Season Preview: Mikko Koskinen

Mikko Koskinen

Height: 6'7"
Weight: 192 lbs
Birthdate: July 18, 1988 (23 years old)
Birthplace: Vantaa, Finland
Acquired: Draft, Round 2, 31st overall, 2009 NHL Entry Draft

2010-2011 Team: Bridgeport Sound Tigers/New York Islanders (call up)
2010-2011 Stats (BPT): 36 GP - 12-21-1 - 3.49 GAA - .892 SV% - 0 SO
2010-2011 Stats (NYI): 4 GP - 2-1-0 - 4.33 GAA - .873 SV% - 0 SO
2010-2012 Team: Bridgeport Sound Tigers
Team Role: Third String Goaltender

Last year: Koskinen had a whirlwind year last season after missing much of the 2009-10 campaign with a severe labrum injury. After having a poor start to the season with the Sound Tigers, Koskinen was called up to the NHL as the Islanders were hit with major injuries at the goaltending position. Koskinen notched his first to victories, a shootout win against the Montreal Canadiens and the Friday night massacre against the Pittsburgh Penguins, before being sent down when Rick DiPietro and Nathan Lawson returned from injury. He finished the season somewhat strong for the Sound Tigers, but barring a great training camp will fall to #3 on the depth chart behind Kevin Poulin and Anders Nilsson.

Expectations: It's really hard to expect anything from Koskinen, as the goaltending situation at the professional level is so uncertain that he could end up anywhere from being loaned to another AHL team to playing about half the games at Bridgeport. Koskinen is entering the last year of his ELC, and with the scarcity of spots at the goaltending position, he will have to prove that he is worthy of a qualifying offer, especially with Poulin and Nilsson seemingly ahead of him right now. This is the first summer Koskinen has gotten a full summer of healthy training as a professional, so it's important that he comes out strong. There's no question that he has talent, but it is very raw and losing a year of development time could prove to be a problem. Let's hope that he has a turnaround season and shows that the Isles have four valuable commodities in the net.

Projections: GP 31 - 11-15-5 - 2.89 GAA - .894 SV%

Thoughts:

CH: As we said earlier, it's so hard to project what Koskinen will be able to do this year. Who knows if he would accept an assignment to the ECHL if everyone comes out of camp completely healthy. My guess is that he wouldn't. So the Isles would be stuck with a three-goaltender rotation at the AHL and NHL levels. That's an unhealthy situation for everyone, especially with three developing goaltenders at Bridgeport. The Islanders are going to have to find somewhere for Koskinen to play, even if it means shipping him off for the season to another AHL team. Of course, that is nowhere near ideal, but the Isles need to find out what they have in Koskinen sooner rather than later. Hopefully, they find a way to configure a rotation at the AHL level where all three goalies can play 25+ games each, but quite frankly that isn't even enough. The goaltending depth will be one of the prime stories at training camp, and it will be very interesting to see it unfold.

AT: I have a feeling Koskinen gets traded in a package deal at some point, perhaps for the fabled top 4 d-man we're all awaiting. While he had a very up and down year last year the potential we saw in the NHL and his supreme stats at the end of last season showed he is and will be a great goalie in the NHL some day. But with Kevin Poulin who already showed he can play at the NHL level and is very capable of doing so and Anders Nilsson who put up outstanding stats in the SEL against players much older than him, it's hard to see Koskinen winning a top 2 slot in Bridgeport. Yet, is the ECHL right for him? Playing is better than not playing, sure, but the ECHL also won't teach him much. Kalamazoo and Bridgeport are two completely different teams in completely different leagues. Like Carey said, it's going to be extremely interesting to see how Garth handles this situation, and what he plans to do if he insists on keeping all 3 goalies. 

Season Preview: Mark Katic

Bloggers note: Apologies for the lack of updates the past day or so. Just got a new job and corporate's coming to see us in a day so we've been preparing like crazy to get the store ready. - Alex

Mark Katic

Height: 5'10"
Weight: 181 lbs
Birthdate: May 9th, 1989 (22 years old)
Birthplace: Porcupine, ON, Canada
Acquired: Draft, Round 3, 62nd overall, 2007 NHL Entry Draft

2010-2011 Team: Bridgeport Sound Tigers/New York Islanders (call up)
2010-2011 Stats (BPT): 63 GP - 4 G - 26 A - 37 PIM
2010-2011 Stats (NYI): 11 GP - 0 G - 1 A - 4 PIM
2010-2012 Team: Bridgeport Sound Tigers
Team Role: Bottom pairing defenseman

Last year: Katic played the Jack Hillen-esque role of a small, quick, puck rushing d-man who can create opportunities up the ice for forwards. Playing with such a depleted forward corps with Bridgeport it was difficult to find respectable numbers, but with a revitalized team he should find his numbers increased very soon. Katic's stats were very respectable and he's got quickness that should keep him around for quite a bit longer. His help on the powerplay for the Sound Tigers was great, and his vision really helped create some golden opportunities for the team.

Expectations: Katic probably won't see much if any time in the NHL this season, but he's most likely going to be slotted down to the bottom pairing defensive line with the additions of Aaron Ness, Matt Donovan and most likely Calvin De Haan as well. Not that there's anything wrong with this, as Katic is a very capable defenseman who has outstanding vision and will help to create a very equalized defensive rotation for Bridgeport. He will also serve as a PP specialist along with Calvin De Haan and Aaron Ness, so that should create an equalization and a tougher time for opposing teams to defend as well.

Projections: GP 79 - 7 G - 29 A - 36 P

Thoughts:

AT: Katic was an outstanding pick for the time, and although it doesn't seem as if he'll ever crack the NHL lineup full time, he's a great depth player to have for the time being. With the loss of Jack Hillen, having a player like Katic in the system at our disposal is pretty much necessary. With his speed and vision, Katic provides a great fill in, and could even become our permanent 7th d-man for use in specific situations, just like Hillen was. He's on the much smaller side but doesn't have the defensive capabilities Aaron Ness does, so I'm not sure if he'd ever be used regularly on defense. However, role players are role players are... role players, so he has his usage.

CH: Entering the last year of his ELC, Katic will begin the year as at least the tenth defenseman on the Isles depth chart. He is going to play a role for Bridgeport this year, but his playing time will be determined based on how he performs compares to other undersized defensemen like Aaron Ness. As far as the Islanders are concerned, Katic will most likely be one of the first few call-ups if injuries hit after a somewhat solid debut last season, but the Islanders need to avoid using Katic as a long-term option. He is simply not ready for that type of role yet. All in all, Katic just needs to have a solid year for the Sound Tigers, as he is one of the older members of the D-core. If he does, he will help stabilize the defense, which is something the Sound Tigers need.

Training Camp: Jay Pandolfo Accepts Tryout Invitation

The Islanders announced today that former Devils F Jay Pandolfo has accepted an invitation to tryout at Islanders training camp in two weeks. Pandolfo, 36, played with the Springfield Falcons of the AHL last season, scoring 2 goals and 4 assists in 12 games. 

In his 13 year career with the New Jersey Devils, Pandolfo accumulated 99 goals and 124 assists in 819 games.

CH: Katie Strang reported last week the Islanders had interest in Pandolfo, among others, so it should come as no surprise that he ended up accepting. Pandolfo is a fourth line center and is very solid defensively. If he is willing to accept a role in the AHL, he would be a great call-up for depth purposes - possibly the most experienced and accomplished as the Isles have had in years. Either way, while there are much more things to worry about, it's good the Islanders offered a respected veteran the chance to make their team. While it most likely won't happen unless a guy like Josh Bailey is traded, it's still worth having the vets in camp to push the younger players. Nothing is guaranteed in this game, and a tryout influx will certainly ruffle the feathers to get everyone motivated before the season.

Season Preview: Jeremy Colliton

Jeremy Colliton

Height: 6'3"
Weight: 201 lbs
Birthdate: January 13, 1985 (Age 26)
Birthplace: Blackie, Alberta, Canada
Acquired: Draft, Round 2, 58th overall, 2003 NHL Entry Draft

2010-2011 Team: Bridgeport Sound Tigers/New York Islanders
2010-2011 Stats (BPT): 53 GP - 18 G - 27 A - 45 P - 57 PIM
2010-2011 Stats (NYI): 15 GP - 2 G - 1 A - 3 P - 10 PIM
2011-2012 Team: Bridgeport Sound Tigers
Team Role: Second Line Center

Last year: Colliton originally left the Islanders after the 2008-09 season to go play for Rogle in the Swedish Elite League. However, a call back from Garth Snow last season brought Colliton back into the organization in an AHL capacity. Soon after, injuries decimated the Islanders at the NHL level and brought Colliton back to the NHL. Playing on a line primarily with Rhett Rakhshani in the AHL, Colliton put up a very solid 45 points in 53 games. At the NHL level, Colliton joined up mostly with Blake Comeau and Josh Bailey and put in a 2 goal game against the Colorado Avalanche soon after his call-up. A defensively responsible center, Colliton is not asked to light the lamp often, but can play in all zones and was a big help for the Sound Tigers and a good call-up for the Islanders.

Expectations: After the season, Colliton was rewarded for his good play and leadership (he wore an "A" in Bridgeport), and signed another one year, two-way deal from the Islanders. The Islanders have a lot of depth at forward this year, so unless the injury bug hits hard again it's unlikely we will see Colliton at the NHL level this season. But at the very least, he is in the running to be the captain at Bridgeport. At age 26, he is a veteran at the AHL level and will help young rookies like Casey Cizikas and Tyler McNeely settle in. It's no question that Colliton will be counted on as a leader for the Sound Tigers, the only thing that is left to wonder is if he can replicate the point production he gave last year.

Projections: 71 GP - 21 G - 29 A - 50 P

Thoughts:

CH: The Sound Tigers need Colliton to have a similar season he did last year, and there's no reason to think he won't given that he is just entering his prime. Colliton's defensive game has always been his driver, and to see his offensive game rounding out at the AHL level as he enters his prime is a nice surprise. Even if he never becomes a true NHL regular, he will always have a role in an NHL organization if he accepts assignment to the AHL. With Colliton, David Ullstrom, Casey Cizikas, and Trevor Frischmon - along with Tomas Marcinko and Tony Romano, the Islanders are set at center at the AHL level. While there are no true AHL superstars in that bunch, they are a solid crew that errs on the side of defense, which plays right into the strength of the team: goaltending. A lot of these players have the opportunity to learn from Colliton, which will only help down the road. As we said above, he is in the running for the captaincy at Bridgeport, and would make a fine choice.

AT: Colliton has always been a huge part of the Bridgeport team and even proved to be a decent NHL callup, having a multigoal game in his first game up with the Isles last season. He, along with Frischmon and Backman, is one of the oldest players on the team, but he is one who has been with the team the longest and knows the system like the back of his glove. He will be taking on a leadership role with the team and will guide the newcomers into Brent Thompson's new style of play as compared to Jack Capuano's. If you're looking for a captain for Bridgeport, I don't think you need to look any further than Colliton.

Season Preview: Aaron Ness

Aaron Ness
Height: 5'10"
Weight: 174 lbs
Birthdate: May 18th, 1990 (Age 21)
Birthplace: Roseau, Minnesota, United States
Acquired: Draft, Round 2, 40th overall, 2008 NHL Entry Draft

2010-2011 Team: University of Minnesota Golden Gophers/Bridgeport Sound Tigers
2010-2011 Stats (UM): 35 GP - 2 G - 12 A - 41 PIM
2010-2011 Stats (BPT): 13 GP - 1 G - 3 A
2011-2012 Team: Bridgeport Sound Tigers
Team Role: Top 4 D-Man

Last year: After spending his 3rd year at the University of Minnesota, Ness decided to forgo his final year of college play in order to go pro. Another strong season showing off his skills landed him an entry level contract with the Islanders and a 13 game stint with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers. Ness was a much needed acquisition for the Sound Tigers, who were abysmal for the majority of last season. When Ness came in, he provided a much needed boost if only to save face for the team, and the team went on a nice little run to end the season. Even as a smaller player, Ness was highly touted for his willingness to get physical along the boards with players who are much larger than him. Whether that will work in the NHL is a different story, but clearly Ness has a rather unseen side of him in his defensive play.

Expectations: Ness should be helming the Bridgeport power play this season with Calvin De Haan, assuming both get sent back to Bridgeport and don't make the NHL (highly likely). His hockey sense is absolutely off the charts and his athleticism is on par with the best of the best in his age group. His ability to make clear, concise cross ice passes in order to start a rush will undoubtedly come in handy for forwards such as Tyler McNeely and Casey Cizikas when attempting to set up a play. With his puckhandling and skating skills, he could end up playing top 2 minutes at points with Calvin De Haan or Matt Donovan.

Projections: 75 GP - 5 G - 24 A - 29 P

Thoughts:

AT: Ness is easily one of my favorite prospects in the system, simply for the fact that he's looked at for his size and dismissed by some, regardless of the fact that his skills are off the charts. Seeing him play in the BPT games I saw showed he has the potential to be a top 4 PP QB in the NHL in the future. Small? Sure. Lacking the ability to be smart with the puck both offensively and defensively? Absolutely not. While he still needs to grow into his body some more and gain muscle mass, a 5'10" defenseman in the NHL isn't unheard of, and even more so one that can handle the puck as well as Ness does. If he has a strong season in Bridgeport this coming year, expect him to see some time in the NHL as a callup for the 2012-2013 season. As for right now, he needs to focus on refining his abilities and his body. The time shall come when he sees his time in the pros, and as long as he stays on track he needn't worry about that.

CH: Like Alex, I'm very interested to see how Ness adapts to a full season at the professional level. Smaller defensemen generally have a tougher road to the NHL, so Ness' adjustment certainly won't come easy. While he did have somewhat of an underwhelming collegiate career, it is possible he adapts better to the pro game. As a whole, Minnesota is struggling as a program right now, which could be a factor in Ness' slow development. In fact, the Isles pulled Kyle Okposo from Minnesota early because they weren't happy with his development. And we all know how that turned out. On a young D like the Sound Tigers have, Ness may be forced to play a more crucial role than he is ready for, especially on the powerplay. But overall, this will be a good development year for Ness as the Islanders try to figure out exactly what they have.

News: Islanders Hire Sean Donnelan

Katie Strang from Newsday announced on her Twitter the Islanders hired Sean Donnelan as their new Director of Sports Performance. Donnelan's main job will be to try and lower the amount of injuries compared to the past two seasons. Donnelan also told Strang he expects to make big changes to help accomplish this.

This is Donnelan's second stint with the team. He worked with the Islanders from 1996-2003.

CH: This is obviously not huge news, but it is good to see the Isles trying to be proactive about preventing injuries. So much of the teams success depends on the health of the roster, especially on the defense and in net. Certainly, the Isles did not have to add a position to try and accomplish a potential decrease, so they should get credit for the proactivity. Let's hope Donnelan can come in and make the changes he envisions to help mitigate the team's extremely high numbers of "man games lost." If he can, the Isles will be better off for it.

AT: Just goes to show you that even with the pursuit of a top 4 d-man supposedly still on, the Islanders are making the right moves everywhere. Well, at least on the ice and not in the jersey department. After so many man games lost last year, you really had to think there was a piss poor job going on keeping players safe and healthy. Two shoulder injuries that required major surgeries for both is nothing to push to the side. We saw what a huge loss the Islanders took after losing both Streit and Okposo, so to take a necessary step like this to at least attempt to prevent a re-occurrence is very assuring to the fanbase. Now let's get everyone healthy through training camp.

Season Preview: Sean Backman

Sean Backman


Position: RW
Height: 5'7"
Weight: 165
Birthdate: April 29, 1986 (25 years old)
Birthplace: Cos Cob, Connecticut, United States
Acquired: Signed Free Agent, 2011

2010-2011 Team: Texas Stars
2010-2011 Stats: 67 GP - 7 G - 16 A - 23 P - 20 PIM
2011-2012 Team: Bridgeport Sound Tigers
Team Role: Bottom 6 Forward

Last year: Backman spent the majority of his first professional season playing at Dallas' AHL affiliate in Texas. He did spend a small amount of time in Idaho, playing for the Steelheads of the ECHL as well, totaling 4 points in 5 games. The undersized forward came from Yale University, where he averaged over a point-per-game in 3 of his 4 collegiate seasons. He played a bottom-6 role for the AHL Stars last season, totaling 23 points in 67 games.

Expectations: Backman joins the Islanders organization for the 2011-12 season on a one-year, two-way (NHL/AHL contract). His ties to the organization go no further than being the brother-in-law of Matt Moulson, so he does have some familiarity with the team. This year, Backman will be expected to play in a depth forward role for the Sound Tigers, which is a good spot for him to get acquainted with Brent Thompson's system. In a sense, he reminds me of Sean Bentivoglio - he is the same type of player, undersized, and is trying to transition from the collegiate level to the professional level. Time will tell if he can show a similar level of progression, even though Bentivoglio never made it as a full-time pro.

Projections: 71 GP - 8 G - 19 A - 27 P

Thoughts:

CH: Nothing wrong with getting a guaranteed AHL contract to fill in the bottom 6 for the Sound Tigers, which is something they've been largely lacking over the past year or so. Playing with guys like Trevor Frischmon, Tyler McNeely, and Justin DiBenedetto, Backman will have a real opportunity to prove what he can do. In addition, the potential of guys like Micheal Haley on the team full-time will push the entire forward corps to be better, meaning Backman is going to have to show something to stay in the top-9. Either way, Backman is a solid addition to a team that needed any sort of AHL in the worst way.

AT: A proven scorer at the NCAA level, Backman should find himself a nice slot on the Sound Tigers. With the amount of talented centers now at the AHL level, Backman should be producing at a decent level. Sure, he was probably brought in solely as a favor to Matt Moulson, but he is a talented player who will provide all of the help he possibly can at the AHL level. We needed it, and now we have it. Not sure if Backman will ever even see call-up time in the NHL, but along with Frischmon, McNeely and Colliton, depth is something you can never have enough of. Especially if you're the New York Islanders organization.

Around the NHL: Wade Belak Found Dead

In yet even more sad news for the NHL, former enforcer Wade Belak was found dead this morning in his downtown Toronto condo. Belak is the third NHL enforcer this year to have passed away, along with Rick Rypien and Derek Boogaard, as well as Bob Probert last year. 

AT: This has gotten to the point where the NHL needs to make some drastic changes. It is coming to a point where players are literally dropping like flies, and being that most are enforcers it is natural to assume a lot of it is due to blunt force head trauma that was sustained over the course of their careers. As both Carey and I stated, this is no reason to ban fighting from the NHL, but clearly something has to be done to stop the rampant head injuries. You would have figured something drastic would have been done when the face of the NHL was said to be still having headaches and may not be ready for the season, but this is someone's life we're talking about at this point.

What exactly can the NHL do? I'm a 19 year old college student so I can not possibly tell you the answer to that. However, the NHL has the resources to find a solution to this, and should do so immediately for the sake of their players, and for the sake of their PR at this point. My thoughts go out to the Belak family and to his friends and associates on all of the teams he played with.

Training Camp: The 4 Most Likely Invites

Isles beat reporter Katie Strang is indicating that 4 players: Jay Pandolfo, Bryan McCabe, Chris Clark and Sergei Samsonov, will all receive invites to the Islanders training camp in September to show if they have what it takes to earn a spot on the NHL roster. Much success has come out of camp invites for the Islanders.

AT: I'm not sure if any of these players are what the Islanders need, but it is what it is. There are certainly gaps that the Islanders have, but when 2 of these players are 4th liners, one a bottom pairing D man and the other a winger with a ton of potential (which we all know Garth loves). Do any of them fit on the Islanders?

Jay Pandolfo

AT: A former Devil who played for the team for his entire career, Pandolfo was bought out at the end of 2010 and has not played hockey for a team since. Clearly, he still has the desire to do so and would seek out the opportunity to play for the Islanders by proving that he still has some gas left in the tank for this coming season. Pandolfo, when healthy, can put up a 20-30 point season as should be expected of a 4th liner. However, his health has been an issue for several years now. If he can pull it together, stay healthy and bring the leadership presence that he brought to the Devils for so long, he would be a great presence on the 4th line along Marty Reasoner and Matt Martin.

CH: Katie seemed to elaborate a little more on Pandolfo, tweeted that the two sides should finalize some tryout agreement within the week. Pandolfo has been a valuable player in the NHL, so it certainly does not hurt to see if he can come in and still play a little. Chances are if he sticks with the organization, it would be in an AHL call-up capacity, but that is fine. If the Isles want to take the next step, calling up seasoned vets like Pandolfo are better options than players who will never see NHL action again. Experience is a big factor here.

Chris Clark

AT: A one time 30 goal scorer, the scoring ability wheels have fallen off Clark faster than a Michael Grabner 40 yard dash. Another player who has been marred by injuries the past few years, Clark was reduced to a 3rd and 4th line role in his time with the Blue Jackets for the past 2 seasons after captaining the Capitals in his tenure there. His skills still remain, just to a much diminished extent. There is no way he would be taking Matt Martin's slot, so a line of Martin-Reasoner-Clark would be our full time 4th line, with Reasoner or Martin possibly moving to the 3rd line if someone gets injured. Depth is great to have, but I'm not sure if Clark or Pandolfo are the solutions to a team that is seeking the playoffs.

CH: Clark is a great locker room guy, leader, and could certainly play a bit in his prime. Like Alex said, injuries have really slowed him down a bit over the past few years. Having him try out for a 4th line spot would make for a very interesting competition with Micheal Haley, one that is somewhat akin to Richard Park trying out for a spot in 2006-07. If he does try out, I wouldn't be surprised in the least if he does lock that 12th forward spot up. I'll harp on the experience part all day, but with a top-6 full of kids and young veterans, having guys like Reasoner, Clark, and Brian Rolston in the bottom 6 could be very beneficial going forward.

Sergei Samsonov

AT: Samsonov, forever shifting teams, still remains unsigned after a solid season with an abysmal Florida Panthers team as well as some time with a mediocre Carolina team. A two time 70+ point scorer, the potential that remains in Samsonov is limitless. Paired with the right linemates, his shot could land him back in the 60+ point territory. I'm not really sure where Samsonov would fit unless Garth is considering replacing Parenteau with him on the first line. However, after a pretty solid chemistry was developed last year between Moulson, Tavares and PAP, it's doubtful we see a change to that until next year when Parenteau's contract is up.

CH: This one is the most intriguing to me, because it seemingly came out of nowhere. Strang tweeted that Samsonov wanted a guaranteed contract while the Isles only wanted a tryout. Since the Isles have all the leverage, Samsonov could very well agree to a try out as he looks for a spot on the team. But it's intriguing in the sense that Samsonov can only play in the top 9, and there are currently 10 forwards (Niederreiter) penciled in for 9 spots. So my guess is that this is either all smoke to push players to be better, Snow is actively looking to trade away one of the top-9, or Nino Niederreiter is not as much of a lock as it seems. My guess, is that Snow is shopping around. The question is, can Samsonov still play? Much like Clark reminds me of 06-07, this does as well. When the Islanders brought Viktor Kozlov in for a tryout, it was much maligned. He then put together a 50+ point season. Samsonov would not be coming in as a contributor - you know what you can with him. But could be put a 40 point season together with Blake Comeau and Josh Bailey? I believe he could come close. I'd make it a point to keep an eye out on this one.

Bryan McCabe

Ah, Mr. McCabe. After the consistent rumors that he would be traded to the Islanders every February and all those offseasons we heard he'd be signing with us following the end of his previous contracts, now comes the most realistic opportunity to land him. At this point, McCabe should be the very last option for the Islanders in case they can not land a top 4 d-man in a trade. Now, if that were the case, signing McCabe would be a lot better than having Mike Mottau as anything other than the 7th D-man, but let's be realistic here. McCabe's defense is pretty much gone, his offense has dwindled greatly, and he is at best a bottom pairing D-man. This team wants to (and needs to) make the playoffs this season, and signing McCabe is not going to help that.

This is an extremely important moment for the Islanders. Garth has publicly stated that he was going to attempt to acquire a top 4 d-man through trade, and the Rolston trade basically screamed that it was a precursor to a much bigger trade by giving us just one too many 3rd liners on the team (assuming Niederreiter makes the team). Again, McCabe would be better than having Mottau as the 5th or 6th d-man, but signing McCabe would, to me, scream that we are in for another season of mediocrity. This is a major situation for Snow, and I can only hope and pray he realizes it.

CH: Pretty much what Alex said above is correct. While McCabe is certainly better than no one, he is by no means much of an ideal option. He would come in to be a warm body to keep young players like Calvin de Haan from the NHL until they are fully developed and ready. But that is not what the Islanders need this year - they need stability in the top 4, and so far we haven't seen anything like that. The Islanders already have warm bodies as stopgaps - Mark Eaton, Milan Jurcina, and Mike Mottau are all unrestricted free agents after the season. To add a 4th stopgap will cause a major turnover issue, which makes it harder to develop chemistry. We saw that in 07-08, when the Isles were a completely different team of miscasts and couldn't make a push. The goal was to obtain a guy on a multi-year deal, and that hasn't happened. Yet. But like we said McCabe is better than no one, and I suppose that is the silver lining if there is one.

Check back here as we get closer to camp to see how things unfold.

Season Preview: Trevor Frischmon

Bloggers note: Apologies for the absence the past few days. Obviously, Long Island was hit by Hurricane Irene which left me without cable/internet until about an hour ago. Back full time now and I hope all of our readers are safe and sound as well.

Trevor Frischmon 

Position: C

Height: 5'11"
Weight: 203
Birthdate: August 5th, 1981(30 years old)
Birthplace: Ham Lake, Minnesota, United States
Acquired: Signed Free Agent

2010-2011 Team: Springfield Falcons
2010-2011 Stats: 80 GP - 4 G - 29 A - 39 PIM
2011-2012 Team: Bridgeport Sound Tigers
Team Role: Bottom 6 Forward

Last year: Frischmon spent most of last year with the Blue Jackets' AHL affiliate, the Springfield Falcons. A veteran presence on a very young Springfield team, Frischmon's role was mostly a lower line set up man, and he racked up nearly 30 assists in doing so. Frishmon provided leadership and a great learning presence to the many young prospects that have been racked up in the Columbus system.

Expectations: Frischmon is another great addition (and ANOTHER center in the system) to the Bridgeport core. He's not a prospect and will probably not see any time in the NHL, but players like him are completely invaluable to gaining a proper AHL team that can compete for the Calder cup and bring in that winning culture that this organization so desperately needs. He will most likely replace the role that Rob Hisey filled last year.

Projections: GP - 78 - 6 G - 29 A - 35 P

Thoughts:

AT: While some laugh and mock signings like these, they are completely essential to the organization in the long run. Having leadership material in the AHL is just as important to the organization as having leadership in the NHL, because if players like Calvin De Haan and Matt Donovan have nobody to guide them along in their path to the NHL, who can they look to? Frischmon was a solid AHL depth signing and we hope he fills the role he was designed to fill exceptionally.

CH: Very solid depth signing here. It creates competition within the Bridgeport system, which is a lot better than just throwing kids into roles. That doesn't work at the NHL level, and it doesn't work in the minors either. Frischmon certainly won't light the lamp a ton, but he is a solid defensive center that has a good head on his shoulders. Certainly not a core player, but the type of player that is good to have around. And comparatively, he's much better than the ATO's and ECHLers being called to the the Tigers time after time. Hopefully, the Isles don't penny pinch at the AHL level and use the Hershey Bears model of replenishment. The upbringing up prospects is essential to a winning atmosphere. Hopefully, Frischmon can be part of that.