Monthly Archives: November 2009
Kyle Okposo is in Carolina and hopes to skate with the team this morning. I’d never be smart enough to figure all this out. On Monday, Kyle practiced with the Islanders. On Tuesday, he was diagnosed with the H1N1 virus. On Thursday he was on a plane to Raleigh and today he’ll be with the team. Is there a doctor on the blog?
CB on NHL’s Penguins and Sharks working together
It’s neither harsh nor pleasant. It’s just reality.
The Islanders’ best young players - John Tavares, Kyle Okposo, Josh Bailey – are up with the big club.
Arguably their top prospect – Calvin de Haan – is in the Ontario Hockey League.
The 2007 draft – without a first and second round pick – understandably did little to fill the prospect coffers. Blake Kessel could turn out all right.
Beyond the drafting of Kyle Okposo, the 2006 draft may not turn out to be half the success many in the organization have boasted it would be.
The end result is that a lot rides on the development of the draft picks in 2008 and 2009. But that’s a discussion for another day, when we present our rankings of the top Islanders prospects in junior, college and Europe.
For now, here’s our look at the franchise’s young players on the AHL farm. As you will see (and may already know), with the possible exception of Trevor Smith and Andrew MacDonald there is little immediate help here for the big club. They are prospects.
11. Micheal Haley: Likeable longshot could become a fourth line irritant. Arguably the best middleweight frequent fighter in the organization since Garry Howatt.
0-2-2 and 57 PIM in 10 games
Upside: Fourth-line NHL forward
Worst-case: minor leaguer
10. Dustin Kohn: Defenseman who needs to establish an identity. Not skilled enough to be a puck-mover, so far not rugged and mobile enough to be a shut-down. Time is running out for 2005 second round pick to prove he can be an NHL regular.
2-5-7 in 17 games
Upside: No. 6 defenseman
Worst-case: depth defenseman
9. Mark Katic: Third round pick from 2007 has played fairly solid defense, not an easy task for a first-year pro. He’ll develop in Bridgeport for a while.
1-2-3 in 16 games
Upside: No. 5 defenseman
Worst-case: depth defenseman
8. Robin Figren: Early stage of North American pro career for talented wing has been borderline disastrous. Healthy scratches, struggles to learn system, little to no impact on games. It’s still early for the 2006 third round pick, but the signs have not been good.
0-1-1 in 12 games
Upside: Third-line NHL forward
Worst-case: Not an NHL player, back to Europe in a few years
7. Joel Rechlicz: After starting season with the Islanders, the 6-4 Wrecker was sent to Bridgeport so the prospective enforcer can improve his game while the clock is actually running. Played fourth line and now is injured.
0-0-0 and 30 PIM in 6 games
Upside: Fourth line NHL enforcer-agitator
Worst-case: Minor leaguer
6. Andrew MacDonald: The Ted Nolan-backed sixth round draft pick in 2006 continues to develop properly on the farm. When the Islanders need another defenseman, if they don’t acquire one on waivers or in a trade MacDonald is the most likely recall.
1-6-7 in 17 games
Upside: No. 4 NHL defenseman
Worst-case: NHL/AHL depth player
5. Justin DiBenedetto: 2008 sixth round pick a long way from racking up all those points in the Ontario League. Will likely need at least two years in the AHL to prove he can be a scorer in the big leagues. His two goals this season came on the power play in the same game. Welcome to the pros, DiBo.
2-3-5 in 17 games
Upside: Second-line NHL forward
Worst-case: Not an NHL player
4. Trevor Smith: Three years after signing as a free agent after his sophomore year at New Hampshire, Smith continues to improve as an offensive forward. Scored 30 goals in the AHL last year. Needs to improve his consistency and his battle level.
6-4-10 in 17 games
Upside: Third-line NHL forward and power play
Worst-case: NHL/AHL depth player
3. Matt Martin: First-year pro has performed as expected. He’s raw and probably will never be a big point producer, but if brought along right could be a strong intangibles player for the Islanders for years to come.
2-4-6 and 42 PIM in 17 games
Upside: Third-line NHL power wing and intangibles player
Worst-case: NHL Fourth-line forward
2. Jesse Joensuu: Everyone knew the 6-4 Finn would take time to become a North American-style power wing. Still just 22 years old and big forwards traditionally take longer to develop, but looks like he’s got a long way to go. Second round pick in 2006 needs to skate harder, play smarter and use his size.
1-6-7 in 16 games
Upside: Second-line NHL skill and size wing
Downside: You don’t even want to think about it
1. Mikko Koskinen: The 6-7 goalie is No. 1 for three reasons: the competition (see above) is not sterling, he’s unquestionably gifted and the reality is he has to be.
When the Islanders traded one second round pick, two thirds and a fourth to move up and take Calvin de Haan (2-8-10 in 15 games this season with OHL Oshawa), they couldn’t miss with the first pick in the second round. With so many gifted kids still on the board, including 18-year old Ryan O’Reilly of the Colorado Avalanche, the Islanders took the big goalie from Finland. He’s out with a hip injury and expected back around Christmas. Koskinen, 21, has the ability and comes with expectations.
1-1-0, 2.45 GAA, .902 save pct.
Upside: No. 1 NHL goalie
Worst-case: No. 2 NHL goalie
Comments on Islanders prospects in Bridgeport only in this post. Comment Guidelines.
One of the great things about the NHL is how teams can work together after the games are over. Please check out my story on FanHouse about Pittsburgh Penguins president David Morehouse, who had emergency heart surgery on Sunday in California.
FanHouse on Martin Biron and trade rumors
Martin Biron handles the non-stop rumors – most of them created out of thin air, or hot air – with a sense of humor and perspective. “I can write a blog about all this,” he told me. Please read the story and make any comments on FanHouse, the official sponsor of Point Blank. Thank you…CBFanHouse on Martin Biron and trade rumors
Live Chat Tonight: Join fellow Point Blank and moderator Chris Botta tonight for a live chat between the KO-less Islanders and AO-less Capitals!
11:10 am - We have a Rob Schremp sighting.
Amazing how this roster stuff works out with the Islanders. Observers debated for a week over what would and should happen when Trent Hunter returned. Now Kyle Okposo (H1N1 flu) and Doug Weight (U B I) are out.
Many fans also wanted to see Rob Schremp get a shot, against all odds. Well, now those odds could come in. Blake Comeau is ill. If he can’t go, Schremp has to play.
Moulson – Tavares - Park
Bergenheim – Nielsen – Hunter
Tambellini – Bailey – Sim
Schremp – Thompson – Jackman
Scott Gordon said he thought Schremp was most definitely a center and not a wing. From H1N1 and mysterious upper-body injuries comes opportunity.
The incredible, all-he-does-is-win Dwayne Roloson – record of 5-1, save percentage of .913 – starts tonight for the Islanders.
Alexander Ovechkin definitely out. Jeff Schultz unlikely to play. Mike Green a lineup probable.
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Some notes on tonight’s opponents, courtesy of Capitals PR:
The Caps have scored a goal each of the last seven periods including five third-period goals Nov. 7 against Florida. With Alex Ovechkin out of the lineup the Caps have gotten goals from eight different players in the past seven periods – Tomas Fleischmann has three, Mike Knuble and Brendan Morrison both have two each and Brooks Laich, Quintin Laing, Mathieu Perreault, Brian Pothier and Tyler Sloan each have one apiece.
Fleischmann has been on a torrid streak over the six games since he returned to the lineup after recovering from a blood clot in his leg that was discovered in the offseason. A 19-goal scorer last year, Fleischmann has five goals in those six games, a rate (0.83) that ranks third in the NHL behind Ilya Kovalchuk and Alex Ovechkin. Fleischmann has points in five straight games, his longest career point streak.
Six of the eight meetings against the Islanders since Bruce Boudreau became head coach of the Capitals have gone to overtime, with Washington holding a 5-0-3 record in that time.
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Islanders Academy’s Intriguing Site: On Tuesday, I wrote about the Islanders’ most excellent Hockey Academy – a post that I hope generated as much interest in the program as it did for my all-time classic typo.
Well, I learned something else about the program today. Besides sessions at Iceworks in Syosset and The Rinx in Hauppauge, the Islanders Academy has a clinic this fall in…wait for it…
No, really…wait for it…it’s worth it…
The World Ice Arena in friggin’ Flushing, Queens!
Right by Citi Field. At Willets Point.
Oh my, that’s rich.
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Point Blank Holiday Party: We’re looking into the possibility of hosting a holiday party for local readers of our little blog. Likely at RC Dugans in East Meadow. Likely on a weeknight in early December. Definitely centered around watching an Islanders’ road game on Dugans’ many large and medium-sized screens. Definitely some hockey talk and cheap beer. Possibly a special guest or two. Stay tuned for details.
Comments. Comment Guidelines. See you tonight at the live chat.
4:45 pm - According to team officials, Kyle Okposo has been diagnosed with the H1N1 flu. He did not travel with the team to Washington. Expect Okposo to miss at least the three games this week on the first part of the team’s road trip. The NYI also announced that captain Doug Weight’s “upper-body” injury suffered last Friday in New Jersey will now sideline him for 4-6 weeks.
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