Monthly Archives: April 2010
To be certain, the Islanders facing the Canadiens at Le Colisee in Quebec City on Oct. 2 is not the prelude to a move there. This is just a big preseason payday for a franchise losing millions of dollars every year while developers and politicians fiddle. Get your tickets here.
Love Quebec City. Worked at the draft there about a hundred years ago. Had too much to drink after. Wasn’t quite sure in which direction the Chateau Frontenac was. Ran into two scouts I recognized from other teams. They invited me to join them for additional drinks, a round of pool and some food. Fell in love for the second time – with Poutine. Relax, Catherine. It’s french fries with cubed mozzarella and brown gravy on top.
Islanders camp itinerary: Beijing, Saskatoon, Long Island, Quebec City. Sounds more like a Dave Mathews Band tour.
Comments.
Comments thread closed. Enjoy the weekend. I could have a little something later. Nothing big…CB
10:30 am: The low risk/high reward gamble by Garth Snow and Ryan Jankowski to use an extra 2008 third round pick on talented Russian prospect Kirill Petrov is about to pay off – and very likely way ahead of schedule.
According to his agent, Alexander Tynjynch, Petrov has accepted an invitation to participate in the Islanders’ prospects camp after the June draft. The 6-3, 205-pound left wing has even received the blessing of the Kontinental Hockey League and his team, Ak Bars, to be part of the camp.
While a signed contract is not a condition of his participation in the prospect camp, there has been momentum towards getting Petrov out of his KHL contract – which has two seasons remaining – and signing an Entry Level deal with the Islanders.
“He is guaranteed to be at the prospect camp,” Tynjynch told Point Blank. “I have been speaking with Kirill every day to prepare for this. He wants to join the Islanders organization this year and start his career in their system. There is still a lot of work to be done if he is to be signed and join the Islanders’ roster. There has to be an agreement between the KHL and the NHL, and the Islanders and AK Bars, but I think you would agree that Kirill being set to attend the Islanders prospect camp is a very good first step.”
Asked if Petrov accepts the likelihood that he would start the 2010-11 season with Bridgeport of the American Hockey League, Tynjynch said, “You cannot say that for sure. The decision is ultimately is up to the general manager and coach. This is a very highly-skilled player. If everything works out, Kirill would attend the main camp in September with the goal of making the NHL team.”
Beyond his impressive play for Team Russia at the World Junior Championships, Petrov is coming off two straight seasons of marginally stunted development. As a member of the high-powered Ak Bars team in the KHL, cracking the lineup has been difficult for Petrov. He has played the majority of the last two seasons in the second-tier league.
Petrov, who turned 20 on Tuesday, is actually with the big club now. He was in the lineup for Ak Bars’ last two playoff games, but did not receive a second of icetime. “It happens,” said Tynjynch. “It’s okay. I’m telling you, most of the talented North American players Kirill’s age would not be played by Ak Bars, either.”
The top-six forward prospect was considered by most scouts to be a mid-to-late first round talent. However, because of rumors of Petrov’s lack of desire to play in North America and his long-term contract with Ak Bars, NHL teams elected not to gamble an early round draft pick on him. Since the Islanders had three second round picks and three third-rounders in 2008, the risk was minimal. Now the Islanders may see a pair of high-end prospects, Travis Hamonic (second round, 53rd overall) and Petrov (third round, 73rd overall) emerge from the six-pack.
Petrov and Tynjynch are so excited about the potential of the player beginning his Islanders career that they have spoken with Snow about staying here before the team’s main camp in China in September. Petrov could skate with the Islanders that partake in unofficial workouts at Iceworks in August or he could be part of a preparation camp Tyjynch’s agency hosts in Ottawa for their clients.
“Kirill has matured physically and mentally,” said the agent. “He’s ready.”
Comments on Kirill Petrov coming to America.
For more on Gillies, here’s our recent profile.
First written about here on April 5, John Tavares is confirmed for Team Canada at the World Championships – an event that will only be covered here if Tavares, Okposo, Hillen or Nielsen get hurt. Never written about because it was a BS rumor, the Islanders are not being sold to a Quebec businessman. Got over 20 emails from journalists about that one today.
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9:20 am: On one hand, it’s peculiar that Garth Snow insincerely blustered at the season finale about how missing the playoffs was “unacceptable” when he fielded one of the smallest, softest, least experienced, unskilled and shallow rosters in recent NHL history. There’s a reason many picked the Islanders for 28th-30th, and why Scott Gordon received more applause than criticism for keeping the team competitive in March.
And that’s with Matt Moulson – signed to a two-way contract for “depth,” admitted the honest Gordon – scoring more than twice as many goals as Snow could have ever projected. With Dwayne Roloson at age 40 stealing more points than anyone could have expected. With Andy Sutton staying healthy and playing the best hockey of his career. With Rob Schremp falling into their laps on the waiver wire, the benefit of being the league’s worst team in 2008-09.
Of course, Snow cannot publicly reveal that he game-planned before the season and at the trade deadline to only win a top-two selection in the 2010 draft. But to reach into the GM’s media playbook and pretend that his team’s failure to make the playoffs was “unacceptable” was disingenuous, and pretty hilarious.
But on the other hand…
John Tavares hit his marks – scoring 24 goals and 54 points, creating buzz, selling tickets and inspiring hope.
Top-six forward prospect Kirill Petrov needs development time, but he should be added to the roster in the next couple of months.
Moulson made the pro scouts look brilliant and a name for himself (eventually, even in Vancouver) by scoring 30 goals.
Travis Hamonic had a monster year and developed into a second D pair NHL prospect.
With his own staff for the first time in his two-year Islanders career, Scott Gordon coached and coached well. No matter how many loser points and Nielsen-Schremp-Moulson brewed shootout victories, finishing three games under NHL .500 surpassed the very modest expectations.
Mikko Koskinen had hip surgery, but is finishing the season strong in the ECHLand should get at least 40 games next season in Bridgeport.
Kevin Poulin has been so off-the-charts splendid in the Quebec League, Patrick Roy called him the best goalie in Canadian junior hockey.
Matt Martin was downright entertaining.
Kyle Okposo‘s final stats may be a bit underwhelming for such a strong player, but few in the game see him as anything but beast.
Jack Hillen became an NHL defenseman.
Andrew MacDonald certainly looks like he can be one.
Blake Comeau didn’t give any reasons to be written off as marginal, and there’s nothing wrong if his ceiling is as a very good third-line player.
If this is a down year for Mark Streit, take it.
Roloson gave the Islanders legitimate No. 1 goaltending.
The lesson came late, but the importance of toughness appeared to dawn on management in the final weeks.
In a league in which offense is at a premium, Schremp proved to be a worthwhile waiver pickup.
Calvin de Haan had his season ended early by a serious shoulder injury, but he legitimized his selection in the first round.
More prospects made progress than hit a wall.
Jack Capuano, Pat Bingham and Matt Bertani continue to make a lot out of not much in Bridgeport.
Sutton gave the Islanders a reminder of what they need more of going-forward. If that big defenseman happens to be closer to 30 than 35, and more mobile, even better.
Josh Bailey got stronger and played better, especially at wing.
Frans Nielsen took another step towards becoming the best home-grown two-way center to come out of the organization since there were only 21 teams in the league.
And when it was all over, the Islanders ended up with the fifth overall pick in the draft. With the selection, they will add an integral piece to the slow and steady rebuild.
No, not everything went smoothly this season. A 26th-place finish should never be cause for celebration. The Islanders boasted about strong play down the stretch after injuries and the dumping of Sutton, but after the Olympic break they were just 9-8-3. In the second half, they were 18-19-4.
The failures were discussed ad infinitum over the last three months and no doubt will down the road. The Islanders have plenty of improvements to make. Leaving your team with Yann Danis and Joey MacDonald in goal for a season and then feeling pride over a standings points improvement could be a dangerous act of self-delusion.
Want a reality check? The Islanders had 20 wins in regulation with Danis and MacDonald in 2008-09. They had – you guessed it – 20 regulation wins in 2009-10 with Roloson, Biron and Rick DiPietro. And Tavares, Moulson, Schremp, Hillen, MacDonald…
This discussion is not about the Islanders off the ice, where they continue to chase their tail on countless issues – beginning with two vital ones, the Lighthouse Project and ticket sales.
But if you said all of the positive developments above would happen on the ice over the last six months – and consider how the stage is set for the Islanders get it right over the next four months - there really isn’t much argument.
For year 2 of the Islanders’ rebuild, even the toughest grader would have to give Garth Snow, Ryan Jankowski, Scott Gordon and the rest of the hockey operations crew a B+. Best of all, we shouldn’t have to talk much longer about rebuilding, about draft parties in April, about being under-manned in Philadelphia, New Jersey and Pittsburgh. If the Islanders are not talking playoffs at this time next year, it will be a big step back after this year’s forward progress.
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de Haan (left) plus Gudbranson would be big for the NYI
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As someone who would like to see championship-contending hockey in Uniondale in the nearish future, I was disappointed the Islanders’ 8% didn’t come through in the Draft Lottery last night.
As someone who writes about the team and the league, I was disappointed for another reason. It would have been fascinating to watch a pair of premier offensive talents in John Tavares and Taylor Hall grow together on Long Island. It would have been equally fascinating to see if the Islanders could flourish as a team and hold on to both players well past unrestricted free agency at age 26.
Of course, not only is that getting way too far ahead of ourselves, the point is now moot. The best thing that happened to the Islanders on Tuesday is that they didn’t slip back to sixth.
So the debate begins: what will the Islanders do with the fifth overall pick?
In order from most likely to least (or no chance at all)…
1. Stay at 5 and take the best available player. No matter how the first four shake out, the Islanders will have a multitude of terrific 18-year-olds to choose from with the fifth pick. One from the name-brand trio of defensemen Cam Fowler, Erik Gudbranson and Brandon Gormley, plus first-line wing prospect Brett Connolly, will be available.
Fowler and Connolly would be slight risk/huge upside home runs, game-changers if they pan out. Gudbranson is this year’s Luke Schenn – but better, because he hasn’t played an NHL game yet (if you know what I mean). Gormley is the safe bet, the buzz-free sure thing who will be a top-four defenseman.
The Islanders could also decline to go chalk. This is how it works. If one kid aces his psychological/hockey I.Q. exam, and Garth Snow and Charles Wang have a hunch about him, he will be an Islander. That’s what happened with the move down for Josh Bailey, with mixed results so far. That’s what happened with the move up for Calvin de Haan (promising, though very much tbd). That’s even what happened with John Tavares, you can be sure.
One thing you can also bank on: the Islanders will take the best available forward or defenseman. They are still not deep enough at either position to consider otherwise.
2. Trade down. If Seguin, Hall, Fowler and Gudbranson are gone by the time the Islanders bat fifth, and team medical staffers are squeamish over the medical reports on Connolly’s hip, there is an excellent chance of another Bailey bonanza.
Make no mistake: there will be at least a half-dozen teams desirous of one of the prospects at 5. The Islanders could acquire additional second and third round picks, depending on how far they are willing to move down. I do not see Snow moving past the tenth overall pick.
If the Islanders move to the 7-10 range, some of the youngsters in play for the Islanders would be Gormley, USA defenseman Derek Forbort or – you guessed it – Swiss cult hero Nino Niederreiter.
3. Trade up to 3 or 4. Same deal. Impeccable psych test + impressive meeting on Long Island = Snow pushing for a bold trade to make sure a Fowler, Connolly or Gudbranson does not leave his grasp. A move from 5 to 3 or 4 would not be cost-prohibitive for the Islanders.
4. Trade up to 1 or 2. Not happening. Edmonton and Boston will not give up the chance to draft Hall or Seguin. The Islanders do not have the assets to entice, nor can they afford to give up too much of the store.
“It’s an exciting time to be an Islanders fan,” said GM Garth Snow – always trying to sell tickets, always trying to sell something the rare times he issues a public statement - to Newsday after getting the fifth pick that comes with finishing in 26th place.
Not quite yet, sir. Just about every team in the league has prospects their fans can get excited about. The best teams in the East are going to stay that way a long time. After qualifying for the playoffs, Boston just got a lot better.
Nevertheless, the table is set for Snow to deliver. He has cap space. He has Andy Sutton’s $3 million to spend. He has an additional $6 mill in unessential unrestricted free agents freed up. And that’s all just to get to the salary cap floor. As he has said repeatedly for two years, Snow has the money to spend above and beyond to make his team better. Now he has the fifth overall pick in the 2010 NHL Draft.
The GM is not quite right. It should be an exciting time to be an Islanders fan. If he takes care of business at the NHL level between draft week and when most of the key trade and free agent activity subsides in mid-July, then there will be reason to be primed for 2010-11.
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8:20 pm: Goes to form. Islanders pick No. 5. Edmonton picks first.
6:00 pm: For the Islanders to come home on draft weekend with Taylor Hall or Tyler Seguin, they will have to win the lottery. I don’t see a team trading the first or second overall pick. I don’t believe the Islanders have the assets to be able to convince a team to trade it, nor would I expect the Islanders to make that kind of monumental move.
Want Hall or Seguin? Pray for the 8.1% to come in.
If the Islanders stay at 5 or drop back to 6, several scenarios come into play. That would be a conversation for later.
I’ll be on News 12 Long Island tonight around 8:20 for some brief, immediate reaction. Have fun.
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