FREE AGENT FRENZY

As we do every year, you can find the latest rumors and moves below for the next few hours.  Any credible Islander rooms will be italicized.  Meanwhile, Islander signings will be in bold.

3:35 - Matt Martin signs 4 year deal with Toronto worth 2.5 per season

2:42 - Colorado signs Fedor Tyutin to a one year deal worth 2 million

2:33 - Colorado signs Joe Colborne to a 2 year deal worth 2.5 per season

2:28 - Colorado signs Patrick Wiercioch to a 1 year deal worth 800k

2:27 - Brett Connolly signs 1 year deal with Washington worth 850k

2:20 - Lee Stempniak signs a 2 year deal with Carolina worth 2.5 per season

2:06 - Rangers sign Nathan Gerbe to a 1 year deal worth 600k

2:03 - Rangers sign Michael Grabner to 2 year deal worth 1.65 per season

1:46 - Dallas signs Dan Hamhuis to a 2 year deal worth 3.75 per season

1:45 - Montreal signs Alex Radulov to a 1 year deal worth 5.75 million

1:37 - Shawn Matthias signs 2 year deal with the Jets worth 2.125 per season

1:27 - Montreal signs Al Montoya to a 1 year deal worth 950k

1:16 - Viktor Stalberg signs 1 year deal with Carolina worth 1.5 million

1:02 - Dale Weise signs 4 year deal with the Flyers worth 2.35 per

12:56 - David Schlemko signs 4 year deal worth 2.1 per with San Jose

12:43 - Jamie McGinn signs 3 year deal with Arizona worth 10 million

12:36 - Ben Lovejoy signs a 3 year deal with the Devils

12:35 - Calgary signs Chad Johnson to a 1 year deal worth 1.7

12:29 - Jason Chimera signs a 2 year deal with Islanders worth 2.25 per

12:25 - Minnesota gives Eric Staal 3 years 3.5 per season

12:22 - Troy Brower signs 4 year deal worth 4.5 per season with the Flames

12:17 - Kyle Okposo signs 7 year deal with Buffalo worth 6 per

12:16 - Blackhawks sign Brian Campbell to 1 year deal

12:14 - Bruins sign David Backes to a 5 year deal worth 6 million per season

12:10 - Red Wings sign Frans Nielsen to 6 year deal worth 5.25 per season

12:07 - David Perron signs 2 year deal worth 7.75 total

12:03 - James Reimer signs 5 year deal with Panthers worth 3.4 per year

12:02 - Milan Lucic signs with Edmonton

12:02 - Andrew Ladd signs 7 year deal with Islanders worth 5.5 per season.

12:02 - Loui Eriksson signed a 6 year deal with Vancouver

11:56 - Alexander Radulov signing with Montreal

11:52 - James Reimer getting 5 years from an Eastern Conference team.

11:50 - Sounds like Frans Nielsen will be the Red Wings replacement for Steven Stamkos

11:49 - Andrew Ladd reportedly gets 7 years from the Islanders

11:45 - Kyle Okposo is expected to sign with Buffalo rejoining Matt Moulson

11:00am - Arthur Staple confirming the Islanders and Frans Nielsen are parting way.

Barclays Center Striking Out Yet Again With Isles Fans

To say it hasn't been easy for Barclays Center officials to welcome the Islanders and their fans to Brooklyn would be quite the understatement.  Sure, growing pains were expected, but since they had years to prepare for this it seems like a lot of time was wasted.  The latest cases came from an interview Brett Yormark gave recently with Sports Illustrated.  That was followed up by an exclusive report earlier today from nyislesblog about how Barclays Center pretty much lied to season ticket holders.

In a recent interview with Sports Illustrated, the topic of the obstructed seats at Barclays Center was brought up.  In response, Mr. Yormark suggested Islander fans actually stream the game on their phones or simply watch on the big screen.  So fans should buy tickets, take the 45 min + train ride to the arena to watch the game on their phones?  The amount of sense this lacks is astonishing especially coming from someone in the position of Mr. Yormark.  Sell the arena and experience all you want and as you should, but don't insult our intelligence!

Following that fiasco, came today when nyislesblog dropped their exclusive report that some season ticket holders in the obstructed sections will see a ticket increase of 66% next season.  This isn't in the premium seats, these are the obstructed seats where in some spots you can't see as much as half the zone right in front of you.  This increase is coming roughly a month after Barclays Center told the same season ticket holders that as a perk for renewing their season tickets they would not pay a price increase for next season.  For more details check out the report here.

In order for the Islanders to grow in Brooklyn like we all hoped and expected, Brett Yormark needs leave the Isles to someone who can handle them because although he had gotten better the last month or so he obviously is in over his head..

Barclays Center VS Islander Fans

Last night, the Islanders dropped their first game in regulation in almost three weeks by a score of 5-1 to the Florida Panthers.

However, one day after the game all that is being talked about it what happened in the stands.  Last night was parents day at the arena and during intermission a family wanted to get a little closer to get a picture of a tribute they paid for, for a relative who passed away last year.  However, when attempting to get closer they were stopped by ushers and the entire situation went downhill from there.  According to first hand accounts of people who were present, multiple staff members from Barclays Center were fist fighting with Islander fans.  The unfortunate end saw a young female Islander fan get knocked out cold by a female Barclays Center security guard.  For videos of the incident click here and here.  For a more detailed account check out the tweets below.

@IslesBlog my friends family went to see a message that was being put on the bird to honor their father who passed away security wouldnt...

— Tom LoFaso (@tomlofaso329) December 16, 2015

@IslesBlog let them and proceeded in escalating the situation and one f then apparently jumped on my friends sister and knocked her out

— Tom LoFaso (@tomlofaso329) December 16, 2015

To say this is disturbing is quite the understatement!  Staff members are present at sporting events to diffuse situations like this not escalate them which seems to have happened in this instance.  Considering the staff at Barclays Center is trained by Disney, according to Bruce Ratner, behavior like this is surprising to say the least.  Hopefully, we get a statement today from the Barclays Center and this is dealt with accordingly because stuff like this can't happen, totally unacceptable!

Do the Islanders and Nets Play in The Same Arena?

Last night was not my first time at Barclays Center like it was for some.  I have been fortunate to attend both pre season games the Islanders played there against the Devils.  Additionally, I have been able to attend two Nets games as well.  Each time I went to the arena I never had any major complaints at all and was in fact impressed with a lot of things.  That was until last night.  Last night I felt as though I was in a different arena that I had been in the previous times I had been there.  Here are some of the issues I noticed:

• Concession lines upstairs were worse then the Coliseum in both length and length of wait.
• The overall size of the concourse is tight when packed as well.
• Furthering with the concession stands, they raised the beer prices even more as if they weren't already high enough.  The one particular stand I went to would only serve certain draft beer in certain cups which is one of the most ridiculous things I've ever heard.  This inconvenience played a major role in the extreme wait I had.
• Bathroom lines were also huge compared to the other times I had been there.
• Some are being critical of fans who booed Brooklyn related items including but not limited to Brett Yormark being shown on the big screen.  Specifically with Yormark, that is something he brought on himself with his ill thought out comments on the Michael Kay Show in the wake of the goal horn saga and it wouldn't surprise me if the boos continue for a while.

Following my issues with the concession stand, I ran into an Islanders employee who while he was nice made some pretty ridiculous and far fetched excuses for the issues I had.  One of them was that they had to adjust to the Long Island crowd as if Net fans only come from NYC and NJ and the Islanders had never played pre season games here before.  With regard to the bathroom lines, he said they weren't as bad as the Coliseum.  Being in a brand new state of the art arena I would hope lines would be better then the 43 year old Coliseum.

So now I ask, was the arena last night the same place the Islanders played two pre season games and I saw two Net games?  It surely didn't feel like it was and for the people at be hopefully that changes.

Projections: Goalie

We conclude by looking in between the pipes at goalie:


photo by ESPN

1) Jaroslav Halak

37 wins

18 losses

4 OTL

While he is a little shaken up to start the season, I think Halak will be just fine and prove to be a steady backstop for the Islanders like he was last season.

2) Thomas Greiss

9 wins

7 losses

3 OTL

After having the backups struggle for a majority of last season, I think the Islanders found the right fit with Greiss.  He will prove to be the perfect backup for the Islanders and will be able to handle a little extended time should Halak show he isn't 100%.

3) JF Berube

2 wins

2 losses

1 OTL

After being one of the better goalies in the AHL in the last few years I think Berube will show the Islanders he was worthy of their waiver claim in a cup of coffee with the team throughout the season.