Is this a preemptive strike?

As I first reported on Twitter on Thursday the Islanders are in discussions to host a preseason game next season at the new Barclays Center in Brooklyn, the future home of the NBA’s New Jersey Nets.

This is not the first time the Islanders have used another venue to push the reality that at the end of the 2014-15 season their lease with Nassau Coliseum ends. During the 2008-09 season when Kansas City was considered their hot relocation destination, the Islanders announced they’d be taking on the Los Angeles Kings in a preseason game the following season at the brand-new downtown Spirit Center.

While there has been no movement between the Islanders and Nassau County on a new or refurbished arena, and a clear message has been sent that the team is not presently for sale, more possible routes could open if Brooklyn, Suffolk County or Queens were to make guarantees.

READ MORE ON MY BLOG ON CBS New York/WFAN…

And more from CBS New York from yours truly.

To follow BD on Twitter Click Here
To follow BD on Google+ Click Here
LinkedIn: Click Here
Facebook: Click Here

Since this past Aug. 1′s failed referendum in Nassau County, it has been silent on all fronts. But as a team struggles, invariably people hear things or  rumor and innuendo just get spun out of control quickly by a hungry fan base looking for anything to look forward to.

The latest message board fan site fodder rolling around and being inflated is just that. It is about some group, including a former player who has interest in buying the team. You can’t blame the energy and excitement in the notion. Fans rightly are wishing for a resolution that leaves the Islanders in New York and settles what has been a disturbing open-ended situation that rarely features any answers…

READ MORE ON CBS New York…

And if you missed it, read my featured piece on concussions in hockey is now an epidemic on CBS New York. It is an eye-opener. READ IT HERE!

And more from CBS New York from yours truly.

To follow BD on Twitter Click Here
To follow BD on Google+ Click Here
LinkedIn: Click Here
Facebook: Click Here

email me at bd@hockeyindependent.com

Next up on CBS will be a blog addressing the new calls for Jack Capuano to be fired, and why that will not happen. It is more about the veterans of the team who are on the firing line. Should be up tomorrow.

Happy holidays and have a great & safe New Years eve and day.

BD

Sorry for the delay folks. This piece should been up a week ago but had two friends die in about 5 days. So I’ve found it very hard to write. You should all be following along on my Twitter account BDGallof which is updated more often on the fly.

Dedicated to Mike & Pat: may memory serve some little percentage to what wonderful people you were. The world is a lesser place without you both.

PART 1:

When judging or assessing the new regime of the NY Islanders, you need to start in 2006 when Neil Smith took over and let the new Isles system move forward. Since then, they have followed certain habits. It is why their hockey operations differ a bit from the typical team. It is why they put a lot into the psychological testing. How that testing is used is what makes the Isles different. How they equate the final tabulation on what THEY are looking for seems to differ from many of the pundits, bloggers and main stream media.

I mean, someone asked an agent on what the Isles would take. Really?

It is why there are tough questions during the combine or other meetings with prospects. It is why they can break relations with their head scout and move on. It is why they just plug along, this draft probably no different than the others.

I wrote about the Isles system very early in my hockey blogging career….errr…hobby…errr…hell I am not sure what this is anymore. Back in 2007, I think. Nothing has changed one whit since then except for the man who holds the scouting lead which now falls to Garth.

I have taken a keen interest in how that system has worked and try to glean some rules and notions they have based on it. It was why I knew they’d take a forward last season. It is why I knew, unflappable even when Newsday ran the Matt Duchene alert, the Isles were taking Tavares. It is why I knew the year before that they’d likely move backward, leaving Filatov and Schenn to others.

Based on those items and attributes, I have analyzed this years crop, applied it to my sense of the Isles system and have come up with a small list of those that would fit best as their #5 pick.

First off, despite Garth innocuous statement that he might move forward or backward this draft, from the #5 position they will not being moving up to the top 4. Just doesn’t make sense based on their picks and what they seem to look for.

As for moving back? Hmmm, that’s where it gets interesting. I do think they will entertain offers to move back if teams come calling BUT doubt they would drop out of the top 10.

Another thing, much like last season, I do not believe that the Isles will take a defenseman in the #5 spot, or even further back within the top 10. You can never say never, but I got to commit to a prediction. THINK FORWARD.

If you look at the best forwards in the league… and let’s count off a few… where were they drafted???

Joe Thorton? #1 overall

Overchkin? Same

Crosby? Same

Malkin? #2

Corry Perry? #28, 1st round

Sedins? the #2 & #3 picks.

Stamkos? #1

You get the idea. MOST, not all mind you, but MOST actually were picked in 1st round, mostly near top.

Now, let’s look at the best dmen in the league….

Lidstrom? round 3 #53

Shea Weber? round 2 #49

Duncan Keith? round 2 #54

Zdeno Chara? round 3 #56

Mike Green? round 1 #29

Point here is that there is a probability here that forwards near top of the draft are more likely to succeed on top projections. Not a perfect science, and there are aberrations of course. But as a general rule, this seems to be the case. Dmen come deeper, and if you look at Isles drafts, they are of the same mind. Their dmen picks come later, not earlier.

Add a new item: Where have the Islanders since Mad Mike and Gordie Clark moved on to the NYR ever shown to pick positionally? Each year pundits, bloggers and fans clamor for defense looking on the ice. But that is not how many successful draft systems work. Drafted players usually take years to take shape and develop. Why would they take anything BUT the best player available?

What does this all mean?

The Isles will once again, at the #5 spot, not take a defender. I don’t care what agent or pundit says what. I don’t care who has Garth on some sort of bat phone. I stick to the cold hard facts that I have seen since 2006 and say… not likely….unless they drop out of the top 10.

In fact, if the Isles stay at 5 or pick within that top 10, moving back and collecting some picks, do not be surprised if they once again push into the 1st round via trade to take another player they value which would be a dman or forward (rules don’t apply on 2nd pick in round as we saw with de Haan at #12).

So here is prediction part 1: no dman at #5 or even at #7 or 8. No hype. No Dougie Freakin Hamilton or Doogie Howser. No 6 foot 7 inch dman that remind people of Chara for old time’s sake in Jamie Oleksiak. Isles will take a forward. As to which forward….I have it down to the trilogy of options.

That means 3. And that is for part 2. Till then….

In September, three Gallof brothers decided to pool resources and move IslandersIndependent and RangersIndependent and unify our audience under a national NHL name, HockeyIndependent.com. We had NJ bloggers asking to come onboard, as well as Flyers bloggers ready to go.

In one season, under 9 months, we have had a great ride. We have built a Nashville base, Chicago base, Boston base, and I could go on and on.

In reward for all that hard work, we have received various mentions in a multitude of outlets. From Deadspin, newspapers,  and even journalism criticism outlets from our now legendary Pizza Crawl satire…to regular metions on sites like the great Puck Daddy and many blogosphere staples. We also have worked with NHL Live on XM and hockey blogosphere stalwarts like Lyle Richardson of SpectorsHockey, Jim Cerny, Scott Wazz and many more.

I believe in the mantra, if you are true to your work, your work wil be true to you. This is what our main focus is here. It has paid off with great site stats, notoriety, and now we have received NHL media credentials for the NHL draft and Cup Finals.

This would not have been possible without the great bloggers here, nor the great readers and commenters who keep coming back. I thank you most profusely and hope to work together later this summer to make HI even better and more of your key hockey team reading destination.

I will be on assignment in Philly next week and will have a series on my experience down there. Be sure to also check in with our Flyers bloggers Chris DiFrancesco and John Saquella. This weekend, Al Cimaglia will be in the trenches in Chicago along with David Morris giving us the skinny on the Hawks.

After next week we will be knee deep in the NHL draft and then Free Agency.

HockeyIndependent.com will have two ads with McKeen’s Draft Guide. One is a full color splash on the inside front cover that will be a hockey satirical wonder you do not want to miss. That or it makes a fine paper airplane.

To order the always excellent McKeens draft guide, who actually dropped their prices this year to a very affordable $30, hit this link. They have been working hard all year to bring you the inside skinny on the next batch of NHL prospects. They do a great job, and it is well worth it.

HockeyIndependent looks to provide team blogs, satire, and NHL coverage with quality bloggers who can cover teams consistently. We would like to have two or  three regular bloggers per team or section. Anyone interested in joining our blogosphere collective, please email me at bd@hockeyindependent.com.

I am open to ideas, suggestions, sponsorships, ad opportunities and of course, a Nigerian scam or two.

Thanks,

BD

To we Gallof boys, most situations hearken to a movie. Whether it be large or small, parody or tragedy, good news or bad, we tend to come up with some sort of twisted bent with images and other silliness to describe it.

So, in honor of this appreciation of movies, and with a huge hat tip to the boys at Yahoo’s Puck Daddy blog, we will kick off our first contest here on HockeyIndependent. Prizes are choices from a slew of movies from the Back To The Future Trilogy on DVD, to Blu Ray movies like Full Metal Jacket, Blazing Saddles, V for Vendetta, Ocean’s 11 and much more. Actually, not just one contest but two…so there are a few ways to win…

CONTEST #1

Photoshop your own “NHL Goes Hollywood”. Use you image skills, or complete lack-of, to create some funny NHL-to-movie renditions. Our own to kick this off are below. Points are for creativity, laugh-meter, and concepts. We Gallofs will judge and look for top 3 winners. Send as many images you’d like. We’ll attempt to showcase them (another hat tip to Puck Daddy) as we go along plus at the end.

Deadline for this contest is Friday, December 11th with the winner to be announced that following Monday.

Email your images to bd@hockeyindependent.com and please put in the subject: NHL Goes Hollywood Entry.

What, you don’t do Photoshop or are terrible with images? Your mouse hand hurts from clutching it everytime a team shoots on your poor Maple Leafs? Well, for you we have another contest that is about wit and tweets!

CONTEST #2

On Twitter Follow @HockeyIndie our new Twitter account for HockeyIndependent and help spread the word while also coming up with
your own #NHLgoeshollywood takes of Hollywood meeting the NHL.

Here there are two ways to win prizes!

1. Top three tweets of #NHLgoeshollywood wins a prize!

2. Top three “quality” #NHLgoeshollywood overall twitterers will also win!

Sibling Rivalry will judge both these contests. That means the two Gallof boys decide. Deal with it.

Deadline for the TWEET #NHLgoeshollywood Follow @HockeyIndie contest is this coming Monday, December 7th.

Questions? Concerns? Post them below for clarity. Otherwise, make some excitement as we all gear up for the Holidays and get some loot from HockeyIndependent along with it.

Scott and I have done some of our own to kick this thing off….

Scott Gallof ignores Kyle Wellwood and goes for the other portly punching bag

BD Gallof with the Curious Case of Chris Chelios

Scott Gallof with Patrick Kane playing a petulant Scorcese in the back of DeNiro's taxi in TAXI DRIVER

BD will probably rile Sidney fans as he uses him and Gary Bettman for his version of THE CRYING GAME

BD finds Theo Fleury in the worst bathroom in Calgary with this ode to TRAINSPOTTING

Scott with the new screwball comedy based on Threesome, called Sloppy Seconds!

And, it wouldn’t be a Sibling Rivalry without taking a shot at the Isles or Rangers, so, BD provides some NY Ranger seasonal observations a la Big Lebowski, guest-starring Sidney Crosby…

Old, new, it’s not a battle of two sides anymore. Instead, it’s a crowded pool where any fan can glean info, rumor, opinion, humor or just about anything else with a mouse click via the Web or Twitter.

Read more HERE!

And please help promote it by retweeting and spread the word.

- BD

]]> http://hockeyindependent.com/blog/bdgallof/5220/feed/ 1 http://hockeyindependent.com/blog/sibling-rivalry/4297/ http://hockeyindependent.com/blog/sibling-rivalry/4297/#comments Wed, 28 Oct 2009 15:21:06 +0000 Sibling Rivalry http://hockeyindependent.com/blog/?p=4297

The Rangers face the NY Islanders over at the Coliseum. Sure, the Islanders aren’t exactly scaring anyone at dead last in the conference. But, hell, at least they aren’t Toronto. Meanwhile the Rangers have been on quite a run.

But when they play one another, it doesn’t matter who is first nor last. That’s what makes the rivalry so special. Sometimes, well, it’s all you have.


That’s right, it’s time for Sibling Rivalry, as two blogging brothers square off debate-style on HockeyIndependent.

Scott Gallof - (Occasional Hockey Independent Blogger)

Well, well, its been a long, long offseason hasn’t it? Well not so much for you guys and this silly Lighthouse hoopla. How is that all going anyhow? When do they break ground, soon? Hell it’s only been a decade.

I can’t even poke all that much fun at you, even I a Rangers’ fan is pretty irked on how both sides have conducted themselves in this giant mess. You guys are supposed to be a hockey team not a platform for silly non-essential Long Island legislators to flex their slovenly, pizza greased muscles over. Just build the damn thing already, I’m sick of hearing about it.

Btw, a belated congratulations on your first win of the season. Don’t let anyone tell you how pathetic it is to take 7 games for your first win. With the steaming piles of fecal matter you have in goal and everyone you have playing minus your first line and Marc Streit, I’d say it was quite the achievement.

They say if you spent 100 hours a week bashing your head against a concrete block, eventually a piece will fall off.

BD Gallof – (Owner, HockeyIndependent.com)

Laugh it up, fuzzball. I think it is a nervous laugh as your contractual leap of faith, Marion Gaborik is now out from tonight’s game due to an undisclosed ailment. The man with the glass hip and nads clearly is encased in Carbonite when traveling with the Rangers for away games.

Yeah, I get it. We suck. What else is new? We signed two goalies that make Valiquette look good when our defense is in front of them.

But don’t look now, slappy, but your team is an injury away from a tip over the edge. Amazing how a hot start has Ranger fans getting all hyped up. Paper chumps is more like it.

Talk to me in December to let me know if you have the real thing. San Jose’s whupping you should already give you a clear idea that you have along way to go.

Scott Gallof - (Occasional Hockey Independent Blogger)

The only reason he is out tonight is just a precaution and since we aren’t playing a real team ole Tort’s figured he’d give the big guy some rest. He twinged his knee at the end of his last game, which has nothing to do with either his groin or hip. So let’s not get all panicky kid.

The fact of the matter is our “leap of faith” has been paying off quite splendidly with 18 points in just 12 games. But what you fail to mention up on your pulpit is that the Rangers are also getting plenty of scoring from other places as well.

Prospal 16pts, Kotalik 12pts, and our rookie gem Michael Del Zotto who also has 12pts racked up and at the tender age of 19 is already quarterbacking the now productive power play. Measure that against your prized first draft pick, with his 7 points and -6 +/-.

So suck on that.

B.D. Gallof - (Owner, HockeyIndependent.com)

Yes, a precaution. Surely. Because if it’s anything more, your offense falls faster than Owen Hart. Then watch all those players: one rookie and two guys: Prospal and Enver Lisin who are clearly reaping rewards of Gabby-Gabba-Ouch.

Let’s hope they are encasing something else in Carbonite, so that offense you tout so highly actually stays afloat.

Oh, speaking of dinged up, how bout Henrik Lundqvist hitting a guard rail when his car slid off the road on the way to practice. There’s another collective breath from the Rangers faithful, who would have slid right through the standings without their fashion-plate fop who was probably trying to fix his quaffe through the rear-view mirror.

Maybe you could have asked his brother to play goalie had he hurt himself . . .

Scott Gallof - (Occasional Hockey Independent Blogger)

You know really, as an Islanders fan you shouldn’t even be allowed to type Lundqvist’s name let alone ridicule him. You know deep down in that flakey deep battered fish fry heart of yours you’d give up one of your own metal balls to have him in net for your team. But alas you got the first round pick that year, how is ole wobble knee/hip/upper/lowerbody anyhow?

It’s completely ironic to me that you can do an image of Gaborik frozen in Carbonite yet your own franchise goaltender has played a total of 5 games in the last two years… those in glass Mausoleums should not throw pucks.

Speaking of the Mausoleum did it ever occur to you that perhaps the Rangers’ were so embarrassed to having to play in such a scrapheap hellhole tonight they are sitting Gaborik just so that building’s taint would not reach a player of his skill and caliber. It would certainly be something I would consider.

.

The building is an abomination as is the team that plays there. Maybe instead of passing out Lighthouse posters to their fans maybe it’s due time the Islanders’ brass just hand out cyanide capsules to put you all out of your collective misery.

Btw,  that Lighthouse hat I got, will it be a collector’s item at any point?

B.D. Gallof - (Owner, HockeyIndependent.com)

Yeah, yeah. Well, it is true that you might be the only Ranger blogger ever invited to a Lighthouse Project meeting. Just having you walk into the room to a round of boos from the staff and Isles bloggers was quite a treat.

Rick DiPietro is just fine, btw. The Isles brass said so, so it must be true.

Speaking of people who love the media, how is old Hot Head Torts? One wonders if he’s just a day or two away from a complete blowout with Larry Brooks or some fan in the seats.

See that water bottle he’s heaving into the air? That is about the closest you will get to heaving a cup as long as you have Glen Sather and Chuckie Dolan as the brain trust.

So, you can strut your way in to the Coliseum, rump roast. But, methinks there is a lot of concern and fear behind that strut. That any second that the Rangers will suddenly be shown for the posers they are.

How you like them apples, paunchy? Oh that’s right, I get to finish this.

So…suck it.