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2011 New York Prospect Camp Roster

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Jason Gregiore has signed with Winnipeg.

Islanders News Page: Put together profiles of some (perhaps all) of the players invited to the teams prospect camp. As of this time, I cannot find a starting/ending date beyond Blue vs White game.

Kirill Petrov, Anton Klementyev, Shane Simms/Brian Day (both on 8/15 deadline to sign as graduated college prospects) Tony DeHart, are not included on these lists as of this time. Tomas Marcinko resigned, however he is on an NHL or Europe contract, and not listed here.

Updated:
Islanders website: released the complete list of players coming to camp.

Michael Fornabaio of the Ct Post speculates, last summers pick, DeHart, did not receive the obligatory offer to keep his rights, nothing to confirm.

Head coach, Jack Capuano, is the uncle of Max Capuano.

Here are the names so far:
Justin DiBenedetto
Casey Cizikas
Max Capuano
Stephen Alonge
Matt Martin
Cody McNaughton
Tyler McNeely
Johan Sundstrom
Ryan Strome
Ben Rosen
Rhett Rakhshani
Tony Romano
John Persson
Dan O’Donoghue
Nino Niederreiter
Brock Nelson
Cody Rosen
Teigan Zahn
Mike Marcou
Brenden Kichton
Mark Katic
Travis Hamonic
Matt Donovan
Calvin de Haan
Art Bidlevski
Anton Zlobin
David Ullstrom
Scott Mayfield
Aaron Ness
Benn Olson
Nicola Riopel
Chris Rawlings
Kevin Poulin
Anders Nilsson
Mikko Koskinen
Mei Ushu
Bennett Schneider
Robbie Russo
Andrei Pedan
Corey Trivino
KJ Tiefenwerth
Mitchell Theoret
Danny Linell
Max LeSieur
Anders Lee
Kirill Kabanov
Brett Gallant



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New York Notables

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As expected, Blake Comeau filed for arbitration. Not necessarily a bad thing, most of those negotiations do not make the arbitrators table.....rarely do teams walk away from an award. The comparative for a twenty goal player can get expensive depending on how an arbitrator rules.

If a player does have a hearing, the only recourse the team has is to reject the award, meaning the player becomes an UFA. There is no lose an arbitration hearing, then trade the player option.

There could be a one year contract, or a long term contract announced before. What's certain is filing means another team cannot sign him to an offer sheet.

The larger potential problem may be Josh Bailey. Bailey and his agent likely want the same commitment/perhaps not back-loaded, that Kyle Okposo received after getting hurt, and struggling most of last season.

Bailey/agent have a good argument not to be thrilled with being moved from center to wing and back. Butch Goring noted this several times last year before Schremp was traded, and after he was recalled from Bridgeport.

As for the rest of the Islanders RFA players, we'll see who accepted their qualifying offers vs who did not.

An article was posted on twitter from Wishart yesterday at a charity event, that he was very happy to be qualified.
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Mark Streit, Milan Jurcina, Mark Eaton, Mike Mottau.

This team cannot afford another veteran signing along the lines of the later three, which includes Kaberle to Carolina or whatever happens to McCabe.

Not unless one of the those three are traded.

Best move here is patience, if the market remains the same, you go into the season with the back-line you have.

I will be shocked if Martinek is an UFA much longer, unless his WC injury has other teams/Islanders concerned.

Updated:
Radek Martinek has signed a one year contract with Columbus.

NYIFC Comments:
Congratulations and the best of luck to Radek Martinek, he will be greatly missed.
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PA Parenteau is not a first line right wing? Ok fair enough.

Explain why Kyle Okposo will not be the first line right wing, as he likely would have been from day one a year ago if he was not hurt? He was used there for the bulk of his NHL career.

There is also Niederreiter, as a natural right wing.

No law Parenteau cannot slide down next to Nielsen as his right wing.
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Keith Yandle got an excellent deal for the NHL/himself and the Coyotes, easily the most sensible long-term contract this summer.
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Regarding Trevor Frischmon, I'm having a hard time seeing how this signing helps, however management has singled out some players that fit this organization. On paper it does not seem to add up for New York or Bridgeport.

Andy Hilbert (failed as that turned out) with Jon Sim presented viable veteran scoring options for Bridgeport last summer.

I have to give management the benefit of the doubt on this one for now.
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All I'm going to write about Zenon Konopka (beyond wishing him the best of luck with Ottawa) is anyone who writes whether he was good in the lockeroom or not, has to be in the room daily to make such a statement.

That goes for every single NHL player.
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Very sad day to see Nate Lawson leave, the three goalie system makes thing very rough but with so many goaltenders injured, there is little alternative. He is expected to start for his new AHL team.

Lawson, Koskinen, Montoya, DiPietro, Nabokov, Poulin all were injured at points of last season or had spring/summer surgery.
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Vacation is coming here, with a return to the twitter box format.



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New York's Game Plan Moving Forward In Free Agency:

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The deadline for players filing arbitration is 7/5 at 5pm EST. Blake Comeau will be the player to watch here, we could find out here if Haley/others accept their qualifying offers.

Updated:
Comeau has filed for salary arbitration.

Updated 7/5:
Islanders website: announced today they have agreed to terms with center Trevor Frischmon on a one-year, two-way (NHL/AHL) contract.

Colorado Springs Gazette: June 30th had his comments about playing in the NHL and why he was considering moving on from Columbus.
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The best move so far by the New York Islanders is the one they have not made.

Still, Garth Snow has spots to be filled/key players to be signed/re-signed.

Forwards:
Given the forward prospects that have left Bridgeport, the current open roster spots, with the possible chance of Blake Comeau in a year going UFA, Snow should be working hard to sign left wing Jason Gregoire.

Grand Forks Herald: who broke Gregoire's leaving school reported he was at the draft, and interviewed with nine teams.

Gregoire is not Blake Wheeler, even if he used his clause to explore UFA, but he is a talented prospect with scoring ability.

If Gregiore signed here and did well in camp, it could open the roster for a possible Comeau trade (if he cannot be signed) without some of the contracts comparable left wingers were given on 7/1.

Unless Snow and his staff have targeted another Matt Moulson or P.A Parenteau for Bridgeport, this is the best move to supplement his AHL prospect base after losing Figren, Joensuu.....likely Tomas Marcinko, unless he makes the NHL per his new contract.

Another thing to consider is before Matt Martin uses up his NHL waiver eligibility (160 games) it would be only prudent to seriously consider him returning to Bridgeport and rediscovering his offensive game on the top lines, while Marcinko receives a full look here, who has been signed.

Martin was not as visible as he was offensively the previous year (granted a five game sample) on a regular basis, perhaps it being on the fourth line/perhaps not?

Bottom line here, the Islanders second/third round picks in 2006 are gone, one of the fourth rounders from that draft is signed to play only in the NHL or Europe.

Martin needs to play more, Gregiore would be a good player to have in your system, Marcinko should get an NHL chance before departing likely for good.

Backline:
This team has Eaton, Mottau, Jurcina signed for next season, they CANNOT afford another middle of the road veteran blue-liner like McCabe, Kaberle ect taking a spot in this lineup. Their limited offensive/defensive ability, with declining skills makes that a non-starter at this point in their careers.

The players in Bridgeport are better potential options, especially Calvin deHaan, perhaps Wishart and Katic right now.

Katic's speed/skill flat out impressed me.....a lot.

If Snow wants to trade Eaton, Mottau or Jurcina, then sign McCabe or Kaberle that's acceptable, not before.

There are twenty eight other teams interested in trading for Keith Yandle, it's not happening unless he's signed long-term in advance and Garth Snow includes a top prospect, or a top draft choice.

You cannot trade for Yandle as a rental, Phoenix needs to win immediately so someone will purchase the club and keep it in Arizona. Don Maloney is likely not going to be retained if the franchise is moved, so his personal best short-term bet is Yandle.

Goaltender:
No one is trading a top defender for Nabokov, who's 500k right now looks expensive compared to what Vokoun got, but a steal compared to what so many others received.

What's Next:
For the moment getting contracts done with Josh Bailey, Blake Comeau, perhaps Frans Nielsen beyond one year, along with the move stated above, should be the priority.

If something cannot get done with Nielsen or Comeau, you can include both in a trade for a quality defender. Nielsen's trade value may never be higher, if he has another year struggling on offense it will decline.

No law Tavares-Strome-Bailey cannot be your three centers by fall 2012.

The Dany Heatley NHL tour has now stopped in Minnesota for Martin Havlat here in a late Sunday trade.

From The Hypocrisy/Double Standard Or Selective Amnesia Department:
NY Daily News: decided on an unnamed editorial blasting the Coliseum project 7/4 that is so pathetic, it ignores the same NY Daily News article Yankee Stadium and Citi Field are the Houses That You Built from January of 2009.

NYIFC Comments:
Would not shock me at all if Cablevision picked up the phone and asked for a negative editorial as the LIBN did on June 30th displaying some very selective amnesia regarding other local teams.



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New York Day Two Free Agent Summary:

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Another very smart day for Garth Snow, another foolish day around the NHL.

Nothing out there was done today that could improve the New York Islanders, which was just another brutal day for the NHL market.

What's happening in basketball will be happening in the NHL here by next summer, the agents for our soon to be RFA/UFA will be lining up for the same deals as they should.

That's the real bad news.

Garth Snow has three left wings more productive than Simone Gagne. Michal Handzus had less goals than Marty Reasoner last year, he played in all eighty two games.

Twenty eight other clubs want to trade for Keith Yandle, he's going to want his forty million when he reaches UFA. It's not worth the talent it would take in return to trade for him.

Phoenix needs to make what could be their last stand by winning now.

Jack Hillen scored the same four goals Kaberle did for two teams, is this the player you want to give Calvin deHaan or one of these kids spot to? Not me.

Outside of Tomas Vokoun, who signed a one-year contract with Washington for 1.5m, a ton of poor contracts again on Saturday.

Vokoun's agent played this as poorly as Nabokov's last summer. Wonder how Ed Snider feels about blowing up his roster now for Ilya Bryzgalov, even Tampa giving Roloson three million dollars?

All those backups who got the same or more than Vokoun?

Washington robbing Colorado for a first round pick/signing Vokoun were the biggest winners of UFA this summer by a mile.

What was Dale Tallon thinking with all that money to reach the floor with a true top flight goaltender? He then overspends on mediocrity/retreads, then let his one star get away?

Where is Bill Torrey to explain this to him?

Sadly, there is media defending the spending so out of touch, who don't follow the Panthers.

Someone needs to explain how Tampa's defense is improved with MA Bergeron, Bruno Gervais & Matt Gilroy?

So Toronto gave Tim Connolly almost five millions dollars for a thirteen goal player/minus ten player on a playoff team? That's less goals than Josh Bailey scored two years ago.

What can be said about the Cablevision Rangers that was not written already? I only wish Richards robbed them for even more at that age/price but that's about as foolish as any team can be. Unless the money is absurd or front-loaded no one signs to play for Cablevision.

If it keeps Cablevision from making a run at Tavares or the true star center's upcoming entering their prime, it's worth every penny to our franchise.

Go look at the Dallas Stars scoring last year, Richards had an excellent core group of scoring players. It's a poor gamble at that age, a bad contract, it would be just as bad here. Cue Newsday/Dolan's paid spin-doctors, who's jobs are at stake.

Anyone who claims he signed for any other reason than the money are kidding themselves, he took no discount, as no one ever does to play at Cablevision.

That's 20m pre-lockout up-font to read off the Dolan/Trautwig cue-cards Ted Drury's brother left behind on Ranger tradition.

The good news for him is like everyone else, the spotlight will not be on him in baseball city USA. He had far more attention in Tampa and Dallas.

I could not have hand-picked someone out of UFA to be a worse signing for that franchise. Not jealously, same thinking when Sather was hired/no real plan, but who clearly takes his marching orders from Dolan.

They have a coach who two weeks before he was hired said, Avery does not belong in the NHL, a gm who said if he had Cablevision's payroll they would never lose a game.

Dolan is the dumbest owner in professional sports by a mile. I guess eventually you buyout/front load/hide enough brutal contracts, one pays off.

Richards will not be that player, but he can start talking about Sean Avery again
here who he's reunited with from Dallas.

Twenty million dollars upfront in lockout protection helps to clarify uncertainty.

It will not make for success.



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New York Day Two Free Agent Summary:

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NHL.com Updated Blog Of All Confirmed Signings.

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New York Day One Free Agency Summary:

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Isladers website: Has Marty Reasoner's comments on coming to New York along with, General Manager, Garth Snow.

Video Highlights: of Reasoner's goals.

Updated Saturday AM:
Rochester Demorat & Chronicle: has an in-depth interview with Reasoner, about how UFA went for him in the past, and why he signed with New York, for 2.7m/two years.

NYIFC Comments:
I'm thrilled Snow stayed out of that mix today.

Reasoner received a bit much in terms of salary, but given today's ridiculous/absurd contracts being give out, it was one of the better signings out there.

Reasoner has the ability to produce double-digit goals, kill penalties, and win faceoffs on the fourth line. Zenon Konopka had two goals, was a minus fourteen and had a ton of fighting mileage on him.

He looked hurt from it at the end of last season.

I have no idea what Konopka is like in the room, what take management had on his outspoken comments. In general fans (this blog included) love it/media like reporting it, but team management's like their players guarded with non controversial statements.

Reasoner will not be controversial, is healthy in terms of games played and most importantly, has far greater potential to produce some goals and points. He is above acceptable in the faceoff/pk department. Your fourth line cannot be a minus. The fight by appointment is one thing, the final score the other.

The Islanders did Konopka few favors with a rookie in Martin, or Gilles as his wingers, but Tampa moved on from him also. Pittsburgh paper asked if the Pens should sign him, so it's possible he will be putting Mario's picture back up.

Will be fun watching the same Pens media that ripped him, now defend him, but they have that act down pat with Matt Cooke.

Only thing more biased was Leaf media giving Brian Burke a pass for going to Afghanistan. If Snow went there, the same media would be all over him and Wang.

They would be all over the other twenty eight teams as well.

How come no one calls out Richard Peddie? Bad for business in those media outlets.
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Kabanov was a little surprising, however he must stay in juniors unless he plays in the NHL, there is no Bridgeport option.
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Today's disappointment was Joensuu going to HV-71. Out of that trio group of forwards, Figren/Joensuu are gone, Marcinko signed, but unless he is in the NHL, he will play in Europe.

Would have been a good day to revisit Gregiore as others were getting paid.
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What Should Snow Do Next:
If Snow wants to move Eaton, Mottau or Jurcina to bring in a lateral signing like McCabe, what's really gained? Same on Kaberle? I would rather see the players here now receive those spots. Martinek is a far better defensive defender than most of those player left available.

Notables:
You have players out there getting massive front-loaded contracts/salary, who had less/even production than Blake Comeau, P.A Parenteau, who's agents must be celebrating tonight.

I completely understand folks who saw Buffalo lose it's stars (to Philadelphia) get a chuckle out of the tables being turned, however those are brutal signings, even for an owner in his honey-moon spending period.

Today was a day that's going to force another lockout unless the plan is thirty multi-billionaires in a contest to see who can lose the most money a year?

Many of those teams over spending to fill out a roster, seem to have no plan, beyond scuffling the chips, did anyone really improve? I liked Mike Rupp, but at that price/term Cablevision can have him.

Anaheim signed and traded the Islanders, James Wisniewski so Andy Sutton could get huge money/term to get hurt and become a forward? Then they dumped him today while, Wisniewski got what was a desperation overpayment from Columbus.

I like Wisniewski, but not even close to that price. Did Anaheim or Edmonton have any plan at all today?

How's the new season ticket commitments looking Winnipeg?

Guess those riots really rallied the free agents on re-signing with Vancouver?

Do the Flyers have a plan, beyond raiding the Pens, who just crossed the Islanders off their new main rival list?

Ed Snider is just bad for hockey, his impatience only hurts his team. Only thing worse was the Tsn.ca salesman protecting the Leafs/Brian Burke for being in Afghanistan which is a worthy cause, but if it were Snow, Wang would be getting roasted alive for not being with his team.

A few Tsn salesman were heaping massive praise on the owners who spend, and are committed to their teams/fans.

Sounds nice, reads well, but those kind of deals were bad for the teams, the fans, who will see their ticket prices increases, and gain virtually nothing but unrealistic exceptions. They are not superstar talents.

Michael Peca, did a nice job praising Peter Laviolette for how he handled things here.

The dancing backup goalies, what they were getting paid to sign elsewhere was ridiculous. Nabokov is a flat-out steal if he was tolled (which we never got official confirmation) at 500k.

What was Colorado thinking?

Why doesn't Toronto want to solve it's Flyer-like goaltending issues and bring in Vokoun? Dale Tallon went off the reservation today, signing popular former names to over-priced contracts is one thing, but they are not improved. That kind of term for Bergenheim makes this blog happy for him, but that's another terrible overpayment.

Roman Hamrlik must have nine lives to receive a two year contract from Washington.

Out long national Sheldon Souray nightmare ended.
Philadelphia's long Jaromir Jagr nightmare began.

I guess the Ranger media fans can once again bash him like they did when he was a cap when they are not covering baseball.

The NHL let Don Maloney spend a lot of money for a franchise that posted a 13m loss above what Glendale gives the league.

Did Al Traugwig fax Mike Rupp that statement to read on Tsn.ca?

People do understand Brad Richards is a twenty goal/seventy point player... right?

Alexei Yashin had seventy five points his first season here.

We can only hope Dolan does all he can to land him, then again, if Dolan did the talking he will sign elsewhere for sure.

Where's Isiah Thomas when you need him?
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Sometimes the best move is the one you do not make, the winners today were the teams that mostly kept quiet.

I liked the deal Tyler Kennedy re-signed in Pittsburgh as the best decision of the day.



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NYIFC LATEST TWITTER UPDATES

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NHL.com WATCH NHL FREE AGENCY LIVE also NHL.com Updated Live Blog Of All Confirmed Signings.

KABANOV-SIGNS THREE YEAR ELC
JOENSUU-QUALIFIED BUT RETURNS TO SWEDEN FOR NEXT TWO YEARS.
MARTY REASONER: SIGNS A TWO YEAR CONTRACT WITH NEW YORK.

“The addition of Marty solidifies our center position,” Islanders General Manager Garth Snow said. “He is a player who can be counted on to win face-offs and kill penalties, while at the same time contribute offensively.”

New York Islander Fan Central Twitter Page

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