Thanks to all the readers who offered such encouraging and thoughtful responses to my initial Islanders blog. I can tell you this feature is very important to Newsday and is destined to become a vital part of my job because of the obvious level of interest in the Islanders, even though the low attendance figures at games is an indication that many fans have been turned off by some of the decisions made by the franchise.
While I can’t respond to every question or issue raised on an individual basis, you can believe I’m listening intently to the things that matter most to you and taking it all into consideration, including honest criticism, as I familiarize myself with a new beat and begin to develop a season-long story line. For instance, the recent story I wrote updating the situation between Sean Bergenheim and the Islanders was a direct response to fan interest in that topic, and I can assure you there will be more follow-up on that subject as it evolves.
Understand that a good reporter can’t share every single thing he knows because some situations are complex and it takes time research and fully develop a story that has the substance all of you are seeking. Also, there are confidences that must be maintained with off-the-record sources who provide background information that informs the coverage. So, patience as I work to develop the major stories you want to read in addition to the daily demands of news on the beat.
But if I can raise the profile of Islanders coverage, I will. Part of my plan is to use this blog to expand upon the daily story you see in the newspaper. I see the reporting process as comparable to film editing. There’s always good material that, for one reason or another, hits the cutting room floor.
So, here’s an outtake from today’s practice, where reporters (amazingly all four major dailies, including Newsday, Daily News, Post and Times, attended) asked coach Ted Nolan about his defense and how it is adjusting to the speed-oriented attacks that have become the norm in today’s NHL.
Nolan’s six-man defenseman rotation includes such older veterans as Brendan Witt, Alexei Zhitnik and Sean Hill. As a group, they don’t really have the speed to go stride-for-stride with skaters the likes of Buffalo’s Maxim Afinogenov, who scored a breakaway goal in the Sabres’ 3-0 win Thursday night. So, Nolan frankly admits he’s emphasizing positioning to compensate for the lack of speed.
But the time will come when one of the vets might have to sit in favor of getting more speed on the ice. Chris Campoli is in Bridgeport right now working to come back from a groin injury. It has been assumed he would replace second-year man Bruno Gervais, who is getting the least ice time among defensemen at 12 minutes per game. But Nolan insisted that’s not necessarily the case even though he defended Hill by saying his savvy makes up for his lack of mobility.
Gervais had some rough moments in the first three games on the West Coast, but his plus-minus is even in the past six games and he has formed an effective partnership with Tom Poti. Naturally, Gervais believes speed and mobility is more important than ever on defense, and he offered a good explanation why when teams are using four attackers.
“You’ve got to make smart decisions, but you can’t just back up because that’s what they want,” Gervais said. “They’re going to send four all the time; they’re going to be skating and trying to score off the rush. If you play hard and play smart, that’s when you can create something the other way with a turnover.”
He described the decision-making process for a defenseman in terms of when to take the body and how to avoid taking a bad penalty this way: “If you know it’s a 50-50 chance to get the puck or if [an opposing skater] has his back to you and doesn’t see you, then, you’ve got to go and pressure those guys. If a guy like Daniel Briere is looking at you in the eyes and you decide to go at him, they’re good enough and fast enough to just blow by you. Then, you’re in trouble. You’ve got to be smart to pressure when he doesn’t see you coming or if it’s 50-50 and he can’t make a play.”
Penalties come when a defenseman has to turn and chase a player coming with speed into the offensive end. If the defenseman can’t match that speed and has to use his stick, he’s going to hear a whistle. The Islanders’ seven penalties against Buffalo included two hooking calls apiece by Hill and Martinek and a late tripping call on Poti.
Bloggers
Blogroll
- Long Distance Islander
- Fantasy Fancy
- Islander 360
- Islander Outsider
- Greetings from Islander Country
- NY Islanders 7th Woman
- Ravings of an Islander's Blogger
- Tiger Track
- Voice of the Islander fans
- IslesBloger.com
- Okoposo.net
- Still Drivin’
- Islander Fan Central
- Isles Media Blog
- NYI Voices
- Islanders Army
- The View From Section 317 :: A New York Islanders Blog
- Drive for Five
- New York Islanders For Life!
- Hockey Analysis
- Yahoo Islanders Nation
Newsday Blogroll
- Yankees
- Bronx & Beans
- Mets
- Ken Davidoff's MLB Blog
- Fantasy baseball
- Jets
- Giants
- Bob Glauber's NFL Blog
- Knicks
- Ken Berger's NBA Insider
- Islanders
- Rangers
- Neil Best's 'Watchdog'
- The Final Score
- High School Blogs
- Campus Confidential
- Golf: On the Green
- Mixed Martial Arts
- Boxing: The Neutral Corner
- Fishing: Scales & Tales
- The Steel Cage
- At the Races
Web Sites
Subscribe
« RESTORING THE GLORY | Main | THE HIGH COST OF HOCKEY »
EXPANDING ISLANDERS COVERAGE
Search
Recent Posts
Categories
- Live chats
Comments (28)
Hey Greg, glad to see your Isles blog up and running - I'm an Isles fan that's not particularly happy with the moves they made this offseason, but I still manage to attend games ...although that's a rare statement to hear because that place is empty on a regular basis ...
My question is this - Blake Comeau is off to a fast start and Ryan O'marra is coming back from an ankle injury - do you think the Isles have any plans on bringing those guys up this year? They're young, talented, and could provide some more scoring ...thoughts?
Thanks!
Excellent insights from Bruno Gervais. This will help those who may not understand why a team like the Isles have been prone to taking so many penalties.
Hopefully Nolan will get these players to may the necessary adjustments to stregthen the unit's positioning as a whole. But, in the end, players with speed, even the young one, should step in on this club and have an opportunity to learn the game. Players like Hill are welcome, but time is catching up with him, and he would be ebst suited to fill-in and help teach our younger players about the game. The young guys will make their mistakes, but that is the only way they will learn at this level.
I can't help but find it humorous how "shocked" we all seem to be over the shortcomings of all our defensemen this season. What exactly were we expecting heading into a season where our returning guy was Martinek and we "bolstered" the defensive corps with Witt, Poti and Hill?? Again, the front office ruined the defense before the team ever got on the ice. Wouldn't splurge for Adrian Aucoin and now he's gone. He was the only one worth anything. So, where is the future of the Isles defense? Because clearly we have nothing now.
Please keep us up to date ont he Bergenheim story. As much as I think he and his agent made a very bad judgement call, he is a very promising prospect and his development should not be comprpmised. I would think we would want to have a say in where he plays this year to make sure he does not take a step back. To me that is logical but it seems they want to make him pay and since his roster spot was replaced, they are ready to let him play in a sub-par finnish league. That is not where he belongs... everyone was so positive about his development last year. Is a contractual issue worth throwing away his progress/development? Great post, looking forward to your honest, informative and ongoing stories/details throughout the year. I love the blog for added insights!
Really outstanding blog today, informatiive, great information on the defensive situtation and it's critical that Newsday's beatwriter gives this team it's best and glad to see you and the paper feel likewise.
Great start covering this team so far, I was worried you going from the Knicks to this may have brought about bad feelings with your editor that may have gone into your work. Most hockey writers in this market move onto the higher profile sports after a few years.
To me there is an unlimited market here for dedicated hockey writers who really goes all out to provide information to the public.
Twenty-thirty years ago hockey coverage was huge in this market. Isles games could get any city backpage for a regular season game.
Once again good update and thanks.
Thanks for being blunt and honest about the coverage and for providing some insight...The start of the blog has been great and I'm looking forward to the coverage this year...
Good win in the shootout to get nack to .500...I don't like giving away a point to Florida, as the Isles should have won in regulation...But I'll be happy with the win...Yashin has been great this year...He's playing with passion and desire...I can't help but think that Ted Nolas HAS to have something to do with that...A guy Nolan must love, Jason Blake, has been great as well...
Sorry, that last post was mine...
Just wanted to add that I'm also interested in the follow-up to Bergenheim's storty....Like the first poster, I'm also curious to know if Blake Comeau and Ryan O'Marra are in the Isles plans at all for this year...Thanks and look forward to reading the blog all year!
As compared to Dolan's 18,200 that was closer to 12,000 many nights for a decade at Msg. If not for Knicks fans and corporate America there would be less than 10,000 for Rag games.
And you still cannot legitimately sellout Msg.
Greg I look forward to reading your blogs, replacing Alan Hahn I am sure was no easy task and you have done a good job. There are a couple of things I would like to say, could you keep us updated on the Bergenheim situation. His choice (or should I say his agent's choice) to not sign was terrible but Wang should not toss him aside, he is a good prospect. Also can you keep us up to date on the new Coliseum deal. I think Nassau County needs to be pushed and possibly exposed here. Obviously I am like most fans in saying I am extremly unhappy with the way this team is run by Wang and marketed. The atmosphere at the Coliseum is terrible compared to any other NHL rink and I know part of it is contributed to the 9,500 fans who are showing up. The franchise has done nothing to build upon its fan base which seems more suited for the AHL then the NHL. This must change and I think the NY media needs to push and expose what is going on there. Also the Hub is vital to the Islanders and the county of Nassau, the political hold up is and should be an emarrasment to the town. This must get done or the Islanders are toast in this town. Finally please convice FSNY to please give us back Joe Michelleti, Jaffe has been painful to listen to. Once again thanks for the coverage and hopefully we will be watching the Islanders play in front of a packed house nightly rather then once a season.
stop talking about the hub.thats 8-10 years away talk about now.lower the prices and put a better team on the ice and stop giving 15 year contracts to players, that is nuts and he isn't that good
I'm with Bob. Fan in Philly, you build a team from the ice, not with arenas. The Coliseum is one of the greatest places to be at a game when there's a good team out there, because the fans fill in and respond. I don't want a corporate fatcat arena with 25,000 seats. That'll get fans for a few games and it'll waste a lot of time and money (and cause horrific traffic). Forget the new arena, forget "the Lighthouse" and all that nonsense and get some real hockey minds in to build a team. Milbury is NOT a hockey mind and he's one of the reasons we're hurting so bad today. Firing Smith and signing DiP to 15 years?? We're the laughing stock of the entire North American hockey world. I appreciate Wang keeping the team on LI but other than that, he needs to get out of the way.
Now let's all fill the place on 23 Dec cuz I'll be there for sure!
It's a good idea to try and "re-connect" with the Stanley cup Islanders. but to have Milbury (who ALL Isles fans despise, and with whom Mr. Wang needs to keep out of the media) introduce Bossy did only harm and did not generate the positive spin he was looking for. And to hear the Islanders' radio spot mention three players' names and NOT Yashin, I mean that basically says it all, that their highest paid player and the one wearing the "C" is not even mentioned. The Isles just have no identity. Tell me could you match all the players faces with their names? I can't and I consider myself a Big Isles fan.
Thanks for the insightful information you have provided thus far this season, and for starting this blog. As others have stated, if you could keep fans updated on the status of the prospects this team has, it would be leaps ahead of previous Islanders coverage. As of now the only way to receive this information is through message boards. Also, I have to dissagree with an above writer about Jaffe, I do not think he is bad at all and I think he and Rose will be a solid combination. Michaeletti was great but Jaffe seems to be a valid replacement. Thanks again Greg, keep up the good work.
Great blog today on defense. Alas, I fear that old and slow on the backline is going to be a real problem as the season wears on and these guys get a bit more tired.
It also seems that every night's pre-game report starts with, "The Isles have to be careful with Team X's speed tonight." Well, welcome to the new NHL, which every team other than ours appears to understand. Indeed, we have only a handful of guys under 30 years of age on the team and virtually nobody other than DiPietro who was a selected by them in the first five rounds in the previous six drafts!!!
And with that, amen to Danny B in Tennessee on Milbury. As written in today's article, to see the man most disliked by Isles fans in charge of getting people into the building simply flunks business 101. I know this analogy is a bit "off," but in Islander land, it's like having Osama Bin Laden sending out invites to your kid's Bar Mitvah! No wonder sales are flat.
Rose, Emrick, Resch, Micheletti, Jaffe and Rosen all work for and are paid by Cablevision. Wang has no say at all in who cablevision hires or fires to call Islander hockey games. Wang did not fire Micheletti or hire Jaffe, Dolan decided he wanted Micheletti covering his club so he was demoted to the Rags. If Rosen left tomorrow, Dolan would put Emrick on the Rags.
Bob I was not trying to sound like a new arena will solve all their problems. Yes there is no place like the Coliseum anywhere in the NHL when that place is rocking. On the other hand in today's sports world the Islanders cannot survive playing in an arena that is outdated, has not luxury boxex/suites, and does not get any sory of revenue for parking, food, etc. (SMG's Fault) In order for the Islanders to survive in today's sports world a new/renivated Coliseum is a must.
Greg,
Any comment on the Belfour incident at the Posh nightclub at the Garden City hotel?
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/hockey/panthers/sfl-sppanspec29oct29,0,197027.story?coll=sfla-sports-panthers
"The DiPetro deal is the straw that broke my back, which by the way was done after Season Tix commitments were due."
Great comment, as the DiPietro deal killed did me in as well. It's rather conniving that Charles intentionally waited so long to get that deal done. If you think that was coincidence, think again. Chuckles said that we're tired of losing our favorite players to free agency, but DiPietro was my least favorite player even before the contract.
"The DiPetro deal is the straw that broke my back, which by the way was done after Season Tix commitments were due."
Good riddance and don't come back...
the fans will come back if the team consistenly wins. to quote al davis, "just win baby!" the bottom line is that few are sold on this team, and with high ticket prices and plenty of other entertainment options, most fans are waiting to see if the team actually wins before spending their hard earned dollars on the blue and organge. they came back in 01/02 when the team was good, and they'll come back again. one suggestion i would have for the club is to arrange for some sort of bus transfer from the hempstead/mineola lirr stations in an effort to attract people who can't or don't want to drive to the games.
Bob, again I disagree with your financial worries about the team. In the old NHL I would have whole-heartedly agreed with you. But with the new league salary cap, etc. every team truly has a chance to compete now. But it requires someone who knows how to build a team, not Milbury. I'm not worried about luxury boxes and any of that stuff and neither should you. Like John from Rockville Centre said, if the Isles are competitive, the fans will come back! We sucked for years but come 2002, the fans were there, ready to scream again. There's plenty of people on LI to turn into fans to fill those seats. We just need the team. Money is not the issue anymore. It's a little too late, IMO since the cap years ago could have kept some teams in their old cities (Nordiques, Jets, Whalers)...
"Good riddance and don't come back..."
Honestly, you're an idiot if you back the DiPietro deal. Actually, you're an idiot if you back DiPietro at all.
"Honestly, you're an idiot if you back the DiPietro deal. Actually, you're an idiot if you back DiPietro at all."
Guess what? B/c of the 15 year deal (which was wrong, but it's done) here are the options:
a) Back DiPietro
b) Don't root for the Islanders
Being a diehard, I choose a). Being a whiny frontrunner, you choose b). So i say good riddance and don't come back.
Lets drum up some buzz about Thursday night's game. We need to get at least 14,000! Recruit your friends to the Biggest game of the year thus far. First place here we come. Let go!
None of the Islanders fans marched on New Jersey. It's a shame. The Isles are kicking butt, and there's 5,000 Devils fans. We could have taken over that arena. Well, not me, I work nights.
Even though the Islanders are tied in points with the Penguins, Pittsburgh should be listed as the top team in the standings by virtue of their higher win total and plus 10 goal differential.But I guess Newsday has to throw the Islander fans a bone since they haven't had anything to cheer about since 1983!!!!!
Part of the reason the seats are empty is the lack of passion in the game now. Honestly, where is the rivalry? Where is the hitting? Asham is the lone fight for the isles this ENTIRE season. Hockey impresses the loyal base for being a gritty, tough game. The NHL, in its futile attempts to cater to an imaginary crowd, has made the game a Russian skating park. The Isles all talk about that 7 game series with the Leafs we never built off of. Why is the series memorable? Hits. Fights. Hatred. Where has it gone? Can the "NEW NHL" keep the old school hockey fans? Personally, I doubt it....
Your right srr it must be so much better being a Rangers fan, hey you win a cup every 60 years that would make any teams fans happy. Four Cups in 80 years now thats quite a pastime. Boy MSGNetwork must be stretching for those 50 wonderful moments at the Worlds Most Overated Arena.