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.

Rhett Rakhshani signs with HV-71 for 2012-13

HV 71 SEL  Official website reports they have signed Rhett Rakhshani for the 2012-13 season.

NYIFC Commets:
This is a big loss to the Islanders, and why you never have enough prospects.

Their number one scoring right winger on a point per game pace the last two seasons, who improved every year in college. Like Jesse Joensuu who signed with the same team, if the Isles qualify Rakhshani, they retain his future NHL rights.

This could also make the Isles negotiations with Parenteau more urgent for them unless they have an alternative.

Bottom line a lot of players who have waited for years see the depth chart, there is a reasonable chance of an NHL lockout, the players need a guaranteed income.

Our Sulia feed has translated article on Trevor Gillies official signing in the KHL.

Matt Donovan Signed By New York

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Denver Post:: Reports Islander draft pick, Matt Donovan has decided to leave school and signed an entry level contract with the Islanders.

"We wish Matt continued success in professional hockey," DU head coach George Gwozdecky said in a statement. "Matt was a very dynamic defenseman who helped us win a lot of games in two seasons."

NYIFC Comments:
Garth Snow keeps locking up his prospects leaving school, his biggest and most likely toughest signings that must be made this summer will be Casey Cizikas, out with a serious hand injury here and goaltender Anders Nilsson, along with other college players graduating.

I don't belive Snow is done yet, the ATO's are going to be flying just for Bridgeport to finish the season. As for the Islanders if the injuries continue anyone signed could be called into service for a game or two including Calvin deHaan.

Some twitter issues today, Rick DiPietro vs Martin Brodeur, Zach Parise will not be in Devils lineup.

Eagle Tribune: Reports Chris Barton signed an amateur tryout contract with the American Hockey League's Bridgeport Sound Tigers Wednesday morning and could be in the lineup for tonight's game in Portland.

Ct Post: Michael Fornabaio reports Matt Donovan will not play tonight for Bridgeport but Matt Campanale, from the Philly area via the University of New Hampshire, and forward Chris Barton will along with the all the ATO's Bridgeport has in lineup.

Islanders website: Report Rhett Rakhshani has been named to the 2010-11 AHL All-Rookie Team.

NYIFC Comments:
I really see this as the breakthrough forward coming to New York in the near future even ahead of Kirill Petrov or Kabanov. Everywhere he has played he has progressed quickly, he's setting Bridgeport rookie records on a team that has frankly been a disaster with injuries and so much turnover. At age twenty three he should get a great shot in camp, but with Niederreiter, Hunter, Okposo and Parenteau as the right wings he's facing a lot of competition ahead of him.

New York Islander Fan Central Twitter Page New York Islander Fan Central RSS/not Twitter.

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Islander News Articles 1/8

Newsday: Greg Logan's game article did not make it into the print edition of Newsday in the city today. It has comments from Bergeron, DiPietro and Ted Nolan on the loss against Edmonton.

Marc-Andre Bergeron:

"We turned the puck over," he said. "It's no secret. We had our chances in the first and played well, but we couldn't take advantage."

Rick DiPietro on playing Roberto Luongo:

"Yeah, it's going to be fun going against him," DiPietro said, "but at the end of the day, it's another game and another huge two points we need."

Newsday: Greg Logan's article on Mike Comrie where he talks about his past in Edmonton and some off ice things did make the morning print edition.

NYI Fan Central Comments:
It's interesting Mr Logan has covered Mike Comrie since last summmer nothing Comrie said yesterday was reported once until he got to Edmonton and their media got him to talk.

"For me, I chose to want to move. It probably wasn't handled properly. But I'm happy now to be an Islander."

Note-The Post did not have Jay Greenberg stick around Edmonton an extra day to cover the Islanders after the Rangers left.

Edmonton Sun & Edmonton Journal: Joanne Ireland provides the Oiler centric coverage of their win.

Vancouver Sun: Elliott Pap has Roberto Luongo's comments on being traded from the Islanders almost a decade ago and what it means now to play a team he has been 4-9-2 against in 15 decisions with a save percentage of .920.

"Obviously I was disappointed when the Islanders traded me but, at the same time, I was younger and more naive," Luongo said. "I didn't really think about it that much. I just went to Florida and it was great because they gave me a chance to really start my NHL career."

"I've played them a bunch of times already so that feeling is gone," he said.

Edmonton Journal: Reports Robin Figren who just won a silver medal for Sweden at the WJC could be traded by the Oil Kings at the trade deadline in two days according to gm Bob Green. Teams are only allowed to have two European players on their roster and that would force other European players off another club to make room for Figren.

"As each day passed in the tournament I was getting more and more calls about him. He has certainly garnered a lot of interest and deservedly so," said Green.

Ct Post: Michael Fornabaio reported in his blog yesterday Jason Pitton's reassignment is official, with Mike Mole, Ryan Kinasewich and Tyler Haskins going back to Utah.

NYI Fan Central Comments:
Business is about to pick up on the Bridgeport front with the crush of media that will be following Kyle Okposo. Should be a lot of fun for Mr Fornabaio who has not had a franchise prospect like this to cover since Rick DiPietro played there.

Denver Post: Mike Chambers has comments from Denver Pioneer coach George Gwozdecky on the Islanders signing Kyle Okposo. Islander prospect Rhett Rakhshani plays at Denver and is about to return from the WJC.

"What happened with Okposo in signing with the Islanders set a precedent, and hopefully it won't happen a lot," Gwozdecky said. "I'd like to think that the great majority of NHL teams respect these young players and the development process that their draftees are going through, and once the college hockey season ends, the page will turn."

Islanders selected WJC: Okposo, Figren, Rakhshani, Ridderwall

Updated 9:15pm
Kyle Okposo and Rhett Rakhshani were named to team USA's roster for the World Junior Championship Tuesday night.




Updated 12/5 1pm:
Shinkdew noted that goaltender Stefan Ridderwall was also named to team Sweden.
Thanks Shinkdew.





Eurohockey.net: Henrik Lundqvist has the release on team Sweden's roster for the WJC which included Robin Figren and confirmed by Edmonton Sun here.

Edmonton Journal: Cam Tait has a brief update on Figren's wrist injury.

Team Canada: Announced a thirty seven man roster on December 2ND that may include later additions but no Islander prospect was on that list.

Updated 12/5:

NYI Fan Cenral Comments:
Other countries still have to select their rosters.

Islanders website:: Assistant GM/Director of Amateur Scouting Ryan Jankowski comments on the four Islander prospects selected for the World Junior Championships.

NYI PROSPECTS CONCLUDE EXCELLENT CAMPS

Isles website checks in with a final review of the clubs prospects challenging for spots on the 2008 U.S. National Junior Team that will compete at the 2008 International Ice Hockey Federation World Junior Championship Dec. 26, 2007-Jan. 5, 2008 in Pardubice and Liberec, Czech Republic here

Okposo and Rakhshani lead tournament in scoring; Rogers and Day excel at first camps

To say Islanders prospects Kyle Okposo, Rhett Rakhshani, Doug Rogers and Brian Day performed well at last week’s US National Team Evaluation Camp would be an understatement. Okposo and Rakhshani led the tournament with eight points apiece playing against Junior Finnish and Swedish teams. Rogers finished the tournament with a goal and three assists in four games, while Day chipped in with a goal and an assist, including a dramatic penalty shot goal on the final day.

“All four of our prospects had excellent camps,” said Assistant GM/Director of Amateur Scouting, Ryan Jankowski. “This experience should give them all confidence heading into the 2007-08 season.”

Final selections will be made in early December.

PROSPECTS OFF TO STRONG STARTS AT US CAMP

Islanders website checks in today on the progress of Kyle Okposo, Rhett Rakhshani, Doug Rogers and Brian Day at the 2007 USA Hockey National Junior Evaluation Camp at the Olympic Center here.

The players are auditioning for a spot on the US National Junior Team that will take part in the 2008 International Ice Hockey Federation World Junior
Championship, Dec. 26, 2007-Jan. 5, 2008, in Pardubice and Liberec, Czech Republic.