Isles Miles

While some have noted the Isles have two lengthy (5 game) road trips, in reality the Isles have one of the easiest travel schedules in the league, at least by mileage.

From: http://www.ontheforecheck.com/2013/1/13/3872026/nhl-travel-miles-super-schedule-2013-back-to-back-games

Isles will travel 12,159 miles (only Rangers-12,048, and Devils-11,659 will travel fewer.
The Isles also have only 7 back-to-backs  (only the Rangers - 6- have fewer)

The Isles' mileage is nearly 20,000 fewer than Minnesota, who will travel a league-high 31,345 miles.
Chicago and Detroit will each play a league-high 12 back-to-backs, meaning that 1/2 of their schedule will be played in back-to-backs.

 

Forever1940 is the nom de plume of Eric Hornick, statistician on Islander home telecasts since January 21, 1982. Visit my blog: NYISkinny.com and follow me on Twitter @ehornick

Biotech campus at Coliseum?

From LIBN:  (no subscription required):

http://libn.com/2013/01/11/biotech-campus-proposed-for-nassau-coliseum-site/

 
Forever1940 is the nom de plume of Eric Hornick, statistician on Islander home telecasts since January 21, 1982. Visit my blog: NYISkinny.com and follow me on Twitter @ehornick

Isles-Devils opener?

From Tom Gulitti in the Bergen Record's Fire & Ice Blog:

Devils to open 2012-13 season on Jan. 19 against Islanders at Nassau Coliseum
The Devils will play their 2012-13 regular season opener on Saturday, Jan. 19 against the Islanders, The Record has learned.
The NHL schedule has been evolving over the last few days, but as of today, the Devils will open on Long Island.

With NBC televising in the afternoon, this will almost certainly be an evening game.

 
Forever1940 is the nom de plume of Eric Hornick, statistician on Islander home telecasts since January 21, 1982. Visit my blog: NYISkinny.com and follow me on Twitter @ehornick

NHL Schedule: 48 games/99 days

Per Sportsnet's John Shannon (@JSportsnet), the final day of the regular season will be April 27 (with playoffs opening May 1st).

So most NHL teams are going to play 48 games in 99 days. That's quite a pace -- but not unprecedented, even in a non-lockout season.

The Isles played 48 games/99 days as recently as the 2010-11 season.  Games 31-78 were played in a 99-day span.

The Isles also did it in three overlapping periods in 2009-10, eight overlapping periods in 2007-08, and 12 overlapping periods in 2003-04.  Both the 2002/03 and 2003/04 Isles ended the season with 48 games in 99 days -- both teams also made the playoffs.

Other 48/99's or less: once in 2002/03 (cited above), three times in 1999/2000 and NINETEEN times in 1972-73.

The fewest days needed to play 48 regular season Islander games: 94, between December 4, 1972 and March 13, 1973. The Isles went 6-39-3 in those 48 games, accumulating 15 of the 30 (12-60-6) points they earned all season.

In the 48-game 1994-95 season, the Isles played 48 games in 101 days, opening on January 21 and finishing on May 2.

The final game of the 1994-95 season was also the last time the Islanders played a game in May, coming closest in 2001-02 (losing on April 30th in game 7 to the Leafs).

Forever1940 is the nom de plume of Eric Hornick, statistician on Islander home telecasts since January 21, 1982. Visit my blog: NYISkinny.com and follow me on Twitter @ehornick 

Hamonic/Nelson back to full contact

An important cog to the Isles defense and an important prospect have been cleared for full contact.  Mike Fornabaio has tweeted that both Travis Hamonic and Brock Nelson have shed the "no contact" jerseys for today's practice.

The Sound Tigers have one of those cherished AHL 3 in 3's this weekend -- in Providence on Friday, at home with Portland on Saturday, and in Albany on Sunday.  These are the final Sound Tiger games until January 19th, the expected start of the NHL season.

Bridgeport is 17-14-2-2, and sit in 2nd place in their division.  They will reach the halfway point of their 76-game schedule with their game in Albany.

 

Forever1940 is the nom de plume of Eric Hornick, statistician on Islander home telecasts since January 21, 1982. Visit my blog: NYISkinny.com and follow me on Twitter @ehornick

Canceled Czech? Lubo wants to stay in Slovakia

New moved this afternoon that Lubomir Visnovsky, who the Isles acquired for a 2nd round draft choice in this June's draft, wants to stay at home and not come to North America.

Arthur Staple has detailed story here: http://www.newsday.com/sports/hockey/islanders/isles-files-1.812028/lubomir-visnovsky-staying-in-slovakia-for-rest-of-year-1.4417479

However, TSN's Bob MacKenzie is noting on twitter that "NHL has been assured that KHL won't let players with valid NHL deals plays in KHL" (which is the league that Lubo is playing).

Some had noted a similarity between Visnovsky and Jiri Hudler, who jumped to the KHL a few years ago -- the Red Wings tried to stop it, saying that Hudler, a restricted free agent, had elected arbitration, but apparently only Hudler's agent ... and not Hudler, had made that choice.  The IIHF eventually awarded Hudler a transfer card; he spent one season in the KHL before returning to North America.

Guess it's a bit of a wait and see -- but it has significant impact on the Isles -- both on the ice, and with the salary cap/floor as Visnovsky, who was to be paid $3M this season, carries a $5.6M cap hit.  (both figures before proration)

The Isles were hoping to have the 2010-11 version of Visnovsky on the ice this season.  He was 6-21-27 in 68 games with the Ducks in 2011-12.  But, in 2010-11, Visnovsky went 18-50-68 in 81 games, and was on the ice for 146 of his team's goals -- the highest total in the NHL by a wide margin (13 more than Henrik Sedin).

It will be interesting to see how this plays out...

 

Forever1940 is the nom de plume of Eric Hornick, statistician on Islander home telecasts since January 21, 1982. Visit my blog: NYISkinny.com and follow me on Twitter @ehornick

Isles Prospect Reinhart Issued Longest Suspension in IIHF history

Griffin Reinhart has his name in the record book --but not in a way that he wants. The Islanders' first round pick was suspended four games for a high stick against the Americans yesterday.

He was given a minor penalty on the play -- and probably should have gotten at least a double minor.

The suspension is believed to be the longest in IIHF history, and will be appealed by Canada.  Regardless, it takes him out of Saturday's bronze medal game with Russia.  If upheld, the other three games must be served at an IIHF event.  Reinhart would be eligible for the 2014 World Jrs, but the suspension would take him out of nearly the entire round robin portion of the event.

As TSN notes, that could influence whether the Islanders would allow him to be a part of the team.  Assuming a) he makes the NHL next year and b) we're not talking about day 476 of this idiotic lockout.

TSN story here: http://www.tsn.ca/story/print/?id=412759

 

Forever1940 is the nom de plume of Eric Hornick, statistician on Islander home telecasts since January 21, 1982. Visit my blog: NYISkinny.com and follow me on Twitter @ehornick