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With the opening of training camp Thursday -- physicals and media today, skating tomorrow -- the New York Islanders also announced five additional names to fill out the camp roster.
The following five have signed professional tryout contracts -- some are already on minor-league deals -- and can help fill out the rosters for the split squad games against the Ottawa Senators in St. John's. Much of this info is from hockeydb.com and Michael Fornabaio's excellent Sound Tigers coverage (blog, print)for the Connecticut Post.
Justin Courtnall
A 25-year-old, left-shooting left wing, he was a 2007 7th-round pick of the Tampa Bay Lightning. He played three years at Boston University, and was in the AHL last season with Montreal's affiliate in Hamilton.
Bloodlines: He is the son of Geoff, nephew of Russ.
Colton Gillies
Another 25-year-old, left-shooting left wing, GIllies' draft pedigree is quite a bit higher than Courtnall's -- 16th overall by the Wild in 2007 -- but his NHL career has not taken off in four partial seasons with Minnesota and Columbus. He played last year with Rochester in the AHL.
Bloodlines: No relation to Trevor; nephew of Clark.
Chris Langkow
Langkow, an undrafted right-shooting center, you probably know from two previous stints with the Islanders' AHL affiliate in Bridgeport. He logged 64 games for the Sound Tigers last season -- in an evolving role -- the biggest total of his AHL career.
As Fornabaio reported when Langkow was signed for this season, he has a history with Bridgeport head coach Brent Thompson.
C.J. Stretch
If that's your real name.
An undrafted 5'11" California native signed this month by Bridgeport, Stretch played all of last season with Edmonton's AHL affiliate in Oklahoma City. A center, he's also 25, and shoots right.
Scooter Vaughan
I suppose that's your real name too, huh?
Another returning and signed Sound Tiger, Stretch is the only defenseman among this group of PTOs -- except, he's not a defenseman anymore. He logged 51 games with Bridgeport last season, his first in the AHL, after playing the previous two seasons (and 20 games of last season) in the ECHL.
He did so while moving up to forward, forming a penalty killing partnership with Langkow.