New York Signs Shane Sims To ATO

Tweet

Islanders website: Announced Saturday that defenseman Shane Sims has signed an NHL regular season amateur tryout agreement. The club is under emergency conditions, with injuries to Jack Hillen and Milan Jurcina.

Sims, 22, led all Ohio State University defenseman in scoring this season with 19 points and ranked second overall on the team with 16 assists. The East Amherst, NY, native also led the Buckeyes with a plus-9 rating during his senior campaign.


NYIFC Comments:
This is a little different than the previous players on ATO. Sims is an Islander prospect from 2006 draft who the club has signing rights to until he graduates which will be this summer if he is a senior.

Same as any prospect in organization drafted from college ranks from Ness to Donovan to Okposo.

DiPietro starting for New York. Flyers are tied with Pens so this game huge for Flyers, who are struggling badly and usually find a way to break out of a slump against the Islanders. Pens next game in Sunday.

Ottawa lost against Boston Saturday. New York loss (of any kind) relegates them to 27th overall (fourth from bottom) in terms of next week's lottery.

A New York win relegates them to 26th overall or fifth from bottom in terms of NHL lottery.

Islander Notables/Quick Hits

No Saturday morning articles, will let feeders do the work that now include Sound Tiger game articles.

The Islander-Boston pregame will automatically post at 10am.

Boston Globe: Fluto Shinzawa in the Bruins blog reports Stephane Yelle made it through Friday's practice but was doubtful for tomorrow's game against the Islanders. If Yelle can't play, Byron Bitz would center the fourth line again. Yelle was one of the last players off the ice.

Bruins Head Coach Claude Julien also praised Scott Gordon for doing a good job with a young tean.

Boston Bruins website: John Bishop had several updates on Friday's practice.

Daily News: Elliot Olshansky's feature is on Islander prospect Shane Simms with a few words in the summary on Blake Kessel.

* I did read the Daily News Story the other day on the Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows and the Islanders but did not post it here because we had this update back in early December Sports Business Journal where Don Muret in an article about the USTA putting a retractable roof on the Tennis Stadium in Flushing had comments from Danny Zausner, managing director of the U.S. Tennis Association who did a little speculation about the Islanders and Nets in a multipurpose facility that seats over twenty thousand.

Unless Charles Wang tells us he's willing to negotiate with Queens there is no story. This was nothing different than what was posted three months ago.

* How nice of Newsday to do an Islander Insider for the first time in over a month.

I saw the article but just did not feel like posting it. At the very least Mr Logan owed our fans an explanation why our so called " expanded " coverage was cut for a web feature that does not appear in the print edition of the paper for weeks on end.

Meanwhile his counterpart is working as hard as he can for his beat with constant updates.

Maybe next time I will post it, if there is a next time.

* Looks like Dick Ebersol-Cablevision (James Dolan) & Comcast (Ed Snider)connection will be bullying hockey fans into watching their teams on NBC regardless of poor market ratings. Like the playoffs a few years ago the Rangers are producing lower ratings in New York than NASCAR & other sports here.

I wonder how much of that New York rating Islander and Devils fans should take credit for? I would bet at least 1/3. Good thing baseball has not started up.

When I see all the teams on Dick Ebersol's telecast, I will watch NBC. Until that point I have no use for NBC and hockey.

Islander Notables

Daily News: Elliot Olshansky's prospect features this week centers on Islanders goaltender Jase Weslosky

Also noted fellow prospect Shane Simms was named to the CCHA's Notable Performers list.

NY Times: Nathan Sandals has an article on the NCAA hockey tournament with a few words on Islander prospect Doug Rogers five game point streak.

Point Blank: Mr Botta has the latest from Friday's practice which includes comments from head coach Scott Gordon on Dean McAmmond and Jesse Joensuu.

Jon Sim is expected to make his Bridgeport debut tonight against Binghampton.

Fair to write if Sim produces as he did recently and still is placed on waivers, then demoted with all these injuries he is not a part of the clubs future regardless of his contract running another season.

I would expect a buyout in his future and a recall only for the final days of the regular season so some players can get ready for Bridgeport's playoffs.

Should be interesting if Sim is on off Bridgeport's clear-day list.

Islander News Articles 12/9:

Newsday: Greg Logan has an early article on the Islanders win in overtime against Tampa.

Newsday: Greg Logan's article with quotes from Mike Sillinger on his game winning goal in overtime.

"I don't care who scores goals; I just want to win," Sillinger said. "But it's nice to get the game-winner, no question. Right now when we're going through a little bit of a funk scoring goals, I'm not going to lie. It feels good . . . We had a couple of four-on-threes in overtime, and you have to put the game away."

"Yesterday, we were down in the dumps, and today we're flying home and all the dads have a smile on their faces."

Newsday: Greg Logan's other article is speculation on a possible trade with Anaheim, Bill Guerin's regret for hitting Panther Bryan Allen and that Atlanta claiming Mark Recchi meant the Islanders had no interest in him, despite Mr Logan not making clear how the waiver process works or how the Islanders could have had the right to choose him before Atlanta.

Tampa Tribune & St Pete Times Forum: Have the Lightning coverage.

Ct Post: Michael Fornabaio's Sunday coverage was on how the club scored by going to the net with coach Jack Capuano, Tim Jackman quoted The teams poor shooting percentage this season with a few words on the Islanders similar problem were also discussed.

"I think shooting percentage reflects (the lack of a big-gun scorer) a little bit," Capuano said. "At the same time, it's the work ethic of your linemates, the unit of five who you're out there with. Offensive-zone play has to be a unit of five. You have to move your feet constantly. You have to have a third guy high. You have to go into the paint and convert rebounds."

Portland Pirates at Bridgeport Sound Tigers
WHEN — Today, 4 p.m.
WHERE — Arena at Harbor Yard
ON THE AIR — No radio; Webcast and B2 Networks Internet pay-per-view at www.soundtigers.com

Buffalo News: Bucky Gleason in a Sunday feature had a section on players from the Buffalo area with a few words on Islander prospect Shane Simms.

Shane Sims, D, Ohio State: The Buckeyes were 4-11-1 going into the weekend. Sims was minus-9, but he will get every opportunity to succeed. The freshman from East Amherst will improve with experience and time on the power play. He was selected by the New York Islanders in the fifth round of the 2006 draft.