Weight IN: Witt Where?

Late yesterday afternoon, I tried to follow the chronology of the "Doug Weight Returns to the Islanders" signing information and found that it had spanned a full 24 hours and over 75 different Twitter users.

I heard it first on NHL Live on Monday afternoon and it was credited to USA's Kevin Allen. At first I didn't think much of it because Doug himself had spoken to any reporter that would listen expressing his desire to stay on Long Island and return to the Islanders.

It wasn't really news, but it IS June so it was covered like it was a hot topic. Late Monday night, I write a quick entry on HockeyBuzz about the possibility of Doug returning and what it may mean to the locker room. It was only meant to get conversations started as it is -- JUNE. Dumbass that I am, I didn't post a link to it because it wasn't anything important. Had I known... Had I known...

By 9:45 am yesterday, the Tweet went out that Doug had been signed, or should I say, had been JUST ABOUT signed, with only a few details pending. But from the time line I saw, that wasn't the first news bulletin to hit the wire. It doesn't matter any more anyway. Word spread quickly and like a game of telephone little pieces were added to it each time. Perhaps that's what happens because of Newsday's pay wall or because it WAS really a SLOW media day for hockey, but it went out over and over and in multiple languages.

At precisely 1 pm, GM Garth Snow put down the golf clubs and called into NHL Live for a few minutes. When asked about the contract, he said that they were "pretty close to getting a deal done." and that he was "looking forward to a healthy Doug Weight in our room."

So the deal that isn't exactly finalized and signed was Tweeted out later last night as being worth $800-900,000 plus bonuses.

Call it smart, call it a mistake, call it misplaced loyalty, call it whatever you wish. I call it keeping a good man around who has been friend and land lord to John Tavares.

So now here's another line in the water. While I was driving to work yesterday, Hockey this Morning on XM said that the two week NHL buyout period had started. I sent out a Tweet wondering if Brendan Witt would be bought out or not. Oddly -- NO ONE picked up on it.

Witt has one more year remaining on his contract and it is worth $3 million. He played the final games of last season in Bridgeport. Do we really expect him to be paid $3 million to play in Bridgeport? Would any other club want the veteran defenseman for something -- anything?

Good question, right? The sad thing is Witt is a great guy. He truly is!! But he just wasn't the player last season that he had been when he was given the 3 year contract. It happens. So -- Now what?

Monday’s Roundup from the Couch 9-22-08

It was a Payroll Monday at work today, and yet I still managed to find a few things hockey that may have eluded your keen sense of web surfing.

Unlike my fellow Blog Boxer Tom Liodice, I don’t have any quotes from camp. Hell, I’m not even getting any emails from camp. (Ahem, ahem….) So what could I possibly come up with that relates to Islanders Hockey considering that EVERYONE (okay, almost everyone) is in Moncton? Not much, but what the hell, here goes:

First, NHL Live is back on the air but not on the NHL.com website as of yet. But it did premiere today on XM radio’s Home Ice 204. That in itself was cause enough for me to smile, but something very heartwarming happened during the broadcast.

It seems that “Miriam, an Islanders fan” called up because she was asking what TV station the Islanders broadcasts were going to be on. She would usually listen on the radio but because they have moved stations for this coming season, she didn’t’ think she was going to be able to get reception. Now, I believe she said she couldn’t see, and I started to wonder if it was the same “Miriam from Forest Hills” that Chris Botta had brought to an Islanders game a few years back. I wondered.

Well, the guys of NHL Live offered her up a brand new XM radio so she wouldn’t miss a game. She was shocked and at first didn’t know what to tell them. “My building doesn’t allow Satellite dishes.” she told them. But they explained she’d have no problem with this one. Nice work EJ and Don. Good way to start your new season.

Speaking of Mr. Botta, he’s posted some details of what to look forward to in his forthcoming Islanders Point Blank blog and website. All I can say about it is: Hey Eklund! I think you’ve just met your match! Considering the scope of what he’s proposing, there won’t be enough time in the day to catch up to everything that will be available.

Also coming my way today was the disappointing news that Jim McGlynn has decided not to continue in the NYI Blog Box. This is the second inaugural member that will not be returning this season.

Earlier this summer, Jon Jordon, of HockyBuzz, decided that he was better off just blogging about the Lightening since he WAS the Long Distance Islander. No one who hasn’t done this this type of "blogerism" (basically journalism without money) realizes how much work actually goes into it. It is not only time consuming but emotionally draining at times. It’s the hardest non-paying job you could possibly love.

But as I’ve told both these talented writers, we will forever be connected in history as the founding members of this experiment that turning a handful of verbose Islanders fans into a blogging network of friends. An experience I’m all too grateful for.

Hockey This & That for a July Holiday

We're heading into the dog days of summer.... and I hate it. But what can you do? Other than complain that is.

So yesterday was the last broadcast of NHL Live for the season. Originally it was supposed to go through to July 11. But for some reason, they cut it off on the 3rd. I don't know what the heck I'm going to do now at work. It was two hours of sanctuary every Monday - Friday. I'll probably have to go back to web streaming Canadian sports radio. The only problem with that is that I'll know more about traffic in TO than I will on the Southern State. But at least.... there's hockey. Mostly Leafs hockey, but hockey non-the-less.

Satan and Tank to the Penguins: I sent a heartfelt email to my mother-in-law when I heard the news. I knew she'd be upset with the information. When I first brought her to a game, she fell for Kozlov. He smiled at her at the glass.

When Kozlov wasn't "part of the plan" last summer, I introduced her to Ruslan. As another blond haired, blue-eyed Russian boy with rosy cheeks, he was a perfect fit for her. As women, it makes the game even better and more enjoyable when you can focus and attach yourself to one player. Maybe it has something to do with that mother instinct, but an attachment makes the game and the team more a personal experience.

"Seems like everyone I like disappears -- Oh well."

Yes Mom. "Race horses and hockey players: they'll break your heart." (I heard that on XM radio but I don't know who said it. It may have been Hradek, but it stuck with me.)

Since my office closed early yesterday, I took the opportunity to spend some quality time with IslanderQueen sipping Starbucks ice coffee and talking at 200 mph. We didn't have much time, and we always have a lot to say. We laugh, we cry, we shop and play Marco Polo in the make-up aisles of Target. Why am I telling you this?

Well, since I left early I had no idea that Blogfather Chris Botta posted that he was doing a guest spot on XM radio. It was a nice surprise to hear him on Power Play on my way home from work. The best part was the way he handled the "Snow/Nolan" questions. Very polished, very professional, but what else would he be? Hmmmm.... next up as a replacement for Melrose on ESPN? Why not. Too bad he's still hellbent on shutting down NYIPointblank on the 7th; so that will be yet another hockey info outlet that we'll lose. Phooey!!

Tuesday July 8th is slated for a player signing evening at the Islanders team store at Broadway mall in Hicksville. According to the website Okposo and Comeau are scheduled to be there. Those two kids will be household names by the time the summer is over.

Have a happy and safe 4th of July people. I'm going back to sleep.