A couple of organizational notes as we get closer to the deadline:
–Mark Katic has been activated from injured reserve and sent to the Sound Tigers. Strictly from the text of the CBA, it seemed that had to happen today to make him eligible to play in the AHL this year. There were whispers floating around here that that might not be the case, that being on injured reserve since camp might affect that. This makes the whole argument moot, but I’m curious if there was anything to that; had no word from anyone official.
–Brian Rolston cleared waivers at noon, which adds him to the list of players eligible to be sent down before 3 p.m. today.
–A bit from elsewhere in the AHL Eastern Conference: Norfolk appears to pick up defenseman Keith Aulie from Toronto.
2:15 — By my count, that list of players eligible to be sent down is Rolston, Cizikas, Ullstrom, Niederreiter (though he’d surely have to go to junior), Martin and Hamonic. And before you ask, I have heard nothing about them considering it with the latter two, but I’d never have expected to see Okposo and Comeau three years ago, either.
Meanwhile, TSN reports that Mike Connolly, one of Worcester’s leading scorers, has been traded to Colorado in the Winnik/Galiardi/McGinn trade.
2:40–Non-deadline, but here’s the damage report from Providence after Saturday’s game; Mark Divver reports an upper-body injury to Anton Khudobin, suffered in the first period.
2:55–Reports flying about an Islanders-Bruins trade. Arthur Staple has Mike Mottau and Rolston going to Boston. Interesting that the B’s take him as a throw-in rather than paying $3,375 to claim him for nothing three hours ago. Awaiting the return.
3:01–TSN I think said it’s Yannick Riendeau and Marc Cantin coming back. Will seek confirmation. Edit: Staple has those two as well.
Riendeau and Cantin have both been up and down to the Coast this year. They’ll at least add a little bit of depth after losing those two bodies in Mottau and Rolston. Riendeau had ridiculous numbers in the QMJHL, but then again lots of players do.
3:20–The Islanders confirm that those two are assigned to Bridgeport but haven’t said anything about who else may be coming (or, after losing two guys off the NHL roster, going).
3:40–Told that Casey Cizikas and David Ullstrom should be eligible for the Clear Day list next Monday. They’ll remain up with the Islanders but were sent down on paper before 3 p.m. Meanwhile, here’s P.A. Parenteau’s quickie Twitter scouting report on Riendeau.
3:55–Cantin, I finally notice, played with Cizikas last year in Mississauga.
4:10–Got a couple of minutes with Brent Thompson. Will save quotes for the paper, but his quick impressions/research on: Cantin: mobile with an edge; Riendeau: pure scorer who can make a play. To be seen how they fit in here; “take it day-by-day.”
Assuming Katic is ready, at the moment, that gives Bridgeport eight contract defensemen (including Landry and Oleksy on AHL deals) and Brandon Gentile on a PTO. Including Rakhshani and Gallant, that’s 15 contract forwards (including Howes, Mouillierat, Riley and Gallant on AHL deals) plus Marc-Olivier Vallerand on a PTO. Don’t believe the Islanders have any emergency recalls, so the only players up there eligible to come here are Cizikas and Ullstrom.
Other guys sent down on paper include Eric Tangradi and Brad Thiessen to Wilkes-Barre, from Jonathan Bombulie, and Dmitry Orlov to Hershey, from John Walton.
5:30–AHL transactions have Bridgeport releasing Vallerand.