This move HAD to be done. For anyone that gave at least 1% to this team as a fan, we all know that this move HAD to be made.
Alexei is a real nice guy. One that never refused to sign an autograph, or pose for a picture. He was nice… sometimes, maybe a bit TOO nice.
So for 8 years, $2.2 million is off the cap for his salary. However, the difference (nearly 5) can be added on to acquire players (Smyth and Blake resignings, along with others).
In this league of economics, it was prudent that he had to go, in order for the team to move forward. People ribbed him for not trying, and that is an incorrect statement. When 2 or 3 guys key on you, it is easy for you to look like you are not trying. It was the look of frustration, as well as the appearance that he was not up to snuff. Too may fans, also, had too lofty goals for him. Many were just expecting because he MADE so much money, that he would be scoring 80 a year, etc. So honestly, the ridiculous goals of Isles fans are part of the reason he is gone.
I liked the guy (have a 79 jersey signed), but will put that jersey away in the vault of memories. He had some great games with this team, and was a major cog in the re-emergence of an Islander team that was as close to clinically dead as you can get. Now - he will be the issue of some other team. Good Luck Alexei! And thanks!
Rumor mill = Smyth - 7 years, $7 per season. Is that lofty? Not with his effort and way of play. The next “C” of this team, and somebody please tell me why not?
Comments - I want comments. What do you think of the move? What are we going to get? Please tell me - I am aching for some stimulating hockey conversation!
Thanks!
Posted under Ramblings
This post was written by Gary Harding on June 6, 2007
I was wondering a few things…
-Is there any significance of the timing of Milbury walking away and Yashin being bought out?
-Where will Yash end up?
-What a story on the day they may award the Stanley Cup!!!
-Thanks to Mr. Yashin. You have always been a good guy off the ice. Your play on the ice was questionable and I understand this to be a pure hockey business move…
….which brings me to….
-Thanks Mr. Wang for doingthe right thing. A renewed respect for you this AM as you proved once again that you are committed to winning.
-What do we have left to complain about…I know I am still pissed over theLuongo Trade =)
Nice Blog this morning Gary.
TTFN,
Roger
Could almost bring out an Non-winning-game Victory Tea, eh?
So long Yashin!
Really though, I hope he finds a little success. He’s come out to be such a class guy since this whole thing, it’s remarkable.
But in any case, we now have the type of cap space we need to really make a move this offseason. Maybe those FAs that would have been out of reach could now be a little more interested in the Isle.
My point is that this might snowball; at least form a player’s POV, Smyth sees this as proof that the team is truly moving in a new direction, resulting in his signing back here, which raises the eyebrows of other top-shelf players to what the Isles are doing here.
I honestly can’t wait till July.
P.S. Gary- I sent you an e-mail a couple of days ago, but I’m having problems with my mail program.. did you get it?
yea andy - i got it!
I did not do any of the setup for my blog. It was done by the owner of NY Sports Day.
Wish I could help you.
G
Thank god!
“People ribbed him for not trying, and that is an incorrect statement.”
This is just flat out not true - he didn’t try, and it goes back to his Senators days. Aside from the New Jersey series in 1998, he has been a dog in the most important games. When you’re that big and that strong, you don’t get pushed off the puck so easily, as well as lose battles/races for the puck - of course, as the years wore on, there were fewer puck battles that actually interested him.
“When 2 or 3 guys key on you, it is easy for you to look like you are not trying.”
Also wrong - When you’re bigger and, allegedly, stronger than everybody else, you battle through it - it’s the same smokescreen used for every “star” player - the real stars find a way to get past the coverage. Plus, when was the last time any opponent seriously keyed on him, anyway?
“It was the look of frustration, as well as the appearance that he was not up to snuff. Too may fans, also, had too lofty goals for him. Many were just expecting because he MADE so much money, that he would be scoring 80 a year, etc. So honestly, the ridiculous goals of Isles fans are part of the reason he is gone.”
What serious fan expected such numbers, or anything close? Islander fans expect effort over statistics and the effort for the most part, sadly wasn’t there. Management did everything it could to jumpstart him and it just didn’t work.
I fully understand why they traded him and signed him to the outrageous contract - Wang was just loyal to a fault and tried as hard as he could (as did the various coaches, GMs, etc.), but to no avail.
Nice guy or otherwise - good riddance. I’m dying to see which idiot GM thinks he is the Super Genius that can revive him (Maloney, Lombardi . . .)
By the way - they’re just loving this in Ottawa - it’s the only joy there after being down 3-1.
This was something Wang had to do. I think the lofty expectations came with the huge salary he was making. But I agree that his effort did not get noticed most night. His problems I think came from a game that had gotten too fast for him to keep up. He is not the gritty type that can compensate for a lack of speed with physicalness. The 5.5 million they save now can be put to better use now.
The problem with Yashin has been expectation. After his numbers on the Senators, I think most fans expected something resembling 90 points a season and 40 plus goals. I like the guy, I respect and admire his classiness and his fan-friendliness, but he just wasn’t doing what we needed him to do. To be honest, if he wasn’t making the kind of money he was and he was among a few star players, his lack of points would not have been such a big factor. However, let’s face it. Right or wrong, we expected him to lead by example, and he simply did not do it.
I agree with Gary as far as the factor of being constantly facing multiple defenders on him. Without a doubt, teams could key on him. Still, great players find a way to rise above that. The boy is some 6 feet 4 and 220 plus pounds. He should not have been so easily pushed off the puck or taken out of the play. My older brother would often say that our grandmother could carry the puck into traffic better than Yashin.
In any event, let’s use the money wisely now. That’s all I desire. Resign Smyth and Blake, and bring some guys here who want to win.
This is a great day to be an Isles fan. it still hasn’t sunk in. But I think that this is a valentine to the fans and Ryan Smyth that’s telling us the organization is serious about rebuilding.
Yashin will do well. It’s the Jeff Kent Rule. He’ll probably succeed as soon as he leaves.