Bridgeport Signs Mark Parrish to Tryout Contract

New York Islander Fan Central | 10/22/2008 01:31:00 PM | | |
Newsday: Greg Logan reports in the Islanders Newsday blog Mark Parrish has been signed to a Sound Tigers tryout contract for twenty five games. Head coach Scott Gordon comments Parrish would have to be a far better than a young player for him to take a roster spot from someone.

NYI Fan Central Comments:
Tryout contract means just that folks which is a long way from signing a contract to play for the Islanders in the NHL.

I suspect part of this is a former teammate who is now general manager giving another former teammate a chance to continue his career somewhere.

Dave Scatchard got a short tryout with Hartford last year, like Brandon Sugden this is a chance for Parrish to keep playing and maybe earn a contract with the Islanders or another club.

For the Bridgeport/Islanders side of things this is very curious move with a surplus of players in Bridgeport. Garth Snow signed Joel Rechlicz to a three year contract and was sent to Utah, this will take a roster spot from a right wing in Bridgeport.

For Mark Parrish a major reality check as to how far his stock has fallen in NHL circles after he was released by Minnesota and turned down a tryout with his former coach in Peter Laviolette in Carolina less than a month ago here.

If it did come to Parrish resigning here we know what the right side looks like in Guerin, Okposo, Hunter, and whoever is on right wing between Nate Thompson, Richard Park or Andy Hilbert.

I suspect for Parrish to earn an Islander contract he has to beat out a veteran, not a young player unless management is talking about an Okposo demotion which seems unlikely.

Parrish's tryout contract runs until 12/21-12/26 games for Bridgeport depending on when it officially begins.

Updated:
Ct Post: Michael Fornabaio has comments from Mark Parrish on why he decided to sign a tryout contract with the Sound Tigers who plans to arrive Sunday in Bridgeport and practice Monday as Jack Capuano talks about his experience with Parrish on the 2005-06 Islanders when he was an assistant coach.





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