What an afternoon, huh?
With all the moves or more like non-moves out of the Islanders today -- I am sitting on hold waiting for a conference call with Islanders GM Garth Snow to start. I will be sure to post all the lurid and interesting details after it's over.
More in a few!
Edit: Well that was interesting, the volume on the call was so low that I think I made out about four words Snow said. They really couldn't seem to get anything right today.
There will be a release sent out shortly - hopefully I can at least get his quotes THAT way. My sincerest appologies, the technical difficulties were completely out of my control.
Update, while awaiting the team's release: Botta and the press corps got some tight-lipped quotes out of Snow, but he wouldn't budge about the first Guerin deal that fell through. Per Botta:
We tried to see if [Snow] had any frustration with a possible trade partner pulling the rug out on a Guerin deal. We asked if he was angered by any of his colleagues. Snow said no.
Update #2, Sorry for the delay. From the official Islanders press release regarding all roster moves made today:
The New York Islanders have traded Bill Guerin to the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for a conditional 2009 fifth round draft selection. The team has also activated defenseman Thomas Pock and center Nate Thompson from the Injured Reserve while reassigning winger Jon Sim to the Bridgeport Sound Tigers of the American Hockey League.
The conditions of the Guerin/Pittsburgh trade are as follows: If Pittsburgh reaches the playoffs, the draft pick is upgraded to a fourth round selection. If Pittsburgh advances past the first round and Guerin plays in 50 percent of those first round games, the draft pick gets further upgraded to a third round selection. The fifth round selection originally belonged to Tampa Bay.
“The entire Islanders organization has the utmost respect for Bill Guerin and we sincerely thank him for his time on Long Island and as the team’s captain,” said Islanders General Manager Garth Snow.
Guerin recorded 16 goals and 20 assists for 36 points in 61 games with the Islanders this season. Since signing with the team as a free agent on July 5, 2007, he played in 142 games and recorded 39 goals and 41 assists for 80 points. Guerin was the 11th captain in franchise history.
Sim, who cleared waivers earlier today, has played in 49 games with the Islanders this season and scored nine goals and six assists for 15 points. In 51 career games with the Islanders he has scored nine goals with seven assists for 16 points and 44 penalty minutes. Sim was signed by the Islanders as a free agent on July 1, 2007.