LHinks: Martin Biron signs, DiPietro fan freak-out edition

by Dominik on Jul 23, 2009 7:00 AM EDT in Blade Splinters Comment 13 comments

You knew the big news of Wednesday, the surprise signing of Martin Biron, was not hitting the wires without making waves in Islanders country and beyond during a slow late July. Not so much because of Biron's humble come-down from his initial a$piration$, but rather for what it tells us -- because the HIPAA-loving Islanders will not -- about Rick DiPietro's health.

First, a press release arrives from the club. (Yes, likely a modern technical snafu, but the club release was time-stamped in my inbox before the Post published what they billed as a "Larry Brooks EXCLUSIVE," although I suspect the release came out because the Brooks EXCLUSIVE was coming. Regardless, the point stands: Let's hear it one more time for archaic old-media terminology! EXCLUSIVE: News about to spread, exclusively!)
Of course, at least Brooks' "the Post has learned" piece included the salary: $1.4 million. (Let's hear it for old media reporting what the team will not due to "club policy"!)
Via Newsday's trippy new template, Logan blogs and lets them have it: "If the Islanders want to cloak Rick DiPietro's health status in mystery, that's their prerogative. But actions seldom lie." Nice! In Logan's print story, Biron sounds like a guy eager for an audition (a #1 job or trade to a contender is the unspoken objective) as the summer wanes.

Islesblogger Mike tweeted and posted a FanShot here, where most of this site's discussion of the deal took place. I posted a bit more later, adding my disappointment at the dismissal of the Islanders radio team and decision to simulcast.

As Mike pointed out in his Islesblogger post, this is a no-brainer, win-win for the Isles, no matter how Rick DiPietro's rehab proceeds.

B.D. Gallof, after questioning DiPietro's health but a day before: Garth was not happy with DiPietro's all's good act last season, and hilariously ... we finally have the better Biron! {rimshot!}

PuckDaddy managed to use a DiPietro contract one-liner in the headline that still made me laugh. Not easily done.

Turning quickly to a post-Biron angle, Chris Botta says thanks, but what about the non-goalie positions? (Inevitable answer: All full, except for enforcer, and any other obvious Biron-like bargains.)

Botta's initial Biron reaction is tacked on to his earlier DiPietro piece. I think he's wrong in part, though: This move does make the Islanders better. How much is debatable -- maybe even negligible -- but having a reliable backup/1A for the 40-year-old sure beats hoping for AHL or Magic Knee Recovery support.

Doug at Official's Outlook points out that, with Biron out of Philadelphia, our chances against the Flyers have improved massively. (Oh wait, that's right, I'm supposed to fear Ray Emery. Sorry, KHL-lovers.)

Barry Melrose Rocks brings the snark on the Biron signing.

Okposo Net on what Biron means: Yay, but ... uh-oh.

NYI Net: It's all about the insurance, stupid.

In the end, the day was about three things, in descending importance: 1) Insurance for DiPietro and assurance he won't be rushed back (again); 2) Sincere shoring up of this year's goaltending; 3) A cheap bet on having some nice trade bait this winter or next trade deadline.

Ah, as the Islanders world turns: It's never a dull moment.

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Emery....

Yea, the only thing I fear of his is less than desirable practice attendance and attitude.

We’re talking bout practice, practice.

lol

Islesblogger is a contributor to Lighthouse Hockey: SBN's New York Islanders blog who's lost the most man games to injury.

by Michael Schuerlein on Jul 23, 2009 4:19 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

If Coach tells you that I missed practice, then that’s that. I may have missed one practice this year but if somebody says he missed one practice of all the practices this year, then that’s enough to get a whole lot started. I told Coach Brown that you don’t have to give the people of Philadelphia a reason to think about trading me or anything like that. If you trade somebody, you trade them to make the team better…simple as that. I’m cool with that. I’m all about that. The people in Philadelphia deserve to have a winner. It’s simple as that. It goes further than that … If I can’t practice, I can’t practice. It is as simple as that. It ain’t about that at all. It’s easy to sum it up if you’re just talking about practice. We’re sitting here, and I’m supposed to be the franchise player, and we’re talking about practice. I mean listen, we’re sitting here talking about practice, not a game, not a game, not a game, but we’re talking about practice. Not the game that I go out there and die for and play every game like it’s my last but we’re talking about practice man. How silly is that? … Now I know that I’m supposed to lead by example and all that but I’m not shoving that aside like it don’t mean anything. I know it’s important, I honestly do but we’re talking about practice. We’re talking about practice man. We’re talking about practice. We’re talking about practice. We’re not talking about the game. We’re talking about practice. When you come to the arena, and you see me play, you’ve seen me play right, you’ve seen me give everything I’ve got, but we’re talking about practice right now. … Hey I hear you, it’s funny to me too, hey it’s strange to me too but we’re talking about practice man, we’re not even talking about the game, when it actually matters, we’re talking about practice … How the hell can I make my teammates better by practicing?

by WebBard on Jul 24, 2009 3:58 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Ooops, meant to reply to Mike with that.

by WebBard on Jul 24, 2009 3:58 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Is that a quote?

SHOOOOOOOT IT!!!! Anon

by burpchelischili on Jul 24, 2009 5:40 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Its Iverson’s infamous Practice Rant.

by WebBard on Jul 24, 2009 1:43 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Right up there with Jim Mora’s “Playoffs?!”

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

by Dominik on Jul 24, 2009 7:28 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Or Denis Green’s “We are who we thought they are!”

by WebBard on Jul 24, 2009 8:47 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

We are who we thought we are, and that is a team that doesn’t practice and won’t make the playoffs, or do diddly poo.

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

by Dominik on Jul 26, 2009 11:10 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

At least you didn’t get a Derrick Coleman quotation out of it all:

“Whoop-dee-damn-doo.”

That’d almost be worse… Or it’s what Kate Murray can be attributed with.

Gross Misconduct with yours truly

by HockeyJoe on Jul 27, 2009 8:19 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Ha! Murray’s had her share, for sure.

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

by Dominik on Jul 27, 2009 9:53 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Ah, I was trying to figure out why Philli would deserve a winner…

SHOOOOOOOT IT!!!! Anon

by burpchelischili on Jul 25, 2009 6:26 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Martin Biron's signing

The guy did take a serious pay-cut, despite knowing there is a very solid chance he will get lit up like a Christmas tree every time he skates into the crease. It’s not at all a bad thing to have him and Roloson sharing that pressure if (when) DiPietro goes down again. One would be bound to hit something resembling a hot streak at some point, right? Right?

NY Islanders sign Martin Biron for one year, $1.4 million.

by FWR on Jul 26, 2009 11:10 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

He took a pay cut, probably out of necessity: No one would entrust him with starter’s money (and cap space), so he signs a deal where he can get playing time and at a price where he might be an enticing trade target for a better team that suddenly has a need.

P.S. Welcome to the site; I’d be happy to have you frequent often and even comment more. But I see you’ve just joined several SBN hockey sites quite quickly and posted comments with links to your stuff. That’s not really what comments here are for. Think of this as more of a neighborhood bar where fans debate sports with people they trust/tolerate, rather than scrawl stuff on the bathroom wall.

Members are welcome — and encouraged — to list and link their sites in their signature (see my signature for an example), but pimping your own stuff outright, particularly when you haven’t been part of the conversation until just now, is obviously going to be frowned upon and suspected as spam. Just fair warning (and reminder to other lurkers). Context is everything.

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

by Dominik on Jul 26, 2009 11:23 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

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New York Islanders Roster

	#	Pos.	DOB	W	H
Josh Bailey	12	C	10/2/1989	188	6-1
Sean Bergenheim	20	LW	2/8/1984	205	5-10
Martin Biron	43	G	8/15/1977	180	6-3
Blake Comeau	57	RW	2/18/1986	207	6-1
Bruno Gervais	8	D	10/3/1984	205	6-1
Trevor Gillies	14	LW	1/30/1979	215	6-3
Jack Hillen	38	D	1/24/1986	200	5-11
Trent Hunter	7	RW	7/5/1980	210	6-3
Tim Jackman	28	RW	11/14/1981	210	6-4
Dustin Kohn	56	D	2/2/1987	200	6-2
Andrew MacDonald	47	D	9/7/1986	188	6-1
Matt Martin	46	LW	3/8/1989	192	6-2
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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