Free Agency Tomorrow at Noon

There's a lot of good players available tomorrow at noon for the other half of Dominion Day, Free Agent Day!

Do you like it when GMs act like half-drunk frat boys looking for a hammered girl at last call? If you do--and who doesn't--then tomorrow is the day for you!

GM Garth Snow has already said that next season's Islanders squad is going to look a lot like this year's...so he doesn't want us to get all excited and start thinking that Charles Wang is going to open his pocket to land the Sedin twins or even Mike Komisarek. And if they are convinced that they are on this rebuilding track, they shouldn't do it anyway.

What our team needs is a reliable goaltender. A lot of people have been clamoring for Craig Anderson of Florida, but I like to look toward New Jersey and notice that Scott Clemmensen is also without a contract.

Claemmensen was on fire for the Devils while Martin Brodeur nursed his injuries. The guy backing up Clemmensen--former Islander Kevin Weekes--actually was his backup but when Brodeur came back, Clemmensen had to be sent down to Albany because Weekes was on a one-way contract. Talk about a sting.

So, Clemmensen has proven to be a pretty good goalie. And while both showed flashes of ability last season, he'd definitely be an upgrade over Yann Danis and Joey MacDonald. With Peter Mannino being let go, there's also only one AHL-ready goalie in Bridgeport, Nathan Lawson. So, yeah. Goaltending depth is a but tough right now in the entire Islanders family. That's why they drafted two goalies last week.

There's also lots of rumors out there about Mike Komisarek possibly coming back home to play for the Islanders.

Not sure that is a great fit since you already have defensive defensemen like Andy Sutton (oft injured), Brendan Witt, and Radek Martinek on the roster. Komisarek may want to get out of the fishbowl in Montreal so naturally, everyone thinks he will want to go home. TSN's microphones picked up Brian Burke saying as much to Montreal GM Bob Gainey at the Entry Draft.

The Islanders (if they are interested) may be in luck since Komisarek had an off-year last season. The picture I have of him in my mind is of him catching a punch with his face in the opening round vs. the Bruins. So his repuation as a tough abnd physical player may have taken a hit too.

Another thing that comes to mind is that if the Islanders do sign Komisarek (and pray they don't overpay for him even though they need size and toughness) that it totally means that the team has no confidence in Andy Sutton's ability to stay healthy. It also would scream that Brendan Witt is going to be given some time to play a bit better to make himself more attractive as a tradeable asset in February.

Greg Logan of Newsday suggest the Isles go after Colton Orr, who has been let go by the Rangers. Sounds good to me. The Islanders seriously need a cop to keep people off of the skill players. Plus, Orr has developed and can play a little bit. He played in key spots for the Rangers last season and would probably be a good and popular fit here.

Snow has already warned us not to get too excited. Of course, this is the guy who kept his puh-puhpuh poker face on for two months while intending to draft John Tavares. That's why this picture is posted here. I figured I'm the last blogger on God's gray Earth to post a photo of Tavares from the draft.

Guerin deal dead...

...according to ESPN's Pierre LeBrun. Now it is on to Plan B for Garth Snow.

Isles trade Comrie and Campoli; Get San Jose's first-rounder

Islanders Point Blank is reporting that Mike Comrie and Chris Campoli have been sent to Ottawa. The Isles also acquire veteran forward Dean McAmmond.

TSN reports that the first-rounder was acquired by the Senators last August. This figures to be a late-first round pick since the Sharks are kicking ass out West.

BILL'S TAKE: I agree with Chris Botta in the fact that I am surprised Garth Snow was able to get a first-rounder for Campoli and an expiring contract. Campoli goes home to Ontario and gets out of the dog house he was in with Scott Gordon. Does this move mean a playoff push for the Senators? Probably not. They'll probably tease their fans with a late run but I expect they'll be on the outside come April.

What is it that they're not telling us?

So, you know, yesterday, I'm watching the Isles game and it's 5-0 and Joey MacDonald looks like Ronald McDonald back there and the fans start the chant for DP! DP!

I mean, it makes sense, right? Goalie looks bad and he gets the hook. Happens every so often. Pull the guy out of there before his confidence goes south. Get the backup some PT. Mike Keenan does it after he sneezes. C'mon, guys, let's get Ricky in there!

And yet, there was Rick...sitting on the bench...wearing a cap...smelling his catching glove...and not making eye contact with anyone who has authority to put him in the game.

The Sabres torch MacD for another couple of goals after Trent pots one for the good guys and we end another fight-filled Kid's Day on the bidness end of a 7-1 loss.

Look--we all are thinking it. Many of us are trying to make sense out of it but you just can't. The Isles are protecting their injury reports better than the government protects visiting foreign dignitaries. Everything is ballparked as a lower-body injury or an upper-body injury and it is just useless. I'm getting an upper-body injury wondering why the heck they have to keep these government secrets so tight.

There is no right or wrong here. The Islanders--and any other team in the league don't have to be truthful about the injury situation of their players--but it helps, you know? The whole thing comes off as petty and cheap because they can't be honest with their fans.

The whole DiPietro thing is stranger than a guy you don't know asking you for money. If he's hurt and isn't able to play, then why does he sit on the bench? If he isn't ready to play, then don't have him backup Joey MacDonald. Bring up Yann Danis for a bit so he can wear a cap for a while in case they need him. Having the franchise player sit on the bench when he is in no condition to play--which, of course, is only speculation on my part because the Islanders are playing some weird game here--is not a logical move in any way, shape, or form.

Scott Gordon told Newsday that he prefers to have his goalies battle through tough spots rather than yank them out to save whatever shred of professional confidence that they have. That's fine. In fact, since he is a former goaltender, Gordon would know what it is like to poop in the punch bowl and then watch another guy mop up the mess. That's cool. But don't they realize that when you play this silly game that fans and people in the media are only going to speculate about the "real" motives in player moves and whatnot because you're not giving them anything factual to work with? In the real world, we need something. Plus, there's the whole idea that being forthcoming and honest with the fans is good business because, in the end, we are the ones buying the tickets and jerseys and Center Ice packages.

It is always something with this team. An organization secure in their vision and abilities to realize that vision don't lower themselves to weird cloak and daggers bullshit.

With that, I will leave you with the last paragraph from Greg Logan's game report from today's Newsday. Read between the lines at your own peril.

....But the suspicion is that MacDonald knew no reinforcements were coming if he got in trouble. Asked if he knew DiPietro wasn't available, MacDonald said, "Yeah," then caught himself. Backtracking, he added: "Well, I don't know about that. Like I said, I just kept on concentrating and tried to keep battling."

And it is only the third game of the season, Islander fans!

Islanders Team Report

Courtesy: Yahoo! Sports

Inside Shots

Islanders general manager Garth Snow took his time talking to men of various experience levels while searching for Ted Nolan’s replacement as head coach.

He found him in AHL Providence coach Scott Gordon, who was introduced as the Islanders’ head coach on Aug. 13.

Gordon, the AHL’s Coach of the Year, is accustomed to dealing with young players, which will be critical given the Isles’ commitment to a youth movement. Nolan reportedly was not, which led to his dismissal.

“I could tell right away when he walked through my office door that there was chemistry and that we were speaking the same language,” said Snow of Gordon.

While many big-name coaches with NHL experience were discussed before the club decided to give Gordon his first taste of coaching in the NHL, Gordon is optimistic that his experience in the AHL has prepared him to deal with a young, struggling Islanders team.

“It didn’t just take coaching Xs and Os, it took the players buying into the system that we play and being accountable to each other. That’s kind of the last step in my development as a coach in refining the team chemistry part of it—how to get the guys to want to play for each other. I’ve been able to find what works and doesn’t work and been able to do it on a small stage and not have to have the growing pains, hopefully, at the NHL level.”

Of course, hope springs eternal in August.

Notes, Quotes

• The Islanders announced their 2008 preseason schedule, including one home game at Nassau Coliseum, Oct. 1 against New Jersey. With training camp to be held in Moncton, New Brunswick, for the second straight year, the Isles will play host to Boston at Moncton Coliseum on Sept. 23. They also will play Philadelphia in London, Ontario, on Sept. 25 and Florida in Sumerside on Prince Edward Island on Sept. 27. The Isles also play in New Jersey, Boston and Florida in early October.

Quote To Note: “Communication is key, along with the ability to provide structure to the team, to be able to discipline players and to hold players accountable. I’ll look for a coach who has integrity, an inspirational, motivational, knowledgeable coach. Those are the ingredients I feel a great coach has. I look forward to the process of finding our next head coach.”—GM Garth Snow, on the Islanders’ coaching search.

Roster Report

Draft Picks Of Note:

Corey Trivino, 6-1, 170, OPJHL Stouffville, 36th overall: The speedy center scored 69 points in 39 games in the Ontario Provincial junior A league, plus four goals for champion Team Canada at the World under-18 Junior tournament in January.

Aaron Ness, D, 5-9-1/2, 157, Roseau HS (Minn.), 40th overall: The undersized defenseman was Mr. Hockey in Minnesota in 2008, with 72 points from the blue line in 31 games for his high school team. Interestingly, Ness will attend the University of Minnesota and coach Don Lucia, who took issue with the Isles and with Snow for signing 2006 first-round pick Kyle Okposo away from the Golden Gophers in the middle of the college hockey season last winter.

David Toews, 5-10, 175, Shattuck-St. Mary’s HS (Minn.), 64th overall: The younger brother of Chicago rising star Jonathan Toews had 100 points in 51 games (44-56) for Minnesota’s top high school program. The younger Toews is headed to the University of North Dakota.

Kirill Petrov, 6-3, 198, RSL AK Kazan: 73rd overall: The Isles took a chance on Petrov, the No. 2-ranked European skater (behind No. 6 overall selection Nikita Filatov) by NHL Central Scouting. Petrov plummeted in the draft because he is under contract for the next two seasons in Russia. The right wing was named the top forward at under-18 worlds last winter with five goals in six games.

Free Agent Focus: After signing center Doug Weight, power-play quarterback Mark Streit and third-string goalie Yann Danis, the Isles boast 24 one-way contracts for 23 roster spots for 2007-08. When asked by Newsday if that means he’s likely done shopping on the free-agent market, GM Garth Snow replied, “I would say so, but I’ll still poke around and make calls.”

Player Notes:

• C Frans Nielsen, a Denmark product who has appeared in 31 games for the Islanders the past two seasons, received a four-year contract worth $2.1 million.

• D Bruno Gervais became the last returning Islander to land a new contract, signing a three-year deal worth $2.225 million on July 25.

Newsday: We Are Down To Three

Greg Logan has a source that says Garth Snow has narrowed the field down to three candidates to be the new Islanders coach: Bob Hartley; Scott Gordon; and Paul Maurice. This means that Bob Crawford is free to work for the CBC on Hockey Night in Canada and that John Tortorella gets to collect some of that Tampa Bay funny money for another season.

In the New York Post, new Isles center Doug Weight is interviewed in a very small article. He says the right things and generally seems to approve of Garth Snow's snail's pace at getting a coach: "I can see that he knows exactly what he wants, and to be honest with you, that's the most important thing."

And yes, for those who have asked, I did see some of the Opening Ceremonies of the Olympics. Those drummers were sick. I also am watching the US soccer games as well. As I type this, our boys are down 1-0 to the heavily-favored Dutch.

Islanders Team Report

Courtesy: Yahoo! Sports

Inside Shots

Islanders general manager Garth Snow is taking his time and talking to men of various experience levels in searching for Ted Nolan’s replacement as head coach.

Since Nolan was axed on July 14, ostensibly for not being on board with the franchise’s stated youth movement, Snow reportedly has interviewed at least five candidates. Those range from Bob Hartley and John Tortorella, who won Stanley Cup titles with Colorado and Tampa Bay, respectively, to veteran NHL coach Paul Maurice.

Former Bruins coach Mike Sullivan, who was an assistant to Tortorella last season with the Lightning, and AHL Providence coach Scott Gordon also were on Long Island in late July to meet with Snow.

According to Newsday, former St. Louis and Colorado coach Joel Quenneville also declined an invitation by Snow to interview for the vacancy.

Notes, Quotes

• The Islanders announced their 2008 preseason schedule, including one home game at Nassau Coliseum, Oct. 1 against New Jersey. With training camp to be held in Moncton, New Brunswick, for the second straight year, the Isles will play host to Boston at Moncton Coliseum on Sept. 23. They also will play Philadelphia in London, Ontario, on Sept. 25 and Florida in Sumerside on Prince Edward Island on Sept. 27. The Isles also play in New Jersey, Boston and Florida in early October.

Quote To Note: “Communication is key, along with the ability to provide structure to the team, to be able to discipline players and to hold players accountable. I’ll look for a coach who has integrity, an inspirational, motivational, knowledgeable coach. Those are the ingredients I feel a great coach has. I look forward to the process of finding our next head coach.”—GM Garth Snow, on the Islanders’ coaching search.

Roster Report

Draft Picks Of Note:

Corey Trivino, 6-1, 170, OPJHL Stouffville, 36th overall: The speedy center scored 69 points in 39 games in the Ontario Provincial junior A league, plus four goals for champion Team Canada at the World under-18 Junior tournament in January.

Aaron Ness, D, 5-9-1/2, 157, Roseau HS (Minn.), 40th overall: The undersized defenseman was Mr. Hockey in Minnesota in 2008, with 72 points from the blue line in 31 games for his high school team. Interestingly, Ness will attend the University of Minnesota and coach Don Lucia, who took issue with the Isles and with Snow for signing 2006 first-round pick Kyle Okposo away from the Golden Gophers in the middle of the college hockey season last winter.

David Toews, 5-10, 175, Shattuck-St. Mary’s HS (Minn.), 64th overall: The younger brother of Chicago rising star Jonathan Toews had 100 points in 51 games (44-56) for Minnesota’s top high school program. The younger Toews is headed to the University of North Dakota.

Kirill Petrov, 6-3, 198, RSL AK Kazan: 73rd overall: The Isles took a chance on Petrov, the No. 2-ranked European skater (behind No. 6 overall selection Nikita Filatov) by NHL Central Scouting. Petrov plummeted in the draft because he is under contract for the next two seasons in Russia. The right wing was named the top forward at under-18 worlds last winter with five goals in six games.

Free Agent Focus: After signing center Doug Weight, power-play quarterback Mark Streit and third-string goalie Yann Danis, the Isles boast 24 one-way contracts for 23 roster spots for 2007-08. When asked by Newsday if that means he’s likely done shopping on the free-agent market, GM Garth Snow replied, “I would say so, but I’ll still poke around and make calls.”

Player Notes:

• C Frans Nielsen, a Denmark product who has appeared in 31 games for the Islanders the past two seasons, received a four-year contract worth $2.1 million.

• D Bruno Gervais became the last returning Islander to land a new contract, signing a three-year deal worth $2.225 million on July 25.

The Wheels On The Bus Go 'Round and 'Round

According to Greg Logan's post on Newsday, Bill Guerin was less than surprised that Ted Nolan got the boot from Islanders general manager Garth Snow. I guess we now know the name of that certain Islander veteran who allegedly caught Ted in some lies about how management was running the show. If it is Guerin--and this is only my speculation--then good for him. He's the captain and he raised an issue and tried to fix it along the chain of command. He went to the coach before certain events led him to seek out the advice of the owner and GM.

To me, that is leadership. He wanted to fix a problem and went about it the right way. If this un-named Islander was, in fact, Billy Guerin, then lock the guy up with a job after his playing career is over. He wants to get things done.

Anyway, that nightmare is over. I think I speak for all of us fans when I say that I am glad this crap didn't spill over into the regular season. Now Snow can move on and begin what is now a real NHL General Manager's job. No more committee. It is all on Snow. He has to make the perfect choice to lead the Islanders out of the shadows. It ain't gonna be easy, either.

Because I care, I have a list of dudes that are probably on Garth's radar. These are all experienced NHL coaches with some pedigree and success in their rearview mirrors. Strap yourself in and feel the Gs as we take a ride on the Let's Draft John Tavares Express!

Bob Hartley: Apparently, Hartley has some sort of relationship with GM Garth Snow and after flaming out in Atlanta, all reports are that he wants to get back into the league. Hartley won a Stanley Cup and that is instant credibility to a dressing room full of young and impressionable kids. He's fiery and hates to lose. Not a bad pick and many in the media have anointed Bob Hartley as the logical and most likely choice.

The people involved with the league don't believe the words "logical" and "choice" are to be ever be associated with the Islanders, and quite honestly, right now I don't think I can stand behind those words either.

Having said that, Bob Hartley may be the right guy at the right time to turn things around for the franchise. He will rely on his leadership core and push the buttons to get the young players to achieve. He also has proven to take losses hard and by the way, walks into the job with a Stanley Cup championship ring. Never discount that piece of jewelry.

John Tortorella: The intriguing media-friendly option. I bet Greg Logan is holding rosary beads right now, hoping Johnny Torts becomes the next Islanders coach. Tortorella always speaks his mind and he sure isn't afraid to challenge his players. His combative nature and competitive streak would make Tortorella the king of the Lighthouse. The fans would love the guy. Whether he can sit in the same sandbox as Garth Snow and Charles Wang is to the big question. He seemed to do OK in Tampa and would walk into the room with a Stanley Cup ring.

In a perfect world, a guy like me on the outside would like to see Tortorella get the job. He'd bring a new element of competitiveness and aggression into rivalries with the Devils and the Rangers and he has proven to be the kind of coach who holds everyone in the room accountable. I want a coach full of piss and vinegar who is just beside himself after close games and spitting up bile after tough losses. I want a guy who cares as much as the fans do. John Tortorella is that guy.

Pat Burns: Interesting situation here. No one will argue that Burns is a Hall of Fame-quality coach. He's had successful teams and high-profile jobs in Montreal; New Jersey; and Toronto. The guy has got rings. Now he has been out of the game battling cancer for a few years and from what I read, he would like to get back into the NHL. I think if he is up to it and willing to come to Long Island, then Garth Snow owes it to the organization to consider a guy with a resume like Pat Burns. It's a tough one to beat.

Marc Crawford: Crawford allegedly ordered the hit on Steve Moore by Todd Bertuzzi. We all know that. So, right there, do we need a guy coming in here with that sort of baggage? Plus, he has that weird Kerry Fraser hair. But he does have his name on The Cup. Still, no magic in Vancouver and not a lot of progress in Los Angeles. Next.

Paul Maurice: Maurice is a good coach. We all learned that when he got the overachieving Hurricanes to the finals a few years ago. He actually was able to hack it in Toronto with all of their crazy media and constant spotlight, etc. because he has a sense of humor. Now that I think about it, his dexterity with the media in Toronto may have given him great on-the-job training to juggle in the Long Island Circus. May be a good pick if he is the kind of guy to play nice with the GM and ownership. He had a great run with the Whaler-canes and had proven to fit well into their power structure with Jim Rutherford as a strong GM and that ponytailed freak (I won't say his name) as the owner.

Maurice also has a track record with developing the kids. He was in a fairly similar situation when he took over the Whalers in the mid-1990s. Not a bad choice if it happens.

Butch Goring; Bryan Trottier: Butchie probably would love to get another crack at it and he might be a pretty good guy to keep the kids going. Then again, when he was the Isles coach it wasn't like anything was lit on fire around the Coliseum. He's good on TV with Deb between periods and has an obvious enthusiasm for the game and an affinity for the team.

Saying that, wouldn't it totally look like settling if Goring were hired?

As far as Trottier goes, let's wipe away the Rangers experience. Is this something he is ready for? Great player coming in as a savior almost always is a bad recipe. Who knows? He may be perfectly happy being in charge of player development and he may not even want to be a head coach again.

And finally, if Jack Capuano gets the job, I would suggest that many others turned it down. I am not saying that to slight Jack or the job he did in Bridgeport last season. Not at all. It's just that he does not have a lot of AHL or NHL experience behind the bench yet.

That brings us to the end of our handicapping session. Rookie camp is going on as the drama unfolds. Snow has stated publicly that he is going through due diligence when hiring the coach. If we take him at his word, he needs to reach out and talk to at least three or four of the candidates above. The coming weeks are very important for the franchise. No way around that.

The End of the Line

By now, everyone has read the great post by Chris Botta on his own site...which is coming to and end this week. Seriously, since the guy left the Islanders, Chris Botta has probably been the single most important person out there for breaking news on the team and giving us the straight talk we are not getting from the team's management. He is so going to be missed.

Anyhoo, for those wondering, the post I am referring to is regarding the relationship (or lack thereof) between Garth Snow and Ted Nolan. Despite everything they say publicly, it would take a complete moron with a frightening blind faith not to realize that there is a real problem there.

Botta makes many points to illustrate when he thinks each man has gone wrong. Suffice to say that Ted has been guilty of biting the hand that fed him and Garth has been guilty of imposing his will on the players and team that Nolan has to coach without asking/getting/receiving input from the man directly responsible for trying to get the group to pull in one direction.

Botta recognizes that both guys are in the wrong and that the longer this goes on, the longer and more painful the divorce is going to be. You could see it at the end of last year and you just know that it has been simmering all summer.

I mean, come on, who didn't say WTF?? when Garth and Ryan Jankowski went up to announce the Josh Bailey pick at the draft? Did you notice that Ted Nolan was at one end of the table and that Mr. Wang, Chris Dey, Garth, and Jankowski were all at the other? The COACH OF THE ISLANDERS WAS AT THE KID'S TABLE, for Pete's sake, while the grownups at the other end were spinning, dealing, and deciding for the entire organization. I mean, Bill Guerin was seated half-way in between management and the coach. Does that mean he had more input in the pick than the head coach did? The head coach that no one conferred with?

Are you a big believer in body language? I am. Ted Nolan was sitting there, shoulders slumped forward, head about a foot off the table, looking every bit like a kid who didn't want to sit down for dinner. You know why? Because no one bothered asking him what he wanted to eat!

Does that mean I think Teflon Ted is the wronged party in this crumbling marriage? Nope. I sure do not. I don't because as Botta mentioned, Ted more than once gave the old "you play who they give you" defense as the team limped to the spring. I mean, that is almost as bad as blaming the players for playing badly even though you think you're coaching well!

And Garth Snow is not absolved of blame in the rift. He's not exactly been the most accommodating manager either. He's ripped guys in the press like Dubie when maybe he didn't have to...

....which by the way is the PERFECT illustration of the breakdown in communication. When Dubie was allowed to walk (all the way to Russia), Garth was in Newsday saying that he had showed up to the previous camp out of shape and that the coaching staff (Nolan) had lost faith in him and that was the reason Rick DiPietro was overplayed until he was injured.

Shortly thereafter, Nolan is asked about Snow's comments and he denies ever losing faith in his backup goalie. He also kind of tossed Rick into the fire by casually mentioning that DiPietro wanted to play a lot (he repeatedly expressed the desire for Brodeur-numbers last summer) and that he admired Dubie for how he played and got the Isles into the playoffs the previous spring.

Um, conflict? Conflict resolution, anyone? Am I the only one who thinks this he said/he said crap is just a little too "High School" for the NHL? How is anything positive going to come of this?

I guess what I am saying is this: we're going to miss Chris Botta's posts and that yes, it's gonna be a long year. This thing is just heating up and unless somebody in power either grows up or makes a decision one way or another, the 2008-09 season is not going to be positive for the New York Islanders or their long suffering fans.

And I think I just threw up in my mouth.

Heading into Free Agency

So, here we are on June 25, just a few days before the doors open for the free agency season.

We have a very popular coach serving out the final year of his contract. So right there, any player who thinks that he will sign with the Islanders to play for Ted Nolan has to wonder what the heck is going to happen to Nolan after this season.

Well, the truth is that Nolan might not last the season on the Island. You heard it here first.

They are so going with the kids and there is some question as to whether or not Nolan is the kind of coach who can nurture young players and help them mature. He has been reluctant to play guys like Jeff Tambellini who light up the AHL and yet has trouble in the NHL. Lots of people think that he has been asked to play a different game in the NHL vs. the one he has had success with in the AHL. The question becomes is Tambellini just one of those guys who is too good for the AHL and not quite good enough for the National League or has the coach not put him in a position to succeed at the NHL level. With Blake Comeau and Kyle Okposo, he put them in situations that fit their skills so you wonder if it is the player or the coach? This season, we are so going to find out.

The scary thing is that should Ted Nolan be fired, who the heck would be the next coach? The organization is not only bereft of playing prospects but also bereft of coaching prospects. That is not a knock on Bridgeport coach Jack Capuano either. I'm guessing that after one year of coaching in the American League that Capuano would admit that he needs more seasoning.

So right now, the year after the Islanders signed The Leftover Line, the team is in a worse position to sign free agents than in any time over the past six or eight years. No agent worth his 5% is going to suggest to his player that he sign with the Islanders because the situation does not look stable.

Doesn't all of this just make you feel great?

From Newsday: The New Islanders

After trading down twice in the first round to take Windsor Spitfires center Josh Bailey at No. 9 on Friday night, the Islanders traded down once more in the third round yesterday with Chicago, adding another pick in the fourth round. That gave them a total of 13 picks in the NHL draft. Here's a look at the 12 chosen yesterday in rounds 2-6 to add to Bailey, including each player's overall draft number, position, height, weight, birthdate and junior team:

36. Corey Trivino

C, 6-1, 170, 1/12/90, OPJHL Stouffville: Scored 69 points in 39 games in the Ontario Provincial junior A league, had four goals to help Canada win the World under-18 Juniors in January.

40. Aaron Ness

D, 5-9½, 157, 5/18/90, Roseau, Minn. HS: Minnesota's Mr. Hockey in 2008 scored 72 points in 31 games (28-44-72) for high school team, member Team USA at under-18 Worlds, headed to University of Minnesota.

53. Travis Hamonic

D, 6-0, 192, 8/16/90, WHL Moose Jaw: Physical, stay-at-home D was 5-17-22 in 61 games in first season with Moose Jaw and was member of Canada's under-18 world champions.

66. David Toews

C, 5-10, 175, 6/7/90, Shattuck-St. Mary's, Minn. HS: Winnipeg native is younger brother of Chicago's Jonathan Toews. Had 100 points in 51 games (44-56-100) for Minnesota's elite high school program; speedy with good hands.

72. Jyri Niemi

D, 6-2, 192, 6/15/90, WHL Saskatoon: Finland native led WHL rookie defensemen in scoring with 34 points in 49 games (14-20-34), power-play QB shoots left and has slap shot clocked at 97 mph.

73. Kirill Petrov

RW, 6-3, 198, 4/13/90, RSL AK Kazan: No. 2-ranked European skater by NHL Central Scouting was 4-6-10 in scoring in 47 Russian Super League games; named top forward at under-18 worlds with 5-2-7 mark in six games.

96. Matt Donovan

D, 5-11, 185, 5/9/90, USHL Cedar Rapids: Oklahoma native was second-leading goal scorer among USHL defensemen with 12 and 18 assists for 30 points in 60 games with a plus-19 rating; headed for Denver University.

102. David Ullstrom

W, 6-3, 198, 4/22/89, Sweden HV 71-Jr.: Scored 54 points in 40 games (27-27-54) in his final junior season before move to Sweden's second tier; has strength, size, speed and finishing touch, but needs to improve defensively.

126. Kevin Poulin

G, 6-2, 210, 4/12/90, QMJHL Victoriaville: Seventh-rated North American goaltender had an 18-24 record with a 3.69 goals-against average and .887 save percentage that reflected his inconsistency.

148. Matthew Martin

LW, 6-2, 192, 5/8/89, OHL Sarnia: Rugged power forward scored 25 goals, 38 points and 155 penalty minutes in his second season with Sarnia and went 3-3-6 in nine playoff games.

156. Jared Spurgeon

D, 5-8, 175, 11/29/89, WHL Spokane: Had 43 points in 69 games (12-31-43) for WHL Spokane with a plus-36 rating. Helped lead Chiefs to the Memorial Cup championship.

175. Justin DiBenedetto

C, 6-1, 185, 5-11, 194, 8/25/88, OHL Sarnia: Scored 93 points (39-54-93) to finish just 12 behind teammate Steve Stamkos, who was drafted No. 1 overall. Had 10 points in nine playoff games.

Islanders select C Bailey with ninth pick

OTTAWA (TICKER) —After trading down twice, the New York Islanders on Friday selected center Josh Bailey from the Ontario Hockey League’s Windsor Spitfires with the ninth overall pick in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft.

New York, which entered the day with the fifth overall selection, traded that pick to the Toronto Maple Leafs for the No. 7 pick, which it in turn shipped to the Nashville Predators for the ninth selection.

Bailey, 18, registered 29 goals and a team-leading 96 points in 67 games for Windsor last season. His 67 assists ranked third overall in the OHL.

“I was just ecstatic to be chosen by the Islanders,” Bailey said. “Just to be selected by an NHL team is an honor, but to be selected by such a wonderful organization, words just can’t describe it. … I was hoping it would be New York because of the guys they’ve got from the top all the way down. It just seems like it’s going to be a good group of guys to play with.”

A native of Bowmanville, Ontario, Bailey finished the campaign with a nine-game points streak, notching five tallies and 18 assists as the Spitfires finished third in the Western Conference. The 6-foot, 188-pounder participated in the OHL All-Star Classic and netted a pair of goals in the Canadian Hockey League Top Prospects Game.

Bailey is not expected to be a high-end offensive player in the NHL but has good skating ability and vision on the ice. Said to have the makings of a future captain, he figures to be a mainstay on a checking line and the penalty-killing unit.

“Obviously, I’m going to work as hard as I can to make the team next year,” Bailey said. “I’ll do whatever it takes, and if I get sent to Windsor for another year, I won’t be upset. We’ve got a good team down there, so I’m just going to work as hard as I can to hopefully improve. I’m going to try to play my game as much as I can at the next level by getting into even better shape.”


NYIFORLIFE.com REACTION: Well, it wasn't a boring ride to say the least. I'm still shocked that my wife watched the whole first round with me; even if she was reading most of the time. Seriously, any woman who will stick by you while you're watching the NHL draft is a keeper. A little free advice to all of you hockey fans out there. Were a full service website!

Regarding the trading down stuff, I am guessing that with the fanbase that this is seen as fairly controversial but you have to give Garth and Ryan Jankowski one thing: they got the guy they has their sights on and they added more picks to play with later today. There's all sorts of rumors going on (like the ever-present McCabe stuff) regarding what the organization is planning but one thing is true: they are going with the kids and they're stockpiling options in what is universally described as a very deep draft.

One thing Bob McKenzie mentioned regarding Filatov stuck with me. He mentioned that without an agreement between the Russian Federation and the NHL, Russian players could come here, find out that they don't like it, and just go home to play in the new Super League for a lot more money. That makes Filatov a double-jeopardy pick.

Anyone else kinda creeped out by Pierre McGuire's reaction to the Leafs taking Luke Schenn?

More Fantastic News

I hope you all read Newsday today to catch the latest exchange between our GM and our coach.

If you didn't see it, here you go:

When asked about Wade Dubielewicz not being resigned by the team, Ted Nolan completely contradicted a comment made the day previously by Garth Snow. The GM had said that before last season, Dubie had not shown up to training camp in shape and therefore, the coaching staff did not have confidence in playing him...which lead to over-playing number one goalie, Rick DiPietro.

Nolan's response: "It was news to me."

Nolan was also much more diplomatic when discussing Dubie's Islander career; thanking him for the effort and reminding us that the team would have never made the playoffs if he hadn't made The Pokecheck during the shootout vs. New Jersey. But we don't get that in an article where both men are quoted. We get it in two separate articles that literally and figuratively are on different pages. Nice work, guys.

So what do we make of this? Well, for starters, the communication between Snow and Nolan is breaking down again. There's been rumors for some time about discord amongst the Islanders Brain Trust and what we are reading is not going to make those rumors go away. We know that Snow and Mr. Wang are hell-bent on going with the kids this year--a move we support and think is long overdue, quite frankly--and we also know that Ted Nolan has voiced his opinion that he doesn't think this is the best tact for the team to take. Throw in the reluctance of the team to extend Nolan in the last year of his contract and what you see is that they don't know if Ted Nolan is the right kind of guy to play the nurturing role while the kids develop.

Then you get the news that Rick DiPietro had minor knee surgery this week and that this potentially huge news was disclosed not in Newsday or on a fine news source like NYIFORLIFE.com, but that Rick himself spilled the beans on (of all things) The Bubba The Love Sponge Show on Sirius satellite radio.

Seriously. Not on XM's NHL Live, but on Sirius channel Howard 101. Yeesh.

Whether or not the surgery was minor or major is of no importance other than we are one injury away from starting Joey MacDonald in 2008-09. No, this is much deeper than that. It is another organizational breakdown of communication. There was no one involved with the team to either counsel Rick to shut his yap about surgery (because is makes the fans nervous at this point) or to have it on the website or in the paper to get the message out there that it isn't anything major and that The Franchise is okay.

Look--I know what it is like to work in an office where you don't all get along and where you may not trust the person sitting next to you. It sucks. Totally sucks. But it is even worse when you have this alleged discord while running a sports franchise because you're essentially messing with the public trust. The Isles like to think that they are making all sorts of important headway in the community to grow the next generation of Islanders fans and to a point, the work they are doing has been successful. But the one thing that really puts butts in the seats and creates goodwill between the organization and the fans is a winning team. Drama does nothing but create feelings of "more of the same" in regards to the New York Islanders.

I'm sick of reading about and I am sick of caring so much about a team that seemingly has to take two or three steps backwards after they take one step forward. The Isles need to get their shit together for the sake of the people who care about the team. I know this is true because I am like the most patient person ever with this stuff and now I am just getting tired of it.

I had hoped to write something about the upcoming draft this week. I also had thought about writing a post about the game from Monday night because it was simply one of the most enjoyable and fun games to watch in my thirty years of watching this game we all love. I had also hoped to post another Retro Live Blog but in all three cases, I couldn't, because the Islanders gave me something to complain about.

So, you know, thanks for that, guys. Now shut up and figure it out.

DiPietro and Snow Join NHL Goalie Council

The NHL decided that it was time to take a look at shrinking goalie equipment--as long as they can keep the guys safe--in an attempt to try and amp up the scoring in the league. It's an idea that needs to be addressed...even if it seems like we are trying to fix stuff that may not be broken year after year.

The Islanders GM Garth Snow will be representing the league-side of things and Rick DiPietro will be one of the consulting players. Funny that Snow would be one of the go-to guys on shrinking the dimensions of goalie equipment because many point at him as the guy who introduced and benefited from using the over-sized shoulder pads, pants, and goalie pads in the 1990s. It's almost like hiring a thief to sit in on meetings about protecting your home from burglars.

Other members of the (is it a...?) blue ribbon committee are Doug Risebrough of Minnesota, Jim Rutherford of Carolina (and a former Detroit goalie) and Dallas' co-GM Brett Hull. The representing players chosen by the NHLPA are: Martin Brodeur of New Jersey, Ryan Miller of Buffalo, Dany Heatley of Ottawa and Mike Cammalleri of Los Angeles. The PA chose two skaters and three goalies for the job; a good mix, I think.

The Goalie Equipment Working Group will meet shortly after the Stanley Cup playoffs end and before the Entry Draft; on or around June 11 in Toronto. According to the Globe and Mail, if the working group decides changes to the dimensions of goaltender equipment are warranted--but that the goalies wearing the (theoretically) smaller equipment will not be jeopardized--then the recommendations will be forwarded to the Competition Committee for consideration.

It's also worth mentioning that in the past, league committees and the GMs have simply passed legislation regarding player equipment without seeking input from the Players' Association (insert RBK uniform jokes here). Now, under new NHLPA Executive Director Paul Kelly, there looks to be a bit of a break in the relationship between the players and ownership that is healthy as the game we love moves forward

Garth Snow

After losing co-captains Chris Drury (Ranger$) and Daniel Briere (Flyer$) to free agency, the Buffalo Sabres weren't going to let high-scoring Thomas Vanek get away after the Oilers game of dirty pool. Buffalo matched Edmonton's seven-year, $50-million contract offer that they could make to Vanek as a restricted free-agent.

Anyone else like me and appreciating the Islanders' Jedi Council a little more after that kind of news? I mean, we all were incredibly bummed when Ryan Smyth left for Colorado. Rightfully so. And the fact that the team was seemingly inactive in the free agency period afterward while other teams were gobbling up the talent was hard to take. But after the Bill Guerin and Mike Comrie signings, you have to feel good that the Isles didn't jump in and begin overpaying for players who simply aren't worth what they received. It would have been another Yashin nightmare.

I like the Guerin and Comrie signings a lot. The one thing that I always wondered about Mike Comrie was whether or not he had maturity issues because again, for a young guy, he sure has moved around a lot. My guess is that since Ted Nolan has been so good at getting players to work up to their capabilities that we are going to be very impressed with the contributions in this upcoming season from Comrie.

The Guerin signing makes a ton of sense as well. He played well last year and is another locker room leader. Remember--they guy was a big voice for the players during the lockout. He must be one of those players who guys respect if they allowed him (or, most likely) trusted him to be a player voice in the bargaining. The Islanders Jedi Council has a good track record of bringing in the right kind of guys to shore up the leadership core. The pro scouts have done Garth and Mr. Wang proud in the past.

There are two paths teams can take in the pursuit of free agents. The first is to be prepared to pay the right guy for the right reasons. That was obviously what the team wanted to do with Ryan Smyth. The second is do band-aid the team the way the Flyers always have. Doesn't it seem like they always throw money at big-name guys to appease the fans? (Just an observation.) St. Louis tossed $18 million at Paul Kariya and I'm sorry, but Paul Kariya's contributions are not worth $6 million a year. I'm so glad Garth Snow was prudent on that one.

The deal to acquire Ed Jovanoski from Phoenix is intriguing. I mean, I can see not wanting to move right after you built a new house. But let's face it: the Coyotes are going nowhere. From a pure competition standpoint, you would think that he would want to move. But once families get involved--see Michael Nylander and Chris Pronger--everything gets chucked out the window. Still, we'd love to see it happen.

He's the keeper!

First off, I want to thank my buddy Bob for giving me the Hockey News with Ryan Smyth on the cover. I let my subscription lapse in December and in the words of the immortal hair metal band Cinderella, you don't what you got 'til it's gone. I always think I am being smart by saving some cash because you get so much news on the net all the time for free but that decision always ends up biting me on the backside. So, thanks Bob!

If you don't have a friend like Bob and are also wondering where Our Man Garth falls in the First Annual THN GM Ranking, let me spill the beans: they have him 16th. Wonder who is ahead of him? Wonder no more:

#1 Ken Holland, Detroit. Hard to argue.

#2 Lou Lamoriello, Devils. Probably was a coin flip between he and Holland.

#11 Kevin Lowe, Oilers. My guess is that lots of people are doing spit-takes at Albertan Tim Hortons seeing him ranked just outside the top ten.

#12 Paul Holmgren, Flyers. Yep, the guy Garth stole Randy Robitaille and Freddy Meyer from is ranked ahead of him. A head scratcher, for sure. The guy took on dead weight contracts for Mike York and Alex Zhitnik too. Wow. Whose drinking buddy is Holmgren, eh?

#14 Johnny Mucks, Ottawa. Funny, they brag about deals he made in Buffalo to justify his brilliance. Of course, this is the guy who poisoned the rep of Ted Nolan and tried to float the rumor that Miro Satan was a Nolan hater earlier this year on the Island--as pointed out by Greg Logan of Newsday. The Old Boy Network is apparently alive and well at the Hockey News too. Grrrr.


Today I feel like making a bit of a plea on the behalf of Rick DiPietro.

Look--we all know that Ricky is a hyper-competitive guy and he's proven himself to be one of the best goalies in the league but we really need to get the guy a night off. I know points are precious right now but can we take a look at the schedule and pick out a game or two for the guy to sit out? Saturday vs. Washington screams "Dunham" to me. Mike Dunham is a good goalie and has had some serious-ass flashes this year in Rick's stead. I know that the Islanders can't take any team lightly but with big showdowns with Ottawa and Montreal coming up next week (both on the road), a night off night be in order for The Franchise. DiPietro won't want the night off because he is a player and a gamer, but it may be in his best interests. He's the keeper, after all.

In other news, Alexei Yashin will be back tonight for round two against the Rangers. It's been five weeks and the team has played exceptionally well while the captain was sidelined with the knee issues. Chemistry is a delicate thing so it will be very interesting to see how Coach Nolan fits Alexei back into the team structure. Sure, we all heard that Ryan Smyth would be playing with Jason Blake and Yash when Yash was ready but the way those wingers have been playing with Robitaille, I don't know that they need to be split away from him. Best guess is that Yash will get some minutes with his old buddy Viktor Kozlov and Miro tonight. I don't think Yashin will be playing too too much because, again, you really need to ease him back into shape.

The Isles are still in seventh place in the east. They are only four points away from the Lightning and the sixth spot. Our boys are in Tampa on the 20th for what should be an important game--they are all important right now--as far as seeding goes. But let's not get ahead of ourselves. Tonight the Islanders host the Rangers in another four-pointer. Beating the Rangers is always as sweet as finding money in the street. Let's hope our boys can add to the Misery in Manhattan with a strong effort and solid win.