THE CHRONICLES OF SARNIA
Will the Islanders develop Katic, Martin, Dibo?
In the town of Sarnia, Ontario (pop. 7,000) can be found a trio of young hockey prospects that the New York Islanders need to make big decisions on. Mark Katic, Matt Martin and Justin DiBenedetto of the Sarnia Sting are all recent Islanders draft picks eligible for the pros next season. Whether one, two or all three make it to Bridgeport as early as next season will be determined over the next few months.
BIGGEST UPSIDE: Mark Katic, D, 5-10, 190, turns 20 in May.
An Islanders third round pick in 2007, Katic is a puck-moving defenseman with the kind of tools that should make him a good fit with the franchise’s go-go philosophy.
His critics say he has yet to reach his potential, that he should be more dominant at the OHL level. His advocates believe he’s a good student who will develop in the Islanders farm system into an NHLer.
This season: 7-24-31 in 43 games, fourth in Sarnia scoring.
SUREST THING: Matt Martin, LW, 6-2, 200, turns 20 in May.
The quintessential late bloomer, Martin was selected by the Islanders in the fifth round last June and the team is very happy with the step-up in his play since.
He has become a threat in juniors as a scorer and a fighter, and his leadership (Martin is the Sarnia captain, while Katic and DiBenedetto wear As) has been cited as a big reason why the overachieving Sting are contending for home-ice advantage in the OHL playoffs. He doesn’t have many critics, while most observers tell you he has an excellent shot to be a heart-and-soul third liner in the NHL.
This season: 24-23-47 in 43 games, third in Sarnia scoring.
BIGGEST MYSTERY: Justin DiBenedetto, C, 5-11, 20 years old.
Presenting the top 3 leading scorers in the Ontario Hockey League this season:
1. John Tavares, London: 35-33-68 (projected top-2 pick in 2009)
2. Taylor Hall, Windsor: 28-38-66 (projected top pick in 2010)
3. Justin DiBenedetto, Sarnia: 33-32-65 (NYI 6th round pick in 2008)
What’s wrong with this picture? Nothing, actually. The Canadian junior ranks are filled with the ghosts of top scorers who never got a whiff in the NHL. In 1980, Bill Torrey and Jim Devellano drafted a center in the third round named Dave Simpson. In 1981-82, Simpson scored 67 goals and 155 points in 68 games and was named CHL Player of the Year. He played four years in the minors and never played again.
What makes DiBenedetto an intriguing prospect is that the knocks are not on his size (he’s 5-11 and strong and wide enough) or skating (not the prettiest, but he gets there). No, the kid they call “DiBo” sometimes drives observers a little batty with his inconsistency. Those skeptics are starting to go away. Last year, they credited his production to playing with Steven Stamkos. They have no one to blame it on this season but DiBenedetto.
As for the inconsistency, isn’t that what coaching is for? Isn’t that why you have a development program? Isn’t that why Bryan Trottier is there to teach and Eric Cairns is there to make sure the kids are doing their homework? Is there any question that the rebuilding Islanders are going to sign the talented center and develop him?
Sign Deadlines: Katic needs to be signed by the Islanders by June 1, 2009. Martin and DiBenedetto must be signed by June 1, 2010. All are eligible to be signed this year and begin their Islanders development in Bridgeport for the 2009-2010 season.
Prediction: Maybe none of the kids are world-beaters, but all could be significant contributors on a winner if properly developed. The Islanders will eventually sign Katic and Martin and DiBenedetto.
ETC: Little news from Islanders practice today. Mark Streit is back from All-Star weekend and will sign autographs at the team store in the Broadway Mall tonight beginning at 7:00 pm. Yann Danis was in goal. We’ll have a better idea at tomorrow’s practice who should be good for Thursday’s lineup in Atlanta.
Comments.
46 Responses to THE CHRONICLES OF SARNIA
Will the Islanders develop Katic, Martin, Dibo?
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i like what i hear from all of them. they should all be in bridgeport next year. katic will be a reason alone to go to some sound tigers game. add in dibo who might lead the team in scoring or be in the top three on the team at the least? last but not least matt martin who ive seen fight and he can do it. solid build and he is posting powerforward numbers despite scouts projecting him as a 3rd liner. if they do go to bridge, it will be only then that we see how good they may be. actually kind of excited at the thought of them on the isles in the future. will def try and get some tix next year regardless of whether their there are not. last time and the only time i went it was good. i recomend it. every seat is a good seat. hey cb no mention on danis’s wife giving birth?
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thepolishprince says:
I remember posters going on about Matt Martin during prospect camp, what a great kid he was and how he seemed to be putting it all together on the ice. Nice to hear all three of them are doing well. They certainly are three players the Isles could use to keep in the system.
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Macch says:
What will the future hold… SOme one please tell me!!!! lol
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Agree with ya on BP Kevin. ALL the seats are great and it’s real easy to get there even if you don’t take the ferry. Brought my 7 year old twins to a game last season. They thought it was great.
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kevin fitz says:
Gotta love the nickname “dibo”. I’ll be rooting for him to make it for that name alone! I can already hear the chants at the Colesium….
DIIIIIIIBOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
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chris i hope it allright if i post this. matt martin can definitley drop em’. check them out here. http://www.dropyourgloves.com/Fights/FightCard.aspx?Player=19011&League=9&Season=2008 also, nice title chris. thepolishprince, i had great seats and there was like a long table and we were in the offensive zone. saw some good hits and goals. they played hartford. great game. passionate fans too!
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John says:
Chris,
any chance over the next month that you can survey some top players as the come through NVMC if they were a free agent would they consider signing with the Isles, why and why not, and do it anonymously so they won’t have to worry about being exposed etc etc. It might make an interesting read.
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Dally Mac says:
Matt Martin might be the type of player we need. The upper level Jackman/Thompson with better hands and better fists. A Milan Lucic type. With Katic and Ness we solidify our small defenseman quota. Hedman would at least bolster their size (even though I would much, much rather Tavares). I’ve seen Dibo at his best this year with a hat trick and two assists and he loked like a man amoungst boys, and to some extent I guess he was at 20 years old. But it must be a good feeling for these three kids to play together and know they will most likely play together down the road. Bet they have the imagine us playing together in the “show” fantasy quite a bit. Katic might =Kris Russell
Martin=poor man’s Lucic or maybe Carcillo and Dibo=Chris Kelly -
Bob S says:
Not Sarnia related but what’s the story on Shea Guthrie 2005 3rdround pick, went to Clarkson now a senior, decent stats for a fair team. But…last two weeks was ECAC Player of the Week….RPI coach said he was fastest player on the ice , in a game last weekend….Any upside CB??
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Otter says:
CB,
In looking back at last year’s draft how many of the guys picked up do you think fit in well with Gordon’s style? It seems that with the fact that Nolan was let go soon after the draft that maybe that was the final straw in the relationship over terms of where the team was going? With that, maybe Snow & co. had the foresight to draft accordingly knowing that Gordon was going to be their guy… -
rb says:
great line about Eric Cairns making sure the kids are doing their homework…that’s some incentive…lol
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Willis says:
Two scorers, a fighter and a puck moving defenseman? Sounds like the right ingredients to me.
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Adam says:
Chris,
I have been watching a ton of Sarnia games and even went to vist them as I told you earlier this month. These reports are spot on accurate. Katic has the tools, but really could use some better coaching which he’ll get with Cappy in Bridgeport. Martin (Marty as they call him), could very well be a Licic type as someone mentioned above. He the type of player this team has been missing since Asham let, but with more offensive skills than Asham. Dibo is a scorer, but wildly inconsistent. He can control one game and disappear the next. I am not 100% sure he’ll make the NHL, but it’ll fun to follow his progess.
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In 3 years will it all be coming together?They should be a much better club in 3 years, will the pain of building thru the draft pay dividends for us long suffering isle fans? I think it will, however will the team be here in 3 years or will KC or Hamilton get the reward that we waited so long for? CThat would be cruel
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UIF says:
Oh sure, another group of allstars according to…
Just kidding, CB. These entries on the prospects are actually my favorite part of the blog.
One question though: Is there any reason why the Isles would choose NOT to sign these guys? People here have said we don’t have many prospects at the Bridge who would ever be consistent NHLers, so it seems it shouldn’t be that difficult to make room for three guys who could one day crack the lineup…
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dose says:
JPinVA on Jan 27th, 2009 12:24:38 said:
Dose, that comment does seem silly out of context. My point was that they have played HORRIBLE defensively and both back up goalies have kept them in games they’ve had no business being in.JP – Understood. And by the way, I usually agree with your points more than anyone else’s here. Sadly, the reason for the ‘horrible’ defensive hockey is that they don’t have good enough players. I have to say that I am among those with the “we knew they were going to be bad approach.” I expected zero this year, and can’t really understand how anyone could have looked at the opening day roster – even before the injuries – and honestly expected much better than we’ve seen. And I adhere to the theory that this was essentially by design, and by necessity, based on the arena issue. I also admit that a couple of times I even swore off this team while in a drunken or emotional (or both)rage, because of how bad things have gotten. But I still watch. Every game. To borrow a phrase my dad used, I guess I’m a ‘glutton for punishment.’ Or I really do love this team.
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Dmarie says:
Wow..CB, you brought up some good points, you always do. I guess we can only hope Garth and his team make the right moves and hopefully at least one or two of these dudes will make it to BP, it would be sweet if we could bring young blood to the table that would be able to play Gordon’s style. We still need the Vet players, we can’t have a team full of kids wet behind the ears, we need it all!!
If we get all the pieces to the puzzle, then it’ll be a question of time, one or two years and if all falls in to place..Islander fans will be smiling!
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UIF it may not be whether we dont sign them but whether they sign with us. i.e. blake wheeler. chose not to sign with the yotes and went on for more success in boston. thats good news adam. i hope martin is the lucic type. that kid is a beast. would love to have a team of him.
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Kevin, or anyone who knows – how common is it for players to do what Blake Wheeler did? Does that happen often?
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its not common i am just saying that-for me- that is the only way that we do not sign them. otherwise it must be a behind the scenes situation or that they just do not pan out. i say it is uncommon but it matters the situation. you can compare it to hossa who apparently took a pay cut to go to detroit for a chance at winning. i guess they can do that but when i say that it is uncommon i mean that a prospect choosing not to sign with the club becuase of their winning situation.
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Rich says:
CB, I remember reading your blog back in 2007 when the Islanders drafted Mark Katic, you said something like, “How much did the Islanders like Katic? Well when it was our pick and the player I was told that we were targeting was still available I expected to hear his name, but instead they picked Mark Katic, so they must like him alot right?” I was just curious, who was the player that we were targetting? Did we draft him in a later round? I’m sure you probably can’t mention him by name, but maybe you could drop a few subtle hints in your response as to who it was…
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admin says:
Rich: you are correct. Trouble is, I don’t remember the name of the mystery player. It isn’t someone setting the world on fire, because then I would have remembered him. It was a defenseman, I recall…CB
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Those kids play in the CHl, if they do not sign with the Islanders by the deadline, they have to go back into the draft. If they are not chosen there, they are then considered free agents. It happened to Boston when Masi Maramajki went back in the draft over moeny, and the Islanders took a flier on him. Did he even play one game in the NHL I can’t remember, but he’s not there now (with Bridgeport). Where did Masi go???
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Isle_in_LA says:
Cause it’s the “Chronic” what “cles” of Sarnia! Mr. Pibbs + Red Vines = Crazy Delicious
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Strummer's Army says:
That was the best Headline you’ve ever done Botta.
Matt Martin is for sure the most definite. I’d think it would be wise for him to play out his time in junior because of the kind of game he plays. I hate to see him having to tangle with the much older and experienced AHL fighters while his body is developing.
Katic I’d glad trade in a package for a right player. Just too many small d-men around the Islanders.
Dibo is really impressive. I think he is gaining the respect he deserves now that Stamkos is in Tampa. I am sure the Islanders would be Stamkos top choice if traded because of all his Sarnia teammates that apparently really helped him out but I’d rather have Tavares.
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Yeah, UIF&Kevin – Wheeler was a rare case (and a college player, not CHL) who seemed to really want to be in Boston. He apparently even took a lower deal than what Phoenix was offering to get there.
Hopefully the Sarnia trio see the Islanders as a chance to develop together and maybe even reach the NHL more quickly.
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FIsles says:
I think only Martin has a favorable NHL forecast. Some have questioned Katic’s durability as he’s already had injury issues and players only get bigger and stronger after the step up. His weaknesses are on the defensive side of the game, uphill ahead. Dibo probably won’t develop into a Chris Kelly or Richard Park type. At this stage I’m putting my money on Dibo maxing out as a serviceable AHL scorer. Hope springs eternal, etc. If Martin has a 500+ game NHL career like Asham, it’s a great pick. Asham was a big scorer in the juniors, by the way.
Masi Marjamaki is playing in the Finnish elite league for his second season, 6-11-17 in 33 games. Second-line forward.
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doc says:
Did anyone notice that on the Islanders official website they have a press release as of 01/26/2009 “DETAILING” all 9 current injured players and their status??? WOW!!! Talk about a learning curve and progression.
DOC
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CB, it is rumored that Dan Fritsche was waived by the Rangers. I think he could/would be a solid addition to the Isles. Not sure who would be sent down/healthy scratch/waived/dealt to make room if necessary. what do you think about him, the possibility of NYI picking him up, where would he fit in?
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Seth IMHO…. NO
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I’d take Fritchie in a heartbeat. We are going to need players, once the trades begin. He is young and I think he deserves the chance. And might be a throw in in a deal. Where was this stated?
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i notion that dally mac. people say we should target young players so here is our chance. i would def get him. plus we could use the extra cap
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I can’t find anything about Fritchie potentially being placed on waivers. Where did you see this Seth?
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ISLESFAN999 says:
newsday rangers blog.. fritsche was waiver..
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Brett says:
CB: Thanks for the updates, especially with DiBo. Ask and you shall receive. This place is great.
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19 ISLE in NJ 22 says:
This is a well timed thread CB!!! I was checking out Sarnia’s scoring leaders last night because I was curious as to how “our” guys were doing.
Thanks for the skinny on them … it’s guys like these that become huge as far as support for super stars on championship teams.
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CB- I praise you for posting this. I have been watching these three closely all season. I’ve met these three a couple of times and I really hope to see them all in an Islander uniform sometime during their career. I believe the Isles will sign Katic this year and attempt to develop him for the future. I am really high on this kid. As for Martin, this may be a stretch but I always pictured him as a poor man’s Mike Richards. I guess it’s favoritism, but he has offensive potential, plays in front of the net, is a TEAM PLAYER and stand up for his boys. Something this team is in dire need of. I think Martin will be back in Sarnia one more year, but on the Isles radar.
As for Dibo, I think we will see him in the system somewhere, next season. Either on the Bridge or in Utah. He’ll be 21 and will not be eligible to play in the OHL. SO although the Isles don’t have to sign him until next season, if you want to develop him, then it’s probably about time. I don’t think he will be as useful to the Isles as the other two, but stranger things have happened.
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Coach B says:
Martin reminds me of David Clarkson, who is improving steadily with the Devils. Katic has so much speed and could be better suited to the pro game. Hope to watch all three with Bridgeport next season.
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justin says:
Great column on the isles/sting prospects, Katic with speed, dibenedetto has hands, Martin all the ingredients to build a winner, he doesn’t go away when things get tough.
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beatlebailey says:
What’s up with Ben Walter? Is he progressing this year? Seems like a disappointment he did not stick this year.
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Anthony says:
Very good piece on the trio.
I went to the Sarnia website and read a midseason report on all three and when the piece was written on 1/19/09 DiBo was leading the OHL in goals over Tavares.
Katic right now is one of the fastest U20 skaters in the world..Already recorded a career high in goals..
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Chris M says:
I think my 10 year old son is already BIGGER than Katic. The other two i would sign!!
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Dooks94 says:
Let’s face it if Katic was so good he would have went alot higher than 3rd round. DiBO too. Martin is a fourth liner a Nate Thompson clone. We’d be lucky if any of these guys even made it to the NHL. And we all know te Islanders are anything but lucky
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Why wouldn’t they sign these players???? Worse comes to worse, they are moved down the road….hate to see three players go someplace else and blossom with PATIENCE.
BTW….the real spelling of the name is DeBenedetto….Shakey could borrow all of the Islander Jerseys I’ve bought the last 30 years….GO DiBOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
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Bullwinkle says:
Mr. Botta,
One correction to your article. The population of Sarnia is NOT 7,000 as you stated, but is rather just shy of 72,000 as per the last census. Why specifically mention the population of Sarnia early in the article if you don’t even know the actual answer!
LOL
Cheers.
good to hear about Justin. I remember him from prospect camp. glad he is doing so well.