On Paper Isles Plan Looks Good But Takes Time

New York Islander Fan Central | 4/17/2009 10:00:00 AM |
Just want to remind everyone that it's going to take some time for some of these prospects to develop all the way into NHL players.

Okposo, Bailey and if the Isles take Tavares, Hedman or another one of these prospects there is a long road in front of most of them.

Some will get there quickly, others will take longer and some will never make it at all.

Sean Bergenheim, Frans Nielsen were drafted in 2002 and for the first time this year finally got a real look and that took time between injuries and Bergenheim being placed on the fourth line. Jeremy Colliton was selected in 2003 has only made cameo appearances.

Blake Comeau was selected in 2004 and could not win over Ted Nolan or Scott Gordon out of his last two camps, Dustin Kohn was selected in 2005.

We all know Jeff Tambellini's story by now who was also drafted in 2003.

Bruno Gervais by contrast was drafted in 2003 and has been on this teams blueline for years, Chris Campoli in 2004 was a mainstay when healthy before his trade.

Rob Hennigar was signed out of UNB at twenty five last summer.

Some of the prospects coming in will win spots from longer-tenured prospects, others will not.

You can put Marcinko, Figren, all the Sarnia players signed and likely Max Gratchev into that mix in Bridgeport with Marcinko already finishing his first AHL season.

Then there are the older players signed as undrafted free agents like Trevor Smith and Sean Bentivoglio or even Jack Hillen last year to say nothing of all the drafted college players who are getting closer like Rhett Rakhshani or Blake Kessel, David Toews.

The fun part will be when a bunch of them all hit at the same time which is usually how it finally works and you have a very good problem.

One I think this franchise will have sooner than later now after years of waiting.





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