This is a normal scene in Nassau Coliseum, and shouldn't change in the near future. |
Bluejacketsxtra.com- How highly did the Blue Jackets value defenseman Ryan Murray before taking him with the No. 2 overall pick in Friday's first round of the NHL Draft? Enough to turn down an eye-opening offer from the New York Islanders, who, according to numerous NHL sources, offered all of their picks -- one in each round -- for the right to move up from No. 4 to No. 2 for Murray.
That's right, for the Jackets' No. 2 pick, the Islanders offered pick Nos. 4, 34, 65, 103, 125, 155 and 185. The bounty would have given the Jackets the following picks: 4, 31, 34, 62, 65, 95, 103, 125, 152, 155, 182 and 185. And if that weren't enough, the Jackets could have had the Kings' No. 30 if they wanted it.
Next week's development camp would have required two sheets of ice.
Blue Jackets GM Scott Howson offered a "no comment" when reached by The Dispatch late Sunday. After Friday's first round, he did mention a "very attractive" trade offer the Blue Jackets declined before selection Murray, a precocious prospect whom many think could play in the NHL this season.
-Aaron Portzline The Islanders and their GM Garth Snow should write a book called, "Rolling Around in the Ridiculous." This is just beyond absurd. Six picks for a defenseman who has never touched the ice in the NHL? I wouldn't give six picks up for most defensemen actually in the NHL. Yes, the WHL might be one of the elite junior leagues, but it's still a junior league and the kid is still a kid. Honestly, first of all, is this guy really going to be the next Nick Lidstrom(I'd say he's worth six picks)? Even if he was, the risk is far greater than the reward. Second of all, I won't trust a single individual that the Islanders "highly tout." And third of all, the NHL draft is just a notch below the MLB draft on the total-crapshoot-scale so who the hell knows if this guy will be good.
But hey, are we surprised about this? No, absolutely not. The Islanders are the kings of stupid deals, head scratching trades, and putrid teams. DiPietro's 15-year deal is obviously the most notable of the Islanders hideous moves, but they also doled out a 10-year contract to Alexi Yashin. Other than his decent 75-point first season, Yashin was injured, underperformed and was honestly far more interested in playing at home in the KHL. The only thing the Islanders are good at is finding one or two good players and then letting them walk or trading them, because they always have to "blow up the team." Well the New York Islanders are forever "blown up."
It's so bad for the Islanders that people don't even have to wonder why no one attends games anymore. The Coliseum is a joke, the team hasn't made it out of the first round of the playoffs since '93 and their front office is more dysfunctional than an anarchist convention. They went from the biggest clown in the history of hockey, Mike Milbury, to an equally bad general manager in Garth Snow who, aside from drafting John Tavares, hasn't done a thing. There's a reason why "The Lighthouse" never even broke ground.
I'll give the Blue Jackets credit though for not folding under the laughable stupidity of the Islanders. Columbus wanted Ryan Murray and they stayed strong despite being offered the entire Islanders organization, Hofstra's lacrosse team and this sweet Zigmund Palffy action figure. Or maybe they were just being good guys, not blaming their questionable colleagues for their absolute stupidity. The Islanders take the "laughing stock" moniker and they turn it into a two-hour Dane Cook stand-up routine.
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