Good Morning, Islanders Country.
Football season (every year), the weather (sometimes), and a Presidential debate (every four years) are leading indicators that the answer to ‘Is it October, yet?’ is drawing near, but it’s teenagers and 20-somethings taking the ice on Long Island signals that we’re almost all the way back to hockey season.
On Thursday, it was day 1 of rookie camp, which wasn’t necessarily made up of only rookies. It included a surprise PTO (Professional Tryout) for a local kid familiar with metro-area NHL teams, a coveted overseas free agent from Russia, and a teenager who started the season in the KHL.
The entire rookie camp roster, including 12 forwards, eight defenseman and three goaltenders can be found HERE. Each year, we get some first time auditions from the most recent draft class and repeat performances from prospects destined for Bridgeport with bigger aspirations and goals in front of them.
Last year, players like Matthew Maggio and William Dufour learned some things about themselves in the AHL. This week, the Islanders’ coaching staff will learn more about them from up close, and we will receive daily hockey news.
It’s a win-win for everyone.
Let’s dive in.
📰 NEWS: The biggest surprise attendee on Day 1 of rookie camp was the appearance of millennial goaltender Keith Kinkaid. The 35-year-old Farmingdale, Long Island native who grew up an Islanders fan, aims to impress his childhood team and others around the league.
"This is my fourteenth season," Kinkaid said. "I just want to do anything I can to turn heads. I still got a lot left in the tank and we'll go from there."
Kinkaid played last season with the Chicago Wolves of the AHL, going 8-14-2 in 24 games with a 3.54 GAA and .880 save percentage. Not encouraging stats for a player looking to return to the NHL after playing a single game for the Colorado Avalanche and Boston Bruins during the 2022-23 season.
Overall, Kinkaid has 169 career NHL games on his resume after first breaking in with the New Jersey Devils in 2012-13 as a 23-year-old who grew up idolizing Hall-of-Famer Martin Brodeur from his Long Island house.
The team did not indicate whether inviting Kinkaid, who has an existing relationship with Islanders GM Lou Lamoriello from their days in New Jersey, has anything to do with the Elliotte Friedman report that franchise goaltender Ilya Sorokin was "battling something" this off-season. If Sorokin is limited during training camp or the start of the season, it is understandable why the Islanders would be looking to improve their organizational depth at the position.
Don’t Show Me The Money
Thursday wasn’t the first look at Maxim Tysplakov in North America. The KHL free-agent signing was at Matt Martin Foundation Poker Tournament earlier this week where we learned he would be wearing No. 7 this season.
Thursday we learned what motivated him to make the move to the NHL.“It's a good opportunity for me, a big chance,” Tsyplakov said. “I want to play hockey in [the] big league, and I want to work with [Head Coach] Patrick [Roy].”
At 25-years-old with five seasons of experience with the Moscow Spartak, Tysplakov isn’t your traditional rookie, but it’s nonetheless important for him to be at the rookie Training Camp to help get acclimated with the coaching staff, some prospects and of course, the smaller North American rink.
“I didn’t look at money, I looked at my opportunity and where I can play,” said Tsyplakov, who added he can play the power play or penalty kill.”
Multiple teams vyed for the winger after he scored 31 goals in 65 KHL games last season. He’s expected to make the roster and be a top-nine contributor.
Two for the Show
For WRRV.com (Hudson Valley Alternative), Matthew James enthusiastically proclaimed that the two best mascots in the NHL perform for the same team. He was, of course, talking about Sparky the Dragon and Nyles, whom he lavishly praises in his article, which ends with pricing details on how to book either.
Are we sure the author isn’t getting a cut?
📚 SOUND SMART: Keith Kinkaid is a 2008 graduate of Sachem East High School before we went on to play at Union College. As sophomore he received First Team All-America honors and was one of the hottest NCAA Division I goalies in the country leading to him signing with the New Jersey Devils. He finished his final collegiate season with a a 25-10-3 record, compiling a save percentage of .920 and a school-record goals-against average of 1.99, which was fourth best in the nation.
🎥 ISLES REWIND: On September 12, 2006, the Islanders signed goaltender Rick DiPietro to a record-long 15-year, $67.5 million contract. As we know all too well, the team bought out his contract in 2013 with eight years left, owing him $1.5 million a year through the 2028-29 season.
🔗 Ilya Sorokin absent from veterans skate in Islanders mystery by Ethan Sears, New York Post “Whether Sorokin is physically healthy or will be on the ice at the start of training camp, however, remains unclear for the time being. Unlike camp itself, though, attendance is not mandated by the team — players often begin attending once arriving in town for the season.”
🔗 Maxim Tsyplakov prioritized opportunity over money to sign with Islanders by Joe Pantorno, amNY “Not only have goaltenders Ilya Sorokin and Semyon Varlamov, along with defenseman Alexander Romanov, taken Tsyplakov under his wing after they were opponents in the KHL, but the newest Islander met with Romanov while in Moscow after signing his NHL deal.”
And we leave you with this…The Clark Gillies Foundation announced a new collaboration with Ronald McDonald House Charities to design an Isles hockey-themed inspirational room for children and families facing a pediatric medical crisis.
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If I’m not mistaken, Kincaid would the first Long Island native to tend goal for the Islanders. Very cool.