FauxRumors thinks so, they’ve got the scoop on a possible big trade involving the Isles. Campoli, Hunter, and Satan are all mentioned as possibly being involved with a Western Conference team.
So much for the quiet dog days. LOL We were called early yesterday evening from a reliable source who mentioned that the NY Islanders may be closing in on a deal to ‘bolster their roster’. The source did NOT have all the specifics right now other than that its a Western conference team involved and there could be as many as 4 players and or picks involved in the deal.
Check out FauxRumors for the full report and any updates.
#22 had this to say in his blog:
Brilliant move, Garth!!!!
Our team just went out and got a player that every organization in hockey would love to have on their team. Making trades at this time of the year does not guarantee success but it puts all the pieces in place to be successful. As all of you fans remember, the addition of Butch Goring in 1980 fit perfectly. I have confidence that this one will too.
Here’s what some folks are saying about GM Snow’s deadline deals, including yesterday’s trade for Oilers winger Ryan Smyth.
Mark Herrman, Newsday:
The Islanders proved they are smart and mature enough to hang with the big boys. The Islanders will take their chances at competing for a playoff spot, making a run in the postseason and signing Smyth, the All-Star forward they acquired yesterday from the Edmonton Oilers.
It was a gutsy deal, and worth it. These Islanders earned it.
(Smyth) could walk and leave the Islanders with nothing, but so what? He had 31 goals and 22 assists in 53 games for the Oilers. Offensively skilled players don’t grow on trees, and they sure don’t grow in the Islanders’ system.
Today’s quiz: Name the last Islanders’ No. 1 pick who turned out to be a good scorer for them. Try Pat LaFontaine, chosen in 1983. Nilsson and O’Marra looked more like Dave Chyzowski and Scott Scissons than they resembled LaFontaine.
Kara Yorio, The Sporting News:
Garth Snow gets points for making the big, bold move at the deadline and picking up an impact player in winger Ryan Smyth from Edmonton. Sure, if the Isles can’t sign him in the offseason, it’ll look like Snow gave up too much with the two prospects and a first-round pick, but this shows he is willing to make a deal, pick up a quality player and put the trust in his coach and team to get the job done. He has made them better for right now.
Michael Farber of SI.com:
Smyth should have been an Oiler for life, but sometimes life and money get in the way. As an unrestricted free agent, he will have the right to return to Edmonton July 1. But if Lowe thought the asking price was too high Tuesday, it seems unlikely that the salary requests will drop no matter what Smyth does in the final 20 games of the season and, assuming the Islanders make it, in the playoffs. This was not a rental. This was a rupture.
The Hockey News:
The Islanders have lacked a player with Smyth’s leadership qualities, grit and scoring prowess for quite some time now. He’ll instantly make them better, and more accountable on the ice. What rookie GM Garth Snow gave up was a huge return, but he is trying to show his fans he is serious about getting the Isles back into Cup contention.
Short-term analysis - Smyth may have been the best acquisition on deadline day. This is a huge win for the Islanders and their fans.
Long-term analysis - Without a doubt, the Oilers will eventually be big winners in this deal when the dust settles.
Scott Burnside, ESPN.com:
So, is this just a rental situation, a la Doug Weight and Mark Recchi, or is Smyth gone for good? Who knows. Maybe Smyth will like life on Long Island. After all, the Isles suddenly have stated they’re around for the long haul this spring. Instead of trading potential free agent and leading scorer Jason Blake, they kept him and added more offense in the form of Richard Zednik, who came over from Washington. If the Isles can just find a way to keep Alexei Yashin out of the lineup, there might be a Cup in the offing.
[UPDATE] Here’s a couple more for you, from murph
Spector’s Blog
Yes, the argument can be made that the Oilers have gotten a great return of prospects and a high pick, but Oilers fans have heard that song far too many times over the past twenty years.
This move is a kick in the guts of their fans after a disappointing season preceded by a heartbreaking loss in the Stanley Cup finals and the bitter departure of Chris Pronger.
The Oilers front office can claim this was a tough business decision that had to be made, but that won’t mollify their fans.
As for the Islanders, give full marks to rookie GM Garth Snow, for pulling off a move nobody saw coming and bolstering his club’s chances to lock up a playoff berth in a very tough Eastern Conference playoff race.
Smyth will bring them a hard-working, talented scorer who’s unafraid to sacrifice his body to win. Head coach Ted Nolan must be thrilled to have a hard-nosed leader like Smyth coming to Long Island.
The Islanders may not be able to re-sign Smyth, an unrestricted free agent in July, but if he plays as strongly for them as he did for the Oilers, he should prove a worthy playoff rental.
The Toronto Globe and Mail put us on the “winners” list
Wow. Ryan Smyth was easily the best player to change addresses.
While LCS Hockey put us on the “losers” list
Paid three first-rounders for the privilege of watching Ryan Smyth sign elsewhere this summer.
For the Edmonton fan’s point of view, you absolutely need to check out the Covered in Oil and Battle of Alberta blogs. There are a bunch of posts from the bloggers there, and tons of comments from the fans. This pic sums it up best…
[UPDATE] Somehow I managed to delete this post and our reader comments. I was able to find a backup copy and restore it. Comments are copied to the bottom of this post
Here’s what some folks are saying about GM Snow’s deadline deals, including yesterday’s trade for Oilers winger Ryan Smyth.
Mark Herrman, Newsday:
The Islanders proved they are smart and mature enough to hang with the big boys. The Islanders will take their chances at competing for a playoff spot, making a run in the postseason and signing Smyth, the All-Star forward they acquired yesterday from the Edmonton Oilers.
It was a gutsy deal, and worth it. These Islanders earned it.
(Smyth) could walk and leave the Islanders with nothing, but so what? He had 31 goals and 22 assists in 53 games for the Oilers. Offensively skilled players don’t grow on trees, and they sure don’t grow in the Islanders’ system.
Today’s quiz: Name the last Islanders’ No. 1 pick who turned out to be a good scorer for them. Try Pat LaFontaine, chosen in 1983. Nilsson and O’Marra looked more like Dave Chyzowski and Scott Scissons than they resembled LaFontaine.
Kara Yorio, The Sporting News:
Garth Snow gets points for making the big, bold move at the deadline and picking up an impact player in winger Ryan Smyth from Edmonton. Sure, if the Isles can’t sign him in the offseason, it’ll look like Snow gave up too much with the two prospects and a first-round pick, but this shows he is willing to make a deal, pick up a quality player and put the trust in his coach and team to get the job done. He has made them better for right now.
Michael Farber of SI.com:
Smyth should have been an Oiler for life, but sometimes life and money get in the way. As an unrestricted free agent, he will have the right to return to Edmonton July 1. But if Lowe thought the asking price was too high Tuesday, it seems unlikely that the salary requests will drop no matter what Smyth does in the final 20 games of the season and, assuming the Islanders make it, in the playoffs. This was not a rental. This was a rupture.
The Hockey News:
The Islanders have lacked a player with Smyth’s leadership qualities, grit and scoring prowess for quite some time now. He’ll instantly make them better, and more accountable on the ice. What rookie GM Garth Snow gave up was a huge return, but he is trying to show his fans he is serious about getting the Isles back into Cup contention.
Short-term analysis - Smyth may have been the best acquisition on deadline day. This is a huge win for the Islanders and their fans.
Long-term analysis - Without a doubt, the Oilers will eventually be big winners in this deal when the dust settles.
Scott Burnside, ESPN.com:
So, is this just a rental situation, a la Doug Weight and Mark Recchi, or is Smyth gone for good? Who knows. Maybe Smyth will like life on Long Island. After all, the Isles suddenly have stated they’re around for the long haul this spring. Instead of trading potential free agent and leading scorer Jason Blake, they kept him and added more offense in the form of Richard Zednik, who came over from Washington. If the Isles can just find a way to keep Alexei Yashin out of the lineup, there might be a Cup in the offing.
[UPDATE] Here’s a couple more for you, from murph
Spector’s Blog
Yes, the argument can be made that the Oilers have gotten a great return of prospects and a high pick, but Oilers fans have heard that song far too many times over the past twenty years.
This move is a kick in the guts of their fans after a disappointing season preceded by a heartbreaking loss in the Stanley Cup finals and the bitter departure of Chris Pronger.
The Oilers front office can claim this was a tough business decision that had to be made, but that won’t mollify their fans.
As for the Islanders, give full marks to rookie GM Garth Snow, for pulling off a move nobody saw coming and bolstering his club’s chances to lock up a playoff berth in a very tough Eastern Conference playoff race.
Smyth will bring them a hard-working, talented scorer who’s unafraid to sacrifice his body to win. Head coach Ted Nolan must be thrilled to have a hard-nosed leader like Smyth coming to Long Island.
The Islanders may not be able to re-sign Smyth, an unrestricted free agent in July, but if he plays as strongly for them as he did for the Oilers, he should prove a worthy playoff rental.
The Toronto Globe and Mail put us on the “winners” list
Wow. Ryan Smyth was easily the best player to change addresses.
While LCS Hockey put us on the “losers” list
Paid three first-rounders for the privilege of watching Ryan Smyth sign elsewhere this summer.
For the Edmonton fan’s point of view, you absolutely need to check out the Covered in Oil and Battle of Alberta blogs. There are a bunch of posts from the bloggers there, and tons of comments from the fans. This pic sums it up best…
[COMMENTS]
Name: Gary
I have been an Islander fan since 1973 and lived through it all, just look at my orange and blue blood stained Billy Smith jersey for proof.
On paper I fully believe that this is the best team they have had since the Easter miracle game.
The players have to produce, and nothing short of a first round win, and a good showing in round two would be considered an accomplishment with the veteran leadership and talent this team has. If the chips fall right in regards to playoff matchups this team may make the semis.
I know, I know, way too early to talk playoffs. I can hear Jim Mora, “Playoffs! PLAYOFFS!!!”. But… The Islanders best line this year, Sillnger and Co. is the third line…nuff said.
Name: Groucho
I, for one, cannot wait to see what Nolan does with this squad. Smyth is an incredible addition and I don’t think that Snow would have added him if he wasn’t prepared to shuck out the cash to make him stay. That being said, the only thing that would make me happier is to get rid of some of the “dead wood” hanging around the Island. I don’t think I need to name names.
I am now, and have always been, thrilled to be an Islander. LET’S GO ISLANDERS!!
Coach Ted Nolan spoke with Howie Rose about the deadline deals before tonight’s game against the Flyers. Here’s what he had to say:
What do you think about adding Smyth?
If you’re looking for one of the protocol captain-type guys and leader type of player to come in and really add to your core players you couldn’t ask for a better guy. Ryan is referred to in Canada as Mr. Canada so he’s a true leader and we’re really looking forward to getting him. And you look forward to a guy like Yashin coming back and that’s going to be a great combination.
We wanted to give Yashin a real top-end type of guy to play with. Not any disrespect to Chris Simon, Chris did some really great things for him, but to have a guy like Ryan Smyth on our team that’s a big addition.
When do you expect Yashin to return?
I think (the trade) will probably help is recovery. He’ll probably return tomorrow. But we’re going to keep on course and not rush him back too quickly. I know he’ll probably be excited to come back.
What will Smyth add to this team?
I think he’s going to add what’s been lacking on this team for some time. If you look at the banners in the stands and look at Bossy and Trottier’s and Potvin’s and Tonelli’s, we need true leaders to not only lead this team but to show the next generation of kids what it takes to really be an Islander and to wear the shirt proudly and compete on a regular basis. It’s not a right to play in the National Hockey League it’s a priviledge.
There was much more, including Nolan’s thoughts on Zednik (will play on second line with Kozlov and Satan), Long Island (one of the “best kept secrets in the NHL”), and Marc-Andre Bergeron (already a “great addition”).
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.
With less than 24 hours until the NHL Trade Deadline and possibly Jason Blake’s tenure as an Islander, GM Garth Snow made a deal today with the Washinton Capitals for forward Richard Zednick. From NewYorkIslanders.com
For a reasonable price, the Islanders have added experience and scoring ability.
At approximately 4:00 pm today, Islanders general manager Garth Snow completed a deal with the Washington Capitals, acquiring wing Richard Zednik for a second round selection in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft.
“Richard is a proven offensive talent,” said Snow. “When you can add a player with his skill and competitiveness for a playoff push at a fair cost, you do it. We believe Richard will fit in well with our team.”
This season with the Capitals, the 31-year old Zednik is 6-12-18 in 32 games. His best season was in 2002-03, when he had 31 goals and 19 assists for 50 points in 80 games. The 6-1, 200-pound native of Slovakia could join the Islanders in time for the team’s next game, Tuesday night at the Coliseum against Philadelphia.
Things are getting real interesting in Islander Country. If the season ended today, the Isles would be in the playoffs as the eighth seed, largely thanks to stellar play over the past three weeks. But word is the Isles’ top scorer, Mighty Jason Blake, may be dealt by tomorrow’s deadline.
According to Newsday’s Greg Logan, Detroit, Nashville, Vancouver, San Jose and Dallas have all made offers for Blake. Logan did not provide details.
But it’s quite possible that Blake could bring something comparable to the price St. Louis received from Atlanta yesterday in exchange for Keith Tkachuk: first-round and third-round picks in the 2007 draft, a second-round pick in 2008, third-line forward Glen Metropolit and a conditional first-round pick in 2008 if Tkachuk re-signs with the Thrashers this summer.
Here’s my take, Blake’s a free-agent at the end of the season and might be difficult to re-sign. Still, I’d keep him for the remainder of the year unless the trade offer is simply too good to turn down. Blake’s not untouchable but it better be a real sweet deal for the Isles before GM Garth pulls the trigger.
With less than a week to the NHL trading deadline, Islanders Army’s favorite rumormill Fauxrumors has posted a pair of roundups summarizing the likely comings and goings. There’s a roundup for each conference, Eastern and Western and they’ve grouped notable players into 3 categories: “Good as Gone”, “50-50″, and “Staying Put”.
Two Islanders appear on the 50-50 list, Jason Blake and Bruno Gervais while Alexei Yashin, his bad knee, and his monster contract all find themselves securely on the “staying put” list.
