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.