Isles Hire Gameplan for Brooklyn Marketing

According to the SBDJ, the Islanders hired Gameplan Creative to aid in the marketing for the teams move from the Coliseum to the Barclays Center after next season.

Gameplan also served a similar role with the Blackhawks from 2008-2010 when they were going through a similar stage in terms of their franchise to the Islanders.

Who Is Andrew Barroway?

Tonight, the New York Post reported that Islanders owner Charles Wang was in negotiations with Philadelphia lawyer Andrew Barroway to sell him the Islanders for 225 million plus 75 million should the Islanders hit some profit targets.

According to his linkedin page, Barroway graduated University of Pennsylvania Law School in 1991.  Just the following year he began working at Barroway, Topaz, Kessler, Meltzer & Check LLP in Philadelphia.  He would remain there for 17 years.  In 2009, Barroway founded Merion Investment Management LP.

Barroway first tried to break into the sports ownership ranks in 2006 by purchasing the NBA's Philadelphia 76ers.  However, the sale fell apart because he wasn't able to come up with the money.

Then last summer, Barroway attempted to get in the NHL ownership ranks by buying the at the time financially troubled Devils.  However, Barroway pulled an offer of his of 170 million and after an exclusive negotiating deadline came and went the two sides never were able to see eye to eye and the Devils were sold to a group led by Joshua Harris.

While it would be natural for us to be skeptical because of what we have been through, I think if this comes to fruition we need to give the guy a chance before we totally vilify him

Isles Guaranteed 50 Million In Regular Season Revenue By Brooklyn

photo by guestofaguest

According to the New York Post, the Barclays Center is guaranteeing the Islanders 50 million dollars in annual revenue from regular season games.  Additionally, the article reports that the Islanders won't pay rent to the arena during the regular season but they will if they were to make the playoffs.

Is Andrew Barroway The Future Owner of The Islanders?

photo by southfloridablockshopper

Update: According to Chris Botta, Barroway is viewed favorably by the NHL after his involvement in the Devils last year.

Prospective #Isles buyer Andrew Barroway is viewed favorably by NHL. He loaned the Devils $30 mill a year ago.
— Chris Botta (@ChrisBottaNHL) March 31, 2014

He very well could be according to a new report from the New York Post.

According to Larry Brooks and Josh Kosman, Islanders owner Charles Wang is in negotiations with the Philadelphia lawyer to sell the team for 225 million plus 75 million if the Islanders hit certain revenue targets.  The news came out late Thursday night from TSN that Wang was in negotiations to sell his majority stake of the team.

If you recall, last summer Barroway was tied to the Devils ownership problems and backed away from the situation after initially making a non binding offer of 170 million dollars.  This wasn't the first time Barroway tried to buy a sports team as he also tried to buy the Philadelphia 76ers in 2011 but was unable to come up with the money.

If this report is entirely true it appears as though Mr. Barroway doesn't want to give up in his pursuit of owning a professional sports team.  

Isles Defeat Devils 2-1 In Rare Home Victory

photo by ESPN

Tonight, our Islanders outlasted the Devils and ended up being victorious 2-1 in a shootout.  This win marked just the 12th time the team has won in front of the home crowd this season.  Here are some of my notes from the game:

-Compared to his recent stretch of games, Nilsson was pretty solid tonight.  I don't know what it is about the Devils but he always seems to play pretty well against them.

-Solid game by Kevin Czuczman, the kid has shown some offensive instincts which I didn't expect to see from him.

-Good to see Nielsen continuing to put up points even with the rash of injuries we have had to endure recently.

-Frans Nielsen & Brock Nelson made Cory Schneider look very bad in the shootout.  Nielsen seems to have added a wrinkle to his patented forehand back hand move and it appears to be paying off for him.

-The team came out hitting tonight as they threw their bodies around early and often tonight.

These kids are really putting everything out there game in and game out and the results are showing.

Next Game: Tuesday @ Home VS Florida

Pre Game: Devils @ Islanders

Tonight, our Islanders return home to play host to Jaromir Jagr and the New Jersey Devils.

The goalie match up tonight features Cory Schneider for the Devils.  Meanwhile, Anders Nilsson will be back in net for the Islanders.

The Devils could be without defenseman Anton Volchenkov who is questionable with a lower body injury.

While, for the Islanders Kyle Okposo appears to be missing his second consecutive game tonight meaning John Persson will once again suit up.  With Persson in the lineup the Islanders will be dressing 10 rookies for the second game in a row.

AHL Team Owner Howard Dolgon To Explore Buying The Islanders

photo by falksyr

In the last day, after the news came out of Charles Wang's interest in selling the Islanders the rumors have run rampant as to who potential buyers could be.

Well, according to syracuse.com, Syracuse Crunch owner Howard Dolgon along with a friend is reportedly exploring buying the team.  When asked about his mystery friend, Dolgon told the site that the investor has, "more money than most people."  It is unclear if it will potentially just be the two of them, or if they will have additional investors.

The site reports that Dolgon has had discussions with Wang but had no talks yet with anyone regarding getting in on the bidding.

According to the staff page on the Crunch website, Dolgon, 56, is a graduate of Brooklyn College and a founding member of Alan Taylor Communications, INC.  The 56 year old also has one of his homes in East Meadow.

With Dolgon's ownership in the Crunch, I wonder if this would ever be able to get off the ground floor because of a potential conflict of interests.

(h/t to UKIslander94 on Islandermania for the link)

Is The NHL Pushing An Isles Sale?

photo by zimbio

According to Elliotte Friedman from Hockey Night In Canada, the NHL might be pushing an Islanders sale.

He went on, "From what I heard last week, I wasn't 100% sure Wang wanted to sell.  I think this is the league trying to start a new legacy for the Isles."

Wang Regains Business Control Of The Islanders

According to Chris Botta, Islanders owner Charles Wang regained business control of the team last month.  It had previously been in control of the Barclays Center people since July of last year.

Botta reports that Wang will run business operations for the rest of the Islanders time in Nassau.

Wang regained control of biz ops in Feb. for rest of #Isles time in Nassau. Nets group had run all areas except hockey since July.
— Chris Botta (@ChrisBottaNHL) March 28, 2014

BREAKING: WANG NEGOTIATING TO SELL MAJORITY STAKE IN ISLES

photo by lowdownblog

Update: According to Chris Botta, Wang is asking 300 million for the team and everything that goes along with it.  That is the same price that was floated by the New York Post in a story regarding sale rumors last year.

According to Bob Mckenzie from TSN, Islanders owner Charles Wang is negotiating to sell a majority stake in the Islanders.

We have talked for a while about the need for an ownership change.  While it isn't confirmed to be done, the fact that negotiations are underway says something because I didn't expect this until a couple years after we moved to Brooklyn.  My only wonder now is who exactly is Wang negotiating with.  There have been some rumors in the past, but nothing concrete.

NYI owner Charles Wang in talks to sell majority stake in NHL franchise. Nothing done yet, no telling if it gets done, but talks underway.
— Bob McKenzie (@TSNBobMcKenzie) March 28, 2014

Isles Come Up Short in 3-2 Loss

Tonight, our Islanders fell to the Lightning by a score of 3-2 in a shootout.  Here are some of my notes from the game:

-Nabokov had a second good game in a row, trying to cement his case as a backup for next season.

-Stromes line in unlikely fashion is pretty solid offensively, they with their hard checking style often have good shifts.

-Kevin Czuczman had a good rebound game after a rough game in Carolina.

-One of the longest shootouts in recent memory tonight, those who don't like shootouts must not watch ones like tonight very often.

In rare fashion we fell in a road game tonight, even with 10 rookies in our lineup we managed to hang in there with a veteran team fighting for a playoff spot.

Next Game: Saturday @ Home VS NJD

Pre Game: Isles @ Lightning

photo by wantickets

Tonight, our Islanders finish off their brief 2 game road trip traveling to Tampa Bay to take on Steven Stamkos and the Lightning.

The goalie match up tonight features Evgeni Nabokov for the Islanders.  Meanwhile, Ben Bishop will get the nod in net for the Lightning.

The Islanders will ice the same lineup as Tuesdays 5-4 victory over the Hurricanes.  Although, with the Islanders calling up John Persson it is possible that Kyle Okposo who has been banged up may need a game off.

Meanwhile, this will be the first time the Islanders go head to head with Tampa since the deadline day deal that saw the Lightning send Martin St Louis to the Rangers in exchange for Ryan Callahan and two draft picks.

Isles Hold On For 5-4 Win

Last night, our Islanders after getting out to an early 4-0 lead managed to hang on for the 5-4 victory.  Here are some of my notes from the game:

-It doesn't make any sense to me how seemingly start after start we are able to notice the same issues with Nilsson in net but nothing ever changes.  For someone as tall as he is he makes himself small in the net way to easy.

-Good to see Martin and McDonald put a few each to the back of the net, should give them confidence down the stretch.

-After having a pretty good first few games in the NHL, last night was Kevin Czuczman's first rough game up here.

-Special teams really struggled last night, after excelling on the penalty kill for a while that all went away last night giving up a couple power play goals.

-Great pass by Strome to set up Martin on his second goal.

Next Game: Tomorrow Night 7:30PM @ Tampa Bay

Pre Game: Isles @ Hurricanes

photo by stadiumjourney

Tonight, our Islanders begin a brief two game road trip as they travel to Carolina to take on Eric Staal and the Hurricanes.

The goalie match up tonight features Anders Nilsson for the Islanders and Cam Ward for the Hurricanes.

After his 41 save shutout on Sunday afternoon, I am surprised that they aren't giving Nabokov another start.

Beyond the change in net, the Islanders lineup will be the same as it was for Sunday's win over Columbus.

Isles Resign Boulton

In the aftermath of this afternoons 2-0 victory over the Jackets, the Islanders announced that they had resigned enforcer Eric Boulton to a 1 year extension.  Boulton was set to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1st.

In 23 games for the Islanders this season Boulton registered 4 points and 88 penalty minutes.

#ISLES TRANSACTION: Eric Boulton agrees to terms on one-year deal - http://t.co/ZrLzIBdBf3
— NYIslanders (@NYIslanders) March 23, 2014

Upon reading this, I was surprised because although he has been decent this year Boulton doesn't serve much of a purpose on the ice and that kind of player is a dying breed in this league.

Nabby Leads Isles To Shutout Win Over Jackets

photo by ESPN

This afternoon, our Islanders finished off their home stand on a high note with a 2-0 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets.  Here are some of my notes from the game:

-Great game from Nabokov, possibly his best this season.  He kept the Jackets guessing all afternoon long.

-Pretty solid game from Kevin Czuczman, for his second NHL game the kid looks pretty comfortable out there.

-Rough game for Matt Donovan today with 3 penalties

-Good seeing Halmo stick up for Strome today

-Impressive rush by Hamonic leading to his goal, it would be good to see more of that from Hamonic.

-Congrats to Johan Sundstrom who registered his first NHL point assisting on the Islanders first goal.

The story today was Evgeni Nabokov who just shut down the Jackets.  After last Tuesday's drubbing, this was a nice way to end the home stand and head off onto the road.

Next Game: Tuesday 3/25 @ Carolina

Pre Game: Blue Jackets @ Islanders

This afternoon, our Islanders finish up their 4 game home stand with a 1:00 matinee against Sergei Bobrovsky and the Blue Jackets.

The goalie match up features Bobrovsky for the Jackets.  Meanwhile, Evgeni Nabokov is expected to get the start for the Islanders.

The Islanders lineup will look a bit different today as they added another couple people to the injury list.  Both Brian Strait and Lubomir Visnovsky will be out today.  Taking their spots in the lineup will be Matt Donovan and Matt Carkner.  Kyle Okposo is expected to play after being uncertain a couple days ago because of a lower body injury.

Isles Likely To Keep This Years Pick

According to Newsday, the Islanders are likely to keep this years pick in the draft and send the Buffalo Sabres next years pick in order to complete the Thomas Vanek trade.

The Islanders currently sit with the fourth worst record in the NHL and are just two points from the number two spot.

Next years draft has been the most talked about draft since Sidney Crosby's draft in 2005 following the lockout.  Canadian forward Connor McDavid and American forward Jack Eichel are at the top of this draft class and are 1 and 1a among most experts.

I feel as though unless this years pick is top three the Islanders should send Buffalo this years pick and keep next years.  With them currently in a top 4 position now and having no signs of getting better with their seemingly never ending injury list this is all probably moot anyway.

Okposo/Visnovsky Day To Day

According to Newsday, Islanders forward Kyle Okposo and defenseman Lubomir Visnovsky are day to day with injuries.  It is unclear if these injuries will force them to miss anytime or if they will be ready to go by Sunday afternoon.

Okposo (lower body) and Visnovsky (upper body) day to day for #Isles.
— Arthur Staple (@StapeNewsday) March 21, 2014

Isles/Fans Welcome Back Moulson

Tuesday night's loss marked Matt Moulsons first game back at Nassau Coliseum since the October trade that sent him to Buffalo.

To say Moulson was given a nice welcome would be a pretty huge understatement.  It began with Moulson getting a huge ovation in the first TV timeout of the game as a message appeared on the board acknowledging Moulson for his accomplishments with the Islanders.

It went on to include Moulson being cheered after he scored each of his goals.  That is something I had personally only seen replicated when Mike Piazza returned to Shea Stadium the first time after leaving the Mets and was cheered after hitting homeruns against the Mets.

The fans welcome back concluded with a couple of loud "We Want Moulson" chants near the conclusion of the game.  Moulson spoke to media about it after the game and also took to twitter to thank the fans for such a kind response.

Big 2 points for us...was great to see so many friends and would like to thank the #Isles fans for such a warm reception...thank you
— Matt Moulson (@MMoulson) March 19, 2014

Moulson: I was here for a long time and this team had a big place in my heart. The fans are great supporters. It was pretty emotional
— Michael Russo (@Russostrib) March 19, 2014

While I expected there to be such a warm reception for Moulson and deservedly so, it was still weird to hear more chants/cheers for the opposition then for the Islanders at a home game.  

Strait Breaks Hand In Loss

In tonight's loss to the Wild, defenseman Brian Strait left in the second period with what would later be diagnosed as a broken left hand.

With that diagnosis, his season is likely over.  I would expect Matt Donovan to get back into the lineup in his spot.

#Isles announce Brian Strait out with broken left hand. Season probably about done for him.
— Arthur Staple (@StapeNewsday) March 19, 2014

Isles Lifeless In 6-0 Loss To Wild

photo by wild

Tonight, our Islanders simply forgot to show up on the way to a 6-0 loss at the hands of the Minnesota Wild.  Here are some of my notes from the game:

-Even though he didn't have any points tonight, Anders Lee still had a lot of chances.  Kid continues to impress!

-Czuczman was alright for his NHL debut.  In my mind, the kid didn't do anything that stuck out as bad which for a defenseman is usually good.

-Great to see Moulson back, poetic justice for him to score two goals including the game winner.

-For such a big guy, Nilsson sure loves to make himself small in net.

Tonight was one of the worst games the team has played in a long time.  Just up and down the line it was bad all around.  Now they have five days off to digest it as they prepare for their next game:

Next Game: Sunday 1:00PM VS Columbus

Pre Game: Wild @ Islanders

Tonight, our Islanders continue their four game home stand as they prepare to play host to Mikko Koivu and the Wild and at the same time welcome a few familiar faces back to the Coliseum.

The Wild have yet to announce their starter for tonight but I would expect it to be Nicklas Backstrom.  Meanwhile, Anders Nilsson will get the nod in net for the Islanders.

With preparing to play Minnesota, the Islanders also prepare to welcome a couple former teammates back to the Coliseum.  Forwards Nino Niederreiter and Matt Moulson will both be in the lineup for the Wild tonight.  The case with Nino has been well publicized as he pretty much pouted his way off the team in the second half of last season and that was made official with his draft day trade to the Wild for Cal Clutterbuck and a third round pick.  Meanwhile, the loss of Moulson is something some fans still haven't gotten over.  The Islanders took Moulson from a career minor leaguer to a perennial 30 goal scorer in this league.  With this season being his walk year the Islanders shipped him off to Buffalo along with two draft picks in exchange for Thomas Vanek earlier this year after balking at his initial contract demands.  Moulson was then traded at the deadline by Buffalo to the Wild.  It should be interesting to see the contrast in the reception each of these guys receive.

On the Islanders side of things, tonight marks the night that defenseman Kevin Czuczman will make his NHL debut.  Czuczman, who the Islanders signed last week will step into the lineup in place of Matt Carkner and partner with Travis Hamonic tonight.

Islanders Sign Pelech

photo by goerieblogs

Last night, it was announced that the Islanders had signed defenseman Adam Pelech to a three year entry level contract.  Pelech was a third round pick of the Islanders in 2012.

This season for the Erie Otters, Pelech put up 54 points in 60 games and a staggering + 52 +/- rating.

Okposo Leads Isles Over Sabres 4-1

Last night, our Islanders defeated the Buffalo Sabres by a score of 4-1.  Here are some of my notes from the game:

-Kyle Okposo is proving something here down the stretch continuing his production at the pace its been when he's now without Tavares & Vanek.  He has now gotten himself to 4th in the NHL in scoring.  It's been one of the few bright spots of this season getting to see him become the player we all hoped he would be.

-Solid game from Strome, good to see him put one to the back of the net.

-Anders Lee continues to put up the points, it wouldn't surprise me at all if he is given the chance to be the first line left wing next season.

-Good effort from Nilsson, I know its Buffalo but it is good for him to get some confidence back after struggling in his last few starts.

It was good for the team to get the win, but it still is Buffalo so not much solace should be taken from this victory.

Next Game: Tuesday @ Home Vs Minnesota

Pre Game: Sabres @ Islanders

Tonight, our Islanders continue their four game homestand as they play host to Ted Nolan and the Buffalo Sabres.

The goalie match up tonight features Jhonas Enroth for the Sabres and Anders Nilsson for the Islanders.

Matt Carkner will find his way back into the Islanders lineup tonight as he will be suiting up.  To make room for him in the lineup, Matt Donovan will be a healthy scratch tonight.

Tonight is also the night of the planned protest against Islanders management.  The chants will be as follows:

4 minutes into every period- Wang Must Sell

8 minutes into every period- Snow Must Go

12 minutes into every period- Fire Cappy

16 minutes into every period- We Want Answers

For more information check out the Isles Nation website here.

Isles/Devils To Faceoff Again In Brooklyn

According to Chris Botta, this September the Islanders and Devils will once again faceoff in Brooklyn.

Nice Barclays Center guy says he respects Islestwitter break, "so tweet that Devils play NYI here on Sept. 26."
— Chris Botta (@ChrisBottaNHL) March 15, 2014

This was 100% expected and shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone.  I wonder if this game will draw as well as the first one did last year.

Isles Come Up Short in 4-3 Loss To Sharks

Tonight, our Islanders were defeated 4-3 by the San Jose Sharks.  Here are some of my notes from the game:

-Anders Lee continues to impress and make his case for a top 6 role for next season in my mind.

-Great tip by Nelson on his goal, good set up by Donovan to

-Good to see Nielsen put up a couple points

-Liked Halmos game tonight, felt like he was hitting anything that moved

-Thought Sundstrom had a good debut

Certainly not the way you wanted to start off the homestand but we

Next Game: Tomrorow Night Vs Buffalo 7PM, (Protest starting at 4:00 between the coliseum and Marriot)

Pre Game: Sharks @ Islanders

Tonight, our Islanders return home to play host to Joe Thorton and the San Jose Sharks.

The goalie match up tonight features Antti Niemi for the Sharks and Evgeni Nabokov for the Islanders.

With the injury to Michael Grabner, Johan Sundstrom will be in the lineup tonight.  According to Arthur Staple, he will play right wing on a line with Casey Cizikas and Mike Halmo.  One notable omission from tonight's lineup is defenseman Kevin Czuczman who the Islanders signed earlier this week.

Isles Call Up Sundstrom

The other day, the Islanders announced that Michael Grabner would be out indefinitely with a concussion.

To take his spot on the roster, the Islanders called up Johan Sundstrom from Bridgeport in the AHL.

This season, in 38 games for Bridgeport Sundstrom has put up 7 goals and 10 assists.

Tavares Comes Through For 11 Year Old Fan

Yesterday, a Winnipeg newspaper gave a troubling account of an experience had by an 11 year old Islander fan at the Islanders vs Jets game with his mom last week.

The article stated that the ripping the kid took from Jets fans got so bad that he left the game in tears and scrunching up his John Tavares jersey so Jets fans couldn't see it.

According to Dee Karl, upon hearing the news of this story the Islanders captain knew he had to do something.  So, Tavares reached out to the Islanders PR director to find the young man and his mom.  Upon doing so, he got in contact with them to let them know he would be sending the young man a new Tavares jersey.  On top of that, he said they would get back in contact with them to make arrangements for the pair to attend an Islanders morning skate when they come back to Winnipeg next season.

Great job here by Tavares!

Grabner Out With Concussion

According to reports, Islanders forward Michael Grabner will be out indefinitely after suffering a concussion in their 7-4 win over the Canucks on Monday.

Michael Grabner (concussion) out indefinitely for #Isles. Call-up from BPT coming tomorrow.
— Arthur Staple (@StapeNewsday) March 12, 2014

I would be very surprised if Grabner ends up playing again this season.  I am really curious to see who gets called up because with Lee, Strome, & Halmo here already all the people expected to be called up have been already.

Islanders Reach Into College Ranks Signing Czuczman

Update 2: According to Newsday, Czuczman's deal is worth 2.7 million for the two years or 1.35 million per season.

Update: According to reports, Czuczman will join the team for their games this weekend and will not go to Bridgeport.  It is unclear if he will be in the lineup.

Czuczman (pronounced Church-man) will report directly to the #Isles. He's listed at 6-3, 205 and is a native of Port Elgin, Ontario
— NYIslanders (@NYIslanders) March 11, 2014

photo by wcha

According to reports, earlier today it was announced that the Islanders had signed defenseman Kevin Czuczman out of Lake Superior State to a two year entry level contract.

Standing at 6'3 205 Czuczman isn't a stranger playing with an edge having amassed 73 penalty minutes this season.  He isn't only a physical player though as he has also put up 21 points during this season.

It is believed that Czuczman was among the top college free agents available so it appears as though this was a nice signing for the Islanders.

#ISLES TRANSACTION: Islanders sign NCAA free agent defenseman Kevin Czuczman to an entry-level deal - http://t.co/ynZQxV97gF
— NYIslanders (@NYIslanders) March 11, 2014

I'm not privy to the exact details of his contract but I would expect him to report to Bridgeport for the remainder of the season.  This appears to be a good signing for the team, a low risk potentially high reward if Czuczman is able to reach his potential.

Isles Reel Off 7 Goals On The Way To Victory

Last night, the Islanders did something that they hadn't done since 1978 scoring 7 goals in one period.  They ended up going on to defeat the Canucks 7-4 after overcoming a 3-0 third period deficit.  Here are some of my notes from the game:

-Anders Lee is quickly becoming a fan favorite.  He has improved leaps and bounds over last season and its really a pleasure to see.  People are already starting to award him the top line left wing job to start next season because of the similarities in his game to Matt Moulson.

-Good to see some production from the power play getting a couple goals.

-As much as everyone hates him, good to see Bailey put one in.  He now has 7 points in his last 10 games and is on the way to getting his career average 35 points pretty comfortably.

-Nice for Fransy to get his 20th, he had already set a career high but I always think there's something special about hitting a number like that.  Especially in the case of Nielsen who had never done it before.

-Good to see Strome put one in on the powerplay, why his power play time had been lacking earlier in the game makes no sense to me.

Well, this has to be one of the most surprising games of the season.  For the team to go and do something like this without the like of John Tavares and Thomas Vanek really says something about them.  In what has been a mostly disappointing season, this is certainly one of the bright spots.

Next Game: Friday @ Home Vs Sharks

Pre Game: Isles @ Vancouver

photo by RogersArena

Tonight, our Islanders travel to Vancouver looking to end their 4 game road trip on a high note as they take on Ryan Kesler and the Vancouver Canucks.

The goalie match up tonight features Evgeni Nabokov for the Islanders.  Meanwhile, after their trade of Roberto Luongo last week Eddie Lack will get the nod in net for the Canucks.

I would expect to see the same Islanders lineup that was on the ice for Friday's loss to the Flames.

Islanders 3rd Period Struggles Continue In 4-3 Loss

This past Friday, our Islanders for the second consecutive day blew a 2 goal lead in the third period losing 4-3 to the Flames.

Regarding this, there isn't much left to say at this point.  It is just simply unbelievable at the struggles this team has experienced in the same situation over and over again.  

Laughs and Giggles

I know some readers play NHL live ethier for Sony or Microsoft, with trades and injuries, playing with the Isles is harsh.  After the first line, it gets ugly, real ugly.  With several players with horrible ratings, we may be the worst team to play with.  Nabby can be a pure utter disaster and Hickey won't knock anybody off the puck.  

If you don't play with the Islanders, what team do you play with? Please share in the comments or on twitter! Game On

A Fanbase United

Ever hear your parents repeat the same thing fifty times?  To the point where you want to loudly scream back "WHAT!".  I'm sure you have, and on more then one occasion.  Well, this is basically what being an Islander fan feels like.  The same story, the same complaining, the same push for change, the slinder hope that remains.  The same twitter timeline of endless tweets screaming for a clean house.  The same Facebook comments going on about how much of a joke we are.  The same conversations you have with friends, crying for respect.

We have the fans who tweet in caps, wanting the heads of Isles management.  The ones who try to be reasonable and stay semi professional.  Lastly, the fans who just be sarcastic about everything and everyone, maybe that helps them coat with the truth.  Lets play a quick game of imagination, where the skies are always blue and the kool aid is always poured.  A world where the Islanders are respected, feared and our arena is sold out on a Tuesday night.  What would twitter, Facebook, or normal convos at the diner be like.  The reflection and feeling, it would be a full 360, could we handle it?  Where we work that extra OT at work, to buy those Islander playoff tickets.  The problems that we all wished he had, the problems that I had last season.

This season has sucked, a possible crash back to reality.  Back to the NHL draft lottery days, but this team isn't that far off.  A big upgrade in net and some vets, this team can easily complete.  So lets not loose hope completely, even though it's very easy to do so.  Just need to pray Snow and Wang realize this is the summer they have to do something.  To keep this fan base breathing, they cannot fumble another summer.  To put trust in Wang, well that can be used in a comedy skit.  But hey, do we have a choice? 

The beautiful picture that we have drawn in our head, the one where our captain holds the marvelous cup over his head and plants a kisser.  We're all fans, we all want the same thing, to win.  Yet we seperate in how we show it, or the way words we may use, we all have the same goal.  Just cause one may use caps and loudly express their emotion, does not make it wrong.  Or the fan who keeps quiet and remains well spoken, it doesn't make them less of a fan.  We're all in this together, like it or not.  The coaster of being an Isles fan has never been a kid ride.  It's the coaster of an old wood one, the ride that is rough, bumpy and leaves you with a headache.  The ride that includes the extreme drops, the high and lows, with turns in momentum that seem to last a lifetime.  At the end of the ride tho, we get off, crack a smile with your buddy and say "when we going back on".  Folks the Islander team is our wood coaster, we dislike the bumpy ride, but love it at the same time.  The headache is always worth it and the beeps in the parking lot make it just alright.  

Protest Next Saturday Against Management

For the last 3 days since the NHL trade deadline the talk of Islanders country for the most part has been how fans are fed up with the mismanagement of the team by owner Charles Wang and GM Garth Snow.

So, looking to have their voices heard fans have managed to organize a protest set to take place at next Saturdays game.  This is protest is in no way affiliated with the walkout idea that has been circulating around social media the last day or two.

The festivities will begin around 4:30/5:00 in the parking lot and carry inside with various chants and the like.  For more information check out all the details here.

If you are fed up with how things are around the team, show up next weekend and let your voice be heard.

Pre Game: Isles @ Flames

photo by stadiumjourney

Tonight, our Islanders continue their four game road trip as they head to Calgary to face off with Mark Giordano and the Flames.

The goalie match up tonight features Anders Nilsson for the Islanders and Joni Ortio for the Flames.

One person to watch out for on the Flames is rookie sensation Sean Monahan.  The 19 year old forward has put up 18 goals and 10 assists in 55 games this season.

The Islanders lineup will be the same as it was in last nights OT loss to the Oilers.  That means Radek Martinek and Matt Carkner will serve as the teams healthy scratches tonight.

Another 3rd Period Collapse Dooms Isles In OT Loss

In what is now familiar fashion for this years Islanders, they fell 3-2 in OT to the Oilers tonight after blowing a 2 goal lead in the third period.  Here are some of my notes:

-The Ryan Strome line was great tonight, dominant nearly every time they had the puck.

-Anders Lee specifically has been impressive in his first five games this season.  He has a real nose for the net and its shown with his 4 goals in 5 games.

-Good to see Franzie get on the board

-With tonight's loss the Islanders dropped to 9-5-5 when leading after two periods, according to Arthur Staple.  Additionally, Staple reports they are 2-6-5 after blowing a 2 goal lead.

That means they have blown 13 two goal leads this season.  That is nearly 1/4 of their games.

-Nabby was alright tonight!  He didn't really get tested in the first two periods, but when push came to shove he didn't get it done in the third.

At this point, it is nearly once a week now that something like this happens.  It is to the point now that its a given that the team will give up the lead in the third when they have it.  It's a shame to say that but its true, when watching the game tonight I fully expected the Oilers to tie it at some point because after seeing it so many times not just this season but the last 7 years it'd be foolish to not expect it.

Next Game: Tomorrow Night @ Calgary 9PM 

Pre Game: Isles @ Oilers

photo by stadiumjourney

Tonight, our Islanders continue their 4 game road trip as they travel to Edmonton to take on Taylor Hall and the Oilers.

The goalie match up tonight features Evgeni Nabokov for the Islanders and the Oilers have yet to announce their starter.  

After the trades of Andrew MacDonald and Thomas Vanek the Islanders lineup will look a little different tonight.  Yesterday, Mike Halmo and Matt Donovan were called up from Bridgeport.  Both players will be in the lineup tonight.  Matt Carkner and Radek Martinek will serve as the teams healthy scratches tonight.

Isles Refused Better Offers For Vanek

A common theme of yesterday's trade deadline, especially when it came to higher priced players getting dealt was that the team trading the high priced player would retain some salary in an attempt to get a better package.

According to Arthur Staple from Newsday, the Islanders were reluctant to do that when it came to forward Thomas Vanek and Bob McKenzie from TSN said this ultimately hindered the Islanders potential return for their star left wing.  McKenzie reports that the Islanders had received significantly better offers from both the Minnesota Wild and the Toronto Maple Leafs then the one they ultimately accepted from the Montreal Canadiens.  However, neither the Minnesota deal or the Leaf deal came to fruition because it would've required the Islanders to retain some of Vanek's salary.

To give you an idea, Vanek is owed in the ballpark of $1,408,000 for the remainder of this season.

This is just another strike against Islanders owner Charles Wang who is already not a favorite among most Islanders fans.  While this is mind boggling, it shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone.

Fans/Media React To Vanek Trade

A Puddle Of Tears

Across the island this afternoon, tear drops fell on the wood floor, the warm bedroom carpet, or simply your iPhone.  Again the feeling of anger and embarrassment fell apon the Islander fanbase.  The same fanbase who I consider one of the most loyal groups among the sports industry.  After the storm and some tissues later, March 5th became just another sad day in Islander country.  

After wiping off their iPhones, fans leaned on twitter.  So much that the hashtag #snowmustgo became trending across the United States.  The instant explosion on social media was well deserving, as the return on Thomas Vanek was minimal.  General manager Garth Snow only managed to snatch a mid level prospect and a conditional second round pick.  

The fans, especially the ones who attend every game deserve more.  They deserve an owner who cares, and a general manager who won't get disrespected.  One that demands winning, and nothing short.  Those fans who stay loyal to the Islander crest, deserve an organization who actually gives a crap.  

Enough is enough.  Wang/Snow and company, something needs to give.  The Islanders fanbase needs life, show us you care.  Is that really too much to ask for?  Brooklyn's around the corner, where's the shift in power? 

Don't you look forward to the day where we all can be proud to be a New York Islander fan again, I know I do. 

Boulton Likely Done For The Year

According to Newsday, it appears as though Eric Boulton suffered a broken hand in his fight with mark Stuart last night.

So, in other #Isles news... Appears that Eric Boulton has a broken right hand. Mike Halmo and Matt Donovan headed up from BPT.
— Arthur Staple (@StapeNewsday) March 5, 2014

With this diagnosis I would expect him to miss the rest of the season.

#SnowMustGo Trends On Twitter

In the aftermath of the Islanders "trade" of Thomas Vanek to Montreal fans let their frustration show by getting #SnowMustGo trending on twitter.  It was the 3rd trending topic in New York and 4th trending topic in the United States.

It appears as though all Snow supporters have pretty much disappeared.  With his horrible asset management on this deal it would be a fire able offense on pretty much all teams.  However, were the Islanders and like they said on TSN today we don't make sense.

Isles Trade Vanek To Habs

Update 3: According to Arthur Staple who mis read a text, both picks in this trade are conditional.  If Montreal doesn't make the playoffs no draft picks change hands.  However, if they make the playoffs the Islanders get a second round pick this year and the Islanders send them a 5th round pick next year.  

So, now there is potential that we traded Thomas Vanek for a middle of the road prospect.  Terrible day for Garth Snow!

Update 2: According to Arthur Staple, the Islanders received a 2nd round pick not a conditional second round pick.  Additionally, if Montreal makes the playoffs the Islanders will send them a 5th round pick.

I don't know how Montreal managed to pull this off but they fleeced Garth Snow, terrible job by the Islanders GM.

2nd rounder from MTL is not conditional. If Canadiens make the playoffs, #Isles send a 5th-round pick back.
— Arthur Staple (@StapeNewsday) March 5, 2014

Update: Reports have surface suggesting the Islanders acquired Sebastian Collberg as the prospect in this deal.  In 40 games in the Swedish Elite League this season Collberg has 9 points.

In the dying minutes of the deadline today the Islanders traded Thomas Vanek and a conditional draft pick to Montreal in exchange for a conditional 2014 2nd round pick and a prospect.

On the surface this appears to be pretty bad for Snow.

Grabner Leads Isles Over Jets In OT

Last night, our Islanders defeated the Jets by a score of 3-2 in overtime.  Here are some of my notes from the game:

-Solid game from Ryan Strome & Anders Lee.  These two guys will be one of the few bright spots as the season winds down.

-Grabner showed speed like we havent seen from him in years to score the winner.  Clutterbuck set him up nicely as well.

-Nilsson had a pretty solid game after a lot of struggles on Sunday.

-Could we see Mike Halmo get recalled with Boulton being injured?  I hope so!

Considering I am not feeling all that optimistic about the team having success down the stretch it was nice to see a win last night.




Next Game: Thursday @ Oilers 9:30PM

Pre Game: Isles @ Jets

photo by wikipedia

Tonight, our Islanders travel to Winnipeg to open a 4 game road trip against Evander Kane and the Jets.

The goalie match up tonight features Anders Nilsson for the Islanders and Ondrej Pavelec for the Jets.

The Islanders lineup will be a bit different tonight as Matt Martin will return to the lineup after missing the last three game following the end of the Olympic break with a lower body injury.  Additionally, with his trade earlier this afternoon Andrew MacDonald will not be in the lineup tonight.  On defense I would expect to see both Martinek and Carkner.  Up front, the lineup has yet to be announced beyond Martin.  However, it is expected that Thomas Vanek will play should be not be traded before game time.

Who Is Matt Mangene?

photo by phantomshockey

Earlier today, the Islanders acquired LI Native Matt Mangene along with a couple draft picks from the Flyers in exchange for Andrew MacDonald.

Mangene, 24, a native of Manorville went undrafted and had been playing with the Flyers AHL affiliate the Adirondack Phantoms.  In 51 games this season for the Phantoms, Mangene managed 6 points and 32 penalty minutes.  His most productive season in the AHL came last season when he managed 11 points in 36 games.

Islanders Ship MacDonald To Flyers

photo by ESPN

According to reports, earlier today the Islanders made the first of what is expected to be 2 deadline deals shipping defenseman Andrew MacDonald to the rival Flyers.  In exchange for MacDonald, the Islanders received a 2014 3rd round pick, 2015 2nd round pick, and prospect Matt Mangene who is from Manorville here on the Island.

#Isles have traded Andrew MacDonald to the Flyers. More to come.
— Arthur Staple (@StapeNewsday) March 4, 2014

Overall, given MacDonalds rental status I think Snow did pretty good for himself here.  Mangene may not appear to be much of a prospect but he was able to get the second round pick back that he gave up in the Vanek trade which is good work on his part.

Islanders Sign Justin Johnson

Earlier this evening, news came down that the Islanders had signed enforcer Justin Johnson to a 2 way deal.

Johnson had been playing with Bridgeport this season after signing a minor league deal with them over the summer.  In 36 games this year Johnson has managed 4 points and 156 penalty minutes.

I suspect that this signing was done to provide the Islanders some depth should they need players after the trade deadline.

Vanek Creates Headlines As Time With Isles Winds Down

This morning, Islanders forward Thomas Vanek told some media members that he may have considered resigning with the Islanders had they won more games and that winning really does matter.

Vanek again says he wants to test free agency. But says if the #Isles were winning more he might have agreed to a deal. Emphasis on 'might.'
— Kevin Maher (@KMaherNews12) March 3, 2014

Islanders: Vanek said if team was in "top echelon" he might stay. "I can tell you that winning does make a big difference."
— steven marcus (@newsdaymarcus) March 3, 2014

Many fans didn't like that Vanek said this saying that it was unprofessional and made him come off as selfish.  Those fans have their frustrations placed at the wrong person though because Vanek is absolutely right.  Their frustrations should be placed at the owner and GM who placed us in this situation.

I have been saying it for a while that we need Vanek a lot more then he needs us.  He is absolutely right with what he said because the fact is the GM had an awful summer last summer.  Normally, a summer like the one Garth had would result in the GM losing his job.  However, that won't happen here because winning isn't the top priority.  With that and the lack of winning culture starting with the top in management it isn't really a mystery as to why this team has trouble attracting free agents who aren't projects to play here.

Disasterous Third Period Costs Isles In 5-3 Loss

This afternoon, we saw a common movie unfold at the Coliseum with the typical ending as the Islanders were defeated 5-3 by the Panthers after the Panthers scored 4 third period goals.  Here are some of my notes:

-Great send off game for Vanek, showed us a bit of what well be missing with him as soon as Tuesday.

-Nilsson needs to work on his confidence, after that second goal by the Panthers you could tell something was unsettled with him.

-Good to see the team show some life after the lifeless loss to the Devils.

-It was nice to see Strome get on the board, hopefully he is kept in the first line role he was in today.

-Anders Lee has impressed me in his three games thus far since his call up.

Today's game was a common movie of Garth's rebuild with the blown third period lead.  When will it stop?  I don't know, what I do know is that it doesn't get any easier to watch.

Next Game Tuesday 8PM @ Winnipeg

Isles Send Down Halmo

With Frans Nielsen being activated off IR the Islanders sent Mike Halmo back to Bridgeport this morning.

Halmo opened a few eyes in his couple games here with his intense physical play including dropping Phil Kessel on his very first shift.

If this kind of play was any indication from Halmo I have a feeling it won't be to long before we see him again.

Pre Game: Panthers @ Islanders

This afternoon, our Islanders finish their season long 5 game home stand playing host to ex Islander Tim Thomas and the Florida Panthers.

The goalie match up today features I would presume Tim Thomas for the Panthers after Scott Clemmensen started yesterday.  Meanwhile, Anders Nilsson will get the start in net for the Islanders.

The Islanders lineup will look a little different today as Frans Nielsen will be returning to the lineup.  Additionally, with Travis Hamonic suspended the decision on Martinek or Carkner for his spot will be made in warmups.

Hamonic Suspended/Cappy Fined

With a little under 5 minutes left in the third period of this afternoons game, Islanders defenseman Travis Hamonic was ejected from the game for essentially mugging Ryan Carter after a borderline late hit on Andrew MacDonald.

NHL rules stipulate that instigating a fight in the final five minutes of a game carries with it an automatic one game suspension.  With that suspension, Hamonic will not be suiting up for the finale of the homestand tomorrow afternoon against the Panthers.  On top of the suspension, coach Jack Capuano was fined $10,000 as well.

This happened after Hamonic had already fought and defeated Steve Bernier earlier in the period.

While a majority of the team was lifeless at least Hamonic tried to do something to spark them.  Although, his play on Carter wasn't the wisest decision on his part.  I would expect to see Radek Martinek in the lineup tomorrow in his absence.

Isles Don't Show Up After 1st In 6-1 Loss To Devils

This afternoon, our Islanders fell in a lifeless performance 6-1 to the rival Devils.  Here are some of my notes:

-If today was Martin Brodeurs last start as a Devil, he sure finished on a high note.  He was very good today!

-We have beat the lack of defense excuse to death this season but even with that, today was far from Nabokov's finest game.

-I like what I see early on from Halmo, comparisons have sprout up to the way Matt Martin played when he first came up which I can definitely see.

-Since when did Josh Bailey start going at it with people?  I had to do a double take when I saw him get sent off in the middle of the second period with his 10 minute misconduct.  I feel as though he should be scratched when Nielsen returns to the lineup instead of Lee or Halmo which is who I expect.

-Congrats to Jaromir Jagr on his 700th NHL goal.  I know we aren't Devils fans, but were hockey fans to and in what was otherwise an awful game, getting to be present for history like that is something to take out of it.

-Good to see Okposo get on the board

Well, games like today are games I expect to see pretty frequently down the stretch in the final 20 or so games of the season.  It is unfortunate but at the same time it is the nature of the beast in what is yet another lost season for the Islanders.

Next Game: Tomorrow @ Home Vs Panthers

Isles Send Poulin To Bridgeport

According to reports, the Islanders have sent Kevin Poulin to Bridgeport and called up Anders Nilsson who will likely start tomorrow against the Panthers.

This actually makes sense since Poulin hasn't played in a while and Nilsson has been really hot along with the rest of the Bridgeport team of late.

Pre Game: Devils @ Islanders

This afternoon, Martin Brodeur and the New Jersey Devils travel to the Coliseum to take on Kyle Okposo and our Islanders.

The goalie match up today features Brodeur for the Devils and Evgeni Nabokov for the Islanders.

There is growing speculation that today could be Brodeur's last game with the Devils as the March 5th trade deadline approaches.

The Islanders lineup will be the same as it was for Thursday's 5-4 OT win over Toronto.

Isles Defeat Toronto 5-4 in OT

On Thursday night, our Islanders defeated the Leafs in a back and forth game by a score of 5-4 in OT.

The two main stories of the game were Michael Grabner scoring the fastest pair of shorthanded goals for the Islanders since 1999.  Additionally, Anders Lee scoring two goals in his first game of the season.

For a change, it was nice to see the team be able to fight back after giving up a third period lead instead of crumbling like a wet paper towel like what usually happens in those situations