Schremp to get Islanders debut, Tambellini out?

by Dominik on Oct 7, 2009 6:15 AM EDT in Roster Manoeuvres in the Dark Comment 29 comments

Two caveats: 1) The Islanders have one more practice (this morning) before heading to Ottawa, and 2) Scott Gordon and Garth Snow are -- how shall we say it? -- usually "tightlipped" about their roster plans. But those caveats aside, John Jeansonne's report from yesterday's practice sure makes it look like Jeff Tambellini and Nate Thompson are the odd men out Thursday.

I lied; there's one more caveat: Jeansonne is not the everyday beat writer, and any poor soul covering the Isles could misread the significance of Islanders practice lines, particularly if Gordon's just getting a good look at Rob Schremp. That said, Jeansonne makes it sound an awful lot like Doug Weight and Blake Comeau's return combines with Schremp's debut to push Tambellini out. The lines, per Jeansonne (excluding the 1st line, which I assume is safe):

On a purely hockey napkin-sketch level, I like these lines. On the issue of how to logically work the Rob Schremp Hockey experiment in, I like these lines. (Put Schremp with two defensively responsible forwards, and free him of the center job forever.) But on the issue of best equipping Tambellini to build off his strong preseason, I'm not so sure. Maybe they want to work Schremp in after he's had three practices in a row to get the system down, rather than just another morning skate. As always, I'm sure the plans are subject to change.

What say you? I know how many of you feel, but don't hesitate to repeat your stance in this thread. And for you lurkers, this is as good a time as any to introduce yourself and leave your two cents on this timeless topic. Tambellini has been the prodigal story among Isles fans for three years running, his future harder to pin down than the Caddyshack gopher.

If the Islanders still want to make something of Tambellini -- and all September it appeared they do -- is game 2 the time to healthy scratch him? Or is it right to baptize Schremp now, as they'll have a bushel of games this month to work bodies in and out?

Poll

Should the Islanders debut Rob Schremp Thursday at the expense of Jeff Tambellini?

Yes - You can't prevent Rob Schremp Hockey

156 votes

No - Don't shake Tamby's confidence all over again, and so soon

95 votes

"I got to get inside this dude's pelt and crawl around for a few days."

20 votes

271 votes | Poll has closed

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Comments

Tamby Out?

Get on the Ferry Jiffy Jeff Jeff…
;o)

Nice job Dom.

www.7thwoman.blogspot.com Updated almost as often as PointBlank, but not quite.

by 7th Woman on Oct 7, 2009 8:08 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Tambellini stinks.

That is all.

Seriously though, I think Tambellini has been given enough chances to try and earn his spot. He has yet to prove his worth. Schremp deserves the chance, lets see what he’s got. That’s what this season is all about, right?

by BigBoyJacobs on Oct 7, 2009 8:53 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Schremp is a spare part...

and should be treated as such until he proves otherwise. Tambellini deserves a legit shot based upon his performance in September.

by BCISLEMAN on Oct 7, 2009 10:24 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I’ve been thinking on Schremp. Maybe the whole reason they got him was the expectation of injuries and him filling in for scratches. With Schremp on the Pro roster, you can keep someone in Bridgeport to develop, instead of bouncing someone back and forth. Schremps development or non development has no effect on the Islanders. If he fails it cost them minimal. If he plays 20-30 games and puts up decent numbers maybe give him a better chance next season.

by WebBard on Oct 7, 2009 12:50 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I’m down with that view. Schremp is basically house money. They can use him as they see fit with the expectation that injuries will develop, etc., and everyone will get their shot.

While not the same, Schremp and Tambellini are of similar profiles: offensive talents at lower levels who might have liabilities to get it done or be useful at this level. But Tambellini is further along the curve in adapting to that reality. So if this lineup is indeed correct, I’m very curious to see how Gordon uses them going forward. Will it always be one or the other? What if Schremp plays responsibly enough but doesn’t put up points? How much time does he get? Should be fun.

Lighthouse Hockey: Side effects may include Weight gain and frequent game loss.

by Dominik on Oct 7, 2009 1:22 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

If he is starting Schremp over Tambellini, I am disappointed. Coming in as the new guy, Schremp had no reasonable expectation of starting right off the bat. After the camp he had, Tambellini did.

I’ll go back to my objection to signing him in the first place. This year was supposed to be about giving our own prospects a chance to develop. If we are not going to do that, then we should have gone out and gotten players like Tanguay and probably gotten a better product on the ice in the short term.

by BCISLEMAN on Oct 7, 2009 2:51 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Let's see what we have

I have no issue with getting Rob Schremp involved early. Essentially, Bailey and Hunter showed a good two-man game on that line, so adding Schremp shouldn’t hurt (or could it?). I think this organization has gone every which way with Tamby and I am not too concerned with his feelings. If he takes this as a slap in the face or if he uses this as fuel to kick start his game (I find the latter hard to believe), it really doesn’t matter anymore.

If Schremp is better or even the same as Tamby, he deserves a chance sooner than later. We’ll find out whether the fire burns brighter for Schremp, how coachable he is to improve on his game, or where he slots into the Isles plans (2nd line LW or checking line LW).

by gstatman on Oct 7, 2009 1:20 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I think this organization has gone every which way with Tamby and I am not too concerned with his feelings.

I’ve felt that way off and on. I figured he’d be a likely odd man out going into this year, and this would be it. But then I was surprised to see how much time he got in preseason, and I thought he did well in the opener, so I didn’t expect a scratch — if this is indeed a scratch — quite so early. (The eternal problem remains: If he’s not scoring, is he useful enough to hold a spot?)

Another wild card in this is Blake Comeau. I bet he gets more chances, but his defensive numbers at 5-on-5 did not flatter him last season.

Lighthouse Hockey: Side effects may include Weight gain and frequent game loss.

by Dominik on Oct 7, 2009 1:28 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Schremp should not be getting a start over Tambellini. Tambellini earned a start based on his pre-season performance. Schremp hasn’t earned anything yet. This goes back to my problem with signing him to begin with. If you are not going to give our guys a chance to prove themselves, you should have gone out and signed proven veterans and go for it.

by BCISLEMAN on Oct 7, 2009 2:54 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I was assumming

Yeah we had extra forwards because of our history with theinjury bug. (what happens if everyone stays healthy this month and Frans is thrown into the line-up). My thought was it would be nice to rest guys and keep them fresh as it is a long season, say if we have back to back games sit out Weight the second game.

by steelermafia on Oct 7, 2009 2:25 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Site stuff FYI...

Folks, FYI, I know the site has been loading slowly — tech is working on it, and that’s why (for the moment) the “X new comments” function isn’t working the way it should. I think they’re changing out the hamsters who keep the servers running.

Lighthouse Hockey: Side effects may include Weight gain and frequent game loss.

by Dominik on Oct 7, 2009 3:33 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I do think it is good to get Schremp some time in

but I have to agree with BCIslesman in that I think Tambellini seemed like he may have finally been putting it together. I really like picking up Schremp, but I would be surprised if he is already going to contribute in Gordon’s system

"Look at me! I'm Tomokazu Ohka of the Montreal Expos!"

by jessef on Oct 7, 2009 7:07 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I am quite willing to give him a fair shot at making the team…but not at Tambellini’s expense.

by BCISLEMAN on Oct 7, 2009 7:21 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Let the best player get the job

Let it be JT, RS, MM, SB or even BC. JT will still have an opportinity weather it is now of another day as the season just started. And what’s the deal with BC’s salary? I read somewhere that it is $4 million+ this year? This true? I don’t recall him doing anything that warants such scale.

by AnthonyO on Oct 7, 2009 8:10 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Since JT is Tavares’s handle. lets stick to first and / or last names for other guys. Comeau makes $650,000 per this year and next. Only Isles to make over $4 mil per are DP and Streit. Schremp is the one who should have to wait his turn is my point.

by BCISLEMAN on Oct 7, 2009 9:09 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Here's a really sickening thought...

Guess who the highest paid forward on the Islander payroll is?

by BCISLEMAN on Oct 7, 2009 9:19 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Welcome, AnthonyO! Thanks for joining.

If you’re referring to Blake Comeau, he’s at just $650,000 this year and next year. He signed a three-year deal in summer ’08, I believe.

Lighthouse Hockey: Side effects may include Weight gain and frequent game loss.

by Dominik on Oct 7, 2009 10:21 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

That settles it.

Schremp is a Rangers fan—or at least he was. We are starting an admitted Rangers fan over the son of a core Islander? For shame, Scott, for shame!

by BCISLEMAN on Oct 8, 2009 12:35 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

OT, but . . .

. . . why are there so many days until I can watch the Isles lose again? They pulled this same nonsense for the last couple of years with the schedule — the Isles had almost a week off or something.

I’m no big city mathematician or nothing, but a hockey team ought to play more than once a week.

by AP77 on Oct 8, 2009 12:46 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I think it’s league punishment for actually letting the Isles open at home.

Lighthouse Hockey: Side effects may include Weight gain and frequent game loss.

by Dominik on Oct 8, 2009 1:36 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

We are not alone...

The Thrashers and the Preds have both also only played one game and a number of others have only played two.

by BCISLEMAN on Oct 8, 2009 3:00 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

LOL! I didn’t think about that. Good point.

by metalcoconut on Oct 8, 2009 5:39 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Schremp is a nice pickup

but it’s strange to contemplate that after Tambellini’s strong preseason, he could be a healthy scratch in game 2 (and after playing pretty well in game 1, at that). Likely, injuries will mean that both will have their chances so maybe it doesn’t matter, but Schremp would seem to me to be the one that needs to play his way onto the team, rather than Jeff, who has essentially done everything the team could want from him thusfar this season.

"Let us go forth awhile, and get better air in our lungs. Let us leave our closed rooms... The game of ball is glorious." - Walt Whitman

by hugo on Oct 8, 2009 10:56 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I believe in having fairness and a process. A newbie like Schremp just shouldn’t have pride of place over a longtime Islander who has just put in a terrific preseason. To me, its like a slap in the face.

by BCISLEMAN on Oct 8, 2009 11:18 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

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	#	Pos.	DOB	W	H
Josh Bailey	12	C	10/2/1989	188	6-1
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Martin Biron	43	G	8/15/1977	180	6-3
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Freddy Meyer	44	D	1/4/1981	192	5-10
Matt Moulson	26	LW	11/1/1983	206	6-1
Frans Nielsen	51	C	4/24/1984	172	5-11
Kyle Okposo	21	RW	4/16/1988	200	6-1
Richard Park	10	RW	5/27/1976	190	5-11
Dylan Reese	42	D	8/29/1984	195	6-0
Dwayne Roloson	30	G	10/12/1969	180	6-1
Jon Sim	16	LW	9/29/1977	195	5-10
Mark Streit	2	D	12/11/1977	197	6-0
Jeff Tambellini	15	LW	4/13/1984	186	5-11
John Tavares	91	C	9/20/1990	195	6-0

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