Russian forward Kirill Petrov won’t make his first appearance on Long Island for at least another year. Petrov is one of four key prospects who will miss the five-day rookie camp that begins Monday at Iceworks in Syosset.
Petrov’s absence is more of a timing issue than anything. The lengthy process to obtain a U.S. visa and the fact that his club team, Ak Bars Kazan, opens training camp on Saturday prevented Petrov’s attendance this year. Denver University forward Rhett Rakhshani, University of Minnesota defenseman Aaron Ness and Swedish goaltender Stefan Ridderwall also will miss the camp.
Prior to the recent NHL draft, Petrov was the second-ranked European skater behind countryman Nikita Filatov, but the big winger lasted to the third round because of concerns over his contract status and the lack of a transfer agreement with the new Russian Continental League (known as the KHL in Russia). Negotiations between the NHL, KHL and several European leagues yesterday did not produce a transfer agreement, but each league agreed to respect the contracts currently in force.
The Islanders have been told by Petrov’s Ottawa-based agent that he has two years remaining on his deal, but in recent published comments and in conversations with the Islanders at the NHL scouting combine, Petrov indicated his desire to one day play in the NHL. “He told us in the interview that he wants to be an NHL player when we met him at the combine,” Islanders assistant general manager Ryan Jankowski said today. “We put a lot of stock into that, and it’s reassurance for us that, at some point, we’ll be able to get him over here to be an Islander.”
At this point, Petrov doesn’t speak a word of English, so, the Islanders are working strictly through his agent. They plan to monitor his play with AK Kazan throughout the season and expect to see him on the Russian team at the world junior championships in Ottawa. “That gives him some North American exposure there, and it gives us a chance to see him and meet with him at some point,” Jankowski said. “We’re not rushing into anything. We know it’s going to be a long process.
“The NHL and the Russian Federation have agreed to respect each other’s contracts. It’s no transfer agreement by any means, but at least there’s an agreement in place that we’re respecting each other’s contracts. It’s going to be more of a marathon than a sprint to get him over here, but what we do want to do is let him know how excited we are that he’s an Islander. Hopefully, now we can start the process to get him at least here for minicamp next summer.”
Ridderwall also had a scheduling conflict with the beginning of training camp for Djurgardens in the Swedish Elite League. He’s expected to compete for the starting job. Jankowski said the absence of a transfer agreement means the Islanders have an extra year until next June 1 to sign Ridderwall or lose their rights to him. Rakhshani will be absent because of obligations to the University of Denver, and Ness, who was the Isles’ first pick in the second round in June, is completing his high school studies so he can attend the University of Minnesota in the fall. He began last school year as a junior but was asked by Gophers coach Don Lucia to accelerate his graduation to reach college a year early.
Watch this space for more information on rookie camp over the weekend.
Comments (30)
Hey Greg,
This post has nothing to do with this subject.
It deals with the "future" of the Islanders.
Is there a future?
The other day in the chat you brushed off the Lighthouse Project situation by saying that it was a news story.
Nice try.
That project is the future of our team. You know, the team you cover for a living.
I try to see the glass as half full, but it is getting harder and harder too.
I see what Garth did in the draft and in free agency as a sign that he has been told not to spend money. Yes, they must spend 40 million, but it sure looks like the Islanders payroll will be the lowest the league allows.
Now, Charles is selling the Dragons. This makes no sense. It is (to me) another sign that he see's the writing on the wall.
So Greg, let's ask that question again.
What is the status of the Lighthouse Project?
How do we get Newsday (news, sports any department) to write about it? Why not a five part series (Newsday loves to run those) investigating why this project has not been approved. Let's call out the politicians that are holding this up.
I don't want this to be the last year of the New York Islanders.
Robert, there is no doubt that the Isles need the Lighthouse project, but I think that signing Witt to that extention should prove that they are not afraid to spend if they think it is a good fit. Brooklyn Islanders? Of course, they would have to start building that building as well.
The project HAS actually been approved at the county level. It's currently in environmental review, which County Legislator Dave Denenberg said to my face will take a year or a year and a half. I've been in separate communication (well, OK, D$ has) with the NY State Department of Environmental Conservation, and this is just par for the course since the SEQRA (State Environmental Quality Review Act) process defines a whole new level of "slow."
The politicians are, outwardly, not holding this up as much, though I also hope we as citizens can be vigilant in case they try to stall it and blame SEQRA for it. There will be public comments on the project this fall, at least that's my understanding, and as soon as the environmental review is completed the team goes back to the County to negotiate a lease. After that, I think they'll be breaking ground. I don't know if their goal of July of 2009 is viable due to SEQRA being a royal pain, but they'll come as close as possible.
I don't know what's up with the Dragons, but we already know Wang has spent a lot of money on the Lighthouse project. Why would he cut and run now, especially when things seem to be moving?
Despite this - I have to echo the disappointment that few at Newsday see fit to give this regular coverage.
Guys - hope, if you haven't already, you can click on my name, sign the petition, and spread the word. Thanks, our little citizen group is 5 shlubs, and we need all the help we can get!
A Newsday article did publish a "story" about Wang selling the Dragons to focus more on the Islanders. There are STILL UFAs and FAs out there, maybe even a trade. The Islanders have time and all we as fans can do is watch, listen and wait. The Lighthouse project LOOMS LARGE and is slow moving through all the red-tape brouhaha. Watch, listen and wait...
HI NICK How much do you trust Denenberg? You do know that he pled guilty to forging signatures on his petition to get onto the ballot and still he got elected. Only in Nassau County.
I'll give Denise Ford (my districts rep) a call tomorrow and see what her office has to say. I've called her office before and they are pretty good about getting an answer back to you.
I'll also give the TOH a call and see what they have to say. Not that they will telling you anything earth shattering but perhaps we can see how things are moving along. My daughter works for TOH
so she knows a few people to talk to.
Anyway I'll give it a shot and let you know......Sir William
Thanks, it's very much appreciated....Denenberg is my legislator, and for better or worse he's been seeking me out at these things since I gave a speech at the County hearings in 06. I did know about the forgeries, and I wish I could've spoken to a better source, but he was the only legislator who showed up at the Town of Hempstead for the hearings. All I know for sure is he said a year to a year and a half when I asked for his honest opinion on the process. Assuming that's true, the environmental review would have to be at the extreme lower bound in order to actually break ground next summer. That was the immediate thing I took out of that - this whole "We'll break ground in July of 2009" might very well be unrealistic. The question becomes - where do we go from here, and can we expedite the process?
f5
The other interesting question, in addition to that, comes out of the Coliseum itself. Since the Coliseum isn't new construction, they could start the renovations tomorrow and not be subject to the environmental review. If everything seems to be going well, would they take the risk and start the renovations before the review of the wider project completes?
Personally I don't see them doing that because we could already have a renovated Coliseum NOW if they chose to go that route. It's still something to think about.
Nick, I know that the best hope of yourself and just about everyone else on this blog is that the project gets approved and the team remains in Nassau to flouish again. I am just curious though, because the implication keeps coming up. In all your dealings, contacts, meetings, or even casual conversations with anyone connected to the situation, have you come across any hint of actual consideration of Brooklyn as an option ?
Nick .. not that this will get the process done faster ... but it wouldn't hurt anything. It might get Newsday / Cablevision involved in the process more.
Has Wang / Rechler considered having Newsday / Cabevision put a news bureau in any of the commericial buildings? They could have an MSG2 / News12 studio along with a Newsday bureau where Greg and some colleagues can have their offices. Enticing some of the local media outlets with some low cost lease space in such a new facility would help garner support from those parties .. or the Dolans as it may be.
Also. How about the transportation hub? Where do they stand there? I think that is going to be a huge part of the equation to make the LHoLI an overall success. Light rail? Mono-Rail? Link to LIRR?
I found some old proposed plans I had worked on with some fellow students when I attended NYIT in Old Westbury ... we were part of the AIAS (American Institute of Architectual Students) ... and were working on a model project to solve the transportation problem in the Greater NYC area with Engineer students at our school.
Obviously nothing every came of it. LOL!!!
But the concepts and ideas that were thrown out also included hubs at various large towns in LI. I think the failure of our concept was that we had no solution on how to handle future growth since the concept in itself would attract more growth (Thus the resistance to the 60 story tower at he LH) ... but the logisitical geographical problem with Long Island and NYC is that outside the political boundaries most of the area is a combination of islands. The borders can only span as far as the shores ... and other than Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens and the Bronx .. there is resistance to build upwards.
So the Light House really needs to bridge the gap between the metro-transit hubs already in place ... and the new facility. There needs to be a solid plan for light rail / mono rail.
Maybe a transit loop? Connecting at the LIRR Belmont .. Garden City ... Mineola .... Eventually they can create a two line loop ... one northern ... and one southern light rail system.
The student engineer that worked on the project with us had a great system and it was designed to reduce traffic on the LIE, Northern and Southern State Pkwys. The professors guiding us thought it was brilliant transit scheme .. but ultimately our plan would cause population migration concentrations causing bigger problems locally .... not like that didn't happen anyway. LOL!!
Basically his transit hub was a series of light rail loops that intersected at LIRR hubs and points of interest ... ie: NVMC, malls, shopping hubs, corporate parks.. etc.
f5
Anon - I'm not privy to the off-line discussions of the Lighthouse people; I only know what they tell me when I get in their faces and ask. I think they'd be crazy to not consider Brooklyn, but in all honesty that project looks like it's in much more trouble than the Lighthouse. I'll bet you Brooklyn is considered as the fallback, but I don't know any specifics, and that project needs to be approved before anything moves forward. As Mark Herrmann pointed out in his article last week, Atlantic Yards is relying heavily on tax-exempt bonds, and with the new government stance on issuing those bonds to private developers, Bruce Ratner might be in serious trouble. I have a small glimmer of a feeling that you might see Wang buy the Nets and use them as leverage for the Lighthouse, or try to forge a partnership.
19 Isles - Your broadcasting idea is brilliant, and I'll be sure to forward that along to them. Please also send your transit proposal, and I'll try to pass that along as well (you have my email).
The transit issue is a sticky one, since we all know NIMBYism rules the day on Long Island. Transportation projects, especially any that include Garden City, face an uphill battle. The Lighthouse does not have a specific idea, and they claim to me that the overall climate around transit improvements is the main reason. They don't want to endorse a specific idea (light rail, monorail, LIRR extension, Bus Rapid Transit), because if the transit idea is struck down it could also sink the Lighthouse proposal. They, from what I've seen, are open to any and all options, and the gas prices nowadays might convince more people to come around to that line of thinking. Before substantive change can happen, Nassau County needs to give adequate funding and stop deferring maintenance at Long Island Bus, and we need to get over a fundamental conflict in Garden City. The abandoned rail spur that ends around Quentin Roosevelt Blvd would be perfect, but people from Garden City who've spoken at these events have all but said they would lie down on the tracks to prevent that from happening.
It will be a tough battle either way, and I just hope there's a real solution.
And when I say NIMBYism I of course mean Not In My BackYard, not the wonderful kind of NIMBYism we practice here.
Nick why don't we get around 20K people and do what they did in the move WE ARE MARSHALL ........and you can bust into the meeting and make them look out the window.....
All of us will have a ton of beers and get everyone together and hold up our fists screaming """WE ARE ISLES !!! """
The Lighthouse would get approved that night ;) !!
**By the way if you did not get goose bumps during that part of the movie you do not have a pulse! ***
I think, Steady, that would be awesome. Problem is we sometimes have trouble getting 8,000 to show up at a GAME.
Nick ... these plans are from the late 80s and on what seems to be 20" x 30" scrolls ... so they aren't going to squeeze through my scanner ... LOL !! Everything is hard copy in a binder .. it was a project that my school worked on with Hofstra, St. John's, Columbia, City College, NJ Inst. of Tech, Rutgers and Princeton on the problems of Urban development ... which includes infrastructure, transportation, commercial development, residential develop etc in the NYC metro area ... Lots of good young idealistic minds ... LOL ... but no true solution. I wonder what my 60+ other fellow students went on to do ... I got seduced by TV and Music broadcasting ... LOL!! The students involved in this were from many disciplines ... architechture, archtectual engineering, mechanical engineers, hiway engineers, transit, sociology, environmental engineers, etc. etc.
What is Ironic is ... the project is titled. "Infrastructure Solutions for the NYC Metro area for the New Millenium" .... 8 years behind schedule already. LOL!
I'll look over the specs to see if there is anything that is more NVMC specific. The guy who designed the transit solutions was way ahead of his time... brilliant ideas never implemented.
On the light transit map for Nassau Cty there are loops that intersect the Hofstra / NVMC area ... I'll get back to you on this later... if anyone else has ever seen these solutions .. please chime in ... maybe someone can bring them to light to the LHDG
I'm sure they'd love to see any of it, but I'm equally sure you won't see them take any steps toward making it a reality until after the shovels are already in the ground and the transportation becomes independent of the Lighthouse itself.
Posted by Nick
...I have a small glimmer of a feeling that you might see Wang buy the Nets and use them as leverage for the Lighthouse, or try to forge a partnership.
This is interesting. As I recall, basketball is Mr. Wangs' first love and buying an NBA franchise was his first option before the Isles. Despite the continued public optimism by the Ratner organization, I think his project is indeed in major trouble. And although a return of the Nets to LI to join the Isles again would be awesome, I am not certain of Mr. Wang's viability as an NBA owner, for a couple of reasons. Also, and again despite Ratner's public stance to the contrary, I think there is movement on an attempt to bring the Nets to Newark.
NICK, I guess I should have know better than to expect to find anyone working on a Friday afternoon in July. I did fill out a questionaire from Denise Ford and will publish the response when she gets back to me.
The TOH couldn't find anyone who didn't speak double talk so all I really got was a lot of "The process is moving along" and "we are monitoring this very closely" and a lot of other crap about how Kate Murray loves the Islanders.
I'll keep after it and see who I can pin down next week when someone who can answer a staright question may be working.........Sir William
Thank you, Sir William. I appreciate the effort, and let's hope the double-talk stops next week.
Happy Friday Sir William ... Speaking of someone who can answer a straight question ...
Nick .. the buzz on Islandermania is that someone from SMG told a member poster ... gazaroog ... that the Islanders are going ahead with the renovation next July in anticipation of the approval of the environmental review. However ... I see zilch on the Light House Site ... and zilch on the Islander site ... any one of the minions you might have contact with have a clue about this??
If this is true ... that is REALLY GREAT NEWS ... but Greg hasn't wrote about it either ... so I wonder if the SMG person is just repeating assumptions.
Here is the post from Islandermania...
"Hopefully this doesn't come up as a double post.
I apologize if I am coming late to the party on this news or if I am disclosing something that wasn't for public knowledge yet, but I just learned that they are breaking ground on the renovations to the Coliseum next July. Coliseum will be shut down for 4 months (July-October) for 5 years.
Makes even more sense why Wang sold the Dragons.
Amazing, takes 2 years to build a brand new baseball park for 2 major league teams and 5 years to renovate an existing building. Granted, they are only working 4 months out of the year, but I am sure they will be working on it during the season as well. "
My main source over there is the Lighthouse PR coordinator. That could very well be the case, since the Town of Hempstead attorney told me the Coliseum renovation is approved from the get-go. The existing building, as I said, means no SEQRA. Every presentation I've been to has Wang, Rechler, or Michael Picker (head of the Lighthouse Development Group) inviting everyone to the groundbreaking ceremony next July - "after the Islanders win the Stanley Cup."
It's interesting that they would say that, since I was wondering that myself. Both issues have definite pros and cons - if they go ahead with the renovation, you get a new building a year sooner than otherwise, but on the other hand the Coliseum could be built and that would destroy the Town of Hempstead's motivation to accept th rest of the proposal. They've always said the Coliseum is Part 1, and they'll be working on the exterior architecture and dropping the arena floor first from my understanding. Once the outer shell is complete they can do more year-round work while the team is playing.
I'm intrigued to see how this plays out.
Here's a not so interesting read.....
http://thehockeynews.com/articles/17158-Top-Shelf-Glory-days-a-distant-memory-for-Islanders-fans.html
Who's the guy who said "Any publicity is god publicity"?
Guys, as for interfering owners, how about those two guys in Tampa. They just unloaded Jay Feaster and now are running the team themselves. They brought back Barry Melrose and dumped Boyle. They are loaded up front, but still have no defense and no goalie. And are capped out????
Maybe Wang is not the worst owner is sports anymore....Sir William
Oh my God I've found my Baumbach!
And did you guys see the assistant GM's on Tampa, one of which might be promoted, or they might even serve as co-GM's:
Claude Loiselle and Tom Kurvers!
Talk about names from the past....I remember one of my first NHL games of my life, when Kurvers scored 2 goals, and the fans threw hats after another goal even though he didn't score it. Good times...
Here ya go guys and girls.....
The Isles are recruiting "official team bloggers" for next year.
http://islanders.nhl.com/team/app/?service=page&page=NewsPage&articleid=368179
Steady, Sir William, Nick, 19Isles (I'm not sure there's enough bandwith in the old barn for you), and all you other poetic waxers...get your applications in now.
I can see it now:
"FIRE EVERYONE! Steady's Bobblehead Blog"
19Isles could simply be entitled "War and Peace".
Sir William's could be "When You Assume, You Make An...."
Nick's could be "The Lights Are On In This House".
Mine?
"From Two Time Zones Away", of course...
or..
"You Don't Want Me To Blog On Monday Nights"
or..
"I Mop The Boys On The Vinal Flore With This Blog"
or..
"Whoever's Wearing Number 3 Better Be Good"
or..
"Has Anyone Seen The Beerman?"
The troll returns........SIR WILLIAM