The Islanders are Back; I May Be

Can I even remember how to work blogger?  I still get errors when I log on. 
Oh well... let's give it a shot since I seem to have 15 minutes to myself.

Isles are playing exhibition games and everyone including the fans are getting used to an entirely new routine.  So let me catch up.


Third Jersey:  Certainly it could have been better, but in the scheme of things it could have also been worse.  My complaint is that it's NOT just the jersey.  It was Yormark's attempt to rebrand the team as a sibling of his Nets.  There are all sorts of merchandise at the Brooklyn team store with the Islanders logo in glorious black and white.  It's void of our colors.  Maybe I wouldn't hate it so much if I didn't have an entire wardrobe of Blue, White and Orange.

Yormark:  The new head of the marketing machine for the Islanders was honest in telling SBJ that Gary Bateman told him the NHL isn't the NBA.  As this transition has been going on for a few years, I'm surprised he needed the Commissioner to remind him that.  But he will learn quickly how passionate hockey fans are and how we can turn on a dime if need be.  (His dime, the fans will make or break you Brett.)

Michael Grabner: Okay, who didn't see that coming?  But for Garth Snow to be able to trade him the half the Toronto Marlies team was pretty impressive.  Maybe the Leafs will find him a good eye doctor so he won't miss the net as much when he is dazzling teams with his break-away speed.

Brock Nelson:  He gave fans fits with his contract hold-out stance until the very last minute.  He better put-up numbers if he doesn't want that stance to come back and haunt him.  He did score against the Devils last night.

MSG Relents:  As I have stated year after year, nothing in Cablevision contract requires them to air pre-season games.  They air the Ranger games because they own them and they air the Devils games -- just to piss off Islander fans.  Just kidding.  But they have relented this year and are airing three.  Certainly the Evil Dolan Empire's change of heart to air an Isles/Caps game is a surprise and a nice change.

LIRR:    I DO NOT like the idea that the players will be taking the train to the arena.  Unless they are traveling with a security contingent.  Sure, it's early.  The youngsters aren't recognized yet.  But what about in December?  What if they're not doing well?  What if they are?  There are too many "What If's".  Get them off the train and get them proper transportation to and from the arena where they are protected.  What?  Are all of Jay-Z's Mercedes in the Barclay's underground VIP lot and there isn't room for anyone else?

Camera Angles:  For some reason, many fans on Twitter last night were complaining about the camera angles.  Hey!  You were lucky they had a camera... and a crew!  Remember, Cablevision didn't need to send anything, but they did.  Nice MSG desk for Shannon Hogan to report from and do between period interviews.

Press Meals: The Isles and the catering company of Barclays are in a dispute over pricing for press room meals.  I am not surprised at all.  Everything in that damn arena is overpriced.  I can only imagine what they want to charge the Isles for supplying meals in the press room.  Don't get me wrong, when I was there two years ago they put out a spread that was astounding.  But you could tell, that was going to cost big.  But does the press really NEED a free hot meal?  They can expense it if they are working for a paying outlet.  For the bloggers -- it's a nice perk.  The bloggers are the ones who do this for little or no money and everything comes out of their own pocket.  Personally, I was fine with the $1 hot dog and free coffee and popcorn at the Coli.  Although I was really miffed when they took away the cinnanuts. 


To Recap:  This is exceptionally hard for me.  I am trying to get back into the swing of what was such a large part of my life for years and I find myself only glancing at it.  I loved this team.  I loved that I was part of a contingent of people who covered them up-close-and-personal.  I had a real connection.  The connection is now just a few threads that I can either weave back into a rope or cut ties altogether.  This is a difficult choice.

The Long Island Press featured an article in April called "Garth Snow's Summer "To-Do" List" written by Michael McEnareny. I actually used the article when I interviewed Mr. Snow in late April.

He admitted he hadn't read the article, but when I explained the five main items the fans wanted to see addressed in the off-season, he said he couldn't disagree.

They were:
1) Draft Wisely
2) Add size up front
3) Fix the Goaltender-go-round
4) Add nastiness at "D"
5) Find an Experienced Sniper

Continued here.

We're really missing a piece of the puzzle.

Isles Prospects Show off for Long Island

There were no surprises for Scott Gordon from last night’s scrimmage, but he was happy with what he saw. With the mixture of new draft picks and those returning for a second year, Gordon said "We saw what we expected and there is a varying level of talent and ability and where they played and how old they are. There are certainly no disappointments. Some of these guys who are only 17 years-old will be a lot different when they are 19 and 20 and they turn pro.”

While the ages on the ice ranged from 17 to 22, no one looked out of place or overwhelmed. Hockey is a game you play because you love it. It’s apparent they all do. “This whole week isn’t about anyone coming to make the Islanders, it’s about building team unity so that when they come to camp, they know the coaches, the training staff they know the players. It’s an opportunity for them to learn how to be a pro both on and off the ice in the weight room how we do things as coaches here and give them a feel for everything so that when the time comes for them to turn pro they have a better understanding of what it takes to be a pro.”

Kirill Petrov did not take part in the scrimmage as he “...banged himself up in the pregame skate this morning.” This was only prospect camp in the middle of summer and no one wants an injury here that could jeopardize a player’s development in the fall.

However, watching Matt Martin play this scrimmage the same way he did the playoff games against the Calder Champion Hershey Bears, I asked Scott if he should have held up a little. “That’s Marty’s game. This is a contact sport and you have to be physical. The players can’t think that they can go out and it’s going to be shiny hockey. We encourage checking and you’ve got to play the game with the idea that you could get hit. You can’t go out there thinking no one else is going to touch you. And if it was like that, it wouldn’t be the type of look we would want to see anyway.”


The returning attendees, especially those who spent a year in Bridgeport made sure the kids knew this was physical hockey. A year in the AHL certainly has made a difference as Scott Gordon pointed out.

“Well, some of the Bridgeport players like Justin DiBenedetto looks like a better pro now. He’s leaned out a little, he’s a little quicker on the ice. He’s skating more, he’s not standing around. I was encouraged to see that. It’s good to see our goalies where they’ve come in a year. And even some of the college guys, like Aaron Ness, to me he looked a lot more comfortable in the game than anything I saw last year. And even the two practices it was a good setting for him to show what he can do. I could go down and have my comments about each guy. But the biggest thing is, it’s not about where they are today. It’s where they’re going to be and this is all part of the process.“

Being “pro” also means facing a crush of media with lights and recorders all vying for attention. Not one of them flinched. Each prospect seemed comfortable even while the interviewers at times did not. It seemed the more main stream media (read that as Ms. Katie Strang) headed off in a different direction, the group of more “new media” types grouped together in a clump. However, without the presence of a main stream media reporter whose job it is to speak out as quickly as possible to get their questions answered so they can meet their deadlines, us internet types are trained to be more accommodating of each other. The respect we offered up to each other often left a pause in the questioning.

Kirill Kabanov did not have to translate for his fellow countryman last night. He faced the recorders alone and was quick witted and talkative. His English is excellent and he answered each question with ease. At the young age of 17 (he turns 18 next Friday) he has a full understanding that hockey is not just a job and a game, it is entertainment. “It’s like a show It must be fun for people.”

The unexpected crowd of 5,024 were indeed entertained “It was pretty cool. I really like Islanders fans. They’re like crazy. I like Long Island a lot. Everyone asks me how bad am I with all my tattoos. In less than one year I’ll make a big one here (over his heart) a map of Long Island. No, really. Right here.”

Whether he was joking or not, the sentiment was real. He is happy to be here and looking forward to showing who he truly is. His ability to charm is evident. When asked who his favorite player in Russia is, he rattled off a name and repeated it three times for us. However, as none of us were familiar with him, he immediately made a reference us North Americans could relate to.

“I have the same coach as Ilya Kovalchuk. I have the same number, 17. I got the first letter in the last name, K. But my favorite is Valery Kharlomov. You’ve heard of him? Everybody heard of him? He was a great guy.” (No. I had not heard of him and it just took me five minutes to find him on the web as I was having difficulty spelling his name.)

Kirill has enjoyed the other activities the camp has provided such as the Mets game but missed out on the fishing trip as he was having his wrist checked out. At the Mets game, he enjoyed being in the crowd of Season Ticket holders but “It was a little bit boring because the game is so slow, it was like three hours.” He was lucky it wasn‘t a Yankee game. That may have lasted seven.

Kabonov was asked if camp had taught him what it was like to be a pro and he agreed he has changed his attitude. “I learned not to be late for practice, for buses, for everything. Just trying to be a good boy. I am a real good boy.”

This is a young man looking desperately to change his image to attain what he wants. “I have to work hard and do my best and try to make the team as soon as I can.”

Nino Niederreiter shares the same ease with the press as Kirill with perhaps, far less to prove. Nino models his game after Vinny Lecavalier and Ilya Kovalchuk. “He’s just a fantastic skater. I would love to be like that.”

While he didn’t know much about Scott Gordon before this week, when asked if he found anything surprising about prospect camp he was quick to say “Just that the coaching staff is fantastic. They do everything for you.” I don’t believe that meant they were being coddled, I do know it means they are being TAUGHT.

Nino said he was surprised that so many fans showed up for hockey in July, (So was the Coliseum staff.) and is enjoying his time on Long Island, including the fishing trip. He did not have to eat the fish he caught as was indicated in the website article. “No, I don’t like that fish I caught.” But it did make a great photo op. “Yah! Big smile I guess.” Nino has enjoyed the weather here but was reminded it will certainly change come Hockey season.

Brock Nelson is only a few weeks removed from high school and last night played in an NHL arena. “It’s pretty awesome. I know it’s a big jump but it was fun to be here in the Coliseum and play with the guys here. It was a great experience.”

You would think that someone so young would seem out of step with the 22 year olds who already have a year of AHL experience under their hockey shorts. “I felt I did pretty good. I know it’s a little bit quicker They’re bigger guys, faster, stronger. But I felt right there. So I just have to bulk up a little more and I can contribute a little more.”

As John Tavares had offered advice to all the prospects, the biggest item on their agenda should be getting stronger. In every interview Tavares did this year prior to the draft, that is the one thing from his rookie year that stood out -- how much stronger NHL players are.

These mini-camps are designed to cultivate the stars of the future. As Scott Gordon said, it is not to see who will make the Islanders come September, but who has potential to in a few short years. Some of these prospects will return to their Junior teams in the fall, some will move on to College. Perhaps a select few will remain with the Islanders as Josh Bailey did in his rookie season. (John Tavares was a given that he wasn't going anywhere except Uniondale.)

I am going to go out on a limb here. While I was thoroughly against that move for Josh Bailey and was pretty vocal about it, after seeing the 2010 first round draft choice -- Keep him up. Nino Niederreiter will do just fine.

Next up, following up with 2009 prospect Casey Czizkas.

El Nino Is Coming to Long Island!

So said Charles Wang in his post pick interview.

I was totally surprised to hear the announcement at the podium of Nino Niederreiter as the Islanders draft pick. Why? Because I don't usually get what I want on Draft day.

Since I had started to research draft possibilities, I was totally sold on Erik Gudbranson and was hopeful he would be available at #5. But all the while I was researching the top 12 ranked prospects, Nino kept coming up. Erik was originally listed in the rankings at 5 - 7. Then his stock started to rise and his ranking jumped.

While that was happening, other names started falling into the mix of possible prospects and Nino's name began to climb as well. Everyone who asked me what I thought the Islanders should do got the same answer: Take Erik if he's available and if not, bring Nino to the Island.

When Gudbranson was taken at third, I was visibly disappointed sitting in the penalty box with my blogging buddies at the Coliseum draft party. I tweeted out, "I'm heartbroken." But more than just missing out on Erik, I figured for sure I was going to hear a name I hadn't even researched be called as the NEXT New York Islander.

I asked Tony from Islander Nation for his book of prospects to start looking at other possibilities, just so I wouldn't be taken completely off guard.

Then the Tweets started coming in from LA that Snow was looking to move BACK in the draft order. Again, my heart sank. How far would he go? The fourth pick was made and still there was no annoucement of a move and nothing new on Twitter.

The break in the Draft coverage from LA made me concerned. Wheels were turning, deals were being made on the draft floor, I just knew it. But then Garth Snow and his "Entourage" made their way to the podium. YES!! We were sticking with FIVE! The wait was almost over!



As Garth bent down three feet to speak into the podium microphone, he surprised me once again. This time, however, it was a wonderful surprise. Nino Niederreiter was chosen as the highest drafted Swiss player in NHL history. I'm pretty certain the scream I let out was heard in the Zamboni tunnel. When the confetti guns went off, I just couldn't believe it. "Yes! YES!" I kept saying. My associates at the table all asked, "So I take it you're happy?"

In all honesty, I am perfectly happy with this pick. Nino is a "Big time player who scores big time goals." according to Garth Snow and everyone who has ever seen Nino play. So many of my Twitter friends who have seen him play wrote to tell me how good this kid actually is.

"He's not afraid to get his nose dirty or pay a price to get a goal." Garth told the ITV reporter. Now, doesn't that sound a lot like our already 30 goal-scorer, Matt Moulson?

When Scott Gordon was quoted as saying "He's one of the few guys I went on line to find video on." I knew the coach had already built a folder on his computer with Nino's name on it. But as Gordon mentioned, this 17 year-old kid has already been exposed to a high level of competition and will be given a taste of our the Islanders operate when he attends the mini-camp in July.

The chemistry in the dressing room is something that I have noticed and been talking about the entire year. It is magical. There doesn't seem to be any annimosity or "cliques." If all goes as planned, this is a group that will play for each other. Which can only mean they will win or lose as a TEAM; and that's a good thing!


As far as the Kevin Connolly inclusion at the table and at the podium, I know a lot of people have a lot to say about it. My feeling is mixed. I'm not 100% sure why, but I'm not overly offended by it either. This is LA and LA is all about star power. Kevin lent a little glitz to the podium, especially making the announcement of pick #30 (that they traded picks #35 and 58 to Chicago to get), Brock Nelson.

Kevin told ITV Reporter Mike Trudell that he is the West Coast Rep for the NY Islanders. Connolly, a life-long NY Islanders fan feels this team is going to be a "serious contender" come next season and said he would NOT miss the home opener on October 9th. For someone who is in front of a camera all the time, he said he was nervous getting up there on the podium, but 11 year-old Cameron Wang is an old pro having been up there before.



With the first pick of Round Three* (thanks Webbard) on Saturday, the NY Islanders pulled another surprise and drafted much maligned Kiril Kabanov, the Russian Left Wing who played with Moncton this past season. The Islanders seem to be the one team willing to give young hockey players a chance to redeem themselves or hang themselves. The choice is their's.

Well, all these picks will certainly make the Blue & Orange scrimmage on July 10th an event not to miss!

And here's a video of the night from my friend JohnnyZ from YES!Islanders