As the July 4th holiday has now passed and the Islanders roster remains the same, here are some possibilities the Islanders may explore to add the top-4 defenseman they sorely need this coming season.
1. Keith Yandle - Phoenix Coyotes - Contract: 5 yrs/26 million
While Yandle did sign an extension yesterday, he is not eligible for a NTC so if the Isles severely overpay, they may have a chance at enticing Phoenix to make a move. After the signed extension, however, it doesn't seem likely.
2. Zach Bogosian - Winnipeg Jets - Contract: RFA
The Jets have stated there are no plans to trade Bogosian, but they are also far apart on contract talks. It would make no sense to publicly put Bogosian on the block, but even if there is no shot of trading him, Snow should inquire anyway.
3. Mike Green - Washngton Capitals - Contract: 1 yr/5.25 million
Green has his faults for sure, but the chance to add someone as dynamic as Green does not come every day. The Caps are very close to the cap, and you almost get the sense they are not as enamored with Green as they once were. If they are looking, to shed salary, the Isles could come calling.
4. Jeff Schultz - Washington Capitals - Contract: 3 yrs/2.75 million
Like Green, if the Capitals want or need to shed salary, Schultz could be had and with a lower price than Green, who is an RFA after the year. Schultz is a very solid defenseman at a very affordable price.
5. Keith Ballard - Vancouver Canucks - Contract: 4 yrs/4.2 million
Ballard's play really suffered in his first year with the Canucks, in which he fell out of favor with coach Alain Vigneault over the course of the year. GM Mike Gillis said Ballard will get a fresh start with Vancouver this year, but I'm sure the team would love to shed his salary.
6. Jordan Leopold - Buffalo Sabres - Contract: 2 yrs/3 million
The Sabres are literally at the cap and may need to make a decision on who to keep and who to get rid of. Garth Snow and Darcy Regier just made a deal for the rights to Christian Ehrhoff so maybe they get together and strike a deal for this solid defenseman.
7. Andrej Sekera - Buffalo Sabres - Contract: RFA
Sekera is headed to arbitration, which means he could be a cap casualty of the Sabres. If they do decide to let him go, expect Snow to be on the call. Sekera is an extremely underrated defenseman.
8. Cory Sarich - Calgary Flames - Contract: 1 yr/3.6 million
Sarich is declining, but he still is solid and fits the need of the Isles perfectly. If other options run try, maybe Snow turns to Jay Feaster and checks on the availability of Sarich.
9. Jay Bouwmeester - Calgary Flames - Contract: 3 yrs/6.68 million
Bouwmeester hasn't panned out the Flames have liked him to, and I'm sure Feaster would love to unload his contract. It's hefty, but Bouwmeester is a definite top-4 guy. The only question would be if he could find his game on Long Island.
10. Rob Scuderi - Los Angeles Kings - Contract: 2 yrs/3.4 million
It's very possible this Long Island boy could be on his way home if the Kings exceed their budget as they try and re-sign Drew Doughty. Definitely capable of top-4 minutes, he is exactly what the Isles are looking for.
11. Pavel Kubina - Tampa Bay Lightning - Contract: 1 yr/3.85 million
Not quite sure if the Lightning want to give him up, but if they need the money while they try and sign Steven Stamkos, he could be the guy to go. Another player that fits the Isles needs perfectly.
Jul 5, 2011
News: Blake Comeau Files For Salary Arbitration
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| Credit: New York Islanders |
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: Islanders Sign F Trevor Frischmon
The New York Islanders have signed forward Trevor Frischmon to a one year, two-way contract, which was announced by the Isles AHL affiliate Bridgeport.Frischmon, 29, has spent his entire professional career in the Columbus Blue Jackets organization, playing at for both Syracuse and Springfield of the AHL. He had a career year in Springfield last year, as he notched 29 points (4 goals) with a +6 in 80 games. The playmaking center has 102 points in 327 career AHL games.
The center, who is 6'0" and 200 lbs., played three games with the Blue Jackets in 2009-10, going scoreless.
CH: The Islanders let Rob Hisey go, so this is the guy that will probably replace him in Bridgeport. Frischmon, who is a checking line center, adds veteran stability to the Sound Tigers, which is something they sorely needed over the past few years. He will round out the Sound Tigers centers, most likely, joining David Ullstrom, Casey Cizikas, Tony Romano, and Tomas Marcinko. The Tigers still need more forward help on the wings, as Rhett Rakhshani, Tyler McNeely, and Justin DiBenedetto are the only signed players down there. From that perspective, look for a bunch more depth signings in the coming weeks. Solid signing, and addressed a need that the organization needed.
AT: There's definitely a lot more depth in Bridgeport nowadays. With the influx of young players, re-signing of Marcinko, and with some more moves to come, I think Bridgeport is pretty well off next season. Let's just hope Poulin can stay healthy and perform at the level he had before he was called up. Let's also hope he doesn't need to be called up.
Jul 4, 2011
Speculation: The FA Route - Where Should Snow Go?
As the July 4 weekend winds down, the Islanders are left in the same situation in which they entered it. They've filled one of the three holes that we targeted for them (fourth line center), but their work has not been completed yet. Chris Botta recently tweeted that Islanders GM Garth Snow is still talking to agents about adding one forward and one defenseman (however, that's more likely to be done through trade). So, with that said, here are 12 free agents (some obvious, some not) still out there that the Islanders may consider adding.
1. Tomas Kaberle - D - Boston Bruins
Kaberle showed signs of breaking down during the playoffs, but he still could be considered a top 4 defenseman, and if the Islanders show him the money, could make his way to Long Island. A Mark Streit/Tomas Kaberle first PP unit would be lethal.
2. Sergei Samsonov - F - Florida Panthers
The Panthers loaded up on FA during the off-season, but have opted not to keep the skilled Samsonov. After having a great end of the season, possibly playing with John Tavares could continue his revival.
3. Antti Miettenen - F - Minnesota Wild
More likely the Isles sign him and look to trade a guy like Blake Comeau for a top-4 defenseman. Miettenen is still a very useful player, but is probably best suited for third line (and spot second line) duty.
4. Jason Arnott - F - Washington Capitals
The aging Arnott would provide leadership and stability to the Isles C core along with John Tavares, Frans Nielsen, and Marty Reasoner. Could be a great mentor for Nino Niederreiter as he will most likely start his NHL career this season.
5. Bryan McCabe - D - New York Rangers
As we mentioned before, McCabe loves Long Island and would take an offer from the Isles in a heartbeat. Maybe the Isles go this route if they trade a defenseman like Eaton or Mottau as a salary dump (much like the Lebda deal with Toronto). Otherwise, those guys have no value and McCabe should have no value to the Islanders.
6. Vinny Prospal - F - New York Rangers
Prospal is versatile and can play anywhere in the top-6. As of now, with the Rangers signing Brad Richards, it doesn't seem like they will be retaining Prospal. After in injury-ridden season, will the Isles take a chance on him?
7. J.P. Dumont - F - Nashville Predators
The wheels really fell off for Dumont after many productive NHL seasons. With only 19 points last season, does he have enough left in the tank to be productive? The former Islander #1 pick could head home on a cheap contract if Snow feels that he can. Look for this as a definite possibility at least through training camp.
8. Radek Martinek - D - New York Islanders
Like Chris Botta said, don't close the door on Martinek. The Islanders haven't and shouldn't, because at the very least you know what you'll get out of Martinek on a 1-year deal. The only question is his health, however.
9. Steve Bernier - F - Florida Panthers
We'll call him the Matt Moulson special. Only 26 years old, but hasn't quite reached the level of play everyone thought he would. The Islanders have been the land of opportunity, which may be exactly what a player like Bernier needs. His potential is obvious, but if he can't put it together soon it may never happen.
10. Sami Lepisto - D - Columbus Blue Jackets
Like Bernier, Lepisto is only 26 but hasn't totally put it all together yet. After a decent season last year, the Islanders may bring him in, but is he that much of an upgrade over Mike Mottau?
11. Scott Hannan - D - Washington Capitals
The only other player aside from Tomas Kaberle who still could fill a top-4 role for the Islanders. A shutdown D-man through and through, Hannan fills an immediate need for the Islanders. However, the fact that he is still available may raise a few eyebrows. At this point, no way the Capitals bring him back. Definitely someone the Isles should be looking at.
12. Shane O'Brien - D- Nashville Predators
A shutdown guy just trying to find his way at age 27. The Isles may take a chance on his upside and hope that he can bring it over an 82-game season. But more than anything else, they need a proven guy like Hannan back there over an O'Brien.
CH: Do I expect the Islanders to sign any of these guys? Maybe one of the forwards, but I do think they'll head for a trade for a defenseman. As far as the forwards go, it's possible that Vinny Prospal makes the most sense on a 2 year contract. He can slot in anywhere, the Islanders have enough depth if he were to get hurt, and the upside for his production to return is pretty high. Plus, the fact that he just played for the Rangers will mean he won't have to go very far. In a way, it is a typical Islander signing, but at the same time, Prospal is a player that has the ability to be a very productive asset.
Other than that, maybe they take a shot at Antti Miettenen, who is a great defensive forward and PKer. He'd fit right into a third line role and still can provide 15-20 goals from there. His biggest issue was that he was miscast in Minnesota, but that would not be the case here. He'd be a solid signing and would allow the Isles some flexibility on forwards to trade for a top-4 defenseman, which we will look at tomorrow.
AT: Of the forwards, Prospal or Samsonov seem most likely. Prospal came back pretty strong from injury last year and we know Samsonov has the potential to be a 60+ point scorer. Garth knows that PA Parenteau on the first line is not going to cut it if we want to exceed to the next level. Prospal playing on the first line with Tavares and Moulson is very intriguing. He was very capably able to feed a 40 goal scorer in Marian Gaborik 2 years ago, you have to wonder what he would be able to do next to a 30 goal scorer and a budding superstar.
As for the defense, Scott Hannan is still someone who I would be perfectly okay with. Consistently healthy, Hannan is known for his ability to completely shut down a forward and throw big hits. Having a Streit-Hamonic and MacDonald-Hannan top 4 would be very, very good. We'll see. I do like Hannan, but if a better D-man is available through trade, you go for it and don't look back. Keith Yandle, please.
1. Tomas Kaberle - D - Boston Bruins
Kaberle showed signs of breaking down during the playoffs, but he still could be considered a top 4 defenseman, and if the Islanders show him the money, could make his way to Long Island. A Mark Streit/Tomas Kaberle first PP unit would be lethal.
2. Sergei Samsonov - F - Florida Panthers
The Panthers loaded up on FA during the off-season, but have opted not to keep the skilled Samsonov. After having a great end of the season, possibly playing with John Tavares could continue his revival.
3. Antti Miettenen - F - Minnesota Wild
More likely the Isles sign him and look to trade a guy like Blake Comeau for a top-4 defenseman. Miettenen is still a very useful player, but is probably best suited for third line (and spot second line) duty.
4. Jason Arnott - F - Washington Capitals
The aging Arnott would provide leadership and stability to the Isles C core along with John Tavares, Frans Nielsen, and Marty Reasoner. Could be a great mentor for Nino Niederreiter as he will most likely start his NHL career this season.
5. Bryan McCabe - D - New York Rangers
As we mentioned before, McCabe loves Long Island and would take an offer from the Isles in a heartbeat. Maybe the Isles go this route if they trade a defenseman like Eaton or Mottau as a salary dump (much like the Lebda deal with Toronto). Otherwise, those guys have no value and McCabe should have no value to the Islanders.
6. Vinny Prospal - F - New York Rangers
Prospal is versatile and can play anywhere in the top-6. As of now, with the Rangers signing Brad Richards, it doesn't seem like they will be retaining Prospal. After in injury-ridden season, will the Isles take a chance on him?
7. J.P. Dumont - F - Nashville Predators
The wheels really fell off for Dumont after many productive NHL seasons. With only 19 points last season, does he have enough left in the tank to be productive? The former Islander #1 pick could head home on a cheap contract if Snow feels that he can. Look for this as a definite possibility at least through training camp.
8. Radek Martinek - D - New York Islanders
Like Chris Botta said, don't close the door on Martinek. The Islanders haven't and shouldn't, because at the very least you know what you'll get out of Martinek on a 1-year deal. The only question is his health, however.
9. Steve Bernier - F - Florida Panthers
We'll call him the Matt Moulson special. Only 26 years old, but hasn't quite reached the level of play everyone thought he would. The Islanders have been the land of opportunity, which may be exactly what a player like Bernier needs. His potential is obvious, but if he can't put it together soon it may never happen.
10. Sami Lepisto - D - Columbus Blue Jackets
Like Bernier, Lepisto is only 26 but hasn't totally put it all together yet. After a decent season last year, the Islanders may bring him in, but is he that much of an upgrade over Mike Mottau?
11. Scott Hannan - D - Washington Capitals
The only other player aside from Tomas Kaberle who still could fill a top-4 role for the Islanders. A shutdown D-man through and through, Hannan fills an immediate need for the Islanders. However, the fact that he is still available may raise a few eyebrows. At this point, no way the Capitals bring him back. Definitely someone the Isles should be looking at.
12. Shane O'Brien - D- Nashville Predators
A shutdown guy just trying to find his way at age 27. The Isles may take a chance on his upside and hope that he can bring it over an 82-game season. But more than anything else, they need a proven guy like Hannan back there over an O'Brien.
CH: Do I expect the Islanders to sign any of these guys? Maybe one of the forwards, but I do think they'll head for a trade for a defenseman. As far as the forwards go, it's possible that Vinny Prospal makes the most sense on a 2 year contract. He can slot in anywhere, the Islanders have enough depth if he were to get hurt, and the upside for his production to return is pretty high. Plus, the fact that he just played for the Rangers will mean he won't have to go very far. In a way, it is a typical Islander signing, but at the same time, Prospal is a player that has the ability to be a very productive asset.
Other than that, maybe they take a shot at Antti Miettenen, who is a great defensive forward and PKer. He'd fit right into a third line role and still can provide 15-20 goals from there. His biggest issue was that he was miscast in Minnesota, but that would not be the case here. He'd be a solid signing and would allow the Isles some flexibility on forwards to trade for a top-4 defenseman, which we will look at tomorrow.
AT: Of the forwards, Prospal or Samsonov seem most likely. Prospal came back pretty strong from injury last year and we know Samsonov has the potential to be a 60+ point scorer. Garth knows that PA Parenteau on the first line is not going to cut it if we want to exceed to the next level. Prospal playing on the first line with Tavares and Moulson is very intriguing. He was very capably able to feed a 40 goal scorer in Marian Gaborik 2 years ago, you have to wonder what he would be able to do next to a 30 goal scorer and a budding superstar.
As for the defense, Scott Hannan is still someone who I would be perfectly okay with. Consistently healthy, Hannan is known for his ability to completely shut down a forward and throw big hits. Having a Streit-Hamonic and MacDonald-Hannan top 4 would be very, very good. We'll see. I do like Hannan, but if a better D-man is available through trade, you go for it and don't look back. Keith Yandle, please.
Arena: NY Daily News Editorial
An editorial in the New York Daily News today, which you can find here, came out with more misinformation about Ed Mangano and Charles Wang's plan to re-develop the Nassau Coliseum and it's surrounding areas.
CH: To start, the author (who is anonymous) failed to realize that both the Mets and Yankees used public funds to construct Citi Field and Yankee Stadium, respectively. Secondly, the Islanders have already offered to cover all the overages regarding the arena AND have offered to be 70% of the debt service without a cent that enters the new Nassau Coliseum. But everyone reading this blog knows that.
Here we are in another situation where misinformation is being spread. Here we are in another situation where excuses are being made as to why we should not act. And here we are in another situation where an author recommends the growth of Nassau County should continue to stagnate. That is why I brought this editorial onto the blog. Not because the facts are right (they aren't), but to show the ignorance of authors that think they have the answers to anything (doing nothing), when the real answer is standing in front of their face.
The bigger question is why the Daily News, a newspaper with integrity, decided to post on this, but that's for another day. The fact is these are the articles we will see for the next month, and it's up to us to start discrediting the wrong information and start informing those with the facts. Because the facts are what is going to get this arena built, and the facts are what will keep our New York Islanders in Nassau County.
AT: The comments section seems to be rife with people on our side, so I suppose that's one positive to take out of it. But the fact that the NYDN, a paper which is supposedly credible, would put up an article like this is ridiculous. They should be ashamed of themselves. This is precisely why I avoid the NYDN and the Post like the plague. People will NEVER be happy with this. It wasn't good enough that Wang wanted to pay for his first project entirely on his own. Now that he can't do that, he's doing it in a way that will pay back taxpayers and ensure the consistency of NVMC revenue for 30 more years after 2015. It's no surprise that this "editorial", if you can even call it that, was made anonymously. Any journalist who did this little fact checking should be banned from any credible paper. It's time to hit up the PR machine, Mr. Wang. Get commercials out, send out fliers, stage rallies. Do whatever you need to do. We all hate when something so important to us gets mucked up in the political arena, but that is the reality of the situation. Don't let others do this for you. The time of lethargy is over. Wang, the Islanders, and all of us reading this are going to be responsible for getting this done.
CH: To start, the author (who is anonymous) failed to realize that both the Mets and Yankees used public funds to construct Citi Field and Yankee Stadium, respectively. Secondly, the Islanders have already offered to cover all the overages regarding the arena AND have offered to be 70% of the debt service without a cent that enters the new Nassau Coliseum. But everyone reading this blog knows that.
Here we are in another situation where misinformation is being spread. Here we are in another situation where excuses are being made as to why we should not act. And here we are in another situation where an author recommends the growth of Nassau County should continue to stagnate. That is why I brought this editorial onto the blog. Not because the facts are right (they aren't), but to show the ignorance of authors that think they have the answers to anything (doing nothing), when the real answer is standing in front of their face.
The bigger question is why the Daily News, a newspaper with integrity, decided to post on this, but that's for another day. The fact is these are the articles we will see for the next month, and it's up to us to start discrediting the wrong information and start informing those with the facts. Because the facts are what is going to get this arena built, and the facts are what will keep our New York Islanders in Nassau County.
AT: The comments section seems to be rife with people on our side, so I suppose that's one positive to take out of it. But the fact that the NYDN, a paper which is supposedly credible, would put up an article like this is ridiculous. They should be ashamed of themselves. This is precisely why I avoid the NYDN and the Post like the plague. People will NEVER be happy with this. It wasn't good enough that Wang wanted to pay for his first project entirely on his own. Now that he can't do that, he's doing it in a way that will pay back taxpayers and ensure the consistency of NVMC revenue for 30 more years after 2015. It's no surprise that this "editorial", if you can even call it that, was made anonymously. Any journalist who did this little fact checking should be banned from any credible paper. It's time to hit up the PR machine, Mr. Wang. Get commercials out, send out fliers, stage rallies. Do whatever you need to do. We all hate when something so important to us gets mucked up in the political arena, but that is the reality of the situation. Don't let others do this for you. The time of lethargy is over. Wang, the Islanders, and all of us reading this are going to be responsible for getting this done.
Jul 2, 2011
Arena: Nassau Legislature To Vote On Election Funding
According to Newsday, the Nassau County Legislature will be voting on July 11 to see if Nassau County will be authorized to transfer $2.2 million to provide the necessary overhead and logistics for the August 1 referendum vote. In the articles, details of the logistics of the election are discussed.
CH: This minor "obstacle" will pass easily if all this vote needs is a simple majority. In fact, in the article it states that the legislature passed the budget for it already and laid off 130 workers, which to be honest, could and should have made people angry. That said, I have no worries about this passing and as long as the full details (according to the Legislature) are shared, this vote is happening on August 1. Just remember to continue to e-mail your legislators and NIFA to share your concerns about how necessary this arena is for Long Island.
AT: And don't forget that once again, if the vote passes, Charles Wang covers the costs. Funny, I didn't see Newsday mentioning that.
CH: This minor "obstacle" will pass easily if all this vote needs is a simple majority. In fact, in the article it states that the legislature passed the budget for it already and laid off 130 workers, which to be honest, could and should have made people angry. That said, I have no worries about this passing and as long as the full details (according to the Legislature) are shared, this vote is happening on August 1. Just remember to continue to e-mail your legislators and NIFA to share your concerns about how necessary this arena is for Long Island.
AT: And don't forget that once again, if the vote passes, Charles Wang covers the costs. Funny, I didn't see Newsday mentioning that.
Jul 1, 2011
News: Islanders Sign C Marty Reasoner
The New York Islanders have signed C Marty Reasoner to a two year, $2.7 million contract. His cap hit wil lbe $1.35 million per season. The fourth line center had 14 goals and 18 assists for the offensively challenged Florida Panthers last season.
CH: We talked about addressing needs and upgrading spots, and that's exactly what the Islanders have done here. Reasoner is good on faceoffs, finishing at 54.5% last year. He has some offensive ability and exponentially improves the fourth line center spot over Konopka. He'll slide right in between Matt Martin and Trent Hunter (or P.A. Parenteau if the Isles improve their top-6), which will be the best fourth line the Isles would have had since their last playoff season in 2007. However, Reasoner is not a fighter - but that's okay, as the Isles still have Haley (when necessary), Martin, and Gillies (when necessary). Very solid, under the radar signing.
AT: There were 3 holes in the roster. A 4th line center, a winger to play with JT and a top 4 D man. We got one of them and with one of the best choices on the board. Reasoner can put up 30 points or so a year, has leadership material and is a vast improvement over Konopka. Good job by Snow.
CH: We talked about addressing needs and upgrading spots, and that's exactly what the Islanders have done here. Reasoner is good on faceoffs, finishing at 54.5% last year. He has some offensive ability and exponentially improves the fourth line center spot over Konopka. He'll slide right in between Matt Martin and Trent Hunter (or P.A. Parenteau if the Isles improve their top-6), which will be the best fourth line the Isles would have had since their last playoff season in 2007. However, Reasoner is not a fighter - but that's okay, as the Isles still have Haley (when necessary), Martin, and Gillies (when necessary). Very solid, under the radar signing.
AT: There were 3 holes in the roster. A 4th line center, a winger to play with JT and a top 4 D man. We got one of them and with one of the best choices on the board. Reasoner can put up 30 points or so a year, has leadership material and is a vast improvement over Konopka. Good job by Snow.
Signing: Isles sign Kirill Kabanov to entry level deal
Brian Compton reported today that the Isles have signed Russian winger Kirill Kabanov to an entry level deal. Financials are not yet known.
AT: Great for Kirill. He's come a long way and showed major progress with Lewiston last year. Now he'll be going back to his new juniors team in Montreal after the dissolution of Lewiston. He should fit in well on a very strong Montreal team. He is probably one of the most gifted talents we have in our organization and it will be exciting to see him grow over the next few years. I met him at the draft party and he was one of the nicest players I'd ever met. Good luck, Kirill... all the best to you!
CH: Very interesting timing on this signing. Not exactly sure why, but announcing this signing on July 1 at 12 PM is odd. That said, this was a no brainer here. They obviously like the direction Kabanov is heading in, so this makes sense. As far as raw skill goes, Kabanov is a top-5 Islander prospect. He'll have one more year down in the QMJHL before most likely heading to Bridgeport in 2012. This contract assures Kabanov will be part of the organization for the next three seasons. Good way to start the day.
CH: Very interesting timing on this signing. Not exactly sure why, but announcing this signing on July 1 at 12 PM is odd. That said, this was a no brainer here. They obviously like the direction Kabanov is heading in, so this makes sense. As far as raw skill goes, Kabanov is a top-5 Islander prospect. He'll have one more year down in the QMJHL before most likely heading to Bridgeport in 2012. This contract assures Kabanov will be part of the organization for the next three seasons. Good way to start the day.
Speculation: July 1 Live Blog
6:00 - And yep, that will about to it. Thanks for following!
5:30 - Starting to wind down here. Yes, there will be some deals through the evening + tomorrow, but not as often. We're going to finish here around 6. It's been fun!
5:05 - Edmonton agrees to a deal with Eric Belanger. Very nice deal for the Oilers, Belanger is very solid.
5:00 - Florida signs Tomas Fleischmann to a 4 year, $18 million contract. Another crazy, crazy deal.
4:40 - Colorado continues to revamp their goaltending position as they have signed JS Giguere. The Sharks have also signed Jim Vandermeer.
4:35 - Dallas Stars have signed Sheldon Souray. Absolutely clueless on that one.
4:20 - Just some updates. Sturm to VAN for 1 year. Ponikarovsky to CAR for 1 year. Risks for both, but short-term deals make sense.
4:15 - Sabres owner and Hockey Fanboy Terry Pegula strikes again, as the Sabres sign Ville Leino to a 6 year, $27 million deal. Another ridiculous contract from this team.
4:10 - Ryan Rishaug reporting the Oilers have dealt Kurtis Foster to the Ducks for Andy Sutton. Interesting deal.
4:00 - The Florida Panthers are making waves again as they have acquired F Kris Versteeg from the Philadelphia Flyers for a 2nd round pick in 2012 or 2013 and a 3rd round pick in 2012. Good on the Isles for staying away. Versteeg is a very redundant player for this team.
3:45 - The Dallas Stars have signed Michael Ryder for 2 years and $7 million. Interesting decision for him.
3:40 - Alex Auld has caught on with the Ottawa Senators for one year, and $1 million.
3:35 - The Edmonton Oilers have signed Cam Barker and Darcy Hordichuk. Edmonton becoming the land of opportunity as well, as the Isles could have used Barker a few years back...but not now.
3:30 - While the Islanders have signed Marty Reasoner, the Capitals have signed former Islander Roman Hamrlik for 2 years/$7 million. The Canadiens have signed Isles target Erik Cole for 4 years, $18 million. Good signings for both. Still plenty of top-6 options up front, and guys like Ian White, Scott Hannan, and Bryan McCabe on the back-end.
3:25 - Joel Ward has agreed to a 4 year contract with the Washington Capitals for 3 million per year. That, my friends, is a major overpayment. Good for Ward.
3:20 - The Islanders have agreed to terms with Marty Reasoner on a 2 year contract for $2.5 million. Great faceoff man, will be a major upgrade over Zenon Konopka on the fourth line. More on Reasoner later.
3:15 - Gotta love the new age reporting. Steve Sullivan announced on his Twitter that he has signed with the Pittsburgh Penguins. Risky, but potentially a nice move for the Pens.
3:00 - The Rangers have signed Mike Rupp. Actually a pretty good minor signing for them, but don't really see how he fits a need. Rupp has now been property of every Atlantic team but the Flyers. Three year deal.
2:55 - Former Avs goalie goes to Montreal on a 2-year deal for $2.3M. Goalie musical chairs continue as things are starting to slow down a little bit. Expect things to pick back up in the next hour or so, maybe sooner.
2:45 - Former Flyer Brian Boucher goes to Carolina to back-up Cam Ward. Good, smart signing for the Canes.
2:30 - Flyers sign Max Talbot. Gonna be hilarious to see how becomes Public Enemy #2 (Jagr is #1) in Pittsburgh now. He was loved there.
2:25 - Radim Vrbata has re-signed in Phoenix for $9 million over 3 years. Good signing by the Coyotes, but they are another team close to maxing out their internal budget now.
2:15 - Another lull (as I say this, I'm sure 10 guys will sign), but all these teams that have spent already helps the Islanders cause. Lots of role/marginal players off the board, likely taking the first deal they saw. Isles need to be patient and smart, and it will work out. Mark Streit was signed after dinner-time and Dwayne Roloson was signed mid-afternoon. Still plenty of time.
2:06 - The goalie market continues to saturate as Johan Hedberg has re-signed with the Devils.
2:01 - The Capitals have traded G Semyon Varlamov to the Colorado Avalanche. Not sure if he will play in Russia or not next year, but good on the Avs to take a shot. Still up in the air if they will sign Tomas Vokoun or not. And they paid a 1st and 2nd round pick for him? Sherman is way too desperate.
2:00 - The Panthers have struck again, as they have signed fourth line C Marcel Goc to a three-year deal. I like Goc and hoped the Islanders would look at him, but for 3 years? Crazy. Panthers are out of control right now.
1:55 - Flyers have signed Andreas Lilja, furthering my theory they will have Andrej Meszaros on the block quite shortly.
1:55 - Finally, a little bit of a lull here. Don't panic the Islanders haven't signed anyone yet. We're only 2 hours in, and there is always the trade route. Plenty of avenues they can go from here - and still some good forward talent out there.
1:50 - Andrew Brunette has signed with the Chicago Blackhawks. For those wondering, he turned down the Rangers to do so according to Larry Brooks.
1:45 - Like Chris Botta has mentioned on Twitter, don't be surprised to see Bryan McCabe come home.
1:36 - Ed Jovanovski goes back to Florida for 4 years. Again, that's the type of deal the Isles will have to offer free agents. Florida must be close to the cap floor now. Jan Hejda signs for four years to Colorado. Isles miss out on a good one.
1:35 - Tim Brent goes from Toronto to Carolina on a two-year deal. Good faceoff man, another one the Isles could have looked into for their 4th line.
1:30 - Radek Dvorak signs with the Stars, 1 year/$1.5M. Could be a nice signing for the Stars. Jagr gets $3.3M from the Flyers, which is an absurd overpayment - and proving that it is all about the money.
1:25 - Just a hat tip, if the signing isn't announced by Bob McKenzie, Nick Kypreos, Darren Dreger, or the team's beat reporter, you should probably ignore it.
1:20 - TONS happening right now. The Coyotes have signed both Raffi Torres (1.75py) and Mike Smith (2m) for 2-years each. The Blues have agreed to a 2-year contract with Matt D'Agostini. And the BIG SHOCK of the day - Jaromir Jagr has signed with the Philadelphia Flyers. Now Penguins fans...you can be angry. That's a slap in the face.
1:17 - An update on Upshall - the Panthers have announced a four year deal. That's the kind of term the Isles will have to offer to get free agents, even of Upshall's caliber. Upshall's deal is for $14 million over 4 years per McKenzie.
1:16 - Washington has signed 4th line center Jeff Halpern to a 1 year/$825K contract. Wanted the Islanders to go after him, but even if they did, couldn't blame him for going to Washington at this stage of his career. Good signing for the Caps.
1:15 - Looks like the Florida Panthers have signed Scottie Upshall. Good signing for the Panthers, who need to spend, spend, spend to get to the cap floor.
1:10 - Chicago Blackhawks have signed veteran Sean O'Donnell to a 1 year contract worth $850K. Will be interesting to see if they still try and sign Chris Campoli, as Bowman said he wanted two defensemen to round out his core. Good veteran signing for the Hawks.
1:05 - Dallas Stars have signed Adam Pardy to a 2y/$4M contract. Good depth signing for the Stars, but a bit of an overpayment.
12:55 - Florida signs Jose Theodore to a 2 year/$3M contract. They get their new starting goalie, as Tomas Vokoun is officially moving on.
12:51 - Ben Eager signs with the Edmonton Oilers for 3y/$3.3M. Jamal Mayers signed with Chicago for 1 year/$550K. Eager a great signing for Edmonton - perfect signing for a young team.
12:50 - While we have some time, here's some recent Isles July 1 history. In 2007, Garth Snow signed Jon Sim to a 3y/$3M contract. In 2008, Garth Snow signed Mark Streit to a 5y/$20.5M contract. In 2009, Garth Snow signed Dwayne Roloson to a 2y/$5M contract. Last year, no activity.
12:40 - Tampa Bay signs G Mathieu Garon to a 2 year deal for $2.6 million. He'll backup former Islander Dwayne Roloson. Tampa now has very good goaltending depth.
12:35 - Tom Gulitti announces that Andy Greene has re-signed with the Devils for four seasons. Quite the long term for a guy like Greene.
12:25 - Craig Custance now saying there's no deal with Michal Handzus and the Flyers. And now I'm done speculating. Wake me up when there's numbers. Bob McKenzie confirming no contact between Flyers and Handzus. So there's that.
12:20 - Jay Gold saying the Coburn signing is official - 2 years, 8 million. Flyers may trade to move Meszaros, which would be a perfect fit for the Isles. Don't think they will trade him within the division, however. And now the Handzus contract looks done. Weird five minutes there.
12:15 - Lots of false news coming out of Flyers camp. Apparently neither Handzus nor Coburn has been signed yet. Odd, but we'll see if that changes.
12:10 - Our first signing comes (very) early this year. The Flyers have signed UFA F Michal Handzus - waiting on confirmation of the number. Wouldn't have fit the Islanders, good signing for Philly who need C depth after trading Richards and Carter.
12:06 - Some Isles news to start the day, the team has signed prospect F Kirill Kabanov to an entry-level contract. He'll still be back in juniors next year. We'll have more on the Kabanov signing later.
12:05 - Usually, the first UFA signing comes in around 12:30, so don't expect much until then. Maybe a re-signing or two.
12:01 - Detroit re-signs Drew Miller for 2-years. Pittsburgh re-signs Tyler Kennedy for 2-years. Good signings by both.
12:00 - Happy start of free agency! Now let's get crazy - we know some teams will.
11:55 - The Vancouver Canucks have signed Long Island F Chris Higgins to a 2 year contract worth 1.9 million. Good signing for both parties. Higgins is good in a bottom-6 role and he gets some security.
11:52 - Eight minutes until showtime here. Not sure what's more exciting, this or New Year's.
11:45 - The Flyers and Ville Leino could not agree to a contract, so he will be heading to UFA as well.
11:38 - Gord Miller announces San Jose will not re-sign Ian White, who will head to market as a UFA. The Islanders should be very interested in the 27 year old, top-4 defenseman.
11:35 - In a shocker, the Pittsburgh Penguins have pulled their offer for F Jaromir Jagr. Everyone thought Jagr only wanted to go to Pittsburgh, and if he did, he waited too long. Very surprising move there, but clearly the Penguins have other business they want to take care of today.
11:26 - And the lull is broken. Buffalo re-signs Cody McCormick to a 3 year, $4.6M contract. Maybe a little long, but McCormick is a very good 4th line guy.
11:25 - A nice little lull before the craziness really starts at noon. All we know now is that Mike Rupp and Jan Hejda will be hitting the market, Chris Higgins is working on a 2y deal with the Canucks, and the Devils are still trying to sign Andy Greene. Based on the contracts we've seen to Ehrhoff and Wisniewski, expect a lot of money to be thrown around today. The question is, will the Isles get involved?
10:55 - The Columbus Blue Jackets have signed James Wisniewski to a 6 year/$33M contract. Massive overpayment, but the Blue Jackets are certainly going for it.
10:41 - Craig Custance reporting Patrick Eaves has re-signed in Detroit on a 3 year/$4.6M contract. Good depth signing for the Wings, as Eaves played well there last season.
10:40 - Bob McKenzie reporting Minnesota has signed G Josh Harding to a 1 year, $750K contract. That most likely means Jose Theodore will be going to market today.
10:35 - Welcome to our free agency Live Blog! We'll be updating this page with whatever we hear from legit rumors until about 6:30 PM. If the Islanders make a signing, it will go to the top of the page. So stay with us all day, it should be a fun one!
5:30 - Starting to wind down here. Yes, there will be some deals through the evening + tomorrow, but not as often. We're going to finish here around 6. It's been fun!
5:05 - Edmonton agrees to a deal with Eric Belanger. Very nice deal for the Oilers, Belanger is very solid.
5:00 - Florida signs Tomas Fleischmann to a 4 year, $18 million contract. Another crazy, crazy deal.
4:40 - Colorado continues to revamp their goaltending position as they have signed JS Giguere. The Sharks have also signed Jim Vandermeer.
4:35 - Dallas Stars have signed Sheldon Souray. Absolutely clueless on that one.
4:20 - Just some updates. Sturm to VAN for 1 year. Ponikarovsky to CAR for 1 year. Risks for both, but short-term deals make sense.
4:15 - Sabres owner and Hockey Fanboy Terry Pegula strikes again, as the Sabres sign Ville Leino to a 6 year, $27 million deal. Another ridiculous contract from this team.
4:10 - Ryan Rishaug reporting the Oilers have dealt Kurtis Foster to the Ducks for Andy Sutton. Interesting deal.
4:00 - The Florida Panthers are making waves again as they have acquired F Kris Versteeg from the Philadelphia Flyers for a 2nd round pick in 2012 or 2013 and a 3rd round pick in 2012. Good on the Isles for staying away. Versteeg is a very redundant player for this team.
3:45 - The Dallas Stars have signed Michael Ryder for 2 years and $7 million. Interesting decision for him.
3:40 - Alex Auld has caught on with the Ottawa Senators for one year, and $1 million.
3:35 - The Edmonton Oilers have signed Cam Barker and Darcy Hordichuk. Edmonton becoming the land of opportunity as well, as the Isles could have used Barker a few years back...but not now.
3:30 - While the Islanders have signed Marty Reasoner, the Capitals have signed former Islander Roman Hamrlik for 2 years/$7 million. The Canadiens have signed Isles target Erik Cole for 4 years, $18 million. Good signings for both. Still plenty of top-6 options up front, and guys like Ian White, Scott Hannan, and Bryan McCabe on the back-end.
3:25 - Joel Ward has agreed to a 4 year contract with the Washington Capitals for 3 million per year. That, my friends, is a major overpayment. Good for Ward.
3:20 - The Islanders have agreed to terms with Marty Reasoner on a 2 year contract for $2.5 million. Great faceoff man, will be a major upgrade over Zenon Konopka on the fourth line. More on Reasoner later.
3:15 - Gotta love the new age reporting. Steve Sullivan announced on his Twitter that he has signed with the Pittsburgh Penguins. Risky, but potentially a nice move for the Pens.
3:00 - The Rangers have signed Mike Rupp. Actually a pretty good minor signing for them, but don't really see how he fits a need. Rupp has now been property of every Atlantic team but the Flyers. Three year deal.
2:55 - Former Avs goalie goes to Montreal on a 2-year deal for $2.3M. Goalie musical chairs continue as things are starting to slow down a little bit. Expect things to pick back up in the next hour or so, maybe sooner.
2:45 - Former Flyer Brian Boucher goes to Carolina to back-up Cam Ward. Good, smart signing for the Canes.
2:30 - Flyers sign Max Talbot. Gonna be hilarious to see how becomes Public Enemy #2 (Jagr is #1) in Pittsburgh now. He was loved there.
2:25 - Radim Vrbata has re-signed in Phoenix for $9 million over 3 years. Good signing by the Coyotes, but they are another team close to maxing out their internal budget now.
2:15 - Another lull (as I say this, I'm sure 10 guys will sign), but all these teams that have spent already helps the Islanders cause. Lots of role/marginal players off the board, likely taking the first deal they saw. Isles need to be patient and smart, and it will work out. Mark Streit was signed after dinner-time and Dwayne Roloson was signed mid-afternoon. Still plenty of time.
2:06 - The goalie market continues to saturate as Johan Hedberg has re-signed with the Devils.
2:01 - The Capitals have traded G Semyon Varlamov to the Colorado Avalanche. Not sure if he will play in Russia or not next year, but good on the Avs to take a shot. Still up in the air if they will sign Tomas Vokoun or not. And they paid a 1st and 2nd round pick for him? Sherman is way too desperate.
2:00 - The Panthers have struck again, as they have signed fourth line C Marcel Goc to a three-year deal. I like Goc and hoped the Islanders would look at him, but for 3 years? Crazy. Panthers are out of control right now.
1:55 - Flyers have signed Andreas Lilja, furthering my theory they will have Andrej Meszaros on the block quite shortly.
1:55 - Finally, a little bit of a lull here. Don't panic the Islanders haven't signed anyone yet. We're only 2 hours in, and there is always the trade route. Plenty of avenues they can go from here - and still some good forward talent out there.
1:50 - Andrew Brunette has signed with the Chicago Blackhawks. For those wondering, he turned down the Rangers to do so according to Larry Brooks.
1:45 - Like Chris Botta has mentioned on Twitter, don't be surprised to see Bryan McCabe come home.
1:36 - Ed Jovanovski goes back to Florida for 4 years. Again, that's the type of deal the Isles will have to offer free agents. Florida must be close to the cap floor now. Jan Hejda signs for four years to Colorado. Isles miss out on a good one.
1:35 - Tim Brent goes from Toronto to Carolina on a two-year deal. Good faceoff man, another one the Isles could have looked into for their 4th line.
1:30 - Radek Dvorak signs with the Stars, 1 year/$1.5M. Could be a nice signing for the Stars. Jagr gets $3.3M from the Flyers, which is an absurd overpayment - and proving that it is all about the money.
1:25 - Just a hat tip, if the signing isn't announced by Bob McKenzie, Nick Kypreos, Darren Dreger, or the team's beat reporter, you should probably ignore it.
1:20 - TONS happening right now. The Coyotes have signed both Raffi Torres (1.75py) and Mike Smith (2m) for 2-years each. The Blues have agreed to a 2-year contract with Matt D'Agostini. And the BIG SHOCK of the day - Jaromir Jagr has signed with the Philadelphia Flyers. Now Penguins fans...you can be angry. That's a slap in the face.
1:17 - An update on Upshall - the Panthers have announced a four year deal. That's the kind of term the Isles will have to offer to get free agents, even of Upshall's caliber. Upshall's deal is for $14 million over 4 years per McKenzie.
1:16 - Washington has signed 4th line center Jeff Halpern to a 1 year/$825K contract. Wanted the Islanders to go after him, but even if they did, couldn't blame him for going to Washington at this stage of his career. Good signing for the Caps.
1:15 - Looks like the Florida Panthers have signed Scottie Upshall. Good signing for the Panthers, who need to spend, spend, spend to get to the cap floor.
1:10 - Chicago Blackhawks have signed veteran Sean O'Donnell to a 1 year contract worth $850K. Will be interesting to see if they still try and sign Chris Campoli, as Bowman said he wanted two defensemen to round out his core. Good veteran signing for the Hawks.
1:05 - Dallas Stars have signed Adam Pardy to a 2y/$4M contract. Good depth signing for the Stars, but a bit of an overpayment.
12:55 - Florida signs Jose Theodore to a 2 year/$3M contract. They get their new starting goalie, as Tomas Vokoun is officially moving on.
12:51 - Ben Eager signs with the Edmonton Oilers for 3y/$3.3M. Jamal Mayers signed with Chicago for 1 year/$550K. Eager a great signing for Edmonton - perfect signing for a young team.
12:50 - While we have some time, here's some recent Isles July 1 history. In 2007, Garth Snow signed Jon Sim to a 3y/$3M contract. In 2008, Garth Snow signed Mark Streit to a 5y/$20.5M contract. In 2009, Garth Snow signed Dwayne Roloson to a 2y/$5M contract. Last year, no activity.
12:40 - Tampa Bay signs G Mathieu Garon to a 2 year deal for $2.6 million. He'll backup former Islander Dwayne Roloson. Tampa now has very good goaltending depth.
12:35 - Tom Gulitti announces that Andy Greene has re-signed with the Devils for four seasons. Quite the long term for a guy like Greene.
12:25 - Craig Custance now saying there's no deal with Michal Handzus and the Flyers. And now I'm done speculating. Wake me up when there's numbers. Bob McKenzie confirming no contact between Flyers and Handzus. So there's that.
12:20 - Jay Gold saying the Coburn signing is official - 2 years, 8 million. Flyers may trade to move Meszaros, which would be a perfect fit for the Isles. Don't think they will trade him within the division, however. And now the Handzus contract looks done. Weird five minutes there.
12:15 - Lots of false news coming out of Flyers camp. Apparently neither Handzus nor Coburn has been signed yet. Odd, but we'll see if that changes.
12:10 - Our first signing comes (very) early this year. The Flyers have signed UFA F Michal Handzus - waiting on confirmation of the number. Wouldn't have fit the Islanders, good signing for Philly who need C depth after trading Richards and Carter.
12:06 - Some Isles news to start the day, the team has signed prospect F Kirill Kabanov to an entry-level contract. He'll still be back in juniors next year. We'll have more on the Kabanov signing later.
12:05 - Usually, the first UFA signing comes in around 12:30, so don't expect much until then. Maybe a re-signing or two.
12:01 - Detroit re-signs Drew Miller for 2-years. Pittsburgh re-signs Tyler Kennedy for 2-years. Good signings by both.
12:00 - Happy start of free agency! Now let's get crazy - we know some teams will.
11:55 - The Vancouver Canucks have signed Long Island F Chris Higgins to a 2 year contract worth 1.9 million. Good signing for both parties. Higgins is good in a bottom-6 role and he gets some security.
11:52 - Eight minutes until showtime here. Not sure what's more exciting, this or New Year's.
11:45 - The Flyers and Ville Leino could not agree to a contract, so he will be heading to UFA as well.
11:38 - Gord Miller announces San Jose will not re-sign Ian White, who will head to market as a UFA. The Islanders should be very interested in the 27 year old, top-4 defenseman.
11:35 - In a shocker, the Pittsburgh Penguins have pulled their offer for F Jaromir Jagr. Everyone thought Jagr only wanted to go to Pittsburgh, and if he did, he waited too long. Very surprising move there, but clearly the Penguins have other business they want to take care of today.
11:26 - And the lull is broken. Buffalo re-signs Cody McCormick to a 3 year, $4.6M contract. Maybe a little long, but McCormick is a very good 4th line guy.
11:25 - A nice little lull before the craziness really starts at noon. All we know now is that Mike Rupp and Jan Hejda will be hitting the market, Chris Higgins is working on a 2y deal with the Canucks, and the Devils are still trying to sign Andy Greene. Based on the contracts we've seen to Ehrhoff and Wisniewski, expect a lot of money to be thrown around today. The question is, will the Isles get involved?
10:55 - The Columbus Blue Jackets have signed James Wisniewski to a 6 year/$33M contract. Massive overpayment, but the Blue Jackets are certainly going for it.
10:41 - Craig Custance reporting Patrick Eaves has re-signed in Detroit on a 3 year/$4.6M contract. Good depth signing for the Wings, as Eaves played well there last season.
10:40 - Bob McKenzie reporting Minnesota has signed G Josh Harding to a 1 year, $750K contract. That most likely means Jose Theodore will be going to market today.
10:35 - Welcome to our free agency Live Blog! We'll be updating this page with whatever we hear from legit rumors until about 6:30 PM. If the Islanders make a signing, it will go to the top of the page. So stay with us all day, it should be a fun one!
News: Jesse Joensuu Signs 2-Year Contract in Sweden
Islanders F Jesse Joensuu has signed a two year contract with HV71 of the Swedish Elite League. Because the Islanders offered him a qualifying offer, they will retain his rights. Joensuu, a 2nd round pick in 2006, had an up-and-down three years with the Islanders. Overall, he finished with 8 goals and 13 points in 60 NHL games with the Islanders from 2008-09 to 2010-11.CH: Obviously, since the Islanders retained his rights, the door isn't closed on Joensuu returning after the two years. Like we said on the podcast, Joensuu wanted his North American trial to be three years before making a decision on where he would play next. In that sense, this isn't surprising. He will get way more money and playing time playing for HV71 than in the Isles organization, who would have had him in Bridgeport for the majority of the year. Wish the best for him, as the Islanders have the option to bring him back when his contract is up.
AT: As I said on the podcast, power forwards take some time to develop. He'll probably get a lot of playing time in the SEL, so this is good for him. All the best to Jesse and I hope to see him again in 2 years.
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