones drafted in the first round to make ANY kind of impact for the Islanders between 1984 and 1991.That’s almost 8 straight years of okay to poor drafting by Torrey. The only success the Islanders had between those years was the 1988 division title. While the Dynasty players were getting older and being waived, retired, or traded, Torrey couldn’t replenish the talent pool with the first rounder’s, which set the Islanders up for more losses in the near future. So while Torrey should be honored for his early works, fans should also note his work after the Cups.
Torrey was replaced by former Ranger Don Maloney in 1992 and remained at his post until 1995. Many fans cringed by this thought, but for the four years he was in charge of the draft, he did collect a good brand of first rounder’s: Kasparitis in 92, Bertuzzi in 93, (Brett) Lindros in 94, and Wade Redden in 95. Lindros will always be an incomplete grade because of the numerous head injuries he suffered that ended his career prematurely, but Kasparitis went on to have a memorable career, and the others are still playing…… just not for the Islanders. Unfortunately, Maloney (in my opinion) was trade happy, and ended up trading Pierre Turgeon for Kirk Muller, and thus the beginning of the end for Maloney. Maloney would go on to trade many of the core players of the 93 squad, and others tested free agency, thus leaving the Islanders with a very young, and inexperienced team.
This brings us to “Mad” Mike Milbury. I’m not even going to go down the list of players. All of you know the stories, and many continue to talk or write about him, but I’m going to say this about Milbury, he was a bad mix between Torrey and Maloney. Milbury drafted okay, but if they had potential, they were traded before they could prove themselves to him. In the 11 years that Milbury was General Manager, he had a few good choices with the first round pick, but some were horrible. The good ones would be Tim Connelly, Raffi Torres, Roberto Luongo, Eric Brewer, Taylor Pyatt, Rick DiPietro, Sean Bergenheim, and J.P Dumont. That’s eight out of fourteen players that were drafted in the first round by Milbury, and are having decent careers in the NHL. Out of the eight mentioned only Connelly, DiPietro, Bergenheim, and Brewer played more than 80 games for the Islanders. That’s four players in the last 11 years to have ANY impact for this once proud franchise that use to thrive on drafting, developing, and winning with good players.
So now fans we have Garth Snow (Neil Smith was there for too short of a time. He’s more of a footnote. If anyone gets credit for drafting Okposo, give it to assistant GM Ryan Jankowski). Former goaltender turned General Manager. What has he done? Traded down from 5th to 7th to 9th for a player they wanted all along in Josh Bailey in last years draft. Snow received a slew of extra picks to help replenish the organization, which was bone dry with talent, and now has the first overall pick in this upcoming draft, along with multiple picks in each of the first three rounds. People are already threatening to not sign up for season tickets if John Tavares is not drafted, yet Snow has the potential right now to draft like the old Bill Torrey of the seventies, and early eighties, and not trade current players like “Mad” Mike Milbury, and Maloney did. Snow has been given praise by the fans for his free agent signings, and developing of young players. Don’t threaten him now, if one player who has not played a single game in the NHL yet, is not drafted by the Islanders.
Most fans may not know this, but whoever is drafted with the first overall pick, and if this player plays next season, it will be the first time since 1995-1996 that the Islanders will have5 or more players that they drafted in the first round to play at one time. That is a 13 year drought of poor drafting first round talent. What Snow is doing is what every good GM should be doing: researching, scouting, not giving in to the media, nor the fans, and building a team the way it should have been built years ago….through the development of the young players. He’s not going to trade these players, like the aforementioned GMs did. He will pick whoever best fits this organization both for the present and future. This organization, if it wants to get back its winning ways must draft correctly every year.Who knows, maybe Snow is thinking the same way the fans are. He has not steered away from his plan, and as of now has no intentions of. We as fans should only support what Snow does because his predecessors did not leave him with much to begin with.And when the Islanders are once again primed for a Stanley Cup, you’ll look back and thank Snow for a job well done.
For the past month, Charles Wang stated on WFAN that if he had to do it all over again, he would not. After what he's been through, fair enough, and fans should be grateful. Now there is enough news coverage all over the web, and bloggers who are making an emphasis on how much money Wang has lost, and how Long Island needs the Lighthouse Project (which would take 10 years to complete by the way), and they will continue to apply media pressure on the Town of Hempstead, but not this blogger.
In all honesty, I live in Pa. I don't live there. I don't have a vote in Hempstead, and to be honest I may not even have a big say as a blogger because of where I live. However, I do contribute to the Islanders by going to at least 3-5 games a year, and spending money on tolls, and parking, and so forth. As a traveling fan, I would not mind if the Islanders made the move to Queens. Less travel, and less money on tolls, and I would get home earlier. But I enjoy the Coliseum, the noise of a packed crowed, the atmosphere, and the travel isn't really that bad (2 hours is the average each way). I can visit a few relatives, and have dinner there, and then go see the game.
Whatever the outcome of the Islanders may be, as long as they are within a reasonable travel distance, I will be there. For next year it's still in Nassau. That's all I'm concerned with. Let's wait and see about the 2010-2011 season when that happens. Who knows, we may find out in October, or after Hempstead has gone through the elections coming up in November. There is still too much time for people to think about this everyday. Leave that to the people who are actually involved.
A lot of talk concerning the Islanders is what Snow will do with all his picks. He has the first overall pick in this years draft, and the 26th pick from Ottawa that was previously owned by San Jose. Plain and simple, just draft Tavares and continue to draft and stockpile the picks and really replenish this organization. Don't trade any second rounders and the 26th pick to move up in the draft to pick another tough d-man. Just stick with the plan and continue to draft like Snow did last year.
But now you get to play GM. What would you do if you were in Snow's position?
There is a reason why I did not put the defense as a "What is needed" category yesterday was because most, if not all of them fell into the "Need to be healthy" category. If this defense can remain healthy from beginning to end, this can have potential to be the best shut down defense in the division. Is there room for improvement? Of course. Then who do they need?
My choice is not Mike Komisarek. In fact, I would love the Islanders to grab Johnny Oduya from the Devils. Nothing against Komisarek, but unless he can be had at a hometown discount, I think Oduya would be a nice top 4 fit for this team. He can be physical, and score goals, and would compliment up and coming Bruno Gervais.
If this team stays healthy, I think you'll see more goals come from Gervais, Martinek and Meyer, which will take the pressure off Streit, and adding a player like Oduya can give a bigger physical presence along with Witt and Sutton. By the way, did I mention he can score goals also?
The Sound Tigers were officially eliminated from the AHL playoffs....a little too early. I thought that they had a great regular season, but clearly were not ready for the playoffs. This was also a growing season for them, and with the new additions of DiBenedetto, and Katic, they should only get better.
Having said that, I don't believe that any of them will be making a strong case come training camp for a starters role on the Islanders. The Islanders will have to fill in the holes through the draft this year, and free agency.
So what do the Islanders need? Let's analyze shall we.
1. Need for health. Over 500 man games lost to injuries will kill almost every team, except St. Louis. But St. Louis had the talent from younger players to make a great run to the playoffs. The Islanders could be similar to St. Louis next year. If the Islanders were to keep the same team intact and healthy, we're looking around adding at least 10 points. But 10 points is not enough.
2. Scoring. I know I'm stating the obvious, but if the Islanders got more goals from Neilsen, Tambellini, and Bergenheim, players who were expected to help with the scoring this year, you may want to tack on another 5 points. Neilsen and Bergenheim were injured, and Tambellini came around in the second half of the season, but all must have breakout years next year or they will be replaced by someone from Bridgeport come the end of next season.
3. Need for a 1a goaltender. This is not a knock on Yan Danis, who in my opinion, deserves anothe one-year deal. Let him play in Bridgepoprt, and contend there. Again injuries could have been a factor, with his game, as he did not recieve enough help, but was very inconsistent down the stretch. The Islanders may want to look for a more experienced goatender, to replace Danis, and really give Di Pietro a wake up call, and challenge him. If he's not healthy again, that backup will be the starter, with danis as a proper number 2 backup.
Starting next week, depending on whether Bridgeport is eliminated from the playoffs, I'll go in depth with what I think the Islanders will do next year, and continue to post some of the unmentioned prospects before a new crop come in on June 26th from the draft.
It's your turn to play GM. What would you do with the Islanders?
According to Greg Logan of Newsday, John Tavares wants to be the number one overall pick, and play for the Islanders. It just so happens that Tavares' agent Pat Brisson also represents Mark Streit, current bargain player of the year in last years free agent pool, and playing for the Islanders.
Tavares will be a huge boost for this offense that is in dire need of scoring. Forget the obvious market deals Tavares will get, that's an easy one. If Tavares catches fire early on in the season, unlike soon to be former first overall pick Steven Stamkos, the Islanders may end up being an legitimate threat for the playoffs.
So now Islanders fans must wait until June to see if Snow and Co. will select Tavares as the number 1. Why should the Islanders get Tavares? He can score. He's a future leader. He's marketable. He's a cornerstone player. He's everything the Islanders are looking for. If, or more likely, when the Islanders draft Tavares watch the season ticket sales go through the roof. Tavares may actually be enough to entice a few unrestricted free agents, whom the Islanders need for the first line and defense.
Most important, if the team comes together, the Lighthouse will be surrounded by Tavares and this new team, and Tavares alone will be an economical boost. Imagine what a revamped Islander team could do for Long Island.
According to Newsday, Garth Snow will take phone calls from other teams, interview 5 or 6 players, and then consider the options before making an announcement on draft day, June 26th 2009. So unlike Tampa Bay last year, who announced Steven Stamkos at the draft lottery last year, the Islanders will keep their cards close to them.
For some younger Islanders fans, this is a migraine for another two months. For some older fans, this is exactly what Snow should be doing. The year is 1974, and then Islanders GM Bill Torrey has the first overall selection in the draft. He has not made his decision on who he will pick, which leads Montreal, with the number two pick, to have a lengthy conversation with him. In the end, Torrey was keeping the pick, he just wanted to hear what the offers were and selected Dennis Potvin.
Let Snow do his job, and then judge him after the draft. Tune in to Versus at 8:00 tonight, to see where the Islanders will draft, then let the scenarios start piling up.
The Islanders finally finished the season yesterday losing to Boston 6-2. Now the fans can move on to tomorrow where they will find out where their beloved team will be picking at the draft on June 26th. Many want Tavares should the Islanders pick first. If the Islanders do not get that first overall pick, look for Victor Hedman to be the Islanders choice. The only thing that most fans should not expect this year is this: Snow should not trade the pick for a package of anything. Hedman will be a cornerstone defenseman for any team in this league.
Trading any pick in the first or second overall pick is insane, and foolish, no matter how good the other top players are in the draft. The Islanders already have 11 picks in this years draft: two in the first round and the first pick in the second round, who could have the potentail of being first round quality.
The Islanders need to stick to the plan and continue drafting properly for this franchise to succeed.
With the Islanders losing last night 6-1 to the Pens, the Islanders are guaranteed the first or second overall pick in this years draft. Most people are hoping for the Islanders to win the draft, and possibly Tampa, assuming they'll draft Hedman over another center. Most Islanders fan want Tavares, and they should want him. He's an immediate boost to the young core of players, he can score goals, and he's marketable. April 14th at 8:00pm will have every Islanders fan glued to the TV. Stay tuned.
The magic number for the Islanders is now 3. That's the lowest they'll be able to select in this years draft. Another loss will almost assuredly give them a shot at either Tavares or Hedman. Both players will give the Islanders a big boost coming into next season. After losing by the biggest margin in franchise history last night, most Islander fans can take comfort that there will be a light at the end of this tunnel.
Not since the 2000-2001 team have the Islanders won so sparingly. This year's team feels different. Starting next year, assuming whomever they choose will play for the Islanders next year, will be the first time since 1996 that the Islanders will have 5 or more first round picks, that they selected, playing for this team. DiPietro, Bergenheim, Okposo, Bailey, Tavares/Hedman. Most of the players drafted from the 1990's never made to the 2001 team because of an overall poorly run organization, poor drafting, or they were traded away.
But now, we are keeping the players, keeping the coach, and stock piling the picks to increase the talent pool in the minors. The next pick, whoever that may be, will automatically get the Islanders out of the cellar in this league. Snow will most likely go after another free agent or two, and this team needs to be healthy. Their health will determine where they finish next year.
For Islanders fans who remeber the 1990's should not fear this time. Rather, this could be a team much like the 73-74 team, still growing, needing that one pick back to respectability, and further. They ended up getting two good picks in Gillies and Trottier, and look what happened.
Mark Katic, a defenseman, 62nd overall pick in 2007, is a strong skater who possesses very good vision and passing skill. Katic will have the potential to play the same way as Keith Ballardand Chris Campoli. Mark has good offensive potential and plays the puck well. His size is not anything to brag about but he is not scared to take a few hits.Katic does have a good wrist shot, but is hesitant to shoot often.
Katic has the potential for the Islanders, but with the core of defenseman present, katic will have plenty of time adjusting to the pro level at Bridgeport for maybe the next 2-3 years.
From what i could gather about 2005 76th overall pick Guthrie, his skating is real smooth and quick, that was one of the things I was impressed with a lot, he doesn't seem to have a confidence problem either and he won't be nervous to play with the puck give the chance, but he doesn't do it in situations that don't call for it, so hes very smart. "He's a complete package offensively. Shea can skate and possesses a hard shot."
Guthrie has mentioned that he would like to emulate Mike Fisher's style of play.
Stats for Guthrie:
Season
GP
G
A
Pts
Guthrie
2009
30
13
14
27
2008
38
9
13
22
2007
36
8
23
31
My analysis: I think Guthrie will be a project of sorts, and most likely will be given a shotatBridgeport. Difficult to say if he can make it to the NHL at this time, but talent wise, should make Bridgeport next season.
Scouts like the skill and gumption of Gratchev, who missed being draft eligible last year by 11 days.
"He's a fireball," a scout said. "He's not a great skater, but he's quick from the faceoff circle to the net."
Islanders QMJHL Scout Mario Saraceno:
He's a high-energy and intense player, who can play on either wing. He's a guy with flare. Max is a player who never takes a shift off and has good skating ability. Max is effective on the power play, but can also kill penalties. I can see him one day suiting up for the Islanders. (from nyi.com)
Central Scouting Report: A hard working forward with a good two-way game… has good speed and creates chances with his tenacity… carries the puck with confidence and has quick feet… needs to make better decisions with his passes and improve his on-ice awareness.
Scouting Report: Highly skilled winger, with extremely good offensive instructs. He seems to be a step ahead with his vision/decision making which gives him a good passing game. Has a tremendous nose for the net. Has an accurate shot, to go along with a very quick release. Two attributes that are needed to score at the next level. His size, strength and d-zone play are still areas of concern. Has an accurate shot, to go along with a very quick release. Two attributes that are needed to score at the next level.
NHL Potential: 2nd Line scoring Winger; quick feet and hands make him dangerous around net.
Style compares to: Ales Kotalik.
Stats for this year:
GP
G
A
Pts
64
30
31
61
My opinion is that he'll be in Bridgeport soon, but it may take Maxim 2 or 3 years to make it to the Islanders squad. But a good draft pick from Snow.
UPDATE 2.13.10 Donovan's collegiate career has gotten off to an impressive start. The freshman blueliner is Denver's second-highest scoring defenseman with four goals and 12 assists in 23 games. He is currently two points shy of Pioneers' defensive point leader Patrick Wiercioch (OTT) despite playing in three fewer games.
The Islanders may have gotten a real gem out of Donovan. His improved play has been noticed not only by the Islanders, but by the Kings as well. Donovan is around 3 years away from playing in the NHL, but make no mistake, many people are talking about this kid being on Long Island. His skating needs improvement, but he still has time to develop.
Local fans who watch Justin on a regular basis, gave their opinions of him, and this is what they were saying:
"He is a finisher. Looks great with a guy that can get him the puck and is very quick with a nice shot. Him and Stamkos had a lot of chemistry. It will be interesting to see him this season."
"Dibenedetto had an amazing year. He had 93 points i believe. He also played with Stamkos but Dibo set up a hell of a lot of goals. His passes are tape to tape and if he has a solid linemate with him they can work magic together. He see's the ice well and can make some pretty sick moves himself. I believe he has helped make Stamkos a better player and Stamkos has helped dibo be a better player."
"Has great offensive instincts his passing and shot accuracy as well as velocity is good, he doesnt have the speed that most skilled players have at his size which is pretty much all that kept him from being picked during his draft year, his skating is getting better and he's been an impact player at the OHL level, he's responsible defensively, and if he can get stronger legs and maybe alittle stronger overall he could be an offensive contributer one day at the NHL level.
According to Greg Logan of Newsday, there are several teams interested in Geurin. They include the following: Devils, Buffalo, Carolina, Pittsburgh, Montreal, Philadelphia and yes, Boston.
Logan goes on to mention the team that he is guessing that gets Geurin is Pittsburgh. I've said this before, as of last week, Geurin was not going to waive his no-trade clause. The simple fact that we'll get something for him is a bonus in case we cannot trade Weight.
According to Newsday, the Islanders have placed Jon Sim on waivers.
I think he'll clear waivers, and may be claimed during the reentry waivers before the rangers game on Thursday. The Islanders have enough cap space, so this is not making room for a bigger deal. Logan has suggested that this could be an unhappy veteran purge.
I think it's a shame he's not going to be here next year. I liked his hustle and he has been a professional the entire year. More to come.
Well this is what happens when everyone waits for a trade. They waste a day or two and then get frustrated nothing happened. That's why they're called rumors folks.
All veterans except maybe Hunter and Park are on the block. Most will be traded by March 4th. stay tuned.
With more than a week to the March 4 trade deadline, Snow said he still has lines in the water. Hinting at more possible trades, Snow said, "We're obviously in a situation where we're going with younger players and giving them an opportunity to play significant minutes."
Don't expect Bergenheim to be traded, nor Hunter and Park. All three will need to step up the leadership role for next year. Geurin could still be moved if he is willing to waive his no-trade clause. Brendan Witt and Jon Sim have recently improved and may raise their trade values. I would not expect anything more than a second or third round pick for any of these players. With the exception for Witt, he could possibly bring a late first rounder, or a more likely scenario, two second rounders.
From various reports, both were traded to Ottawa for San Jose's first rounder and Dean McAmmond, a decent but older third line winger.
We'll see how the lineup is tonight against the Devils, which I'm going to. According to some reports, Campoli asked to be traded a few weeks ago, and that he did not fit Gordons system.
Comrie we all knew was a goner, but it was only recently that Campoli's name coming up. I'm not a fan of trading younger players not hitting their prime, but if he asked to be traded, then so be it. Good Luck Chris. Time to move on.
Robin Figren, drafted 70th overall in the 2006 Entry Draft. Figren is flamboyant, an excellent skater with terrific endurance. He can check very hard and is a good two-way player. Figren has also some great offensive tools, which includes a good goal scoring capability, nice technical skills and an outstanding shot, which is essential on the power play. He does not have any major flaws, but size is not threatening and on occasion, Figren can appear to be a tad selfish with the puck
Figren reminds me of a late bloomer Jason Blake. The down side to Figren is that he's not yet learning the North American game, but the idea is to bring him over by next year. He has had trouble in the Swedish Elite League this year, which may set him back, but if he adjusts quickly to the AHL, Figren could be playing in the NHL sooner rather than later. Prediction: 3 years until he's on the Island.
Day continues to improve steadily in his junior season at Colgate. The Islanders' sixth pick in the 2006 draft currently leads the Raiders with 16 goals, and is third in points with 26 in 26 games behind Devils prospect David McIntyre and Stars prospect Austin Smith. Day has been more of the triggerman on the team this year, and would have one more if not for a goal being incorrectly waved off going in off his skate.
Drafted 171st overall in the 2006 Entry Draft. From what I could find, Colgate star Brian Day is an old-school power-forward that continues to drive to the net. He is a hard worker who can be strong in his own zone and isn’t afraid to agitate. He’ll have to add some muscle to his 6’, 186 lbs build in order for his style of play to be effective in the NHL.
Could be compared to a Jeremy Colliton, a solid fourth-line player at the NHL level, with lots of spunk. Either way would expect to be a very good Sound Tiger, and a decent call-up when needed.
2007-08 Colgate University NCAA 41 9 13 22 53
2008-09 Colgate University NCAA 34 14 13 27 26
2009-10 Colgate University NCAA 32 20 14 34 24
Over the next few weeks, I'll be going over the prospects that are not in Bridgeport, to give Islanders fans a hint of the future that they will be witnessing. I have gone over almost all of them and I think most fans will be pleased.
After researching, I can say this: Most if not all the prospects listed on the Islanders web sight, have the potential to at least play for Bridgeport. Some of these players however, may not be signed, or may not want to come over to North America for different reasons.
This segment is literally an overview of how our scouting department has done over the last 3+ years.
"Look for the B’s to add at least one player, likely a forward. One name not mentioned much who’d fit the bill: Islanders forward Bill Guerin, an unrestricted free agent-to-be who was the prototypical Bruin during his too-brief time here (142 games, 69-60-129). He has 15-19-34 toatls in 54 games with the Islanders."
Guerin has a no trade clause. Weight we know will most likely not be traded due to his injury. Guerins family does not want to move. However, the Bruins are shooting for the Cup this year. It's completely up to Bill. My opinion, I don't think he'll waive his no-trade clause.
I've been watching some games and then going back to Islanders TV for some extra looks, and to be honest, the Islanders youth movement needs to get it together. Only Kyle Okposo has scored in the last five games for the youngsters. I can't remember the last time anyone else other than Kyle have scored.
Blake Comeau has completed 82 games in the NHL and finished with 12 goals. That's fourth line work there ladies and gents......He has the potential to be a top six winger, but he MUST start shooting the puck more, and he has to play consistent hockey. Starting next year, I don't know if he'll be 2nd or 3rd line, but I have to believe that 15-20 goals from him should be expected.
Bailey is on a big learning curve, so I'll have to really take a longer look at him towards the end of the season.
Bergenheim is in a confidence funk, it;s written all over his face. He's frustrated, and he wants so bad to start producing the offense. If only that's what his coach wanted him to do. Buy into the system Sean.
More to come later........................................
Various reports have confirmed that Doug Weight is out of the lineup for roughly 4-6 weeks.
Well there goes a second round pick. Personally, I hope the Islanders resign weight to an extension. The Islanders prospects are pretty much a year away, so dealing weight may not be such a good idea at this point.
Jeff Tambelliniwas a healthy scratch against the Islanders loss, 5-1 to Philadelphia and was replaced by Mitch Fritze.
WHAT!!!!! I think Jeff now has a role on this team, and that is of reserve forward. He's good enough to be AHL material, so demoting him maybe a good idea. However, he could be plucked up by another team looking to rebuild. Tambellini's future will be determined by who, if any, veterans get traded by the deadline. I would like to point out that Sim is in higher rankings that Tambs. So it will take at least one players to be traded before Tamb gets any kind of action, and Fritze will have to be sent down.
The Flyers should "Direct their attention to a hard-edged defenseman." "The Islanders might be willing to part with banger Brendan Witt ($2.7 million, UFA)."
The Courier may not know that Witt is signed for another two years at 3 million. Still it's possible we could get a little more than just a draft pick for Witt from Philly.
A scout told me the other night he thought Doug Weight would be an ideal guy for the Hawks because of the style they play. I don't know how much Weight has left, but he certainly wouldn't cost much to get from the Islanders.
Some rumors had Comrie going to Chicago, but this is legit. Chicago must go far into the playoffs this year, and Weight would cost less than say a Keith Tkachuk.
-Mike Milbury suggests several players on the New York Islanders will be available at the trade deadline, listing Mike Comrie, Bill Guerin, Doug Weight and Brendan Witt as topping that list.
Duh!!!! Gee Mike way to come up with that one. How long did it take you? You're now only a few weeks behind the rest of the Islanders fans.
Okay, let's break them down.
Comrie: Has trade value as a scorer and at center. Hilbert would probably be his replacement for next year, assuming the Islanders sign Hilbert. As of now, I would expect at least a second rounder for Comrie due to his young age.
Guerin: Has a no-trade clause. Period. If a playoff contender comes calling, he may listen, but there are reasons why he has that clause in his contract.
Weight: Is having a renaissance year, and is attracting a lot of attention. But here is my thought. I don't think Bailey is ready to be a number one center. If the Islanders truly want to finish dead last in the conference by seasons end, then you trade Weight. If the Islanders find themselves too far ahead from worst overall, sign him to a one year extension. He's almost a point per game player, and has helped the power play.
Witt: Has two more years on his contract, and that may scare a few teams with cap trouble. He would be sought out by playoff teams, but it all depends on if they can absorb his contract.
On Chris Botta's Point Blank, he asked what percentage do the Islanders have of playing.500 or better. Here was my comment.
"20% chance."
"Not sure if the kids can produce enough offense, and Kyle Okposo will have to score if the team wants to win. I think depending who gets hot in goal may also depend on the amount of wins."
Last night the Islanders won 5-4, thanks to two goals by Okposo. Danis has won 2 in a row, but he got lucky, not hot, as the Islanders blew a 4-0 lead after the first period.
The other players who were supposed to score, Hunter and Jackman, only reaffirm why they will be wearing the Islanders jersey next year.
Bailey and Comeau are showing they really do belong.
Weight scoring is a great sign, but in all honesty, is just raising his stock before the trade deadline.
From now until the season ends, my focus will be primarily on the kids and prospects that may be signed by the Islanders.
I will also cover some legitimate rumors going on with our vets, and give my input on each one.
Starting off with our first vet: but this is not rumor. Sillinger is done for the season and possibly, his career. He will undergo another surgery to repair his hip.
I hope he becomes an assistat coach for our young centers if Silli decides to hang up the skates. best wishes to him.
First off....... My apologies for not blogging as much in the recent days, just took some time off.
Now for some points:
The Islanders are finally getting healthy, so as fans, we need to see who we think can play in this system with a healthy squad. Most of the veterans will be traded, but really take a good look at the kids, and start thinking what can be next year.
Watch Kyle Okposo make a late rally for rookie of the year.
People won't be complaining about Tambellini by the end of this season.
With DP out for the season, the Islanders have all but assured themselves a top 3 pick.
Yann Danis may end up with more wins in the second half than MacDonald.
Claimed by Columbus, which means Mannino will be the backup for tonight's game against the Devils.
About the Islanders playing in KC for an exhibition game: Big Deal.
It's a good ploy to bring the media together to get the politicians moving on a decision about the Lighthouse Project.....and that's it.
The Islanders lease runs out in 2015, so I don't think they'll be moving out anytime soon. Yes Wang loses about 20 million per year, and deserves to build the landscape around the Coliseum, but if he does not get the deal done tomorrow, he'll have a Plan B. Then Islanders fans will have something to worry about.
Islanders fans can now begin to watch the actual "development" of the younger players for the remainder of the season.
Gordon has made it it clear that the younger stars of this team will be getting more ice and powerplay time, which is great news in my opinion.
The season of scouting has officially begun for the Islanders, and this will give Snow a real good look at the young players, and the veterans that need to be traded, released, or bought out.
The Islanders play the Rangers tomorrow, with MacDonald in net.
Time to earn your stripes boys. You're true introduction is upon you.
Over the last five games, the Islanders young core of players have been producing on the score sheet more often then at any time during this first half of the season. Their record can attest to that. The stats are not deceiving either:
Okposo: 2 goals, 5 assists for 7 points with a +/- of +4 Comeau: 1 goal, 4 assists for 5 points with an Even rating Bailey: 1 goal, 2 assists for 3 points with a +/- rating of a +3 Tambs: 1 goal, 2 assists for 3 points with a +/- rating of a +2 Bergie: 3 goals, 0 assists for 3 points with a +/- rating of a +1
The Islanders record: 2-2-1
Now can the Young stars continue this trend, and finally get a few more wins?
There could be a light at the end of this tunnel after all.
Staple from Newsday is reporting that Mike Comrie, apparently completely healthy from hip surgery, could bring back the biggest return for the Islanders before the March trade deadline.
I'm not one for seeing next years team like the late 90's to early 2000 when we had not\ vets and a ton of youth with no one to teach them. When or if the time comes to trade a center, then you have to trade either Comrie or Weight, but trading both, in my opinion is a bad idea.
Here is another question for Islanders fans: Do we keep Geurin for next year? If the answer is yes, then keeping Weight on this team for another year will keep the Captain happy, an quite possibly let the youth mature more in front of us, and make a decent push. Assuming of course, no one gets injured.
But If the Islanders are truly moving forward in the youth movement, then trading Weight, and letting Geurin go in the summer and keeping Comrie is the wiser choice since Comrie has developed chemistry early on so far with Okposo and Comeau, and Comrie is younger then Geurin and Weight.
Time will tell, but I stand pat and say, give the Islanders another six weeks to evaluate, then move from there.
Newsday has been reporting that Doug Weight is now in the rumor mill to be traded.
My own opinion, is that the Islanders are already out of playoff contention, but still could still end up in 11th place in this Eastern Conference. However, if the injuries continue, then the Islanders will almost assuredly be awarded a top five draft pick, possibly first overall.
Should Weight be traded? My answer......not now. I say wait for Nielson to come back, and let him play healthy, then make a deal for Weight. This trade really has to be a good one, if not, signing him to an extension is not a bad idea either.
It's too soon for trade possibilities when this team has been injured for so long. Let's see how this team plays for the next six weeks and then Snow can start thinking trade.
This quote is from Bill Geurin in a Newsday article:
"Well, I won't lie to you," captain Bill Guerin said. "It's not great, but we don't have a choice. But this is a great opportunity for some of our young players to step up. They're going to get a lot of ice time, they're going to play on the power play, they're going to kill penalties, they're going to do a lot of things. This is their time. This is the perfect time for them to become players."
Could not have said this better. Now the youth can really show us what we've been waiting for: a chance to see them play full time, and see what they can do.
So now, we're we are dealing with the defenseman against the system. I think Sutton is a + 3, and he's the only one currently on this team that is a positive.
So for conversation sake only.....Should all the players not performing well in the system now (young or veteran) be traded for picks, or be given more time to understand the system better, or should the coach bend in his ways, and create a tighter defensive system, say for the last period, and not give up so many goals and possibly steal a few games.
Sources tell TSN the Carolina Hurricanes have fired head coach Peter Laviolette and in a unique about face, have replaced him with former Hurricanes head coach Paul Maurice.
This move comes amid weeks of speculation of change in Carolina and the teams' battle with consistency with Laviolette at the helm.
Laviolette, last month, surpassed John Tortorella to become the winningest American born coach in NHL history with his 240th victory.
Please get him back, Islanders. Put him as an assistant, to help out Gordon, and help some of the other players. The reality is he's under contract and will get paid none-the-less. Just wishful thinking. More to come later.
It will show you that the Islanders are last on 5-5 goals and need to rely upon the powerplay to win the games.
Now if Tambellini is projected to be 15-20 goal scorer, then he should have scored 4 goals by now. But there are only three players (Hunter, Geurin, and HiIlbert) who have scored 4 goals or more on even strength.
The average amount of goals scored by anybody else during a 5 on 5 is under 2 (1.72 to be exact). I only bring up the 5 on 5 situations because Tambellini is rarely used on the power play.
My point is this. The powerplay is a key component to the success of this team for this year so far and Tambellini is not apart of it. It could still be the players learning the system, it could be a lack of ice time on the powerplay, it could be other things. But for now we should only expect Tambellini to have 1 or 2 goals, because that is what the remaining 78% of the team is doing.
This is great news for Islanders fans. According to the article, if they were tracking the progress in steps, out of 100, they are at 75. So 3/4 of the way completed and ground could break between April and December.
The Islanders will finish their 3 game road trip against the Montreal Canadiens tonight at the Bell Centre.
Saturday night, the Islanders evened the season series against the Buffalo Sabres with a 4-2 win at Buffalo. Four different Islanders scored goals, and Joey Mac made 35 saves to improve his record to 8-7-2.
The win against the Sabres gained the Isles to 1-1 on the road trip. However on Friday night, the Islanders went through two losses. After they literally bowed to New Jersey, a 5-2 decision in a non-decisive game, and lost Frans Nielsen for 8-12 weeks after a cheap hit by the Devils' Mike Mottau. Nielsen suffered multiple leg injuries and Mottau was suspended two games for the hit.
Next up.....Montreal. A team that has already won this season at the Nassau Coliseum, but Canadiens had to come back from a 4-1 beating in the third period earlier in November, and defeated the Islanders, 5-4.
Since that win however, the Canadiens have gone 3-4-2, and the Boston Bruins have been on fire, dropping them out of first place in the Northeast Division. The Bruins literally took it to the Canadiens 3-2 in a shootout on Saturday to expand their division lead.
The Canadiens are having trouble scoring right now. If the Islanders play their system for 60 minutes, they took take this win tonight. The Younger players need to contribute something in order for them to stay in it against Montreal.
Pretty much, the Devils took it to the Islanders. At least three of the goals on the 5-2 loss were deflections, and cannot blame MacDonald. Devils hustled, and the Islanders plalyed for maybe 30 minutes of the entire game.
What I had feared, happened. Fritz was brought up and not used, and we lost two forwards in Neilson and Hunter for the rest of the third. If Fritz is not going to be used, then why is he here?
Buffalo tonight, and Colliton gets the recall. Let's see how the Islanders can bounce back.
7:00 start. According to the Islanders main page, for now it looks like Sim will take Okposo's spot on the line with Bailey, and Hilbert. The Islanders added more toughness by bringing up Mitch Fritz, so we should be in for a real tight game. I'll be at the game tonight and will return witha full scouting report on the team.
Mitch Fritz gets the call for the weekend while Kyle Okposo is out for the week. After reading a few stories it appears that a line with Jackman, Park, and Fritz will be created.
Peter Mannino will be given the duties of backup goaltender so that Yan Danis will get a few starts down in Bridgeport. Danis has not played sice November 1st, and Mannino has earned his way to the NHL by posting an AHL record of 6-1-2 with the Sound Tigers with a 2.46 goals-against average and a .912 save percentage.
So here's my take on Fritz being called up. I heard Iggulden was also a consideration but the Islanders elected to go with more toughness for the weekend. Fine. This is why I disagree. New Jersey doesn't really have a team that could physically compete with us at this time. Most of their heavyweights are injured. This will aslo be Jersey's second game in a row, and the Islanders system will be too much for them to handle.
Now Buffalo, whom we play on Saturady, too it to them 7-1 the last time. Now, Buffalo, losers of 4 out of their last 5 have been issued a warning by Ruff to either get their acts together or they'll be benched. The Islanders are currently on a 3 game winning streak and full of confidence. Buffalo is not going to just take it to us because they don't want to make any mistakes and act like they're walking on egg shells. The Islanders system, which has been greatly imrpoved by the players, will be able to keep Buffalo on their toes, and it won't turn into another beating by the Sabres.
Point: For this weekend, in my opinion, skill should not have been replaced by toughness. If this is just precaution, fair enough. Also it's not like Okposo is out for a month, just a week. But losing a skilled player like Okposo, should've been relaced by someone other that Fritz.
Brendan Witt is off the Injured reserve and will play against the Devils. The last person on the defense to come back will be Freddy Meyer. Brett Skinner has been sent back down to Bridgeport.
Kyle Okposo is out for roughly a week with arm injury. So far no call up has been announced.
Mike Sillinger is returning, but will have a three game stint first at Bridgeport.
The Islanders take on a tough Canucks team tonight at the Coliseum. And yes some of us get to remember our goalie that should have been when Luongo, the Canucks Captain, will be in goal tonight. But in all honesty, that's too far in the past, and time to move on to the present.
The present is not Dipietro, but MacDonald, who has been improving every game he plays. He has his goals-against-average down to 2.82 and his save percenatge is up to .911. After tonight, Macdonald may lead the league in total saves, and with his confidence growing, so does the rest of the players.
With a healthy defense almost ready to return, there has been more of a microscope on the offense. From what i've been reading, many believe the Islanders offense is not that good. Then they're not doing the math correctly. The Islanders offense, for now is hot, and should give Vancouver, and Luongo a good run for their money.
I'm still pulling for Tambs, but I think expectations of him are far too great, and should be lowered considerably, like the Stock Market. Tambs only averaged around 5 minutes a game during his first 82 games that he has played. A far cry for sure, but you cannot expect a guy to come in here after playing most of his career in the AHL and start lighting it up in this league. Tambellini may get you 10 goal this year, and that's it.
If there is a winger everyone should be looking closer at it's Bergenheim, and I believe that this year will be a breakout year for him. He's on pace for 17 goals, and is getting top 6 forward minutes now in Gordon's system. leave Tamby alone, and let him develop with Gordon, and start paying more attention to Bergenheim.
Islanders look to sweep the home and home series tonight against Ottawa, who should play with a chip on their shoulders. Pock knocked out Shannon with an elbow, and was suspended for five games. Replacing him is Martinek who is back from an injured shoulder.
Some are saying that Pock will not be playing anymore for a while with the return of Witt and Meyer. So what happens to a defense that has everyone healthy? Pock was claimed off waivers, which means he'll probably be placed on waivers, and Skinner, despite playing 11 minutes a game, is a plus 2, will be sent down to the Bridge. So here is how our defense should look by the time Pock's suspension is over:
Witt-Martinek Sutton-Campoli Streit-Meyer
Gervais is certainly in limbo, and the next few games will certainly tell the future for Gervais. He's playing 20 minutes a game, but his +/- is a minus 9, with no goals. For now I'll say he sits in the press box, and learn some more, or he could be used as that seventh defensman. Gervais has to show more poise, and the ability to put the puck in the net, if not, then it will be a long year for him.
Josh Bailey recorded his first NHL point tonight, assisting on Kyle Okposos powerplay goal, and help the Islanders win 3-1 against Ottawa.
So far so good. He's making his case after two games that he wants to stay. Since Sillinger and Comrie appear not to be coming back anytime soon due to injuries, it looks like the Bailey-Okposo combination will be around for another 7 games, and possibly more. What a combination that could be, and add a suddenly offensive Andy Hilbert, and you have yourselves a possible dnagerous line for the next two weeks or so.
But what happens to the veterans when they're healthy and ready to return? That's for Snow to decide, but let's make this clear. Bailey will make his statement to stay, and if you see Okposos numbers improve, Snow will have to make moves.
Josh Bailey, before Tuesdays loss to the Flyers, had not played a game since the leaves started to turn color. However because Mike Comrie is injured with inflammation to his surgically repaired hip, and Mike Sillinger is still out, Bailey was given the opportunity to play in his first NHL game.
Why not? He was on the fourth line, saw some minutes, and contributed as best as he could. This is nothing more than a scouting event this year, and by this bloggers take, they're better than their 4-9-2 record would indicate. So like the rest of the youth movement, stick him in for the next 8 games. Maybe he can show the Islanders brass that he belongs this year and not next.
My honest opinion though is this. His junior career will be over in March (give or take a week). The trade deadline will be over, and there may be a vacancy open at the center postion by then. For now it's a little full with Comrie possibly coming back, and eventually Sillinger.
But for the next 8 games, I hope Bailey makes it really difficult on his coach, and general manager.
After the Islanders first line on the powerplay went powerless, I think It's time too see the youth movement in it's full throttle. That means Okposo, Tambellini, Hilbert, Bailey, and the other young studs should be getting more ice time on the power play unit. Add Campoli to that mix on the point, and keep him with Streit. More to come later......
There is no question about this team. If the Islanders had a full healthy squad, we would be at .500 or better entering our 15th game against Philly on Tuesday. BD Gallof had a good article about Dipietro on Point Blank, but I'm seeing this as a team as a whole. DiPietro is a key component to winning, but from what I've seen so far, this team cannot play focused hockey for a solid 60 minutes, and the losses cannot be blamed on MacDonald.
Some questions have arisen: Is it the system?
Too much effort in the first two periods leads to a third period bow out? So far yes. Again, this team is still learning the system, which means, learning how to win with this system. More than likely, it's not a full team effort, having a few players slack off, and there you have it, a melt down. Get everyone to believe in the system, and you'll see the wins.
Why are the kids not scoring?
We're they really supposed to? Okposo, Tambellini, and Neilson did not get the ice team needed last year. Watch for them to get it going in the second half like Bergenheim did when he first started out. Until then, let them learn the other factors of the sport. The veterans have more than stepped up in the scoring department, which allows the younger players to play hard and learn more. As the season progresses, they'll be asked to deliver.
Is it the goaltending?
If it wasn't for MacDonald, this team would be a lot worse. His save percentage is at .900, which on this team, is more than what they were hoping for. When DiPietro's healthy, MacDonald will be a mute point.
What's to come this week?
A game against the Flyers and two against the Senators. Both teams are struggling out of the gate, and If the Islanders figure out the third period, they'll take 2 out of 3.
Tonight It's the Rangers at MSG. The Islanders are coming off a win last night against the Blue Jackets 4-3 in OT. Campoli had two goals including the game winner. Should see fritz in the game tonight, assuming Bergenheim is unable to play, but no official word on that just yet.
Look for Danis to get the start tonight. My presumption on this is because Dipietro is out for an extended time, and this is a back-to-back game. Both goaltenders should be on a regular schedule now. If McDonald does play, watch for Danis to play the next game against the Thrashers.
Islanders win 4-3 in OT tonight on goals by Park, Geurin, and two by Campoli.
Nice to see the defense scoring goals to help out the offense, but I was really hoping to see one of the kids on the score sheet. The Islanders had a 3-0 lead heading into the 3rd, but again, allowed e goals to send the game to overtime. Campoli recorded his second goal of the night (twice) to seal it for the Islanders.
Mark Parrish has signed with the Dallas Stars on a two-way contract. So much for thoughts of him coming and playing with the Islanders.
Here is a chance for the Islanders to pick up a big win, and regain some confidence. Columbus is 1-3-1 in their last five games, and their starting goaltender, Leclaire, is still nursing his ankle injury. According to Greg Logan, Okposo will be on the first line with Weight and Geurin.
Gordon put the Islanders through more video, and literally, a tougher practice yesterday to "enforce" the players what he expects from them. If the practice was received by the players, the fans should be happier with tonight's end result.
For me, I want to see some points racked up by the kids. The Blue Jackets are a team in a slump, and I think we need to see how the younger players can score against a lower level team in the NHL.
I don't care where the rumors are coming from....please don't trade anybody yet. There is no point. Let the development continue. The Islanders are on pace for 208 goals, 18 better than last year, with less expensive players. the Islanders are playing a solid 40 minutes a game, they'll get acclimated to playing 60 real soon.
I'll say this now....Look out for the kids this month. It's time. They've learned the system, now it's time to execute. Watch Tamby and Okposo have breakout games against Columbus, and get that confidence to go into the Garden and really take it to the Rangers.
More time and patience is needed, but everyting will come together once the Islanders get themselves healthy.
Freddy Meyer is out of the lineup, and Skinner is in to make his NHL debut.
Witt appears to be on the Injured Reserve according to the Islanders main web site.
That now leaves us with only two main starters in Streit, and Campoli, a 7th d-man in Gervais, two AHL stoppers in Hillen and Skinner, and a somewhere in the middle Pock. To add to this cart, backup goalie, Joey MacDonald will get the start tonight.
The Islanders must play a tight, no penalty game against the Rangers tonight if they have any chance of winning.
Islanders play the Rangers tonight at the coliseum. As of right now, no word yet on DiPietro's injury, and nothing yet on Meyer. For emergency purposes, Danis, and Skinner have been called up from Bridgeport.
According to Chris Botta Brendan Witt will not have an MRI done on his knee until further swelling has been reduced. What does that mean? For now...nothing. Could just be swelling, could be worse. That remain to be seen.
Facing the Rangers without DiPietro will be a tough challenge for the Islanders, who have lost three consecutive and folded nine goals in the last two games.
The Rangers, on the other hand, won two straight and have 17 points.
The only thing that I have seen that is consistent from the Islanders are the frequent injuries to this defense. Now it looks like DiPietro may be out against the Rangers, although it is not official yet. The Islanders record is 2-5. Hardly a time to panic. But too many penalties, and a lack of top minute defenseman, hinders any kind of stability on this team. Most teams don't use injuries as excuses, which is crap. That's why we have a top pairing, 4th, 5th, and 6th defenseman.
Some can make the argument that we're not scoring as much. Guess what: we're on pace for better than last year!!!! But time is still out on the offense, especially the younger players. The veterans are doing their part, soon the kids will have to step up.
This team needs to get, and stay healthy if the Islanders even want to compete the rest of this year. Time is not running out, but the amount of defenseman that is team has is.........
So after five games, people were expecting the Islanders to go 2-3? Not this fan. Sorry, I don't buy that one bit. If Richard Park nets 1 of his two clankers against New jersey that first game, that maybe a different result. If Tambellini scores his first goal of the season against Florida, who knows. If there is anything that bothers me for the first five games are the amount of stupid penalties that this team takes. Reduce the penalties and you reduce the five goals already allowed on the penalty killing unit.
DP and Campoli are getting better and they need to be. This team needs to stay healthy and when everything clicks, then we won't have so many pessimists.
This team should be 3-1-1, not 2-3. Time to get smarter on the ice, and score on that powerplay.
The kids are starting to come around: Okposo, and Neilson, have 2 points in 4 games and Tambellini has shown more confidence, and was involved with Hunter on his goals.
Fritz and DP should play against Florida tomorrow, so look for another solid outing from everybody on that team.
I watched the Islanders lose 7-1 to Buffalo the other day, ad they looked nothing like the team that competed against New Jersey or beat St. Louis. Gordon will not move to replace a backup goaltender, regardless of how the backup is feeling. But is DiPietro ready to play? Obviously not. Too much hype has been made about him not playing, and for good reason. If DiPietro were healthy, he'd be playing....period.
What we should be concerned with is how the younger players are performing so far this year. I know it's only three games, and judgment should not be placed for a while, but only Bergenheim has a goal. But time and patience is needed for this new system to begin to work.
Injury update: From various sources, Martinek is out 4-6 weeks with an upper body injury. Campoli is skating again but is not yet cleared to play. That leaves 3 regular defenseman out of the lineup. Don't blame the backup goalie completely just yet.
In 1972 the Islanders lost their home opener and first game in franchise history, 3-2, to the Atlanta Flames. Captain Ed Westfall scores the Islanders' first goal at 17:29 of the second period.
Due to Bailey's injury, Trevor Smith has been recalled from Bridgeport. This is a good move, because ever since he's bounced back from ECHL, he has been nothing but promising. If he continues to improve on this team, he may be a call up later on this year in case another center goes down with another injury. Smith had a great game against Boston, and had the game winner. He should be on a line with Okposo, and Comeau, against New Jersey at the Rock.
This is a good move by the Islanders. If he can get off the nine game minimum, that would be even better to allow some hore healing time for Sillinger and Geurin.
He has been able o hold his own, but from what I'm reading he may need another season in juniors, which is fine. No need to rush him. Happy Birthday Josh.
Islanders lost last night, and already there are people complaining about the lack of offense. Most people just don't get it. This is a rebuilding stage. Everyone on that team is still trying to learn their new coaches system. Many veterans are still recovering from last years injuries. The Devils won 3-0, and they were playing with mostly veterans except for the John Madden checking line. There is still more preseason games coming, so be patient and watch. We're not expected to win now. The goal of the preseason is to get the roster down to the team max, and to see how the younger players are developing.
INJURY REPORT:
According to Chris Botta's Point Blank, Andy Sutton had suffered what appeared to be a hand injury, and from his experience, should be out give or take 6 weeks.
Chris Campoli is expected to return from his "lower body injury" some where in the beginning of November or sooner.
Josh Bailey, 2008 1st round pick, also has an injury, undisclosed or course, and will probably be sent down to juniors. Which is sad cause I really wanted to play the first nine games to see what he can do.
Rick DiPietro, will be cleared to practice some time this week, and will get at least one start before the regular season begins.
I have the need to slightly defend Tambellini a little but due to an important "cause" that has not been factored in.
In case some may not realize, the Islanders are last in 5-on-5 situations. There are two ways to determine this
a. there +/- ratings for everyone is on the minus side, no one but Skinner (now at the Bridge), and Sutton has a + number. Both Defensman.
b. take a look at this link on 5 on 5.
http://www.nhl.com/ice/teamstats.htm?fetchKey=20092ALLAAAAll&sort=goals5On5ForAgainstRatio&viewName=summary
It will show you that the Islanders are last on 5-5 goals and need to rely upon the powerplay to win the games.
Now if Tambellini is projected to be 15-20 goal scorer, then he should have scored 4 goals by now. But there are only three players (Hunter, Geurin, and HiIlbert) who have scored 4 goals or more on even strength.
The average amount of goals scored by anybody else during a 5 on 5 is under 2 (1.72 to be exact). I only bring up the 5 on 5 situations because Tambellini is rarely used on the power play.
My point is this. The powerplay is a key component to the success of this team for this year so far and Tambellini is not apart of it. It could still be the players learning the system, it could be a lack of ice time on the powerplay, it could be other things. But for now we should only expect Tambellini to have 1 or 2 goals, because that is what the remaining 78% of the team is doing.