Goalie Rumor Mill

Per Katie Strang:

Nabokov was played on Saturday against the Rangers to showcase for a possible trade. According to Strang

Scouts from Vancouver, Carolina, San Jose, Phoenix and Columbus are listed on the Islanders seating chart for Saturday's game. 

I don't think Nabokov will be traded this early due to DiPietro's health. If during the season Sound Tigers goalie Poulin tears it up this year, then fans could see a possible trade. But why mess with the good chemistry of the team now. It should be noted that some of the teams mentioned will be playing the Islanders fairly soon and right now, it looks like those teams don't need a goaltender.
 
Per Joseph Deluca:

The New York Islanders have been dealing with inconsistent play by their goaltenders for many years now.

If they go yet another half season with an unstable crease, they may look to acquire someone from outside the organization.

He does realize that it is early in the season, however I must say, if the goaltenders do stay healthy, there won't be a need to trade any of the during this season, maybe Nabokov later in the season.


Here is the one thing to take out of the goalie trade rumors. It's shouldn't happen any time soon. If Nabokov does get traded, he will be dealt to the Western Conference because if the Isles are in the playoff hunt, they won't risk the chance in playing against him then. What the Islanders should do is play him enough to garner more interest  and build up his stock. Would love to see a player with potential come out of this and not a draft pick. More to come with the Islanders as I review the last week of Islanders games.

Let The Season Begin

Coming down from Pa to watch the game, all I have to say is this: None of us under 40 have seen a young, talented team like this. There is a buzz with the Islanders around the NHL and it's fans. I talk to a lot of fans from different teams and they're saying the same thing, "The Islanders are going to make noise this year." Well, if this teams stays healthy, the noise is going to be loud on Long Island. It starts tonight against Florida. The Islanders must set the tempo first and get the crowd into the game. If the Islanders play smart hockey, this should be over by the second period.

Al Montoya will start in net for the Isles and I must say, looked very good in preseason. With a good defense in front of him, we could see an all-star performance from him. As far as the forwards are concerned, I don't really cares as long as they all contribute as a team. The Isles can run four lines that can score, so they all don't have to do it at once, but that would be cool to see.

As for the fans, this better be sold out with everyone filling up the seats, they should be loud and sending a message to the NHL that the Islanders are back and are not going anywhere. No more playing for the lottery, but for the playoffs, a team to be dealt with for years to come. Hope to see some of you there, I'll be in section 321, so leave a message or comment or just stop by, I'll be wearing my Bossy jersey (Isles are 4-0 when wearing the jersey)!!!

Strome, Pandolfo Inked To Contracts: Something Is Brewing

Jay Pandolfo signs one year deal with the Islanders

Ryan Strome agreed to a three year entry level deal with the Islanders


There seems to be a lot of players on this roster right now. Strome will probably get a 9 game stint with the Islanders, with Nino Neiderrieter out of the lineup for a bit with a groin strain. Pandolfo is without question a checking winger and bottom six forward, but will he be sent down to Bridgeport, or could there be a trade in the works with an abundance of forwards? Matt Martin could be the odd man out as he is still on an entry level contract and might get more time down in Bridgeport. Rolstons groin strain may keep him out but when everyone comes back, it's still looking crowded at the forward position. Roster needs to be set by tomorrow so look for moves to be made soon.

Predicting The Isles This Year

The preseason is great for making predictions about our teams future for the year. The in-depth analysis from all the major magazines and web sites, makes for great reading for the fans who cannot wait for the hockey season to start. The Islanders have to be one of the more difficult teams to predict this year due to having 600 man games lost to injury last year. From what I've seen/read many columns have the Islanders finishing 12th. I can live with that number if I wasn't a fan of the Islanders. However, I think it's more of the idea that no one really knows how far the Islanders can go because they're always injured. Entering this season, the Islanders are in fact, healthy, including their goaltender Rick Dipietro who was an all-star the last time he was healthy. But this team has improved while he's been gone, so let's take a quick look at the team in front of him:

Offense: This team should be able to score 240 goals, there is enough talent on this team for it. That amount should be enough for a push or a long run into the playoffs, watch for Tavares to improve his numbers and make others around him better. If Nino Neiderrieter explodes into the NHL with 20 goals or more, the Isles will make the playoffs.

Defense: With Streit coming back, the defense improves greatly. Powerplay numbers will improve and overall defense. Andrew MacDonald in my opinion will be the next Paul Martin and will have a breakout year along with Travis Hamonic. If the rest of the defense remain healthy and the Isles do sign Steve Staio, we're looking at a solid defense for the season.

Goaltending: As stated before, Dipietro and the other goaltenders are healthy and ready to go. Three healthy goalies should be a luxury for this team who went through an assembly line of goalies last year. Solid goaltending keeping there team in every game will be key. If that happens, a lot of people will be shocked by seasons end.

Final note: It really comes down to health. If the Islanders stay healthy, they're making a push and will be really close come April. If a few young players have breakout years, they're in and will be looking to upset a few teams. If I had to come up with a final season point total, for now, I'm looking at 85-90 points. Lots to be excited for, time for the preseason to end.......Your thoughts?

Coliseum May Have A New Plan

According to the Fourthperiod.com:

A group of business developers and community planners unveiled a plan for a privately financed redevelopment of the Islanders' home arena, Nassau Coliseum, and its surrounding 77-acre property. According to New York Newsday, the estimated cost for the project is roughly $347 million. If not for work I would have posted this earlier, but I have to admit, this is good news considering the timing of it. To be honest I wasn't expecting to hear anything about a new arena until later on in the spring. As long as there are still ideas floating around for me there is some minor reassurance the Islanders are not moving. For now, they have a lease for another 3-4 years, so I can expect hockey on Long Island for at least that long.

Why sitting MacDonald Is A Good Idea

     So far in training camp we know that Andrew MacDonald, defenceman for the Islanders, has not started to skate yet and that the Islanders are taking "precautionary measures." To me this is a good idea. The reason: look at the Islanders schedule. The first four games are at home. The Islanders first away game is not until October 20th. So with the first four games at home, the Islanders should be able to go 3-1 without him and furthermore, give him the added time to rehab his injury.
     Another reason: (I'll give you two) Calvin De Haan & Ty Wishart. Both players would be able to handle a few games (possibly more) while MacDonald rests. With Wishart, who already has NHL experience, should be able to prove to management once and for all that he belongs with the big club, while De Haan, who really should get some seasoning in the minors first, would be tested to see how much AHL time he really needs. My guess would be that he won't need much, just ask Travis Hamonic.
     For now there a few reasons to let MacDonald heal and the Islanders, for the long haul of the season, know that when he does return, everyone will benefit from it.

Islanders News & Notes 9.21.11

Per numerous reports, Defenceman Mark Streit has been named Islanders captain.

This was the best choice for the Islanders, right now. I'm sure in the future it will be Kyle Okposo and John Tavares respectfully, but for now, Streit is the player that should be captain of this team. The players like the decision and so do the fans. If only the next jersey that's about to come out had this much of an approval rating. Thoughts?

Back To Blogging

After taking a year off and having a few friends ask me to blog once again, I've decided to start blogging about the Islanders once again. With Christopher Botta moving on to I hope better things, I will be coming onto this site more often to share the news, rumors and add my own take to what is going on in Islanders country. I hope to gain a few more fans as I have done in the past and am looking forward to this season. I will be coming out with my own preview of the team in another week or so, by then I'll know who is actually on this team. If anyone has any suggestions, I'm open to them. Here we go.......

Islanders Sign Poulin

From Islanders Authorized

The Islanders have agreed to terms on a three-year entry level contract with goaltender Kevin Poulin. 

Poulin is coming off his fourth and final season in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League with the Victoriaville Tigers.  He posted a 35-16-0 record this season, a 2.63 goals against average and a .916 save percentage.  In 169 games, Poulin finished with a 81-65-0 record over his career.  The Montreal, QC native joined the Sound Tigers at the end of his 2008-09 junior season and served as the back-up net-minder to Nathan Lawson and Peter Mannino in the final games of the AHL season.  Poulin was drafted by the Islanders in the fifth round of the 2008 NHL Entry Draft (126th overall).

There is a lot of hype with Poulin. Where he ends up playing at the beginning of the season remains to be seen. It's always nice to see a low draft pick come in and add depth to the organization, so Kudos goes to the scouting staff once again. This also takes care of Ridderwall not signing with the Isles. Poulin and  Koskinen will be a nice tandem if not this year, then in the near future. More to come on future draft pick signings.

Islanders Moves, & "News"

So there have been some minor news since the playoffs began, so I'll briefly touch on a few noteworthy moves/news and add a comment or two on each.

The Islanders officially came to terms with defense prospect Calvin de Haan on a three-year entry level contract.  The Islanders picked de Haan with the 12th overall pick in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft.

This is somewhat significant, considering he was making a case for the Islanders to keep him with the big club at the start of last season. I do believe however, with the depth on defense, that de Haan needs a perfect camp to make the team this year. A year or two of AHL grooming will be very beneficial for both parties.


Goaltending prospect Stefan Ridderwall turned down the Islanders' offer for next season, which means that the Islanders will not retain his rights as of the June 1st deadline.  Ridderwall has agreed to play with Djurgarden IF Stockholm to become the team's starting goaltender next season.

Not really surprised here. Ridderwall really wasn't on the radar until this year when he began to show significant improvement in net. If he does improve and then decides to become and NHL goaltender, he would probably be too expensive to be an Islanders backup anyways. Best of luck to him.

Final thought: Okay, so I've been  reading a lot about the Islanders possibly moving to Queens and the Wilpons (New York Mets owners) are involved. Here is a small take on my part: The Islanders still have a lease with Nassau County until 2015. So for now, I'm taking this news as a strategy to get Kate Murray and Co. to get there act together and get ANYTHING done. I just read that Bud Selig, MLB commissioner, has no problem with the Wilpons getting involved with the Islanders. For now, it's just news worth reading, but it's just preliminary. Five years is a long time, however, if Charles Wang can get a great deal that could allow him to recoup close to 200+ million dollars in loses, then he should seriously consider talking with the Wilpons.

Gillies Signs Extension

Per Katie Strang via Twitter:

Isles sign enforcer Trevor Gillies to a one-year contract extension .

Toughness is needed on this Islanders team, and this is the first good step in the right direction. Still more toughness is needed, however signing Gillies now was a good move for the Isles.

Rakhshani & Kessel Named All-Americans

From Islanders Authorized: Islander prospects Rhett Rakhshani and Blake Kessel have been named All-Americans for the 2009-10 college hockey season. 

Rakhshani, who will play in Game 1 of the Bridgeport Sound Tigers opening round series of the Calder Cup Playoffs Wednesday against the Hershey Bears, was named a West First Team All-American.  The Huntington Beach, California native finished his fourth and final year at Denver University with 21 goals and 29 assists for 50 points.  Kessel completed his sophomore year with the New Hampshire Wildcats, scoring 38 points (10 goals and 28 assists).  The Verona, Wisconsin native was named an East Second Team All-American.


Good news for Islanders fans and the organization. More news to come as the day moves along, but you can now add Kessel to the plethora of defensive prospects who are prospering in there respective clubs.

Islanders Year In Review

Now that the draft lottery has concluded, it is time to take a quick look back at the 2009-2010 New York Islanders. If there is one word to now describe the young Islanders it is promise. There were quite a few breakout years for a some players, and a big reality check for a few of the veterans. But before I move along, if you do not recall what I was hoping from this team in August, please read here first before continuing.

Now that you have a general idea, you should know that I was quite satisfied with the end performance of the Islanders over an 82 game span. We saw players like Matt Moulson, and Rob Schremp come from the AHL purgatory to blossom into quality NHL players, improving the club. We saw the development of Blake Comeau, Josh Bailey and Frans Neilsen this year with the hopes that they can be more consistent next year. Fans got to witness a real star in the making in John Tavares. The Islanders also got major contributions from their farm system of defenseman. One of which, Andrew MacDonald, got a nice contract extension. The Islanders received great goaltending from Dwayne Roloson, and a solid end of the year work from Marty Biron, allowing Rick Dipietro time to heal his injured knee and getting himself ready for the next season. Fans needed to see some kind of overall improvement from the organization and they got it.

As for the veterans, some were already filtered out as the season progressed, but players like Martinek, Weight, Witt, and Sim may have a difficult time getting their jobs back with the Islanders. It is a simple addition by subtraction with these players removed. Richard Park may get another deal, but if he doesn't he was probably the most dedicated veteran on the squad (Weight is a close second). 

With the fifth overall pick now belonging to the Islanders, much needed younger talent can be acquired and Snow and Co. could possibly get more than one first round pick (think 2008: Josh Bailey). The Islanders currently hold two third round picks, and two second round picks so expect the Islanders to be busy on draft day to be sure.

But what should fans do now? If they are truly looking at this year as a rebuild/development team this year, then they need to pay attention to the Bridgeport Sound Tigers. There could be a number of players who want to prove to Scott Gordon, Garth Snow, and Charles Wang that they finally belong in the NHL. The Islanders future does depend on the Sound Tigers and if there was ever a time to see how progress has been made, now is the time to watch.

Final Thoughts: Watch playoff hockey for possible free agents, watch the Sound Tigers for the Islanders future call-ups. As we move along up until the draft, there will be more stories coming out and as fans enjoy their summer, they will be able to see a clearer picture of the Islanders future once the draft is complete and the free agents have been signed. Believe me when I tell you though, the future does look promising.

Islanders get the 5th overall pick at this years lottery. More to come tonight as I write about the season on a whole for the Isles.

Coming up tomorrow, my end of the year review along with news and notes about current Islanders and the draft lottery.

With Columbus gaining a point, if the Islanders lose out, the worst they can finish is 5th overall, which means lottery. More to come this weekend. Stay tuned.

Per Katie Strang: Josh Bailey is out 4-6 weeks with facial fractures, an injury suffered as he was crushed into the boards by Alexei Ponikarovski.

Moulson, Okposo and Bailey score Islander goals in 7-3 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Islanders final home game is Sunday at 5 p.m. vs. Pittsburgh.

Blake Comeau is out for the rest of the season with a broken foot. Good season for Blake & fans should expect the same production from him next year.

What To Make Of The Islanders Playing Spoilers

With the Islanders playing on a mission to make other teams miserable, they may have scored enough points to eliminate themselves from the top three picks in this years draft. Taking into account that the Florida teams are "not playing well," and Toronto has all but secured second place in the draft for Boston, it would probably take three straight loses by the Islanders to finish in the top 4-5 for a lottery. Many fans are hoping that the Islanders lose the rest of the way to secure a top pick. That wish may not be granted.

I myself, due to the sudden rash of injuries the Islanders were sustaining and trade(s), after the Olympic break, believed that a top 3 pick was inevitable, but that all changed when players like Blake Comeau, Sean Bergenheim, and Martin Biron get hot and the young Islanders core refuse to quit on the season. But should fans be happy or sad about the recent winning ways and possibly losing that perennial top pick? This is where faith in there general manager comes into play.

Since sticking to his game plan, Garth Snow has improved the organization with some quality picks, and some great "where did he come from" free agent signings.  Let's face it, losing defenseman left and right this season, only to bring up players from Bridgeport and still continue to win is a huge plus and credit should go to everyone involved in the development of these player. Snow realizes what is needed, but we as fans need to be patient and see what the next three games brings to the Islanders. I think most fans will enjoy a top 4 pick, but If fans do have trust in Snow, then they should really cheer for there team to spoil Pittsburgh and New Jersey's chances of clinching the division.  The Islanders do need another top pick for this organization, no question. However, for the immediate future of this team, Snow must look towards the free agent market to improve on this club.

For now, enjoy the last three games and when the dust has settled and the season is over, then fans can begin the process of taking Snow's job away from him and proclaiming themselves as the greatest GM to ever live when the lottery begins on Tuesday, that is of course if the Islanders are in the lottery,