My last Goalie post before Rookie Camp

Or, if it's not, I will broadcast my home address and you can come slap me.

The Islanders announced the signing of Goalie Al Montoya to a one year contract extension earlier today. This is fantastic news for fans as Al has been a bright light and came in and singlehandedly stabilized what became a ridiculous Goalie situation for the Islanders after injuries to Rick DiPietro and Kevin Poulin and Nate Lawson's inability to be anything remotely close to okay...he too was hurt and starting duties fell to Mikko Koskinen (a recent scratch in Bridgeport, I believe he too is injured). Montoya's been great going 8-4-4 with a 2.35 GAA and a .923 SV%, which has been great.

Now, onto my bit: how does this effect the prospects; well, right now it doesn't. Poulin is hurt, Koskinen's had a lost year, Lawson's proven he's a "AAAA" type guy: can't make it in the NHL, great in the AHL, and finally Anders Nilsson isn't in North America yet. Now, next year is the major issue: the Islanders as an organization can not afford to lose development for Poulin, Koskinen or Nilsson by way of forcing them into 3 man rotations at Bridgeport. If all three of those netminders are to be kept and the Islanders retain the services of Nate Lawson, they have to go to Kalamazoo and have them take on the two goalies that don't crack the lineup for Bridgeport. 

For the last two seasons the Islanders have kept three goalies at Bridgeport at varying times, last year they had Scott Munroe, Nate Lawson and Mikko; now Mikko was hurt most of the year and ended up back in Bridgeport for the playoffs after a quick stint in Utah, but the Sound Tigers essentially had a 2 man tandem at the AHL while the big squad squandered a perfect trade chip in Marty Biron. This year Bridgeport and NY have used at least 5 goalies (for BPT 6 have dressed, for NY: 7), so it's a much different animal to contemplate. But the Islanders cannot have the 2011-2012 season start with Koskinen, Poulin and Nilsson or Koskinen, Poulin, Lawson (again) at Bridgeport. You can't emphasize development with these guys if they have to fight each other for starts. Goalies should be in tandems and that is it. 

Of course I'm making these assumptions under the best case scenarios where every goalie under contract with the New York Islanders is healthy for Rookie and Training camp to start next season. But if they are, and the Islanders extend and Entry level deal to Anders Nilsson and keep him in North America then they NEED to have Plans A, B and C established before the first puck drops in October.

To me, assuming all are healthy and Evgeni Nabokov (remember him, we sort of own his rights, and will probably Toll him if for no other reason than to make him squirm for his unprofessionalism) is tolled and suspended for not reporting, you figure Montoya and DiPietro will start with the Islanders with Poulin as the first call-up for any trouble and Koskinen becomes the full-time starter for Bridgeport with another goalie signed to a PTO or Lawson brought up from the ECHL. Anders Nilsson, if stateside, is at Kalamazoo in this situation starting full time and only going to Bridgeport if he's absolutely lights out or there's an injury to Koskinen and Lawson (all possible). Consider this plan A since I don't believe that Nabokov will set foot on NHL ice ever again, or try something stupid like announce his retirement and then sign with another team on a "comeback." Also Poulin would benefit from more time at the AHL and the Montoya extension does just that.

In the event that Evgeni wants to play nice, stop being a baby and decides that being a Pro athlete entails more than sucking your thumb in Northern California, and has an amazing camp and the Isles choose to go with him (if healthy maybe he has another 40 W season in him, who HONESTLY would complain about that?), have him and Rick up with Montoya and one of Poulin or Koskinen (the other becomes a trade piece) at Bridgeport; Montoya becomes the de facto first call-up and the other taking over at Bridgeport with a Lawson as backup and if Nilsson is in North America (good camp obviously, otherwise, another year in the SEL) he stays at Kalamazoo just as before. Call this: not-likely plan B.

Finally there's the no Nabokov (tolled, but suspended for being a baby) and no Nilsson option that is much like Plan A but with Lawson and either a Joel Martin (who can still be retained) or Joe Schmoe at Kalamazoo in the event of the "bet your ass" DP injury that leaves us continually laughed at, but glad we have backups, situation. Call this: The likely to happen, but you can't have enough Goalies Plan C. If the Isles need more than these contingencies then it is “Hello 2012 first overall Pick!”

Now I've forgotten Joel Martin in all of these, he was signed to a two way deal and he is back with Odessa right now, but the Isles can retain him, and the Jackalopes are giving up on being a professional team, so he'll likely need a home. The EChL in a tandem with Lawson in the "battle of career AHL afterthought" would be just fine depth-wise if Nilsson isn't brought over. It is also entirely possible that Lawson and Martin are granted their release and then there's less question marks. But the Isles NEED to have a clear plan in place before Camp at ice works takes place, and considering all the injuries this season at both levels having a back-up of a back up should be the mentality going forward. 

With those thoughts in place, I hope not to mention goalies and save percentages until August at the least. 

On Building a Blue Collar Identity from Top to Bottom

This post may seem appropriate more in the off-season, but I'd rather get this discussion going now. Also, it's more philosophical than prospect right now, so please excuse that, I promise to highlight guys soon.

The Islanders have become a blue collar hard working team this year, one you just can't help but to root for. yes the big club had a horrendous streak that more or less ended their playoff hopes in mid-December, but they came back and fought hard night in and out staving off elimination until last night. Yes, they've lost 550 man-games to injury and suspension this year, but the Isles have become a team that, if healthy will be a playoff team. Since the infamous "Brawl at the Barn" against the Penguins back in February the Isles have gelled and taken on a blue collar "fight to the end" type of identity. 

Considering the team has a few budding superstars mainly John Tavares and Michael Grabner, and VERY quietly Matt Moulson, and an inability to attract cream of the crop talent in Free Agency (and do NOT throw the "Jurcina Stat" at me, I know the record, but if the Isles had come up with any of Michelak, Martin or Volchenkov, Jurcina would've been an afterthought signing, or not at all; that's not to say I don't like Jurcina, I love his play, I'm just saying things would've been different) this mentality is a GOOD thing. In fact I think the rest of the affiliates should start adopting it, mainly Bridgeport, who's had a worse season than the parent club. The biggest reason for this is simple: teach guys that may become future Islanders the "Islanders way." what I mean by that is preach the blue collar work ethic and the "never say die" attitude. What I don't mean is institute Jack Capuano (any any Islanders head coach)'s system onto Pat Bingham in Bridgeport or Nick Bootland at Kalamazoo. Preach mentality, not style of play, doing the latter doesn't help if all three teams are struggling and play the exact same way.

This obviously is easier to say than act upon especially since things bring teams together or tear them in different ways. that is the experiences of the team can shape mentality and such. A LONG losing streak at any level can wear down a "never say die" attitude especially if those losses are more often than not close games or overtime losses, these things will effect a team differently at different points in the season, but that's something that causes the team to make adjustments and all of that. But if the head coaches and management at every level are brought together in the off-season saying "this is the mentality we want going forward" that's a good starting point. From there allow the coaches to develop upon that identity and build it using variations on a theme. Coaches creativity shouldn't be squandered in a quest for "achieving the way." Alright that sounds a bit ridiculous, but what I'm trying to say is have the coaches institute a mentality of blue collar work, NOT forcing them to use a particular forechecking system or "run and gun" offense or a trap and things like that, you know? 

There's another aspect of this that should be taken into account, and it's probably going to sound controversial but I'm a big believer in awarding good play. So if players aren't achieving and producing the organization has to be willing to promote and demote guys that aren't getting the job done. Yes at the NHL level  this is difficult to do with guys who aren't on two way contracts, but if a guy is struggling and you can make a call-up on emergency conditions, find a way to sit the guy not getting the job done. The Isles have sort of done this this season, the biggest example was sending Josh Bailey down when he was struggling, as well as placing call-ups in the lineup over Robbie Schremp. However it's easier to accomplish at the minor league level and should be used as a tool to make guys hungry and keep them from getting complacent.

If you have a guy not performing his role at Bridgeport or Kalamazoo and there's a guy performing better at a lower level bring in the guy performing and send down the guy struggling. that is to say (for example) if Rob Hisey is in a bad funk and Kory Karlander is lighting the lamp repeatedly, sit Hisey and sign Karlander to a PTO and bring him in and have him play. Maybe Karlander struggles and Rob finds his way in practice and lights it up going forward, but you've rewarded a guy playing well at one level and made a guy push himself. Now I understand this is the ideal and that the hockey world doesn’t quite work like that; and that the Isles can only have 50 guys signed to a contract, but you have to be willing to make guys who are struggling but have a world of talent expendable if there are others who can do their jobs as effectively. I don’t mean this in a “be a cheapskate way,” but a guy like Trent Hunter, who is perpetually hurt is going to take a roster spot over a guy because he’s signed for three more years, that’s not cool, I know it’s how it works, and that a healthy hunter is a pretty good bottom 6 role player and one of a few Islanders with playoff experience, but you have to pencil him in over a Rhett Rhakshani or Brian Day or Anders Lee or a Nino Niederreiter because they have options (for lack of a better term, and I’m thinking of baseball season, sorry) and Hunter is basically immovable unless he proves healthy. Now, in recent years the Isles have bought out players who haven’t achieved and there’s replacements for, and it’s possible that Hunter may be a buyout candidate (I’d make him one), but let’s assume that’s not the case, would the Isles waive him in season if he doesn’t produce; I don’t know, but I’d say yes if there’s someone else who can fill his role better than he can, and let the money be damned. Again this is not an exercise to pick on Trent Hunter, but an example of my thinking in making guys expendable if it means bettering the team.

This happens at the AHL all the time with guys who get hurt. Bridgeport has grabbed countless guys on PTOs to fill in and then do away with them once the injured return. Jason Pitton, Eric Castongauy, Jon Landry and Brady Leisenring are all examples of this. I understand the moves, and Landry and Leisenring were at Kalamazoo at the time of their PTOs, but Castongauy and Pitton were with other ECHL clubs, you shouldn’t go outside your affiliates if you don’t need to. Now it’s possible that K-Zoo couldn’t spare anyone, but there were guys producing that K-Zoo should’ve been willing to send up as an injury fill in if they were going to get actual time. But that’s just me I guess.

Now, this whole institution of being a blue collar organization should NOT prohibit the draft, if there’s a chance to draft a superstar, or a very good prospect, take him and when they join the pro ranks THEM get them into the blue collar mentality, not by forcing an adjustment of their game, but that they’re part of a family and to stick up for themselves and their teammates. Sure the Isles can draft feisty guys, but they’ve done so when appropriate and never in the first round, Garth Snow’s draft strategy shouldn’t change one bit. But, draft picks should be taught at prospect camp that they are going to be part of a blue collar caring family that will ALWAYS stick up for them, but if they don’t produce, their job is NEVER secure…

A lot of this stuff the Islanders already do, so I’m basically preaching to the choir, but pushing guys to know their jobs shouldn’t be secure unless they produce (whether a first round pick or signed for 15 years) should add to that mentality. I welcome any debate on this, just stirring the pot I guess in the hours since we were officially eliminated from playoff contention.

Place holder post, have a much bigger one in mind later

Hi again all, it's been a few weeks and I've missed some big news, so a run down and then onto my bigger post either late tonight or sometime tomorrow (no am campus tour, so I can work all night/sleep OR sleep and get a finish on it...wait, why do you care?)

• Isles need a new CHL affiliate: Odessa's leaving the professional ranks for Juniors, and no, not the USHL but the lower level (though Matt Moulson approved) NAHL. I've been trying to figure out what this means for the Isles and the vet in Odessa...the biggest answer is probably not much. Most CHLers will likely find new employ...Sebastien Thinel SHOULD look for work in the ECHL and MAYBE some AHL try-outs, but maybe he wouldn't like to uproot his family, I dunno. the Nick Bootland's and others in Odessa will find work. If one of their Goalies can get all the way to the NHL (Joel Martin has since returned to Odessa), some others can too.
• Aaron Ness leaves the Gophers: Aaron Ness signed an Entry level deal (to take effect next season) and an Amateur Tryout Offer with Bridgeport (so the Isles don't lose a year of eligibility on the EL) after FINALLY leaving the University of Minnesota. Ness had regressed a lot his last two seasons after a good rookie year, regress may be a harsh term, but he never took the next step in two years. however, his first few games have shown that my doubts were unnecessary as he's picked up a goal already and Bridgeport coach Pat Bingham has said he fits right in at the AHL, so that's good. He'll be part of a major LOGJAM I'll detail in a few posts.
• Brian Day joins Bridgeport: the Isles 2006 6th rounder joined the ranks at Bridgeport this week and has made his presence known in two games picking up a goal and an assist already after a successful run at Colgate University (gotta love upstate NY, though Hamilton is in the middle of nowhere really). in 149 career ECAC Day notched 54 goals and 56 helpers for 110 points. Not too shabby. Day will have to fight for roster space at Bridgeport especially if the Sound Tigers take the same approach to building next year as this, and if some European prospects stay. 

So just a quick run down of news. Odessa and Kalamazoo have qualified for the playoffs, Bridgeport is on the outside looking in and will likely stay there. Anyway, have a bigger post to write. If I see anything on Corey Trivino I'll have a write up on him, also meant to do one on Jason Gregorie who's UND is skating in the Frozen Four right now.