Islanders Sign Mike Halmo

NY Islanders Sign Mike Halmo To An Entry Level Contract

LW. Mike Halmo Age: 20 Height: 5-11 Weight: 174 Drafted: Undrafted 2011-12 Statistics: Owen Sound Attack (OHL): 63 GP | 39 G | 42 A | 81 P | plus-24 | 158 PIM CONTRACT: 3 Year Entry-Level Contract (ELC) Important Facts: -Fifth most Penalty Minutes in the OHL. -Fifth most Points in the OHL.

Thoughts: 

The NY Islanders announced yesterday that they have signed twenty-year old OHL overager, Mike Halmo to an entry-level contract. He will join the Bridgeport Sound Tigers once his current team — the Owen Sound Attack — finish up their season. 

Halmo was one of the most attractive undrafted free agents in the Ontario Hockey League, and the Islanders had a lot of competition from rival clubs to acquire his services. According to OHL Prospects Blog, he was the number one OHL overage free-agent prospect. In the past, the Islanders haven't been very active in the undrafted free agent market, especially the more coveted players, so its telling that they chose to pursue Halmo. 

Mike Halmo's game is unique because of the different elements he's able to bring to the table. Throughout his OHL career he's always been an imposing physical presence, but his offensive production has improved each year he's been in the league. With that being said, Halmo will always be noticed because of his physicality. Since his first day in the OHL he's been one of the best hitters in the league, as well as one of the more dirty players. Last night Halmo showed both of those characteristics in action when he hit Nail Yakupov with a questionable open-ice check. Halmo may not be the biggest player at 5'11 - 174 pounds, but his heart and determination make up for it. The comparison that I've heard frequently is to his former line-mate, Andrew Shaw. I could definitely see him ending up as a very similar player to Shaw which would be fantastic for the Islanders. If he's unable to take that same successful path, the worst possible outcome is that he'll become a 'Micheal Haley-type' who is more of an AHL player that can be recalled when needed, rather than an everyday NHL'er. 

I like this signing for the Islanders as there is a lot more 'reward' than there is risk. I believe undrafted free-agent signings are extremely beneficial to a hockey club, as Brian Burke puts it "they're free draft picks". A guy like Halmo is ready for the pro-game, but has a decent upside as well which makes him the perfect type of player to add in this capacity.

Sound Tigers Clear Day Roster

The New York Islanders' AHL affiliate — the Bridgeport Sound Tigers — have announced their Clear Day Roster. For those of you that have questions about what exactly these 'Clear Day Rosters' are, here is theAHL.com's description of the rule:

Each Clear Day roster consists of a maximum of 22 players. According to AHL by-laws, only those players listed on a team’s Clear Day roster are eligible to compete in the remainder of the 2011-12 AHL regular season and in the 2012 Calder Cup Playoffs, unless emergency conditions arise as a result of recall, injury or suspension. Teams may also add signed draft choices and players signed to amateur tryout contracts, provided that their respective junior or college seasons are complete.

The Sound Tigers Clear Day Roster:


*Players not under contract to the Islanders
FORWARDS (13):
Sean Backman
Casey Cizikas (Currently Playing For The Islanders)
Jeremy Colliton
Justin DiBenedetto
Trevor Frischmon
Micheal Haley
Scott Howes*
Tomas Marcinko
Tyler McNeely
Kael Mouillierat*
Rhett Rakhshani
Blair Riley*
David Ullstrom (Currently Playing For The Islanders)

DEFENSEMEN (7):
Calvin de Haan
Matt Donovan
Mark Katic
Jon Landry*
Aaron Ness
Steve Oleksy*
Ty Wishart

GOALTENDERS (2):
Anders Nilsson (Currently Playing For The Islanders)
Kevin Poulin


The players who don't make the cut for the clear day roster, get put 'in residence'. A player in residence can only be used during the remainder of the regular season or the playoffs if three members of the 22-man roster are injured, recalled or suspended during the same span of time. 

The Sound Tigers put the following players 'in residence':
Brett Gallant (LW)*
Trevor Gillies (LW)
Tony Romano (C/RW)
Russ Sinkewich (D)*

Leafs Re-Sign Mikhail Grabovski

Maple Leafs Find A Way To Keep Mikhail Grabovski

Official Toronto Maple Leafs Press Release -  Brian Burke, President and General Manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs, announced Tuesday that the hockey club has agreed to terms on a five-year contract with forward Mikhail Grabovski. As per club policy, financial terms of the contract were not disclosed.  "We are extremely pleased to have Mikhail under contract for the next five seasons,” said Burke. “His speed and skill are valuable commodities and fit perfectly with our style of play. He leads by example and his work ethic speaks for itself."  Grabovski, 28, has registered 45 points (20 goals, 25 assists), a plus-seven (+7) rating and 18 penalty minutes in 59 games with the Maple Leafs this season. The 5-11, 183-pound centreman currently ranks first on Toronto in plus/minus and third in goals and points in 2011-12, and he was named the NHL’s First Star of the Week for the period ending January 30.  The native of Minsk, Belarus has appeared in 304 career NHL games with Montreal (2006-07 to 2007-08) and Toronto (2008-09 to present), registering 82 goals, 113 assists, 195 points and 188 penalty minutes. The Leafs acquired Grabovski on July 3, 2008 from the Canadiens in exchange for the rights to Greg Pateryn and Toronto’s second round pick in the 2010 Entry Draft. He was originally selected by Montreal in the fifth round, 150th overall, in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft.

CONTRACT DETAILS: Length: 5 Years (2012-13 - 2016-17) Cap-Hit: $5,500,000 Pay-Out Details: 2012-2013 - 2016-2017 $5,500,000

Reaction:

Another big-name has decided to re-sign with his current club, and bypass his shot at unrestricted free-agency. Mikhail Grabovski was one of the players that was expected by most to test the market, and with this signing I'm sure many teams will need to re-evaluate who they'll look to acquire in the off-season because of it. 

The five-year deal will bring him to the age of thirty-three which means he'll be playing his prime years in Toronto. With that being considered his large annual salary becomes a bit bearable, but its still worth noting that he'll be the second highest paid Toronto Maple Leaf and will be earning more money than Phil Kessel. The reason why I'm more accepting of this over-payment than most other examples, is simply due to the unimpressive crop of remaining pending free-agents. Not many quality players are left, and general managers like Brian Burke, realize that they will need to throw big money at their pending free agents because it will be very hard to replace any players of value. It explains the bloated contracts - like this one - that have been handed out.

Looking past the terms, the Leafs are locking up a very good top-six center and for a club in their position it is essential that they keep the working parts together. On pace for his second straight 50+ point season, his contributions have been key to the Toronto Maple Leafs' offense. For a guy that consistently gets knocked for his defensive play, he's also had very impressive plus/minus numbers. Last season he led the Leafs with a plus-14 (next highest was plus-8), and this season he's leading the Maple Leafs again with a plus-7. 

His play has been improving year-to-year, and with this new long-term stability he should continue to flourish with the Leafs.

Bruins Sign Marty Turco

With Rask Out, Bruins Add Veteran Goalie Marty Turco

G. Marty Turco Age: 36 Height: 5-11 Weight: 184 Important Facts: -He's spent this season with EC Salzburg of the Austrian League -Not eligible to play in the post-season with the Bruins -His last stop in the NHL was last season with the Blackhawks -Three-time NHL All-Star (2006-07, 2003-04, 2002-03) -Two-time Roger Crozier Saving Grace Award (2002-03, 2000-01)

CONTRACT DETAILS: Length: 1 Year (2012-13) Cap-Hit: $600,000 Pay-Out Details: 2012-2013  $600,000

Reaction:

Last week the Boston Bruins would've been the absolute last team you'd think would sign a veteran goaltender, but with Tuukka Rask's injury over the weekend they were put into an unexpected situation. With Rask out for somewhere between 4-6 weeks, the Bruins felt it was necessary to add a veteran goaltender that will give them some extra insurance behind Tim Thomas. 

Of all available goalies, Marty Turco is the best-fit for a team like the Bruins. He's proven himself at the NHL level, has a lot of big games under his belt, and is a leader in the locker room. The Bruins are banking on Rask coming back by playoff time though because Turco is ineligible to participate in the NHL Playoffs this season because of how late in the year he signed back into the NHL. 

Because he signed in the NHL mid-year after playing part of the season overseas he's got to go on waivers before he can play with the Bruins. By tomorrow afternoon we will hear if he has cleared and can join the Bruins roster, or if he has been claimed by another club.

Isles Nearing End Of Re-Build

Islanders Are Getting Closer To Where They Want To Be
And just like that, the Islanders are right back into the playoff mix. 

After a disappointing road trip that saw the Isles get only three points of a possible eight, they revived the small amount of hope remaining for a playoff berth. With sixteen games left in the Islanders season they are currently five points out of the eighth playoff spot. The Isles don't have another game until Thursday, by which time the deficit will be even larger, but its very good to be even talking about the playoffs this late in the season. 

I'm not sure about everyone else, but I see a team in the Islanders very similar to the St. Louis Blues. They are on the verge of being very successful, but they need one little thing to put them over-the-top. Whether that is a coaching change, a good player in his prime, or simply a little more development time for the younger players, it is one lucky break that will make this team a contender.

This summer WILL be the biggest in Islanders history. They need to prove to both Nassau County and other potential destinations that they are committed to winning and being successful. Garth Snow must identify what change needs to be made and once they are able to find and fix it, the Islanders will finally see the pain of this rebuild pay off. 

Prospect Signings 3/1/2012

Prospect Signings: March 1st, 2012

-Minnesota Wild Sign Charlie Coyle To A Three-Year Entry Level Contract

-Pittsburgh Penguins Sign Adam Payerl To A Three-Year Entry Level Contract

-Tampa Bay Lightning Sign Cory Conacher To A 2-Year Entry Level Contract
-Montreal Canadiens Sign Morgan Ellis To A 3-Year Entry Level Contract

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Minnesota Wild Sign Charlie Coyle To A Three-Year Entry Level Contract

RW. Charlie Coyle Age: 19 Height: 6-2 Weight: 205 Drafted: Selected In The First-Round (28th Overall) Of The 2010 NHL Entry Draft By The San Jose Sharks 2011-12 Statistics: Boston University (HE): 16 GP | 3 G | 11 A | 14 PTS | E +/- Saint John Sea Dogs (QMJHL): 16 GP | 12 G | 12 A | 24 PTS | plus-15 +/- USA (WJC): 6 GP | 4 G | 1 A | 5 PTS  CONTRACT: 3 Year Entry-Level Contract (ELC) Important Facts: -Acquired by the Minnesota Wild from the Sharks in the deal that sent Brent Burns to San Jose. -Was named the Rookie Of The Year by Hockey East for 2010-11. -On December 16, 2011 decided to leave BU for the Saint John Sea Dogs of the QMJHL.

Thoughts: 

Charlie Coyle has a great NHL career ahead of him, and the Wild decided to get his signing finished nice and early to make sure that they don't hit any speed bumps. Because he decided to leave Boston University and jump to the QMJHL, the status of his rights were changed. Under the new parameters his rights would've expired during this upcoming off-season had the Wild been unable to sign him. That new urgency to get him signed was definitely a factor in their aggressive contract talks so early in the year.

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Pittsburgh Penguins Sign Adam Payerl To A Three-Year Entry Level Contract

C. Adam Payerl Age: 20 (on 3/4/12 will turn 21) Height: 6-2 Weight: 203 Drafted: Undrafted 2011-12 Statistics: Belleville Bulls (OHL): 58 GP | 20 G | 25 A | 44 PTS | 104 PIM | 2 +/- CONTRACT: 3 Year Entry-Level Contract (ELC) Important Facts: -Penguins signed him as a free-agent. -Attended training camp this year for the Blue Jackets as a camp invitee. -Has played five seasons in the OHL. -Has played 302 games in the OHL.

Thoughts: 

Despite having some great centers at the NHL level, the Penguins have very little depth at the position. Adam Payerl is a nice under-the-radar addition that will help in fixing that weakness. He will never be a top-six forward at the NHL level in my opinion, but he has some intriguing characteristics that will make him a decent AHL player. He may end up as a 'first call-up' type, but I think that is his upside.

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Tampa Bay Lightning Sign Cory Conacher To A 2-Year Entry Level Contract

LW. Cory Conacher Age: 22 Height: 5-8 Weight: 176 Drafted: Undrafted 2011-12 Statistics: Norfolk Admirals (AHL): 56 GP | 29 G | 35 A | 64 PTS | 90 PIM | 7 +/- CONTRACT: 2 Year Entry-Level Contract (ELC) Important Facts: -Lightning signed him as a free-agent. -He has been playing for the Tampa Bay's AHL Affiliate, the Admirals. -Was named to the 2011-12 AHL All-Star Game. -Third most points of all players in the AHL.

Thoughts: 

With Conacher playing on Tampa's AHL affiliate, most people have expected him to sign with the Lightning. They've been very happy with his play, and it's caught the attention of many people in the hockey world. Despite his success, there remains a lot of skepticism about how his talent will translate to the NHL level. 

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Montreal Canadiens Sign Morgan Ellis To A 3-Year Entry Level Contract

D. Morgan Ellis Age: 19 Height: 6-1 Weight: 196 Drafted: Selected In The Fourth-Round (117th Overall) Of The 2010 NHL Entry Draft By The Montreal Canadiens 2011-12 Statistics: Screaming Eagles (QMJHL): 34 GP | 7 G | 18 A | 25 PTS | -3 +/- Shawinigan Cataractes (QMJHL): 18 GP | 6 G | 15 A | 21 PTS | 21 +/- CONTRACT: 3 Year Entry-Level Contract (ELC) Important Facts: -On December 31st, 2011 the Cape Brenton Screaming Eagles traded him to the Shawinigan Cataractes. -Was the captain of the Screaming Eagles for the 2010-11 season, and the 2011-12 season (until being traded).

Thoughts: 

He's been on fire since being traded to Shawinigan, and I'm sure the Habs were of the mind-set that they should lock him up early before he has even more success in the playoffs and in the Memorial Cup. He's been a great leader in Shawinigan and I fully expect him to be a large piece of their post-season.

Isles @ Flyers Preview

Game Preview: NY Islanders @ Philadelphia Flyers

With the NY Islanders eight points out of the 8th playoff spot, its fair to say that tonights game in Philadelphia is a 'must-win' if they would like any chance at making the post-season. With the entire team healthy, there is literally no excuse for a poor effort. The last time the Islanders faced the Flyers Evgeni Nabokov stole the game for the Isles in a 1-0 shootout win, and for a similar result Nabokov will have to - once again - stand on his head. 

Islanders players will be faced with a significant physiological burden to overcome following their heartbreaking loss in Washington. Thus far this season they've struggled when dealing with adversity which raises quite a few concerns regarding how mentally prepared they are for tonight's game. A situation like this is where a head coach must step up to lead their team through the adversity which means tonight will be very telling about Jack Capuano's lack of leadership in the locker room if the club falls flat on their face.

Evgeni Nabokov, as expected, gets the start for the Islanders. Nabokov has done great against the Flyers in his career with an 8-1-2 record. 

The healthy scratch for the Isles is Nino Niederreiter. This is the second straight game that Niederreiter has been sat (For more on Niederreiter: Niederreiter's Struggles).