Tortorella to interview with Islanders on Sunday

From Greg Logan of Newsday:

The big ticket on the carousel of coaching candidates that Garth Snow is running this summer belongs to former Tampa Bay coach John Tortorella, who is scheduled to meet with the Islanders' general manager on Sunday.

Because he stands to collect $1.3 million for the remaining year of his Lightning contract, Tortorella can well afford to be choosy about his next job. That salary is slightly more than twice as much as former Isles coach Ted Nolan was believed to be making, but that's what a 2004 Stanley Cup victory will get you. The Lightning's obligation to Tortorella would be offset by whatever salary he makes in a new job this season.

Read the entire article here.

Tortorella is certainly a qualified candidate to take over for the Islanders. He is an in-your-face coach who prefers to play an up-tempo, aggressive forechecking game, that makes watching the game exciting for fans. His passion and demand for accountability may be just what the organization needs as it tries to turn around its fortunes and rebuild for the future.

Mariusz Czerkawski retires

From Lowetide:

At 36 years old, Marius Czerkawski has decided to retire. The former Oiler (who is also connected to two teams Edmonton has often dealt with over the years, NYI and Boston) had been playing in Switzerland the last couple of seasons.

Read the entire post from Lowetide here.

Just thought I'd pass this along.

Some information on Islanders coaching candidate Scott Gordon

From Fluto Shinwaza of the Boston Globe:

While Gordon doesn't have any NHL coaching experience, he is considered an up-and-comer because of his success in Providence. Gordon runs high-tempo practices, uses video extensively, and is well-respected by current and former players.

In 2007-08, Providence won both matches against Bridgeport, New York's AHL affiliate. Islanders GM Garth Snow has said he wants a coach who will emphasize player development.

Read the entire post from Bruins Blog here.

I think getting some new blood in the NHL coaching ranks, and an innovative coach on the Island would be good for the team and the league.

Maurice heads list of Islanders coaching candidates

From Greg Logan of Newsday:

Former Toronto coach Paul Maurice has the pole position in the interview process to determine the successor to Ted Nolan as coach of the Islanders. According to an NHL source, Maurice is expected to meet with general manager Garth Snow Monday.

The list of confirmed Islanders coaching candidates now numbers seven. Besides Maurice, the list includes former Tampa Bay coach John Tortorella and his assistant, Mike Sullivan, both of whom have received permission from the Lightning to interview. Snow still is waiting for approval to interview former Atlanta coach Bob Hartley and current Providence Bruins coach Scott Gordon in Boston's organization.

Read the entire story here.

As much as I think Maurice is a capable candidate for this position, I think hiring some new blood like Scott Gordon may be the way to go for the rebuilding Isles.

More on the Nolan/Snow relationship

From Greg Logan of Newsday:

Multiple team sources from the locker room to the front office blamed Nolan for ignoring advice from his handpicked assistants regarding the defensive system the Islanders used and the power-play setup. Miroslav Satan, who scored 17 of his 35 goals in 2005-06 playing down low on the power play, rarely was used that way by Nolan and his production declined to 27 goals, then to 16 last season.

A person close to one top player accused Nolan of "mismanaging his assets." The person added, "Various people on the team caught Ted Nolan in outright falsehoods."

Read more about Nolan/Snow here.

The more you read, the more you think it is better that Nolan and the Islanders parted ways.

Islanders sign Frans Nielsen to four-year deal

From Greg Logan of Newsday:

Restricted free-agent center Frans Nielsen reached agreement with the Islanders Friday night on a four-year contract worth $2.1 million. It has a one-way provision in each year of the deal, virtually assuring Nielsen will be on the NHL roster.

The $525,000 average salary might turn out to be quite a bargain for a 24-year-old player for whom the Islanders have high hopes. In 16 games with the Islanders last season, Nielsen had only two goals and one assist, but he received fourth-line time, averaging 8:42 per game.

Read the entire story here.

Nielsen is a smallish forward, but he has the ability to put some points on the board if paired with the right linemates. The fact that he signed a four-year deal (one-way contract too) should give him confidence. The Islanders also have to be happy with this contract because it is a mere $525,000 per season.

Islanders get permission to speak with Tortorella

From Erik Erlendsson of the Tampa Tribune:

Former Lightning coach John Tortorella could be in line to take over the vacant head coaching position with the New York Islanders.

The Islanders have contacted Tampa Bay seeking permission to speak to Tortorella, the Tribune has learned. The Lightning have granted the Islanders their request to talk to Tortorella.

Read the entire story here.

Hiring Tortorella would be a great move for the Islanders franchise. He is a terrific coach with a winning pedigree, who would bring accountability and passion to the Island.

Okposo and Bailey give Islanders fans reason to be excited

From Greg Logan of Newsday:

It was just one of six goals in yesterday's scrimmage at the Islanders' rookie camp, but it looked like a blueprint for the future. No.1 draft pick Josh Bailey penetrated the right circle and dished perfectly to budding rookie star Kyle Okposo in the slot, where he flicked it left to defenseman Andy MacDonald, who buried the shot.

You never know, but the decision to put Bailey, the ninth overall pick in June, on the same line with Okposo, the seventh overall pick from the 2006 draft, could be the start of a beautiful relationship.

Read the entire story here.

As the article points out, Bailey will most likely return to Windsor of the OHL, but the future definitely looks bright for these two talented youngsters.

Okposo gained confidence at the end of last season

From Greg Logan of Newsday:

In his nine games, Okposo managed goals against the Devils and Rangers and totaled five points. The experience, he said, "helped me a lot. It made me realize I can play with those guys, and have an impact. It's a little bit reassuring to have those first few games under my belt."

Read the entire article here.

With Ted Nolan gone, the pressure will be on the Islanders' youngsters even more. Okposo is a very talented player and with some experience, he should come into his own in 2008/09.

Brian Trottier not mad at Garth Snow

From Greg Logan of Newsday:

Worried that some might misunderstand his comments about the departure of coach Ted Nolan, Islanders Hall of Famer Bryan Trottier sought me out yesterday to explain his feelings in a little more detail. When news of the decision to replace the coach broke, it caught Trottier by surprise and hit him hard because of his friendship with Nolan.

Trottier is a stand-up guy, and he certainly wasn’t going to take a slap at a friend on his way out the door. That reaction not only is understandable, but it’s admirable. But when he read his comments in Newsday, Trottier realized it might appear as though he was at odds with general manager Garth Snow and the organization.

That’s not the case. As director of player development, Trottier is intimately involved in working with the very prospects that Snow is attempting to introduce to the Islanders’ lineup. In our conversation, Trottier emphasized how happy he is in that role, how excited he is to work with the kids and the fact that he is very much in agreement with the direction set by Snow.

Read the entire story here.

Here are Trottier's initial comments which were the reason for his clarification:

"I'm shocked. Absolutely shocked. No clue," said Trottier, who was informed
by assistant coach John Chabot. "I was blown away. I'm wordless right
now."

The original article can be found here.

Trottier was obviously put into a difficult situation with Nolan's firing. He seems to have handled it as best he could.

Bergenheim avoids arbitration, signs 2 year deal with Isles

From Greg Logan of Newsday:

Forward Sean Bergenheim, who was the only Islander to file for arbitration, avoided a hearing when he reached agreement today on a two-year deal worth $1.725 million. It appears Bergenheim’s recent decision to change agents facilitated the process.

Bergenheim switched to Allan Walsh. His previous agents, Mark Gandler and Todd Diamond, have clashed with Islanders management several times in the past. Once he made the change, negotiations began in earnest. Bergenheim, who will have one more season as a restricted free agent when the contract ends, will make $800,000 this season and $925,000 the following season.

Read more from On the Islanders Beat here.

Bergenheim didn't need to cause anymore distractions for himself prior to next season. Now that he has a new contract in-hand, he can just focus on playing and proving himself to be an important cog in the Islanders' youth movement.

No doubt that Snow is in charge on Long Island

From Greg Logan of Newsday:

The Islanders' so-called "Committee" is dead. When it became obvious in the middle of last season that the decision-making process was too cumbersome, owner Charles Wang stepped in and clarified the lines of authority, placing general manager Garth Snow in clear control atop the hockey operations pyramid.

There was no formal announcement, but the change obviously freed Snow to act more decisively, as he did on Monday when he told coach Ted Nolan his services no longer were required. It was obvious during the draft and free-agent signings this summer that Nolan already had been rendered powerless regarding personnel decisions, while Snow felt sufficiently empowered to execute his aggressive draft strategy, trading down twice in the first round and amassing 13 picks.

Read the entire article here.

When the GM fires a coach, generally the pressure moves upstairs. So, Snow can expect to feel heat from the fans/media if his next hire doesn't turn out very well.

Kyle Okposo focused on having a successful sophomore season

From Dan Martin of the NY Post:

"I think we can do big things here, and obviously, I want to be a part of that," Okposo said. "You do pay attention to all the stuff that goes on [with free agency] and who goes where, but I can't worry about that. I have too much to do to get myself ready to play well at this level. I still have a lot to prove. No matter what anyone else thinks of me, if I don't perform on the ice, it's not going to matter."

Read the entire article here.

By all accounts, he will surely be given the opportunity to flourish on the Island this season.

Nolan lost the confidence of prominent players

From Greg Logan of Newsday:

As injuries mounted and the season unraveled, another prominent player challenged Nolan's strategic decisions. The coach told the player that Wang was "running the show." Refusing to accept that explanation, the player, who did not want to be identified, went to Snow and arranged a meeting with the GM, Nolan and Wang, who denied interfering."

[Nolan] pretty much tried to say he didn't tell me that and [ portray] me as a liar," the player said. "I put my -- on the line, and it kind of made me see him in a different light."

Another key leader who did not want to be identified also had a falling-outwith Nolan and began to question the coach's methods. "He did some -- things," the second player said. "He wasn't listening to his assistants and he was kind of going the opposite way. Everybody knew that."

Read the entire story here.

If that was the case, then the writing was on the wall for Nolan long before yesterday's dismissal.

Not starting DiPietro cost Nolan in the end

From Larry Brooks of the NY Post:

TED Nolan fired himself the first week of March when he picked against Rick DiPietro for both ends of a home-and-home series against the New York Rangers .

Forget any and all of the mitigating circumstances existing at the time that might have made backup Wade Dubielewicz the rational choice for either or both of the matches, for the moment the head coach crossed the franchise goaltender, he crossed the line.

Read the entire article here.

I have to say, I did think about that decision when I heard of his firing on Monday. That's not to say that was the straw that broke the camel's back, however, it sure didn't help his cause within the organization. Regardless, Nolan and Snow had two different visions of where the Islanders were headed and you cannot have that kind of discord between a coach and GM.

Nolan done on the Island

From Greg Logan of Newsday:

The two-year marriage of inconvenience between Islanders general manager Garth Snow and coach Ted Nolan ended today. Irreconcilable differences over the direction of the franchise led to a mutual decision by Snow and Nolan, who met earlier this morning at Nassau Coliseum, to part ways.

Nolan quickly gained popularity with Islanders fans in his first season when his motivational touch and hard-working style of play produced an eighth-place finish in the Eastern Conference and a playoff berth by a team most experts picked to finish near the bottom of the NHL. But last season’s playoff hopes faded because of injuries and a series of distracting internal disputes between Nolan and Snow, and several key players apparently lost faith in the coach’s methods.

Read the entire report here.

It was known that Snow and Nolan had been squabbling for a while now, so this move comes as no real surprise. In fact, it was probably the right move for the organization to make instead of bringing this controversy to training camp. The Isles need to make sure they hire a new coach who has a willingness to develop young players, as Nolan is considered a coach that prefers playing veterans.

Nolan and Snow feuding on the Island

From Greg Logan of Newsday:

Contacted recently at the hockey camp he runs in Ontario, Nolan was asked if he's confident he will be coaching the Islanders when training camp begins in mid-September. "I'm confident in my ability to coach," Nolan said. "I know I've got one year left on my contract, and I'm going to make it the best year of my coaching career. Hopefully, it will get me another one."

To date, Nolan has received no assurances from the organization that he will be the coach. Snow, who declined comment, is emphasizing the development of young players as opposed to acquiring the veterans Nolan prefers.

Read the entire article here.

If Snow doesn't believe Nolan will play the team's youngsters enough, he is better off bringing in a new coach who will develop these players and build towards the future. The Islanders, as currently constructed, are nowhere near a playoff team and are building for a couple years down the road.

Never mind the fact that the two have been squabbling over other issues as well. In my opinion, this issue needs to be resolved prior to the season, otherwise a circus atmosphere will set in at training camp and the team's focus will be shifted away from the rink.

Sean Bergeinheim fires Mark Gandler

From Greg Logan of Newsday:

Forward Sean Bergenheim, who is the only Islander to file for arbitration, has fired his agents, Mark Gandler and Todd Diamond. General manager Garth Snow was notified of the change earlier this week and just began negotiations that potentially could avert a hearing. Snow declined to name Bergenheim’s new agent.

Read the entire entry from On the Islanders Beat here.

It would be interesting to find out what led to this divorce.

Witt signs extension with Islanders

From Greg Logan of Newsday:

It doesn’t exactly fit in with the Islanders’ youth movement, but for those who value team toughness, it should come as good news that general manager Garth Snow has rewarded 33-year-old defenseman Brendan Witt with a two-year contract extension worth $6 million. Terms of the deal were disclosed Tuesday night.

Read the entire entry from On the Islanders Beat here.

Witt is now locked in for the next three years at $8.5 million total. That is a respectable number for a solid stay-at-home defenseman with strong leadership skills. While Witt is not part of the youth movement on the Island, he will set a good example for the young players on the roster.

Streit had good feeling about the Islanders

From Greg Logan of Newsday:

"I just had a good feeling about the whole situation," Streit said in a telephone interview from Zurich, where he's working with his personal trainer. "I really like the team, and I love the city.

So, it was kind of an easy decision for me."I had good, exciting years in Montreal, but for me as a person and a player, it was time to move on. I'm not sad at all. I'm really excited because I played in Long Island many times with Montreal, and I always liked it there."

Read the entire article here.

Translation: "The Islanders offered me way more money than the Habs, so it was time to move on."