Late Saturday Islanders Update

New York Islander Fan Central | 6/21/2008 08:12:00 PM | | | | | | |











Updated 11:15pm:
Newsday: Mr Logan's article has Garth Snow's comments along with Ryan Jankowski as to why they targeted Joshua Bailey as opposed to Nikita Filatov along with how the prospect pool was built up with the thirteen selections.

Newsday: Mr Logan's profiles of the tweleve selections the Islanders took on Saturday.

Newsday : Mr Logan's late blog on the draft centers around Kirill Petrov with the 73rd overall pick, what reaction was when Snow selected him along with reviews and comments on the other Islander selections as well as more insight into the trades including Toronto gm Cliff Fletcher's take.

Mr Logan writes he will be posting another blog in a few days explaining what the club saw in top pick Josh Bailey and on Sunday he will write his analysis of Snow’s trade-down strategy along with thumbnail sketches of Saturday's selections.

NYI Fan Central Comments:
Part of that could be above article as it's edited to include draft picks, excellent work top to bottom and more than fair to point out consequences if Bailey does not exceed Filatov or the other selctions Isles passed on.

Islanders no doubt will keep updating along with ITV updates. Larry Brooks of the Post went to Ottawa and did an Islander centric article but seemingly knows little on prospects based on his reporting so expect the usual Sunday bash the Isles-fest if any content at all.

The Oklahoman:Robert Przybylo reports Islanders draft pick Matt Donovan was just sitting on the couch and watching everything and that the Islanders are a good fit for him, but the truth is any team is. He would have been excited no matter where he ended up as he will be attending the clubs July minicamp.

Gophers website: Has a profile on Minnesota defender Aaron Ness, last season’s Minnesota state high school Player of the Year and an incoming recruit at the University of Minnesota.

National Post: Reports New York had a league high thirteen selections Saturday.

THN.com: Ryan Kennedy reports Kirill Petrov seems a lock to stay in Russia for several years and New York also provided the first big surprise of the afternoon by tabbing Matt Donovan out of Cedar Rapids in the USHL in the fourth round because he was not listed at all by central scouting.


Espn.com: Scott Burnside had Garth Snow's comments on drafting based upon lineage that he does not read much into it, with regard to David Toews, the younger brother of Chicago star Jonathan Toews because he is a professional athlete and his brothers weren't very good athletes. Mr Burnside adds David Toews is expected to play at his older brother's alma mater, the University of North Dakota, this season and although he put up big numbers at Shattuck (181 points in two years) he isn't expected to be the offensive force his brother was and is.

Espn.com: Gare Joyce writes on the Islanders selecting Josuha Bailey that the Islanders always zig when everyone else is zagging, that Bailey is more in the 12-20 range than top 10, heads were scratched after Isles traded down twice to get him.

St Louis Post Dispatch: Jeff Gordon reports from central scouting that Cory Trivino has the ability to see the ice well and to move the puck, needs to get stronger , but isn’t always winning the puck. He’s got a goal-scoring touch and he’s good on face-offs with good skating ability, not necessarily high-end skating, but good.

Islanders website: Linked to Mike G. Morreale's pre draft article with Kirill Petrov's comments that he really wants to play in the NHL and only in the NHL, with his agents comments he is prepared to do whatever it takes to make his client's wishes come true despite a three year agreement remaining with his Russian club.

Saskatoon Phoenix: Cory Wolfe has a pre-draft update on Jyri Niemi (pronounced nee-EM-ee) with his agents updating us on his minor surgery on his left hip when he returned to Finland in April, that he resumed skating this month and is currently helping out at a hockey school and is expected to be in top form by July.


Edmonton Journal: Reported back on June 1st that Jared Spurgeon who the club selected at 156th might be a late round draft pick in June because he's diminutive but there's a good chance the defenceman will be one of the 44 players invited to Canada's world junior summer camp in Ottawa on July 25. Al Murray, Hockey Canada chief scout said Spurgeon partnered with Jared Cowen, a likely top-six pick in the 2009 draft, on the Spokane blue line and did a lot of covering up for Cowen.

Elite Prospect.com: Profiles Islanders fourth round prospect David Ullström.

Windsor Star: Jim Parker has Islander selection Matt Martin's comments going into Friday's draft that his agent felt there was a good chance he would be selected, he spoke to ten-twelve clubs and hopefully it would work out as he hoped for the best.

Usa Today.com: Kyle Woodlief in his pre-draft review of goaltenders felt that Islander selection Kevin Poulin at 148th started the season as a sure-fire first-rounder based on his great physical gifts and performance last year but he was a perplexing mystery to scouts all season alternating between the occasional utterly dominant vs many nights when it appeared he couldn't stop a beach ball. He has great size (6-2/208) and superb athleticism with flexibility. His movements are fast and crisp and he's big enough to cover the top corners in the butterfly. But he's shown a propensity to lose his angles, has a very shaky catching hand and his mental toughness has become a real question mark.

NHL.com: Adam Kimelman had a full profile of Islanders selection Jyri Niemi back on June 18th with his comments.

NHL.com: Mike Morreale has a full feature of Islander draft selection Travis Hamonic back on June 16th with NHL's Director of Central Scouting, E.J. McGuire's comments along with B.J. MacDonald.

Updated Sunday 10am:
Ct Post: Michael Fornabaio in his Sound Tigers blog has his analysis of the Islanders 2008 draft and how long it could take some of these players to even make it to Bridgeport.

Still working on something for Justin DiBenedetto from the Sarnia Sting, some
hat-trick games and a lot of past updates.

Quick notes:
Change on sidebar

Tony from Islesnation.com link here was changed to a feeder so everyone can get the latest from his outstanding blog which had some great updates on the draft. Mr Stabile updates will appear next to his latest radio show here at NYI Fan Central where they did a live show from the Coliseum yesterday which is archived on the sidebar here.

Another excellent show on Hockey Night on LI here Saturday as Alex, Steve recapped the draft with Tom Mascioli of Islesinfo.com here.

All the blog box members worked as hard as possible this weekend with Mike Schuerlein from Islesblogger.com & Tom Liodice from Tiger Tracks here who did a fantastic job for everyone this weekend up in Ottawa and also appeared on Hockey Night on LI which is archived for everyone.

My personal thanks to the New York Islanders ownership & media relations staff on their outstanding efforts this weekend to keep us all updated on the draft who went above and beyond with too many names to list but start with Mr Witt, Bernstein, Lockhart, Hill and of course thanks as always to Mr Botta for his first class efforts over the years.

Sorry if I missed anyone in writing this about the media relations staff.

Once again my thanks to everyone for the amazing turnouts at NYI Fan Central for the live interactive chats both days and the quality contributions from everyone.

Both live blogs and the links to information/Tsn reviews posted by everyone are available to everyone for review in the chat.