RAKHSHANI TO RETURN FOR SENIOR YEAR AT DU
Chooses chance of ‘C’ and a title over turning pro
Islanders prospect Rhett Rakhshani has decided to return to Denver University for his senior year instead of turning pro, sources tell Point Blank.
The Islanders fourth round draft pick in 2006 was faced with a tough but enviable decision, one we outlined in this post in early April. The 21-year old right wing opted for the chance to play for a national championship at Denver, possibly as captain of the Pioneers. Denver Post writer Mike Chambers believes Rakhshani could be in for a special season.
We rank Rakhshani as the franchise’s No. 5 prospect among players in college, junior or Europe. With Justin DiBenedetto and Mark Katic signed, Matt Donovan and Jason Gregoire join the list. Donovan, a skilled 19-year old defenseman and USHL all-star, will be a freshman on Rakhshani’s team in Denver. Gregoire, a left wing, was 12-17-29 in 42 games in his freshman season at the University of North Dakota.
TOP 10 NYI PROSPECTS
In college, junior or Europe
1. Aaron Ness
2. Corey Trivino
3. Travis Hamonic
4. Kirill Petrov
5. Rhett Rakhshani
6. Matt Martin
7. David Ullstrom
8. Blake Kessel
9. Matt Donovan
10. Jason Gregoire
Comments.
33 Responses to “RAKHSHANI TO RETURN FOR SENIOR YEAR AT DU
Chooses chance of ‘C’ and a title over turning pro”
Please Wait
Good luck to the Kid, heres to a fantastic season and great development next year in Denver. And him being in an Isles or sound tigers uni afterwards.
Great for him. I have a feeling he turns into something special. Watched him a bit this season for the few games televised and streamed on the web. Looks like he has a good work ethic and vision on the ice.
By the time he’s ready the Isles pipeline will be kicking in.
CB: Any word on Matt Martin? I thought for sure they’d sign him along with DiBenedetto and Katic. Is he eligible to return to juniors for one more year?
If I recall, Rakhshani was not at rookie camp last summer to do some college work so he seems to want to graduate and nothing wrong with this. Glad to see Gregoire on the list, I really like his game.
What does this mean in terms of Islanders rights? Do they become extended for a year or are they under the same limits to signing him before his rights expire?
Seems like another year will do him good. Doesnt seem he will get much playing time in bridgeport should he of opted to go pro. Better to improve on his year in college and take it from there.
QUestion why is cory Trivivo ranked so hi. he plays for boston right? i watched him play in Frozen four finals and could tell he was on the ice. Seems like DiBennedetto in 6th round going to prove to work out better than Trivino.
Is Petrov ever going to play here?
Do we lose him as he hasn’t signed?
James: If Martin is not signed, he plays another year in Sarnia. The Islanders have his rights until next summer.
1919: The Islanders retain Rakhshani’s rights.
Spartiati: As we’ve said for a while, Petrov is not close to being able to come here, nor is he close to being ready to succeed at the NHL level. He is No. 4 on the list based solely on potential.
Trivino was a freshman playing behind the great Colin Wilson. Now that Wilson is leaving, Trivino should get more responsibility. As it was, a year playing third line under Jack Parker learning all aspects of the game should be good for him. CB
from what little I’ve seen of Trivino, he kinda reminds me of Bob Bourne…tall, lanky, long reach, blazing speed, pretty good hands but maybe not as good as, well, a Tavares
if we draft another CENTER, maybe Trivino uses his speed and skating ability on the wing
Thats for the update CB. With the recent wave of signings plus the draft coming up, it doesn’t hurt to have Rhett continue to be a leader for Denver. I would like to see Martin at the bridge w/ DiBo
Huh, two guys knocked off the top 10 list and still Niemi doesn’t get on. He must be pretty disappointing up to this point…I hope he picks his game up and turns some heads. Decent size and a great shot would ge good qualities to add to the system.
Good decision by Rakhshani. His professional career will be waiting for him after he finishes college and gets his degree. No need to rush this period in his life. Steps immediately into Top 6 spot in Bridgeport and maybe lands a role on the Islanders with a good camp.
It sounds like Rakhshani has developed nicely during the past few years. Denver will have a good team next year, and I’m sure he will continue to refine his game at the college level. It’s great that he wants to get his degree. However, Rakshani is small, and one of my biggest concerns with our prospect pool is a lack of size among our guys with high-end potential. Martin and Ullstrom are big and mean, but they project as 3rd line guys max. It’s too hard to tell Joensuu’s potential. I hope Garth can find 1-2 skilled big players in the first two rounds (Hedman and Kassian?). I also want to see at least one goal in our top ten prospects next year. We probably have the worst goalie depth in the league.
we MUST draft a goalie early. If we dont move up take one with SJ’s first rounder if there is a good one to be had. CB do you have any info on the top goalie prospects?
Beatlebailey (14) - Based on my research, I do not think there are any goalies projected to go in the first round this year. However, there are 4-5 solid goalies that will be available in the 2nd and 3rd rounds. It would helpful for Snow to know Dipi’s situation as soon as possible. I am not opposed to us making a trade for a young goalie with potential (Josh Harding and Tukka Rask are two guys that come to mind who may be available at the right price.)
Whats the story on Shea Guthrie, 2nd round 2005 76th overall, played 4 years at Clarkson….two times ECAC player of the week this season ??
I’ve got to go against the grain here. I don’t think it’s a good decision for Rakhshani. Starting his pro career now would have presented him with a good chance of playing in the NHL next season and at the very least solidifying his prospects with a full season in the AHL. After another year of development for the players in the system and another draft stacking the system, his chances simply won’t be as good in 2010 as they are now. There are a lot of players who never made it mainly because they weren’t in the right place at the right time, not because of a lack of ability. If you let someone get in front of you in the ticket line, you could end up with no tickets. Right now was the right time and right place for a player of Rakhshani’s skill set to make a push. I think he just blew the best chance he’s ever going to get, and I hope he doesn’t have to regret it. This looked to be the most opportune moment, and he missed the boat. Just my opinion.
GOALTENDING
I have given alot of thought to this situation. My first instict was we sould draft a Goalie with our last #2 or maybe our #3….but I have given it a second look.
WE ARE WASTING AN ASSET…the asset is NHL goaltending Icetime. We wasted 77 games on Journeymen Goalies last year.
Even if DP is healthy next year, would we ever take the chance in a (likely) non contending year to let the guy play more than 50 games? Good chance he misses much more than 30 games?
Why not give this time to a real prospect, one with the chance to actually be a number 1 for someone? Whether we find the perfect 30 game a year guy, or realize DP is never coming back….we have a great opportunity.
Take a 2nd round pick or 3rd rounder and trade for a “BLOCKED GOALIE”….Cory Schneider is never going to get his chance in Vancouver…..he was drafted before they made the Luongo trade. What about Corey Crawford in Chicago? Max Montoya in Pheonix (Though he may actually get his chance in 09/10).
Maybe one of these guys stands on his head, and then we can trade the guy at the deadline or following offseason for a better pick? Maybe a 1? Or maybe the Veteren we need for the 10/11 playoff push.
We have quality icetime to give to a goalie….and we just waste it on guys that are journeymen.
If Craig Billington was still Devil probperty, I bet he would have nice trade value?
Just make sure the guy is not eligible for FA after the season before we make the deal.
Seems to me we have an opportunity and we should take advantage.
#13 and #14
Im going to disagree with you on a couple of fronts about a goalie early, we have way too many holes in the system to adress taking a goalie early. History has proven that you can find decent goalie prospects in the later rounds. any goalie taken in the first round would be one who you would want as your #1 in 3 to 4 years after drafting them. Well in or case I say yes lets draft some goalies to protect ourselves but with DPs contract its tought to put resourses into young goalies until we either have the rest of the positions in decent prospect shape or until we know DP will not be playing through his whole contract.
I say draft the best player available at that time. No matter what position they play.
Good luck, kid. Take some more time to develop. Get that confidence up and maybe a ring around your finger. You’ll be wearing orange and blue, and bringing plenty of excitement soon enough. Stay healthy and be smart.
I am thankfull that Snow and Jankowski are going to pick the players because if we left it up to everyone on this blog we would have over 250 players to develop next season.
I heard Petrov was the 2nd best european player in the draft last year, and that getting him in the 3rd round was risky, but could be a huge steal…I hope that works out.
CB - What is the chance Petrov comes over to play in the Bridge next year (if there is any)? Or comes over for summer or training camp?
(24) 0% for the first question. I doubt it, but not completely sure for the second…CB
DU kids usually stay all 4 years. I’m not surprised by this move - all the best to him as long as he’s not playing my alma mater.
CB - your take on Trivino is dead right. He will be at worst 2nd line center next year, and if Nick Bonino signs with Anaheim he could slot in at the first line. He’s undersized and needs to add about 10-15 pounds of muscle over the next year or so to really take his game to the next level.
Yes, Bob S (16) What about Shea Guthrie? Six foot three, 207 lbs and can skate. Do we have plans for him?
go CAPS!!!
Great picture.
But I’m curious.
Did he put the biscuit in the basket?
i like the fact that snow and wang are perfectly fine with rhett finishing off his career in denver after pulling okposo from school because of development issues…. kyle has certainly blossomed quicker in the nhl than he would have in college and a year at BP. two different players, two different school programs and two different decisions on how to let the kids move forward seems to be a nice indicator of serious consideration of players development as opposed to desperation to fill seats/positions/headlines. folks can knock the goale-to-GM thing all they want, but so far snow has stepped up the hockey decisions in this organization from milbury by a thousand percent, and to all intent in purpose, seems to be doing a decent job handling himself well among the tenured hockey operations folks he pits against throughout the league. unlike milbury, he is making noise for seemingly the proper calls not the stupid ones. hopefully he will be as smart come draft time and take tavares with the first pick and move on from there!
Rhett is one of the more immediate prospects in the system. Far more than fan favs like DiBo, Martin, etc. Rhett will have an excellent chance for a pro career regardless if waits another year to complete his last year of college.
If KO waited to finish his four years of college, he would still be a NHL Top 6 player. He wouldn’t have “given up his place in line”.
Being Captain of a NCAA Championship-competitive team will be as good of a development environment as playing a year in a choke-artist, character-lacking Bridgeport team.
I think it will be great for Rhett’s development … another strong development season for Captain Rhett … and we’ll have another strong prospect ready to fill in the ranks at the Bridge with home grown talent.
***
CB .. I see that you ranked Kirill Petrov as the #4 prospect … and you’ve already made it know that it’s a 100% chance that he will NOT come over next season … I know he’s under contract this season with Kazan … but … how is the KHL panning out? I see he had a strong finish and is performing outstanding in tournaments .. a 5g-5a performance in a 5 game winter tournament this past Feb … Does this have anything to do with your #4 ranking? I’d think to be ranked that high you have to be a slam dunk for NHL stardom … but there are still questions to his game… aren’t there?
(32) By that logic Ness, Trivino, and Hamonic should also be “slam dunks for NHL stardom”, right? The truth is that not one of them is a slam dunk to even be a regular NHL player, never mind a star player. There are 12 forward and 6 defense positions open at any given time on game day. Most draft picks never make it. It’s just a simple fact of life. Islanders prospects are not only competing against each other, they are competing against established Islanders players, free agents, and undrafted late bloomers as well. Most players are not going to be stars, so they have to find a niche to make it. Look at Richard Park and Andy Hilbert, both 2nd round picks. Park was a high scorer in OHL, Hilbert scored 64 points in 42 games in his second season in college (and over a point per game in the minors), and both had to work hard to carve out a niche to become NHL regulars. It’s a dog-eat-dog world if you don’t have very high-end ability. Jon Sim was the #2 goalscorer in OHL in his draft year, and eventually finished with 165 goals in 211 career OHL games plus 21 goals in 31 OHL playoff games.