On the Islanders Beat

I like the move. Isles gain a Power Play specialist plus a third rounder for Grebeshkov, who will be a restricted free agent this off season and was unable to come to terms on a contract this year. Bergeron is an offensive defensemen and hopefully will add something to the power play. It's minor move, but one that won't break the bank and adds a draft pick and an offensive player to the mix. Nice job Snow.

Just to clarrify, TSN is reporting that the Isles got Bergeron plus a third round pick for Grebeshkov. Greg, you indicated that the Isles also gave up a third rounder, just wanted to confirm the correct trade components. Thanks.

Bergeron's offensive numbers for the past two years seem fairly similar to Campoli's. Is it Nolan's intention to mix both of these offensive threats into his system or is it time to make Campoli part of that big trade deadline deal for a real sniper? He's surely one commodity we need to either use regularly or in a significant trade.

Seems like a good deal. If you look at the comments at the TSN site, it looks like Oiler fans are not thrilled with the trade. Most commentators suggest that Bergeron gives the puck away too much, but all in all it looks like GM Snow made another good move.

It's a smart move. We're a solid 5 on 5 team. The PP has been our weakest link, and this could help a lot.

I agree with Miggsey about Campoli. I for one am very happy with the way he's been developing as a player. I hope we use him rather than trade him, though, as he brings a lot to the team.

This is a win-win situation for the isles. They just got rid of a guy who wasnt gonna be ready for another 2-3 years and probably wouldn't have been worth the wait. In return we get a draft pick and #4-5 Dman. Who knows he could pan out to be more, sometimes people just need a change of scenery, remember Aucoin turned into a machine when he played for us. Also, this kid is young and hes making next to nothing, whats the worst thing that happens, he doesn't pan out? Our power play really cant get much worse. I think with a little talking to from the coaches and advice from the vets, this kid will help us out for the rest of the season and he might even help us boost our power play enough to get us into the playoffs. Kudos to snow for not doing anything drastic...yet

If MM made this deal everybody would have Grebeshkov winning rookie of the year in 2008. I think this is a pretty good deal for the Isles, except that they are very thin at "D" in the prospect column. The only D they have drafted over the last 5 years in the top three rounds is Kohn. He may be 3-4 years away, if he has a chance at all. They should have a good mix on "D" for two more years if they stick with the current top 8. Bergeron will help the PP, but he won't get it to where it needs to be. I really think they should not upset line chemistry during the PP. Another thing is Park got no ice time at all vs the devs, while Simon got 10 mins and 2 mins of PP time.
Hilbert should be getting PP time on the Sillinger line, and the Kozlov line, as is, WITH TAMBELLINI should get the majority of PP minutes. Blake doesn't buy you anything when you break up that line. Him and Kozlov both want to QB, neither one feels comfortable without the puck.
If you want Blake to get PP mins, get Yashin back on the ice faster, and then move Asham or Simon up there with them.
Bottom line, nice work Garth. It's hard to give up a guy like Grebeshkov, especially with the ten year history of giving up on future all stars.

So with Bergeron, Witt, Campoli, Hill, Marty, Gervais, Meyer and Poti now all available; who is the best asset to form part of a major trade for a proven sniper?????

The thing is that two of those guys aren't playing because of injury (Marty and Gervais) and some of them are playing solid "D" so we souldn't move then (Witt, Hill, and yes even Poti) and some of them are young puck moving "D" men (Campoli, Meyer and MAB) ....I'm not saying a trade shouldn't be made, but the Isles have to be real careful to not give away too much for rental players ...

Meyer and Campoli are crappola---Campoli was a surprise not to make the squad earlier--and now i know why...his play is not where it waw his rookie year. Meyer is like Campoli--soft and average at best. Witt and Poti have been great---and the fact that Poti was so irritating to rag fans makes it expotentially better.

DK you are totally right, campoli is bad. who wants a young speedy defenseman, who throws his body around, is a +7,has 15 penalty minutes in 28 games,9 points and is making next to nothing. lets bring back Zhitnik, he was GREAT. I really hope you meant the -10 gervias, not campoli.

I've been away the past few days, so I'm just catching up on all the comments from Greg's last few posts. Let me just say that I'm proud to be a diehard Islander fan. Great observations from just about everybody.

With all the discussion about the need for defense, the MAB trade and the pathetic PP, I think something is getting overlooked. Hasn't it become obvious that Blake has come back down to earth? Yes, he's getting shots, but can you really call them scoring chances? Is his 'career year' only due to Yashin's temporary resurrection earlier in the year? Given the chance to play with different linemates both on the PP and at even strength, does he make the players around him better? Worse? No effect?

Here's my take... I think Yashin's 'benching' was a blessing for more than the obvious reason. It gives Snow a chance to properly evaluate Blake's real value. And I think that value comes up short of $3 million per year. Don't get me wrong - I do appreciate his past contributions. Yes, he has been our best player much of the time over the past 2 season's. But this new contract is NOT a reward for past performence. It's payment for future performence. Considering his age, his size and especially his inability to endear himself to his teammates, his value can best be realized by signing him to a sub-3 million contract (which make him tradeable next year), or rent him out this year for whatever we can get. After all, as it currently stands, he's a non-producer on 3rd or 4th line.

I agree with Cincy...I think that this is one of the rare chances the Islanders have to sell high on a player...given the going rate for a point producer, I think we can get at worst a good prospect and a first round pick for Blake....then we can get around to looking at the team for next year.

Do we want to start a thread on free agents we'd like to see? Personally, my dream scenario would be to replace Yashin (buy-out) and Blake (trade) with Chris Drury and Ryan Smyth, 2 point-producing, hard-nosed winners that Nolan would love to coach. Thoughts?

Cincy and Nick are right about Blake. I for one haven't wanted to admit as much, since it's obvious that he's still a hard worker. But, ever since Yashin first went down, Blake's developed a maddening tendency to grab the puck, skate around the opposition's goal, and end up doing nothing in the process. Snow would have to be foolish not to at least be shopping Blake around. And Nick raises an interesting scenario, one I wouldn't mind seeing.

As I've said before... the best deal over Wang era was last year's dumping of Parrish and Sopel, thus putting hte cement shoes on LA, and STEALING Tambellini and Grebeshkov. If you can do the same thing for Blake (who can be replaced by Tambellini) and Bates (pretty much replaced by a borderline NHL player (Nielson) already... PULL THE TRIGGER!
Unfortunately, while proving that he is a second liner to the Isles, Blake also showed that to the rest of the NHL in Yashin's absence. His price has most likely dropped considerably over the last two weeks. So.. if you can keep him for $8.5M over three years... that's not such a bad deal either. but make a decision soon... You don't want to lose him for nothing in July.
I really hope DK was tallking about Gervais... or he basically dropped the mean IQ on this blog by about 20 points... while raising the mean IQ of the ranger blog by leaving it.

Oh. My. God.

What. A. Game.

Steven CC, you hit it on the head with Blake. The last 4-5 games I've seen him try some seriously hot-dog moves with the puck. He's such a skilled stickhandler that about half the time it works, but the other half, it's a giveaway and back the other way we go. That sort of thing doesn't fit with the personality of this Islanders team and definitely is bad behavior by our one All-Star. I love the guy but if he's not going to play a team game on the Island...get rid of him. His value will never be higher.

And, great win this afternoon. Sucks that I had to work but I listened in on the radio. I believe in this team--it's Ted Nolan all the way.

The fact that Pittsburgh didn't score the go-ahead goal off Crosby's last minute dipsey-doodles may be the best evidence yet that this year's team could be different.

Unless, of course, they put up a 5-1 stinker Thursday against Toronto.

Come on guys. I know Blake has struggled lately but when RR is your centre what do you expect. RR is a third line centre and were lucky if Simon and Asham are third liners. So you have Blake playing with 3rd Liners and the worst PP ever. Blake is a true Islander lets get a deal done. Should of made the deal earlier so the extension would average into this years cap, bacause we have cash right now. As for the D there is 8 guys and 6 spots but the Bridge has nothing to offer. You need 7 guys minimum because of injuries so if bouchard is let go it really leaves one guy to dangle. I think wait until next year and assess who is the od man out. We still will have to resign Poti and Hill will want a big raise to stay so both could be gone and UFA guys like Souray etc will want 6 mil so we might have it firured out for us. Anyhow we bit Pit and are back in 8th!!!!! That just means Buf of NJ in the first round. Buf will be weaker next year dut to UFA's Drury and Briere so you might want restrict yourself from giving alot for a rental that wont hwelp you beat the Sabres. We just might lose 4-2 instead of being swept.

re:help on the way....i thought isles got godard back to protect ms.yashin and the other damsels.

Ajay - serioiusly...enough blaming Jason Blake's problems on Robitaille...

Robitaille is turning into an assist machine. Blake's problem is that he refuses to take the puck into the net, he always curls back to the boards....

Glad Snow finally made a trade, and a good one. Now he has maybe one more to go. In all honesty since going 6-2-2 in the last 10 games, including Pitt today, eventually getting Yashin back will be like making a trade. Many of you already think that Blake does work well with Yashin, so why not keep both, and make one more trade for that winger that we're all craving for? That would give the Islanders four solid lines that could really make it difficult for any team to beat us. I'd hate to ruin the speculation but i dont forsee Blake leaving anytime soon, he's the only one working with Yash. You know if Blake wants to stay loyal with the Islanders, Wang will resign him.

WHAT A GAME!!!!!! THE OL BARN WAS ROCKING TODAY!!!!! SILLINGER SHOOTS......HE SCOOOOOOORES!!!!!

When did Randy Robitille turn into Joe Thorton? He's an assist machine? He had 3 assists as an Islander in 27 games before today. I know he had 3 assists today but is 6 assists in 27 games really your definition of a machine? I guess Simon is a scoring machine now.

Thank you Ajay. Someone who can think past the game they saw today and the last week or 2. Blake is at best playing on a 3rd line (maybe 4th). He had a bad 2 weeks and you are all ready to dump him. He is coming back around though with 4 points in his last 5 games. Did any of you think that by putting him with 2 players who are not threats to score, the other team could just key on Blake and cut down his scoring? Maybe that is why his production is down? How about that it might take a few games for him to get used to Robitille as center? It has been 10 games since Yashin went out. The first 5 Blake had no points. The last 5 he is 1-3-4. Is it ok that it took him 5 games to get used to his new center, who by the way is no where near as good as Yashin?

Does Blake make others better? Hmmmm, lets see: prior to Yashin going out Robitille was 3-3-6 in 26 games on the Satan line. With Blake he is 2-4-6 in 9 games. Maybe Robitille got better, or maybe, as I think, it was Jason Blake.

Here is the funny thing, on a line with 3rd or 4th line talent, that was put together on an emergency basis, the line has 3 goals today and 2 goals against Boston for a combined 5-5-10 the last 3 games (with the SO against NJ included). You do not like how Blake is playing? He made Robitille and Simon into a legit line.

By the way, if Blake insists on 5 years 18 mil. I would move him too because its too long and too much $, but don't say its because of his play this year.

Great game today. We HAVE to follow it up with a big win against Toronto or its all for naught. Keeping pace against the hottest team in the conference is BIG!!!! Winning these 4 point games with the teams we are tied with for the last spot is HUGE.

3-3-6 in 16 games. Sorry.

Greg - you are a personal embarrassment to professional hockey writing. Please bring back Alan Hahn - who writes both objectively and with insight along with interest (versus sarcastic tone that you seem to display). You must be part of the Ranger / Dolan family conspiracy to get the Islanders franchise chased off of Long Island....our only professional sports franchise. Please resign and move into something you are qualified for - High School Sports... oops someone else is doing that. Bring back Alan Hah.

Nice to see Alan Hahn's uncle (see above) check in with some brilliant thoughts. I can't believe I saw the words "objectively" and "insight" regarding Alan Hahn's coverage. He was the freaking team mouthpiece. By the end of his time covering the Islanders, his stories read like something coming out of the Iraqi Minister of Information's office mixed with a boring AP report.

Great game today, but did anyone else notice how far Bergeron pinched up the right side and then misplayed the puck -- leading to the first Pen's goal? Hopefully the Isles coaching system can get his defensive play to where it should be!

I wish the trade deadline was a little further away... I would like to see if blake ans yash could regain some of the chemistry from earlier this year before unloading blake... I think at this point we are almost forced to keep him.
I also got done watching todays game on tape... man... freakin awesome... I know that we don't have a great team... but for what its worth.... we're better than last year... and for the most part I've been thoroughly entertained this year...
PS... I'm making the long trip to the island on thu for the game... so if possible I would love to see a big crowd there to make it worth it... c'mon fellas... help me out

Blake has always been a puck hog. The ice capades routine is not specific to this season. I never understood why people believed that he was "the ultimate team guy" or anything of the sort. There's no evidence of that. Skating hard can help the team, but it doesn't make him a good teammate.

I'd be in favor of trading Blake now, assuming his value is high. If not, then I guess we should see about re-signing him. I DO think that he and Yashin made each other better, though I agree that Blake doesn't seem like he's the kind of star who elevates the level of whoever he plays with.

MY POINT GENTLEMEN.....

If BLAKE has his head up and uses the passes he is given instead of playing with the puck and curling to the wall instead of shooting, he would have more goals. Robitaille has been dishing him pass after pass.....scoring chance after scoring chance....

Blake has NOT been finishing. Plain and simple.

First of all, great game yesterday. That was a fun game to watch and reminded me why this game is so great.

As has been my point all along, Blake is a nice complimentary player that has been a good player for this Isles team and now that his contract his up at the end of the year and more importantly his perceived value throughout the league is high we should sell high. I'm also of the mindset that Hill and Bates should be shopped as well.

These next two games are huge with Toronto and Montreal coming in here. Nice to see the Isles respond after the shutout to Jersey.

Yes, that was some non-finish out of mid-air yesterday. Would you even call that waist high "dish" from Robitille a scoring chance? Blake knocked it out of mid-air and into the net with his stick while crashing the net and a guy on his back, after a good steal and pass to Robitille. It was a great play all around, but Blake knocking it out of mid-air and into the net was fantastic.

That line is starting to click after 9 games together. (5-5-10 in last 3 games) Leave it alone until Yashin comes back.

DK: What type of hallucinogen were you on when writing your blog????? Check his #'s and ice time compared to our higher higher payed and played veterans. As a bonus for your thoughts, here's an "IC" for the middle of your name.

i was at the game yesterday and the coliseum was electric after sillinger scored that game winner. robitaille had an excellent game, he was great on the forecheck. bergeron had a few giveaways but i like his willingness to shoot the puck on the PP.

on pittsburgh - they are a very scary offensive team (obviously). definitely a playoff team but their D and fleury have to get ALOT better if they want to go anywhere.

next 2 games vs toronto and montreal are HUGE.

Send Meyer back to Phily or Bridgeport and start to play Campoli more. We need his offensive potential more than ever in the stretch run and he's not getting enough ice time.

I agree with Bruzzer. I'm puzzled by the low minutes Campoli got in the Pens game. Both ends of his game merit more ice time.

I know he didn't get named as one of the stars last night, but I thought DP had an excellent game despite the 5 goals against. Yes he made some mistakes with the puck, and yes he was slow to cover the short post on the wrap-around. But he did last night what top tier, winning netminders do - he made the tough saves at the critical times of the game. And I oved the way he gave Koharski a mouthful after the 3rd Pens goal and then kept his cool under pressure. The kid just might be growing up.

Nolan seems to have it out for Campoli. I'm not sure what this is all aboot, but his PT wavers and more often that not is one of the lowest for D-men. He has a ton more upsdie than Gervais, he hits, skates, and moves the puck well. Fredy Meyer is small, doesn't skate all that well, plays on the red line in offensive situations and gets beat a lot in our zone.

Nolan has confused me with his D men all season long. Gervais getting injured again was addition by subtraction.