Pictures from Islanders Draft Party at the Coliseum

Here are some pictures from the Islanders Draft Party at the Coliseum last
Friday. Enjoy!

NHL Draft Special Exceeds Expectations

Saturday's NHL Draft Recap Special on Hockey Night on Long Island turned out to be an incredible hour of New York Islanders talk with some of the best in the business. Steve, manning the studio on his own, was joined by co-host Alex remotely, but only after live reports from Tom Liodice and Mike Schuerlein at draft in Ottawa. Both Liodice and Schuerlein reported on the experience of being live at the draft, as well as their views on the Islanders' moves on draft day. Also joining in was special guest Tom Mascioli of islesinfo.com, who like always provided incredible insight on the draft and all of the newest Islanders prospects. With a very busy phonebox and a rocking HNLI chatroom, Saturday's NHL Draft Recap Special was truly an episode for the ages. If you didn't catch HNLI Live on Saturday, be sure to check out the archive by clicking here, or searching "Hockey Night on Long Island" in the iTunes store to subscribe to the podcast version.

Draft Recap Special Today at 3:30

Remember to tune into the Draft Recap Special of Hockey Night on Long Island today at 3:30 PM EST. Along with guest co-host Tom Mascioli (Islesinfo.com), I will be joined by Tom Liodice and Michael Schuerlein (Islesblogger.com) who will be LIVE FROM THE NHL DRAFT IN OTTAWA. Be sure to call in (718-664-9597) early to ask them questions as they will be on at the beginning of the show. To listen, visit www.show.hockeynightonlongisland.com or click on this button:

Islanders @ The Draft: Never a Dull Moment

Well, like it or hate it, you can't deny that watching the first round of the 2008 NHL Draft couldn't have been any more exciting for the Islanders. Only time will tell, however, whether all that excitement pays off on the ice. The crowd at the Nassau Coliseum sure didn't expect it. Lets recap last night's events in Islanders' Country starting right after the Blues selected Alex Peitrangelo wit the 4th pick overall.

Gary Bettman approaches the podium: "The 5th Overall Pick in the 2008 NHL Draft belongs to the New York Islanders"

Coliseum Draft Party Crowd Chants: FILATOV! FILATOV! FILATOV!

Darren Dregeer of TSN Reports: Garth Snow is very busy and there could very well be a trade in the works. Cliff Fletcher, Leafs GM, is now confirming that the Islanders will trade #5 to the Leafs for #7. The Leafs are looking to draft Schenn.

Coliseum Draft Party Crowd Reacts: UH OH UH OH UH OH

Gary Bettman approaches the podium: Sorry for the delay. We have a trade. The Islanders trade pick #5 in this year's draft to Toronto for pick #7 in this year's draft and the New York Islanders' option, pick #60 this year and Toronto's 3rd round pick next year OR pick #68this year and Toronto's 2nd round pick in 2009.

Coliseum Crowd responds: Huh? BOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

HNLI Alex defends the move: If we still get Filatov at 7, Snow looks like a genius.

Mike Penny of the Leafs approaches the podium: With the 5th pick in the 2008 NHL Draft, the Tornoto MapleLeafs select from the Kolona Rockets, Luke Schenn.

Ottawa Fans at the draft react to the newest Leaf: BOOOOOOOOOOOO!

Gary Bettman approaches the podium: The 6th pick belongs to the Columbus Blue Jackets.

TSN Reports: Bluejackets are looking to acquire RJ Umberger.

Gary Bettman approaches the podium: We have a trade to announce!

Colisuem Crowd: Uh-oh. Somebody's swooping in to take Filatov!!!!!

Bettman Continues: Columbus trades pick #19 and #67 for RJ Umberger and pick #118.

TSN Reports: So Columbus still has the 6th pick overall and it looks like they're looking at Filatov.

Coliseum Crowd Reacts: BOOOOOOOOOO!

Bluejackets Bigshots(sorry lol) approach the podium: With the 6th pick in the 2008 NHL Draft, the Columbus Bluejackets select......from CSKA Moscow, Nikita Filatov.

Coliseum Crowd Reacts: SNOW MUST GO! SNOW MUST GO! (First wave files out of building)

HNLI Alex: Looks like Garth screwed up bigtime on this one. Wonder who he thought Columbus would take. Unless he didn't want Filatov. Probably will be Colin Wilson at #7 now.

Gary Bettman approaches the podium: We have another trade! The Islanders trade pick #7 to Nashville for pick #9 and pick #40.

Coliseum Crowd: HUH?!

HNLI Alex: Garth is trying to get a monopoly on the second round.

Predators approach the podium: With pick #7, the Bluejackets select from Boston University, Colin Wilson.

HNLI Alex (and Steve): UGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

Coliseum Crowd: BOOOOOOOOOOO!

HNLI Steve: Boedker better fall to us at 9.

Wayne Gretzkey of the Coyotes approaches the podium

Ottawa Fans provide standing ovation for The Great One

Back to Gretzkey: With the 8th pick, the Phoenix Coyotes select Mikkel Boedker.

Coliseum Crowd: PICK SOMEBODY! ANYBODY!

TSN Wonders: WHO DO THE ISLANDERS WANT?! We knew everything that went on in the top 10 would depend on who the Isles want. It's a mystery at this point.

Garth Snow finally approaches the podium: First we'd like to say hello to our fans at the draft party at the Nassau Coliseum.

Coliseum Crowd: BOOOOOOOOO! You Suck! Snow Must Go!

Snow continues: With the 9th pick in the 2008 NHL Draft, the New York Islanders select Josh Bailey.

Coliseum Crowd: WHO?!

TSN Reports: There were whispers about this last night that the Islanders really wanted Bailey. The Islanders' moves will be judged by comparing Luke Schenn and Nikita Filatov, to Bailey and whatever comes of those second and third rounders.

Well, like it or hate it, it was one hell of a night. Nobody could've possibly fathomed this sequence of events, except for maybe Garth himself. Only time will tell if all this craziness turns into greatness on the ice.

HNLI Draft Extravaganza This Saturday!

TUNE INTO THE HNLI DRAFT SPECIAL!!!!
Be sure to tune into Hockey Night on Long Island this Saturday for a very special NHL Draft feature episode. With the NHL Draft's first round on Friday and remainder Saturday morning, host Steve and special guest co-host Tom Mascioli will have a full recap of the events of the draft including the Islanders' 5th overall draft pick and all of the others. Making the Draft Special even more "special" will be special live reports from the Draft in Ottawa. Both Tom Liodice and Mike Schuerlein of the New York Islanders' Blog Box will be calling in with special live updates from the Draft. Like usual, you can give your two cents on everything that goes on at the draft by calling in, IMing, and joining us in the HNLI chatroom for the best Isles banter around. So get psyched for an absolute extravaganza for Isles fans everywhere....the HNLI Draft Special. This Saturday at 3:30 PM EST.

Ebbs on HNLI TODAY

TUNE IN TODAY!!!!!

Be sure to tune into Hockey Night on Long Island Today at 3:30 PM EST to hear hosts Alex and Steve chat with Matt Ebbs. Ebbs, the general manager of International Scouting Services, will discuss everything about the upcoming NHL Draft including the Islanders' fifth overall pick and all of the top prospects available in this year's draft. Listeners like usual are invited to call in, IM in, and of course join us in the Hockey Night on Long Island chatroom. Be sure to tune in for another "must-hear" episode of Hockey Night on Long Island Saturday at 3:30 PM EST.

Around the Web: A Few Great Reads to Hold You Over

Hey All, Alex here. As the countdown to Hockey Night on Long Island with Special Guest Matt Ebbs of ISS reaches 5 days, I found myself looking for some good Isles coverage to hold me over. I turned to the great bloggers of the Islanders online community and like usual they are churning out some great material. Feel free to check these out:

The Drive For Five (Patrick Hickey Jr.): Bye Dubie, Good Riddance Satan and Company, Hello Youth Movement

The Tiger Track (Tom Liodice): Exclusive Interview with Tim Jackman

And Around the League.....
TSN.ca: Another Intriguing Summer for NHL's 2008-2009 Season

Remember to keep checking back to hockeynightonlongisland.com during the week and to tune in this Saturday as Steve and I are joined by Matt Ebbs of International Scouting Services this Saturday at 3:30 PM EST.

-Alex

Roarke Stars on Hockey Night, Ebbs To Take Center Stage This Week

Saturday's episode of Hockey Night on Long Island was among the best yet. The duo of Alex and Steve was joined by NHL.com Managing Editor Shawn P. Roarke and just as he did during his first appearance in 2007, Roarke impressed with his immense hockey knowledge. The trio discussed a cornocopia of topics including the Red Wings' Stanley Cup victory, the upcoming NHL Awards, the 2008 NHL Entry Draft, Free Agency, and so much more. Thanks to Roarke, along with some great callers and HNLI chatroom contributors, it was truly an episode for the ages. If you missed it, be sure to check out the archive by clicking here or by searching "hockey night on long island" in the iTunes music store and subscribing to the podcast version. The archive version also has a few minutes of bonus material not heard on the live version (aka we ran out of time), so feel free to check it out.

Headlining the upcoming episode of Hockey Night on Long Island, this Saturday June 14 @ 3:30 PM EST, will be Matt Ebbs. Ebbs is the General Manager of International Scouting Services and will have in depth reports on the upcoming NHL Draft and will share specific knowledge about the prospects that may very soon be wearing Islanders' orange and blue. Be sure to tune in and keep checking back to hockeynightonlongisland.com for more info during the week.

NHL 2008 Entry Draft Lottery: Drawing to Be Televised Monday

The draft lottery, which will be held at 8 PM EST, is particularly important for the Islanders, who are currently seated among the bottom five teams in the league. Should they still be there when Monday night rolls around, the Isles will have a shot at obtaining the first overall draft pick and almost certainly the highly touted prospect, Steve Stamkos.


This, of course, all depends on how the Islanders do in the few games that remain in the NHL season. Should they lose and fall in the standings, they could potentially better their odds at bringing in Stamkos or at least a higher pick. This, however, would mean losing to the Rangers twice and propelling them to the clinching of a playoff birth. So, the home-and-home against the Rangers, regardless of the outcome, will most likely be a bittersweet one for Islanders fans to watch.

Regardless of how the Isles fare in their final few games, it is certain that Monday night will be a key night for the future of the franchise. It's extremely exciting that the NHL is taking the step to televise the lottery and I'm sure every Isles fan will be watching closely on Monday Night.

Be sure to tune into this Saturday's episode of Hockey Night on Long Island as hosts Alex and Steve will undoubtedly devote plenty of coverage to Monday night's lottery and much more Isles talk.

For the full announcement from the NHL and info on the Lottery system, click here

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.