New York Islanders Waiver Draft List: Protected/Unprotected
 

New York Islanders

Protected

Arron Asham, F; Adrian Aucoin, D; Shawn Bates, F; Jason Blake, F; Sven Butenschon, D; Eric Cairns, D; Roman Hamrlik, D; Kenny Jonsson, D; Evgeny Korolev, D; Oleg Kvasha, F; Justin Mapletoft, F; Radek Martinek, D; Janne Niinimaa, D; Mark Parrish, F; Michael Peca, F; Dave Scatchard, F; Jason Wiemer, F; Alexei Yashin, F; Rick DiPietro, G; Garth Snow, G.

Available

Derek Bekar, F; Martin Chabada, F; Mariusz Czerkawski, F; Jeff Hamilton, F; Ryan Kraft, F; Alan Letang, D; Eric Manlow, F; Alain Nasreddine, D; Brandon Smith, D; Mattias Timander, D; Dieter Kochan, G.

Looks like Paps is going to make the team. :)

Anybody else surprised that Chabada is available?

I would have to agree with you Darth. When I saw Chabada on the list, I was taken aback a little bit. But I'm not surprised to see Chow on that list...

-TL

It was either him or Evgeny Korolev. Given the value of d-men in any system, he's the one you hold closer to the vest. Though I don't think he's the better player at his respective position.

Korolev is in Europe and is unlikely to ever return to the NHL. I think Korolev is there to fill space in case they need to drop a guy to pick one up.

I considered that. But what if there is not anyone available they want to claim? Or what if a guy they might like to claim does not fall to them? Then they left someone else (Chabada) vulnerable for no reason. I would hate to lose him. I guess the question is : are there any teams out there ready to give Chabada a crack at the NHL? It is not very likely a team would pick him and expose another player only to add him to an AHL roster. Or is it?

Based on his age and draft status it doesn't seem there is a lot of demand around the league for his services. But from the perspective of a Sound Tigers fan his loss would be the most painful on this list, followed by Hamilton.

This process is still one of the most mysterious aspects of following the NHL.

Thoughts on Isles choices...
 

Derek Bekar, F; Martin Chabada, F; Mariusz Czerkawski, F; Jeff Hamilton, F; Ryan Kraft, F; Alan Letang, D; Eric Manlow, F; Alain Nasreddine, D; Brandon Smith, D; Mattias Timander, D; Dieter Kochan, G.

Butenschon was an unrestricted free agent last year and Florida signed him and sent him to the Isles for Kolnik.(was sent down by Florida) Korolev left in the first week of the Tigers season and considering how the Isles used him at the end of 2001-02 and did not include him with the Tigers playoff roster, I'm surprised he was protected when it means exposing others here they may need.
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Bekar-Is new to the organization do not see him being taken when he could have been signed during the summer by anyone.

Chabada-Is a surprise but if he cannot make the Isles and if his coach from last season does not think he can play at this level, is it worth keeping him in Bgpt or giving him perhaps a better chance elsewhere for someone who has come over to North America?

Czerkawski-Maybe Isles think no one would claim him after being on waivers last year, still to list him means they are willing to move on without him and really says Milbury wasted a million dollars that could have been spent better elsewhere or trimmed from a high payroll already. IMHO your owner approves a million dollars for a player you make it count. You like Czerkawski offer a tryout contract if he wants to come back, but for this franchise a million dollars is a lot of money.

Hamilton-Another shocker to me, he had a very good season last year and maybe just a depth player but may have been a good fit for a game or two on the Isles next year.

Kraft-See Bekar
Nasreddine-Someone has to be listed.

Alan Letang, Eric Manlow, Brandon Smith-All players handed two year deals by MM and now the organization would prefer someone take them asking why give them two years too begin with?

Timmander-Enough said. He should be the player to go, would be a good fit for Boston or a team needing a stay at home defender.

Kochan-Is the projected starter for Bridgeport unless he has been outplayed based on two preseason games for Bgpt that I think Dubie and Stirling started. If the Isles can upgrade with Scott Clemmensen they should do it without second thought.

In the end we'll see. One or two players could go or as happens many times no one could be claimed and the waiver draft could end quietly.

With all due respect to our humble moderator, I think he is missing an important point here.

NYI1 - There is a limit you know. Just because Chabada and Hamilton and the guys on two year deals are not protected doesn't mean the organization doesn't want them or is hoping someone will take them away. You can't protect everybody. If you want to protect one or two or five, you need to give us one or two or five names on the protected list to let go. Korolev is one, and I can't explain that, but that is about it.

There may be players here they are hoping to part with but probably very few.

Available

Derek Bekar, F; Martin Chabada, F; Mariusz Czerkawski, F; Jeff Hamilton, F; Ryan Kraft, F; Alan Letang, D; Eric Manlow, F; Alain Nasreddine, D; Brandon Smith, D; Mattias Timander, D; Dieter Kochan, G.
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Nobody surprises me here after the camp that some of our youngsters are having. Before training camp I would have said Chow? Timander? Why?

IBB, Your absolutely right and sure the Isle may very well want to keep all of them, and of course they cannot protect everyone. Korolev stood out for me, Butenschon also, but some players had to go on that list who were doing a good job and at aside from those two every other player the Isles needed to protect, IMHO.

To tell you the truth I did not take a closer look at who they protected and forgot it was 18 players and two goalies when I wrote the above message. I half expected to see Martin Kariya, Blaine Down, Grahame Belak and some players who are appparently exempt. Sometimes you see retired players from years ago on these kind of lists, I think last year an Islander from the mid 80's was included who's rights were here but never played a game and was in his late thirties. A former Ranger used to make the Oilers list years after he was gone.

In thsat case, they could've just held onto Chabada and drop him if someone better was available.

I think they have to make a dman available if they draft one. So, if Timander gets taken (seem reasonably likely) they could then draft a T. Simpson type and make Korolev available.

Also, I don't fully recall the rules, but I think you have to protect a certain number of forwards and dmen.