PB Q & A, Round 1: Goalies, Kirill Petrov, college and Euro free agents, the NHL draft, the NYI payroll
The Questions portion of the Q & A ended Friday night. Here are the first batch of my responses. You’re welcome to respond to my answers – one per reader, please – in Comments.
Before we start with the Q & A, I want to call attention to a new sponsor. A big Islanders fan and Point Blank reader from Thunder Bay, Ontario was kind enough to send me a note and offer a sponsorship as his way of supporting the blog. It was an incredibly thoughtful gesture.
His sponsorship is in the form of a text link that you can see along the right side of the blog, under the ad for Generations Beyond. The link is marked “Identity Theft Protection.” The company is called Identity Theft Labs and I hope you will visit the site. As he told me in an email, “Identity theft claimed 9.9 million victims in 2009.” Please support a fellow reader who was generous enough to support Point Blank. Thank you. Now on with the show…
*
Have the Islanders targeted any college free agents this year?
Carmine, Isles fan in Tampa
Hi Carmine. Thanks for checking in from Florida. After the Islanders were shut out of getting any of the perceived top college free agents in the early going, I was told they were still in the hunt for a good college prospect and one strong player from Europe. As of this date, they have come up empty in college and Europe.
*
What would say is the probability of signing Petrov? Could a strong performance at the Worlds hurt us as the KHL team might not want to release him?
Bob E.. Rockville Centre, NY. Isles Fan Since Birth.
Hello, neighbor Bob. Petrov is available for the Islanders to sign him to an Entry Level contract. He’s coming to prospect camp. The team needs to work a deal with Ak Bars and the KHL. If the Islanders want him, he’s there for the taking. It’s up to the Islanders to cut a deal.
*
CB: Just a quick question about the goaltending situation. With DP? Roli, Koskinen, Poulin, Nilsson, Ridderwall?, and Lawson you have seven (assuming we let Munroe walk) goalies, with 6 potential spots (NYI-BRI-UT) if we do not sign another reliable backup for Roli next year. Does somebody jump straight to the big club?
Will C., Currently living in Delaware. Huge fan, used to attend 30 games a year on LI, since moving away I go to road games with my family. Seen them in MSG,NJ,ATL,TOR,PITT,COL,NC,DC. GO ISLES!
Thanks, Will. No, I don’t see any of the prospects being ready to make the leap. Nilsson will be in Sweden at least another year or two. Koskinen and Poulin are not ready. Ridderwall had a good year, but it would be a gamble to place him right into the NHL.
*
How do you predict the top five working out at the draft?
My name is David Schneider and I’m from Millwood, NY. I’m seventeen years old and I’ve been a fan for eight years.
Thank you, David. Two months away, it will be difficult to nail down the exact order and teams. The first five picks will almost certainly be Hall, Seguin, Connolly, Fowler and Gudbranson. (I know, I’m not going out on a limb there). Edmonton will probably take Hall, leaving Seguin for the Bruins. The rest will depend heavily on how Connolly checks out at the Draft Combine in late May.
*
Who is the one player on the team that you don’t particularly get along with?
Ken – nassau. season ticket holder since the comrie daze.
Ha! Ken is referring to a throwaway comment I made during a game chat late in the season. To be clear, Ken, it’s not like we have argued or anything. I just think he’s a bit FOS. He thinks I’m a jerk. We’re both right. Everyone else on the team, in my humble view, is first-class. All it means is I don’t sit in on his media scrums because nothing sincere comes out of them. It doesn’t change my writing about his performance on the ice, which was very good and received several raves from me. No biggie.
*
CB: Do you think that if Hamonic and de Haan have ridiculous camps where they are playing out of their minds, do you really think that Garth should still let them develop in the Port rather than just bring them up?
Gary Harding – 22 year season ticket holder, former President of the Booster Club and current Blog Box writer.
Hi Gary. Nice hearing from you. If Calvin doesn’t make the big club, he has to go back to junior and would almost definitely be a leader for Team Canada at the WJC. After a season cut short by major shoulder surgery, and while he still needs to add bulk, I do not see why the Islanders would put him right into the NHL. But I guess you never know. They haven’t hesitated to put some of their top kids right into the bigs.
As for Hamonic, the player that scouts say he can aspire to be if he reaches his max-max-max potential (am I clear?) is Shea Weber. If Weber had to play a half season in the minors before joining the Preds, I don’t see why Travis would not do at least that.
*
Can Islanders Country be assured that this summer’s potential bonanza is not a pipe dream? Will Garth and Co. add payroll and size?
Z – Queens
By “bonanza,” which I used in the headline, I was referring to the Islanders being able to sign three or four good players that will enable them to be a playoff team this season (and beyond) and not upset the rebuild. I don’t see how it can be a pipe dream when the team has to spend cash just to get to the CBA-mandated salary cap floor.
*
No more questions, please. We’ve got plenty to address. You’re welcome to respond to my answers – one per reader, please – in Comments.
28 Responses to PB Q & A, Round 1: Goalies, Kirill Petrov, college and Euro free agents, the NHL draft, the NYI payroll
-
Jeff in NH says:
My money’s on Roli as well.
-
Sal says:
stole my idea #1. Was gonna come say that it must be Rollie. It’s ok. He was hung out to dry so often, he couldn’t help but be a little surly. Keep up the great work CB.
-
Mikey Pants says:
I was thinking Rollie but who knows…If it’s NOT, then he deserves to be. Although he’s a great player, he just seems like he doesn’t want to be here, seems like he’s aggravated all of the time. Dude, put on a smile, you’re a #1 Goalie in the NHL, how much worse your life could be!!
-
islesfan999 says:
I don’t think its roloson. I think hes getting shafted a bit but hes a true professional and I think its someone else.
-
Snow HAS to add quality players this season. If he goes status quo I don’t think this team has enough to make the playoffs and us fans will be even more grumpier than we are now.
-
King says:
The islanders need to let all their UFA’s go. Resign Moulson and then draft a Top 5 don’t trade down. Sign some good UFA’s that aren’t bottom six players and pick up another D-men. DeHaan has enough skill and maybe ready to jump into the line up but I could be wrong. The Isles will be able to compete next year for a playoff spot. Just need a backup goalie a top six forward to play with Tavares and Okposo and another top 4 Dman
-
Nobody says:
Why should any of us care who it is? Anyway, I think the top 5 can’t be that clear… Connelly played 16 reg season games, had an unremarkable U-18 tournament and has hip issues that NO ONE can assure will not become chronic…Gormley is just as likely to be a top 5, and if staff sees little difference from 5-8 or 9 they might and maybe even should trade down…
-
Peter says:
Is this new sponsor affiliated with LifeLock?
-
Dan says:
if one of gudbranson or fowler is not available at #5 and garth can be assured that tampa/carolina arent interested in him, we should really trade down a spot or two and take niederreiter. i dont know why he keeps being referred to as being a “cult favorite”. he is 6’2” 203lbs and 17 years old and still filling out. he was one of the best players in the WJC’s where he carried a weak swiss team and finished 7th in the tournament in scoring. 36 goals in 65 games with portland in the notoriously hard-nosed WHL, led his team in PP goals with 11. 8g, 8a in 13 playoff games. he is currently trying out for the swiss national team for the world championships. if he impresses there he will bump connolly out of the top 5.
-
RylanIsle says:
Gudbranson. Connolly. Fowler. That is all. DO NOT TRADE DOWN.
-
I think FOS is Streit
-
Hoguefanclub says:
“First Batch”? There were almost 200 responses. And there were 7 answers. Woa.
-
Anthony O. says:
I would say the FOS Isle is Schremp.
I agree with post 8. Why should we care? None of us have seen these kids play live, so just let the scouts do their thing. They’ve done okay so far, so let them keep going. No one can guarantee that any of the top 5 will do anything. Let the chips fall where they may – we’re going to get a great prospect regardless.
-
Mike from Sarasota says:
I really hope you are right regarding de Haan. The kid played all of 38 games this season between Oshawa and the WJC. Let him develop properly. Absolutely no reason for him to be on LI next season.
When CB first made that game chat comment I immediately thought it was Rollie. Still feel the same way.
-
David Volek says:
Yes the isles need to sign a few UFA’s, two vet forwards, and two d men. However, the isles have had a problem getting interest from UFA’s in the past. Why all of a sudden now, do we as fans feel that the UFA’s want to play in an old barn?
Im hoping that with all of the prospects the islanders FINALLY have, guys will want to be a part of this. I for one am VERY excited about the direction of this team.
Heres to hoping the isles finally cut ties with Brutal Gervais and Jeff Tambeweeny….CHEERS
-
goislesgo105 says:
Really hope that the Isles draft at the #5 spot and don’t trade down.We need first line impact players, not more 2nd and 3rd line players. You get the first line players drafting at the top of the draft, not in the middle or the bottom. Hockey is not like football or baseball where the top players chosen don’t have a huge impact. Almost all of the top scorers were drafted at the top of the first round. KEEP THE PICK!!!
-
admin says:
(13) The lead story on the Islanders website for almost a week was about Rob Schremp’s goal being nominated for Play of the Year. This 1,000 word post is more than most are discussing the Islanders these days. Believe me, we’ve got plenty of time to go over these. LOL…CB
-
big dally mac says:
The FOS is Jon Sim. He is hated in his hometown of New Glagow, Nova Scotis,, 2 hours from my home for being a jerk…and Colin White (NJD) and Joey MacDonald are beloved there…all from the same city, 2 out of 3 ain’t bad.
-
4theisles says:
CB This is a dilema for me, with re to getting UFA’s – If we keep Streit, Hillen, MacDonald, Martinek and keep Meyer as insurance, and we lose Witt and don’t resign Sutton, we have little room for replacements. Unless we sign two big Ds the Isles smallish defense this past season will actually get smaller. Is there something wrong with my analysis?
-
Strummer's Army says:
I was thinking Sim too but haven’t heard Botta heap praise on him so now I think most of you are correct in that it is Schremp or Rollie. I still don’t know what an FSO is either.
No way Martinek & Geravis are back unless Snow has his eye on another top 5 pick in 2011.
I agree with Chris I’d like to see De Haan and Hamonic get more time to mature, even if it is just part of the year in the AHL for Hamonic, I believe De Haan is either with the Isles or in junior per the rules.
FYI, I heard from someone who was there that Gudbranson had a really bad tourney. He views him as “at best 3rd d-man” but we’ll see. I mention it as only that he could be more likely to be there at 5, then we previously thought. I have nothing against Gromerly except he is reported to not be very physical despite decent size and I think the Isles have enough of that type of d-man.
-
isles83 says:
BTW what does FOS mean? I also think it is Rolli.
-
Chris Mc says:
22- Full of…well if you dont get it by now, i cant help you. Good first round CB. Looking forward to 2-10
-
Examiner says:
FOS- full of sh_t.
I see no reason why the Isles wouldn’t try to get Petrov out of his contract. If he really is theirs for the taking then he should be in the U.S next season.
Thanks CB, looking forward to more answers.
-
Johnnyjet says:
I honestly believe Connolly will drop out of the top 5 as he only played 13 games with no playoffs. He played at the u-18 and was outplayed by fellow prospects Macfarland and Howden. 1pt in 4 games at the u-18 sends red flags to me. Remember a player always slides a bit and I believe its him. Rather have Gormley or Niederriter.
-
Thread closed.
-
Uncle Jr says:
its gotta be Shremp … just watching his interviews this year made me think he was full of himself and that was WAY BEFORE CB said anything …. FOS=Shremp …. but we’ll never know cause CB is too classy to give the guy up in public.
the guy you think is FOS is Rolli isn’t it?? Just give me a wink
if I’m right.