New York Islanders 2009-2010 Season Thread

[Lil Bit Special]

For the 2 fans, here is a spot for all Islanders news...

[Lil Bit Special]

http://www.canada.com/Tavares+makes+debut+with+Islanders/2003597/story.html

EDMONTON - The NHL community is a close-knit place with friends, families and teammates endlessly connected, all sharing a rich, inter- generational oral tradition.

So it was that 18-year-old John Tavares, the NHL's and New York Islanders' Next One, skated in his first pro game on Tuesday night, competing against childhood chum Sam Gagner and former national junior teammate Jordan Eberle.

Oh, and there was Pat Quinn, the man who coached Eberle and Tavares at the 2009 IIHF world junior hockey championship, on the boil behind the Edmonton Oilers bench.

Tavares, who turns 19 on Sunday, skated on a line with ex-Oilers captain Doug Weight, the rookie's 38-year-old roommate at his first NHL training camp.

The linemates, mentor and protege, stood side-by-side at the blue-line during the anthems, Weight wearing No. 93, Tavares No. 91.

At 6:35 of the opening period, the old pro Weight set up Tavares on the lip of the crease, but his weak shot was easily turned away.

Seconds later, Tavares was on the other side of the crease, poised to poke at a rebound. It never came as Bruno Gervais' slapshot from the point leaked through the pads of Oilers goalie Devan Dubnyk, who only got a piece of the shot.

When Weight was Tavares' age, he was a ``a green, green rookie in the big city,'' learning the ropes with the New York Rangers from Brian Leetch, Mike Richter and others.

Tavares' first NHL coach is Scott Gordon, who was a young goalie scuffling for a job with the Quebec Nordiques, back when the recently retired Joe Sakic had just arrived as the heir apparent in Quebec.

Few ever graduated to the NHL with a more impressive portfolio than Tavares.

As a bantam in 2003-04, Tavares scored 95 goals and 187 points with a championship triple-A Marlboros team. The Ontario Hockey League invoked the ``exceptional player'' clause to permit the precocious Tavares to play in that league at the age of 14.

He was the Canadian Hockey League's rookie-of-the-year in '06, its player of the year in '07 and helped Canada's junior team win gold at the world championships in '08 and '09.

A touch of the flu kept Tavares out of the Islanders' first pre-season game, but he proclaimed himself fit and ready to go on Tuesday.

``There's definitely a little nervous excitement,'' Tavares told a scrum of reporters 2-1/2 hours before his first game.

``But we got here pretty early, so it gives you time to sit down and relax and make sure you get everything ready to go.''

Tavares, who has taken every upward step on his career path in stride, sure seemed poised and ready.

``It's similar in many ways, but obviously it's on the biggest stage,'' Tavares said. ``Obviously, in the National Hockey League, it's on the highest level.

``So, it's definitely new experiences, just with training camp and learning the pro environment.

``This is another step and another curve for me, so I'm handling it the best that I can.''

The Islanders could not have chosen a better elder to pair young Tavares with than Weight, a veteran of 1,184 games entering his 18th season, and one of the game's most personable, caring people.

Even after just three days of practice, Weight is very aware of Tavares' well-documented gifts.

``Certainly, at his age, the hands he has and the patience with the puck, there's an obvious reason he was the first overall (NHL entry draft) pick,'' Weight said. ``I'm pretty excited to see him perform and see him grow in this league.

Without doubt, expectations are sky-high on Long Island, where Tavares already is being compared to Mike Bossy, the 60-goal-year man on the Islanders' one and only dynasty, their last Stanley Cup won back in 1983.

``I think when you have a kid that's been through what he's been through, he expects to be great, he wants to win games, wants to win Stanley Cups. So I'm not here to put any goals on him. I'm not going to be (ex-baseball manager) Sparky Anderson and call him Mickey Mantle before the season starts.

``. . . I don't think you've got to make the Hall of Fame in your first game or the first time you're on the ice.''

Weight, who was also tutored as a young player by the likes of Craig MacTavish and Kelly Buchberger in Edmonton, is focused on being a good teammate to Tavares.

``If I'm wearing something that's not cool, he's got to tell me and help me out,'' Weight said. ``The wife keeps the hair out of your ears and he's got to keep me dressing nice.

``I'm not there to preach. I'm there to tell him to give me the remote. And if he's got a question, I'll answer it.''

In time, Tavares may well be a large part of the answer in Long Island. Tuesday night was just a beginning.

Edmonton Journal

jmackinnon@thejournal.canwest.com

[Lil Bit Special]

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/hockey/nhl/2009-09-18-1182807063_x.htm

CALGARY, Alberta (AP)

[afosomf]

You mean the new Kansas City Scouts

[slowmoe57]

You mean the new Kansas City Scouts

You be quiet -- Go ISLANDERS

Hope Okposo is ok.

[Lil Bit Special]

http://www.thenewstribune.com/tacoma/24hour/consumer/outdoors/story/895019.html

What kind of player do the New York Islanders have in John Tavares - an instant superstar who can do wonders as a 19-year-old rookie? An overrated, one-dimensional scorer who won't be able to adjust to the speed of the NHL game? Or something in the vastness between those two extremes?

With comments from several NHL executives, here are five strengths along with five weaknesses that Tavares will have to boost his rookie season and to try to overcome:

STRENGTHS

1 - Vision and smarts. "You don't compare him to (Wayne) Gretzky, but he has that kind of hockey sense," said an Eastern Conference team executive. "He knows where to be."

2 - Scoring touch. One of the knocks on Tavares is that he's a pure goal-scorer, meaning that's all he does. For this Islanders team, even if all Tavares did was score goals this season, they'd be happy.

3 - Willingness to work. Tavares' work ethic was one of the few question marks during his stellar junior career, but he's already shown signs that he's hungry to learn. Coach Scott Gordon and Tavares watched video of all but a handful of Tavares' full shifts from his first two games, and the kid likes the video sessions.

4 - Character guys in the locker room. The Islanders may not be top-heavy in talent, but they have high-character players (Doug Weight, Richard Park, Trent Hunter, Kyle Okposo, Mark Streit) who may help to ease the transition for Tavares.

5 - A no-nonsense coach. "(Gordon) won't give the kid playing time that he doesn't earn," said the Eastern Conference executive. "That's the way you need to handle rookies, even No. 1 picks." Gordon's attacking style will also cover up some of Tavares' deficiencies at the defensive end.

WEAKNESSES

1 - Skating. The overwhelming consensus is that Tavares is an average to below-average skater, and that's going to hamper his development. "Tavares has to use his head and his hands to make up for that," an Eastern Conference team executive said. "The 'wow' factor just isn't as high because of his skating."

2 - Defense. It's not why the Islanders drafted him, but he still needs to be a disciplined, two-way player in Gordon's system. "Their attacking style may let Tavares get away with bad positioning on defense without hurting them too much," an opposing coach said, "but he still has to get back there."

3 - Lack of skill around him. With the low-payroll talent, Tavares will be asked to do more than he's ready to do as a rookie. It won't help his development.

4 - Impatience. From Tavares himself, just because he's a young man who wants to succeed. But mostly from everyone else - the team to the fans to the media, all of whom want to anoint a star before he truly shines.

5 - A team in turmoil. If Charles Wang doesn't get his Lighthouse Project approved by Saturday and decides to shop the team around for a new home, Tavares could be playing to four-digit crowds for his entire rookie season.

[Lil Bit Special]

http://www.greenwichtime.com/sports/ci_13429831

SHELTON -- Tony Romano knew he was getting traded. He even knew where he was going. When the deal finally happened, it wasn't a surprise.

Romano is a Long Islander, born and raised. New Jersey drafted him out of the Atlantic Junior Hockey League three years ago, but at the end of June, the Devils traded him to the New York Islanders.

It wasn't a surprise. It was only a thrill.

"Since I was 5, that was the team I always said I would play for someday," said Romano, 21. "To put on that jersey for the first time in the NHL was a great feeling."

Romano played a couple of NHL exhibition games for the Islanders, which he said only boosted his confidence when he came down to join the Bridgeport Sound Tigers this week.

He scored two goals Friday at Cromwell in his first preseason game with Bridgeport, once going to the net against the Hartford Wolf Pack, then again off a pass.

"I'm just trying to show my game, that I can produce offense," said Romano, who was set to play again Saturday in Bridgeport's 3-2 win over Hartford at The Rinks at Shelton. "Defensively, too, that I can be responsible, that I can play capably in my own end. I've got to be solid in all three zones."

That's the game that made him a top scorer in the AJHL, where he played alongside Vladimir Nikiforov, who's back in Bridgeport's camp on a tryout. It's the kind of skill that made him a point-a-game player, with 36 goals in 65 games, for Peterborough (OHL) last year in junior hockey.

"The first thing that sticks out at you is the skill set," Bridgeport coach Jack Capuano said. "The deception, the speed, the puck skills. He plays an offensive game."

Romano's line was held quiet Saturday night, but Vladimir Nikiforov had three points, including the game-winning goal on the power play; Paul Healey had two goals. Mikko Koskinen made 30 saves in the last two periods.

At Cornell in 2006-07, Romano scored 19 points in 29 games, then left for junior hockey.

"I found it just to be not enough hockey," Romano said. "I love hockey more than anything. It's what I want to do."

Shoulder surgery before he got to London (OHL) limited him; he scored only 22 points in 66 games there, never landed in the right role.

A trade to Peterborough before last season made all the difference.

"They brought my confidence up to where it used to be," Romano said.

At 21, he was ineligible to return to junior. The Islanders were interested in him and traded the rights to impending free agent Ben Walter and a draft pick to New Jersey for his rights.

"I knew it was going to happen, had a pretty good feeling," Romano said. "When it did happen, it was a huge relief."

If his offensive skills translate to the pro game as well as he and his team hope, he could be an important acquisition.

Three of the team's top five goal scorers -- Mike Iggulden (25), Kurtis McLean (15) and Walter (20) -- are gone. Incoming veterans like Matt Moulson, Greg Moore and Jeremy Reich have had good training camps and could stick in the NHL, with several Islanders battling injuries.

But their absence opens the door for young players. Rookies could make up at least a quarter of the roster on any given night, and players like Romano, like Justin DiBenedetto, like Robin Figren, like Matt Martin, will play important minutes.

"It's a great situation for the young guys to see and get game experience, and hopefully they can pick up some of the slack in goal scoring," Capuano said. "We're hoping for surprises. We're hoping guys are going to come out of college and junior and do the right things. That's the character of the organization."

[Lil Bit Special]

http://www.newsday.com/long-island/nassau/wang-s-lighthouse-project-slow-going-from-the-start-1.1479236

Billionaire businessman Charles Wang had never seen an ice hockey game and knew more about computer chips than hockey pucks when his friend, former Sen. Alfonse D'Amato called him in 1999 with an improbable request.

Buy the New York Islanders, D'Amato urged, saying Wang could help keep the team, the Island's only professional sports franchise, in their Nassau County home.

COMPLETE COVERAGE: Lighthouse Project

Wang said yes, making a multimillion-dollar deal for the financially troubled team that would set into motion grandiose plans for redeveloping Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum and the county-owned land around it. His vision would include a completely renovated sports arena, 42 new or renovated buildings, 2,300 housing units, 1 million square feet of office space, 500,000 square feet of retail, a sports technology center and a luxury hotel - spread across 150 acres. Artist's renderings showed a "grand canal" next to a grassy "celebration plaza" and fountains throughout.

D'Amato and Wang would meet again. As Wang's vision for the land began to take shape, D'Amato, a powerful lobbyist and then board member of Computer Associates, the software company Wang founded, sat down to lunch with Wang at a favorite Westbury haunt, Giulio Cesare. Also at the lunch was D'Amato's brother, Armand, a lawyer and lobbyist.

D'Amato, a Republican, had another request of Wang: Bring Armand into the project, according to a source familiar with the meeting.

Wang's answer was an emphatic "no," sources have told Newsday. Wang, they said, hoped to keep politics out of a venture that he envisioned would fundamentally change Long Island, bringing thousands of jobs and millions of dollars in economic growth and tax revenue along with it.

Asked about the lunch, Wang declined to comment. In an interview, D'Amato denied making the request on behalf of his brother. Armand D'Amato did not return phone calls asking for comment.

"That conversation never took place," Alfonse D'Amato told a reporter. He declined to answer questions about his relationship with Wang.

While it is not known if Armand D'Amato's participation in Wang's project would have helped him, as it turned out Wang's hope to keep politics out of his project has been in vain. A Newsday review of records, along with scores of interviews, shows that one of the largest projects ever proposed for Long Island - a landscape-changing vision on a par with Levittown, the region's first suburb - fell into a quagmire of government review, clashing personalities and competing egos, meetings requested and refused and attitudes on full display.

Hempstead Town officials say politics has played no part in their review of the project. But to many, the history of the Lighthouse project says more about Long Island politics than it does about planning.

Critical to LI's future

Critics argue that the project's success or failure could be critical to the Island's future economy, its ability to develop land, to grow and attract businesses and the potential to expand its tax base.

"You're looking at a sea of asphalt and a decaying stadium in a place you can't get to very easily or get out of very easily," said Michael White, who heads the Long Island Regional Planning Council. "If those trends continue, then literally the tumbleweeds will be here in 2035."

Since he first unveiled his plans five years ago, Wang and his partner, developer Scott Rechler, have not turned a shovel of earth at the site. They have no lease to build on county land and are just now awaiting zoning approval from Hempstead Town.

Wang and his team have long criticized the pace of the process and the uncertainty whether they'll be able to build anything at all. "There's a process to go through and there are ways to speed it up and ways to slow it down," said Lighthouse president Michael Picker. "The faster we get to the finish line - yes or no - the better."

Last Tuesday, Wang and Rechler appeared before the town board at a zoning hearing held at Hofstra University, in their broadest effort to convince the board to rezone the property. So far, the board has not set a date for a vote.

"We are at a defining moment that will determine Long Island's future," Wang told the board. Rechler noted that without projects such as theirs, major companies would not come to Long Island or, like OSI Pharmaceuticals, the Farmingdale-based biotechnology firm, would relocate to more business-friendly locations.

To an impatient Wang, the clock is ticking. He has said that if the project does not have an approved lease and zoning by next Saturday, Oct. 3 - the date of the Islanders' opening home game - he will entertain offers to move the team to another city.

Town officials counter that Wang's lease with the county and SMG, the manager of the Coliseum, runs until 2015 and prevents the Islanders from playing home games elsewhere. By their view, Wang and the team aren't going anywhere anytime soon.

Town: What deadline?

Many local officials and community members say the town has moved the process along as quickly as possible. They note that town officials shouldn't abide by Wang's self-imposed deadline.

"You can't make a determination of the future of this county . . . based on a sports calendar," said Nassau County minority leader Peter Schmitt (R-Massapequa). "Everything we do . . . is subject to legal challenge. It's got to be done right."

To date, Wang has paid out some $15 million for studies, reports and consultants. He's also had to field demands for hefty payouts by everyone from the fire department to the Uniondale school district, all of whom expect to be compensated for what they see as the project's hefty impact.

In Uniondale's case, the district and Wang have agreed to a $4 million payment. At the same time, Wang's Islanders have been losing about $20 million a year, adding more red ink to a project Wang has hoped would put his personal stamp on Long Island.

By all appearances, Wang has lost more than money as he has tried to push his project along. During these five years, his one-time ally, Alfonse D'Amato - still a powerful voice in Nassau GOP circles - turned against the project.

D'Amato made that clear at a Republican fundraiser in 2005 when he said the Lighthouse would turn Nassau into the sixth borough of New York City.

With the project now before the Hempstead Town Board - the last bastion of GOP politics in Nassau - Wang and his staff have said privately to friends that they wonder if he had hired Armand D'Amato whether it would have helped the project. Wang has expressed that concern to several key officials and business people on Long Island in recent months.

Hempstead Town officials say neither politics nor D'Amato have played any role in the process.

Impact on whole region

Many experts agree that the project could have a strong economic impact, not just on Nassau County but the whole region. "I think this idea of modernizing or refocusing what a suburban economy looks like means you have to diversify your economic base," said Gary Huth, the Hicksville-based labor market analyst for the New York State Department of Labor.

Huth said a mix of the traditional suburban look, with single family homes on large plots of land, and higher-density developments could give Long Island "a really healthy, dynamic economy."

And on the commercial side, Huth noted that a development that can attract younger workers, bring in new industries, such as digital media or film, and bring in better hospitality services and business venues, such as a convention center, could help the Island "keep up with the rest of the world."

Some observers note that if Wang does not win approval to build his vision, or pulls out in frustration, it could scare other developers and business executives with plans of their own.

"It's going to send out messages to everyone that you don't ever want to come here because you can't get anything done," said developer Vincent Polimeni, who has been involved in delayed or rejected projects in the region and was once a bidder for the county land around Nassau Coliseum. "You reach a point as a developer where you ask, 'Why am I doing this? When do I say enough is enough?' That's what's going to hurt Long Island."

Conversations about development around Nassau Coliseum first began in earnest in 2003. After Wang officially unveiled the project at a September 2004 news conference, his first stop in the approval process was Nassau County government, because the Coliseum and the land around it are owned by the county and he would need a lease to build on it.

After the unveiling, Wang set up meetings with local politicians, including Hempstead Supervisor Kate Murray, a Republican, and Schmitt. "It was very exciting," Schmitt recalled. "He had a great vision."

But Schmitt recalled feeling uneasy about the lack of specifics in the plan. And he said he left Wang with a warning about the review process: "I told him, 'You have no idea what you're getting into.' "

For the most part, the meeting at the Westbury restaurant was between friends. Wang and Alfonse D'Amato had by then known each other for several years. Within months of losing re-election to the U.S. Senate in 1998, D'Amato joined the board of Computer Associates. He also worked for Wang's charity, the Smile Train Foundation, earning $399,000 from 1999 through 2002, according to records.

In September 2005, Wang threw down his own marker at a breakfast of business leaders. "This is not a Suozzi project, it's not a D'Amato-Mondello project, it's a Wang project," he said, referring to Nassau County Executive Thomas Suozzi, a Democrat, and County GOP chairman Joseph Mondello.

Monkey wrench in plans

In 2005, county officials threw a monkey wrench into Wang's plans by putting out a request for proposals, or RFP, to let other developers bid on the land, even though Wang was the owner of the Islanders.

"Looking back, I wish we had done an RFP right away," Suozzi said. "My feeling always was the most logical developer for the property was the owner of the Islanders . . . but I wish we had gone from the RFP process from the get-go."

Sources said that politics played a role then, too. It was, after all, an election year - and Democrats and Republicans alike lined up behind the need for a transparent process. Indeed, the GOP's county executive candidate, Gregory Peterson, ran a campaign opposed to the project.

The RFP started in summer 2005, forcing Wang to start from square one two years after he had first discussed the project with key government officials.

In late 2007, armed with his successful RFP and a designated developer agreement, Wang took his Lighthouse to Hempstead Town, which would have to create a new zone to accommodate the mixed uses of the project. The hearing on that zone took place last week. In the interim, Wang's backers say, there were calls and e-mails not returned, meetings that went nowhere and months of delays.

"Despite all the supportive words I have heard from you regarding the significance of the Lighthouse project, it is unfortunately very clear that your intention (or direction) has been to slow down the process," wrote Picker in a letter to Hempstead Town attorney Joseph Ra on Aug. 31. "I can see no reason, other than political, that we continue to struggle to achieve certainty by October 3, 2009."

More recently, after a letter from Murray to Suozzi spelled out new provisions the town is hoping to include in the county lease, Wang said, "This project, with all its benefits in this tough economic climate, constantly falls into political roadblocks."

What the critics say

The project's promotional materials say it will bring much-needed jobs, millions in tax revenues and will keep young people on Long Island. Critics counter that its scale is too vast, its high-rises are all wrong for the suburbs, and the traffic, waste and water use will far exceed what Long Island - or Nassau County - can handle.

And to town officials, the nearly two-year time span is to be expected for so vast a proposal. Wang and his staff, they say, complain too much about a project that is moving through the process quicker than most.

"I think we have been very cognizant that not only is this an important project, but a project in recessionary times . . . " said Murray in an interview. "We have worked at a tremendous pace and rate."

Jim Baeck, the Lighthouse project architect who has overseen many other large-scale developments, said that when the process works, it's because the town and city and their related agencies are "part of our development team."

He said the Lighthouse is the longest-running project he has ever seen without either a shovel in the ground or a developer choosing to pull up stakes. "It's been much longer than any other process than I personally have gone through," Baeck said. "I don't know how developers . . . can have the financial and mental wherewithal to outlast the process."

To town officials, the notion that they are on a "team" with Wang is nonsensical. Murray calls herself a "judge" of the project, saying that she cannot meet with any developer to talk about proposed projects. "The problem comes if I would have a private meeting with every developer, where is the public in that meeting?" she said.

Some other Long Island town supervisors say they routinely meet with developers to discuss their ideas. For example, in Islip, Town Supervisor Phil Nolan, a Democrat, said he has met with the developers behind Heartland Town Square, a $4-billion mixed-use development covering far more ground - 450 acres - than Lighthouse.

"I've met with . . . developers on numerous developments here, on large projects as well as small projects," he said in June. "I like to be on top of things. The door's always open."

Success in Suffolk

Wang has seen success before when he has worked side-by-side with political officials. His first attempt on a real estate project came when he decided to move Computer Associates, which he founded in 1976, from Garden City to Suffolk County, after complaining that he had found it too difficult to relocate to Plainview.

Then-Suffolk County Executive Pat Halpin met with those handling CA's search to encourage the move. Later, when there was a disagreement over the height of the new building, Halpin, a Democrat, assembled all the parties in a room. Within a few hours, the issue was resolved, Halpin recalled recently. A deal was made in 1989 and three years later, CA's employees moved into a lavish headquarters in Islandia.

"I think you have to be engaged as a public official," Halpin said in a recent interview, noting that he has encouraged Murray to talk with Wang about the Lighthouse. "The most important thing local governments do is zoning and development, and the tone is set at the top."

Wang has tried, and failed, in Nassau County before. Wang and Rechler proposed a project they called "Old Plainview," of up to 1,000 housing units, office space and stores, along with a hotel and village center in Plainview. But public outcry, combined with what Wang saw as a lack of enthusiasm from Oyster Bay Town officials, led him to withdraw his application, abruptly, as an evening public hearing with the Town of Oyster Bay was about to begin.

Sources say that quick Wang decision shows that he's serious about the need for answers. And Suozzi and other county officials say they hope the Lighthouse doesn't meet the same end.

"If we come to October and the deal is off and Wang says, 'I'm walking,' that would become one of the biggest shames in the county's history," Suozzi said. "It would be a terrible symbol of dysfunction. And if it succeeded, it would be a tremendous symbol of hope for the future that we can be someplace special."

But town officials aren't buying it. "We don't tell them when they have to bring in a Stanley Cup," Murray said during an interview at the zoning hearing. "And developers generally don't impose deadlines on zoning authorities."

But beyond the politics, the deadlines and the back-and-forth debate, there is a bigger concern for the region, economists and other experts said.

"You run the risk of marginalizing yourself," said Huth, the state labor market analyst. "You run the risk of being one of those areas that we all recognize around the country where populations kind of drift away."

To even the most seasoned observers of Long Island politics, the five years Wang has spent trying to gain traction on his project is surprising.

"It's remarkable to me," Halpin said. "I mean, we're talking about an asphalt wasteland."

COMPLETE COVERAGE: Lighthouse Project

[Lil Bit Special]

COMPLETE COVERAGE: Lighthouse Project

http://www.newsday.com/long-island/complete-coverage-lighthouse-project-1.1295734

[Lil Bit Special]

READERS: TAKE A STAND, SIGN YOUR NAME

Sign up FOR or AGAINST the Lighthouse Project

http://www.islanderspointblank.com/2009/09/readers-take-a-stand-sign-your-namesign-up-for-or-against-lighthouse/

The moment has come to draw a line in the sand. Each reader gets one shot. Read the lengthy article in Sunday

[Lil Bit Special]

http://www.islanderspointblank.com/2009/09/islanders-sign-anton-klementyev2009-5th-rounder-gets-his-entry-level-deal/

KYLE OKPOSO RESUMES PRACTICE; Weight unlikely for opener; de Haan out Tuesday; Roloson for 60

September 26th, 2009 by admin 34 Comments

1:30 pm - A series of updates from Islanders practice:

Kyle Okposo took part in his first practice today after suffering a concussion 11 days ago in Calgary. He reported that he felt good and would practice all week before a decision was made on his status for the season opener on Saturday. Scott Gordon said Okposo has passed all of the medical tests and Okposo was under no restrictions. (With the Islanders not playing their second regular season game until five days after the opener, do not rule out the team giving Okposo extra time before taking contact).

Doug Weight (groin) took the day off from skating. He said he was aiming for Saturday

[Lil Bit Special]

http://www.betonline.com/sports-betting/hockey/nhl/new-york-islanders-odds

The New York Islanders odds to win the Stanley Cup are the longest in the league. While they won

[Lil Bit Special]

http://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/story/2009/09/29/sp-schremp-islanders.html

Rob Schremp will get to play in the NHL this season after all.

Schremp, 23, has been claimed off waivers by the New York Islanders, after he was cut by the Edmonton Oilers following their 5-4 overtime win against the Vancouver Canucks late Sunday, ending a disappointing tenure with the team.

A junior scoring sensation with the London Knights, Schremp was drafted in the first round, 25th overall by the Oilers in 2004. During three seasons with the Oilers, the centre only managed to play seven games in the NHL, recording three assists.

Last season with the Springfield Falcons, the Oilers' AHL affiliate, Schremp had a dismal season, posting seven goals and 35 assists in 69 games, a significant drop from the 23 goals and 76 points he had in the the season before.

The Islanders, who had the worst record in the NHL last season and have first choice on any player who is placed on waivers, said they are going to give the Syracuse, N.Y., native a chance to play.

[JonEJet]

It's all so painful

[The Gun Of Bavaria]

[Jbro22]

I'm gonna start being a fan again this year. Lockout and living in FL destroyed my islander fan hood. I'm back to take my licks during the rebuild. Hope it pays off in a few years, with Tavares, Bailey and hopefully Okposo if he comes back strong from that hit.

Can't remember if I posted this here or not.

[Lil Bit Special]

http://www.newsday.com/blogs/sports/isles-files-1.812028/islanders-send-de-haan-back-to-juniors-1.1488638

isles cuts: Calvin de Haan back to juniors; Trevor Smith and Greg Moore to Bridgeport

[Lil Bit Special]

BRIDGEPORT -- While the Bridgeport Sound Tigers develop for the New York Islanders' future, they'll look like past Islanders.

The Sound Tigers will wear uniforms this year that resemble those of the Islanders' 1980 Stanley Cup dynasty. The blue sweater is the Islanders' current, "throwback" third jersey with different crests and patches.

These sweaters don't exactly match any of the old Islanders uniforms, but the style evokes the Islanders' original colors from the 1970s and '80s, with royal blue instead of the darker blue the Islanders have worn since the mid-1990s and Bridgeport has worn since 2006.

Captain Mark Wotton modeled the blue sweater Tuesday night. Pascal Morency wore a white replica jersey; the team's home-game jerseys hadn't arrived yet.

"I won't speak for Pascal, but some of us were born in the '70s," joked Wotton, 35, whose sweater was complete with captain's 'C' in white and white block lettering for his name on the back, the same kind of trim that adorned Denis Potvin's sweaters.

"These are the colors of the Islanders that left a great tradition. It's just an honor to wear these colors."

The Islanders, limited by NHL policy on uniform changes, plan to use these styles full-time next season, but Sound Tigers president Howard Saffan said it was important for Bridgeport to establish this new-yet-old identity right away.

"The American Hockey League is more flexible in these matters," he said. The team submittedthe plan to Reebok, the AHL's equipment supplier, last October and got approval for this season.

"You'll be seeing these jerseys for a very long time."

Which 20 players will fill out those sweaters for opening night Saturday night remains to be determined.

The Islanders finished their preseason Tuesday night with a game in Newark, N.J., against the Devils; Tomas Marcinko was a late call-up to play in that game.

Several cuts are expected Wednesday. Competition appeared to get a bit tighter when the Islanders claimed skilled forward Rob Schremp off waivers from Edmonton at noon Tuesday, but Newsday reported that Jeremy Reich, one player on the bubble, suffered a broken wrist in a first-period fight Tuesday night.

Defenseman Mark Flood (lower body) has been out of practice since arriving in Bridgeport last week. Forward Greg Mauldin sat out Tuesday as a precaution after feeling a twinge in Monday's practice.

[Lil Bit Special]

http://www.newsday.com/news/wang-suozzi-announce-proposed-coliseum-lease-1.1491997

Amid the fanfare that's come to surround every major step in the Lighthouse megaproject approval process, Charles Wang and Scott Rechler joined Nassau County Executive Thomas Suozzi Thursday in announcing a proposed lease to develop the 77 acres around Nassau Coliseum.

>> Click here to see plans for the Lighthouse project

The announcement of a new 99-year lease - which would keep Wang's New York Islanders playing hockey on Long Island until at least 2030 - comes two days before the start of the hockey season and the date by which Wang said he wanted an answer on whether his Lighthouse project could go forward.

If the Nassau County Legislature approves the ground lease and the Hempstead town board approves new zoning for the site, Wang and Rechler would do a $320 million renovation of the 37-year-old Coliseum at no taxpayer expense within three years.

The developers agree in the proposed lease to pay the county $50 million for traffic mitigation and $5 million for a Long Island Sports Hall of Fame and hub-related projects.

Wang and Rechler would pay the county $1.5 million in rent a year, plus inflation, and real estate taxes on all the land and new buildings; provide at least 6,200 parking spaces for the Coliseum; and designate 15 percent to 20 percent of planned residential units as below market rate.

The partners also agree to build an environmentally friendly project, use 1.4 acres of land for a LIPA substation and pay a $50,000 storm water basin fee.

The proposed lease gives the Lighthouse Group the right to buy for $1 pieces of the property other than the Coliseum and sell that property. If the developers want to sell some of the land before the Coliseum renovation is complete, they must give the county a guarantee that they'll finish the building.

If the project doesn't get the required town and county approvals and a promise of financing and isn't able to buy out or condemn the Coliseum's contract with management group SMG within seven years of signing the lease, either party can end the agreement.

Under the proposed lease, Wang and Rechler would keep all revenue from operations at the improved Coliseum, including ticket sales, concessions and parking, and would be responsible for repairs.

[Jbro22]

I like those SountTigers uni's better the Isles current ones. Obviously minus the logo.

[Lil Bit Special]

I like those SountTigers uni's better the Isles current ones. Obviously minus the logo.

Isles will have similar next season... NHL wouldnt let them switch for this year...

but will have it as a 3rd jersey for some games this year.

[Lil Bit Special]

http://islanders.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=500863

Team follows Go Green movement in press box, on the concourse and on the Jumbo-tron

Friday, 10.02.2009 / 11:13 PM / News By Chrissy Foster As the New York Islanders prepare to drop the puck on their 2009-10 season, the team will be sure not to leave their carbon footprints behind them.

Environmentally conscious changes all around Nassau Coliseum are being put into action with hopes of improving the community.

During each season, approximately 174,250 pages of paper are used to supply the media with game notes in the press box. Not to mention the 300 page media guide distributed to about 85 people, which collectively totals about 200,000 pieces of paper at the end of regular season.

In order to limit the excessive piles of paper, flash drives with the media notes and media guides will be handed out to the attending written media. Before each game, the media notes will be updated and redistributed with hopes of eliminating excessive paper usage.

The press box isn

[Lil Bit Special]

http://islanders.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=500879

Islanders will wear their royal blue third jerseys on every Saturday home game

Saturday, 10.03.2009 / 12:49 AM / News New York Islanders

As the Islanders take the ice tonight, they will wear their royal blue third jerseys. Throughout the 2009-10 season, the Islanders will wear their royal blue uniforms on every Saturday and Sunday home game, totaling 19 times this season.

[Lil Bit Special]

http://islanders.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=500731

Team names Weight captain; Okposo, Park, Streit and Witt named assistants

Friday, 10.02.2009 / 9:55 AM / News New York Islanders

The New York Islanders have officially announced the appointment of forward Doug Weight as the team

[Lil Bit Special]

http://islanders.nhl.com/club/preview.htm?id=2009020013&navid=DL|NYI|home&navid=DL|NYI|home

VS

Oct 3, 2009, 7:00 PM ET

After a long summer and a hard working training camp the wait is finally over. The Islanders start the 2009-10 season Saturday night at the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum against the defending Stanley Cup Champion Pittsburgh Penguins at 7 p.m.

For the Islanders, this season is all about a new beginning, a beginning that the organization hopes will evolve into something that lasts over time on Long Island. As the puck is dropped, Saturday night marks the beginning of 19-year-old phenom John Tavares’ NHL career. Tavares dominated the Ontario Hockey league for the past five seasons while with the Oshawa Generals and London Knights.

The Mississauga, Ontario native is looking to take the NHL by storm and prove that he belongs. What better way to do that than by taking on the likes of Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Marc Andre-Fleury and the rest of the 2009 defending Stanley Cup champions.

No matter who starts in goal for the Islanders home opener, it will be his first game as an Islander. During the off-season, the team went out and signed both Martin Biron and Dwayne Roloson while Rick DiPietro recovers from off-season surgery.

While there will be a few fresh faces on the team’s roster, youngsters such as Josh Bailey, Kyle Okposo, Nate Thompson, Blake Comeau, Bruno Gervais, return to the team looking to continue their bright futures on the Island.

On the opposing bench, the Islanders will match-up against a well-prepared Penguins team coached by Dan Bylsma. The Penguins will return the majority of their 2008-09 Stanley Cup winning lineup. Forwards include the always-dangerous Crosby and Malkin, Jordan Staal, Chris Kunitz and former Islander captain Bill Guerin. Sergei Gonchar and Brooks Orpik anchor the defense.

Returning between the pipes for the Pittsburgh is Marc-Andre Fleury. The Penguin net-minder is coming off a year in which he won the Stanley Cup and was invited to Team Canada’s Olympic camp in late August.

Last season, the Islanders were 1-4-1 against the Penguins and hope to turn that around this season with some new players, returning youngsters and a new beginning.

If you can’t make the game, watch it on MSG Plus or on the simulcast on 94.3 WMJC radio with Howie Rose and Billy Jaffe having the call.

GAME NOTES

AGAINST THE PENGUINS...

Saturday’s game marks the first of six regular season meetings between the Islanders and Penguins, and the first of three contests between the clubs at the Coliseum. Their next meeting is on Friday, November 27, also at the Coliseum.

In 2008-09, the teams met six times, with the Islanders compiling a 1-4-1 record (Penguins: 4-1-1). The Islanders had trouble keeping up with the Penguins’ powerful offense throughout the season series while also losing two games to their Atlantic Division rival in overtime. Doug Weight (2g, 3a) led all Islanders with five points and tied for the team lead in goals with center-man Frans Nielsen.

OPENING NIGHT...

The Islanders begin the 2009-10 season with an all-time record of 9-19-8 on opening night. The team has opened up its season on the road in each of the past nine years, compiling a 2-6-1 record during that span. The Islanders lost last year’s opener at New Jersey.

In 36 years, this will be only the fifth time that the Islanders have opened the season at home, going 2-2-0 in those contests. The Orange and Blue have compiled a 7-17-8 record in openers on the road.

WAIVER WIRE...

The Islanders claimed left winger Rob Schremp off waivers before the start of the season. Shremp spent the good part of the last three seasons in the AHL with the Springfield Falcons and Wilkes-Barre Penguins.

WAVING THE BANNER...

Pittsburgh opened their 2009-10 season last night against the New York Rangers with a 3-2 win. Prior to the game, the Penguins raised their 2008-09 Stanley Cup Champions banner to the Mellon Arena rafters. The banner now hangs alongside the team’s two other Stanley Cup banners from the 1990-91 and 1999-92 seasons.

LINEUPS

Islanders

Goaltenders

30 Dwayne Roloson

43 Martin Biron

Defensemen

2 Marc Streit “A”

8 Bruno Gervais

24 Radek Martinek

25 Andy Sutton

32 Brendan Witt “A”

38 Jack Hillen

44 Freddy Mayer

Forwards

7 Trent Hunter

10 Richard Park “A”

11 Nate Thompson

12 Josh Bailey

13 Rob Schremp

15 Jeff Tambellini

16 Jon Sim

17 Jeremy Reich

20 Sean Bergenheim

21 Kyle Okposo “A”

26 Matt Moulson

28 Tim Jackman

91 John Tavares

93 Doug Weight “C”

Pittsburgh

Goaltenders

1 Brent Johnson

29 Marc-Andre Fleury

Defensemen

3 Alex Goligoski

6 Ben Lovejoy

7 Mark Eaton

41 Martin Skoula

44 Brooks Orpik

55 Sergei Gonchar “A”

58 Kris Letang

74 Jay McKee

Forwards

9 Pascal Dupuis

11 Jordan Staal

12 Christopher Bourque

13 Bill Guerin

14 Chris Kunitz

17 Michael Rupp

24 Matt Cooke

25 Maxime Talbot

27 Craig Adams

28 Eric Godard

38 Mark Letestu

48 Tyler Kennedy

71 Evgeni Malkin “A”

87 Sidney Crosby “C”

Patrick Hoffman

New York Islanders

[Lil Bit Special]

http://twitter.com/nyipointblank

Doug Weight, Blake Comeau, Rob Schremp are tonight's forward scratches for the Islanders. Roloson first goalie off the ice at morning skate.

[Jbro22]

http://twitter.com/nyipointblank

Doug Weight, Blake Comeau, Rob Schremp are tonight's forward scratches for the Islanders. Roloson first goalie off the ice at morning skate.

Chris a one of the best bloggers out there.

[Jbro22]

JT with his first goal. Almost comes with another minutes later. Great save by Fluery.

[JetsMan57]

Isles will have similar next season... NHL wouldnt let them switch for this year...

but will have it as a 3rd jersey for some games this year.

from what i understand the Islanders want to make their current 3rd/retro uniform (the one they wore lastnight) their full time uniform next season.

[Jbro22]

They should.

[The Gun Of Bavaria]

What has happened to the Islanders is a disgrace. Hope things turn up for them soon. They've got to get a new building, end of story.

[Lil Bit Special]

http://www.pensburgh.com/2009/10/4/1068408/tales-of-the-tape-new-york

There are certain teams that I expect the Pens to end up fighting when met. The Flyers come to mind right off the bat. The Rangers are not surprising, nor are the Capitals. The Islanders? Not so much. Especially not two in one game. Well, that's what I get for assuming - game 2 of the season saw two of the Penguins newest faces end up getting fighting majors. We'll start with the first.

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The fight broke out at 9:32 of the first period. Michael Rupp started throwing blows against Tim Jackman of the Islanders. Both threw several right hands, with Jackman knocking off Rupp's helmet before they went into a tender embrace. Jackman threw a couple more punches before Rupp reached in and pulled off Jackman's helmet. A couple more blows from either side, and the linesmen finally came in and pulled the two huggers apart.

Based on the early blows, I'd have to give this one to Jackman. He landed more blows and knocked off Rupp's helmet. Still no takedown, but based on several comments I got last season, that may not be a bad thing.

I suppose it should be noted that Michael Rupp fought 16 times last season for the Devils. His first fight of the season was a loss against our very own Eric Godard. How about that? Jackman had 19 fights in the NHL, though none of which were against the Penguins.

We'll take a look at Jay McKee's first Penguins fight against Brendan Witt later in the day. Stay tuned for it.

[Lil Bit Special]

http://content.usatoday.com/sportsdata/hockey/nhl/game/Penguins_Islanders/2009/10/03

Uniondale, NY (Sports Network) - Kris Letang and Sidney Crosby scored during the shootout phase, giving Pittsburgh a 4-3 win over the New York Islanders and spoiling the NHL regular season debut of No. 1 overall draft pick John Tavares.

Crosby and Ruslan Fedotenko each had a goal and an assist in regulation for the defending Stanley Cup champions, who were coming off a season-opening 3-2 home win over the New York Rangers on Friday. Mark Eaton also scored for the Pens.

Marc-Andre Fleury made 25 saves, but faced just six shots combined in the third period and overtime.

The 19-year-old Tavares finished with a pair of points on the night for the Islanders, who have missed the postseason in two straight and three of the last four seasons and finished last in the NHL with just 61 points in 2008-09.

"For us, we're going to be in a lot of those games," said Tavares. "We're going to have to be a hard-working team that challenges teams every night. We have to recognize that when we're up we have to handle our lead."

Mark Streit and Trent Hunter also had a goal and an assist, while Dwayne Roloson made 39 stops in net. The soon to be 40-year-old Roloson, who was signed to a two-year deal over the summer, started in net for an injured Rick DiPietro, who is sidelined for at least the early part of the season after undergoing knee surgery.

Fedotenko was credited with the tying goal with 3:49 left in regulation, although the Islanders were more responsible for putting the puck in the net. Sergei Gonchar let go a shot from above the right circle and the puck deflected under a maze of players in front. Stationed to the right of the net, Islanders forward Jon Sim tried to sweep the puck away, but it caromed off the skate of New York defenseman Bruno Gervais in front and past Roloson.

Pittsburgh's Bill Guerin was called for slashing with under three minutes remaining in the third, but the Isles couldn't take advantage on the power play. Hunter was wide on a close-in attempt with two minutes left and Fleury made a glove save to rob Matt Moulson on a shot from the lower left circle 1 1/2 minutes into OT.

New York's Jeff Tambellini hit the crossbar first in the shootout before Letang's shot trickled past Roloson. Tavares failed to tie the shootout when his attempt went wide of the net. Crosby then sealed the victory by firing a forehand between Roloson's pads.

Crosby scored 8:50 into the game as he skated with the puck through the right circle and veered in front before putting the puck past Roloson.

The Isles capitalized on a two-man advantage in the middle portion of the first period when Tavares notched his first career NHL point with an assist. Kyle Okposo fed the puck from the left corner to Streit, who was successful on a slapshot from above the right circle at the 12:40 mark.

Tavares recorded his first goal 7:09 into the second to give the Isles a 2-1 lead. New York was on the power play thanks to a hooking call on Eaton when Tavares scooped up a loose puck just to the left side of the goal and backhanded it past Fleury.

The crowd at Nassau Coliseum nearly saw Tavares record a second goal at the midway point of the middle stanza as he skated on a breakaway, but Fleury came up with the save at point-blank range.

Eaton's goal 7:19 into the third on a deflection in front of a bouncing puck after a shot from Letang, tied the game. Crosby assisted on the goal for his 400th career point.

The Isles, though went ahead 3-2 just 17 seconds later. Josh Bailey backhanded a pass near the board on the right side, setting up Hunter's right circle slapshot that breezed past Fleury.

"Every time there was a loose puck, they'll be right there," said Fleury of the Isles. "They were putting a lot of pressure on us."

[Lil Bit Special]

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5h52dEz-e97Ne9ydx68Hp0qff6QQgD9B41VR81

UNIONDALE, N.Y. — The New York Islanders are becoming the NHL's biggest free agent.

Frustrated with a lack of a decision by local government to approve or reject a major developmental plan that would provide the Islanders with a new, refurbished arena, club owner Charles Wang said Saturday he will explore all other options — including relocation.

"There is (a chance) and that is very, very sad because this is somebody who wants to do something good for Long Island," Wang said before the Islanders hosted the Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins in New York's season opener.

Wang has been trying for eight years to build the Lighthouse Project, an ambitious venture that would create a mega-destination spot on Long Island and give the Islanders a venue to replace antiquated Nassau Coliseum.

Wang had set a deadline for Saturday to get an answer from the Town of Hempstead — and specifically supervisor Kate Murray. Wang received a call from Murray on Friday, but was told she wasn't prepared to give him an answer over the phone.

Wang agreed to talk to Murray during the upcoming week, but stated strongly that the time for negotiations has ended.

"What I want to do is keep the team here," Wang said. "Long Island needs the Islanders. It's crazy what's going on, the gamesmanship. Now you've really got to decide, yes or no. If it's no, it's OK. Say it then.

"It's not what I want, but it isn't like people are giving me great choices."

Wang said he told Murray that he didn't want details of their phone conversation to be made public, and was greatly dismayed when he read about it in the newspaper. He said that created trust issues for him toward Murray.

"I don't want to say you can't (trust her), but it's difficult," Wang said. "It's sad that it comes to this."

No potential destinations have been discussed, and Wang didn't say if he has given thought to selling the franchise, that won four straight Stanley Cup titles in the 1980s.

The Islanders played a preseason game a few weeks ago in Kansas City, which is known to crave an NHL team for a new arena that was built there.

"He has to consider all options, but as I understand it his options are to see first and foremost what he can do about the arena situation," said NHL commissioner Gary Bettman, who was in attendance. "We really haven't explored in any meaningful way beyond that. His goal would be to keep the team on Long Island.

"Obviously everybody wants the decision that lets this project go forward and lets the fans and the people on Long Island know that there will be a newer, renovated arena here. In the absence of that, let's put out efforts somewhere else if it's not going to be a reality. Lack of a decision after all this time to me is inexplicable."

Before the opening ceremonial faceoff, a promotional video was shown to the sold-out crowd touting the Lighthouse Project. Several fans throughout the game held up signs in support of the plan, including several that said, "Long Island needs an answer Kate."

"For two years now we have been working and we've said, 'Here's what it is,'" Wang said of his developmental plan "Two years ago I said, 'Tell me yes or tell me no. If it's no, tell me what you want and then I can tell you what I can or cannot do.' So, what happened? Two years go by, and we're going to meet now to talk about negotiation? No. I don't know what she is going to say or what she wants.

"When you do a business and you want somebody to stay and you want them to do something, you woo them, you work with them and you make it happen," Wang said. "Nobody can tell me that has happened with the Town of Hempstead."

[Lil Bit Special]

http://www.newsday.com/sports/hockey/islanders/chamber-of-commerce-eyes-islanders-move-to-queens-1.1501382

The luring of the Islanders is officially underway.

Less than two days after Charles Wang said he is ready to explore all his options, the executive vice president of the Queens Chamber of Commerce said Wang's search should begin in his borough.

"Option number 1 should be Queens," Jack Friedman said. "We are ready for him."

Friedman believes a potential new home for the Islanders would fit perfectly as a centerpiece in the city's plans for the Willets Point area. The project is still in the early stages; Friedman said ground-breaking probably won't take place for another four or five years.

But the Islanders' lease with Nassau County stipulates that they must play their homes games through 2015, so the team is still six seasons from a potential move, anyway.

"You're talking about a property that has access to the Long Island railroad, the subway system, the airports," he said. "It already has a huge parking lot because of Citi Field. It already has the parkway access. It's so ready for a development like this. The Lighthouse project would be a perfect fit."

Friedman sent Wang a letter saying as much back in March, and Friedman said he never received a response. At the time the Islanders released a statement that said they were focused only on working with the Town of Hempstead.

Obviously, that's changed now. Wang set this past Saturday - Opening Day for the hockey season - as his deadline for certainty, and the Town of Hempstead let it pass without an answer. So Wang announced before the game he would be exploring all of his options starting today.

If Wang is interested in the Willets Point area, Friedman said the first step in the process would be for him to meet with representatives of the city's Economic Development Corporation, which oversees all new development projects within the city limits.

A message left with the EDC's press office was not immediately returned, but Friedman said it's his understanding that they are "absolutely" interested in bringing Wang aboard.

"What they didn't want to do is go after him and get in the middle of his negotiations with Nassau County, nor do they want to do to that now," Friedman said. "But if he's going to pursue other options, I'm sure they are certainly very interested, I'm sure, to listening to what he has to say and see if, in his mind, they have a match for what he wants to bring."

The early plans for Willets Point area, Friedman said, include a 400-square foot convention center that could, if Wang wanted, be turned into a new arena to house the Islanders.

"So the footprint is already there," he said. "There's also many of the things Charles Wang wanted in his Lighthouse project - hotels, family entertainment centers, restaurants. So it would be a wonderful, wonderful area for Charles Wang to bid on and build his Lighthouse project here in Queens."