Here's a little more info:

Position: Left Wing Shoots: Right

Born: March 7, 1988 in Stockholm, Sweden

Height: 5-11 Weight: 176

After missing some time with a wrist injury during the beginning of his season with the Edmonton Oil Kings this year, Figren totaled 31 points in 35 games, with 13 goals and 18 assists. Figren also represented Sweden in the 2008 World Junior Championships with five goals and two assists in six games.

I'll be working on a web story on Figren, so there'll be more to come soon!

--KS

And sometimes, they screw up royally and irrevocably.

The resignation earlier this week of Chris Botta as Islanders vice-president of media relations is an example of what happens when a new boss comes in and tries to reinvent the wheel without understanding what makes the car go. The new boss in this case is Chris Dey, the son-in-law of owner Charles Wang and senior vice-president of sales, marketing and operations.

Forget Dey’s relationship to Wang. It’s irrelevant. Dey is an intelligent and capable executive. I know he has an extensive background in sports marketing because Chris Botta told me so.

This is a classic case of philosophical differences. I can’t tell you exactly what they were because I’m not privy to details of the Monday morning meeting between Dey and Botta, who chose to take the high road when he announced his resignation.

I only know the bottom line, which is that the Islanders just lost a gem of a public relations man. In 35 years as a sports writer, I’ve met a lot of them, and I honestly can say I’ve never met one who was better or more trustworthy than Botta.

What difference does a management change like this make to the average fan? You’d be surprised. Botta’s departure won’t hurt the actual product on the ice, but it certainly could have an impact on how the franchise is perceived.

In more than 20 years working for the Islanders, Botta learned how to roll with punches to the gut resulting from a precarious ownership situation, and he developed survival instincts that helped the franchise weather the toughest of times. Did he make too many excuses for the foibles of former general manager Mike Milbury? Yes. He was charmed by Milbury like a lot of others.

But Botta also had a penchant for telling it as it was without applying the usual coat of varnish. There have been plenty of times in my past two seasons on the beat when Botta’s assessment of a particular player or situation was far more harsh than my own. We had our disagreements, but when he offered opinions or insights that ran counter to what I might have considered, I never dismissed it because I knew Botta could be relied upon to furnish more than the usual p.r. pap.

Some might say Newsday’s reporters have been too cozy with the Islanders over the years. But I can tell you that, in my case, Botta was instrumental in intervening to facilitate communication on the beat whenever it threatened to break down. I’m sure reporters from other newspapers that have covered the Islanders would say the same. In fact, when I moved to the Islanders beat, Marc Berman of the New York Post told me Botta would be an invaluable resource, as he has been for anyone reporting on the Isles.

Berman covered the Islanders in the days when the four major New York newspapers, Newsday, Post, Daily News and Times, all traveled with them. But the newspaper market has changed dramatically in the past decade, and NHL coverage has suffered terribly. Now, Newsday is the only one of the four that travels to all Islanders games. The Times and Daily News no longer travel with either the Islanders or Devils, and the Post only travels with the Rangers and Devils.

Unless a p.r. man can influence newspaper stock prices, dwindling space or NHL TV ratings, that’s not going to change. But Botta understood those things don’t accurately measure the deep and abiding passion hockey fans have for their teams. He understood because he grew up as a lifelong Islanders fan. His concerns are the same as those voiced by fans who fell away from a team that struggled through seven straight losing seasons starting in 1994-95. There simply wasn’t enough lipstick to make that pig look good.

Now that Wang’s ownership has provided a measure of stability – though some might argue with his non-traditional approach – the marketplace has changed. Botta tried to adapt this past season by tapping into that fan passion by creating the Blog Box to allow rabid fans to fill the local coverage void. It’s a challenge to traditional media, but it definitely generated increased attention for the Islanders.

Dey won’t have any trouble filling Botta’s position, but how will he replace Botta’s reservoir of experience and insight with the Isles? How will he fill the credibility gap created by Botta’s absence? Good luck with that.

As for Botta’s future, maybe some other new boss will get it right by hiring a media relations executive who comes equipped with a wealth of professional respect among those he served. Judging by the e-mail I’ve received since Botta announced his resignation, I know I can speak for my colleagues at Newsday and for quite a number of fans he touched when I say, “Thanks for a job well done.”

The Islanders announced today the signing of Joel Rechlicz (pronounced Wreck-lidge), hence the nickname), to a three year entry-level contract.

Here's what GM Garth Snow had to say about him:

We've been looking at Joel for some time now and he was a player we targeted for his toughness and energy," said Islanders General Manager Garth Snow. "He's someone who will help our organization be stronger in those areas."

JOEL RECHLICZ STATS
Position: Right Wing
Shoots: Right
Height: 6-4
Weight: 220
Born: June 14, 1987 in Brookfield, WI

Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM
2004-05 Santa Fe Roadrunners NAHL 3 0 1 1 29
2005-06 Des Moines Buccaneers USHL 2 0 0 0 4
2005-06 Indiana Ice USHL 2 0 0 0 16
2005-06 Gatineau Olympiques QMJHL 3 0 0 0 17
2006-07 Chicoutimi Sagueneens QMJHL 55 0 1 1 159
2006-07 Chicago Hounds UHL 2 0 0 0 9
2007-08 Kalamazoo Wings IHL 25 1 0 1 100
2007-08 Albany River Rats AHL 25 0 1 1 106

In other Islanders news, Isles VP of media relations, Chris Botta has resigned after spending 20 years on the job. Check out Greg Logan's story for more info:
http://www.newsday.com/sports/hockey/ny-spisles065675388may06,0,5462550.story

http://www.sportscity.com/NHL/NHL-Free-Agents-by-Position-2008/

ICE tourMay 14 – Islanders Open House: “Previewing the NHL Draft” – Nassau Coliseum, 6:30 – 9:00 pm
May 15 – Chalk Talk at Hauppauge Industrial Park**
June 4 – Islanders Open House – Nassau Coliseum, 6:30 – 9:00 pm
June 19 – Chalk Talk at Bohemia Industrial Park**
June 20 – Islanders Open House: “NHL Draft Party” – Nassau Coliseum, 6:30 pm
July 12 – Islanders Open House: “Meet Kyle Okposo” – Nassau Coliseum, 10:00 am – 1:00 pm
July 14-20 – Islanders Prospect Camp/Fan Fest at Islanders Iceworks (check website for details)
July 16 – Islanders Movie Night – Eisenhower Park

July 19 – Islanders Day at The Rinx in Hauppauge
July 20 – Islanders Day at Cantiague Park in Hicksville
July 26 – Islanders Day at Islanders Iceworks in Syosset
July 27 – Islanders Day at Port Washington
July 30 – Islanders Open House – Nassau Coliseum, 6:30 – 9:00 pm
July 31 – Chalk Talk at North Shore LIJ**
August 9 – Islanders Open House – Nassau Coliseum, 10:00 am – 1:00 pm
August 20 – Islanders Open House – Nassau Coliseum, 6:30 – 9:00 pm
October 5 – Islanders NYI365 Season Ticketholders Party at Eisenhower Park (members of NYI365 only)

*Some of these events are subject to change, so double-check on the site below:

http://islanders.nhl.com/community/communitycalendar.html

Here's how J.P. described it:
Jude did all the work. He set me up with a tremendous pass, and I just deflected it in the cage.

Hope that resurrected some good memories for you guys....

I'll post a little later about some upcoming community events where you can find your favorite Isles players.

Here’s what J.P. had to say-

On their match-up against Pittsburgh-
“We were the underdogs and then when we went to face Pittsburgh they had some really good players on their team. All the sudden we found ourselves in deep trouble down three [games].At practice we had a meeting on the ice, and our coach, Al Arbour said, ‘If anyone doesn’t think we can beat this team, get off the ice.’ We had to go one shift at a time and it took a tremendous amount of patience. It was just shift after shift, win your shift, win your shift. Even if they would score, nothing would faze us. We persevered and we pulled it through.”

On this Pittsburgh team-
“This is a good team. It’s a fine blend of really quality veterans and really good kids, and their goaltender is starting to mature. On the other hand, don’t think for a minute the Rangers don’t have the firepower to attempt to do that. Jagr was dominating last game. This is not something the Rangers can’t do. They’re very capable of doing that. They’re not gonna get complacent. If you compare the talent, I won’t tell you the Rangers stand second to anybody.”

On what they’ll need to do to win-
“They have to score more goals; they have to do a little better job with their power play.
Renney’s gotta come up with a plan to keep people away from the slot. In this day and age it’s so difficult, because you can’t hold people. They have to be alert, get the right bounces, and have superior goaltending.”

On his memories of coming back from the 3-game deficit-
“We were just a bunch of kids that didn’t know any better. We took great pride in supporting each other. It was incredible. It was like a dream. We did not accept any kind of defeat. We were totally dedicated to the task. The Rangers, that’s what they have to do, and they can.”

On Sidney Crosby vs. the Rangers-
“Sidney’s a pretty good player, but at this time Jagr is playing comparable, so it’s up to the other guys to match the effort of their guys.”

OK so time for you guys to join the debate. Can the Rangers come back? Go ahead, drop the gloves.

PS- trivia points for whoever names the player who assisted Parise on the overtime goal against the Rangers in the first round of the playoffs to set up the Pittsburgh series

During the down time before free agency, I'll try to swing some interesting Islanders tidbits your way. Working on a prospects preview, so look for that some time in the next week.

Had a chance to chat with Jack Hillen, the lead-scoring defenseman in NCAA division 1 hockey this year, who appeared for the Isles in their last series against the Rangers this season. Jack is finishing his Economics degree at Colorado College, and is getting ready to start his off-season training. Here are some of his thoughts on his first NHL experience and his future with the organization:

On his first live-game experience as a New York Islander-

“It was surreal, but once you’re playing hockey, you’re still just playing hockey. It was a lot of fun to do that and an opportunity I couldn’t pass up.

On the guys in the Islanders locker room-

“All the guys were first class; They were great people. They treated me with respect and better than I thought people would treat me. I really appreciated the way the guys handled the situation.”

On having a “Whoa, I’m playing in the NHL” moment-

“I never really had that moment. The whole time I was just concentrating on my responsibilities on the ice. I kind of just worried about myself and what I could control.
I thought I played really well. I never had a moment where I thought, ‘This is unbelievable.’ I just had fun playing hockey.

On whether he was intimidated by any of the Rangers’ veterans-

“You’re not intimidated by them, but you do watch them on TV, and you know who they are, but you can’t be intimidated or else you won’t play well.”

On the biggest improvements to his game during college-

“I definitely think my skating ability and poise with the puck grew a lot. Going into my junior year I had to work on my quickness and conditioning. [After that] I thought my skating improved a lot, as well as my quickness and my ability to move with the puck, run a power play, and get shots through on a power play.”

On how he’d describe himself as a player-

“I’d say I’m a skating, puck-moving defenseman that can make a pretty good first pass out of the zone. I’m not afraid to skate with the puck a little bit.”

On his shot-taking preferences-

“I don’t [always] like taking slaps shots, but I had a goal or two from them this year.
If you use your wrist shot, you can get a shot on net a little quicker, and it doesn’t take as much time.”

On whether he can QB a power play-

“That’s not my decision to make, but I have confidence in my ability to handle the puck and make decisions out there on the power play.”

On what he plans to do to prepare during the off-season-

“Try to add a little strength, not weight or size, but add a little more quickness and top- end speed

On where he expects to start at the beginning of the season-

“You simplify the game and do the little things you can control. I know I can play up there if I do those things, but if I’m not there to start the season, I’m not going to get frustrated.”

On the Rangers-Islanders rivalry-

“Oh it was great. In college you get some good rivalries, but it’s really nothing like that. You can hear the chants and it was pretty exciting to have my first two games in a rivalry atmosphere like that.”

--KS

Anyways, after this you are either probably celebrating or drowning your sorrows. Either way, adult beverages are probably involved, BUT, if you are up to it tomorrow, there is an Islanders Event at Eisenhower Park:

The Islanders Family Fan Fest will be setting up at Eisenhower Park for the March of Dimes, "March for Babies Walk". Make sure to stop by Field 6 to show your support for a good cause. Islanders inflatables will be set up for children to play with and you can even take a picture with Sparky and the Ice Girls. The Islanders Family Fan Fest will be set up from 9am to 11:30am so make sure to stop by.

If you are super-ambitious, Isles captain Bill Guerin will be there from 8-9 am. You can offer him congrats on being nominated for the King Clancy Memorial Trophy, an award given annually to a player who exhibits extraordinary leadership on and off the ice and contributes significantly to humanitarian efforts in the community.
The last Islander to win the award was Bryan Trottier in 1988-89.

At the very least, this provides an excellent opportunity to turn your attention away from the excessive draft coverage and the unsightly amount of hair gel Mel Kiper uses to keep his coif intact....

--KS

The new info on Sean Bergenheim is that he's been cleared medically and will practice today. No guarantee he'll play tomorrow when Team Finland faces Team Canada, but this just goes to reassure all you Isles fans that the injury was a total no-biggie.

Hope that's an uplifting note to enter the weekend on.....:)

Also, his agent informed me there has been no recent progress in terms of contract negotiations.

I'll be back at the Ducks tonight for their home opener against the Atlantic League champion Newark Bears. The weather's supposed to be fabulous, so if you and the family are looking for something to do, there are a lot of local guys, including starting pitcher Randy Leek, to support!

Here they are:

Rob Cafiero (Massapequa Park)
Eric Colon (East Meadow)
Dennis Donovan (Center Moriches)
Estee Harris (Central Islip)
Kevin Haverbusch (Massapequa)
Randy Leek (Levittown)
Robert Sandora (West Babylon)
Jon Searles (Huntington)

Kinda funny actually, but I met Colon and Haverbusch at an Islanders practice once in Syosset, so they are both legitimate Isles fans. Talked to Haverbusch yesterday and he said while his offseason went well, the Islanders made him very frustrated. Looks like he's channeled that into something positive however.....he batted .471 in spring training!

Have a good weekend!
--KS

LaFontaine got involved in this work 10 years ago, and ironically, started his LaFontaine Foundation with Microsoft stock. LaFontaine became interested in this particular cause during his NHL days, where he made many hospital visits to kids throughout his career. LaFontaine was particularly touched by one 12 year-old boy Robert. While in Buffalo, LaFontaine visited Robert, who had a rare form of leukemia, 2-3 times a week to play video games. One day when he left, a nurse grabbed him by the arm, got very emotional, and told him how much those visits meant to Robert. The nurse told him those were some of the only times she saw Robert smile. LaFontaine was not only touched, but inspired by Robert's courage, as well as the many other children fighting for their lives. Though Robert passed away, LaFontaine still keeps in touch with his mother, who is very excited about the work he's been doing.

"When you're in a hospital, children can feel disconnected," LaFontaine said. I never thought of technology as a healing element, but when you see the kids smiling and laughing, they literally forget what's happening to them, and it eases their pain."

While there are several Lion's Dens throughout the NY area already, LaFontaine wants to install them, along with the Xbox 360 kiosks, in all 30 NHL cities. So far on Long Island, LaFontaine has already received help from Rick DiPietro and Ted Nolan to help promote CIC, and he looks forward to more activities and visits in the future.

"I think about Robert all the time and here we are creating this network where kids can talk to each other, play games, have special memories and just be kids again, and that's pretty special." LaFontaine said.

To learn more about CIC, you can visit:
www.cic16.org

LaFontaine also still follows the NHL quite a bit and offered some of his thoughts on this past Islanders season:

"I think they're going through a transition right now, and it's obvious they're going more toward their youth, but you still have to continue to add to that mix [with free agents and experienced players]."

LaFontaine said he thought Ted did a tremendous job in keeping the Islanders in playoff contention 85-90% of the season, despite the amount of injuries they suffered. He also liked what he saw from Okposo, who he believes will be a "real, solid NHL player," and Blake Comeau. He also said he thinks Campoli and Gervais are great, young defensemen for the team, and that obviously, it's huge to have DP in net as a "cornerstone" for the franchise.

"I still believe as you're developing young players that you can dip a little into the free agent market and get some support," LaFontaine said looking to next year. "If you can continue to add free agents in the mix while developing, and Rick stays healthy, they should be able to make the playoffs next year."

--KS

Bergenheim's agent Mark Gandler said he is day-to-day with a slight groin pull.
Doesn't sound like anything too serious, but I'll keep checking up to see if I hear anything new.

As far as Sean's contract negotiations with the Islanders, Gandler said that "we have started talking, but numbers have not yet been exchanged."

Will let you know more as I hear.....

--KS

I think we all know what comes next:

Mike Comrie on next season's Dancing With The Stars

:)

--KS

Here are some thoughts on Marcinko:

From GM Garth Snow:

"He's a big, strong, two-way center. He's a leader. We've had him in training camp and he's a good skater and he just need to be developed properly. So we'll get him into our system and do that."

Pro Scout Toby O'Brien:

"Tomas really has come into his own. He took leadership, and he took a team (Barrie) and put them on his shoulders a little bit. He was a consummate professional, and took them to the second round of the playoffs, which is no easy task, and he was rewarded.

"He's a good player that possesses good character and a will to succeed, and isn't that what you're supposed to be surrounded by?"

Ryan Jankowski, Islanders Asst. GM and director of amateur scouting (via Islanders press release):

"Tomas is a very responsible two- way player who had a terrific season with Barrie in the OHL."

“He created a lot of the offense for Barrie as the number one centerman, but also was a defensive type player who took care of his own zone and thought defense first,” added Jankowski. “He was a leader and captain of Barrie after the trade deadline and led his team to an upset victory in the first round of the playoffs this season.”

Here are some numbers for Marcinko:

Ht/Wt: 6-4, 187
Position: Center
Shoots: Right
Age: 20

Barrie Colts 2006-2007:
56 games played, 19 goals, 21 assists
Barrie Colts 2007-2008:
48 games played, 19 goals, 26 assists

--Katie Strang

On Hennigar:

"He sees things on the ice that I couldn’t, that 90 % of the guys that are out there can’t. He has that uncanny knack of getting pucks places where guys are going to be.
Rob Hennigar has the ability to make others look better."
O'Brien said that while his age (25) will force him to have an accelerated learning curve, the maturity he can bring could allow him to be a top two lines guy in Bridgeport, and eventually a top two or three lines guy in the NHL.

"He's a skilled centerman who can skate, distribute the puck, and score."

On Jack Hillen:

"He has an uncanny poise about him. He's a little undersized, but he can skate, and he can get the puck up the ice. He has the ability to change direction, get outta jams very well, push puck up ice, whether he's carrying or out-letting the puck."

O'Brien said his development went from a level 1 to a level 9 in college, and he expects him to be able to take it to the next level from there.

Besides, you can't have a more complete baptism-by-fire, O'Brien said, than being thrown into a heated series with the Rangers this April.

On both, O'Brien said their skill combined with character, poise, and maturity make them a good fit for the organization. They won't feel entitled to any opportunities presented, and will work hard to earn what he thinks they deserve.

"I'd like our coaches to be able to go to battle with guys that are good people and good players," O'Brien said.

They may not be for-sure blue-chippers, but sometimes diamonds in the rough are worth the digging.....

People may get down on collegiate hockey prospects or low-round draft picks, but let's not forget former Isle and Hall of Famer Ken Morrow (now the Islanders' director of Pro Scouting) had an illustrious college career at Bowling Green and then went on to Olympic Gold in 1980 AND helped the Isles toward four Stanley Cups. Hey, it can happen......