First thing first- Moulson: The kid looked good last night and has an impressive resume in the AHL. Could he make this team, or is he just a guy hanging around to add depth at Bridgeport? What do you guys think?

Phaneuf’s hit on Kyle Okposo:

Straight from the horse’s mouth: “I thought it was a clean hit,” Phaneuf told the AP. “I stepped up and used my shoulder. You don’t like to see guys get hurt, but that’s part of my job when the hits are there, to take them.”

My Thoughts: Looks to me that Phaneuf left the air on that hit and if Okposo misses time with this concussion, Phaneuf should get suspended. KO called his pops afterward and told him he was OK; let’s just hope this doesn’t turn out to be something serious.

Posted under 2009-10

Kurtis McLean- Had a solid season in Bridgeport, notching 52 points in 62 games and showed some spunk with the Isles, scoring a goal and playing solid two-way hockey in four games. His age, 29, make him less of a prospect and more of a depth signing, so if the Islanders do decide to hold on to him, it’ll be for insurance, just in case someone gets injured.

Stay or go?- Stay. The guy produced last season in Bridgeport and if Jeff Tambellini or the host of other youngsters drops the ball, a balanced player like McLean may be able to step in.

Mitchell Fritz- Not much use for a guy like this in the NHL anymore. Sure, he’s tough as nails, but he doesn’t offer much of anything else. Good for games against the Rangers and Flyers, but little else.

Stay or go?- Go. The Islanders have a player in Joel Rechlicz that should be able to do a solid job of scrapping and he’s much younger and a better skater.

Mike Iggulden- Love this kid’s passing ability and instinct. A shame that he never got a shot with San Jose. Deserves a good 40 games to see what he’s capable of, but the jury is still out if the Islanders will give it to him.

Stay or go- Stay. As of right now, I’d much rather have him in the lineup than Tambellini. At least he doesn’t have a “passion switch” that no one knows how it gets turned on or off. At the very least, he’ll be another Hilbert or Tambellini or Jeff Hamilton, but in a great situation, he could be a good third liner with special teams capabilities.

Chris Lee- He’s put up solid offensive numbers at every level hes been at, but at 28, he needs a shot and soon. At Bridgeport, he may be a good teacher to the young players, but he needs an opportunity to show the Islanders brass what he is capable of. The only way that looks like it’s going to happen is if someone gets injured. And even with that considered, with all the injuries the defense had last season, he didn’t get a smidgen of NHL ice-time.

Stay or go- I’d keep him just for the fact that he can produce at the AHL level and you want to have someone there who can help guide the kids. However, if you have no intention of calling him up, which it seems the Isles do not, why waste your time?

Photo by Patrick Hickey Jr.

Posted under Offseason 2009

Currently, the Islanders have 10 restricted free agents that they must decide what they want to do with. Over the next two posts, I’ll answer those questions myself.

Trevor Smith- At this point in his career, I think Smith is a better player than Jeff Tambellini and deserves a chance to prove what he’s got. Overall, he’s got a good nose for the net and has great instincts. With the right linemates and a full-time spot, I think he can be a guy that can score 15 goals next season in the NHL. So as far as resigning him goes, I think it’s a no-brainer. At 23, he’s got enough experience at the college level and in the AHL and ECHL to get the job done in the NHL. It’s time the Islanders give him a real opportunity. Otherwise, he’ll get it somewhere else.

Nate Thompson- As I’ve discussed in older posts, Thompson would be a good depth signing, as he’s capable of being a leader in the AHL and is a good defensive player and middleweight in the NHL, but the question remains as to how much he can help the Islanders.

Peter Mannino- While he wasn’t nearly as strong as Nathan Lawson, who put up some stellar numbers in Bridgeport this season, I think Mannino, with a bit more seasoning, has the ability to be a decent backup goaltender one day. At the very least, he deserves one more year in the AHL to prove himself, especially considering the fact that he spent time in the ECHL this season.

Ben Walter- This poor kid has consistently put up quality numbers at Bridgeport and Providence, but for some reason, has been unable to crack the lineup. Sometimes I feel the Islanders have held on to him simply because he’s proven himself in the AHL and because they gave up a former first round pick in Petteri Nokelainen for him. At this point in his career, the Islanders don’t have much else to gain from their relationship.

Jack Hillen- Much like Smith, Hillen has an impressive college resume and should be given an opportunity this season if the Islanders don’t go out and make a big signing on the blue line. After that, he’ll have to fight it out with Freddy Meyer for the sixth defenseman spot. Not as aggressive as Meyer, Hillen is a good skater with a good shot that simply needs to take more chances on offense, while working on his defensive game. If he can do that, he’ll be a good addition to the blueline. If not, then he’ll be another wasted signing. However, in order for the Islanders to find out what the case really is, he’s going to need one full season under his belt. If he shows the initiative in training camp, I say give it to him.

Photo by Patrick Hickey Jr.

Posted under Offseason 2009

The first year I started this site, I had a plethora of trolls that hated when ever I would dog Islanders goalie and resident heart throb Rick DiPietro. They’d say things like “Give him time,” “His mistakes aren’t enough to outweigh his ability,” or even “Shut up loser; you have no idea what you’re talking about.” Last season however, before he rammed his head into Steve Begin, my attitude began to change and I found another player to pick on, Andy Hilbert.

Unlike DiPietro, who, I believe to this day still has no idea just how talented he really is and repeatedly goes out of his way to make the superstar play, rather than the smart one, Hilbert is smartness personified. As a matter of fact, I think he knows his game perhaps better than anyone else in the league. He knows that he’ll never be the 30 goal, point per game player he was in the AHL and has modified his game in order to stay in the league. As far as I see it, he’s one of the hardest working players in the league today as well.

As a fan, he irritates me because he can’t finish and he always seems to be around the puck. If someone like Jon Sim had as much moxy and awareness on the ice, he wouldn’t be in Bridgeport and would have ended the season with more goals than he’s ever had in a season.

As a journalist, I love the transition he’s made in order to stay in the league and love his heart. He’s the kind of player that won’t hurt you by being on the ice and like I said, works his tail off. However, at the same time, those attributes don’t always translate into numbers and that’s why I’ve often complained about his play.

Simply put, if the Islanders feel that either Trevor Smith or Jesse Joensuu is ready to play in the NHL full-time next season, Hilbert, despite his responsible play, should fall victim to the Islanders youth movement. However, considering the fact that like Nate Thompson, he has proven he can play in Islanders head coach Scott Gordon’s system makes him an intriguing option. An unrestricted free agent at the end of the season, the most I can see the Islanders giving Hilbert is a one-year contract, hoping he stays healthy and continues to thrive with Gordon, while the youngsters continue to develop in Bridgeport.

At 28 years old, Hilbert can play it safe and earn a decent contract that could keep him somewhere for a few years in hopes of finding a linemate that can help him take his career to the next level, preparing him to sign one bigger contract before he hangs up his skates. He can also sign a one-year contract somewhere and go for the gusto and prove to the rest of the league that he’s more than an immensely talented and hard working third liner.

Stay or Go- If the Islanders don’t have confidence in players like Joensuu just yet, I’d sign Hilbert to a one-year contract and if he’s playing well enough at the trading deadline, I’d ship him off for a pick. If Joensuu and Smith come to camp ready to earn a job, Hilbert’s hard work alone would secure him a spot.

Photo by Patrick Hickey Jr.

Posted under Offseason 2009

For the second game in a row, the Islanders have made me sick to my stomach.

Pretty hard to do considering the fact that as a child, I’d watch Faces of Death while eating ice cream.

Nothing like cookies and cream and monkeys getting their brains bashed in if you ask me.

Last night’s game however, proved to be much more than disgusting; it was pitiful.

After Bill Guerin scored and looked down, it was obvious- even after being traded away a few weeks ago, for a paltry fifth round pick, he felt bad for his former team.

Six unanswered goals is hard to stomach and especially considering how hard the team came out in the first period.

What is even tougher to understand is how bad the Islanders powerplay was. Spoiling two separate five on three opportunities, the Islanders powerplay needs some serious work. However, with all the injuries the Islanders have dealt with as of late, what did you expect.

Even Islanders coach Scott Gordon knows his team will going to have a rough time competing the rest of the season.

“Right now, in our lineup, we don’t have a lot of firepower,” Gordon told the AP after the game. “I think we hit four posts during the course of the game. It’s not going to come as a surprise that the puck is not going to go in as easy as it would for some teams.”

In other news, the Islanders signed 2007 third-round pick Mark Katic and 2008 sixth round pick Justin DiBenedetto to three-year, entry-level contracts.

Katic is coming off his best season in juniors producing more than solid numbers of 13 goals, 41 assists and 54 points in 63 games. With Chris Campoli gone to Ottawa, Katic will first have to prove himself in Bridgeport, but will eventually at some point in the future have an opportunity to be the slick skating offensive defenseman the Islanders will need in the future to compliment Mark Streit.

Scoring 45 goals and 48 assists in 62 games with Sarnia this season, DiBenedetto proved he could still put up big numbers without Steven Stamkos around and with the team in need of young and talented forwards, DiBenedetto not only makes the organization deeper at the position, but he could challenge for significant time in Bridgeport next season.

If the injury bug takes over again next season, who knows, we may see both of these kids.

For time being however, they have both been assigned to Bridgeport.

Posted under 2008-2009, Post Game Rants

What a disaster that game that game was.

Between the penalties and the decrepit pace, I was practically sound asleep by the beginning of the third period.

The Minnesota Wild, as a team, have has much energy as a 90-year-old obese man and show as much emotion on the ice as a blind man watching a Charlie Chaplin film.

This team plays the system that Jacques Lemaire wants them to and in the end, may be held back from realizing their true potential. Guys like Marc-Andre Bergeron, Marian Gaborik and a handful of others could be producing much more if they were given more room and weren’t forced to play a system that slows the game down and doesn’t allow for creativity.

It’s like forcing a human to be a cylon and asking them to truly feel love.

OK; I promise that that will be the only Battlestar Galactica reference that I will make in this post.

Worst game of the season by far.

I wish I could end this post right now, but you guys deserve better than that.

Simply put, the Islanders fell victim to Minnesota’s system and weren’t able to use their speed. They were angry and frustrated, especially Kyle Okposo, who was talking more and showed more emotion than I’ve seen him show all season. I definitely see a leader growing here. In a few years I wouldn’t be surprised if he got an A or even a C. We all know he’s got the skill on the ice, but overall, I think he can be a very sound leader if he continues to stick up for his teammates.

The same thing goes for Blake Comeau, who is reminding me more and more of a guy like Patrick Flatley every day. Not an amazing skater, but a hard worker with an excellent shot, Comeau is quickly developing into a leader as well. Not what any of us would have thought at the beginning of the season when he was exiled to Bridgeport, right? Kind of crazy how a few months, combined with injuries, losses and trades can change things.

Bruno Gervais too has begun to show some more offensive ability, something that Islanders commentator Howie Rose attributed to him playing with Mark Streit. If he can continue to produce, who knows, the label of being just a solid defender could morph into “talented two-way defenseman.”

We’ll have to wait and see a bit more on that one though.

So again, while the Islanders effort last night had a heck of a lot to be desired, these kids aren’t finished showing the rest of th league what they are capable of. As a matter of fact, I really feel like they are just beginning to gel and become the cohesive unit that will eventually get back into the playoffs someday.

Posted under 2008-2009, Post Game Rants

Kind of funny that a guy that most Islander fans despise, the one and only, the incomparable, the magically delicious Wayne Gretzky, actually digs what the Islanders are doing with the youth movement.

Very strange. Very strange indeed.

“I really like what they’re doing,” Gretzky told the Associated Press before Phoenix’s 3-2 loss Sunday on Long Island. “You have to go through tough times to get back on top. You can’t be impatient. You have to do your homework in scouting, and if you get lucky and get a (Sidney) Crosby or an (Alex) Ovechkin, that helps too.”

Which basically means the Islanders have to do the opposite of the Coyotes have been doing the past few years, developing solid talent and then making them play a small role when they trade for Olli “I stunk on Long Island worse than anything that’s come out of the back pocket of Paris Hilton after a night she’d care not to remember” Jokinen.

While I’m sure the Islanders will take the compliment, I don’t know how the Islanders would deal with a Sydney Crosby type player at this stage of their franchise. While it’s obviously pivotal that they get better players and since they’ve been having problems signing elite free agents, the draft is the only way to go, but with the Lighthouse Project hitting snag after snag, would a top flight prospect really feel comfortable here? Just something to ponder. Instead, maybe the Islanders would be better off adding character players and forming a nucleus of six to eight guys that can do a little bit of everything, rather than one or two superstars. Again, just thinking here.

On another note, I really like that the Islanders will be sending Kyle Okposo and a few other youngsters to Bridgeport to help with the playoff push. Despite the fact that many of these guys have been in the NHL all season, they have yet to experience professional playoff hockey. That I think will be great for them and prepare them for next season.

“I’m going to play hard wherever I go,” Okposo told the Associated Press a few days ago.. “If I go back to Bridgeport for the playoffs, I’m going to give our team everything I’ve got. … The chance to maybe take on more of a leadership role, plus get the experience of the playoffs, is exciting to me. If I’m fortunate to get that opportunity, I’d be foolish not to embrace it.”

Posted under 2008-2009, Isles Thoughts 2009

Sean Bergenheim: Spunky and gritty, Bergenheim has tons of potential and perhaps has more polish than every other youngster int the lineup. However, like every other young player on the team, he lacks the consistency needed to truly be a factor. On pace for another dozen goal season, Bergenheim isn’t exactly a first round flop, but is looking more like a Mike Ricci-type player than Mike Bossy every day.

Grade C+

Blake Comeau- After coming into camp in terrible shape and being forced to earn his stripes again in Bridgeport, Comeau has been solid over the past half dozen games. Extremely solid in his first handful of games, Comeau’s play was sporadic before he turned it up again. Much like Bergenheim, his spunk and potential are one thing, but his lack of consistency and in Comeau’s case, conditioning, may keep him from being the 20-goal scorer he should be.

Grade- C-

Josh Bailey- Great passer. However, in spite of his playmaking ability, he still has a lot to learn in the defensive end. He also has to take advantage of his shot more and gain confidence. With Okposo, Bailey will be asked to lead this team offensively as soon as next season. He has to earn those bumps and bruises now.

Grade- C

Kyle Okposo- Much like Comeau, Okposo has been a different player over the past half dozen games. However, over the first 20 odd games he played, there was a tentativeness and unwillingness in his game that scared a lot of NHL scouts and fans. However, since being paired with Mike Comrie, KO has begun to show the organization that he has to tools to be a more than solid NHL player. Is he a superstar? The jury is still out on that one.

Grade C+

Jeff Tambellini- A disaster. Everyone expected him to score 15-20 goals this season and prove that he belongs in this league. That hasn’t happened, even though he has begun to shoot the puck with more confidence. As of right now, this season has been a failure for him, but much like Bergenheim last season, a few solid games can turn things very quickly.

Grade- F

Nate Thompson- A true grinder, Thompson is the kind of guy that is great to fill out the bottom of a depth chart. However, it would be great if he could score a bit more. Block shots are hits are things that don’t show in box scores and for Thompson to truly have a spot on this team, he’s got to hit the net a bit more. Otherwise, he’ll be on the path of a mid-season call up the rest of his career, rather than true NHLer.

Grade- D+

Frans Nielsen- Much like Bailey, I think Nielsen is a great passer. However, with his skill in the faceoff circle and defensive ability, I think “The Great Dane” has he ability to be a more than solid third line center. It’s just a matter of him staying healthy and getting playing time.

Grade B-

Posted under 2008-2009, Isles Thoughts 2009

Yes. It is now official, I am the 2008 New York Islanders Blog of the year, according to the team and YesIslanders.com. Damn, that feels good saying that. In all honesty though, even if I didn’t win, I still know that my work is appreciated. Over the past three seasons, I’ve posted something every day during the regular season and have kept this site going in the offseason with tons of vent sessions to the point where I know that I am appreciated by my readers. That’s all I really ever wanted [that and some extra money hehe]. So winning this award is simply like the whipped cream on a damn good sundae.

There are guys and gals out there like B.D. Gallof, Gary Harding, Michael Schuerlein, Dee Karl, Andy Facini and Roger Farina that do a great of sharing their thoughts on this team and I want to thank them too for posting as much as they do. Without them, I’d have no one to steal ideas from. In all seriousness however, the competition between the writers, journalists and bloggers is pretty competitive in Islander Country and I think that the work we all produce is going to get even better as time goes on.

Rather than continue this love fest, let me end by saying thank you to everyone who voted for me. Thank you for making me feel that the last thing I do before I head to sleep every night is worthwhile for you and either puts a smile on your face or pisses you off so badly you want to come to Brooklyn to find me.

In the end, that’s the exact reason why I do this everyday.

Okay, down to business.

As many of you guys know, I cover the Brooklyn Aces of the EPHL on one of my other sites, AcesOverBrooklyn.com and a few days ago, the team’s and league’s leading scorer, James Brannigan, was signed by the Utah Grizzlies of the ECHL, an Islanders affiliate. You know, the same team Trevor Smith was sent to last season before he came back to Bridgeport and played well enough to get a call up to the Island this season. Well, I may be a bit presumptuous here, but I really feel this guy [he's 24, he's not a kid anymore as far as hockey players go] has the talent to get to Bridgeport and maybe even the NHL one day.

He scored eight points in 24 games between Augusta and Columbia last season in the ECHL, but in just 17 games with Brooklyn this season, he lit the lamp 22 times and had 35 points. Now, sure, the EPHL is an A-League, but Brannigan was head and shoulders above every one else offensively. His skating is solid, he plays with a chip on his shoulders and isn’t scared to shoot the puck. As a matter of fact, I actually compared him to Mike Comrie in an article I wrote about him a month and a half ago. At any rate, he’s a guy to keep an eye on. Just remember where you heard his name first.

Photo of Brannigan by Patrick Hickey Jr.

Posted under 2008-2009, Scouting Report

104 games in the NHL= four goals.

57 games in the AHL last season= 38 goals.

Simply put, something is wrong here. The Islanders know it. That’s why they sent him to Bridgeport on Saturday.

Now, the rest of the NHL knows it too.

But more importantly, Tambellini knows it.

Over the course of the season, unlike the rest of the youngsters on the Isles, who have shown some type of progression, Tamby has been a wreck. Obviously suffering from a lack of confidence, Tambellini hasn’t been a factor at all.

“If you start playing mind games with yourself, you’re only hurting yourself,” Tambellini told Newsday. “It is what it is. I don’t know what to tell you. I go day-by-day and I just play each game as a new game. I can’t worry too much about the past. It is what it is. I can’t really dwell on it.”

Well Jeff, you kind of have to start worrying about it. You’re a former first round pick that has performed great at every level, except the NHL. You’re not exactly 21 any more either. In order for you to stay at this level and be more than a fourth liner, you have to change your game. Because obviously, what you’ve been doing this season hasn’t been working.

The way Blake Comeau played on Saturday, with passion, intensity and desperation, is exactly the way Tambellini should be playing. It’s easy to see that he’s never going to be a power forward or a role player. He’s a sniper through and through. With his skill set, he has to score or else he’s going to be stuck in the AHL forever. Right now, he lacks the desire to get himself to the places on the ice where he can score and takes garbage shots from all weird angles, hoping to catch a break.

So far this season, it hasn’t happened.

It hasn’t been because the team hasn’t given him an opportunity either. It would have been the case last season, but not now.

So what can the Islanders do about this?

Maybe a reality check in the AHL will wake him up, maybe it won’t.

I personally think he needs to have an epiphany of some sorts and soon. Otherwise, Comeau will finish this season here and Tambellini will be lost in the shuffle, either playing out his days as a depth player with the Isles or hopping from team to team that is willing to give him a chance to live up to his promise.

“We all want him to score,” coach Scott Gordon told the Associated Press. “There’s definitely a lack of confidence that probably has built up, which is natural. I’m sure he’s frustrated.”

Posted under 2008-2009, Isles Thoughts 2008