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Petrov: Language A Barrier? & Cupcakes! |
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**7 pm: Today the Islanders announced their biggest, sweetest Free Agent signing: Cupcake Gourmet from Huntington has joined with the Islanders to create a line of cupcakes specifically for the Islanders and to be sold at the arena. I'd like to credit @ChrisBottaNHL on Twitter today for the best line on the subject: "The Isles biggest signings in July: Eaton and cupcakes."
Also, check out his article on Fanhouse about Islanders prospect Casey Czikas as the one I was working on got shoved on the back burner for other reasons.
http://nhl.fanhouse.com/2010/07/14/casey-cizikas-pursuing-nhl-dream-with-manslaughter-charges-behin/
The most interesting part of the Islanders Prospect Camp this month was the Kirill & Kirill show. Having seen the videos of Kirill Kabanov from the draft channels, I knew his English was exceptional. I was surprised, however, that after being drafted in 2008 by the Islanders, Kirill Petrov’s English skills have not improved.
Perhaps there is a difference in schooling or perhaps it was because Kabanov is playing in the Canadian Junior league while Petrov is in Russia, but without Kabanov at camp, I believe that Kirill 2008 would have been lost.
They were on the ice together with Brock Nelson playing the cream in the middle of the Oreo. He remarked that it was fun to hear them banter in Russian. Kirill 2010 relayed all of coach Scott Gordon’s instructions. While Gordon was impressed with Petrov’s work ethic, this language barrier between coach and prospect may be a big deterrent.
Petrov is the Islander prospect that is closest to being ready to make the cut. But who will be his interpreter when Krill 2010 isn’t there? While Garth Snow remembers some of the Russian he learned in 2004 when he played 16 games for St. Petersburg, SKA, he can’t be responsible for translating.
I’m wondering how the Islanders managed with Radek Martinek who could barely say “stick” when he arrived on Long Island. Perhaps there were other Czech players on the roster. There are currently no Russians for Petrov to rely on for assistance and Kirill 2010 is, by his own admission, too skinny and needs more muscle before he can make it on the pro level.
So here are two words in Russian that I learned from long time Islander fan Norm when he was waiting on line at the Broadway Mall for Josh Bailey: Maxim Afinogenov. At 30 years old, with ten years in the NHL and 61 points last season, I think Norm had something when he suggest that Garth Snow look towards this Right Winger. He’s had his share of injuries, including two concussions, but if they believe Petrov can make the jump to North America, he may be beneficial.
Of course we have to see if Garth’s Russian is still good enough to get Petrov out of the last two years of his current contract, but… that’s another story.
New York Islanders Blogger • 
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