Russian Prospects.com: Reports Islander prospect and upcoming Russian free agent Igor Volkov scored his sixth playoff goal in six games for Salavat Yulayev in the Russian superleague playofffs.
NYI Fan Central Comments:
The prospect who will not go away drafted 246th in 2003 is again having a strong year in the Russian Superleague and at twenty five years old having been an over aged draft pick and reportedly was unrestricted as of November 2007. I remember writing his profile on HF a long time ago and for an organization that needs snipers it seems overdue the Islanders see what this player can do in North America.
Considering Matt Keith, Tim Jackman, Justin Bourne, Tyler Haskins, Pascal Morency & Olivier Labelle are the current right wing depth chart in Bridgeport at the moment with Kyle Okposo in New York for now signing a forward with sniper potential would not be a bad move moving forward. I do not recall Igor Volkov ever being part of an Islander prospect summer camp.
Of course this changes quickly with Colliton and Blake Comeau considered right wings at the time they were drafted in 2003. Petteri Nokelainen went from a center when he was drafted to a right wing before he was traded for Ben Walter.
It should be noted because there is no transfer agreement between Russian and the NHL, the Islanders keep the rights to all Russian prospects regardless of when they were drafted. This includes Dmitry Chernykh, Evgeny Tunik, Sergei Ogorodnikov and Alexei Stonkus. It does not work this way for other European prospects since the new CBA has a two year limit. Islander Maxim Grachev (Rimuski) was one of only nine drafted Russian prospects last June.
Ogododnikov here who was on the verge of being bought out by last summer in our last update is off the Islander prospect page. Tunik who played sixty one games with Bridgeport in 2005-06 before returning to Russia here is still listed. Alexei Stonkus also is still listed on the Islander prospect page here and apparently still playing after suffering a serious life threatening neck injury several seasons ago that left him practically paralyzed.
Dimitri Chernykh came to North America and played in the ECHL with the Dayton Bombers last year here before returning to the Russian league this season here for those curious.
SoundTigers.com: Erin Willey reports several Sound Tiger players shaved their heads to raise money and awareness for pediatric cancer in supporting the St. Baldrick's Foundation and "TeamBrent" with Msg's Deb Placey's comments.