Last One Out Shut The Lights
July 2nd, 2007 by murph
I just got back from the Hockey Long Island Men’s League D1 Championship. The Long Island Hex are your 2007 Spring Champions!! Woo!
While I was gone, it seems half the Islanders roster made a break for the door…
- Fan-Favorite Jason Blake signed with Toronto.
- Rental Ryan Smyth is headed to Colorado.
- Viktor Kozlov joins Poti in Washington.
- The Rangers signed Scott Gomez and Chris Drury.
- The Isles did make one move today, signing Jonathan Sim from Atlanta.
Chris Says
What a disastrous day for the Isles. I think it’s safe to say now that the current roster makes up the least talented team in the league. The good news is that the departure of virtually all of the scoring skill frees up a lot of cap room, possibly permitting a contract extension for DiPietro. Better yet, maybe the Isles can resign Yashin for a longer term deal on the theory that the last contract failed not because it was too long, but because it was not long enough.
If you guys can find a reason to watch the 2007-08 Islanders, let me know, because I sure can’t see one.
Jul 2nd, 2007 at 2:15 am
jim kleissler Says
this doesn’t sound good. The Ryan Smith deal was awful. That felt like disaster when it happened given his contract.
Jul 2nd, 2007 at 8:27 am
Angelo Says
It’s only July 2nd and I’m about to have a stroke.
Jul 2nd, 2007 at 1:17 pm
greg Says
I cant think of a reason I would obtain season tickests again this year at the current price I paid last year. They are expensive, and the food is expensive, and the colliseum is a hole with long lines etc. The team looks like it would be competitive on a college level oh well greg
Jul 2nd, 2007 at 2:26 pm
Justin Says
it hurts even more now that the rangers loaded up like no other. I knew trying to resign Smyth was a mistake waiting to happen. Unless Snow pulls something out of his hat in the next couple of days (which is almost impossible with the talent left on the market) we are going to have a miserable season. First the Yankees, now the Islanders. My sports life is crumbling
Jul 2nd, 2007 at 2:40 pm
Chris Says
I don’t really see what the Islanders can do at this point. The rest of the UFAs are decidedly second-rate talent at this point in their careers, although to be honest, second-rate talent trumps anything that Isles have on their current roster. As someone hinted at, it is not an exaggeration to say that many top-tier college programs would be competitive with the current Islanders.
Jul 2nd, 2007 at 2:46 pm
Chris Says
And one more thing: the fact that Smyth signed for less money than the Isles were offering suggests that he never really had any intention of staying with the Islanders. Snow was mighty foolish to put all of his efforts at signing someone that was probably never interested in the first place, and now the team is seriously hurting.
Jul 2nd, 2007 at 2:59 pm
Paddy Says
Can’t seem to shake the image of Mike Milbury smiling as he pulls on his favorite loafers. How can the wheels just come off so fast? What’s really got me scared is why are these supposedly happy Islanders bolting for LESS money?
If they do away with the ice girls I’m gone. Hey, wait a second here… wonder if that smokin’ blonde has a wrist shot and can dig in the corner?
Jul 2nd, 2007 at 5:24 pm
Derek Says
Well,, Garth risked the house on signing Smyth and lost it. That is a huge lesson to learn for a rookie GM. Unfortunately, now the Islanders have no future and it appears that players are willing to sign for less to play elsewhere. The only way to build is through the draft (see Anaheim) and we have no prospects. Garth’s only shot at redemption is to offer huge contracts to some restricted free agents that can’t be matched. The only problem is, the best RFA’s belong to teams that have room under the cap now that they’ve lost their big names (Buffalo & NJ) and will most likely match. If Garth can’t make something happen, he has to take the blame for the disaster that is unfolding. Milbury’s not around to take the fall for this one. He really made a mess of this franchise. It’s too bad, but this is business. “Garth…you’re fired.”
Jul 2nd, 2007 at 6:39 pm
Patrick Says
Bring in the rookies and start building. I’m not surprised that Smyth left but all the others? I say build a young team of unexperienced guys, let them become a well-oiled machine. No point in throwing money at people because we are too far in the hole.
Jul 2nd, 2007 at 8:03 pm
Bobby Says
Is it Snow ? Or is it Wang ?
Jul 2nd, 2007 at 9:32 pm
Bobby Says
What will the Rangers do with all that payroll ?
Jul 2nd, 2007 at 9:45 pm
disgruntled Isles Fan Says
As the promise of a new tomorrow for the Islanders faded like Alexei Yashin in the spring, all Islanders fans can do now is shake their head and wonder what just went down. First we took a Gomez face rub to the kisser, then a Drury elbow to the head, and then a most painful Smyth slash to the groin. Then as if stunned and unable to react to the environment around him, Snow watched most tier two free agents sign elsewhere. There goes Hannan, Bertuzzi, Calder, Preissing. Hey isn’t that Nylander, Lang, and Handzus zipping right by? Hey wait stop!! Come back! Nothing doing. Well, good thing we can still sign our own UFAs. Wait, Blake signed with the Leafs. And there goes Kozlov and Poti. Wow, at least we still have Yashin. Oh right, we finally cut him loose. How sad that a Yashin is looking great right around now.
So I wake up this morning from this continuing horrible nightmare to find Snowbury expressing surprise at the salaries being paid all around him and blaming the old barn as a primary reason that players don’t want to be here. Umm, yeah, okay. I keep thinking back to Eklund’s proclamtion a couple of weeks ago that the Isles were poised to have a huge July 1. Oh, man, it was huge alright. This week may be looked back upon in a few years as the week that led to the Islanders relocation to KC or Vegas, because if you thought the fan base was anemic last season, wait until this year. Cricket, cricket. If an Islander scores a goal but there is no one there to see it, did he really score?
The Islanders really, really needed to sign a top tier free agent. Even just one. The fans expected as much. But if you told me last week that as of July 3, the only press releases would be to announce the signing of Jon Sim and Andy Hilbert, I would not have believed you in a million years. On the other hand, does anything that happens with this team really surprise you?
From Newsday, this is how our lines are shaping up for next season:
1. Sean Bergenheim TBA Miroslav Satan
2. Andy Hilbert Mike Sillinger Trent Hunter
3. Jonathan Sim Richard Park Jeff Tambellini
4. Chris Simon Shawn Bates Frans Nielsen
Gee, I’m going to make some calls. Some of my street hockey teammates may have an interest in playing for the Islanders. How hard could it be to crack this line up? And if you project goal scoring from this motley crew, I’d say were talking less than 100 goals. Not that the puck will ever be in the opponent’s zone with such a fine defense behind it. It doesn’t get any better than Freddy Meyer the IV. If Ricky thinks last year’s headaches were bad….
Well, maybe the Islanders will announce the signing of a Sheldon Souray for some ridiculously inflated salary. And then Snow will proclaim that this was the player he coveted all along. Of course we will never know how this works out for us as we won’t be at the mausoleum. If Newsday continues to cover the Isles this season, Logan can be the daily bringer of bad news - if I choose to read about it.
Jul 3rd, 2007 at 11:37 pm
disgruntled Isles Fan Says
My apologies for doubting Garth and Co. Kudos to the signings of the last 24 hours!!!!!!!!
I want to make this apology public because of the scathing post above this one…..I dont know how far our team will go this year….but I think it will be fun to watch…..because I believe that you (Garth and Ted) in fact do have a plan and are not nearly finished with it.
Again I will be there to support you and this team and I call on all other fans to do the same….LETS ROCK THE BARN THIS YEAR AND SUPPORT OUR TEAM LIKE NEVER BEFORE!!!!!!!
My new screen name will be season ticket holder!!!!!!
Jul 5th, 2007 at 9:44 pm
Bobby Says
Out with the Old In With The New.
Lets Go Islanders !
In Garth we trust !
Jul 5th, 2007 at 10:47 pm