Deadline Day...or, How hard it is to love something that don't love you back

Every so often, something happens regarding the Islanders that simply defies logical explanation. It often makes us fans want to stick our heads in the toilets and wonder why we even care about this team.

This year's item: Bill Guerin.

A consummate pro and respected leader, Guerin was sent into exile on Saturday because speculation was that a trade was imminent. Banished from the team, Guerin's situation has caused many in the league and in the media to shake their heads, chuckle, and say, "Same old Islanders."

Problem is, the fans aren't laughing.

The way this entire situation has been handled has been unprofessional and embarrassing for the team. By banishing their captain, Scott Gordon and Garth Snow have essentially given a peek into the future for the young and impressionable Islanders; all of whom are probably saying, "If they can do that to Billy Guerin, what the heck will they do to me?"

Shame on the organization.

All of this comes out as allegations surfaced that coach Scott Gordon was not treating the entire team with deserved respect. The whispers about the headstrong coach and the veteran players butting heads all season have been confirmed. Gordon has been accused of not coaching the entire team and holding meetings with the younger players that the older experienced guys have not been invited to.

Let's examine that charge for a minute.

Gordon makes a reasonable argument that the kids are the ones who need the extra tutoring after school. He also has apparently pulled aside some key vets like Doug Weight and Guerin and told them that he can't count on them being on the team next season so he needs to spend his time teaching the players who are going to be the teams' leaders into The Lighthouse Era.

Let's face it: veteran players on the Islanders are desperate to win and to keep their careers alive. Guys like Weight, Guerin, and Witt have, with all due respect, seen better days. They're not part of the future of the New York Islanders. They're stop-gaps. They are either on their way out of the league after freaking commendable careers or they're biding their time until some other opportunity opens up. And there's nothing wrong with that.

It's just like any other job. Some people come and stay and try to make the place they work better. Others just show up and work hard but have priorities in other places. The paycheck is nice, you know, and there's no shame in that. You do what you have to do for your family.

Saying that, you bet your backside Bill Guerin wants to play for a contender and get some more playoff action under his belt. He doesn't know if this is the end of his career--let's remember he didn't have a lot of options in the NHL when he signed with the Isles to begin with. He wants to go out on the highest note possible...and the Islanders deserve to be compensated with a player or a draft pick as they continue to rebuild the once-proud franchise.

Again, I say "once-proud" because, as the DVD set that comes out next week further validates, all we as Islander fans have is (perhaps) misguided hope and our memories of better days at Fort Neverlose.

Memories are great and can get you so far but after a while, you need something more. We sit there and take the crap sandwiches and delude ourselves into thinking it tastes good because the jerseys and logo we love keep feeding it to us.

Which makes this whole Guerin mess puzzling. The whole exile thing didn't have to happen, as Mark Herrmann wrote in Newsday over the weekend. The team could have kept playing Guerin while waiting to see if Washington could dump Michael Nylander's salary to take on Billy for the stretch run in the Southeast.

But see, that would have been the classy move. Management sent him home to wait so that their precious asset wouldn't get injured while the trade wheels were in motion. This precious asset is going to fetch either a third or fourth round pick. Nice, but no windfall. Instead, a proud man who has been nothing but admired and professional is suspended from school for no apparent reason other than he is a good, useful player who is sought after by other teams with much more to gain this season that his present employer.

And that, in a word, sucks.

35 games to go; Sillinger officially ruled out for the season

This just in: the Isles are 13-29-5 in 47 games this season. That's "good" for 31 points. Our boys currently have the lead as the league doormats by a comfortable 8 point cushion over the Thrashers and Senators in the race to get the most ping pong balls in the draft lottery.

One thing worth mentioning: in the lottery, a team can only move back one spot in the draft order from where they finish. So, if the Islanders end up in the absolute cellar and are in 30th place, that the WORST the team will have would be the second overall pick in this June's Entry Draft.

Here are Red Line Reports' Current Top Five draft-eligible prospects from USA TODAY:

1. John Tavares C 6-0/198 L 20 SEP 90 London

2. Victor Hedman D 6-6/218 R 18 DEC 90 MoDo

3. Jared Cowen D 6-5/218 R 25 JAN 91 Spokane

4. Evander Kane C 6-1/180 L 01 AUG 91 Vancouver

5. Matt Duchene C 5-11/196 L 16 JAN 91 Brampton


Some interesting notes: We've all heard about Tavares and Hedman and other writers are talking up Duchene but let's not forget the impression Evander Kane made at the World Juniors. Will the Islanders do that trading down thing they mastered last year at the Entry Draft? Who knows. If they get the first overall pick it is going to be hard to sell the fanbase on trading down to get more picks and not select John Tavares.

The other thing to consider is that while Josh Bailey has had trouble scoring goals, he hasn't really had too many plays where his NHL experience (or lack thereof) has shown with glaring errors. He's proven that he can at least hang at this level and the league as a whole is incredibly young these days. Youth, speed, and skill is winning out over the old war-horse mentality that was squeezing the life out of the game before the lockout. Should the Islanders be in a position to select a guy like Tavares, Cowen, Kane, or Duchene, the pressure is going to be on the club to play him right away.

That sort of thing goes two ways and it all depends on which theory you subscribe to. The Bruins stapled Joe Thornton to the end of Pat Burns' bench for his rookie season when he was 18 and he was atrocious and had people questioning whether or not he was going to be a real top drawer player in the NHL. Of course, he was and is and the Bruins traded him away. Seems like we may have heard similar stories on the Island as well.

Would Bailey have been better off playing another year of junior? Who knows? Personally, I would have liked to see him get Christmas off to play for Canada in the WJC but it didn't happen. I think that the Islanders brass maybe didn't want Josh hanging around an old negative curmudgeon like Pat Quinn--but that is pure speculation on my part.

Of course, the trade deadline is coming and everyone is speculating on which current Islanders will be moved. Bill Guerin has a no-trade clause in his contract that he'd have to waive to be moved but you have to think that if a team like Boston came knocking that Guerin may be more receptive to play in his hometown for a team that looks like they're primed for a long spring.

Mike Comrie also is working under a one-year contract. He is a veteran but he is also only 28 years old. Going into the future, the Islanders are going to need Obi Wans to lead the way for the younger guys. Do they see Comrie as that kind of guy? Not sure. His reputation coming to the Islanders was not stellar but I think we all agree that from what we've seen and heard, Comrie may have been mis-characterized or even, perhaps, has matured. The guy is feisty and has a serious competitive streak. That right there makes him a popular rental choice as some secondary scoring for a contender.

Doug Weight has been the subject of trade rumors from the minute he signed on with the Islanders. He has also stated that he wants to stay with the Islanders and likes the area. There's no doubting his productivity while healthy but his recent injuries might scare off some teams who are fixated on his birth certificate.

My best guess is that if the Isles can include Jon Sim and/or Thomas Pock in any deals then they are going to swing those trades faster than Usain Bolt in a wind tunnel. Let's face it: the team has to clear roster space to bring up Trevor Smith and Andy MacDonald from Bridgeport. Reports are that MacDonald, who represented the Sound Tigers in the AHL All-Star Game, is ready to make the next step...and seeing Jon Sim on the power play is simply driving the fanbase crazy.

In other news, the team said Tuesday that center Mike Sillinger had hip surgery for the second time in a year and will miss the remainder of the season.

Sillinger had a microfracture procedure on his hip that forced him to sit out the final 29 games of last season and the first 24 of this one before he was able to play in seven games this season, scoring two goals. On Monday, the Islanders assistant captain had what was reported as "hip resurfacing surgery" and his career is believed to be in jeopardy.

His last appearance in a game was 12/29 versus the Rangers when he scored a goal.

The Isles are back in action tomorrow night in Atlanta.

Emails & Comments

We've got some emails and comments wondering why I haven't put in my three cents about some of the other deals made at the trade deadline. Everyone figures--rightfully so--that if I have such a boring job and the time to do so, that I should comment on the player movement and what it means around the National Hockey League. Since we here at nyiforlife.com consider ourselves to be in the service industry, I am kinda surprised I didn't do it either, but here goes:

Brad Richards to Dallas: Well, Brett Hull finally got a chance to scratch his itch and make the big deal he has been probably pining for since becoming co-GM earlier this year. He probably just put a new stamp on this team for the next five or six years. Of course, he also parted with a goalie prospect in Mike Smith that many people are high on.

Richards essentially becomes the new face of the Dallas Stars since Mike Modano is beginning to fade. Brenden Morrow may be the captain, but in many ways, the Stars have to be identified with an aging Modano. That's why I like this trade. Dallas immediately becomes the consensus top challenger to defending champions Anaheim out west with Detroit (I'm not totally sold on them yet) a step behind. Still, with Sergei Zubov out and Marty Turco the goalie you're relying on in the playoffs, it ain't gonna be easy. Turco has the rep of folding in the playoffs faster than George Jetson's car-slash-briefcase. It won't be easy.

Marian Hossa to Pittsburgh: GM Ray Shero literally handed the keys to Sidney Crosby here. He got him someone to play with who is good enough to hang. Hossa is in no way a seasoned playoff performer but he is a damn good player who may take a look at his surroundings and figure he will not get anything better as an unrestricted free agent than hitching on with Crosby and Malkin for the foreseeable future.

I have a friend who argued that Colby Armstrong and Erik Christensen are glue guys and that he wouldn't have traded them because he wouldn't want to mess with the team chemistry. That is just a silly statement without merit. (Yes, Sir, if you're reading this, I am calling you out on it!) Getting a guy like Hossa with a lot to prove in a competitive stretch run is a move you make for a couple of top-twelve forwards who have been playing higher than they should be not because of what they bring to the party, but because you settle on them even though they aren't suited for that. Make sense?

At the same time, Don Waddell got a pick, a prospect, and two guys who will be regulars with the Thrashers for Hossa, who already told the team he was walking in July. Not a bad deal for Atlanta given the circumstances, either.

Montreal trades Huet: Um, this trade sent off the WTF emails at work. Look, no one is saying that Cristobal Huet is the best goalie in the league, but he is pretty damn good. He was in the All-Star game. Far be it from us to question Bob Gainey on this one, but he must have a lot of confidence with Carey Price between the pipes for Montreal. Price is twenty and as we all know from the experience the Isles have had with Rick, it takes a while for the goalie to get comfortable in his own skates and confident in his game at the NHL level. Price was stellar in net for the Canadian World Junior team not too long ago and looked to be one of those kids who are almost unflappable, but the NHL is a big deal and the press in Montreal and in Canada are going to be tough if he doesn't come through; especially since the Canadiens have as good a chance of anyone to come out of the East. The lesson here is that Gainey must know something that we don't.

On the flip side, by getting Huet for a second-rounder and also acquiring Sergei Federov, the Capitals are sending a loud and clear message to their fans that they are in it to do damage. Ovechkin is reportedly "elated" to play with Federov, who was a hero of Alex's growing up in Russia. With the Southeast so competitive, this could be the tipping point for the Caps.

Finally, the Islanders' trades. I am good with the Simon move and the Bergeron move. In fact, I am still surprised that Anaheim gave up a third-rounder for him. Getting Davison for a seventh-rounder is a good move because no matter what he gives you, it only cost a seventh-rounder. (It does make me wonder about what the Isles management thinks of the guys in Bridgeport as I am sure Davison is going to be playing for the Sound Tigers at some point in the next few months.

Ultimately, signing Comrie for a year and getting Trent Hunter for the next five says more to the fans and the players than adding a guy for the playoff push would have. If the Isles don't make it to the dance this year, I don't think it will have been a futile or disastrous season. The Islanders are an evolving team right now and we all need to realize that the way things go in the league today that a team in the cellar today can challenge rather quickly.

As far as the rumors went, I hate dealing in them because it's just a fruitless exercise but I will address them like this: Komisarek yes; McCabe not at that salary; and Tanguay probably not.

Tonight the Isles are in Atlanta to play the Mighty Thrash for what seems to be the tenth time in the last month. Our boys have 67 points and Buffalo, in eighth, have 71 points. Both teams have played 64 games so far.

Isles take 52 shots and lose; Reaction to the trade deadline

First off, let's say this about the trade deadline. It's never boring. Even when no trades are happening, the expectation that something big could happen with one of the big names in the NHL is always fun.

I didn't expect much from the Isles this year because I didn't think that the organization had the chips to land a guy like Brad Richards or Marian Hossa. Was I surprised that GM Garth Snow traded Marc Andre Bergeron? A little. I mean, the guy has that great cannon shot and no one can deny that he added a very important element to the team last season after arriving from Edmonton but this year he just got plain scary in his own end. I mean, seeing him play with Berard was, at times, cringe-inducing. Both have never been known as being the most reliable defensive defensemen in their careers, you know?

I do know that in Anaheim that Bergeron is going to have a chance to bring his shot and his powerplay abilities to a team with several very responsible defensemen who will gobble up the majority of minutes in almost every situation. It wouldn't surprised me if Bergeron became almost a powerplay specialist for the Ducks...and I don't know that his style is going to lend itself to success in that sort of role. We shall see.

Trading Chris Simon to Minnesota is simply addition by subtraction. A sixth-rounder is nothing to sneeze at because you never know where players are going to come from so in that regard, it is a good thing to get anything for a guy who has been suspended and rehabilitated as many times as Simon has. We wish him luck with the Wild.

So, with all of the activity, the Isles settled in and promptly peppered Penguins goalie Ty Conklin with 52 shots on net. Two made it past him. It doesn't take a mathematician to figure out that 2 out of 52 ain't great.

The Penguins played the game figuratively shorthanded because they gave up two roster players to fetch Marian Hossa from Atlanta in a trade deadline deal, but Hossa had not reported to the Penguins in time to play last night.

Pittsburgh goals were scored by Jeff Taffe, sophomore-slumper Jordan Staal and Connor James, who arrived from Wilkes-Barre as an emergency call-up. The first Penguins goal was scored by Evgeni Malkin, who must've been wearing a blue suit with an S on his chest since Sidney Crosby has been out of the lineup with a high-ankle sprain.

The Isles and new defenseman Rob Davison (who made his debut last night, wearing #3) travel today to take on the Hossa-less Thrashers in Atlanta tomorrow night. Then they return home for the two big weekend afternooners; Saturday vs. the Flyers and Sunday against the Panthers. Conveniently, Panthers color analyst Denis Potvin will be in the house he helped build as the organization salutes The Core of The Four before the game.

Regarding The Core of The Four, I am looking forward to it, for sure. One thing though: this has to be it for the big celebrations of history, at least for a while. When you have a lot of them--and there is a lot to celebrate--the importance of the events get lost with the familiarity of them. Still, seventeen guys who played on four consecutive championships is way freaking impressive and most likely will never happen again in any sport at all.

Breaking News: Isles send D Marc-Andre Bergeron to Ducks for 3rd round pick

TSN.ca originally had it listed as a 34th round draft pick, which was pretty funny.

The Isles also sent a 7th rounder to San Jose for big defenseman Rob Davison. Yeah, I never heard of him either. But he is a big dude who is probably around for insurance purposes.

Big moves were Huet to Washington; Sergei Fedorov to Washington; and Brad Richards to Dallas. Oh, yeah. Marian Hossa went to tonight's opponent, the Penguins. Yeesh.

Stuff trickles in all afternoon so if anything else happens, we'll let you know.

The Trade Deadline

It's that time of year again, the trade deadline. Time when many of the GMs in the league freak out like a teenager before the prom who doesn't have a date. Oh, sure, a lot of these guys like to use buzzwords like "fiscal responsibility" and "bottom line economics" but someone always blinks and someone always makes a crazy trade.

Speculation is that the Islanders have three guys who might be available to move. Not coincidentally, all are working with deals that are ready to expire.

Of course, everyone in the media sees Mike Comrie as a guy who will/can be moved to a contender. I don't think he is going anywhere. Mike has been a good soldier while with the Islanders and if the brain trust didn't see him as an important player on the team, they would have never given him the A when Brendan Witt and Mike Sillinger went down. I know these letters haven't meant a lot in the past but I don't believe that this group sees the letter as anything but a privilege. He's taken on more leadership this year and has, from all accounts, been a good teammate.

Ruslan Fedotenko is another one. He signed a one-year deal before the season and while he has played well, The Tank has not lived up to his pay for play. Tank also admitted in a published report that he and his agent had not heard anything from GM Garth Snow in regards to a new contract. To me, that does not bode well. If the management corps saw Fedotenko as a piece of the puzzle needed to move the franchise forward, they'd have been talking turkey by now.

Last but not least, is Miro Satan. Again, his numbers have not lived up to his contract this season but in all honesty, the guy has been working hurt for most of the year. This is the last year of the contract he signed as a free agent four years ago and his situation going forward is hard to read. I want to believe that the team would want him to resign but they would also want him at a reduced rate to match reduced productivity.

The Islanders aren't, at this time, sellers in the marketplace. GM Garth Snow is probably shopping to see if he can add some goals to the lineup. Today's online rumor has Calgary moving an unhappy Alex Tanguay to the Islanders. Take that for what you will. I always wonder when an exclusively-Western Conference player moves East (or vice versa) if the player is going to adapt successfully to a different style of play. Travel-wise, of course, it's always easier to move from West to East instead of East to West, because of the crazier travel in the other conference. Still, the styles are different enough that you have to wonder how a guy like Tanguay would do in the tighter-checking Eastern Conference.

We'll see how it all goes down tomorrow. Thanks to my department head, who scheduled a meeting from 1-3 PM tomorrow, I will miss out on the "Oh, shit!" moment from last year when I read that Ryan Smyth left Edmonton for Long Island on tsn.ca trade tracker. Stupid meetings.