Archive for July, 2012
Culture Change For The Defense On Long Island
Over the past few seasons, Islanders fans have suffered through a revolving door of soft defensemen whose play was not physical by any means. Bruno Gervais, Dylan Reese, Mark Eaton, Mike Mottau, and Jack Hillen were not exactly intimidating. Some of you may not have noticed, but the Islanders are revamping their defensive structure. Islanders [...]
Stan Bowman’s Summer of Standing Pat and Readers’ Mailbag
CHICAGO (FOX Chicago News) – So far it has been a summer of inactivity for Blackhawk GM Stan Bowman. Many fans are left bewildered by the failed attempts to acquire big name free agents and a reluctance, or inability, to pull off a significant trade. It would be best for those fretting about next season [...]
Perceptions and Expectations
During the waiting game that was the Predators deciding weber or not… uh, whether or not to match the offer sheet from the Philadelphia Flyers for Shea Weber, there was a perception among some of the hockey cognoscenti that the Predators would be unable or unwilling to come up with the funds to keep Weber. [...]
Boston Bruins Offseason Notebook: B’s Add Defenseman Aaron Johnson, Ink New ECHL Affiliation
B’s Add Depth With Former Blue Jacket Aaron Johnson – Last week the Boston Bruins announced the signing of yet another defenseman to add to their already deep group of NHL-quality blueliners. After skating in 56 games for the league-worst Columbus Blue Jackets in 2011-12, 29-year-old Aaron Johnson agreed to join the B’s on a [...]
Boston Bruins Offseason Notebook: Horton Cleared, Julien Earns Extension, B’s Re-Up With CBS Boston
Bruins, Head Coach Claude Julien Agree To Terms On Contract Extension – Thirteen months ago, Claude Julien became the first Boston Bruins’ head coach to hoist the Stanley Cup above his head since Tom Johnson in May of 1972. The Blinder River, Ontario native was rewarded for his efforts this week, in receiving a brand [...]
Lubomir Visnovsky Represents Everything Garth Snow Does Right, And Everything Wrong With How The World Perceives The Organization
A few weeks ago, the Islanders traded for Lubomir Visnovsky. The Islanders got him on the phone at the draft party while most of Islanders fans were ecstatic about the trade for a legitimate top-4 defenseman. Garth Snow kept his promise. Garth went out and got his man. During this phone call, Lubomir seemed excited [...]
Predators Match Philly Offer Sheet, Sign Weber
The Nashville Predators have matched the offer sheet from the Philadelphia Flyers for the services of Shea Weber, signing him to a 14 year, $110 million contract. This announcement comes after several days of deliberation by the Predators as the offer from Philly was front loaded with bonuses designed to make it difficult for the [...]
From Blue Jacket To Blueshirt – Nash Is Finally A Ranger
Glen Sather and Scott Howson have been playing a game of chicken since the calendar turned to 2012. The man desperate to upgrade his team versus the man desperate to get a king’s ransom for his team’s biggest asset. Which one would blink first? After the mass hysteria of trade speculation that the Columbus Blue [...]
Introduction to Boredom
Hi. Hello, I am excited to finally put my thoughts and theories onto paper… er… computer, in my first blog here on Hockey Independent. I have been a follower of the Gallof’s work since the inception of the site and thrilled to be able to now contribute myself. I’d also like to thank Al Cimaglia [...]
The Islanders Opening Night Speculation: The D-Men
Hello, Islanders fans. A few days ago, I gave a prediction of what I think the Islanders opening night offensive lines will look like in Pittsburgh. Some fans of Long Island were excited, while some of the fans disagreed. Either way, none of us really know how things will turn out in October. Tonight, I [...]
The Ripples Of Aurora Colorado
I did not know Jessica Redfield. But it is her involvement, and death, along with the other victims of last night’s shooting that ripples across my life and social universe in a deep and penetrating fashion. This event, unlike other horrible events within the last few years, really has wormed its way into me. Jessica’s [...]
Flyers Sign Weber to Offer Sheet and Some Thoughts
The Philadelphia Flyers have signed Nashville Predators RFA and Norris Trophy finalist defenseman Shea Weber to an 14 year, $110 million offer sheet. According to details that have been revealed, the contract has in the first four years a base salary of $1 million and a signing bonus each year of $13 million. The fifth [...]
When Discussing The On-Ice Product, Patience Is Key For Isles Fans
I’ll jump right into this one. I understand the negativity coming from Islanders fans. I understand it’s been a miserable time for every single one of them. The losing, the building, and the uncertainty have cast a huge cloud over the team. Every single season is one more year of uncertainty because it’s one year [...]
Islanders Opening Night Line-Up Speculation: The Forwards
The Countdown until September 15th, the day the NHL CBA expires, officially began a few days ago. One has to hope that the NHL will come to terms quickly, so us fans don’t have to live like it’s 2004-05 all over again. Until a new CBA is in place, I can only imagine that it [...]
Backchecking: A Very Real Truth Could Hurt – A History And An Observation
If my latest post about fan expectation/reaction about the New York Islanders off season pissed you off, then this one is sure to create more frustration. I warn you now — you may want to stop reading here. The direct root cause of what GM Garth Snow can do in constructing his team, and what [...]
Mike Halmo Will Make Michael Haley An Afterthought In Islanders Country
I wanted to comment on something. The Islanders let go of Michael Haley. He went to the Rangers on July 1st. I know that it’s annoying that the Rangers were his choice. I know that he’s going to be in the line-up against the Islanders this year, and he will most definitely give the Islanders [...]
Cam Janssen Interview a Red Flag for NHL
Since the NHL lockout in 04-05, the NHL Enforcer has become a dying breed. Teams still install these big guns, er, fists into the line-up during the regular season to protect players and intimidation. Many of these men are actually good people off the ice compared to their “super villain” image when they jump the [...]
Boston Bruins Offseason Notebook: B’s Increase Depth With Addition Of Veteran Defenseman Garnet Exelby
On Wednesday afternoon the Boston Bruins increased their organizational depth, adding former Atlanta Thrashers’ defenseman Garnet Exelby. The two sides agreed to a new one-year, two-way contract worth a total of $600,000 at the NHL level and $130,000 for American Hockey League service. The Craik, Saskatchewan native was originally drafted by the Thrashers in the [...]
Brad Boyes vs. PA Parenteau: Why Boyes Is Going To Be The Better Islanders Winger
It has been a quiet off-season for the New York Islanders after July 1st. Other than a few AHL-depth signings, the Islanders have stayed put with their new free agents Brad Boyes, Matt Carkner, and Eric Boulton. The New York Islanders also decided to let new fan-favorite PA Parenteau walk. PAP bolted the organization when [...]
Time For The Islanders To Make Waves In The Atlantic
What’s up, Hockey Independent? Some of you might be familiar with my current blog, Islanders Op-Timism. Thank you all for reading. While I continue running that site, I will be contributing over here as well. For those who aren’t familiar with Islanders Op-Timism, I believe there is one thing that we should all know about [...]
