On Wednesday morning, forward Ryan O’Reilly and the Colorado Avalanche reached an agreement about O’Reilly’s salary and avoided the arbitration hearing scheduled for later that day. The Avalanche signed O’Reilly to a two-year, $12 million contract through the 2015-16 season; he reportedly will receive $5.8 million for the upcoming 2014-15 season and $6.2 in 2015-16 before becoming a UFA in the summer of 2016. However, Colorado hopes to reach a long-term agreement with O’Reilly before then.
O’Reilly, 23, has been a key player for the Avs since being drafted 33rd overall in 2009. He led Colorado in goals scored last season with a team-high of 28 and finished third on the team with 64 points; incidentally, his 28 goals were the most scored by a Colorado player in a single season since 2009-10. He also led the Avalanche in power play goals (9) and game-winners (6, tied), and he led all Colorado forwards in ice time (19:49 per game). League-wide, O’Reilly led the NHL in takeaways this past season with 83. He has a career 191 points (73 goals, 118 assists) in 345 NHL games.
O’Reilly was also the recipient of this year’s Lady Byng Memorial Trophy for “sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct combined with a high standard of playing ability,” tallying just one minor penalty all season despite his substantial amount of playing time. He is only the second player in NHL history to receive two of fewer PIM over 80+ games (Butch Goring, LA Kings 1977-78 shares this distinction).
“We are pleased to have Ryan under contract,” said Avalanche Executive Vice President of Hockey Operations Joe Sakic. “We are looking at the upcoming training camp and season with a lot of excitement.”
Colorado begins preseason play on September 22, at home against the Anaheim Ducks.
Penn State hockey announced their schedule for the upcoming season. The Nittany Lions are going into their third NCAA season and their second in the Big Ten.
They will play a total of 36 regular-season games, including 18 at their home arena. Penn State will face its five Big Ten opponents four times each during the 2014-2015 season.
The season opener will take place at Pegula Ice Arena in University Park, Pa. on October 10th against University of Connecticut. The two will play again the following day.
The Nittany Lions will face off against Michigan for their first Big Ten matchup of the year on November 21-22. Last year against Michigan, Penn State went 2-2 and defeated the Wolverines in the first round of the Big Ten tournament. They went on to lose to Wisconsin in the next round.
In addition to their conference games, they will be playing four games in three different NHL arenas. Penn State will return to the Pittsburgh Penguins’ arena and the Philadelphia Flyers’ arena where they had games last season. This year will also mark the first time Penn State hockey has the opportunity to play at Madison Square Garden.
After the regular season, Penn State will play in the Big Ten tournament taking place at Detroit’s Joe Louis Arena on March 19-21. The winner of the tournament will advance to the NCAA tournament.
The complete Penn State hockey schedule can be located here.
The Philadelphia Flyers will be featured on national television 16 times this season, and they don’t have to wait long to get national attention.
The Flyers first game of the season against the Boston Bruins on October 8 will be part of the NHL’s opening night doubleheader on NBCSN. The San Jose Sharks will take on the Los Angeles Kings in the second half of the doubleheader.
The Flyers will be featured at at least 12 times on NBCSN and up to four times on NBC. There is one flex game that is late in the season and it could be on NBCSN or NBC depending on the standing and playoff positioning for both the Flyers and the Pittsburgh Penguins.
The Flyers will play six games on NBCSN’s “Wednesday Night Rivalry” broadcast. They will face the Pittsburgh Penguins twice, the New York Rangers, the Washington Capitals, the Detroit Red Wings and the Chicago Blackhawks.
On Friday, November 28, the Flyers will host the New York Rangers as part of NBC’s Thanksgiving Day Showdown. The second game on NBC will be part of the Hockey Day in America lineup and will be against the Washington Capitals at 3 p.m. on February 22. The third and final game that will air on NBC will be against the Rangers on Satueday, February 28, at 8 p.m.
Picture a small towheaded boy standing on the driveway firing pucks at the garage door. From time to time, the sound of breaking glass follows closely after the whack of the stick on the puck. Perhaps a recognizable scene for many parents of young boys with dreams of becoming a professional hockey player, for Todd and Tondra Hargrove this was a reality. One can’t help wondering what went through their heads after their son Colton had destroyed the glass panes in the garage door. Did they yell? Did they recognize his potential? According to Hargrove, they were wise enough to replace the broken windows with Plexiglas.
While attending the recent Boston Bruins development camp for the third year, Colton Hargrove, a Bruins draft in 2012, set aside a little time after on-ice drills to talk with The Pink Puck about how he got into hockey and where he is now in his development.
Born in Rockwell, Texas, the 22-year-old enters his junior year at Western Michigan University this fall where he plays left wing for the Broncos men’s hockey team under the tutelage of head coach Andy Murray, someone that Hargrove holds in high regard and whose guidance, encouragement and knowledge he follows and appreciates.
Hello Hockey
Going back to a much younger Hargrove, The Pink Puck asked him what he liked so much about hockey. Like most players, his passion for the game is apparent; in his case as apparent as the beard he was sporting during camp. The affable Hargrove took us back to pre-garage door days, describing his introduction to hockey.
“When I used to go to daycare when I was younger, we used to go on field trips to an indoor roller rink and we got there one day and there was a hockey game going on.” Hargrove said. “I kinda thought it was cool, so I went home and told my dad to get me some skates and a stick. He went out and bought me some.”
From daycare to driveway to development, it’s clear that Hargrove enjoys hockey. When asked how old he was when he first decided that he wanted to play hockey professionally, he gave the question some consideration before responding.
“I’d say about…um… pretty young… elementary school,” he told The Pink Puck. “I just fell in love with it.”
This did not seem to be the idle wishes of a child who dreams of being an astronaut or a princess. In the end, at the young age of twelve or thirteen he was making the decision to put aside other sports and concentrate on hockey. Even his choice of colleges was colored by his need to succeed at hockey. Having played two years in the USHL on the Fargo Force, Hargrove committed to Western Michigan University.
When asked what tipped the scales for him in favor of WMU, Hargrove was quick to respond.
“Mostly Andy Murray. He’s a great coach. He’s been around awhile. He definitely knows what he’s talking about,” Hargrove said with a hint of admiration in his voice. “He’s great with the guys. Pat Ferschweiler is a great coach. Jokes around, [but when it] comes down to it, he’s serious. They expect a lot out of us. So, I mean, it’s a great coaching staff.”
His admiration for Coach Murray had come up earlier in camp when asked if he felt he had grown and improved since attending Bruins development camp in 2013. He attributes a lot of his growth on and off the ice to the entire coaching staff at WMU.
“Our strength and conditioning coach Tim has helped me a lot,” he explained. “Working out all summer. During the year kinda keeping the muscle and all that stuff.”
Collegiate Road
However, his decision to choose the college route to professional hockey over Canada’s Major Juniors was more to do with hockey than the education he will also have upon his completion of his years at WMU.
The Pink Puck asked him what made him decide that college was his best option.
“I think just longer development. You know, if you age out in Major Juniors in Canada, I mean, it’s hard to go somewhere, you know, if you didn’t develop fast enough,” Hargrove offered with consideration. “I think college gives you that extra time to develop before you go anywhere. It’s helped a lot being in college.”
Because the Canadian Major Juniors route to the NHL was not an option for him, The Pink Puck asked him if he felt some of the NCAA rules hindered his on-ice growth at all in comparison. He was candid in his response.
“It’s a whole different game from Major Juniors to college, especially with guys getting their sticks up in Juniors. They’re more cautious about that with the visors and stuff. College is more kinda ruthless,” he said. “I think it’s more physical too—outside of the fighting. I think it’s a more defensive game in college.”
And he agreed with The Pink Puck about the speed of the game in college.
“It’s a faster pace,” Hargrove continued. “I think it’s a great stepping stone to the NHL, to the AHL, any professional league. It’s a great development to get you into the next level.”
Development Camp Opportunities
Hargrove was aware of what he needed to do while attending the recent development camp. He wanted the coaches and the rest of the Bruins management to recognize that he has matured physically and mentally but he also recognized that he still has work to do.
“Being a bigger body, that’s my job to protect the puck and take it to the net,” he said. “I want them to see that I can do that stuff and I can play in this league eventually.”
He looks forward to the opportunity to participate in development camp each year since he was drafted.
“All these guys have tremendous talent, so it’s good to have that kind of competition when you come to development camp,” he shared. “It’s been a lot of fun but also competitive.”
Hargrove also recognizes the privilege he has been afforded by being included in camp each year. It is not something he takes lightly or for granted.
“Nothing’s set in stone. Just because you’ve been drafted doesn’t mean that you’re going to make it. One of the invites could take your spot at any given time,” he explained. “It’s definitely a privilege to be here, but you have to put in the work to make that jump to the next level. I mean, you’re trying to take the guy ahead of you’s spot and these guys are trying to take your spot. It’s all business now so you gotta put in the work to get there.”
And while it may be business, it is still clear that for Colton Hargrove, there is a joy that he takes from the game that continues to infuse him. It appears in his smile, his willingness to help the newcomers to camp and in his determination to do whatever he must to continue on his path to professional hockey.
During the 2014 NHL Draft, the Arizona Coyotes selected an interesting new player. The NHL boasts a wide variety of countries represented by the players. One country that you don’t typically see in the NHL is the United Kingdom, only 45 players have come from the U.K. in the past, with the last player ending his career in 2010. That is, until now. Meet Brendan Perlini, an 18 year old native of Guildford, Surrey, Great Britain. He is the newest first round draft pick of the Coyotes, and as of July 18, he has officially been signed to an entry-level contract. Perlini’s father, Fred, was drafted by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 1980s, and was a big inspiration to his son.
When Brendan was 11, his family decided to make the move over to Canada to further his hockey career. He played for several teams, his latest team being the Niagara Ice Dogs of the OHL. In 2014, he was selected to play in the CHL Top Prosepect Game. At 6-foot-2, Brendan is a big component on the ice. After the Coyotes’ development camp, they saw the true potential that he had, and signed him.
Could this fresh new player be what the Coyotes need to become the team to beat? We’ll see about that when the season rolls around!
For those who attended camp this past week with the Boston Bruins it represented a myriad of experiences that reached the breadth of the histories of those who attended. Draftees who were picked before 2014 saw it as an opportunity to reunite with camp friends, but more importantly to show the Bruins organization how they had improved in areas both on and off the ice. Those who were drafted this past June, at the 2014 NHL Entry Draft, may have seen the surreality of their draft turn into reality—that moment when their skates touched the ice and they saw a milestone had indeed been reached.
Ryan Donato
Of course for 2014 draftee Ryan Donato that surreal experience continued a little longer. The son of Ted Donato who presently serves as coach of Harvard University’s men’s hockey team, Donato donned the jersey of the team for which his father played. And he is expecting to attend Harvard beginning in the fall of 2015.
“It’s pretty unbelievable just being in the rink watching my dad play with a lot of the Bruins guys and being able to put on the jersey yourself, it’s kind of a surreal feeling as I said.” Donato told reporters during camp. “Putting it on with some of your friends too, it’s kind of [an] unbelievable feeling also.”
And then there were those who were invited to camp. For them, camp represented a moment to show that they really do belong in the NHL. This year’s invitees included: Cole Bardreau (forward, Cornell), Kyle Baun (forward, Colgate University), Michael Doherty (forward, Yale), Alex Globke (forward, Lake Superior State University), Simon Norberg (forward, Leksand), Billy Sweezey (defenseman, Noble & Greenough School) and Oleg Yevenko (defenseman, University of Massachusetts-Amherst).
The Pink Puck talked to a couple of the invitees, asking them what it meant to them to be invited to camp and what they were hoping the Bruins organization would see in them.
Billy Sweezey and Cole Bardreau
“I’m just hoping they can get a little more…, that they can see me a little bit more,” said Baun. “I know that they’ve seen me quite a few times during the season, but just showing them what I can do in practice—all the management and all the guys who can’t come see me during the season can see me and hopefully like me.”
“It was a big honor getting invited, especially to my hometown team,” answered Sweezey, who will be a senior in high school this coming fall. “I’m just trying to get some experience under my belt, especially with a lot of these older guys already in college.”
“Obviously I didn’t get drafted there for three years, so that’s disappointing,” Bardreau responded candidly. “But to know that a few teams are still going to give me a shot, I think that’s obviously encouragement to keep going and just an opportunity to show them what I got and keep going.”
It was clear that those who were invited clearly understood what an opportunity they were being presented with and were determined not to squander it.
The Boston Bruins development camp brought together 13 forwards, eight defensemen and two goalies for a variety of on-ice drills, off-ice classes, opportunities to just have some fun, team building and exposure to the Bruins staff for six days. One of the smaller training camps for the year—the Detroit Red Wings camp, for instance, had more than 40 players at theirs—it consisted of 12 returning players, four of this year’s drafts (Danton Heinen was unable to attend due to college classes) and the previously mentioned seven invitees.
After the on-ice events last Wednesday of Day One of camp, assistant general manager Don Sweeney spoke to media. he stressed how excited they were about each of the players at camp, regardless of how the player got there.
“I’ve said this before, and I’ve said this to the players themselves,” Sweeney said. “They should all feel welcome whether they are an invite or whether or not they are in their fourth year of participating.”
It was clear when talking with the returning players that they looked forward to returning to camp for a variety of reasons. For those who experienced their first camp last summer, this year was a little less nerve-wracking. But each one of them had something to prove.
“For me, I’m coming off of surgery, so I’m just trying to show them I can recover quickly and come back from an injury.” said Matt Grzelcyk, who spent camp in a red “no contact” jersey.
“A little bit more confident than last year, coming in knowing what it’s like, what the environment’s like, knowing some of the guys,” said Mitchell Dempsey. “It’s a lot more something to look forward to. I’m just excited to… I don’t know what to say, I love being here.”
“I know what to expect for the most part. Familiar faces all around,” Matt Benning offered. “Since this [is] my third year, I’m just trying to lead the younger ones. Trying to tell them what it’s like and what’s expected and stuff like that.”
The joy each of the players exhibited was obvious both on the ice and in the locker room afterward. They hope that hockey will be their occupation, certainly, but more importantly hockey is their passion.
None of the players who participated in development camp expects to make the Bruins just from what they did this past week. In fact, many of them will return to their collegiate teams for the coming season. However, the day after camp ended the Bruins announced signing first round (25th overall) of the 2014 NHL Entry Draft, David Pastrnak to an entry-level contract.
David Pastrnak
The 6’0”, 171-pound native of Havirov, Czech Republic has gone on record as saying that Boston Bruin David Krejci is his idol. In fact, after he was drafted by the Bruins on June 27th, he received a congratulations text from Krejci. The infectiously happy Pastrnak clearly has great skill, but he was just happy to be at camp, and his smile on and off the ice spoke volumes.
During one interview he mentioned that he had lost his passport. He said when he told his agent, that his agent joked back that it was clear Pastrnak didn’t want to leave. And it could be that Pastrnak will get that wish. Of course the question remains will he play in Boston or Providence or elsewhere for the coming season.
After camp, Pastrnak was asked by The Pink Puck about his first camp.
“It was the perfect time. It was unreal,” he responded grappling for words. “Just overall happy. It was just perfect. I don’t even know what I have to say, I enjoy this camp and it was nice to be with all these guys.”
Despite being drafted early and having some impressive skills, Pastrnak understands that he can always improve.
“I will work on like get better. And, uh, get more weight and get faster, get stronger.” he told The Pink Puck. “Everything. I can get better with everything like everybody. You’re never perfect so I can work on everything.”
And perhaps that is the best thing about the players at development camp. When camp ends, they are already looking forward to next year’s camp and vowing to improve throughout the coming season.
Summertime and the living is easy…unless, of course, you’re waiting impatiently for the start of the hockey season. Maybe you’ve got a countdown to the first game. Maybe you’re feverishly refreshing every hockey news site in the hopes that something new and exciting will happen with your favorite team. Maybe you’re abusing the #IsItOctoberYet hashtag. Maybe it’s all of the above.
So Rangers fans, here’s a quick roundup of what’s been going on in New York these past few weeks:
While we’ve all been dreaming of the rink, the Rangers have been making some big changes to their roster. There’s been a flurry of signings and contract negotiations since the opening days of the 2014 “NHL Free Agent Frenzy.”
Signed:
Dan Boyle, 38, will join the Rangers on the blue line, replacing Anton Stralman as a right-handed shooting defenseman and coming in as a key player for New York power plays. Boyle had 36 points in 75 games for the San Jose Sharks this past season and has a career 561 points (144 goals) in 954 NHL games. He has recorded 50+ points on six different occasions, and he has led his team’s defensemen in scoring for nine of his fifteen seasons. Boyle is also a strong postseason player, tallying 70 points in 107 playoff games, and he won a Stanley Cup title with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2004.
Chris Bourque, brother of Rangers prospect Ryan Bourque and son of Hockey Hall of Famer Ray Bourque, will also come to New York. Bourque, 28, is a forward who split the 2013-14 season between Ak Bars Kazan (KHL) and EHC Biel (NLA) in Switzerland. He had 2 goals in 11 games for Ak Bars Kazan, and he tallied 6 goals and 7 assists in 21 regular season games for EHC Biel to go along with 4 goals and 4 assists in 12 postseason games. Bourque has a career 2 goals and 6 assists in the NHL and has spent time playing with Washington, Pittsburgh, and Boston. In his AHL years, he put up a total of 142 goals and 291 assists in 437 games, and won three Calder Cup championships in addition to being named AHL Playoffs MVP in 2010.
Tanner Glass, another winger, will join the Rangers for some third and fourth-line minutes as well as on the penalty kill. Glass, 30, had 4 goals and 9 assists in 67 games for the Pittsburgh Penguins this past season and has 54 total points in his NHL career. He is known for being aggressive on the forecheck and contributing a gritty, physical element to his team’s roster; this past season, Glass led his team in hits and was second in Penguins forwards for blocked shots. Glass has also played for Rangers head coach Alain Vigneault in seasons past, when Vigneault coached the Vancouver Canucks in 2009-10 and 2010-11.
Chris Mueller, 28, will also play on the Rangers’ front line this coming season. Mueller split the 2013-14 season between the Dallas Stars and their AHL affiliate, the Texas Stars. He played in 9 regular season games for Dallas as well as 4 postseason games, and he won 43 of the 80 faceoffs he took in those 13 games. Mueller has a career 2 goals and 6 assists in 46 games on NHL ice and has also spent time with the Nashville Predators. In the AHL, he has tallied 117 goals and 129 assists over 383 games, and he has registered 20+ goals and 50+ points three times in his AHL career. He won the Calder Cup with past season with Texas.
Veteran center Matthew Lombardi comes to New York after spending last season overseas with Geneve-Servette of the Swiss League. Lombardi, 32, led the Swiss League in scoring last season with 50 points (20 goals and 30 assists) in 46 games. He has also played a career 536 NHL games for the Calgary Flames, Phoenix Coyotes, Nashville Predators, Toronto Maple Leafs, Anaheim Ducks. Lombardi is known for his speed and special teams presence (29 of his career 101 NHL goals have come on special teams), and he will help fill a hole on the Rangers penalty kill.
Mike Kostka, 28, played for the Chicago Blackhawks and the Tampa Bay Lightning during the 2013-14 season and will now join the Rangers on the blue line. Kostka put up 4 goals and 7 assists in 28 games this past season to go along with a +10 rating. He also had 2 assists and a +2 rating in 3 postseason games for the Lightning while leading the team in plus/minus rating and tied for the lead in assists. Kostka has a career 4 goals and 15 assists in 63 career NHL games with Toronto, Chicago, and Tampa Bay, and he registered 37 goals and 147 assists in 343 AHL games while boasting a +36 rating.
Goaltender Cedrick Desjardins, 28, has also agreed to terms with the Rangers for this coming season. Desjardins spent this past season with the Syracuse Crunch (AHL) and posted a 9-18-4 record with a 2.81 GAA, a .900 SV%, and two shutouts. He has a total 104-80-18 record in his AHL career and has also played 6 NHL games for Tampa Bay with a record of 2-4. Despite his record, Desjardins has allowed 2 or fewer goals in 4 of his 6 career NHL games.
Re-signed:
Center Dominic Moore has been re-signed and will stay with the New York Rangers for at least this coming season. Moore, 33, won the 2014 Masterton trophy for sportsmanship, perseverance, and dedication to hockey after returning to the NHL after an 18-month leave to care for and mourn his wife, Katie. He had 6 goals and 12 assists in 73 games for the Rangers this past season, and he added an additional 3 goals and 5 assists in 25 playoff games. Moore’s game-winning goal in Game 6 against the Montreal Canadiens sent the Rangers to the Stanley Cup Final for the first time in twenty years. He has a total 203 points in 603 NHL games, and his reliable faceoff percentage has led him to become an integral part of the New York Rangers roster. Moore was also up for an ESPY this year, as a nominee for Best Comeback Athlete.
Saying Goodbye to New York:
C Brad Richards has signed with the Chicago Blackhawks.
D Anton Stralman has signed with the Tampa Bay Lightning.
C Brian Boyle has signed with the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Interestingly enough, Dan Boyle wears the same number as Brian Boyle (22). So for those of you with a Boyle shirt from seasons past…here’s a bit of serendipity.
For more New York Rangers news, updates, and photos, be sure to follow the team on Twitter (@NYRangers) and Instagram (@NYRangers).
And for those of you counting…69 days until the first preseason game (vs. the New Jersey Devils!)
The Nashville Predators have all the defense that a team could ever need in Weber, Jones, Josi, Victor Bartley, my favorite former Devil Anton Volchenkov, and Ryan Ellis (even though he’s a RFA this year), but where they really needed help was at center and with scoring. With Mike Fisher having a major setback with a ruptured Achilles tendon which will keep him out for the next 4-6 months, the Preds have been making seemingly small moves that will hopefully have long lasting effects.
With new coach (and Coach #2 in the history of the team!) Peter Laviolette at the helm, this off-season the Preds signed Olli Jokinen to a one-year/$2.5 million deal, the aforementioned Volchenkov to a one-year/$1 million deal, James Neal nee the Pittsburgh Penguins for forwards Patric Hornqvist and Nick Spaling during the NHL Draft in June, and D Mattias Ekholm (most famous for coming up from the Milwaukee Admirals at the tail-end of the 2013 season after Kevin Klein was injured) signed a 2 year/$2.075 million contract.
Today the Preds signed centers Mike Ribeiro to a one-year/$1.05 million deal and Derek Roy to a one-year/$1 million deal. Ribeiro had a terrible season last year with the Coyotes, with rumors circulating that it was affecting his marriage (or vise versa) and also was affecting his hockey life with things such as shouting matches with the coach, being late to team meetings, etc. which GM Dave Poile and Ribeiro discussed in a press conference on Tuesday.
This isn’t the first time the Predators have taken a chance on someone who had something to prove (King of Predators Twitter Rich Clune and former Predator Jordin Tootoo both quickly come to mind) and hopefully with so many low risk contracts, the Preds will do better than last seasons’ 88 points and second from the bottom in the Central division.
April 27th, 2013. The Dallas Stars finish 5th in their division with a record of 22-22-4. They fail to make the playoffs for the fifth straight season.
July 4th, 2013. Tyler Seguin is traded to the Dallas Stars.
For the Stars, the 2013-2014 season was a fresh start. They had a new Captain, a new coach (Lindy Ruff, fresh off of sixteen seasons coaching the Buffalo Sabres) a new look (replacing the old black and gold jerseys with ‘victory green’ and silver), a new top line (Benn, Seguin, and promising rookie Valeri Nichushkin), and a new motto: A Star Is Rising.
April 11th, 2014. the Dallas Stars shut out the unstoppable St Louis Blues and clinch their first playoff spot since 2008. This season, Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin have combined for seventy one goals and 163 points. Valeri Nichushkin adds another thirty four points on top of that
April 27th, 2014. The Stars get eliminated in the first round against the powerhouse Anaheim Ducks (one of the only teams in the league with a duo that combined for more points than Benn and Seguin), but they achieved more this season than anyone thought possible.
The Dallas Stars, it seems, have arrived. But they’re not done yet.
July 1st, 2014. Almost a year after the now-famous Seguin trade, Jim Nill, GM of the Dallas Stars, makes another move. Jason Spezza, the captain of the Ottawa Senators, is now a Star. Hours later, his linemate, Ales Hemsky, joins him.
The Central Division, already top heavy with almost unbeatable teams like the Chicago Blackhawks and the surprise of the 2013 season, the Colorado Avalanche (fresh off of their own new head coach, goaltending legend Patrick Roy and leaning heavily on 2013 first overall pick Nathan MacKinnon) just gained another reason for the Eastern Conference to fear road trips out west.
October 8th, 2014. The Dallas Stars open their season at home against the Chicago Blackhawks. No one knows what the outcome of that game will be, or indeed their season as a whole, but as a Stars fan and as a hockey fan, all I can say is that I’ll be on the edge of my seat, waiting impatiently for my team to explode.
The New York Islanders, who selected 7 players at this year’s NHL entry draft have been busy ensuring that these potential future NHL players have a solid team to play with.
Calvin de Haan:
At 23 years old, the defenseman had 16 points in 51 games and averaged over 21 minutes of ice time per game. Calvin de Haan started last season with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers before being called up to the Islanders in November 2013. He was selected 12th overall in the 2009 NHL entry draft. Calvin’s increased presence on the ice will help the Islanders with some much needed defense. The Islanders have signed the Carp, ON native to a three year contract.
Calvin de Haan
Casey Cizikas:
The New York Islanders have signed center, Casey Cizikas, 23, to a two year NHL contract. The 2014-2015 season will be his third full season with the team. The Toronto, ON native had 16 points in 80 games played with the team last season.
Casey Cizikas
Nikolai Kulemin:
Former Toronto Maple Leafs Left Winger, Nikolai Kulemin has signed a four year contract with the New York Islanders. The 44th overall pick in the 2006 NHL entry draft had 20 points in 70 games played in the 201-2014 NHL season.
Nikolai Kulemin
Mikhail Grabovski:
30 year old center, Mikhail Grabovski has signed a four year contract with the New York Islander. Playing his eighth season in the NHL with the Washington Captials, the center had a total of 35 points.
Mikhail Grabovski
T.J. Brennan:
The New York Islanders signed 25 year old Willingboro, New Jersey native, T.J. Brennan to a one year contract. The defenseman posted 72 points with the Toronto Marlies last season earning himself the AHL’S Eddie Shore Award for the best defenseman.
T.J. Brennan
Chad Johnson:
Adding yet another goaltender to a team that has struggled in this area may be the organization’s way of creating a cushion and stop the team from suffering from another streak of lacking a solid goaltender. Chad Johnson, 28, signed a two year contract with the New York Islanders. The goaltender played 28 games last season with the Boston Bruins and had a record of 17-4-3.
Prev
