SB Nation - Radek Martinek

The NHL's top defensive defencemen

James Mirtle — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 02:56:24 -0000

More photos » by Chris Carlson - AP

As with the top defensive forwards list, this is the same Rod Langway Award business I've been putting out for a couple years now. It ranks players defensively based on (a) quality of competition at even strength, (b) goals against per minute played at even strength and (c) goals against per minute played on the penalty kill.

Players also have to have played at least 15 games and fill a significant role on their team's shorthanded unit. Credit, as always, to Behind The Net for the data.

Here are the top 25 a little past the quarter-way mark:

	NAME	TEAM	GP	QCMP	EVGA/60	SHGA/60
1	CHRIS PRONGER	PHI	24	0.12	1.38	4.41
2	DUNCAN KEITH	CHI	25	0.14	1.59	4.12
3	JAY BOUWMEESTER	CGY	26	0.08	1.39	4.51
4	ROMAN POLAK	STL	24	0.12	1.71	5.06
5	PAVEL KUBINA	ATL	23	0.06	1.71	3.38
6	MIKE MOTTAU	N.J	23	0.09	1.69	5.00
7	COLIN WHITE	N.J	24	0.11	2.06	4.63
8	JEFF SCHULTZ	WSH	20	0.09	1.38	6.08
9	NICK LIDSTROM	DET	26	0.08	2.15	3.83
10	MIKE WEAVER	STL	23	0.03	1.12	4.38
11	BRENT SEABROOK	CHI	23	0.17	1.50	6.84
12	M-E VLASIC	S.J	28	0.13	2.51	3.01
13	ROB BLAKE	S.J	17	0.18	2.58	3.85
14	ED JOVANOVSKI	PHX	18	0.08	2.35	1.24
15	MILAN JURCINA	WSH	20	0.16	2.26	5.60
16	NIKLAS HJALMARSSON	CHI	25	0.04	1.56	5.02
17	ANDY SUTTON	NYI	26	0.08	1.60	6.26
18	ZBYNEK MICHALEK	PHX	17	0.07	1.92	5.53
19	ZDENO CHARA	BOS	26	0.23	2.65	4.97
20	RADEK MARTINEK	NYI	16	0.10	1.81	6.47
21	DARRYL SYDOR	STL	18	0.05	1.19	6.75
22	CHRISTIAN EHRHOFF	VAN	26	-0.06	1.31	3.52
23	GREG ZANON	MIN	24	0.06	1.81	6.31
24	JOSH GORGES	MTL	26	-0.05	1.39	3.91
25	WILLIE MITCHELL	VAN	26	0.15	1.85	7.85

Pronger, Keith, Bouwmeester — sure, those are all names synonymous with tough defence. But how about Mike Weaver? Or Pavel Kubina?

It's early, but all of these players are playing significant defensive roles on their teams. Some benefit from having a great goaltender behind them, but there are a lot of blueliners here from weak teams, too.

Someone like Weaver, who has a really low profile, is considered by his coach a pretty big part of shutting down top opposition:

"I'd say Weaver is one of our best puck-movers," Murray said. "He's not a finisher, but in terms of moving the puck out of our zone and putting it in the hands of our forwards, he's pretty good. He's not a guy that contributes on the offensive side. But what is an amazing stat, he's plus-5. And for quite a while there, he and Roman (Polak) were playing the top line on every team. He's a plus-5."

Those are the sorts of guys I'm trying to highlight here, and for the most part, I think this works — even if there are some surprises. The real test is which guys can maintain play like this all season.

Replacing Martinek: What'll it be?

Dominik — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 19:40:05 -0000

"To me, [Martinek]'s one of best kept secrets in NHL," Gordon said. GM Garth Snow agreed and wouldn't rule out a trade: "It's a big hole for us to fill. If something makes sense, we'll do it."

>>NY Post, paying a blip of home-game attention to Islanders hockey

Well yeah. Of course you wouldn't rule out a trade. When you enter a season with just seven NHL blueliners -- at least four of them no strangers to X-rays -- you're going to reach this point where a replacement of some kind is needed.

That's not to say Garth Snow's job is easy here: It's difficult to sit two quasi-NHL defensemen every night and get them enough work to be competent when you need them. If one of them is a green Jack Hillen, you get stuck wondering if all the sitting is right for his development. That's why a known depth quantity like Freddy Meyer is nice to have.

But now Hillen and Meyer are both in the lineup, and Martinek's 22:47 TOI (2:22 on the PK) per game is not. So what do you do?

The Islanders are headed on the road, where they could be an Andy Sutton shot block or a Brendan Witt awkward hit away from needing another defenseman. Bridgeport's Andrew MacDonald makes for a nice call-up in a pinch; otherwise, none of the young AHL prospects are ready for this role (the Sound Tigers have lost 5 in a row, by the way). But unless they want MacDonald up with the team as The New Meyer, a depth move seems prudent. You're not replacing Martinek -- an already busy Mark Streit and the rest split up his duties -- but you do want someone with enough upside to claim a regular role, plus enough negative leverage to accept whatever the Isles give him.

Any ideas or pet waiver gems out there? (Side Q: Would you have claimed Randy Jones and half of his $2.75 million off re-entry waivers if the injury happened then?) Any *cough* realistic trades? Remember that if you look to Europe, at this point a guy has to pass through Dubie-waivers. And if you bring up Chris Chelios, I swear ...

Devils 2, Islanders 1: Martinek's injury ghost returns?

Dominik — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 06:50:50 -0000

For some unknown reason, Devils meathead David Clarkson insisted on a fight 40 seconds in against Tim Jackman. (Incidentally, Chico Resch wondered if Jackman's place was to "send a message." God love ya' Chico, but do some homework: Gordon has started his fourth line in every game this season that I recall.)

That created an early Islanders powerplay, which actually became a brief, unsuccessful 5-on-3 ... which was indicative of the Islanders' night. Despite entering the 2nd with a 1-0 lead, that was all she wrote. Only two more powerplays drawn all night, with nothing to show for them.

Game Summary | Event Summary | Recaps: nhl.com | Isles | In Lou We Trust

Final - 11.6.2009	1	2	3	Total
New York Islanders	1	0	0	1
New Jersey Devils	0	2	0	2

Complete Coverage >

The packaged theme on the Isles MSG+2 (twice the plus!) broadcast, both in pregame and the 1st intermission, was Sean Bergenheim's scoring drought -- almost as if the Islanders production team was trying to will him to score. He didn't do that, but his diligent work along the boards created the Isles' only highlight, a tap-in goal by Frans Nielsen that, just briefly, suggested we might see bad Yann Danis. Not so. Danis was unbeaten the rest of the night, while Martin Biron let in a Cory Murphy stinker for a tying goal, though he stopped 29 shots to Danis's 23 and couldn't be faulted on Brian Rolston's trademark powerplay blast from the point.

Had Kyle Okposo's try in the final minute scooted over the line instead of along it, we might be writing a different review. But that's hockey: Ryan Miller gets blown out by the NYI one night, comes back to shutout the Isles the next, then concedes five to the Flyers at home. Likewise, the Islanders powerplay keys early season offense, the team can rally with four wins on strong 5-on-5 play, then lay two tepid eggs in Buffalo and Newark. It's a thin line between joy and horror.

I'll agree with the coach on this one:

"I was disappointed with our play," Gordon said. "We had a first period where we didn't allow ourselves to build off the momentum of scoring that goal. We weren't efficient enough on our forecheck in the second period and took penalties and then we didn't establish any momentum and that hurt."

But if you (wisely) missed this dull one, you can see the Cliff Notes for yourself:

So the Devils tied it up early in the second on the forementioned weak goal. Soon after, they got their next futile powerplay, where no one looked alive and no shots were delivered. No Islanders forwards were used for more than 18 minutes tonight other than Okposo (21:49), and that makes sense, because no one really earned it and Okposo simply shows up every. single. night.

The Devils defense certainly played their part in limiting shots, and Danis made a few saves that required at least NHL-level skill. But regardless of the opponent, this was simply not enough.

I don't know if we should call this a funk, but since the Islanders' four-game win streak -- the fourth of which depended on two Brendan Witt goals and a weakened opponent -- they've given us two thoroughly uninspiring games in a row.

So go the growing pains.

Radek Martinek, Explodabones

It's become a somber tradition, but we have our first Radek Martinek injury watch of the year. Martinek, who skated 20+ minutes, did not see the ice after the 14:16 mark of the 3rd period. Reports are that he's being evaluated, but there were no updates on his condition last night. [UPDATE: Blown ACL, out for the year. Damn, that's about right.]

I speak often of the Islanders' thin margin of error, and I'd say at this point part of that margin requires Martinek rather than Freddy Meyer in the lineup. Saturday night the Islanders face a Thrashers team without Ilya Kovalchuk (who I assume Martinek would normally be assigned to watch), but Atlanta still poses an offensive threat to a sub-par Islanders blueline. We'll need all hands on deck.

Here's hoping everyone comes to play.

Islanders 4, Capitals 3 (OT): Tavares feeds Streit, ending Caps' 6-game streak

Dominik — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 02:37:03 -0000

More photos » by Nick Wass - AP

If you don't love Frans Nielsen, you hate great Danes.

Browse more photos »

John Tavares is not just a sniper. He's a smart hockey player with vision and passing skills. Which is why tonight, 53 seconds into overtime, he took advantage of non-physical Capitals forward Nicklas Backstrom to convert a non-threatening rush along the corner boards into a wide-open setup of Mark Streit in the slot for the game-winning goal.

Game Summary | Event Summary | nhl.com Recap | Islanders Recap

Final - 10.30.2009	1	2	3	OT	Total
New York Islanders	1	2	0	1	4
Washington Capitals	1	2	0	0	3

Complete Coverage >

It doesn't matter that the Capitals -- again -- didn't play their best game, including the crucial final play. What matters is that the Islanders played a full 60+ minutes to finally take advantage of what another team ceded to them, ending that team's six-game winning streak.

The Islanders even overcame some weak penalty calls (in one case, with the help of a "veteran" dive by Dwayne Roloson, though in other cases with aggressive penalty killing). Granted, 2-for-6 on the PK is no crown, but you'd typically expect that adversity to sink an underdog against the Capitals powerplay. But Roloson held the fort and Great Dane Frans Nielsen took advantage of mistakes by potting two goals. And get this: The Islanders outscored the Caps 4-1 at even-strength (including 4-on-4 OT).

Goaltending: Jose Theodore appeared to fight the puck much of the night -- both in blocking and handling the puck. The second goal allowed to Nielsen was low and Theodore was not ready. In contrast, Roloson's glove was the most important piece of gear on the ice outside of Okposo's motor and Nielsen's brain, although Roloson's clumsy wandering created the Caps' second goal.

Nielsen: His first goal was him on the forecheck, pressuring Mike Green, accepting Green's gift-wrapped whiff, and still placing the puck expertly into the top corner from close range. I will not stop praising Nielsen until you write his name on your locker, and bedazzle it.

Future U.S. Olympian Kyle Okposo put the Islanders in the hole with an unfortunate 4-minute high-stick that led to Alex Ovechkin's PP goal. Then, like we're almost coming to expect, he took the puck up the middle and fired a goal from the high slot to tie it 1-1.

Defense: The Islanders were outshot 40-30. That's just gonna happen against the Caps. But once again, Radek Martinek was strong against the Caps' big guns, while Streit and Andy Sutton had very strong games in 20+ minutes of ice time.

Ice Time Victims: Tim Jackman (8:13), Jeff Tambellini (9:32), and Josh Bailey (11:43) brought up the rear in ice time. In back, Jack Hillen (12:26) had slightly less than Brendan Witt (13:18), who did fine.

This point last year, the Islanders were 4-7-1 for 9 points. Now? 3-4-5 for 11 points. Two more points, and a much, much different experience getting there.

State of the Squad

I crowed in the preview that if the Islanders pulled off a win against a better opponent this weekend, I'd be on board with the belief that progress is happening now, that the team is already evolving before our eyes -- without another miserable early-season valley first -- and that the OTLs were indeed a sign of a team close to real progress. Baby steps, but ... yeah baby: I see real learning.

Saturday night at home to the Sabres -- who squeaked by Toronto 3-2 in OT Friday night -- doesn't get any easier. But this right here? This is progress.

Commence celebration after the horn. (Check the other side's view at Japers' Rink. P.S. Rangers lost in Minnesota in Gaborik's injury-scratch homecoming, so yeah ... a nice Friday night.)

Islanders Gameday in D.C.: 'Let's really try to win this one'

Dominik — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 17:10:06 -0000

The Capitals are so damn good that even all those victories racked up during their 8-2-2 start "ring a little hollow" for fans. Spoiled bastards.*

New York Islanders (2-4-5, 5th/Atl) at Washington Capitals (8-2-2, 1st/SE)

7 p.m. EDT | [When telcos merge and bomb us with ads] Center | MSG+, radio

Taking back Washington: Japers' Rink

*In all seriousness, Caps fans have paid their dues, going all the way back to a rough expansion that did not go quite like the Bowtie Bill model, up through an oft-forgotten but very good annual Patrick bridesmaid squad during the '80s, on to-- okay-I'll-stop-now-sorry...those who ignore history are doomed to rebuke me...

In the Islanders' favor tonight is that the Capitals are playing back-to-back, our guys may be the better team at the faceoff dot, and Boudreau's boys still routinely play down to their opponents (that's the "hollow" part). Or in last night's case, they took their foot off the gas and allowed the Thrashers back into the game.

In the Capitals' favor is pretty much everything else...

Their star-studded (yet nameless) top line generally scores at will, barring your average Radek Martinek gold-star night. Our star-hopeful (and also nameless -- ideas, anyone?) top line is the only Islanders line that scores, period.
Their offensive blueliner decided to win the last meeting by himself. Our offensive blueliner is still searching for his 2008-09 form.
Their last six games read 6-0-0. Our guys' read 2-2-2.

But this is why they play the games. Katie Strang had some great updates from today's morning skate, (Gordon discloses his starter!) including why Roloson is in the net, why the same lineup as Wednesday (Blake Comeau still in timeout), and why Rob Schremp is a scratch until further notice. Further: quotes about how the Isles will approach the Ovechkin line now that they're on the road -- including using the Tavares line against them. I hope Ovi isn't angry about being held to two shots at the Coliseum. No pressure, Marti; just do like last time is all.

If the Islanders pull this off, well, in the words of Ali-G: "Respekt." We've seen that they can be competitive with any team, and we've seen that they can get teams off their game (for 60 minutes? Uh, still writing the code for that). But their odd 2-4-5 record tells us their margin for error is thin even on their best days. Or is it that they've been unlucky and could easily be 5-4-2? (And what is a hockey season if not fuel for debate between the House of Half-Full and the House of Rather-Empty-Actually?)

While I'm not a knee-jerk type of guy, an Islanders win in D.C. would help convince me the tenor of this rebuilding season can steer clear of the "we suck" despair and drive right into "we're building something" hope, through little bits of progress.

I know the roster (and the management that created it) already believe that. But when losses pile up, that self-belief has a way of waning. Stealing victories from heralded opponents, on the other hand, has a way of keeping the long-term goal in focus.

So I want this team to feel together, all year long. I don't want veterans souring on the operation like last year. I don't want us fans to be worrying about if "all the losing" is infecting Josh Bailey or John Tavares or whomever. What I do want is a team that busts its tail with consistency (Outlook: good). A team that has high expectations tempered by awareness of its limitations. A team that does whatever the hell Scott Gordon asks, so that they slowly, steadily figure more things out about themselves and NHL hockey as the season goes on.

Is that too much to ask? (Don't answer that.) But dare I say, there's a chance of us getting that. A big win against a better team tonight or tomorrow would help. As the old man in Slap Shot would travel 15 hours by bus to say: "Let's really try to win this one, guys."

Prediction: Capitals fans still not satiated.

So: Do you believe?

Capitals 3, Islanders 2 (OT): Dignity amid loss

Dominik — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 07:19:36 -0000

Game Summary | Event Summary | nhl.com Recap | Isles Recap

Final - 10.24.2009	1	2	3	OT	Total
Washington Capitals	0	0	2	1	3
New York Islanders	1	0	1	0	2

Complete Coverage >

"Given the way we were against Montreal, it's a huge step forward," Gordon said. "I honestly think that we've gotten some performances out of some players that we haven't seen in a while." [Isles site]...

"It's frustrating, but there was a lot more good than bad. ... It's not going to be easy for us, but we have to understand that and develop a killer instinct."

>>Islanders coach Scott Gordon [Newsday]

We're not selling kool-aid here, but we've got to recognize signs of improvement when they're there. Check out Chickendirt's FanPost for a bit about that and reasonable expectations for this early schedule. While this was yet another lost third-period lead, and yet another home OT loss to the Capitals -- it was also a genuine bounce back after the horror in Montreal, and by all accounts a hard-as-we-can performance against one of the league's elite teams.

How good was the opponent? The Capitals have now lost two one-goal games this season, one OT game and one shootout. That's the extent of their dropped points thus far. That's why I worried two periods isn't enough.

While skimming this one after the fact, I got an immediate sense things were different from the tone of the game thread (Thanks everybody for chatting it up: Those threads are fun as they happen, but afterward they're also useful -- and sometimes hilarious -- for me to see people's reactions to events.). Several things to take away from this one, and a few controversial topics to consider:

Sean Bergenheim: An agitating 5-on-5 effort befitting his potential, answering what we'd cried for? Sweet.

Scott Gordon: I mentioned "Press, Trap or Die Trying" somewhat tongue-in-cheek; but were the Isles trapping to stave off a Capitals comeback? That was the talk at Japers' Rink. (I'm an anti-trapite, but show me a trap and I'll show you an NHLer who claims that's what every team does to protect the lead. It's probably a matter of degrees.)

Nate Thompson: A knee on Mike Green. How bad was it?

Jeff Tambellini: That was one fine tip, sir -- one of four shots on the night. Smart hockey plays eventually breed good results.

The Top Line: In a rarity, they were held scoreless. Tavares and Matt Moulson were on the ice for the OT winner, but hey: Welcome to Mike Green's world. You'll be better prepared next time.

Faceoffs: 46-20 (?!) for 70% success. Tavares: 10-5; Nielsen: 11-6; Park: 15-6; Thompson: 5-0. Second time in three games that the Islanders dominated the faceoff tally. If this becomes a team strength, well that's gonna be a serious feather in the rebuild cap.

Penalty Kill: 4-for-4 plus Radek Martinek's shortie. What more can you ask?

Tying Goal: Bummer about the bounce off Josh Bailey, but it must be asked what Dwayne Roloson was doing there. Can't blame the team for focusing on Ovechkin, though -- he's kind of good.

Some positivity, from comments and such:

They’ll learn to hold these leads eventually. Just got beat by a more wiser and experienced team. The worm is gonna turn. Just a matter of time. --Chickendirt

From the other side:

But watching a group of guys bust their humps all night, throw themselves in front of shots, bear down and wins faceoffs, and park themselves in front of the opposing goaltender in the hope that they can eek out a win against a significantly more skilled team...that reminds me of why I fell in love with this game in the first place. Plus, truth be told, it feels pretty darn good to watch your team win against a team like that.

It's going to be a long season for the Islanders and their fans, but if the guys in Uniondale put forth an effort like they did tonight every night, they're going to be a very easy team to pull for.

--David M. Getz, Japers' Rink

Chris Botta fished some comments out of Brooks Laich, old-school Caps center:

"We have a lot of respect for that team. They work hard and are extremely well-coached. Teams talk a lot about working hard, but I don't think you can say that for every team in this league. The Islanders do."

Well, on the good nights, yes. And despite the loss which superficially followed a familiar formula, tonight was indeed one of those nights. I'm not going to complain there, given where this team is and what this roster is made of.

Next step: Turning this modest step forward into a vengeance win Monday night in Montreal.

Recap: Capitals 3, Islanders 2 (OT)

David M. Getz — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 02:30:04 -0000

More photos » by Seth Wenig - AP

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[AP Recap - Game Center - Game Summary - Event Summary]

There's a certain joy that comes from watching a short-on-talent, long-on-effort team like the 2009-10 New York Islanders. Don't get me wrong - we Caps fans are very lucky that we get to watch guys like Alex Ovechkin, Mike Green, and Nicklas Backstrom wear our team's colors, and we're even luckier that the hometown team is legitimate Cup contender. But watching a group of guys bust their humps all night, throw themselves in front of shots, bear down and wins faceoffs, and park themselves in front of the opposing goaltender in the hope that they can eek out a win against a significantly more skilled team...that reminds me of why I fell in love with this game in the first place. Plus, truth be told, it feels pretty darn good to watch your team win against a team like that.

It's going to be a long season for the Islanders and their fans, but if the guys in Uniondale put forth an effort like they did tonight every night, they're going to be a very easy team to pull for.

Ten additional thoughts on last night's game:

If someone picks their knee up on Mike Green, every other Capital on the ice should be racing to be the first one to get their gloves off, instigator penalty be damned.
Speaking of the hit on Green: in his rookie season, Alex Ovechkin took a spear from the Penguin's Ryan Whitney on January 25th. On February 3rd, George McPhee traded AHL defenseman Dwayne Zinger to the Phoenix Coyotes for Doug Doull. Doull played two games for the Capitals that season, the second of which was a February 11th matchup against the Penguins where he finished the night with two fights and 14 total penalty minutes before being sent to Hershey for the rest of the season. I wouldn't be surprised to see McPhee make a similar move before Friday's Caps/Isles rematch.
Speaking of Green, I could watch his goal twenty times without getting tired of it. Beautiful. Trying to single-handedly skate through the Islanders' neutral zone trap, turning the puck over, and having it lead to a two-on-three? Not so much.
It won't make most highlight reels because it didn't lead to a goal, or even a great scoring chance, but Nicklas Backstrom had a great play about halfway through the first period where deftly redirected a neutral zone pass to Alex Ovechkin. The kid's vision and hockey sense are unreal.
There are only two ways a team gets an odd-man rush when they're shorthanded: a fortuitous bounce or some really half-assed backchecking on the part of their opponent. The latter was the case on Radek Martinek's goal. Simply unacceptable. Just because you're up a man doesn't mean you can afford to stop playing defense.
You know how you know you stink? Andy Sutton's part of your team's shutdown pairing.
Speaking of Sutton, you know the Islanders might have won that game if he'd bothered to play defense rather than try and show the world what a badass he was by knocking Ovechkin into the Islanders net.
Here's an example of how dubious subjective statistics can be: on Thursday the Capitals and Thrashers were credited with a combined 17 hits; tonight the Capitals and Islanders were credited with a combined 53.
I've said it before, and I'll say it again: Jeff Schultz is a totally different player when he plays with confidence.
Brutal night for the Caps in the faceoff dot. The team only won 30% of the game's draws, only one of its 16 defensive zone draws, and no Caps player won more faceoffs than they lost. Again, just brutal.

Finally, let's give a shout out to Jose Theodore for a very solid night. Not a ton of highlight reel stuff per se, but a great job of giving his team a chance to win and a well-earned check mark in the 'W' column for the netminder.

Bruins comeback to win in shootout 4-3

Stanley Cup of Chowder — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 02:23:29 -0000

More photos » by Michael Dwyer - AP

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The Bruins were able to score three goals in the span of 5:27 to erase a three goal deficit late in the third period to send the game to overtime and eventually a shootout, where Marc Savard would provide the game-winner to give goaltender Tuukka Rask his first win of the season.

After a scoreless first period, the Islanders drew first blood 4:04 into the second when Jon Sim roofed home a rebound in front for the power play goal and a 1-0 lead.

The Isles went up 2-0 at 12:43 of the second period. Radek Martinek received a pass from Mark Streit at the right dot with plenty of time and space and fired a hard snap shot that rang off the post and in for his first goal of the season.

The Islanders' lead was extended to 3 just over 3 minutes later when rookie John Tavares skated into the Bruins zone and fired a hard wrister from the right circle that beat Tuukka Rask up high on the glove side for his second career NHL goal.

The B's finally got on the board and pulled back to within two with 8:01 remaining in the third period. Marc Savard collected a long rebound at the middle of the right circle and quickly fired a shot that beat Dwayne Roloson nearside.

Byron Bitz got the B's back to within one with 4:25 left in the third period. Bitz skated into the slot and threw a backhander towards the net that appeared to deflect off Islanders defenseman Freddy Meyer and into the net.

Matt Hunwick tied things up at 3-3 with 2:34 remaining in regulation when he threw the puck at net from along the left wing boards at the blue line that somehow made it's way past Roloson for the game-tying goal.

With nothing settled after 60 minutes of hockey, the teams headed for overtime. Both teams got a few chances in the extra session, but neither team found the back of the net.

Blake Wheeler was the first Bruins skater to have a turn in the shootout and was able to get Roloson to open up his pads and slip it past him and spot the Bruins a 1-0 lead in the skills competition.

Rask appeared to make a pad save on Rob Schremp, but the puck tickled past the line to knot things up.

Next up for the B's was Bergeron, who rang one off the post.

Richard Park then missed wide for the Islanders.

Marc Savard roofed a backhander over Roloson to force the Islanders into a do or die situation.

The Islanders sent Kyle Okposo out as the final shooter, but Tuukka Rask was able to make the save and complete comeback win for the Bruins.

Final - 10.10.2009	1	2	3	OT	SO	Total
New York Islanders	0	3	0	0	0	3
Boston Bruins	0	0	3	0	1	4

Complete Coverage >

Notes:

- Former BU Terrier Freddy Meyer was not a very popular guy in his old hometown tonight after his late hit on Milan Lucic drew a crowd of black & gold jerseys.

- The Islanders have gone to overtime in all 3 of thier games this season.

- Dennis Wideman left the game late in the second period with an injury.

- Tuukka Rask saw a lot of rubber tonight in his first start, facing 38 shots.

- Bruins return to action Monday afternoon when they host the Colorado Avalanche.

Grading the Islanders: Radek Martinek, my kind of Czech

Dominik — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 11:30:08 -0000

(Left: If only he'd been born a few years earlier and started his career under then-Czechoslovakia's previous regime, Radek Martinek would have been lucky enough to wear this beauty for the pro hockey team in České Budějovice. Doesn't that logo just brim with optimism and Five Year Plan loveliness?)

As we move through the alphabet of Islanders regulars to issue report cards on their 2008-09 seasons, we come to one Radek Martinek, a soft-spoken, gentlemanly Czech for whom I have a confessed soft spot that goes beyond shared ethnic roots. A steady two-way defenseman, Martinek has nonetheless tested even the most patient Islanders fan thanks to the Hockey Gods' adversarial relationship with his health.

Do read the review and give Martinek your grade, won't you? (If you're on the main page, click "Continue reading this story" that appears after the poll to get to the main data ... and poem.)

Radek Martinek

#24 / Defenseman / New York Islanders

Height: 6-1

Weight: 203

Born: Aug 31, 1976

NHL Seasons: 7

Contract: Two more years at $1.5 million cap hit

'08 Preseason View: "Man, if he stays healthy, we could..."

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	GWG	BlkS	TOI	PKtoi	SOG	PCT
2008 - Radek Martinek	51	6	4	10	-16	28	1	1	108	21:34	3:34	54	11.1

Random Fact: His 6 goals last season were a career-high, at a career-high rate in 51 games (.12 goals per game) -- a small-sample fluke, or a reflection of Scott Gordon's more aggressive system?

Random Fact 2: Despite missing 31 games, he was actually sixth on the team in total minutes logged for the season -- a testament both to the Islanders' injury woes and to the fact that, when healthy, he is a workhorse.

"This is our concern, Dude" Fact: Martinek has reached 60 games played just three times in his seven NHL seasons. BUT, reason for hope: He seems to be on an every-other-year injury cycle, so maybe this year we get 70 games.

Blogger Full Disclosure Fact: Before coming overseas to join the Islanders, Martinek played for my father's hometown club, HC České Budějovice. (Before the fall of Communism, they were called Motor České Budějovice: You know ... because the Soviets & ~~Friends~~ Valued Comrades were big on symbols of economic production to represent their sports names. Anyway, that's the jersey at the top of this post. Say one thing for Soviet-era sports: The unis weren't cluttered with capitalism's ubiquitous ads. However, to paraphrase Monty Python, the aesthetics of uniforms worn by strange men playing on frozen ponds distributing hockey sticks is no basis for a system of government.)

The Story: Radek Martinek just does his job, and he does it quite well. If only his health, or the hockey gods, or his genes, or whatever conspires to injure him, would let him do his job more often. You become so accustomed to freak injuries felling Martinek, you end up forgetting how good he is until he comes back (healthy) and picks up right where he left off.

Last season, it began with the home opener -- in the cruelest way for a hockey bigamist like myself -- when David Backes (of my other pursuit, the Blues) placed a ~~questionable~~ hard hit on Martinek behind the net, injuring his shoulder.(Incidentally, I didn't catch that game live because I was seeing literally dealing with my father's remains. The hockey gods were unkind to my favorite Czechs that week.)

It took Martinek quite a while to come back, and after he returned the first time, he either wasn't quite ready or re-injured it (or both). By the end of the year, though, he was back to being Perfect World Martinek, which is the steady, productive Martinek that exists in a EA Sports-like world where you've set injuries to "off."

The Good: As mentioned above, he's quite the capable defenseman, excellent on a second pair and steady even on a top pair. All for $1.5 million.

The Bad: Also as mentioned above, his career is beset by an assorted candy box of injuries. The $1.5 million is less of a bargain when you lose a high-depth-chart guy for a third of the season.

The Poem (or lyric, if you will, to the tune of "You Might Think" by The Cars)

You might think it curious
All the times I'm felled
But I take. This game. Kind of serious
(All I waaaant)
All I want is health

And you might think I'm fragile
Why keep my bones around?
But at $1.5 per season
I'm the best buy you've found

So I'm not after stardom
I'm not after wealth
(not after wealth)
Don't need to be featured
(All I waaaant)
All I want is health

The Grade: Well, sometimes I try to nudge you toward ignoring fluke injuries, and sometimes they're an inexorable part of the equation. I'll let you decide whether to give him a pass on the health front. However you spin it, give him a grade for the 2008-09 season relative to your preseason expectations. A "3" = average = met expectations = C grade. A "5" = superlative = far above expectations ... etc.

As always, you can use the comments to discuss your grade, discuss his season, or -- best of all -- discuss what should be done with Martinek and what you expect from him this year.

Poll

Relative to your preseason expectations, grade Radek Martinek's 2008-09:

5 - What can I say? Big HC České Budějovice fan here.

2 votes

4

13 votes

3 - An injury and otherwise good play? That's par.

45 votes

2

10 votes

1 - I'm more of a Litvínov fan, actually.

2 votes

72 votes | Poll has closed

24 hrs to go: Islanders' deadline call due on Guerin, Weight, Hilbert, Witt

Dominik — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 17:25:00 -0000

Twenty-twenty-twenty-four hours to go-oh-oh, I wanna be a-traded.
Nothin' to do no clause to stay ho-ome, I wanna be a-traded.
Just get me to the airport, send me to the East
Hurry hurry hurry, I want my playoff feast
I can't control my future, I can't control my team
Oh no-oh-oh-oh-ohhh...

As the rumor feeding frenzy intensifies at the NHL trade deadline, it's helpful to remind ourselves: All of these league "sources" are participating in barroom speculation, passing on what little tea leaves they know couched in the veneer of their own opinions. (Oh, but it's us bloggers who are guilty? Right.)

You'll notice even our beloved Chris Botta, in his first deadline go-around as a connected guy free to publicly share his thoughts, has a bevy of sources who have conflicted one another (Guerin to Philly? Not to NJ? Washington? Boston?). Things change. Reporters receive direct denials that may have an expiration date of 30 minutes. While outright B.S. eventually comes back to you haunt you in a "Malkin to LA" sort of way, a little source misdirection is to be expected and goes a long way for a GM hoping to bid up the price of his assets.

With that in mind, what should GM Garth Snow be doing right now, as the countdown nears 24? Simply, keep gauging the top price he can get for his most desirable assets, and double-checking whether he has a competing seller out there. Take it from one GM -- or hey, take it from six -- who have been there: The market price fluctuates through the final day.

[Updated with McAmmond, the newbie who slipped my mind.] So let's see what he has left on the scrap heap (Exhibits follow after the jump/poll):

Exhibit A: The Veteran Power Forward

Is there another Bill Guerin on the market? It doesn't look like it, unless the Oilers give up on Erik Cole or the Blues give up and deal the more desirable Keith Tkachuk.

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	GTG	SOG	PCT
2008 - Bill Guerin	61	16	20	36	-15	63	5	0	3	1	181	8.8

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	GTG	SOG	PCT
2008 - Keith Tkachuk	60	18	18	36	-9	41	11	0	3	0	140	12.9

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	GTG	SOG	PCT
2008 - Erik Cole	62	15	10	25	-5	63	5	0	1	1	142	10.6

Although We The People demand news -- now! -- the hockey side of the Guerin delay doesn't yet worry me. Even within Guerin's limited choice of Eastern teams, there are more buyers than sellers, so Snow should get his price. But if Tkachuk and Cole both hit the market, you better believe those prices will be leveraged against Snow.

Likelihood of movement: 90%

Exhibit B: The Injured Center and PP Specialist

Is Doug Weight worth dealing if you have any interest at all in extending him on the Island? What price can be expected for a 38-year-old center who may be healthy again in the final week(s) of the regular season? If you're a GM looking to add center or PP depth, you have to be a) certain you're making the playoffs and b) committed to clearance shopping to gamble on Weight's MCL.

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	GTG	SOG	PCT
2008 - Doug Weight	44	9	26	35	-12	27	5	0	0	1	79	11.4

It's hard to find a comparable for that kind of uncertainty, which is why I suspect the "package Weight with Guerin" theory has gained some footing. Throw Weight in, make their sum price greater what they'd bring back in standalone trades.

A funny thing you see when you peruse the reports and fan opinions about whether teams should acquire one of these vets: The impressions range widely in some mix of what they once were, what they've been recently, and what they might be on a better team than the Islanders.

Likelihood of movement: 50%

Exhibit C: The Comrie Flip

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	GTG	SOG	PCT
2008 - Dean McAmmond	49	5	4	9	4	22	0	1	2	0	48	10.4

In just a over a week since arriving in a swap of expiring contracts with the Campoli/Comrie deal, Dean McAmmond has played like a man possessed and already grabbed an "A" when injuries and forced sit-downs (suspension, pending trade, the usual) left the club letter-short. He still has that speed. He still has hands that randomly surprise you. What he doesn't have is consistent stats you'd expect with those occasional hands and that speed.

That said, he seems to sense this may be his last hurrah, and you know he'd hungrily accept whatever task a playoff team assigns him. In his short Islanders tenure, he's looked like a guy just happy to be playing hockey. If Snow can flip him for a mid-round pick, he should do it yesterday.

Likelihood of movement: 40%

Exhibit D: The Poor Man's Sillinger

Alright, so I knew Mike Sillinger, I worked with Mike Sillinger: Andy Hilbert, sir, is no Mike Sillinger. But Hilbert loosely fits Sillinger's deadline profile: A dependable defensive forward with some scor-- ... well, decent hands that this season has finally equated to some scoring touch. Except for that whole 35% faceoff percentage thing (128 attempts) and the fact he mostly plays wing.

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	GTG	SOG	PCT
2008 - Andy Hilbert	51	10	12	22	2	16	1	1	0	0	116	8.6

It may be that Hilbert is ideally suited to a place like Long Island and a system like Scott Gordon's. But if a team wants another body, maybe this UFA fetches a pick. Some may remember his late-season run on Sindey Crosby's wing in 2006 (after being plucked off waivers from Chicago) and dream accordingly.

Likelihood of movement: 30%

Exhibit E: The Value Bargain Contracts

Some would like to sell injury-prone Radek Martinek -- he's missed half this season's games -- and never have to hear "Martinek, 4-6 weeks" again. He's a dependable defenseman at a bargain rate ($1.4M next, $1.9M in 2010-11) -- if, and it's a big IF, healthy. Likewise, some wonder if the bargain price of veteran power forward and possible future captain Trent Hunter ($2M per through 2013) might draw interest. Or defensive forward and locker room glue Richard Park ($800k next year).

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	GTG	SOG	PCT
2008 - Radek Martinek	32	2	2	4	-11	20	0	0	0	0	30	6.7

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	GTG	SOG	PCT
2008 - Trent Hunter	54	14	17	31	-9	35	5	0	2	0	151	9.3

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	GTG	SOG	PCT
2008 - Richard Park	57	10	14	24	-9	28	4	2	1	0	108	9.3

But who is in a position to pay for these bargain contracts, and why would they do it unless they were swapping serious assets to clear cap room? It's true, if a contender needed to get creative to fit in, say, a Pronger, they might swap their overpriced power forward/D-man plus extra to bring back the cheaper Hunter or Martinek. Not likely, though, (or is it?) unless they haven't seen Martinek's records. This is a case of these players being worth more to the Islanders than to any team capable of paying the price to take them away.

Stranger things have happened, I suppose, but it would have to be one charming pig of a deal for me to picture it in lipstick.

Likelihood of movement: 20%

Exhibit F: "Zis exhibit is closed!" [Simpsons audio link, auto show episode]

Brendan Witt

#32 / Defenseman / New York Islanders

Height: 6-2

Weight: 223

Born: Feb 20, 1975

The much-mulled case of Brendan Witt, under contract for two more years at $3 million per. As Botta has already mentioned, Snow's asking price for Witt is apparently too high for anyone to take him seriously. Which is sort of what I hoped Snow would do, since Witt is not an expiring asset who must be dealt now. Make someone pay silly money for him (you might argue anyone who wants Witt this year is inherently silly), or else wait for open bidding during the summer.

Likelihood of movement: 10%

Exhibit G: The Goalies

Yann Danis

#34 / Goalie / New York Islanders

Height: 6-0

Weight: 182

Born: Jun 21, 1981

	GP	MIN	W	L	T	EGA	GA	GAA	SA	SV	SV%	SO
2008 - Yann Danis	19	1113	7	9	2	1	44	2.37	607	563	.928	2

	GP	MIN	W	L	T	EGA	GA	GAA	SA	SV	SV%	SO
2008 - Joey MacDonald	42	2418	12	24	5	6	133	3.30	1332	1199	.900	0

Frankly, I don't think the Islanders can afford to part with a goalie from here on out unless they want to torture their AHL affiliate in Bridgeport. But if a team desperate for goaltending depth wanted to make an offer for the hot, lottery-spoiling Yann Danis, I suppose Snow would have to listen. But he needs either Danis or November's Third Star Joey MacDonald -- if not both -- back in the fold next year in case Rick DiPietro, you know ...

Likelihood of movement: 10%

Poll

Given that Bill Guerin is most likely to go, which Islander ranks 2nd in the "He's a goner" Sweepstakes?

Weight - Grab skill for the playoffs; MCL, schmem-C-L

16 votes

Hilbert - A cheap, depth rental - career* year! (*Islanders career)

2 votes

Park - Jack of all trades, signed cheap through 2010

3 votes

Hunter - Value like that is too good not to share

3 votes

Martinek - Let someone else be his medic

9 votes

Witt - Witt, Witt, he don't fit

11 votes

A goalie - Cheap backup, anyone? What, you trust Osgood?

1 votes

45 votes | Poll has closed