Alexander Frolov, who was on my Isles wish-list, has signed with the New York Rangers. Wonderful.

The defenceman I was looking at were taken early on in free agency. The Isles signed Mark Eaton and Milan Jurcina instead. If you look at my blog over at The Checking Line,  I take a look at the Islanders roster and where they stand as is. This doesn’t appear as a team pushing for the playoffs just yet.

That’s why I am hoping that Garth Snow still has a few tricks up his sleeve.

The Isles GM added Zenon Konopka and Jeremy Yoblonski (AHL-call up) for toughness and P.A. Parenteau for young hope. Although they are good signings, not one of these players are going to push the Islanders into the playoff region on the NHL-standings page. A top-six forward is needed, and not much are left for the taking.

James Mirtle, a savvy and very intelligent hockey blogger, posted a piece yesterday at The Globe and Mail that updated who was left on the market, which is where I decided to base whom I hope the Isles have given a phone call.

Maxim Afinogenov (FrenchKheldar/Flickr)

They could take a chance in signing someone like Maxim Afinogenov, a speedy sniper who rejuvenated his play while in Atlanta, scoring 24 goals, 37 assists for 61 points in 82 games. With his set of legs, he could probably fit into Scott Gordon’s over-speed system quickly. He could also be a Russian mentor for Kirill Petrov if he were to make the team this year. He only made $800,000 last year, which means he probably would look for a raise, as he deserves one. It probably wouldn’t cost too much and the Isles have the cap room to make it happen.

If Max isn’t their guy, they could take a look at Lee Stempniak. The 27-year old forward posted career highs with 28 goals and 20 assists for 48 points in 80 games after finishing the year with the Phoenix Coyotes. He played for $2.5 million last year and probably could be signed close to that mark. Stempniak may fit in smoothly with young guys like Bailey, Schremp, Tavares and Okposo. At his age he would have a valuable veteran presence while being young enough to continue to grow into his own as well.

The only other player that I could see the Islanders targeting would be Paul Kariya. There’s no reason to explain why a guy like Kariya could be a valuable asset to a young team; he’s made his way to the Stanley Cup, he knows how to score big goals and win crucial games and he’s been around the league for several years at the age of 35. But his production has dropped as his age increases. Last year he only found the back of the net 18 times while adding 25 helpers for 43 points in 75 games played. He also made $6 million dollars last year. That’s a lot of money for a guy who can’t rack up 50 points. It would be more than likely that he would have to sign for a cheaper price tag.

Lee Stempniak (mark6mauno/Flickr)

After Afinogenov, Stempniak and Kariya, the drop off is huge. The next in line would be Bill Guerin, whom I doubt the Isles would turn back too since they intend on moving forward instead of backward, and Brendan Morrison, who only put in 12 goals and 42 points with the Washington Capitals last year at the age of 34. If I had to choose one of these two, I’d go with Morrison, but the Isles are pretty tight at center.

If Snow can’t lure one of these forwards, or doesn’t have an interest, he can possibly explore the trade route. But that remains to be seen.

All I know is that Snow has to make a few more changes if he expects this team to finish in the top-8 and his options are decreasing with each day that passes.

-Rob McGowan

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Dustin Byfuglien (Flickr/ShayHaas)

[Ed. Note: Today's guest column is from Joe Romano. He'll be leading our fantasy hockey coverage over the summer to have you ready for your league by the time the puck drops in October.]

I’d like to start my first column by introducing myself. I am Joe Romano and will help you navigate the world of fantasy hockey. When I am not watching, reading or writing about hockey, I try to find a few hours a day to practice law. I have played and coached ice hockey at various levels for about 20 years. In that time, I have assisted on goals scored by today’s NHLers, I’ve dropped the gloves with a couple NHL tough guys, and I have coached players competing at Division 1 colleges. Additionally, I have competed in fantasy hockey for about a decade and have also written about fantasy hockey for the past three years.

Here’s the catch, nothing that I have seen, read, or done makes me any better than you. There are no fantasy experts. Nobody writing about fantasy sports is clairvoyant. We haven’t channeled the hockey gods. Anyone trying to convince you otherwise is just trying to compensate. While I can’t tell you with any certainty that Mikko Koivu won’t live up to his lofty contract (although he won’t, $6.75 million per year for 22 goals and some intangibles, really?), what I can do is try to stimulate thought.

My goal isn’t to provide all the answers, more often than not I’ll be wrong, my goal is to get you thinking. I want to help you consider all of the angles to a transaction or a change in line combinations. I’ll give you a second opinion on a player that may be riding your fence. Fantasy opinions that I trust are not the ones with all the answers, but the ones trying to simply provide the necessary tools to win. This is what I will strive to do for you.

While we are at the dead point of the fantasy hockey calendar, now is the time to really think about the recent transactions and their affect on the 2010-11 season. When you hear about a transaction, try to remember your gut feeling, chances are it will be right. Trusting your gut is the most important lesson any fantasy player can learn.

If you thought to yourself that Dustin Byfuglien would struggle in Atlanta, remember that. It is your gut reaction to the trade. Don’t let someone else try to convince you otherwise. Chances are you had this feeling because you know Byfuglien wasn’t a real valuable fantasy asset while in Chicago. You know that the caliber of his teammates is significantly worse, his offensive output has never been very good, and he has always been viewed favorably because, at one time, he was defenseman eligible. These rational thoughts fed your gut instinct.

However, over the next couple of months, you will be fed hoopla about his awesome playoffs, his increased time on the ice and that he is only 24. You can sift through this rubbish by focusing on your gut instinct. You will realize his playoff hype was fed by his style of play, which pays dividends in the spring, not during the winter months. You will remember that he was already playing plenty and more time doesn’t equate to softer hands, better vision, and better scoring touch. Lastly, you will recall that, although young, he has no hockey pedigree. He was an eighth round pick and has made it because of his size and strength, not his hands, speed, shot, or vision.

You may disagree about Byfuglien. Your gut may have told you the opposite. What I think compared to what you think isn’t the key. The key is to trust your instinct. Here are some other gut instincts I have had so far this summer.

Paul Martin is the safest Penguins defenseman to own this year.

Paul Martin (Flickr/absenthero)

Once it became apparent Sergei Gonchar was gone, youngsters Alex Goligoski and Kris Letang were expected to take over the offensive duties on the blue line. Ray Shero, however, had other plans. Martin is not Gonchar, but his presence will likely push Goligoski to the third defensive unit and off the top power play unit. Letang will still log plenty of ice time, but will likely become the Penguins fourth option on the power play and secondary to Martin on the point. Also, I expect Letang will remain on the top power play unit because he is a righty, but there is no guaranteeing that, further proving my point. Martin could slip under the radar during the draft season and may be a significant bargain for a 10 goal 40 assist defenseman.

I can’t see Marian Hossa approaching a point per game this season…

…a total he needs to top to justify his expected draft position. Now this can change slightly depending on what else happens in Chicago, but right now it looks like Hossa will be the odd man out between himself, Jonathan Toews, and Patrick Kane. This was fine last year when there was plenty of talent to go around in Chicago, but, this season, things could get a little dicey. Many view Hossa as a top 20-30 player, but I don’t think he gets there. Don’t get me wrong, he will still give you strong numbers, but its going to cost you more than its worth. Consider yourself lucky if he gives you 30 goals and 40 assists.

I won’t go ahead and say John Tavares will put in 50 like last season’s super sophomore…

…but he will continue progressing into one of the NHL’s top talents. The Islanders have done an excellent job developing a solid young roster behind underrated GM Garth Snow. While they haven’t added a significant offensive piece, the additions of Mark Eaton and Milan Jurcina should keep the puck out of the defensive zone a little more, allowing Tavares more time to work in the attacking end. I think Tavares is a solid candidate for 30 goals and 40 assists. When considering my last point, I’ll pass on Hossa and wait a couple rounds later to take Tavares and get the same production.

I’ll finish up with my gut reaction to the only two 2010 draftees expected to make a splash in the NHL

Taylor Hall is probably a more fantasy ready asset, but I would rather have Tyler Seguin this season.

My reasoning is three-fold; I am in the camp that believes Marc Savard will be traded opening up a spot for Seguin on the top two lines. I believe Boston provides a better atmosphere for Seguin to develop this season. Lastly, Hall will command a greater draft day price and will go anywhere between three to six rounds earlier than Seguin.

I understand that Hall has nothing holding him back in Edmonton, but there is a chance he could score 20 goals with 30 assists and be a minus 25, essentially killing most of his value. Seguin may only get 15 goals with 25-30 assists, but chances are he won’t hurt any area of your team and he will be less expensive to acquire. With that said, the best way to approach each is to look at your team and decide if it is made up of safer players or high risk. Hall is he riskier of the two, but could provide the higher return. Seguin, however, should be a safer pick but the upside may be limited due to probably being a second liner all year.

If you have had any other gut reactions or just think I’m an idiot, I’d love to hear your take in the comments.

- Joe Romano

Mikko Koivu (Flickr/MPR529)

Mikko Koivu – When I think about the Minnesota Wild and look at their roster, I’m not sure how I can get excited about this team for the next few seasons.  They haven’t made any terrible signings, but I think it could be argued that they’ve overpaid for close to half the team. With no money, a lackluster offense, and coach Todd Richards’ up-tempo system replacing the defense-first Lemaire approach, what remedies do they have? Would be interested to hear a few ideas in the comments.

Hockey Wilderness points out that the reactions from fans outside of Minnesota to the Mikko Koivu extension were venomous, while the Wild faithful seemed to overwhelmingly approve.  The first half of their analysis is outstanding, but their justification for why he was worth $6.75m per season falls a bit flat:

Now, as for why he is worth it, even without the points. Why that is is difficult to explain to people outside of Minnesota. It takes watching the guy play for 82 games a season to see why. It’s those pesky intangibles. The leadership, the steady presence, the battles in the corner. It’s the little things that few people in the league do as well as he does, but that don’t show up in the stat sheet.

Sure, lots of guys have the leadership…Plenty of centers have face off win % above 50%. More than a fair share of players have 70+ points a year. But how many have all of it? There’s your answer.

Blue Jackets Summer Update - If you’re a fan of the Columbus Blue Jackets and want a summer State of the Union update on the team, Matt Wagner’s piece at The Cannon is a must-read.  Some of the quotes from CBJ staff were pretty predictable and empty (GM Scott Howson: “We have committed to building our team through the draft, and finding players through trades or free agency when the right opportunities come up”), but others were encouraging:

[Head Coach Scott Arniel:] “Pretty much everyone is excited – it’s funny, I was really excited to come here to work with them, but it turns out that most of them are even more excited to get to work with me! I think the biggest thing, though, is that pretty much all of them have talked about how they want to get better. I think a lot of our guys feel like they let the team down – they let the fans down, and they let themselves down. Everyone’s been working really hard this off season to keep it from happening again.”

Braden Holtby - With Washington Capitals prospect camp underway, there was a lot of talk about #3 goalie Braden Holtby this week.  Rock the Red had a great interview with the rising star and his feelings on being stuck behind Semyon Varlamov and Michal Neuvirth on the depth chart:

“In order to be a successful goalie, you need to believe in yourself that you can outplay any goalie, no matter where they are. Neuvi and Varly are outstanding goalies, and everyone knows that. And they’ve proven themselves in the levels that they played at. But there is still a lot of time left and I believe in my abilities, and that I can be an NHL goalie one day, whether it’s next year or four years down the road.”

Scouting Reports - In the spirit of prospect and development camps, check out PremiumScouting.com, a new scouting website that promises “regular reads about prospects from around the world and a place where you can read up on leagues outside of the NHL.”  A recent entry in their ’30 in 30′ series broke down the Buffalo Sabres’ prospect pool:

The organization, well known for scouting through video is headed by Kevin Devine who just wrapped up his 4th year as Director of Amateur Scouting and 12th overall with Buffalo in a scouting capacity. He hasn’t been around long enough to truly evaluate his performance, albeit the 2008 class seems to be accelerating at a pace that Buffalo has to like…

…With Tyler Ennis having a fantastic pro debut and moving on, the top of the Sabres depth chart loses upside and rather has more projectability. Their first rounder this year in Mark Pysyk is a fine skating defender who shows the smarts and physical attributes to one day be skating and eating minutes for Buffalo. Kassian has upside due to his physical tools but there are question marks around his game and even more so around his character.

Islanders Arena Discussions - Chris Botta at NYI Point Blank takes a look at a new possibility for the New York Islanders as they continue search for a solution in the Lighthouse Project mess:

Nassau County Executive Edward Mangano wants to partner with Charles Wang on a development that would consist of a new Coliseum and training facility plus an entertainment and gambling center the quality of Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun in Connecticut.

Nino Niederreiter (Patxi64/Flickr)

The New York Islanders hosted a prospect scrimmage and skills competition at the Nassau Coliseum yesterday, an event that attracted 4,940 fans to watch hockey in the middle of July. The game featured such prospects as recent draft picks Nino Niederreiter, Brock Nelson, and Kirill Kabanov. Others included Mikko Koskinen, Matt Martin, David Ullstrom, Aaron Ness and more. To fill out the rosters, many Long Island natives were invited to participate in the game as well. In fact, the first two goals of the game were scored by Long Islanders Danny Markowitz from Jericho and Joey Diamond from Long Beach.

Matt Martin wasn’t shy with throwing his body around – after all, it’s what he does best. And fans were treated to several flashy moves by Nino and Kabanov. Hamonic looked like a rock on the blue-line, ringing shots off the cross-bar and pinching in on the rush. It was weird for me sitting in the stands watching these guys play knowing that some of them could be my younger brother considering their ages. But that also means that they have plenty of maturing ahead of them.

“Some of these guys that are 17 years old are going to be a lot different when they’re 19 or 20 when they turn pro,” said Head Coach Scott Gordon after the game and skills competition.

“This whole week isn’t about anybody coming to make the Islanders. It’s about building team unity, camaraderie, so when they come to camp they know the coaches, they know the training staff, they know the players. It’s an opportunity for them to learn how to be a pro.”

When Scott was informed there were almost 5,000 fans at the game, he showed his support for those who follow his hockey team.

“It was great to see that many people have such an interest in hockey in the middle of July. The enthusiasm is good and it was a good ending the way the shootout was done and I think everyone went home happy.”

Nino Niederreiter (moonbox3/Flickr)

Although the game was fun to watch, it did go by fast. To make room for the skills competition, the game consisted of two 25-minute periods with running time, but that wasn’t the only accommodation made to spice up the game. Each time a player was penalized, the obstructed player would get to take a penalty shot instead of his team gaining a two-minute power play. There were a few taken, but the most thrilling came from the 5th overall selection, Nino Niederreiter. He skated in with a few toe drags, lifted his leg to fake a shot, deked some more, and then slide the puck past the goalie’s right leg-pad. It was a move that had the crowd roaring.

“It was great. Actually I was surprised that so many fans came into it to watch this game,” said Nino when it was all over. He talked a little about his visit to Long Island but also told us about the players he wishes to emulate when he makes his transition to the NHL.

“I kind of try to be like Lecavalier actually and even I try to be like Kovalchuk. He’s just a fantastic skater.” It was no surprise that these two players were used in his answer after seeing the moves he was pulling.

But El Nino wasn’t the only one displaying a fast set of hands with a sense of creativity. The famous Kirill Kabanov was making moves all over the ice. During the game, Kabanov came in and tapped the puck to himself in mid-air twice, spun around, and then smacked it out of mid-air but hit the side of the net. You could tell he’s someone who feeds off the energy from the fans too. After every time he potted a point for his team in the skills competition, he put his arms up and looked at the crowd.

“I’m really excited about Long Island, New York is now my favorite city after Moscow (laughs),” he said after the game. “You always got to have fun when you’re playing hockey. It’s not only a job but just a fun game. It’s like part of a show.”

When one blogger asked him about the audience for the “show,” he had nothing but great things to say about Long Island and its fans.

“It was pretty cool. I really like Islanders fans, they’re like crazy (laughs). It’s really cool. I like Long Island a lot. But they like I got a lot of tattoos and I can promise in less than one year I’ll have one here, (points to his chest), like a big one, a map of Long Island. Really, I promise!”

Dee Karl from HockeyBuzz reminded him that he has to wait to turn 18 before he can get another tattoo in New York. All he had to say was, “But I’m Russian, you forget!” He only has to wait until next Friday for his birthday.

Like Nino Niederreiter, Kabanov idolizes Russian superstar Ilya Kovalchuk.

“I got the same coach like Ilya Kovalchuk. I got the same number, 17. I got, I don’t know, the first letter in the last name, K,” he said.

After sharing a few laughs I asked him what it meant to be drafted in the 3rd round despite being considered a top-10 talent in this year’s class, if it was a source of motivation for him to prove that he can be a star in the NHL.

“I will try to work hard and do my best and I’ll try to make the team as soon as I can,” he said.

Over the past week, the prospects were treated to a Mets game at Citi Field. They got to meet season-ticket holders and get a taste of the American past-time.

“It was pretty fun actually. I was going into the crowd and shaking everybody’s hands. I always like to see season (ticket) holders. It was pretty fun but it was just a little bit boring because the game is so slow and I was sitting there for like three hours and I’m just like, ‘what are they doing?’ I was just like, ‘Oh my God Mets come on! Do something!’ but there was like two home-runs in a row so I was like, ‘Okay, here we go!’” said Kabonov. I’m sure some Mets fans were thinking the same.

Brock Nelson, the Isles 30th overall selection in this year’s draft, was the first to score a goal for the Blue team. Nelson is fresh out of high-school and on his way to his freshman year at the University of North Dakota.

“It was fun. It was good to be out there to play the game with the guys and the skills competition. Just kind of laid back a little bit. It was good to be out there,” said Nelson.

Although he’s a recent draft pick, he still found it exciting to leap from a high school rink into an NHL arena.

“It was pretty awesome. I know it’s a big jump but it was fun to be out here at the Coliseum and play with the guys out here and meet a few of them. It was a great experience.”

As far as the way he played, Nelson felt that he needs to add more size but isn’t too far behind.

“I felt I did pretty good. I know it’s a little bit quicker, bigger guys that are stronger. But I felt right there. So, just to develop a little bit more and hopefully contribute a bit more.”

Travis Hamonic (leafschik1967/Flickr)

Travis Hamonic was the last one to come out of the locker room but had the most to say. After interviewing Travis back in October, I knew that he would be making a strong push to join the Islanders this year. After watching him play last night, I’d say he is pretty close and will give the coaching staff something to think about.

“I think I felt good. Obviously it’s the first game of the summer and there’s no systems really in place and guys are trying to get familiar with each other but a short game like this, the running time goes by pretty fast. But I think I felt really good out there and got my feet under me and kind of just played to my advantage which is being a stay-at-home steady guy,” he said.

But Hamonic wasn’t really playing a stay-at-home game. I reminded him that he did hit a shot off the cross bar and was seen down low by the crease a few times looking for a few opportunities.

“I think obviously the offensive side of my game has definitely grown in the last year and a half especially and I think I’m turning myself into a two-way defenseman. I’m not going to be that guy that’s going to jump end to end and be the flashy defenseman but I’m going to pick and choose my spots when I have the chance and I’m going to make sure that I make the best of it. It’s too bad I couldn’t put that one bar down instead of bar out but those things happen and I think I’m very happy with the way I played tonight and I’m definitely progressing in the right direction.”

The Islanders recently signed Mark Eaton and Milan Jurcina to play with five other defenseman that are under contract for next season, meaning if he wants a spot out of training camp, he’s going to have to fight for it.

“Obviously the next couple of weeks and couple of months are going to be huge for me. Obviously I’m going to continue to put on a couple more pounds of muscle mass and grow and get stronger and get fitter in the weight room. It’s going to come with skating. I got a good group of guys to skate with, a lot of pro guys back in Winnipeg. For me it’s going to be all mindset and physical set.”

“I definitely feel ready.”

I had  the opportunity to meet Travis at one point in the season last year when he was visiting the Coliseum after being injured in the World Junior Championships. Back then the weather was still bitter cold. Now, it’s been nothing but hot summer days. I asked him what it was like to see Long Island at different parts of the year.

“I love it. Obviously every time I’ve come down to New York I really enjoy it. It’s a long way from the farm, that’s for sure. A town of 450 people growing up, you take things a little bit differently when you come to Long Island. But the people have been great and I can’t say enough about the fan base here. I’ve yet to play a game with the Islanders and there are obviously a lot fans that have taken to me and I’m very appreciative of that,” he said.

Many of us were hoping to see Kirill Petrov play as well. However, Scott Gordon informed us after the game that Petrov sat out after getting a little banged up in the morning skate and felt it was unnecessary to play him in the middle of the summer before training camp starts. After all, better safe than sorry.

Although the prospects are the reason everyone gathered at the Coliseum in the middle of the summer, it was great to see my friends from the Blog Box and get to sit in the Old Barn to watch a game with them. I even had the pleasure of getting a game used puck after Robin Figren rang a nasty slapper off the cross-bar that flew over the netting and two rows behind our section in 215.

Isles fans should also check out YES! Islanders (www.yesislanders.com) as Johnny Z., a recent Blog Box audition, did a video shoot with fans before the game and some of the bloggers, including Dee Karl, Michael Schurlein, Ken Dick and myself. The video can be found here: http://youtu.be/WKCoXCWisSs

Isles fans that were in attendance got to see that they have plenty to be excited about over the next few years. It won’t be long before these guys start shining for the Islanders all year round.

Ilya Kovalchuk (linesinthesand/Flickr)

Hearing about the report on TSN by Darren Dreger that the Islanders had offered Ilya Kovalchuk a contract Friday night was confusing to me. Seeing it for myself made me realize that something had to be up. But what surprised me the most is that the Islanders would possibly consider someone for a 10-year contract worth $100 million with DiPietro’s current status and Alexei Yashin still collecting checks to pay off his bought out salary. It almost seems crazy since there isn’t any luck on this peninsula when certain players are signed long-term. Granted, Kovalchuk and Yashin are two entirely different players and Rick DiPietro’s injuries are a result of pure misfortune, but wouldn’t that steer Wang’s wallet into a more affordable and reasonable direction?

When looking back on the past, the majority of Islander fans were pleased when Yashin was signed to that ridiculous contract, even though he only had two 40-goal seasons previously in his career. More fans were skeptical about signing a goaltender to a 15-year deal since Yash’s contract wasn’t proving it’s worth, allowing the Islanders to become a carousel of hilarity with their poor decisions. Hockey fans around the world poked fun and laughed at these life-time contracts for days, months and even years. DP is still thrown in my face to this day and probably will be even after he is long retired.

But then I ask, why is it okay for the Flyers to sign Mike Richards to a 12-year deal? For the Hawks to sign Hossa to a 12-year deal? For Ovechkin to get a 13-year deal? For Duncan Keith to get a 13-year deal? Even if fans disagreed with the length of these contracts, they did not garnish close to half of the humiliation the Islanders and their fan based received. Sure, Ovechkin and Richards are players any team will want to keep for a long time. But organizations may handcuff themselves in the future as long as the NHL exists in the salary cap era. Regardless of how talented a player might be, finances and assuring your team’s success beyond the present season goes further than one player.

Alexei Yashin (iMatthew: Wikipedia Commons)

And then the Kovalchuk rumor emerges and the Islanders are back on track with being the laughing stock of the league. Why? Isn’t Kovalchuk a superstar? Isn’t he a player that any team would want for years and years? If he signed in L.A. for ten years, would anyone find it as crazy as the Islanders doing it? It seems as if DP’s bumps in the road and the Yashin-mistake have placed a Scarlet Letter on the Islanders for years to come. Don’t believe me? Read this article here http://tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=326429. It’s the story broken by TSN about the Isles rumored offer to Ilya. Then go down and read the comments. According to the majority, the Isles would be crazy for this contract based on Yashin and DiPietro.

What do the Islanders have to do to demand respect?

They have stuck to the plan of a rebuilding franchise by drafting players at the top of their class. Some of them, such as Tavares, Okposo and Bailey, are starting to blossom. Other picks such as Travis Hamonic and Calvin de Haan are just a few steps away from becoming NHL players. This team is on the forefront of establishing themselves as a playoff contending hockey team. So is Garth Snow really foolish for looking to sprinkle an elite talent into his line-up that can help elevate the pressure of scoring goals on a regular basis?

Ilya Kovalchuk (Amykins514/Flickr)

Nope. Not one bit. As Garth stated in an article in Newsday reported by Katie Strang, he is just doing his job. Snow feels that if he didn’t make one preliminary phone call, which he admitted to doing only that, he would not have been doing his job as General Manger during the free agency period. He’s right; how could any GM not call the most attractive player on the market and see what it’s going to take to sign him?

But that’s all that Snow admitted to doing and suddenly the flood gates opened: This will save the Islanders! This will bring us the Lighthouse Project! This will bring us the playoffs!

Let’s calm down for a second. Do you think Kate Murray, the Town of Hempstead Supervisor, who has yet to provide her counter proposal of the Lighthouse, even knows who Ilya Kovalchuk is? Doubt it. Yes, Ilya would make season-ticket holders run to the box-office and put fans in the stands. But he won’t have a major effect on the building process. Nassau County politics and financial disagreements revolve solely on the people involved: Charles Wang and Kate Murray. Not Ilya Kovalchuk.

Will it bring the Isles into the playoffs? It certainly will increase the chance. But Ilya didn’t carry the Thrashers into the playoffs every year and probably wouldn’t do so with the Islanders either.

The only thing Kovalchuk would guarantee the Islanders is a prolific goal-scorer that is ready to contribute. That hasn’t been said in years and that’s why fans are excited. But fans need to stay focused. Snow is all about the rebuild and developing his players that he’s drafted and was given when he stepped in as General Manager.

Keep in mind that Kovalchuk turned down huge offers from the Thrashers because he desired to sign with a contender. The Islanders don’t fall into that category. They are building into a winner, but they aren’t yet. Are they ahead of the Thrashers? I would say they are. But teams like L.A. are a few more steps ahead. There is just as much of a chance of Kovalchuk not signing with the Isles as much as there is one. So don’t get your hopes up and start calling for Garth Snow’s head if this fails.

And if Ilya does decide to go elsewhere, the Islanders still can inquire about players such as Alexander Frolov, Lee Stempniak, Alexei Ponikarovsky and Paul Kariya. These forwards are a far cry from Ilya Kovalchuk but they all have something to contribute to a team of youngsters that are looking to make their first post-season run. And I hate to admit, any of these four forwards are more realistic for Garth Snow’s plan.

Either way, it will be a fun hodge podge of mixed emotions until Kovalchuk signs with an NHL team. And if it’s not with the Islanders, I’m sure you can expect Garth to still sign one more top-six forward, possibly one of the aforementioned above.

But what do you think, should the Isles be offering Kovalchuk a lucrative contract and do what they can to sign the talented forward?

Matthew Lombardi heads to yet another new team: Nashville (Flickr/pointnshoot)

Typically at ‘Crashing the Crease’ we run down the biggest news, notes, and headlines from around the NHL.  With the Free-Agent Frenzy 48 hours old, let’s shift gears and take a look at 13 interesting signings and what they mean for the players and teams involved.

For an up-to-date list of where all the summer’s free-agents are headed, check out TSN’s sortable tracker.  Hungry for leftovers? NHL.com has a list of 40 players still looking for homes that should get trimmed in the coming days.

1. Sergei Gonchar – D – Ottawa - 3 years x $5.5M: One of the riskiest signings of the first day happened in what seemed like a matter of minutes.  Bryan Murray and the Senators had Gonchar’s camp on speed dial and carved out a 3 year deal (with a no-trade clause) by 12:15pm ET.  If Gonchar can avoid injuries and return to his former self, Ottawa could be in the mix in the Eastern Conference.  If he continues to struggle with missed time and underwhelming play at even-strength, he could be a three year drag on a team still reeling from the Dany Heatley giveaway trade.

2. Zbynek Michalek D – Pittsburgh - 5 years x $4M: With Gonchar officially out of Pittsburgh, Ray Shero and Penguins made a quick call to Michalek, the top target on their radar.  Our buddy Jeff Angus at dobberhockey.com told me if he had to give a multi-year deal to any big-name defenseman on the market this summer, Michalek would be his overwhelming choice.  I believe him.  Michalek’s impressive season got very little attention outside of Phoenix and this deal could be the prudent yet confident signing that defines Ray Shero’s early career.

3. Colby Armstrong - RW - Toronto – 3 years x $3M: Some may argue the Gonchar and Michalek deals were a bit pricey, but it was no real surprise that Brian Burke blew away the competition with his signing of Armstrong.  The gritty winger is the prototypical ‘Burke-type player’ as we’ve all become familiar with over the years.  From time to time, Armstrong will catch an unsuspecting opponent with his head down and line him up from 60 feet away, but he otherwise doesn’t live up to his reputation as a ferocious bodychecker.  Signing a 15-goal scorer to this deal (like Mike Komisarek last summer) is the reason Burke will be fighting a constant battle against the salary cap for years to come.

4. Olli Jokinen – C - Calgary 2 years x $3M: The famous Einstein quote says “insanity is doing the same thing again and again and expecting different results.”  I think it’s time we brand Darryl Sutter as insane.  Two years ago, Sutter overpaid for Jokinen in a trade with Phoenix.  In February, the frustrated Flames traded him to the Rangers for Chris Higgins (no longer with the team) and Ales Kotalik (recently on waivers).  Well the boomerang has returned – and this time with a no-movement clause!  Jokinen hasn’t lost all value or ability, but he wore out his welcome in his first stint in Calgary.  After shipping out Dion Phaneuf to Toronto at his low point, one has to wonder if Sutter is beginning to panic as he realizes his days are numbered.

5. Derek Boogaard - LW - NY Rangers – 4 years x $1.625M: If Darryl Sutter is insane, what do we term Rangers GM Glen Sather? When Sather brought in Donald Brashear last fall, he said with a straight face “Donald is a great player and we need a guy to fill the tough role. He is a tough guy and the man we need.” By February, Brashear was on waivers and the Rangers will be paying him $1.4M this season to NOT play.  Instead of learning from his mistake, Sather one-ups himself and signs Boogaard to a wildly expensive four-year deal.  At 6’8″, Boogaard is easily the slowest player in the NHL and would play strictly on the fourth line for any team.  Meanwhile, talented Rangers defensemen Marc Staal and Dan Girardi remained unsigned.  I could go on all day on this one…check out the Blueshirt Banter reaction if you need more.

Martin Biron (llodgoalies/Flickr)

6. Martin Biron - G - NY Rangers - 2 years x $875K: We were pretty harsh on Sather for the previous signing, so we should probably give him his due credit for this move.  Prior to July 1, Biron seemed to be headed to Montreal to backup Carey Price for a salary in the $2M range.  Instead, Sather lures him to the Big Apple where he’ll be capable of making 20 starts and finally giving Henrik Lundqvist the rest he deserves and needs. An extremely safe backup at a great price – well done.

7. Matthew Lombardi - C – Nashville - 3 years x $3.5M: After trading Jason Arnott to New Jersey, the Predators had a great need for scoring, especially at the center position.  With Patrick Marleau and Tomas Plekanac re-signing with their teams before July 1, this wasn’t the year to need a scoring center.  As everyone expected, Matthew Lombardi cashed in on the opportunity.  He’s a nice two-way center with blinding speed, but doesn’t possess overwhelming offensive ability.  In another year this would be overpaying, but it’s a move that Nashville had to make, at a price determined by (lack of) supply, and demand.

8. Ray Whitney - RW - Phoenix - 2 years x $3M: Coyotes fans were probably disappointed to lose Lombardi, but the team was still able to lure the veteran Whitney to the desert for a ride into the sunset.  As I reflected on the July 1st dynamics, I immediately thought about Pittsburgh’s free-agent pitch including a brand-new arena and the opportunity to play with Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin.  Meanwhile, Phoenix boasts an uncertain future, no owner, and budget-conscious management.  It’s just not an even competition.  I’m actually shocked they were able to sign Whitney who seemed picky when it came to accepting potential trades to only certain teams at the deadline.  This is actually a nice pickup, but it can’t be easy luring free agents to Phoenix these days.

9. Jordan Leopold - D - Buffalo 3 years x $3M: Ryan Miller had an outstanding season and Sabres fans can expect more of the same next year, but the departures of Toni Lydman and Henrik Tallinder left a bit of a hole on defense.  I feel like a trade involving Tim Connolly and Tomas Kaberle could be on the way in the coming weeks, but signing Leopold at least stops the bleeding.  He brings more to the table than Lydman (who signed an identical deal with Anaheim), but as it stands now, there will be an enormous amount of pressure on Calder Trophy winner Tyler Myers.  Buffalo will need to stay active if they want to be a playoff team again next year.

10. Anton Volchenkov - D - New Jersey 6 years x $4.25M: The Devils let Paul Martin walk (more on this next) and put his money into the shot-blocking machine Volchenkov.  The money makes sense, but the length of the contract is a huge red flag.  On paper, Volchenkov is a 28-year-old defenseman who should be fully capable of playing out the duration of his contract in decent health.  In reality, his body has taken the beating of a 33-year-old, as evidenced by him failing to play 70 games for the past three seasons.  I thought he even looked noticeably slower and older this season.  When shot blockers break down, they tend to go quick and this could end up ugly for the Devils.

11. Paul Martin - D - Pittsburgh 5 years x $5M: There are two ways to look at this one. Martin’s broken forearm limited him to 22 games and kept him from showing his true value in a contract year, similar to when Tampa gave Dan Boyle to San Jose for very little in return following wrist surgery.  If he stays healthy and picks up where he left off, he’ll be a very reliable all-around defenseman capable of playing big minutes for the Penguins.  On the other hand, it always scares me when a team lets a young star walk away that they’re fully capable of retaining (as we saw with what the Devils are paying Volchenkov).  Did the Devils know something that the Penguins did not?  Was Martin simply tired of New Jersey and in search of a fresh start?  For $25M, Pittsburgh better hope they were right.

Kubina is perfect fit in Tampa (Flickr/frenchkheldar)

12. Pavel Kubina – D – Tampa Bay - 2 years x $3.85M: After somehow convincing Philadelphia to take on the $4M cap hit of mediocre defenseman Andrej Meszaros, new Tampa GM Steve Yzerman put that money towards the defenseman he felt was a better fit.  As one of my favorite deals of the day, Kubina replaces the booming right-handed slapshot lost when Kurtis Foster left for Edmonton.  But while Foster was a liability on the ice aside from the powerplay, Kubina brings size, consistency, and the ability to eat up minutes on defense (averaged over 22 min/game last season).  With Mattias Ohlund and Victor Hedman already bringing a ton of size and ability to the table, this could be the most underrated defensive trio in the NHL heading into next season.

13. Ilya Kovalchuk – LW – ??? – $10M: Okay, not a free-agent signing yet, but one that could have huge consequences on the rest of the league this summer. As we went to print, the New York Islanders had entered what publically seemed to be just a two-horse race between Los Angeles and New Jersey.

First, I think the ship sailed from New Jersey a while ago.  With under $5M in cap space for next season and franchise player Zach Parise needing a new deal next summer, the Devils are fighting a battle they can’t win.  Once free agents “test the waters”, they rarely return to their original team.

The Islanders are a more interesting case.  If there’s one team able and willing to give Kovalchuk the excessive money that he demands, it’s Charles Wong Wang and the New York Islanders.  Notice I didn’t say GM Garth Snow.  This is entirely Wang’s doing as he maneuvers the team to improve the odds of his $3.74 billion Lighthouse Project being approved.  (Check out Jim Neveau’s great article from this morning for his take on the Kovalchuk-Islanders rumors.) But didn’t Kovalchuk strong-arm his way out of Atlanta already? If money was the determining factor, he would’ve taken the enormous offer to stay in Atlanta and may have finished his career without seriously contending for a Stanley Cup.  Kovalchuk wants to be on a contender – or a team positioned to be a contender – for the duration of his contract. Kovalchuk would be crazy to push the Islanders out of the mix though.  No team has the money, or the crazy management (Alexei Yashin, Rick Dipietro) to meet his demands and he’ll drive up the price for other potential suitors.

Ilya Kovalchuk (Saed Hindash/The Star-Ledger)

The lure for Los Angeles is obvious.  This is a team full of young prospects that got their feet wet in the playoffs last year and look poised to contend for a Stanley Cup.  The Kings are one piece away from taking the same path the Penguins and Blackhawks did to championships.  But who else could be in the mix?  The most telling information I’ve been following has been teams with cap space who haven’t been making moves.  Los Angeles hasn’t made a single one – but we knew about them already.  Two others quietly sneaking in under the radar? St. Louis and Washington.

St. Louis is another team with a great young core looking to get over the hump and become an annual contender in the Western Conference.  President John Davidson and Blues owner Dave Checketts haven’t publicly put themselves in the running, but they also stayed quiet at the trade deadline before revealing they had been pitching for the Russian sniper’s services.  Once the crazy talk of $10 per season dies down, the Blues will be standing right there with Los Angeles at the auction.

But wait, Washington? How? The Capitals are enjoying the benefits of having goalies Simeon Varlamov and Michal Neuvirth still on cheap entry-level contracts. After dominating the regular season before being shockingly upended in the playoffs by Montreal, the Capitals have been eerily quiet this summer.  With $16M in cap space and a ton of depth in their minor league system, the Capitals just may be a serious contender for Kovalchuk when it’s all said and done.  Who could stop a team with Kovalchuk and Ovechkin playing together, right Team Russia?

The final effect to consider is what happens to the teams sitting on $10M in cash if they don’t get Kovalchuk.  With very little left in the way of upgrades on the free agent market, we could see a slew of trades as teams like Philadelphia and Vancouver still need to unload assets before training camp.