James van Riemsdyk Signs 6 Year Extension

James van Riemsdyk Signs A Big 6 Year Extension With Philadelphia

TSN Press Release 

Philadelphia, PA (Sports Network) - The Philadelphia Flyers have signed forward James van Riemsdyk to a six-year extension worth $25.5 million. The average annual cap hit for the deal is $4.25 million. The team announced the deal Tuesday on its official Twitter feed and van Riemsdyk tweeted it was for six years. Van Riemsdyk was selected No. 2 overall in the 2007 NHL Draft and has played 153 games for the Flyers over the past two seasons, collecting 36 goals and 39 assists. The 22-year-old finished with 21 goals and 19 assists with a plus-15 rating in 75 games last season.

PattyB Thoughts:
This is one hell of a deal for the Flyers as they get a young budding star in this league locked up for a long time. Some fans seem to believe its a bit of an overpayment for a player who has never gotten over 40 points but at just twenty-two years old he has a ton of upside and next season I would bet my life savings he gets 80+ points. Also something that people haven't taken into account is the fact that this contract doesn't kick in until the 2012-13 season so for this upcoming year JVR will only be carrying a cap-hit of $1,654,166. In my opinion, he will break out this year and by getting him signed long-term now, its prevented any problems from arising because of that imminent break out season. Overall just a very solid deal for the Flyers.


CONTRACT DETAILS:

LENGTH: 6 YEAR(S)     VALUE: $25,500,000     TYPE: STANDARD     EXPIRY STATUS: UFA
SEASON	AHL SALARY	NHL SALARY	P. BONUSES	S. BONUS	CAP HIT
2012-13	$4,250,000	$4,250,000	$0	—	$4,250,000
2013-14	$4,250,000	$4,250,000	$0	—	$4,250,000
2014-15	$4,250,000	$4,250,000	$0	—	$4,250,000
2015-16	$4,250,000	$4,250,000	$0	—	$4,250,000
2016-17	$4,250,000	$4,250,000	$0	—	$4,250,000
2017-18	$4,250,000	$4,250,000	$0	—	$4,250,000

Yotes And Flames Swap Forwards

 Trade Details:

The Phoenix Coyotes trade Lee Stempniak to the Calgary Flames for Daymond Langkow

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Breakdowns:

Phoenix Acquires:  Daymond Langkow Phoenix Sends: Lee Stempniak

Phoenix Perspective:

The Phoenix Coyotes general manager Don Maloney made it clear a few days ago that they were on the look out for a solid center, yesterday they fulfilled that stated need. Daymond Langkow is the player they targeted from the get-go according to the people involved and they were very happy to add him. Langkow actually has a very nice come back story as his career nearly ended when he broke a bone in his neck from a slap shot from then teammate, Ian White. Langkow worked tirelessly for a year before he was finally able to return to the Flames line-up last season for four games. That come back earned him a finalist nomination for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy which is awarded to the player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey. Theres no denying that Langkow is a character player and he would provide a lot to a team off the ice, but personally I have to question what he will be able to bring on it. At thirty-four years old, he is no kid, and that along with the fact that he has only played four NHL games in the past year, makes for a big time question mark. If he is able to perform the way the Yotes expect him to, he will fit in very nicely for them whether that be on the top line or second line. I really would love to see Langkow do very well in Phoenix, but I really have to question why they would move a player like Lee Stempniak for a question mark like him. Stempniak fit in very well for the Coyotes as a top-six winger who was guaranteed at even his worst days to be effective. I would not have move him for Langkow just purely on the fact that he is much more safe than Langkow at this point. 

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Calgary Acquires: Lee Stempniak Calgary Sends: Daymond Langkow

Calgary's Perspective:

I LOVE this move for the Flames, I really do. Sure, Daymond Langkow was a good player for the Flames when he was healthy, but he carries a big cap-hit of $4,250,000 with him and at thirty-four he is on the back end of his career. By making this move the Flames are able to save $2,750,000 which is very big for a team that doesn't have a ton of cap space. They also are able to pick-up a very solid winger in Lee Stempniak, who is only twenty-eight years old and he has a very reasonable salary of $1,500,000. He will fit in with Flames top-six forward group well and he will provide them with a speedy player that can put pucks in the net. His consistency is a bit of a problem, but when he is "on" he is one hell of a player. I really believe he will be a very important acquisition for this Calgary Flames team, I am a big fan of this move for them.

Kris Russell On The Move?

Kris Russell Is No Longer In Columbus' Plan

The Columbus Blue Jackets are making it clear to teams around the NHL that Kris Russell is available and they are willing to listen to offers for the twenty-four year old defenseman. The Jackets have upgraded their defense corps dramatically over this past off-season with the additions of James Wisniewski and Radek Martinek. That has not only made Russell expendable, but it has pushed him so far down the depth chart that I am not sure he would even make an impact if he would remain in Columbus as his ice-time would be dramatically reduced. I personally like his upside and think he brings a lot to the table as a quick puck-moving defenseman, but the Jackets are a bit overwhelmed (in a good way) with quality offensive defensemen in their system. There are a few teams that have inquired on him, but as of now the Islanders are not one of them. I really hope they at least kick the tires on him, because if the market is really dry and no one else becomes available, Russell wouldn't be a bad option at all as he would slot into the Isles' top-four defense group well and play a role as a better Jack Hillen to some degree. 

Islanders Still Looking For A Top-4 Defenseman

Look For The Islanders To Make A Splash

A few weeks back they're were rumors spreading that the NY Islanders were closing in on a deal for a good top-four defenseman. To the dismay of Islanders followers, nothing has been completed yet, but thats not to say Garth Snow hasn't been trying. Chris Botta of Islanders Point Blank recently interviewed some NHL pro scouts that made it very clear that Garth has been kicking a lot of tires in the trade and free agent market. One scout said this: “(Garth Snow) is not done....Good players will be available during camp in trades and on the wire. A quality player that an Edmonton might not want to spend for could be snapped up by (Garth Snow)”. In my opinion, this is a clear indication that people around the league believe Snow is willing to spend some money for a decent defenseman and that if any become available on the trade market the Isles will be involved. 

What Will Happen With Brad Marchand?

Brad Marchand's Future With Boston In Question

Brad Marchand, who emerged as a fan favorite for the Boston Bruins during the 2011 Stanley Cup Playoffs, is not close to a new contract with the Bruins. The twenty-three year old forward plays an aggressive, hard-working game that when mixed with his good two-way skills makes for a player that really makes an impact every time he's on the ice. The Bruins have been trying desperately to get him signed, but as of now they have not been able to come to a deal. With training camp right around the corner, the longer he stays unsigned, the more likely his rights will be moved. He would be a very attractive player to almost any team in the league so it will be interesting to see what the Boston Bruins end up deciding to do with him. 

I'm Back Baby

UPDATE: After a long vacation in California (and a break from posting), I will be back to my normal posting. With training camp and the season right around the corner I will be doing some very cool features. Keep an eye out on those and please everyone on the east coast stay safe.

Player Transactions (August 19, 2011)

D. Joonas Lehtivuori
2010-11 Organization: Philadelphia Flyers
New Team: Try-Out with MODO of the Swedish Elite League


D. Casey Borer 
2010-11 Organization: Carolina Hurricanes
New Team: HC Pardubice of the Czech Elite League


D. Josef Melichar 
2010-11 Organization: HC Pardubice
New Team: Retired From Professional Hockey


C. Michael Nylander 
2010-11 Organization: Rochester Americans 
New Team: Try-Out with the Philadelphia Flyers

LW. Calle Ridderwall 
2010-11 Organization: Univ. of Notre Dame
New Team: Providence Bruins


G. Ramis Sadikov
2010-11 Organization: Erie Otters
New Team: Detroit Red Wings

Don't Count On Petrov

Don't Count On Petrov To Come To North America

According to someone close to the situation (I will not reveal who, but I will say he is a current Islander), its looking more and more likely that Kirill Petrov will not be coming over to the NHL. According to my source, when he comes over to North America he "feels very uncomfortable" not knowing the language everyone else is speaking, and unfortunately it looks like he has made no effort to try and learn english. Everyone points to his contract as the reason he hasn't joined the Isles, but you gotta realize if he had really wanted out of that deal there would have been a way, for sure. He is not coming to the Islanders rookie camp that is taking place right before regular Islanders training camp and trust me the Islanders wanted him there. Now I know he is having personal issues as his mother is very sick, but in my opinion this is just his latest reason (albeit a very reasonable and understandable one) for not coming to North America. Unless he has a dramatic change of heart, my source and I both agreed that he will probably stay in the KHL for the length of his hockey playing career. 

August 15th College Free Agents

AUGUST 15th NCAA RIGHTS EXPIRING (These players are now UFA's):


Anaheim Ducks:
LW. Justin Vaive 


Buffalo Sabres:
G. Nick Eno 


Calgary Flames:
C. Aaron Marvin 
LW. C.J. Severyn


Columbus Blue Jackets:
C. Matt Rust 


Detroit Red Wings:
RW. Nick Oslund
D. Bryan Rufenach 


Edmonton Oilers:
C. Robby Dee 


Florida Panthers:
LW. Ryan Watson 
D. Derrick Lapoint 


LA Kings:
C. Joshua Turnbull
LW. Garrett Roe


Montreal Canadiens:
C. Patrick Johnson


NY Islanders:
RW. Brian Day
D. Shane Sims 


Philadelphia Flyers:
G. Brad Phillips


Phoenix Coyotes:
G. Brett Bennett


SJ Sharks:
C. Patrick White


St. Louis Blues:
LW. Matthew McCollem 
C. Andrew Sackrison 


Toronto Maple Leafs:
LW. Ben Winnett 


Washington Capitals:
C. Philip DeSimone 
G. Dan Dunn 


Winnipeg Jets:
C. Jesse Martin
G. Alex Kangas

OTHER: D. Blake Kessel (Formally NY Islanders) became a free agent a few months back but is still unsigned.

Trent Hunter Receiving Interest

Trent Hunter Is Receiving A Lot Of Interest From Teams Around The National Hockey League

PattyB: Trent Hunter, who was traded to the Devils and then was bought-out, has been receiving a considerable amount of interest from a few teams around the league. Apparently Hunter's agent mentioned that he was getting calls from “a number of teams”. The destinations that may be suitable for him seem to be teams looking for a bottom-six winger. More than a few sources have mentioned the Ducks as the leading candidate as they still have an empty spot in their bottom-six and have the cap-space to fit him. Along with that, the Ducks also were the team that originally drafted him so it would be fitting for him to finish up his career there. Aside from the Ducks, the Jets and Coyotes are also teams that might look to add Hunter to their opening day line-ups.

Kyle Okposo 2010-11 SEASON REVIEW:

Kyle Okposo

Date of birth: April 16, 1988 (2010-11 Season Age: 22 (turned 23 right after season))
Place of birth: St. Paul, MN
Height: 6'1
Weight: 200
Shooting Hand: Right
Full (25+ games) NHL Season: 3rd Full NHL Season
Drafted: Islanders In The 1st Round (7th Overall) Of The 2006 Draft
Acquired: Drafted by the NY Islanders

2010-11 Season Stats:

New York Islanders  NHL:  Games Played: 38  Goals: 5  Assists: 15  Points: 20  PIMs: 40  +/-: +3

Short-Term Status:

He is a huge part of the Islanders future and their present. I would not be surprised if the Isles end up giving him the Captain responsibilities as he has become a big part of the Isles locker room. Of coarse that would be added pressure, but I feel as though he will be able to handle it. He will be given top-6 minutes for sure and I expect him to see ice-time in all situations throughout the game. 

Long-Term Status:

He in my opinion, is just as important to this team's future as any other player the Isles currently have in their organization. Okposo has great leadership qualities and he provides a hard-nosed, physical presence to the Islanders. He is also versatile as he can play in all situations and he will put up a good amount of points throughout the year. He is the ideal 2nd line winger and I believe he will be here for a long, long time (10+ years).

Contract Status:

LENGTH: 3 YEAR(S)     VALUE: $2,550,000     TYPE: ENTRY LEVEL     EXPIRY STATUS: RFA (2011)
SEASON	AHL SALARY	NHL SALARY	P. BONUSES	S. BONUS	CAP HIT
2007-08	ENTRY-LEVEL SLIDE			$85,000	$1,700,000
2008-09	$62,500	$850,000	$850,000	$85,000	$1,671,667
2009-10	$62,500	$850,000	$850,000	$85,000	$1,671,667
2010-11	$62,500	$765,000	$850,000	$0	$1,671,667
EXTENSION SIGNED: 5/25/2011 5 Year EXTENSION LENGTH: 5 YEAR(S)     VALUE: $14,000,000     TYPE: STANDARD     EXPIRY STATUS: UFA
SEASON	AHL SALARY	NHL SALARY	P. BONUSES	S. BONUS	CAP HIT
2011-12	$1,000,000	$1,000,000	$0	$0	$2,800,000
2012-13	$2,000,000	$2,000,000	$0	$0	$2,800,000
2013-14	$3,000,000	$3,000,000	$0	$0	$2,800,000
2014-15	$3,500,000	$3,500,000	$0	$0	$2,800,000
2015-16	$4,500,000	$4,500,000	$0	$0	$2,800,000

Review:This season was not an easy one for Okposo mainly due to a shoulder injury in training camp that kept him out for 44 games, which is basically the first half of the season. After a few months of difficult rehabilitation, he returned to the Islanders on January 20th. Obviously he was a bit rusty and it took him some time to get back to the level of play he is accustomed to. In his first five games back with the Islanders, he was ineffective and had only one assist. Then he started to look a bit more comfortable and slowly but surely he began to look like the regular Kyle Okposo. In the following ten games after his first five, he had 8 points and was a plus-six. Of coarse he had some ups-and-downs, but he definitely seemed to be improving as the season went on. He struggled with inconsistency at times, but as I previously mentioned a lot of that can be explained by his injury. It will be very interesting to see what kind of production he brings to the table next season. He will be given a lot of chances and will get top-six minutes so he will be expected to perform.

Season Grade (A+ to F-): C+

His injury really hurt his season and once he got back all he was trying to do was get himself to where he was before he got hurt. This season I was hoping he would be making steps forward and getting better than he was, but instead this year was spent trying to get him back to where he was and to be honest he still is not there. Now despite that, he did ok given the circumstances. I am really REALLY hoping that he will come to camp in great shape and ready to play and he will be able to take some steps forward.

MAIN SEASON REVIEW PAGE:

PLAYER REVIEWS

NEWS AND NOTES FOR AUGUST 11th

AUGUST 7th: NEWS & NOTES

Robbie Earl Will Not Join Dinamo Riga

PattyB: In a surprising turn of events, it looks as though Robbie Earl will NOT be joining Dinamo Riga despite the fact the club announced the signing. The club announced yesterday that he decided against playing for them at the absolute last minute which explains this development. The most likely reason for his change of heart is probably because he has gotten some interest from an NHL club.

Jackets Sign Dalton Smith To An ELC

PattyB: The Blue Jackets have signed Dalton Smith to an entry-level contract. Smith is a physical winger who has some upside. I would be very surprised if he ended up making the team this season as I think he needs one more year in the OHL, and maybe some time in the AHL. 

Blues sign Danny Syvret

PattyB: The St. Louis Blues have signed Danny Syvret to a one-year, two-way deal. This is a solid signing for the Blues who really needed to add a depth defenseman. He has a huge amount of hockey sense in all three zones. He lacks physicality which is the main reason he hasn't stuck at the NHL level, but in my opinion he has some very valuable qualities that could make him attractive for the Blues bottom-pair.

Robbie Schremp Has Signed In Sweden

PattyB: The former Islander, Robbie Schremp has signed a contract that will have him playing in Sweden next year. His new club will be MODO, and he should see a significant amount of ice-time. His game should flourish overseas as the extra space will really give him the ice he needs to show off his sick hands. I really was rooting for Robbie to succeed in the NHL, but it hasn't worked out and the lack of interest from NHL teams this off-season led him down a different path which may ultimately be solid for his career.

The Buffalo Sabres Have Re-Signed Marc-Andre Gragnani

PattyB: The Sabres have re-signed defenseman, Marc-Andre Gragnani to a one-year deal. Last season the 24 year old Gragnani, put up an astounding 60 points in 63 games for Portland of the AHL and was given the Eddie Shore Trophy for being the most "outstanding defenseman" in the AHL. He is definitely ready for the NHL and I expect him to have a really solid rookie NHL season.

Predators Sign Jack Hillen

Predators Sign Former Islander, Jack Hillen To A One-Year, Two-Way Deal

Official Press Release 

"Nashville, Tenn. (August 8, 2011) – Nashville Predators President of Hockey Operations/General Manager David Poile announced today that the club has signed defenseman Jack Hillen to a one-year, two-way contract worth $650,000 at the NHL level and $105,000 at the AHL level. Hillen, 25 (1/24/86), spent his first three professional seasons with the New York Islanders, most recently establishing career highs in goals (4) and points (22) while tying a personal best in assists (18) in 2010-11. The 5-10, 190-pound blueliner also ranked second on last season’s Islanders’ squad with 137 blocked shots in 64 games. In 175 career NHL contests, Hillen has 50 points (8g-42a) and 109 penalty minutes. A native of Minnetonka, Minn., Hillen played four years at Colorado College (2004-08), highlighted by a senior season that named WCHA Defensive Player of the Year, WCHA Scholar Athlete of the Year and a First-Team All-American. Signed as a free agent by the Islanders on April 1, 2008, Hillen represented the United States at the 2010 World Championships, posting one assist in six games."

PattyB Thoughts:
I am a big Jack Hillen fan and I truly believe he will be a solid everyday defenseman for the Preds. The fact that Nashville was able to get him on a two-way contract is impressive. There is literally no downside in this move because if Hillen ends up not making the team he can play in the AHL (if he passes through waivers) at only $105,000 and give the Predators a terrific first call-up option. I actually think he will end up not only making the team, but forcing his way onto the Preds second defense pair. He is an incredible skater and thats what will set him apart from other players. He plays his best hockey when he is paired with a defenseman who is good in their own zone, as it gives him the freedom to utilize his offensive skill and skating without worry. On the Predators there are quite a few defensemen who would give Hillen that needed jolt. I like this situation for Jack and I wouldn't be surprised if this turns out to be one of the best signings of this off-season. 

Contract Terms:

LENGTH: 1 YEAR(S)     VALUE: $650,000     TYPE: STANDARD     EXPIRY STATUS: RFA
SEASON	AHL SALARY	NHL SALARY	P. BONUSES	S. BONUS	CAP HIT
2011-12	$105,000	$650,000	$0	$0	$650,000

Career Statistics:

Season   Team                              Lge    GP    G    A  Pts  PIM  

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04-05  Colorado College            WCHA   30     2      9   11    20

05-06  Colorado College            WCHA   42     4      9   13    48

06-07  Colorado College            WCHA   38     7      8  15    38

07-08  Colorado College            WCHA   41     6   31   37    60

07-08  New York Islanders           NHL     2     0     1     1      4 

08-09  New York Islanders           NHL   40     1     5    6     16

08-09  Bridgeport Sound Tigers  AHL    33    4   13   17     31 

09-10   New York Islanders          NHL    69    3   18   21    44 

10-11    New York Islanders          NHL    64    4   18   22    45 

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PATTYB LINKS:

2010-11 Season Review

Islanders Sign More AHL Depth In Sean Backman

Isles Sign Sean Backman To A 1-Year, 2-Way Deal

Official Press Release 

"The New York Islanders announced today that Sean Backman has agreed to terms on a two-way (AHL/NHL), one-year deal. Backman, 25, scored 23 points (7g/16a) in 67 games with the Texas Stars of the American Hockey League during his first professional season last year. He also added four points (two goals, two assists) in five games with the Idaho Steelheads of the ECHL. A native of Cos Cob, CT, Backman played four seasons of collegiate hockey at Yale University (East Coast Athletics Association), earning ECAC co-rookie of the year honors as a freshman and captaining the Bulldogs during his senior year in 2009-10. Backman totaled 126 points (77 goals, 49 assists) in 122 career games at Yale. Prior to attending Yale, he played for the Green Bay Gamblers of the United States Hockey League, scoring 56 points (29 goals, 27 assists) in 57 games."

PattyB Thoughts:

Sean Backman seems like a solid depth addition for this Islanders club. Backman is young as he is only 25 years old and has only played one year of pro-hockey. This season he will come to camp already adjusted to the pro-game and I expect him to be very solid with Bridgeport. He is also the brother in-law of Matt Moulson which is very interesting and should make Backman very comfortable in this new setting. The BIGGEST concern with Backman is his size which is a bit small for the NHL. He is 5'8" and only 165 lbs. which leads to many doubters surrounding his potential and current effectiveness. The only reason I think his size shouldn't be a huge worry is because he has an incredible work ethic and has more heart than almost anyone. I think this is a solid depth signing, and hopefully he is able to provide a lot to Bridgeport's line-up.

Career Statistics: (taken from hockeydb)

Regular Season						Playoffs

Season	Team	Lge	GP	G	A	Pts	PIM	+/-	GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
2005-06	Green Bay Gamblers	USHL	57	29	27	56	30	24	3	0	0	0	6
2006-07	Yale University	ECAC	29	18	13	31	38
2007-08	Yale University	ECAC	32	18	9	27	16
2008-09	Yale University	ECAC	32	20	13	33	44
2009-10	Yale University	ECAC	29	21	14	35	12
2010-11	Texas Stars	AHL	67	7	16	23	20	1	6	0	0	0	6
2010-11	Idaho Steelheads	ECHL	5	2	2	4	4	2	--	--	--	--	--