Let's Play Some Crazy Poker

There's a saying: "To run a convincing bluff, sometimes you have to be holding all the cards". In Garth Snow's case at this year's NHL Entry Draft, he was holding a Royal Flush and no one could find any tells to exploit.

Major props have to go out to the Islanders Amateur Scouting Staff for their exceptional work at choosing talent that the fans can rally behind. Obviously, John Tavares was a no-brainer. Even if the Islanders decided it was better to keep everyone guessing.

However, selecting Calvin de Haan with the #12 (moving up twice from #26 to #16 to #12 to snag him) was about as shrewd and well-received as it gets. What most fans didn't hear from the behind the scenes chatter was that there were A LOT of teams looking to take de Haan. It's been said that when Minny traded the #12 to the Isles, they expected the Isles to take power forward, Zach Kassian (consequently taken at #13 by Buffalo) at 12 and thus leaving de Haan for them at #16. Boy, were they wrong.

Who wouldn't want a defenseman who had 63 points (8 G, 55 A) in his rookie season in the OHL? Well, you can really look no further than Florida, who took Dmitri Kulikov at #14. Kulikov had similar numbers to de Haan's but on a much better Drummondville team. That only makes de Haan more intriguing when one looks at the overall picture.

Day 2 started with choosing a "monster" (sorry Pierre McGuire) goalie in Mikko Koskinen. If you didn't get a chance to check out the YouTube video I found on him, you need to take a look (he's the goalie in white):

Koskinen is the real deal. When he goes into the butterfly, his pads extend beyond the posts. Despite losing the shootout in the video, you can tell that he has a high degree of athleticism for a young man his size. With some work at the AHL level, he could challenge for an NHL job in a few years. The raw talent is there.

The other prospect that really intrigues me is Anders Lee, who was taken with the Islanders final pick in the Draft, in the 6th round. He is a two-sport athlete that has shown a great amount of talent at both hockey and football. Beyond his size and speed on the ice, he's been scouted as a quarterback by Division 1 colleges. Scouts always applaud two-sport athletes because it gives them an extra dimension that only one-sport athletes don't have. His size alone garners a description by HockeysFuture.com, who called him a "man-child". If he's given time to develop then this could be the best value pick behind the top 2 in this entire Draft.

UFA Day is Upon Us

I have some thoughts on what the Islanders might do. I wouldn't expect there to be any free agent defenseman that will come down with a big splash in the Long Island Sound. More than likely we're definitely looking at a backup goaltender and possibly a bruiser/enforcer/4th line sporadic scorer.

My best guesses as to who the Islanders could target for that 4th liner is none other than soon to be former Ottawa tough guy: Chris Neil.


As for the goalies, I can't even begin to guess who will be in the Isles sights. I'd look for the likes of Craig Anderson, Ty Conklin and Scott Clemmensen.



Native Long Islander Joins the Fold
The Islanders swapped a prospects today with the New Jersey Devils and received a former New York Bobcat of the AJHL. Here's the official press release:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

ISLANDERS ACQUIRE ROMANO AND CONDITIONAL PICK

Islanders Receive Peterborough Leading Scorer From New Jersey In Exchange for Walter

UNIONDALE, NY, June 30, 2009 – The New York Islanders have acquired Tony Romano and a conditional pick in the 2012 National Hockey League Entry Draft from the New Jersey Devils in exchange for center Ben Walter.

Romano played the last two seasons in the Ontario Hockey League. The Smithtown, NY native was the leading scorer for the Peterborough Petes last season, scoring 36 goals and 33 assists for 69 points in 65 games. The year prior, Romano skated in 66 games for the London Knights and registered 22 points (12 goals and 10 assists). Romano was drafted in the sixth round (178th overall) of the 2006 NHL Entry Draft and played that same year for Cornell University where he totaled nine goals and 10 assists for 19 points in 29 games.

Walter spent the last two seasons with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers where he accumulated 116 points. He played in a total of 12 games for the Islanders during his two seasons with the organization scoring one goal.

---newyorkislanders.com---

That's the info I have for you up until now. I'll be back tomorrow with any updates on the Islander front as the day progresses. Remember, the start of Free Agent Frenzy is 12:00 PM sharp.

Catch you guys tomorrow.

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Catch Me on the Preds On the Glass Radio Show Tonight at 8:15!

It's been a tough day and half. I got back from Montreal late last night and then found out some really sad news after being back only an hour. Things have been going at a kind of strange pace today. Despite that, I've been invited to give my take of the Draft over at Preds on The Glass' radio show Tonight at 8:15.

Here's the web address: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/PredsOnTheGlass

You can either log into the chat or just listen to the radio show from there. I hope to take your questions and your thoughts tonight!

See ya there!

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Welcome to Day 2 of the 2009 NHL Entry Draft

Last night's spotty internet connection and lack of seating has given way to some new found space and bandwith. Things should get rolling pretty quickly as the Islanders hold court with the 31st, 56th, 91st, 122nd and 152nd. I'll be sharing the whole day with you so come in at your leisure and see what's going on Live at the Draft.

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Live from Montreal: 2009 NHL Entry Draft Round 1

Hey Folks,

Welcome to the Live Blog coverage of the 2009 NHL Entry Draft courtesy of your own Blog Boxers! Keep it clean and keep it lively. I'm looking forward to hearing everyone's opinions and thoughts.

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Bienvenue a Montreal: A Blog Box Journey

Welcome everybody to my first Blog Box excursion. Things went well this morning. That is of course if you consider waking up at 4:30 AM to go to LaGuardia for a 7 AM flight to Montreal as normal.

Either way, we're in our hotel across from the Bell Centre and will be awaiting our media passes for the Draft this evening.

Don't forget to check in with the other guys websites:

Tom over at Tiger Track, Mike over at IslesBlogger and Ken at OkposoNet, as well as IslandersCrazy where I'll be joining in as a panelist later tonight on his Live Blog.

Now on to the heart of this post. Over the past week, I've been trying to finalize an interview with NHLtweetup creator, Dani Muccio (@dani3boyz). If you haven't gotten the memo, NHLtweetup is quite the event and is in town for Draft. I picked her brain for some information on not only the Draft, but the Islanders and the also the NHLtweetup. Here's what she had to say...

1) With the NHL Tweetup becoming such a huge international success, how do you manage to stay so grounded?

I never imagined a simple idea would lead to international events… but I'm not any different a person than I was before the first NHLtweetup. All I've done is give the hockey fans on Twitter the tools and the guidance they need to do what they already know how to do, just on a broader scale.

2) I noticed that you were an "ex-blogger". How come you gave it up and switched exclusively to Twitter?

Twitter is my blog. :) Writing is very time-consuming for me. I tend to be very wordy and critical of myself spending too much time editing and rearranging what I've written. Twitter doesn't allow for any of that. It forces you to be quick and concise. I don't think I'm missing anything tweeting as opposed to blogging, either. I share what is holding my interest more often than one does with a blog. You have the ability to post pictures (Twitpic) that coincide with your thoughts and your messages are delivered to your audience rather than the reader needing to come to you. For me the real benefit is that I can update instantly from just about anywhere when there's something I want to share and get immediate feedback.

3) After doing some "exhaustive" research, I found out that you're a die-hard Islanders fan. What are your feelings on how this Draft will effect the future of the franchise?

This year's Draft is so important to the Islanders, I decided I wanted to witness the announcement of the first round pick in person. It would be the first draft I'd attend which also meant leaving the country for the first time.

4) Put yourself in Garth Snow's shoes for a moment. Who do you choose with the #1 overall selection after 2 solid months of deliberation?

If the first pick of the draft were up to me, Tavares would be it. He has been under a microscope for years being critiqued in every way possible. Regardless of how critics have chosen to pick him apart, his records speak for themselves. He is #1 pick material. If I needed a second choice, it would be Duchene. A well-rounded player who isn't afraid to take it to the net. The Isles need a good shooter. They could have the best defense around but without a goal scorer, the games would end tied at zero.

5) What are you planning for the Draft version of the NHL Tweetup? How many people do you expect to be there and where are they all coming from?

The Montreal Draft NHLtweetup has been collaboration between four Montreal hockey tweeters, the NHL, myself, and a myriad of sponsors and helping hands from all over Twitter. What started out as just a get-together on Saturday to watch day 2 of the draft at Ye Olde Orchard, evolved into a group of us attending the first round of the draft at the Bell Centre with tickets courtesy of the NHL, a ball hockey game between tweeters Saturday morning, the original NHLtweetup that was planned Saturday afternoon and ice skating on Saturday night. From the online RSVPs, we’re expecting approximately 75 people at Saturday’s NHLtweetup. We have hockey tweeters from New York, Boston, Pennsylvania, Florida, California, Washington DC, Connecticut, and Toronto just to name a few.

6) How can people who won't be in Montreal join in on the fun of the Tweetup?
People that would like to follow tweets regarding the weekend’s events should follow @nhltweetup, check nhltweetup.com periodically, and filter Twitter for the #NHLtweetup tag throughout the weekend. If you actually want to SEE what’s going on you can watch a live stream of the action shot by Eklund at http://qik.com/eklund. You’ll be able to watch Friday’s draft, Saturday’s ball hockey game and the NHLtweetup will all be live-streamed in addition to various events over Friday and Saturday.

7) What are your plans for your next event after the Draft? UFA Day (July 1st)? Training Camp?

With all of the preparation and excitement revolving around the Montreal event, planning anything beyond this hasn’t been brought up or even crossed my mind. Simpler events can be thrown together rather quickly so keep an eye on nhltweetup.com for NHLtweetups being planned in your area. As long as someone is willing to host on short notice, I’m willing to help them pull it together and promote it.

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Let's Hear What You Want to Say!

This is just a quick post so I can keep the ball rolling this week. Genuinely, I'm interested in any questions that you the fans would like to have asked up at the Draft. Whether it's to the #1 overall pick or Islanders Management, we'll do our best to ask as many of your questions as possible. Keep 'em clean and throw them in the Comment Section at the bottom of the post.

Also, don't forget that I'll be providing a Live Blog (see the right side of the page and enter your e-mail address for a reminder) starting at 5:30 on Friday afternoon and running to the end of the 1st round.

I'll also be providing a Live Blog for the following day, Rounds 2-7 on Saturday, beginning at 9:30 AM and running the remainder of the day.

Since I certainly won't be the only one up there, here is the multitude of Draft Coverage being provided by my fellow Blog Boxers:

• Constant updates of the event on Islanders Main Website will be provided by Tom from The Tiger Track.


• Opinions, quotes and some "Man in the Street" time will grace the Internet from Ken over at OkposoNet.


• Last, but certainly not least, Mike from over at Islesblogger will be providing some high quality images and video (crossing our fingers) of everything going on during the Draft. As well as, his own brand of analysis.

Well there ya have it folks. We're gonna do our best to get you the kind of inside access that you haven't seen and we're open to any other ideas you might have. Please feel free to express any ideas in the Comments Section.

What to Look for in the Next Couple of Days...

One last thing. I'll be doing a piece within the next day or so about a friend of mine over on Twitter. You may have heard of her. Her name is Dani Muccio (@dani3boyz) and she's the originator of the NHL Tweetup. The next stop for this group is up at the Draft in Montreal and I can't wait to get a chance to meet everyone. Be on the look out for that piece as well.

Catch you guys soon.

Cheers!

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Dean Chynoweth named Asst. Coach

Meet the newest member of the Islanders Coaching Staff: Former Islanders Defenseman, Dean Chynoweth.

In a not so surprise move, former Swift Current Head Coach and GM, Dean Chynoweth has officially accepted an Assistant Head Coaching position with the New York Islanders. I have to give some credit to Islanders: Point Blank for laying out the odds on Dean's return to the organization that drafted him. Here is the official press release:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

ISLANDERS NAME CHYNOWETH ASSISTANT COACH

Former Islander First Round Draft Pick To Join Coaching Staff

UNIONDALE, NY, June 19, 2009 -- The New York Islanders announced today that they have named Dean Chynoweth an assistant coach. Chynoweth will join current Head Coach Scott Gordon’s staff, after serving as the General Manager and Head Coach of the Western Hockey League’s Swift Current Broncos for the past five seasons. Chynoweth is a former first round selection of the Islanders from the 1987 National Hockey League Entry Draft.

"Dean has an extremely strong background of developing young prospects from working in the International Hockey League (IHL) and WHL for the past 11 years," said Snow. "With the youth of our team, he is a perfect fit to show them what it takes to succeed in the NHL. His defensive background from his playing days will also serve as a tremendous asset to our young defensemen."

"I am thrilled to return to the Islanders organization and join Scott Gordon’s staff,” said Chynoweth. “I am very aware of the hockey tradition on Long Island from my playing days and look forward to working with the staff in returning the Islanders to the powerhouse they once were.”

Last season, the 41-year-old Chynoweth led Swift Current to the first round of the WHL playoffs. The Broncos were beaten by the Medicine Hat Tigers four games to three in their best-of-seven series. Through Chynoweth’s five seasons with the Broncos, the team posted a combined record of 162-163-6-1-1 (W-L-T-OTL-SOL). The Calgary, ALTA native started his coaching career in 1998 with the Utah Grizzlies, who at the time were a member of the IHL. Chynoweth spent two seasons in Utah before taking the head coach position with the Seattle Thunderbirds of the WHL. Chynoweth coached the Thunderbirds from 2000 to 2004.

He began his professional playing career at the end of the 1988-89 season, playing in six games with the Islanders, after completing his fourth year with Medicine Hat. He played eight seasons within the organization and scored two goals and 10 assists while compiling 408 penalty minutes in 147 games. He won a Calder Cup during the 1989-90 season while playing for the Islanders’ former American Hockey League affiliate, the Springfield Indians. Chynoweth played the final three years of his career with the Boston Bruins and set an NHL single season personal career best for penalty minutes with 171 in the 1996-97 season.

The Islanders did hint at the fact they wanted to bring back a person who had been involved in the organization and was of the defensive school. Chynoweth definitely fits that mold and should be a great sounding board for Gordon.

Also of note, Gordon and Chynoweth are roughly the same age and of the same mindset that developing the younger players is top priority. In my mind, this is really sound choice and only leaves one more Assistant Coaching spot to fill (unless John Chabot is asked back for next season).

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The Readers Have Spoken!

We're a week and a half away from the NHL Draft and I'm starting to get myself ready for the journey up to Montreal. Gotta get that passport, switch my phone over to international service for a week, get the laptop batteries charged and my writing cap on. I'm getting pretty excited for the opportunity to be there.

I ran a poll last week and asked my readers (don't know exactly how many of you there are?) what they would like to see on Draft Night/Day.

Well, you've spoken and I've heard you. There will be a Live Blog on this site starting at 5:30 PM on Friday, June 26th, to coincide with the Versus coverage and give you guys an extra half an hour of talk time prior to the start of the TV coverage.

The boys and I, (Islesblogger Mike, TigerTrack Tom and Okposo.net Ken, in order below) will be walking the streets of Montreal and the Bell Centre doing as much video work as we can to give everyone an idea of the festivities. I'll let you guys know where and when all that will be available.

What a bunch of mugshots!

Lastly, with the 1st Round in full swing, I believe that we'll be calling in to both Hockey Night on Long Island and IslesNation (who I'm sure will be at the Draft Party in Uniondale) radio broadcasts to give even more up-to-date analysis and intelligence from the Draft floor. Be sure to tune in to one or both during the course of the 1st round.

For Day 2 of the Draft, make sure to tune back in here for the second Live Blog of the weekend starting around 9:30 AM as the 2nd Round gets under way. I'll be taking this one all the way to the end of the 7th round and keeping everyone abreast of the situation.

Keep an eye out for the reminders that I'm going to post starting this weekend on as many spots as I can (Twitter, IslanderMania, etc.) for the Live Blog's. Tell everyone you know to stop by it should be a lot of fun. Thanks for your support, I really do appreciate it. I'll catch up with you as soon as I can with some last minute material before the Draft.

For the time being, head over to LighthouseHockey.com and check out who Dom, Mike and I picked for the SBN Mock Draft. I'm sure you won't be disappointed.

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It's Time for The Prediction

I've never been one to engage myself in the guessing game that is the Mock Draft. Unfortunately, with my exposure to the inner workings of the hockey culture with the New York Islanders, it has spawned a new-found understanding of the pundits. They are rarely correct in their assumptions of what a team will do but they are absolutely spot-on when it comes to evaluating prospects. So without further ado, I give you my attempt at being a pundit:

With the first selection in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft, the New York Islanders select...John Tavares from the London Knights of Ontario Hockey League.

Yes, I know what you're thinking. Didn't you say that it was going to be Victor Hedman two months ago? I did say that, but that's what I believed Garth might do at the time. With just over two weeks to go before the Draft, I think it's time that I spoke my opinion about who I want for the Islanders coming out of this year's Draft.

Click the link to get the full listing of my Mock Draft.

1. New York Islanders-John Tavares C, London Knights, OHL
--I still have my doubts that Garth isn’t just playing everyone for fools and will take JT at #1. Let’s all just hope for the best. Let’s be honest, the Isles could use the scoring and even if he doesn’t turn into Crosby #2, it’s 20-30 goals you didn’t have last year.
2. Tampa Bay Lightning-Victor Hedman D, MODO, SEL
--This is no consolation prize. A generational d-man with size, speed and skill, nothing else need be said. You can’t really say much else except for the fact that the Lightning lucked out and will have a solid blueline starting next season with this young man.
3. Colorado Avalanche-Matt Duchene, Brampton Battalion C, OHL
--Give the kid billed as the next “Stevie Y” a little time to develop with Uncle Joe.
4. Atlanta Thrashers-Evander Kane, Vancouver Giants C, WHL
--Kovi+Kane=Whatever winger on the left side you want. Might project better as a winger. At that point, any center will do. Good strength and size for his age.
5. Los Angeles Kings-Magnus Paajarvi-Svensson LW, Timra, SEL
--Another highly-skilled forward to go along with their stable of already highly-skilled forwards. Could be a game-breaker.
6. Phoenix Coyotes-Dmitry Kulikov D, Drummondville Voltigeurs, QMJHL
--Stock has really been on the rise of late and is a complete defensive workhorse. He will be rewarded for a lot of hard work during the Memorial Cup.
7. Toronto Maple Leafs-Brayden Schenn C, Brandon Wheat Kings, WHL
--With Burke not able to acquire any higher slot and subsequently Tavares, taking the younger Schenn is no slouchy trade-off.
8. Dallas Stars-Jared Cowen D, Spokane Chiefs, WHL
--Coming off a knee injury that kept him out the majority of last season, the big d-man rebounds and will be a huge asset to the Lone Stars. Think Derian Hatcher.
9. Ottawa Senators-John Moore D, Chicago Steel, USHL
--Arguably the best skater in the draft and by far the best American d-man.
10. Edmonton Oilers-Zack Kassian RW, Peterborough Petes, OHL
--Rough and tumble winger fills a need for the Oilers who need to get tougher.
11. Nashville Predators-Oliver Ekman-Larsson D, Leksands, Swe-2
--Slick Swedish d-man who snuck up on everybody. Will be an impact player once he matures.
12. Minnesota Wild-Jordan Schroeder RW, US-NTDP U18
--Although small in size, Schroeder makes up for it with speed and skill; good fit.
13. Buffalo Sabres-Ryan Ellis D, Windsor Spitfires, OHL
--Ellis is the ideal replacement for Brian Campbell. Quick, skilled and a good first pass, combine to make this smallish d-man a real high-quality pick at this spot.
14. Florida Panthers-Simon Despres D, St. John Sea Dogs, QMJHL
--Can anyone say “JayBo’s replacement”? Despres is a smooth-skating offensive d-man with good size. Within 2 years he will be a solid NHLer.
15. Anaheim Ducks-Carter Ashton RW, Lethbridge Hurricanes, WHL
--Follows the model of large man with skills that Anaheim has built on since Brian Burke was the GM.
16. Columbus Blue Jackets-Scott Glennie RW, Brandon Wheat Kings, WHL
--A goal scorer, period. Will definitely vie for a spot in the Jackets top 6.
17. St. Louis Blues-Jacob Josefson C, Djurgarden, SEL
--The Blues have always had good luck with Euro imports. Josefson should not be a disappointment as he will grow to be a solid center.
18. Montreal Canadiens-Nazem Kadri C, London Knights, OHL
--After putting up a good showing in the OHL Playoffs, Kadri will get a ride to Les Habitants due to his great hand-eye, complete package and willingness to bleed Bleu, Blanc et. Rouge.
19. New York Rangers-Peter Holland C, Guelph Storm, OHL
--Gifted two-way center that will help solidify the top 9 in the Big Apple. He’s been compared to Tomas Holmstrom for his penchant for standing in front.
20. Calgary Flames-Jordan Caron C, Rimouski Oceanic, QMJHL
--Size and hands. He should be a really good fit in an already strong offense in Alberta.
21. Philadelphia Flyers-Nick Leddy D, Eden Prarie Rams, MN-HS
--After stealing Sbisa late in the 1st Round last year, the Flyers continue picking up sleeper d-men in this year’s Draft starting with “Mr. Hockey 2009”.
22. Vancouver Canucks-Kyle Palmieri RW/C, US-NTDP U18
--With the Sedins possibly on the way out, Palmieri will provide some scoring punch for the Canucks to aide Ryan Kesler.
23. New Jersey Devils-Landon Ferraro RW, Red Deer Rebels, WHL
--Let the trend continue. The Devils have found success with Parise. How could it hurt to take yet another Islander by association?
24. Washington Capitals-Tim Erixon D, Skelleftea, SEL
--A glaring deficiency arose during the playoffs, namely defense. Pair Erixon with Green on the PP and give him ample minutes at even-strength. It also helps that Karl Alzner, the Caps top D prospect, will be with the big team next year.
25. Boston Bruins-Chris Krieder LW, Andover Academy, MA-HS
--While not playing the most competitive hockey out there, Krieder has managed to impress just about everybody. Had a fantastic Combine.
26. New York Islanders (from San Jose)-David Rundblad D, Skelleftea, SEL
--Skilled Swede with good puck-moving abilities. Should fit right in after one more year in the SEL.
27. Carolina Hurricanes-Louis LeBlanc C, Omaha Lancers, USHL
--The Hurricanes just didn’t have the scoring power to overcome the Penguins in the Conference Finals. LeBlanc should be able to help.
28. Chicago Blackhawks-Jeremy Morin C, US-NTDP U18
--Who doesn’t want more good American players coming from the NTDP? They seem to be producing some solid players these days.
29. Detroit Red Wings-Calvin de Haan D, Oshawa Generals, OHL
--Ever heard of Brian Rafalski? Well, what’s wrong with bringing in a point-per-game younger version?
30. Pittsburgh Penguins-Drew Shore C, US-NTDP U18
--Good size and skill but will need some college seasoning. Will fit right in a couple of years down the road.

Let me know what you think in the Comments section.

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Catch Me on Lighthouse Hockey!

It took me a while to get the material together, but I finally managed to get my first piece up on my buddy Dom's, Lighthouse Hockey.

Don't worry, I'm going to keep the Islanders content right where it belongs...on my site, right here.

Give the article a read and let me know what you think.

I'll be posting my own Mock Draft either tonight or tomorrow to start gearing up for my 2009 NHL Entry Draft coverage.

There's only 3 more days to vote on what you'd like to see; so get those votes in and I'll be sure to do my best to satisfy what my audience wants.

I'll catch up with you guys soon.

Cheers!

P.S. I apologize that I never got to the quotes from the Regional Planning Council Meeting on June 2nd. Things were really hectic for a while there and I didn't get a chance. Plus, 7th Woman, Dee Karl, beat me to the punch and wrote a fantastic piece on those proceedings. As well as, the lovefest of last Friday that was covered by Dee, LI Business News and Nick from LetThereBeLight(house). If you haven't read any of those already, you're missing out.

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Did Someone Say...."Progress"?!!

Today's meeting of the Long Island Regional Planning Council went just about as well as it possibly could have if you are in support of the Lighthouse Project.

First and foremost, I would like to take the opportunity to thank Supervisor Kate Murray for coming in and sitting down with the Lighthouse Group and Planning Council. I'm sure that it wasn't easy (especially since Charles Wang and Kate Murray sat no more than two seats from each other in front of the Council) but she handled the pressure well and was amicable throughout.

Second, I'd like to point out the perseverance and dedication that Charles Wang has to Long Island and it's residents. Many have suggested that the Lighthouse is "dead-in-the-water" and the Islanders should be looking for other alternatives to their current location. To those people, I say, "You have never spoken to Charles Wang." Mr. Wang is doing everything in his power to keep the Islanders right where they are and his considerable dedication to the team and its fans is more than conspicuous as well as generous. The man just loves Long Island and is prepared to do anything to bring the place we live into the 21st century.

Last but certainly not least, I would like to acknowledge the overwhelming support the Lighthouse Project received from the Regional Planning Council. It was obvious from the get-go of the question and answer period that the Council had no intentions of humoring the same political rhetoric that has surrounded the mega-project over the past several months. They questioned Supervisor Murray and her aides directly over many of the issues that are facing this project at present. It was very refreshing and certainly a major victory for the Lighthouse Development Group and Long Island residents as a whole.

I will be back on later to get you guys some quotes from today's proceedings but first I need to run to some pre-Draft discussions with my compatriots.

For Questions, Comments or General Building Issues, please direct all inquires to your on-site Super at DougD84@optonline.net.

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