On the Islanders Beat

Bruno Gervais better do what Campoli did in the off-season. He is poor.

CRUSHING LOSS !!!

Simply cannot lose to a team without half their guys. Their goalie played great, but our PP is pathetic!

Awful goal DiPietro. He was severly outplayed by Ty Conklin. Just plain bad.

Comrie just got his assed kicked, DiPietro got his butt handed to him. I'm just a frustrated fan.

Bring up Okposo.

DP looks like a "green" goalie the last few weeks .. going back to the losing streak ... with a sprinkle of a few "good" games in the last 15 games. I'd even say DP sucks at this point. He's had two different seasons .. just as the team has.

Comrie .... our new heavy weight .... something just isn't right with this picture.

The lower bowl is soooo empty ... that I could write a huge banner that wraps around the arena and wouldn't block anyone's vision.

A brick wall would of been outplayed by Conklin tonight...The guy put on a show.....

SNOW should NOT of made a move last year, and SHOULD of this year.

At least we have Comrie as our new fighter.....With MAB gone my new target will be the Bobbles.....

FIRE SNOW

Get use to our TOP SCORERS fighting.....We have no enforcer.

Wait till we play the Flyers....My God, the kids are all gonna get run.

DP may be in a slump, it happens.

Davison is an enforcer, you tube his name.

DP is a bottom half goalie, 20 shots four goals against. He sucks

4 defensemen are tied for the league lead with 8 power play goals.
The defensemen are: Dion Phaneuf, Chris Pronger, Brian Rafalski, and MAB. MAB also has played 20 less games than the other three.

Last year he was 19th in the league in total D-man points
tied for 5th in power play goals
and had 21 points in 23 games as an Islander

Granted he had weaknesses, but he also had obvious strengths. What was the rush to get rid of this guy??

4 defensemen are tied for the league lead with 8 power play goals.
The defensemen are: Dion Phaneuf, Chris Pronger, Brian Rafalski, and MAB. MAB also has played 20 less games than the other three.

Last year he was 19th in the league in total D-man points
tied for 5th in power play goals
and had 21 points in 23 games as an Islander

Granted he had weaknesses, but he also had obvious strengths. What was the rush to get rid of this guy??

mike- those other Defensemen are all all stars and did not cause around 15 break down goals against. mab was horrible

Davison can't be an all out enforcer as a D-man ... if there is a scuffle in the offensive zone ... the D men cannot come down low into the forray near the net or hashboards ... or it's a game misconduct or 10 minute misconduct... plus some minutes.

Steady .... DP isn't having a bad game. He's having a bad month. The only team he can shutout is Tampa ... 2 of 3 SO against Tampa this season ... and he blew an easy shutout against Atlanta the other week. The last goal tonight he was faked out of his pads by a guy who got his first NHL goal. Something isn't right with him. This isn't DP the All-Star .... this is the DP is he All-right?

Also Steady .... you and I have touted the bad Smyth 3 for 1 trade since last year .... and yeah .. I agree 10000% .... Snow made a deal last year that she shouldn't of .... no matter how good it looked that he "went for it" and "committed to win" ... I think the people that say that have to realize .... Snow committed 3 first rounders for a rental that got out of Long Island faster then a Jason Blake breakaway.

He didn't make a deal this season because he was gun shy from last season ... he didn't make a deal because he wasn't able to because he was shy 3 bullets.

With a deep draft nobody is going to be as naive as Snow was last year ... and take a package of pending UFAs. Even TMLs' Fletcher who was desperate to clear space wasn't going to bite.

Groucho ~ DP has had a bad first half of the 2nd half. I'm with you there .... but I'm not with you in your appraisal of DP as a goalie ... first of using your method of rating a goalie by shots that get through is off the mark. A shot that trickles to the goalie counts as a shot. The Isles D ... we'll isn't even better than avg... and the Isles spend an awful lot of time playing in their own end... mostly because they don't have the offense to sustain a long attack .... tonight was an exception ... DP did suck tonight.

505 ~ #3 eh? I have a new nickname for 505 ~ "The Babe" I can picture 505 AKA The Babe kicking back with a stoggy and mug of suds.

Also 505 ~ Simon still might have a good key goal for the Isles this season..... The Wild is playing some South East Division games and the Devils once in early March ... could be something left to Steady's prediction. It could be a goal that becomes pivotal in the Isles quest for a playoff spot. Then again ... probably not.... it's Simon we are talking about here.

Some else asked why Johnson is on the PP .... Answer .. because they don't have anyone who can play D on the PP ... the closest positional player that was half good at the point .... MAB ... is enroute to Disney Land. Sorry Steady ... as much as I agree that he's got a defensive downside .... nobody else on the backline came close to his offensive upside on the PP.

I'll close it here for now.

Tomorrow I'll have more of my trade deadline opinions... just not feeling a good War and Peace in me yet.

I love how you folks are ragging on DP for this loss. What a joke. So which goal was that bad?
The first one was Malkin being allowed to glide unchallenged in the slot and fire from 15 feet out. The second one was a second rebound after the puck went off Hilberts skate. The thrid one was a rocket from Stahl. The fourth one was a breakaway.
The Isles provided no support in front of the Pens net tonight and then allowed Malkin to win the game.

Greg ... thanks again for another super job reporting the progress and inside story as you get us info during the trade deadline. Last year at this time I discovered this blog .... and made my first post... using my real first name ... not this.

You have some real great posters on here ... we don't even have to agree with each other on here all the time... but it's a great place for Isles fans to blow off some steam ... or share in a great victory. Looking forward to more of that later.

Oh ... and 505 .... great call on the Howie Rose / Malkin goal connection in the previous thread.
..........................................................................................
*** Posted by Islander505 | February 26, 2008 19:33
THANK YOU HOWIE ROSE....

For telling the WHOLE UNIVERSE, that Malkin only had 2 goals in 13 games against the Isles in his career and NONE against the Isles this year...

I'm done with Rose.
GO BACK TO THE GD METS AND RUIN THEIR SEASON BIG MOUTH!!!

I already like Davison and I haven't even seen him yet.
He has my number---3***
....................................................................................

I left the room as soon as I heard Rose say that cursing calling him a Bleeping moron ... I said it so loud and so irritated ... that my girlfriend told me to relax ... and I said ... don't you understand .... he's a jinx .... haven't you figured that out by now ... she said I was being silly ... then BAM... Hello Malkin!!! She looked at me and said ... OMG Rose is a jinx.... and I went back to the SAP to listen to the "natural sound" of the game's arena mics.

The sad thing is ... she originally became an Islander fan when the ownership debacle of the 90s first occured. So she's used to Howie and all this BS ... The Core of Four really set the bar pretty high for us long time fans.

Being a former goalie, it looked like DP was favoring his right shoulder a little (glove side), and his mobility is not up to his standards. He might be playing through an injury or two.

I was sick and missed my first game at the NVMC this year. Does the home crowd always seem that dead on TV?

Nolan is a great coach, but he is stuborn in his ways. Take out the Leafs game, and the Isles were roughly 1 for their last 33 PP attempts until that last goal. Why the &%& he does give the kids a chance on the PP is beyond me. And what was with the $4 million signing of Comrie? Is that $1 million for every face-off he has won on the PP this year?

Merrick ~ "I was sick and missed my first game at the NVMC this year. Does the home crowd always seem that dead on TV?"

Did today's trade deadline sputter make you ill too? J/K ... hope you feel better. To answer your question ... the crowd seemed a little lethargic ... I noticed it more in the second period before the Isles scored. I think the crowd sensed and ominous outcome after all the shots that the guys had poured on the Pens to that point and were getting no results being behind 2-0.

I was at the game tonight and here are a couple of observations:

1) I knew our PP was weak and losing MAB (although horrendous in ALL defensive aspects of the game) will hurt us (I think Campoli can easily assume his role next year w/ much better D though) ... anyway, how pathetic was it that we had a 5 on 3 for over a minute and barely produced a decent chance while Pitt cashed in on their 5 on 3 in under 10 seconds? Do we have the absolute worst 5 on 3 in the history of the game?

2) why do I feel 100% more confident on the PP kill then playing 4 on 4? I guess the lack of speed on this team is just killing us when we go 4 on 4

3) they announced the new deals for Hunter + Comrie at the game ... Hunter got a decent round of applause when they announced his 5 year extension and Comrie heard crickets when they announced his.

4) lower bowl and 300's were wastelands ... dying to find out the attendance tonight. First period there was 5000 MAX ... maybe 9000 by the time the 2nd rolled around (they announce anymore than that then their cooking the books)

5) I'm sitting in 304 and the first two rows are COMPLETELY empty ... so, halfway thru the first a group of 7 kids (who were pretty energetic unlike most of the crowd) slide into the empty seats and get run out in about 30 seconds by an usher who's trying a little too hard at his job. Are you kidding me? They try again in the 2nd (still nobody sitting in the entire first 2 rows except for my wife and I) and the usher runs them again? No wonder we can't groom any fans.

6) Conklin stood on his head tonight ... we had so many chances that looked like they were going in the net and it just wasn't meant to be. Still, it proves (yet again) that we need to somehow get some scorers on this team. Where are they gonna come from???

Maybe it has something to do with watching a team's 5 on 3 that doesn't generate scoring chances. Maybe Vasicek knocked some sense into Gallant. Guerin, Hunter, & Co. are worthless PP contributors.

I also liked when Jaffe said "oh look at Nolan what a great coach, he put out Park and Bergenheim on the PP after noticing the PP was doing nothing." Yeah takes a real genius to change it up when your PP is 0-8. How about getting Comeau and Tambs out there on the PP. THey were the best line tonight.

Isles have won 6 of their last 15 games. Going to need a much better month of March.

I've said it so many times before, this game, especially now, is about skill and not so much about hard work and systems. Skill trumps everything else, and right now the Isles just don't have much of it up front. The opposing teams has nobody to key on and they never have to worry that one of the Islanders is going to make an unbelievable play in the offensive zone. It rarely happens. Hoepfully, Okposo can be that guy or maybe a free agent. Hunter, Fedotenko, Park, Bergenheim, Guerin (at his age) are all decent players, but their skill level is minimal.

Lets get serious.... Pitt capitalized on their opportunities and we didn't... Conklin was solid, but we also made him look good... just like every other goalie we play... Season isnt over, but its getting close... need some points in a hurry... themass is always on a positive tip but without a PP we are toast... hope they prove me wrong.

Oh and DP is the man regardless of recent outings. They cant expect to play him this much..he's just not there yet. I happen to think Dubie has played well as a backup (many of you may disagree), but if they don't feel comfortable with him they need to get a backup that they do. Half his starts have come out of necessity rather than a scheduled start.

Lets get it done boys.... please prove me wrong because I dont want to wait till next Oct to follow sports again!!!!!

Just as I predicted in my last post. The Pens without Hossa or Crosby kicked our butts, despite 52 shots on goal.

Our offense is just putrid, Defense below average, and DP may be playing injured, or for whatever reason, his lack of mobility, can't seem to save this team.

We couldn't upgrade with trades because no one wants our UFA signings right now and can wait till next season. Snow is still pretty green as a GM to think that the youth here will win a cup. At least his comments tell me he's looking beyond this season.

Face it, we are rebuilding and in no way competitive -- we are like the NY Jets of the NHL.

Isle be - OUT.

Just got back from 'The Pit" after watching a 1 pt loss OT loss by the Lobos to the Mormons. Ears are still ringing.
I have been to A LOT of arenas in this country, for all kinds of sporting events, and I know a lot is written about some arenas back east, BUT, I have NEVER been in a place as loud as "The Pit" (remember Valvano's National Championship?) is when it is packed with 18,108 SRO fans.
The acoustics in there make it absolutely deafening (and a lousy place to see a concert). If anyone EVER has a chance to see a College Hoops game there....DO IT. It is one of the few places I have ever seen where opposing coaches MUST rely on hand signals for the entire game.

Anyhow,
52 shots on goal tonight? I'd say Conklin stole a game tonight.
I guess we gotta take the good with the bad eh? Maybe?
I see that my new favorite Islander (whom I have yet to see) got some ice time, registered a few hits and came up with 3 shots on goal in the 2nd and 3rd period.
ATTABOY NBR 3!!!!

And Merrick,
In reference to your question about a dead crowd on TV?
One word
YES.
Very disheartening.

Of course, when you have so many FAIRWEATHER FRONTRUNNING FANS (ALL F'S if you catch my drift), who's tampons turn into pumpkins at the 1st toll of a midnight bell, small quiet crowds become the accepted norm. And then they all suddenly become blogboard geniuses for "predicting" the demise.
I'm gonna start calling that the Howie Rose Phenomena. I.E. If you wish it, think it or just simply BRING IT UP, it will happen.

Me? I'm still flying 3k miles next week to encourage and cheer on the boys.

Keep the heads up boys, it ain't over til this fat guy sings.

19Isles,

"505 ~ #3 eh? I have a new nickname for 505 ~ "The Babe" I can picture 505 AKA The Babe kicking back with a stoggy and mug of suds."

Pickup the book "The Big Bam" by Leigh Montville. I generally don't like sport's biographies, but this guy does 'em right.
I first read Montville's book about Ted Williams, LOVED IT (my father played ball with Ted in the USMC, in fact brought his Marine Corps baseball uni back to NY after the war- DONT ask me what happened to it), and then I picked up the paperback version of the Big Bam.
Now I/we have all heard and read the snippets of the Babe's folklore exploits, but this book puts it all in proper perspective.
Simply, Wilt Chamberlain was a virgin compared to The Babe, and NO BASEBALL PLAYER today violated "the laws of the land" both written and unwritten like the Babe did.
It's a fun read.

And BTW, I don't smoke cigars.

The mood swings on this blog from day to day are hilarious. Steady (and others), I feel your pain, really, as today drove home what a long process it is going to be to get this team to a level where it can consistently contend. It feels like we're running in quicksand. As for Ricky, it seems to me he hasn't been the same since he "f____d up his hip" at the Skills Comp. There's lots of reasons to be depressed. Yet a couple of wins and we'll all be right back on the bandwagon. The fight that Nolan is able to instill in his teams gets us all dreaming big about the damage we might do if we can somehow make the playoffs. So, you know, I am trying to stay even-keel and just ride it out until the next wave of irrational optimism rolls in.

I don't have the time or motivation at the moment to explain why I think this, but my view is that Garth did *not* have such a bad day. I do think he's the right guy for the job and not a bobblehead. Time will tell...

505 -- You may not in fact smoke cigars, but you SEEM like you smoke cigars, and in this presidential campaign season, that's all that matters. By the way, when I used "the audacity of hope," I was not trying to trick anyone into promoting O'Bama's book. Just a nice phrase that has a slightly different, and apt, ring in the Islander context. With all the pain of our current situation, tonight is a good night for a little audacity of hope. We've still got the best coach in the league.

The powerplay looked great tonight without MAB....

DOC

Well KH,

In the spirit of the Presidential season I WILL admit that I have smoked cigars from time to time, and, in fact, I have smoked some fat ones that LOOKED like cigars, (I will even admit to inhaling), but I DO NOT smoke cigars as a regular habit.
(Notice I used "habit" instead of "vice"--cuz....well ......I have no vices--just some habits).
And I am with you on the whole "audacity of hope" deal......all TRUE Islander fans simply need a little more "audaciousness" after the day's events.
I, too, am not uncomfortable with Snow's performance today
....regardless of the "Montreal Rumor". (I keep going back and forth in my mind on that deal.......damn.....Komisarek and Higgins.....BUT---the "rumored" fact that Comeau's name was THE dealbreaker---for both sides---speaks VERY HIGHLY of Comeau's perceived value).
So?
We move on.
And who's to say that the "rumor" cannot be resurrected and modified after the season?

BTW, speaking of Comeau, watching him in the 1st period tonight (cuz that's all I saw) ABSOLUTELY CONVINCED me that he should be playing center next year. The GUY CAN HANDLE AND PASS THE PUCK like no one else on this team.

GET THAT TROTTIER/SILLINGER SUMMER CAMP OPENED UP GARTH!!!

Today is a day to take stock on what the Isles have to do to get to the show.

I think DP has to get back to his regular form. He's been sloppy even in some wins. Maybe he did really hurt himself in the All-Star skills competition... if so ... that particular event should be banned if it can be proven. I thought that particular event was moronic to put a goaltender though. It's supposed to be a skills competition .. not a goaltender's torture chamber.

Anyway ... The offense has to get back to getting infront of the net... a lot of those 52 shots where just pointless shots at the net with nobody in position to get in Conklin's way... the two goals scored ... guess what? Someone infront of the net.

505 AKA The Babe ~ Regarding my cigar comment .... Please "Delete" cigar and insert "Starlet on each arm". Watch out Comrie ... The Big Bambino is coming to Mecca next week ... so lock up Hillary.

BTW 505 ~ Higgins 2G 1A last night.

Bottom Line:

Those ranking on DP are way out of bounds. The kid has carried us the WHOLE year. He has had ups and downs like every goalie does. The team in front of him is below avg. and we are still in a playoff race. BACK OFF.

Those that are saying our PP was bad last night b/c MAB was not there are on CRACK !!! What did our 5-3's do with him in the line up the past three games ? The guy was a cncer on the bench. The guy had 8 goals, yet was the cause of over 30 against.

Those ripping NOLAN I feel bad for. You put down the players. You put down the coaches. You put down the Bobbleheads upstairs. WHAT DO YOU GUYS LIKE ??????????

Nolan (like DP) is woring with a bunch of people that are not very good. They are trying to make lobster out of tuna salad. Give these two a break.

Need to go 13-5 to make the dance. This loss crippled us, yet did not kill us! Win and you are in !!!!

p.s 505...I love cigars....Mostly while golfing and our fishing....My humidor is full of some nice ones....Maybe with Castro going bye bye we can open up with Cuba :) :) Although I can name a bunch of cigars that blow away most Cubans.......What do you like?

Finally my dreams about MAB have been realized. I said from the very first day he arrived that Kevin Lowe was snickering to himself in Edmonton about dumping such a bum. All he ever did has stall the growth of Campoli and Gervais. Good riddance to the Mad Bomber

That game was frustrating to watch, I can't imagine how frustrating it was to play in. So I'll just add this inspirational story...

A HOCKEY STORY!!!
The NJ DEVILS foreign scout flies to Baghdad to watch a young Iraqi play hockey in the new American sponsored league and is suitably impressed and arranges for him to come over to the US .

The DEVILS sign him to a one year contract and the kid joins the team for the preseason.

Two weeks later the DEVILS are down 4-0 to the Rangers with only 10 minutes left. The coach gives the young Iraqi the nod and he goes in. The kid is a sensation - scores 5 goals in 10 minutes and wins the game!

When the player comes off the ice he phones his mom to tell her about his first day of NHL hockey. 'Hello mom, guess what?' he says.

'I played for 10 minutes today, we were 4-0 down, but I scored 5 goals and we won. Everybody loves me, the fans, the media, they all love me.'

'Wonderful,' says his mom, 'Let me tell you about my day. Your father got shot in the street and robbed, your sister and I were ambushed, harrassed and beaten and your brother has joined a gang of looters, and all while you were having such great time, playing a game.'

The young Iraqi is very upset. 'What can I say mom, but I'm so sorry.'

'Sorry? You're Sorry?' says his mom. 'It's your fault we moved to Newark in the first place.'

Have a nice day!

It seems to me that we got what we were asking for.

1) No more MAB

2) No more Chris Simon

3) Tambellini back in the lineup

4) Kid line back inaction

Ok, so nothing to pick on there, so I guess everyone figures they should go after DP. Or complain about the non moves. Man this is a moody board. I'm with you Steady with regards to your post.

Plenty of hockey left. Also, No Witt, No Sutton, no Campoli, no Sillinger, no Simm. That's a lot of players to lose from a lineup. But there is still plenty of hockey to play and we're only two points back.

I agree wholeheartedly, Coral Springs...

Last year, Snow trades spare parts to rent Smyth. People complain.

He signs whatever he can off the scrap heap. People complain.

MAB causes multiple goals. People complain.

MAB benched. People complain because the powerplay isn't as good.

Simon comes back. People complain.

Simon traded. People complain because there's no enforcer.

Satan and Tank not traded. People bitch.

Though let me give another scenario....

Satan and Tank traded for a 2nd and 4th round pick. People would have complained.

Let's give Snow a little credit for not simply trading for trading's sake. He clearly wanted to rid the team of MAB's defensive lapses (and his tendency to spar with teammates), and Simon needed a ticket out of here any way we could get it to him.

Honestly, 2 things conspired against the Isles today - earlier trades (Huet, Richards, Fedorov) set the market far lower than we had anticipated. In addition, let's not forget that Hossa was traded very late. It's possible that it came down to the wire on Hossa and there simply wasn't enough time for those teams to go to a backup plan (Satan, Tank).

Our team is finally run by an intelligent human being. Let's all remember that the real outrage is Milbury calling out the Isles for treading water, notwithstanding the fact that he drilled multiple holes in the boat.

Let's TRY not to be neurotic fatalists and put some trust in the team. It's good for you.

Hmm...I guess when I was going back to replace "bitch" with "complain" I missed one. I'm impressed Newsday let it through.

Also, there are now conflicting reports of the almost-trade. It may not have been Higgins OR Komisarek. I'm just heartened that Garth is willing to show some cojones and try to improve the team.

Steady,
"Although I can name a bunch of cigars that blow away most Cubans.......What do you like?"
Mexican, Colombian, Hawaiian, Matanuska Valley, Thai and Hybrid.

19Isles
"The Big Bambino is coming to Mecca next week ... so lock up Hillary."
Hillary is safe....my toe drag needs work and slipping sheets is verboten.
Where's Tiegs?
BTW, the Montville book on the Babe goes into detail about the supposed "rift" between Ruth and Gehrig. It really wasn't much of a rift, let's just say that, as usual, a woman was involved, and the character played by Teresa Wright opposite Gary Cooper in "Pride of the Yankees" wasn't exactly the sweet All American girl next door as presented on the screen.

Start Dubie tomorrow night in Atlanta.
DP needs a rest, if not physically, at least mentally.

19Isles,

"Maybe he did really hurt himself in the All-Star skills competition... if so ... that particular event should be banned if it can be proven."

I'm of the opinion that the entire "All-Star Event" should be banned for goalies. Including the game.
Bring up some hotshot minor leaguers to tend the nets during the game.
It ain't right that franchise goalies stand out there naked like deposed dictators and take the onslaughts that they endure.
It's not much different than a lone .30 caliber machine gunner standing on the deck of the Arizona fending off the entire Japanese air armada.

I wish Snow would just say, "We just couldn't find a deal that made sense to make." rather than, "We're happy with our team as is, and we feel our young guys deserve a chance." They may deserve a chance, but we're only "in the thick of it" because of a flukey 6 game winning streak and our goalie (who is tiring) has outstanding most nights. I don' t think we have anyone that anyone else wanted that badly. We have some "nice" players, but that doesn't get you a cup. Better hope our young guys develop cuz that's all we have.

JBear, what would that really do? Dissing your own team doesn't do much for morale or the respect Snow garners throughout the league. Let's just write it off as a GM PR comment and not worry about it.

Good point Nick...guess I'm just frustrated. I grew up playing HS hockey with Gillies and Hart at our practices...four cups will spoil a person...even if it was forever ago.

Merrick and Candyman,

I completely agree with getting the kids with skill on the power play. I was screaming that all night at the game. I love Nolan but what else does he need to see that what they are doing is not working. The young kids have the most skill on the team and they were clearly the best line last night. Guerin and Comrie turn the puck over way too much. It was disgusting watching them last night.

I also agree that everyone has got to relax. I think Snow is doing a great job in the past two years and I see what he is trying to do. If he wasn't going to get anything back of value on Tank & Satan, why trade them? He would have given up on this season without getting fair value and everyone else inlcuding myself would have been pissed off.

The fact is, this team doesnt have scoring and he is trying to build that now. We knew that going into this year and it has shown in the 2nd half of the season. Everyone should be happy we are where we are. I think next year will be a different story. All the core players will be back and these young guys will be one year better. We have a ton of cap space and i am extremely confident Snow will do the right thing with it.

Unlike most on the board, I'm pretty happy with the team.
YES, last night was frustrating, but they put up 52 SHOTS.
When the kid line was out there they made some opportunities.
Davison played real well with Marty, and delivered some nice hits.
I agree with 505 in that I think DP could use a break... and ATL is the perfect team to rest him against.
this thing is far from over. Witt comes back Saturday.

Is Walter hurt? I really liked what I saw when he was up, and he was the best player on teh ice when I saw BP earlier this year in Norfolk. I really thought that he would have made Silly expendable before the injury, and am surprised he isn't getting time now that he is done.

So... Having said all of that the person I want to pick on now that MAB is gone is Nolan... for giving Hilbert top line time, when he has Comeau to fill that role... and not seeing Walter is bugging me a little.

But I still think he (and the staff) has done a pretty good job... except for the PP.

Let's not forget we do have a lot of season ending injuries to this team. We've lost a full line (Bates, Sillinger, Sim) on offense, and Campoli on defense, which is really hurting us,

We are getting Witt back, and that will help out defensively. Me personally, I would really like to see Berard shine on the powerplay, and mentor Johnson, and even Meyer a little. We need more bodies out in front of the net for the PP to be succesful.

I also like the idea of Simon going and Tambs coming in just for the sake of having two lines that are scoring threats. Ironically, those two lines (the Bridgeport line and the Fed-Hunter-Vasicek) have been the most consistent recently.

The next month and a half are HUGE not only for the kids, but for this organization. The fans got what they wanted in that the kids are now here with the big club, and this team will go as far as the kids can help them. If we are still in the hunt by the end of March, Islander fans should be optimistic about the posssibility of a playoff berth, despite a long list of injuries, and that we have a ton of picks for the first three rounds in this years upcoming draft.

Let's be grateful for what we have, and support this team. The upper management heard our call in the young kids, now they're here. Start cheering and taking a quote from Steady "You Gotta Believe!!!"

JP

I also like Walter, but I think he is still down in BP because he's on a line with Okposo, and grooming him. You still need some talent down there, for Okposo to improve. I think if Okposo comes up next year, you'll also see Walter as well just because of the foundation of chemistry Okposo has with him, Tambs and Neilson. Just a thought.

Here is some PURE Speculation on my part regarding MAB and Simon being "sold" "dumped" whatever you wanna call it..yesterday.
Mark Herrmann "touches on it" in his article today.

We all know how Nolan has had a "thing" for Simon.
At the same time, one could perceive that Nolan was not a big fan of MAB, based on how much time he spent with Deb Kaufman this year in the press box.
Let's speculate for a minute that Nolan approached Snow before the deadline and said...
"Look, I don't want MAB on my team anymore....just go to the
Newday blog and read the posts by Steady, he's dead on and I have a dozen or so other reasons to be rid of him...get rid of him Garth"
Garth says, "Ya know Ted, I read that blog as well, but I kinda like what MAB brings to our powerless play"
Nolan says, "Garth, GET RID OF HIM".
Snow says "Well Teddy, if you REALLY read that blog, you will see that there are a dozen other guys/girls who are pissed that Simon is getting roster time over Tambs, AND that YOU ARE KILLING THE OTHER KIDS by putting him on the same line as Comeau and Neilsen"
"But I like Simon, we need an enforcer" says Nolan.
"Teddy, I know you love the guy, but Simon can't enforce his own bedtime schedule anymore......I tell you what Teddy, let's compromise, I'll get rid of MAB as long as you agree to let me send Simon up to Minnesota, the bars close at midnight there anyway, it'll be good for Chris...and I've got an angle on this Davison kid from San Jose who is a pretty mean guy....and he wears number 3.....just like that 505 character from the Newday blog".
"Okay, Garth....DEAL"

And now you know....
THE REST OF THE STORY.

Posted by mike | February 26, 2008 22:12
4 defensemen are tied for the league lead with 8 power play goals.
The defensemen are: Dion Phaneuf, Chris Pronger, Brian Rafalski, and MAB. MAB also has played 20 less games than the other three.
Last year he was 19th in the league in total D-man points
tied for 5th in power play goals
and had 21 points in 23 games as an Islander
Granted he had weaknesses, but he also had obvious strengths. What was the rush to get rid of this guy??

I agree. Bergeron's PP shot is a weapon rare enough that the failure here was in not assembling depth and talent enough to retain and maximize it.

Garth was in a no win situation. If he traded the UFA's, fans complain that he's tankin the season. Now fans can say that he didn't do enough to clean house. No win situation. The fact that he traded Simon for more than a bag of sticks is amazing. For this, he deserves executive of the year. I wonder what Hilbert Hears a Who thinks about what Garth did or didn't do yesterday.

I think of the trades this way. We got a 6th round pick in return for 6 months of suspensions. And remember, Daniel Alfredsson, Pavel Datsyuk & Brett Hull were 6th round picks, (though knowing our luck, we'll end up like Calgary trading away Brett Hull before he became great). I like the Simon trade though that Minnesota line of Boogard, Simon & Brassard is a scary goon one!

Bergeron clearly did not want to play here & had as many views from the Press Box as he did on the ice. I would've like the Isles to have gotten an actual player in return. Our D is depleted as it is & that pickup from the Sharks won't make anyone forget Potvin either. Maybe Garth can take the 3rd Round Pick piece of paper he got from the Ducks & make one of those Origami figures to put on the ice. The player we gave up to get Bergeron was a 1st rounder, plus Edmonton gave us a 3rd rounder too! I think we were robbed on that one. We could've gotten more, especially from a talent-rich team like Anaheim.

As for the non-trades, I think that will come back to haunt us. Satan - gone. Fedotenko - gone. Berard - gone. Vasicek - gone. Once again, Garth will be scrambling around to fill roster spots, (though knowing him, he'll resign Chris Simon). You can be sure Comrie & Guerin will be traded too in 2009 before their deals are up. Maybe Hillary Duff can play center!

I do feel bad for Snow though. He got caught in a bad situation with the Isles "on the bubble". Had they not gone on that recent winning streak, he could've gotten some good, young players in return for the players who are surely going to bolt after the season ends. But because he didn't want to be seen as "giving up", he stayed pat & now has to hope that Brodeur, Lundqvist, Malkin, Crosby, Heatley, Spezza, Chara, Staal, Ward, Ovechkin & Fedorov all simultaneously get season ending injuries.

Yah your team is a pure power house Bdwy Blueser. You must be proud of your storied history.

How much happiness have they bought you with all those millions of dollars spent ???

Your offense and the 55 million dollar re-vamping is spectacular!

p.s How have you done vs. us this year ? What is Lundys record against DP ? Why are you on this blog?

EXACTLY !!!

Uh, Ok Broadway Blue.....

Where did that come from?
I'm scouring this blog and I can't even find Lundqvist's name MISSPELLED over here, much less flamed.

Did you just wake up from a nap started 2 weeks before the All-Star Game, reach for your keyboard before finishing off the last two stale swigs of Muscatel?

Don't waste your time Steady. This loser is hated on the rangers blog also. Lonely man is all.

BTW Broadway Blue,

You missed a helluva All-Star Game.
Ratelle and Gilbert each had a goal and an assist, and Giacomin was the MVP.

Now, finish off the TV dinner that's still sitting on top of the stove, cap it off with the half bottle of Thunderbird in the fridge, and go back to sleep.

another sad day in Islander land - when you are trying to push for a playoff spot you dont give away your only good PP option. You go out and make your team better. I highly doubt that Garth Snow Charles Wang and Ted Nolan will go to bed tonight saying we are a better team today then we were yesterday. Pittsburgh, Washington, Dallas, San Jose can say that but thats ok all of those teams have won a playoff series in the past 15 years. We dont strive for that - we only want grit heart and character so who needs to use our cap room or make a move to be a good team then we go out and get our butts kicked while getting 52 shots on goal how is that possible???????? oh yea bc we are all islanders

Why can't my team beat the Islanders?

"We're all Rangers!"

I believe you Ranger Fan.
And every rump between 14th St and 72nd St. goes into hiding whenever your young boys take the ice at the Garden.

Ah, I see I have a lover now.
Back to the 3 syllables or less vocabulary.

Run your game Lancelot......knock your socks off.

Why has my team won the same amount of Cups as the Isles even though we've been around 3x as long?

Relax fellow Ranger trooper. I know we are nervous about making the playoffs even though we were supposed to be Cup contenders, but why are we focusing on the Isles? We should be confident in our team! I guess we are all a little more worried than I'd like to beleive.

Hey Dynasty, Steady and the rest of the toolboxes,
looks like last, or next to last is exactly where this team of lies and mis truths is ending up after all.
Have fun playing in the sand traps Piles.
And to you know it alls, Hamilton is only 2 years away!

YEAH! !!!

Simon, thank god he's gone for good! Worst player in the world, but hey, he was a NTP!

Oh sorry I didn't do my research. Turns out you are only 2 pts out of 8th place. Wow I'm an idiot.

Now you just sound like a moron child.

What is DP's record vs Henrik?????

when did DP start playing Henrik 1 on 1??

If you go by that logic than DP is better than Brodeur... but I'm sure you dillusional Islander fans probably think that too.

we must of been spending the same amount of money....when the rags had a 72 million dollar payroll (you did not make the playoffs that year) and we had like 10 years of a 20 mill payroll.

You won 3 cups with only 6 teams in the league

Your 1st round pick Montonya went for a lot AHL players .yesterday. Call up Jessimen so you guys can say he was not a bust either

why do all of our fans were suits to the game?