McGUIRE ON TRAVIS: “WHAT ALL NHL TEAMS NEED”
Hamonic out 6-8 weeks with left shoulder injury
UPDATED at 10:15 pm – With a minute left in Canada’s 6-1 win over Switzerland, Travis Hamonic was hit from behind. He will miss the next 6-8 weeks with a tear of the AC joint in his shoulder.
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3:30 pm - Shortly before faceoff for the first semifinal today between Canada and Switzerland at the World Junior Championships in Saskatoon, analyst Pierre McGuire was gracious enough to share his views of the participating Islanders’ prospects with Point Blank.
McGuire said 2009 late round pick Anton Klementyev “has really struggled” and called the Russian defenseman and Finnish captain Jyri Niemi “projects.” Added McGuire, “They’re both young and have their drawbacks. I’m not sure about them.”
On Team Sweden’s backup goalie, Anders Nilsson – the Islanders’ third round pick in 2009 – McGuire said, “I couldn’t believe how much of the goal he took up! Nilsson’s really raw. He’s going to need at least a couple of years, but (goalie coach) Sudsie Maharaj certainly has something to work with.”
Then McGuire focused on the Islanders’ top four at the World Junior Championships…
Calvin de Haan: “You have to give de Haan a lot of credit because it was really life and death with him just to make the team. His strong play in the last two tryout games won him the job.
“He gets an incomplete for the tournament because he missed so much time, but these next two games give him another chance to show how good he is. Very good mobility, composure. Moves the puck extremely well. He already has an NHL brain.
Calvin’s probably three to four years away from really contributing the Islanders, but he’ll be a good player. It’s going to come down to size and strength and handling the rigors of the NHL grind.”
Travis Hamonic: “I’m a big believer in just about every player spending at least one year in the American Hockey League. That should also be the case with Travis, but I also can’t deny that he looks like he’s NHL-ready now. Hamonic is what all NHL teams need. He can be a big part of your shutdown unit, like he is with Scandella in this tournament. He can shoot the puck through a wall. He’s a great teammate, very mature.
“Shea Weber’s play at this tournament was ahead of what Travis is showing now, but Travis is the most improved player in Canadian junior hockey in the two years since the Islanders drafted him. His upside is probably in the tier just below a player like Weber, but I mean – c’mon! – Weber is on the Canadian Olympic team.
“Islanders fans are going to love Hamonic. With Moose Jaw likely not making the playoffs, the Islanders can sign him and give him a look in the NHL or in Bridgeport at the end of this season. That would be exciting.”
Kirill Petrov: “In this tournament, he proved that he is an extremely skilled player with good speed who was saddled with being on a marginal team. This was one of the worst teams Russia has ever sent to this tournament. Just as Hamonic is the most improved player in the 2008 draft, no one has fallen off worse than Nikita Filatov. His body language was horrible and he wasn’t any help to Petrov or his teammates.
“There’s no question that Petrov is not close to stepping straight in to the NHL. If he has to find his way over the next two years in the KHL, so be it. Maybe the Islanders get a deal done and he learns in Bridgeport. Either way, the good news for the Islanders is they made a low-risk pick and Petrov has some serious talent. It’s just going to take some time, patience, coaching and, on his part, some maturation.”
Matt Donovan: “He’s got major league upside. Donovan is so much better than most scouts thought he would be. You could see on the goal he scored last night the high level of skill he has.
“Donovan is years away. What he needs more than anything else are more reps against quality opponents. When he does, he’s going to be a good player for the Islanders. That’s a real quality pick by Ryan Jankowski and his staff.”
Before saying goodbye, I asked McGuire two lightning-round questions.
Who will be the best NHL player to come out of this tournament?
“Taylor Hall.”
Who is the MVP so far of the tournament?
“It’s a close call between Magnus Paajarvi-Svensson of Sweden and Jordan Eberle of Canada. We’ll find out in the next 48 hours.”
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6:00 pm - As Tweeted by Katie Strang, the Islanders decided to not share with their media and fans that Rick DiPietro started in Worcester today. Perhaps they figured he would be better off in anonymity.
Rick stopped 35 of 39 Worcester shots as Bridgeport lost 4-3. Assuming he made it through the game okay – preliminary reports are good – he should re-join the Islanders soon.
Comments.
81 Responses to McGUIRE ON TRAVIS: “WHAT ALL NHL TEAMS NEED”
Hamonic out 6-8 weeks with left shoulder injury
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shinkdew says:
Thanks, this is great. Pierre was really riding Filatov in the Russia game yesterday. I think it’s the first time I’ve ever heard him say a negative thing about a prospect on the air. Hamonnic has definitely been the best of the bunch so far. I still don’t get why the don’t let Klementyev play with the London Knights instead of eating hotdogs in Bridgeport, maybe London doesn’t want him?
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RichM says:
Pierre knows his stuff. Great interview!!!
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Smokey a.k.a. Botta is God says:
He was right-on with everything, but I was surprised with what he said about Klementyev. I thought Klementyev was the best defensive defenseman for Russia, especially against Sweden. He certainly doesn’t have a clue on offense, but the Islanders probably sent him straight to the Bridge because his defensive game is already pretty good.
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Brian says:
Very encouraging analysis. Hopefully they turn into good NHL players and play a key part in the rebuild.
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Isles4Ever says:
How much time do you give Klementyev, he seems like a decent player just maybe needs time to develop. this are looking up for the future, maybe Jankowski can be the next Devellano. There were some decent draft eligle players in the WJC. Which do you think the Isles might go after? Hrasko from slovakia seemed to have the Canadians number when he played. He’s physical, which is a good start. Any guesses on who the Isles are keeping an eye on for this years draft?
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harry says:
MVP – niedereiter?
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trots19 says:
thanks CB, but when i remember pierre shilling for his leafs and how luke schenn was going to lead them to the promised land, i have to take some of his insights with a grain of salt,,,,good call on zach parise though,,,thanks again MM……
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Islandrama says:
Hamonic is listed at 6′ 218 in the IIHF tournament rosters. That is awesome size for a kid who’s still growing. Also a +7 in the tourney. Can’t wait to see him in Bridgeport!
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Mario says:
Rick has given up 3 goals on 28 shots. Watching the live feed and He looks pretty good. Worchester is flying around them. Good luck Rick and get back healthy.
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bergie20 says:
hamonic, de haan, and donovan have the makings of a great d for a long time. i am so glad that we passed on filatov. he’s got bust written all over him.
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Brian G says:
Great Job CB – this is good stuff…these players are at least 2 years away
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Staten Islander says:
Nice to hear, I hope they continue to develop
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Madchef says:
great article cb. awesome insight. too abd most of these guys are 2 years from making an impact in the nhl.
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Jason says:
Of all Islander prospects in the tournament, I’ve been most pleasantly surprised and impressed with Matt Donovan. I didn’t see yesterday’s game, but I’ve seen all the rest, he’s a very good prospect. With the game’s I’ve seen, he’s outperformed Cam Fowler, although Donovan is 19 months older. At that age, that is a difference. But I’ve been very impressed with Donovan.
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beatlebailey says:
3-4 years away for CDH? Was hoping it was more like 2 years away since we gave up a ransom for him.
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richiepilonRules says:
great newss about our guys…sounds like de haan will be worth it and harmonic could be a real winner
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steve says:
i got an idea, lets keep riding the GM and the head scout for their draft picks. defenders take longer to reach the NHL, the position is more then talent, its feel. that one of our defenders has an “NHL brain” is a very good thing. also, these guys are 18 years old. they dont have, nor should they have, filled out adult bodies. physical size is far important for a defender. look at the changes in the size of JB with just one season of NHL strength training, and hes only 19. you can stack size on large frame, you can’t stack size on a small frame. that hillen guy, he works with a smaller frame, seems to be working out okay. the prospects in this post, are all taller. talent size on the blue line, nice! next seasons WJR champs are in buffalo. just sayin’.
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RD says:
It is great to hear an expert hockey analyst like Pierre Mcguire give praise to our 3 young d-men. I have watched the tourny and he is right on the money, as usual.
I saw De Haan play the only preseason game at NVMC and he didn’t look out of place. He needs to bulk up. He is NHL ready from a mental standpoint but not physical.
I saw Donovan skate from one end of the ice to the other and through the entire Latvian team. This kid has skills as well. You can’t miss him out there. Definitely a difference maker for Team USA.
Hamonic may be the best Canadian defender on the ice. He is a 2nd round pick playing on a team of mostly 1st rd picks. Taylor Hall is the only undrafted player on Canada and he will probably be the 1st overall pick.
Future is bright for our defense corp! We also have Aaron Ness out there.
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EdTurner says:
Nice!
Looks like Garth’s plan is right on schedule.
2015-2016 KC Islanders/Scouts/Tornado’s will have a heck of a team.
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Isles fan in Scotland says:
Di Pietro
Hamonic deHaan
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eric nystrom says:
Not impressed with Hall.. The Isles won’t fnish last because Roloson is that good.. IF the Isles finish last or 2nd to last, they should take Fowler, he is by far the best junior player.. I have also watched ALL World Junior games and I put Donovan up there with any D-men on any national team. That’s all I have to say about that
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Irish Isle says:
I agree, that the D Corps looks like it could be a strength of the team in years to come, though I would really like the Isles to get Fowler at the Draft, hopefully the Islanders will have the assets to trade up if need be.
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LIMBAUGH2012 says:
Travis Hamonic is a tough kid, seen him on youtube he is all star material
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Steve says:
Ugh Hamonic just broke a collarbone…
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Scott says:
Harmonic just got hit from behind. looks like he hurt his shoulder or arm.
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CT Isles Fan says:
Yeah looks like a broken collar bone or dislocated shoulder. What a cheap shot.
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The Simtuation formerly known as K-Rob says:
Let’s just hope its not serious, he might be the key to a cup someday. Just hope he won’t be affected by it like a former Islanders prospect named Justin Papinaeau (he was aquired after he was injured)
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pattyb94 says:
****!! you gotta just love our luck. I really hope Hamonic is ok.
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battfist says:
Wow. Talk about bad luck.
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Bring back Nyles says:
Almost scared to watch Matt Donovan later in the other semifinal game. What was Hamonic doing out there with uunder a minute to go and up 5?
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Smitty says:
Nystrom:
You really haven’t been impressed with Hall? WOW
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nick says:
We are just as in the thick of the playoff race as we are of finishing in the bottom 5. Either or Ill be happy with, a chance to draft a guy like Hall doesnt come around to often. He has the same goal scoring prowness as JT but is 100x times faster.
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thepolishprince says:
Hamonic hurt late in a laugher of a game. Crappy Islander luck. Really hope its nothing serious that will slow his progression.
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Reminded of the Turgeon hit. He was NEVER the same after that hit.
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it would be funny it this kind of luck was happening to someone else FU&*!!!!!!!!!!
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Bryan says:
As sad as this sounds, I hope its a simple break in the collar bone. They heal naturally 95% of the time and if you are young, it could heal in 6 weeks. This would mean his development would not be affected that much. Man that was a bad hit though
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Viper says:
Thanks, Chris. McGuire and Botta (along with McKenzie) are my most trusted names in hockey. Thank you for your insight. Go Isles.
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anyone thinking taylor hall wont be the first pick is not watching the tournament closely. looked pretty good tonight
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Ya Hall looks ggod against scrub teams.. Let’s see how he does in next rounds vs USA or Sweden.. JT was much more dominant in Juniors
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MT says:
Hamonic done in the tourney, Bob McKenzie tweeted. Shame.
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Marc says:
Hamonic has a separated shoulder
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Harold C says:
I watched this game (NHL Network showing it live on FiOS) and it was a total dirty hit. One min or so left in the game, shame. Between him and DeHaan, seems like the Isles can’t catch a break even here.
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McKenzie just tweeted that Hamonic has a separated shoulder. What kind of time table is that? A month?
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dan says:
Only players from the Islanders would get hurt like this. WHEN WILL THIS END
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wmw22 says:
Great stuff, CB. Great to hear McGuire’s insight, but classic good news/bad news with the Hamonic injury.
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Islesphan25 says:
Hall is not even the league with Tavares or other top Jr. players from Years past. I am sorry he has showed me nothing where I said wow, he is talking over this game…
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Another thing…This is overall a weak talent wise Jr. tournament. Not 1 player has really had a wow factor in this tournament
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brian says:
how long does a seperated shoulder take to heal? Everybody is also forgetting about Mark Katic, being elected to the AHL allstar game as a 20 year old. Looks like if he fills out a little more he could be a solid blueliner on the Isles in the future. I’m thinking the future pairings could be:
1. De Haan Fowler
2. Hamonic Hillen
3. Donovan Katic/Macdonald
4. Gervais Katic/Macdonald -
the only thing were missing is a true shutdown defender…all of these guys are either 2-way or more offensive oriented…we need to draft a player like Witt was in his prime
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Mikey says:
Thanks for the outstanding coverage Chris. I watched the entire Swizerland-Russia game last night and came away extremely impressed with Petrov. He has great speed, size, and awareness on the ice. He’s not afraid to dig in the corners, and he made some great passes out there. I think Pierre may be underestimating him a bit. I know Wang did not want to bribe D’amato for the lighthouse, but he really needs to send a few briefcases filled with cash to AK Bars. I agree that Filatov dragged down that team and that line. Filatov is too soft to be a big time player in this league. Thank god SnowJanks didn’t follow the YouTube Scouting Bureau on that one. The rest of Pierre’s analysis seems about right. I have been very impressed with our boys.
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Ron says:
Sounds like a 3rd degree separated shoulder with that timeframe – should be fine long term with no lasting effects unless his labrum is torn too and they aren’t talking about it….
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Thanks for the update. It could have been worse. Get better soon Travis!
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Strummer's Army says:
That is a damn shame that both De Haan and Hamonic were seriously injured in the WJC by very dirty plays.
Great coverage today Chris!
Eager to see Mr. Hamonic at the end of the year and going forward.
De Haan I know will work out especially if he has a growth spurt like Hamonic and apparently Donovan did.
You notice no one mentioned Spurgeon other then he is Cowen’s d- partner, now that is a waste of a pick!
I think Neimi will turn out fine. He has size, a very powerful shot, skating, passing etc. Named Captain of team Finland and just the other night had 2 goals and an assist. Remember he was a forward until a few years ago. He’s not gauranteed to turn out but worth signing and developing.
I wish Petrov was returning to Bridge with Klmentev. He’s intersting because he could play junior but the Isles want to keep him in the AHL for some reason. Perhaps they see enough in him?
Kohn & Katic should be dealt if there is an opportunity, Bridge will have too many rookie d=men of quality next year and hey won’t go all young.
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Please take Bruno off that list. If he is still part of the def in two years we still will be having the same conversations of when will be compete….
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McGuire actually has Hamonic listed as 6’2″ and 208lbs, looks like he has already grown some
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streit02 says:
this team cant catch a break
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Bryan says:
well he is officially an islander now
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Steven says:
I’m getting real tired of these hockey injuries and cheep hits. A hit from behind with a minute left. Do players have any respect for each other?
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Steven, #62, one of the biggest problems is that the answer is very simply “no”.
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On Taylor Hall, I did not see the game last night. I have to go to my brother’s house to watch NHL Network. Time Warner Cable doesn’t offer it here in Dallas, but I did see all of the other games. Hall has looked good in all of the games with the exception of the game against the U.S. Taylor Hall will be an excellent NHL player. He has great speed, skill, and determination. All great players can be shut down every now and then, that leads to being knocked.
Hands down, IF we pick first (who knows how we finish?), hands down, Hall over Fowler. I haven’t found Fowler overly impressive.
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IslanderFAN says:
with that many young d-man coming up i have a feeling that Mark Streit wont finish is 5 years contract with the Isles..well not the way he’s playing this year.
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Al L says:
Unbelievable!!! I understand other Organizations’ young hopefuls get injured,but it seems just when one of ours is on the fast track,something like this always happens! Six to eight weeks basically chews up the balance of his season and any further progress! Hopefully this type of injury doesn’t have a future effect on the kids gritty edge. Damn it!!!!!
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Chris R says:
WOW, just our luck. Now Hamonic is shelved. There is absolutely no justice for the Isles.
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Mike from Oceanside says:
The curse of CB strikes again! LOL
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cgs878 says:
I want to know what a good D-man looks like. Even the best get beat a few times a game. The 5 For Fischler wasn’t that enlightening this week.
It seems that dirty hits are part of the “hockey experience” now. I think that the penalties need to be more severe. -
Lorne says:
Is it me or do our players seem to get hit from behind or hit via a cheap shot.
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the bomber says:
very unfortunate but he will be ok… so will deHaan. Looks like we are set at goal and defense in a few years. A few more forwards this draft then sign a big FA defender and winger and its go time.
i need to find a video of that gal who sang the anthem saturday. that was utterly embarrassing, and words dont do it justice as to how bad she was, i need to show people.
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As depressing as the Hamonic injury is, the good thing is he is now a Huge Prospect going into next year. His +9 is tied for best in the Tourney & he hasn’t been on the ice for a goal against all Tourney! Now w/ Jared Cowen struggling, and Hamonic out, the Canadians will be forced to play deHaan big minutes in the Goal medal game, which will be a great test for Calvin. I love P.McGuire but saying DeHaan and Donavan are years away isn’t true. I watched every minute of the WJC so far & Donovan looked to be the best skating D-Man on either the U.S. or Canadian teams, & in todays NHL, he can play for us in another 1 1/2 yrs. Donavans 3 goals ties Peterangelo for the most by a DMan. DeHaan & Hamonic will be NHL ready next year. Hamonic will make the opening night Roster, deHaan will be in the AHL for 2 months next yr, and then be up w/ the Isles in January 2011. ..Petrov wasn’t given enough credit. He proved to be much better than Filatov and showed more skill than Vlad Tarasenko(expected to be a 2010 top 5 overall pick). Petrov has 8 pts in the Tourney. The next best Russian has 6 pts. He has a +5, the next best Russian is +3. He’s 6’3 218, forechecks well. He will be NHL Ready next year, the only question is when can we sign him? Dont forget in 2008 RedLine Report had Petrov as the 8th best prospect in the Draft & Josh Bailey rated 15th.
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Scott D says:
I think the “Turgeon was never the same” argument gets over done sometimes. I don’t think he changed post-1993 so much as the league did. Offensively speaking, 1993 was a league-wide abberation. If you look at the leading scorers from 93 to 94, everyone was down 25-40 points almost across the board. And obviously, with the Devils and the trap becoming in vogue in 1995, it only got worse. My point being, let’s not go crazy and start thinking Hamonic will never be the same.
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Justin Marques says:
As much as we love to see our prospects up on the Islanders, we need to take it slow with them. Look at Andy MacDonald, for example. He developed beautifully through the ranks and in Bridgeport and now he is a decent defenseman for the Islanders who still has plenty of upside. Don’t rush deHaan next year, and especially don’t rush Hamonic. Let them develop properly in juniors this year, and then in the AHL next year. Maybe in two-three years time, both will be properly ready to join the Islanders and make a differenace. As a pairing, they will be phenomenal, as Hamonic is a true shut-down guy who can play some offense, while deHaan is a number-two defenseman and powerplay quarterback. With proper development, they will be phenomenal in two years, in my opinion.
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65 – Islanders Fan: With the way Streit is playing this year? Just because his offensive numbers aren’t as good doesn’t mean he isn’t playing all around sound hockey. He’s got 21 points and is a plus-1 on a team that has given up more goals than it has scored. I truly think he will be here until the end of his fifth year, and he will be a deadline trade. He’s a great defenseman, and he will make a difference in two-three years time when we are competing for a Stanley Cup.
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dose says:
72 Scott D on Jan 4th, 2010 12:03:35 said:
I think the “Turgeon was never the same” argument gets over done sometimes. I don’t think he changed post-1993 so much as the league did.with all due respect, this is not correct. the hit clearly diminshed turegon in a big way. maybe it was physical, maybe mental, maybe both, but no way he was the same player and the league didn’t change THAT much in 1 year.
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just looked at the stats for 92-93 and 93-94 and the #’s and ‘scott d’ is right about the #’s, though you still had 9 guys with 50+ goals and a bunch over 100 points. but, your eyes don’t lie and it was obvious that the worst cheap shot of all time radically changed that player.
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Let Hamonic play a year in the AHL. I don’t understand what all the rush is? Everyone wants Martin, Hamonic, DiBo and the rest to play right away. Let these kids develop into something serviceable. And to those that say DeHaan will start out in the AHL, he’s not eligible for the AHL unless he’s 20 years old. It’s either the Isles or back to juniors for him. Let De Haan stay in Oshawa for a few more years before we brand him a star.
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JPinVA says:
The only think more impressive than the Islanders’ (Jankowski) 2nd (Hamonic) 3rd (Petrov) and 4th (Donovan) round picks of the 2008 draft may be Botta’s rolodex (McGuire).
I bet McGuire’s family can’t get him on the phone long enough to say “Merry christmas” with the NHL season, junior championships and the olympic selections in full swing.
That’s why this is where the world stops for Islander news. -
Here are my WJC All Stars before Tuesdays Medal Games:
8 Forwards: T.Hall(Can), N.Niederreiter(Sui), K.Petrov(Rus), J.D’Amigo(U.S.), J.Eberle(Can), A.Petersson(Swe), D.Stepan(U.S.), D.Kristo(U.S.)6 DMen: A.Pietrangelo(Can), T.Hamonic(Can), M.Scandella(Can), M.Donavan(U.S.), S.Vatanan(Fin), C.Fowler(U.S.)
3 Goalies: J.Markstrom(Swe), M.Lee(U.S.), B.Conz(Sui)
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Pete says:
If the Islanders can choose in the top 15 at the draft this year they should consider taking Nino Niederreiter.. i was impressed
Thanks CB for providing us with analysis from someone with the knowledge that Pierre has. Glad to hear he thinks highly of a few of our prospects. The key is getting these guys to sign (all but Klementyev).