Thanks And Best Of Luck: Katic, Rakhshani, DiBenedetto, Gillies

 NHL.com released it's 2012-13 schedule quickly and quietly.

Just as quietly the team announced it's blue-white scrimmage game will be played on 6/28 for prospects the team never formally announced are having a mini-camp despite player tweets here.

That game will be played at Iceworks,  there are only 250 tickets available for the scrimmage due to seating capacity. The Nassau Coliseum is booked June 26th-30th.
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One thing I have been a bit regretful for over the last few days in somewhat of a rush to put out entries, is not thanking our players who have signed with other organizations.

Whether they are qualified, or not by 6/25, Mark Katic, Rhett Rakhshani, Justin DiBenedetto, and Trevor Gillies were here for a long time, and gave everything they had to offer.

Katic/Rakhshani were all stars for Bridgeport, all of them were part of the Sound Tigers only first place team since their inaugural year. DiBenedetto had twenty goals/forty one points in fifty five games last season.

Ct Post Michael Fornabaio had DiBenedetto's comments.

 "I just think it's a good opportunity for my development as a player. I'm looking forward to it," DiBenedetto said. "I just explored all my options at the end of the year, and this opportunity came. I'm just looking forward to getting over there. The main thing's to become a better player every day, every year. That's the main thing, and go from there."

Folks can argue the suspensions of Gillies, which could not be defended based on his actions, but he was a very popular team player here, and will be missed at the Coliseum on Friday.

Zenon Konopka's comments did register with me last year here.

" You look at Trevor Gillies,” Konopka said, according to the Ottawa newspaper. “He’s a first-time offender. He hits a guy, throws a few punches, he gets a nine-game suspension. The guy’s got a wife, two kids and plays in the East Coast Hockey League and AHL most of his career and now he’s going to lose $35,000. And it’s not right. Obviously, the league has their job and not mine, but in here, we feel for him. It hurts not to have Trevor in lineup for nine games. It hurts me, personally, my buddy, out $35,000.”

Their new teams will be even better with them, the enormous reaction from Berlin over Katic signing makes me nothing but thrilled for their fans.

Want to thank all of my teammates, staff, & fans from #BST & #Isles for all of the memories and love over the past 2 yrs. I'll miss u all!
— Rhett Rakhshani (@itsrhett) June 21, 2012

I wish them nothing but the best of luck moving forward, which of course extends to any future departures.

Mark Katic Signs With Berlin

Timmins Times: Mike Mulryan reports Mark Katic has signed in Germany.

Mark Katic has signed to play for Berlin next season. Katic has more than one reason to play there next season and they are all good. Katic was much coveted by many elite teams in Europe. He has settled for Berlin and is happy with his choice. I talked to more than one team in Europe that were extremely interested in getting Mark’s name on a contract for this season. Now the pressure of getting a deal done is off and he can concentrate on his upcoming wedding.

NYIFC Comments: 
Timmins Times is the hometown paper or record that covers Katic regularly, even on the ice time he was able to get earlier this month. Mr Mulryan reported Katic's new contract would be announced this week. 

Like Rakhshani, this is a significant loss because he had a realistic chance of making the NHL roster, but no doubt his shoulder injuries held down his opportunities, and perhaps younger picks were now ahead of him on the depth chart. Having written that the defense depth chart in Bridgeport may be thin come September depending on who makes the Isles from that group.

Again, we have to see what the Isles decide in terms of a qualifying offer to retain Katic's NHL rights, his 2010-11 cameo showed a player with NHL level skating/puck handling.

New York 7, Boston 2..Katic Dislocated Shoulder

Tweet

A lot of twitter updates on tonight's game at NYIFC.

Good news/bad news.

The bad news is Mark Katic dislocated his shoulder early, and it looks like a long-term injury. Katic, has had a history of shoulder issues here not only with Bridgeport but in Sarnia.

Mitchell Theoret, also left in third period.

The good news is a dominating win over Boston, totally different game tonight. Three fights in first five seconds, but New York was skating very well, sharp and simply were the better team.

Islander Quick Hits/Notables

Point Blank/Mr Botta: Reports in an exclusive with confirmation from the Islanders they have signed prospect Mark Katic to a three year entry-level contract.

NYI Fan Central Comments:
It should be noted Katic because he was drafted in 2007 and plays in OHL had to be signed by 6/1 or he could have re-entered the draft.

Prospect Max Gratchev who was the fourth round selection in 2007 and is now in Bridgeport on a tryout contact also has to be signed by 6/1 or he can re-enter the draft.

Simon LaCroix drafted 7/196/2007 and plays in QMJHL has to be signed by 6/1 also.

The rest of the selections from that 2007 draft by New York are college prospects in the USHL and are unlikely to leave school at this time, until they do there is no deadline to sign them this year.

Sound Tigers website: Report Bridgeport on Wednesday have signed forward Ryan Duncan to an Amateur Tryout Contract, who won the 06-07 Hobey Baker Award. (as did Junior Lessard in 2004 who also currently plays for Bridgeport)

Duncan, as a senior at the University of North Dakota with 20-19-39 in 43 games.

Ct Post: Michael Fornabaio in the Sound Tigers blog reports Duncan skated with Trevor Smith and Mike Iggulden at Wednesday practice among several updates.

Tsn.ca: Scott Cullen reviewed all the NHL team's defenses and feels the Islanders need changes.


NYI Fan Central Comments:
A bit unfair here going through the injuries on Colorado, Tampa and several teams defenses but not even writing about the loss of Sutton, Meyer and a team that has had all it's defenders out for long stretches this season and never one full game together with it's starting goaltender. To simply just write about Brendan Witt's negative rating and not all the injuries is a surprisingly poor job by Mr Cullen.

This is what happens when someone tries to review thirty teams, things get missed.
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* The Islanders supposedly fought for a pregame show earlier this year, they have one and before the Carolina game had absolutely nothing to show the fans besides a Brendan Witt feature taped 10/21 on ITV?

Is Msg restricting content or are things this bad they have no money to produce new features for a pregame with it painfully obvious they need filler from the opposition to fill out the twenty odd minutes?

I find it hard to believe they cannot get anything from the head coach before the game or Chris King-Steve Mears or simply let Billy Jaffe show highlights with a video chalkboard.

For those wondering Sound Tigers TV has pre-game, postgame and player/coach interviews. Is this some reason those highlights or features at cannot be put on the Islander pregame to show the young players as Doug Morrison used to do occasional during telecasts which we have not seen once all season.

* Anyone else find it ironic the Islanders take out the full page ads in Newsday and yet even in New York City where a Ranger backpage is almost unheard of only Cablevision owned Newsday today gave their product a full back over baseball in a paper that is not even sold in Manhattan?

Katic & DiBenedetto named OHL All-Stars

OHL.com & Sarnia Observer: Report Islander prospects Justin DiBenedetto and Mark Katic are among the forty Ontario Hockey League players that will take part in the 2009 Subway OHL All-Star Classic slated February 4th in Windsor.

DiBenedetto is third in the OHL with 61 points, including 30 goals. Katic is 11th among defense in scoring and is on pace this season to set career highs in every offensive category.

Islander News Articles 1/10

Newsday: Greg Logan had head coach Scott Gordon's repeat comments from his post-game in Calgary on playing more young players, Doug Weight for his part does not want to become a player with a lesser role as long as he is productive.


Earlier Friday:
AHL.com: Reported Yann Danis and Trevor Smith were sent to Bridgeport.

Newsday: Mr Logan in the Islanders Newsday blog speculates that Trevor Smith's demotion means Frans Nielsen could be ready to return.

Friday's Islander Insider was pushed back to Saturday.


NYI Fan Central Comments:
Ask me again on Tuesday if this actually matters. Danis is going to have to play in the NHL soon if DiPietro cannot so I would expect he see another start in Bridgeport.

NY Post: Dan Martin has comments from Josh Bailey, Kyle Okposo and Mike Sillinger on how the veterans are helping the Islander young prospects and their role.

NYI Fan Central Comments:
Not sure when Dan Martin got these quotes from Mike Sillinger or the players on the road trip.

Point Blank: Mr Botta had a few words from general manager Garth Snow on Kyle Okposo and Josh Bailey not being named to the young stars team.


NYI Fan Central Comments:
As always I feel NYIFC readers should visit Mr Botta's outstanding blog for the comments he produces. I will only give a short overview here.

Kind of ironic the first overall pick, Steven Stamkos has one more point (14) than Okposo (13) who has played forty games was selected. Josh Bailey has only three less points than Stamkos.

The Guardian of PEI: Reports former Islanders Bryan Trottier, Bill Smith, Bob Bourne and Cliff Ronning will be part of the Oldtimers’ Hockey Challenge Monday at 7 p.m. at the Civic Centre.

Daily Gleaner: Reported on Rob Hennigar's game winning goal for his ECHL team after being send down from Bridgeport recently.

Los Angeles Times: Diane Pucin has a few words on the KHL all-star game today (telecast details inside) which will be an outdoor game in Red Square with one squad named after former Islander Alexei Yashin.

Calgary Sun: Reports former Islander assistant coach Wayne Fleming apparently quit as coach between periods for Avangard Omsk who is captained by Jaromir Jagr.

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: Dave Molinary reports former Islander Ruslan Fedotenko is out four-six weeks after breaking his hand in a fight during a recent game.


NYI Fan Central Comments:
Tough break for Fedotenko. I would guess Michael Terrien has about two weeks left to turn things around at best in Pittsburgh regardless of his contract. He was fired from Montreal 1/17/03 for those looking for a connection.

Sarnia Observer: Dave Paul reports on Sarnia's shootout loss. Islander prospect Mark Katic was the number one star of the game with a goal in regulation.

NYI Fan Central Comments:
No trades for Sarnia involving Islander prospects at the deadline.

Ct Post: Michael Fornabaio reports Bridgeport lost 4-1 at Providence Friday, Joe Callahan who scored the lone Sound Tiger goal and head coach Jack Capuano comment.

Ct Post: Mr Fornabaio's blog does a good job breaking down the matchups and explaining where the game was lost here along with other items.

Saturday Bridgeport is home to Hartford with nothing on weather canceling the game at this time.

Providence Journal: Has coverage of Providence win against Bridgeport at home Friday.

Islander News Articles 12/16

Mr Botta earlier Monday with Islanders website confirmed an injury to Nate Thompson of two-four weeks with a fractured ankle, while Josh Bailey is now day to day.

Newsday: John Jeansonne has head coach Scott Gordon's on the Islanders injuries and what they have meant to what he calls an offensively challenged roster already with comments from Kyle Okposo and Mike Comrie.

NY Post: Dan Martin has Scott Gordon on DiPietro traveling to Minnesota and Mike Comrie on injuries.

Mr Martin also reports as many as three callups could be made for tonight's game.


NYI Fan Central Comments:
I think this goes beyond normal team injuries when we see players expected out weeks come back early and get reinjured or others projected out for a day or two all of a sudden are downgraded to a month or longer.

Gervais went from healthy to a few days to off the radar entirely. Okposo went from a few days to a few weeks to an additional four-six weeks to where he is back at practice?

Now DiPietro goes from Monday to Friday? How many times can Nate Thompson have ankle problems before it's time to ask questions?

Josh Bailey is on his third injury if he sits tonight.

Not blaming anyone but I have never seen such a thing on any NHL club to this degree and there have been Islander seasons when they go through fifty players.

Just not like this where injury prognosis change as quick as the temperature.

Washington Post: Tarik El-Bashir has updates from Washington's practice on Monday.

Washington Times: Corey Masisak reports the following on the Caps:

*Nicklas Backstrom is fine and will play tomorrow.

*Alex Ovechkin and Alexnader Semin were just taking the day off and will play tomorrow.

*Jose Theodore will not make the trip to New York, Brent Johnson will start in net. Simeon Varlamov will back him up.

*Sergei Fedorov will not make the trip.

*Tyler Sloan will make the trip but he is not sure if he will be able to play.

*Both Tomas Fleischmann and Eric Fehr will make the trip, but their availability is also in question.

*John Erskine and Chris Clark did not practice.

Sarina Observer: Dave Borody reports Islander prospects Matt Martin & Justin DiBennedetto could be on the trade block for the struggling Sting and that defenseman Mark Katic could return to the OHL next season for his fifth year, but word has it the New York Islanders will sign him after this season and he will turn pro next year.

The Star.com: Rick Westhead reports when word got out Kirill Petrov was content to play for a one million-plus salary and stay near his family in Russia, his stock plummeted allowing the Islanders to select him in the third round.

Columbus Dispatch: Tom Reed reports Islander head coach Scott Gordon is not a proponent of the three-point format for NHL games awarding an additional point for a skills competition like a shootout according to the reporter.

Ct Post: Michael Fornabaio's update is a feature on Sound Tigers winger Trevor Smith with comments from head coach Jack Capuano.

Islander News Articles 10/29

Newsday: Katie Strang has Kyle Okposo's comments on his play along with head coach Scott Gordon's on the other things he did well along with the pressure on some of these young players.

NYI Fan Central Comments:
Too bad we did not get this article a day ago, instead our fans had to wait for another writer. I really like Scott Gordon and what he is trying to do with these kids, I only wish Comeau and a few others were part of it.

Would not ruin my day to see Katie Strang take the beat full-time at this point.

Sarnia Observer: Reports Islander Prospect Mark Katic was named to team Canada's roster for thee sixth annual ADT Canada Russia Challenge and will compete in the Nov. 24 game at St. Catharines.