Not Quite a Signing: Bryan Berard

Defenseman Bryan Berard has signed on with the Philadelphia Flyers on a tryout basis and will be attending the team's training camp this September in Voorhees, New Jersey.

Berard returned to his original squad, the Isles, last season and tallied 22 points (5 goals, 17 assists) on 54 games. Despite a strong showing, the team did not extend him an offer seemingly in an attempt to continue their youth movement.

A 10-year veteran, Berard was originally drafted 1st overall in the 1995 NHL Entry Draft by the Ottawa Senators. After refusing to play with the lowly Sens of the early-mid 90s, Berard was traded in a bundle to the Isles. Following the 1996-97 season Berard won the Calder Trophy for the league's outstanding rookie after notching 48 points (8 goals, 40 assists) while suiting up in all 82 games. To this day that still stands as Berard's highest single season point total.

Aside from the Isles, Berard has also played for the Maple Leafs (where he suffered a near-career ending eye injury), Rangers, Bruins, Blackhawks and Blue Jackets. On 619 career games, Berard has 76 goals and 247 assists for 323 points. He also has 500 penalty minutes, 41 powerplay tallies and 13 game winners on his career. In addition, Berard won the Bill Masterson Trophy following the 2003-04 season with Chicago for his "perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication" to hockey.

We wish Bryan the best as he tries to make the Flyers' squad.

Hill, Parrish, McCabe and Berube

Former Islander Watch spent the last 2 weeks in Long Island catching up with family. We have returned to our station 3,000 miles from Uniondale in beautiful Orange, California to continue what we do best: disemminate FI news. Since our absence was so great as to make 4 posts tedious and unnecessary, we will recap the last 2 and a half weeks in one neat and tidy post. Here goes:

Semi-disgraced defenseman Sean Hill has decided to bail the NHL and has signed a 1 year deal with Biel of the Swiss League. Financial terms of the deal are unknown. Originally selected in 1988(!) NHL Entry Draft in the 8th Round, 167th overall by the Montreal Canadiens, Hill has played for Habs, Ducks, Sens, Hurricanes, Blues, Panthers, Isles and Wild. Hill has played in 876 NHL games compiling 298 points on 62 goals and 236 assists with a career -46 rating and 1,008 penalty minutes. In one of those lucky twists of fate, Hill won the Stanley Cup during his rookie season in 1992-93 despite playing only 31 regular season and 3 playoff games. We wish Sean the best in the Alps.

Talking of Minnesota players, the Wild have opted to buyout the last 3 years of winger Mark Parrish's contract. Due to the buyout the Wild will pay Parrish $728K over the next 2 seasons and $928K between 2010 and 2013. Parrish has supposedly drummed up interest in Vancouver as a backup plan (albeit a poor one) if the Mats Sundin thing does not work out. That comes as no surprise considering the Canucks are among the top FI mainstays. Parrish was originally chosen in the 1996 NHL Entry Draft by the Colorado Avalanche in the 3rd Round, 79th overall. Parrish has played for the Panthers, Kings and Wild but really shone the brightest in his time with the Isles. On 660 games Parrish has 208 goals and 164 assists for 372 points. He has a career -37 rating with 69 powerplay tallies and 37 game winners. We will keep you updated as soon as Mark finds a new home.

Toronto Maple Leafs' d-man Bryan McCabe has been the center of a lot of trade rumors this offseason with his agent continually denying that he would waive his no-trade clause. Well it seems as if McCabe might be willing to change his tune, that is if Toronto will play ball. One of the strongest rumors has McCabe and winger Alexei Ponikarovsky going to the Florida Panthers in exchange for d-man Mike Van Ryn and winger David Booth but not until at least September 1 when McCabe would cash in on a $2 million signing bonus with the Leafs. McCabe is supposedly more than willing to waive his no movement clause to head way south to the Panthers but the really question would be why Florida? If it is a lateral movement Bryan is looking for he might as well pursue another reportedly interested franchise such as the Rangers, Isles or even maybe a step up with the Flyers. FIW will keep eye on the story as we rapidly approach training camp.

And finally, the Philadelphia Flyers announced the promotion of former NHLer Craig Berube to assistant coach. Berube had spent last season as head coach to the Flyers' AHL affiliate the Philadelphia Phantoms. Seemingly an inane FI noteworthy, Berube, famed for his play with the Flyers and Capitals, spent 38 games with the Isles during the 2000-01 season. A penalty magnet, the roughnecked Berube had 3,149 penalty minutes on 1,054 career games including 54 in his short stint on the Island. Berube retired 7th all time in NHL history in penalty minutes. We wish Craig the best assistant coaching with the big club.

Check back soon for more news and updates as we brace for the 2008-09 season.

Not Quite a Signing: Alexei Zhitnik

Defenseman Alexei Zhitnik, who has seemed to have drummed up little NHL interest after a career worst season and being bought out by the Atlanta Thrashers, has signed a try-out contract with Moscow Dynamo of the KHL. The deal literally means that Zhitnik will come to Dynamo's training camp. Pending he either wows Dynamo coaching and management or finds a better offer in the NHL before the season starts Zhitnik is still as of now unemployed.

Originally selected in the 4th Round, 81st overall in the 1991 NHL Entry Draft by the Los Angeles Kings, Zhitnik has the distinction of over 1,000 NHL games under his belt. Zhit has played 1,085 games notching 96 goals and 375 assists for 471 points. He has 1,268 penalty minutes along with 13 game winners, a -53 career rating and a 4.4 shooting percentage. Zhitnik has suited up for the Kings, Sabres, Isles, Flyers and Thrashers.

FIW will update as we learn more about the fate of d-man Alexei Zhitnik.

Update: Mike York

NHL.com is reporting that winger Mike York has signed a 1 year deal with the Columbus Blue Jackets. Financial terms were not released but it is believed to be in the $750K range. Despite reports that York had signed with Sibir Novosibirsk of the Kontinental Hockey League in Russia, it appears that he has opted out of that contract to continue his tenure in the NHL. If he did in fact opt out of a KHL contract it would be valid since York inked the deal before the new NHL-KHL player movement agreement mediated by the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) was sealed. Update: As it turns out, York signed a 2-way deal that will pay him $750K in the NHL and $100K in the AHL. If York does not make the big team in Columbus this is surely a sign that York's career has taken a nosedive, no offense Mike.

York is a 578 game NHL veteran having notched 127 goals and 195 assists for 322 career points. For his full background please refer here.

Welcome back to the NHL Mike, even if you never really left!

UFA Signing: Josh Green

Announced simultaneously with the signing of fellow Former Islander Eric Boguniecki, the Anaheim Ducks announced that they have inked left wing Josh Green to a 1 year deal. Monetary terms of the deal have not been released.

Green, originally selected in the 2nd Round, 30th overall in the 1996 NHL Entry Draft by the Los Angeles Kings, last played in the NHL during the 2006-07 season when he suited up for the Vancouver Canucks. Green spent last season playing for Salzburg in the Austrian Hockey League (Österreichische Eishockey-Liga). He shined in Austria netting 20 goals and 22 assists for 42 points on 43 games. When he last played in the NHL he managed 7 points (2 goals, 5 assists) on 57 games with the Canucks.

Green has played for the Kings, Isles, Oilers, Rangers, Capitals, Flames and Canucks. Anaheim will be his 8th team. In 322 NHL games Green has 35 goals and 39 assists for 74 points. He has a career -7 rating as well as 193 penalty minutes and 7 game winners. A seasoned veteran, Green has also made an extensive tour of the AHL playing for Fredericton, Springfield, Lowell, Hamilton and Manitoba.

We wish Josh the best in Anaheim.

UFA Signing: Eric Boguniecki

Forward Eric Boguniecki has agreed to terms with the Anaheim Ducks. Terms of the deal have yet to released. Update: The contract is for 1 year yet monetary terms are still unknown.

Boguniecki spent last season with ERC Ingolstadt of the German league (DEL). In 16 games with the Panthers he logged 4 goals and 14 assists for 18 points with 24 penalty minutes.

Originally drafted in the 8th Round, 193rd overall of the 1993 NHL Entry Draft (yes, he is that old), Boguniecki has played halfway around the world and back suiting up for teams in college's Hockey East, ECHL, IHL, AHL, NHL, SWI2 and DEL. In the NHL Boguniecki has played for the Panthers, Blues, Penguins, Blue Jackets and Isles. A one-time 49 point scorer, he has played in 178 NHL games recording 34 goals and 42 assists for 76 points with a career +14 rating and 7 game winners.

We wish Eric the best with his new team.

UFA Signing: Mike York

For all those who think that Michigan and Siberia have similar weather patterns, please consult Mike York in a few months. The forward and Waterford, MI native with the consistently diminishing returns bailed the NHL last week to sign with HC Sibir Novosibirsk of the Russian Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). Yes, Sibir does mean Siberia and Novosibirsk is the third largest city in Russia lying on the banks of the Ob River and not too far removed from the northern Kazhakstani border. Terms of the deal are unknown.

Now back to York. He played 63 games last season for the Phoenix Coyotes after signing a 1 year, $1 million gamble deal. York netted only 6 goals and added 8 assists for 14 points. He had a -8 rating, 4 powerplay tallies and 1 game winner to cap off another slow season.

Originally chosen in the 6th Round, 136th overall by the New York Rangers in the 1997 NHL Entry Draft, York has had stays with the Blueshirts, Oilers, Isles, Flyers and 'Yotes. In 578 career games, York has 127 goals and 195 assists for 322 points. He has a career -34 rating with a gentlemanly 135 penalty minutes, 32 powerplay goals and 23 game winners. He hit the 50 point mark with 3 different teams (Rangers, Oil and Isles).

We wish Mike the best in Russia and encourage him to bundle up.