As much as the Islanders need offensive help, the right ankle re-injury suffered by Bruno Gervais Thursday night against Boston has forced general manager Garth Snow to focus on acquiring help on the blue line. Three NHL officials and personnel experts confirmed today that Snow is working feverishly to put together a deal for a depth defenseman.
The loss of Gervais left the Islanders down two starters, and coach Ted Nolan said at the morning skate before the Devils game tonight at the Coliseum that Gervais could be out as long as two weeks. Radek Martinek, who suffered a fractured lower left leg on Feb. 3 in Montreal left the arena today on crutches and wearing a hard cast. His return is projected around March 17 at the earliest.
Rookie Drew Fata, who made an appearance in Washington the day after Martinek was hurt, has been recalled from Bridgeport to take the place of Gervais in a pairing with veteran Tom Poti. But with the Islanders tied for eighth and in the middle of a serious playoff push, Snow recognizes the need for a more experienced hand.
Although Fata definitely will play against the Devils, Snow is pushing to make a deal as soon as possible rather than waiting until the Feb. 27 NHL trade deadline. If possible, he might even try to have a new face ready to put in the lineup against Pittsburgh and Sidney Crosby Monday afternoon at the Coliseum.
The Islanders won’t be getting a top-three defenseman, which means the cost is more likely to be some combination of a mid-round draft pick and possibly a minor leaguer. But with $5 million in salary cap room available, Snow also will continue to troll over the next 10 days for a forward who can add scoring punch. That likely will take longer, if it happens at all.
Until Snow is able to make a trade, Nolan will go with Fata, who played only 8:30 on Super Bowl Sunday in Washington but left a good impression with his physical play and with his ability to make the simple plays during a game in which the Islanders held Alexander Ovechkin to two shots and no points before losing 2-1 in a shootout.
Recalling the experience this morning, Fata said, “It was pretty exciting, I guess. They just told me three things: go out there and have fun, work hard and whenever Ovechkin is on the ice, try to get off. I took that to heart and had fun with it.”
As luck would have it, one of the two hits credited to Fata during the game came against Ovechkin. He crushed the 34-goal scorer into the right boards. “Yeah, it was kind of a lucky break,” Fata said. “He kind of turned into me, and I was lucky to throw a shoulder into him.”
As you can tell, Fata has a sense of humor, and he entertained reporters with it this morning. Asked if he spoke to his older brother Rico, who began this season with Washington but now is playing in Mannheim, Germany, Drew said they contacted each other before and after the game.
“He said, ‘You get to play against my old team,’” Drew said of Rico, who has logged time with five NHL teams. “And I was kind of bugging him. I said, ‘There’s probably a 20 percent chance I’ll play against one of the teams you played on.’ He got a laugh about that.”
Describing his first NHL shift in that game, Fata said he hardly could believe it when he was told to get ready to go over the boards. “I thought I was going to puke on my first shift,” Fata said. “My first shift was kind of weird, but after this guy hit me, my stomach loosened right up and I said, ‘Yeah, this is easier than I thought.’ I’ve still got the butterflies, but not as bad as before.”
Fata hails from Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, where Nolan once coached the local major junior team. New Bridgeport coach Dan Marshall also is from the Soo, and he’s the one who was sent by the Islanders to meet with Fata at a local Tim Horton’s doughnut and sandwich shop when the defenseman was calling around last summer looking for tryouts. Fata had been playing in Wilkes-Barre in the AHL, but the Pittsburgh organization declined to re-sign him.
“I didn’t have anywhere to go in mid-August,” Fata said. “I was going through getting rid of an agent and trying to find a new one. My Dad and I were doing our own calling. We came across Dan Marshall, and we hooked up a meeting. He said they’d give me an AHL deal. I could have gone to Europe, but at 23 years old, I don’t want to go yet.
“Technically, I signed out of training camp, an AHL straight deal. In mid-December, Marshall and Cappy [assistant coach Jack Capuano] pushed for a contract to come up here, and I got it finalized the Saturday before the game in Washington. It was kind of a crazy road, but I don’t think I’d take it any other way right now.”
Neither would Nolan. Skill is important, but he wants players with plenty of hunger and heart. Fata has those qualities, which is why he got the call.
YASHIN UPDATE: Coming in Sunday’s Newsday is my interview this morning with captain Alexei Yashin on the progress he’s making in rehabilitating his injured right knee. It was reported by Newsday when the decision was made to rest him that the rehab would be extensive, possibly lasting as much as three weeks. Yashin remained on Long Island to undergo rehabilitation while the team went on the road for six of the past eight games he’s missed over the 16 days before tonight’s game against the Devils. Although Yashin has resumed skating, he has further physical tests to pass next week before he can return, the details of which will be in tomorrow’s story.
Comments (11)
MAYBE THE ISLES SHOULD TEST MS. YASHIN TO SEE IF HE HAS A SET....AND WHILE WE ARE ON THE SUBJECT,HOW COULD THE ISLES LET GODARD GO AND SIGN MR."PICK MY SPOTS" SIMON.
I agree about Simon ...it's clear that just because he has ties to Nolan he's not only on the team but amazingly sees time on the 2nd PP unit ...
I really can't over the fact that you have a guy on the team (Tambellini) who's producing and a guy in the AHL with the skill to possibly wake up this pathetic powerplay (Nilsson) but he throws Simon out there? I mean I appriciate the fact he likes "grit" as much as the next guy - and I do think that mentality helps on 5 on 5 ...but what about some skill for the PP? Imagine if the Isles could not only combine their great 5 on 5 play with some PP goals??
Seems like a pipe dream at the moment though ...
Cont....
I was just looking at Simon's stats ...5-17-22 ...are you kidding?? His last goal was on 12/22 and the one prior was on or about 12/03 ...this guy reminds me of Bates ...Bates has been living off of that playoff goal for numerous years now and should be off this team and Simon has been living off his Washington season that was 7 or 8 years ago!!
I want to see Nilsson at the NHL level as much as anyone. But I don't believe that he will "save" the PP. He isn't even the best player on the AHL team. He would most likely be a better option than Bates next year, or replace rubberguy in the lineup... but he's not going to fix the PP. I'd like to suggest that Trottier get more involved in the PP. He did a pretty good job with Pitt and Colorado in that role. But they still don't have the horses. they Need Yashin back, and playing like he did in November. Simon most likely won't be in the lineup next year, but he'll most likely be replaced by a guy like Nokie who fits more into a 4th line role. I thought that nokie might have brought the kind of energy that was missing without a Webb or Colley. Plus he brings that ability to move him up to a top line to play a Parrish kind of role.
can anybody who sees Bridgeport on a regular basis shed some light on how the guys down there are performing.
Simon showed tonight vs Devils that he CAN crush people...and skill wise he's WAY ahead of Godard...but, he needs to use his fists MUCH MORE---when an avergae team cant score much, they need to use all other attributes. I dont need Simon relegated to "protecting" Isles players---I want him being the intimidator of other teams players. Is that asking too much?
I'm not shocking anyone by pointing out that the Isles sorly lack an offense presence. The Power Play is pathetic. In my humble opinion they just have to shoot the puck more and stop playing with it so much. The scoring chances are always going to be limited when you play the Devils and multiple times they missed the net or got the shot blocked or couldn't connect on the pass. It's frustrating watching this team play in their offensive zone. DiPietro had another strong game that was wasted because of the Isles inability to score goals. I understand that Snow values defense, but where's the offense? Hopefully Yashin can come back and pick up some slack or at least get Blake going. Hey Jason, that 5 years at 18 mil ain't looking like a sure thing now huh.
I'm just bitter after that loss tonight, but this is how the game is played in the playoffs and too many times they couldn't fight through the neutral zone and put pressure on the Devils. Just frustrating. Now on Monday we have to deal with the suddenly ridiculously hot Penguins who score over 4 goals a game (or so it seems).
Just for the record I don't think if Nilsson comes up and plays on the PP then it will become a tremendous force to be dealt with ...my point was more why not try something different? Yes, Yashin coming back will be a huge plus for the PP, but when you do have guys with offensive ability (Tambellini & Nilsson) in the organization why not give it a try? It really can't get much worse ...
The game/result tonight would be exactly what the Isles would face if they were to make the playoffs. 3 times this season they have been shutout by the Devils and were less than a second from having it happen a 4th time. I don't want to give up the future in any trade but I also don't want 5 to 7 young players on the roster next season either. We're not in a total rebuilding stage anymore. If Snow wants to get another defender, how about making a blockbuster and bring in a scorer in the same deal.......how about Nilsson, Gervais/Grebeshkov, a 1st rounder this year and a 3rd or 4th rounder next year to the Blues for Guerin and Brewer? JD wants to rebuild the correct way in St. Louis and would want young players and picks. If that went down I would really like our defense for years to come with Witt, Martinek, Meyer, Campoli, Gervais/Grebeshkov, Brewer (and maybe even having Poti back if we can re-sign him). We would still have plenty of young forward talent in the system with Tambellini, Bergenheim, O'Marra, Comeau, Okposo.....and would have plenty of time to re-stock our defense on the farm. What do you all think?
I'm trying to start anything here, but that seems like an awful lot to give up for an aging Guerin and a nice - not great - Dman in Brewer. Nilsson has a lot of upset, even if this current staff doesn't want to play anyone who has natural scoring ability. Gerais has been solid this year and Grebeshkov is a top 4 d-man who the Isles will hopefully bring back next season. Our 1st rounder this year - where ever in the draft this year shouldn't be dealt - unless it's for a major deal - which I don't think Guerin and Brewer would be ...just my thoughts, but like I said I think it's waaaaaaaaay too much to give up
I don't understand why Snow would even make a move to better this team. Sure it would nice to make the playoffs but lets be honest here, we aren't going anywhere. Is giving up youth and then just get swept or win one game in the first round worth it?
One word....
BERGERON!!!
GREAT JOB SNOW!!! KEEP IT UP!!