On the Islanders Beat

I'm going to throw some gas on the fire regarding Snow's debacle of a deal for Smyth .... I know a lot of Isles' fans loved that deal ... but I never did ... and I said as much on this blog when the deal was announced.

What soured me on the deal wasn't the player they got ... it was the fact that they gave up THREE 1st rounders for a top middle teir NON-FRANCHISE player who I knew damn well was going to test the Free Agent market .... as Steady said ... it matters less how the 3 players (1 potential draft pick) perform from there on out .... it mattered more that we got a BIG TIME player who was under contract for at least a few years.

Steady .... you were wrong .... it wasn't a national embarrassment .... it was an INTERNATIONAL embarrassment.

That ONE trade is what sours me most on Snow ... he still needs a bunch more "Atta Boys" to make up for that one horrible "Oh Boy".

All that being said ... I think at this time firing Snow will only set the Isles back another year .... besides I'm not confident that a real GM will want to come to Wang's Big Top... Neil Smith / Pat LaFontaine were really put in a bad place when they were hired ... as much as I liked Nolan while he was here .... I think a GM should hire his own coach.
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LOL!! Kevin T. I was wondering where your loyalties were going to lie tonight. Good one.
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J-Mac vs. Luongo ... this could turn out to be a thrilling game or a bust.... Hoping for a good thriller.

Big Mac!!!!!
DP who?
Yeah Isles.....HELL YEAH!!!!!!

Joey . Joey . Joey !!!!

WOW....Kid is solid ! Nice win !

Someone please tell me what Sim offers this team.. He is NOT a good pest. Why is he on the PP ???

Great shot on the shoot out by Nielson !

p.s Bag Tamby and bring up Comeau !

Great win tonight. Enough with the snow firings and crap. JMac stood on his head. The team was exciting and competitive, they definitely held their own against a formidable opponent.

For those many of you who were bashing JMac for the past 3 weeks dont start praising now unless you wanna admit how wrong you were. I say lock the kid up for 2 years NOW for insurance for DP when he inevitably gets injured again. Were 15 million under the cap so why not get a reliable backup.

Loving not seeing Comrie on the ice to be honest, the PP is moving more, getting more shots, the puck movement is soo much better much crisper smarter decisions with the puck.

I'd like to see Comeau up here but I dont want to give up on Tamby, Im not sure if he has anything to do with Fransy and Hunts playing the way they are but that line is producing some good chances.

What were some of the other positives you guys saw tonight? Jackman, Hilbert? Martinek looks like he hasnt lost a step which is great to see.

I was banned from the live chat tonight...DAMN...I see it was All-Star night.
(It was a "local" -as in 505- banning-I should have pulled out the laptop).

Kudos to Jackman for falling on "NUMBER 3" in the token fight.
Jackman played the whole game like a man possessed.
Great game by him.

Bailey had an iffy game...nothing outstanding....didn't think he got enough TOI with KO.
No biggie.

Who is this guy Mcdonald?
He's pretty good and keeps getting better.

Neilsen had a HUGE game.....I was not impressed with him last year, I hated him earlier......I like this kid.

Campoli and Streit seem to be the D-men who have the offensive aspect of this ludicrous speed game understood.
Lots of good "step up into the action" plays.

Hilbert and Park are still the best PK tandem in the league.
IMHO.

Hunter....no offense, but.....could you have Hilberted that shootout attempt any further from the net? See you at Field 6, Jones Beach in the morning. Purchase a gull killing permit on the way.

GREAT WIN!!!!
Absolutely fun game to watch.
It's good to be screaming at a TV screen again.
(But bad for the dog).

I'm off to locate those Vancouver reporter's blogs who apparently are being served some bad salmon in the B.C. area and are spending too much time playing with the coloring books that come with a Press Pass in Canada.

19Isles....and anyone else....

Can we put the 'Smyth Trade" to bed?
Please?

It's freakin 2 years old.

Or else I'll present an argument that trading Billy Harris to Los Angeles cost the Isles a chance at a 5th cup.

;)

Awesome game tonight, just finished watching it..gotta love DVR.....I cant stress enough how stellar JOEYMAC has been playing, hes gettin better and better every game...KEEP DP out for the WHOLE season!!!!

I would really like to see COMEAU come up and play with KO and BAILEY... I hate seeing HILBERT or SIM on that Line, bring the kid up already!!! I must admit, having COMRIE on the IR, is a good thing, get rid of him, hes nothing but a toe dragging prima donna dating a celebrity so he thinks hes one himself...

I really like the Weight Guerin Bergy line, they cycle the puck really well and BERGY is a just a mad man on the ice....WHY is TAMBY still on the roster??? I honestly havent been able to think of one positive thing to say about him, and i wish i could, i really thought TAMBY would prove all his disbelievers wrong...SORRY TAMBS, but i think its time for you to move on!!!!

I think everybody needs to stop BASHING THEIR team and start SUPPORTING them!!! I am a very very frustrated ISLANDERS fan, just like everybody else, but i am just so sick and tired of listening to everyone pick apart this ORGANIZATION...WE all want this team to win, we all want this team to bring back the DYNASTY days, WE are all ISLANDER fans, so lets start ACTING like it....Ive mentioned a few time how it would be great to have fans like the MINNESOTA WILD do...Selling out EVERY game since coming into the league, supporting them through thick and thin..I think if ISLANDER fans came together like MINNESOTA fans, maybe it would help the progress of the LIGHTHOUSE project, OR maybe im HIGH on crystal meth, i dont know....I know times are tough, and tickets are so expensive, and why waste your time and money on a failing organization??? The ISLANDERS need us FANS as much as WE need and WANT them to stay on the ISLAND...For any fan to say sell and move the team, you should probably take a shower and try blow drying your hair at the same time....If OBAMA can become the 44th PRESIDENT, then WHY cant the ISLANDERS become STANLEY CUP champions again??? In AMERICA anything is possible, so i say ISLANDER FANS lets come together and SUPPORT our team, SUPPORT our management( I know thats asking alot!!!) and show NASSAU COUNTY why the LIGHTHOUSE should get APPROVED....I for one want the ISLANDERS on LI until the day i DIE...They our MY team and YOUR team and together the makes us ALL NY ISLANDERS!!!!!

LETS GO ISLANDERS!!!!

TONYSAC FOR PREZ!!!!

FYI and FWIW.....here's what I posted (it went for "review", we'll see if it's published) on the Vancouver Sun article tonight...

Good job today BC press.
All of your arrogant pre-game diarrhea about this game made it into the NY papers and the TV broadcast and most likely found it's way into the Islander locker room.
Stuff like " The Isles are a bad team, period. If the Canucks use their speed and Roberto Luongo is even average, there's no way the Islanders should win."
And far be it for you guys to be in any way HUMBLED by the defeat.
Blaming the ice quality, which is basically what this article is about, is the oldest copout in hockey.
Lame, Lame, Lame.
Here's my thoughts on the game....
I thought I saw the reincarnation of Harold Snepsts on the blue line tonight with all of the weak passes coming from your D-men.
Do all of your D-men wear double runners?
Is Kyle Wellwood injured again?
Props to Demitra...I thought he played a decent game...even though that was a pretty weak attempt on McDonald in the SO.
Oh, and many thanks for taking Rob Davison off of our hands. The guy stunk last year, and from what I saw tonight, nothing has changed.

In conclusion, gentlemen, after this evening's events from the right coast, I offer two final thoughts about the quality of the sports (hockey) coverage in the BC print media........
A/Someone is feeding you guys some rotten salmon up there.
B/After what was written leading up to this game, I'm fairly certain that it must be standard policy in Vancouver to issue coloring books to hockey beat reporters along with their press credentials.

Best regards from an Islander fan....who lives only one time zone away.
And Good Luck to you and the Canucks this year as you all strive for your FIRST ever Stanley Cup win.
I've still got some fond memories from '82.
How 'bout you?

Yeah...in your face Kevin T!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Hahahahahhaahahahahah

I was waiting for that themass. I gotta get up at 5am and head to Vancouver for business trip. Usually I would take in a game, but they are outta town!!!

I'd love to devote/waste more time on this board.

Truly, either way I couldn't lose tonight. Isles played the Canucks harder than any team this season. Good win!

Steady, I read your comments and will get back to you on it. Mucho respect for US knowledge on Baseball, Basketball, Football, etc....

Kevin T.

Bag Tamby and bring up Comeau !
Bag Tamby and bring up Comeau !
Bag Tamby and bring up Comeau !
Bag Tamby and bring up Comeau !
Bag Tamby and bring up Comeau !

NOW

I had to bail out on the Live chat just before 1st intermission ... had chores to do since there was a threat of Snow and I wake up extra early for my commute .... bad enough I already wake up before the Rooster crows ..... threat of Snow? ... ehhh ... that kinda has an odd ring to it.

Well ... watching the game while getting stuff done was really distracting ... missed the shoot out goal ... but saw the clinching save .... JMAC is cooking up SW a crow burger. He's played spectacular since SW's criticism.
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Billy Harris / Butch Goring? Difference between 4 cups and 5 cups?? Let the debate begin ... I open to floor to the gentleman from 2 time zones away .... the honorable 505.

Honorable?

There's only two kinds of honor.

Before you point to Minnesota as having fans that support their team through thick and thin remember the North Stars? I do and I remember all those empty green and gold seats they played in front of which forced them to move to Dallas. Minnesota is a hockey hotbed and yet the fans got so frustrated with the North Stars that they stopped showing up. Now I guess they don't want to lose this team so they sell out every game. The Isles have not won a playoff series since 1993 unlike the Devils who have a new building can't draw and have won 3 CUPS since then. The way this Isles team plays do they deserve bigger home crowds? Yes but I think it will take time but I hope they don't run out of time like the North Stars did. Another nice win last night the third period play has improved and I think we've already seen more exciting hockey this year than all of last season. Keep up the good work Gordon.

Looks like Okposo might have hurt his wrist after getting slashed. If so I think Comeau looms on the horizon.

Here are some questions for you to consider, as we contemplate the eventual return to healthy action of the Franchise:

1. Given how well JMac has performed in his stint as the #1 goalie,

(a) Do you think Snow should try to tie him up long(ish) term as the backup?

(b) With how well he has played, can GM Snow and Coach Gordon keep the Franchise out of the lineup until he is truly fit?

(c) What do you think he'd be worth to a contender as trade bait at the deadline, in terms of picks and young players?

(d) Don't you think he'd be stupid to sign here as a backup when he might be able to get a #1 job somewhere at three or four times a Backup's salary?

Nova,

I think you are getting way ahead of yourself. JMac has been spectacular, but let's not think he's the next coming of Patrick Roy. And if any of you remember, I said at the end of last season that JMac would be great and agreed with the Isles bidding good riddance to Dubie. But to answer your questions...

(a) Do you think Snow should try to tie him up long(ish) term as the backup? --> No. As good as JMac has been, I'm sure he is capable of playing at a Tommy Soderstrom-like level. Who remembers Tommy? I loved that guy.

(b) With how well he has played, can GM Snow and Coach Gordon keep the Franchise out of the lineup until he is truly fit? --> The Franchise being DP? Yes I hope they have learned their lesson, the Isles should keep him out till he is 100% ready to go. Actually, make that 120% ready to go.

(c) What do you think he'd be worth to a contender as trade bait at the deadline, in terms of picks and young players? --> JMac? Umm not a whole lot. A first string goalie is probably only worth a 2R pick, maybe a 1R pick if the goalie has accomplished something and has a history of playoff success (Khabibulin). JMac is worth too much to the Isles to trade at the deadline. Although some goalies who had been perennial backups have come out of nowhere to have spectacular seasons. A few that come to mind are Rolonson, Huet, and maybe even Snow.

(d) Don't you think he'd be stupid to sign here as a backup when he might be able to get a #1 job somewhere at three or four times a Backup's salary? --> No, I don't think he'd be stupid b/c I don't see him getting 1st string money anywhere. Now if he plays the whole season and leads the Isles into the playoffs, that's a different story. But an unlikely one at that.

Well said Candyman... 100% concur.

Let's not get too far ahead of ourselves with Mac.
One day, one game at a time.

Hey!! I'm back. Been eating BIG MAC Crow all day in honor of JMAC. He seriously has turned my opinion about him from useless backup into very serviceable NHL goaltender. Good for him. It's nice to finally see a Garth Snow signing turn into something better than anticipated. Another notch for Snow.

And Dougie Weight score the tying goal !!! Wow Another great signing by Snow. This guy rules on the PP. Exactly what we were missing last year. Snow does it again.

Neilsen with a beautiful shot to win the game!!! Who signed this kid and beleived in him. Who gave him a four year one way deal. Right, our star GM Garth Snow. Hooray, again for Snow.

All three top players in last nights win were signed by Garth Snow.
GM for life.

It's a great day to be an Islander fan with our excellent GM, Garth Snow............Sir William

LOL SW .... I think you are overdoing it with the praise for Garth Snow ... must of had to much Crow.... but seriously ... Garth's signings the last 16 months had a direct impact on the result of last night's game. Good for JMAC ... good for Garth ... good for the Isles.
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Absolutely Candyman ... we can't get to far ahead of ourselves ... one game at a time .... that said ... Nova brought up some good points...

A) I don't think Garth should even attempt to sign an extension for JMAC until after the all-star break ... and not to long term ... perhaps 2 years tops and go from there.

B) I think JMAC is giving Gordon and Snow a luxury of waiting out before throwing DP back out there .... and as long as the fans keep chanting JOE-EY JOE-EY there will be no pressure from Ownership to pressure Gordon to play DP. DP should be 110% good to go before wearing pads.

C) Gauging JMAC's value at the trade deadline is really tough ... what he'll be worth depends not only on his production up until tha time ... but also the depth of the market for goaltending needs at the deadline ... usually a contending team has pretty solid goaltending ... but if someone gets injured, the more teams trying to make a push and need a solid goalie and they are getting by on scoring ... it ups the value of that position ... and the better he is vs. his peers not in contention .. the higher his value in trade... so who knows.... way to early to gauge his value.

D) I don't know if it would be stupid for JMAC to resign here ... he may get some offers and he may not .... look at Dubie ... he had some real good results at times .... but not enough to land a FT #1 goalie job elsewhere ... the thing is ... a team would really need a #1 goalie ... and JMAC would have to be better than other available goaltenders.... he'd be taking a real chance if he held out for a starter job that wasn't guaranteed him ... he's go the #'s so far ... but still in the first quarter of the season ... so after 5 games of solid play the last 13 days ... it's hard to declare him true #1 worthy.

Lets take it game by game before declaring JMAC a capable #1 goalie .... so far he's doing a great job.