The Islanders aren’t the only team who uses Ice Girls, as seen here, but their constant coverage of the “secrets” to becoming one is getting really annoying. (Photo: Lorriane DiSabato/flickr)

Do you have what it takes to be the newest Islanders Ice Girl?

Do you have a trim body you can show off in a crop-top and form-fitting clothes? Do you have a pretty face and/or lots of makeup? Do you have a figure skating background? Do you have time to spend working out to maintain that pretty figure slightly inebriated straight males will spend intermissions and TV timeouts ogling at?

Well, tryouts are August 12, so take advantage now.

» Continue reading “About Ice Girls…”

Note to Alexei Yashin: If a KHL team doesn’t want you, that’s not good. (Photo of SKA St Petersburg bench: youvebeenczeched/flickr)

This is a weekly feature appearing every Thursday on Arbour Day.

Behold, our… fearless… leader. Maybe? Somewhat?

Okay, let’s face it, Alexei Yashin was never the captain the Islanders needed him to be. After trading Zdeno Chara, Bill Muckalt and a first-rounder (eventually Jason Spezza) to Ottawa for the Russian forward in 2001, the Isles watched him underperform for the next six years.

» Continue reading “Where Are They Now?: Alexei Yashin”

Lubomir Visnovsky wants to remain in a Ducks uniform after being traded to the Island last month. (Photo: Bridget Samuels/flickr)

After everything looked like smooth sailing regarding the trade for Lubomir Visnovsky, apparently he’s changed his mind.

The defenseman filed a grievance with the NHLPA today regarding the trade, according to Arthur Staple of Newsday. He claims the no-trade clause he had in place with Edmonton is still valid, therefore the move to Long Island is not. The Anaheim Ducks (to whom he was traded and ironically did not invoke the NTC with) will oppose him in arbitration.

This is all of the information I have right now. My take? Lubo figured out (after a month) that this may not be the ship he wants to be on, and is trying to get off it now. It could be too late to invoke the NTC, but that will be the arbitrator’s decision. Either way, it looks as though yet another veteran is attempting to give the Isles the royal salute — after articulating to Staple, of all people, that he wanted to play here (after telling Slovak papers he didn’t…). Love you too, hon.

More on this as it develops.

Brendan Witt (left), with Andy Sutton, provided the Isles blueline with size and toughness during his tenure, as well as leadership. But where is he now? (Photo: Dan4th Nicholas/flickr)

This is a weekly feature that appears every Thursday on Arbour Day.

If ever a player marched to the beat of his own fists — er, drum, that player would be Brendan Witt.

The old-school defenseman may have had a temper on the ice, but off of it, he was more chill than ice cream cones. (Just go with it.) He quickly became a fan favorite on the Island after signing a three-year contract in 2006. His hard-hitting defensive style and unrelenting toughness won Isles fans’ hearts (including this girl’s — I still have a Witt jersey in my closet).

» Continue reading “Where Are They Now?: Brendan Witt”

Ty Wishart (6) and Matt Martin have not accepted their qualifying offers from the Islanders. (Photo: Bridget Samuels/flickr)

The Islanders reported via Twitter and their website that forward Matt Martin and defenseman Ty Wishart did not accept their qualifying offers, and thus remain restricted free agents.

So for those of you unfamiliar with RFA status, what does this mean?

Well, a number of things can happen, according to About.com. Another team will be able to extend an offer sheet to Martin or Wishart, which the Isles will have to respond to (either by matching the offer or letting the player walk) within seven days. Offer sheets are relatively rare in the NHL these days, so no telling if that will happen.

Arbitration was also an option (basically re-negotiation of the offer between player/agent and original team), but the deadline for that was over a week ago, and as far as I can tell there was no mention of either Martin or Wishart going. A follower of mine on Twitter clarified, “No arbitration. The Isles have a no-contract, no-play policy, so they sit [until a contract is done].”

So… I guess we all sit on our hands until this is all worked out. Mind you, both players have until December 1 to make up their mind on whether to play or not (for the Isles, the deadline is the start of the season), otherwise they can’t play for the rest of the year. Slightly frustrating, but nothing seems outwardly negative just yet, so we shall see.

UPDATE: (7/18/12) The Isles announced that Wishart has agreed to terms on a one-year, two-way deal with the club. One down, one to go, and Ty joins the fray of prospects aiming for the #6 D spot on the team (Aaron Ness, Matt Donovan, and Calvin de Haan among them).

Brandon DeFazio (24) mixes it up with an opponent. The young forward is one of the depth signings Garth Snow has made in FA. (Photo: M Richter/flickr)

I mentioned Jon Landry last week as one of the Islanders’ depth signings, but the organization added two other new faces to their farm system during this free agency period.

Brandon DeFazio and Colin McDonald each agreed to one-year, two-way deals with the Isles on July 2. Both have spent time mainly in the minor leagues (and within the Penguins’ organization) before coming to the Islanders.

» Continue reading “DeFazio, McDonald Add to Isles’ Farm System”

John Tavares will go from sitting on the bench to standing behind it at the Allstate All-Canadians Mentorship Cup. (Photo: Robert Kowal/flickr)

Add “bantam-level coach” to John Tavares’s growing résumé.

The All-Star center will be coaching opposite Edmonton Oilers star Taylor Hall at the second annual Allstate All-Canadians Mentorship Cup, the NHLPA announced on July 11. The five-day camp, running from July 17-21,  is meant to bring together some of the top bantam-aged (ages 13 and 14) players from around Canada. Jason Spezza, Tyler Seguin, Jeff Skinner, and Martin Biron will also be on hand to help out.

This is what Tavares had to say about being named as a coach:

“I’m looking forward to making my coaching debut against Taylor Hall at the upcoming Allstate All-Canadians Mentorship Cup… This program is a great way to teach the next generation of young hockey players about all the hard work and sacrifice it takes to perform at an elite level. It will be fun to participate behind the bench for a change and I’m excited to be a part of it.”

It’s always great to see established NHLers give back to their communities through programs like this one. Let’s go, Team Tavares!

The Iserlohn Roosters of the DEL (in white) are Mike York’s most recent team. (Photo: Koelner Haie/flickr)

This is a weekly feature that appears every Thursday on Arbour Day.

Mike York is everyone’s favorite trade bait.

The Michigan-born center was traded three times throughout his ten-year NHL career. It wasn’t that he was exceptionally bad (though his numbers did dwindle over the course of his tenure); he just seemed to be that type of player, one who could fit himself into the lineup somewhere, play different roles and provide a few goals.

» Continue reading “Where Are They Now?: Mike York”

The time window has begun to close on getting a new arena to keep the Isles on Long Island, but Nassau County politicians insist on keeping it a partisan issue. (Photo: Joe Shlabotnik/flickr)

The highly politicized situation regarding Nassau Coliseum is apparently heating back up… just a bit.

Nassau County politicians are reportedly dueling with each other regarding ideas for a new arena. One plan, thought up by Democrat Jay Jacobs, would require Isles owner Charles Wang to front 80% of the cost (with the other 20% coming from county funds), while the other (the brainchild of Republican Ed Mangano) would depend on no county funds whatsoever. All of this comes after Wang has apparently washed his hands of the Nassau County situation, looking to move the Islanders after 2015 when the Coliseum lease expires.

Basically, what this boils down to is that neither party rep seems to be willing to work together to keep the Islanders on LI, and neither Nassau nor Wang has the resources to plunk down and make a new arena appear. It’s pretty much all lip service at this point, and BD Gallof has an upcoming post regarding the fiasco that will no doubt explain it all much better than I ever could. Look out for it later this week.

Journeyman Jon Landry signed a two-way contract with the Islanders on July 1. (Photo: Les Stockton/flickr)

Amidst all of the hullabaloo surrounding guys like Zach Parise, Ryan Suter and Alex Semin, not to mention the less flashy signings the Islanders themselves made on July 1, came a depth signing with a bit of a colorful background.

Jon Landry, a 29-year-old defenseman hailing from Montréal, signed a one-year, two-way contract with the Islanders after playing for AHL affiliate Bridgeport for half of 2011-12. This is the first NHL contract of his career, which started at Bowdoin College in 2002-03 playing mainly forward. After graduating, he played two games for the Portland Pirates of the AHL and two games for the Augusta Lynx in the ECHL, and then jumped all the way across the country to play for the Arizona Sundogs back in the A. He stayed there for four seasons.

» Continue reading “AHL Defenseman Signs Two-Way Contract”