Sim City: Islanders keep Jon in the fold

He’s pretty benign in my book: He doesn’t get a lot of minutes, doesn’t really take minutes from anyone more deserving, draws more opposition penalties in less time than his teammates, and actually mixes it up on a team that doesn’t do much agitating. If and when they have better options I hope they’re not shy about using him, but I see him as a depth signing who’s a low-risk, known quantity.

That said, of the free agents I thought they might re-sign, he was low on the list. I’m pretty shocked.

and chris botta knows its a terrible move because he turned the comments off for the post announcing his signing.

I would venture that if he turned the comments off it’s hardly an admission of anything, but rather a sign he didn’t want the post to become just another punching bag for everyone who unleashes kilobytes of venom about a fourth-line forward.

Seriously, I understand people aren’t enamored with him — I could take or leave him myself. But fourth-line grinders get cheap two-way deals. That’s what Sim got.

If instant fan favorite Matt Martin proves his worth (or the Finn named Jesse? Or even Ullstrom?), I’m sure he’ll get his due.

chris botta knows its a terrible move because he turned the comments off for the post announcing his signing

What a strange theory. CBs commetns sections are nothing BUT pissing and moaning 99% of the time.
He turns off comments because he is no longer paid to moderate his Islanders board, he works for Fanhouse. Thats the entire explanation of it.

By the way, when you really like a comment you can “rec” it (it’s under “actions” below each comment). Enough recs and it turns green and stands out. Which would be a special brand of fun if it’s a comment disagreeing with the blog manager, lol.

since you brought up The Sims…

 is this an acceptable reactionary shot?

THAT IS THE BIG QUESTION. I’m fine with him as a bridgeport guy, possibly even a depth FOURTH liner. But on opening day if I see his name in the 4th line and not matt marting or joensuu, maybe even pareantu, then I believe this is a terrible terrible signing.

Are you aware he was signed to a two-way deal? He’s not taken anybody’s roster spot yet.

Good points. If he puts up some scoring for Bridgeport that’d be a nice bonus for those reasons.

And if you’re Sim, and you see the market and way of things, you probably have two choices: Hang it up now, or keep the fun job alive — and at least with the NYI you’re either in the Bridge or on Long Island, as opposed to a long flight away like some teams and their AHL affiliates. Not a bad gig, all told. Beats office work, ha!

I pretty much see it that way. None of the youngsters are any guarantee (despite the love for Martin, which I share in despite a lack of much evidence), so the dynamic of a desperate veteran trying to extend his career like Mike Keane isn’t a bad thing, I’d think.

Gordon was never shy about limiting Sim’s role/minutes, and Snow took the difficult step of sending Witt down (and buying him out), so I’m imagining hockey sense will prevail whenever that kind of decision presents itself.

It’s possible. I really thought they did this last year: Reich, Haley, Morrency, Gillies joining Rechlicz — those guys struck me as a lot of sandpaper but Reich had bad injuries and Rechlicz flamed out, among others.

I tend to see Zenon, Gillies and Yablonski (and now Sim) as possible evidence they want more experienced ruffians at both levels, the “Rechlicz on the Job Training” program having not worked out so well.

If Sim was signed to be our first-line LW… or to check the Ovechkins/Crosbys of the world… or for three years one-way at a gravity-bending number… yeah, I’d hold your drink while you threw up about it. But this is a bargain-bin, one-year, two-way deal for a fourth-liner. This is really small potatoes.

I mean, it’s not like the Boogaard deal, right?

Bergie back over sim would of been a no question in my mind, but people say bergies salary over sim’s would have been too much for the isles budget right now.

“Even if we have a 4th line full of his type, that’ll teach people not to take liberties with our more skilled players” ?

Maybe you think he takes some attention off of them? But hardly. He doesn’t really protect Tavares or KO or JB or any of our top guys by being an agitator. Konopka, Gillies, and people of that sort are the ones that keep people off of the young guns, not Sim.

I had said Id take him over Bergenheim, and thats exactly what happened! Funny how things work out, huh? :)

I’d laugh if he was not only in the opening game but scored a nice, greasy garbage goal for the Isles’ first of the season, lol.

I agree. I really don’t understand how Islander fans can be pissed about this signing. We are talking about a hardworking role player who went out and did his job every game last year. Those are the type of players I would think fans would get behind. And he was signed to a two way contract, so people bitching about him taking a roster spot don’t know what they are talking about. He hasn’t taken anyone’s spot yet. We’ll see if someone like Martin steps and proves that he ready.

Waiver-eligible he is. I believe he’d even have to go through waivers to start the season in the A.

If Martin is so ready for the NHL, he will play in the NHL.
Its a GOOD thing that he isnt pushed before he is ready, isnt it?

Well, I’m not too pissed. It’s just a signing for now and there’s a pretty high probability Sim won’t play too many games this season. And I must admit he was fun to watch in some games indeed. So, yeah, why not. But I can certainly understand people who don’t like it at all because I’m not quite sure about the “he goes out and does his job” thing.
His job is not to draw penalties and stand in front of the net, that’s his role. His job is to add value to the team when all is said and done. Despite the upside he has in those two areas he could after all still not do his job properly therefore. Whether that really is the case is hard to tell. But he’s surely not a very good hockey player and I definitely think he’s a very big liability out there to his line mates.

My favourite stat from his last season is that he got only three assists until March 13 – two were great plays… That’s ridiculous. I know, he’s a 4th liner and everything, but really, how bad must your hands be and how frustrated must it be to play on a line with someone who can’t pass the puck.

Yeah good point.

Very Few Islanders actually played less then 10 minutes a night last year, Jackman was the only regular to do so. If you want you can also consider Reichlicz and Gillies had less then 10 minutes, but we all know they had specialized roles for the team and weren’t going to be getting big minutes.