Free agent frenzy doesn't visit Long Island

While the rest of the free world stands vigil awaiting the decision made by LeBron James as to where to next collect his basketball millions, NHL fans are themselves geared up for the silly season.

The free agency period began July 1 and there was a landslide of activity.

But not on Long Island.

Islanders fans have come to learn that when the clock strikes midnight on the first day of free agency, that it doesn't pay to stay up late. Or even scour the headlines the next morning. Or the following day, for that matter. Because when it comes to free agents — at least the marquee ones — the Islanders aren't interested.

And you wonder if the feeling is mutual.

A year ago, I suggested in my wish list post that the Isles go out and get Mike Cammalleri, Maxim Afinogenov and Mike Komisarek. Cammelleri lit it up for the Canadiens, Afinogenov scored 24 goals for Atlanta (and could be bound for Russia this season), and hometown boy Komisarek... well, he had a forgettable year in Toronto. Hey, two out of three ain't bad. (Maybe now the Isles can get him cheap?)

The Islanders could sure use a veteran defenseman, and in the day one free agent frenzy, we saw Paul Martin sign with Pittsburgh, and Lou Lamoriello countered by inking Anton Volchenkov and Henrik Tallinder for a combined $39 million.

Think the Isles are spending that kind of dough? News flash: Ilya Kovalchuk isn't coming to Hempstead.

No, Garth Snow has resigned himself to picking through the bargain bin, although he has come up big in the past. Mark Streit wasn't an unknown commodity in Montreal, but he has stepped up his game on Long Island, so that was a huge win for Snow.

The only activity on the Islanders' ledger has been in the 'lost' column, as Martin Biron will now back up for the Rangers, and Jeff Tambellini (whose bags have been likely packed for months), is now in Vancouver.

The Islanders won't snap anyone up. Instead, they'll let the crumbs fall to them and pick out the biggest ones (or at least not the smallest.)

So who will end up here? Maybe they'll re-sign Andy Sutton to provide some size again in the back; at least he liked it here and we liked him. There's been buzz about signing UFA Eric Nystrom, a Syosset boy whose dad played here some years ago. Not an impact player, but he could provide some jam. (UPDATE: He signed with Minnesota. Missed that. Oh, well.)

After that it's anyone's guess. Like last year, I'd love to see the Islanders spend some cash and bring in someone who can score. Matt Moulson was a terrific find but let's face it, Snow got lucky. No one saw 30 goals coming from him. So if the Isles can bring in someone else to help out Moulson and Tavares and Okposo and Bailey and Weight, then I'm all for it.

Alexander Frolov, anyone? Yeah, right.

Beyond the names, can we at least see the Islanders — who are now just raking in the cash with Islanders Entertainment — take a couple of steps above the salary floor?

We know the Lighthouse isn't happening. But at some point, while building for the future — and Snow so far has not wavered from that plan — you have to give the present team and its fans something to, you know, come to the building for other than a glimpse of what could be in a couple of seasons.

Islanders' final 20: What do we want?

The Olympics are over, Canada got its gold medal, and the Russian president is about to roll some heads. But there's no time to bask in the Olympic glow (or, if you're Team USA, wallow in the disappointment). The stretch run for the NHL season is here, and the trade deadline is just a day away. Which means teams have decisions to make.

For the Islanders and GM Garth Snow, there will be many phone calls initiated and received. Does Snow trade Andy Sutton? What about Dwyane Roloson and Martin Biron? Or any of the team's other unrestricted free agents like Doug Weight, RIchard Park, or Jon Sim?

UPDATE: Sutton is traded. See below.

The reality is murky. The Islanders -- despite losing 9 of 11 prior to the Olympic break -- are one of seven teams within striking distance of the final two playoff spots in the East. The Isles have 20 games left to play, 11 of those at home, where they have a winning record (unlike, say, the Rangers).

I used to think that if your team was on the bubble, it didn't matter if it made the playoffs or not, because it would probably get bounced in the opening round, with an outside chance of making it to round two. But with this Islanders team, I think making the playoffs -- even if it led to a first-round elimination -- would be huge.

With a core of young players, to reach the post-season now would be a tremendous boost in experience and confidence and would help accelerate the group's development, and would affirm that coach Scott Gordon has the team headed in the right direction.

Can that happen? Seven teams is quite a scrum, but it's possible that the team goes on a run and squeaks in. Possible, but not likely, especially if Snow trades away key pieces. Snow's moves will be made solely on what benefits the club in the long term.

Take the goalies. Snow should deal whoever brings back a higher return, and that's likely to be Roloson. He played great while he was here, but a 40-year-old netminder isn't part of the future.

Sutton's story is a little different. I'd hate to see him go. He's big and mobile, but he's going to be a free agent, and there are plenty of suitors. If the Isles cannot sign him to an extension now (and that's pretty remote at this point), then it makes sense to trade him to a contender willing to rent him and then try and sign him as a free agent this summer. Keep in mind, he'll be 35 in a week.

Dealing Sutton would hurt the team's playoff chances more than anything else, but you've gotta do what you've gotta do.

(UPDATED: Sutton was traded Tuesday afternoon to Ottawa for a 2nd-round pick. MORE)

As a fan of this team, my approach is "whatever happens, happens." Making the playoffs this season was always a remote possibility, so being within hailing distance of the playoffs with 20 games left isn't bad. If Snow can convert some pieces into draft picks or prospects, all the better.

If the team somehow catches lightning in a bottle (and gets some serious help along the way) and makes the playoffs anyway, then that would be icing on the cake, and it would be fun to see how the team performs in that setting.

The endgame begins tonight at home against Patrick Kane and the Blackhawks. Keep your trade trackers on.

Remember him? DiPietro finally returns

Almost one full year.

That's how long it's been since Rick DiPietro has been on the ice in an NHL game for the Islanders, 364 days since a 5-4 loss in Phoenix. Now, rising from the ashes, DiPietro will be trying to win the Isles some games, while proving to the many doubters that his pro career is far from over.

Hard to believe it's been that long, but as a Mets fan, I've become accustomed to seeing my team's top players out of action for longer than anyone expected (hello, Jose Reyes).

A lot's happened in the 12 months that DP's been out. Barack Obama took over as president. Banks were bailed out. Man walked on the moon (wait, it hasn't been THAT long).

The Islanders carried on without their franchise player, and while the record was disastrous without NHL-caliber netminders, it did help them land John Tavares with the No. 1 pick. So maybe DP (or at least his knee) deserves some thanks.

Credit Garth Snow for landing Dwayne Roloson, who has been outstanding, and Martin Biron, to help man the nets until DiPietro was ready to return. Roloson's performance in particular made it easier to let DP take his sweet time in rehab.

And wouldn't you know it, the Isles have done pretty well without No. 39. Matt Moulson has been a revelation with 16 goals, Tavares has shown he's the real deal, also with 16 scores, and Kyle Okposo has been terrific as well. The Isles are just three points out of a playoff spot.

Goaltending, however, hasn't been the issue at all, thanks to Roloson, and DP isn't going to score much, no matter how far away from his net he roams. But while DiPietro's return won't help the Isles light the lamp, it could provide a huge boost defensive and, possibly, emotionally, if he can return to his previous form.

That's a huge 'if.' Let's take it one game at a time. It will be great to see DiPietro finally back in goal, shaking off the rust.

It's a new year for everyone.

---

I love John Buccigross and his blogumns on ESPN.com, but I have to take issue with his latest edition, where in his mid-season look at all 30 teams he says of the Islanders, "Start losing and get down to the bottom three of the league to draft another star."

I hate that thinking. Sure, getting Tavares was huge, but you never tempt the hockey gods with talk of tanking to get a better draft pick. That's a sure sign of the return of Scott Scissons.

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.

Blackhawks are Exhibit A: There is hope

Are you rooting for the Chicago Blackhawks? I am.

Not just because they have one of the coolest uniforms ever. And not only because they have exciting young talent like Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews. It's because the Hawks represent what's possible for a team like the Islanders. That you can be face-down in the gutter one day, and on top of the world the next.

Chicago's 7-5 victory over the Canucks sent them into the Western Conference finals, and whether they get eliminated there or go on to win the Stanley Cup -- which would be the Hawks' first championship since 1961 (kinda makes 1983 look like last week, doesn't it?) -- this season has seen a remarkable turnaround for a franchise that was, just a couple of seasons ago, among the worst in all of sports.

Prior to this season, Chicago had missed the playoffs in nine of 10 seasons, including five straight. They had just 59 points in 2003-04, followed by seasons of 65 and 71. Things were so bad that you could get rinkside seats for almost nothing. They started showing some mojo last season, with Kane and Toews providing the spark, and then this season they shot up like a bottle rocket.

So what changed? Well, owner "Dollar" Bill Wirtz died in the fall of 2007. Known as a generous and fiercely loyal man in private, he was hated by Hawks fans for his stinginess. They booed during his moment of silence, for God's sake! This was a man who had home games blacked out on local television. And I get pissed when the Isles are on MSG Plus 2 and not in high-def!

Control of the team fell to one of Bill's sons, Rocky, who got the Hawks back on local TV, hired former Cubs executive John McDonough to be the team president, and retained GM Dale Tallon. They changed the culture. They went with youth. They rebuilt burnt bridges with stars like Stan Mikita and Bobby Hull.

Not only did the Hawks make the playoffs this season, they drew more than a million fans to the United Center. One. Million. Fans. In this economy.

I can hear some Islanders fans already saying, "See? We need to throw out Wang and Snow! That will change things!"

Well, no. Wang -- his regrets aside -- is the only reason the Islanders are still here on Long Island. You try spending $23 million a year on a sports team knowing you're going to keep on losing money. And Snow's rebuild has only just begun. We'll see what he does with the No. 1 pick, but if the performance of guys like Kane and Toews tell you anything it's that if you can get superstars, you grab them. Hello, John Tavares!

Wang is desperately trying to change the Islanders' economic reality with the Lighthouse Project, which -- if it is approved, as it should be -- would put the club in a better financial position, allowing it to be more aggressive in adding to the roster. They have a couple of possible future stars in Kyle Okposo and Josh Bailey.

Of course, it would help if local government was more supportive. While county executive Tom Suozzi has been a staunch supporter of the Lighthouse as a lynchpin of the future development of Nassau, Town of Hempstead supervisor Kate Murray has been the fly in the ointment and a superior example of why politicians get such a bad rap. How important is the Lighthouse Project to Ms. Murray? So important that she didn't bother to show up at a project meeting on Monday. You can't make this stuff up.

The point is, change on the ice can happen and it can happen faster then you think. The Bruins are another example of a team that -- under the same ownership, by the way -- has gone from basement to penthouse in a couple of seasons thanks to better management and outstanding young players.

So I'll be rooting for the Blackhawks and the Bruins to meet in the Cup finals. Two Original Six teams showing the league how it's done. Hopefully, the Islanders and their fans are paying attention.

Losing DiPietro just adds to a lost season

Mama said there'd be seasons like this...

The fact that Rick DiPietro is officially out for the season is hardly shocking, and while disappointing, considering the laundry list of injuries the Islanders have already suffered this season, it's almost fitting.

Should we be concerned? Of course. You would think that a meniscus surgery wouldn't be such a big deal, but the fact that the knee hasn't responded well to a second surgery, and the fact that doctors aren't guaranteeing anything once he rests it for 6-8 weeks, are red flags of the highest order.

What gets me are the yahoos (you can find them in most any comments section or message board) who use the injury as the latest excuse to crucify Charles Wang and Garth Snow. DiPietro was pretty durable up until last season, when he was an All-Star. Since then, he's suffered a bad stretch of luck that may or may not be related to his prior workload.

His 15-year deal was signed a season before his All-Star nod and since that time, there have been many long-term contracts inked by the league's top stars. The Islanders had no marketable marquee player -- D.P. was it. He was 25 at the time, with his prime ahead of him, and at $4 million a season, he traded the opportunity to make bigger dollars down the road for security, and Wang rolled the dice that his goalie would not only earn his money and stay healthy, but that he would be the cornerstone of the club -- on and off the ice -- much as Martin Brodeur has been in New Jersey.

You wonder if he'll ever be the same, and hope the extended rest and rehab is what he needs. But if something like this was going to happen, a season like this -- where, remember, we had no expectations anyway -- is a good time for it to happen.

Of course, all the injuries and not having your No. 1 goalie -- on a team that was offensively challenged to begin with -- have made for some tough viewing.

Fans who actually watch the games have noticed that the Isles have played hard and have been in almost every game. But without go-to scorers and with so much inexperience -- including backup goalies in the nets -- complete games are few and far between. There's a lot of learning going on, and a lot of new faces in and out of the lineup, so consistency hasn't been there.

Again, to me, it doesn't matter. Mark Streit -- playing in his first All-Star game this weekend, and deservedly so -- was a tremendous pickup, and who doesn't love Josh Bailey? Despite the losses and the insane amount of injuries, there has been enough positives to see to prevent this fan from calling for people's heads or heading for the nearest bridge.

Then again, I root for the Jets and the Mets. Patience and perspective are required.

Gordon hired as new Isles coach

OK, so he's a former Eagle. I can deal with that. The bottom line is that Scott Gordon is a solid choice to lead the New York Islanders as their new head coach.

The AHL Coach of the Year was hired Tuesday night by Isles general manager Garth Snow, getting the nod over more experienced NHL coaches like Paul Maurice, Bob Hartley, Joel Quenneville and John Tortorella, as well as Mike Sullivan, who coached Gordon's old team, the Providence Bruins, as well as the Boston Bruins.

It's clear that the Islanders were looking for a coach who could help develop the growing number of young players on their roster, and there are a bunch. Gordon seems eminently qualified to do so.

Providence was 55-18-3 last season under Gordon, who had a record of 221-141-20-27 as the Providence head coach. He was an assistant with Providence for three seasons prior to taking over the squad.

Gordon was a goaltender at Boston College and led the Eagles to the Frozen Four in 1985. His NHL goaltending career can best be described as nondescript, but he soon turned to coaching and has done extremely well in the AHL and ECHL. Whether that will translate into success at the highest level remains to be seen, but it looks like Snow -- who first met Gordon in the Quebec Nordiques camp in 1987 -- got his man.

Besides developing young players, Gordon may also bring some excitement to Nassau Coliseum with his coaching style. Gordon's teams have been some of the top-scoring teams in the AHL, and goal scoring has been an Islanders weakness. If Gordon can get Kyle Okposo, Jeff Tambellini, Blake Comeau, Sean Bergenheim and Frans Neilsen to start lighting the lamp with regularity, then the Coliseum could be a happening place to be in 2008-09.

In any event, the future begins now. Welcome, Scott Gordon.

Nolan-Snow fallout continues

I've said before that it boggles my mind that there are Islanders fans old enough to have their own children who cannot remember when the Isles last won a Stanley Cup. Some of that is just the cyclical nature of sports -- even the Yankees have had their down years. Much of that has to do with the ownership struggles the team had to endure prior to Charles Wang purchasing the club, trying times that set the organization back at least a decade.

John Spano, the Gang of Four, the fishsticks logo, Mike Milbury, years of losing -- all conspired to drag down the once-sterling Islanders image. And while Wang has brought stability to the owner's box, he has been criticized for the "team approach" he favors and for giving Rick DiPietro a 15-year deal. So when the news broke that Ted Nolan was fired by Garth Snow -- in what both sides claim was a mutual parting of the ways -- you knew that it would be labeled as yet another example of how bad things are on Long Island.

And sure enough, Scott Burnside of ESPN has weighed in, calling the team a "laughingstock."
Newsday columnist Wallace Matthews -- who probably wouldn't recognize Bill Guerin if he bumped into him -- slapped together some nameless quotes from former employees and player agents to paint the picture of Wang as clueless, and that his hobby "happens to be the systematic screwing-up of a once-great hockey team."

Never mind that Wang more or less saved the team from leaving the Island, that he has been fighting tooth and nail to upgrade the Islanders' arena -- which besides being hopelessly outdated is saddled with the worst lease agreement known to man -- and has put a good deal of focus on community events to strengthen the ties between the team and its fans.

That DiPietro contract? Call it a trend, as NHL teams are locking up their top, young (amd most marketable) players long-term. Wang has also embraced new media in a way no one else has, from Islanders TV to my personal favorite, the Blog Box.

And yet you wonder if the Nolan news is received by players around the league the way Burnside portrayed it - another reason why not to play for the Islanders. Another example of instability from a team that plays in a dump.

But look closer at the move and you see that, given the direction the team is headed, it was inevitable and probably best for everyone, including Nolan. Snow did a terrific job of compiling extra picks at the draft and generally got good reviews (although not from many fans who wanted Nikita Filatov). The Islanders have a number of promising young players on its roster who need playing time to develop. So it's all about the future, and that's fine -- pick a plan and stick with it.

Nolan, with one year left on his deal, felt the team was close enough to win now with the addition of better, more experienced talent. Hence the philosophical differences. You can't blame him, he's a coach. Now he'll get a chance to coach somewhere else.

As a fan, you hate to see a quality coach leave, but there are plenty of candidates out there -- we'll see who Snow selects. The Nolan move also seems to indicate that this really is Snow's team and not so much directed by committee, which would be a step in the right direction; a team needs its GM to be the one to make the final call.

Hopefully, the rebuilding process won't be painfully long -- there's precious little juice in the arena these days and the on-ice product hasn't been terribly exciting. But when you talk to fans you know that they are genuinely excitied about players like Okposo and Campoli and Tambellini and Comeau and Gervais and want to see them play and succeed.

Maybe this is the core of a team that will contend on an annual basis. The team that will one day play in the Lighthouse, a state-of-the-art arena. The team that will bring a Stanley Cup back to Long Island.

Nolan's firing was a step forward. We'll see if it's a step on the right path.

Snow job: Nolan is fired

There were signs and whispers throughout last season, and into the draft, and today the Islanders made it official when it was announced that Ted Nolan will no longer coach the team.

Both GM Garth Snow and Nolan himself described the ending of the relationship as a matter of "philosophical differences." Snow wants to rebuild the team with youth. Nolan, who has one year and $600,000 left on his contract, wanted to be more competitive now.

As a blogger who has watched the team closely, especially this past season, I'm not surprised, but all along I held out hope that Snow and Charles Wang would make more of an effort to compete now (read: spend some more money on talent) while not abandoning the younger players, in the hopes that Nolan would stick around. That's not happening, and Nolan is now free to find employment elsewhere.

Nolan is a terrific coach, a class act and a good guy from all accounts. I think back to the ESPN fan satisfaction rankings that were published in April, which I wrote about here. Basically, fans of all of the 'big four' pro sports leagues ranked their teams in a number of categories, and in the coaching category -- described as 'strong on-field leadership' -- the Islanders finished FIFTH out of all of the pro sports teams.

In other words, Islanders fans who participated in the rankings had tremendous respect for the job Nolan was doing, ranking him ahead of the likes of Bobby Cox of the Braves and Phil Jackson of the Lakers. The only coaches ranked higher were Bill Belichick, Jim Leyland, Gregg Popovich and Mike Scioscia.

Presumably, the next Islanders coach will be on board with Snow and his desire to see the team's young talent develop and perform. The obvious names out there are Paul Maurice, John Tortorella (who is Dee's favorite, I'm sure) and Bob Hartley, all fired after last season. We'll throw Brian Sutter's name into the mix. The brother of Duane and Devils coach Brent took over as the coach of the Red Deer Rebels last summer; the team is owned by Brent.

Time to kick the tires

The free agency period begins tomorrow, and GM Garth Snow has already declared that the Islanders will not be a major player on July 1 but will only "kick the tires" on a few possibilities. Then again, Snow made it look like he was ready to adopt Nikita Filatov, he loved him so much, and we know what happened there. So maybe Garth is playing poker again.

In any case, none of the Isles' unrestricted free agents are returning, and according to NHLnumbers.com, with the Bates buyout the Isles' cap number so far is under $32 million, and that includes the Yashin cap hit. With a new salary floor of $40.7 million and a cap of $56.7 million, there's money to be spent. Figuring in the six players who have been extended qualifying offers and possible arbitration, you're looking at a payroll of around $36 million.

I'm not going to try and predict who the Islanders will end up signing -- other than to say that Jagr, Hossa and Sakic won't be headed to Hempstead. But here's what they COULD do...

Brooks Orpik, 27, would give the Isles some added muscle on the back line. I keep hearing that the Isles are looking for a puck-moving defenseman, but throwing Orpik back there with Witt and Martinek can only make Rick DiPietro smile.

Kristian Huselius, 29, went 25-41-66 for the Flames last season and was rumored to be on Snow's trade radar. Now it will only cost them more of Charles Wang's money, and Huselius would be a first-line left winger.

Brendan Morrison, 31, is a veteran center coming off some recent injuries who won't cost much more than the $3.2 million he made last season with the Canucks. Morrison and Huselius would address the Isles' biggest needs at center and left wing.

Figure that trio would add about $12 million to the annual payroll, bumping it to $48 million, right in between the floor and the ceiling. As a fan, I hope that's not a pipe dream.

Ted Nolan is in the final year of his contract. The Isles missed the playoffs and the fans -- who are being sold on the Lighthouse Project -- can't be expected to wait until then to get excited about this team. If the Islanders want fans in the seats, if they want free agents to want to come here, they need to change the culture to a winning culture, and Nolan is a huge part of that. Spend more and you will make more. Sure, Wang will still lose money in the end, but he'll make that up in spades when (if) the Lighthouse is finally built.

Eight million above the floor isn't too uch to ask. Then again, I don't sign the checks.

Starting tomorrow, we'll know which way the team is headed.

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.

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.

Osgood will lead Detroit to the Cup

Remember when Chris Osgood was an Islander? The Red Wings dumped him for Dominik Hasek, leaving him on the waiver wire when they couldn't trade him. The Islanders picked him up and in 2001-02 he started 65 games and won 32 with a 2.50 GPA and four shutouts. Not bad, but he didn't last.

His stats slipped in 2002-03 and Garth Snow ended up getting the bulk of the starts in net, with Rick DiPietro making his debut that season. Osgood was dealt for Justin Papineau and a second-round pick, neither of which panned out.

To be fair, Osgood's career didn't exactly skyrocket from there. He was injured on and off and even this year was seen to be the backup for Hasek, but Hasek inevitably got hurt and Osgood took his game up a notch and has had an outstanding season, particularly in the playoffs as the Wings advanced to the Stanley Cup Finals for the 23rd time in their history.

They'll play the Penguins, who knocked out the Flyers in five games. Pittsburgh is dangerous, particularly since acquiring Marian Hossa to join Evgeny Malkin and Sidney Crosby up front. But Jordan Staal and Pascal Dupuis have also played well, as has goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury.

But the Pens are still a step away from being champions, much like the Edmonton Oilers in 1983 when they were bounced by the more experienced Islanders. The Pens' youth hasn't hurt them thus far but the Red Wings are another animal. Henrik Zetterburg, Pavel Datsyuk, Tomas Holstrom, Niklas Lidstrom, Brian Rafalski, not mention Osgood and Chris Chelios -- this team is stacked, with depth and experience the Pens cannot match. Detroit may still be without rising star Johan Franzen, but it won't matter.

Detroit wins the Cup in six games, but the Penguins -- like the Oilers did 25 years ago -- will remember what it took to get there and will likely be the team to beat next season. And they're in the Islanders division, of course!

Fan Fest offers some insight

I wasn't at the Fan Fest Wednesday night at the Coliseum -- my son's sixth birthday was a tad more important -- and while these kinds of events are generally held to satiate the faithful and pump up ticket sales, I liked what I heard.

I'm all for building through the draft and through your own organization, and the Isles are well on their way in that regard with the likes of Gervais, Campoli, Bergenheim, Okposo, Comeau and DiPietro. Let's HOPE that Snow was serious in getting a "true heavyweight" free agent up front who can help energize the attack.

Good luck building the season ticket base. Hopefully the Isles will continue to offer discounts and such but with the economy the way it is, the only way that number is going to go up significantly is if the team becomes a consistent playoff competitor and the Isles are playing in a new arena. As it is, the Isles are a mediocre team playing in a dump. Not a good combo for the attendance stats, where the Isles are last when it comes to fannies in the seats and 25th out of 30 in percentage full. Figure if the Isles averaged 15,000 a game, that would be 92 percent capacity. That would be pretty good -- but fans aren't going to come to see an average team.

Thankfully, Snow is "sick of being average." So are we.

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.

Game recap: Rangers 3, Islanders 0

I wasn't at the game, unfortunately, and you don't see these things on television but according to Boomer Esiason (who was there) and a caller to his morning show with Craig Carton, there were more fisticuffs in the stands than there were on the ice, where the only set-to was a lame grab session involving Sean Avery and Rob Davison in the final minutes.

Typical of an Islanders-Rangers game, and there will certainly be more arrests at the Garden tonight when the Isles close out a disappointing season and the Rangers -- who clinched a playoff spot with Thursday's shutout victory -- advance. Actually, there shouldn't be too much police activity -- Islanders fans would be wise to avoid the Garden at all costs, and let the season end as it did for the team - not with a bang, but with a whimper.

Nothing much to say about the loss, other than Sean Bergenheim better learn how to convert chances like the ones he had last night. Also, the Park-Comeau-Okposo line played well again, with Comeau looking particularly sharp.

Jack Hillen also played well for his NHL debut, paired with Radek Martinek and getting 20 shifts. He's just another piece in a puzzle that Garth Snow will have to decipher in the offseason, one of several young players who have a chance at playing here next season.

DiPietro hip to be tied, out for the season

Two years into his 15-year contract, goalie Rick DiPietro will miss the end of another season with a second hip surgery. Last year it was his left hip, this year it was the right hip, an injury suffered during the All-Star game skills competition, of all things. He'll go to the same doctor and GM Garth Snow says he'll be ready for training camp next season.

DiPietro was not the same goalie after the injury, going 7-12 with a 3.38 GAA since the break. He was hurt. The Isles did win six straight in that stretch but the first four wins saw an offensive explosion of 16 goals, which certainly helped. And the Islanders, after that win streak, were in the thick of the playoff hunt so D.P. wasn't sitting. Then, after his grandmother's death, he missed three games, including the second Rangers game, when many (myself included) questioned why he wasn't in there. Was Nolan hoping an extra game would help his condition?

D.P. returned against the Flyers and lost, 4-1, then got hammered by the Lightning and that may have been the death blow not only to the playoff hopes but D.P.'s season.

Players who battle through injury are called warriors, and certainly when you're dealing with a goalie, arguably the most critical position on the team, you like to see him fight to stay in there. But there comes a point when an injured player is hurting his team, and you wonder if that was the case here, although the Islanders certainly have plenty of other problems (scoring, the power play, injuries) that fed the collapse.

It reminds me of Robin Ventura when he was on the Mets. In a terrible slump, he was clearly not hitting like he should, yet he kept playing. Then, when the season ended, we found out he was hurt all along. Sit down, get whatever is ailing fixed and then come back strong. Having a hurt player batting fifth cost the Mets runs and, likely, wins.

Did that happen here? Probably. Would the Isles have done better with Dubie in the net? Maybe, but with their injuries and lack of firepower Billy Smith in his prime would have had trouble posting wins.

All we can hope for now is for D.P. to be healthy and back in top form next season, skip the skills competition, and for the Isles to land a stud in the draft. Maybe Snow can inject some life into this team in the off-season as well.