Left Wing Jason Gregoire, a 2007 third-round draft pick, #76 overall has decided to turn pro and become an unrestricted free agent in July of this year. Oddly enough, 2007 sixth-round draft pick, 166th overall, Defensemen Blake Kessel has made a similar choice. Both are prospects that may have figured into the Islanders rebuild in the near future.
Gregoire finished last season at North Dakota with 25 and 18 for 43 in 35 games, while Kessel, a major factor on defense for the University of New Hampshire finished with a respectable 5 and 22 for 27 in 39 games.
Per Chris Botta, the current NHL collective bargaining agreement says a player can entertain all offers as a free agent, even if previously drafted 30 days after leaving school and four years after their original draft date. This strategy was employed by Blake Wheeler after he was drafted 5th overall in the first round of the 2004 by the Phoenix Coyotes. He later signed with the Boston Bruins in 2008.
This doesn’t mean that either player won’t sign with the Islanders, but it may mean that the offers they made didn’t meet with their expectations. It means they will try the path of the mercenary and take a chance with a team offering a larger monetary figure or appear to be more advantageous to sign with.
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