Pre Game: Blizzard Day Sabres @ Islanders

Tonight, after winter storm nemo blasted the north east last night, the Islanders play host to the Buffalo Sabres.

According to reports, the Sabres got in last night before the storm so this game will be played. 

The starting goalies have yet to be named for either team.  But if I had to guess id say it'll be Ryan Miller for the Sabres and Rick Dipietro for the Islanders.

With the Islanders lifting the suspensions of Lubomir Visnovsky and Josh Bailey yesterday I fully expect them to be in the lineup tonight.

For the Sabres Patrick Kaleta and Andrej Sekera will be returning to their lineup.  Making room for Sekera young Tyler Myers is a healthy scratch tonight.

Hopefully the new additions will give the Islanders a much needed spark because in a shortened season like this you cant afford to go on 3+ game losing streaks.

Does Charles Wang Care?

 photo courtesy of http://cdn.newsday.com/

Yesterdays acquisition of Tim Thomas phantom cap hit has made me think of something, does Charles Wang care? 

I know on the surface Wang does care about the team because of how long he fought to get the new arena eventually settling on Brooklyn.  However, does he care about whether the team is successful or not?  I right now don't feel that he does.

A couple years ago, in the midst of one of our usual early season losing streaks Wang told Newsday that "at least we aren't getting killed out there every night."  People wonder why players wont come here?  Sure the arena had somewhat of an effect, but when your owner doesn't care about winning why as a player would you come here?

Over the last few years, Wang has repeatedly brought in people with little to experience for positions that were open within the organization and most recently he acquired Tim Thomas phantom cap hit last night.  I didn't think of this at the time, but last night the team played like they were just punched in the stomach.  In a way with the pre game acquisition of Thomas they were because of the message the trade sends to the locker room.

The Thomas move is basically setting the Islanders up to trade off assets by the April 3rd trade deadline if not sooner and not go below the cap floor.  The Islanders might be the only team in the NHL who sets up their own fire sale just ten games into the season when they are sitting in the 8th spot.  This move was a slap in the face to fans and its a shame that nobody in the press credentialed media will call Wang or Garth out on this because they are probably scared of getting their credentials taken away like what happened to Chris Botta a couple years ago.

To me, this is blatant cap floor circumvention and it blows my mind that the NHL allowed it.  The fact that the Islanders were the team to find the loop hole allowing them to do this doesn't surprise me in the slightest though.

Carkner Placed On IR

According to Newsday, the Islanders have placed defenseman Matt Carkner on  IR with a lower body injury and activated Josh Bailey off suspension.

The injury to Carkner opens a spot to insert Visnovsky into the lineup, assuming he is ready to go tomorrow night.  If he isn't, expect to see Joe Finley in the lineup once again.

Regarding Bailey, it should be interesting the line changes made to fit him into the lineup.

Lifeless Islanders Fall To The Rangers

Tonight, our Islanders fell to the New York Rangers by a score of 4-1.  He are some of my notes from the game:

-Another shaky outing from Nabby, the first goal shouldve been stopped and from there things just spiraled.

-Powerplay failed the team again!  To have some powerplays where the Rangers get better chances then we do is just unacceptable.  Doug Weight needs to get to work on those, make adjustments to the adjustments teams have made to us.

-Bad coaching decision pulling the goalie when we did.  How do you pull the goalie before we get control in the offensive zone?

-The effort was overall terrible tonight, the fire wasn't there and it was plain to see to anyone watching.

-Nice shot by Tavares on his goal.

The feel of the team now is one of a team that is primed to go on their annual losing streak.  The only saving grace for this team is that starting Saturday they should have new players entering their lineup.  If those new players don't cause a spark of some sort to the team or something, things could get ugly in the Coliseum.

Next Game: Saturday Night VS Buffalo @ Home

BREAKING: Isles Acquired A Phantom Cap Hit

 photo courtesy of http://a.espncdn.com/

Update: According to the New York Post, if the Islanders were to toll Tim Thomas contract and he doesn't return to the NHL his cap hit would go away at the conclusion of this season.

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Reports have surfaced that the Islanders have acquired goalie Tim Thomas from the Bruins for a conditional second round pick in 2014 or 2015.

According to Arthur Staple, the move was cap related and was to ensure they would be above the cap floor for this season at all times.  Also, the trade only goes through if Thomas suits up for one game as an Islander.

So instead of getting someone that can actually help the team, the Islanders go out and get a guy whose cap hit will count for the rest of the season and they wont have to pay him a dime and when he doesn't play for the team they wont lose their second round pick either.  Charles Wang must be in heaven right now!  I guess it would be to much to ask if they actually made a deal to fill a need.