NYI Top Post-Lockout Moments #10-6

Back with moments 10 through 6 of the Isles' post-lockout countdown. Isn't it funny how Zach's Rangers list is full of games, whereas the Islanders list is all stuff that happened off the ice? This is what happens when your team has won one playoff game in the past six years.

10) Snow Job

July 18, 2006

That the hiring of Garth Snow even qualifies for this list is a testament to the job Snow has done as Islanders' GM. For a very long time, July 18, 2006 was a very dark day in Islanders history.

I can still remember the day like it was yesterday. I remember seeing the headline on TSN... my head hitting my desk shortly after... thinking it was an April Fool's joke in the middle of July... none of my friends believing me when I told them... Mike and the Mad Dog tearing Charles Wang apart during an interview... being teased incessantly by pretty much everyone. It wasn't fun. I even wrote this blog on my MySpace page from back in the day.

Thankfully, things have improved since then. The way the Islanders handled the move still doesn't make sense four years later, but time has proved that Snow was the right hire. At a time when general managers were still trying to figure out the "new NHL", the Islanders brought in someone who actually played under the revised rules. They hired someone who was completely reared on the new CBA and therefore had no preconceived notions about what he was "supposed" to do.

The results have been pretty spectacular. Snow managed to get into the playoffs in his first year, but saw that he couldn't rely on giving veterans one-year contracts forever. His ability to blow up the Islanders and rebuild them in his likeness shows that he has the support of Charles Wang and will be here for the foreseeable future. Of all the moves Snow has made, the only move that would be classified as bad is the Rick DiPietro contract, and that was Wang's call. So, while the move initially drew ire from the Islanders faithful, it's hard to argue that the move didn't pay dividends.

9) Islanders Sign Mark Streit

July 1, 2008

As the Islanders entered the start of free agency in 2008, nobody was quite sure what they'd do. They had made mention of their desire to rebuild and go with young players, but they didn't actually have any young assets outside of Kyle Okposo to build around. They had plenty of cap room to make any number of signings, but we all knew better than that. Most Islanders fans assumed that Snow wouldn't do anything on July 1; I joked on this site that Snow didn't even bother to show up for work that day.

Turns out he did.

As is customary, the big names flew off the board in exchange for big-money contracts. One of the biggest names, Brian Campbell, took seven years and $56 million to sign with Chicago. Wade Redden, as we all know, received $39 million over six years from the Rangers. At the time of these two deals, Mark Streit was still available. He was the one guy I thought the Islanders should throw big money at and, much to my surprise, they did.

Five years and $20 million later, Streit was a New York Islander. Zach, our Rangers writer, was furious that the Rangers had dumped so much money into an aging Redden while the Islanders got Streit - who had only played three NHL seasons - for far less. When asked why he signed with the Islanders, Streit replied that he wanted to be a true #1 defenseman, something that was never going to happen in Montreal. Streit did not disappoint in his first season on the Island, netting 56 points and earning some legitimate Norris Trophy consideration. His numbers have dipped a bit this year, but Streit remains one of the team's leaders and a potential future captain of the Islanders.

8) Islanders Hire Scott Gordon

August 12, 2008

After the shock firing/resignation of Ted Nolan, the future of the Islanders in terms of their next coach was unclear. It was a very important hire - the Islanders would be rebuilding and needed someone who would stay over the long haul. The big-name veterans like Joel Quenneville and John Tortorella weren't interested and passed on the Islanders' overtures, which came as no surprise to any real Islanders fan. As is the Islanders' custom, they went the road less traveled and brought in an unknown coach.

Scott Gordon, much like Peter Laviolette seven years earlier, came to the Islanders from the AHL's Providence Bruins. Like Laviolette, Gordon had turned the fortunes of the Bruins completely, taking a losing team and turning them into one of the league's best. Gordon had youth on his side, not to mention a reputation for mentoring young players, and his "overspeed" philosophy won over fans right away.

More than anything else, though, the Gordon hire was further proof that the Islanders were serious about rebuilding. Garth Snow easily could have brought in a big-name retread coach, but that would have been the safe maneuver. By bringing in Gordon, the Islanders effectively told their fanbase that the team wouldn't be good for a while, but they could get used to this core group because it'd be there for years to come. Fans have criticized Gordon's system, particularly when it has helped contribute to blown third-period leads, but when they're firing at all cylinders, the Islanders are one of the NHL's most exciting teams. This is one call Garth Snow knocked out of the park.

7) Al Arbour Night

Nassau Coliseum - November 3, 2007

I'll be the first to admit that I was a bit skeptical when Al Arbour Night was first announced. Did Ted Nolan really want to round off Al Arbour's career total, or did Islanders brass coerce Nolan into stepping aside for one night? Was this just another gimmick to bring Islanders alumni back and get a cheap sellout? Given the history of the Islanders, I was right to have my doubts. But on this night, they didn't really matter.

Prior to November 3, 2007, Al Arbour hadn't coached a NHL game since 1994. However, whatever he had lost in terms of X's and O's was more than compensated for by the desire of the Islanders to win the game for Arbour, the only coach of the Islanders that has won a playoff series. In many ways, the game itself was typical of the Islanders at that point in time insofar as the Islanders came from behind to win, Miroslav Satan scored the tying and game-winning goals, and Wade Dubielewicz came up huge in relief of the injured Rick DiPietro.

As good as the game was, it was almost secondary to the postgame celebration, which saw many Islanders legends paying their respects to their former coach. And it wasn't just the usual guys, either. The Islanders brought back some real fan favorites, including Benoit Hogue, Pat LaFontaine, and Steve Webb. I have to say, I was bawling while watching a replay of the ceremony. (Full disclosure - I was pretty hammered.) It was a great night and a great sendoff for Arbour, who doesn't get nearly enough credit for his work with the Islanders.

There's only one thing that bothered me about Al Arbour Night. The original Arbour banner read "739", referring to his number of career wins. When they replaced it with a new banner that night, it wasn't a "740" banner. Instead, it simply read "1500". As in, the Islanders had such little faith in Arbour's ability to produce a victory that they only had a banner made to commemorate his number of games, not his number of wins. The Islanders said they'd get a new banner made; nearly two and a half years later, "1500", not "740", hangs from the Coliseum rafters.

6) Islanders Win 2009 Draft Lottery

April 14, 2009

As the Islanders sucked their way through the 2008-09 season, we all hoped it'd be for a reason. In fact, the only way the 2008-09 season would have been successful would have been if they landed the first overall draft pick. After all, while there was a chance Tampa Bay or Colorado would have passed on John Tavares, there were no guarantees.

The Islanders clinched the league's worst record in late March, a distinction that brought with it a 48 percent chance that the Islanders would win the draft lottery. As the date of the draft lottery neared, Islanders fans feared the worst. Everyone figured that they'd get screwed out of the chance to draft a generational talent like John Tavares or Victor Hedman. Why should the Islanders get the chance to be successful, right? Besides, since the lockout, the team with the worst record had lost the draft lottery more often than not.

Thankfully, this was not one of those times. The Islanders won the draft lottery, and Islander Country breathed the world's largest sigh of relief. For the Islanders faithful, as sad as it is to admit, it was almost like winning the Stanley Cup. Finally, the focus was going to be on our team, even if only for the week between the Stanley Cup Final and the NHL Draft, and we were going to make the most of this extra attention.

Unfortunately, Garth Snow felt the same way. When asked who he was leaning towards on the draft lottery show, he admitted nothing, something that would become a trend over the next two months. While we were ecstatic about winning the draft lottery, little did we know that these two months would become some of the most stressful times Islanders fans have had in recent memory.

NYI Top Post-Lockout Moments #20-16

When you're a fan of a team that has won one playoff game since the lockout ended five years ago, there usually aren't a lot of positives. However, much to my surprise, there are a fair amount of good things that have happened to our Islanders since the lockout. Not many good things on the ice, mind you, but still, it hasn't been all doom and gloom in Islanders Country. Here are the first five of my top 20 post-lockout moments.

20) Sound Tigers Invade Nassau Coliseum

Nassau Coliseum - February 18, 2005

We start off this list with a moment that occurred as the lockout was taking place. As the lockout dragged on, many Islanders fans were resigned to their fate - no hockey at the Coliseum for all of 2004-05. However, when it was decided that the Bridgeport Sound Tigers would play an AHL game at the home of their NHL affiliates, fans pounced on the opportunity to see hockey - any hockey - at the Coliseum. For an AHL game on a Friday night, the Coliseum was sold out.

Things only got better after the game, though. It was only then that fans received word that Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux were headed to New York City to make one last attempt at restoring labor peace. High off the vibes that the Coliseum provided, Islanders fans were certain that they'd be seeing a lot more hockey at the Coliseum that winter. Alas, it wasn't meant to be. However, the Sound Tigers did host one more game at the Coliseum that year, a game that drew about 12,000 people. One of them was yours truly, who was only too thrilled to sit in the third row of the Coliseum for just $25.

19) The Fans Respond To Kansas City

Nassau Coliseum - January 15-19, 2009

When the Islanders announced that they were going to play an exhibition game in Kansas City, many fans immediately feared the worst. After all, how could they not? They had seen the Lighthouse Project transform from the team's saving grace into a political issue covered in red tape. Seeing the writing on the wall, Islanders fans responded with some of the best attendance figures the team has seen since 2001-02.

For three games between January 15 (the date the game was announced) and January 19, the Islanders drew 15,000 or more, with two of those games being sellouts. Granted, it doesn't sound like much, and yes, those games did include a Devils game and a holiday matinee, but the 2008-09 Islanders were a truly horrible team. In fact, they lost all three games and scored only one goal in each game. But the fans kept coming out to make sure everyone knew people cared about hockey on Long Island, even if they don't always show it - as evidenced by the 11,000 who saw the Islanders' next home game on January 21.

18) Islanders Showcase The "New NHL"

Nassau Coliseum - October 19, 2005

Heading into the 2005-06 season, we all knew the landscape of the NHL would be dramatically different. Speed and scoring would be up, and fighting could perhaps become obsolete. The early games of the post-lockout NHL were exciting and received rave reviews. But an early-season clash between the Rangers and the Islanders was immediately hailed as a prime example of what the "new NHL" could be.

The Islanders were one of many teams to overhaul their rosters in an effort to thrive under the new rules. It didn't work over the course of the 2005-06 season, but on this night, they were perfect. They played the Rangers tough in a hard-hitting game that did not feature a single fight, an action-packed game that went to overtime tied 2-2 thanks to the efforts of Rick DiPietro and a then-unknown Henrik Lundqvist. The game went to a shootout - the first-ever shootout for both teams - and thanks largely to the broken stick of Jaromir Jagr, the Islanders won, their first victory over the Rangers since the 2002-03 season.

17) Rick DiPietro, All-Star

Philips Arena - January 27, 2008

When the Islanders traded Roberto Luongo on Draft Day 2000 and selected Rick DiPietro, the Islanders made a statement that they believed more in DiPietro's future than that of Luongo. As we have all seen over the years, that was not exactly the wisest choice. Nevertheless, the Islanders faithful waited patiently for DiPietro to emerge into a star goaltender. That finally happened during the first half of the 2007-08 season, and DiPietro's progress was rewarded with the first All-Star nomination of his career - a nomination, Islanders fans like to note, that came at the expense of Henrik Lundqvist.

The notion of DiPietro as an All-Star only got better when Martin Brodeur bowed out of the game, leaving the starting job to DiPietro. DP took advantage of this opportunity to not only showcase his goaltending skills, but also his personality. He was frequently miked up by Versus during the Skills Competition and the game itself, and while he displayed his charisma very well, he also nearly stole the show on the ice as well. DiPietro let up just one goal all weekend long - while Versus was talking his ear off, of course - and nearly won himself MVP honors in the process. For an Islanders fanbase that had very little to cheer about, DiPietro's performance in the 2008 All-Star Game was considered a huge win for Islanders Country.

16) Islanders Acquire Ryan Smyth

February 27, 2007

Even though the Islanders were in the East's top eight in late February 2007, Islanders fans still weren't overly confident in their new GM, Garth Snow. The team had performed well thanks to some impressive performances from veterans on one-year contracts, but the credit for those signings went to Neil Smith. Snow, on the other hand, was facing his first trade deadline and, as a buyer, many were worried that Snow would find himself receiving ridiculous trade offers and getting fleeced on deals.

That all changed when the news of the Ryan Smyth trade broke. In a move made just before the deadline, Snow acquired Smyth for 2003 1st rounder Robert Nilsson, 2005 1st rounder Ryan O'Marra and the Isles' 2007 1st round pick. Islanders fans were stunned - after all, the Islanders had been devoid of superstar talent for years, yet they had just picked up the big prize of Deadline Day.

The bounty for Smyth, an unrestricted free agent at season's end, seemed like a lot at the time. I recall being certain that Smyth would bolt after the season and that the trade wouldn't actually help the Islanders get past the first round of the playoffs. I even went as far as to text Zach, telling him that the Islanders had just traded their entire future for two home playoff games. As it turns out, they did only play two playoff games that year. But Nilsson has yet to crack ten goals in a season on the NHL level, while O'Marra has only played three games in the NHL. It's also worth noting that the Oilers have not made the playoffs since dealing Smyth, while the Islanders got in that year thanks largely to Smyth's contributions.

The Return of the Franchise

To say that Rick DiPietro was the most important New York Islander in the 2000s would be an extreme understatement. Outside of possibly Charles Wang, nobody has been as central a figure to the Islanders - and their current state - as DiPietro. Here's a look at the influence Rick DiPietro has had on the Islanders organization over the past decade.

- 2000: Islanders GM Mike Milbury trades Roberto Luongo, clearing the path for the Islanders to draft Rick DiPietro. Luongo goes on to become a star, as do Marian Gaborik and Dany Heatley, both of whom the Islanders passed on in favor of DiPietro. In exchange for Luongo, the Isles acquire Mark Parrish, who would become the team's most consistent forward for the first half of the decade and a key part of the 2001-02 team.

- 2001-02: DiPietro leads the Bridgeport Sound Tigers to the Calder Cup Final. While the Sound Tigers don't win the championship, future Islanders Trent Hunter, Eric Godard and Raffi Torres gain valuable big-game experience.

- 2003: DiPietro is called up to the NHL for good. This forces the Islanders to trade starting goalie Chris Osgood to St. Louis for prospect Justin Papineau. Papineau goes on to become a typical Islanders prospect - a "can't miss" guy who misses horribly.

- 2004: DiPietro takes over the starting load for the Islanders, who are eliminated in the first round of the playoffs by Tampa Bay. DiPietro earns his first playoff win, which is a shutout. DiPietro later appears in one game for the U.S. team in the World Cup of Hockey.

- 2006: DiPietro is named to the U.S. Olympic team. After the team loses its first game, DiPietro is named starter, a position he holds for all but game until the U.S. is eliminated from the tournament.

- 2006: Having gone on record stating he would like to finish his career on Long Island, DiPietro signs a 15-year deal with the Islanders. The deal ensures that DiPietro's prime years will be spent with the Islanders at well below market value, while his later years will cost the Islanders well above market value. Word is that new general manager Garth Snow and DiPietro's agent are barred from the negotiations so that Charles Wang can negotiate with DiPietro one-on-one.

- 2007: DiPietro suffers a concussion while charging for a puck well before it reaches the goal crease. The hot play of Wade Dubielewicz allows the Islanders to make a miracle run to the playoffs, where DiPietro returns and goes 1-3 in four games.

- 2007-08: DiPietro has the best three-month stretch of his career, resulting in a selection to the 2008 All-Star Game. Due to an injury to Martin Brodeur, DiPietro starts the game. He lets in one goal over the entirety of All-Star Weekend and is considered for MVP honors. He also "f***s up" his hip during the Skills Competition.

- 2008: As DiPietro leaves the team to mourn the loss of his grandmother, the Islanders win the first game of a home-and-home against the Rangers, thanks in large part to the efforts of Wade Dubielewicz. DiPietro returns for the second game, but coach Ted Nolan starts Dubielewicz instead of DiPietro. The Islanders lose the game as well as the next five, knocking the Islanders out of playoff contention and, if you believe what you hear, costing Nolan his job.

- 2008-09: DiPietro has knee surgery over the summer. Both the Islanders and DiPietro claim a clean bill of health has been given. However, DiPietro only plays five games all season, forcing the Islanders to juggle the craptastic duo of Joey MacDonald and Yann Danis for the duration of the season, which for all intents and purposes is over by Christmas.

- 2009: Concern about DiPietro's short-term and long-term health force the Islanders to sign both Dwayne Roloson and Martin Biron. Many fans are convinced that DiPietro will never return to the NHL. Rumors persist that Biron's contract includes a clause stating that Biron is to be traded if/when DiPietro returns.

- 2009-10: Roloson's play keeps the Islanders within breathing distance of the playoffs as 2009 ends. DiPietro plays rehab games for the Bridgeport Sound Tigers and is called up to the Islanders roster in January. DiPietro joins the team on a West Coast trip, where he is to play his first game in over twelve months.

So yeah... it's been a busy decade.

As Rick DiPietro returns to his place as Islanders goalie - not to mention the face of the franchise - it will be interesting to see how people will react. Many fans have completely turned on DiPietro, to the extent that they don't even want him back.

In the eyes of this writer, this attitude towards DiPietro is juvenile at best and reprehensible at worst. In all of struggles Rick DiPietro has gone through over the past four years, the person who is least to blame is Rick DiPietro. He has worked harder than any of us would have just to get back to the Islanders, and for what? To play in front of a half-full arena of people who hate him? Please.

When Rick DiPietro signed his 15-year contract, there wasn't a John Tavares to get people excited about the team. The Islanders were coming off a non-playoff year in which the only two players who even qualified as decent were Miroslav Satan and Alexei Yashin. The signing came after the Islanders were also exposed as the laughingstock of the NHL after the hiring and subsequent firing of Neil Smith. Furthermore, the year after DiPietro signed his contract, Islanders fans watched Jason Blake, Ryan Smyth, Tom Poti and Viktor Kozlov sign with other teams on the first day of free agency. Instead of following the money like most players, DiPietro pledged loyalty to an Islanders team that, quite honestly, had no hope whatsoever for the future.

What is the reward for Rick DiPietro's loyalty? An angry fanbase who doesn't want him back? I would certainly hope not. I understand that many Islanders fans are skeptical that DiPietro can stay healthy over the long haul. But DiPietro is as much an Islander as anyone who has ever worn the uniform, and we should be proud that he would fight so hard just to wear the Islanders crest again. Remember, this is a team that nobody wanted to be associated with us... and yet, Rick DiPietro chose us at a time when he could have commanded more money on the open market. It's time we, as Islanders fans, repay DiPietro for his commitment to the Islanders and Long Island in general.

It works out well that DiPietro will make his debut on the road. This will give Islanders fans a chance to see DiPietro in action from a distance and evaluate his performance in an unemotional setting. However, when Rick DiPietro makes his return to Coliseum ice, anything less than a standing ovation would be a disappointment.

No Comment

Regarding the Long Island Press story stating that Charles Wang has pulled out of the Lighthouse Project...

As of right now, the only thing indicating that the Lighthouse Project is no more is a small local paper citing a singular unnamed source. In other words, that's not even close to reliable. Is the story true? Possibly. But until we know either way, this blog will refrain from commenting.

Look, as an Islanders fan, I can't help but fear the worst. And I can't help but think back to Wang's attempt to create "Old Plainview", something that ended with an abrupt announcement saying the project was over. But this shouldn't be a funeral. We have no proof that the Lighthouse is not going to happen. Yes, it's a little shady that nobody involved with the Lighthouse will go on the record to say anything. Yes, this news totally ruined my night. At the same time, with no confirmation of anything, we shouldn't get too carried away. After all, we have no certainty - there's that word again - that all hope is lost.

Here's hoping that the morning will bring confirmation that the Lighthouse Project is still a possibility.

Charles Wang Opens The Books

You know things aren't quite right when the Islanders are front-page news a month after their season ends.

And yet, today, that's exactly what happened. Charles Wang launched his latest PR initiative yesterday, stating that if he had to do it over again, he wouldn't have bought the Islanders. Seeing as how he's lost nearly $300 million since buying the team a decade ago, I can't say I blame him.

Now, this shouldn't be interpreted as "regret", as many media outlets have described Wang's statement. Sure, part of him probably wishes he hadn't bought the team and assumed the Lighthouse would have been take care of years ago. But not unlike the exhibition game in Kansas City, this is mainly geared towards getting a reaction out of people. Islanders fans shouldn't panic; if anything, they should be more behind Wang than ever. Would any of us stick with the Islanders despite losing in excess of $20 million a year? Doubtful.

Wang has made it clear that if a resolution hasn't been reached by the start of next season, he will have to consider his options. Fair enough. But it'd be a shame if Charles Wang has to cut his very considerable losses and move the team due to politics.

Playoff Hockey On Long Island

OK, maybe the Islanders aren't going to the playoffs. But their AHL affiliate, the Bridgeport Sound Tigers, are putting together quite the season. The Sound Tigers have 98 points, tying them with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (Pittsburgh) for second place in the East Division, three points behind Hershey (Washington). The winner of the division will have the top seed in the Eastern Conference, as the Atlantic Division leaders, the Rangers' own Hartford Wolfpack, only have 92 points. And since there are only two divisions per conference, all four of these teams will have home ice advantage in the first round.

Charles Wang, who owns both teams, is well aware of the hunger for playoff hockey in these parts. As such, the Sound Tigers will play their first two playoff games at the Nassau Coliseum, much to the consternation of the Sound Tigers' faithful fans in Connecticut. Sorry, guys. Anyway, the two games will be on Friday, April 17 and Saturday, April 18. The game on the 17th starts at 7:30; the game on the 18th begins at 7:00. The nice thing is, tickets are extremely affordable, with the most expensive seats going for $29 and the cheapest going for $15. You could watch playoff hockey and enjoy a delicious pretzel twist for $20. How cool is that?

The AHL playoffs will certainly be worth watching for Islanders fans, especially since so many of the current Islanders roster will be playing for the Sound Tigers. Again, some local fans who have supported the team all year are a little miffed, but it's better for the Islanders this way. Some of the Islanders' young studs will gain some valuable playoff experience by playing for the Sound Tigers, so let's hope for a nice long playoff run.

Viva Las Vegas?

I don't know much about life. But there is one thing of which I'm absolutely certain. There is no such thing as a coincidence. Everything happens for a reason. And in the sports world, everything outside of the games themselves are done for a reason.

After reporting that the Islanders were a little too aggressive in promoting their Lighthouse Project last Thursday, I just assumed it was the Islanders shoving this thing down our throats. After all, that's what they've always done. But the next day at work, additional pieces of the puzzle started to fall into place. A co-worker said that fans were chanting "Go To Vegas!" at the Islanders, with the backstory being that Hollywood producer Jerry Bruckheimer was interested in moving an NHL team to Las Vegas. Apparently, Bruckheimer's interest in Vegas has cooled, but that's a city that's dying for a pro franchise; hockey could be the sport to get it done. After hearing that, I thought back to last Thursday's episode of NHL Live. E.J. Hradek was talking about the Islanders and mentioned how the Lighthouse Project was taking forever and that Charles Wang couldn't lose money on the Islanders forever. Then, to top it all off, Mike Milbury was on Hockey Night in Canada on Sirius on Friday. While talking about the Islanders, he intimated that hockey on Long Island could be a thing of the past, not just because nobody goes to the games, but because hockey isn't a big enough of a youth sport on Long Island to sustain interest in the Islanders.

That's when I got really worried. And that's when I made a prediction for which I'll hate myself should it come true: Within the next five years, the Islanders will be playing in a different city.

Don't believe me? Scroll up to two paragraphs ago. That should be all the proof you need. Why would the Islanders suddenly start shilling the Lighthouse Project on MSG Plus unless there was a reason for it? It's not like C.J. Papa came in on Thursday and said, "You know what? I don't have much to talk about in my intermission report. Why don't I constantly bring up the Lighthouse Project?" It doesn't work that way. My theory is that Charles Wang instructed MSG Plus to prominently feature the Lighthouse Project in Thursday's broadcast in order to put pressure on the Nassau County legislators, who have done a remarkable job in delaying this thing, to finally approve the project.

And if that's not enough for you, this one should erase any doubt in your mind. Just for fun, I went to the Lighthouse's website earlier today, just to see if it said anything particularly notable - as in, anything that would validate my blackest fears. I was greeted by a cheesy rock song and a wonderful graphic of the entire project as it's currently drawn up. However, I wasn't satisfied, and so I dug deeper. And sure enough, buried in the FAQ section of the website, came this nugget...

Q: Will the approval of the Lighthouse project ensure that the Islanders will not move?
A: As part of the proposal submitted by Nassau County Legislature, the New York Islanders would extend their current lease agreement at the Coliseum until 2025. The Islanders are Long Island's only major league professional sports team.

You can interpret this question in one of two ways. You can either see it as Charles Wang and company preying on the fears of Islander fans in order to get them more involved in seeing this thing through. Or, you can see it as Wang being as bluntly honest as he's always been. And when it comes to these big companies and big PR firms, you have to look for what they're not saying. As in, by saying that the Lighthouse will ensure that the Islanders don't move, what they're really saying is that if the Lighthouse Project is rejected, the Islanders will be forced to move to another city.

Now, before you get upset with me for saying this or for Charles Wang for thinking of cutting his losses, ask yourself this question: Can you really blame him?

Look at the situation Charles Wang finds himself in. He's stuck in a bad building with a horrible lease. He's got a team that many have earmarked for the bottom of the league. He's got a fanbase that would rather stay home than come out and support what they feel is a losing product. And that last one is key. It's hard to fight the good fight and convince Charles Wang to keep the Islanders on Long Island when last Saturday, with no significant competition and a 2-for-1 ticket promotion, they drew 11,219 fans. Even the Rangers' visit to the Coliseum on Monday didn't sell the building out. At the same time, pretty much everyone on Long Island is broke; even a great team wouldn't guarantee the sellouts that are needed to pump revenue into the organization.

It's a total Catch-22. But it sort of explains a lot. It helps to explain why the Islanders have been so hesitant to embrace a youth movement, as much as the Islanders have desperately needed one. If you want to take it back a little bit, you could even make the argument that the Ryan Smyth trade was made in order to make a Cup run, which would then make this whole Lighthouse Project a lot easier to sell to the politicians. After all, it'd be a sold-out building they'd be upgrading, and that's a lot easier to stomach than one that's half-full. Now that the Islanders have committed to youth for the foreseeable future, it's very possible that this is the last chance the Islanders, as they currently exist, will have to rebuild. If this current crop of youngsters doesn't work out and the Islanders are still getting killed on their current lease, with no Lighthouse in sight and no fans in the current seats, Wang might have to move on.

It's a tough thing to think about. And I'd love to be wrong about all of this. But I definitely think there's reason to worry. I also think there's a lot that we, as Islanders fans, can do about this. We can make our voices heard. Maybe we can try to get to some more games. Maybe we can wear our Islanders gear with a little more pride. We all know that no matter how bad Ranger fans give it to us, it's nothing compared to the pain we'd feel if the Islanders went off to some other city. Especially because you know that's when they'd finally start to get good.

Let's do our part to avoid such a scenario. I don't want the Islanders to be some franchise that moves because the fans don't care enough. That would be a shame. Let's do our best to give Charles Wang a reason to stay, Lighthouse or no Lighthouse.

The Islanders' Dilemma

Yesterday, individual game tickets for the New York Islanders went on sale.

Did you get any? Did you even know they were going on sale? Do you even care?

If you're at this blog, odds are at least 50-50 that you care. You might have gotten tickets yesterday, or you might have gotten a package. Or you might have heard and chosen not to go, instead opting for the bevy of freebies that are sure to fall into your lap as the season progresses.

If you did know about the ticket sale, odds are good that you found out about it from the Islanders' official website. Because the only other way you'd know is if you frequent Newsday.com or, of course, actually read the paper. Either way, the Islanders have advertised fairly extensively through Newsday, as they should; Newsday is the only paper that sends a beat writer on the road and generally gives the Islanders the time of day. Newsday does a pretty good job with the Islanders, and they do an even better job when the alternatives are considered.

However, Newsday didn't mention a word about yesterday's event at the Coliseum. It's not because they're not talking about the Islanders. There have been a couple of articles about Scott Gordon and his transition into his new role as head coach. But nothing about ticket sales. Why? Because it's not newsworthy.

That's right. Ticket sales for your New York Islanders don't qualify as news.

Surprised? Don't be. This is a team that finished in the lottery last year and has only regressed since then. Sure, there's a bright future ahead for the Islanders, one that we might even get glimpses of this year. But this team is a tough sell to people that actually like the Islanders, let alone casual sports fans who are ambivalent about the Islanders.

Some people would say not to be alarmed by this; after all, the Islanders are rebuilding, and part of that includes rebuilding the fanbase. But this is a source of concern. And if you don't believe me, here's proof.

On Tuesday morning, I contemplated calling in sick, as I do each and every day. And as I do each and every day, I reported to work. When I got to work, I received an e-mail advertising a company discount for Islanders Opening Night tickets of up to 50% off face value.

Re-read that last sentence.

It has been said that the only guaranteed sellouts for the Islanders in any given year are the Ranger games and Opening Night. And yet, I have the Islanders offering me 50% off tickets for Opening F'ing Night.

If you were Charles Wang, Chris Dey, or whoever's in charge of ticket sales, what would you rather do - discount tickets and look desperate, or charge full price and face the chance of an Opening Night crowd of 13,000? Tough call, indeed. Either way, you lose. And either way, Islander fans look like they don't care, which isn't necessarily true. But in cases like these, there's a trade-off. You either draw the big house with minor-league promotions, like last year, or you play in front of an empty house while pretending everything's okay, like the Islanders did so often during the late 90s.

Sad to say, but this is going to get worse before it gets better. Until the Islanders have a team that doesn't have to claw and scrape just for the 8th seed - and this at least two years away - fans aren't going to turn out in droves. And that has nothing to do with the crumbling state of the Coliseum, injuries, or any of the other excuses people conveniently bring up when defending this team.

Look, I'll be there as often as I can this year. A lot of other fans out there can say the same. And the Islanders will still sell out for holiday day games and Ranger games. But the key to consistently filling up any building is bringing in casual fans who aren't obsessed with hockey like we all are. That's where the Islanders are going to struggle. They're not the Rangers, who have loyalty from fans and corporations alike. The Islanders sell to blue-collar fans from Long Island, and as much as they've tried to make their seats affordable, people just aren't going to be motivated to turn out if the on-ice product is lacking.

Maybe The Islanders Aren't So Bad

Note: What follows is a true story, with Islander and NHL figures replacing the guilty/innocent. Disregard time discrepancies, as this would be impossible to piece together without bending things a bit. Enjoy... if you dare.

Imagine Charles Wang buys the New York Islanders in early 2007. In his first act, he fires Brad Shaw and replaces him with Ted Nolan. Wang's big bucks and dedication to restoring the club's reputation with fans gave him high marks in the Islanders community, and everyone is assured he'll spend big bucks to restore the team to its former glory.

Imagine Ted Nolan doesn't work out and that the Islanders are in 12th place in the East at the All-Star Break of the 2007-08 season. Wang, not wanting to entirely waste a season, fires Nolan. Sensing that he needs to do something drastic to keep his fans interested, he brings back the biggest name in franchise history - Al Arbour. Arbour dramatically improves just about everything he touches. Not only are the fans invigorated, but the team itself goes on a tear to close out the season. They miss the playoffs, but there is plenty of optimism to go around.

Imagine July 1 rolls around and the Islanders are expected to be the biggest of spenders. Arbour, in his role as coach and general manager, promises the Islanders faithful that the club is going to be a major player in free agency. Wang even gets in on the act, proclaiming there's a "WOW Signing" in the works. The fans whip themselves into a frenzy, constantly speculating which elite players they'll be bringing in.

Imagine the free agency period is drawing to a close, and the only players the Islanders sign are Jason Blake and Jason Smith. Furthermore, the Islanders have traded Mike Comrie away for draft picks. Arbour proclaims he has some aces up his sleeve and that the Islanders are going to break camp with some new blood; also, the money the Isles won't be paying Comrie will be re-invested in the free agent market. Speculation is rampant as to who these new players will be.

Imagine training camp rolls around with no new signings. The fans are furious and Arbour starts dropping hints to the media that his hands are tied. The day before camp, Arbour swings a deal for Antoine Vermette, then announces the Islanders' roster is set heading into the pre-season.

Imagine Charles Wang and his board brings Al Arbour in for a series of meetings. The media immediately assumes the worst and reports that Arbour has resigned. They later change their tune a bit, stating that Arbour was fired. The next day, the Islanders issue a statement on their website, stating that Arbour is still their coach and the two parties are still in meetings. The day after that, the two parties are still talking, this time about something called "mutual consent". Before the day is done, Arbour announces his resignation - this time for real.

Imagine the fallout from this falling out. Islander fans immediately take Arbour's side and swarm the Nassau Coliseum to protest the decision. The fans take to the Internet and post death threats directed at Wang and his cronies. There's even talk of a player revolt led by Pavel Bure, the oft-injured sniper who's rediscovered his scoring touch under Arbour. Bure, an unrestricted free agent at season's end, is sure to leave for nothing, assuring the team will return to the doldrums which they've inhabited for the better part of the past decade.

Imagine this happened to your Islanders.

Imagine this could happen to any professional sports club.

Well, guess what. The above story is an entirely accurate depiction of the past eighteen months at the Newcastle United Football Club, currently ranked fourth in the Barclay's Premier League in England. Substitute Mike Ashley for Charles Wang, Kevin Keegan for Al Arbour, Michael Owen for Pavel Bure, and you've pretty much got the whole story. Crazy, right?

Figures that as soon as I fall for this team, they fall into a state of disarray. Maybe I'm just a giant jinx to all my teams. Then again, Newcastle hasn't won a major trophy since 1955 and last won the league title since 1927, a drought Ranger fans could certainly relate to.

The moral of the story? No matter how much people love to dump on the Islanders, no matter how many times the Islanders make themselves look like the laughingstock of the league, no matter how many times the Islanders place backup goalies into prominent roles in the organization... it could always be worse. And in the case of Newcastle United, much worse. That said, if the Islanders ever go through a three-day period where nobody can tell if their coach is still coaching them, shoot me.

EDIT: I forgot the best part! Imagine Charles Wang really emulated Mike Ashley. As in, instead of sitting in the press box like a stuffed shirt, he sat with the fans, wore a replica jersey to every game, and was caught on camera chugging a pint of beer. Wouldn't we all love our team just a little bit more?

Busy News Day On Long Island

Sorry to usurp Zach's post on jerseys. I'd advise reading it; it's something I think we can all relate to. I can't say the same thing about liking Ryan Hollweg.

Anyway, it's been a pretty big day in Islanders Country. Who knew we'd have so much to talk about? I figured we'd have broken out the summer reading and NHL 08 stuff weeks ago.

For those who missed it, here's what happened today...

- It wasn't exactly publicized, but "The Committee" is no more. Charles Wang insists that Garth Snow is in charge of hockey operations going forward. Good for him. This "business model", which Wang insisted was the future of hockey, lasted almost exactly two years and resulted in exactly one playoff win, not to mention a ton of scorn and embarrassment. Thanks a lot, Charles.

Party on, Wang! Party on, Garth! (Sorry. That cracks me up every time.)

- The Islanders signed Jeff Tambellini to a two-year deal. It's a one-way deal that will pay Tambellini $550,000 this year and $625,000 the next. If nothing else, this guarantees that Tambellini will be on the Island for the next two years instead of riding the Port Jefferson Ferry a dozen times a year. For his development, it's huge; however, it's time for Tambellini to show he's worth it. Four goals in 79 NHL games doesn't cut it.

- The Isles also inked another of their restricted free agents - Sean Bergenheim. It's funny how firing your agents changes things. Just a week ago, Bergenheim was headed for a bitter arbitration hearing. Now, he's got a deal for 2008 and 2009 that will pay him $800,000 and $925,000 respectively. It's not confirmed anywhere, but we can only assume it's a one-way contract. This does a lot to convince Islander fans that the marriage between Bergenheim and his team can be a long-term one; it also shows the other young players on the Island that the team is committed to youth. Thank God.

- Buzz on The NHL Arena suggested that some of the NHL schedule would be unveiled today. The plan, as was speculated, was to announce the home openers today and the rest of the schedule tomorrow. Well, we never heard anything from the Islanders about this (yet), but we have been able to confirm that the Islanders will be visiting the Prudential Center on October 10th as the Devils kick off their home campaign. As is always the case in New Jersey, great seats are still available. Greg Logan of Newsday states that the Devils game will be the Islanders' first, with the home opener being played the following night against St. Louis. At least they're burning one of their non-drawing Western Conference games with the home opener, which will most likely be a sell-out.

Also, the worst-kept secret in hockey was confirmed, as the Red Wings and Blackhawks will be facing off at the 2009 Winter Classic, which will be played at Wrigley Field. I know a lot of us wanted the Islanders to be included, but this is great for the game. There's a serious hockey revival going on in Chicago, and this is the icing on the cake. It's great to have another Original Six city re-embracing the game. With an team full of emerging young stars, every game on TV, and now the Winter Classic, hockey is back on the map in Chicago - and not a moment too soon.

We should see schedules unveiled for both New York teams tomorrow. At this point, all we know is that the two teams will have six games against each other; common sense dictates that these games will be played on weeknights. Let's hope for some more home-and-homes like we saw down the stretch last year.

The Aftermath

Now that we've all had a little time to absorb the shock of this whole thing and digest it a bit, there are a few things that have become clear.

- While it's going to down as Snow firing Nolan, it's pretty clear that the feelings that the two couldn't work together were fairly mutual. Nolan hardly sounded broken up about the firing, which suggests that he was ready to move on anyway.

- Snow's alibi that he "realized" the two had differing philosophies is a load of crap. You don't work with someone for two years, then suddenly realize that you don't think the same way. There's something else here, and I think it's their summer ticket push.

- It would seem as though the Islanders are done signing free agents this summer. Long Island was a tough enough draw 24 hours ago. With the second big-time shakeup in two years, it's going to be hard to convince anyone to come here.

- While the Islanders are losing a great coach in Ted Nolan, the real losers are the Islander fans, who must once again deal with their team being the league's laughing stock.

Such is the M.O. of the Islanders. Every time you think they're getting things going, they go ahead and do something that reminds you of exactly why they're an afterthought on Long Island. So, in tomorrow's papers, you'll read ten pages about the MLB All-Star Game and the 900th gushing tribute to Yankee Stadium published in a New York daily this year. But in every paper not called Newsday, Ted Nolan's demise will be buried underneath the stories on the WNBA and horse racing. Sure, that's partially due to hockey's lack of popularity (and baseball's obscene popularity, even when both teams are a combined twelve games over .500), but the Islanders do themselves no favors by conducting business in their style.

So, now what?

Let's pretend for a second that the Islanders aren't going to sign a minor-league coach, even though it's at least a fair shot that they will. Instead, let's take a look at some of the coaches that have NHL coaching experience. (By no means is this a comprehensive list of candidates.) There are a lot of names out there... but are they good coaches? Let's find out.

Bill Barber
Coached the Flyers for one partial season (2000-01) and one full season (2001-02). Won the Adams in 00-01, but lost in the first round in both years. Hasn't coached since being fired in 2002.

Pat Burns
Hasn't coached since 2004 due to cancer, but won hardware at every stop in his career - Adams trophies with Montreal ('89), Toronto ('93), and Boston ('98); Stanley Cup with Devils ('03).

Marc Crawford
A candidate for the coaching job back in '06, he is most famous for winning the Cup with Colorado in '96. Has won just one playoff series since leaving the Avs. Floundered in a rebuilding project in Los Angeles.

Robbie Ftorek
Known mainly for getting canned just before the 2000 playoffs and bouncing around the minor leagues. Is said to be a great developer of young talent. Has won only one playoff series in the NHL, but has never had a losing season either.

Bob Hartley
Has registered more than a point per game in each season as a coach except 03-04. Hasn't won a playoff series since leaving Colorado, where he won a Cup in 00-01. Went to at least the third round in each year with the Avs.

Paul Maurice
The youngest coach on this list by a mile. Aside from Carolina's Finals run in 01-02, has never won a playoff series in the NHL. Is used to chaos from coaching in Toronto for two seasons.

Joel Quenneville
Has never registered fewer than 87 points in any of his full seasons; however has traditionally had loaded teams to work with. Ability to develop young players is a bit unproven. Has never coached in the East.

Pat Quinn
The long shot. Has reached the conference finals in three different decades. With the exception of his stint in LA in the late '80s, has only missed the playoffs twice. Advanced age could be a deterrent.

John Tortorella
Known for winning the Cup in '04 and for trashing his own players in the media. Seems like he'd be a good fit to replace Barry Melrose on ESPN. Coached the Rangers for four games in 2000.

Of these coaches, I'd be fine with Burns, Maurice, Quenneville, or Tortorella; I'd tolerate Barber, Ftorek, or Hartley; I'd hate Crawford or Quinn. There are a ton of other guys out there as well. If I were to venture a guess as to what route Snow and Wang might take, it'd be either a minor-league coach or a forgotten guy like Ftorek who's good with young players. I highly doubt it's going to be a big-ticket coach like Pat Burns. After all, if they're going with youth, they need a guy who's going to be around for a while, and the best bets to stick around are going to be those with something to prove.

Losing Nolan is a tough blow. I'm not sure they can do any better with this group. But maybe Snow can find a diamond in the rough here. Remember, everyone thought the Islanders were crazy when they hired Peter Laviolette, and he didn't do too badly. Unfortunately, as is so often the case with the Islanders, we'll have to wait and see.

Holy Crap - Isles Fire Nolan

I can honestly say I didn't see it coming.

I assumed all the one-upmanship in the media was nothing to write home about. I figured everything was cool in Islander land; after all, Charles Wang would have seen to it that all the nonsense was stopped. This is the same guy who fired Neil Smith after forty days on job. If things were really that bad, wouldn't he step in and restore order?

Well, he finally did. Or, at least, he forced Snow to do what he felt was right. And it turns out that Wang's hesitance to extend Nolan's contract was, in fact, a harbinger of Nolan's impending doom.

I'm shocked.

I'm not understating what has happened here - this is huge. Let's consider what we had in Ted Nolan. A coach who was respected around the league as a guy who got the most out of his players. A coach who has won in both the "old NHL" and the "new NHL". He was a coach that Charles Wang proudly took a chance on, and he was a coach that got results with a team that was, at its absolute best, mediocre.

Let's look at what we have now - or, more appropriately, the perception of what we have now. We now have an owner who has presided over the firing of two established hockey people, Smith and Nolan, because they couldn't last in his "business model". We now have a general manager who not only was a backup goalie two years ago, but canned the only coach who was going to make people forget the fact that Peter Laviolette won a Stanley Cup three years after being fired by the Islanders. We have a fake youth movement going on in which half the team is unproven youngsters and the other half is aging veterans. We have the smallest fanbase in the league, one that was artificially enhanced by promotions and giveaways, and it goes without saying that this group of people is only going to get smaller now.

And for what? Are you telling me that Ted Nolan isn't the right coach for this team? Was he not the same person who coaxed a great season out of Blake Comeau? Was he not the same person who plucked Kyle Okposo out of Bridgeport, threw him on the first line, and gave him some valuable experience? Was he not the same person who helped push Alexei Yashin out the door in order to make room for Snow's bad contracts? Something is not adding up here.

Look at what we're giving up here. A former Jack Adams award winner. A coach who got the absolute most out of his team. And we're going to watch Garth Snow replace him with either some retread who has already been fired five times, or an unproved head coach from the minor leagues. And I'm sorry to say, but after the Steve Stirling debacle, I'm not exactly brimming with optimism at that prospect.

I guess on some level, I should have seen this coming. I should also have some faith in Snow, Wang, Trottier, and the rest of them to make the right decision. But after making one horrible one, it's hard to see how they can redeem themselves.

Taking a bad situation and making it worse. It sort of makes you wonder how the Islanders view this season and, dare I say it, the 2009 NHL Entry Draft. Not that the Isles would tank or anything, but maybe they wouldn't exactly mind a subpar 2008-09 season. And you've got to love how they did this now that they've spent the past three months of the off-season begging you to buy season tickets. What do you do now? For the second time in three years, the Isles are in disarray in July. Something tells me that wasn't in the promotional package.

It's never easy to be an Islander fan, least of all when your team consistently undermines your passion. Ted Nolan had that passion. And now, the Islanders - the team who constantly whines about losing money - is paying Nolan $600,000 not to coach them. Go figure.

But this isn't about the money. It isn't about the fans. It isn't about grit, character, heart, or any of the other crap the Islanders try to sell us. This is about putting the pieces in place that give the New York Islanders the best possible chance to win. This wasn't a great team to begin with; deep down, we all knew Nolan would have to pull another rabbit out of his hat to keep the Isles in contention down the stretch. With Nolan gone, that task becomes infinitely tougher.

Still shocked. Still pissed.

I'm not sure if any of the above made any sense, but this closer will.

I challenge Garth Snow to find a better coach for this team than the one he just sent packing.

Revisiting the DP Deal

Word out of Tampa Bay is that the Lightning are on the verge of completing a "lifetime" deal with Vincent Lecavalier. It's supposed to be a nine-year deal to finish out Lecavalier's playing career, followed up by some kind of coaching or front-office job for Lecavalier's golden years. Not a bad idea; Lecavalier certainly is deserving of a big contract and has proven his worth to the Lightning for many years. Good job, guys.

Now can we finally leave Charles Wang alone?

Seriously. The Alexei Yashin deal, we'll ignore for the time being. Not because it wasn't an awful deal (it was), but because it was signed nearly seven years ago. More relevant to the Lecavalier signing is the Rick DiPietro deal from 2006, a deal that was criticized by pretty much everybody. The whole thing was a bit dubious, what with Wang handling the negotiations with DiPietro's agent directly, but the deal isn't nearly as bad as it was made out to be. DiPietro is making $4.25 million a year; he'd get significantly more than that as a free agent. His contract might look bad after year ten or so, but for the seven seasons between then and now, the Islanders will have DiPietro at or below market value.

But the real proof is in the emulation of this deal. Mike Richards for twelve years. Alexander Ovechkin for ten years. Now, Lecavalier for nine. Was Wang really that crazy after all?

I say he wasn't, and it's not because I'm an Islander fan. You need stability in goal to be a good team; look at the Flyers' teams over the past decade for proof of that. Besides, goalies don't take the pounding of average players and so are more durable. If DiPietro's hip troubles don't prove to be chronic, the Isles got themselves a great deal for much of the contract's duration. And the Ovechkin and Lecavalier deals will prove to be just as beneficial for Washington and Tampa Bay respectively.

In these uncertain times, the NHL is heading down a familiar path of fiscal responsibility. Although the salary cap was intended to curtail overspending, teams are tempted more than ever to spend on free agents since the cap is rising each year. Worse, the floor isn't rising with it, so the same economic disparities we became accustomed to around the turn of the century will be back before we know it. It's these long-term deals that may be the best deals of all. Who would you rather have on your team - a 26-year-old DiPietro on the verge of becoming an elite goalie, with thirteen more years at $4.25 per, or a washed-up and untradeable Bryan McCabe? Sort of makes you wonder which GMs are really the smartest.

A Letter To Bryan, From Bryan

When the Islanders defeated the Penguins on May 14, 1993, I was extra careful to remember the date. It was the cap on the as-yet-unnamed "Miracle of '93"; David Volek's overtime goal completed the Islanders' unfathomable upset of the defending champions. Little did I know that this would be the pinnacle of my sports-watching life to this point.

Channeling my inner Bill Simmons, I'd like to pass along a few words of wisdom to the Bryan of fifteen years ago. I'd like to tell him to enjoy the game - and to be careful about what the future has in store.

Bryan,

I hope this letter found you safe and sound. You should be on the bus right now, heading home from your Academic Enrichment Program trip to Mt. Tone. Knowing you, there's only one thing on your mind right now - getting home to see Game 7 of Islanders-Penguins. Don't worry about running late; you'll get home just in time. I'd strongly advise you not to miss a second of this game for one very important reason - it will be the greatest sports moment of your life.

After this game is over, a lot is going to change for you. Yeah, you'll still get made fun of at school, but you'll turn out okay. As for hockey? Well, that's a different story.

Remember how the cafeteria erupted yesterday morning when Mr. Aronowitz announced that the Islanders won Game 6 by a score of 7-5? Well, that's not going to be happening in the future. Not because of anything the Islanders will or won't do - we'll get to them later - but because hockey will be an afterthought pretty soon. Slowly but surely, goalies will morph into beasts twice their original sizes. This development, in conjunction with something you'll soon know as the "neutral zone trap", will essentially kill the game. In a year and a half, the league is going to cancel the first half of the season; ten years from then, a whole entire season will be wiped out. All of these things you don't care about - free agency, TV ratings, salary caps - are going to ruin the game you love and take it away from you. Worse, you'll be the only one you know who misses hockey.

Sorry to say it, but even though it'll upset you, it won't affect you as much as you might think. You know how you always say you'd hold out if the Rangers drafted you? Well, that won't be a problem, and it's not because the Islanders signed you on your 18th birthday. You could hardly crack the roster of your high school roller hockey team, let alone an NHL franchise. In fact, the closest you ever came to the Stanley Cup was when you won the Cup in NHL Hockey for Sega Genesis. You'll be happy to know that they're still making NHL Hockey games today, and that they're better than ever. These are the games that keep you young, because time isn't doing that great a job.

(Side note: You think Mortal Kombat is awesome? Wait for the sequel.)

Anyway, let's get back to the task at hand - Game 7. Excited, eh? Nervous? You should be. This is the first time you've seen the Islanders in a Game 7. Well, without giving too much away, you're not going to be disappointed.

The real reason I'm writing is that you're going to see everything change after this game is over. Think of it as puberty for a sports fan. After this, nothing is going to come easy. Nothing will shock you. You'll be completely numb to the pain sports inflict on people, and you'll be a much worse person for it. Sorry to say it, but it's true.

- You know Kevin Stevens on the Penguins? Well, in the first period of tomorrow's game, he's going to suffer an awful injury. He will never be the same player, will develop a serious crack habit, and will leave the game with a whimper instead of being inducted into the Hockey Hall Of Fame. Speaking of the Hall, this Penguins team has four guys that will make the Hall Of Fame (Mario Lemieux, Ron Francis, Joe Mullen, Larry Murphy) and one that will when he retires (Jaromir Jagr).

- You like Glenn Healy and Mark Fitzpatrick? I know you do. They'll both be gone in months to make room for Ron "Five-Hole" Hextall. You might not know what "Five-Hole" means... you will soon. This will eventually turn into a revolving door of goaltenders for the next decade until 2006, at which time the new Islanders owner will give a guy named Rick DiPietro a 15-year deal. Crazy, huh?

- How about Ray Ferraro, Patrick Flatley, Vladimir Malakhov, Darius Kasparaitis, and Rich Pilon? You love them all now... but they'll all play for the Rangers at some point in their careers. Even your favorite non-Islanders - Wayne Gretzky, Luc Robitaille, and Pat LaFontaine - will all play for the Rangers. Those same Rangers, by the way, will destroy the Islanders in next year's playoffs and win their first Stanley Cup in 54 years. See, I told you the future wouldn't be pretty.

- You know that Pierre Turgeon jersey you have in your closet? Make sure you wear it as often as you can. In two years, Turgeon will be traded for a player whose legacy in an Islanders uniform will be that he was paid to not play for the Isles. Speaking of Islanders uniforms, your team is going to unveil a horrid new design with the Gorton's Fisherman as the centerpiece. Don't buy one - they won't be around for very long.

- You probably don't know this yet, but the Islanders have drafted pretty well over the past few years. Many people are going to predict another dynasty for your beloved Islanders. Well, it's not going to happen. Not only are the Islanders going to miss the playoffs for eight straight years, a guy named Mike Milbury is going to take over the team and trade all of these prospects away for a bucket of hockey pucks. Also, a Mr. John Spano will somehow manage to buy the club without even having any money. He's just one person who will buy the team and sink it further into the ground. When someone named Charles Wang comes along, you'll know you're in the clear.

It's not just the Islanders that are going to break your heart. It's everyone else, too. Below are some spoilers - feel free to avoid them, but remember that you'll eventually be hurt by all of your favorite teams.

- While the Rangers are in the process of winning the Cup next year, the Knicks are going to make a run at the NBA title after Michael Jordan retires. You read that right. On the night of Game 5, you'll be watching the game at John's house, only to find that the camera is focused on O.J. Simpson driving after killing his wife. You read that right, too. Anyway, the Knicks will get to Game 7, only John Starks will blow the whole thing by shooting 2-for-18 on the night.

- You probably know by now that the Jets only serve to let you down. Well, you're right. Next year, you're going to be thinking big things, only to see everything fall apart after a play that will become known as "The Fake Spike". You'll also see them fumble away a chance to play in the Super Bowl and miss two would-be game-winning field goals in the playoffs. Oh, and here's one you're not going to believe - Browning Nagle isn't the quarterback of the future.

- The Mets gave you the only championship you actually remember, but that's not going to stop them from breaking your heart in the future. Dwight Gooden and Darryl Strawberry, your idols growing up, are going to join the Yankees and win a World Series. By the time you get to my age, you'll have seen the Yankees play in six World Series. One of them will be against the Mets. The Mets will actually get into the playoffs a number of times, thanks to something known as the "Wild Card". You'll know all about that soon enough. Here are some things you might not want to know about - you'll lose in the playoffs in each of those years in soul-crushing fashion. I'm not even going to bring up that the Mets will author the biggest collapse in baseball history under your watch.

So, having said all that, watch tonight's game intently. Enjoy it for what it is. Notice the amount of space on the ice, knowing you'll never see it again. Notice the spacious nets and realize that they will soon be clogged by oversized players and oversized pads. Enjoy the SportsChannel telecast and try to avoid the fact that fifteen years from now, television ratings will run the sporting world.

When the game is over, if you feel like yelling and screaming, do it. When Mom and Dad yell at you, don't listen. Remember, tonight is going to be special. Again, not trying to give anything away... but fifteen years later, you still have your 1993 Patrick Division Champions t-shirt.

Sincerely,
Bryan

Season In Review: New York Islanders

At long last, it's finally over. The season has come to an end, and you know what that means. No more injuries. No more woefully unprepared call-ups from Bridgeport. No more losing. No more free chili. No more exasperated claims from Howie Rose that he can't figure this team out. Which is a good thing. Because as Mr. Rose heads off to WFAN and the Mets, I'm sure he's found more questions than answers. I think I speak for every Islander fan when I say that I have a few of my own.

For me, the question doesn't concern who's going to be back next year. Instead, I'd like to ask about who isn't returning. Personally, I'd sleep easier knowing that the following players will never again don an Islanders jersey - Miroslav Satan, Josef Vasicek, Ruslan Fedotenko, and Bryan Berard. Not that these are bad players, but they aren't going to get any better. Their production could easily be replicated by a young player with at least a decent upside. One of the biggest problems on Long Island this year was the glut of roster spots that were being wasted, and getting rid of these players would help. It would also be nice if Garth Snow would refrain from signing role players to one-year deals and relying on them to be first-line players.

So, then, who to sign? A scorer would be nice. However, this team has seen both Satan and Alexei Yashin come to the Island and almost immediately lose their scoring touch. The Islanders need a player they can build around - or, even better, a player they've already subconsciously prepared to acquire. Who that player is, I have no idea. But getting a superstar scorer would not only get the Islanders some goals, but they could clear up some room for another desperately-needed commodity - an enforcer. The Islanders, for all of their muckers and grinders, ranked 26th in the NHL in fighting majors. The good teams in the NHL have a balance between their scorers and their fighters; that is, they don't roll four lines that play the same exact style. This is something the Islanders need to work on this off-season.

Truthfully, it isn't all that bad. Should they get a scorer, they already have a quality set-up man in Mike Comrie. They have tons of grinders and penalty killers - Richard Park, Sean Bergenheim, Mike Sillinger, and even Andy Hilbert are guys that are going to be back and should continue to succeed on the Island. Kyle Okposo should be a candidate for Rookie Of The Year, and Jeff Tambellini should have a good season in his first real chance at a 82-game NHL season. The Islanders have a solid defensive core, with an above-average offensive D-man in Chris Campoli and some good stay-at-home guys in Brendan Witt and Andy Sutton. And, in net, Rick DiPietro is obviously the go-to guy. If DP can replicate the first half of his 2007-08 campaign over a full season, he could be a Vezina nominee. As bad as it seems, there are some pieces in place. It's up to Garth Snow to make the necessary changes, but not change too much.

In my opinion, the most two most important facets of the off-season have absolutely nothing to do with the on-ice product of the New York Islanders. The first is the Isles' potential participation in the Winter Classic. I know the Islanders aren't exactly the most popular choice with the NHL or NBC, but an appearance on the league's second-biggest stage would be a major (and much-needed) coup for this team. I'm not even suggesting that the Islanders deserve to be there, just that it'd do a world of good for the team and the Islanders-Rangers rivalry.

More important than the Winter Classic, though, is Charles Wang's proposed Lighthouse Project. It was suggested the other day on NHL Live that if the Lighthouse Project falls through, the Islanders would have a hard time staying on Long Island. Time will tell how true that is, but facts are facts. The Islanders have the third-oldest arena in the league, and once the Penguins move into their new arena and the Garden is renovated, the Islanders will be left in the dust. The Coliseum has the smallest capacity of any arena in the NHL, not to mention it draws the lowest number of fans per night in the league. Sure, attendance has increased, but anybody who followed the Islanders this year saw the significant increase in ticket promotions and giveaways. The Lighthouse Project is critical for the Islanders, not just for the fans, but for purposes of attracting marquee free agents and increasing the visibility of the franchise. Charles Wang claims ground is to break in July 2009, but there's a lot of paperwork and political maneuvering to be done before then.

On Monday night, the New York Islanders officially end their season with the NHL Draft Lottery. The Isles will have a top-six pick in this year's draft, but exactly where they'll draft will be determined tomorrow night. In what's said to be the deepest draft in years, the Islanders should end up with a quality pick. Time will tell whether that pick will be turned into an elite prospect or a trading chip. Either way, it's a good problem to have. In an off-season where Garth Snow undoubtedly has his work cut out for him, he certainly has a good problem on his hands to start it off.

With that, we effectively close out our coverage of the Islanders for the next little while. Our focus turns to the Rangers and the NHL Playoffs as a whole. This is the best time of year for any true hockey fan; just because the Islanders aren't in the playoffs doesn't mean they shouldn't be enjoyed. We've got plenty of Islanders-related stuff in the hopper, but we have a whole summer for that. In the meantime, there are four rounds of playoffs to watch and savor. We'll have some sort of playoff preview up before the real season begins Wednesday night. Maybe next year, the Isles will be part of the dance... and if there's a God, they won't appear as an 8 seed yet again.

Going Out With A Whimper

Congratulations to the New York Rangers on clinching a playoff berth. You've certainly earned it.

Now that we've gotten that out of the way... tonight's game might have been one of the worst hockey games I've ever seen. The Islanders fielded their AHL affiliate against a Rangers team that was on the verge of clinching a playoff berth, and it showed. If you saw the game, you saw the obvious - this is just not a team that can compete with the Rangers. The Rangers skated circles around the Islanders tonight, and I don't think you can blame it all on injuries, either.

Tonight's game was just awkward from the start. The telecast opened with an interview Howie Rose did with Charles Wang, where Wang stated Ted Nolan wouldn't be extended before the season. He sounded very adamant about it, too, like he almost doesn't want Nolan back past next season. Then, the game started, and from the first Jaromir Jagr goal, it was clear that these are two teams at two different levels. The Rangers are peaking at the right time as they make their Cup run, while the Islanders are pitiful and are fighting an uphill battle against any team.

I'm sick of hearing about how many injuries have befallen the Islanders. The truth is, we're not seeing the future of the New York Islanders right now. Do you really think Kip Brennan is going to be a key player someday? Drew Fata? Steve Regier? Every year, they bring up the same guys, and every year, the same guys begin the next season in Bridgeport. If the Islanders actually had a farm system worth its salt, they wouldn't be getting killed every night. Since the win against the Rangers on March 4th, the Islanders have the worst record in the league. Every team gets hit with injuries. It's no excuse.

If the Islanders want to see exactly what they should be doing, they should look at the team that mopped the floor with them tonight. The Rangers are the model for what the Islanders aspire to be. It wasn't so long ago that the Rangers were full of aging players and no real future in sight. Now, the Rangers have it all. They have scorers. They have checkers. They have enforcers. They have great goaltending. They can do it all, and they are definitely a threat to make a deep playoff run. The Islanders? They have a decent core of young players - Rick DiPietro, Kyle Okposo, Sean Bergenheim, Blake Comeau, Chris Campoli, Jeff Tambellini, Bruno Gervais, and Frans Nielsen - but that's only eight players. Add in their reliable veterans - Richard Park, Mike Comrie, Bill Guerin, and Brendan Witt - and there's four more. That's twelve. A hockey team consists of twenty players. Who will the other eight be? Garth Snow has a lot of work to do this off-season.

But there's more to a team than the players. The Islanders need an overhaul in terms of philosophy and style. Talent will go a long way in changing that. However, look at the Rangers' power play tonight. As Howie pointed out, the Rangers scored very quickly on their first two power plays - Jagr's goals came twenty seconds and eight seconds after Islander penalties. See what happens when you actually, you know, shoot the puck? Maybe if the Islanders didn't waste two minutes passing the puck around every time they get a man advantage, they wouldn't be 28th in the league on the power play.

There's still one more game against the Rangers, but I'm not expecting too much. Hopefully, the Islanders will get a big win when it really matters - on Monday, at the draft lottery.