Rats Sign Stephen Gionta to Amateur Tryout

http://www.albanyriverrats.com/news/?id=9931

Maybe another future 45 goal scorer!!!!

And next in line to sign is Jordan Parise. :yo:

sweet.
btw offtopic but
whatever happened to Steve Kariya?

With 4 games left for the Rats, anyone, Belizarius, know if this means an automatic invite to camp in September for S.Gionta?

whatever happened to Steve Kariya?

http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php3?pid=00027639

Apparently playing (and doing fairly well) in Finland nowadays.

And next in line to sign is Jordan Parise. :yo:
Hell yea, after next season though. Good luck to Stephen Gionta, although I won't expect much. He is probably at best a 4th liner/career minor leaguer right?

With 4 games left for the Rats, anyone, Belizarius, know if this means an automatic invite to camp in September for S.Gionta?

Funny to see my name here... :)
Well, if I refer to previous moves by Lou, I would say yes.
NJ is one of the most secret teams on signings and contracts. It's always hard to find information about player movements for NJ.
Last year, Albany signed Bryan Miller to a tryout and nobody found something about a NHL contract during the summer... but he was at camp. And nobody had a clue about Minard, Mike Pandolfo and other invitees...

So, signing him to a tryout for 4 games means, if Lou follow his own tradition, an invite to training camp in september or even possibily a contract already.

But I'm not Lou and not even in the US so who knows... it's a trend, not a sure thing. :)

And next in line to sign is Jordan Parise. :yo:


Then in a couple of years if he goes undrafted, we'll take Zajac's little bro too. What the heck.

If the kid has as much fire in his belly as his brother my guess is he will be a 2nd line scorer in the ahl. He had scoring success in college and if you have the work ethic you can usually repeat that success in the AHL. And being that he is small like Brian and had success in college my guess is the ethic is there. Don't know if he will ever make the big club but I bet he hangs around in Lowell for a bit.

Then in a couple of years if he goes undrafted, we'll take Zajac's little bro too. What the heck.
Isn't Jordan older than Zach? I don't think he's eligable for the draft anymore.

Isn't Jordan older than Zach? I don't think he's eligable for the draft anymore.

I think he's talking about Travis Zajac's younger brother Darcy, an incoming freshman at UND. (Travis is the oldest of four brothers--his brothers all play hockey as well.)

Isn't Jordan older than Zach? I don't think he's eligable for the draft anymore.He was born September 19, 1982, almost two years before Zach.

I'm confused with all these Parise's, Zajac's, Pandolfo's and Gionta's...
NJ will finished with only 4 names on all the roster!! :D

We need more Brodeurs :yo:

I'm confused with all these Parise's, Zajac's, Pandolfo's and Gionta's...
NJ will finished with only 4 names on all the roster!! :D

That's a great quote!!!

Although, I'm sad to say it seems the talent level seems to be decreasing from our original Parise, Zajac, Pandolfo, Gionta quartet. ;)

congrats to stephen, he scored his first pro goal in the first period. He had 3 shots in the first.

congrats to stephen, he scored his first pro goal in the first period. He had 3 shots in the first.
I hope we have a sparkplug 4th liner in SGionta. Apparently he is more known to be a defensive center who can throw hits and grind. Very good on faceoffs.

Gionta with 2 goals in the first two periods....Lowell is gonna love this kid. He is playing on a line with Bergfors who has two assists.

Gionta with 2 goals in the first two periods....Lowell is gonna love this kid. He is playing on a line with Bergfors who has two assists.
That is awesome! I hope he can keep the scoring touch up but from what I have read I shouldn't get my hopes up. Anyway Go Stephen Gionta! Who else is playing on that line?

I went to the AHL scoreboard and it appears Gionta got a hattrick thanks to another Bergfors assist! Gionta also had an assist on the Nittel goal. I also think that either Nittel or Vrana are playing on that line but I am not 100% sure. Albany is going on to win 5-3.

Simply amazing first game. Add Zajac to the mix Friday night and the Rats may get a 2 game winning streak on the go.

wow...i'm amazed...four point night in your first pro game

Congrats Stephen, I honestly didn't think you had it in ya. (Wasn't he on the fourth line at BC?) :clap:

We need more Brodeurs :yo:

I could go for that, maybe we can clone him and trade them around the league.. it's not like we can play more than one at once.

I could go for that, maybe we can clone him and trade them around the league.. it's not like we can play more than one at once.

I think there's a Mike Brodeur in Chicago. :)

I went to the AHL scoreboard and it appears Gionta got a hattrick thanks to another Bergfors assist! Gionta also had an assist on the Nittel goal. I also think that either Nittel or Vrana are playing on that line but I am not 100% sure. Albany is going on to win 5-3.

WOW!

That's one heck of a first impression. I think it's safe to say we'll see him at camp (at the very least) next year. :handclap:

Won't Ant and Will be like 20 when Marty retires? Maybe we can get em both, and have one back up the other. How amazing would that be?

I think there's a Mike Brodeur in Chicago. :)

:biglaugh:

Look's like Lou already has the cloning machine working... it's right next to the Kool Aid dispenser. :)

Maybe another future 45 goal scorer!!!!

Maybe it was not so sarcastic when I started the thread with this. :)

Great job and congrats Stephen.

Maybe it was not so sarcastic when I started the thread with this. :)

Great job and congrats Stephen.


So he's what now, 5th on the Rats in scoring? ;)

Maybe we should bring him up during the playoffs and not tell anyone. The other team will think were double shifting him on the 4th line.

Gionta, who had seven shots on goal on Thursday, agreed to a two-year deal with the New Jersey Devils that goes into effect next season when the Devils shift their AHL operations to the Lowell Lock Monsters.

"New Jersey wanted to step up to make sure no one else beat them to him," said Pittsford-based player agent Steve Bartlett, who also represents Brian Gionta. "This wasn't a case of nepotism. This is a kid who has continually improved and New Jersey thinks he can be an NHLer."

Democrat and Chronicle (http://www.democratandchronicle.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060414/SPORTS/604140401/1007/SPORTS)

Lou is a smart guy... he's going to try to get every sibling of the devils so no one pulls another "niedermayer"

I will be shocked if Stephen plays in the NHL.....But who the heck knows...He's got the same blood as Brian maybe the same heart :dunno:

But from what I've seen from him at BC, he doesn't seem to be an NHL calibre player.

But you gotta love a guy who steps in and has a Hat Trick in his first pro game.


Congratulations to Stephen :clap: heres to hoping you are the next great underdog story!

I've been advocating cloning and genetic engineering for a while now.
How about Stevens? I'd say Niedermayer too, but then they'd want to go play for the Ducks. Elias would be a good one, and Gomez as well.

Anway, I hope their dad has someone to help him run the hardware store anymore.
<(-:**

:biglaugh:

Look's like Lou already has the cloning machine working... it's right next to the Kool Aid dispenser. :)
:D

wow...i'm amazed...four point night in your first pro game

Congrats Stephen, I honestly didn't think you had it in ya. (Wasn't he on the fourth line at BC?) :clap:

He was on BC's third line, their energy line. The line did a remarkable job this year considering that he was the biggest player on the line.

He was on BC's third line, their energy line. The line did a remarkable job this year considering that he was the biggest player on the line.Was he really the biggest?

Brian Gionta played much of the 2002-03 Stanley Cup Championship season on Madden's line with Pandolfo. Gio had a decent 12 Goals and 13 Assists in 58 GP mostly on a shutdown line.

“Lil’ G” might develop into a good energy player in the NHL, or he may even be a decent NHL scorer.

I certainly agree with JimEIV's "heart" comment. Devils broadcasters Doc Emrick and Chico Resch have told the story of how Mr. and Mrs. Gionta would travel from the Rochester area to Boston to watch Stephen play at BC and still return home in time to open the family hardware store. It sounds like a great work ethic is ingrained into the Gionta boys.

If Stephen Gionta only amounts to a good AHL player, I am sure he will be an asset to his team because of his desire to be the best that he can be.

Anyone who sites his size can cram it. Results matter more than size. I would take three lines of Brian Giontas on my team any day of the week.

He was on BC's third line, their energy line. The line did a remarkable job this year considering that he was the biggest player on the line.

Actually he played with the top line for almost the entire season. And the point on the PP. Only moved to the Gerbe line after a losing streak in late Febuary. And, not to nitpick,(well I guess to nitpick) Matt Greene is bigger than Stephen.

Anyway, great start to Stephen's career. :handclap: He's been a favorite of mine for years now, so I might be a bit biased, but I think after a year or two in Lowell Stephen will develop into a nice energy(pest) player. Think Jason Blake, he wasn't highly touted coming out of NoDak, he's developed into a pesky little player.

Actually he played with the top line for almost the entire season. And the point on the PP. Only moved to the Gerbe line after a losing streak in late Febuary. And, not to nitpick,(well I guess to nitpick) Matt Greene is bigger than Stephen.

Anyway, great start to Stephen's career. :handclap: He's been a favorite of mine for years now, so I might be a bit biased, but I think after a year or two in Lowell Stephen will develop into a nice energy(pest) player. Think Jason Blake, he wasn't highly touted coming out of NoDak, he's developed into a pesky little player.

Pretty much hit the nail on the head. Lou should sign Zancanaro as long as he is okay with collecting these small guys with heart.