News: Flames claim Blake Comeau off of waivers

One day after he was waived following not a single point in 16 games, Blake Comeau was claimed off of waivers by the Calgary Flames.

AT: I believe this is the best for all parties. Blake had a good season last year but was just not doing much this year and clearly needed a change of scenery. Calgary isn't exactly a good team so it's hard to see him putting up much more than he did last year playing with the Flames, but he was simply not working for the Islanders anymore, and certainly not worth $2.5M with his play.

This should, by logic, pave the way for Niederreiter to take his place on the 3rd line, but supposedly Niederreiter and Reasoner are the scratches today against the Devils, which makes very little sense at all. You have a 19 year old power forward just itching to play, and you continue to scratch him in favor of Brian Rolston who has easily been one of the most inefficient players for the Islanders all year long.

Season Preview: Blake Comeau

Blake Comeau

Position: Left Wing/Right Wing
Height: 6'1"
Weight: 205 lbs
Birthdate: February 18th, 1986 (25 years old)
Birthplace: Meadow Lake, Saskatchewan, Canada
Acquired: Draft, 2nd round, 47th overall, 2006 NHL Entry Draft

2010-2011 Team: New York Islanders
2010-2011 Stats: 77 GP - 24 G - 22 G - 46 P - 43 PIM
2011-2012 Team: New York Islanders
Team Role: Third Line Wing

Last year: After teetering between lines in Scott Gordon's system from 2008-2010, Comeau really solidified himself as a legitimate NHL player during the 2010-11 season. Comeau started off the season on fire playing with Josh Bailey and P.A. Parenteau, but soon after the revolving door of linemates began. Playing with the likes of Jon Sim, Jesse Joensuu, Rob Schremp, and Jeremy Colliton, Comeau still managed to score 24 goals and assist on 22 more. Despite being inconsistent in his intensity, Comeau proved that he belonged in the NHL as a top-9 player. A restricted free agent after the season, Comeau eventually signed a one-year contract with the Islanders on the night before his arbitration case was scheduled.

Expectations: Comeau will certainly need to show Garth Snow and the Islanders organization that he is worthy of a long-term extension. He'll certainly have an opportunity, seeing as he has played all situations at points during last season. While he will most likely be playing on a like with Josh Bailey and Brian Rolston to start, there is little reason to think that line won't be productive. They should work well together, and the threat of Rolston getting the puck in the slot will enable Comeau to use his puck-handling skills as he will have more time to make decisions. It's certainly not unreasonable to pencil Comeau in for another 20 goal season.

Projections: 73 GP - 22 G - 25 A - 47 P

Thoughts:

CH: Comeau really does have a lot to prove, as there have been subtle signs that the team is not as high on him as they once were. Comeau has consistently played with the "B" squad during training camp, and was not signed to a long-term extension while Bailey, John Tavares, Michael Grabner, and Kyle Okposo all signed multi-year deals. The reality is that Comeau may need to assert himself into the Islanders long-term plans by showing high intensity during those weeknight games against Western Conference teams. Once he finds that consistency, the combination of physicality and scoring ability will make him a long-term third line/second line tweener in the league.

AT: With a newly signed $2.5m contract under his belt, Comeau's going to need to prove his consistency this season. He's 25 now and heading towards his prime, and coming off a 24 goal season he's going to need to show that he's more than just a third liner. Carey correctly mentioned that there was a lack of consistency in his intensity and in the fire in his game, but Comeau knows what he has to do now. He's got a heck of a shot, excellent puckhandling ability and is a very strong skater. That on top of the 120 hits he threw last year made him a very underrated player on an Islander offense that is beginning to get stacked. Hopefully we'll see a good year out of Comeau and he'll do even more to earn yet another extension with the Isles.

Signing: Islanders Re-Sign Blake Comeau to 1 year, $2.5m deal

The Islanders announced they have re-signed forward Blake Comeau to a 1 year deal worth $2.5m, avoiding the August 4th arbitration date.

AT: First thing that came to my mind when I saw this was that he was getting traded. We all believed he was going to be included in some sort of deal for a top 4 defenseman, and with this sort of deal it sorts of confirms it. I believe he would still be an RFA after this deal is up since he is only 25, and that sets up a perfect sign and trade sort of situation for whoever he's being traded to. Obviously, this is all conjecture right now, but a deal like this screams of a trade. If so, we wish you the best, Blake. A major trade is exactly what the Isles need in order to prevent fans from jumping off the ledge at this point.

CH: I have to agree with Alex here. Comeau had a breakout season with 24 goals and 22 assists last season. As a result, his value as at an all-time high and now that he is on a one-year deal at a very reasonable price range, he gives potential suitors both roster flexibility and potential production. If the Islanders are going to focus on acquiring a top-4 defenseman, Comeau is almost sure to be a main piece of that deal. We should final out relatively soon if that is the route they decide to go, potentially even happening as soon as tomorrow.

However, there is of course the chance the Islanders decide to keep Comeau this season. For a guy who played the majority of last season with linemates such as Jesse Joensuu, Jon Sim, Rob Schremp, and a struggling Josh Bailey, Comeau still put up a very productive season, tallying his first 20-goal season. It would not surprise me in the least to see the Islanders keep Comeau, with hopes the 25 year old can expand on his breakout.

I would place the odds of Comeau staying or going at 50/50, to be perfectly honest. I would not surprised to see him traded, nor would I be surprised to see him kept. This is very much a wait-and-see situation, but for all we know, we could even find out tomorrow.

News: Ty Wishart, Dylan Reese, Micheal Haley Accept Qualifying Offers

Arthur Staple yesterday that F Micheal Haley, D Dylan Reese, and D Ty Wishart have accepted their qualifying offers for next season. We are waiting on Capgeek to get the specifics of each contract.

Josh Bailey and Blake Comeau did not accept their qualifying offers and are the only remaining RFA's unsigned. Bailey's agent announced that their camp and the Islanders are currently negotiating, while Blake Comeau's arbitration hearing is set for August 4. No matter what, the Islanders will hold both of their rights unless the Isles walk away from Comeau's decision. Bailey cannot become a UFA.

CH: For the three who did accept their qualifying offers, it was not a surprise at all. All three are still trying to find their way in the NHL and had no leverage, so having the Islanders extend a qualifying offer was all they needed. Reese will obviously be in Bridgeport as the veteran presence for a lot of young kids like Calvin de Haan and Matt Donovan. I expect Ty Wishart to stay in the NHL for the season as he is subject to waivers, and the Islanders will not want to lose his rights for nothing after giving up Dwayne Roloson for him. As it stands, however, I do not expect Wishart to start in the top-6. Like Wishart, Haley is trying to hold down a spot in the lineup. He certainly had his moments last year, but his quality of play may not be enough to hold down a regular fourth line spot as of yet. Given that he also did not have any leverage, he had no choice but to accept.

I am somewhat surprised Bailey did not accept his offer, but from Bailey's perspective, he probably thought he could get more from the Islanders. I'm not that surprised from his end, but if he thinks he is going to get a lot more money than his qualifier per year, he is very misguided. I could see the Islanders giving Bailey a 2-year deal at a low salary, but realistically anything more than that would be an overpayment. That doesn't mean Bailey doesn't have potential, but he has not reached that just yet. It will certainly be interesting to see where the Islanders go with his contract, or if they even try and trade him.

AT: Really, where is Bailey coming from that he believes he's in a position to negotiate? He regressed this year, was incredibly inconsistent and some fans are even fed up with him and want to cast him out. Perhaps he wants more years, but in terms of salary... above what the QO offered, I don't see how he can possibly expect any more.

As for the others, completely expected and I'm very happy we'll be seeing Haley again next year. Look out, Pittsburgh.

News: Blake Comeau's Aribtration Hearing Set

According to Katie Strang, Islanders F Blake Comeau's arbitration hearing is set for August 4, which is last on the docket, even after stars like Zach Parise and Shea Weber.

New York Islanders

CH: With the obvious vote on August 1, I almost wonder if the Isles requested this date, without guarantees of course. This will give them a couple of days after the vote to try and work out a deal. As Strang said in the article, the two sides ave not had discussions yet. Not surprising, as there is no rush and Comeau is getting married next week. More than anything, this is just a notification post with a hint of baseless speculation.

AT: Absolutely no rush. I'm sure he'll get a fair deal and both sides seem to want one done. The date certainly is interesting though. We'll see where the situation lies once the vote is over.

News: Blake Comeau Files For Salary Arbitration

Credit: New York Islanders

According to Katie Strang, New York Islanders forward Blake Comeau has filed for salary arbitration. The Islanders retained the 25-year olds rights by offering him a qualifying offer before free agency. The Islanders and Comeau's camp still have the opportunity to strike a deal before arbitration, but if they are unable to, the arbitration hearing will occur sometimes towards the July/beginning of August.

Comeau had 24 goals and 22 assists last year in 76 games.

CH: Comeau had his most productive year in the NHL to date last season, so it makes sense that he will want a substantial raise over his qualifying offer, which is approximately $880,000. Hopefully the Islanders and Comeau can settle on a multi-year deal before arbitration starts. That said, this probably lowers the trade value for Comeau since whoever would take on his rights would only have Comeau on a one-year deal. So if the Islanders were shopping Comeau before, they may have to come to an agreement for 2-3 years before they trade him. Even so, the Islanders can not afford to ship out a 24 goal scorer without getting very good value in return.

If this case does get to arbitration, I would look for a verdict somewhere in the $2-2.5 million range. Similarly, if Comeau signs a longer-term deal, he'll probably earn around that amount as well. All this really tells us is that unless he is traded for a top-4 defenseman, Blake Comeau will be a New York Islander next year. So that is good news.

AT: As a 3rd line winger with the underwhelming Josh Bailey as his center most of the time, I think his stats last season as a growing player were pretty solid. Comeau has always shown great potential, just a lot of inconsistency which he seemed to be working on this past year. I have very little doubt Blake won't hit his 24 goal mark again, and I feel with the proper motivation could hit 30. I have a feeling this doesn't even make it to arbitration and ends up much like the Moulson deal did with Comeau signing just before the hearing. Hope to see him back unless trading him lands us a great D-man, in which case I'd be all for it.

News: Isles Qualify Six; Not Jack Hillen

According to Katie Strang of Newsday, the Islanders have sent qualifying offers to Josh Bailey, Blake Comeau, Micheal Haley, Ty Wishart, Jesse Joensuu, and Dylan Reese. They have not sent one to Jack Hillen, who will not become an unrestricted free agent on July 1.

Qualifying offers are either 5% or 10% raises on the player's current salary, depending on service time. The player can choose to accept the qualifying offer or negotiate a new contract with the team (so Comeau could still get a multi-year contract). From the team's perspective, the qualifying offer is a means to retain the players' rights as they hit unrestricted free agency.

Josh Bailey

CH: This was an obvious one. Whatever the Islanders want to do with Bailey, be it trading him or re-signing him to his QO or for a multi-year deal, retaining his rights was a necessity. The Islanders made a huge investment in Bailey for better or worse, so losing him for nothing at this point is unacceptable. We'll see how this situation plays out as it's one to watch over the course of the summer.

AT: A one year stopgap is fine with me. Especially with Strome coming into the mix, you have to think Snow realizes this is the last year for Bailey to prove himself worthy or he'll most likely be traded/let go of. He's a 9th overall pick, the Islanders may have screwed up his development by rushing him into the NHL, but he's worth hanging on to for a year or so just to see if he can blossom into the player we know he can be.

Blake Comeau

CH: Again, this one is a no-brainer. Comeau is coming off a 24-goal, breakout season and deserves a raise. This was more of a formality than anything else, as I'm pretty sure the Isles want to negotiate a multi-year deal with Comeau. However, there is speculation he could be on the market as well. Either way, the Isles had no choice but to retain his rights for the time being.

AT: A raise like this would only have him making $880,000. Most 24 goal scorers are making far more than that. He will receive a multiyear deal and a raise as he should be. Comeau could blossom into a 30 goal scorer this year. 

Micheal Haley

CH: We knew this was happening since Chris Botta broke the story on the fourth-liners a few weeks back. There's little doubt Haley will take his qualifying offer, which will be a 10% raise and play on a one-year contract next year. Expect that to be done fairly quickly.

AT: Mich-eal Hal-ey! -clap clap clap clap clap-. Obviously, I'm very excited to have him back as I'd mentioned so many times previously. Makes me all the more excited for rivalry games next year.

Jesse Joensuu

CH: Somewhat surprising, but I really like this. I mentioned before that I want to keep Joensuu around, as he is a solid call-up from the AHL level. He can play both wings and can slide in on any line, so retaining his rights was a smart choice. That said, the decision is now in Jesse's court. He does not have a spot in the NHL lineup, unless it is as a 4th line player (my guess is the Isles want an upgrade). It's going to come down to if he wants to stay in North America and play in the AHL with the possibility of the NHL or go home to play in Europe. Either way, the Isles did the right thing from an organizational standpoint with him. Like Haley, if he decides to stay, he'll take his qualifying offer.

AT: No problem with this. Wasn't a fan of his play but he's still growing and will spend most of his time in the AHL anyways. I could see him slotting into the 4th line with Haley, Hunter, Martin, etc when one of them goes down (most likely Hunter). 

Dylan Reese

CH: A very surprising move, in my opinion. The Isles acquired Reese in 2010 for Greg Moore, in what was supposed to be an AHL for AHL trade. Reese has already given them more than that, but was very ineffective at the NHL level last season. If this is to gain a veteran presence on the AHL backline, I am quite alright with this, as chances are he will be operating as the #9 or even #10 defenseman. But any extended time in the NHL would not be a good thing, so let's hope it doesn't come to that. He'll accept his qualifying offer without any problems.

AT: Was never a fan of Reese, had several of his bonehead moves on ice lead to goals while playing in the NHL. I've never seen him play in the AHL but obviously he performed at a decent level down there in order to get a QO, so I guess I'm okay with it.

Ty Wishart

CH: Not surprising at all. They gave up Dwayne Roloson for him, so they weren't just going to let him go immediately. Wishart has good size and showed signs of being a solid defenseman so keeping him at the NHL level this year as a #7 guy will be good for his development. Given the Isles injury problems over the past few years, he should be plenty of playing time. From there, the Isles will have a much better idea of where Wishart is headed. He'll accept his qualifying offer.

AT: Wishart has time to grow, but needs to work on his physical play. In the games he played while called up I liked what I saw and see a lot of potential in this kid. He may never be a top 4 D-man but he could be a nice role player in the future for a bottom pairing. Glad to see him return.

Jack Hillen

CH: The qualifying offer deadline is tomorrow, so this may not be a done deal yet - but it sure seems like it. So assuming they don't offer him a QO: This was a surprise to me. I thought they would extend him an offer as Hillen played very effective at times between 2009-2011. He is a very good depth guy as a #7-8 and could help a lot of teams out there. To me, this hopefully is a sign the Islanders are going to try and improve in the free agent market. Assuming Wishart accepts his qualifying offer, the Islanders will have 7 defensemen under contract (Streit, MacDonald, Hamonic, Eaton, Jurcina, Mottau, Wishart). They need to upgrade from that list and get a minute eating guy to play with Streit as the team transitions from lottery team to playoff contender. If that player has to come at the expense of Jack Hillen, that's okay. But if the team doesn't replace Hillen with someone better, then this is a failure. We should find out over the next few weeks. Best of luck to Jack.

AT: I liked Hillen, great guy, decent play on ice, nice puck rushing role, but to me this screamed "improvement" from Garth. Hillen's good, but with such a young core coming up and 7 D-man under contract, there was not much room for him. Hopefully this signals that Garth will go out and get a top 2 D-man (Scott Hannan is my hope) which will push everyone down a slot on the depth chart and place Hamonic with MacDonald on the 2nd pair and Eaton with Jurcina on the third pair. Katic does what Hillen does and IMO does it even better, so Hillen leaving is no big loss with someone like Katic in the system.

Opinion: Remaining Isles UFAs/RFAs - Who to sign, who to let go?

AT: Well, with UFA period coming up and with the Isles facing a myriad of players either under RFA or UFA status, the question comes down to whether to resign certain players, whether to trade the rights to certain RFAs or whether to cut ties all togethere. Here's my breakdown:

Micheal Haley, C, UFA

AT:A name everyone in Islander-land knows, and everyone in Penguin-land wants to eviscerate from the Earth. I'm almost abnormally high on Haley Haley brought back a much needed toughness to the Isles in that infamous February brawl, and showed that if you go after our players, it will not go unnoticed. The notice being in the form of Haley's fist in your face. Haley showed he can score, he has some wheels and is a piece in this Isles team that should and will be quintessential to any future Islander playoff team.

Verdict: Re-sign, 2 years, $550K each..

CH: I like Haley, but I don't know how important he is to the future. Once you get to the fourth line, the parts are all relatively interchangeable. I think the Islanders are best served getting a fourth line veteran with playoff experience like Ryan Johnson (the Pens did this with Craig Adams via trade in 2009). Haley, in my opinion, is a depth call up type of player who can fill in when necessary, especially against division opponents.

Verdict: Re-sign, 1 year, 2-way contract for $550K

Josh Bailey, C, RFA

AT: This is a no-brainer for me in terms of resigning, the question is how much and for how long. We know the talent with Bailey is there. We saw it in the beginning of the season and in sporadic points throughout. His inconsistency was the problem. I believe Bailey will turn into a solid 55-60 point center, and could be a staple in the organization if that skill ever comes to fruition. Worst case scenario, if Garth sees things how I do, he'll draft a center in this year's draft and said center will take Bailey's place in 2 years after his deal is up. I believe in Harvey D--, er... Joshua Bailey.

Verdict: Re-sign, 2 years, 2.5m deal.

CH: Oh, the Josh Bailey argument. I'm sure there will be plenty more of that to go around here for quite a while. I like Bailey a lot. He's a great kid with great determination and it's clear he was put in a position where he could not succeed. He is only 21, but patience has to be running thin with him if this team is serious about making the next step. No team in this year's playoffs has a 25-30 point center on their top 3 lines. Either Bailey has to improve or the team has to improve. For the sake of the team, this year is put up or shut up for him.

Verdict: Re-sign, 1 year qualifier.

Blake Comeau, RW, RFA

AT: I loved what I saw from Comeau this season. Yes, there were some stretches of inconsistency, but overall I saw his game mature. However, a player like Comeau IMO is replaceable. If the right trade comes along and you need to throw in a player, I can see Comeau as the one going. I would love to keep him after his progression this year, but you can't make every player "un-tradeable".

Verdict: Re-sign, 3 years, 7-8m deal. If right trade comes along, throw in as trade chip.

CH: I completely agree with Alex here. Comeau is a very nice third line player, but in the grand scheme of things he is certainly replaceable. I wouldn't just throw him away because I'm not sure where the Islanders will be able to replace his 24 goals. Long term, I don't think he's the answer, but he definitely deserves a short-term type contract.

Verdict: Re-sign, 2 years, $4.25 million deal. 

Trevor Gillies, LW, UFA

AT: I think Trevor's a really nice guy in my interactions with him and I loved that he stuck up for his teammates, but he's a liability on the ice with his penalties. Sorry Trevor, gotta go.

Verdict: Let go.

CH: Yeah, there's no need for his on-ice shenanigans at this point. As much as I hate to admit it, he went over the top in the Pittsburgh game and to take another long-term suspension the game he got back...that's irresponsible at best. Nice guy, but nope. If the Islanders want another goon, there's plenty to go around though I don't think it's even necessary.

Verdit: Let go.

Bruno Gervais, D, RFA

AT: No. Defensive liability. Team NEEDS to improve, and he is not the way you do it, even as a 7-8 defenseman.

Verdict: Double no.

CH: Might be the nicest guy on the team, but it's time to move on. Wish him the best of luck.

Verdict: Let go.

Zenon Konopka, C, UFA

AT: I like Konopka a lot. He became a vocal leader for the team, can win important faceoffs and can chip in 10-15 points a year. Having him and Haley on the same line again would be great. Definite re-sign for me.

Verdict: Resign, 1-2 years, 600K per.

CH: This can go either way for me. I don't think the team is just going to forget Konopka if he isn't re-signed, but at the same time it's nice to have a player in the room who will stick up for anyone and everyone. Fact of the matter is though, his faceoffs are great but the rest of his game just doesn't compare well to his fourth line center competitors. He changed the culture and will forever be remembered for that if this team does well, but I think the team needs to upgrade his spot.

Verdict: Let go, reluctantly.

Jesse Joensuu, LW, RFA

AT: Would be fine for depth, but I'm indifferent either way. Wasn't impressed with the games he played.

Verdict: Re-sign for very cheap or let go.

CH: A very decent Bridgeport call-up. Not sure if he wants to stay in North America to play in the AHL though. He may decide Finland is a better option. And that's okay.

Verdict: Re-sign for a 1 year qualifier if he agrees to start in Bridgeport again.

Radek Martinek, D, UFA

AT: I like Radek. I really do. But with Ness, Donovan, possibly Wishart and of course De Haan in the system and Radek getting older, I think it might be time to part ways. Unless he's willing to sign a cheap 1-2 year deal, I'd advocate cutting him.

Verdict: Let go unless very cheaply signed for a year or two.

CH: I love Radek Martinek and appreciate the amazing amount of service time he gave to this organization over the past 10 years. But having him and Jurcina and Eaton and Mottau on the same blueline is just asking to be using Matt Campanale's again. Unfortunately, it's time to move on and get a top-4 defenseman in his spot moving Mottau down to #7 and Eaton/Jurcina as the bottom pairing where they belong.

Verdict: Let go.

AT: Finally, we have Ty Wishart, Jack Hillen and Dylan Reese. Wishart is still young and I believe will develop into a solid D-man. Hillen is good as a 7-8. Reese was pretty bad from what I saw from him. Keep, keep, let go.

CH: As far as these guys go, I pretty much agree with Alex here. Keep Wishart (you have to after giving up Roloson for him). Keep Hillen as the #8. Let Reese go, but sign some veteran AHL defensemen.