Video and Pictures from the NYI Draft Party

First, and foremost, the 2009 NHL Entry Draft Recap is posted below. It is part one in a three part series that will analyze all the Islanders selections from this past weekend. Please check it out and let me know how you feel about this past weekend.

As for the draft party, I figured I would share three short video clips I took using my iPhone, as well as some pictures from the New York Islanders Draft Party this past Friday. It was an awesome event, and I applaud all of those who not only attended, but helped to make it a very memorable night. The fact that so many fans showed up to support a draft pick shows that hockey is alive and well here on Long Island, and it was great for everyone to see the support we show for our team.

This first video was taken at the beginning of the draft party, approximately 5:30 PM. As you will see, the building most likely had somewhere between 3,000 and 5,000 people there at this time, and many seats down on the ice were available.

This second video was taken at approximately 6:55 PM, nearly 15 minutes prior to Garth Snow stepping up to the podium at the Bell Centre in Montreal. In this video you can see just how packed out the place was. Although they announced that 10,188 were in the Coliseum, I do not know how that number came to fruition. They did not have a means of counting all the people walking into the building. I sent an e-mail to my friend, who works within the Islanders organization, to see where that number came from. Anyway, here is the video:

Lastly, here is a quick 13 second clip from the seconds leading up to the selection by Garth Snow. The entire crowd was standing and waiting in anticipation. In the background, you can hear the TSN analyst's discussing the Islanders' picks. At this point, everyone in the crows was anticipating Matt Duchene, and everytime Duchene's face came on the jumbotron, he was booed tremendously. Here is the video:

Lastly, here are just some quick photos from the draft party. A few close-ups of the banners, one of Sparky, and several from the party. All pictures can be enlarged by simply clicking on them.

(Sparky was telling fans he even wanted Tavares)

(Close up of the Bryan Trottier banner)

(The jumbotron was dropped down an extra 15-20 feet)

(A quick shot from the seats we chose to sit in)

2009 NHL Entry Draft Recap - Part I

The 2009 NHL Entry Draft has the possibility of going down in the record books as a major turning point the turning point for the New York Islanders franchise. For a franchise who’s tank has been running on empty for quite some time, this draft brought along several things that the Islanders needed so direly: excitement, possibility, and relevance. Excitement, in the sense that they were placed in a position to draft a franchise player who could reestablish their presence in the NHL. Possibility, in the sense that the Islanders were presented with the opportunity to bring in a game changing, and more importantly, franchise changing, player. Relevance, in the sense that, for the first time in a long time, the Islanders were the talk of the NHL, and it was in a positive light that they were spoken of. To further on that statement, the Islanders first overall selection not only kept them as the talk of the NHL since 7:12 PM Friday night when the pick was made, but if all unfolds as it should with the development of this franchise player, the Islanders may find themselves being spoken of in a positive light continuously.

**(Pictured Above: NYI Draft Party 2009 - 5:30PM - Click on the picture to enlarge it. It was taken with an iPhone 3G S, so I apologize for the lack of clarity)**

For a team that is ridiculed and mocked as much as the Islanders are by the media, fellow hockey franchises, fellow hockey fans, and even more so by hockey analysts, it seems as if this redemption was a long time coming for Islanders fans. While it is premature to say they will rise to the top just because of this one pick, the feelings of excitement and anticipation have not been this strong on Long Island for as long as I can remember. What helps to encourage this excitement and anticipation is the words of many well-respected hockey analysts, who all seem to agree on one thing: the Islanders may have finally reestablished their importance to the National Hockey League. According to Pierre McGuire, and even highly respected TSN Analyst, Bob McKenzie, the Islanders have finally brought in that player that they can build a winner around. Not only do they feel that this player will help them win, but they feel he can help bring back the glory and pride that this franchise once had.

What I must add on my own, however, is that the Islanders were always relevant and important to Long Island. Although many fans lost their way to the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum over the last decade due to horrible teams, and lousy management, these fans never truly disappeared. The Islanders Draft Party was a true indicator of the pride that this organization has, and it is my hope that John Tavares, Kyle Okposo, Josh Bailey, and company can help the rest of the hockey world to see that.

Let us take a look at the 2009 NHL Entry Draft Class for the New York Islanders. Today I will be analyzing the Islanders first two picks: John Tavares and Calvin de Haan. Part two will feature a review of the two goalies selected by the Islanders: Mikko Koskinen and Anders Nilsson. Lastly, part three will take a look at three remaining draft picks for the New York Islanders: Anders Lee, Casey Cizikas, and Anton Klementyev. My intentions are to have all three parts complete by this Friday, but it will be a very busy week. We shall see how that plays out.

For each player, there will be a small analysis, as well as an overall draft grade for the player. I would love to see if Islander fans, and hockey fans alike, agree or disagree with my grades and analysis for each player.

1^st Round Pick (1^st Overall): John Tavares

The drama and emotions surrounding the first overall pick this year were taken to another level, thanks in large part to the tremendous poker talent of General Manager Garth Snow. By keeping his selection a secret since the Draft Lottery, Garth Snow had every analyst and media outlet in the NHL simply guessing on who they felt he would take. If you recall, the media nonsense continued up until the very last second, with Brian Burke even stating he felt that the Islanders were going to take Matt Duchene. Bravo, Mr. Snow.

At 6 feet tall, and weighing approximately 200 pounds, John Tavares is not only the franchise, first line center that the New York Islanders have lacked since the days of Pierre Turgeon, but he is also the big name, dynamic goal-scorer that the Islanders have not had since Zigmund Palffy donned the blue and orange in the late-1990s. Since he was granted exceptional player status five years ago for the Ontario Hockey League, it has become common knowledge that John Tavares would be highly considered for the first overall draft position at the 2009 NHL Entry Draft. After four long years of OHL hockey, and four long years of being analyzed, scrutinized, criticized, and praised all at the same time, he finally found his way to the top of his draft class. For a guy who has won every individual accolade possible in his time with the Ontario Hockey League, as well as all the possible accolades with the Canadian Junior team at two World Junior Championships, we can agree that it was well deserved.

Although Tavares has hardly any problems within his game, he has been criticized for his average skating ability, although that has not seemed to slow down John Tavares’ success in any level of hockey thus far (I apologize for the pun). While average skating ability may seem like a major setback for someone who is considered to be a star in the NHL, it is something that many professionals feel he can work on during his summer training with the New York Islanders. Just like his skating, John Tavares has also been criticized for his “half-court play.” Considered a pure offensive talent, several analysts feel his defensive game leaves much to be admired, while more believe it is something that he can also work on. With proper coaching and instruction this offseason, as well as throughout his first professional season, I truly believe Tavares can become an even more complete player than he already is.

As for the great things about his game, there is a tremendous list, so I will focus on some of the major parts. Tavares has been given a gift in the form of his sublime hockey IQ, which is considered to be his biggest asset. He always seems to be one or two steps ahead of everyone else on the ice, and this might be a reason for his perfect positioning at all times, and a major reason why coaches love to coach him. From the offensive face-off circles and into the net, there may not be better, or more dangerous player in his age group, and anytime you give him some space in the slot, it is all but guaranteed to be a goal. Pierre McGuire was quoted as saying that he believes that Tavares will be one of the best from the face-off circles and in next year when he joins the NHL, and the likes of Alexander Ovechkin, Sidney Crosby, and Evgeni Malkin. How accurate this statement may be cannot be determined at this time, however, we will know by April of next year just how dangerous he can be in that area. Blessed with a wicked and accurate wrist shot, phenomenal hand-eye coordination, and a knack for always playing hard around the net, Islander fans can only hope that McGuire is dead on with his statement.

The biggest question mark I place upon John Tavares, in terms of molding into the NHL, comes with Scott Gordon’s system. While you should never pass up on the most talented player because they may not fit your system perfectly, it still raises some concerns for myself. I am as excited as anyone to seem him play next year in the NHL, and even more excited to watch him grow into the dynamic player he has the ability to become, however, he may experience some early struggles due to the speed at which Gordon demands his players to play. To be fair to John, however, we must also acknowledge that there are slower players on the current Islanders roster who have had little trouble utilizing the fast-paced, forechecking system of Scott Gordon. How well he adapts to the system will depend on how much work he puts in this offseason, and I am sure we all can agree that Snow has his strength and conditioning coaches working non-stop with Tavares.

Overall Draft Grade= A. While many will believe he deserves an A+, I am going to wait until I see his development before I adjust my grade for him. I do think he has all the tools to become one of the best forwards in the game, however, past accomplishments mean little when you enter the big show. Best of luck to you, Mr. Tavares. With a world of expectations upon you, I hope you take it slow and develop into the player you know you can be.

1^st Round Pick (12^th Overall): Calvin de Haan

While some were left scratching their heads, considering the availability of Zach Kassian at the 12 spot, it seems as if the Islanders were very adamant about getting Calvin de Haan. With a move up from 26 to 16, and then yet another trade with Minnesota to get their number 12 pick, the Islanders nabbed Oshawa General, and Canadian U-18 defenseman Calvin de Haan. While he was supposd to go somewhere between the 15^th and 25^th spot, according to several media outlets, Garth Snow and Ryan Jankowski must have seen something very special in de Haan to move up so high and grab him. Furthermore, and this is in large thanks to BD Gallof’s research, it became evident that if the Islanders waited until the 16^th pick, they would have not gotten their man.

At 6 feet tall, and weighing 175 pounds, it is obvious that the Islanders and de Haan both recognize that he will need to put on at least 15-20 pounds before he can become an effective NHL defenseman. With that being said, there is a tremendous amount of room for praise. This past season (2008-2009) was de Haan’s first year in the Ontario Hockey League, and he did not seem out of place with the Oshawa Generals. Overshadowed by Tavares for the beginning of the season, he became the highest rated draft player on his team once Tavares departed. Although Oshawa did not have a very successful season, de Haan was one of the bright spots for the Generals. As a rookie, he put up 8 goals and 55 assists for 63 points, and 40 penalty minutes to round out his stats, which are rather impressive numbers for a rookie defenseman. These numbers not only allowed him to find his way onto the U-18 Canadian National Team, but they also allowed him to participate in the 2009 CHL Top Prospects game, as well as in the OHL All-Star Classic.

The strengths of de Haan’s game lie within his great skating ability. He has a very strong, quick stride that allows him to move around the ice effortlessly. Furthermore, this stride helps him to always play sound defensive hockey, as he rarely falls out of position to a point where he cannot place himself in position again. With the puck at this stick, de Haan is as comfortable as any defenseman in his draft class. With tremendous vision of the ice, and his quick skating ability, de Haan is able to lead a rush out of his zone with ease, and his precision passing helps tremendously, as well. In the offensive zone, de Haan is considered a dangerous player, as well as a powerplay quarterback. With his very hard and very accurate shot, de Haan is a threat any time he is placed on the point at the power play, and furthermore, he does not hesitate to join a rush because of his ability to get back to defense rather quickly.

The weaknesses of de Haan’s game currently lie within his size. His lack of physicality has cost him, as he may lose a few battles in the corners throughout the game that can eventually lead to goals. While this is obviously something that will come with age and maturity, it is still something that must be watched carefully.

As for other flaws in his game, few are reported. He is not going to be the best defenseman in the game by any means, however, he is projected to be a very reliable number 2 defenseman that can play 20-24 minutes a night against opponents top lines, as well as on a penalty kill unit and the top power play unit. Considering this was his first year of eligibility, he was one of the younger players in the draft, and he is going to be playing at least one more year in the OHL before the Islanders consider signing him to a professional contract. It is over the course of next year that the Islanders are going to truly be able to analyze and gauge the success of their pick. According to several friends within the organization, the Islanders were very impressed with de Haan throughout the season, and his interview at the NHL Combine helped to raise his value. He is a player with extreme potential, and with the addition of some size, he could surprise many.

Overall Grade= B+ / B. While I was familiar with the name, and I was fortunate enough to see him play a few times this year while watching Tavares play for the Oshawa Generals, I feel that maybe the Islanders could have drafted a higher ranked player in this position. That being said, B.D. Gallof has stated that de Haan would not have been available with the sixteenth overall pick, and that leads any fan to the conclusion that de Haan’s value might have risen since the draft combine, and this was not reflected by any of the major rankings (ISS, CSS, Red-Line Report, or McKeen’s). I will give de Haan a B+ / B right now, considering how highly he was spoken of by Bob McKenzie, and by the fact that he is considered to have tremendous potential. Time will tell, but he is an exciting pick, nonetheless.

Up Next: Part II of this three part NHL Draft Analysis for the New York Islanders. The next part, as I stated before, will cover Mikko Koskinen and Anders Nilsson. Be sure to check back soon for that update. As always, all questions and comments are greatly appreciated and can either be added to the comment section below, or can be e-mailed to me at IslesNet@Gmail.Com .

Draft Recap Coming Tonight

What a weekend to be an Islanders fan, eh? I am in the process of writing up my Draft Recap for the entire draft weekend. It was a very busy weekend, so it is a pretty lengthy blog, to say the least. It should be up by 8:00 on Sunday night.

Although I had the opportunity to cover the Draft Party live from the Coliseum, thanks in large part to several friends I have within the organization, I decided not too. Why? Considering the tremendous amount of media attention placed on this event, I figured I would just go in and enjoy this historic event as a fan, knowing that it would be covered by every media outlet possible. With that being said, I do want to applaud Tony Stabile of IslesNation for his "live blog," as well as the IslesNation Talk Show. Furthermore, Chris Botta and B.D. Gallof are always able to provide a great place for all hockey fans to enjoy, and they continued their excellence last night throughout the entire process.

I do have a video or two from the Draft Party that I took with the new iPhone, and I am hoping to be able to edit and place it within my new blog. They are of moderate quality, but I figure it can't hurt to have them there. I hope you are all still celebrating this great weekend.

-Justin

Shooting Down a Rumor, Not Eklund

It has been quite the long weekend. Between a birthday party for my younger cousin, a medical school graduation party, and a hectic Father's Day, it is only now that I find myself with time to get back into Islanders hockey...and thank god for that.

I usually don't like to address rumors or hear-say on New York Islanders Net, as they seem to be pretty much just that, and they can take away from the quality of the website and hockey talk generated around here. However, something has come to my attention over the last three to four weeks. The New York Islanders have been mentioned in every message board possible as being a possible destination for the Sedin twins due to our salary cap space and the need for first-line talent. Furthermore, Eklund has now mentioned that his "sources" believe the Islanders could make an announcement that they have received the rights to the Sedin twins at the Draft Party. I will not use this blog to bash Eklund, regardless of his success rate on rumors. Whether or not you agree with his methods, he still provides a great site for bringing hockey fans together to talk about hockey, and the hockey blogosphere has truly been altered in a positive light in large part to his contributions. On the other hand, I will use this write-up to simply shoot down such a rumor based on previous statements by Garth Snow, and my personal opinion, as always.

First, and foremost, we can all almost recall the fact that Garth Snow has stated that he believes the Islanders roster will not look significantly different in September from the one that ended this past season. While this is a knife in the heart to all Islander fans, I guess it can be deemed the second year of a very, very serious rebuild. Why waste the money and time on guys who will simply move us up from 30th overall to 26th overall, right? Taking this to be nothing short of the truth, it would be a very significant roster alteration if Snow were to sign both Daniel and Henrik Sedin for matching contracts. Granted, they are excellent players and first line talent that we sorely lack, I do not believe it would be in the best interest of the Islanders long-term plans to lock up the twins for 12 years at $6 million per year, if not more. With the upcoming draft, and our excellent drafting position, we can bring in talent that we can develop ourselves over the course of the next two to three seasons. I, for one, believe that we need to stick to this method.

Just for some fun...if we are to take Snow's statement as the full truth, then can it also be assumed that the Islanders will not be inquiring into the shot-blocking, heavy-hitting, Long Island defenseman known as Mike Komisarek, correct? Considering he will be seeking somewhere between $4.5 and $5.5 million on the free agent market, that can be deemed an out-of-house, significant alteration, right? Sorry, I know we all think highly of him, but I need to rake up some controversy. It keeps things interesting around here.

Secondly, with regards to the Sedin's, I highly doubt that Snow would give up any assets just to have the right to talk to the Sedin twins (It hurts to remind myself of this, but we know that until we are winning again, and until the Lighthouse is well on it's way, we won't have success with signing big name guys). With the franchise's emphasis on rebuild and growth from within, it is doubtful Snow would compromise any picks just to have the Sedin's turn around and not sign here. If he really wanted to pursue the Sedin twins, wouldn't he just be better off waiting the extra week or so until July 1st, and then, make what he deems to be a fair offer for their services? By the way, all of this internet speculation is fully based on the fact that Mr. Snow even wants the Sedin twins. For all we know, Snow could think they are terrible, and he'd rather have us watch Andy Hilbert playing with Okposo than the Sedin's.

No disrespect to Eklund or his sources, as this is just me, a fan, stating my opinion on a rumor that has passed through the blogosphere.

On the flip side of all these arguments, it is very easy to see where a rumor like this arises. As it goes, the Islanders would draft Victor Hedman, announce they have brought in the rights to the first line center and first line left winger they need in the Sedin twins, pair them with Kyle Okposo, and it would be a magical fairy tale day. NOT SO FAST! It just doesn't work this way, and these just don't seem like rebuilding plans to myself, or many fans for that matter.

Sorry, but the only significant additions I envision to the 2009-2010 New York Islanders that weren't there for the 2008-2009 season are John Tavares (Dear tuxedo tee-shirt baby Jesus, we all pray), and a Mr. Richard DiPietro.

2009 Draft Day Speculation - Part Two

Another day comes and goes, which means one less day until the Islanders select their player with the first overall pick. Much like yesterday, I will continue along with my ingenious general managing skills that saw me offer up a fair trade to Minnesota yesterday, in my opinion. Today’s trade, while allowing us to move up from the 26^th overall pick, will not lead us as far up as yesterday’s pick did. Today’s trade is with the St. Louis Blues.

To NYI: STL 1^st Rd Pick (17^th Overall)

To STL: SJ 1^st Rd Pick (26^th Overall), TOR 2^nd Rd Pick (37^th Overall), BOS 2^nd Rd Pick (56^th Overall)

I believe that St. Louis gets a fair value for their first round pick, while still getting being able to select a player in the first round, and adding two additional second round picks. Why do I believe that St. Louis would make this kind of trade? Well, there are several reasons. First, St. Louis has developed a wealth of quality players from within their system, and still have more on the way. Some of these names include: TJ Oshie, David Backes, Patrik Berglund, and Alex Pietrangelo. Secondly, now that they have stocked up many quality picks in different positions, it is time to bolster the entire system. St. Louis could use the 26^th overall pick to select a player whom they believe will develop in the position of necessity. With the additional picks in the second round, St. Louis would be able to select players that they feel will enhance the team in two to three years, and players that they feel will help to win a Stanley Cup championship. These players, especially with the 37^th overall pick, could truly develop into extremely talented players. The additional second round picks will also allow the Blues to select a “flyer” player, much like the Islanders did last year with Kirill Petrov. Time will tell what they would do without the additional picks, but I feel they would entertain this type of deal.

Why should the Islanders do it? Well, this is where it gets a little trickier. The actual movement is only 9 spots higher in the draft, however, there may be someone still available with the 17^th pick that the Islanders have marked extremely high on their draft board. First, we must analyze the cost. We are essentially giving up three picks in the 26^th overall to 56^th overall range in order to secure one extra pick in the top 17. While I am an advocate of moving up to do so, I can see the flip side where many believe the price is simply too high. At this point in the draft, players such as Ekman-Larsson might fall, with the possibility of other big name players falling this far. Who would be available at this point specifically? I will not get into as much detail with that as I did yesterday, but I do feel someone will slip considering it always happens.

What do you guys think about a deal like this? If you were Garth Snow, and the option with Minnesota was out of the question, would you try and push a deal like this through?

*Quick Note: Seconds before I was about to publish this blog, I came across Jon Jordan’s mock draft and noticed that he has the Islanders in the 17^th spot and St. Louis in the 26^th spot. This had no bearing on me writing about the trade with St. Louis, but I do intend to ask him what kind of trade he had in mind. When I get that information, I will be sure to pass it along to you.

2009 Draft Day Speculation - Part One

Starting today, there are only 11 more days until Garth Snow, Ryan Jankowski, and possibly Charles Wang step up to the podium at the Bell Centre in Montreal and select John Tavares with the first overall pick in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft. Well, it would be that simple only in my dreams, and I am sure the dreams of thousands of other Islander fans who sit and wait patiently for this fateful day to come. Who knows, maybe it will turn out that simple. Truth be told, there may only be four to five people in the world who truly know Garth Snow’s intentions with the first overall pick: himself, Charles Wang, Ryan Jankowski, Scott Gordon, and Garth Snow’s wife.

A long time friend of mine, and current writer for the New York Islanders Official Website, Richard Arleo, explained to me yesterday that no matter how hard ticket representatives, writers, TV analysts, and thirty-year employees of the New York Islanders try, they simply get nothing more than a cracked smile and a wait-and-see response from Mr. Snow. It is for this reason that we can safely say all the leaks about Victor Hedman being the top pick, and all the Islanders bashing on Tavares and his skating issues (if you could call them that) are simply pure foolishness floating around the Internet.

On the other hand, Snow has been much more candid about his intentions with the 26^th overall pick that he acquired from Ottawa in the trade that brought the Islanders Dean MacAmmond, as well as the aforementioned pick, in exchange for Mike Comrie and Chris Campoli. While last year’s draft appeared to be about obtaining a large number of picks in order to replenish a depleted farm system, this year’s draft is already showing signs of being about the quality of players within the Islanders farm system.

Many bloggers across the Islanders blogosphere have already begun to throw around ideas for what to do with the 26^th overall pick and the numerous later round picks that the Islanders currently hold, so I felt that I should get in on a piece of the fun before the draft actually happens. Considering I am an ingenious home-office, comment-section, and blogging general manager, I am immediately smarter than Garth Snow and the other 29 general managers, and therefore, I can predict these trades, much like my fellow Islander fans and hockey fans who flood Islanders Point Blank, HockeyBuzz, and many other hockey comment sections with trade proposals that should happen. What I am saying in short is that I know I am going to post some things here that some may find ridiculous, hence the reason I am sitting by myself writing this and Mr. Snow is getting the big bucks. Let’s just have some fun with this. Here is a trade I’d consider making on draft day if I were Garth Snow, just to spark some controversy…

I do not find it unreasonable to believe that the Islanders have the assets to strike a fair trade with the Minnesota Wild. Minnesota currently has the 12^th overall pick in this year’s draft, which will hopefully churn out a great player considering the abundance of talent in this year’s draft. What Minnesota does not have this year is a second round pick, or a third round pick, for that matter. In such a deep draft, wouldn’t a team love to have at least one pick in each round? Since the Islanders are stocked up nicely in each of the first three rounds, I’m sure something such as the following could be worked out:

To NYI: MIN 1^st Rd Pick (12^th Overall)

TO MIN: SJ’s 1^st Rd Pick (26^th Overall), TOR 2^nd Rd Pick (37^th Overall), BOS 2^nd Rd Pick (56^th Overall), PIT 3^rd Rd Pick (90^th Overall).

I think this is a rather fair deal. Minnesota goes from only having one pick in the first three rounds to having one later in the first round, two in the second, and one in the third. The Islanders, on the other side of the trade, are able to use their extra picks to grab a quality player in the number 12 position, while maintaining their second round pick, which is 31^st overall. Who would be available at the 12 spot? I believe at least one of the following would be available: Simon Despres, Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Zach Kassian, Dmitry Kulikov, Chris Kreider, Jordan Schroeder, Jared Cowen, and even Nazem Kadri could fall into the Islanders laps with the number 12 selection. All of these players are projected to be phenomenal NHL players in their respected positions, and they could add further quality to whomever the Islanders select first overall.

What do you think? Would you do something like this if you were in Garth Snow’s shoes on the draft floor? Please feel free to leave everything in the comments section below. Check back soon for part two, where I will continue with my ingenious predictions on what the Islanders should do with their abundance of picks.

Goaltending: Final Draft Analysis

Alright, so I said it would maybe be up by Friday, not definitely on Friday. So it’s Monday, and obviously, here it is. Today’s blog takes a look at the last of the four goalies I have decided to analyze: Edward Pasquale. Could he be the man the Islanders draft this year? And yes, I do feel that the Islanders are definitely going to take a goalie in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft.

Edward Pasquale:

Born November 20^th, 1990 in Toronto, Ontario, Edward Pasquale is one of the top-ranked goalies in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft. Gifted with great size to be a goalie (6’2” – 220 lbs), Pasquale takes up a large portion of the net, and he uses his size to his advantage. Like most Canadian goalies, Pasquale is talented with the puck at his stick, although maybe not as talented as the likes of Martin Brodeur and Rick DiPietro. With focus on a great glove side, and positional play that he is highly touted for, Pasquale has potential to be a great NHL goalie. While his side-to-side movement and rebound control could use some work, there is a reason why he was touted as the number one goalie since the beginning of the 2008-2009 hockey season.

Pasquale currently plays for the Saginaw Spirit of the OHL, and unfortunately for him they were not that great of a team. He faced a tremendous number of shots each night, and he finished the year with a 31-21 record, a .911 save percentage, as well as a 3.11 G.A.A. These numbers, while decent at best, do not reflect his stellar play as much as they reflect an okay at best showing by his team this season.

Justin’s Opinion:

It is very hard to select a goalie out of these top four, considering that the overall talent level for this draft in terms of goaltenders is not the highest it’s ever been, however, it is fairly decent. If I were to rank the goalies in terms of who I would select, it would probably look something like this:

1. 1. Olivier Roy

2. 2. Robin Lehner

3. 3. Edward Pasquale

4. 4. Mikko Koskinen

The reasons for my selections are varying. There is a reason that Olivier Roy won so many awards, such as rookie of the year and defensive player of the year. Mikko Koskinen may be the biggest goalie to ever play in the NHL, but at 6 feet, 7 inches tall, doesn’t that account for the largest five-hole ever? As for Robin Lehner, many professionals believe that the Islanders will select him using one of their second round picks. If they do take him, I would be fine with that, as I believe he will be a great goalie.

Time will tell what path the Islanders choose in terms of goaltending in this years draft, but can you blame us bloggers for constantly speculating about the most important draft in the Islanders recent history?

Michel Therrien and Marian Hossa

First, and foremost, congratulations to the Penguins for playing one hell of a game last night. Marc-Andre Fleury could not have performed any better, and Maxime Talbot showed why he is just so important to the Penguins organization. From the start of last nights game, you could tell it had a different feeling than the previous games at Joe Louis Arena. Although my prediction of Detroit in six games is wrong, I am very happy to be proven wrong. Congratulations Pittsburgh Penguins, and even more importantly, congratulations to Bill Guerin! Who deserves it more than him?

Anyway, back to the focus of this blog...

Just sit back and think about how Michel Therrien feels today! After guiding the Penguins under his defensive minded system, Therrien could not find his team anywhere better than 9th and 10th place in the Eastern Conference. When Shero finally had enough, he brings in AHL coach Dan Bylsma who proves everyone wrong, guides the Penguins to an astonishing run at the end of the season, and all the way to the Stanley Cup. Congratulations, Mr. Bylsma, and talk about good-riddance for Michel Therrien.

Lastly, and briefly, Marian Hossa. If anything felt sweet last night for me, it was seeing Marian Hossa get what he truly deserved. After giving up a king's ransom for his services last year, the Penguins were faced with a player departing because he felt the Penguins had no chance to win it. Hossa left for so-called greener pastures in Detroit, where winning the Stanley Cup seemed more probable than it did in Pittsburgh. Well, Mr. Hossa, I'd like to introduce you to the 2008-2009 Stanley Cup Champion Pittsburgh Penguins. Too bad you didn't stick around, you may have been on that Cup as well. For a great player, you look pretty dumb today in the mind's of hockey fans.

Goaltending Part II and Much More

My apologies, as I have been putting off writing this blog for as long as possible. I recently started my summer internship with the District Attorney, and I have been quite busy the first few days at the office. I am an aspiring law student looking to attend law school in New York City in the Fall of 2010, so I figured that this would be an appropriate internship. Lucky for me, it isn’t paid…c’est la vie. Today’s blog will dabble in a few different areas, as I will cover as much ground as possible. First, I will talk about Olivier Roy, the third goaltending prospect in my conversation of all four. The last blog, on Edward Pasquale, should be up by Friday (key phrase: should be!). After that, I will ramble…my favorite!

Now on to the hockey…

Olivier Roy, born July 12^th, 1991 is a Canadian ice hockey goaltender that is not related to the ever-famous Patrick Roy. Currently, Olivier plays for the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. To start off his bright career in juniors, Roy was awarded for a sensational rookie year with the Raymond Lagace Trophy as the QMJHL Defensive Rookie of the Year, as well as the RDS Cup, which is awarded to the QMJHL Rookie of the Year in any position. This year, Roy returned with another great year, posting a 35-13-0 record, and he helped lead the Screaming Eagles to second place in the Atlantic Division. To top that off, he led all goaltenders in shootout save percentage this year, stopping 14 out of a possible 14 shots, quite impressive, eh?

Technically, Roy is quite the impressive goalie. Gifted with a quick glove and some pretty favorable side-to-side movement, the 6-foot, 165-pound goalie has the ability to develop into a great NHL goalie some day. Although many agree he needs to put on some weight in order to endure the rigors of the NHL, many believe that is merely a formality, as he has the frame to build upon. While his stickhandling is rather decent, he could work on his blocker side, which may be the only flaw worth talking about, and even that is quite miniscule. If all goes well for Roy, it is fair to say he could be taken in the second or third round, which is rather decent for this upcoming draft. Potential Islander material? Time will tell, but he may fall into their laps.

Penguins – Red Wings

I really thought last night was going to be the night that the Red Wings closed it out, and I really thought I was going to be able to write about how amazing my Detroit in six games prediction was, but hey, you win some you lose some. The Penguins played great last night, and they received some phenomenal goaltending from Marc-Andre Fleury to get the win. The breakaway save in the last 2 minutes on Dan Cleary is the biggest save of Fleury’s career thus far, and I am pretty sure Doc Emrick and Pierre McGuire made that very clear last night on NBC. With the game heading back to Joe Louis Arena for Game 7, it is very hard to bet against the Wings. The sea of red that will encompass Joe Louis will be quite intimidating for any player to walk into, and we all know just how good Detroit does with that home-ice advantage. Besides the fact I want Bill Guerin to win the cup very badly, I would love nothing more than to see Marian Hossa lose. He is a great player, truly one of the top 10 players in the league and he plays like it every night. However, after giving up a King’s ransom for his services in the 2008 NHL Playoffs, the Penguins were slapped across the face when he left them for a “Stanley Cup Contender” because he wanted to finally win a Stanley Cup. Imagine the shock that would pass through him if he loses in Game 7 to none other than the team he considered “not good enough.” I think this evil comes from the fact that Ryan Smyth left us, and yet, I feel as if the Islanders are in a much better position now than the Colorado Avalanche. Sorry for the harsh words, but they were necessary. Best of lucky Billy, Evgeni, Sidney, and Co.

P.S. – Rob Scuderi’s great play through the playoffs, plus last night’s thigh save, followed by his toe save, must have raised his value about $1 million dollars this offseason. Could he be coming home to the Island? I wouldn’t mind if Garth had him on his radar.

Lighthouse News:

I don’t know about you, but I have thoroughly enjoyed seeing the positive write-ups from Chris Botta over at Islanders Point Blank, and I have truly enjoyed reading the conspiracy theories posted by both BD Gallof (http://islandersindependent.com) and Dee Karl (http://7thwoman.blogspot.com ). I love optimism, as I think there is not enough of it, however, isn’t it sad how much we all love a conspiracy?

My take? I think that some things are truly getting done, and it’s about damn time. The fact that there have been several meetings since the “change of vibes” is a good thing. Do I think that Kate Murray is definitely keeping in mind that her election is coming up? You can bet your last dollar that I do. I look forward to seeing what unfolds over the next 90-days, as I feel that we are currently in the most critical portion of the Lighthouse development. I will do my best to keep providing any information I hear about, but I can guarantee you that I am not your best source. Make sure to check out Nick Giglia’s “Let There Be Lighthouse” blog (http://lettherebelighthouse.blogspot.com ). He maintains an excellent website on everything that is the Lighthouse.

Roy Boe

Lastly, just a final farewell to Roy Boe, original owner of the New York Islanders, and the man credited with hiring “The Architect,” Mr. Bill Torrey. Although I was not alive when he was in his position of power, I am sure all of us Islander fans thank him for bringing Islanders hockey to Long Island, and we sure as hell thank him for Bill Torrey and four years of unmatched pride from 1979-1983. May you rest in peace.

Next Blog Update Tuesday Morning

I apologize for not posting in the past few days. I have spent the past few days with my family, and I have been preparing for the LSAT examination that I will be taking Monday morning. The next blog should be up Tuesday morning.

-Justin

2009 NHL Draft Goaltending - Part 1

Although the main focus of all Islanders fans as of late has been the first overall selection that we hold in this upcoming draft, it is also important to realize that it isn’t just the first pick that makes or breaks a franchise, but the many picks that you have throughout the later parts of the draft that help to truly make or break a franchise. Keeping this in mind, the Islanders currently have a difficult situation on their hands. Franchise player and goaltender Rick DiPietro has suffered several injuries recently to his hips and knees that kept him out for part of the 2007-2008 season, as well as pretty much the entire 2008-2009 season.

The question that hangs over all Islander fans heads is: can DiPietro return to the player he was in the beginning of the 2007-2008 season? Can he really go back to being the all-star that he was? Regardless of this answer, I am part of the camp that believes that the Islanders need to acquire a goaltender in this upcoming draft in order to ensure success in the future. Considering it will take at least three to four years before the goalie truly blossoms into an effective player, I feel that this year is the year we should finally invest a top draft pick into a good goalie.

The goaltending talent in this upcoming draft is actually fairly decent from North America; however, it is fairly weak on the European side in comparison to other years. No goalie has been listed in the top 30 players under the ISS Rankings or the Central Scouting Services rankings going into the draft. While this may lead many to believe that the goaltending talent isn’t that good this year, I beg to differ. Why is this good for the Islanders? Well, considering the abundance of second round picks, one can be used to select possibly a top goaltender in this draft. Let us take a look at the top four goaltenders available in the draft this year. Unfortunately for them, and pretty much every other player, John Tavares and Hedman have dominated the talk, so they have been given less respect than they deserve.

Today, let’s look briefly at the first two goalies, both from the European side of the pond. Tomorrow, we will take a brief look at the second two goalies. While I have seen some clips of each goalie play, I am not as familiar with these four players as I am with many other players in the pool. Therefore, these summaries will be rather brief and only cover basic pros and cons of each goalie.

First off is Robin Lehner, the first-ranked European goalie, and  a 6 foot 4 inch, 220 pound monster-sized goalie from Goteborg, Sweden. Currently in the system of Frolunda, Lehner is in good hands as Frolunda has a good history of churning out good prospects. Besides playing on the Junior-20 Frolunda team, Lehner was also a split-starter in the 2008 World Junior Championships, as well as the full-time starter for Sweden in the 2009 World Junior Championships in which he received a silver medal and played excellently. Noted for his big size and rather quick legs, Lehner has also shown a great ability to play both his glove-side and his stick side as well. His biggest flaw, which many have come to notice after the WJC final against Canada, is that Lehner is not good at playing the puck. To be fair, most Swedish goalies are not known for their stick-handling abilities, and in today’s NHL it is a very important characteristic.

Lehner is a great goalie with an excellent set of skills. Coming from Sweden, and being brought up through the Frolunda system bodes well for any team taking Lehner, as he will be learning form a top-notch team. Judging where he is taken overall in this year’s draft is rather tough, as I do not have personal knowledge of all 30 teams draft depth charts. I would expect him to go somewhere in the early rounds (rounds two through four), however, it is hard to predict these days. In my personal opinion, Lehner will take about three years at minimum to develop, however, he does have the ability to be a great goaltender in the NHL if he develops properly. 

Second is Mikko Koskinen (pictured above), the second-ranked European goalie entering the 2009 NHL Draft. If you thought that Robin Lehner was above-average in terms of size, take a good look at Koskinen. Coming in at 6 feet, 7 inches tall, and weighing approximately 200 pounds, Koskinen is one of the tallest goaltenders to ever come through the NHL drafting process. Born and raised in Vantaa, Finland, Koskinen hails from a country that has pushed out great NHL goaltenders such as Mikka Kipprusoff and Vesa Toskala. Koskinen currently plays for the U20 Blues Espoo in the Junior-B league in Finland and has come up through their rankings for his entire professional career. Unfortunately for Koskinen, he did not participate in the World Junior Championships at any time throughout his career, and therefore scouts have not been able to measure him up against many of the other goaltenders when it comes to performance on the international stage.

Koskinen, although tremendously large in stature, is unfortunately light in terms of weight. With a 6 foot 7 frame, many scouts would like to see him weighing at least 225 pounds, and the hopes of any team that drafts him are that he can put on this necessary weight to deal with the wear and tear of an NHL season. Although he has very quick legs and a great glove, Koskinen is still a rather big goaltender and can tend to get beaten five hole if he does not close up fast enough. Furthermore, while his leg “wing-span” is absurdly large due to his large stature, he still needs to work on his full side-to-side movement, especially when a smaller rink is in play as the game demands faster reflexes, in my opinion. While still very talented overall, coupled with the fact that his frame appears as if he can put on the extra weight, it will still take quite some time for Koskinen to develop into an NHL ready talent. My guess: three to four years at minimum before Koskinen is NHL ready and performing as he can.

Be sure to check back tomorrow as I wrap up the 2009 Goaltending preview with the last two goalies, both from the North American side of the pond. I will also give my opinion on each and rank them in order of preference. Any questions of comments feel free to leave them in the ‘COMMENTS’ section below or email me at IslesNet@Gmail.Com . 

Balsillie is Making Moves

Just a quick update today, as I have fallen ill with what appears to be either the flu or a terrible cold. Jim Balsillie, President and CEO of Research in Motion, the company that produces the BlackBerry, has taken what many consider to be his first “legal and legitimate” step in moving the Phoenix Coyotes to Hamilton, Ontario. According to league sources, as well as many media outlets, Balsillie officially filed an NHL mandated relocation application claiming his rights to move the team, as well as his plans for where he will be moving the team.

While this may be just a formality in the process that won’t be ruled in court until June 9^th, it is a proper step that must be taken in order to complete the process. How the league reacts to this paperwork will be interesting, considering that the paperwork itself is filed 8 days prior to the court ruling.

To further the interesting news, Balsillie released his plans for the massive renovations to the Copps Coliseum in Hamilton this past Saturday. These massive renovations will be coming straight from the pocket of Balsillie himself, and they will be turning the Copps Coliseum into a beautifully refurbished hockey arena capable of handling NHL games, and hopefully many other events. Could this really be the beginning of the end for the Phoenix Coyotes?

Justin’s Opinion:

This process has been rather quick, in my opinion. Although they were in financial trouble since the beginning of the year, it was not believed that Moyes would file bankruptcy and receive the offer as quickly as he did. If all continues to unfold the way it has thus far, it might not be too long before we see Balsillie finally granted his first NHL team, and the Phoenix Coyotes cease to exist. At that point, the only question would be if Phoenix is around for one last year, or if the move is made immediately.