Slow Jamming The News With The NY Islanders

File under no-duh: Newsday reports that Martin Biron will test free agency.

If it wasn’t clear last season, when Biron wanted to go elsewhere… might have been clearer when Snow is talking about Lawson seeing some NHL time on call-ups this year. Guess they are saving news items over there?

Can’t wait for expose that Sim will test free agency expose that will be coming next.

Biron had very mediocre year, and was not really a fit to offset the Isles defensive lapses. This hurt his stats which destroyed his trade deadline value. It will still be a tough market out there for him. However he was a team guy and well-respected. He will be a backup somewhere next season. But his chance of starting in a very crowded field of RFAs and UFAs? Nil.

The Isles will say goodbye to many vets to make room for rookies and hopefully a free agent upgrade…except for the very well-liked and highly regarded captain Doug Weight who was resigned for the year. I still think we might very well see Andy Sutton back in an Isles uniform come free agency.

It was be very curious to see if the Islanders seek another goalie in this coming draft. Rick DiPietro, who was given to us as a packaged sham of health last summer, ended up seeing time mid-season with mixed results, swollen knees, and was shut down the rest of the season.

This season will start with a huge question mark on his long-term health, as the PR shellac has been sheared away by reality. Roloson is set as the #1 goaltender unless DP makes a miraculous recovery and can take the yoke consistently without pain or swelling after a small stretch of games.

Meanwhile, the Isles have two highly regarded goalies in their system: Kevin Poulin and Mikko Koskinen. Poulin was a Round: 5th (126th pick) overall steal as he had fell from 1st round draft year expectations. Under the Isles organization, he has gotten serious and has been developing well.

Mikko Koskinen is a 2nd round pick before many other teams could sweep in. There was a lot of buzz about him coming from nowhere with his long body and wingspan that made European scouts drool. Last season an injury wiped out a lot of his developement in Bridgeport, but if he can stay healthy this season, he might be ready to make a NHL jump in 2012.

Next week is the draft, and we’ll have some guesswork by the Isles blogosphere listed in this blog coming soon. Word on the street is lots of teams seem to be interested in getting in at the top of the 2nd round. Or will. That might mean the Isles first of 3 2nd rounds picks might be for sale.

Now….does this mean they move up into the 1st with it like last year? Or does it mean they move back to pinpoint some further back.

I’m with the moving up point-of-view. Isles have 10 picks this draft… that’s a lot to work with. I expect to see them push into the back of the 1st round to get their man.

courtesy of the NHL:

Club        # of Picks        Rounds of Picks        Overall Pick #s

Anaheim        7        1,1,2,5,6,6,7        12,29,42,132,161,177,192

Atlanta        9        1,1,2,3,4,5,5,6,7        8,24,54,87,101,128,150,158,188

Boston        8        1,1,2,2,4,5,6,7        2,15,32,45,97,135,165,195

Buffalo        9        1,3,3,3,4,5,6,7,7        23,68,75,83,98,143,173,203,208

Calgary        7        3,3,4,4,5,6,7        64,73,103,108,133,163,193

Carolina        11        1,2,2,2,3,3,4,6,6,7,7        7,37,46,53,67,85,105,157,167,187,206

Chicago        8        1,2,2,3,4,6,7,7        30,43,60,90,120,180,191,210

Colorado        7        1,2,3,4,5,5,7        17,47,77,107,137,139,197

Columbus        8        1,2,2,4,4,5,6,7        4,34,55,94,102,124,154,184

Dallas        4        1,2,3,5        11,41,71,131

Detroit        7        1,2,3,4,5,6,7        21,51,81,111,141,171,201

Edmonton        10        1,2,2,3,4,5,6,6,6,7        1,31,48,61,91,121,151,162,166,181

Florida        9        1,2,2,2,4,4,5,6,7        3,33,36,50,92,93,123,153,183

Los Angeles        9        1,2,2,3,3,4,5,6,7        19,49,59,70,79,109,148,169,199

Minnesota        8        1,2,2,3,4,5,6,7        9,39,56,69,99,129,159,189

Montreal        5        1,2,4,5,7        27,57,117,147,207

Nashville        6        1,3,5,6,7,7        18,78,126,168,194,198

New Jersey        5        2,3,4,6,7        38,84,114,174,204

NY Islanders        10        1,2,2,3,3,4,5,6,6,7        5,35,58,65,82,95,125,155,160,185

NY Rangers        5        1,2,4,5,7        10,40,100,130,190

Ottawa        5        1,3,4,6,7        16,76,106,178,196

Philadelphia        5        3,4,5,6,7        89,119,149,179,209

Phoenix        5        1,1,2,4,5        13,22,52,113,138

Pittsburgh        7        1,3,4,5,6,6,7        20,80,110,140,152,170,200

San Jose        4        1,3,5,5        28,88,127,136

St. Louis        6        1,2,3,4,5,6        14,44,74,104,134,164

Tampa Bay        8        1,3,3,3,4,4,6,7        6,63,66,72,96,118,156,186

Toronto        6        3,4,5,5,7,7        62,112,122,144,182,202

Vancouver        6        1,4,5,6,6,7        25,115,145,172,175,205

Washington        6        1,3,4,5,5,6        26,86,116,142,146,176