Next Episode of HNLI 1/5/08

Just a programming update that the next episode of Hockey Night on Long Island is going to be on 1/5/08 at 3:30 PM EST. We are sorry but had to cancel the 12/30/07 episode due to scheduling conflicts. As a reminder, you can listen to archived episodes of HNLI by using the media player on the right sidebar, going to www.show.hockeynightonlongisland.com, or by searching "Hockey Night on Long Island" in the iTunes Music Store. Happy New Year!

Comeau, Okposo, Simon (& Tom Mascioli): Oh My!

There was plenty to talk about on Saturday's episode of Hockey Night on Long Island with special guest Tom Mascioli. Along with hosts Alex and Steve, Tom touched on the recent call up of Blake Comeau, the Kyle Okposo decision, the Chris Simon suspension, and everything else in the world of the New York Islanders. The HNLI chatroom was buzzing and a few callers chimed in as well, making for another fun-filled hour. If you missed Saturday's episode of HNLI, be sure to check it out at show.hockeynightonlongisland.com or subscribe to the podcasted version by searching for "Hockey Night on Long Island" in the iTunes Store.

Stay tuned to our homepage for Isles news and info on upcoming episodes and guests.

Huge Show Saturday!

With all of the huge news in Islanders country this week, this Saturday's episode of Hockey Night on Long Island is sure to be an awesome hour of hockey talk. Hosts Alex and Steve will be joined by long-time guest Tom Mascioli of islesinfo.com to discuss the Chris Simon suspension, Kyle Okposo going pro, recap Friday's game against the Penguins, preview Saturday night against the Caps, and so much more. Like always, the trio will take your calls, IMs, and will be hosting the HNLI chatroom for some extra banter. It is sure to be an action packed episode. So remember to tune in Saturday at 3:30 PM EST.

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO HNLI

Great Time with Frankie

Hey all, Alex here. Last night I made an appearance on Sports Talk Live with Frankie The Sports Guy and had a great time talking hockey with Frankie, who is a long time Isles fan. We discussed everything from the latest Chris Simon incident, to the offensive drought, and all the way to my personal experiences with the Islanders. My interview starts at around the 6:50 mark of the show due to some technical difficulties. Frank was also joined by Paul Kukla, another hockey blogger, who had a very interesting interview. Other sports guests were Mike Silva of Radio Gotham, Len Berman of News Channel 4, and Tom Pecora of Hofstra Basketball. It was an awesome night for Frankie and all of the guests.

If you missed my chat with Frankie or just want to hear it again, check it out HERE.

Also, be sure to stay tuned to this site to find out about this weekend's episode of Hockey Night on Long Island.

Alex chats with Frankie The Sports Guy tonight!

Be sure to tune in for a very special mid-week treat on tonight's episode of Sports Talk Live with Frankie The Sports Guy as Alex will be making a special guest appearance in a star-studded lineup. The show starts at 10 PM EST tonight and Alex will be the first of several guests, so be sure to tune in on time to hear Alex analyze the latest in Islanders hockey, as well as the latest Chris Simon incident. After Alex, Frankie will also be talking with Len Berman of New Channel 4 NY, Coach Tom Pecora of Hofstra Men's Basketball, Mike Silva of Radio Gotham, and Paul Kukla of Kukla's Korner.

So, be sure to tune in tonight at 10 PM EST at http://www.frankiethesportsguy.com/

Quick Note: A very special thanks to Frankie for having me as a guest. I'm really looking forward to the opportunity and am honored to be part of such an awesome lineup of guests. Don't Miss it!

Webb20's Insight Makes for a Great Episode

Saturday's episode of Hockey Night on Long Island was another awesome one thanks to special guest Nick DiMattei, aka Webb20, of the NYIslanderscountry message boards. With the HNLI chatroom buzzing, Nick spoke with hosts Alex and Steve about everything from the team's offensive woes to performance enhancing drugs in hockey, to Sean Bergenheim and Andy Hilbert. Thanks to Webb20 and the awesome chatroom users, Saturday's HNLI was one for the ages. If you missed it, be sure to head over to our show page or search "Hockey Night on Long Island" in the iTunes music store to subscribe to our podcast.

Webb20 Joins HNLI Saturday

Of all of the places that Isles' fans have to come together and talk hockey, few compare to NYIslanderscountry.com. So, needless to say, it is extremely exciting that Nick DiMattei, the big cheese at NYIC, will be making a special guest appearance on Saturday's episode of Hockey Night on Long Island. Not only will the master of the message boards tell us about what it's like to run a big time Islanders forum, but he will also to hosts Alex and Steve about the latest in New York Islanders hockey. As usual, the trio will take phone calls and IMs from listeners and the HNLI chatroom is sure to be buzzing. Be sure to tune in for another awesome episode of HNLI this Saturday, 12/15, at 3:30 PM EST.

The Outsider fills in nicely for Alex

This past Saturday was a great episode of HNLI, with the exception of the absence of Alex, who had a prior obligation to attend. To fill Alex's spot, Ken Rosenblatt of the Islander Outsider Blog and a member of the NYI Blog Box did a great job as a guest co-host. Although it was an abbreviated 45-minute epsiode, Steve and Ken talked about many topics, mostly about the Islanders lack of offense and the currrent roadtrip the team is on. Of course, there were many great callers, IMers, and members of the HNLI chatroom. To listen to the episode, you can use the media player on the sidebar, visit www.show.hockeynightonlongisland.com, or search "Hockey Night on Long Island" in the iTunes Music Sotre. Remember to tune into the next episode of HNLI this Saturday (12/15) at 3:30 PM EST for the regular 60 minutes. We will announce the special guest towards the end of the week. Enjoy a great week of Islanders Hockey!

HNLI with Special Guest Co-Host

Be sure to tune into the next episode of Hockey Night on Long Island this Saturday (12/8) at 3:30 PM EST (45-minute episode). Unfortanetly, Alex will not be able to attend the episode but Steve will be joined by guest co-host Ken Rosenblatt of the Islanders Outsider Blog and NYI Blog Box. We will discuss everything surrounding the New York Islanders, such as the roadtrip the Isles are currently on. As always, during the show, listeners can call in (718-664-9597), IM us (AIM: hockeynightli), and discuss about the Islanders in the official HNLI chatroom. To listen, visit http://www.show.hockeynightonlongisland.com/

HNLI Episode Recap: Tons of Topics

December's first episode of Hockey Night on Long Island was a great way to kickoff the month. Without a guest for the first time in months, hosts Alex and Steve had in depth discussion on the Islanders power play (or lack thereof), the decision to change the NHL schedule for next season, and much more. Also, without a guest, the duo was able to encourage extra listener interaction and heard from plenty of callers, chatters, and even an anonymous blog commenter who was disgruntled with Ted Nolan. Despite some brief technical issues, Saturday's episode of HNLI was another great hour of hockey banter. If you missed it, be sure to check out the archived version at our talk show page or subscribe to the podcast by searching "hockey night on long island" in the iTunes store.

HNLI Saturday: Guest TBA

Be sure to tune in to Hockey Night on Long Island this Saturday for an exciting recap of this week's NYI action and a look forward to the upcoming portion of the Isles' schedule. Hosts Alex and Steve, along with a TBA guest, will have another banter-filled episode with plenty of great hockey talk and great listener impact via the phones, instant messages, and of course the notorious HNLI chatroom. Be sure to stay tuned to hockeynightonlongisland.com to find out who Saturday's special guest is (sorry for the delay). More importantly, however, don't miss Saturday's (12/1) episode of Hockey Night on Long Island at 3:30 PM EST. Click here for the talk show page.

What a Wave!

Saturday night's Islander game was a big win for the Islanders, but among the most memorable moments from the contest was the show that the fans put on at the Coliseum. During a stoppage in the third period, someone in the building must have decided to bring back an old classic because before anybody knew it, the crowd was overcome by The Wave. Yes....The Wave. This, however, was no ordinary wave. Within seconds, the crowd was roaring and everyone in all three levels of the coliseum was participating. While seemingly meaningless, The Wave was quite the spectacle. It took a great defensive play by Andy Sutton to finally bring attention back to the ice after The Wave made its way around the arena at least 15 times! I for one hope that The Wave caught on. Only time will tell if we have discovered a new Coliseum tradition.


While not the best quality, here's a quick video clip of The Wave that captured the Coliseum crowd on Saturday.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=veVuv3B2Mog

Islesblogger Entertains on HNLI

Thanksgiving weekend brought a festive episode of HNLI. Alex and Steve were joined by Michael Schuerlein of islesblogger.com, who shared some insight on the Islanders' recent offensive struggles, how to revive the powerplay, the play of goaltender Rick Dipietro, and much much more. With callers galore and some input from the chatroom, Saturday's episode was another great segment of Isles talk. If you were too stuffed with turkey or exhausted from Black Friday to catch Saturday's episode, be sure to check out the archived episode at the Talk Show Page or subscribe to the podcast feed by searching for "Hockey Night on Long Island" in the iTunes store.

Watchdog Spots HNLI

Hockey Night on Long Island has made great strides since debuting early this year, but today may mark the biggest step yet. Newsday columnist, Neil Best (aka Watchdog), has taken notice of the massive impact of Blogtalkradio on sports talk and wrote a great feature for his Friday column and an extended version of the story in his sports media blog. Both the print column and blog entry center on HNLI hosts Alex and Steve and the progress that the show has made since starting up in March. It's great to see a major contributor in the media take notice of HNLI.

Click Here to Read Watchdog's Column

Click Here to Read the Corresponding Blog Entry

To those of you who may have just found HNLI thanks to the work of Neil Best, welcome to the HNLI homepage. Be sure to check out our talk show page, where you can listen to HNLI live every weekend as well as listen to and download archived episodes.

Remember to tune in to Hockey Night on Long Island this Saturday at 3:30 PM EST. We're all excited to hear from some new listeners with all of the publicity that Watchdog has given us.

An Episode to be Thankful For.....HNLI this Saturday

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO HNLI

It seems like Islander fans have a lot to be thankful for lately and it's only getting better this holiday weekend. HNLI will be on the air this Saturday 11/24 at 3:30 PM EST for an action packed hour of Isles talk. This Saturday's episode will feature special guest Michael Schuerlein of islesblogger.com who will chat with the dynamic duo about the latest Isles news and notes. As usual, HNLI is looking forward to hearing from Isles fans via phone, IM, and the Official HNLI chatroom. So be sure to tune in this Saturday at 3:30 PM EST for a Thanksgiving weekend episode of HNLI.

Happy Thanksgiving and Lets Go Islanders!

HNLI Recap: Another Great Mascioli Appearance

Saturday's episode of Hockey Night on Long Island brought plenty of in depth hockey talk with hosts Alex and Steve, and of course special guest Tom Mascioli of islesinfo.com. The trio discussed everything from the emergence of Josef Vasicek to Rick DiPeitro to the Lighthouse Project and everything in between. With great contributions from callers, IMers, and the HNLI chatroom faithful, Saturday's episode of HNLI was another great one. If you missed this weekend's installment of HNLI, be sure to listen to the archived version at show.hockeynightonlongisland.com or through iTunes.

HNLI Joined by A Familiar Favorite Saturday

When it comes to HNLI guests, few rank higher than Tom Mascioli of islesinfo.com. Time and time again, Tom has provided HNLI's listeners with some incredible Isles insight and great hockey perspective. This Saturday should be no different as the one and only Tom Mascioli will be stopping by for an hour choc' full of New York Islanders talk with hosts Alex and Steve. Like usual, hosts Alex and Steve will be taking your questions and getting your insights via phone, IM, and the Official HNLI chatroom. With games on both Thursday and Friday, and a matchup with the Rangers looming on Monday, this should be one of the most exciting episodes of the season thus far. Be sure to tune in at 3:30 PM EST this saturday at show.hockeynightonlongisland.com.

HNLI with Tom Liodice Saturday

Be sure to tune in to Hockey Night on Long Island this Saturday at 3:30 PM EST. Hosts Alex and Steve will be joined by Tom Liodice of thetigertrack.com and the New York Islanders blog box to discuss all the latest in New York Islanders hockey and a little bit of Tom's SoundTiger insight. Be sure to get ready for the big game against New Jersey with an awesome episode of HNLI with your phonecalls, IMs, and chatroom comments. Don't Miss it this Saturday at 3:30 PM EST on Saturday.

Reminder: HNLI Tomorrow

Remember to listen to Hockey Night on Long Island tomorrow (11/3/07) at 3:30 PM EST. We will be joined by special guest Gary Harding (viewfromsection317.com; nyhockeyreport.com) to recap the Isles recent games and look forward to that night's game as Al Arbour will coach the New York Islanders for the 1,500th time when they face off against the Pittsburgh Penguins. As always, we will be taking calls (718-664-9597) and IMs (AIM: hockeynightli) and we will host the HNLI chatroom. To listen, visit www.show.hockeynightonlongisland.com. It should be a great episode!!

HNLI and NYHR Team Up.....Alex on NYHR TONIGHT

Looking for your dose of midweek hockey talk? Look no further than tonight's episode of the New York Hockey Report. The show is from 9-10 PM EST and will feature special guests Steve Mears of Bloomberg 1130 (9:15) and HNLI's very own host, Alex (9:40). Then be sure to tune into HNLI on Saturday at 3:30 PM EST where NYHR host Gary Harding will return the favor with an appearance on our show. Should be a big week for HNLI and NYHR so be sure to catch both shows.

Next Episode: Saturday 11/3

Just a heads up that HNLI will be off this weekend, but will return on Saturday, November 3rd, at 3:30 PM EST. We assure you that we will make up for this weekend's hiatus with a very special guest next week, which will be announced within the next few days. Of course, we will preview that night's game, in which Al Arbour will coach for the monumental 1,500th time, and review this week's action in New York Islanders hockey. Like usual, we will take calls and IMs from our listeners and host the always awesome HNLI chatroom. Be sure to tune in next Saturday at 3:30 PM EST for an incredible hour of hockey talk.

HNLI On the Air SUNDAY with Gary Harding

Hockey Night on Long Island will return to the airwaves this Sunday, October 21, at 3:30 PM EST for another hour block of Isles talk. This week, the dynamic duo of Alex and Steve will be joined by special guest Gary Harding. When it comes to the Islanders community, few are more involved than Gary, who runs a spectacular blog "The View From Section 317", hosts the New York Hockey Report, and is of course the former president and current active member of the New York Islanders Booster Club. This Sunday, Harding will take some time with HNLI to discuss the most recent string of Islander games, the recent line shakeups, the fall of Marc-Andre Bergeron, and much much more. Of course, the show wouldn't be complete without your input via telephone (718-664-9597) and instant message. Finally, be sure to stop by the HNLI chatroom to interact with fellow HNLI listeners. Find all this and more Sunday, 10/21, at 3:30 PM EST at show.hockeynightonlongisland.com.

HNLI joined by Greg Logan Saturday!

Things couldn't get much better if your an Islanders fan right now. The Isles are off to an outstanding start and just beat the Rangers! As if things couldn't get any better, this Saturday will bring a very special episode of Hockey Night on Long Island. Tune in at 3:30 PM EST for a very special appearance by Greg Logan, the one and only New York Islanders beat writer for Newsday. Hosts Alex and Steve will talk with Greg about everything Islanders including the emergence of the newcomers, the defensive combinations, the play of Rick DiPietro and much more! And of course, it wouldn't be HNLI without our listeners getting into the mix. Greg will take your questions via telephone or IM. In addition, the HNLI chatroom will be up and running for some serious fan banter. Be sure to tune in for an awesome hour of hockey talk this Saturday at 3:30 PM EST at show.hockeynightonlongisland.com.

Words of Encouragement from BTR CEO and Big Time Isles Fan

Updating the Friday Fiasco on Hockey Night on Long Island, we have just heard from Blogtalkradio CEO Alan Levy, who coincidentally enough is a huge Isles fan regarding today's technical difficulties:

As an Islander fan who personally witnessed the Nystrom goal to win their first cup, I apologize for the problems on today's show.

Rest assured, these technical matters have been remedied and your next show will be featured on our home page.

Go Islanders!!

Alan Levy
CEO
Blogtalkradio

Gotta love Alan Levy....a real class act and a true Isles fan.

Terrible Telephone Troubles.....Oh My!

Lets hope the Isles have better opening night fortunes on the ice than HNLI did on the airwaves.......with all of the build up to today's Season Opener Special, Steve and I were both devastated to encounter some serious technical difficulties, espescially after being a featured episode on the Blogtalkradio calender. Apparently our audio feed was in and out and we were unable to connect with our guest via telephone, Tom Liodice until about half way through the show. We stumbled through today's episode, but would like to deeply apologize for our major malfunctions.

Don't fret, however, because next week's episode will surely make up for tonight's mishaps. We will be joined by extremely special guest Greg Logan, the Islanders' superb beat writer for Newsday. Greg will be talking a nice hour of Islanders hockey with us, as well as taking your questions via telephone (cross your fingers), AOL IM, or our brand new chatroom feature.

Again, be sure to tune in next Saturday, 10/13, at 3:30 PM EST and stay tuned to the homepage for updates.
LETS GO ISLANDERS!

HNLI Featured for Friday's Episode!

Hockey Night on Long Island is proud to announce that this Friday's episode will be a featured show on the Blogtalkradio schedule. Be sure to tune in for this episode, just prior to the game against Buffalo, at 4:30 PM EST. Hosts Alex and Steve will look forward to the season opener against the Sabres and the 2007-2008 season. Be sure to tune in and give us a call. And of course, don't forget to stop by the chatroom to interact with the hosts and other passionate Isles fans for an hour of insane hockey talk! Check it out at show.hockeynightonlongisland.com. HNLI is back in full swing....DON'T MISS IT!

UPDATE: We just got word that we will be joined by special guest Tom Liodice of the NYI Blog Box (http://tigertrack.blogspot.com).

Episode Recap: Season 2 Starts With a Bang

Hockey Night on Long Island returned to the airwaves today for the return from the show's summer hiatus. Tom Mascioli of islesinfo.com joined the dynamic duo of Alex and Steve for a solid hour of great Islanders talk. The trio covered everything from defensive pairings to new uniforms and absolutely everything in between. Some of the usual callers, and some new ones as well chimed in as well, making for some great chit-chat. And speaking of chats.....the new HNLI chatroom was a great success. It was incredible to see as many as 10 HNLI listeners all communicating with each other and talking hockey. The differing opinions (and the prescence of an aggressive Ranger fan) made for some intense banter in the chatroom. Remember, if you missed the season premiere, you can listen to it archived at show.hockeynightonlongisland.com.

The next episode of HNLI will be this Friday, opening night 10/6, at 4:30 PM EST. Be sure to tune in! Lets Go Islanders!

HNLI Returns SATURDAY for Season Premiere

It's finally that time of year again. Hockey season is just about underway and that means Hockey Night on Long Island is back for its second season of New York Islanders talk. Hosts Alex and Steve will be hitting the airwaves on Saturday, September 29th, at 3:30 PM EST with one of our favorite guests, Tom Mascioli of Islesinfo.com. The trio will discuss the newest Islanders, training camp, the preseason, and of course the upcoming 2007-2008 NHL season, all while taking your phone calls and IMs for maximum listener interaction. For season 2, we will also have a load of new features, including our listener chatroom. The season 2 premiere of HNLI is a can't miss episode for any Isles fan. So be sure to tune in at 3:30 on Saturday at www.show.hockeynightonlongisland.com.

HNLI Gearing up for Season 2 with New Looks

Hello all! We hope you have enjoyed your summer and are having a good time following training camp and the preseason. In preparation for Season 2 of HNLI, we are pleased to release our new website design, which of course includes a brand new logo, banner, and much more. Thanks so much to Andy Facini of Islanders Castaway Blog for making these for us. Also, be sure to check out the newly designed Talk Show Site, where there are many new features that have been provided to make our show even more enjoyable and interactive. As we continue to make our schedule, please keep checking this site for updates on the date of the season premiere. Don't worry, we anticipate to have our first episode before the month of September is over and are expecting to have some extremely special guests! Before we know it hockey season will be upon us once again and HNLI will be back in full swing.

Hockey Night Strikes Back: New Season Episodes Soon to Come

Hockey Night on Long Island is just about ready to return from its summer hiatus and begin Season #2 of the online radio broadcast. Alex and Steve will be back on the air for the start of 2007-2008 training camp. HNLI is prepared to return with a bang, with several special guests lined up to get us rolling strong into opening night. Stay tuned to hockeynightonlongisland.com for updates on schedule specifics and special guest updates.

Free Agency #3 Episode Preview

Be sure to tune into Hockey Night on Long Island Thursday 7/26 at 5:30 PM EST for a 30-minute Free Agency edition. Alex and Steve will discuss all of the news and signings that have occurred within the last two weeks in Islanders Country, including Al Arbour, Chris Simon, the new Assistant Coaches, Chris Campoli and much more. As usual, we will take calls (718-664-9597), IMs (AIM: hockeynightli), and e-mails (show@hockeynightonlongisland.com) throughout the show. To listen, visit http://www.show.hockeynightonlongisland.com/.

Arbour Returns To Coach One Game with the Isles

The Islanders have announced that Hall of Fame coach Al Arbour will coach his 1,500 regular season game with the team on November 3, 2007 against the Pittsburgh Penguins at the Nassau Coliseum. Current Isles coach Ted Nolan sent an invitation to Arbour earlier this week so that the legendary coach can reach an important milestone. He will sign a one-day contract on 11/2. The NHL approved the Islanders request of making him the coach for a game. I think this is a great gesture made by the team. Fans will enjoy seeing Arbour coach one last game for the team, having it be his 1,500 with the Islanders. It is great how Ted Nolan, Garth Snow, and Charles Wang continue to be very active in maintaining the great history that surrounds the team. This game is actually very big for the Isles since they are going to be facing Sidney Crosby and the Pens in an Atlantic Division battle. The Pens should be a great team this season and hopefully Arbour will be able to help get the Islander their 2 points for the game. This definitely tops the list on notable games for the Islanders this upcoming season.

Programming Update:

*Hockey Night on Long Island will be having an episode next week. Please keep checking this site for updated schedule information.

Isles Ink Campoli

The Islanders announced today that they have singed young defenseman Chris Campoli to a 3 year contract that will keep Campoli on Long Island until 2010. Campoli, who impressed with a solid rookie year in 2005-2006, struggled a bit in 2007 after missing the first 30 games of the season due to injury. Along with Bruno Gervais, however, Campoli was impressive in the playoffs against the Buffalo Sabres.

Campoli has shown shades of brilliance in his short NHL career and it is good to know that he'll remain with the Islanders. At the same time, however, there is still a lot of development needed. During the next few years, Campoli could become a big time player if he just improves his defensive play and continues to shine offensively.

Free Agency #2 Episode Preview

Be sure to tune in Thursday (tomorrow) 7/12 at 5:30 PM EST to the second Free Agency edition of Hockey Night on Long Island. Alex and I will discuss all of the news and signings of the week. Also, we will discuss the recent press conference that introduced the newest Islanders. Of course, we will be taking calls (718-664-9597), IMs (AIM: hockeynightli) and e-mails (show@hockeynightonlongisland.com) throughout the show. To listen to the show, visit www.show.hockeynightonlongisland.com

Episode #20 Recap

The 20th episode of Hockey Night on Long Island was one to remember. Alex and I were joined at a special day and time by guest Andy Facini (nyicastaway.blogspot.com) to discuss all of the news and signings that had occurred so far during this year's Free Agency period. We started with all of the Islander's free agent losses and signings and then moved onto notable signings that occurred in the Atlantic Division. However, while we were about to discuss about some other signings, there was breaking news. We were thrilled to report that the Islanders had just signed veteran Bill Guerin to a two-year, $9 million contract. Guerin had produced decent numbers last season playing with the St. Louis Blues and San Jose Sharks. This was the biggest signing so far that the Isles have made this Free Agency period. How nice to have this signing occur during this special edition of HNLI. Throughout the episode, we were joined by many knowledgeable callers and IMers. If you were not able to listen to this episode live, be sure to listen to it archived in the "archived segments" tab of www.show.hockeynightonlongisland.com, in the iTunes Music Store by searching "Hockey Night on Long Island" or by using the player on the right column of this website. Be sure to keep checking this website or subscribe to our e-mail updates for updates of when the next episode of Hockey Night on Long Island will take place.

FREE AGENCY UPDATE #1

Hi! It has been a while since I was blogging but Alex and I have been preparing a lot for the summer episodes of HNLI. The last few days have been very sad in Islanders Country. After an extremely busy opening day on Sunday, the Isles had fallen short of signing all the top unrestricted free agents that were out on the market. It started with Jason Blake, signing a five-year deal worth $20 million with the Toronto Maple Leafs. Although it seemed as if Blake was not going to re-sign with the Isles, it was still sad to see him leave Long Island, where he just experienced a career season and many good ones before that. Also, Tom Poti, by far the most underrated Islanders defenseman of last season, signed with the Washington Capitals a four-year, $14 million contract. I would have liked to see Poti be an Islander for the future because he was very quietly successful and seemed to always have a good shift on the ice (he had a lot of ice time). All hockey fans knew that the Isles were desperately trying to resign Ryan Smyth, who was acquired minutes before the Trade Deadline from the Edmonton Oilers in exchange for three first-round prospects (Ryan O'Marra, Robert Nilsson, and a 2007 First-Round Draft Pick). However, it was devastating to see Smyth sign a five-year contract worth $31.25 million with the Colorado Avalanche. It was reported by Newsday's Greg Logan that the Isles actually offered more money ($32.5 million for five years) than the Avs but it seems as if Joe Sakic and others in Colorado were able to successfully lure Smyth back to the Western Conference. When the signing was announced at about 11:00 PM Sunday, Isles Country froze and was dead silent. The trade had brought so much noise and attention to the Island on that afternoon in February and that noise seemed to escape just as fast it came. As Isles fans were use to seeing not too long ago, the media has began to bash the Islanders for not being able to sign any of these big free agents. To add to all of these names the Islanders missed on, many of them were able to find their way to the Atlantic Division, with Chris Drury and Scott Gomez both being signed by the Rangers (17 minutes apart to be exact), Daniel Briere signing a huge deal with the Flyers, and the Devils who today signed Dainius Zubrus. And we can’t forget the Penguins, who seem to be quickly fitting all of the pieces of the puzzle with Crosby, Malkin, and Staal. It was amazing to see the Islanders roster to shrink and become much weaker than the other teams in their division all in one day. Sunday felt like one of the longest days and it kept getting worse for Islanders fans. With a lot of negativity being expressed towards the New York Islanders by their fans, the Islanders have been expressing patience and that the team is searching for the players that will fit into the Ted Nolan game-style. I think that the Isles were alarmed by how much money was being given to these players but that should be no excuse. They should have been able to get at least of these players. Also, Greg Logan reported today that Garth Snow, Islanders GM, thinks one reason some of the top free agents would not sign with the Islanders was because of the facility that the team plays in (the aging Nassau Coliseum). I guess we will just have to wait it out and see who the Islanders sign...

Notes:
*The Islanders signed winger Jon Sim to a three-year $3 million contract, and Andy Hilbert to a two-year deal worth $1.35 million.
*Victor Kozlov, who also had a career season with the Isles last season, signed a two-year deal worth $5 million with the Washington Capitals. Richard Zednik, who was acquired before the Trade Deadline and was only to play a few games with the Isles, signed a two-year deal, $3.25 million contract with the Florida Panthers.
*HNLI announced that the next episode will be a 60-minute edition on THURSDAY 7/5/07 at 5 PM EST. Be sure to call in, IM or e-mail us during the episode with your questions and comments.
*HNLI will publish Free Agency Updates throughout the summer when important Islanders signing are made. Remember, you can sign up for e-mail updates with our blog entries in the e-mail by typing your e-mail address in the Feedblitz box which is located on the right column of this site. This is a very useful tool especially during the Free Agency period and it allows you to read our blog entries while reading your other e-mails.
*Have a Happy Fourth of July!

Episode #19 Recap: Roarke Wows with Free Agency Views

Hockey Night on Long Island's nineteenth episode was clearly one of the best yet. After updating listeners on the ongoing Islanders Prospects Camp and Hockey Hall of Fame inductions, hosts Alex and Steve were joined by Shawn P. Roarke of NHL.com. Shawn shared his views on everything from Ryan Smyth to Jason Blake to the rest of the free agent market. The trio discussed the holes that the Isles need to fill in free agency and who could possibly fill the voids. In addition, Shawn shared his thoughts on last week's NHL Draft and the new salary cap. In addition, Roarke shared his feelings about an HNLI favorite, James Marcou, who Shawn has been watching since Marcou's junior hockey days. This wide array of topics made for an incredible episode of HNLI.

To listen to today's episode, go to www.show.hockeynightonlongisland.com and click on the archived segments.

Saturday Show 3 PM EST: Free Agency Special with Shawn P. Roarke

Be sure to tune in to Hockey Night on Long Island on Saturday, June 30, at 3PM EST. On the eve of an exhilarating free agency period, hosts Alex and Steve will be joined by Shawn P. Roarke of NHL.com to preview all the madness that July 1st will surely bring. We'll talk about Smyth, Blake, Gomez, Drury, and a whole bunch more. In addition, Alex and Steve will share their thoughts on the Islanders Prospects Camp and take calls from listeners about everything hockey.

Be sure to tune in at: show.hockeynightonlongisland.com.

Prospects Camp Update: Okposo Impresses, Marcou Hits his Stride

The New York Islanders Prospect camp has been underway for 2 days now at Iceworks in Syosset and there are still 4 more days to look forward to. Aside from being a great place to hang out with fellow Islanders fans, the camp is a great chance to see the progress that the Islanders' young guns have made and to see the future of the franchise. So far, we've only seen drills as scrimmages don't start until Saturday, but there is still plenty to report.

Kyle Okposo, the Islanders' 2006 1st round pick, has looked great through the first two days. Kyle's skating ability was surprisingly impressive for such a big guy. He is clearly a strong guy and has a great wrist shot. While Okposo has decided to play at the University of Minnesota for his upcoming season, he could be lighting it up for the Isles in the near future.

As expected, Jeff Tambellini also impressed me. Tambs looked more polished than any of the other prospects, most likely due to the advantage of having a lot more pro experience. He showed his sniping ability by hitting the top corners on just about every shot. His skating was superb. After seeing him perform at this camp, I'd be shocked if he didn't make the big club in the upcoming NHL season.

Max Gratchev, the Islanders' 2007 4th round pick, was very impressive at the camp, particularly on Day 2. He shot the puck very well and hustled through every drill. His skating ability was very good as well, especially his ability to quickly turn and change direction.

As a group, the 4 goaltenders that attended looked extremely unimpressive. On Day 1, it was a rarity to see anybody stop anything. Day 2 was a bit better, but still nobody stood out as a reliable option if DP or Dubie should go down to injury.

Finally, HNLI favorite James Marcou attended as an undrafted and unsigned prospect. While he looked very jittery on Day 1, Marcou found his groove on Day 2. Despite his size, Marcou is very skilled and pulled off plenty of nice moves. And I wasn't the only one who noticed. Isles' prospect Jeff Tambellini agreed that Marcou stood out.

When asked which of the younger players stood out in his mind, Jeff Tambellini responded by saying James Marcou, the 5-7 camp invite from Kings Park. "He's more like 5-5, but he has incredible hands," said Tambellini. "He was making some impressive moves around guys out there."

Remember that the Islanders' prospects camp is still going on. Just come down to Islanders' IceWorks in Syosset to see the future of the New York Islanders.

Marcou Update: James at Islanders Prospects Camp

One of the sad substories of the 2007 NHL Draft was the fact that local boy James Marcou went undrafted. We have talked on several occasions about maybe seeing Marcou in Orange and Blue. But it looks like despite passing over Marcou in the draft, the Islanders are going to give this hometown kid a shot. Today the Islanders announced the forwards that will be attending the Islanders Prospects Camp this week at IceWorks. On the list is Marcou, the undrafted and unsigned forward.

I'm sure that our good buddy Steve from Setauket will be thrilled to hear this and I for one am very excited to see James Marcou make an appearance at the Prospects Camp. Here's what the Islanders Prospects Camp Primer had to say about Marcou.


James Marcou (C/W)
Born: Feb 19, 1988 -- Kings Park, NY
Height: 5'7
Weight: 150

A local boy from Kings Park, Long Island, Marcou comes to Syosset as an unsigned, undrafted invitee. Marcou's point totals with Waterloo of the USHL jumped from 32 in 2005-06 to 71 the following season. During the 2006-07 season, Marcou led Waterloo in assists with 47 and in points with 71.

Everyone here at HNLI is really pulling for James Marcou and hoping that he can really impress the Isles at the Prospects Camp.

To check out James Marcou and the rest of the Islanders' Prospects, head down to IceWorks in Syosset this week:

Wed. June 27: On ice from 10:30 am-1 pm
Thu. June 28: On ice from 10:00 am-12:20 pm
Fri. June 29: On ice from 11:15 am from 1:45 pm
Sat. June 30: Scrimmage from 11:15 am to 1:15 pm
Sun. July 1: Scrimmage from 11:30 am to 1 pm
Mon. July 2: Scrimmage from 10:00 am-12:00 pm

Vote: New Islanders Jersey?

As Steve and I mentioned on Sunday's episode of Hockey Night on Long Island, a picture is currently circulating the internet showing what is supposedly the new Islanders jersey for the 2007-2008 season. Remember that there has been no official announcement from the team about the jersey and that this could very well be a prototype. Knowing that, check out the photo below and let your opinion be heard in the first HNLI poll.

Episode Recap: Draft Recap Special

Hockey Night on Long Island hit the primetime airwaves on Sunday night to recap the NHL Entry Draft. It turned out to be a very enjoyable episode with help from our very special guest Tom Mascioli of islesinfo.com. Tom, Steve, and I discussed everything from the fall of Cherepanov and Espositio, to the Islanders' picks, to Ryan Smyth and Jason Blake. And of course....there would be no episode of Hockey Night on Long Island without some comic relief, which came when I attempted to pronounce "James van Riemsdyk". I can imagine I'm going to hear about that mistake for a long time. In addition, we had plenty of great callers and some interesting ones.

Anyway, if you missed the Draft Recap Special, be sure to check out show.hockeynightonlongisland.com and download it under the Archived Segments tab or CLICK HERE TO LAUNCH IT!

NHL Draft Recap Special: Sunday Night at 7:30 EST

Hey everyone. Be sure to tune in to Hockey Night on Long Island on Sunday night in primetime for the Islanders NHL Draft Recap special. Steve and I will recap the events of Friday and Saturday in Columbus. We will be joined by Special Guest Tom Mascioli of islesinfo.com, who will share his thoughts on the NYI Draft Class of 2007. Of course we will take your calls and IMs and look ahead to the looming free agency period.

Be sure to tune in Sunday at 7:30 PM EST at show.hockeynightonlongisland.com.

A Wild Night in Columbus

As I watched the NHL Draft tonight, and hoped that maybe the Islanders would do something to at least earn a mention on the telecast, I realized a common theme tonight....All of the teams around us keep getting better.



The Top Five
But before I get to that, I might as well recap the first few picks. It began with Pat Kane from the London Knights going first overall to the Chicago Blackhawks. The American was followed by his fellow countryman James van Riemsdyk, a strong power forward who went to the Flyers. This left the door open for Wayne Gretzky's Coyotes to select Kyle Turris, a highly skilled forward. It was the fourth pick, however, that shocked the league. The Kings, who were attempting to trade down in the draft selected Thomas Hickey. This pick was seen as absolutely bizarre as Hickey was ranked at #17 by International Scouting Services and as low as #29 by McKeen's Hockey. Washington rounded out the top five with Karl Alzner, a solid and strong defenseman out of the WHL.

Cherry and Espo: Missed Chances for the Isles?
Two guys who we didn't see in the top five, or the top ten for that matter, were Alexei Cherepanov and Angelo Esposito. The freefalls began with Cherepanov of Russia, who was ranked in the top five by most scouting services and is regarded by some as the most talented player in the draft. The big hazard that came with Cherepanov, however, was the lack of a transfer agreement between the NHL and the Russian Federation. Nobody, however, expected him to drop as far as he did. Like the Brady Quinn of the NHL, "Cherry" fell all the way to the 17th spot where the New York Rangers scooped him up. As and Islander fan this was a heartbreaker. The Rangers nabbed a great prospect that could be a big part of their future. Between van Riemsdyk and Cheraponov, there were already two extremely impressive prospects entering the Atlantic Division. It didn't end there, however, still available was Angelo Espositio, who last year was considered a consensus #1 overall pick. However, Espo will find himself playing with Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Jordan Staal for the Pittsburgh Penguins, who scooped up Espositio with the 20th pick.

What a depressing night to have to sit back and watch. Seeing Esposito and Cherepanov there at #15, which the Isles had traded, was sickening. Also, when it was time for a trade to be announced for the 18th spot, I was nearly positive it would be the Isles after Esposito. I had the feeling that the Isles might trade the rights for Smyth to Calgary if the Isles thought they might not be able to resign him. On the Isles Website, Chris Botta had this to say about the possibility of trading Ryan Smyth rights:

Seems Garth made it clear to one of the Big Market GMs yesterday that he wasn't even considering moving Ryan Smyth's rights to him or anyone else in a trade, a la Hartnell/Timonen to Philadelphia. Now normally I wouldn't be able to share this info, but guess what? Turns out Garth reiterated his stance to every reporter in Columbus yesterday. He even said it to Greg Logan over the phone. Logan has it in today's Newsday.

If the Islanders can't resign Smyth, it's going to be even more heartbreaking now that we could've had either Esposito or Cherpanov with a first rounder.

Looking ahead to tomorrow, things might get interesting for the Islanders. Botta had this to say:

I know absolutely nothing. Seriously. But if the draft starts at 10:00 am tomorrow, I would suggest you don't wait until 11:00 to see how the Islanders did with their first pick in the third round. I repeat: I know nothing. I'm not even at the draft table, Corey is. Simply a hunch.

Remember, the draft isn't on TV for Day 2, so check out the live stream on NHL.com.

Time Crisis: Hockey Night Debate

Today, the New York Islanders announced that they will be moving the start times of weekday home games back to the traditional 7:05 PM face-off. Last season, the Islanders had changed the start time to 7:35 PM. Islanders fans from all around are divided in their opinions on the issue. Two fans that have varying opinions on the issue are HNLI hosts Alex and Steve.
Let Operation "Time Crisis" begin:

7:05 PM: Longer Games, Earlier Start (by Steve): Personally, I liked it when the games used to be at this time. As a fan that likes to watch the weekday games on television, it is very favorable. I agree with the Islanders opinion of that the games are getting longer with the possibility of Overtime and then a Shootout. Also, now the younger children can have an opportunity to watch a majority of the game. However, for the attendance factor, I don't see this improving the attendance at the games since it is hard for people to get to the games from work. Let's see what Alex has to say about 7:35 face-offs....

7:35 PM: (by Alex): One of the biggest problems that the Islanders had this season was filling the seats on weeknights. Changing the puck-drop time, however, is not the way to better attendance. By pushing the start time up 30 minutes, the Islanders are making it nearly impossible for their working fans to get to the game on time. I would not be at all surprised if the Islanders lose season ticket holders over this change. People aren't going to want to go to the game if they know they won't be able to show up until the end of the first period. In addition, the move from 7:35 to 7:05 takes away the pre-game experience. The diehards that go to the games can always be found hanging around the Coliseum at Doolin's and watching warmups before the game. As impossible as it will be for fans to even make the game's start, it will be even worse for the pre-game experience. While you may get a few more young fans at the game, the hockey season still runs right through the school year and very few parents are going to schlep their kids out to the Coliseum during the week. They may bring in a few more young fans, but that's not worth neglecting the diehard fans.

Guest Alert: Roarke Guest Appearance (Take 2)

Those of you out there that listened to Episode #17 on Saturday in anticipation of Shawn P. Roarke's guest appearance should be very happy to know that we have rescheduled the Roarke interview. Shawn had some "family issues" to deal with on Saturday that were truly unavoidable.

Being the nice guy that he is, Shawn P. Roarke will be joining us for the June 30th episode.

Now, we all know what June 30th means....THE DAY BEFORE FREE AGENCY! That's right....Shawn will help us kick off the free agency period here at Hockey Night on Long Island with an in depth preview of the HUGE free agency period that awaits.

-Will Blake and Smyth be back?
-Can the Isles sign Chris Drury?
-Where will Scott Gomez wind up?

Find out all this and much more on the June 30th episode of HNLI with Shawn P. Roarke of NHL.com at 3 PM EST.

Steve's notes for the week...

*First of all, sorry I missed the show on Saturday. Although our originally scheduled guest was unable to attend, Alex, Andy, and Tom did a great job. Thanks a lot to Andy for filling in for me!

*My thoughts on Bergie coming back to the Island: This is great. I think it was very unexpected for the deal to occur this week considering the other things that the Islanders should do such as prepare for the Draft on Friday and Saturday and sign Smyth and Blake. But still, Bergenheim is a young, important player in the Islanders system and it is nice to have him back. He should definitely be an asset for the team next season.

*Website Updates: I have been working very hard on improving the website and make it more efficient. I'm sorry if you were having trouble accessing the website this afternoon but it was undergoing maintenance. Also, the Blogtalkradio button at the top of the page should be fully functional on all browers now. The "talk show" site can now be easily accessed at: www.show.hockeynightonlongisland.com. This should be easier to remember for all.

*Islanders.nhl.com: Late last week, the Islanders released their new website. It is expected that the NHL is going to make the team website layouts uniform like MLB. After navigating the site, it looks to be an improvement from the previous website. The most notable change in the site was in the color scheme where royal blue is being used as a replacement to the navy blue that was used. This could lead us Islanders fans the hint that the Islanders are sending a message on what the team colors will be for next year, especially since there will be changes in the layout of the jerseys.

*Upcoming Schedule: We will be having our much-awaited "Draft Recap Special" on Sunday at 7:30 PM EST (Please note the special time change). Tom Mascioli of islesinfo.com will have all of the info on all of the players that the Islanders draft. Who knows, maybe they will trade up picks??

Remember to tune into the NHL Draft and then tune into HNLI on Sunday. Have a good week!

Welcome Back Bergie!

Big news for the Islanders today after an eerily quiet week. The Isles have signed Sean Bergenheim to a contract that is reported to be a one year deal worth about $500,000. In addition, the Newsday report says that it is a one-way contract.

Last summer, the one-way vs. two-way contract controversy was a big sticking point in the stalemate between the Islanders' management and agent Mark Gandler. After a superb year in Sweden in '06-'07, it is clear via the one-way deal that Bergenheim is in the immediate plans of the organization.All I can say right now is Hallelujah. I had heard that we might have another negotiation issue between Snow and Bergie might occur again this year. I am very glad to see that this all worked out and look forward to seeing how Bergenheim has progressed in his development. Bergenheim is a Ted Nolan type player and should fit in very well with this Islanders squad.

I will leave you with a very promising Bergie quote from the New York Islanders report: "I'm very happy and proud to be an Islander again," Bergenheim said this morning from Finland. "My friends back home know that I consider Long Island my second home. I followed the team a lot last season when I was in Europe and I love our style of play. A lot of people have told me my play should fit in with this year’s team, but Ted Nolan doesn’t know me yet. My goal is to show him I’m a Ted Nolan-type player. I can't wait to get back to Long Island."

Marcou-Flatley Connection?

You know...the Islanders had better draft James Marcou because it seems that every week he is a topic of discussion on both our show and blog. This week, Steve from Setauket called and spoke with Tom Mascioli from Islesinfo.com about Marcou. Like usual, we all talked about how nice it would be to see this hometown kid in Orange and Blue when draft day rolls around. Tom mentioned that somewhere he read about Marcou having some kind of connection to former Islander Patrick Flatley.

So, with all the free time that I do have on my hands, I decided to do some research. Ok...maybe I just typed "Marcou and Flatley" into Google, but nonetheless, the answer has been found. I came across a McKeen's Hockey Interview with Marcou from June of 2005.

The truth on the Marcou-Flatley Connection:

McKeen's: What is your favourite NHL team? Favourite player?

James Marcou: My favorite NHL team is the New York Islanders and my favorite player is Martin St Louis.

McKeen's: What got you interested in hockey and where and at what age did you start playing organized hockey?

James Marcou: My mom used to cut former New York Islander Patrick Flatley's hair and my dad became good friends with him. He would always take me to games and I started playing at the age of six.

OK...so there you have it. Marcou's mom cut Patrick Flatley's hair. If that doesn't prove that he deserves to be an Islander, I don't know what does.

Another Hockey Mystery Solved by Alex...HNLI P.I.

Episode #17 Recap: Tom Saves the Day, Trio Triumphs

Wow. What a crazy show we had today on Hockey Night on Long Island. With Steve not available to assume his usual co-hosting/co-producing role, Andy Facini of the Islanders Castaway Blog filled in brilliantly in his first time as a host.

The big surprise, however, came when it was 3:25 and we still hadn't heard from our Scheduled Special Guest, Shawn P. Roarke of NHL.com. Hopefully Shawn is ok and I'll let you all know when I do. Despite my concern for Shawn, I realized still that we were guest-less for the show and called upon our great friend Tom Mascioli of Islesinfo.com. Within a minute, Tom generously dropped what he was doing to join us for some great hockey talk.

Tom, Andy, and I discussed everything from the upcoming NHL Draft, to Free Agency, to NHL scheduling, even down to the Islanders' color scheme. It was an interesting day to say the least. With contributions from some regular callers, Steve from Setauket and the infamous Vin, we managed to have a blast on Episode #17 of Hockey Night on Long Island.

The Islanders Castaway Blog, Islesinfo.com, and Hockey Night on Long Island teamed up for a spectacular episode. Thanks to Andy and Tom!

If you missed today's live episode of Hockey Night on Long Island, the archived version can be heard by clicking here!

Hockey Night on Long Island Episode #17 Saturday

Be sure to tune in to Saturday's episode of Hockey Night on Long Island at 3PM EST. Unfortunately, my co-host Steve will be unable to join us tomorrow, but coming into save the day is Andy Facini. Andy, who will be co-hosting with me tomorrow, writes the Islanders Castaway Blog.


Not only will we have a very special guest host, but we also have a very special interviewee. We will be joined by Shawn P. Roarke, Senior Writer at NHL.com. We will talk to Shawn about the upcoming NHL Draft, the NHL Awards, Free Agency, and the state of the New York Islanders. And of course, Shawn will gladly take questions and comments from both callers and instant messagers.



Be sure to tune in tomorrow for a can't miss episode!



Remember, to tune in to our show as well as download previous episodes, just go to our talk show page here!

NHL Awards Broadcast...Versus Mishap Unfolds

As I blogged about less than 2 hours ago, I was planning on tuning in to the NHL Awards Show on Versus tonight at 7:30 PM EST. Unfortunately, the NHL and their stupid Versus network managed to once again screw it up. Due to some kind of technical or scheduling screw up, Versus was forced to move the NHL Award Show to an 11PM EST tape delay tonight.

WHAT A JOKE! I have heard a few rumors so far about what is causing this delay, and none of them are a good enough excuse. Honestly, the NHL should go to ESPN and beg, and beg, and beg until they agree to take the NHL back. I don't care what it costs the league...they have to get off of this POS Versus Network.

Anyway, here is the main rumor that I am hearing, brought to you by jkrdevil of HFBoards:

From what I read from someone on the Versus message board the problem is that Versus is using the transmission of the CBC signal from Toronto. However CBC is tape delaying the Award show in Toronto and airing it at 8. That means that broadcast will run to 10 which interrupts the Hasim Rahman vs. Tyrus Skyes fight that is live at 9. Thus the award show got bumped to 11. So part of the problem is CBC tape delaying the award show.

I'll update you guys when I find out if this rumor is true or not. If it is, I will be furious. If it comes down to having to tape delay the fight or tape delay the NHL Award Show, you have to tape delay the fight. Seriously, as much as Hockey is in the cellar as far as ratings go, I can guarantee that a lot more people were tuning in for the Awards Show than the stupid fight.

Also, what good is an award show on tape delay?! Honestly, now that I already know who won the awards from Canadians who were able to view it and the internet media, what good is it to me? As far as I am concerned, this kind of mishap epitomizes the state of hockey in the USA.

I will keep updates coming because I am assuming that either the league or the network will release a statement at some point tonight or tomorrow.

Update: Here is the latest report brought to you by B.D. Gallof of HfBoards. You can read his full blog entry about the mishap on Hockeybuzz.

Evidently, putting together a couple of seperate reports, here is what I surmise to be what transpired:One of the CBC trucks overheats, causing CBC delays in the transmission to US outlets...or in this case, our drooling fool of an outlet...VS. VS freaks, having scheduled 7:30 through 9pm for that telecast, having a live boxing match promptly at 9pm. So, instead of running it delayed, they make an executive decision to move the whole thing to 11pm, when their precious boxing match is over. US NHL fans lose their minds, and yours truly makes a blog.

Just as Alex wrote about the Awards Show...

Breaking News: The NHL Award Ceremony scheduled for 7:30 PM EST on Versus is apparantly having some kind of technical difficulties or something. They are now showing it on tape delay at 11 PM EST tonight. More info as this story unfolds. Alex did call Versus and they apologized for the inconvience. We'll see what happens...

NHL Award Show Tonight.....No Isles Representation

My good buddy and co-host Steve just reminded me that the NHL Award show will be getting underway tonight at 7:30 PM EST on the Versus Network (in the U.S.) and CBC (North of the Border).






As I'm sure you all know, not one New York Islander is up for an award this time around. While I agree that no Islanders players proved themselves elite enough for consideration, I believe that coach Ted Nolan truly has a case for a Jack Adams nod. He is certainly more deserving than Buffalo Sabres nominee Lindy Ruff. Ruff, who won the award in 2006, coached an absolutely STACKED team. Meanwhile, Ted Nolan took a team that was projected to finish dead last and took them all the way to the Stanley Cup Playoffs. If that isn't deserving of a nod, I'm not sure what is. I'm not saying that he should win, because Therrien of Pittsburgh and Vigneault of Vancouver are both deserving, but Nolan is certainly more deserving than Ruff and should be the third nominee. Or at least make him a fourth like they conveniently did for Henrik Lundqvist, the undeserving Vezina nominee!

Some more updates...

Last night we were able to make it so that this blog can be accessed at an easier to remember location. Now on, all you have to do is go to: www.hockeynightonlongisland.com to see this blog.

Also, our e-mail has changed to: show@hockeynightonlongisland.com.

Every day this blog is improving and it has been great putting this blog together with Alex. Have a good weekend watching Mets-Yankees. Remember: HNLI on Saturday at 3 PM EST.

Jason Blake: Keep Him or Let Him Walk

According to TSN, Jason Blake is "all but gone from Long Island". According to the article, negotiations appear to be at a standstill between Blake's agent and the Islanders.

Of course in Jason Blake the Islanders might lose 40 goals, 65 points, a fan favorite, and a real energy player. At the same time, however, Blake isn't worth what he's asking for. At the age of 34, it would be unreasonable for the Islanders to offer Blake the 5 year contract that he is seeking. To one of my favorite Islanders ever I say..."there's the door". If Blakey expects a 5 year contract, he should look for it elsewhere.
If he decides that he'll settle for 2 or 3 years, however, I'd love to see Jason in Orange and Blue for a few more years.

New Feature: Join the HNLI A-List

Hey! I just added a new feature to the site that will be very helpful for many of our readers. It is called Feedblitz, and allows you to receive nightly e-mails with our newest posts right in the e-mail. To sign up, simply enter your e-mail address on the "Feedblitz" spot on the right column and once you confirm the subscription, you will get all of HNLI's latest posts (FREE, of course). It looks to be a great improvement to the site. Enjoy reading your HNLI e-mails in the morning.

Alex to make appearance on the Sports Docket

Just wanted to let you all know that I will be making a brief guest appearance on The Sports Docket tomorrow. The show starts at 6PM EST and you can expect to hear from me at around 6:10 PM. I will be sharing my latest opinions on free agency, the NHL Draft, and anything else that callers send my way. I'm sure that by this point in the week, some of you are going through Alex withdrawl :)....so get your dose of me tomorrow evening on The Sports Docket.

Find the Sports Docket at: www.blogtalkradio.com/ksn

Hockey Night's Awesome Upcoming Schedule

Hockey Night on Long Island's upcoming schedule promises to be a great stretch of Islanders and NHL talk. The next two episodes will feature two very impressive guests ready to share their opinions on some of the most important topics in the world of the Islanders.

Remember that to listen to any of our episodes live, just click on the talk show page on the right navigation bar!

6/16, Saturday 3PM EST.



Episode #17: Alex and Steve will be joined by NHL.com Senior Writer, Shawn P. Roarke. The guys will preview the upcoming NHL Draft, discuss free agency, take questions from callers and Instant messagers, and much more. This is a can't miss episode with one of the best hockey writers in the business.







6/24, Sunday 7:30PM EST.



Episode #18: DRAFT RECAP SPECIAL! Hosts Alex and Steve will recap the 2007 NHL Draft in primetime on Sunday evening. Special guest Tom Mascioli of islesinfo.com will join in the banter and give us the scoop on all of the prospects that the Isles select in the draft. In addition, callers can jump in via phone, IM, or e-mail.

Episode 16 Recap: Gary Harding Comes up Big

First of all, I am so excited about writing this blog and look forward to a great future for HNLI.

For episode #16 of Hockey Night on Long Island, Alex and I were joined by Gary Harding of viewfromsection317.com. Gary was extremely opinionated and insightful on every topic that we discussed. There was plenty of banter between the three of us and a few callers even chimed in. We talked about everything from the Yashin Buyout, to Free Agency, to Kyle Okposo, to Sean Bergenheim, and so much more. If you missed yesterday's episode, I urge you go to our "Talk Show Page" and download it or simply listen to it on the media player on right column.

We thank Gary for his appearance on the show and look forward to having him back on the show in the future.

James Marcou Update for Steve from Setauket (and everyone else I guess....)

On two occassions, a very knowledgeable caller from Setauket named Steve has mention James Marcou as a possible draft pick for the New York Islanders. Marcou received special mention from Steve as Marcou used to play in Long Island youth hockey with his son. Recently, our good buddy Tom Mascioli included Marcou in his Islanders draft preview. Here's what he had to say:


Unfortunately, unlike in previous years, there are not many Long Island products eligible for the 2007 Draft. There is one possibility: C James Marcou of Waterloo in the USHL. The problem with Marcou? He's small. VERY small. At 5'8" and 150 lbs. there are not many teams in the NHL who are going to take a stab at a player that small. I don't care how much one believes the NHL has turned into a game of speed and skill, no one can last in the NHL, let alone pro at 150 pounds. NHL Central Scouting had Marcou, a former NY Bobcat from Kings Park, rated in their preliminary rankings back last November 2006 as a 'B' list prospect. By the mid-term rankings, he was nowhere to be found. The same goes for the final rankings last month. Marcou put up decent numbers in the USHL finishing tied for fourth in the league in scoring with 24 goals, 71 points in 58 games played. He will attend UMass-Amherst next fall.
To read Tom's full draft preview, go to his website here: http://islesinfo.com/DraftCentral.html#draft07


And speaking of Tom Mascioli, remember that he will be joining us on June 24th at 7:30PM EST for our NHL Draft recap. He'll fill us in on all of the players that the Isles select (maybe Marcou).


Steve from Setauket, I hope you appreciate this quick James Marcou update.

Welcome to Hockey Night on Long Island

Hockey Night on Long Island (also known as HNLI) is the one and only Internet Talk Show dedicated to the New York Islanders Hockey Team. The show is hosted by my good buddy Steve and myself, Alex. Every week we try to bring you the best in Islanders banter.

We have had plenty of engaging Islanders guests from a few great bloggers, to NHL.com writers, to Greg Logan of Newsday, and many more!

In addition, we always love to hear from our callers through a phone call or an instant message.

To check out our latest episodes, see our schedule, and listen live, click on the Listen Live button on the right navigation bar. Until the next show, enjoy our ramblings here.