Baby comes up healthy and fine...

As the dog days of summer roll on, and the humid and sticky July weather arrives a month late here in Ottawa, I just wanted to post non-Islanders news on my fanatical site. I am the proud papa of a 7 lbs 15 oz bouncing baby boy. We have named him Lyam. He is now 2 weeks old and I have had my hands full to say the least. It is amazing how the birth of a newborn can change a man’s life. I find myself rocking him to sleep at night while watching Sport Center, and thinking to myself how fragile and beautiful of a baby he is to my eyes.

I have managed through sleepless nights, to keep a somewhat distant eye on the non-goings-on in Islanders land, and I can say that I am not surprised. I have written continuously about what they should/would get this off season, but I am not surprised at what they have not gone after. I was happy to read about the August 4th meeting and the positive turnout, I must admit that on that day, my life changed, as my baby boy was born at 7:26 PM on August 4th. I hope you all undertand that the significance of that day, means alot more to me now...hehehe.

With training camp almost around the corner, I am waiting for my order of Islanders baby clothes to arrive so that I can take a magical photo op. October 8th is also circled on my calendar, as the Islanders will be in town to play the Senators, it will be my first chance to see Tavares in an Isles Jersey, and hopefully, I can bring Lyam along for the ride.

Let the sun shine through...

I am a simple fan that sits and observes his team from afar, and hopes as all Islanders fans do, for better days ahead. As the majority of Isles Nation is fixated with a Hemstead Town Hall meeting today, I cannot help but think of the John Tavares Press Conference tomorrow and what he will mean to this team over the next season.

As tomorrow’s welcome mat is laid out for John Tavares and everyone becomes aflutter, I find myself lost in thought in regards to what this team will look like and it’s potential with Tavares over the next season. Look, to me this team will be one of the 5 teams that will battle it out for Taylor Hall come June 2010. With the lack of FA signings how can it play out any differently? As an arm chair QB I tend to not only look at what the Isles do during the off season but what the other teams do around them. I see teams such as Tampa, Atlanta and LA, being much better than the Islanders next season. Teams such as Colorado and Phoenix will more than likely struggle to bring up the rear.

By no means is the frenzy over with in regards to free agency or possible off-season trades, but we now have a better view on where teams are trying to get to come October. This is where Tavares comes into the picture for the New York Islanders. As the Islanders trumpet a vital cog in their future wheel of success, as JT smiles and states how excited he is to try and bring back the winning days of old to Long Island, I cannot help but get a little giddy myself. Tavares is important to this rebuilding process not because of the 20-25 goals he will bring to the forefront for 2009-2010; not because he may make others around him better; and not because he is well spoken and media savvy. He is important because he represents hope to all Isles fans out there. His is a face of better days to come, and that will get our fan base energized, excited and the team should benefit at the turnstiles because of it.

The team is starting to take shape, it will still take its lumps, but with kids such as Tavares leading the charge, one can only hope that other Fanatics will be jumping on the bandwagon.

Thoughts on a cloudy Monday…

Here we are, six days into free agent frenzy, not a speck of sunshine and I am sitting at work with no vacation in sight.

I always love to see how many GM’s seemingly go loopy during the first few days of July but having sat back over the past week to look at the overall landscape, I can say that I am truly impressed at the number that have not gone stark raving. Of course there will always be a few head scratchers, but there just seems to be a lot less of it going around this July.

Can it be that some teams are actually starting to learn from their past mistakes?!??! Hmmm...then again when I think of the Gaborik and Havlat signings, some teams still have lots to learn.

I have also kept an eye (as most of you have) on the cast of characters still out there as the Islanders in July are my favourite Soap Opera to watch. I can honestly say that thus far, I have been surprised; not with the lack of movement by the New York Islanders, but by the lack in depth of players available out there. If one takes a look at the amount of players still available to your friendly neighbourhood franchise, one will find quantity, but not necessarily quality.

I still feel that Snow should sign at least 1 D-man and a bruising forward, but I am no longer convinced that he will do so. It is looking more and more like he is biding his time, patiently putting the pieces together, knowing this season will be another struggle on the ice. I can’t help but wonder if his patience has to do with giving the kids more room to grow, or positioning the Islanders for the 2010-2011 season. It is widely expected that the Salary Cap will drop significantly for that season and the Isles with a very low payroll and plenty of wholes to fill would be in a perfect position to add the necessary pieces to the puzzle of success. With so many teams looking like they might be in a salary bind … I wonder?

Patience may be a virtue, but I will be curious to see just how patient Long Islanders will be with the 2009-2010 roster that will be long on youthful enthusiasm and short on grit. There is still time for our GM to sign the likes of Beauchemin, and Tanguay, or a diamond in the rough but the summer is short and I for one am not holding my breath, I just do not have that kind of lung capacity and blue is not my color.

Tomorrow, I will share my thoughts on what the Tavares Press Conference means to all in Isles Nation…stay tuned…

July Follies...

It is that time of year again. The skies in Canada will be full of fireworks and hockey fans will be dreaming of the next big scoring center, bruising D-man, and managers, well, they will simply lose their proverbial minds.

Yes, free-agency season is upon us all, and I am buckling up for what promises to be an interesting 2009 off-season, not necessarily a busy one. I am looking at this off-season a little differently than most prognosticators, in regards to my favourite team. Most have stated that the Isles will not make any significant signing come July 1, as has been re-iterated by Garth Snow. There is no debating the fact that the New York Islanders will have to over pay to attract anyone, those disagreeing with that are living in a bubble, and yes, that is ok too.

Having said all that, the Isles are significantly below the salary cap floor for the upcoming season and so I believe that the team has no choice but to be active starting tomorrow. They will be looking for a goalie, at least one D-man and a bruising winger that can drop the gloves (I smell Chris Neil).

I can only hope that Tambellini and Sim will disappear within the team’s farm system come October and maybe one of those managers that will undoubtedly loose their minds within 24 hours, will want to trade for one of them (no, I am not on meds), but that will never happen. There is no disputing the fact that the Islanders have roughly $10 million to make up in order to reach the floor of the cap and signing RFA’s Comeau, Thompson and Hillen, will not come anywhere near the amount needed.

It is ok for us all to dream of major signings… that is what hope is all about… but let’s get real.

Final thoughts...before the big day

I know… I know… I just finished moaning about people continuously re-hashing about this weekend’s upcoming draft, but having said that, if I gave you the choice between drafting Dale Hawerchuk, Bryan Trottier or a defenseman that defies all comparisons, who would YOU choose.

I do not believe that an Islanders fan alive would choose any-other player over Brian Trottier.

Well, on my way into work this morning I was listening to TSN’s Pierre Mcguire on the radio and the hosts of the Ottawa morning show asked him to compare Tavares, Hedman and Duchenes to players gone by and to my surprise, he did just that.

Good old Pierre started off by stating that Tavares is very NHL ready and if he were the New York Islander’s GM, he would draft Tavares in a second, quoting marketing, promotional, and all his qualities….hmmm…sounds familiar. What surprised me was that he compared Tavares’ skill set to that of Hall of Famer, Dale Hawerchuk.

He had difficulty comparing Hedman to any previous defenseman. According to the hockey expert, the young D-man’s skill set is unique (size, speed, mobility…) and could not find anyone to compare him to….interesting!?!?!

When it came time to compare Duchene’s skill set, Pierre Mcguire's take was that the closest player to Duchene was none other than Brian Trottier. As per the TV personality, the young man’s all around game, energy and vision is quite comparable with one major difference-Duchene is a better skater than Trottier ever was.

Now tell me again, who would you prefer?

Time keeps on ticking...but not fast enough

So here we are, four days prior to the upcoming 1st round draft day in Montreal. The blogosphere is drowning with predictions; people trying to scratch claw for their little bit of “look at me” moments. I just wish certain guys would heed the old adage; “sometimes less is more”.

Seeing so-called experts re-hashing the same old-same old; Tavares… no Hedman… no Duchenes, arguments are annoying at best and sickening at most. I can only hope that Friday gets here fast, if for no other reason than to put this nonsense to bed once and for all.

As far as I am concerned, I do not care who the Islanders choose, as their first pick (notice I did not say 1st overall…hehehe). I simply want them to make a pick out of the top 3, period. For those clamouring for Tavares (which I was one), he will not turn the NY Islanders around over night, he has the potential to be a cornerstone, but not a saviour. Hedman, has the potential to be a top 2 defenseman, with All-Star written all over his towering build. As for Duchenes, well how can any fan in their right mind argue with the fact that scouts are calling him a winner, a guy that will lead you to a Stanley Cup!!?? There is no wrong choice from where I sit.

As I have previously stated, Tavares should speed up the rebuilding process, but that only means the build might take 3 years rather than five. To all the fans screaming that they will cancel their season tickets if the team drafts anyone else other than Tavares, give me a break and get real.

For all the loyal followers on the Island, go to the draft party; enjoy it for what it is; a breath of hope, a sneak peek at what might be and dream of better days ahead. As for me, I will be sitting on my comfy chair and enjoying every moment of my team being in the spotlight on this much anticipated day.

As the world turns....and turns....and turns...

The past few months have been rife with rumours, innuendos and political shenanigans on Long Island. As fans we should be excited about our team’s number one pick. We should be counting the days to the upcoming draft extravaganza, but the ongoing soap operas that continuously surround the team just seems to be sucking the life out of what should be a renewed time for hope.

I have been quiet over the last little while, because as most fans, I have been mesmerized by the Lighthouse saga, and the political hot potato it is turning out to be. As intriguing as the fight for the Lighthouse has been, the saga surrounding the will he or won’t he pick Tavares, has been as nerve racking.

I do not live on the Island, so I cannot fully understand the ins and outs of the local politics, but as a fan of the team, that wants nothing more than a good product on the ice, and a place that will be attractive to players, I remain speechless, and what appears to be a short-sighted, unwillingness to see the big picture stance of Mrs Murray and her band of merry men. Without a major league team occupying the Coliseum, it will be flattened within 5 years and the area will not have any other venue to attract, well….anything. If that is the will of the people of Hempstead and area, then so be it, (do not shed a tear when the team is moved), but if the local fans want to keep the team, they need to make a serious move and cause the powers that be to worry about the upcoming election, as of this date, I still do not see that happening. I read a lot of talk, but I see very little action.

If I could say one phrase to Garth Snow right now, it would be “please, make the right call, for all the right reasons.” Personally, Tavares is my choice, having seen him play in juniors and at the world championships; he has no equal within this draft class. He can be a marketing dream as well as a valuable asset on the ice. He is no Crosby, but he can easily be the Isles version of Danny Heatly. If Garth is interested in building the Isles faster, Tavares will be his choice, if he is choosing the slow boat approach, look for Headman to be the man. Regardless, the clock is ticking and a whole lot of fans are waiting for it to chime… One false move by the GM, will result in a marketing backlash and even rougher seas for next season.

...Tuesday Tidbits...

With thoughts of Tavares dancing in our heads as fans and with all the drama surrounding the Lighthouse Project development, improbable injuries, and possible moves, this season has been anything but boring. As the team continues to take its lumps, it is evident that this year was going to be a tear down year, as all first years are in a rebuilding process. All good contractors will tell you... “ya gotta tear it down before ya can build er’ back up”!

As “trade deadline day” looms closer ever more, fan opinions seem to be flying all over the place (thoughts of Edward Scissorhands trimming the neighbours hedge keeps coming to mind) and yours truly is no different in this regards. Rumours will be the soup du jour from here on in, as trade slurps will be found on every hockey site until the clock will strike on the March 4th deadline. The closer teams get the more feverish the anticipation will become. Fans of teams that will be buyers seem to think they can get a veteran for next to nothing and fans of teams that are sellers seem to think they can get the moon for a 3rd line over priced toss away. One thing is for certain, all fans love this unofficial holiday. Hockey fans across North America will have their Computers, laptops and blackberries tuned into the various live news feeds, videos streams, or however else they can get their fix of up to date information.

Islanders fans are no different in this regards but with Comrie and Campoli already gone to other pastures, Doug Weight injured and a limited amount of healthy bodies that can at least attempt to compete at this level, the options are limited to say the least.

As most bloggers and reporters are predicting, Brendan Witt will most assuredly be the next Islander to get kicked off the Island, with opinions split down the middle on whether Guerin will be far behind?? From my point of view, there will be serious interest in the Islanders captain, so it will be interesting to see whether he decides to go or if he will inform Garth Snow that he will stay....again, time will tell.

Agree or agree to disagree with what Snow and his dwarves are doing in regards to the rebuilding of this organization, but from my perspective it was long overdue and hopefully, we are on the right path. There is still plenty to cheer about and plenty of reasons to watch the Islanders from now until the end of the season, Okposo is showing signs of coming into his own, Comeau is giving it his all, and I am really enjoying Neilsen out there, showing us why he belongs in the long term plans of this team. I will be curious to see how Hillen will play from now until season’s end.