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Here are some possible defensemen we could see the Islanders sign before the week is over: Danny Markov: 30 year old Russian is an above-average skater from the back end. Works hard and loves to dish out punishment. Has the ability to play on the power play. Gets into trouble whenever he goes out of his way to land a big hit. Injuries are always a concern due to the hard-nosed style of game he plays. A top four defenseman. Vitaly Vishnevski: 27 year old from Ukraine is a physical presence, and can do some damage to onrushing forwards in open ice. Blocks shots very effectively. Tends to wear down over the course of a long season. Doesn't have a lot of offensive upside. Makes mistakes in his own end. A top four defenseman. Ossi Vaananen: 26 year old fron Finland is 6'4" and 215 lbs. Has prototypical NHL size. Loves to bang bodies. Moves the puck efficiently and is defensively responsible. Needs more work on his coordination and lateral mobility. Has limited offensive upside. Must stay away from serious injury. A defensive defenseman. Andy Sutton: 32 year old from Kingston, Ont. is 6'6" and 245 lbs. Has excellent size and uses it effectively to shutdown scoring forwards. Owns a hard shot from the point. Still struggles at times with his lateral mobility. Must show more consistency in the defensive zone. Top four defenseman. If the Islanders wind up dealing for a Jovanovski or McCabe, they then may want to add a cheaper defensive d-man: Nolan Pratt: 31 year old from Alberta is at his best when taking the body consistently and keeping his game simple. Can play on either side of the ice. Is offensively challenged and will never have enough speed to be effective when pinching in from the point. A defensive defenseman. Has 2 Stanley Cup rings with Tampa Bay and Colorado. Ric Jackman: 29 year old from Toronto, Ont. is 6'2" and 197 lbs. Has better-than-average offensive ability. Possesses a hard shot from the point and solid power-play instincts. Also owns a mean streak. Needs more polish in the defensive aspects of the game. Must show more intensity and maturity on a regular basis. Top six defenseman. Has a Cup ring last season with Anaheim. Sheldon Souray is still on the market and teamed up together with Marc-Andre Bergeron, while not very good defensively, would both be deadly on the power play. Unfortunately Souray has priced himself out of the Islanders price range. As everyone knows by now, the Islanders really wanted Scott Hannan, a former Western Hockey Leaguer, but now may have to settle for one of the Europeans listed above. Perhaps for a shorter term deal. As mentioned yesterday the Islanders attempted to deal for Ed Jovanovski but reportedly he refused to waive his no-trade clause. Don't rule out the possibility the Islanders could still work out a trade for a prominent defenseman. Although it's unknown as to exactly what the Islanders are willing to give up. The Islanders may also be interested in defenseman Derek Morris and LW Steve Reinprecht from Phoenix. Reinprecht would make a solid first line left wing. From Yesterday's Ottawa Sun: Bruce Garrioch reports centre Mike Comrie hoped to re-sign with the Senators but GM Bryan Murray was unable to deal Martin Gerber, Peter Schaefer or Joe Corvo to free up the cap required to re-sign Comrie, who signed on Thursday with the NY Islanders. islesinfo.com comment: I'm not crazy about the Bryan McCabe rumors. Toronto is just begging to get rid of him and I would hate to see the Islanders strap themselves with that 4 year deal remaining for $23 million. Plus, Toronto is hoping they can move that contract so they can sign Alexei Yashin to a deal as well. Either that or bring back Michael Peca. Perhaps both. The Islanders do need a #1 d-man, that's why I wish Jovanovski had waived his no-trade because dealing with a Western Conference team would have been much better. I'm worried about what exactly the Islanders might have given up, but it would have been nice to add Jovo and Steve Reinprecht. There's also some rumors about signing Bryan Berard and I'm really unsure about doing that. He usually does well everywhere he goes, but he's also a guy whose had similar problems to what Sean Hill just went through only Berard went through it before the NHL had their new drug testing rules. As far as the Islanders grabbing Comrie before the Senators could re-sign him I think that is great. I'm surprised though that they would consider moving Joe Corvo. He would look good in and Islanders jersey.
It is unknown as to what the Islanders were willing to give up to acquire Jovanovski. In other news, Andy Stickland, a beat-writer who covers the St. Louis Blues closely, has reported that the Islanders are in negotiations with RW Bill Guerin. According to Strickland, Guerin is looking for a multi-year deal. Last season the 36 year old Guerin scored 36 goals between the St. Louis Blues and the San Jose Sharks. It is also believed the Islanders are going hard after C Mike Comrie. They have been in a bidding war with the Buffalo Sabres though, who are also looking for centers since losing Daniel Briere and Chris Drury. The 26 year old Comrie scored 20 goals and 45 points in 65 games played last season between the Phoenix Coyotes and the Ottawa Senators. islesinfo.com comment: Even though I think Jovanovski would have been a really good fit for the Islanders, I'm a bit worried as to what exactly the Islanders would have given up in this deal. I don't think the Islanders should be giving up any of their prospects or draft picks. It's disappointing though to see another guy shoot down coming to the Islanders. Logan of Newsday stated that it was because of personal reasons and Jovanovski didn't want to re-route his family across the continent. I don't know if I really believe that. But if he doesn't want to be an Islander than who needs him. As for Guerin and Comrie, they weren't exactly the guys I wanted but right now they are looking better than nothing. I really wouldn't give Guerin, or Comrie for that matter, anything longer than a two year deal.
"We dropped a lot of lines in the water in the first two hours," said Snow. "Some discussions ended quickly, some are still very much on-going. I don't know yet if we'll have anything to announce sometime tonight, but we are definitely working on a few deals. Way too early to tell. We're going to be here a while." The general manager acknowledged he was interested in bringing former Islander (and longtime Snow friend) Mathieu Schneider back to Long Island. "There was some genuine interest there and we had a discussion," said Snow, "but Matt had the opportunity to join the Stanley Cup champs on a very lucrative deal. I'm happy for him." The pursuit of a veteran defenseman continues as Tom Poti signed a four-year deal this afternoon with the Washington Capitals. "We pretty much expected to see Tom sign with another team today or tomorrow," said Snow. "As I mentioned this morning, the climate for deals for solid defensemen changed a lot over the last few weeks. We thank Tom for his contributions to the Islanders last season and wish him the best in Washington." Snow continues to be joined by pro scouting director Ken Morrow and head coach Ted Nolan in his bunker at the Coliseum. The walls of his office are completely filled with vital information such as the names of the available top free agents, the depth charts of every NHL franchise and the priority list by position of Snow and his staff. Don't mistake the lack of a signing – so far – as evidence all is quiet in Islanders Country. "We are not going to jump into a deal that's not in both the short-term and long-term best interests of the Islanders," said Snow. "I'm very comfortable with our process. I know sometimes fans get frustrated when their teams talk about having patience, but the market has only been open for less than six hours. Ted, Kenny Morrow and I are on the same page. We're not going to make a foolish deal that will hurt the future of our team. Whenever this process ends, we will be a better team."Rumor: The Islanders are trying to lure Scott Gomez to Long Island. July 1, 2007: The panelist on the NHL Network discussed today that Ryan Smyth may sign with the Colorado Avalanche to play with his good friend Joe Sakic. It is believed right now that Smyth is heavily weighing signing with Colorado. If this happens the Islanders are obviously going to be devastated by his loss. Considering what GM Garth Snow gave up for Smyth along with the fact he did not move Smyth last week at the NHL Draft and the Islanders are left with nothing to show for the acquisition of Smyth. Smyth Receives Over 10 Offers July 1, 2007: According to the NHL Network on TSN, Ryan Smyth has received over 10 offers from various NHL clubs. NHL free agency got underway today at 12pm EST but there hasn't been much to report in the first two hours. The Islanders released some remarks by GM Garth Snow today regarding the opening of the free agency period and the Islanders preparation for the frenzy. He also remarked on the Islanders wish list and on the team's own unrestricted free agents. "We're ready," said Snow. "We're ready for every scenario, anything that comes up. We have our depth chart, our list of priorities. No matter what transpires in the first 24 hours or even in the course of the next few weeks, we're very confident we'll put the pieces together for a team our fans are going to love." The Islanders' wish list is deep: at least two top-six forwards, a top-four defenseman and depth for both the Islanders and the team's American Hockey League affiliate, the Bridgeport Sound Tigers. "It's a big list, no doubt," said Ken Morrow. "But that will be the case with more than half the teams in the NHL every summer. With the new CBA and earlier free agency, there's always going to be a lot of roster turnover. The key is to make smart decisions and be patient when it's necessary. I'm excited about it." On Ryan Smyth: "The negotiations have been respectful throughout. We had an agreement with Ryan and his representative Don Meehan that negotiations would remain private. The professionalism shown by both sides has been outstanding. What I can tell our fans this morning is we have put our best foot forward with Ryan. We've given him a very fair offer to consider and Ryan certainly understands the kind of team we're building and how important he is to us. Right now it looks like he's going to see which other teams are interested when the market opens at noon. As one of the most respected veterans in our game, Ryan has earned that right. We continue to hope Ryan remains an Islander. But as we do that, it's incumbent on us to also pursue other top players that fill our needs." On Jason Blake: "Everyone knows what our organization and our fans think of Jason. We are so proud of the player he has become. The Islanders offered Jason a very good long-term deal a few weeks ago. His representative has let it be known Jason is going to enter the market in search of a better deal. Although we need to look for other players, Jason understands our door is open." On Tom Poti: "Tom wished to stay an Islander and we very much wanted to keep him, but a lot changed since the season ended. There have been some recent contracts for top-four defensemen that some might say dramatically altered the market. You can't blame Tom and his agent for wanting to see what else is out there for him. Again, as in the case with Jason, while the door is open we also have to look for alternatives. Finding a veteran to lead the way on the blue line is very important to us."
Smyth to Test Free Agency June 30, 2007: Don Meehan, the agent for Ryan Smyth, stated Friday afternoon on "Leafs Lunch", a radio show on AM640 Toronto, that his client Ryan Smyth will test the free agency market starting July 1st. The Islanders have reportedly been in negotiations with Meehan and Smyth all week. According to some sources, the meetings have even culminated in an offer by the Islanders believed to be worth 6 years at $6.5 million a year (top loaded). Other sources have the offer to be around 7-8 years. "It's been a lot of restless nights, deciding the future for the family and myself," said Smyth. "I know we're in good hands with Donnie and Newport Sports. We're just taking it all in right now and we'll see how things go on Sunday." Smyth's name tops the list of nearly a dozen teams. Toronto, Detroit and St. Louis are the latest to be rumored having interest in signing Smyth. "Obviously it's flattering, but we'll just see how things pan out Sunday," said Smyth. His current team, the New York Islanders, haven't given up trying to re-sign him either. "I have a great deal of respect for them, no question," said Smyth. "They own my rights right now, they treated us well right from the get-go. So we'll see how things go." islesinfo.com comment: This is not good news at all. Let's say the Islanders do outbid the rest of the league. What if Smyth truly wants to go to a contender? Well, on paper right now there are a bunch of teams you can probably say are better than the Islanders. I still think Calgary may be an attractive destination for Smyth with their recent hiring of Mike Keenan, Darryl Sutter as GM and players Jarome Iginla and goaltender Mikka Kiprusoff (even though they both only have a year left on their remaining contracts). Plus, he's "Captain Canada." It was an unbelievable gift to have Ryan Smyth as an Islander for 23 games. But I have to reiterate that if the Islanders lose him to free agency then the move to trade for him turned out to be an unbelievable mistake. Yes, the Islanders went for it and hindsight is always 20/20. But obviously it didn't get us to even the the second round of the playoffs and almost didn't even get us into the dance. I don't want to bash GM Garth Snow because I think it was a good proactive move. It was the biggest move of the trade deadline. But it could turn out to be the biggest "rental" of all time. It could turn out to be a rookie GM mistake. Because most contending teams as we have learned don't make moves to acquire great players at the deadline and then ask that player to lead them to the promised land. No player can do that with only a month remaining in the regular season. Most contending teams, like the Ducks for instance, are already good enough where they only have to add a minor player or two. As much as I though what the Islanders gave up was fair, it won't be if they lose Smyth. Ryan O'Marra could go on to play 10-15 years for the Oilers. Same goes for D Alex Plante, who the Oilers drafted with the 15th pick overall. Plus the Islanders could have had a shot at Alexei Cherepanov in the draft (contingent on whether they would have selected him). The Islanders still have a good crop of prospects, but they mortgaged a bit of it in the trade for Smyth. And that is why I also believe Smyth could face a bit of a backlash from Islanders fans if he does indeed sign with another team. The Islanders have bent over backwards to keep him. They've offered much more to him in contract proposals than the Oilers did. But he's still turned the Islanders down. Is that really because this chance to test free agency is a "once in a lifetime opportunity" or because he really isn't keen on being an Islander? They bought out Alexei Yashin and offered Smyth the captaincy. I found it surprising that Smyth made a comment not too long afterwards that the move surprised him. It seemed to me then that he was distancing himself from the team. The biggest problem I have with the entire thing is the Islanders SHOULD have done their best to sign Smyth when they traded for him. Perhaps he is waiting to see what the Islanders do on July 1st in free agency. So it's not unlikely that he still may return. But if he doesn't Islander fans are not going to like having seen their team bend over so much for a player and then getting slapped in the face. At the same time, Smyth's contract demands are going to put a lot of pressure on him. He has great leadership qualities, but for the amount of coin he will be receiving he better turn out to be the Islanders version of Mark Messier and deliver the Cup. Kozlov Coveted by Panthers? Unrestricted free agent Vikto Kozlov may be headed back to Florida. According to a report in the Palm Beach Report that almost seemingly borders on tampering, Florida coach & GM Jacques Martin stated the following about Kozlov: "I know he wants to come back," he said. "At the end of the day it'll probably come down to money. But if we can add a 20-goal and 50-60 point scorer who's good in shootouts, that's just what we're missing." The article by writer Brian Biggane goes on to say Kozlov still resides in Fort Lauderdale and was very disappointed the Panthers didn't make an offer last year. Yet Kozlov had his best season in the NHL with the Islanders last season and often struggled during his time in Florida, who eventually cut down his ice time. The Panthers seem to be banking on the fact that the Islanders will be too busy attempting to sign Ryan Smyth and Jason Blake to offer Kozlov a contract. It seems they will swoop in relatively quickly to sign the Russian come July 1st. Yashin Headed to Motown? The latest rumors have Alexei Yashin signing with the Detroit Red Wings, as a replacement for Robert Lang who will not be back with the Red Wings. Poti Changes Mind As reported in the last rumors update, Tom Poti is looking to test the free agency market after witnessing the contract Kimmo Timonen recieved from the Philadelphia Flyers. Even though he had a relatively good season with the Islanders last season, Poti is an average defenseman at best. He does have defensive liabilities. For him to be looking for a contract in the $3 million range after waiting late in the summer last year and getting more than he should have received from the Islanders in $2.75 million, may be too rich for the Islanders liking. If the Islanders go hard after someone like Mathieu Schneider then the loss of Poti won't be felt. My question is what happened to Poti loving Long Island? Does every player get wooed into free agency by money nowadays? Apparently the answer is yes. Peca Not in Leafs Plans Michael Peca recently stated he will not be re-signing with the Toronto Maple Leafs. He could return to the Islanders if he is willing to take a third or fourth line role. But there are questions as to whether he is willing to do so since he states the reason he's not returning to Toronto is they won't give him ice time on one of the top two lines. There's also a possibility Peca could go to Carolina to play for former Islanders coach Peter Laviolette.
Clock is Ticking for Ryan Smyth June 22, 2007: Rumors are running rampant as the NHL holds it annual draft this weekend. One of the top rumors surrounds Ryan Smyth and who he will sign with come the free agency period. Strong rumors are coming out of Calgary tonight that Smyth could very well be traded to the Flames very soon. Many observers around the league are wondering if the recent deal between Nashville and Philadelphia involving free agents to be could turn out to be this years trend. Time will tell if the Islanders will be forced to look at a similar move. According to this Calgary source, the Islanders HAVE indeed offered Ryan Smyth a deal, a very lucrative one, but it was turned down by Smyth and his agent Don Meehan. The Islanders DO plan to make Smyth another offer and it may come as soon as Friday night or some time this weekend. IF the Islanders are turned down again by the Smyth camp, then GM Garth Snow and owner Charles Wang may be forced to make a trade very soon. Whatever team tries to acquire him is obviously going to want to have at least a week before the July 1st period of free agency begins to negotiate a deal with Smyth. So the Islanders can refute the fact that they would consider to move Smyth all they want on their official website, but at some point if Smyth doesn't sign then do the Islanders risk losing him for nothing? Because lets face it folks, if Smyth gets past July 1st, he is going to get a LOT of offers. Most people covering the Islanders believe nobody could or would outbid Charles Wang. But that may not be a factor for Smyth. With the Islanders potential of losing Jason Blake that could also play a factor in Smyth's decision as it doesn't seem like the Islanders are close to building a Cup contender in 2007-08. If the Islanders DO pull off a trade with Calgary, these players HAVE to be possible pieces: C Matthew
Lombardi - a budding scorer. I think Calgary would fight to keep him. The Flames also have some good young prospects in C Dustin Boyd, C Dan Ryder and big D Matt Pelech. Perhaps any deal could involve picks, possibly a first or second round pick in 2008, a deeper draft. islesinfo.com comment: I am really hoping the Islanders re-sign Smyth. It will be SO disappointing if he leaves. But unfortunately it really doesn't look good right now. I just DON'T get the feeling he wants to return to the Islanders. If Snow can't sign him then the Islanders will be forced to try to get something in return. I don't think the Islanders fans will accept having given up what the Islanders did and then seeing this guy walk. If that happens it will go down as one of the worst moves in team history and certainly as one of the biggest mistakes a rookie GM could make. Greg Logan of Newsday has been listening to the Islanders denials obviously led by PR man Chris Botta that there is no way the Islanders will trade Smyth. But wouldn't Smyth look bad if he waited until after July 1st and suddenly said ok, the Islanders are offering the most so I'll stay on Long Island. At some point the Islanders are going to have to decide what they are going to do regarding Ryan Smyth, because if they wait until after July 1st it's no longer in their hands and they could very well end up with nothing! Also, no one really knows what the Islanders lucrative offer was to Smyth, but it had to be more than what Edmonton was willing to give him you have to think. And he still turned it down? If the Islanders raise their offer and he turns it down again, does it make sense to think he's really going to stay past July 1st? For Jason Blake, the writing is further on the wall that he will not be an Islanders beyond July 1st. The two sides are very far apart as Blake recently turned down the Islanders offer of $10 million over 3 years. As for the rumors involving Toronto and Bryan McCabe, that is a complete joke. The media in Toronto, spearheaded by "hockey insider" Darren Dreger, is trying to will McCabe to the Island, which in turn suggests the Islanders and GM Garth Snow would be stupid enough to take on the former Islander captains ridiculous and totally restrictive contract. Toronto knows they have a bad contract with McCabe (4 years and $28.75 remaining) and the media in Toronto thinks the Islanders would take him and McCabe would wave his no trade clause so his wife could return to Long Island. It's not going to happen. After hearing a little over a week ago that D Tom Poti was close to re-signing, apparently he has had a change of mind after seeing what the Flyers signed Kimmo Timonen for. So Poti may now check out free agency. D Sean Hill will reportedly not return next season as was expected. F Chris Simon, who has 5 games remaining on his suspension, has a good chance of returning.
While with the Oilers, Peca helped current Islander Ryan Smyth lead Edmonton to the 2006 Stanley Cup Finals, where they lost to the Carolina Hurricanes. Speaking of Smyth, the consensus belief is that Ryan wouldn't even have considered coming back to the Islanders if Yashin was still a part of the team. According to Smyth's agent Don Meehan, that was not exactly the case. But it certainly looks like it could have been a factor and the Islanders are doing everything possible to make Long Island look attractive to Smyth. In Other News Newsday's Greg Logan wrote Thursday that the Islanders are very close to a multi-year deal with defenseman Tom Poti. islesinfo.com predicts it will be a done deal and it could be announced sometime next week. Logan also mentioned that the Islanders and forward Sean Bergenheim may still be far apart on coming to a deal. Bergenheim's agent is Mark Gandler, the same agent for Alexei Yashin and Denis Grebeshkov, who the Islanders already got rid of last season. If Bergenheim doesn't wake up and stop listening to his agent, who is quickly becoming the Scott Boros of the NHL, the Islanders may have to cut ties with the speedy Finn. Bergenheim has yet to prove himself at the NHL level and doesn't have as much leverage as he believes he has. Long Island Diss USA Today hockey writer Kevin Allen dissed the Islanders today on an Ottawa radio station. "Why would Ryan Smyth re-sign with the Islanders?" Allen asked. "They aren't close to anything. I mean I like some things they got going there but not all of it. Maybe Smyth would re-sign there if he believed they could build something and he could be a part of it. But from everything I've heard about it the Calgary Flames are going to make a big push. I'm not sure how they could afford it, but even Edmonton, who have a better team, would be a better destination. From everything I've heard Smyth wants to return to the West Coast." The hosts, which included former Islander defenseman Garry Galley, went on to talk about Alexei Yashin. Allen suggested that the best destination for him may be the Chicago Blackhawks, so Yashin can go to a team where he won't be in the spotlight and can put up his points. In answer to that the host chided that Yashin couldn't be in a destination any more under the radar than on Long Island. Allen's response was that it's still New York.
Sheehy stated they are not willing to budge on their demands as Blake believes he will get what he is asking for and possibly more from another club on July 1st. “I’ve talked to Garth about it, but we really haven’t any real discussions,” Sheehy said recently. “Jason would like a five-year deal from the Islanders, and I don’t think the Islanders are looking to do a five-year deal. Therefore, there really hasn’t been any discussion.” When asked if Blake was ready to test free agency on July 1st, Sheehy replied, “Yes, unless things change. That’s where it’s at. Jason is always willing to listen to the Islanders, but right now, that seems to be the way it’s going.” Reportedly, the return of Blake becomes more grim when taking into the account the Islanders are focusing all their efforts on getting Ryan Smyth signed, combined with the realization that the Islanders are not going to buy out Alexei Yashin. With Yashin slated to make another $7.6 million in 2007-08 and the Islanders looking to throw the checkbook at Smyth, there may not be any money left to re-sign Blake, especially for his asking price. Snow is apparently concerned about giving a long term deal to Blake at his age of 34. Ted Nolan and the Islanders praised Blake during this past season for his competitive nature but they reportedly also felt he often extended his shifts and surprisingly was hot-tempered in practice as well as the locker room at times. Only 9 other players in the NHL had more goals than Blake's 40 in 2006-07. “The only way you can measure the new NHL player is by what they’ve done the last two seasons,” Sheehy said. “You can’t say a guy is a 30- or 40-goal scorer unless he’s done it the last two years because the game is different.” When asked about Blake's conditioning, Sheehy noted, “Whether Jason signs a three-year, a four-year or a five-year deal, I do not believe this will be his last contract. The work ethic is great. He’s a freak.” The only way it seems likely the Islanders change their minds on Blake is if they realize Smyth will not return. Only then they might offer Blake more money. But the likelihood that both will be back is looking grimmer by the day. “I haven’t really thought about that, but if they have to spend more to keep Ryan, I’m sure that would affect what they would be able to do for Jason,” Sheehy said. “If they don’t get Ryan, that may affect things as well. The amount of money a team is forced to spend on different players affects what they can do for others. “They have to figure out what they’re doing and who they’re bringing back. I won’t be surprised if they call. If they do want to talk about it, we’re certainly going to talk. Jason has loved Long Island, and he’s loved playing there. But I’m not worried. Either we talk and make a deal, or he becomes free and he has to go somewhere else.” Snow has reportedly spoken with Sheehy about some of his other clients, which most likely he does with every player agent. Some of Sheehy's clients up for unrestricted free agency are: Edmonton's C Toby Petersen, Vancouver's RW Lee Goren, former Islander D Ryan Caldwell, Philadelphia's C Mark Cullen, Colorado's D Jeff Finger, Ottawa's RW Jeff Heerema & former Islander C Matt Koalska, St. Louis' LW Peter Sejna & D Aaron MacKenzie, Atlanta's LW Jon Sim, San Jose's RW Grant Stevenson, Nashville's G Karl Goehring, and Washington's D Andy Hedlund. islesinfo.com comment: More bad news following the news that Alexei Yashin will be returning next season. It's starting to look like the worst case scenario could turn out to play. The Islanders could lose Smyth AND Blake. It's looking like we won't see BOTH return. But Alexei will be here. Sad. I really don't see Blake returning. He will welcome free agency and look to see what he will receive on the open market. The Islanders will be forced to look to replace his potential 30-40 goals, which won't be an easy task.
SHARKS BEGIN CIRCLING Would the Sharks deal Patrick Marleau? Don't see why not? They've hitched their wagon to Joe Thornton, who will likely get whatever 20 per cent of the 2008 cap is when his contract comes due, and Marleau's contract ($4.167 million average) is also up on July 1, 2008. Can they afford a $7.5-million centre in Jumbo Joe and Marleau, who'll be looking for $5.5 million, at least? I don't think so. San Jose could use a clever, puck-moving, older defenceman (somebody to take the heat off Matt Carle). Of course, they'd also need a second-line centre, somewhere, but you could find a $3.5-million guy who's more of a two-way guy. How about they sign Jason Blake from the Islanders and move Marleau for a front-line D-man. Maybe Marleau for Mattias Ohlund? Or pitch him to the Hawks (for Tuomo Ruttu and Brent Seabrook). Or the Habs for a kid with big potential, Chris Higgins, and, say, goalie Carey Price? islesinfo.com: This is Jason Blake's first time up for unrestricted free agency, so you just get the feeling he is interested in seeing what other clubs believe he is worth on the open market. Most observers believe Blake is worth $3.5 million over say a three year deal. But we don't know what he is asking for officially yet or what the Islanders management would like to give him. It's possible Blake believes he could get $4 million a season from a West Coast team. Prior to the trade deadline this year Nashville, Anaheim, San Jose and Detroit all inquired about his availability. As for Marleau, the Islanders would love to acquire him. But they don't really have anything to give up. The below was written by Matheson in early March. It was a positive note about the Islanders efforts to retain Ryan Smyth which I want to repost because there have been a lot of doubts lately about the Islanders getting him signed. ISLES WANT TO SIGN SMYTH Anybody who thinks Ryan Smyth is only biding his time in Long Island until the free-agency store opens July 1 doesn't know Islanders owner Charles Wang. "This guy could offer Smyth $6 million a year for 10 years," said one NHL executive, still shaking his head at Rick DiPietro's 15-year, $67-million contract. "They're not going to want to lose Smyth, not giving up three young assets to get him. Not without a fight." The Rangers will make a push, too, with the cap likely going up to $48 million; don't forget their GM, Glen Sather, pushed to have the Oilers take Smyth at the '94 draft. The Leafs will be in there pitching, too, to find a winger for Mats Sundin, when they pick up his $5.33-million salary for next year.
Mike Bossy apparently called Smyth to sell him on the Isles, not a bad idea, but I don't see Smyth signing anywhere for that long. Here's the list of Smyth's suitors, and the odds of the teams getting him: Colorado, 2-1 (Joe Sakic's a friend and lots of cap room), Rangers, 4-1 (Glen Sather connection), Leafs 6-1 (agent Don Meehan lives in Toronto), Wings 6-1 (they won't resign Bertuzzi or Lang), Isles 10-1, Dallas 10-1 (playoff history), Oilers 25-1 (he turned them down once). islesinfo.com comment: The more I hear about this stuff the more it worries me. Yeah, we all know there are going to be a ton of rumors until he actually signs with somebody, but some of these writers DO have connections in the hockey world and they hear things. As for the destinations, the only one I could really see is Colorado because of the Sakic relationship. For him to go to the Rangers would be a slap in the face to the Islanders and I don't think Smyth would do that. No way Leafs, No way Dallas, and NO WAY Edmonton. As for the rumored contract turn down during the week I wasn't going to mention them here because they were pretty much unsubstantiated until Matheson picked up on it. The rumors were supposedly mentioned on Edmonton TV that Smyth had turned down a long term offer made by the Islanders. I don't know if they are true but if it is it just may be possible that Smyth doesn't want to sign a deal that long. Personally I don't think he should be signed for 7 or 8 years and hopefully the Islanders are NOT considering it. WE all know how Wang likes to operate though. If he did sign him that long it would just be another contractual mistake. Smyth is 31 years old and locking him up during the late stages of his career may not be such a wise move. Plus I just don't know if he's worth superstar money for that long of a contract even if he is a great leader. But the fact Smyth is probably looking for no longer than a 5 year deal I think is good for him and ultimately good for the Islanders. Everyone is Interested in Smyth April 30, 2007: The following is an excerpt from the Edmonton Journal, written by Jim Matheson: AVS, STARS WANT SMYTH: Take this to the bank: The Colorado Avalanche and the Dallas Stars will be the hottest pursuers of free agent Ryan Smyth on July 1. Colorado has only $28.5 million committed to players next year. and that includes goalie Jose Theodore, who might get bought out, and only cost them $2 mil on the cap, rather than his $6-mil salary for 2007-2008. Avs captain Joe Sakic is already on record as saying he'll gladly get on the phone to campaign for any free agent they want. Sakic and Smyth are good friends from their Olympic team days so it wouldn't be a tough sell. The Stars also know they desperately need more scoring after getting three shutouts from Marty Turco against the Canucks and still losing the series. THIS 'N' THAT I don't see the Preds re-signing Paul Kariya, not if they think Alexander Radulov can take his spot on the top two lines for about a quarter the price. Kariya is a big talent but he makes $4.5 million and they might want to use that on, say, keeping free-agent defenceman captain Kimmo Timonen or making a run at Smyth, who has a huge booster in Preds coach Barry Trotz. islesinfo.com comment: By the time all is said and done, pretty much all 29 NHL teams will have been reported to have had some kind of interest in Smyth. I still say I'd be shocked if anyone outbids the Islanders for Smyth's services. Family will play a big factor in his decision.
Here is the excerpt of the Friedman article: "All right... Here’s where it gets interesting. I am convinced Bryan McCabe didn’t want to come back to Toronto. His wife is from Long Island, and went through a life-threatening childbirth last year. It’s perfectly understandable that after something like that, the family wanted to stay closer to her home. I get the sense that McCabe kept asking for things he never thought he’d get, like five years, $5.75 million a season, a no-trade, then a no-move. Somewhere, he figured the franchise would say no. But the reply was “yes, yes, yes,” and suddenly, he wasn’t getting a better deal anywhere else. If I was Ferguson, I would go to McCabe and say, “If we can get you to the Islanders, will you go?” (Somehow, I figure the answer would be yes.) Then, I would go to Garth Snow and say, “Garth, you’ve got Alexei Yashin for four more years and almost $30 million. Your coach hates him, your players hate him, I bet even you hate him. You guys can’t afford that. I’ll take him off your hands if you take McCabe off mine.” (I figure Snow would also say yes.) Now, this is what the Leafs do with Yashin: They toss him in the minors. (He does not have a no-trade clause.) Yes, you’d still have to pay him all of his money, but if there’s one team that can afford a $7 million minor-leaguer, it’s the Marlies. Maybe someone might even buy tickets to see him. The key part of this: he wouldn’t count against the NHL cap. Suddenly they would have an extra $5.75 million a year of McCabe money that they were locked into for the next four seasons. Suddenly, a team strangled by bad contracts – Raycroft, Kubina, McCabe – has some breathing room and flexibility. That is what the Maple Leafs need now." A Look at the Two Contracts: Bryan McCabe: has four years remaining on a contract that will see him earn $5.75 million a season. He currently has a no-trade clause and a no-waiver clause. Contract ends in 2011. It was originally a 5 year deal worth $28.75 million. He has $23 million remaining on the contract. He will turn 32 this summer. Alexei Yashin: has four years remaining on a contract that will see him count for about $6.8 million off the salary cap annually. Contract ends in 2011. It was originally a 10 year deal worth $89 million. He has about $30 million remaining on the contract. Yashin does not have a no-trade clause and does not have a no-waiver clause. He will turn 34 early in the 2007-08 season. islesinfo.com comment: There have been some rumors that this deal has actually been discussed. But I wouldn't hold out on it actually coming true. I'm assuming McCabe's no-waiver clause means he cannot be sent to the minors, which is why he suggests acquiring Yashin. According to the new CBA, any player who signs a contract under the age of 35 can be sent to the minors and his contract will not count against the salary cap. This has never really been an option to the Islanders, since owner Charles Wang keeps a tight personal cap for the Islanders, so it wouldn't be like all of a sudden Wang would spend that $7 million on somebody else just because that money is freed off the cap. But for the Leafs, money may not be an object. Basically they could send Yashin to the AHL's Marlies and pretty much write that money off, never looking back. It's a bit confusing because you see how players fight so hard to avoid the two-way contract. Take Sean Bergenheim for instance. He was cast off to Europe this season because he wouldn't accept the Islanders two way contract offer. But the fact of the matter is, even if he signed a one way deal with the Islanders, that's just monetary. He STILL could be sent to Bridgeport. The likelihood of that happening though is slim because of the guaranteed money the Islanders would be paying him. It just gives observers on first glance the belief these players can't be demoted, when actually they can if the team is willing, or rich enough to do it. But there are always unique situation, and this Yashin/McCabe one is one of them. Normally, you would think there would be a lot to lose for Toronto GM John Ferguson, Jr. to make this type of deal. Acquiring Yashin could be something easily viewed as a GM begging to get himself axed. Especially if McCabe comes to the Islanders, performs well, and Yashin either struggles or is in the minors. But if they decided to use that money elsewhere Ferguson could avoid a backlash. In the end, it would be a good deal for the Islanders. Though it's certainly not a slam dunk. McCabe is making not much less than some of the elite defensemen in the NHL. Is he in that class? It's debatable. But imagine a power play combination of Marc-Andre Bergeron and McCabe. What goaltender is going to stop those Bombs? You are probably talking top five power play with those two manning the back line. Plus McCabe would be happy considering his wife is from Long Island. Toronto could decide to test Yashin on the wing with Mats Sundin and see what happens. If it doesn't work out, they can free up cap space by sending him down and hope to acquire someone at the trade deadline. Personally, I would do the deal. But still, I can't see it happening. Just too much red tape. I'm just not so sure Toronto would consider this move as much as their media, and the Islanders would like them to.
Update 5pm EST: Blake Still an Islander? As of 5pm EST there has been no announcement that the Islanders have traded Jason Blake. It seems likely now that Blake will remain an Islander which along with the acquisition of Ryan Smyth will bolster the Islanders playoff chances. Now the biggest news is whether the Islanders can sign both Blake and Smyth before they both become unrestricted free agents July 1, 2007.
Greg Logan of Newsday has been reporting that Nashville, San Jose, Detroit, and Anaheim have all inquired about Blake's services. Below are some of the rumored deals that have circulated: Vancouver has offered a 1st rounder and Daniel Rahimi. With their recent acquisition of Peter Forsberg, Nashville may really go for the homerun by snagging Blake. The only way we would give Blake to Nashville is if they were willing to part with RW Alexander Radulov. The Preds also have a very strong crop of d-man youth that includes Cody Franson, Dan Hamhuis, Shea Weber and Ryan Suter. As for Anaheim, they recently acquired a first round pick in a deal with Tampa Bay that they may use to try and temp the Islanders for Blake. Anaheim has some young talented forwards that the Islanders likely covet: C Ryan Getzlaf and RW Corey Perry. But it's very unlikely that Anaheim would offer them in a deal. The Ducks also have RW Bobby Ryan still in junior and D Brendan Mikkelson. islesinfo.com prediction: GM Garth Snow has stated for the last month or so that the Islanders would be buyers come the trade deadline. Thus far Snow has not strayed from his word when coming out in public. So I don't believe he will deal Blake. But Blake's recent statements regarding his contract status in the papers took Snow by surprise and the bidding war among the Western teams could provide Snow with a possible offer that he just can't refuse. Coach Ted Nolan has confirmed to Logan of Newsday that in fact there are 5 teams looking to acquire Blake. Letting that be known in public does prove that the Islanders are listening to offers. Some teams' right now are overpaying to acquire players for the stretch run. If there is a deal it will most likely be judged on what position the Islanders put themselves in for the remainder of this season. The important thing is not to hurt the team's playoff chances to which losing Blake at the end of the season to unrestricted free agency will not be such a bad thing. He will either be re-signed or the Islanders will use that money to sign someone else. If Blake is dealt, the Islanders have to get back assets that will continue to help them in the stretch run, or it's not worth it. Update 10pm, 2/26/07: It's looking more and more like Jason Blake has played his last game as an Islander. Greg Logan of Newsday has stated in his blog tonight that it's most likely Blake will be dealt for a package of picks and prospects. The entry included this quote by coach Ted Nolan when asked if he worried about disrupting the Islanders’ 10-2-4 roll if they decided to trade Blake: “No. Jason, as well as he’s been playing, has only had one or two goals in the last [11] games. I don’t think he’s scored a whole lot. Our team relies on different people on different nights.” The fact that Blake's value will never be as high as it is now, the fact that Blake will seek his worth on the open market al la Mark Parrish at this same time last year, and the fact that the Islanders are not willing to give Blake a 5 year deal worth $18 million all equate to Blake most likely finding himself a new home by Tuesday night. Nolan and the Islanders believe their playoff run will not be affected by the dealing of Blake and at the same time believe they could stock the cupboard for the next few seasons to come through a quality deal. The fact that they do not plan to trade him to an Eastern team is further proof they believe they can win without him. My prediction, a deal with either Nashville, Anaheim or San Jose will come down.
The Islanders have a very important stretch coming up. After their game in Toronto on Feb. 13th the Islanders have a seven game home stand. The Islanders will face New Jersey, Pittsburgh, Toronto and Montreal before the deadline. If the Islanders are to be serious playoff contenders they will need to achieve 8 points in that 5 game span at home before the deadline and at least 11 out of the 14 points available during the entire home stand. With the recent statements by pending unrestricted free agent Jason Blake, he has become even more in the forefront of Islanders trade rumors. One team that would love to acquire Blake is the Carolina Hurricanes. If Jim Ruthorford, Carolina's GM, is unable to corral Peter Forberg from Philadelphia, he may turn and offer a package to the Islanders for Blake. Surely Ruthorford saw how well Blake played on a line in the All Star game last month with Justin Williams and Eric Staal. But Carolina's depth has grown thin over the last year, the price they've paid to gain the Stanley Cup. Any package the Islanders would be interested would have to start with LW Andrew Ladd, who was drafted 4th overall in 2004. There are still some question marks with Ladd though. It's still unknown if whether he will be an offensive producer or a third line checker. Ladd just recently scored his 5th goal of the season in what has been limited ice time over the course of the year. The Hurricanes also may look to peddle one of their surplus defensemen: David Tanabe, Andrew Hutchinson or Anton Babchuk. But the Islanders most likely won't go for that. Perhaps Ladd and a draft pick could do it. A first rounder may be a bit high to ask. Islanders GM Garth Snow and coach Ted Nolan stated today that they were not looking to deal Blake. But could that change in the next two weeks? Another question is would the Islanders trade Blake to another Eastern Conference team? They most likely would rather trade him out West if it was to happen. One player the Islanders would love to add to their lineup is disgruntled Florida Panthers' power forward Nathan Horton. But what would it cost the Islanders to acquire him? At 6-2 and 201 lbs. the 21 year old Horton is already on the verge of his second straight 20 goal season with Florida and he almost reached 30 in 2005-06. It will be interesting to see if Florida moves Horton and/or Olli Jokinen before the deadline.
Nagy is currently 27 years old and is very hot as of late as he has recorded 8 points in his last 9 games. This deal obviously culminated due to the question mark of Blake's contract with the Islanders, as he is set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer. Rumor has it the Islanders would like to re-sign Blake before the end of the current season. But it doesn't take a rocket scientist to realize this deal is incredibly tilted in support of the Coyotes. Another recently reported deal has the Islanders possibly interested in acquiring a defenseman from the Carolina Hurricanes. The Islanders were mentioned in a recent news article as interested in either Andrew Hutchinson or David Tanabe. This just seems to be more talk without any basis for support. Why would the Islanders want to add either of those two d-men to their lineup? Tanabe is not much better than Tom Poti, while Hutchinson does not have much experience at the NHL level. Now here's the latest rumor from the land of insanity: The Islanders have been reported to be interested in Los Angeles Kings' Sean Avery, a guy known more for his on ice antics and off ice girlfriend (Elisha Cuthbert) than for his hockey ability. Plus, the rumor stated that LA is looking to get a first round draft pick for Avery. Are they insane? Avery at most is worth a 5th round pick. It still remains to be seen with 12-13 games remaining before the trade deadline on February 27th if the Islanders will become buyers or sellers. The Islanders are still in the dead of the race as they are currently only 3 points out of the final 8th place playoff spot. Apparently the Islanders do not believe Jeff Tambellini could come in and play on the top line left wing side. That would be the only place a player like Nagy would fit. But the Islanders would like to get Nagy for alot less than the rumored deal that is currently out there. Also, the Coyotes recently traded second line center Mike Comrie to Ottawa for prospect Alexei Kaigorodov. Why should the Islanders pay Blake AND a prospect for Nagy? If the Islanders were to become sellers, the first name to look at is most likely Miroslav Satan. If buyers, they are looking for at least two offensive players, preferably a left winger for the first line and a center or left winger for the second line. It's VERY highly unlikely that the Islanders would be able to acquire the services of Philadelphia Flyer Peter Forsberg. The price tag is just way too high for a player who is a huge risk to even stay in the lineup. Rumor has it that if Forsberg waves his no trade clause with the Flyers for a trade, he may plan to re-sign with the Flyers in the summer when he becomes a free agent. I honestly can see the Rangers making a deal for Forsberg, as they are a team that has historically been more willing to sell the farm for a quick fix.
Guerin can still provide a team down the stretch with some offense even though he is getting up there in years at 36. He'll be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the year, and his salary won't be expensive as he will be entering the back end of a $2 million deal. That situation does not hold true for LW Keith Tkachuk, who is in the final year of a $5.7 million deal and is always injury prone. Tkachuk also only has 8 goals this season. If the Islanders found a way to not give up too much to acquire Guerin before the February 27, 2007 trade deadline it could make them a stronger playoff contender. The Phoenix Coyotes are in the bottom of the Pacific Division and may look to shed some of their veteran players. That includes captain RW Shane Doan. Also slated for unrestricted free agency at season's end, Doan is currently getting just over $3.3 million. He's still relatively young at the age of 30, but he has struggled this season offensively with only 7 goals in 27 games. LW Ladislav Nagy's name has also come up in some rumors but at $3 million he is currently way over-priced and the Islanders don't need another assist man that can't put the puck in the net. Of course there are still rumors out there that the Islanders may be interested in signing C/RW Jason Allison, but I really doubt this would come true if it hasn't already. Don't expect this to happen. There were some rumors that the Islanders may be interested in Vancouver C Brendan Morrison, who has 2 years left on his contract at $3.2 million. Don't look for this to happen either as the Canucks are currently in first place in the Pacific. As for any more deals with the Philadelphia Flyers, you can probably rule them out as potential trade partners for the Islanders at this stage. C Peter Forsberg can't get his foot into a skate and is way too injury prone. The Islanders would LOVE to acquire LW Simon Gagne, but the cost would definitely come very steep as he currently has five years remaining on his contract at over $5.2 million a year. C Olli Jokinen of the Florida Panthers would be another great addition for the Islanders, but his contract which is almost identical to Gagne's makes him another tough acquisition. LW Fredrik Modin could become available if the Columbus Blue Jackets are still out of it by the deadline. The former 30 goal scorer for Tampa Bay has 9 goals in 34 games this season. And speaking of Tampa Bay, there have been some long-shot rumors that if they fall out of playoff contention they may look to shed one of their three big contracts: C Brad Richards (5 years, $7.8 million), C Vincent Lecavalier (3 years, $6.875 million) and RW Martin St. Louis (5 years, $5.25 million). I really can't see the Islanders acquiring any of these players. Personally, I think there would be a revolt in Tampa Bay if they dealt Lecavalier, so rule him out for moving. Plus his contract is more reasonable than the other two. Again, it's hard to believe they would move St. Louis, but he would seem the most likely to move. But to the Islanders? I seriously doubt it. Could the Islanders look to make further changes with their current roster? C Shawn Bates should be the perfect fourth line center, but he has struggled at times this season with penalties. He could be on the hot seat come February if the Islanders need to include a player in a package deal. A prospect that could be on the market is RW Robert Nilsson, who the Islanders mistakenly took over Zach Parise in the 2003 draft (blame scout Anders Kallur and former GM Mike Milbury for that one). If a team like Florida wants prospects in exchange for Jokinen, Nilsson could be a starting point.
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1998-2007 Tom Mascioli
