New York Islanders‘ 3rd round pick in 2007 (#62 overall), 3rd year defenseman Mark Katic(71) hasn’t exactly been the luckiest pro at shaking off injuries. He succumbed to a second surgery right before the season started to repair a shoulder that sidelined him from the last Isles’ regular season game of 2010/2011 on April 9 until March 4.
His return was with their AHL affiliate Bridgeport Sound Tigers, a team he has now played 112 games for scoring 7 goals and 37 assists.
In 11 NHL games he has no goals and an assist.
He’s in the final year of his 3-year entry level deal and having spent so much time and money on medical bills it would be no surprise to see him get a qualifying offer for another year or two.
He’s still only 22 years old and definitely has potential puck moving, play making capabilities in his style of play. If there’s a downside, it’s been a pretty horrible plus/minus, although those numbers were on very subpar teams.
How he responds to his first pro postseason play will probably be huge to see where he sits on the depth chart.