With training camp all but over, it’s time to trim the fat – an inevitable part of camp that many players likely do not look forward to. In my mind, (well my imagination anyway) – I picture Manny Legace or Dean McAmmond going to their locker after the split squad scrimmages last night and finding a big fat red card. What follows is a stream of obscenities or in other cases maybe even some tears.
In all seriousness, I am sure that’s not how things are handled, but it’s fun poking fun and referencing sports movies. No?
The Islanders today announced that they have cut several players from the roster and assigned them to their AHL affiliate Bridgeport Sound Tigers and have also released several players who were invited to camp on tryout agreements.
Forwards Justin DiBenedetto, Micheal Haley, Rob Hisey, Jesse Joensuu, Mark Katic, Tomas Marcinko, Rhett Rakhshani, David Ullstrom, and Jeremy Yablonski, along with defensemen Dylan Reese, Travis Hamonic and goaltender Mikko Koskinen have all been assigned to the Sound Tigers.
Veterans Dean McAmmond, Jed Ortmeyer, Anders Eriksson, Manny Legace and Krys Kolanos, who all accepted invitations on PTO contracts for Training Camp, all hit the unemployment line and will be looking for employment elsewhere in the league.
This round of cuts, follows a smaller cut earlier in the weekend when the Islanders placed defenseman Dustin Kohn on waivers, and assigned Robin Figren, Kevin Poulin, Anton Klementyev and Tony Romano to the Sound Tigers. Also hitting the unemployment line was Joel Martin, when he was released from his PTO – but he will be attending the Sound Tigers training camp.
It was a busy weekend, but the Islanders are that much closer to setting their final roster of 23 players – and they have until Wednesday to do so. The Islanders have five days of practice until their home opener next weekend the 9th when they take on the Dallas Stars
