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NEW YORK ISLANDERS DRAFT DAY
Jun 25, 2007
The Sound Tigers NHL parent club, the New York Islanders, acquired the rights of a couple of players over the weekend at the 2007 Entry Draft in Columbus, OH. Along with the Atlanta Thrashers and Toronto Maple Leafs, the Islanders did not have a pick in either the first or second rounds. On Day Two of the Draft, it was finally time for the Islanders to welcome their first pick to the organization. With the first pick of Round Three (62nd overall), the Islanders selected Mark Katic, a smooth skating defenseman out of the Ontario Hockey League's Sarnia Sting. In 68 games with Sarnia last season, Katic scored five goals and 35 assists for a total of 40 points and a +8 rating. He was also selected to his first OHL All-Star game playing for the Western Conference and finishing the high scoring game with a +2 rating.
Garth Snow and his staff did not have much time to wait for their next pick, which also came in the third round (76th overall). With their second selection, the Islanders chose Jason Gregoire, a left wing, playing in the United States Hockey League with the Lincoln Stars. As a rookie in the USHL this season, Gregoire posted impressive numbers with 16 goals and 20 assists for 36 points 32 games. He finished with a +28 rating, the best on his team.
The Islanders next pick came in the fourth round (106th overall) and they used it to select Maxim Gratchev, also a left wing, playing for Rimouski Oceanic out of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. Gratchev, led the Oceanic in goals (35) and points (77) and was tied for the team lead in assists with 42.
Their next pick would not come until the sixth round when they picked defenseman, Blake Kessel 166th overall. The younger brother of Boston Bruins forward, Phil Kessel, Blake played in 59 games for the Waterloo Black Hawks of the USHL, finishing with 11 goals and 27 assists for 38 points leading his team's defensemen in all three categories. Kessel had a +12 rating last season.
With their final pick in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft, the Islanders selected defenseman Simon Lacroix from the Shawinigan Cataractes of the QMJHL. The third defensemen the team selected in the Draft, Lacroix led his team defense with 11 goals and 27 assists for 38 points in 60 games last season.