THE FOLLOWING POST DOES NOT REFLECT THE OPINIONS OF NYI FYI OR CHRIS HESSEL. THESE ARE STRICTLY THE OPINIONS OF MYSELF (SEAN CROFT), AND THIS SO HAPPENS TO BE THE FORUM I CHOSE TO SHARE MY FEELINGS. THANK YOU.
In light of what has occurred over the last 36 hours or so, I chose to come here and to comment on the issue at hand. Yesterday, the New York Islanders defeated the Washington Capitals in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals. The overtime heroics of John Tavares, and the stellar goaltending of both Jaro Halak and Braden Holtby were, for a time, the biggest topic of conversation amongst the National Hockey League community. It wasn't until long after the game that another story, one much darker, overtook what had been a wonderful day at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum.
By now, we have all read the story of the New York City Capitals fans, and how they were treated by a group of Islanders fans. The story has gotten national attention, and now has people pointing fingers at each other. The arguments and personal attacks have gotten uglier as this story has picked up steam. As someone who has not only been a fan, but also an employee of a professional sports franchise, I found it appropriate to come here and put all of my feelings out in the open. I'm not here to point fingers. I'm not here to call anyone any names. I'm not here to blame any one particular person. I'm only here to clarify my feelings on fan decorum.
Let me start off by addressing the risks involved with being a traveling fan attending a game on the road. Plain and simple, you are a target. You have infiltrated enemy lines. You have walked into someone's house, and whether you want to admit it or not, you are going against everything they support and believe in. You are against the grain, and against their allegiance. You also know that this is the risk, and for the love of your team, you walk through the doors full steam ahead. Kudos to you. I say that because I have been in your shoes many times. It's intimidating, and it can be uncomfortable. It takes courage to do so, and a lot of people don't have the guts to try it.
You will be singled out. You will be cursed at. You will have victory rubbed in your face. Worse off, you will have a victory ruined by sore losers. It comes with the territory, and you know that going in. Anyone claiming ignorance to this risk is either completely naive, or completely full of lies. I say this because every single person who has attended any sort of sporting event has been witness to visiting fans being taunted. This happens in every arena, in every single sport. I had to laugh last night when I had people tell me on social media that their fans "have never" taunted any visiting fan. That is an out-in-out lie.
I have been to hundreds of sporting events in cities all over the country, both as a fan and as a spectator with no vested interest in either team playing, and I have seen this in every single building. Do us all a favor, and don't lie for the sake of convenience. I have seen the ugliness of fans from Boston to Tampa, and from Uniondale to Chicago, whether the visiting fans deserved it or not. I'm either the unluckiest sports fan on earth, or I'm seeing what we have all seen as fans time after time.
With that said, the issue at hand is not the typical ribbing that occurs between home and visiting fans. The issue is when it escalates to the next level. To attack someone, based upon their race, creed, or gender is over the line. To destroy someone's property is over the line. To enter into a physical confrontation with someone is over the line. It is inexcusable, and should not be tolerated by anyone, period. Acting out in this sort of way takes the fun out of the game for all of us. For that much, those who acted out in this way share part of the guilt, in my opinion.
On the flip side, as I stated previously, if you are a visitor, you know the risks. If you plan on walking into a building to stir the pot, you best be prepared for push-back, especially once you add liquid hops and barley to the mix. As someone who attended the Islanders/Capitals game yesterday, I was a witness to some Caps fans (not necessarily the group in question) who were also using derogatory language and gestures towards us. There were plenty of people in Capitals gear who had been far over served, and were the instigators of some confrontations both in the parking lot and on the concourse. I was witness to Capitals fans who were stone cold sober (or so they seemed), who were instigating trouble with Islanders fans, more so than your average trash talk. Those who acted in such a manner share part of the guilt as well.
The point is, today's fan experience has become aggressive. There are far too many people who don't know where the line is drawn. I remember about five or six years ago when the new Tanger Outlet Center in Deer Park had opened. My mother and I were walking from store to store looking for deals. I was wearing my New York Islanders hoodie. As we were walking into a store, I was approached by two guys in Rangers attire. I was greeted with, "The Islanders ****ing suck, you piece of ****". Not only had I done nothing to deserve that type of insult, but it wasn't even at a game!
Similarly, and many years prior, I was in Boston, Massachusetts. At my own risk, I wore my New York Yankees hat to Quincey Market. I wasn't looking for an issue, but knew that representing my team would draw negative attention. I didn't care. After about a half an hour of walking around, I was approached by a child who couldn't have been any older than 5 years old. This young man walked up to me, kicked me in the shin, and said, "The Yankees ****ing suck!". He ran back to his father who was not only laughing hysterical, but had a hand extended for a high-five. I share this story because it proves two points: this is not a "New York" thing, and there are many people who take their sports fandom way too seriously, and to a bad place.
I can share dozens of stories like this, but I'd rather share a positive one. In 2006, I was attending school in Tampa. I attended a game between the Lightning and the Islanders at the St. Pete Time's Forum. Sure, I was cursed at. I was taunted. I was the enemy, and I knew it. I embraced it, but I kept to myself, watched the game, and didn't feed into the nonsense. Eventually, the ribbing ended and we all went on to watch the game. After it was over, bear in mind the Islanders lost the game, I was approached by a number of people who were sitting around me, presumably to give it to me one more time. To my surprise, they extended their hands. I remember specifically one guy saying to me, "You came here to support your boys, and you did so without being a jerk. I give you a ton of credit, good game."
We shook hands, shared a smile, and parted ways. That's how it always should be. You see, we as fans all share the responsibility to keep the integrity of the fan experience in tact. Yes, there are arena personnel who are hired to patrol the stands and try to keep the peace, but it really shouldn't even come to that. The fact that it gets to that level falls on the fans, supporting both the home and away sides. This all falls back to the nature of the games, or being a fan in general, going to an aggressive, ugly place.
When I was working in professional sports a few years ago, I vividly remember one of our mascots suffering a facial injury, after a fan of a rival team walked up to him, and punched him in the face before running off. This mascot was there to entertain children and add to the fun. What exactly this fan proved aside from the fact that he was an idiot remains a mystery to this day. Despite all that I had experienced as a fan, both at home and on the road, it was the first time I had thought to myself, "we have a problem in this culture".
About a year later, Bryan Stow, a San Fransisco Giants fan, was severely beaten, nearly to death, outside of Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles. He was in a coma, came out of it brain damaged, and is on a regiment of over 50 pills per day to keep him going despite his injuries. All of this for being a fan of a rival. But can we expect no less from a society where you can't even feel safe going to the movies? Or to school or work?
Professional sport is meant to be an escape. It is a form of entertainment, and it is a game. I have spent my entire life watching the Islanders crush me year in and year out, and I am still here. Whether they win or lose has no bearing on my physical life. Sure it can determine my mood, but I wake up every day and go to work and pay my bills like anyone else. In other words, life goes on. I take my passion to the next level each week when I, along with Chris, bring you all NYI FYI, a once a week podcast dedicated to the team that we love. Why? Because it means something to me. It is a part of me, just like any of your teams are a part of you. That is, in fact, the fun part of all of us.
It is a fun part that dies a little every time we read a story, such as the one that broke last night. The fact of the matter is, we all bare a responsibility to each other as fans. Put your personal interests aside, because at the root of it all, we are all hockey fans first. We love and respect the game on all levels. It is from there that we draw a line in the sand and determine which side we take, whether it be the New York Islanders, Washington Capitals, L.A. Kings, or Toronto Maple Leafs.
After you do pull that sweater or that hat on, you should wear it as a coat of pride, and know that the way you conduct yourself can directly represent those teams you so dearly care about. In the time span of three hours, the Islanders fan base went from the most passionate fans in professional sports, to the most unruly and aggressive, in the eyes of the average fan. Why? Because a few bad eggs out of 16,000 went to an outrageous level, and for what purpose?
We all as sports fans, of every sport in every city, have a responsibility to each other. Let's cheer together. Let's cry together. Let's rib each other and bust chops, but in spite of it all, we need to do it in a tasteful way that doesn't take the fun out of it for anyone. Let's also remember that at the end of the day, as much as we love our teams and our players, that it is just a game and life does go on. That's not meant to demean said players, or the staff of the franchises around the world, but they know what their job is. They take theirs seriously (most of the time), now it's time for us to do the same.
-Sean Croft
Showing posts with label Brendan Witt. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Brendan Witt. Show all posts
April 21, 2015
July 31, 2010
Isles Acquire James Wisniewski; Will buyout Brendan Witt
Friday was a pretty active day for the Islanders. The day started with the announcement that Brendan Witt was put on unconditional waivers. Basically, any team can pick him up and have the Isles pay the salary, but it would not count against their cap. However, none of that will likely matter as he will pass waivers and once that happens, is expected to be bought out.
It's tough to see a player, especially a fan favorite fall so far so quickly. Witt was a warrior here on the Island, a hard-nosed defensemen we have rarely seen here. But you could see that he has been downhill ever since signing the three year extension a couple of years ago. Witt was due $2.5 million next season ($3 million cap hit). The cap hit after the buyout will be $1.3 million for the upcoming season and $833,333 in 2011-2012. I personally hope that Brendan gets scooped up by a team somewhere for the league minimum and can be a part time contributor to a Stanley Cup contender.
Prior to Witt being bought out, the Islanders had eight defensemen on one-way contracts and it appeared that they were set with what they would go into the season with. But many fans, myself included, learned why it makes no sense to declare a team "done" on July 30th.
In the last few posts, I've talked extensively (and repeated myself, at times) at all the options for the Islanders should they look to improve the team. I recalled Garth Snow telling us at prospect camp that he wouldn't rule out a trade. Well, he kept his word.
Snow was able to land James Wisniewski from the Anaheim Ducks for just a 3rd rounder. Earlier in the day, Wisniewski had avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year, $3.25 million contract with the Ducks.
Wisniewski had a very strong year last year, logging 24 minutes of ice time a game and finishing the year with 30 points, 102 blocked shots and 129 hits. Some of you may remember Wisniewski from this play that he was suspended from last year in response to a dirty hit just moments earlier from Keither Seabrook on Cory Perry:
Going into even more details about the benefits of the deal, one has to consider that Wisniewski is a right handed defenseman, which the Isles sorely lacked. He played on the second PP unit a lot in Anaheim, and realistically here he can quarterback the first unit with Mark Streit, and move Kyle Okposo off the point and back to his regular position. It is not inconceivable for Wisniewski to get 35-40 points this year. On a one year deal, should things go south the Islanders could always move him at the deadline, and they would most certainly get much more than a 3rd round conditional pick. The hope obviously is that the Islanders will be able to sign him long term as he is young (26) and fits in perfectly here.
For the upcoming season, everyone on the Islanders defensive depth chart gets pushed down a rung (with the exception of Streit) to roles that they are much more suited for, and keeps Calvin deHaan in juniors and Travis Hamonic in Bridgeport to start the year. The Islanders have a top four that they can now mix and match as they please. Take one quick glance at the new-look blueline with the three newcomers and you see a much better group that last year. The defense is definitely one that can compete for a playoff spot now.
Wisniewski fills every need that the team had left on the blueline: tough, hard nosed, minute-eating workhorse and a good puck mover. He does a little of everything good and still has some potential. The Ducks had other plans, and according to GM Bob Murray they offered him a four year contract at the deadline, but not for the money Wisniewski was seeking. The one year deal for this year was a compromise of sorts. The Anaheim blueline is dangerously thin right now, and very raw. The only 2 experienced NHL defensemen there are Lubomir Visnovsky and Toni Lydman. I think they are going to push hard to bring in Tomas Kaberle or Sheldon Souray.
Earlier in the day, Mike Russo of the Minneapolis Star Tribune reported that the Islanders had interest in free agent center Eric Belanger, and were asking the Wild about what they liked in his three years of service there. With the amount of centers already on this team (it isn't set in stone that Josh Bailey is a winger), it certainly seemed a bit odd. Newsday's Katie Strang later said that Belanger was close to signing with a team, but it wasn't the Isles. Many other speculated that the interest in Belanger, as well as new Tampa Bay Lightning center Dominic Moore, meant that the Isles were possibly looking at dealing one. But the trade for a defenseman did not come at the expense of a center.
All of that activity makes one believe that the Islanders are not quite done yet. Here on July 31, one would be foolish to declare them done. Although they are now at the cap floor with Doug Weight yet to sign, I will be a little surprised if they don't bring in one more forward somehow. My gut tells me that at this point they might look to make a trade for someone who makes a decent salary for a very short term and needs a change of scenery (the Blues Brad Boyes?) rather than sign one of the remaining forwards. The offense is not too bad believe it or not, just inexperienced and with a few unknowns. It is not as bad as it was in past years. Adding one good top six winger to the team makes it a strong bottom seed playoff team for sure.
We'll all have to be sure to stay tuned as August begins. We really don't know what the Islanders could be cooking up as the Wisniewski deal seemingly came out of no where. I don't think Snow is done yet. He'll just wait for another perfect fit.
-Chris
nyifyi@gmail.com
It's tough to see a player, especially a fan favorite fall so far so quickly. Witt was a warrior here on the Island, a hard-nosed defensemen we have rarely seen here. But you could see that he has been downhill ever since signing the three year extension a couple of years ago. Witt was due $2.5 million next season ($3 million cap hit). The cap hit after the buyout will be $1.3 million for the upcoming season and $833,333 in 2011-2012. I personally hope that Brendan gets scooped up by a team somewhere for the league minimum and can be a part time contributor to a Stanley Cup contender.
Prior to Witt being bought out, the Islanders had eight defensemen on one-way contracts and it appeared that they were set with what they would go into the season with. But many fans, myself included, learned why it makes no sense to declare a team "done" on July 30th.
In the last few posts, I've talked extensively (and repeated myself, at times) at all the options for the Islanders should they look to improve the team. I recalled Garth Snow telling us at prospect camp that he wouldn't rule out a trade. Well, he kept his word.
Snow was able to land James Wisniewski from the Anaheim Ducks for just a 3rd rounder. Earlier in the day, Wisniewski had avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year, $3.25 million contract with the Ducks.
Wisniewski had a very strong year last year, logging 24 minutes of ice time a game and finishing the year with 30 points, 102 blocked shots and 129 hits. Some of you may remember Wisniewski from this play that he was suspended from last year in response to a dirty hit just moments earlier from Keither Seabrook on Cory Perry:
Going into even more details about the benefits of the deal, one has to consider that Wisniewski is a right handed defenseman, which the Isles sorely lacked. He played on the second PP unit a lot in Anaheim, and realistically here he can quarterback the first unit with Mark Streit, and move Kyle Okposo off the point and back to his regular position. It is not inconceivable for Wisniewski to get 35-40 points this year. On a one year deal, should things go south the Islanders could always move him at the deadline, and they would most certainly get much more than a 3rd round conditional pick. The hope obviously is that the Islanders will be able to sign him long term as he is young (26) and fits in perfectly here.
For the upcoming season, everyone on the Islanders defensive depth chart gets pushed down a rung (with the exception of Streit) to roles that they are much more suited for, and keeps Calvin deHaan in juniors and Travis Hamonic in Bridgeport to start the year. The Islanders have a top four that they can now mix and match as they please. Take one quick glance at the new-look blueline with the three newcomers and you see a much better group that last year. The defense is definitely one that can compete for a playoff spot now.
Wisniewski fills every need that the team had left on the blueline: tough, hard nosed, minute-eating workhorse and a good puck mover. He does a little of everything good and still has some potential. The Ducks had other plans, and according to GM Bob Murray they offered him a four year contract at the deadline, but not for the money Wisniewski was seeking. The one year deal for this year was a compromise of sorts. The Anaheim blueline is dangerously thin right now, and very raw. The only 2 experienced NHL defensemen there are Lubomir Visnovsky and Toni Lydman. I think they are going to push hard to bring in Tomas Kaberle or Sheldon Souray.
Earlier in the day, Mike Russo of the Minneapolis Star Tribune reported that the Islanders had interest in free agent center Eric Belanger, and were asking the Wild about what they liked in his three years of service there. With the amount of centers already on this team (it isn't set in stone that Josh Bailey is a winger), it certainly seemed a bit odd. Newsday's Katie Strang later said that Belanger was close to signing with a team, but it wasn't the Isles. Many other speculated that the interest in Belanger, as well as new Tampa Bay Lightning center Dominic Moore, meant that the Isles were possibly looking at dealing one. But the trade for a defenseman did not come at the expense of a center.
All of that activity makes one believe that the Islanders are not quite done yet. Here on July 31, one would be foolish to declare them done. Although they are now at the cap floor with Doug Weight yet to sign, I will be a little surprised if they don't bring in one more forward somehow. My gut tells me that at this point they might look to make a trade for someone who makes a decent salary for a very short term and needs a change of scenery (the Blues Brad Boyes?) rather than sign one of the remaining forwards. The offense is not too bad believe it or not, just inexperienced and with a few unknowns. It is not as bad as it was in past years. Adding one good top six winger to the team makes it a strong bottom seed playoff team for sure.
We'll all have to be sure to stay tuned as August begins. We really don't know what the Islanders could be cooking up as the Wisniewski deal seemingly came out of no where. I don't think Snow is done yet. He'll just wait for another perfect fit.
-Chris
nyifyi@gmail.com
June 30, 2010
Bergenheim and Tambellini to be UFA's
On the eve of free agency, it’s become more clear what certain teams are looking for and what is out there. Teams had until Monday to qualify their restricted free agents or lose their rights, while Tuesday was the deadline to put players through waivers in order to buy them out during the NHL’s unlimited buyout window.
Needless to say, there were a couple of surprises from the Islanders standpoint.
The team opted not to offer qualifying offers to wingers Jeff Tambellini and Sean Bergenheim, meaning both will become unrestricted free agents after midnight on July 1st.
No one is surprised with Tambellini leaving as things have not worked out for him since he came here in 2006 along with Denis Grebeshkov in exchange for Mark Parrish and Brent Sopel. More often than not, Tambellini found himself in the press box rather than on the ice.
Bergenheim is a different story however, as many felt that the Islanders would qualify him. It would have cost about $1 million to keep in around, and to be honest that wouldn’t have been prudent. The Islanders can get a comparable player for a little less and save some money to improve other areas.
Bergenheim was seen as an energy/defensive player, and at times he was exactly that. But more often than not, he would disappear for long stretches not only from the score sheet, but from the defensive side of things as well as he wouldn’t hit players as much, if at all. Occasionally, he would also take some bad offensive zone penalties. There could also be some other motivators here, such as the contract holdout in 2006 and the Islanders scratching him and putting him on the block at the trade deadline this season. The latter should have alerted people that he wasn’t in their long term plans and seen as a redundant part.
The other surprise to some, myself included, is that the Islanders did not put Brendan Witt through waivers as a precursor to a buyout. Many felt that after the team waived him and sent him to the minors last season that he would surely be gone, but as of right now that’s not happening. No one knows if this means we should be thinking about him when we take into account how many defenseman that the team could be looking to add, but it should be noted that after doing the same thing to winger Jon Sim last season, he did make the club this year after improving his game in the minors.
As far as their other unrestricted free agents go, the Islanders have only re-signed Doug Weight. Goalie Martin Biron, wingers Jon Sim, Richard Park and Tim Jackman and defenseman Freddy Meyer all will test the waters, meaning the Islanders will have some holes to fill if they choose to do so through trades or free agency, unless the truly feel some of the other prospects are ready to jump in next season.
While many folks already expected the Islanders to add at least one defenseman over the summer, there is an increased likelihood that they now look into wingers as well. Letting go of Bergenheim at that price could be an indication that the Islanders could do better for their money and upgrade a bit, rather than just bring in anyone for the sake of getting to the salary cap floor. So that is certainly one way to look at it.
Either way, things just got a little more interesting. Of course, we wish our best to both Jeff and Sean.
Soon to come: I’ve been working on my free-agent primer, with guys who I think could be realistic options for the Islanders to go after. Look for that a bit later in the day.
-Chris
nyifyi@gmail.com
Needless to say, there were a couple of surprises from the Islanders standpoint.
The team opted not to offer qualifying offers to wingers Jeff Tambellini and Sean Bergenheim, meaning both will become unrestricted free agents after midnight on July 1st.
No one is surprised with Tambellini leaving as things have not worked out for him since he came here in 2006 along with Denis Grebeshkov in exchange for Mark Parrish and Brent Sopel. More often than not, Tambellini found himself in the press box rather than on the ice.
Bergenheim is a different story however, as many felt that the Islanders would qualify him. It would have cost about $1 million to keep in around, and to be honest that wouldn’t have been prudent. The Islanders can get a comparable player for a little less and save some money to improve other areas.
The other surprise to some, myself included, is that the Islanders did not put Brendan Witt through waivers as a precursor to a buyout. Many felt that after the team waived him and sent him to the minors last season that he would surely be gone, but as of right now that’s not happening. No one knows if this means we should be thinking about him when we take into account how many defenseman that the team could be looking to add, but it should be noted that after doing the same thing to winger Jon Sim last season, he did make the club this year after improving his game in the minors.
As far as their other unrestricted free agents go, the Islanders have only re-signed Doug Weight. Goalie Martin Biron, wingers Jon Sim, Richard Park and Tim Jackman and defenseman Freddy Meyer all will test the waters, meaning the Islanders will have some holes to fill if they choose to do so through trades or free agency, unless the truly feel some of the other prospects are ready to jump in next season.
While many folks already expected the Islanders to add at least one defenseman over the summer, there is an increased likelihood that they now look into wingers as well. Letting go of Bergenheim at that price could be an indication that the Islanders could do better for their money and upgrade a bit, rather than just bring in anyone for the sake of getting to the salary cap floor. So that is certainly one way to look at it.
Either way, things just got a little more interesting. Of course, we wish our best to both Jeff and Sean.
Soon to come: I’ve been working on my free-agent primer, with guys who I think could be realistic options for the Islanders to go after. Look for that a bit later in the day.
-Chris
nyifyi@gmail.com
October 7, 2008
Isles Mauled by Panthers
Rick DiPietro had hoped to come out in in his game since March flying. Unfortunately, it didn't happen the way he envisioned.
DiPietro gave up 6 goals as the Panthers blanked the Isles 6-0. Most of the Islander regulars were in as far as in net and on offence, however the defense was no where near the one that will be there on opening night. Mark Streit, Brendan Witt and Radek Martinek were all out of the lineup.
One really can't get upset at the result of this game. It was DiPietro's first game since mid-March, and although he had been practicing it just isn't the same. It will be interesting to see how the Islanders decide to start the season now. I would think the team wants to start him for the back to back games starting the season, but can DiPietro really do that? Is he really in a condition to do that? Those are questions he has to answer.
I can't imagine the Islanders would start Joey MacDonald in the first game of the year just so Dipietro could start the home opener. I also don't see how the team could want to start MacDonald in the home opener. My thoughts are to just take it day by day. If DP is ready to go Friday in New Jersey, then he goes. Monitor his game, see how he feels after. Keep an eye on his status throughout the night and after the trip back to Long Island, see if he is ready to take on the Blues. Personally, if DiPietro plays both games to start the year then I would like to see the Isles put MacDonald in for at least the next game, perhaps even the next two games. We'll see how it all plays out. Hopefully DP doesn't make any dumb decisions on risking injury so early in the year.
Speaking of injuries, defenseman Chris Lee was injured last night and taken off the ice on a stretcher. The team had released a statement last night that he was conscious at the hospital and doing well. Lee was released from the hospital this morning and cleared to return to practice for the team. Good to hear as always.
The Isles are now done with the preseason and will be finalizing their roster soon for the start of the season on Friday. I am anxious to see who they decide to keep and who to cut. Check back later for analysis on who is staying and who is going.
Podcats for 10/5 Up: The podcast is now uplodaed here for those who didn't get to listen live to our season primiere on Sunday. I'd like to thank those who submitted questions for us to dissect and hope you continue to do so all season long.
Chris
nyifyichris@yahoo.com
DiPietro gave up 6 goals as the Panthers blanked the Isles 6-0. Most of the Islander regulars were in as far as in net and on offence, however the defense was no where near the one that will be there on opening night. Mark Streit, Brendan Witt and Radek Martinek were all out of the lineup.
One really can't get upset at the result of this game. It was DiPietro's first game since mid-March, and although he had been practicing it just isn't the same. It will be interesting to see how the Islanders decide to start the season now. I would think the team wants to start him for the back to back games starting the season, but can DiPietro really do that? Is he really in a condition to do that? Those are questions he has to answer.
I can't imagine the Islanders would start Joey MacDonald in the first game of the year just so Dipietro could start the home opener. I also don't see how the team could want to start MacDonald in the home opener. My thoughts are to just take it day by day. If DP is ready to go Friday in New Jersey, then he goes. Monitor his game, see how he feels after. Keep an eye on his status throughout the night and after the trip back to Long Island, see if he is ready to take on the Blues. Personally, if DiPietro plays both games to start the year then I would like to see the Isles put MacDonald in for at least the next game, perhaps even the next two games. We'll see how it all plays out. Hopefully DP doesn't make any dumb decisions on risking injury so early in the year.
Speaking of injuries, defenseman Chris Lee was injured last night and taken off the ice on a stretcher. The team had released a statement last night that he was conscious at the hospital and doing well. Lee was released from the hospital this morning and cleared to return to practice for the team. Good to hear as always.
The Isles are now done with the preseason and will be finalizing their roster soon for the start of the season on Friday. I am anxious to see who they decide to keep and who to cut. Check back later for analysis on who is staying and who is going.
Podcats for 10/5 Up: The podcast is now uplodaed here for those who didn't get to listen live to our season primiere on Sunday. I'd like to thank those who submitted questions for us to dissect and hope you continue to do so all season long.
Chris
nyifyichris@yahoo.com
October 6, 2007
Islanders win Season Opener 6-4
All the waiting finally came to an end on Friday night with the drop of the puck in Buffalo. Although the Sabres scored the first goal 2:56 into the game, coming from Jaroslav Spacek with 4 seconds left in the first power play of the game, the Islanders never gave up in what became a seesaw battle.
Josef Vasicek scored the Islander's first goal of the year at 9:16 of the first to tie the game at 1. Buffalo answered shortly after that, with Derek Roy scoring on a nice one-time pass from Maxim Afinogenov and 12:04. The Islanders scored the next 2 goals, both power play goals, 34 seconds apart. The first goal came from Ruslan Fedotenko, off a nice pass from new captain Bill Guerin. The second goal was scored by Chris Campoli off a nice pass from Fedotenko right to the front of the net, where Campoli snuck in and parked right in front of Sabres' net minder Ryan Miller. Drew Stafford scored the last goal of the period, off of a bad clearing attempt by the Islanders and a poor defensive play by Marc-Andre Bergeron in front of Rick DiPietro. The first period ended with the game tied at 3.
Things settled down in the 2nd period as only 3 goals were scored; 2 by the Isles and one by the Sabres. Comrie scored 7:35 into the period on a great touch pass from Fedotenko, who found Comrie in front of a wide open with Miller too far to the left in the crease. Thomas Vanek scored on an unconventional breakaway shot, a slapper from 15 feet out. The wind up seemed to catch DiPietro off guard, and the game was tied at 4. Comrie scored once again, at 16:04 of the period on a nice breakaway pass to himself. On a loose puck, Comrie chipped the puck forward and raced past Sabres' defenseman Toni Lydman and shot the puck off of the crossbar and past Miller. The Islanders would score once more in the game, on a power play in the 3rd period. Trent Hunter got the goal on a scramble in front of the net and chipped the puck past miller and it trickled into the net.
Although it was just one game, it is always nice to win the season opener. For the Islanders, that is a very rare occurrence. It was only the 2nd time in the past 14 years the team won to open a season. The last time came on October 5th, 2001, a season that became one of the greatest seasons in Islander history. One of the big story lines of the game was the new and much improved first line. Here's how they fared:
Mike Comrie: 2 goals, 2 assists
Bill Guerin: 0 goals, 3 assists
Ruslan Fedotenko: 1 goal, 2 assists
That is a combined 3 goals and 7 assists from the top line. Even if it was the first game of the year, one must keep in mind that these 3 did the same things in preseason, when they were playing the same way they played last night. In the three preseason games the trio played in, the team went 3-0.
The power play also looked much improved and had a much different feel to it as well. The coaches did a good job of revamping that. The team went 3 for 4 on the power play, and the team only took 3 penalties themselves, which was very rare for them to do last season. The play a much more disclipined game it seems.
The defense still needs some work, but for the 2nd half of the 2nd period and all of the 3rd the Isles seemed more comfortable and were able to shutdown the Sabres. The paring of Radek Martinek and Brendan Witt looked very solid. Earlier in the day, the Isles re-signed Martinek to a 3 year contract, and I can see why. When healthy Martinek is very solid out there, and was the best Isles defenseman last night.
The Isles outshout the Sabres in the 3rd 11-5, and 34-26 for the game, also a rarity last season. The team appears much more faster than last years and much more resilient. They play as a cohesive unit, and most of that stems from new captain Bill Guerin. It's the little things that count and Bill Guerin did so many of the little things right that it made me happy to watch. If this franchise is going to gain some respect back, Bill Guerin will have a huge part in that matter. Not only with his play on the ice, but his rep with the refs, his voice on the bench, in the lockeroom and his service around the community.
Some will argue that the Sabres aren't good anymore after losing Chris Drury to the Rangers and Danny Briere to the Flyers, but they really aren't paying attention to the NHL. Despite those losses, the Sabres still have a very high powered offense. Vanek scored 43 goals last year and had 84 points. Derek Roy had 63 points in 75 games, while Afinogenov had 61 points in just 56 games. The 3 made up the Sabres 3rd line last year. That is a first line on every other team in the league, and is a first line for the Sabres this season with the departure of Drury and Briere. The Sabres still have Jason Pomminville, Jochen Hecht, Tim Connolly, Ales Kotalik and Paul Gaustad among others. Many of these players are young and still up and coming and some will even put up big numbers this season with increased roles. Not to mention the defense is still in tact from last year, and they still have Ryan Miller in net.
It is very encouraging to see a team go into an opponents building and win a hard fought game. Its even more difficult to do it at your opponents home opener, when they are raising their presidents trophy banner from being the best team in the NHL last season. It is a feat the Isles should be proud of. However, with the Isles home opener tonight against the Sabres, I would imagine they are looking to return the favor. The Isles need to tighten up defensively and try to keep things simple. Their offense has proved to be much faster than last years, and they will get their opportunities on that front. Draw some penalties, get a goal or 2 on the power play and play good defensively and things will be fine. Just don't get too confident over last night as Buffalo will certainly be making adjustments going into tonight's game.
I will be there in section 338, cheering on the Islanders. Sean will be there, but I'm not sure where yet. Here's to a 2-0 start for 07-08!
Chris
Josef Vasicek scored the Islander's first goal of the year at 9:16 of the first to tie the game at 1. Buffalo answered shortly after that, with Derek Roy scoring on a nice one-time pass from Maxim Afinogenov and 12:04. The Islanders scored the next 2 goals, both power play goals, 34 seconds apart. The first goal came from Ruslan Fedotenko, off a nice pass from new captain Bill Guerin. The second goal was scored by Chris Campoli off a nice pass from Fedotenko right to the front of the net, where Campoli snuck in and parked right in front of Sabres' net minder Ryan Miller. Drew Stafford scored the last goal of the period, off of a bad clearing attempt by the Islanders and a poor defensive play by Marc-Andre Bergeron in front of Rick DiPietro. The first period ended with the game tied at 3.
Things settled down in the 2nd period as only 3 goals were scored; 2 by the Isles and one by the Sabres. Comrie scored 7:35 into the period on a great touch pass from Fedotenko, who found Comrie in front of a wide open with Miller too far to the left in the crease. Thomas Vanek scored on an unconventional breakaway shot, a slapper from 15 feet out. The wind up seemed to catch DiPietro off guard, and the game was tied at 4. Comrie scored once again, at 16:04 of the period on a nice breakaway pass to himself. On a loose puck, Comrie chipped the puck forward and raced past Sabres' defenseman Toni Lydman and shot the puck off of the crossbar and past Miller. The Islanders would score once more in the game, on a power play in the 3rd period. Trent Hunter got the goal on a scramble in front of the net and chipped the puck past miller and it trickled into the net.
Although it was just one game, it is always nice to win the season opener. For the Islanders, that is a very rare occurrence. It was only the 2nd time in the past 14 years the team won to open a season. The last time came on October 5th, 2001, a season that became one of the greatest seasons in Islander history. One of the big story lines of the game was the new and much improved first line. Here's how they fared:
Mike Comrie: 2 goals, 2 assists
Bill Guerin: 0 goals, 3 assists
Ruslan Fedotenko: 1 goal, 2 assists
That is a combined 3 goals and 7 assists from the top line. Even if it was the first game of the year, one must keep in mind that these 3 did the same things in preseason, when they were playing the same way they played last night. In the three preseason games the trio played in, the team went 3-0.
The power play also looked much improved and had a much different feel to it as well. The coaches did a good job of revamping that. The team went 3 for 4 on the power play, and the team only took 3 penalties themselves, which was very rare for them to do last season. The play a much more disclipined game it seems.
The defense still needs some work, but for the 2nd half of the 2nd period and all of the 3rd the Isles seemed more comfortable and were able to shutdown the Sabres. The paring of Radek Martinek and Brendan Witt looked very solid. Earlier in the day, the Isles re-signed Martinek to a 3 year contract, and I can see why. When healthy Martinek is very solid out there, and was the best Isles defenseman last night.
The Isles outshout the Sabres in the 3rd 11-5, and 34-26 for the game, also a rarity last season. The team appears much more faster than last years and much more resilient. They play as a cohesive unit, and most of that stems from new captain Bill Guerin. It's the little things that count and Bill Guerin did so many of the little things right that it made me happy to watch. If this franchise is going to gain some respect back, Bill Guerin will have a huge part in that matter. Not only with his play on the ice, but his rep with the refs, his voice on the bench, in the lockeroom and his service around the community.
Some will argue that the Sabres aren't good anymore after losing Chris Drury to the Rangers and Danny Briere to the Flyers, but they really aren't paying attention to the NHL. Despite those losses, the Sabres still have a very high powered offense. Vanek scored 43 goals last year and had 84 points. Derek Roy had 63 points in 75 games, while Afinogenov had 61 points in just 56 games. The 3 made up the Sabres 3rd line last year. That is a first line on every other team in the league, and is a first line for the Sabres this season with the departure of Drury and Briere. The Sabres still have Jason Pomminville, Jochen Hecht, Tim Connolly, Ales Kotalik and Paul Gaustad among others. Many of these players are young and still up and coming and some will even put up big numbers this season with increased roles. Not to mention the defense is still in tact from last year, and they still have Ryan Miller in net.
It is very encouraging to see a team go into an opponents building and win a hard fought game. Its even more difficult to do it at your opponents home opener, when they are raising their presidents trophy banner from being the best team in the NHL last season. It is a feat the Isles should be proud of. However, with the Isles home opener tonight against the Sabres, I would imagine they are looking to return the favor. The Isles need to tighten up defensively and try to keep things simple. Their offense has proved to be much faster than last years, and they will get their opportunities on that front. Draw some penalties, get a goal or 2 on the power play and play good defensively and things will be fine. Just don't get too confident over last night as Buffalo will certainly be making adjustments going into tonight's game.
I will be there in section 338, cheering on the Islanders. Sean will be there, but I'm not sure where yet. Here's to a 2-0 start for 07-08!
Chris
August 17, 2007
Islanders Unveil new look Jerseys
Yesterday the Islanders unveiled their new look for 2007-2008, introducing the new RBK Edge jerseys that all 30 teams will be using this year. The jerseys are supposed to be more form fitting, which helps cut down on the ability to grab other skaters jerseys and take penalties. Also, the jerseys are supposed to keep the players cooler over a 60 minute game as the fabric is also made to whisk away the sweat.The way the jerseys are made is by using 5 different kinds of fabrics that are all attached together. Most of the jerseys than have been released so far have the thin piping at the top, as you can see from the picture here. Some teams did not make the piping a different color, but many did, just like the Isles have done.
More of what the Isles have done to the jerseys is obviously change the color scheme. The colors are still navy blue, orange and white, but the look of the jersey is different. The sleeves on both the home and away jerseys are orange with a blue stripe in the middle. On the body of the jersey, there is a number in the top right corner of the jersey. This idea was used by the sabres last year, and some teams might catch on to that. It appears the Isles are the second team to do that thought. Also on the front of the jersey is the classic Islander's logo, but a bit larger than it used to be. On the neck is the official NHL logo that will be on all jerseys this season. The Isles also chose to go with a bit of an old school look by adding in the ties. On the home jersey, they are orange and on the away jersey, blue. On the back of the jersey, the numbers are a lot larger and look like the ones that were on the Isles jerseys from the dynasty days. On the blue home jerseys, the numbers are white with an orange border on them; the numbers on the sleeves are white as well but with a blue border around them. On the white away jerseys, the numbers will be blue with an orange lining and the sleeves will have the same blue numbers with white lining.
The opinions yesterday were mixed among fans, but after a day of looking at them and letting it sink in some have warmed up to them. Personally, I thought they were pretty neat looking when I saw them yesterday morning and can't wait to see the whole uniform on the ice this September in the pre-season. I think by that point fans will really be able to make a judgement on them. Here are some more pictures of the jerseys being modeled by Brendan Witt and Rick DiPietro:
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