Post by Rayven on Sept 19, 2006 22:36:51 GMT -5
YARMOUTH, NOVA SCOTIA -- If the Islanders took a vote, the most unpopular player in training camp right now might be Ronkonkoma's Joe Grimaldi. Not that he isn't likeable, but the unsigned 20-year-old defenseman is trying to earn a contract the old-fashioned way -- by fighting for it.
That meant taking on veteran NHL enforcer Chris Simon less than five minutes into the second scrimmage game yesterday at Mariners Centre. Earlier in camp, Grimaldi dropped the gloves with veteran Jason Blake, who managed to elbow Grimaldi in the face near the end of Monday's scrimmage and then line him up moments later for a crushing check that brought whoops from Blake's team.
Grimaldi's throwdown with Simon, who used his 50-pound weight advantage to control their tiff, set the tone for the most intense day of camp.
In the second half of the last scrimmage, 25-year-old minor- league winger Brandon Cullen squared off with veteran defense.man Brendan Witt with both removing their helmets as well as their gloves to land some haymakers before Witt missed with a left and lost his balance.
Coach Ted Nolan had been calling for more competitive spirit, and he got it. "You don't want to see fights all the time," Nolan said. "That's not the point, but the intensity was a lot higher today. You have guys like Brendan Witt here and Chris Simon, and those guys are known as big, tough guys. Guys like Grimaldi, who's trying to make a name for himself, goes after those type of guys.
"It's been from generation to generation. I remember Bob Probert went after Willy Plett back in the day. It's the same thing. You have to give the guy big marks. He's got some big 'cahooties' there to battle the way he's battling. He wants a spot, and he just might find himself one."
Most likely, the best Grimaldi can hope for is to win a job with the Islanders' minor-league affiliate in Bridgeport. But that would be a good start for a guy who learned the game from former Islanders Bobby Nystrom and Gerry Hart before leaving Long Island at 15 to join the U.S. junior program.
"I've got to do something to stick out," Grimaldi said. "Today, it just happened because I was working hard. I guess I kind of showed up a little, and he didn't like it.
"I sense that guys kind of get irritated by me on the ice, but I've played like that my whole life. You've just got to compete, and if they don't like it, it's too bad. If you want something, you do what you've got to do."
Blake complained that Grimaldi went for his head first to start their previous scuffle, but he and Simon both expressed respect for what he's trying to do. "I've been through that before, and I have no problem at all with guys that want to show what they can do," Simon said. "That's how you make the team."
It was a tough day for everyone involved, but in an unusual gesture, the two squads gathered at center ice after the game and formed a handshake line like you see after the conclusion of Stanley Cup series to show they could leave it on the ice.
source: Newsday.com
That meant taking on veteran NHL enforcer Chris Simon less than five minutes into the second scrimmage game yesterday at Mariners Centre. Earlier in camp, Grimaldi dropped the gloves with veteran Jason Blake, who managed to elbow Grimaldi in the face near the end of Monday's scrimmage and then line him up moments later for a crushing check that brought whoops from Blake's team.
Grimaldi's throwdown with Simon, who used his 50-pound weight advantage to control their tiff, set the tone for the most intense day of camp.
In the second half of the last scrimmage, 25-year-old minor- league winger Brandon Cullen squared off with veteran defense.man Brendan Witt with both removing their helmets as well as their gloves to land some haymakers before Witt missed with a left and lost his balance.
Coach Ted Nolan had been calling for more competitive spirit, and he got it. "You don't want to see fights all the time," Nolan said. "That's not the point, but the intensity was a lot higher today. You have guys like Brendan Witt here and Chris Simon, and those guys are known as big, tough guys. Guys like Grimaldi, who's trying to make a name for himself, goes after those type of guys.
"It's been from generation to generation. I remember Bob Probert went after Willy Plett back in the day. It's the same thing. You have to give the guy big marks. He's got some big 'cahooties' there to battle the way he's battling. He wants a spot, and he just might find himself one."
Most likely, the best Grimaldi can hope for is to win a job with the Islanders' minor-league affiliate in Bridgeport. But that would be a good start for a guy who learned the game from former Islanders Bobby Nystrom and Gerry Hart before leaving Long Island at 15 to join the U.S. junior program.
"I've got to do something to stick out," Grimaldi said. "Today, it just happened because I was working hard. I guess I kind of showed up a little, and he didn't like it.
"I sense that guys kind of get irritated by me on the ice, but I've played like that my whole life. You've just got to compete, and if they don't like it, it's too bad. If you want something, you do what you've got to do."
Blake complained that Grimaldi went for his head first to start their previous scuffle, but he and Simon both expressed respect for what he's trying to do. "I've been through that before, and I have no problem at all with guys that want to show what they can do," Simon said. "That's how you make the team."
It was a tough day for everyone involved, but in an unusual gesture, the two squads gathered at center ice after the game and formed a handshake line like you see after the conclusion of Stanley Cup series to show they could leave it on the ice.
source: Newsday.com