Though his hiring was widely criticized, Islanders' rookie GM Garth Snow is determined to make the transition to
the Front Office a smooth one.
New York Islanders General Manager Garth Snow says he was too busy learning the ropes in his new position to pay attention to the snickers that accompanied his hiring over the summer.

One newspaper jokingly reported that Islanders owner Charles Wang chose his backup goalie only because the Zamboni driver wasn't available. Former Philadelphia Flyers General Manager Bob Clarke joked that Snow might like his job in September, but to check back with him in December.

The wisecracks continued when Snow signed 24-year-old goaltender Rick DiPietro to the longest contract in NHL history, a 15-year deal worth $67.5 million. Some unfavorably compared it to the 10-year, $87.5 million deal former Isles GM Mike Milbury gave Alexei Yahin in 2001.

As a player, Snow might have lashed back at his detractors with a quick-witted reply. These days, he's deflecting his critics the way he would a 90 mph slap shot -- calmly and with a purpose.

"When you average it out it's a reasonable number," Snow said of DiPietro's annual salary of $4.5 million. "It's good for Ricky's security and it's good for the fans to know one of the best goalies in the league will retire an Islander. But that's old news. Let's talk about our Islanders."

OK. The Isles got off to a rocky start this season with three straight road losses, but rebounded to pick up 12 of a possible 16 points in their next eight games. As a result, Snow has the Islanders in the thick of the Eastern Conference standings, where they hope to make the playoffs for the first time since 2004.

"We started out with the toughest division in the league," Snow said, referring to the Pacific Division. "It was a good litmus test for us."

The same could be said for Snow's rookie season as a GM. He was hired to replace Neil Smith less than six weeks after Smith was hired by the Islanders and on his first day on the job he lost senior advisor Pat LaFontaine.

Snow, a walk-on goalie at the University of Maine who earned a bachelor's degree in business and a master's degree in administration, worked quickly, hiring a scouting staff, a conditioning coach, an equipment manager, a video coach and a goalie coach in his first 10 days on the job.

Snow said the transition from backup goaltender to hockey executive was aided by the experience of head coach Ted Nolan, Director of Player Development Bryan Trottier and Pro Scouting Director Ken Morrow. The Islanders' longtime Chief Financial Officer, Art McCarthy, helped with salary cap issues and Assistant General Counsel Jaimie Wolf answered any CBA questions. Snow's responsibilities as general manager include scouting, contracts and trades. He said whatever he lacks on the business side of hockey, he makes up for with his vast knowledge of today's NHL players. As a member of the Nordiques, Flyers, Canucks, Penguins and Islanders from 1994 through last season, Snow has dressed for more than 800 games. And no general manager in the league has seen today's players as closely as from Snow's vantage point on the bench and on the ice.

"I had front-row access to gather information on players just by watching," he said. "I think that benefits me, not only from playing with guys in our organization, but from playing with and against a lot of players in the league. If I didn't play with or against them, I probably know someone who did."

Snow said his goal is to make the Islanders a more stable organization than it's been in the past. Some of that stability, he said, comes from the team owner. Snow said he meets with Wang several times a week and enjoys his passion for the game.

"One thing about Charles is that he wants communication right down the line," Snow said.
And Snow is not afraid to deliver his message directly to his players. Just six months removed from being a player in the Islanders locker room, Snow said he has no problem poking his head in there and having a cup of coffee with the players.

"It's always great conversation," he said. "The one thing they know about me is I'm always honest. I tell it the way it is. Players appreciate not being lied to and I've always believed in honesty."

Snow's hiring was not the only one that raised some eyebrows on Long Island. Head coach Ted Nolan was hired by the Islanders nine years after the Buffalo Sabres fired him following the 1996-97 season.

"Anyone who saw Ted coach in Buffalo knows he gets the most out of his players," Snow said. "Ted's teams are always the hardest working and well prepared. People always respect a team that plays the game the right way for 60 minutes and that's our goal."

Snow said he learned how to treat players from his former bosses, Bob Clarke in Philadelphia and Brian Burke in Vancouver.

"You always have to have your finger on the pulse of the team," he said. "I wouldn't want it any other way. When you do something you love, you can't wait to get there in the morning and you force yourself to leave. I love it. It's not like work to me."

Rumor mill -- When you're losing, the rumors swirl around you like flies on road kill. The latest out of Philadelphia has the Flyers interested in sending Simon Gagne to the Calgary Flames in exchange for Jarome Iginla. The Flyers could use some strength up front and some character in the locker room; the Flames could use the natural goal scoring ability of Gagne.

Shootout summary -- You have to go back to last weekend to find an Atlantic Division team involved in a shootout. Andy Hilbert was not officially credited with a point but his shootout goal in the 10th round gave the Islanders a 4-2 win over the Panthers. Hilbert beat Florida goalie Ed Belfour.

"I saw Belfour was stacking his pads and trying to clog the middle," Hilbert said. "I've been working on my backhand in practice, and put it over him."

The Week Ahead

Monday: Penguins at Ducks -- They may not meet in the Stanley Cup Final this season, but they could be two of the NHL's top contenders for the next several years. Take a look to see if the dynamic duo of Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin can stump the dynamic defensive duo of Scott Niedermayer and Chris Pronger.

Tuesday: Hurricanes at Devils -- Carolina got off to a shaky start this season, but is coming off a big 3-2 win in Ottawa. The Devils are still the team to beat in the Atlantic despite a 5-2 loss to the surprising Isles.

Thursday: Islanders at Flyers -- One team is moving in the right direction, the other is careening in the other.

Friday: Rangers at Thrashers -- The old NHL (Jaromir Jagr, Brendan Shanahan) vs. the new (Ilya Kovalchuck, Marian Hossa). Could Hossa challenge Jagr for this year's scoring title?

Ed Belfour is hoping to get the start and bounce back from a disappointing effort when he competes against some familiar faces.

Belfour may get the starting assignment in goal for the Florida Panthers when they play the second contest of a two-game road swing Monday against the Toronto Maple Leafs.

After going 93-61-4 with 11 ties and a 2.51 ERA in three seasons with Toronto, the 41-year-old Belfour signed as a free agent with Florida after the Maple Leafs acquired Boston Bruins goaltenderAndrew Raycroft.

Belfour is second on the all-time victories list (457) and helped the Dallas Stars win the Stanley Cup in 1999. However, he missed the final 19 games of last season with a herniated disk in his back

After the Panthers opened the campaign with Thursday's 8-3 triumph over Boston, Belfour yielded four goals on just nine shots before being replaced by Alex Auld in the second period of Saturday's 6-0 loss to the Atlanta Thrashers.

Toronto opened the season by splitting two games with the Ottawa Senators before absorbing a 5-4 shootout loss to the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday.

Darcy Tucker scored his third goal of the campaign in the opening period and Matt Stajan added his first in the second session for the Maple Leafs, who won all four encounters with Florida last season.

SUNRISE, Fla. – On Thursday night June 8 the Florida Panthers held their second Cats Cookout of the summer, welcoming more than 500 fans on the BankAtlantic Center’s South Carls Patio. D Steve Montador, along with former Cats LW Bill Lindsay and former Bruins and South Florida resident G Rob Tallas all attended the cookout, which was emceed by Cats radio analyst/VP of Community Development Randy Moller. An announcement will be made next week on the plans for the third Cats Cookout of the summer.

“The Cats Cookout provided another fantastic evening of fun and excitement for our fans,” said Moller. “Our fans really enjoyed the opportunity to meet with our special guests, while also learning about some of our new ticket initiatives for next season. We will continue to make our presence felt throughout the South Florida community with our future summer events that include the Panthers Draft part at Carolina Ale House on June 24, Hockey House Calls and the Panthers Beach Bash.

The festivities included a free barbecue dinner, open bar and live music on the Carls Patio. In addition, fans had the opportunity to get autographs and take photos with the players and also were able to select seats for the upcoming season and get tours and information on memberships to the new “Captain’s Club.” Numerous ticket packages were sold last night after fans had the opportunity to view their future seat location inside the BankAtlantic Center.

Florida Panthers General Manager Mike Keenan announced today that the club has agreed to terms with both G David Shantz and D Bret Nasby on entry-level contracts.

Shantz, 20, guided the Peterborough Petes to the Ontario Hockey League title this season and a berth in the Memorial Cup. He played in four Memorial Cup contests, going 1-3 with a .906 save percentage, as well as all 19 games for the Petes during the OHL playoffs, posting a 16-3 mark with a 2.61 GAA. Shantz also appeared in 49 regular season contests with Peterborough going 31-16-1 with a 2.87 GAA.

Prior to joining Peterborough, Shantz spent two seasons (2003-05) with the Mississauga IceDogs playing in 70 games with a 31-29-5 record. The Hamilton, Ontario native was originally drafted by Florida with their second choice (37th overall) in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft.

Nasby, 20, played in 52 games for both Oshawa and Erie this season, scoring nine goals with 22 assists and 72 penalty minutes. Prior to playing for Erie he spent two seasons with Oshawa (2003-05) appearing in 122 games recording 24 points (2-20-24) with 112 PIM. The Grimsby, Ontario native was originally drafted by Florida with their fifth choice (152nd overall) in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft.

Both players are expected to be at the club’s training camp that will open in mid-September.

Florida Panthers General Manager Mike Keenan announced today that the team has signed C Janis Sprukts to a one-year contract.

Sprukts, 25, played in 35 games with HPK Hameenlinna (Finland) this season scoring 18 goals with 10 assists and 14 penalty minutes. The Riga, Latvia native has represented his country at the IIHF World Championships four times, most recently competing on their 2006 squad.

Sprukts was originally drafted by Florida with its 7th choice (234th overall) in the 2000 NHL Entry Draft. He is expected to attend training camp with Florida in mid-September.

By Mike Brody

WagerWeb.com Contributing Writer

 

Rookie goaltenders have had success in the Stanley Cup Playoffs before – most notably with Ken Dryden in 1971 and Patrick Roy in 1986, both leading the Montreal Canadiens to the Cup – but never before has a crop of  rookie goalies dominated the playoffs like they have this season.

 

Of the five remaining teams in this year’s playoffs, three are led by rookie goalies and another by a first-year starter.  Carolina’s Cam Ward, Buffalo’s Ryan Miller, Anaheim’s Ilya Bryzgalov, and San Jose’s Vesa Toskala have all enjoyed incredible playoff success thus far.

 

Seven-year veteran Dwayne Roloson of the Edmonton Oilers, who was acquired in a mid-season trade with the Minnesota Wild, is the only experienced goaltender left.  I don’t think anyone would have predicted that, especially with the presence of such big-name goalies as Martin Brodeur and Miikka Kiprusoff, and other veteran backstops or  NHL powerhouses like Detroit’s Manny Legace, Dallas’s Marty Turco, and Colorado’s Jose Theodore, among the contenders. 

 

The New Favorite

 

Thanks to a surprisingly easy 4 games to 1 victory over the New Jersey Devils, and a dominating performance winning four straight games over Montreal after losing the first two in Round 1, the Carolina Hurricanes have emerged as the new favorite to win Lord Stanley’s Cup.  Despite finishing the regular season with 112 points, just 1 behind Eastern Conference leader Ottawa, the Hurricanes’ odds of winning the Cup entering the playoffs were posted at 10-1.  That was before the oddsmakers had seen Ward turn away almost every shot he’s faced.

 

In 10 playoff games, the 22-year-old rookie has allowed just 17 goals while posting a 1.77 goals against average (GAA).  Ward let in just five goals in Carolina’s four victories over New Jersey as he outplayed his boyhood idol Brodeur.  With his stellar play, and the Hurricanes’ opportunistic offense, led by 100-point scorer Eric Staal, Carolina will be tough to beat.

 

The Upstart Challenger

 

The Sabres’ Miller is the only U.S.-born goalie among the Fab Four.  He hopes to duplicate the feat of another rookie American goalie, Ron Hextall, who led the Philadelphia Flyers to the Stanley Cup Finals in 1987.  After a shaky start in Game 1 against Ottawa, Buffalo’s defense and Miller shut down the Senators the rest of the way, allowing two or fewer goals in each of the last four games.  The Michigan native has a 2.25 GAA and a .921 save percentage in the first two rounds of the playoffs.

 

Buffalo’s defense has been stellar in front of Miller. Defensemen Toni Lydman and Henrik Tallinder lead all playoff performers in plus/minus at plus-13.  The Sabres’ offense has been scoring in bunches.  Buffalo has a team-leading 43 goals scored in 11 games and is riding high after winger Jason Pominville’s shorthanded, overtime goal clinched the series against Ottawa.

 

Mr. Perfect – Almost

 

Anaheim’s Bryzgalov has been the most surprising and impressive of all the rookies.  Bryzgalov didn’t even enter the playoffs as the Ducks’ No. 1 goalie.  That honor went to Jean-Sebastian Giguere, who led Anaheim to the Stanley Cup Finals in 2003, his second year in the league, and was named the Conn Smythe winner as the MVP of the playoffs that season. 

 

After splitting their first four games against Calgary in Round 1, the Ducks made the switch to Bryzgalov and they haven’t regretted it.  The 24-year-old Russian has practically stood on his head as he is sporting a ridiculous 0.87 GAA and .967 save percentage.  He recorded three straight shutouts, including Game 7 at Calgary to clinch that series.  In doing so, Bryzgalov set a rookie playoff record, holding opponents scoreless for 249 minutes, 15 seconds.  Only Montreal’s George Hainsworth, 270:08 in 1930, has had a longer playoff scoreless streak.

 

The Final Four

 

San Jose’s Toskala is hoping to join his fellow first-year netminders in the conference finals.  After an excellent series against Nashville in Round 1, including a shutout in Game 2, and two 2-1 victories to open the Edmonton series, Toskala and the Sharks find themselves on the ropes as the Oilers have stormed back to take a 3-2 series lead.  Edmonton will try to close it out at home on Wednesday night.

 

San Jose’s offense is led by Patrick Marleau, who leads all playoff goal scorers with nine.  The Sharks will need to get an early lead and help Toskala protect it to force a Game 7 at home on Friday.

 

The Finals

 

The matchup between Ward and Miller should be as entertaining as it gets.  Both are capable of stealing a game or two for their respective teams.  Carolina is the favorite, but Buffalo has a lot of momentum and Miller has shown he can win the close games with four one-goal victories against Ottawa.  Look for the Sabres to get to the Finals.

 

The Ducks have had a long time off after unexpectedly sweeping the Avalanche.  Anaheim may be a little rusty to start the conference finals, but the Ducks have good veteran leadership in Scott Niedermayer and Teemu Selanne and will ride the stellar play of Bryzgalov past either the Oilers or the Sharks to advance to the Stanley Cup Finals.

The Broward Cup will run from Friday, May 19 to Sunday, May 21 at Weston Regional Park. The trophies awarded to the winning teams will be presented by the Florida Panthers Alumni Association. Unlike most recreational sports, the Broward Cup is very competitive and requires players to exemplify good sportsmanship, fair play, and teamwork to be successful.

“The City of Weston welcomes this prestigious tournament that will bring many athletes from around the county to Weston,” said Mayor Eric M. Hersh who has previously coached his son in the Broward Cup. “It will help showcase our park facilities, businesses, and the city as a whole. We are delighted to be the host city and look forward to this great event.”

The WARHL was established in October of 1995 to promote the sport of recreational roller hockey and to provide children from ages four to 18 with the opportunity to play in local and national competitions. The league’s home rink is Weston Regional Park.

“The thing that I am thrilled about is that we have the most substantial enrollment out of any of the Broward leagues” WARHL director Rich Turin said. “Having the Panthers involved adds instant credibility to the Broward Cup. I am ecstatic we have this relationship because it allows us to help grow the sport of hockey in South Florida.”

This year’s event will have vendors set up to speak about the latest equipment, food booths, and a live band. Stanley C. Panther will also be in attendance with a bounce house and interactive Panthers games.

“The Florida Panthers are extremely excited to once again partner with the City of Weston and the WARHL to make this a great Broward Cup,” said Randy Moller Vice President Community Development.

Florida Panthers prospects G David Shantz (Ontario Hockey League) and LW Kendall McArdle (Western Hockey League) have advanced to their junior league’s respective championship series. Shantz and his Peterborough squad take on the London Knights, while McArdle and the Moose Jaw Warriors will face the Vancouver Giants. Both teams will play their first game of the series on Friday, May 5 (a complete schedule can be found below).

Shantz, 19, appeared in 49 regular season contests with Peterborough posting a 31-16-1 mark with a 2.87 GAA. He has played in 15 postseason games going 12-3, with a 2.56 GAA and a .926 save percentage. The Burlington, Ontario native was originally drafted by Florida with their second choice (37th overall) in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft.

McArdle, 19, played in all 72 games with Moose Jaw placing fourth on the club with 71 points (28-43-71) and 135 penalty minutes. He has also played in all 18 of his team’s playoff games scoring five goals with seven assists and 31 penalty minutes. The Burnaby, British Columbia native was drafted by the Panthers with their first choice (20th overall) in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft.

The South Florida chapter of the Professional Hockey Writers’ Association has selected C Joe Nieuwendyk as the Florida Panthers nomination for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy. The award is presented annually to the player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey.

Despite missing 15 games with a back injury earlier this season, Nieuwendyk places second of the Panthers with 55 points (26-29-55) in 64 games played. The 19-year NHL veteran also places first on the team and ranks second in the National Hockey League with a 59.4 face-off percentage. In addition, he places second on the club with seven power play tallies and is tied for third on the team with three game-winning goals.

The Oshawa, Ontario native recorded his 1,100th career point on Mar. 20 with an assist in the Cats 6-5 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning. With his game-winning goal against the Ottawa Senators on Apr. 13, he recorded his 559th goal of his career moving him past Johnny Bucyk into 20th all-time and one shy of tying Guy Lafleur for 19th among NHL’s all-time goal scoring leaders. He also recorded his first Panthers hat trick in his return to Toronto on Apr. 11

Former Masterton winners on the Panthers include G Jamie McLennan and LW Gary Roberts. McLennan won the trophy in 1998 while playing for the St. Louis Blues after returning from a bout with bacterial meningitis. Roberts took home the honor in 1996 with the Calgary Flames after returning from a neck injury.

The winner of the Masterton Trophy is selected by a poll among the 30 chapters of the PHWA at the end of the regular season. The 2003-04 recipient was defenseman Bryan Berard of the Chicago Blackhawks. NHL writers first presented the trophy in 1968 to commemorate the late Bill Masterton, who played for the Minnesota North Stars and exhibited to a high degree the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey. Masterton died on January 15, 1968, as the result of head injuries suffered during a game.

By Daniel Kline

WagerWeb.com Contributing Writer

 

Both the NBA and the NHL close out the first round of their playoffs. In baseball, you’ve got the Orioles and the Blue Jays, matching up in what has to be one of the biggest questions of the baseball season. One of these teams might hang on to challenge the Yankees and Red Sox, but probably not both, making this early season tilt a little more interesting.

 

*All times Eastern.

 

Monday, May 1

NFL Europe, Berlin at Rhein (3 p.m., NFL Network)

Stop arguing about who your team drafted and check in on the sport’s minor league with this mid-afternoon match-up. Though NFL Europe might not get the attention of its big brother, the league offers a good chance to figure out which back-up players might break through come the fall.

 

Tuesday, May 2

Yankees at Red Sox (7:05 p.m., DirecTV, regional)

Every Yankees versus Red Sox match-up gets covered like a playoff game in Boston and New York, so expect tempers to flare in this tilt. The Sox have had the early season advantage, but that’s nothing new, as the Sox always have a division lead in the Summer – the question is whether they can hold it in the Fall.

 

Wednesday, May 3

Boxing (9 p.m. ESPN2)

Sharmba Mitchell takes on Jose Luis Cruz in a 10-round welterweight tilt. Cruz plays the role of the fighter on the way up, taking on former two-time champion Mitchell, who wants one more shot at the gold. Mitchell was knocked out in the sixth round in his last fight, but that was against Floyd Mayweather – one of the best in the division – so he’s aiming to prove that was a fluke and knock Cruz off the ladder of contention.

 

Thursday, May 4

Wachovia Open (4 p.m., USA)

A Tiger-less field should leave this one pretty wide open. Vijay Singh attempts to repeat as champion, a title he took last year in a three-way playoff with Sergio Garcia and Jim Furyk.

 

Friday, May 5

College Volleyball (Midnight, ESPN2)

Catch the men’s semifinal of the NCAA men’s volleyball tournament. This might be your last chance to see some of your favorite players before they turn pro and head out on the lucrative men’s volleyball tour.

 

Saturday, May 6

Kentucky Derby (6 p.m., NBC)

Horse racing only matters three times a year to the average fan, but the Kentucky captures the best of the sport. Because it’s the first Triple Crown race, every Derby winner stands the chance of being the first horse to bring home racing’s most elusive prize since Affirmed in 1978.

 

Sunday, May 7

Premier League Soccer (5 p.m., FOXESP)

Two of the big powers in the Premiership face off as Newcastle battles Chelsea in an attempt to cut into Chelsea’s overall lead in the standings. Chelsea did just fall in the FA Cup semifinal, but their big lead in the regular season standings makes clinching the title almost inevitable.

 

 

Daniel Kline’s book “50 Things Every Guy Should Know How To Do” is available in bookstores nationwide. He can be reached at dan@notastep.com.

 

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