Season Preview: Anton Klementyev

Anton Klementyev

Position: D
Height: 6'0"
Weight: 203 lbs
Birthdate: March 25th, 1990 (21 years old)
Birthplace: Togliatti, Russia
Acquired: Draft, 5th round, 122th overall, 2009 NHL Entry Draft

2010-2011 Team: Bridgeport Sound Tigers
2010-2011 Stats (Bridgeport): 51 GP - 2 G - 7 A - 9 P - 28 PIM
2011-2012 Team: Bridgeport Sound Tigers
Team Role: Top 4 Defenseman

Last year: Klementyev had a quiet, but solid second season in the AHL, finishing with 9 points playing on a depleted Bridgeport corps. The 2009 draft pick did play one game for the Islanders in 2009-10, but was used only as a emergency injury replacement. Last year, he did not get the same opportunity, but was able to refine some of his game with the Sound Tigers. He finished the year on the injured list, and at last check was still rehabilitating his ankle over the summer, but is said to be ready to go for training camp.

Expectations: Like players like Justin DiBenedetto and Tony Romano, Klementyev is heading into the last year of his entry-level contract, which makes this year of extreme importance to him. The influx to defensemen coming into the Islanders pro system is huge, and Klementyev is going to have to distinguish himself to retain a spot in the organization next year. A very young veteran at 21, Klementyev is going to have to hold down a spot in the top-6 this year playing with AHL rookies like Matt Donovan and Aaron Ness. It's not out of the realm of possibility that he does this, as he plays a good stay-at-home, physical game, which is an element the Islanders organization certainly lacks.

Projections: 61 GP - 3 G - 8 A - 11 P

Thoughts:

CH: Klementyev is going to have to give a strong season to the Sound Tigers, as they are a team that is very young on the blueline this season. As a Sound Tiger veteran at 21, he is in a situation he may not exactly be ready for. While not an ideal situation, Klementyev has the potential to show that he is ready to take the next step by leading with guys like Calvin de Haan and Matt Donovan pushing to claim his spot. What we do now is that Klementyev provides some stability on the defense that the Sound Tigers will need to make a playoff push, because going with all rookies - even skilled ones - is not going to cut it.

AT: With Klementyev, Ness, Donovan and CDH helming the top 4 in Bridgeport most likely, this is looking like a really strong year for the Sound Tigers (as I've mentioned 1000 times before). It's pretty crazy how well Garth Snow has restocked the cabinet in terms of defensive prospects, where at one point in 2005 we had very few legitimate D-men in the system, now it looks like we have 4 who are maybe a year away from the NHL. It will be exciting to see how the D plays, especially if Kevin Poulin remains healthy all season. Defense wins games, and with this kind of d corps, it's hard not to see a major playoff push ensuing soon. Klementyev is a bigger, stronger d-man that every system needs, and seeing what he does this season will be of extreme importance in determining where he lies in organizational depth.