November 11, 2012
Islanders in Europe: Joensuu having banner year
by Christian Arnold/Correspondent
Jesse Joensuu has racked up big numbers in Finland this fall. (Getty Images)
Jesse Joensuu is having a banner year in the Finnish Elite League and Josh Bailey is the latest Islander to head to Europe. Here is a look at what the Isles overseas have been doing.
Josh Bailey | Bietgheim Steelers
Josh Bailey is the latest Islander to head to Europe during the lockout. He will make his Steelers’ debut on Tuesday against the Fischtown Pinguins. His first practice with the Steelers will be on Sunday. Beitgheim is fourth in the second division. Bailey has not played in a game situation since the Islanders’ season ended in early April.
John Tavares | SC Bern
John Tavares is continuing to have a successful run with SC Bern. He has six goals, nine assists for 15 points in 12 games. He is tied for second on the team in goals and points.
SC Bern is in fifth place with a 9-8 record and their next game is on Nov. 16 against HC Davos.
Mark Streit | SC Bern
Mark Streit is having an equally successful time as his Islander teammate. In 16 games, he has four goals and five assists for nine points. With those numbers Streit is ranked second amongst defensemen in assists and points.
Jesse Joensuu | Assat
Playing for Assat, Jesse Joensuu has scored 11 goals and 10 assists for 21 points in 17 games. Those numbers are good enough to have him ranked seventh in the Finnish Elite League in scoring and third in the league in goals.
Assat is 7-10-3 in 20 games, which puts them in 11th place in the league.
Michael Grabner | VSV Villach
Michael Grabner will be spending another month with Villach. The team announced earlier in the week that they had extended Grabner’s stay another month after four of the team’s sponsors agreed to help pay for the insurance costs of the Austrian winger.
In 10 games with Villach, Grabner has notched six goals and six assists for 12 points.
Frans Nielsen | Lukko
Frans Nielsen still has yet to score a goal this year for Lukko, but has had plenty of assists so far. In 12 games he has 10 assists and is plus-1.
Andrew MacDonald | HC Energie Karlovy Vary
Andrew MacDonald is still holding his own in Europe. Through nine games in the Czech League, he has recorded one goal and four assists for five points.
Lubomir Visnovsky | HC Slovan Bratislava
Lubomir Visnovsky has appeared in 13 games in the KHL so far and has racked up four goals and five assists for nine points.
Slovan Bratislava is seventh in the KHL’s Western Conference.
Rick DiPietro | SC Riessersee
Rick DiPietro has appeared in only two games in Germany and they were not good outings. Since than he has not played and had to deny rumors this week that he had suffered a groin injury that was keeping him from playing.
Christian Arnold can be reached at feedback@nyhockeyjournal.com. Follow him on Twitter at @CA_NYHockey.
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