Islanders roll the dice with Kabanov, Niederreiter

Steals? Risks? Gambles? We won't know for some time whether the moves the New York Islanders made at the 2010 NHL Entry Draft will help or hurt the team, but we do know one thing for sure:

They lead the league in guys named 'Kirill.'

Two years after taking Kirill Petrov in the third round of the 2008 draft, the Isles went to Russia again in the third round and selected Kirill Kabanov in what could be the steal of the draft, considering Kabanov had been ranked as high as the top three in the draft class within the past year, and 15th at the midterm.

So what happened to the 17-year-old scorer? Rumors of drinking, getting dropped by the Russian national team as well as his agent, problems with his team in Moncton, and an injured wrist conspired to sink his reputation as well as his draft standing. The Isles grabbed him at 65th overall, figuring they had to take a player with that kind of talent.

And he has talent, in spades. He also has moxie, as shown in his post-draft interview when he promised that he wouldn't let the Isles or their fans down. We'll see. The kid's 17. But the draft is a crapshoot, and you can't leave skills like Kabanov's on the table at No. 65.

As for first-round pick Nino Niederreiter, I had a feeling the Islanders would go for a forward. Can't say I saw Nino coming.

The day before the draft, I re-Tweeted something my man B.D. Gallof said about what the Isles would do at No. 5. B.D. predicted that the Islanders would go with a forward with their first pick, adding, "As Ricky Roma once said: "If everyone thinks one thing, then I say, bet the other way."

Hey, anyone who drops a "Glengarry Glen Ross" reference in a tweet is aces in my book. And I agreed that even though the Isles lack size on defense, they have some young, talented blueliners in Travis Hamonic and Calvin de Haan. Why not get some more help up front and give John Tavares some players to work with?


But instead of Brett Connolly (who went one pick later to Tampa Bay — you wonder if Stevie Y was rubbing his hands together with glee), the Islanders went with Niederreiter, who shined for Switzerland at the World Junior Championships, as well as with the Portland Winterhawks of the Western Hockey League, scoring 36 goals in his rookie season. The 18-year-old center has mad skills (witness his one-handed goal) and let's face it, the Isles need more juice on offense.


Trading two picks to move up and take Brock Nelson at No. 30 was bold, but Garth Snow has shown that he'll make the move to get the guy he wants. Nelson is big and will get bigger at North Dakota. The Islanders added more size with Jason Clark later in the third round, and finally got a defenseman with Tony DeHart in the fifth round. DeHart paired with de Haan at Oshawa.


I refuse to give out a draft grade. These are 17- and 18-year-olds. Who knows how they'll pan out? But it certainly looks like the Islanders came away with some talented and potentially exciting players, who could give us fans plenty to cheer about in the coming seasons.


What about this season? With the July 1 free agent period just days away, the Isles will be in a position to fill some of their more immediate holes. One request — can we get UFA Eric Nystrom on this team? I'm sure his dad will allow him to wear No. 23.

Start selling those Tavares sweaters... now!

John Tavares is an Islander. Let the merchandising begin.

And, yeah, some goals would be nice. And some wins. And another Stanley Cup at some point wouldn't be too much to ask.

Islanders GM Garth Snow kept 'em guessing until the very end, but let's face it -- this was a no-brainer.

Snow got tricky last year, trading down twice and acquiring a quality player in Josh Bailey while stockpiling picks.

This time around, he had the No. 1 pick in a draft with two -- and many argued, three -- players who could legitimately be taken first overall. But Snow played it cool and wouldn't tip his hand, and that was the smartest move someone at the helm of a struggling franchise could make.

Why not keep it a secret? It created drama. It built up interest. Lo and behold, the Isles had 10,000 fans at the Nassau Coliseum, ready to either celebrate like crazy or tear the place apart if Victor Hedman or Matt Duchene was announced, which would have been nuts since both are outstanding players.

So the fans who wanted Tavares went wild, and the fans who feared Snow would screw up are maybe giving him some props tonight. The Tavares pick also sets into motion the marketing machine that will sell tickets, jerseys, T-shirts and luxury boxes.

Fans, however, only care about the on-ice benefit, and Tavares brings plenty to the table. Four years as the top player in junior hockey yielded scoring records and a world junior championships. In a tournament with the best players in the world, he was the MVP, the best of the best, and he helped his team win it all.

Most importantly, he has a nose for the net that his new club sorely lacks. So now, assuming Rick DiPietro is healthy and comes back with something to prove, and if the defense can be shored up a bit via free agency, and maybe a veteran winger can be brought in -- suddenly this Islanders team is interesting.

Tavares, Bailey, Okposo, Comeau, Nielsen, Bergenheim -- you've got some nice young players in that group. Throw in vets like Streit, Witt, Sutton, Park, Hunter and Weight, and maybe they've got something going, not just for the future, but now.

Last season, with a backup and minor leaguer tending goal instead of DiPietro, the Islanders went 11-26 in one-goal games, with 9 losses in OT or shootouts (31 points). By contrast, the Rangers, with Henrik Lundqvist in the net, went 24-19 in one-goal games, also with 9 OT/SO losses, for 57 points.

How many points would a healthy DiPietro have been worth? Then again, if he's healthy, the Isles probably don't get Tavares.

Everything happens for a reason.

Maybe someday Snow will get his due, but he's still relatively new at this GM business, and we all know you can't truly judge a draft until a few seasons have passed, but the guy should start getting some credit.

Nice work, Garth. Even if it was a no-brainer.

UPDATE: Snow traded up twice to get the 12th overall pick and selected Calvin de Haan, a puck-moving defenseman from the Oshawa Generals of the OHL.

A curious move in that Snow first traded up to the 16th pick and de Haan, based on his rating, probably could have lasted to that point. But you target players you like, and Snow obviously liked de Haan and felt he needed to move up to ensure he'd get his man.

Unlike Tavares, de Haan is 3-4 years away, and he could stand to gain another 30 pounds or so on his wiry frame. But he's a well-regarded and intelligent player, so file him away for a couple of seasons.

Isles have the 31st overall pick, first in the second round, and still have No. 56 and No. 91 (the final pick of the third round).

Isles draft preview, and a wish list

Tempting as it may be with the prospect of an anticipated packed house on hand at the Coliseum, I won't be at the Islanders draft party Friday night to see the No. 1 selection announced in person.

My softball team has a doubleheader that night, and with guys missing because of graduation parties (and the Subway series), we're a little short on players, and I'm a team guy all the way. So I'll be digging in at third base when Garth Snow makes an announcement that will either send the crowd into raucous celebration, or start a riot.

I'm betting on the former.

You can certainly make an argument for taking Victor Hedman at No. 1, since blueliners with his combination of size and speed come around as often as a waitress when you're ready for the check. And you can argue that Matt Duchene is the most "complete" forward available and deserves to be considered with Hedman and John Tavares at the top tier of the draft.

But while Snow has smartly played it coy, inviting all sorts of speculation, Tavares will be the pick here, and he should be. In his mock draft at SI.com, John Muir puts it best when he notes that Tavares has been picked apart by scouts and critics two seasons now and is still considered by most to be the best player available.

Yes, the Islanders could stand to shore up their defense, but the most glaring needs are up front. The team that scores the most goals wins, and the Isles are desperate for a scorer, never mind a marquee player that can sell tickets. Tavares fits the bill on both fronts.

So if you're going to the draft party and you want Tavares, plan on celebrating. But bring a flak jacket just in case.

What's more interesting is what the Islanders do at No. 26 in the first round, and at that point perhaps a d-man can be taken. But best player available is the way to play it.

The draft is just the beginning of the offseason, and there will be other roster decisions to be made, including free agent signings.

Here's where I get greedy and the wishful thinking runs wild.

We know that the Lighthouse Project is finally getting some real political traction. Things are looking up for a change. The salary cap will likely remain at around $56 million, with a floor of $40 million. The Isles have a cap number of around $33 million with some holes to fill.

Steven Stamkos' cap number is just under $4 million, so let's use that for Taveras for argument's sake. And let's say resigning RFAs Blake Comeau, Nate Thompson and Jack Hillen add another $3 million to the payroll (we're rounding up). That puts the Isles at the floor.

But why stop there?

You want to help the defense? Sign Mike Komisarek. The West Islip native is a hard hitter who would strengthen the back line, and think of all those family and friends who won't have to trek up to Montreal to see him play. Figure $6 million a year.

There's a tremendous need on the left wing, and while I'm spending Charles Wang's money, how about Mike Cammaleri? Are you kidding? With a name like that he'd be a huge fan favorite. Oh, yeah, he's also 27 and scored 39 goals last season.

Dream on? OK, what about Maxim Afinogenov? He's regressed the last two seasons and he turns 30 in September, but if you're bargain hunting, why not roll the dice?

Of course, if the Isles did sign Komisarek it would make players like Radek Martinek and Bruno Gervais expendable, and Jeff Tambellini could also be dealt, so they could trade for a left winger.

Will any of this happen? Probably not. But Snow has some options and there are some interesting players available, and maybe Wang is willing to throw a bit more cash around. After all, when you're used to losing $20 million a season, what's a few mil more, right?

Enjoy the draft, buy your Tavares sweaters and get ready for what should be an interesting summer off the ice.

Bitterness abounds

Considering I root for the Mets, Jets and Islanders (God help me if I was a Knicks fan), it's remarkable how optimistic I am about my favorite teams and their futures. It's also kind of amazing I haven't either become an alcoholic or sniped anyone from a bell tower.

The similarities between Mets fans and Islanders fans in particular are notable in that each group is populated by some of the most bitter, negative people around. Mets fans are still stunned by the Collapse of 2007, which came a year after the Mets lost to the Cardinals in the NLCS and then watched that very beatable team go on to win a World Series.

Islanders fans have suffered through 25 years of championship drought, and in that time they have not only not won the Stanley Cup, but for significant stretches they were an absolute joke. Spano. Fishsticks. Milbury. Say no more.

As a result, Islanders fans have almost no confidence in the organization. Sure, they like Ted Nolan - what's not to like. But they can't stomach Charles Wang's unusual ideas about running a franchise, and they still see Garth Snow as the old backup goalie. So it's not surprising that so many fans are lamenting the loss of Nikita Filatov as if he was a lock to be the next Sergei Fedorov.

He's not, though. He's undeniably talented but small, so who knows how that will pan out. Snow gathered up extra picks and some of his second-day selections -- Kirill Petrov, Corey Trivino, Aaron Ness -- look like steals. We won't know for sure for a few years, but that hasn't stopped the naysayers from treating Snow like, well, Milbury. Which isn't fair.

What fans should be more concerned about in the short term is what Snow is going to do to help the team in 2008-09. He may have done an outstanding job of restocking the system, but other than maybe Josh Bailey (and that's a big maybe), none of the 2008 draft picks will make an impact next season.

And while the Isles aren't likely to land the biggest fish in the free agent pool, fans should expect -- maybe even demand -- that the Isles at least approach the league salary cap and go after some significant talent, particularly up front. There's no first line on this team, and it's tough to win too many 2-1 games.

All I'd like to see is an honest effort to bring in legitimate talent. I won't attempt to make a list. I actually am willing to trust Snow.

Then again, I am an optimist. Somehow.

A matter of philosophy

One of the most memorable and painful sports memories for me, as a Jets fan, came when the Jets selected Ken O'Brien over Dan Marino at the 1983 NFL Draft. I'll never forget Sal Marchiano, covering the draft for WNBC, asking a Jets fan at the draft for his opinion. The fan admitted he was surprised by the move before uttering the words that fans will take to their graves:

"The Jets must know something we don't."

Hmmm. Maybe not.

Islanders fans -- and, judging by the fan reaction at the Coliseum and the action on the message boards, the vast majority of fans -- are hoping tonight that Nikita Filatov does not become the Islanders' Dan Marino, the one that got away. If the Isles wanted Filatov, they could have had him at five, so they must not have viewed him as the sure thing, the dynamic goal scoring machine, which is how so many fans see him.

The reality is, despite the vast amount of information and scouting reports and video available to fans, the teams know a heck of a lot more than the fans and they have their favorites.

You wonder whether the Islanders would have taken Filatov at seven had he still been there, but that's a hypothetical question that will likely never be answered. Maybe the Isles took a chance that they could get Filatov at seven and pick up an extra second-rounder in the process, and when he wasn't there, they moved down where they knew they could get Bailey, a player they liked.

It's a moot point now. This is a draft that fans will point to forever, and we'll see in a couple of years whether or not it's a successful one. Will Bailey and the other picks end up as the core of a championship caliber team, or will Filatov go on to become the next Ovechkin? There will be plenty of people keeping tabs on that.

The pick is Bailey

Josh Bailey, center from Windsor of the OHL is the pick at number nine. Ranked as the 14th North American skater... word on TSN was that he was the player the Isles had identified all along. Maybe a bit of a reach at nine, with Hodgson and Beach and Boychuk available, but that was clearly Snow's plan. He liked a guy he knew would drop, and used the higher picks to acquire additional picks.

Not a strategy that fans love, but other GMs would applaud. Especially in a deep draft, you pile up picks and that gives you not just more players, but flexibility.

Bailey last season - 67 games, 29 goals, 67 assists for 96 points. Regarded as a two-way player and a good playmaker, especially on the power play. We'll meet him soon on the video board here.

The draft is a crap shoot, people. And it's only part of what the Isles need to do before the new season. There's always free agency.

The question is whether the Isles will try and trade back into the first round since they have so many second-round picks, and it is certainly possible. Again, in the end, if they can get two first-rounders and the player they wanted all along, the team will consider the draft a success.

UPDATE: Draft party host John Buccigross of ESPN just interviewed Bailey. He described himself as an offensive player who sees the ice well and has a head for the game, adding that the players he looked up to the most were Steve Yzerman and Joe Sakic.

Asked if he thought he was ready to play in the NHL now, he said, "Yeah, definitely," and that he wanted to keep building up his strength. Bailey received a warm round of applause from the remaining fans -- the most disgruntled and disappointed have already, like Elvis, left the building.

Another trade, and the exodus begins

Fans are walking out as another trade is announced - the Isles trading seven to Nashville for the ninth pick and Nashville's 40th pick overall.

This one I can't defend as much - although in what is supposed to be a very, very deep draft, the Isles now have four second-round picks. And the difference between Hodgson, Wilson, maybe Kyle Beach - isn't that much. So to recap, the Isles traded the fifth pick for the ninth pick and added two second-round picks this year, and either a second or third round pick next year.

Again, armchair GMs love getting value when moving down, and maybe that's what the Isles have gotten here.

Wilson is taken by Nashville, by the way. Good luck, fellow Terrier.

But the fans, who were hoping to get an impact player, a top-five player, are very disappointed and have voiced that displeasure here at the draft party, which has become less of a party and more of a mob gathering.

Oh, well - no Filatov

Columbus took Filatov, and the reaction here at the Coliseum isn't as bad as I thought it would be, though I just heard the first "Garth Snow... YOU SUCK!" chant. And they just booed the announcement that the Isles were on the clock, so maybe it took a few minutes for a Filtov-less reality to settle in.

But look at it this way - the Isles will either get Cody Hodgson or Colin Wilson, both forwards -- the feeling here that it may be Wilson -- and they are both very good players, both solid picks at this spot. And to get two extra picks, that's not a bad play.

Unless Filatov becomes the next Ovechkin, in which case Isles fans will be talking about this move for a looooooong time.

The deal... a good one?

The trade: Isles and Leafs swap five and seven, the Isles get either a second and a third in 2009, or a second and a second in 2009, at the Isles' option.

That's a lot of value to move down two slots. The Isles will still get a very good player at seven, Schenn or Hodgson, or maybe even Filatov, which will at least keep the fans happy.

UPDATE: Leafs take Schenn. So what does Columbus want? I've heard they're not looking at Filatov but wanted defense -- but all the top D-men are taken. Unless they Meyers or DelZotto, which would be a little high. If Columbus likes Hodgson, the Isles fans who love Filatov should build a statue of Garth Snow.

Four for four, but...

OK, so the first four went as I predicted, but we're hearing word that the Isles may have traded down to seven with Toronto...

If they can do that and still get Filatov, peace and joy will flourish here in Hempstead.

If they make the deal and Filatov goes somewhere else, I'll be under the table hiding from the angry mob.

UPDATE: They just announced the swap of picks -- let's just say the mood of the fans here isn't a happy one.

Could Toronto and Columbus take some combo of Schenn and Hodgson and leave Filatov with the Isles? We'll know soon.

Last-minute predictions

OK, almost ready to start and the fans are already yelling for the Isles to take Filatov. If he goes in the first four picks, they may tear this place down and we'll REALLY need the Lighthouse Project.

For posterity, my prediction:

1- Lightning - Stamkos
2- Kings - Doughty
3 - Flames - Bogosian
4- Blues - Pietrangelo
5 - Isles - Filatov

Maybe some wishful thinking.

Already a trade with the Kings ending up with 2 of the top 12 picks after a three-way deal that saw them move Mike Cammaleri.

"Lots of activity at the Islanders table." "Number 5 pick may be up for grabs."

We shall see...

Live at the Isles draft party

The draft party has begun, and as we wait with baited breath to see what the Islanders will do with the fifth overall pick, there's plenty to do on the floor of the Coliseum as fans continue to file in.

Beyond the items up for auction, the interactive exhibits (how hard is your slap shot?), the coolest things are the items brought down from the Hall of Fame in Toronto.

The Islanders items include the five pucks that found the net in the debut game for the Islanders and the Atlanta Flames in October 1972, a 3-2 Flames victory; the stick Mike Bossy used to score his 68th goal in 1980-81; Brent Sutter's jersey from 1986-87; along with Billy Smith's pads and the stick he used when he "scored" a goal against Colorado in 1979.

There's also the skates Gretzky wore in his final game, but I like the old stuff best. Like Ace Bailey's skate blades; the hat Punch Imlach wore while coaching Toronto to four cups in the 1960s (the guy must have a midget based on the size of the hat; perhaps he was the inspiration for the Maple Leafs coach in "The Love Guru" - played by Verne Troyer, of course); Frank Mahovlich's jersey from 1958; Eddie Shore's Bruins jersey from 1932; or the stick Gordie Howe used to score his 220th career goal -- the thing is is flat as a frying pan.

You also learn that these guys save EVERYTHING. Case in point? You can see the socks Sean Bergenheim wore when Finland beat the Czech Republic in the 2001 world under-18 championships.

Dee, they're all yours.

How about this Russian?

Counting down the hours to the draft and the Islanders draft party (starts at 5:30 p.m. - don't be late!) and I'm just putting this out there:

Since the Penguins have so many people to sign and can't possibly keep them all, and since there's usually only room for one superduperstar per team, it's been rumored that the Pens could deal Evgeni Malkin. One rumor had him offered to the Kings for the second overall pick and Mike Cammalleri, who went 19-28-47 in 63 games for L.A. last season.

Could the Isles package the number 5 pick plus one of their second rounders and a young player to Pittsburgh for Malkin? Hmmmmmmmm.

Goodbye, MSG? And hello, Yashin?!

Almost choked on my lunch when I saw this on ESPN.com today:

NEW YORK -- The National Hockey League is threatening to kick out Madison Square Garden, the owners of the New York Rangers, as punishment for accusing the league of violating antitrust laws.

That's right, kids! The league, in a letter signed by Gary Bettman, "asked a judge to agree MSG has breached its contract by challenging league rules and that it can force out MSG."

It all dates back to the Rangers protesting the league's control over all the team websites. Say what you want about the Islanders' past ownership squabbles, but at least the league never threatened to kick one of them out of the league.

That James Dolan is something, isn't he? From the Knicks disaster and Isiah Thomas to this, he seems like one sharp dude. Sharp as a marshmallow.

Just the kind of news that makes me smile. Unlike the report that the Islanders are thinking about bringing back Alexei Yashin.

God help us, no! I don't care what his numbers were for Yaroslavl in the Russian Superliga. And yes, the Isles' offense was pathetic last season. But they bought him out FOR A REASON. They guy is an albatross. There's no way Ted Nolan is on board with this, is there?

Not the kind of news we want to read as we prepare for the NHL Draft on Friday, when the Isles will have a chance at drafting a truly exciting Russian, Nikita Filatov.

Yea on Filatov, nay on Yashin.

Newsday's Greg Logan breaks down the Islanders' possible draft strategy here, noting that Snow could opt to trade down. That would be a mistake. If Filatov is there, you take him. If not, you grab one of the top defensemen who slid down. The Isles have extra picks and should grab the best player they can in the first round, and then use the later picks by either taking players with them or consolidating them into a higher pick at some point.

We'll find out for sure tomorrow night. See you there!

Wings over America; Milbury does it again

Belated congratulations to the Red Wings, who took the Cup in six games -- as I predicted -- over the Penguins, who should be the favorite in the East again next season, depending on what happens with their many potential free agents, and coach Michel Therien, who may or may not be very well-liked in the Pens' clubhouse.

And we know how player revolts go around here, don't we?

Meanwhile, Mike Milbury opened his mouth last week, which often doesn't end well. Responding to an off-the-cuff remark by Tiger Woods about how he didn't follow the NHL playoffs ("I don't think anybody really watches hockey anymore") Milbury called Woods "Tiger Wuss" and then went on about how tough hockey players are compared to pretty much everyone else.

I always liked Milbury's personality and he has had some great quotes over the years. For a long time I was one of the few Milbury defenders in Islanders Nation, until the evidence engulfed me like a landslide. And he is brash and opinionated, which makes him an interesting voice. But this was silly and just makes Mad Mike look insane. Take it down a notch, Mikey. For everyone's sake.

Looking ahead, the Blog Box will be well-represented at the Islanders Draft Party at the Coliseum June 20, with some surprises in store.

And if you want a peek at the list of 2008 free agents, here you go.

Isles don't move, will draft fifth

The Islanders' lottery experience was much like my own — when it was over, nothing changed.

The Isles will stay with the fifth overall pick at the June 20 NHL draft, which projects to be a good one. You can find Central Scouting's list here, and it includes links to other rankings as well.

The Islanders could certainly use a dynamic offensive player like Nikita Filatov of Russia, or they could get another power forward like Kyle Beach. Or will they get a chance at one of several top blueliners like Drew Doughty, Alex Pietrangelo, Luke Schenn or Zach Bogosian? I'd like to see a forward come in but either way, the Isles will be getting a quality player and GM Garth Snow will have some decisions to make.

Owner Charles Wang has made some comments regarding reported tension in the front office and the possibility of giving Ted Nolan a contract extension. Saying "we'll honor the contract" isn't exactly a vote of confidence, and while that approach may make sense in the business world, it's a little different in pro sports, where media coverage can turn a smoldering situation into a five-alarm blaze.

You either like the guy or you don't, and if Nolan is going to be given year three to prove himself -- as if he hasn't proven himself thus far -- who's to say he doesn't get snapped up by someone else? Was this season a step backwards? Yes. Was it Nolan's fault? No.

You'd think that since Wang brought Nolan in, the coach would be in good standing. But reports of a rift between Nolan and Snow concerning the management of Rick DiPietro to the talent on the roster have percolated all season.

Nolan is pretty much a proven coaching commodity who has gotten a lot from what he's had to work with, and he's well-regarded throughout the league. Snow, meanwhile, went straight from backup goalie to GM and has done a fair job this season, although it was clear from the start that scoring would be a problem. And it was -- big time.

Both men owe Wang a debt of gratitude -- Nolan for being rescued from exile and Snow for being given such a huge opportunity with no experience. Is Wang hanging that over their heads?

With a less-than-dynamic crop of free agents, it will be interesting to see how Snow addresses the needs on offense and how the draft plays out. We'll be watching.