Daniel Tolensky has posted an excellent article about yesterday’s UFA signings on the HockeyBuzz.com blogs. He compares yesterday’s spending spree to the July 2002 spending spree which more or less lead to the 2004 lockout. It’s the have and have-nots, all over again.
Will July 1st 2007 be the day that we realize the lockout was a complete waste?
Philadelphia: Briere - $52 mil
NY Rangers: Gomez - $51.5 mil
Philadelphia: Timonen - $37.8 mil
NY Rangers: Drury - $35.25 mil
Colorado: Smyth - $31 mil
Detroit: Rafalski - $30 mil
Philadelphia: Hartnell - $25.2 mil
Toronto: Blake - $20 mil
Six big market teams spend a combined $282.75 million on eight players.
We missed a whole year of hockey so that Buffalo, New Jersey, Nashville and the Islanders could each lose two players to Philadelphia, Colorado, Detroit, Toronto and the Rangers?
There is also a look at how Briere’s deal is structured vs the salary cap, and a comparison of Blake’s deal with previous 30-something UFA extended contracts.
Newsday’s Greg Logan has an article in the paper today and a couple of blog posts on yesterday’s UFA action.
Most interesting is the $$$ (isn’t it always?). Smyth signed in Colorado for less than the Islanders offered and meanwhile the Islanders lowballed every other UFA we had and lost out on them.
Ryan Smyth, who generated so much excitement when Islanders general manager Garth Snow acquired him from Edmonton at the trade deadline, spurned their five-year offer worth $32.5 million. Instead, Smyth agreed to a five-year deal for $31.25 million with Colorado that would return him to the Western Conference.
Coming off a career-best 40-goal season, Blake signed a five-year deal worth $20 million with Toronto that actually exceeded his asking price with the Islanders by $2 million. Snow is believed to have offered three years for $10 million.
After topping the Islanders in ice time and assists, Poti was offered a three-year deal by the Islanders for close to $10 million, but Washington stepped up with a four-year deal worth $14 million.
Kozlov also enjoyed a career-best 25-goal season with the Islanders, but he was offered only a modest raise over his previous one-year deal for $865,000. The Caps went to $5 million for two years. Florida gave Zednik $3.25 million for two years.
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…
Newsday Islanders’ beat writer Greg Logan wraps up 2006-07 in a long post on his “On The Islanders Beat” blog. It’s a long post covering Smyth, Blake, DP, Yashin and more. Check it out, a couple of excerpts are below.
RYAN SMYTH: You might have seen these comments previously on the Islanders’ web site, but I found it interesting when Smyth spoke about his contact with former greats Mike Bossy and Bryan Trottier before leaving. In particular, Smyth recalled a passage from Wayne Gretzky’s book about the scene in the locker room area at Nassau Coliseum after the Isles swept Edmonton, 4-0, to win their last Stanley Cup in 1983.
“It’s pretty special, actually,” Smyth said. “I came from the west side, knowing all those Oilers, and now, getting to meet the other side. I still remember when Gretz wrote in his book the fact that, when he walked down this hall, they were on ice bags. They weren’t even celebrating when they beat [the Oilers]. They knew how hard it was to win and what it took to win. That’s the reflection you get when you see the other side of it and how they deal with everyday life. It’s a great opportunity to get to know them all.”
That history might be meaningless to many hockey free agents, but I think Smyth honestly appreciated it. Whether it’s enough to convince him to return, I don’t know. But Marc-Andre Bergeron, another former Oiler and a friend of Smyth’s seemed to like his experience on Long Island and to think Smyth did, too.
“It’s been great,” Bergeron said of his own time with the Isles. “Right from the get-go when I was traded here, I talked with Garth, and he made me feel really confident about coming down here. He made sure I was comfortable. The players and the staff made it easy to adjust. That’s the biggest part. They showed me confidence on the ice, and I took advantage…I’m closer to home [in Quebec]. I’ve got friends coming down here. I’m in New York, so, there’s nothing wrong with that.”
Of course, Smyth’s heart is far away in Edmonton, where he grew up as a kid in Alberta rooting for the Oilers. But when I asked Bergeron how he thought Smyth liked the Island, he said: “I think he likes it. I know he likes it. So, it’s a matter of having a deal that will make him happy.”
JASON BLAKE: It would be surprising to me if Blake signs before July 1 when the free agent market opens. It’s in his best interest to see if there’s a team that will blow him away with a big-money offer. He is coming off a career season of 40 goals despite playing with a wide variety of linemates that went from Alexei Yashin to Viktor Kozlov to Randy Robitaille. He proved in the second half of the season that he wasn’t just a beneficiary of Yashin’s hot start. If anything, it might have been the other way around.
As much as the Islanders need Blake’s speed, he actually might fit in better elsewhere with a team that places more of a priority on speed. “Is there a better fit out there?” Blake asked. “I don’t know that. For me, I’ve been here for six years; I’ve made a home here, I’m comfortable here, I know everyone in the organization, I know Charles and Mike Milbury and now Garth’s the GM. We’ve done a lot to make it successful. Is there a better fit? I’ll never know that unless I do go somewhere else. I’ll be 34 at the start of next year, and I want to win. It’s not necessarily about money. It’s being happy, and I want to win. Hopefully, that’s here.”
Interestingly, Blake said he and Rick DiPietro both tried to sell Smyth on the advantages of Long Island.
FAQs: Q: What are the chances of 2006 No. 1 pick Kyle Okposo leaving the University of Minnesota after his freshman year to join the Isles?
A: “That decision could come by the summer,” Snow said. “It’s not a rush. We’re not putting any pressure on from the organizational side of things. It’s something Kyle and his family have to talk about. It’s a big change in lifestyle.”
Q: How much talent is left in the farm system after sending Robert Nilsson, Ryan O’Marra and this year’s No. 1 pick to Edmonton for Ryan Smyth and trading this year’s No. 2 pick to Washington for Richard Zednik?
A: In addition to Okposo, Snow mentioned several young players who played with the Isles and Bridgeport, including forwards Jeff Tambellini, Frans Nielsen and Blake Comeau and defensemen Chris Campoli and Bruno Gervais, who were a pair in the playoffs. He said the signing of University of New Hampshire star Trevor Smith, whom he likened to Trent Hunter but with better skating ability, was meant to offset the loss of Nilsson and O’Marra. Smith probably is a couple years away. Snow also mentioned that defenseman Dustin Kohn will be moving up from juniors, and he hopes to sign Sean Bergenheim, who spent last season playing in Sweden.
Q: When will defenseman Radek Martinek return from his fractured leg?
A: He is expected to be ready to go when training camp opens. Snow said Martinek will remain on Long Island during the offseason to undergo rehabilitation.
Q: How is Bergenheim’s knee injury that he suffered at the end of the season?
A: According to agent Marc Gandler, Bergenheim is perfectly healthy and will play with Finland in the world championships. As for signing with the Isles next season, Gandler said discussions haven’t begun, “but both sides are interested in getting a deal done.”
Q: Can Alexei Yashin restructure the remaining four years of his contract worth $26.45 million?
A: Restructuring a contract is NOT allowed under the collective bargaining agreement.
Q: What is the procedure for a buyout?
A: If the Islanders want to buy out a contract, they must do it by June 30 or wait another year. The player then receives an amount equal to two-thirds of his contract spread equally over twice the remaining years. In Yashin’s case, he would receive a total of $17.63 million in annual installments of just over $2.2 million paid in monthly checks for a total of eight years.
From James Mirtle’s post trade deadline wrapup we discover just how close Jason Blake came to being traded.
The Anaheim Ducks apparently had a deal for the New York Islanders’ Jason Blake that was nixed when the trade was filed after the deadline
Mirtle’s wrapup includes commentary on most of the teams that made significant moves on Tuesday. It’s a good read.
The New York Islanders are being heralded by winners everywhere for acquiring Smyth, but given the number of pending UFAs on that team, GM Garth Snow will look mighty foolish if they miss the playoffs (more so than usual, I mean). Islanders set to walk out the door in the summer: Smyth, Jason Blake, Viktor Kozlov, Tom Poti, Chris Simon, Arron Asham, Richard Zednik, Randy Robitaille, Sean Hill, Joel Bouchard, Mike Dunham. I think, after a first-round exit at the hands of the Buffalo Devils, they’re back to the Yashin and DiPietro tandem next season.
Here are the Isles/Philly highlights from Tuesday. Most remarkable are Howie Rose’s comments in the beginning of the game/clip:
“I would be comfortable going out on a limb and say Blake is going to have a big night tonight. I have not seen him in his entire Islander career…this pumped up.”
Nice work Howie. Do you feel comfortable going out on a limb for tonight’s game? How about the 4th race at Aqueduct tonight?
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Chris Campoli got credited with a goal off a shot near the blue line early in the Isles game versus the Flyers. Replays look like the goal may have come off a deflection by Blake. If so, it would be his 30th. Isles lead 1-0.
Randy Robitaille, Blake, and Chris Simon tear down the ice on a 3-0 rush. Robitaille keeps the puck, shoots, save. Blake is right behind him for the rebound. SCORE.
Isles lead 2-0. Coliseum is real loud. Team looks strong.
Got sidetracked by a phone call and then Chris Hansen on NBC’s “To Catch a Predator.” Show those perv’s whose boss, Hansen! Isles up 3-1 with two minutes to go in the first. Big Goal Trent Hunter scored the third goal.
20 seconds to go, Blake steals the puck right in front of the Flyers’ net, stripping Kapanen and then slides the puck past an overmatched Nittymaki. SCORE.
Isles lead 4-1. Blake has two, maybe three.
Period One over.
Flyers tally to cut the lead in half. We’re at 4-2.
Isles’ rush. Blake shoots, save. Takes rebound behind the net crosses it in front to Simon. Shoots. SCORE. 5-2!
Immediately after the ensuing face-off, Fedorek picks a fight with Simon. Simon takes control, landing three hooks and opening up a cut over Fedorek’s eye. Fedorek hangs in there and lands some shots but Simon counters with several more big hits. Isles doing everything right.
On the NEXT FACE-OFF Asham and Reed go at it! Asham’s jersey comes off but he lands three big righthands. Reed goes down. Isles lead 5-2 on scoreboard and 2-0 on the fight card. GO COLISEUM HEROES GO!
This game is awesome. In the last nine seconds, Simon scored, beat the crap out of Fedorek and Asham beat up Reed. Islander hockey.
Wait a minute. Getting ahead of myself. Flyers score when Afanasenkov is standing all alone in front of DP and puts one in. When I say all alone, I mean really all alone. Not one Islander in the picture. Settle down guys. Let’s finish the game. 5-3.
Everyone has pretty much stopped playing defense at this point. End to end action. Isles need to slow this game down a bit.
Islanders kill an Asham penalty and most of a Freddy Meyer penalty with some big-time saves from DP. After two, it’s 5-3.
We’re back with 12 to go in the game. Flyers have just scored twice in the span of about 30 seconds. I just threw up. 5-5.
OT
So at least we have one point but we really need to win this game.
Isles power play. Bergeron blasts a one-timer. Save. Bergeron blasts another one wide. Puck gets worked to Sillinger in deep. Sillinger crosses in front to Hunter. One-timer. GOAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Big Goal Trent Hunter comes through yet again. Islanders win and grab two huge points. What a day for this team.
Jason Blake is named the #1 star. Crowd is chanting “JASON BLAKE. JASON BLAKE.”
Blake: “Thanks guys. It’s been a tough couple of weeks. I’m just glad I’m a New York Islander.”
The win caps off the Isles’ best February since 1982.
Greg Logan’s got all the scoops on his On the Islanders Beat blog.
The Islanders are putting the finishing touches on a deal for Edmonton captain Ryan Smyth. In exchange, the Oilers will receive former Islanders’ first-round draft picks Ryan O’Marra and Robert Nilsson plus the Islanders’ first-round pick this year.
Nice move, but did we possibly give up too much? A former first rounder, a prized prospect, and a first round draft pick? That’s a lot. Thank goodness we kept Okposo.
Smyth’s NHL career stats are 770 games in 12 seasons with 265 goals and 284 assists for a total of 549 points. His career bests are 39 goals in 96-97 and 70 points in 2000-01. Smyth is UNSIGNED and will be a unrestricted free agent at the end of the season. Which means the Islanders now need to sign Blake and Smyth this summer…ugh!
ESPN.com NHL writer Scott Burnside said in his blog this afternoon that it appears Mighty Jason Blake will remain an Islander. 90 minutes to go.
I know the day’s just about over, but here are players I think can safely put away their suitcases — Ryan Smyth, Rob Blake, Sheldon Souray, and even Jason Blake (hard to imagine him in anything but an Islanders jersey). Oh, and Jaromir Jagr, too.
News from Hockeytown, USA:
The New York Islanders have called and offered Jason Blake; he doesn’t have much size (he’s listed as 5-foot-10) but he put the puck in the net 29 times in 62 games this season.
The Detroit press is pretty blunt about the pros and cons of Blake, but fail to mention that 29 goals would make him the 2nd leading goal scorer on the Red Wings, trailing only Henrik Zettterberg (33). I’m probably dreaming here, but Pavel Datsyuk is an UFA after this season too. Dear Garth, if the Wings offer Lang…run!!!
