With the 2011 NHL Free Agency period beginning at 12 noon Eastern today, the Islanders have already struck out when they traded for the rights to Christian Ehrhoff earlier in the week.
Looking back to last year, the team suffered the same fate when Paul Martin and Dan Hamhuis spurned the Islanders for “better” teams.
Apparently, Jesse Joensuu has opted to sign in Sweden with HV71 of the SEL for two years, as opposed to the Bridgeport to Islanders shuttle he’s ridden the last few seasons here in North America.
This has been Confirmed by the Islanders this morning.
Update: translated link to HV71
While this doesn’t have too much of an effect on the Islanders – the Sound Tigers lose a pretty integral piece.
While the organization loses Joensuu for the time being, they will retain his rights and could always wind up back in North America.
