The opposing view: Lighthouse Hockey

You Thought Your Trade Deadline Was Bad?

The Oilers said farewell to Ales Hemsky on Wednesday. It was bittersweet; the club let go one of their most productive players over the past decade, but Hemsky gets a new lease on life in the Eastern Conference. The Oilers got a third round and a fifth round pick out of the deal, unspectacular by any means. They somehow turned Nick Schultz into a fifth round pick, which is quite surprising to be honest.

Garth Snow made a couple of moves on Wednesday, but the one that folks just can't stop raving about is how he turned Thomas Vanek into a conditional (!) second round pick and Sebastian Collberg. That's right, the Sebastian Collberg. What's that? You're not familiar with Sebastian Collberg? That's alright, because anyone who isn't a Canadiens fan who paid attention to the draft last year likely doesn't know who the hell Sebastian Collberg is. I don't know how Garth Snow doesn't get pelted with batteries every day he drives to Nassau Coliseum (some Islander fans told me that there's an underground parking garage and that's how). This is just abysmal for the Islanders' fan base, a good lot that rivals ours in witnessing futility unfurl.

The Oilers are saying

That's Islanders coach Jack Capuano after his team's 3-2 overtime victory over Winnipeg on Tuesday.

How does Garth Snow have a job still? This is the same guy who conditionally offered all of the Islanders' draft picks in 2012 to the Columbus Blue Jackets in exchange for the second overall pick. I still find it interesting how the Jackets didn't take him up on it. Good God, Islanders, what the hell is it going to take to get this guy fired?

"There were a lot more calls today after the game he played last night...at some point, Ales has been devalued far below my expectations of him"

That's Oilers general manager Craig MacTavish on Ales Hemsky's value being driven up after a two goal performance on Tuesday.

• VANEK DIVIDENDS - As part of the Thomas Vanek to NYI deal that happened a few months back, the Islanders traded a first round pick (either 2014 or 2015) to the Sabres. The Islanders can choose to have this year's first round pick sent to the Sabres (assuming it's a top ten pick) or next year's. Kind of an unenviable position to be in. We'd know nothing about those.
• Philip Larsen is expected to get into the lineup after Nick Schultz (CBJ) and Corey Potter (BOS) have found new places to play. Oscar Klefbom might have been called up, but he sustained a "bit of an injury".
• Go stop pucks, Ben Scrivens (11-9-4 / .935 SV%). You're doing it against a team without Vanek, and John Tavares. Somewhat surprisingly, the Islanders rank in the middle of the pack in shots taken at 13th overall.
• WE'RE NOT THE WORST! The Oilers are no longer last in the league in goals allowed per game. Who is? The Islanders.