Monthly Archives: May 2010
Please check out our coverage on FanHouse:
This could be Lidstrom’s Detroit farewell
CB on TV: Sharks rally after Boyle’s own-goal
Following advice, Couture banks in huge goal
Chris Botta on Twitter
Soon after playing for Team Canada at the Under 18 World Championships in Belarus, top-ten draft prospect Brett Connolly of the Prince George Cougars of the WHL spoke with Point Blank about, well, a whole bunch of stuff – but especially his health.
How did it go for you at the Under 18s in Belarus?
I played pretty well, okay. More importantly, it was a good test for me. I didn’t get the bounces and I still have a ways to go to get all of my timing back, but I feel like I proved I belonged there and I proved my health.
How did your hip injury hold up?
No issues at all. It felt great at the tournament and I’ve had no problems with it since. In my opinion, I’m confident the injury is not coming back.
Did you come back too early last season from the injury? Would you do anything differently?
I don’t second-guess myself or anyone else. Looking back, I think the injury happened in August maybe because I played so much hockey the year before and never gave myself a break from skating or working out. It was a learning experience. I consider the hip injury a freak accident and I’m not concerned about it anymore – even though I understand I’ll be answering a lot of questions about it over the next few months. That’s okay.
Describe yourself as a player.
I consider myself a physical, two-way forward. The scouts say I’m a skilled goal scorer, but I take a lot of pride in my defense and my hitting, too.
Do you have a favorite player or an NHLer you model yourself after?
Growing up as a Ducks fan, I really liked Paul Kariya’s game. Now that I’m developing as a player, our styles are obviously pretty different. Now I look towards a player like Rick Nash in Columbus. He is a highly-skilled goal scorer who uses his size to his advantage. I can definitely learn from watching an all-star like Nash.
Did you speak with anyone from the Islanders during the course of this last season?
I spoke to a scout for the Islanders once on the phone who, I think, was just checking in with me. I’m really looking forward to meeting with their staff at the Combine at the end of the month.
For those of us on the outside, how does the process work if a team wants to get in contact with you?
I’m easy to get in touch with. They call my agent and he puts them in touch with me. I’ll speak with, or meet with, any team that has any questions. I don’t want there to be any mystery. The ones I don’t hear from, I’ll probably see at the Combine.
Have you been invited to Long Island to meet with the Islanders?
Not yet, but it’s still very early. We’re still more than six weeks from the draft. From what I’ve heard, a lot of those in-person visits are arranged around the time of the Combine. If the Islanders want to have me in, I’d be honored.
What do you know about the organization?
The Islanders have an incredible tradition and it looks like they’re serious about building a contending team around their drafted players. John Tavares is a special player, and they have many other really good ones like Josh Bailey and Kyle Okposo. They seem to have a lot more in the pipeline as well.
What would you think of being drafted by them?
To be honest with you, I’ll be excited to be drafted by any team that wants me. But yeah, the Islanders, with all that young talent coming together, that would be awesome.
Are you starting to hear from the teams with picks in the top half of the first round?
Starting to. Most want to know how I felt after the Under 18s. Like I said, I’m here and very willing to answer any questions team have. It’s part of the drill.
If you don’t mind, let’s do a little rapid-fire on some of the top prospects from the Western Hockey League.
Sure. As you know, I watched them a lot this year (laughs).
Mark Pysyk, Edmonton defenseman.
I played Under 17s and 18s with Mark. A very good all-around defenseman. His defense is so strong. Not a fun guy to play against.
Emerson Etem, Medicine Hat right wing.
Lightning-quick. Explosive. He’s going to go in the top ten, and deserves to. A lot of talent.
Ryan Johansen, Portland center.
That’s a kid I know well. We grew up playing spring hockey together and played Under 16s and 17s together. Without a doubt, the most improved player in our league and probably in all of junior hockey. He was always good – don’t get me wrong. But the strides Ryan has made in the last three years have been just incredible. If he keeps at that pace, watch out.
What about his teammate, Nino Niederreiter?
He’s another player who’s going to go high. Such an exciting player to watch. He’s big. He can skate. He’s highly-skilled and plays with a lot of energy and emotion. He’s going to be a good NHL player.
I know Erik Gudbranson is an Ontario League player, but I was wondering about your experience with him on Team Canada at the U18s.
Eric and I hung out a bit in Belarus at the tournament and became friends. He is a great defenseman. He’s big, really strong and an excellent skater. I have no doubt Eric’s going be drafted real early in the first round. All the guys we talked about will go in the top 15 and deserve to.
Many scouts believe you are capable of playing in the NHL next season. What do you think?
That’s my goal. I’m working the entire offseason to give myself the best chance to play well in training camp and make the big club. This has been a dream of mine since I could walk, so I’m going to give it everything I have. I also understand that I missed a lot of games last season. If the team that drafts me decides another year in junior is best for me long-term, I would be disappointed but I would respect their decision. Until then, I’m setting the bar high for myself.
Who’s going to be in Los Angeles with you for the draft?
Most of the arrangements have already been made. My mom and dad will be there, my younger brother, a few aunts and uncles. It’s a big day for me and they also get to see LA, so they can’t lose.
So you don’t have any long-term concerns about the hip injury?
None. I’m in the best shape of my life. Those problems are behind me.
If I was a GM considering taking you with a top ten pick, I would not just look at what the NHL’s independent medical team had to say about you. I would have my team doctors give you a thorough evaluation. If teams request that of you, Brett, will you comply?
Absolutely. I’m willing to do whatever it takes to get the point across that I’m healthy. I know there are concerns. I don’t take them lightly, especially if a team is going to use an early draft pick on me. I will be available for any NHL team that wants to give me a full check-up. I will visit any team, wherever they want me to be. I’m sure I have a few doctor visits in my future. I’m all for it.
Your comments are invited on Brett Connolly and the top of the 2010 NHL draft. Comment Guidelines.
By Andrew Facini, Boston University
Special to Point Blank
7:00 pm: Corey Trivino denies the early rumors that the suspension (details below) is the result of an alcohol-related incident.
“It has nothing to do with alcohol use,” he said.
Trivino also took steps to address the infamous “song” that has circulated the hockey-blogging world recently.
“About the song… It wasn’t supposed to be like that. Me and Vinny, messing around one night in the dorm, we made a song. It was just for our enjoyment. We sent it to one of our teammates, and he sent it out to a bunch of people himself. We didn’t know about that. One of those people apparently put it up on Barstool Sports, and I was shocked when someone let me know on a text.”
He denies that this has any involvement with the current suspension.
“The song… BU has nothing to do with it. This suspension has nothing to do with it. It’s a real shame that someone made it a video and put the BU logo on there,” he said.
Further details concerning Trivino’s suspension length are expected within the week.
Andrew Facini is a graduating senior at Boston University and runs an Islanders blog at http://nyicastaway.blogspot.com/
Hey, I wish there was more in the Country. But other than waiting for the Hamonic and Poulin signings by June 1, it should be a quiet month. As you know, I’m not a World Championships guy. You can only hope that no one gets hurt.
FanHouse: Review of HBO’s “Broad Street Bullies”
No more questions, please. You’re invited to respond to this segment, one Comment per reader. Thank you.
Hi CB, Thanks for the Q & A. What’s your goals, assists, point total predictions for Kyle Okposo next year? Thanks.
Fred – My Dad was a huge fan (not anymore really), growing up they were always on. During 92-93 season my loyalty was sealed, apparently in stone.
Thanks for the question, Fred. My answer: 26-38-64, a 12-point improvement over 2009-10.
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With Gary Bettman speaking publicly again about the Isles in Queens, has this become a likely, if not more likely location of a new building? Thanks for everything you do!
Mike L – Yardley, PA. Ex Long Island resident, moved right before college to Yardley which is about 15 minutes from Princeton, NJ. I live, breathe, and eat Islander hockey. I try to attend as many games as possible a year. If the team did move to Queens I would become a partial plan holder. Let’s Go Islanders!
Thank you, Mike. Unless Suffolk County makes a strong pitch, Queens is currently Charles Wang’s best option – in New York – outside of Nassau. Two big problems with Queens: Wang would get a first-class arena with access to mass transit, but he would not get anything resembling the Lighthouse Project. Perhaps of more concern is that he would have to sit through more planning and hearings and eventual construction, and another 5-7 years of that will be tough to stomach.
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CB: Do you think Charles Wang and company aimed high on the Lighthouse project knowing it would get turned down on a smaller scale? I bleed Blue and Orange. Go Islanders!!
Mookie – Smithtown, N.Y.
I think that’s a fair assumption, Mookie. You know, aim for the stars and settle for 80%. But I also believe Wang was genuine in his attempt to create an “iconic destination point” for Long Island. I don’t think he was just negotiating. This is what the former leadership of Nassau demanded for The Hub for a decade. Wang met their request and added his own vision. It does not look like he’s going to get half of it.
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Hi CB. Great job! In the long off-season, players have a good chunk of time to do other things, or not. How intense is the general training/conditioning and focused technical/tactical training for players in preparation for the next year? As we know, starting out strong can be the difference between ending up 9th or 8th.
Bruce O. Chatham Center New York. Life long fan from my days when I grew up in Northport. Best moment was winning the cup against Edmonton or Bates penalty shot vs Toronto.
I’d go with the Cup, Bruce O. My first offseason with the Islanders was the summer of 1988. Back then, the thought was that players used training camp to get ready for the regular season. Most players would not even look at their skates until two weeks before camp. I’d say the philosophy changed in the early ’90s when the salaries really began to skyrocket. Now every team in the league has its players on offseason conditioning programs. Just about every team has a prospect camp or plays in a prospect tournament.
The difference you saw in Josh Bailey’s physique at the start of training camp last September, you never saw that from draft picks so quickly. The big, early storyline of the upcoming season will be how the Islanders play out of the gate after a training camp that will start in China. They didn’t win any of their first ten games this season, so they don’t have anywhere to go but up.
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Hey CB, currently the Ducks and RFA Bobby Ryan haven’t begun talks on a new deal. Word out here in CA is that Ryan and his agent want to hit July 1st to increase his leverage. What are the chances the Isles make a serious play for Ryan?
Eric – Valley Stream native and lifelong fan old enough to remember the last cup victory.
Thanks for the question, Eric. Bobby Ryan is too good a player to not inquire about. However, I don’t see it happening. For a player on the brink of greatness, the Ducks would ask for a package of players and picks that would break up Garth Snow and Charles Wang’s plan. They haven’t made a move like that yet, and I don’t envision them making this one.
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Hi Chris-I loved watching Matt Donovan play with Cam Fowler at the World Juniors this past holiday season. I know he was picked later, but nobody seems to mention him in the same breath as Travis Hamonic and Calvin DeHaan. How far away do you think he is from playing at the professional level? Thanks again for all the great work on PB.
Alison DiCandilo – I’ve been an Islander fan since day 1, but have lived outside of Philadelphia for 26 years now. What would I do without NHL Center Ice?!
Thanks, Alison. Although he is not yet in the class of Hamonic and de Haan, Matt Donovan is probably the happiest surprise of the Islanders’ draft picks since he was taken in the fourth round in 2008. Making Team USA for the WJC was a significant achievement. From what I’m told, he is still going to need at least two more years at Denver U. before considering turning pro and will more likely complete the three he has left. So if Matt eventually makes the NHL, it’s still going to some time from now.
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CB: Thanks for all the great info this year. I love the site. My family’s been season ticketholders since 76ish. Sadly, 09-10 might have been the last year. Do you think they’ll extend Gordon before the season starts? Or let him coach as a lame duck?
Thanks! Mike
Charles Wang’s philosophy has been to let coaches (try to) complete their contracts and not give extensions before they are over. Wang is on record about that, so I don’t expect a change when it comes to Scott Gordon.
This potentially benefits Gordon, who is well-regarded in the game. If he leads the Islanders to a season that surpasses the expectations of most in the league – which likely again will not be high – Gordon will be a free agent. It would be a rare opportunity for a coach to have some say in where he wants to work. Brian Burke is a big advocate. I know several people around the league who rave about his work in Providence. Before he came to the Islanders, he helped develop players like Tuukka Rask, David Krejci and Kris Versteeg. Gordon will make out just fine no matter what happens.
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Hey CB. Favorite Islander team you ever worked with and why, during your time in the Organization?
Aaron from Dix Hills – Islander fan since 1975, now living in LA since Fall 2009. Still a full season ticket holder (Sec303)
The 1992-93 team, of course, Aaron. They didn’t just have a memorable four-week run in the spring, they were quite the cast of characters. It not a surprise to me that so many of them are still in the game as coaches, scouts, player personnel men or broadcasters. What a “room,” as they call it: Ray Ferraro, Glenn Healy, Stevie Thomas, Uwe Krupp, Benny Hogue, Darius Kasparaitis, Pierre Turgeon, Rich Pilon, Patrick Flatley, Claude Loiselle, Mick Vukota, Brian Mullen, Tom Kurvers, Tom Fitzgerald. Maybe it’s also because I was around the same age as a lot of those guys back then, but many remain good friends today.
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Hi Chris. Can we talk about some Islanders history and what might have been? I would like to know your opinion on why the 1993 team went downhill so quickly. Should they have kept Healy and not dealt for Hextall? Was there anything that Maloney could have done differently to build on the success of the 1993 run and kept the nucleus together.
Thanks, Larry, lifelong Nassau County resident and a fan since 1972.
Please allow me to quote Claire Arbour one more time: “You know, that team was just never the same after that Glenn Healy was let go.” It was a strange offseason, Larry. The ’93 team was no juggernaut, nor was it a team built to last. But it was odd that Don – who later proved he knows what he’s doing as GM in Phoenix and assistant GM with the Rangers – would take away key voices like Healy and Tommy Fitzgerald. Don was very inexperienced at the time and has obvioulsy learned from any mistakes he made on Long Island.
I remember being at the wedding of one of the players in the summer of ’93. In between the merriment, the guys were wondering who was going to go next. You know who went next? The player who got married!
Stay tuned during the week. I’ve got some pretty good draft stuff in the works. Thanks…CB
Calvin de Haan was 5-19-24 in 34 games this season before suffering a shoulder injury that required surgery. He was also a member of Team Canada at the World Junior Championships, where he missed two games with a head injury.
At the draft, the Islanders believed de Haan was a future first-pair defenseman and traded several picks to move up from the 26th pick to get him. In moving from 26 to 16, the Islanders gave up picks 37, 62 and 92 to Columbus – bringing back the Blue Jackets’ 77th overall pick. They then moved from 16 to 12 by trading the 77 and their 182nd. The final cost was one pick from each of the second, third, fourth and sixth rounds to move from 26 to 12.
DeHaan is spending time on Long Island this offseason rehabbing his shoulder. Comments.
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