Islanders Roster Moves

Islanders Make Roster Moves Heading Into Second Half
The Islanders recall of Kevin Poulin raised some eyebrows yesterday as many people wondered why he was needed with Nabokov & Montoya healthy and playing well. To add to the intrigue its been announced that Poulin will be getting the start tonight for the Islanders as they face the Carolina Hurricanes. Aside from something that I'm unaware of like a pending trade or injury, the only thing I could possibly come up with as a reason for this would be that the Isles are worried that coming off of the All-Star break both Isles goalies at the NHL level might be rusty and Poulin wouldn't be. Regardless it is definitely an interesting decision. 


Along with Poulin the Islanders recalled Rhett Rakhshani who will play in place of Brian Rolston. This move has been way overdue and I'm very excited to see the positive impact it will make on the team.

Islanders Will Play Preseason Game In Brooklyn

Islanders Schedule Exhibition Game In Brooklyn

This morning the New York Islanders announced that they will be playing a pre-season game next year in Brooklyn at the Barclays Center. Currently being built, the new stadium is scheduled to be completed on September 28th of this year. The exhibition game will be played on October 2nd between the Islanders and Devils, and it will be the first sporting event held at the Barclays Center. The one billion dollar stadium only has a 14,500 seating capacity for hockey games which is 515 seats less than the smallest arena in the NHL, the MTS Centre in Winnipeg. Despite that, Barclays Center has made it clear that they would be extremely interested in having the Islanders play at their stadium. According to Brett Yormark, the Barclays Center CEO, the idea for the pre-season game was initiated by the arena management, and they think their stadium would be perfect for the Isles and their fans.

“We feel Brooklyn is an untapped hockey market that offers the Islanders with an exciting opportunity to grow its fan base,” Barclays Center CEO Brett Yormark said. “Barclays Center will also afford current Islander fans with great accessibility, as the Long Island Rail Road and nine subway lines will come directly to the arena at the Atlantic Terminal transit hub.”

He concluded his comments by saying the following when discussing the October 2nd exhibition game.

"It will be good for the Islanders to see what playing in a state of the art venue feels like."

If that doesn't get Islanders fans intrigued in this latest development, nothing will. It seems as though the interest from both sides is legitimate unlike the Kansas City exhibition game in 2009 that was an obvious scare tactic. Islanders management seems to be very excited about the option of Brooklyn and with this news, its beginning to look like it may be one of the more realistic options as well. Isles GM Garth Snow, who rarely makes public statements, was willing to say a few words on the topic.

“We’re extremely excited to play the first NHL game in the new, state-of-the-art Barclays Center,” Garth Snow said.  “We already have some of the most passionate fans in the league supporting our young team, and we are looking forward to expanding our base into Brooklyn.” 

What I found interesting about Snow's statement is that he says "We're extremely excited to play the FIRST NHL game in the new, state-of-the-art Barclays Center", insinuating that there will be more NHL games to follow. I may be reading too much into this, but it definitely seems as though Brooklyn is becoming more and more active and likely while Nassau County is not making much progress. Nassau County Executive Ed Mangano didn't think Brooklyn was much of a threat as he had this to say:

 “I hope their experience in Brooklyn reaffirms why they should be playing hockey in Nassau County.”

It worries me that Nassau County doesn't appear to be taking this too seriously, but honestly right now it should comfort Isles fans to know that regardless of what happens there is enough interest in this area to keep the team very close by.

Gleason Signs Extension With Hurricanes

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Hurricanes End Speculation, Re-Sign Tim Gleason To A Four-Year Deal

Official Carolina Hurricanes Press Release:   With his name being regularly tossed into the rumor mill, Tim Gleason was officially taken off the market today when he signed a four-year contract extension with the Carolina Hurricanes.  Identified as a core player by Hurricanes President and General Manager Jim Rutherford, Gleason’s deal keeps him with the team through the 2015-16 season, alongside Eric Staal and Cam Ward. For Gleason, living in an area that is family friendly and having a strong core of players solidified for the next few years made the decision to stay an easy one. “I have a family now. If I was by myself, it’d be kind of a 'whatever' thing,” he said. “Having a family and having them like it here has a big impact on our decision. That’s most important.  “The team that we have, the way that we’re going forward and how things have changed around in the last month or two are some things I have to look at, too.” Gleason, who turned 29 on Sunday, is in his sixth year with the Hurricanes. He leads team defenseman this season in hits (87), plus/minus (plus-2) and total minutes played (1,063). In December, Gleason played his 500th game in the NHL. Of those 500, 375 were played with this franchise. That all became uncertain as the trade deadline grew closer. Gleason was slated to become an unrestricted free agent. Add that to the fact that he can bring a gritty, veteran presence to a blue-line, and he makes the perfect candidate for a deadline deal with a playoff-bound team.  Gleason said he'd run through the possibilities in his head, one of them being a "rental" player somewhere else and re-signing here in the offseason. Even he couldn't shake the trade talk. “It’s kind of a nightmare, but it comes with the territory,” he said. “I was going somewhere every day for the last month.” Knowing that aspect was somewhat out of his control might have been the most frustrating. But the Hurricanes management was willing to negotiate mid-season, something largely unprecedented for Rutherford. Gleason said this signaled a lot of respect between both parties. “Deep down, my wife and I have talked over and over and over again about wanting to stay,” he said. “It came to a good conclusion.” The last time Gleason was traded, he was 23 years old, having played two NHL seasons with the Los Angeles Kings. Making the journey from the West coast to the East coast, he admittedly didn’t know if the Triangle would become home. Now, he has no doubts. In addition to raising a family in the area, Gleason has become a leader on and off the ice. He was named an Alternate Captain with forward Brandon Sutter coming into the 2009-10 season. “He’s bought into what we’re doing,” head coach Kirk Muller said. “Off-ice, he knows his role with the team. He’s a quiet leader, but on the same token, he gains a lot of respect in the room from his play. He’s just a real professional.” Gleason has had the most success this season paired with fellow gritty defenseman Bryan Allen, perhaps not the most conventional of pairings. It’s one that has worked and has given the Canes a tough twosome for opponents to face, especially in the dirty areas. “He’s played hard, and he’s done a great job of shutting the top lines recently,” Muller said. “The organization is real excited that he wanted to make a commitment to stay here and be a part of what we’re doing.” Fresh off inking his new deal, Gleason enjoyed the ribbing of his teammates. He led the team stretch at the conclusion of practice and lost focus during a post-practice interview while Chad LaRose yelled, “Cha-ching!” in the background. “They say I have to buy lunch and buy some dinners, and I told them that doesn’t start until next year, so that’s my excuse,” Gleason said. Seeing such interactions between teammates indicates a strong bond within the locker room. Gleason said friendships, sometimes hard to come by, are an important facet in wanting to stay with a team. Obviously, there is no shortage of them here. “At the end of the day, it’s a place where you want to play hockey and a place where you want to live,” he said. “We’re just very ecstatic.”

CONTRACT DETAILS: Length: 4 Years (2012-13)-(2015-16) Cap-Hit: $4,000,000 Pay-Out Details: 2012-13 - 2015-16 $4,000,000 Contract Clause Details: 2012-13 - 2013-14 Full No-Trade Clause

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From a Carolina Hurricanes perspective this is a positive development. Tim Gleason is a very important part of their defense and if he had left it would have been a big hole to fill. From the perspective of everyone else its a bit disappointing to see one of the most sought after pending UFA's re-signed. The market for top-four defensemen has been very dry in the past few months, and one of the few guys that was thought to be available was Gleason. Although many teams are disappointed, I am sure the Hurricanes management group, as well as their fans, are more than happy. 

Gleason has been with the Hurricanes for six seasons and at only twenty-nine years old I think its safe to say that he has many years of great hockey left in him. This season, despite being on a team that has not experienced much success, has been very impressive for Gleason. One of my favorite parts of his game is his physical play which he uses regularly as shown by his 87 hits which leads all Hurricane defensemen. Despite having an average size of 6'0, he plays a big man's game and is actually quite good at it. Not only does he use his body to knock players off the puck, but he uses it to block the puck itself. He consistently sacrifices his body to block shots and so far this season he has done it 76 times. A large portion of those 76 shots were blocked during penalty kills as Gleason is the Hurricanes number one penalty killer with an average PK time on ice per game of 2:41. His play in his own end is second to none, but believe it or not he has also been a decent contributor on the offensive side of the puck. He is currently on pace to match his career high season point total of 21 points. If that doesn't prove to you how valuable Gleason is to the Hurricanes this should, there are only three players that have played 30 games with the Hurricanes this season and currently have a positive plus/minus rating; Gleason is one of them with a plus-2. 

His value to the Hurricanes is huge and I am not surprised in the least that they chose to include him as one of the few immovable core pieces going forward.

All-Star Weekend Recap

Well I just got back from the airport which means the NHL All-Star Weekend has officially ended for me. Ottawa did a heck of a job, and it was definitely one of the better ones I've attended. Here are the recaps of each day...

Day One

Day Two

Day Three

Overall it was just a fantastic weekend, and although its great to be home I would love to enjoy the past three days again. I thank everyone for following the blog and my adventures throughout this past weekend, and I hope all of you can get out to next years All-Star Game and enjoy it with me.

Day Three At The NHL ASG

Day Three From The NHL All-Star Weekend:
The Sunday of the All-Star Weekend is always a very bittersweet day and today was no exception. I was excited to watch the actual All-Star game, but I knew that once it ended the weekend would be over. As we traveled towards Scotiabank Place I couldn't help but think of how sad it is that the weekend was quickly approaching its end. I mentioned this to my dad who immediately replied with "Don't think about it, enjoy the game. Just remember 'Carpe Diem'." If you don't know me, Carpe Diem is a motto that has become a big part of how I live life and something very important to me.

Once my father reminded me of that, I started to think less about the end of the weekend and more about the beginning of the game itself. When we got to our seats I took in the great view and sat patiently for warm-ups to begin. As the players stepped onto the ice they immediately took team photos and I made sure to snap a few myself. The game was fun to watch and I loved seeing John Tavares dominate out there. Even though it was an All-Star Game I was more than impressed with his play. 

Another great part of the evening was the show that hip-hop star Drake put on in the 2nd intermission. Drake is one of the more popular musicians for people my age and if that wasn't good enough the fact that he chose to perform two of my favorite songs (Headlines & The Motto) did. As he stepped onto the stage many of the NHL All-Stars left the locker room to watch, a large portion of them holding cameras. I, like the NHL Stars, was in awe after the impressive performance by Drake, which was definitely the best intermission show I've seen at an All-Star Game. Following the intermission we were treated to some nice goals and some interesting situations. After the game we took some final pictures and sat in our seats for a bit just soaking in the final moments of All-Star weekend. 

As a senior in high school I'm starting to hit the realization that I'm growing up and am no longer a kid. Hockey has been such a major part of my childhood with the All-Star Games accounting for a lot of that. Knowing that this was my last All-Star Weekend before I go to college, turn 18, and become one hundred percent independent, definitely makes this feel like its one of, if not the last moment in my life as a kid. If that is in fact the case, I'm happy my last moment as a kid was as amazing as this weekend has been. The memories created throughout this weekend are the things that I'll remember for the rest of my life and I'm so thankful to god that I am this fortunate to have these experiences.

Here are some pictures from today:

Day Two At The NHL ASG

Day Two From The NHL All-Star Weekend:

As I predicted Friday evening, Saturday was a lot more hectic and crazy. The moment we woke up we quickly got ready and headed out the door. Today, even though it was a bit colder, was a lot nicer outside because there was no precipitation (at that moment) so we could enjoy the scenery in its entirety. As we got towards the Convention Center we noticed a surprising amount of people already there considering we were arriving 45 minutes before the fair was scheduled to open. Once the wait was over, we walked into the fair and I headed towards the Jarome Iginla autograph signing that was scheduled for 10:30. The wait felt like an eternity, but once I got up to him it was all worth it. He not only took the time to sign two things for me, but he also took the time to chat with me for a little bit which was really cool. There is something about Iginla that makes him so likable. As soon as I got Iginla's autograph, I headed out to the next autograph signing which was rookie Gabriel Landeskog. The line went very fast and as I got up to him, he too was very friendly. Following Landeskog, I heard about one other autograph signing I simply had to attend.

Islanders legend Denis Potvin and former Islander Garry Galley were signing autographs at the Canadian Tire booth. Not many people knew about the signing so we got a spot at the front of the line. Once they arrived people began to realize who was signing and the line grew tremendously. When I got up to Potvin he signed my autographs and we chatted for a bit. He was extremely nice, and when he took a picture with me he was unhappy with how the picture looked so three times we re-took the picture until he said it was good enough for an Islanders fan. Then I moved on to Galley, who believe it or not I remember as an Islander. When he played for the club I was 6 which is right around the age where you become a bit more aware, and when I told him I remembered him he was actually very pleasantly surprised. He also mentioned that he absolutely loved his time on the Island. He made a point to say that it was one of his favorite places he played and his family really enjoyed it there. Those types of little stories like the Potvin and Galley one, is what makes this weekend special. 

After that we decided we needed a little rest so we went back to the hotel for an hour and then headed to Scotiabank Place for the Skills Competition. We were very early for that as well, but being early for every event throughout the weekend is very important. Once they opened up the doors it was a mad dash to our seats which much to our surprise was a luxury box located on the lowest level of the stadium. I was in awe, I really could not believe I had those seats. Once I got that initial shock out of the way I really was soaking in the experience before the mascot game. Once the mascots finished their 15 minutes of fighting each other on the ice, warm-ups began and it was our first time seeing John Tavares in Ottawa. Seeing him and the other All-Stars out there for the first time was awesome. The Skills Competition is always great and this year was no exception. 

Halfway through the event one of my buddies whose name is Nick Montemagno (runs Rangers Tribune- Twitter: @NickMonteRT) came through big time for me as he very kindly hooked me, my dad, and my brother up with tickets to the NHL All-Star Saturday Night Party. I really, really appreciated Nick doing that for us and because it was his birthday yesterday we'd like to say a quick happy birthday to him. Anyway once the Skills Competition ended, we hopped on the NHL Party bus that went to the event. Once we walked in, it felt like I was walking into the most massive party I've ever been to. Dion Phaneuf walked in next to me and was with his girlfriend and actress, Elisha Cuthbert. The whole place was bumping, music was blasting, and lights were flashing. It was almost like four clubs in one. Early in the party it was fun, but not crazy. At about 12 that changed as alcohol started to take people over. It was crazy, beautiful women dancing on tables and people pounding down shot after shot at each of the many bars. The TSN crew even had some drinks in their hands. Every section of the party had a different theme, and they were all sick. I have been to a club in New York, and from 12-1 this place was better than that. I mean the amount  of beautiful women around was shocking. I have noticed this as a common theme around Ottawa, but this was on a whole different level. Needless to say it was a very, very good day.

Here are some pictures from today:

Day One At The NHL ASG

Day One From The NHL All-Star Weekend:
This morning was beyond stressful as my father, brother, and I went through the uncertainty of our flight. The absolute last thing we needed was to be stuck at home with no way to get to our favorite event of the year. Luckily for us after two delays, we found a connecting flight that went to Toronto and then to Ottawa. Once we emerged from the plane there was an overwhelming number of posters and signs for the All-Star Game that surrounded us. Every All-Star Game I've been to has a certain point where it really hits you that you're at the NHL ASG and the child-like giddiness takes over and for me once I saw those signs I was hit with that feeling. The always beautiful city of Ottawa looked especially gorgeous with a thin layer of snow blanketing it. Once we found our hotel we quickly rushed in, dropped our bags, and ran back out towards the NHL fan fair, which is always one of my favorite parts of the weekend. As we walked through the freezing rain and snow, I began to regret my decision to wear only my Matt Martin Islanders jersey and no jacket over top, but once someone screamed 'lets go Islanders!' from their car it was clear why I had made that choice as there is no better feeling than representing the team that you endear. As I entered the fan fair the enormous size of the event stunned me. For someone who has been to the past three All-Star Games I thought I knew what to expect, but this particular fan fair was not like anything I've ever seen before. It was larger and more well planned than all three previous fan fairs combined. My mind was racing as there was so much going on and so much to do. As I ran from place to place, I began to realize how lucky I am to be there for all of this. I started to go slower and just soak everything in, and put off the rushing around for tomorrow. As the night and my energy ran out, I quickly picked up my brand new customized John Tavares All-Star Game Jersey and few other little pieces of apparel, and then headed back to the hotel. On our walk back we picked up some food from an outside vendor and I realized another great thing about this terrific setting. There are SO many beautiful girls everywhere, I literally have never seen anything like this. I mean honestly what doesn't this place have? I've been here for only 6 hours and I am simply stunned at how amazing this event and place is. I'll be back tomorrow with another update.

Here are some pictures from today:

Morrow's Name Being Discussed?

Could Dallas Trade Their Captain, Brenden Morrow?
Although it still seems like a stretch, according to Bob McKenzie the Dallas Stars may consider moving Brenden Morrow. If the Stars do end up deciding to move him, there would be plenty of interest around the league. McKenzie pointed out that Dallas management is considering the possibility mainly because they think the package they could get in return would be filled with young, high-potential players. The important thing to remember is that he is not being shopped. The Stars simply are willing to listen to offers for him and if a team comes along and offers the package that Dallas is looking for, they would agree to it. As of right now it seems unlikely that Morrow would be traded, but it has been discussed and its not definitely out of the question.

NHL All Star Game

Highly Anticipated 2012 NHL All Star Game Quickly Approaching
In under a day I will be headed to Ottawa for the 2012 NHL All Star Game. This is my third NHL All Star Game, and to say I'm excited for this one would be an understatement. I consider this one of my last moments as a kid and as a sentimental person, this will be a very special weekend. From the moment we leave for the airport I expect a fun and memory filled time. Its hard to think anything could beat the amazing time I had last year (2011 All Star Game), but I expect it to do just that. I'll try and update my twitter (@pattyb94) and the blog as much as possible with updates about my experiences so stay tuned. Gonna be a sick weekend, and I hope everyone that attends enjoys it as much as I will.

Liles Signs Four-Year Extension With Leafs

JM Liles Signs Big Four-Year Extension With Toronto

Official Toronto Maple Leafs Press Release: Brian Burke, President and General Manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs, announced Wednesday that the hockey club has signed defenceman John-Michael Liles to a four-year contract extension. Liles, 31, has played 34 games for the Leafs this season, collecting 21 points on four goals and 17 assists. He ranks second among Leafs defencemen in points, and has recorded two assists in a game on four occasions. The Indianapolis, Indiana native is currently third on the team in average ice-time per game (21:32) and fourth in blocked shots (69). The Leafs originally acquired the 5-10, 185-pound defenceman on June 24, 2011 from the Colorado Avalanche in exchange for a second-round pick in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft. The second-round pick was previously acquired by the Leafs from the Boston Bruins as part of the Tomas Kaberle trade. In 557 career NHL games with Toronto and Colorado, Liles has registered 296 points (72 goals, 224 assists) along with 230 penalty minutes. He has also played in 36 playoff games earning four goals, seven assists, 11 points and 16 penalty minutes. Prior to being acquired by the Leafs he led all Colorado defencemen in points for five consecutive seasons (’06-07 to ’10-11). In 2003-04 he was named to the NHL’s All-Rookie team. He was originally Colorado’s eighth choice, selected 159th overall, in the 2000 Entry Draft.

CONTRACT DETAILS: Length: 4 Years (2012-13)-(2015-16) Cap-Hit: $3,875,000 Pay-Out Details: 2012-13 - 2015-16 $3,875,000 Contract Clause Details: 2012-13 - 2015-16 Limited No Trade Clause

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This is a really solid signing for the Toronto Maple Leafs. John-Michael Liles is one of the best puck-moving defensemen in the entire National Hockey League. In his 7 year NHL career (not including this season), he has had over 30 points in every season and he's on pace to once again get over that amount. The Leafs acquired Liles this past off-season from the Colorado Avalanche, who originally drafted him, for the Boston Bruins' 2nd round draft pick in the 2012 draft. The Avalanche then traded the pick as an option (Capitals will choose at the draft whether they want this or a 2013 2nd) to the Capitals. 

This season was the first that Liles has played for a team other than the Colorado Avalanche, and luckily for the Leafs he continued to play the same effective offensive style that made him so successful in Colorado.  In his first 34 games with the Leafs he put up 4 goals and 17 assists for 21 points along with a plus/minus rating of plus-2. His performance on the power play has been a big reason for the Leafs improvement in that category as they went from the 8th worst power play to the 5th best power play. Despite missing the past 15 games, Liles still has the 4th most power play points of all players on the Leafs. 

Probably the only concern about this contract is Liles' health. Up until last season Liles was generally considered a player in good health. Aside from the common few games here and few games there, he never had any serious concerns, but last season he suffered a concussion that kept him out the final four games of the season and hindered him for the first few weeks of the off-season. That by itself wouldn't be terrible, but now that he has suffered another concussion and has been sidelined for the past 15 games, serious concerns have been raised about a possible concussion problem. 

If he can overcome the concussions and stay healthy this will be a terrific deal for the Leafs. 

WAIVER UPATE- January 25, 2012

WAIVER UPATE- January 25, 2012

Waiver Wire Players Of Interest:

G- Antero Niittymaki (Sharks):  Nittymaki is a solid veteran goaltender that has proven himself as an established 1B type in the past. With 234 NHL games played I look at Nittymaki as one of the more experienced goalies in the National Hockey League. Unfortunately for Nittymaki, Thomas Greiss has been fantastic thus far for the Sharks and has taken a hold of the number 2 job behind Antti Niemi. There's a handful of teams looking for solid goaltending and I believe many of them will heavily consider placing a claim on Nittymaki. The most common teams mentioned as potential suitors for Nittymaki are the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Columbus Blue Jackets. I am almost certain that he will be claimed by someone, its just a matter of who.

Other Players Placed On Waivers Today:

(UNCONDITIONAL WAIVERS) ‎C- Cam Paddock (Kings)

Isles & Nielsen Nearing Extension

Islanders About To Sign Frans Nielsen To An Extension
Frans Nielsen despite having a rough start, is beginning to play the way Islander fans were expecting he would. Nielsen is one of the better defensive forwards in the National Hockey League and the Islanders have been lucky enough to have him on a steal of a contract for the past four years. His cap-hit during that time has been $525,000 which believe it or not, is one hundred thousand dollars less than the cap-hit of Trevor Gillies. Unfortunately for the Islanders that contract expires at the end of this season and I am sure Nielsen is going to want a lot more than what he's been earning. From what I have heard, his agent has been lobbying for another four year contract, but this time one that would pay him $4 Million per season. Although some people believe its too much money for a third-liner, it appears that the team is coming close to signing to an extension very similar to the one Nielsen has been asking for. I think in the next month or so, we will see an extension announced.

John Tavares: The Superstar

John Tavares Fulfilling & Exceeding Expectations

I have been sitting here trying to figure out a way to begin this piece on John Tavares and I have come to only one conclusion; there are no words that would appropriately describe how great he has been. There is literally no point in trying. There hasn't been a player in orange and blue (and sometimes black) as talented as Tavares in many, many years. Probably not ever in my lifetime, or the lifetimes of many Islander fans. 

His talent level is tremendous, his hockey sense is incredible, and as icing on the cake, his work ethic is impeccable. When you have a combination of those three attributes in one player it makes for a generational talent and I do believe that we are watching one develop. You may call me crazy for saying that, but I don't have any other explanation. His influence on a game is shocking, literally every where on the ice Tavares is able to excel at whatever task presents itself. If you watched the game last night and saw the overtime I hope you kept an eye on Tavares. Not because of his fantastic goal, but for the play he made a few minutes prior to it. The Islanders turned the puck over deep in the Hurricanes end and Streit was caught deep. Tavares realized that and rushed to cover Streit's spot on defense. The Hurricanes had a 3-on-2, but Tavares played the man perfectly and eventually broke up the play by rubbing out the guy with the puck. Its the little things that make me appreciate Tavares so much. 

Thats the way Tavares is, he wants to be the best he can possibly be. Early in his career one of the big knocks on him was his face-off taking ability. Just a few years later he has the 29th best face-off % in the league with 53% of his face-offs won. Another part of his game that was consistently picked apart was his back-checking and play away from the puck, but lo-and-behold he has worked hard to improve and now has the 5th most takeaways in the league with 56. 

When he wakes up in the morning, if he sees that he has a weakness, he will do anything possible to make that area of his game a strength by the time he goes to bed that night. That thought process is rare amongst hockey players, and people in general, and is something that only the best captains in NHL history had. It spreads itself amongst teammates and is the basis behind the ideology of 'leading by example'. He has all the makings of a great captain, and his clutch play throughout his career whether it be the World Junior Championships when he was young, or his 5th most game winning goals in the NHL this season, he knows how to perform when its needed and quite frankly when its not needed as well. 

John Tavares is the player that Islander fans have been waiting for since the glory days and one that will never stop pushing as hard as one man can, until he is holding the Stanley Cup above his head. For all the years of pain and anguish us Isles fans have dealt with in the past twenty years, the hockey gods have rewarded us with our savior. For the first time, I will label Tavares that. He is the man that will save this franchise.

Ducks Will Target Bobby Ryan

Leafs Will Work Hard To Land Bobby Ryan From The Ducks

The Anaheim Ducks have been one of the most talked about teams when it comes to trade rumors. At the mid-way point of the season the Ducks have been one of the most surprising disappointments. With the incredible amount of talent on the team most people believe that as we near the trade deadline there will be a move involving one of those talented players. The most common player mentioned is twenty-four year old Bobby Ryan. Ryan was drafted one spot behind Sidney Crosby and carried that label for most of the early parts of his career. Luckily for him, that quickly changed once he hit the NHL. In all four seasons at the NHL level he's gotten at least 50 points and he's coming off of his best year of 34 goals, 37 assists for 71 points, and a plus-15. This season he's been struggling a bit, but despite that he is still on pace for 50 points. 

There have been numerous teams that have expressed interest in Ryan, but none have more than the Toronto Maple Leafs. The General Manager of the Leafs, Brian Burke, originally drafted Ryan when he was the GM of the Ducks. There are two things that Brian Burke does frequently- one, make big trades and two, acquire players that he had success with previously in his career. He would kill two birds with one stone if he were able to pull of a trade for Ryan. 

As the deadline nears and the rumors heat up, I'd watch these two clubs because I suspect we'll see Bobby Ryan in Leafs blue and white by the end of the year.

Elliott Signs Extension

Brian Elliott Signs Two-Year Extension With Blues
Official Blues Press Release

ST. LOUIS -- By locking up Brian Elliott for two more years, St. Louis Blues General Manager Doug Armstrong believes he has one of the best -- if not THE best -- goalie tandems in the NHL. Elliott's resurrection continued Wednesday when the Blues announced they signed the All-Star goaltender to a two-year contract extension. It's quite a story for a guy who entered last summer without a job, eventually found work and now has job security. "I wasn't really expecting it because I haven't been approached like that before ... it's always been in the off-season," Elliott said. "I was happy that they wanted me to stay. Whenever you get that, you know that they're impressed with you and your work ethic. I was happy that they did and we came to an agreement that we both felt was a good deal." Elliott, who is 15-5-1 with a 1.68 goals-against average (second in the NHL), .937 save percentage and five shutouts, signed a one-year, two-way contract on July 1. With Elliott and Jaroslav Halak in the fold for at least the next two seasons, the Blues feel good about the depth they have been the pipes, both at the NHL level and at the AHL level with Ben Bishop and Jake Allen. "We're excited to have the tandem of Jaro and Brian together for the next two seasons," Armstrong said. "Goaltending's such a big part of our game. To know now that we have two goalies that we think are entering the prime of their careers together, to have that partnership together is very important for us. "For Brian especially, the situation he was in last summer wondering where he was going to play and finding a good home here in St. Louis and doing his job on the ice, I think it's a great story. Now he can settle in and take his career to the next level with our group." Blues coach Ken Hitchcock has a problem on his hands -- a good problem. When he has to go game by game to pick a goalie, it's nice to know there are two reliable guys to choose from. "He's the perfect example of perserverance, but he's a great model for stay with it," Hitchcock said. "... I think the biggest thing Brian did was look in the mirror. It wasn't his work ethic, it wasn't his determination, it wasn't his conditioning. There were some things that had to change in his game. He had to just become more compact in his game and he's done that, he's done it beautifully. He's resurrected a career based on being able to look in the mirror and not feel sorry for himself, and make adjustments." Elliott did not make the Blues final roster until after the final preseason game on Oct. 1. He was battling with Bishop to be the backup to Halak. But the 6-foot-3, 204-pound Elliott, who is in his fifth NHL season, has surpassed all expectations. He's allowed the fewest goals (36) and suffered the fewest losses among goalies with 20 starts or more. He's got a 9-1-1 mark at home. "I'm not only excited for Brian, but I'm also excited about Jaro knowing he's going to have a healthy partner knowing that they can tandem up and try and keep us in the top tandem of the goaltending in the NHL for the next two plus years," Armstrong said. With the season he's having and with impending unrestricted free agency looming this summer, the 26-year-old Elliott chose to remain in St. Louis knowing it will be a tandem and not a chance to go somewhere else and try to become a clear-cut No. 1. "Things can go the other way, too," Elliott said. "You're basically playing the odds. "You can say what if you get injured, or the other way, what if you lead the team to a couple playoff wins, you can be even more attractive. But I've learned from experience that the grass isn't always greener on the other side. I really like it here and I like the guys and I think it sets up well for my career. After this contract is done, I'll still be probably one of the younger goalies in the League, so it just builds on to the rest of my career."

CONTRACT DETAILS: Length: 2 Years (2012-13)-(2013-14) Cap-Hit: $1,800,000 Pay-Out Details: 2012-13  $1,700,000 2013-14 $1,900,000

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Analysis:

Brian Elliott is one of the biggest feel-good stories of this hockey season. Going into the 2011 off-season most people thought Elliott's NHL career was nearing an end, and he agreed to a two-way deal with the Blues as a last ditch effort to save it. With some hard work he was able to turn that into an all-star caliber season. He currently has the 2nd best goals against average 1.68, and the 2nd best save percentage with a .937 %. That combined with his 17-5-1 record makes for one of the most impressive seasons of any goaltender in the league. The tandem of Jaroslav Halak and Brian Elliott will be extremely successful in St. Louis for the next few years and I like this deal to keep Elliott involved especially at this low cap-hit.