Islanders Sign Casey Cizikas to Entry Level Contract
by Dominik on May 31, 2011 4:12 PM EDT
in Roster Manoeuvres in the Dark
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It's been a long, strange journey for Casey Cizikas on his way to an NHL contract. The center was billed as having "second-round talent" in 2009, but an on-field rugby tragedy elicited aggressive prosecution and left his fate unknown on Draft Day 2009.
That dropped him to the fourth round and had to make his draft day far less special than he once dreamed. But resolution that summer seemed to be the start of a new beginning, he returned to have a rebound 2009-10 season and captained Mississauga this year to the OHL and Memorial Cup finals.
Now his pro career is about to begin, having signed a three-year entry level deal with the Islanders just before the deadline upon which he would have re-entered the draft. It sounds cliche, but all accounts are of a solid character and skilled, hard-working two-way player (remember "The Shift" from this year's WJC?) who should have every opportunity to find a niche in the NHL.
Playmaker, penalty killer, boards battler -- a lot of the qualities the Islanders or any team can use from a home-grown product. He's already 20, so pencil him into the organizational depth chart and start guessing when he'll get his first NHL game.
And of course, recall how his PK shift against Russia in this year's WJC was the stuff of instant legend:
Cizikas: The Shift
Cizikas' signing means Anders Lee is all that's left to sign from that 2009 draft class. John Tavares is John Tavares, but add some interesting hopes attached to Lee, Calvin De Haan and Cizikas, plus the recently signed Anders Nilsson, and that draft could turn out to be a pivotal moment in the Islanders' anticipated renaissance.
If the Islanders are consistent playoff contenders in a few years, you have to imagine three or four of those guys end up playing important roles.
In Cizikas' age 19 and 20 seasons, he's been over a point-per-game player in both the regular season and playoffs (This season he missed significant time late with a wrist injury.):
| Regular Season | GP | G | A | Pts. | +/- | PIM | |
| 2010-11 | Mississauga St. Michaels Majors | 52 | 29 | 35 | 64 | 43 | 40 |
| 2009-10 | Mississauga St. Michael's Majors | 68 | 25 | 37 | 62 | 32 | 77 |
| Playoffs | GP | G | A | Pts. | +/- | PIM | |
| 2011 Playoffs | St. Michaels Majors | 16 | 5 | 14 | 19 | 11 | 14 |
| 2010 Playoffs | St. Michael's Majors | 16 | 7 | 7 | 14 | -2 | 16 |
Add another one to the stable as this restocking marches onward.
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Casey much better than KC
Last summer we were talking about China, the year before that, KC… this year it’s all about signng young talent. Are we growing up?
Good luck Casey. May you have a solid and uninterupted (by injury to you, or anybody above you) development year in BP.
With any luck the Irish will lose Anders Lee next year to his desire to get himself to the NHL via Bridgeport. That will make a team that one year ago was devoid of talent at the pivot quite deep in the middle of the pool.
Lighthouse Hockey: where "you better check yourself before you rec yourself" -bobl
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by JPinVA on May 31, 2011 4:26 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
Here Here
We could definitely use a player like Casey in Bridgeport, especially considering that Amac and Hamonic, most likely, will be the Islander’s roster next year.
All Who Oppose Grabner Shall Perish.
I am so happy for BPT (and in the future, the Isles!) :)
Bridgeport is actually gonna have some game next season- and the way they have dealt with their own injuries and being gutted by injuries to thge big club, Bridgeport SO deserves it.
Let Us Go, Islanders! (Ever notice how strange that sounds without the contraction?)
by TheMetalChick on May 31, 2011 10:46 PM EDT up reply actions
seconded
And, just sayin’ – half the Sound Tigers have NHL experience now, so they’re already a half-step ahead of their opponents.
We may be in the box, but you get the penalty.
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by mikb on Jun 1, 2011 10:53 AM EDT up reply actions 3 recs
yeah this has been a nice off season
the news is mostly encouraging after DP news all the last few seasons along with the above mentioned stuff.
It does point to the team not doing much as far as FA, but it really doesn’t bother me because we have some quality kids in the system. Plus we may see another couple of waiver pick ups just before the season, kind of getting spoiled there
Any task BIG or small, Do it well or not at all
by Rickfansince76 on Jun 1, 2011 9:11 AM EDT up reply actions
Yeah its nice to be able to talk about prospects
and not the embarrassing side-show spectacle we as isle fans have been subjected to in the past.
by MatthewM11 on May 31, 2011 5:58 PM EDT up reply actions 2 recs
Anders
I have heard that he wants to stay at Notre Dame, but I would love to see him in BP sooner rather than later. Speaking of Anders, whatever happened to BCIsleman? He was the Anders Lee expert. Seriously you would of thought he was the second coming the way bc hyped him but I will give him credit I didn’t think much of him at first but he has impressed every year so far.
by MatthewM11 on May 31, 2011 6:17 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
BC
He seems to have taken his commentary to Twitter. I think he’s at @BCISLEMAN or something like that.
Lighthouse Hockey: A flute with no holes is not a flute. A doughnut with no hole is Frans Nielsen.
we haven't won anything yet
We’re a great regular-season blog, but we get writer’s block when the pressure’s on.
We may be in the box, but you get the penalty.
Lighthouse Hockey - a beacon of greatness on the rocky coast of sports blog mediocrity
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his true milieu
I don’t think Twitter has throttle violations.
We may be in the box, but you get the penalty.
Lighthouse Hockey - a beacon of greatness on the rocky coast of sports blog mediocrity
Non-hockey scribblings at nightflyblog
The way Lee disappeared in the playoffs
makes me believe he needs at least another year. Plus I have a feeling the Islanders might draft TJ Tynan
"Milbury said he was at the Winter Classic and he was getting heckled by an Islanders fan. He couldn’t understand why an Islanders fan would show up in an Islanders jersey at a non-Islanders game just to heckle him." My New Hero
Contributor to Lighthouse Hockey not sure if I'm the Sniper or the Enforcer.
BP Tweeted about his signing
So no question that he goes to the Bridge next season.
"Milbury said he was at the Winter Classic and he was getting heckled by an Islanders fan. He couldn’t understand why an Islanders fan would show up in an Islanders jersey at a non-Islanders game just to heckle him." My New Hero
Contributor to Lighthouse Hockey not sure if I'm the Sniper or the Enforcer.
Edit
Ops, my brain was thinking that he was a defenseman. Ignore what I said about him and our other defensemen.
All Who Oppose Grabner Shall Perish.
with the solid group of prospects about to break into the AHL that we have
The De Haans, Donovans, Cizikas etc it can be hard to keep straight what positions they all play sometimes
Forget the "A"
Some of these guys may get some time in “The Show” this year. There’s real talent and I’m really interested in seeing Snow clear out some space for these guys. People badmouth the Isles but there are a whole bunch of players here! Is it October yet?
by martylnd on May 31, 2011 10:08 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
WHY DUZ GARTH SNOWJOB STILL HAVE A JOBB!!!!???
by Les Beaver on May 31, 2011 7:50 PM EDT up reply actions 3 recs
ONLY SIGNED HIM CAUSE HE WAS CHEAP! BRING BACK COMRIE!
"Milbury said he was at the Winter Classic and he was getting heckled by an Islanders fan. He couldn’t understand why an Islanders fan would show up in an Islanders jersey at a non-Islanders game just to heckle him." My New Hero
Contributor to Lighthouse Hockey not sure if I'm the Sniper or the Enforcer.
by Mark D on May 31, 2011 8:13 PM EDT up reply actions 3 recs
I love all of you
We may be in the box, but you get the penalty.
Lighthouse Hockey - a beacon of greatness on the rocky coast of sports blog mediocrity
Non-hockey scribblings at nightflyblog
by mikb on Jun 1, 2011 10:56 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
WHOOOOOOOOOO! :)
This is great!
Let Us Go, Islanders! (Ever notice how strange that sounds without the contraction?)
:D
Let Us Go, Islanders! (Ever notice how strange that sounds without the contraction?)
by TheMetalChick on Jun 1, 2011 2:12 AM EDT up reply actions
That shift brings back memories of Tonelli
Especially seeing him on the bench with his head down trying to catch his breath.
by 4PeatSake on Jun 1, 2011 10:01 AM EDT reply actions 1 recs
HAPPY DAYS!!!
Youth WILL be served!!
The REBUILD marches on!!
LHH: Where venting your spleen is not just encouraged but expected...
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1979-80
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May 24, 1980: Tonelli to Nystrom. At long last, the steady build of the New York Islanders from expansion doormat to surprise semifinalist to annual contender reaches the promised land: Buoyed by a late season trade for Butch Goring that gave the team the depth up the middle GM Bill Torrey had been seeking, the Islanders knock off the Philadelphia Flyers in six games.
The victory justified the faith in coach Al Arbour who guided them from their second season to their first Stanley Cup seven seasons later. The Islanders would not be the first expansion team to win the Stanley Cup, but they would be the only one capable of a dynasty.
1980-81
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May 21, 1981: This time it was much easier. After falling to "only" 91 points in the 1979-80 season, the Islanders returned to their division title tradition, piling up 110 points -- a whole 13 points over second-place Philadelphia.
Between the quarterfinals (where they beat the upstart Oilers in six games) and the finals, the Islanders reeled off eight consecutive wins -- with a four-game sweep of archrival Rangers in between. As they defeated the Minnesota North Stars in five games for their second Cup, their goal difference in the final was a combined +10.
1981-82
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May 16, 1982: Another year, another landslide title. The Islanders won the Patrick Division by a whopping 26 points over the second-place Rangers, and were seven points clear of their nearest competition for the President's Trophy, the still-not-quite-ripe Edmonton Oilers.
A first-round scare against the Pittsburgh Penguins turned in the Isles' favor thanks to John Tonelli's heroics, and a true dynasty was on its way: Past the Rangers in six games, then an eight-game sweep of the Quebec Nordiques and Vancouver Canucks to run away with the Stanley Cup.
1982-83
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May 17, 1983: Not so fast, whipper-snappers. The Edmonton Oilers' steadily rising challenge for league supremacy took them all the way to the finals for the first time, where the New York Islanders summarily dispatched them in a four-game sweep. For the Islanders, the Dynasty was secured. For the Oilers, it was a powerful lesson in where talent ends and the demands of playoff hockey begin.
Four years, four Cups, 16 consecutive playoff series wins (a record that would grow to 19 until the rematch with the Oilers the following year). Mike Bossy scored 60 goals yet again, and Wayne Gretzky became acquainted with Billy Smith's crease.
