islanderspointblank.com

LISTEN: SNY.tv Metro Hockey Podcast

SNY — Wed, 16 May 2012 18:57:12 +0000

To subscribe, click the link above and then click VIEW IN iTunes, You will then see a button asking you to subscribe to the podcast.

RSS Feed

Rundown:

Kevin Schultz from IslandersPointBlank.com calls in
-Rangers/Devils
-Islanders Re Build and Emulating the Rangers

Alan Avital from IslandersPointBlank.com calls in to talk Islanders Draft (6:48)
-Fourth Position
-Top Tier
-Players Available at the fourth pick
-If the draft was held today, who would the Isles pick?

Erik Ruff from SNY’s Devils Blog calls in (12:36)
-Changes in strategy for Game 2
-More physical play
-David Clarkson
-Defensemen

2012 DRAFT PROFILE – Dalton Thrower, D, Saskatoon (WHL)

Alan Avital — Wed, 16 May 2012 03:19:14 +0000

Each week until the entry draft in June, Point Blank will be reporting on the top prospects in this summer’s NHL Entry Draft. This week’s profile is defender Dalton Thrower, ranked as the 26th best North American skater in the final CSS rankings. You can keep a watch on our profiles via the “2012 Draft” tab at the top of the page and check out profiles of Islanders’ young guns filed under the “NYI Prospects” tab. We’re also working on a mock draft, which will be published in early June.

Many hockey insiders marvel at the talents of Red Deer defenseman Matthew Dumba. However, others question whether Dumba – at six-foot, 185 pounds – could withstand the pounding of a rigorous 82-game NHL schedule, playing as frenetically as he has over the past two-plus seasons in the Western Hockey League.

Saskatoon (WHL) defenseman Dalton Thrower finds himself in a similar boat as Dumba, yet not with the same fan-fare. Still, the six-foot, 190-pound Thrower’s play is synonymous with his name. The North Vancouver, British Columbia-native enjoys throwing his body around, engaging physically in a manner that set many-a-tone for his Blades over the past three seasons.

“I grew up a Canucks fan, watching (current Florida Panther and former Canucks defenseman) Jovo (Ed Jovanovski) play,” said the 18-year-old Thrower. “Right now, I love watching (current Canucks defenseman) Kevin Bieksa play.

“I play like him (Bieksa). I play a two-way game. My strengths are my skating and my physical play. I am a defenseman, who really enjoys the physical aspect of the game.”

Surprisingly bypassed by TSN’s Craig Button in his recent top-60 draft list, Thrower’s break-out 2011-12 campaign has many prognosticators believing that his name will be called at the tail end of the 2012 NHL entry draft’s opening round. The draft is set to be held on June 22-23 at the Consol Energy Center in Pittsburgh.

“I have coached Dalton for three years,” said Blades eighth-year head coach Lorne Molleken, whose coaching resume includes assistant coaching stints with the NHL’s Chicago Blackhawks (1998-2000), San Jose Sharks (2002-03) and the Pittsburgh Penguins (2003-04). He also served as an interim head coach in Chicago during the 1998-99 and 1999-2000 seasons, where he went 18-21-8 in 47 games. “He came here as a 15-year-old with all kinds of potential, and each year we have expanded his role. This season, we rely on Dalton to play against the opposition’s best players. He does a good job on the power play, and he has really elevated his physical play.”

Thrower, who only registered 27 points – six goals and 21 assists – in his first two seasons (2009-11 – 123 games) for the Blades, doubled that scoring output in just 66 games this past season. He collected 54 points – 18 goals and 36 assists – leading all Blades defensemen in scoring. He also finished eighth amongst all WHL defensemen in scoring, three behind the aforementioned Dumba (20-30-57).

“As he physically matured from a 155-pounder, as a 15-year-old, to a 190-pounder, as an 18-year-old, Dalton really stepped his play up offensively,” said Molleken. “He had games where he was able to score four-to-five points a games.

“He was assertive in all situations, and became a much more confident player. At times, when our top defenseman Duncan Siemens – (a 2011 first round selection (11th overall) by the Colorado Avalanche) – was hurt, we asked Dalton to play upwards of 35 minutes a night.”

Thrower helped his Blades (40-29-1-2) finish fifth in the WHL’s Eastern Conference standings, but their postseason run was short-lived, as they were swept in four straight by the fourth-seeded Medicine Hat Tigers.

“My experience in playing in the WHL is invaluable,” said Thrower. “For me, it is the best route to get to the NHL.”

Growing up in Squamish, B.C. (population 17,158), Thrower began skating at age four. Two years later, he would join a local hockey organization, where he would play there up until his second year of Bantam hockey. His hockey education also included spending 10 months in Kelowna, attending the Pursuit of Excellence Hockey Academy.

The Pursuit of Excellence Hockey Academy, according to its site (www.pursuitofexcellence.ca) is a “very intense comprehensive hockey development program, a school with high academic excellence, participation in a very competitive minor hockey league, and an unparalleled training program for acquiring rock solid life skills and life values.”

“I always loved the game of hockey,” said Thrower, whose younger brother Josh, age 15, would follow in his older brother’s footsteps and attend the Pursuit of Excellence Hockey Academy. Josh, a forward, was selected in the 2nd round (23rd overall) of the 2011 WHL Bantam Draft by the Calgary Hitmen. “I played baseball and hockey until the second grade, when I decided to solely focus on hockey.”

At 14, Thrower and his family would move to North Vancouver, where he would play for the North Shore Winter Club, Subsequently, Thrower was selected by Saskatoon in the 2nd round (30th overall) of the 2008 WHL Bantam Draft.

Prior to joining the Blades, Thrower would spend the 2008-09 season with the Vancouver Northwest Giants of the British Columbia Major Midget League. He scored eight goals and added 11 assists in 31 games, registering 72 penalty minutes.

Outside of WHL play, Thrower played for Team Canada-Pacific in the 2010 Under-17 World Hockey Challenge, playing alongside teammate Siemens and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, the 2011 NHL Entry Draft’s top overall selection. In five games, he was held scoreless.

This past February, Thrower was a late invitee at the 2012 Home Hardware CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game in Kelowna. Despite being held off the score-sheet in his team’s – Team Orr – 2-1 victory over Team Cherry, Thrower would let his presence become known as he would come to the rescue of one of his WHL teammates – Saskatoon’s Lukas Sutter – by exchanging pleasantries with Plymouth power forward Tom Wilson, who stands at 6-foot-4, 205 pounds.

After Wilson leveled Sutter on an open ice hit, sending the 6-foot-1, 203-pound forward sprawling head over skates in his own zone, Thrower quickly jumped off the bench and went after Wilson – who stood four inches taller and 20 pounds heavier – looking for retribution.

“I was still on the bench when it happened, but the defenseman changed right after the hit and I saw Wilson still on the ice,” said Thrower to NHL.com.

Sutter, best friends to Thrower since his arrival to Saskatoon back in 2009, greatly appreciated the friendly gesture.

“That’s what best friends are for,” said Sutter to NHL.com. “It was a good hit, and he (Wilson) caught me at the end of a shift.

“Dalton was the first guy to have my back … I wouldn’t expect anything different from him.”

Less than six weeks away from realizing his ultimate dream, Thrower is fully ready for the challenges that await him.

“Honestly, right now, it is hard for me to picture myself being drafted,” said an emotional Thrower. “But when June comes, it will be very exciting.

“This is my ultimate dream … to play in the NHL.”

If the Islanders are unwilling to select the diminutive Dumba with the fourth overall selection, therefore selecting either Swedish winger Filip Forsberg or Quebec (QMJHL) center Mikhail Grigorenko with that pick, could it be feasible for the Islanders to trade its second and third round picks to move back into the latter stages of the first round to select a future top-four defenseman in Thrower? Possible.

“I know that Dalton is very determined to be successful on the next level,” said Molleken. “I know what he is made of. I know what he is willing to do … to succeed.”

The NHL Draft is just 37 days away.

EVENING RECAP: Nino Hurt, Draft Party Info Released

Kevin Schultz — Tue, 15 May 2012 21:29:15 +0000

At the IIHF Worlds today, the US team beat the Swiss squad 5-2. Neither Kyle Okposo nor Mark Streit factored onto the scoresheet while the third Islander involved, Nino Niederreiter, did not suit up. According to a rough Google translation from a Swiss newspaper, Niederreiter was injured in the team’s last game against Slovakia. He suffered a sprained ligament in his right ankle after a Slovakian player fell on his foot. There is no timetable on his injury.

GET YOUR (DRAFT) PARTY ON
The Islanders have released info on the annual draft party and it sounds like a good time for fans.

Fans will not only get to watch the Draft live and see exclusive interviews with the Islanders fourth overall selection, but they will also have the chance to meet some of their favorite players at the Draft Party. John Tavares will hand out his autographed jersey to preferred season ticket holders, while Matt Moulson, Matt Martin, Nino Niederreiter, Kevin Poulin, Ryan Strome, Casey Cizikas and Calvin de Haan will also be in attendance. Fans will also have the opportunity to interact with select Islanders alumni.

The Draft Party will once again play host to the Islanders annual year-end blowout merchandise sale, located in the lower lobby. The Islanders Team Store, located next to the Nassau Coliseum Box Office, will feature additional sales and specials.

Interactive activities on the Nassau Coliseum floor will include exclusive locker room tours, street hockey contests, I.C.E. Tour inflatable games and video game stations. The Long Island Aquarium and Exhibition Center will once again provide an interactive exhibit at the event, while the popular Hockey Hall of Fame exhibit will also return to the Draft Party, featuring historic jerseys, sticks and skates used by NHL legends.

You can get tickets online through Ticketmaster for the low price of free. For all of Point Blank’s draft coverage, check out the 2012 Draft tab at the top of the page.

Oh and fans on Facebook? Not so excited.

BARCLAYS CENTER TEASER
And your picture of the day presented by the Barclays’ twitter account. We’re inching closer to Brooklyn hockey…

.@NHL hockey will be played on this floor. Can you envision the puck being dropped? Get tix now: bit.ly/IslesBCtix twitter.com/barclayscenter…

— Barclays Center (@barclayscenter) May 15, 2012

THE MORNING SKATE: Kirill Kabanov Rumors are Just That, And Coliseum Only 2nd Worst in North America

Kevin Schultz — Mon, 14 May 2012 17:10:50 +0000

Welcome to the latest edition of As Russian Prospects Turn, this time with our guest host Kirill Kabanov. Late last week word broke from Russia that Kirill Kabanov was pursuing a contract with a KHL team (the LHH comments section is all over this one, btw).

This comes as news to, well, everyone as Kabanov was in the midst of the Memorial Cup playoffs with Shawinigan and is already inked to an entry-level deal with the Islanders. That deal doesn’t kick in until he starts playing here or in Bridgeport. Arthur Staple hurriedly tracked down Garth Snow, who was puzzled, saying that it was ‘news to me.’ The whole thing ended when Kabanov posted on his Facebook page (again, h/t to the LHH comments) that he’s focused on the Memorial Cup and then going to be in Bridgeport/Uniondale to work with the Islanders.

So is this simply Russian newspapers who need to make up stories to fill their pages? Another questionable decision — if we’re to believe he did contact a KHL club — by a questionable, yet talented prospect? The Islanders should sure hope it’s the former, otherwise the second of their Russian draft gambles could be headed abroad.

ON THE BRIGHT SIDE, THE ROOF IS STILL STANDING
Time Magazine recently named its 10 worst sports facilities in North America and the Coliseum did not come in at the #1 spot. It was second, behind the Metrodome in Minnesota that recently got a lot of funding approved by the state government. So yes, the Coliseum only trails a stadium that recently underwent major renovations… er… a roof collapse (no one inside, thankfully).

Meanwhile, more nothing in Newsday today. Chris Botta weighs in on the subject on Twitter.

2012 DRAFT PROFILE – Derrick Pouliot, D, Portland (WHL)

Alan Avital — Sun, 13 May 2012 14:23:11 +0000

Each week until the entry draft in June, Point Blank will be reporting on the top prospects in this summer’s NHL Entry Draft. This week’s profile is defender Derrick Pouliot, ranked as the 12th best North American skater in the final CSS rankings. You can keep a watch on our profiles via the “2012 Draft” tab at the top of the page and check out profiles of Islanders’ young guns filed under the “NYI Prospects” tab. We’re also working on a mock draft, which will be published in early June.

As the Los Angeles Kings, Phoenix Coyotes, New Jersey Devils and New York Rangers take aim on collision courses in their respective Conference Finals, the other 26 NHL organizations – thirsting for future postseason success – have already begun working diligently on their own particular offseason plans.

Having to decide which free agent – unrestricted or restricted – to either retain or pursue is a discussion that has been or should be bandied about in pro personnel offices throughout the league, with free agency commencing on July 1. However, what could determine the direction a specific organization might take in free agency could hinge on the success it has just a week earlier at the 2012 NHL Entry Draft in Pittsburgh.

Scouting departments have scoured talent all throughout Europe, Canada and the United States over the past 12-to-24 months, in hopes of finding that next diamond in the rough. Some organizations, such as Montreal, Buffalo and Toronto are seeking top-six forwards to complement a defense corps, budding with blue-chip talent. Other franchises, such as Tampa Bay, Columbus and the Islanders have accrued a bevy of young forwards over the past few drafts, yet lack the depth on the back-end to take that necessary step to pursue that coveted playoff berth.

Teams pursuing the next Drew Doughty, Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Adam Larsson and Dan Girardi on defense need to look no further than Canada’s Western Hockey League (WHL), where an expected four blue-liners – Everett’s Ryan Murray, Moose Jaw’s Morgan Rielly, Edmonton’s Griffin Reinhart and Red Deer’s Matthew Dumba – could hear their names called amongst the draft’s top-10 overall selections.

Portland’s Derrick Pouliot, a six-foot, 190-pound defenseman, hailing from Weyburn, Saskatchewan, is making his case to be mentioned with the aforementioned quartet, after anchoring the Winterhawks’ defense through a second-consecutive WHL postseason run.

“Having the other top defensemen in our league provides great competition night in and night out,” said Pouliot, who models his game after both the “calm & collected” Nicklas Lidstrom and the “highly intense” Doughty. “For me, personally, I use the direct competition as a measuring stick of where I am now, and what I need to do to get better for the future.”

In his latest draft rankings, TSN’s Craig Button has pegged Pouliot as his 17th overall prospect – ninth amongst defensemen.

Ironically, both Pouliot and three of his Western Hockey League foes have grown accustomed to being linked to one another. Back in the 2009 WHL Bantam Draft, a then 15-year-old Pouliot was selected first overall by Portland, ahead of Rielly, Reinhart and Dumba, who were chosen second, third and fourth overall by their respective teams.

“In the year that we drafted him (Derrick) first overall, he was the consensus number one pick,” said Winterhawks fourth-year head coach and general manager Mike Johnston, who joined the organization back in 2008, after serving as an associate coach in both Vancouver (1999-2006) and Los Angeles (2007-08). “We were excited to get a defenseman who could handle the puck, and also be a great decision maker.”

Pouliot registered an impressive 63 points – 25 goals and 38 assists – in just 26 games, playing in his final season – 2008-09 – locally with Weyburn in the South Saskatchewan Minor Hockey League (SMHL), prior to being drafted by the Winterhawks.

As a rookie, Pouliot split time with both Moose Jaw Midget ‘AAA’ and Portland. At Moose Jaw, Pouliot continued his torrid offensive pace, by collecting 43 points – 14 goals and 29 assists – in 43 games. In the midst of his final ‘AAA’ season, Pouliot would get a taste of WHL hockey on January 2, 2010 against Saskatoon, just two weeks prior to his 16th birthday. Playing in seven games, the 15-year-old would notch an assist.

Draped with a gold-medal around his neck, after helping Team Canada win the Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament later that summer in the Czech Republic, Pouliot returned to the Winterhawk lineup in the fall with a full-time spot all sewn up.

Playing alongside eight 2010 NHL draftees – a Winterhawk franchise record – including fourth overall pick Ryan Johanson (selected by Columbus) and fifth overall selection Nino Niederreiter (selected by the Islanders), Pouliot never felt out of place. In 66 games, Pouliot recorded 30 points – five goals and 25 assists.

“Playing with Ryan and Nino – two very good players to learn from – they made things very easy for me,” said Pouliot, whose 30 points tied him for 16th amongst WHL rookies.

The Winterhawks finished atop the Western Conference standings with 103 points, and would reach the 2010-11 WHL Championship Series, before being bounced by the Kootenay Ice in five games. Pouliot scored a goal, and added three assists in 21 playoff games.

“Derrick played with great poise and calmness, from the get-go,” said Johnston. “And even though he stands six-feet tall, and most likely won’t get any taller, he is a very difficult guy to knock around and get off the puck.”

With an eye on this summer’s entry draft, one would expect Pouliot to be riddled with emotion and anxiety, as this past regular season began. Yet, Pouliot calmness on the ice is predicated by his coolness off of it.

“When I go to the office, I’m not really that different than I am outside of it,” said Pouliot. “I try to keep to myself, and I’m not really as outgoing as others.

“The only part of me that is any different is that I am much more intense on the ice. I am also a lot meaner.”

Handed over the proverbial keys – along with running mate Joseph Morrow (a 2011 first round selection by Pittsburgh) – to run the Winterhawk defense by Johnston, Pouliot nearly doubled his offensive output, while playing in just six more games. He registered 59 points – 11 goals and 48 assists – in 72 regular season games.

Pouliot’s 59-point total was fourth amongst WHL defenders. Only Spokane’s Brendan Kichton (74) – a 2011 fifth-round selection by the Islanders – Morrow (64) and Brandon Wheat Kings’ Ryan Pulock (60) finished ahead of Pouliot.

“Derrick has gotten a lot stronger this season.” said Johnston, who sees Pouliot’s game very similar to that of former New Jersey Devils and Anaheim Ducks standout defenseman Scott Niedermeyer. “He has shown the ability to make the right decision when we need him to make one.”

Pouliot, Morrow and Sven Bartschi, a 2011 first round selection by the Calgary Flames, led the Winterhawks to another successful regular season, finishing with 102 points (49-19-3-1). The Winterhawks, seeded third in the 2012 Western Conference playoffs, swept past sixth-seeded Kelowna in the opening round. They then upended second-seeded Kamloops, winning a hard-fought Western Conference semifinal series in seven games. The Winterhawks would capture its second consecutive Western Conference postseason championship, after steamrolling top-seeded Tri-City in four straight.

Currently, the Winterhawks and the Edmonton Oil Kings – the 2012 Eastern Conference playoff champions – are in the heat of a classic Western Hockey League Championship battle. The teams have split the first six games of its best-of-seven series. The deciding Game 7 will take place tonight in Edmonton. The winner will punch its ticket to the 2012 Memorial Cup Championship, set to begin on May 18 in Shawinigan. The host Shawinigan Cataractes, the QMJHL champion Saint John Sea Dogs and the OHL champion London Knights await the WHL champions in the four-team, round robin tournament.

In 21 postseason games, Pouliot has collected 17 points – three goals and 14 assists – which is tops in the WHL amongst defensemen.

“Derrick has a great passion for the game,” said Johnston. “While he is obviously going to be linked with the other top defensemen in our league, their games are so different.

“Dumba plays like Phaneuf. Murray is an all-around defenseman. Rielly is a dynamic skater. Reinhart is a big body defenseman. As far as Derrick is concerned, he is a hard worker, who goes about his business in his own way – there are no highs and no lows.”

While reserved, Pouliot is quite confident that his skill-set should indeed be mentioned in the same breath as his league foes.

“My skating and my vision with the puck are my greatest strengths,” said Pouliot, who began skating on a local rink at three years old, and grew up a huge fan of Joe Sakic and the Colorado Avalanche. “Each day, I work on excelling on both ends, especially on the defensive end.”

While Pouliot hasn’t set a personal timeline on when he will be ready to take that next step onto the NHL stage, he is surely enjoying the undertaking.

“There is going to be great excitement for me and my family on draft day,” said Pouliot. “It is one of the things that I am definitely looking forward to.

“I would love to play in the NHL next year, but I don’t want to rush the process.”

Recently, Doug Weight – an Islanders Assistant Coach and Special Assistant to General Manager Garth Snow – gave his assessment of June’s NHL Entry Draft on NHL Live, proclaiming that picks 4-through-20 are “pretty equal”. Could that evaluation entice the Islanders to trade out of its present fourth position and secure multiple assets from either of the three teams – Tampa Bay (10 & 19), Washington (11 & 16) or Buffalo (12 &21) – with a pair of first round selections. If so, a future top-four defenseman like Pouliot could come into play.

When asked about the possibility of joining former teammate Niederreiter on Long Island, Pouliot recalled the brief conversation he had with the six-foot-2 Swiss forward back in September.

“Nino told me that he really likes it there (on Long Island),” said Pouliot. “He said it was a great organization. He was having a lot of fun.”

The 2012 NHL Draft is just 40 days away.

THE MORNING SKATE: Speculation and Not Much Detail on Development, Third Jersey (UPDATE)

Kevin Schultz — Thu, 10 May 2012 16:20:38 +0000

Update — Islanders respond about third jerseys on Twitter:

@cordlehmanwkwz It is not true Cord. The #Isles will wear their black 3rd jerseys during the 2012-13 season.

— NYIslanders (@NYIslanders) May 10, 2012

THIRD JERSEYS TBD?
Last season, the Islanders’ black third jerseys were the worst kept secret on the internet. They debuted in mid-November but by then everyone knew what was coming. Puck Daddy originally found the jersey from a team employee’s blog and the outstanding hockey jersey blog Icethetics continued to follow the story as the jersey ominously showed up in pre-season catalogs.

Icethetics is back at it again, but this time it’s a bit more confusing. They recently got their hands on Reebok’s 2012 catalog that details jersey designs for all 30 teams. Fast forward to the Islanders page and there’s a big, bold “TBD” under where the third jersey should be. NHL/Reebok rules stipulate that a team must use its third jersey for three seasons before switching again. Of course there may be some ability to go around that because, as Icethetics points out, Chicago only used their third jersey for two years before dumping it.

It’s hard to tell what’s going on here. Maybe the Islanders are trashing the jersey? An overwhelming 73% of responders to our informal poll gave it a “fail.” Or maybe there was simply a snafu in publishing the catalog. Either way, there’s just not much more detail out there than our random speculation.

The Islanders did not respond to a request for comment.

MORE SPECULATION, LITTLE SUBSTANCE ON ARENA PLAN
In today’s Newsday, there is an article about the hub, and what might be happening and what might not but as usual, there’s really no substance to it. There are fuzzy quotes from Ed Mangano saying that he’s had interest from groups who would like to develop the hub (with public funds, mind you) like this:

The county has fielded recent inquiries from developers seeking to remake the 77-acre site around the aging Nassau Coliseum, home of the New York Islanders, although none have offered to do it without public money, Mangano said Wednesday.

Of course no one wants to pony up all the money on their own. And, of course, the article states that there’s been no movement since that lovely little planning meeting a few months ago.

Earlier this year Mangano pledged to offer a new vision for the area around the Coliseum, known as the Hub, after first meeting with Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo. But that meeting with Cuomo came and went without an announcement or a plan for the arena from Mangano.

And then there are copy and pasted paragraphs from every article like this one ever to extend the word count a bit and fill space.

The Islanders will play a preseason game at the new Barclays Center in Brooklyn in October. Barclays officials have said they want the Islanders to play in Brooklyn permanently.

Other cities, including Quebec City, are also rumored to be interested in luring the team.

A county referendum to borrow $400 million for the construction of a new arena and minor league baseball stadium failed in August.

Much ado about nothing.

2012 DRAFT PROFILE – Tom Wilson, F, Plymouth (OHL)

Alan Avital — Wed, 09 May 2012 03:20:58 +0000

Each week until the entry draft in June, Point Blank will be reporting on the top prospects in this summer’s NHL Entry Draft. This week’s profile is forward Tom Wilson, ranked as the 15th best North American skater in the final CSS rankings. You can keep a watch on our profiles via the “2012 Draft” tab at the top of the page and check out profiles of Islanders’ young guns filed under the “NYI Prospects” tab.

Despite failing to reach the playoffs for a fifth consecutive season, the 2011-12 campaign did provide a record-setting moment for one New York Islander. Third-year forward Matt Martin’s 374 hits not only bested Los Angeles Kings forward Dustin Brown’s 293 for tops in the NHL, it also eclipsed Minnesota’s Cal Clutterbuck’s previous NHL high-water mark of 356, set back in the 2008-09 season. Yet, there were many-a-night in which the Windsor, Ontario native was left alone on a proverbial island, forced to fend for himself against an opponent’s enforcer or two.

Stressing a dire need to add necessary bulk to its hockey club, the Islanders organization spent three of its first four selections in last year’s NHL Entry Draft on skillful teens with size – 6-foot-4, 205-pound defenseman Scott Mayfield, picked in the second round (34th overall), followed by 6-foot-3, 205-pound forward Johan Sundstrom, also chosen in the second round (50th overall) , concluding with 6-foot-4, 201-pound defenseman Andrey Pedan, chosen in the third round (63rd overall).

With an eye towards this June’s NHL Entry Draft in Pittsburgh, the Islanders organization – selecting fourth overall – will have its choice of either adding another top-six forward to its stable of raw, yet highly-touted core of forwards – Leksands IF (SWE) winger Filip Forsberg, Quebec (QMJHL) center Mikhail Grigorenko and Sarnia (OHL) center Alex Galchenyuk are all viable options – or address a pressing need on the blue-line – Everett (WHL) defenseman Ryan Murray, Red Deer (WHL) blue-liner Matthew Dumba or Moose Jaw (WHL) rear-guarder Morgan Rielly have all been mentioned as potential top-five picks.

Nevertheless, other than Dumba – undersized at six-foot, 185 pounds – the aforementioned candidates being bandied about as a prospective selectee with that fourth pick all lack that imposing presence, necessary for the Islanders to compete in the physically-imposing Atlantic Division.

Would a trade out of its present draft slot to select either Edmonton (WHL) rugged defenseman Griffin Reinhart, standing 6-foot-4, 205-pounds, or USNTDP stay-at-home defenseman Jacob Trouba, standing 6-foot-2, 205-pounds, benefit the Islanders organization in the long run? Or could general manager Garth Snow stand pat at #4 and revert back to his trading ways at the tail end of the 2010 Entry Draft – selected Warroad High School forward Brock Nelson with the 30th pick – and trade up into the latter part of June’s opening round to find a hidden jewel?

Plymouth’s (OHL) Tom Wilson, the 6-foot-4, 205-pound power-forward, born in Toronto, could be that exact diamond in the rough.

“I’m a big, physical guy, who likes to keep things simple,” said Wilson, who patterns his own game after Boston Bruins imposing winger Milan Lucic. “My biggest strength is my size, and while I am presently 205 pounds, I definitely want to get bigger.

“When I thicken out, I will be able to play at 215-to-220 pounds.”

Wilson, who turned 18 back in March, followed an impressive CHL/NHL Prospects Camp back in February in Kelowna, British Columbia with a scoring surge during Plymouth’s postseason run.
Considered a fringe first-round selection at the start of the 2011-12 Ontario Hockey League season, TSN’s Craig Button has pegged Wilson as his 22nd best prospect.

“The prospect camp was a great opportunity for me to play with and learn from some great hockey players,” said Wilson, whose prospect camp highlight included a throw-down with fellow 2012 draft hopeful Dalton Thrower of the Saskatoon Blades. “I played with World Juniors Captain Ryan Murray, who was soft spoken, but taught me a lot. Our coach was (former Pittsburgh Penguin standout) Mark Recchi, who played in the NHL for 22 years and won three Stanley Cups.”

Recchi, who coached Team Cherry, was equally impressed with Wilson’s make-up. He shared his thoughts with the Canadian Press, following his team’s 2-1 setback to Team Orr.

“Wilson was ready to roll tonight, but I think the whole competitive nature of the game was unbelievable,” said Recchi. “Wilson got out there and wanted to set the tone physically, and I think it set the tone a lot for the game.”

After imposing his will in Kelowna, Wilson returned to Plymouth to finish off his second OHL season.

As a rookie, Wilson only managed to collect six points – three goals and three assists – in 28 games, registering 71 penalty minutes. He greatly improved his productivity in his sophomore campaign, scoring 27 points – nine goals and 18 assists – in 49 games, while racking up a team-high 141 penalty minutes.

“I greatly improved my vision – playing on the right wing – from my rookie season,” said Wilson, whose introduction to hockey began on a backyard yard rink at age 2. “But the one area of the game that I still need to improve on is my overall speed.

“It’s not only just the foot speed or hand speed, but doing things at full speed is so important when you get to the next level. Everyone is so fast. You can have speed or fast hands, but learning how to put that all together when you are flying down the wing is so important. I’m working on my puck protection and accelerating out of the zone and creating chances around the net and using my size as I get more experience. That’s probably the biggest thing, putting it all together.”

Wilson’s diligence in honing his overall game paid handsomely during the Whalers’ postseason run. Seeded second in the Western Conference, Plymouth defeated seventh-seeded Guelph in the opening round, four-games-to-two. Unfortunately, Plymouth’s run would be derailed by third-seeded Kitchener, as the Whalers dropped a hard-fought seven-game series, losing the seventh and deciding game, 6-3 at home.

In his 13 postseason games, Wilson collected 13 points – seven goals and six assists. He also led all Whalers with a plus-10, while racking up a team-high 39 penalty minutes.

“He’s (Wilson) a James Neal type in my opinion,” said current Whalers coach and general manager Mike Vellucci, who spent a better part of 10 professional hockey league seasons in the American, International and East Coast Hockey Leagues. “He fights. He fights more than Nealer did, but he can definitely score.

“He can fore-check. And one of the best things he does is body checking. He’s a phenomenal body checker.”

Wilson, who began playing competitive hockey – as a six-year old – for local Blessed Sacrament in Toronto, would spend his next nine years playing locally for three organizations – North Toronto Select (ages 8-to-10), North Toronto ‘AA’ Hockey (ages 11-to-13) and finally for Junior Canadian ‘AAA’ Hockey in the Greater Toronto Hockey League (ages 14-to-16). He was selected in the second round (27th overall) of the OHL Draft by Plymouth.

“I only heard stories – from my dad – about how much I loved every second that I spent on the ice … the first time,” recollects Wilson, who decided at age 12 to give up playing competitive soccer to focus solely on hockey. “And now, with the draft just a couple months away, it would be simply unbelievable to put on any team’s jersey.

“I know that I will never be outworked, and will always be very competitive.”

The NHL Draft is just 44 days away.

What To Do With Ryan Strome?

Kevin Schultz — Tue, 08 May 2012 16:50:50 +0000

Chris Botta weighs in on Twitter:

Two scouts, all over the OHL playoffs, on #Isles first round pick Ryan Strome – Is he a potential first-line forward in the NHL? Scout 1: “At worst, he’s a second-line, 50-point player in a few years, and could be a lot more with good development.” Scout 2: “Yes. Big talent, good habits.” Do you think he should be in the NHL or OHL next season? 1: “OHL. Let him get stronger. Don’t rush.” 2: “Learn from Niederreiter. Let him play a few NHL games in October and then get his ass back to junior.”

The 5 Biggest Questions the Islanders Need to Answer This Year

Kevin Schultz — Mon, 07 May 2012 14:17:23 +0000

There hasn’t been a lot going on lately with the Islanders but that doesn’t mean we’re short on topics to discuss. This summer the Islanders have some big questions to answer and some important decisions to make. Today, we’ll take a look at some of them to kick off our non-draft coverage. As we move further into the off-season, there’s going to be a lot of time to reflect deeper on these issues but for now we’re going to scratch the surface. Feel free to leave your own thoughts on the team’s most important topics in the comments section.

#5 – Where will Ryan Strome play in 2012-13?

I thought about making this first question about the team’s incoming draft pick and who that should be. Sure, that player will be important but at the moment the team is loaded with picks, the most important being Ryan Strome playing for Niagara of the OHL. The team’s goal should be to make a playoff run and the quickest influx of talent will come from the team’s pipeline and not the draft.

The 18-year old Strome, who turns 19 in July, will face the same questions as Nino Niederreiter. Namely, should Strome spend the year in the OHL or the NHL? Like Niederreiter last year, Strome can’t play in Bridgeport this coming season due to the CHL/NHL agreement that prevents 19-year olds from playing in the AHL.

Strome had 68 points in 46 games for the IceDogs, who are currently in the middle of a championship series with Sarnia. He was kept up on the Islanders roster at the beginning of last year to sit in the press box and likely place the carrot in front of him. ‘If you work hard, here’s where you’ll be’ sort of thing. Snow stated that he ‘promised’ Niederreiter a full season in the bigs last winter. Will the same hold true of Strome?

#4 – Can the secondary scorers build on their end of season success?

Josh Bailey, Kyle Okposo and Michael Grabner are the three players that immediately come to mind when thinking about secondary scoring. The Islanders were completely lacking in that category for most of the season. After March 1, when the games didn’t mean as much, these three combined for 22 goals with half of that total coming from Okposo.

For Okposo, it could be more related to the shoulder injury that saw him miss most of the 2010-11 season. There’s a possibility it took him a long time to get back up to speed. On the other side of the coin, effort is also a question. After an early season benching, he looked like a totally different player. He quietly and sort of amazingly ended up with 24 goals after the tumultuous season. Can he do the same next year and not have such a cold start?

Josh Bailey is in a different kind of situation. After being same old, same old for most of the year he was shifted to the wing after Brian Rolston was traded. Did the move to wing spur his production? Or was it simply a result of playing with better players? Whatever the reason, he needs to figure out how to keep it up in 2012-13.

And last but not least is Grabner, who was easily the biggest disappointment of the three dropping from 34 goals in 2010-11 to only 20 last season, with a quarter of those coming after March 1. There’s an argument to be made that teams were ready and aware of the speedster but he also failed to convert on what must have been a thousand breakaways. The off-season game plan for Grabner is simple – shooting drills.

For all three, these results need to be sustained over an entire season. They’re all important parts of the forward corps but as players like Strome and others come along, they will become more and more expendable. The expendability could lead to an answer for question number three.

#3 – Can Garth Snow find defenders?

As disappointing as parts of the offense were – because they were expected to contribute – the defense wasn’t expected to do nearly as much. And it certainly didn’t. This summer, Snow needs to find players to replace his entire defense outside of Mark Streit, Travis Hamonic and Andrew MacDonald. Why those three? Well, because they’re the three best defenders the team has but also because they’re the only defenders left from opening night that are not free agents.

That’s right; Milan Jurcina, Mark Eaton, Steve Staios and Dylan Reese are all unrestricted free agents this summer. The only other defenders the team has are Ty Wishart and a bunch of guys still on their ELCs: Matt Donovan, Aaron Ness, Calvin de Haan and Mark Katic. We should expect to see one or more of those players on the opening night roster but depending on them to make that roster this summer would be foolish. They need to earn their spots and not be thrown into the NHL fire out of necessity. Snow needs to sign proven NHL defenders. Not training camp invitees. Actual, bonafide NHL defenders. As much as the young defenders need to eventually step into the lineup, to trust this many of them would be foolish.

#2 – Where will Rick DiPietro be on October 14th?

To start last season the Islanders tried to work with a trio of goalies on the roster and it was a distraction and a failure. Of course it worked out well once one got hurt because then they had, you know, a normal amount of goalies on the roster. But after more injuries for Rick DiPietro, it’s time to either cut loose or send him to Bridgeport. There should be no more NHL time given to him until he’s earned it. Evgeni Nabokov will undoubtedly be the starter with either Kevin Poulin or Anders Nilsson sitting behind him on the Coliseum bench (at least to start the season, anyway). To throw DiPietro into that mix would be to throw a stick of dynamite in. It’s an unnecessary distraction and not helping the team win games. And hey, maybe the new CBA will include an amnesty clause. You never know.

#1 – Will there be any movement on the arena situation?

We haven’t heard anything new on the arena front since a hearing in February where all sides pledged to work together and noted that action needed to be taken before the end of the calendar year. Despite a few tweets of closed-door action from Ed Mangano, it’s looking like it’s getting closer and closer to midnight for the Islanders in Nassau County. This is a political machine that moves at a snail’s pace and after a decade of inaction it’s not looking like anything is going to happen soon. As far as I’m concerned, the Islanders won’t be in Nassau County after the lease runs out.

With that being said, the next question is when will the Islanders play their hand? They’ve already got the pre-season game in Brooklyn lined up for October and a deadline to have a deal done with the County by December 31st. Once those dates pass, will the team make serious overtures to another municipality? The ball (or puck) will be in their court as we head towards 2015.

WC VIDEO: Okposo’s Sweet Breakaway Goal, Joensuu Injured

Kevin Schultz — Sat, 05 May 2012 16:37:12 +0000

Yesterday we talked a bit about the IIHF Worlds that are going on right now and now we have video. Kyle Okposo had two goals in USA’s win over France. Okposo helped the team take a 2-0 lead early on with this great breakaway:

And here’s the much less exciting video of his second goal. I think that may literally be the least celebrated goal of all time.

Also of note, via LHH, is that Jesse Joensuu took a nasty high stick around the eye. He is reportedly alright but it was still a tough scene to watch.

Six Islanders Start Play at the IIHF World Championships

Kevin Schultz — Fri, 04 May 2012 15:30:41 +0000

Last night (or earlier this morning, depending on your world view) the IIHF World Championships kicked off in Northern Europe. The annual tournament is being co-hosted by Sweden and Finland this year and stretches over three weeks from May 3rd to the 20th. The Islanders are represented by six players on five different teams: Kyle Okposo (USA), John Tavares (CAN), Frans Nielsen (DEN), Jesse Joensuu (FIN) and the Swiss duo of Mark Streit and Nino Niederreiter.

The Americans kicked off the tournament against France, winning handily 7-2. Okposo notched two goals and was +3 in the win, with just over 19 minutes of ice time. There are a few ex-Isles involved with the American squad as well. The team is coached by Scott Gordon and Nate Thompson was an alternate captain for last night’s game. Gordon placed Okposo on the team’s second line, alongside Winnipeg’s Jim Slater and Ryan Lasch, who plays professionally in Finland.

A few moments ago the Canadians finished their first game of the tournament, beating Slovakia 3-2. Tavares didn’t register on the scoresheet, going -1 in about 15 minutes of ice time. He skated on a line with Carolina’s Jeff Skinner and Chicago’s Patrick Sharp.

Frans Nielsen and Denmark are in action right now against the Czech Republic.

THE MORNING SKATE: On David Ullstrom and Another Ex-Isle Gets a Front Office Job

Kevin Schultz — Thu, 03 May 2012 13:15:33 +0000

Some news and notes for your Thursday morning, which probably calls for an Advil or three after watching the Dark Side win…

BEHIND THE MUSIC: DAVID ULLSTROM
Lighthouse had this the other day (and yes, I’m still sorting through everything I’ve missed this week) but it’s totally worth noting anyway. David Ullstrom did a thorough interview in his native Swedish with hockeysverige.se, covering a multitude of topics. Here are a few of the salient points (all copied from Google Translate, hence the broken English):

Ullstrom on John Persson, fellow Swede and 5th round pick in 2011 that made his debut with Bridgeport down the stretch…

“He went straight into the team and really showed that he belonged there. He ended up in a great line where he made grisgörat. I know that the coaches were very pleased with him and I really hope he’ll be offered a contract.”

Whatever grisgörat is, it must be good. And here’s a look at what a concussion can do to a person. Not a pretty picture…

“I tried to work out three days later, but then began to knock his head away. I had to shut down everything. No TV, no computer, no phone at all. I lay staring at the ceiling for three weeks in a row with a pounding headache.”

MATT DONOVAN IS BIG IN OKLAHOMA
He’s admittedly one of our favorite tweeters and now home for the off-season in Oklahoma, the Islanders defender was name dropped in the celebrity sightings section of a local newspaper. Oklahoma knows its hockey. Or at the very least its home grown players.

I’m kind of a big deal if you didn’t already know! Haha spotted at the Thunder game last night #famous #inthenewspaper twitter.com/MattDonovan46/…

— Matt Donovan (@MattDonovan46) May 2, 2012

MARC BERGEVIN NAMED CANADIENS GENERAL MANAGER
So apparently ex-Isles and Isles Villians of the 1990s are having all kinds of success with getting hired around the league. Late in 2011 it was Dale Hunter and Kirk Muller getting coaching gigs with the Capitals and Hurricanes, respectively. Then there’s Kevin Cheveldayoff, a former first-round bust running the show in Winnipeg. Now it’s Marc Bergevin who gets a chance to run the Canadiens and clean up the mess that Pierre Gauthier left behind (he speaks French so the Montreal media will have to wait at least a day to tear him apart). Both Bergevin and Cheveldayoff have a pedigree, working under Stan Bowman in Chicago as assistant GMs for the Blackhawks.