100% true Seph. He wanted a lot more defensive responsibility.
The puck-moving ability is there, the only thing he doesn't really possess is a great shot. But, most of his goals are on good heads up play such as having good instincts such as scoring on big rebounds when he hops in on the fly. Nice kid too.
Kinda sounds like a Martinek type. Would be nice if he could become a healthy version of Radek.
The Utah Grizzlies thank Bport for this signing. He most likely wont be in Bport this year
I agree. I'm sure there will be more AHL contracts similar to this, including the possibility of Nikiforov re-signed, another forward or 2, a few defensemen and a goalie. The Sound Tigers need the best depth guys they can find so they can step right in when injuries and call-ups occur. We need better depth guys than Dennis Packard or James Sixsmith... Jon Gleed is a good example of players we need, reliable, experienced and doesn't make any mistakes. Good thing he is coming back. Would love to see Max Gratchev signed to an AHL deal with Bridgeport if he can't find a better offer elsewhere.
I agree. I'm sure there will be more AHL contracts similar to this, including the possibility of Nikiforov re-signed, another forward or 2, a few defensemen and a goalie. The Sound Tigers need the best depth guys they can find so they can step right in when injuries and call-ups occur. We need better depth guys than Dennis Packard or James Sixsmith... Jon Gleed is a good example of players we need, reliable, experienced and doesn't make any mistakes. Good thing he is coming back. Would love to see Max Gratchev signed to an AHL deal with Bridgeport if he can't find a better offer elsewhere.
I agree about sixsmith and kind of agree on Packard. Packard may have never scored played a nice roll but that roll could have been played by Haskins and Morency. When Morency played on the PK he looked far from out of place. He actually looked decent.
Hopefully Haskins gets a deal but with the clock ticking I see it less chance of this happening.
I would like to see Gratchev play a year in Utah or atleast a few months just to see what he will bring to the table on a pro level.
I also want the Isles to get Martin under contract. The Sarnia kids are going to have alot to do with Bport's success next year.
I am very curious to see what depth signings Bport has going into next season. They really need a guy with some toughness and skills on the blueline. It showed in the playoffs how untough Bport's blueline was. How many times was Bports goalie banged into in the first round with minimal reprocussions.
Ok i am getting off topic lets just hope Bport puts a solid team together for next season.
He is more than eligible, big mistake if we choose to send him back to JR. Sarnia could possibly be the worst team in the league next year, I wanna get him signed because if he plays on a lousy team he might not have as good as numbers as he had last season. The only way I won't be upset if he goes back to JR's is if he gets traded to a powerhouse like Windsor(his hometown) or London. He needs to be signed ASAP, I don't think he could score 35 goals in juniors again.
Or a good option for both sides, Martin signs an AHL deal for the season. Therefore it saves the islanders a contract. After the season the Islanders sign him to a 3 yr entry level contract since we have his rights until next june. LA did this with Justin Azevedo this past season, they had him signed to an AHL deal with Manchester, he had a good yr and is likely to an NHL deal.
I wouldn't mind seeing Martin back in Sarnia. I realize they are a bad team, but he will get huge minutes over there, and he IS the Sarnia Sting right now. Let him take over that squad for now.
As for Haskins, I would like to see him back. I don't know what they are waiting for. He was a tremendous asset to the team. You can't deny the fact that this kid brought 110% every single shift. You just can't let a guy like that go.
just wondering how Andrew McDonald did last year and if you think he has a future in the NHL
He did very well in the AHL (9-23-32) with a plus rating and made the AHL all-star team. He was on the first line pairing for one of the AHL's top 5 or 6 clubs.
He played in 2 or 3 games for the Islanders, receiving little ice time and looking pretty nervous.
I personally don't think he has an NHL future, but I'd be happy if he proves me wrong.
just wondering how Andrew McDonald did last year and if you think he has a future in the NHL
He is very good at the AHL level which was pointed out by CISLE. From what I have seen at this point I dont think he is worse then FMVIIIIIIII. I think another year playing on the top pairing in Bport will do him very well. I can see Mcdonald and Kohn having huge years next year and playing 20 plus minutes a night.
I think if all goes well he will be a good 3rd pairing guy in the future and if he really pushes (maybe) a 2nd pairing player.
I'm not sure if anyone knows the answer to this, but I wondering to what extent the following situation is at all plausible/realistic:
A Small offensively gifted defense prospect ( like an Aaron Ness or Ryan Ellis ) is tried out at a forward position where a lack of size would be less of a disadvantage during camp.
Obviously this is not commonplace and no one would draft Ellis with this intention but I was wondering if a team who after a few years of holding a player like this in the system feels and decides the player is just to small for the blue line, would a team be open to trying something like this... hopefully someone has some sort of opinion on the matter
I'm not sure if anyone knows the answer to this, but I wondering to what extent the following situation is at all plausible/realistic:
A Small offensively gifted defense prospect ( like an Aaron Ness or Ryan Ellis ) is tried out at a forward position where a lack of size would be less of a disadvantage during camp.
Obviously this is not commonplace and no one would draft Ellis with this intention but I was wondering if a team who after a few years of holding a player like this in the system feels and decides the player is just to small for the blue line, would a team be open to trying something like this... hopefully someone has some sort of opinion on the matter
I can't give you any example of this having been done successfully at the NHL level.
Sure, Dmen have sometimes become 4th liners in times of need (see Bryan Berard), but a smaller Dman with great offensive skills being transformed into a potent forward.... theoretically one would have to view it as possible. Just haven't seen it.
I'm not sure if anyone knows the answer to this, but I wondering to what extent the following situation is at all plausible/realistic:
A Small offensively gifted defense prospect ( like an Aaron Ness or Ryan Ellis ) is tried out at a forward position where a lack of size would be less of a disadvantage during camp.
Obviously this is not commonplace and no one would draft Ellis with this intention but I was wondering if a team who after a few years of holding a player like this in the system feels and decides the player is just to small for the blue line, would a team be open to trying something like this... hopefully someone has some sort of opinion on the matter
It happens often in numerous career minor leaguers.
The only blueliner currently in the NHL misused at wing on a team 2 years ago was M.Striet.That had nothing to do with height.
I can't think of any successful players make the NHL switch offhand but I can tell you Sami Kapenen played D for the Flyers on many occasions and he played it very well when he needed to fill in.
So, the Isles added Munroe (goalie), Reich (forward) and Westgarth (defenseman).
Munroe looks like a goalie who you expect to start in the AHL.
Went 31-19 last season.
Westgarth is a purely, purely defensive Dman. Seeing this signing (two-way contract nonetheless!), I have to wonder if Callander and Lee really priced themselves out of the market or something.
Jeremy Reich .... that's a comical signing. I just knew - and surely y'all did too - that this team was gonna sign another ex-Bruin.
This is a guy who can fill in the NHL in a pinch, no doubt, but in light of the loss of Iggulden, Walter, Mclean and Colliton, I gotta wonder where they think the offense is gonna be coming from?
So, I now gotta wonder if they're gonna sign anyone else?
At the moment, I can say that I was much more into the signings of Callander, Lee, Mannino, Hennigar, Mclean and Iggulden this time last summer.
I would like to see Koskinen challenge Munro for the Bport #1. From what I have read the kid seems pretty good and I think he is an exciting project for our team.
***
"We're going to be very, very active Wednesday, very quickly," Bridgeport team president Howard Saffan said.
"Just like last year, we've identified what our needs are and ranked players within those needs. By (Thursday), we'll be done. It worked last year; it'll work this year."
Last year, the organization struck quickly on July 1 and 2, signing veterans who led the team to a top-five finish in the AHL. The team will likely target some size on defense, size and scoring up front, and additional goaltending depth.
***
Well, not even a week after the UFA season began, it looks like Saffran and the Islanders have done JUST that!
Not bad... I still wonder if one more scorer may be added? Maybe the team will just hold off and wait to see what bubble player may be on waivers come the fall?
So, without knowing all of the contractual details, the team SEEMS to currently consist of the following:
Goaltenders: Certain: Munroe, Lawson Expected: Koskinen
Defensemen: Depth AHLers: Wotton, Flood, Westgarth, Prospects: MacDonald, Kohn, Katic Maybes: Hillen On the ECHL bubble: Gleed
***
"We're going to be very, very active Wednesday, very quickly," Bridgeport team president Howard Saffan said.
"Just like last year, we've identified what our needs are and ranked players within those needs. By (Thursday), we'll be done. It worked last year; it'll work this year."
Last year, the organization struck quickly on July 1 and 2, signing veterans who led the team to a top-five finish in the AHL. The team will likely target some size on defense, size and scoring up front, and additional goaltending depth.
***
Well, not even a week after the UFA season began, it looks like Saffran and the Islanders have done JUST that!
Not bad... I still wonder if one more scorer may be added? Maybe the team will just hold off and wait to see what bubble player may be on waivers come the fall?
So, without knowing all of the contractual details, the team SEEMS to currently consist of the following:
Goaltenders: Certain: Munroe, Lawson Expected: Koskinen
Defensemen: Depth AHLers: Wotton, Flood, Westgarth, Prospects: MacDonald, Kohn, Katic Maybes: Hillen On the ECHL bubble: Gleed
I really like the make-up of the defense, Westgarth is tougher than anyone we had on D last yr and Flood will be an upgrade over Lee. Wotton is as good of a mentor for the young D-Men as you can possibly have. If you saw any of the games last season you can see his presence was felt on guys like MacDonald and Kohn, who are right on par with their development. I'm interested to watch Katic and see how he can contribute on the power-play unit. Throw Hillen into the mix and we might have one of the most mobile defensive corps in the AHL.
Offense is a concern of mine. The only likely proven offensive guys are Mauldin, Joensuu, and Smith. Big Problem. They need at least 20 goals this season from Bentivoglio and Figren or Dibo. I really think that Dibo will be a top 6 forward for us by default, which is great for his confidence and development if he's a steady producer. I'm also counting on Hennigar to produce 50 to 60 points and I'm sure the sound tigers are as well. We have plenty in the toughness dept. with the likes of Haley, Reich, Rechlicz and Morency.
Goaltending is our biggest strength. Munroe and Lawson will be a solid tandem. I'd love to see Koskinen next season in BPT, but it won't make me upset if he returns to Finland next season to get a ton of playing time. I really see this team grinding out a lot of 3-2 shootout decisions next season.
I really like the make-up of the defense, Westgarth is tougher than anyone we had on D last yr and Flood will be an upgrade over Lee. Wotton is as good of a mentor for the young D-Men as you can possibly have. If you saw any of the games last season you can see his presence was felt on guys like MacDonald and Kohn, who are right on par with their development. I'm interested to watch Katic and see how he can contribute on the power-play unit. Throw Hillen into the mix and we might have one of the most mobile defensive corps in the AHL.
Offense is a concern of mine. The only likely proven offensive guys are Mauldin, Joensuu, and Smith. Big Problem. They need at least 20 goals this season from Bentivoglio and Figren or Dibo. I really think that Dibo will be a top 6 forward for us by default, which is great for his confidence and development if he's a steady producer. I'm also counting on Hennigar to produce 50 to 60 points and I'm sure the sound tigers are as well. We have plenty in the toughness dept. with the likes of Haley, Reich, Rechlicz and Morency.
Goaltending is our biggest strength. Munroe and Lawson will be a solid tandem. I'd love to see Koskinen next season in BPT, but it won't make me upset if he returns to Finland next season to get a ton of playing time. I really see this team grinding out a lot of 3-2 shootout decisions next season.
Bports Defense ,toughness and goaltending is great but there offense is lacking. At this point they will need to be winning games 2-1 on a regualr basis because they will have only 1 solid scoring line. Unless Hennigar,Bentivoglio ,Figen and Dibo make a huge offensive impact it can be a long season. This team needs to add at least 1 AHL scoring vet.
As it stands presently Bport will be a team full of muckers and grinders.
