Dreaming of an Islanders Winter Classic

than ever being one for the Isles

Especially after there were such hope to have a promising season this year. By the time the Islanders would be ready for a Winter Classic, the NHL may decide to take an off year. All the Islanders would need to is to win. They have the history, the fans, and even the New York market. Alas, I do not see the Islanders being in a Winter Classic in the next coming years.

Too many factors to list, as to why the Islanders won’t get a Winter Classic.

I agree with John from ATL that I would like to see a Isles/Oilers game in Citi field,

I also Mushnick’s column yesterday in the NY POST talked about how the Steinbrenner’s rejected a Winter Classic in the house that George built, choosing instead to bank on the Pinstripe Classic Bowl Game as a winter revenue stream.

there could still be outdoor games set up in the same spirit as the official classic. I would love to see a NY-area round robin weekend, having the Isles, Rags, and Devs all playing each other over the course of a weekend, and also throwing in some local or college or the PD-FD game. I think it could be a big weekend for the City and something that could potentially take place year after year. Isn’t Boston still building the rink for a series of outdoor games?

Yankee stadium is unavailable until 2015 because of the contract with the pinstripe bowl. By 2015 I would hope the rebuild is over and we have a solid contending team on our hands. Until then, i don’t see it happening.

Sorry, Mark – NOT enamored with the Americans’ uniform motif – like both the Flyers’ and Rangers’ designs (in fact, would propose that the latter’s become their regular road jersey once this game is completed, not necessarily retaining the elongated logo) and would insist upon any throwback top to feature the Islanders logo…..if there were some way of not forcing the 2 incompatible elements together and they could be integrated more naturally (say, something along the lines of MInnesota’s or Montreal’s approach) I might be more amenable to it though…..

The Islanders could ice most or all of a team that won four straight Stanley Cups. It’ll be tough for post-Dynasty guys to get on the team (barring a lot of “thanks but no thanks” responses).

As for the uniforms, they could wear jerseys representative of the inaugural Islanders jerseys, with the white and orange stripes flipped and the orange letters.

Sadly, the NHL might have to contract about a dozen teams before the Islanders would even be considered for one. My completely made-up prediction for next year’s Winter Classic: Red Wings and Bruins at either Michigan Stadium or Comerica Park.

likely in Ann Arbor – Detroit vs Chicago

gives us a year to get competitive and make the case for 2014

if anyone has thought of starting up a full league based on outdoor hoickey – for Seniors

you could use Yale Field to attract NY/New England, Toronto has that soccer stadium, obviously Citizens Bank Park could work, as do Fenway & Wrigley – Montreal has a soccer stadium – Vancouver would be interested too

must be scope for 8-12 teams like this

a short iwinter season + a TV contract with that new NBC Sports thing that will need programming

let the 60+ folks play too a la Bernie Parent at the beginning of games

would be a big success and great for hockey’s image

I have good timing: Out working in the yard, came back in to hear, “Next, our 1st intermission with He Who Shall Not Be Named.”

Oh, tell me I get to hear Pierre, too.

…..just how enduring the rivalry IS to those who haven’t been truly exposed to it; rather, how thoroughly the passions of both teams’ fans are stirred up by these matches – thus giving much more potential weight to the feasibility of an Islanders-Ranger Winter Classic…..

is it safe to assume Nabby is getting traded?

“The key to quality goaltending? Timely saves. Henrik Lundqvist gets that.”

Yes, yes that’s Henrik’s secret: He “gets that.”

I understand they are divisional rivals and all, but the Rags biggest rival is the Isles and the Flyers biggest rival is the Pens.

They’re rivals, I get it, but you’re completely blowing it out of proportion.

why don’t they just have the game in NYC anyway. You mean to tell me they can only have one outside game a year? Like it wouldnt sell out in NY even if it wasnt played on New Years Day or day after.

this is a good game, but a tough watch – I guess I’m rooting for the Flyers, but they just scored, and I don’t care

Anyway, thought I’d do a quick analysis of Bridgeport’s season from a perspective of 3 stars of the game – some interesting things when you add it up

1) Poulin is the team leader with 3 1st star votes, and 4 3rd stars, much of this coming in the 2nd quarter of the season – he is ready to return when we have a spot for him

2) Guys like Wallace, Colliton, Ullstrom, Dibo had most of the 1st stars – reason they haven’t played as well is between callups and injuries, they are offensively depleted

3) Rakhshani showed up a few times recently as a star – hopefully a good sign

4) Wishart & Reese – neither has been in the top 3 stars of the game – shows that Reese has not dominated here as suspected, much as he fits with the Islanders – Wishart simply doesn’t shine – Donovan also hasn’t been a star )but he tweeted recently that he’s been sick for two months – what is that about) – de Haan and Ness have each been a third star once each

5) In 10 games, Bridgeport hasn’t had one of the three stars – they just aren’t that good this year (nor were they last year)

We have some good pieces there, but not a good winning environment this year – care should be taken not to let Cizikas, de Haan, Poulin, etc. get stale down there

When you live in Hurricane Alley, you don’t ever want to hear his name, promise.

…..and just stumbled upon a Grabs posting to Facebook: he’s now reached 40K in followers……don’t know what JT might have in terms of followers, but given how nondescript most of our players have been league-wide in the last decade (Ziggy might’ve had a HUGE following had Twitter been around in 1996-98) that number is truly remarkable, and a very good harbinger of our future…..

apparently a 90 minute documentary on the new NHL Sports Network (Versus) Bobby Clarke was just talking about – sounds interesting – called Cold War on Ice – still remember someone throwing fake blood on the Islander Ice when we played the Soviets one time back then (they kicked our asses – who did we play again? had dinner with some Russians who couldn’t talk openly about anything back then – my Dad had some front office connections then)

two things

1) Fuck ESPN – hope this new channel works out

2) this new NBC Sports Network doesn’t seem to have its own website? hello guys, its 2012

gotta love it

time for another push to get PK Subban?

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=384018

The 2 teams among the three (Isles, Rangers, Devils) play an annual Outdoor game.
The participants are chosen very simply…..the two teams with the better players from the season before.

Again…This would never happen…but would be awesome

I told her Callahan was from Rochester.

And the end of the game she calls me to tell me how much fun it was and how she liked the Rags because of Callahan and that awesome goalie. I think she may be a fan.

I guess my mom really ain’t perfect after all. ;-)

I wonder if cappy thought of putting nino and grabs with neilsen. Nino will provide the hits to open up the ice for grabner that Franzy does already…and Grabner will put the pucks on net that Nino with a lethal shot could bank in. And it will give nino more playing time and learn more from guys that can play the game instead of relegated to 4th line duty with players that wont help much stats wise or performance wise. What can he learn from Reasoner besides winning a face off and making a hit? Has he done anything otherwise?
Not taking anything from wallace either…but im pretty sure he and Nino have the same amount of league experience not noting AHL time.