Why sign a twenty five year, so-called iron-clad lease, then have your new landlord offer your team play six games a year back in a down-sized Coliseum after less than seven months after the Brooklyn press conference? 

Is this how you really increase your fan base?

It also seems virtually everyone has an American Hockey League franchise all set to bring to the Nassau Coliseum.

Bruce Ratner:
If Bruce Ratner speaks for Charles Wang, that’s exactly what happened this week.

There have been many entries here with comments on the Bridgeport Sound Tigers lease, with quotes from team President, Howard Saffan, that Charles Wang’s AHL franchise will be in Bridgeport until 2021 with a binding lease, in a building Charles Wang operates/renovated this year.

So where is Mr Ratner getting his AHL team from?

Where are all these bidders getting their AHL franchises from besides Dolan?

Why Now? 
It’s being decided by June or July at the latest, it’s an election year, the bidding is over. I know some of our teams fans besides being 30th in attendance, only care about owners throwing money out the window on free agents, but this is what pays for those front-loaded contracts.

So you better care a little because you are not getting a 2013 payroll at 1975 ticket prices. 

You Need An Updated Scorecard To Tell The Players:
There have been a few fascinating trades along the way too. 

Wang’s Lighthouse/Marriott, Sublease, partner, Scott Rechler, in with Msg/Dolan bid? So much for them being best pals.

Dolan’s former Msg President, Dave Checketts, who was practically escorted out of Msg in 2007 in with Bruce Ratner for John Davidson’s whatever ceremony:

Just below it, the Dolan stench-maker was at full throttle. Davidson was given a suite for the day – but with one restriction: Members of the Blues’ new New York-based ownership/management team, the men who used to work for the Garden, including ex-Garden president Dave Checketts, Ken Munoz and Mike McCarthy, were denied entrance.

That’s right, an NHL team owner made it clear that fellow NHL team owners were not welcomed in Jimmy’s Playhouse, er, Madison Square Garden, on the day their teams played each other.           

“A couple of weeks ago I heard I’d not be welcomed into the suite they were giving J.D.,” said McCarthy. “And then I couldn’t even buy tickets through the Garden. I eventually had to buy them on StubHub.

“I always took the high road; I never did anything but good for Madison Square Garden; I gave everything I had to the Garden, and for 23 years. And now I’m not even welcomed to set foot in the place. It’s disturbing. I guess that’s why I left in the first place.”

I guess Mike Sielski was not interested in this story. 
  
 Blumenfeld in with Smg, who you can bet want to keep management rights with Al D’Amato.

New York Sports and Entertainment LLC is partnered with Global Spectrum,a subsidiary of Comcast or Flyers owner Ed Snider, who’s Smg company that manages the Coliseum with Isles under 2009 sublease.

Does Flyers owner Ed Snider have two bets down on this bid? He got a new AHL home under construction with taxpayer money.

At this time former Msg President, Bob Gutkowski does not seem to be a part of this, but here is his latest resume here.

Anyone notice no one is talking baseball stadium yet on the rest of Don Monti’s HUB.

Nothing Could Be More Personal For Dolan’s:
When current Msg President Hank Ratner says It’s Personal you better believe it. 

“Said simply, our group is uniquely qualified to create a world-class destination for Long Island,” said Madison Square Garden Company President and CEO Hank Ratner. “For us, it’s not just business. It’s personal.”

The Nassau Coliseum, and the New York Islanders were Islander fan, Charles Dolan’s, first choice of hockey’s franchises to own. The New York Islanders were Cablevision’s signature television property when they were trying to get started long ago.

Charles Dolan signed his agreement with John Pickett to purchase the New York Islanders. 

Charles Dolan kicked Msg off Cablevision in those days.

For Ranger fan, James Dolan,  it’s revenge for the continuing unexpected television contract payments in Brooklyn, a chance to wipe New York Islander history off the Long Island map forever, expanding his own brands officially into Nassau County,  and perhaps force a failed New York Islander brand in Brooklyn out of business at some future point.

Kind of circumvents Wang’s idea of keeping practices on Long Island, and commuting besides Iceworks.

The Rangers will be having open practices at a James Dolan operated Coliseum as the official home team, no doubt future home exhibition home games.

Nassau Coliseum:
One thing that can be written is the Coliseum with enough extra’s thrown in is considered self-sustaining to the many people that bid for it.

Considering all the modern arena’s bleeding red ink, and this is not the entire HUB that Don Monti is Master Developer of is surprising.
 
Ed Mangano: 
Frankly put, Ed Mangano won huge, and is correct about one of his problems now being solved.

Someone will pay hundreds of millions for the privilege of giving Nassau County money.
 
He could care less about the Islanders, and will quickly name the RFP winner giving Nassau hundreds of millions as part of his re-election campaign promise kept. 

The taxpayers (on paper) will not pay one dime, Mangano can start honoring the AHL Long Island Rangers as Nassau County’s official home team in the new Msg Live Zone as soon as he approves Dolan’s Msg/Nassau East which likely will happen no matter what Ratner, Blumenfeld offers.

Cablevision, Newsday, News12LI, Msg media can break anyone on Long Island, and have the money to do it, this is their home area, not Bruce Ratner, or any other bidder.

Anyone really think Ed Mangano wants the Dolan’s who defeated Mike Bloomberg, and have fought virtually every sports team/channel as an emeny in an election year on Long Island?

This is not the Lighthouse or Town of Hempstead with Kate Murray approval required or everyone other team who got paid by taxpayers for keeping their team where it is. It’s also not the entire HUB.

In other words, construction will happen as soon as the New York Islanders are out, with Charles Wang’s approval. 

The entire HUB is Donald Monti’s problem, who has to deal with Town Of Hempstead/Murray zone.

Charles Wang: 
He controls the Marriott, the abatement permanently, and until 2015 has right of first refusal “It’s a situation where he really controls the site until 2015,” when the team’s lease at the arena expires, Burman said.

Long Island Busniess News August 2012 

Wang’s newest lease for the Coliseum signed last year gives him a say in what eventually gets built around the rest of the property. The Hub’s master developer will have to build a tiered parking to make up for any of the 6,500 parking spots lost, and Wang can reject any plan he deems would “adversely affect the use and operation” of his Long Island Marriott hotel and the Coliseum.

In short until 2015, Wang can reject any plan approved (including Ratner’s) but if he wants out of his Islanders lease earlier it may be something he has to trade.

It seems for now Ratner has more say over the New York Islanders than Charles Wang, who’s hotel is likely as easily available for purchase as the Sound Tigers could be very soon. 

The lockout ends here with the conclusion of the forty eight game season/playoffs. I have made clear to my readers several times this website may not be for them at this time.

The prospect site on blogger is set with contract status for Bridgeport/Islander prospects. 

IIHF 2013 World Championships begin May 3rd for perhaps a player/prospect or two. 

It’s also time to get quiet about the twitter/coverage comments on poor television/newspaper coverage, which frankly I failed to keep my promise about on 1/2/13 when the season was cancelled here.

As for the Nassau Coliseum development if you care about Dolan bidding for the building, and bringing in their AHL team to cut the Isles youth season ticket base to nothing, I’ve done my part.

Now it’s your choice to speak up, not before Ed Mangano quietly hands it to them. 

Nothing else I can really write after most of what was expected happened, if you care about the coverage disparities. I have also done my part to try.

You have a few life-times of entries here to guide you, and a mailing list back to 2000 with daily articles.

Now it’s your turn. 

If Charles Wang, Michael Picker, Howard Saffan & Garth Snow have something to tell the public about the club’s business or player future, they have a website/Neulion to break all their own news directly. 

Folks know where I stand in terms of Charles Wang’s ownership after thirteen years. No matter what he does moving forward nothing is going to change my total support for him, which includes moving the team out of New York, and breaking his iron-clad/binding lease in Brooklyn.

********************************
Just to be clear because I’m receiving many e-mails wanting to send money or advertise here. New York Islander Fan Central is a non-profit, no advertising, no link exchange website.

No interest in writing anywhere else or page-views.
No interest in anything but professional journalism with quotes. (no sourced based information)
********************************
As always no announcements regarding the future of New York Islander Fan Central will be made which each entry perhaps being the last. I respect my followers, and do not wish to waste anyone’s time so that’s as honest as I can be with this.

Whatever happens as always will have nothing to do with the team, it’s record or where it plays hockey games. 

I simply never know if I wish to stop completely.

In April 2009 everything that can be written on this subject was.  

The promise made was this website, hosted by blogger will be viewable until October 2013 until the domain needs to be renewed.

If it’s renewed at that time until 2014 an announcement will be made here. 

In terms of 2013-14, if there is any writing here at all, the focus is mostly going to be hockey centric after the draft/free agency.  How someone plays, what they are quoted as saying, hopefully into a camera so we can make up our own minds.

Thank You Very Much…………

NYIFC Comments:
As a rule, I stay ahead of this on the prospect blog for this website in terms of the contracts. I believe Ty Wishart is again an RFA at age 25 come June 2013. Mr Fornabio writes he is UFA.

Hartford Courant: Reports the Ct Whale will re brand itself back to the Hartford Wolfpack and that the Sound Tigers objected to a Connecticut Wolf Pack rebranding.

NYIFC Comnents: 
Things are seemingly not very good between Dolan’s organization vs Charles Wang’s.  Obviously it was insulting for Msg to re-brand it’s AHL team to a state that included where the Sound Tigers play to begin with. 

This would explain the Sound Tigers registering two domains on January 2nd blocing a move to Ct Rangers until 2018.

Look out in two years when the Wolfpack lease expires, and Dolan has Coliseum development rights via Mangano’s RFP.

New York:
As I wrote on January 2nd, the NHL was cancelled in terms of this website, and that’s the way it will remain. 

Having written I respect the overwhelming majority who feel otherwise, hope they have a great time moving forward, and hope they respect my position on this which is is the minority today. (not so much on 1/2/13)

Everyone should respect each others choices.

Not much that can be written that was not in the entry on Scott Pellerin being replaced, even though he is under contract for 2013-14. I would guess unless he has another job in mind, and the Islanders are willing to let him go he will be back.

Perhaps it was the grind of Nino Niederreiter’s first healthy full season, combined with injuries to his line-mates?

Nino Niederreiter played his mostly injured NHL season in 2011-12, almost a full year younger than John Tavares did. 

Forgetting the statistics, Nino Niederreiter was not as involved in the play as he was before his agent spoke in January. Still on paper overall he had an excellent first full season.

For Brock Nelson, Matt Donovan this season was a major step forward. John Persson, Johan Sundstrom had an excellent showing. David Ullstrom faces some tough competition moving forward, along with Aaron Ness, who had a much better year than his plus/minus shows.

Kirill Kabanov, who scored in the season finale, will get a pass based on his injury, but he received criticism from Pellerin. Jason Clark was not a success story, nor was Mike Halmo.

Only management in New York knows where Ryan Strome fits in 2013-14.

The Ct Post will release a list of who’s restricted/free agent in a day or two. 

Defense: 
We sure have come a long way quickly since Mike Mottau, Steve Staios, Mark Eaton, Milan Jurcina. 

Depth is a funny thing, you can go from none to plenty very quickly. 

Bridgeport is basically set for 2013-14 in this department with the signings of Pedan, Mayfield, Dalhuisen, with Ness, Reinhart, Donovan, Cantin or Calvin deHaan.

Ty Wishart seems on the outside in terms of a paper roster with Jon Landry.

Anyone on the outside of this mix likely will not be retained, it costs nothing to qualify Mark Katic in Europe.

To play many of these defenders in a third pairing would not be the best use of their talent which is another problem.

The math is not good for Brenden Kichton, who’s a big risk if management decides to let that offense re-enter the NHL draft. There are more defenders in college, and CHL who must be signed by summer 2014.

If Kichton is signed by another club, providing NHL-level offense, management will face well earned criticism, this is not losing Jared Spurgeon, who is a descent NHL player.

There is another draft class coming in June, given all the signed defenders in the organization now, plus all the ones due to be signed next summer, there is not enough room. 

The day will come where Travis Hamonic will get his offer of close to thirty million from hometown Winnipeg if his offense develops, or fifteen million if it does not. Why is he turning that down?  His 2013 RFA summer coming up will tell us part of what’s coming.

The days of Andrew MacDonald making 500k are coming to an end, someone’s giving him three million plus a year if even if he shows no offensive progression.

Brian Strait is a happy man with a three year contract, Thomas Hickey (RFA) will likely want even more.

Good news is if history has taught us anything it’s there is no such things as not enough depth, especially in an organization with a long history of leading the league in man games lost.

Goaltending: 
With Miko Koskinen signing in Europe for the next two years, if New York wants to develop a goaltender it has to be Anders Nilsson.

Kevin Poulin (RFA) did not have a good year, but no goaltender did in front of the second highest goals allowed team in the AHL.

Rick DiPietro’s progression, cannot come at the price of developing a goaltender unless DiPietro can make the adjustment to being a backup which is asking too much for a goalie who desperately needs to work off rust.

A lot will be decided on if Nabokov returns with Tim Thomas an option.

DiPietro’s finally showed his first real sign he is healthy playing eighteen games, there is no working off rust as an NHL/AHL backup or splitting time with another goalie in a league where teams largely play during weekends.

Of course the Islanders can simply keep DiPietro as the full time Bridgeport starter, and not care about developing a goaltender. Many organizations go the same route once they had their NHL starter.

The previous entry here linked to articles from professional media on the signing of D Mike Dalhuisen, that claimed he would play in Bridgeport in 2013-14. 
 
On Friday Bridgeport announced the  Dalhuisen signing here. Riley Wetmore & Greg Miller also agreed to terms on AHL contracts for 2013-14.

Quinnipiac Bobcats.com has Dalhuisen’s comments: 

“It’s an amazing feeling to get closer and closer to your lifelong dream,” Dalhuisen said. “All of the hard work of the past 21 years of hockey is finally paying off.”

“We’re very happy for Mike in continuing his career in the Islanders organization,” head coach Rand Pecknold said. “We’re proud of his accomplishments and wish him all the best as he progresses to the NHL.”

Miller commented via twitter.

Prospect blog has all updated contract signings for Bridgeport/Prospects. 

NYIFC Comments:  
A lot of very early moves.

As per our recent entries, the numbers of players signed to play defense in New York & Bridgeport, along with the prospects who needed to be signed by 5/31/13 (Kichton/Theoret) plus the CHL defenders who need to be signed by 5/31/14 from the draft of 2012.

Some players will not be signed or brought back from the current group, there are simply not enough roster spots with a lot of players spectators for the Sound Tigers in many games as is. Almost to the point where it’s reasonable to suggest are the Islanders going to reach terms on a new ECHL affiliate somewhere?

Now there is reason to care.

James Dolan’s Cablevision, Msg, Newsday have bid for the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, the company that did the song and dance they wanted the Isles to stay, now want their home arena in the future.

Make no mistake it would take a miracle for them not to win that bid. 

Another entertainment venue to go with Hartford (tenant), Los Angeles Forum, Radio City, Beacon Theater, even Newsday to control the message. That’s what Dolan does.

When the NHL’s oldest facility, the Cablevision Garden (getting a 16.5m dollar check from the taxpayers each year) is done being renovated, they will turn their full attention to the Nassau Coliseum.

The Bids Are In:
This bid for the Coliseum will feature Charles Wang’s friend (future part landlord), Bruce Ratner vs Dolan vs Blumenfeld vs Master Developer of the HUB, Donald Monti.

Hofstra President Stuart Rabinowicz will likely support the Blumenfeld bid. (unless Hofstra expansion projects with biotech are part of the HUB or if Master Developer Monti has promised him that.)

Dolan will likely have another corporate naming sponsor like JPM Chase who are giving Msg 300m for internal naming rights, along with Cablevision money, and perhaps their own naming rights on the facility.

They will win the bid handily because most of these other people are looking for some public financing (or a referendum-like deal) which Nassau will not do, they just renovated a similar facility in age.

They only need to transfer the companies that renovated Msg to Long Island. 

Plus they have a professional AHL hockey team all ready to cut into most of Charles Wang’s current family/kid season ticket NHL base, the Ct/Cablevision Whale with an expiring lease in two years.

Ed Mangano:
Mangano will pick what can save his bid for re-election. Cablevision can give him the political contributions/positive press to help that. Tom Suozzi is a former Newsday employee after he lost to Mangano so that end is covered completely. 

Counting on Mangano to be voted of office out for losing the Islanders? Not a prayer. Like referendum day, that’s a smaller minority completely indifferent to virtually the only municipality in New York/New Jersey (around the country/Canada) who did nothing to keep their professional sports team via taxpayers. 

Of course when County Website rips Dolan owned Newsday in 2012 it’s fair to write they do not have the best of relationships.
 

“It’s become obvious that Newsday columnist Joye Brown has some personal grudge or vendetta against Nassau County Executive Ed Mangano. We all get that! However, it’s a shame that Newsday is allowing an editorial opinion on the news page without labeling it as such. The fact that Newsday, once one of the top five daily newspapers in the nation, condones this poor practice is disturbing as it lacks transparency by blurring the line between news and opinion.

For me, my family, friends and associates, it appears Newsday is joining the ranks of the Star and the Enquirer. To place a column with Brown’s personal feelings on page 3, next to actual news stories – as a way of tricking the average reader into thinking they are facts – is yellow journalism at its worst. Ethical journalism calls for viewpoints in a separate section from the news because the two are supposed to be separate and apart. Accordingly, I am calling on the publisher of Newsday to end this practice immediately!”

Kate Murray:
For Kate Murray, the Rangers are exciting, it’s obvious what she wants, she will get her sixty percent as long as she does what the Joe Mondello machine tells her to do.

Charles Wang:
Wang will have veto power over the HUB site until 2015 per the LI Business News, but who knows if that could be negotiated as part of breaking his current lease early? Ratner vs Dolan will make for some very interesting games, and with the Islanders future television/newspaper coverage given the contention with the Nets ownership to say nothing of fights for events with Barclay’s currently going on 4/17/13.

Dolan’s long problems with virtually every NY/NJ team is well documented.  

Wang has a binding lease until 2021 in Bridgeport, and Howard Saffan said the team is not going to move anywhere regardless of the Isles. He operates Webster Bank Arena which he just spent money renovating.

Charles Wang is not paying to repair the Nassau Coliseum anymore, unless Bruce Ratner has an ECHL hockey team included as part of his bid there will  not be a New York Islander affiliate to put on the property.

Again, I have written this often, as long as Wang owns the Marriott, he needs revenue from people staying there who will go to the Coliseum, not an empty lot. He may even want Dolan to put his AHL team in the Coliseum so his hotel receives the related hockey business from fans/visiting teams he will lose in Brooklyn?

Wang picked Brooklyn to make Dolan keep paying him cable contract money, and for his legacy of not being the man to lose the Islanders. It’s a far from perfect plan for Wang to generate revenue, and those claiming luxury boxes are the revenue miracle learned nothing from the Smg lease that John Pickett did to go with teams in modern buildings losing money all over this league with full facility control, luxury boxes, and thousands of more seats than Barclay’s at this time.

Per the LIBN, David Winzelberg, in August 2012 Wang can veto any plan for the HUB/Coliseum here.

Wang’s newest lease for the Coliseum signed last year gives him a say in what eventually gets built around the rest of the property. The Hub’s master developer will have to build a tiered parking to make up for any of the 6,500 parking spots lost, and Wang can reject any plan he deems would “adversely affect the use and operation” of his Long Island Marriott hotel and the Coliseum.

]]> http://newyorkislanderfancentraldotcom.wordpress.com/2013/04/12/scott-pellerin-should-not-be-back-in-2013-14/feed/ 0 newyorkislanderfancentral http://newyorkislanderfancentraldotcom.wordpress.com/2013/04/08/mikko-koskinen-signs-with-sel-through-2014-15notables/ http://newyorkislanderfancentraldotcom.wordpress.com/2013/04/08/mikko-koskinen-signs-with-sel-through-2014-15notables/#comments Mon, 08 Apr 2013 18:18:00 +0000 newyorkislanderfancentral http://newyorkislanderfancentraldotcom.wordpress.com/2013/04/08/mikko-koskinen-signs-with-sel-through-2014-15notables ]]> Blues FI: Announced Islander prospect Mikko Koskinen has resigned with the team through the 2014-15 season.

NYIFC Comments:
New York qualified Koskinen last summer, and will need to do so through June 2015 if the club wishes to retain his NHL rights. That does not cost anything, however Koskinen was the first overall goalie selected in his draft class so it’s looking like a pick that will not work out or has moved on for good. During his time in North America he was frequently injured, however showed some flashes of his ability at all levels.

Anders Nilsson is signed for next season, however illness has taken virtually all of this year from him (he’s healthy enough to backup now for Bridgeport now) it could also mean the second goaltender drafted very high that summer (the only prospect anywhere) to receive a first round contract (Nilsson makes practically same money as Ryan Strome) could turn out to be another big miss on the draft front.

Kevin Poulin needs to be resigned this summer, and has struggled in the AHL. Only management knows how things play out with DiPietro, who’s finally proving durable if nothing else on the AHL worst defensive team most of the year. 

Bridgeport:
Not much to write about the Sound Tigers playoff chances that was not written about recently. Another devastating loss is followed by a win that keeps the conversation going, but without six of seven wins in the remaining games, it’s highly unlikely. Too many teams in front of them.

Defensively the frequent breakdowns still happen, but the addition of Strome, the return of  John Persson, Sundstrom, Ullstrom with the standout play of  Brock Nelson, it’s a team that can also finally score some power play goals after a franchise record setting slump. Niederreiter has not had a strong last few months where he’s dominating the puck when he’s on the ice, but management may want him to concentrate on learning the defensive game.

Most recent games Bridgeport is getting the better pressure.

The loss of Jack Combs offense has hurt given what he did last weekend. Kirill Kabanov has landed on the bench in what looks like a lost season after injury where Scott Pellerin has pushed for more from him.

Individually Matt Donovan is producing at a very high level for the Sound Tigers. 

NYIFC Comments: 
Another early college prospect signing by Garth Snow. The 6/1 clock continues for Theoret, D Kichton.

On paper between Reinhart, Donovan, deHaan, Ness, Pedan, now Mayfield in Bridgeport, with Strait, Hickey, Finley, Carkner, Visnovsky, Hamonic (rfa), MacDonald under contract to New York for 13-14 the depth chart screams they are running out of spots for Kichton/2012 drafted defenseman from CHL, who will have to be signed by 6/1/14 or defenders from college ranks down the road. 

This does not even include qualified, Mark Katic, or Ty Wishart or some of the current defenders in Bridgeport.

NYIFC Comments:
Pedan had to be signed by 6/1/13 or the Islanders would lose his rights. Mitchell Theoret, Brenden Kichton, and Cody Rosen (8/15/13) deadline are the remaining prospects that need to be signed this summer for the club to retain their rights.