Tribute to Mike Sillinger

One of the very first entries here was the picture of Sillinger’s goal at the end of that incredible game against Pittsburgh so I put that image on the sidebar.

This is his final NHL goal scored last season in what turned out to be his final NHL game.

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Islander News Articles 3/3

Newsday: Greg Logan’s game coverage has comments from Jon Sim, Jesse Joensuu and Bruno Gervais.

Newsday: Mr Logan’s other article was more speculation on Guerin & Doug Weight with head coach Scott Gordon again commenting on the beatwriter’s Saturday article that he does not think Mr Logan’s report tells the full story and maintained he has no problems with Guerin staying here as he had no objection with the decision for him to sit out pending a possible trade.

The coach speculated the comments may have been from players no longer here like Campoli, Comrie as sour grapes and maintained he has continued to talk with his captain since the Canadian trip (Jan) several times and has no problem with him and it could be from other areas.

NYI Fan Central Comments:
I wonder how some players feel about this all getting into the paper, causing somewhat of a distraction or if they felt this would go on the record anonymously and if they want to continue to speak with Greg Logan/Newsday?

One thing for sure is Mr Logan is getting max play out of this. The silence from Mr Botta is deafening as he is clearly in the middle in terms of confirming or denying which may have someone unhappy with him in the end but he did get Brendan Witt’s comments who made it clear he has no problem with Scott Gordon Point Blank and felt what was reported in the paper should stay in the room.

NYI Fan Central Comments:
As always, visit Mr Botta’s blog for the full article he produced.

NY Post: Dan Martin’s coverage has some of the same comments from Scott Gordon on Bill Guerin but added Garth Snow did not speak to other teams without Guerin’s approval. Jon Sim comments on the teams play, defended Guerin as a ” good guy ” and that the team would have to be professional if he does return to play.

The coach also maintained the importance is on the younger players making progress and that it works out well for everyone else with Guerin or whoever having an opportunity to win a Stanley Cup.

Daily News: Peter Botte’s limited space only has room for Jon Sim’s quotes about Guerin as he speculated about possible trades and had no comments or game recap beyond light attendance, who scored and Hunter’s late injury that forced him out.

Daily News: Thomas Zambito did receive about the same space for a sports section article on the latest legal update concerning former Islander execs Paul Greenwood and Stephen Walsh.

NYI Fan Central Comments:
Nothing from Joensuu, Danis, they deserve better. So does the team the way it has played.

Denver Post: Teri Frei recaps Colorado’s loss on Monday but had a full interview with Ryan Smyth Monday here.

“You see the banners and the history the Islanders have had,” Smyth said, gesturing at the huge pictures of Islanders past and present and the Stanley Cup flags hanging from the rafters. “There’s just something special with what went on.”

“It was an emotional time,” he said. “I didn’t think a trade would ever happen out of Ed-monton, but it did. The Islanders welcomed me with open arms, treated me with a great deal of respect. I have nothing but great things to say about that organization. “We made the playoffs, we got beat out in the first round, but the ownership — Mr. (Charles) Wang — was nice, and was nice about having me and we sat down and chatted for a while. Garth Snow was fresh at being a general manager in the league and he treated not only me but the whole team really well.”

Smyth said he did feel a twinge of regret for not re-signing with the Islanders “because they gave up quite a bit to have me. I think overall, it was tough for me to make a quick decision about something that involved not just me, but my whole family. They made offers right up to July 1, and they were right in the mix, too, when we finally made our decision to come to Colorado. I have a great deal of respect for how they treated me in those two months.”

NYI Fan Central Comments:
Funny how Mark Herrmann did not write all of that in his no top players will sign here article when he only printed a few words from Smyth. Not like Smyth was obligated to throw that kind of praise around about a team he only played a month or so for two years ago.

Metro News.ca: Perry Lefko has an interview with Mike Sillinger about all the times he has been traded in his career but had nothing about his future playing status or the current team.

NYI Fan Central Comments:
Funny thing is Sillinger has not been part of the NHL trade deadline for a long time now, maybe by default because of his injuries but he will finish his entire three year contract and talked like a man who will be in Saskatoon this fall.

USA Today.com: Mike Brehm reports Yann Danis ended January with three consecutive wins, and his play in February earned him USA TODAY’s Clutch Goalie title for that month. The computerized formula factors in shutout time, saves, penalty kills and the amount of time playing in a tie game to figure out who’s best when the score is tight.

His comments are from the Islanders website in the article.

Harvard Crimson: Jake Fisher has a feature on Islander prospect co-captain Doug Rogers who is credited as a major reason for the Harvard’s success. The 6’1, 195-pound center has recorded a point in each of the last five games and leads Harvard with four goals in that stretch.

Ct Post: Michael Fornabio’s previews Tuesday’s home game against Norfolk and has the Sound Tigers weekly here which happen to include some Jesse Joensuu comments pre-callup.

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Islander News Articles 1/28

I may let the feeders do the walking tomorrow, there is a pre-scheduled blog that will be automatically posted around 12:30pm.

Newsday: Greg Logan has Mark Streit’s comments about his all-star experience and what it means to be recognized now as a defenseman vs a forward.

Mr Logan also reports Mike Sillinger had hip resurfacing surgery Monday.

Ct Post: Michael Fornabaio has the Sound Tigers weekly, Bridgeport is off until Friday.

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Mike Sillinger’s season over

Islanders website & AP & Newsday Islander blog/Mr Logan & Point Blank/Mr Botta: All report Mike Sillinger will undergo a second hip surgery and miss the remainder of the season.

NYI Fan Central Comments:
It’s interesting Sillinger seemed very optimistic about being part of Islanders camp come the fall considering this and the fact he will be an unrestricted free agent on 7/1.

I just do not see it and hope it’s not the end for him. Too good a player who has been such a class act for so many organizations.

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Islanders Heading to Saskatoon for 09-10 Camp

Star Phoenix: Kevin Mitchell and Cory Wolfe report a Monday press-conference has been called at Credit Union Centre, where they’ll announce the Islanders have agreed to hold training camp in Saskatoon Sept. 12-20. The NHL team will also play exhibition games in Saskatoon against the Calgary Flames on Sept. 19 and the Edmonton Oilers on Sept. 20.

The deal — brokered by race-car driver and Toronto businessman John Graham — moves the Islanders out of Moncton, N.B., where they’d held camps the previous two seasons.

Islanders director of communications Seth Sylvan said Friday he cannot comment at this time. Mike Sillinger and prospect Jyri Niemi comment on the upcoming camp.

Included are a Sept. 15 game in Prince Albert between the University of Saskatchewan Huskies’ men’s hockey team and the Islander rookies, an alumni/celebrity golf tournament on Sept. 18 and an Islanders’ autograph session during the Saskatoon Blades’ Sept. 18 home opener against Prince Albert.

Moncton official Ian Fowler comments but has not been informed by the club yet.

The current roster includes three Saskatchewan products: Sillinger, Blake Comeau of Meadow Lake, and Brendan Witt of Humboldt.

NYI Fan Central Comments:
Billy Jaffe said it would be announced next month. Mike Sillinger sounds like a man expecting to return. Even Jyri Niemi comments?

Folks in Moncton have to be very disappointed, they were a great host from all reports the last two years.

Now we know the Islanders are playing the Western Conference clubs which I think is an all-time first. No doubt this was held back or omitted from the Kings game for obvious reasons by Darren Dreger or the club.

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Islander Friday Notables

Newsday: Greg Logan in the Islander Newsday blog gives his take as a former Arizona reporter with regard to the Glendale area development vs the Lighthouse.

NYI Fan Central Comments:
Seems everyone has a story on their version of what a Lighthouse project could look like with Howie Rose and Billy Jaffe talking about the area around Nationwide Arena (Columbus) when the Islanders played there recently.

More importantly Mr Logan reports Frans Nielsen has been skating, is on the roadtrip and could be close to returning. Trent Hunter is also on the trip.

Looks like Mr Logan’s break means no Islander Insider from Newsday.

Point Blank: Mr Botta speculates Mike Sillinger being placed back in IR with his HIP injury could mean the end of his NHL career.

NYI Fan Central Comments:
We’ll see, going back on IR for his hip is a terrible sign but we have no inside details or talk from the Islanders this could be it for him. Clearly Sillinger is hurting from playing by his comments but it remains to be seen if he can work through it or the pain he talked about is too much.

Games Islanders had Comrie, Sillinger, Weight healthy? One.

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DiPietro vs Sillinger Double-Standard time?

So let me get this correct, Rick DiPietro practices for a few weeks under the radar of the clubs invisible media (with no ITV practice coverage and virtually no pregame video) he returns against Toronto, sits for a few days because of soreness and is back practicing and most of the media takes shots at him?

By comparison Mike Sillinger has HIP surgery, sits out for months and well into the next season, does the Bridgeport conditioning assignment.

Finally he returns and is in/out of the lineup with groin and now hip problems?

So how come the same media taking shots at DiPietro are not critical of Sillinger or the club the exact same way for their handling of his recovery?

They do not even write a word about Sillinger?

Sure seems from here it has nothing to do with any injury and lot more about a double standard in coverage based on personal bias against some players.
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At first I liked a lot of the things Doug Weight was saying about the staff and wanting to stay, playing for Scott Gordon and wanting be part of turning things around.

I agree he should be talking about ten game winning streaks and getting back in the playoff chase.

However the more he talks, the more it comes off like someone making demands saying he is done being rented out or would not return if traded.

Newsflash for Doug Weight, whether you decide to play or not you are in no position to tell anyone you are done being rented out unless you signed a NTC.

If he were traded and decided to instead retire or not resign here, that is his choice and has to be respected. I can also understand wanting to stay in a place where he has been productive and getting a better opportunity than he would on many teams and should be upset with discussion of being traded again.

Having written all this what started off as wanting to stay and a positive from Doug Weight is now bordering on issuing ultimatums when at this point he should know better than anyone this is a business and veterans are traded from struggling clubs.

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Islander News Articles 12/14

Newsday: Greg Logan’s game recap had head coach Scott Gordon on the two goals the Islanders scored that did not count, Bergenheim on how he could have made it tougher on Rick Nash to get the puck off his stick on the breakaway and goaltender Joey MacDonald on how they played better but losing battles on the third goal where two Blue Jackets out battle five Islanders are the ones killing them.

Newsday: Mr Logan has more from the pregame blog on Mike Sillinger’s groin injury where he says it could be in correlation to his hip and will have to see. Jon Sim talks about getting back in the lineup while head coach Scott Gordon is quoted about the last two days and what was done to prepare the club on and off the ice.

NYI Fan Central Comments:
All the comments from the head coach were before the game in the second article.

Newsday: Greg Logan and Arthur Staple present a gameplan to fix the Islanders which starts with the Lighthouse, adding a defensive assistant coach as teams study video and adjust to the overspeed system which is the identity, drafting to fit the system, getting value at the trade deadline and a three year timetable for management for Mr Logan’s content.

Mr Staple plays the shockjock game immediately declaring this season cannot be fixed, that Mr Wang should pipe down as Neil Smith was again brought up, Rick DiPietro should shut up and not play until next fall and learn what idle means so he has a chance at being healthy. Also included is for management to dump the veterans and get the kids in any way possible.

Finally the Islanders must change league Newsday staff created perception about the team including it’s change-on-a-whim owner and a lack of commitment to consistency.

NYI Fan Central Comments:
Nothing like those former Ranger beatwriters getting together and putting a good constructive beating on the Islanders with Mr Staple clearing doing the guesswork and Mr Logan doing a good job aside from the part about Mr Wang selling to someone who can move the club.

Mark Herrmann will be back soon enough for anyone who dare purchase a ticket to drive them away for that part, we need not read it again.

Mr Logan will have some more Msg memories for those Ranger profile shows on Msg.

Mr Staple lost his hockey fastball in terms of present day journalism.

Recently Mr Staple had Clark Gillies fourth on a list of NY hockey enforcers with Gary Howatt ahead of him?

Now for those who believe whatever Newsday writes some fair points were made here but having written that…………

Charles Wang since 2006 has given Newsday one interview at the end of last season (where he put his foot in his mouth about Ted Nolan) and was not even quoted at Scott Gordon’s press conference.

While Mr Baumbach demands he speak up, Mr Staple demands he shut up?

Funny they never pull this on Mr Dolan. Mr Wang also did the WFAN interview last season.

Next up….

Since when did Newsday become the medical staff aside from the unprofessional rants by Mr Logan since the summer and the sports department until the Islanders finally dumped the new NHL approved policy like they were bullied out of it?

No other paper in North American went after a club who followed league policy like Newsday did with our team.

If the doctors say Rick DiPietro can return to play why should he shut down anything?

I did not see these plans from Mr Staple when he had the Ranger beat during their long losing years. Newsday largely creates Islander league-wide perception, some fair and a lot not fair.

Most of the other outlets work off the late nineties plan, in short they no longer follow the club.

If Newsday had been paying attention the Islanders have stuck to their plan aside from going for it one time in 2006 in a weak draft class. No one can be expected to win when you lose four hundred man games to injury one year and pick up that same pace the following season.

That has to be included here at the top if a state of the franchise/plan to fix the club feature is written and a plan is presented. I did not see a call for Witt, Martinek, Sillinger or Comrie to shut it down for the season.

Some very obvious things in Mr Logan/Zipay comments that did make sense on dumping veterans and playing prospects.

Edited: Mr Logan & Mr Zipay edited the article and put their names to the part they contributed since my earlier comments. It was easy enough to figure out beforehand who wrote what.

Columbus Dispatch : Covers the Blue Jackets on their 3-1 win against New York on Saturday.

Windsor Star: Jim Parker Saturday had Windsor gm Warren Rychel’s comments on Josh Bailey that they have not talked since Bailey told them he would be with the Islanders but the window to send Bailey back to the Spitfires must be before Jan. 10.

If Bailey plays more than 40 games this season with the Islanders, he’s a year closer to unrestricted free agency. If Bailey is returned to Windsor before playing 40 NHL games, the Islanders would lose one year on his entry-level contract, however
Bailey would not be a year closer to unrestricted free agency.

Tsn.ca: Jared Spurgeon had an assist in Saturday’s Red-White scrimmage for team Canada.

AHL.com: Recaps Bridgeport’s 6-4 shootout win against the Norfolk Admirals on Saturday.

1. BRI Lee, (1) (Iggulden, Hillen), 0:30
1. BRI Hennigar, (3) (Hillen, Iggulden), 8:16
1. NOR Ward, (1) (Downie, Lundin), 10:31
1. BRI Tambellini, (1) (Walter), 14:21
1. NOR Lawrence, (1) (Downie, Rosehill), 18:30
2. BRI Smith, (12) (Colliton, Iggulden), 14:07
2. NOR Keller, (2) (Downie), 16:34
2. NOR Keller, (3) (Downie, Mihalik), 17:13
3. BRI Smith, (13) (Colliton, Skinner), 16:47
3. BRI Smith, (14) (Iggulden, Hillen), 19:59 (EN)

Peter Mannino twenty one saves. Colliton/Smith +3.

Ct Post: Mr Fornabaio’s newspaper coverage had head coach Jack Capuano on Bridgeport’s win on Saturday in Norfolk who credited the Admirals and his own club for getting in front of their big goaltender.

Jack Hillen had three helpers.

Ct Post: Michael Fornabaio had a live blog from Norfolk which includes Bridgeport blowing it’s thirteenth two goal lead in twenty four games.

Virginian-Pilot: Paul White has the Admirals coverage.

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Islander News Articles 12/9

More updates to this blog entry tomorrow.

Newsday: Greg Logan has the recap of the Islanders loss in Toronto with comments from former Islander Jason Blake and head coach Scott Gordon about his teams lack of skating.

Newsday: Mr Logan had a late blog entry with Mike Sillinger’s comments on his goal and how it feels to be back playing, Scott Gordon explains why he was re-united with Hunter and Hilbert.

Toronto Star & National Post with Toronto Sun & Globe & Mail: Covers the Toronto Maple Leafs on their 4-2 win.

National Post: John O’Connor has an interview with former Islander head coach Ted Nolan who declined to talk about his tenure as coach but did say the rumours about him playing the veterans when gm Garth Snow wanted him to play the kids were untrue.

Nolan also discussed being an NHL head coach again along with what else is going on with him these days which included watching Monday’s game.

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Hockey Returns: Islanders Demote/Recall Jackman

With Jiggs McDonald, his wife out of Thailand and a change of government apparently ending the protesting at the airports allowing everyone to travel safely again we will return to a hockey format immediately.

My thanks to everyone for the kind e-mails of support for Mr McDonald and his family, for me it was the right thing to do with the blog until this was settled.

My special thanks to Kevin Allen for passing the news to the hockey media.

It will still be a story here at NYI Fan Central until he arrives home in Canada but we will go back immediately to a hockey centric format.

On that end something caught my attention today.
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Ct Post : Michael Fornabaio reported in his blog Tim Jackman and Mitch Fritz were both recalled to the Islanders on Tuesday. Thomas Pock who cleared waivers on Monday is also still with the Islanders.

On Monday Mike Sillinger was officially recalled from Bridgeport, Jeremy Colliton was sent down with Jackman.

NYI Fan Central Comments:
Reading between the lines seems something is up or someone got hurt. You send down two and recall three that’s one too many by my math.

In effect they sent Jackman up and down in less than twenty four hours, this is not the end of last season where they are scrambling for bodies to put out a lineup and Bridgeport has a game on Wednesday.

Unless someone else got hurt in practice combined with Kyle Okposo not ready to return they have too many bodies even if Pock cleared waivers and can be assigned to Bridgeport.

If Okposo is ready to play they have two extra forwards and Bruno Gervais out of the mix with Jeff Tambellini stuck on zero goals and his father the Oilers general manager.

The numbers suggest something has to happen and I did notice the Edmonton professional media sources report here that the Oilers are poised to complete a significant trade and/or fire coach Craig MacTavish, likely this week.

We all know the Islanders historically do a lot of trades with the Oilers.

Robert Nilsson is out with an injury but Rob Schremp was recalled today
here for anyone trying to get a read on the Oilers.

Aside from that nothing major but congratulations to Joey MacDonald for being named NHL third star of the month. Islanders really overworked him and he did a fantastic
job regardless. Danis has to be given a few starts as things move forward now that he got some work.

Could be something or nothing but somewhat unusual on the surface unless a player is getting a seat in the stands or someone else got hurt. Tambellini played well Saturday from what I observed.

Updated:
NYI Point Blank: Mr Botta reported from practice Martinek, Okposo, Thompson not skating or somewhat banged up.
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A few other updates:
Ct Post: Michael Fornabaio had a Monday feature on defenseman Dustin Kohn.

Ct Post: Mr Fornabaio also had the Sound Tigers weekly which at the time included Thomas Pock clearing waivers, Jackman-Colliton assigned to Bridgeport, Sillinger recalled and a Q A with Sean Bentivoglio among several items and upcoming games.

Espn: Scott Burnside in an article on NHL general managers and where they came from (specifically new Leaf gm Brian Burke) credited Garth Snow for getting the Islanders in one playoff and having them in contention this year to date despite his unusual ascent to the general managers job.

Tsn.ca/NHL.com: Reports Islanders goaltender Joey MacDonald was named third start of the month by the league. MacDonald posted an 8-5-1 record with a 2.64 GAA and .916 save percentage. He led all goaltenders in games (14) minutes (842) and shots faced (439), and shared the lead in victories.

Bad News is the Sports Business Journal reports the Islanders ranked in the bottom five of the Turnkey Team Brand Index only ahead of the Knicks, Nets and Indiana Pacers here.

NYI Fan Central Comments:
When I looked at this a year ago Islanders were among the top in terms of head coaches which helped improve their rating in this survey.
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In terms of the blog a new poll was released and the blog header tweaked to put all the players in the third jerseys as we hope Blake Comeau receives a recall but put him in the more traditional look. Brendan Witt takes a break with Mark Streit now in the picture.

DiPietro and Martinek are in their 2006 retro jersey’s for now for those looking close.

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