Islanders Crazy Live Blog Promo

Here is the first of two Islanders Crazy live blog promos for friday's live blog from the Islanders draft party.

Top picks arent always what their cracked up to be.

Corey Witt, the islanders ex media relations guy has an extreamly interesting story on his blog the Hockey Media Blog. Check out the story here as he shows why the concenssus first pick isn't always the wisest one and why fans need to move foward and not focus on the past.

Could the Islanders get the Sedin brothers?

Hockey Buzz has indicated that the Islanders may announce the acquisition of the negotiation rights to the Sedin brothers at the draft party. I have no way of even talking to someone who may be able to confirm this but it is an exciting thought non the less. Should this happen and they draft one of the big 3 names on the draft board fans might be jumping for joy and wishing it was hockey season

Islanders Crazy plans to blog live from the Islanders Draft Party

Islanders Crazy will hold its first live blog from the New York Islanders Draft Party at the Nassau Coliseum. I am still working out the details, but so far here is what will go down on Friday: I will begin blogging at 5:30 as the doors open up for the party. I will go around give a lay of the land, describe the activities going on, and speak with some Islander fans. During this time I may go and take a walk through of the locker room during the lull in news. At 6:30 I will make my way back to listen to C.J Papa and Tim Jackman as they take the stage. During which time I will be videoing as Jackman talks and later as Bossy, Trottier, and Nystrom take the stage. At 7 the Islanders turn on the Broadcast of the NHL Draft and I go into over drive trying to get in last minute info and opinion from fans on the floor. At 7:15 the Islanders make the pick and at 7:30 That player will be interviewed live on the jumbo tron(both will be available to view on the Islanders Crazy You Tube page later after the live blog ends). Following the interviews, I will try to speak with Tim, Bossy, Nystrom, and Trottier to get their thoughts on the Islanders draft pick and their thoughts on the previous and upcoming season. Depending on any changes in draft order Ill go back to watching the jumbo tron as at 9 the Interviews return with Islanders hockey personal and later as they make the 26th selection. I will rap things up from the Coliseum around 10 o’clock with videos and synopsis to come later that evening or the next morning. This is the plan right now for our draft coverage and is probably going to change as I still work on plans that could involve teaming up with other bloggers, The final schedule for Islanders Crazy coverage will be forth coming in the next few days so come join us Friday night as I blog live from the Islanders Draft Party.

Dean Chynoweth is officially named as Assistant coach

Former Islanders first round pick and head coach/ GM of the Swift Currant Dean Chynoweth was officially named as the new assistant coach. After resigning his position yesterday, Islander insiders Chris Botta and Greg Logan got word from sources that he was the new assistant coach.Chynoweth who only played a short time in the NHL, then began a succesfull coaching career in 1998 with the Utah Grizzles. Spent 2 years in Utah before leaving to coach for the Seattle Thunderbirds of the WHL for 5 years.

Looking back maybe the hyped player isn't always the best fit

Last year when the Islanders dropped down to the 9th overall pick, skipped over Nikita Filatov, and picked relatively unknown Josh Bailey fans were up in arms and stormed out of the Islanders Draft party. A year later it looks like the Islanders made the right decision to pass up on the Russian born Filatov. Filatov was thought to be by most fans as the new franchise player (oh little did we know) and when Snow passed up may of them questioned Snows GM skills. Now that we look back at this season, Nikita Filatov was seldom ever mentioned this year and only played in 6 games in Columbus. Playing in 4 games in October and 4 in January. Scored only 4 goals, put up only 4 points, had no assists and was only +/- 3. Although Bailey was a -14 (not that I really understand the +/- system) Bailey had nearly twice the goals, 18 times the assists, and 5 times the points (25) it is my unwavering opinion that the Islanders made the right choice to draft Bailey. Although he started rough Bailey has mixed well into the Islanders system. To say Filatov was a bust would be unfair but should the Isles have drafted him they would have missed out on an exceptional player who has a promising future in the NHL and as Islander. So coming back to this years if Snow doesn’t draft Tavares there is a reason. The past has shown that Snow and his team know what their doing and have the ability to see past all the hype and find a talented young player.

Lets talk net minders

Although Garth Snow said on NHL Live yesterday that Rick Dipietro will be back skating in August and ready for training camp in September, the thought is still that the Islanders need a more experienced back up or what some bloggers have called a 1a goalie. From looking back at last season this player should be prepared to play a large number of games due to Rick’s unpredictable injuries. So with that the general concusses for a 1a goalie is upcoming free agent Craig Anderson (formally) of the Florida Panthers. The 28 year old net minder is a reliable player the Islanders can utilize during DP’s off days and/or the days he’s injured. Anderson played in 31 games for the panthers with 15 wins and an impressive .924% saves. Anderson set an NHL record 53 saves in a shut out ironically against the Islanders. To compare, Yann Danis who played in the same amount of games as Craig Anderson had a worse record (10-17-3 compared to Andersons 15-7-5), and had a better save percentage. Joey MacDonald’s save percentage was lower compared to Andersons, bur its hard to gage the other stats since MacDonald played 18 less games than Macdonald and Anderson. With a solid back up/starter Like Craig Anderson in place it gives the Islanders another piece of the puzzle in their rebuild.

Garth Snow on NHL Live on XM radio at 12:15

Islanders Gm will be on NHL Live at 12:15 today presumable to talk about the NHL Draft next friday. To Listen live at 12:15 and you dont have an XM or Sirius radio here is the the link for a free 7 day trial to sirius so you can listen to the conversation with snow.

Join the Islanders Crazy pages on Facebook

Islanders Crazy has now created a facebook group which is open to all and the Islanders Crazy fan page. We encourage all readers to join both.

Bill Guerin back to Long Island?

For some odd reason Hockeybuzz.com keeps perpetuating the idea that Bill Guerin may return to Long Island for another season. My personal belief he will not come back to the Islanders. Why? You may ask, first off his distain for coach Scott Gordon’s new system he implemented at the start of last season. Not fully flourishing in the new system the rumor is that Guerin was open to trade within close range to Long Island so not to uproot his family. A well respected and classy player Guerin is and how well he did with the penguins I would not hold my breath to see Billy in an Isles uniform next season. I for see him resigning with the pens since he has no intentions of retiring this year. I respect the opinion of Eklund and Hockey Buzz, but feel this opinion is incorrect. We will just have to see come the beginning of the free agency signing period.

Bill Guerin and the Penguins are the Champs!!

If there was anyone who deserved to win the Stanley cup last night it was former captain Bill Guerin. The man who stuck it with the Islanders for one and a half tough season raised the cup for just the second time in his NHL career. One of the NHL’s classiest players, Guerin was traded at the deadline to the penguins and made an impact on the team. Guerin and the penguins got past the Flyers in a six game set with a game 2 game winning goal by Guerin himself. In the Semis it was a battle of the superstars as it was Ovechkin vs. Crosby. The penguins took it to 7 as they edged out the Capitals in a 6-2 win in the final game. In the Conference finals They annihilated the surging Hurricanes sweeping them in 4 games. In the Cup finals Coming back from a 2-0 deficit the penguins won games 3 and 4 to tie the series, but they would loose game 5 in a dismal 5-0 lose at the Joe. Back at the Igloo the Penguins won 2-1 and in game 7 the Pens sealed the deal winning their first cup since 1992. To sum it up, Congratulations Bill Guerin and the Penguins on your Stanley Cup championship.

Draft party update

10,000 fans strong and still growing is the Islanders draft party at the coliseum. Islanders Crazy will be at the coliseum taking pictures, touring the locker room, interviewing some fans and more importantly hoping to talk to Islanders past and Present(which reportedly includes Islanders Forward Tim Jackman according to the I.C.E Tour information on the Isles website.) If you cant make it to the party Check out Islanders crazy as we will be blogging live from the coliseum with all the action going on until they kick us out.


16 DAYS REMAINING AND COUNTING!