Thought I'd give some minor updates on the team and other happenings. 17 days until the first pre-season game! Not exactly sure when training camp actually starts for the boys, but at least we know the games are thankfully happening soon. Thank. Goodness.
Mike Sillinger retired. Sadly it was expected, and he wasn't going to re-sign with the team, but he was a class act through and through during his time on the Island. Too bad he could never get the cup. Good luck Silli!
John Tavares and a bunch of other rookies and draft picks went to an Upper Deck trading card photo shoot. (BTW, follow Eric Tangradi on Twitter! @EricTangradi and he uses TwitPics too, so it's legit. He's the one in the Pens sweater.)
This is the first 'official' time JT is in an Islanders uniform. That sound you hear is the panting and salivating from all the fans ready to go. October 3rd can't come soon enough.
Hopefully nothing drastic happens this week, because I will be in Chicago stalking Jon Toews um..err...moving my brother back to school. I think this will be everyone's breather before training camp starts anyway, so catch y'all on the flip side my party people.
The U.S. Olympic "orientation camp" wrapped up this week, and our own Kyle Okposo tried to show the goods to Ron Wilson, John Tortorella, and his good buddy Scott Gordon.
USA Hockey's GM Brian Burke has stated that 14 players are basically a lock for Vancouver, and the other 9 spots will probably be determined as the regular NHL season begins. Is Kyle a lock? Probably not, but I think he has a pretty good shot considering he already played for Ron Wilson at the World Championships this year. I think he will make the team though.
(Looking Sharp Okie, Getty)
I thought the photo shoot with all of Team USA turned out great. Some may need to brush up on some America's Next Top Model, and learn to smile with the eyes, but they mean business.
I have a weird crush on David Booth.
That's all.
He seems like a nice guy.
Few more weeks 'til training camp! Thank goodness!
The U.S. Olympic Camp starts this week with the Isles being represented by Scott Gordon as Ast. Coach and Kyle Okposo as a tryout. Other notable Long Islanders, Mike Komisarek and Rob Scuderi, are going to try their luck as well to go to Vancouver in the winter. I'll try to give you guys an update to see how things go this week.
Other than that, all things in Isles land has been pretty quiet. We got a new beat writer for Newsday, Josh Bailey and The Wrecker were in town for the on-sale events at the team stores, and Ice Girl auditions were this past Saturday. Thrilling. I've always wondered if the girls who were on the squad last year, automatically make the team this year, and the thought of auditioning again is just a formality. Maybe not, who knows, I'm sure you're all on the edge of your seat about those.
I think we're all just waiting for training camp honestly.
With that, I will plug my other blog whenever I decide to start working on it, Eternal Optimist. It'll be mostly a sports blog, but I might expand it to other areas of interest. I wanted to be able to write about hockey and baseball in general, and not in this Islanders-centric blog. I like the idea of it being separate. So check it out...once I start posting there.
Hey everyone! Long time, no post. Sorry about that. Since the 2009-2010 season is slowly creeping upon us I thought I'd drop a line. John Tavares, the savior, has arrived. The fine folks over at The Hockey Junkies asked for help recapping every team, and what to expect from the upcoming season, so I figured I'd re-post it here! Enjoy y'all.
New York Islanders
Do you hear that? Do you? It’s the choir of angels sending John Tavares down to Earth, Long Island specifically, and he is here for one reason: to dominate. But will he dominate starting in October? That remains to be seen. We did get him for a reason.
(Yes I’m well aware at how horrible this mock photoshop job is)
We came in last place last season not only because we sucked, but we led the league in man games lost to injury with around 566. No one on the team last year played every game. Mark Streit led the team with 74 Games played. We had like 16 players called up from Bridgeport (our AHL affiliate). Not to mention our biggest loss, once again, was our goalie fo’ life Ricky DiPietro, and he might be out again once more.
This is still funny.
The Islanders are rebuilding, there is no secret about that, and this season might look the same as the last, but I think we’re getting there. (We also really need that freaking Lighthouse) Don’t tell our fan base that, because their patience is wearing thin. You thought we won a playoff series on June 26th:
Guys they shot confetti at us. Confetti! One of the most awesome experiences being there, watching TV on the jumbotron and just screaming our heads off. Surreal.
To get a feel for our team, Bruno Gervais is going to teach you how to spend your intermission at the game:
General Manager- You know him as goalie turned GM Garth Snow
Head Coach-Scott Gordon
Team Captain- Billy Guerin re-signed with Pittsburgh, so now we are captain-less. Potential candidates are Doug Weight, Mark Streit, Brendan Witt, Trent Hunter, Richard Park, or Kyle Okposo. I think Tavares has to play at least one game to show some kind of “leadership.” It’s possible we might go with all ‘A’s’ this upcoming season.
Player Everyone Should Love: Oh boy. Well I want everyone to love Sean Bergenheim, but as shown in the video above everybody loves Bruno Gervais. For you Max Talbot fans out there, they’re BFFs and they room together in the offseason. And have a golf tournament (that was from last year, plus Penguins sightings!). So if you love Max Talbot, you could show Bruno some love too.
Player We Don’t Love- Jon Sim. Sorry. He’s not even listed on the team’s website, so maybe he’s going to be waived for the third time come training camp.
Who They Got- John Tavares, Dwayne Roloson, Martin Biron (!!!) and a bunch of depth signings for Bridgey
Who They Lost- Joey MacDonald, Yann Danis, Mike Sillinger, Thomas Pock, Dean McAmmond, Andy Hilbert, and a bunch of Bridgey players as well
Located At- Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum. Hopefully by October we’ll have some sort of green light for the Lighthouse
Hotness Level (on a scale from 1 to 10)- 5. I think all kinds of attractiveness can be found on the Isles squad. Little girls to grandmothers can find anything from ‘adorable’ to ‘yowza’ on the team. But I don’t think they’re overloading on hotness, sorry boys. I’ll try to find some photographic evidence and you guys can tell me what you think
John Tavares and a bunch of other rookies and draft picks went to an Upper Deck trading card photo shoot. (BTW, follow Eric Tangradi on Twitter! @EricTangradi and he uses TwitPics too, so it's legit. He's the one in the Pens sweater.)
