Ct Post: Michael Fornabaio reports Sean Bentivoglio was also not tendered a qualifying offer, after being told by the club he would be, so he is now a free agent as well.
Bobby Hughes, also was not tendered a qualifying offer.
2004 First Round selection, Petteri Nokelainen was placed on waivers, who does have a contract with Phoenix.
NYIFC Comments:
To be fair this is a trend we are seeing more and more around the NHL, in a league with a salary cap, however the Islanders are not up against the cap.
Having written this a tough day for those who have seen something special from Sean Bergenheim since he was signed out of the WJC. Bergenheim, made his debut with Steve Stirling's Islanders before the lockout. His hustle, speed, offensive ability and an edge to his game was something which stood out, I felt would develop and become a productive NHL player.
We can talk about the NHL lockout or his holdout or two years lost, but he came back and received more than a fair chance.
In 2008-09 it seemed Bergenheim and Scott Gordon had hit a wall, and reports were things could have gone either way. He started producing and both were finally on the same page with things looking good going into 2009-10.
Whether it be injuries or something else when Bergenheim got chances on the top lines (on a club without a veteran top line) last season his play was uneven and at times struggled, beyond the aggressive penalties.
Absolutely, he has not been the most durable player.
Bottom line, a year ago he was worried about his production and was told not to worry about numbers, in print by Scott Gordon at the time. Reality was the numbers were not there, and by the end of last season he was back in the same fourth line he began with.
I thought a trade was coming involving him, and he had some value, only management knows if they tried to include him in a deal.
I do think he will find the right situation on another NHL team. There is also a long shot he could be signed here again as an UFA, however with left wing depth in the organization, I would not count on it.
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As for Jeff Tambellini, I absolutely felt he did not get a fair chance from Scott Gordon, and Ted Nolan before that. He has hands, offensive skills, skating skills that are not present on the current roster.
Forgetting his numbers he did get to the net and played physical, he deserved much better than to sit for weeks on end without playing, and he took a very low contract for the last years to receive a chance.
Another NHL team with some size and NHL veterans with skill, likely do take a chance but from there it's up to him to earn a full-time spot.
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Overall the Islanders on paper hopefully now get a little bigger going into next season with these decisions. In the end, how do you justify using a second rounder on Jesse Joensuu, paying him, then after having him play 140+ games, not give him a real chance at earning an NHL spot?
I'm not sure if these decisions slide Blake Comeau back to the left wing, which is the spot he had played most of his first two seasons at.
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Times Transcript: Moncton Wildcats head coach, Danny Flynn says Kirill Kabanov will be protected by the team in Tuesday 6/29 CHL Import Draft, and are having discussions about having him again play for the Wildcats next season, if he does not make the NHL.
NYIFC Comments:
Consider this like Tavares, deHaan, Bailey and other past picks in terms of where he can play, and he first has to earn an NHL contract.
Watertown Daily Times: Cap Carey has more from Isles seventh rounder, Cody Rosen, who thought the call from Garth Snow was a prank from a friend, before his father read NYIFC, his coach at Clarkson, also was surprised at the Isles selection, and comments.
NYIFC Comments:
Kidding about the NYIFC part, but it would have been priceless to listen to the call between Snow trying to convince Rosen, who he was, and that he was selected.
Still working on something/somewhere from deHart, who is the only pick, who has not had a newspaper comment somewhere.
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