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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