Top Shelf : Islanders Daily 7/8/2013

Jun 24, 2013; Boston, MA, USA; Chicago Blackhawks goalie

(50) and Boston Bruins right wing

(68) watch the puck during the third period in game six of the 2013 Stanley Cup Final at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports

Middletown, N. J – General managers all around the league had a very quiet weekend in the National Hockey League’s free agent feeding frenzy. Whether it was from the holiday or just running out of money to spend, I can see the memo sent via email to them from Gary Bettman now….

Dear general managers:

I don’t know what you are thinking but you cannot believe fans are that dumb can you? They all see the fact that you complained like a little kid throwing a tantrum in a candy store about rising salaries and not being able to keep up. They also saw the NHLPA bend to our will yet again and come up with a solution that bought us labor peace for the next 7 years. We lured them back with promises of fiscal responsibility and a bunch of cheap promotions and hand-outs.

And for their stupidity (this email better not go public) what did I see on the first day of free agency? You guys throwing money around like a drug addict in Amsterdam. David Clarkson for 7 years and 5.25mm? Stephen Weiss for 5mm? Nathan Horton a 7 year term when the guy is out until December and has chronic shoulder issues? Jarome Iginla getting 6mm from the team he left at the altar?

Look, nobody likes to pull a good joke on the NHLPA more than me, and I would love to see the complete dissolution of the union all together,but can we take a break guys? Maybe scale it back a little?

I think the example to follow would that of Islanders GM Garth Snow. You guys still like to make fun of his tremendously oversized shoulder pads, and while I still do get a chuckle out of it every now and then when I think about it, the guy has done everything right. Smart, cost effective deals for players that he feels will fill gaps all while operating under Charlie’s budget. Re-signing his own players to long term below market contracts that will benefit the Islanders when they reach Barclays center and finally begin to actually make money again.

So I will say this as professionally as I can – knock the crap off! Spread these out so I can hide them utilizing the best PR staff in the business and people won’t make such a big deal about it. Ok, I’m off for the summer now. Heading out for a 3 week golf vacation with Mario and Sid. Those guys are so funny ; Sid was teaching me how to flop on the course the other day in the bunker. You should have seen it, I even put it up on my private YouTube channel. Hysterical.

Gary xoxo

Links

• Ashley March with her debut piece highlighting her favorite goalie masks (EOI)
• Bouchard speaks on his years with the Wild (NBC)
• Isles hope to lure fans to Brooklyn (NY Times)
• Youth needs to step up in the Isles crease (Rant Sports)
• Rangers have locked up Ryan McD to a new deal, ending silly offer sheet talk (NBC)
• Did Seguin’s twitter REALLY get hacked? (Boston Herald)

Around The Twitter-Sphere

• IF Seguin’s account was really hacked (and I am sure that is up for debate given his recent troubles, you would think he would take better care of his passwords, or be more selective in who he hires to post for him. ?

• Diaz and most of the league love to watch Pavel dangle, but not at the expense of the Islanders. The new playoff format should be interesting but the feeling from the staff here is that we have a definitive shot at finishing top 3 in the division. Plus, as always, Evgeni has everything under control. ?

• The New York Post takes a jab at the Rags and Isles fans everywhere rejoice! Seriously though, this rivalry is about to go up about 10 notches once the Islanders reach Brooklyn. Proximity definately helps that cause.

• An under-rated stat in the NHL is the ability to keep scoring chances down and pucks away from your net. These two have shot blocking to a science. Where the Rangers defense used to be mentioned constantly in these discussions under former coach John Tortorella, it will be the Isles taking front and center in this going forward.

• Isles fans have been drooling over Vanek all summer, given Buffalo’s need to move him and Ryan Miller. With Snow probably done in free agency, we all wonder if a trade is up his sleeve. One for the Sabres sniper however looks to be costly.

-AG (@tazman19)