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Tagged: New York Islanders

31May

Rhett Rakhshani(10) Linkoping

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Rhett Rakhshani(10) is in the second year of his 3-year entry level contract with New York Islanders after being selected in the 4th round of the 2006 draft (#100 overall).

He suffered a concussion in NHL preseason action that derailed the start of the 2011/2012 season but has responded nicely since rejoining Bridgeport Sound Tigers‘ lineup. In 27 games he has 9 goals and 16 assists with a remarkable +18 plus/minus (tied for 6th in the league).

Recently recalled, he has played 5 games with the Islanders averaging roughly 10 minutes of ice time per night but in 7 appearances between the last two seasons he has yet to register a point.

He looks to be on the block for reassignment to the AHL.

Original entry 2/12-12.

The now 27-year old will lace up the skates for his third SHL team, initially leaving North American pro hockey in 2012 to join HV71.

After connecting for 14 goals and 25 assists in 52 games he left to skate for Vaxjo Lakers, where he posted almost identical numbers from his first campaign overseas.

His stats dipped to half the offense production during the regular season in his second year with the Lakers but he exploded in the playoffs with 8 goals and 4 assists helping them win the 2015 SHL Championship.

For 2015/2016 he moves on to sign with Linkoping

03Apr

Ryan Pulock(6) Bridgeport Sound Tigers

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New York Islanders‘ 1st round pick in the 2013 draft (#15 overall) rookie defenseman Ryan Pulock(6) is having himself the kind of season with minor league affiliate Bridgeport Sound Tigers that he was setting up in four years of junior hockey with Brandon Wheat Kings.

He spent his last two years as team captain scoring 23 goals in 66 WHL games and also averaged over 36 assist in each campaign.

The 6’1 220 lbs. blue liner continues his scoring streak as he has a team leading d-man goal mark of 15 on the farm club and 28 points to lead all first year players in scoring.

He was an emergency recall on one occasion but has yet to skate an NHL game.

The still super young 20-year suffered an injury during training camp that sidetracked him some but is under an entry level contract through 2016/2017, so has time to continue his already pretty speedy development and will likely compete for a roster spot out of the next training camp.

28Mar

Fight Card: Brett Gallant(44) vs. Thomas Larkin(37)

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Bridgeport Sound Tigers‘ tough guy Brett Gallant(44) gets a little too close to the goalie for Springfield Falcons‘ 2nd year defenseman Thomas Larkin(37) liking.

The younger, bigger 6’5″ 220 lbs. Larkin is no stranger to dropping the mitts but still has half (6) the fights this season of the veteran Gallant with 13. He’s also much smaller at 6′ 198 lbs and has 3 NHL 5-minute major penalties on his resume.

04Mar

Matt Carkner(3) Bridgeport Sound Tigers

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14th year veteran defenseman Matt Carkner(3) has played in the NHL exclusively for the last 5 years. He’s played 237 games scoring 4 goals and 23 assists.

It also took him 5 seasons to crack a big league lineup through his entry level deal with San Jose Sharks. He appeared in one game with them.

Originally a Montreal Canadiens‘ 2nd round pick in the 1999 draft (#58 overall), the unrestricted free agent spent most of his playing days in the system with the defunct Cleveland Barons.

Currently signed through the end of this season, he’s in the last of his three-year deal with New York Islanders, but after coming off injured reserved was sent directly to affiliate Bridgeport Sound Tigers.

It’s his first appearance in the minors since 2011 when he played three games on a conditioning reassignment to Binghamton Senators while under contract with Ottawa.

The big 6’4″ 226 lbs. wide body may be best remembered for his five campaigns with the Canadian nation’s capital team. He had his best offensive production with them in 2009/2010 when he got 2 goals and 9 assists and scored a triple overtime gwg in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

The 34-year old may be playing out his time in the AHL but could get a recall as the postseason draws nearer and the parent club needs to rest some players.

As far as continued playing time in his pro career, he’ll likely have to shift his game overseas or maybe sign a one year deal to continue to help develop prospects on a farm team.

26Feb

Kael Mouillierat(48) New York Islanders

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New York Islanders‘ 5th year undrafted left wing Kael Mouillierat(48) has worked hard for every break he’s received.

Signed on the opening day of free agency to his first big league contract, a one-year two-way deal. He spent his first full season 2013-2014 in the AHL with St. John’s IceCaps, where he eclipsed all his career high scoring marks tallying 20 goals and 33 assists in 60 games and added another 7 strikes and 6 helpers in 21 postseason contests that only ended in the 2014 Calder Cup Finals.

The small-ish looking 6′ 190 lbs. forward looks to likely hit a new best in goals (he already has 18 in 51 games) with affiliate Bridgeport Sound Tigers.

First, he will have to be reassigned back down, as patience and hard work pay off and he received his first call-up. Although fairly quiet in his first two appearances he struck for his first point, a key assist, and then got his first NHL goal in his third, a big 5-1 victory.

All probably a bit surreal for a guy that started his first three seasons under agreement with Idaho Steelheads and played his entire rookie season with the ECHL team, where he finished with 119 points in 117 games. yup.

The 27-year old is set to become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the current campaign but you can place bets he’ll be retained to stay where he is to continue his steady, storybook development.

18Feb

Fight Card: Harry Zolnierczyk(16) vs. Steve Spinell(44)

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Not exactly a battle of the giants: Bridgeport Sound Tigers‘ 6’ 185 lbs. Harry Zolnierczyk(16) vs. Hartford Wolf Pack 6’2″ 216 lbs. defenseman Steve Spinell(44).

Unsure of what set this one off but the smaller Zolnierczyk was feisty enough to hold his own.

It was both combatants first and probably only fight of the 2014/2015 season.

The best part of the fight though are the people’s expressions in the background, especially the guy that pops in and out of shots.

23Jan

Cory Conacher(89) Bridgeport Sound Tigers

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Undrafted, 4th year left wing Cory Conacher(89) has been on a bumpy ride with four different teams since signing his first NHL contract before the lockout shortened season with Tampa Bay Lightning.

He inked his initial 2-year 2-way entry level deal after winning the 2012 Calder Cup with then affiliate Norfolk Adrmirals, being named AHL rookie of the year, playoff MVP and putting up more assists than any other first year player during the regular season and in the playoffs.

Although he is most definitely under-sized at 5’8″ 179 lbs., he was merely following up a celebrated run at Canisius College, where he recorded all-time highs for goals, points and game-winning tallies and an incredibe first run with three teams in two different leagues he recorded 8 goals and 4 assists in 10 games but was held to only an assist in seven postseason contests.

He jumped out quickly when the big league got back under way 9 goals and 15 assists in 35 games but ultimately he was expendable when the parent club needed goal tending and found himself traded off to Ottawa Senators at the deadline.

He played his only full slate of regular season games in 2013/2014 but fell short of expectations with 4 goals and 16 assists in 60 games.

Ultimately he was to be reassigned back down but the horrible Buffalo Sabres picked him up on waivers.

He skated with them for the remaining 17 games and got himself a nifty 3 goals and 3 assists but was a woeful -7 plus/minus.

Heading into his second unrestricted free agency, first since he signed a minor league contract to start his pro career, he didn’t have to wait long as New York Islanders saw something they liked and swooped right in on opening day getting him to agree to a one-year two-way deal.

It looked like he’d come out strong but through 15 games faltered on a roster filled with lots of bigger, younger studs with only a goal and a pair of assists.

The 24-year was waived and sent to farm team Bridgeport Sound Tigers, where he’s settled in quickly hitting the back of the net 4 times and dishing 11 helpers in 15 games.

He be a free agent at the end of this year and it’s looking like the small forward might have better luck taking his game across the pond.

See related: 11/8-11

17Jan

Parker Milner(30) Quad City Mallards

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2nd year undrafted net minder Parker Milner(30) was a 2-time NCAA Championship with Boston College Eagles and voted MVP in the 2012 Tournament but can’t seem to catch a break.

After signing a one-year, two-way minor league deal with Bridgeport Sound Tigers, he barely got to show anything on a training camp invite to parent club New York Islanders, who were reported to sign him over the summer but already had a glut of goaltenders, before being released.

With little room to play on the AHL club, he was reassigned to start his pro career with Stockton Thunder, where he spent the majority of his rookie season.

In 25 ECHL games he may not have posted a winning record at 9-14-1-1 but had a respectable 2.84 GAA and .907 SV% with a pair of shutouts. He had similar numbers in 8 games on recall but managed a 4-2 record on a farm team that struggled and even won three straight starts.

The 6’1″ 188 lbs. backstop inked a one-year deal with Quad City Mallards for his sophomore campaign and looks to be on his way to setting new high marks.

In 18 contests he’s 9-6-2 with a 2.48 GAA and .919 SV%.

He earned a call up to Iowa Wild and was thrown into the net as they were getting shellacked and unable to stop the bleeding.

The 24-year old has worked hard to gain notice and will continue to earn every inch he gets.

10Jan

Sebastian Collberg(49) Bridgeport Sound Tigers

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New York Islanders‘ Swedish-born rookie right wing Sebastian Collberg(49) got the wake-up call pretty quickly as he was reassigned down to affiliate Stockton Thunder when he wasn’t really producing much with farm club Bridgeport Sound Tigers.

In 6 ECHL games he produced 4 goals and 3 assists that proved he definitely belonged on a higher level of hockey. He already had 3 seasons of pro experience in his home country’s top league SHL skating for Frolunda.

He rebounded nicely, in 18 AHL games he now has 3 goals and 5 assists and is definitely starting to contribute. Two of those tallies were notched when he returned up the ladder.

The 5’11” 186 lbs. forward, who was originally a Montreal Canadiens‘ 2nd round pick in the 2012 draft (#33 overall) then traded, is only officially signed through the end of this season, when his three-year entry level deal with two years on loan, expires.

The only 20-year old will need to continue to step it up and prove himself worthy for a look at the next level to earn a qualifying offer.

04Dec

Brent Sopel(55) Chicago Wolves

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Enduring 17th year defenseman Brent Sopel(55) has not appeared in an AHL game since 1999-2000 with Syracuse Crunch, then affiliate of Vancouver Canucks.

He was originally a ‘Nucks 6th round pick in the 1995 draft (#144 overall) and last skated in the minors with the old Kansas City Blades in the last year of the IHL. His stint was a short 4-game stay as this would be his first complete season in the show.

The 37-year old has skated an absolutely phenomenal 659 NHL games and was a key member of the 2010 Stanley Cup win with Chicago Blackhawks.

Only one season removed hockey’s biggest prize he would disappear for three years to the KHL.

Returning to North America to be play closer to home, he entered training camp on an invite with Chicago Wolves and signed a one-year deal as the 2014/2015 season started.

The 6’1″ 201 lbs. blue liner is already contributing nicely with 7 assists in 21 games and a +2 rating, plus is the senior member of his squad so his vast knowledge and leadership both on and off the ice is priceless.

He recently appeared in his 1000 pro game as his career continues and still eyes a return to the highest league of hockey.

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