Already?

Didn’t take long for the New York sports writers to jump on the Tavares train… And run it off the rails. And it wasn’t just Tavares, they went after the second pick also. Here’s some recent headlines:

“Fans, Keep the Tavares Expectations Realistic”

"Analysis: Will Isles' decision not to add Kassian backfire?"

“Michael Jackson: The Wounds, The Broken Heart”

These were all from Newsday, by the way. Even the Post didn’t take any shots at the Islanders.

The top headline includes a list of players that Tavares definitely will not and probably won’t be as good as. This includes Crosby, Ovechkin and Malkin. Fine, I can deal with that, but the list goes on to include Zigmund Palffy and Steven Stamkos. I’m not saying that JT is going to be the second coming but let’s not kill the poor kids before the week is out. And other than the top three picks, it’s a crap shoot. I did some looking back at previous draft years and even the 1st round is a “Who? WHO?” list of also-rans.

Arthur Staple goes on to say that the Islanders "didn't have a clear-cut star to take at the top of the draft." Having the top Canadian junior league change the rules because of you and then to turn around and smash "The Great One's" junior scoring record counts as being a star, just so we're all clear.

Garth seems to have made some smart decisions that I can definitely live with as much as at the time I may not have been impressed (Bailey, Streit). So I’m going to put aside my negativity until it's proven that the Islanders made some bad mistakes.

And as for Tavares’ future—what the hell do I know about scouting? I'm just looking at the numbers and going with what everyone has said about the kid. And I haven't seen a reason to go negative yet.

Thanks to tomcuthbert.wordpress.com for the picture.

We Live In Hope

We hope that our team doesn't move to Kansas City.

We hope that Rick DiPietro plays a full season someday.

We hope that Kyle Okposo and Josh Bailey turn out to be superstars, or at least not Dave Chyzowski and Brett Lindros.

We hope that Alexei Yashin is sorry for what he did (or, rather, didn't do).

We hope that we can one day hold our heads up high and not be the punchline to every joke.

And we hope that when all the clouds of secrecy disappear, Garth Snow and the Islanders step up to the podium and pick John Tavares tomorrow night. Not necessarily because he's the best player (though he probably is). Not because Victor Hedman and Matt Duchene are much more inferior players (by all accounts, they're probably not). But because it is what must be done.

If the scouts are to be believed, Hedman and Duchene will both have long, successful careers in the NHL. And I wish them the best (unless they find themselves on the Rangers at some point in their careers). But, for the Islanders, and the fans who will gather at the draft party Friday night (you can say the draft party has no impact on the decision the Isles make, Garth, but you'll be whistling a different tune when the fans start beating Sparky the Dragon with sticks), the choice has to be Tavares. It is the safe choice. It is the best choice. It is the right choice.

Please, Garth, please.

The Palm Isle will have representatives at the draft party. I'll be there until right after the pick is made, at which point I have to dart to the train to get back to the city to see my friends' band play (bros before Snow, that's how I roll), but I believe The Mediocre One will be staying a bit longer. In any event, one or both of us should have a recap up over the weekend.

[ADDENDUM: I do not speak for our most celebrated Palm Isle denizen, The Rev. Zamboni, who has declared himself a Hedman supporter. Of course, he will not be in the Nassau Coliseum at 7:15 Friday night, so his declaration is understandable. I just want to live to see 33.]

We'll miss you, Hilary

I like the trade. Comrie wasn't doing much and was likely going to leave anyway, and Campoli's considerable offensive skills were often overshadowed by his softness on defense. I'm sadder about Campoli leaving, but a first-rounder cushions the blow. And Dean McCammond. Yeah, well, whatever. A warm body at the very least.

So, good job, Garth.

House Cleaning

Here's some things I've been meaning to get out this week:

Thoughts on the Ranger Game

Garth Snow pronounced the K in Okposo. If I’m pronouncing it wrong someone tell me. Otherwise, someone pull Garth aside and ‘splain to him that it’s important to learn how to pronounce his players’ names. Especially the good ones.

Mike Comrie. I want to like Mike Comrie but he makes it SO HARD sometimes. He seems like his skills can’t always keep up with what he wants to do. He might be better if he makes simpler plays. Can’t say enough for a little guy like him willing to drop the gloves, though.

Howie Rose is back—let the flirting begin!
“You’re good, I get that ‘Dynamic Duo.’ You’re good. The reality, you’re right…”
“Does that make you Robin, by the way?”
“I don’t like the outfit”
“BOY WONDER!”
“Ha, ha, ha. Compared to you I am.”

Butch Goring in the seats. It’s stupid. Have him report from ice level.

Wrong about Mark Streit

Man, was I wrong. I predicted Mark Streit to be a complete bust. Lucky for me not too many people read this blog. Congratulations to Mark on not being what Bruce Boudreau would call a "representative. "

The Hokey Trip

So I did take a hockey trip last weekend. Here’s the summary:

Friday Arrival in Tully. Some NHL 2009 along with a few helpings of Molson Canadian. Some nice plays, some nice goals, but it’s hard to beat the guy who knows all the glitches in the game.

Saturday Floor hockey game at the community college. After three Advils to relax a sore back, I was ready to hobble my way through a couple of hours of play. While I had a couple of goals and a few good passes one of which was called ‘sneaky,’ it was mainly a wheeze-fest.

Later that evening, the Rev. and I headed out to Ithaca in a good snow storm for a Cornell Hockey game. It was the kind of snow that gets you revved up for a game. It was great to be back in the old Lynah barn. Even in prohibitive weather and during school break, the place seemed to sell out. The game was tight. Most of the action was at the other end of the rink, though. Cornell has a few NHL draft picks including a first-rounder for the Oilers.

Drinking followed the game which was cool. Nothing interesting to report, really except that the Rev. apparently will sacrifice quantity of beer for quality by drinking out of a fancy glass. Oh how things change…

Sunday In addition to the big Rev. Zamboni, there are two little Rev. Zambonis. They got a couple of big-boy hockey sticks for outside so we knocked around on the walkway between the growing snow piles. The Rev. and I turned this into a no-holds-barred deathmatch. Naturally. Then I headed home soon after the Giants/Eagles game started.

Oh, and everyone’s cameras were busted so there were no photos to document this action-packed weekend. Next time.

We Got One.

Feeling a bit like Janine in Ghostbusters ... we have reader(s).
At least for the day. And we thank the Puck Daddy for the mention.

To anyone who found us through PD, welcome.

Agreeing with IslandersArmy: Wang is the problem. The more Garth Snow you see, the more he seems to have some idea what it might take to win on the Island. But, as you noted, as soon as this plan gets ready for takeoff, Wang is likely to blow it up. He seems to approach the Islanders the way people with money to invest approach "emerging technologies." Increasing your chances for serendipity (I'm stealing here from The "makes me sound smart, but really, I read it on the shitter" Black Swan) is a nice idea for the middle rounds of the draft, but gets a little tougher when you're dealing with management positions.

And, the timing was lousy. Not Mets lousy, but not ideal. However, I don't how much the kids care. (For our other reader, I'm only counting Tambellini among the kids because he's younger than me, and played enough in Bridgeport that I still think of him as a prospect-type, whatever the bloodlines and eventual result ... .) I think of college as a place players go because of the coach. The NHL, you go because of the money and women. And girls.

Wherever the blame lies, lays, layed, laid, I am not yet in Hating This Fucking Team mode. That usually comes in January. Too many short shorts and off-the-shoulders tank tops out there right now. And we've just made it through Sunny Day 14 of 16 for the year here in the Upstate -- so I am feeling too good to pick this thing apart any further.

For now, let's go Oh!poso.

Flirting with Disaster

There's nothing quite like watching a disastrous situation unfold before your eyes. Sure, you can see clips on TV or read all about it in the paper, but there's no substitute for being there when the wheels come off.

And, so, I am ultimately glad I got to see this year's NHL Draft live on the scoreboard at the Nassau Coliseum. Sure, I could've gotten a sense of the collective "Wha' happened?" on the Islandermania message boards, but it wouldn't have been nearly as memorable as being there when the trade with Toronto was announced to a hearty chorus of boos...which was topped mere moments later when Garth Snow traded down again, setting off a cacophony of grumbling, shouting, and wailing (and later the "Garth Snow...SUCKS!" chant). When Gary Bettman said that he had another trade instead of announcing the Isles' No. 7 pick, there was that palpable feeling of "No way...not possible." And then it was possible, signaling the mass exodus and the all-too-familiar walk of shame from the stands back to the parking lot.

To echo the thoughts of the Mediocre One and many other Isles fans, I have nothing personal against Joshua Bailey. In fact, I feel bad for him and worried that he would get a muffled reception when he showed up on the screen for his live interview (he didn't...the true-blue Isles fans rallied together to give him a proper, if slightly subdued welcome). I wish him the best and hope to see him on the Island for years to come. He seems like a bright kid, and there is certainly a significant upside to him. But Snow's outright refusal to nab one of the seven consensus immediate-impact players was crushing for those of us who had decided to spend their Friday night staring at the Coliseum scoreboard and sifting through Brent Sopel and Ryan Smyth shirts on the clearance tables. This was supposed to be the blastoff on the rocket ship back to the top of the division. It was supposed to be a moment for Isles fans to bask in the glow of that thing so often in short supply in the hearts and minds of those who come to the Coliseum: hope. Instead, it just seemed like business as usual.

Though I was initially gut-punched by the trade down (but I stayed until the bitter end, until they turned the scoreboard off and told us to leave), I feel a little better after reading about some of the guys taken in Rounds 2 and 3. Believe me--I would like nothing more than to see Bailey and the guys taken with the extra picks form the core of a new dynasty (or at least a team that can finish higher than eighth) and for Garth Snow and his scouts to be declared geniuses. And, if so, I was there when it all got started. Otherwise, I was there when it all fell apart. We'll see.

Here are some photos from Friday night:

John Buccigross interviews Josh Bailey live via satellte:



Future stars (pleasepleaseplease) Robin Figren and Jack Hillen, both of whom seemed like swell guys:



For the good times:



Another example of poor Islanders management: these Sock-'Em Yashins were in a playhouse for kids; let adults have at these guys for $5 a session and watch the money pour in. (make up some Snow ones while you're at it):

Guess Who's Coming to Training Camp

I guess it can be said that Garth Snow is not easily swayed by public opinion. And I guess that's a good thing. He's supposed to be the expert not the fans. That said, I really don't see the sense in the draft strategy. Time will tell, of course, and the draft may have been deep, but when the guy you're drafting doesn't quite get it, how the hell are we supposed to? This is from Newsday and I'm guessing you've already read it:

"I asked them straight up," Bailey said. "I said, 'You're picking fifth. What's your incentive for bringing me in?"

Now I understand that there are two theories of drafting. One is to get the best player regardless of your team's needs while the other is to get the best fit for your team. Ok, I'm not smart enough to say which is right. I do know that the Isles need goals. Everyone knows that.

Yet they passed up on a chance to draft Nikita Filatov who is considered an all-around (can I use a hyphen? I'm all nervous after the cow bell-man incident) offensive threat in the mold of Ovechkin. Ok, I can accept going against the grain a little bit. What have you got, Garth? Josh Bailey? What's his story?

"Bailey is not expected to be a high-end offensive player in the NHL but has good skating ability and vision on the ice. Said to have the makings of a future captain, he figures to be a mainstay on a checking line and the penalty-killing unit."

Really? I don't have the words...

Leafs Fans, You So Craaazy

So, Bryan McCabe invites all the Leafs to his house for a party. He asks Paul Maurice if he can bring the beer. The coach says that's no problem and loads up his SUV with cases of beer.
En route to the party, the coach is at a traffic light and the guy in the car next to him is blowing his horn and yelling "GO LEAFS!" Maurice smiles and waves.
The guy yells over to Maurice: "Hey coach! What's with all the beer?"
The coach replies: "Oh. I got it for McCabe."
The other guy punches the air and cheers.
"Great trade coach! Great trade!"

This will probably be resolved by the time you read this post, but Garth Snow has offered to take McCabe from the Leafs if they throw in a first round draft pick. McCabe has a no-trade clause, but would wave it for the Islanders (not often you hear that) and his nearly six million a year contract would be our problem. At the end of the day, the offer is Snow's way of saying, thanks but no. I'm guessing the deal won't go anywhere. But my god, someone should tell the Leaf fans. They're losing their mind. I don't think Snow is god's gift to GM's, but seriously, he's not a complete idiot. He's negotiating and basically saying "no" to McCabe. It's also a note to all buyers that the prices are high this year. Read between the lines, brother Canuck.

I suck at HTML so you'll have to cut and paste this the old fashioned way.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/rumors/post/Islanders-would-take-McCabe-but-want-draft-pick?urn=nhl,68493