Andrew MacDonald

Islanders Sign Andrew MacDonald
islesinfo.com

May 24, 2007: The New York Islanders announced today that they have agreed to terms on a three year entry level contract with prospect D Andrew MacDonald. The 20 year old from Judicue, Nova Scotia played the last two seasons with the QMJHL's Moncton Wildcats, which included the 2005-06 season under current Islanders coach Ted Nolan. The Wildcats went to the Memorial Cup Final in 2006. An offensive defenseman, MacDonald was the Islanders sixth round pick, 160th overall, in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft.

"Andrew is a mobile defenseman with good two-way skills," said Islanders general manager Garth Snow. "He also has a history with Ted Nolan, who played a role in his development in junior. Andrew acquitted himself very well in training camp last year and we like the way he competes."

MacDonald signed an ATO with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers following Moncton's loss to Halifax in the Quebec League playoffs. He played in Bridgeport's final 3 games of the regular season.

He has good size at 6' and 186 lbs. Last season he scored 14 goals and 58 points for Moncton. He finished eighth in scoring among defensemen in the league. In his junior career he scored 20 goals and 104 points in 133 games played.

Accolades: Last season MacDonald was named Moncton's MVP, the team's best defensive player, and was named to the QMJHL's first all star team.

islesinfo.com comment: A good signing. I like MacDonald very much as I've seen him play a few times. He'll be a good power play guy, especially next season with the Sound Tigers. He also has a very good shot and is not afraid to use it. Stay tuned in the next couple of days as it's most likely the signing of Wes O'Neill and Dustin Kohn will be coming shortly. They both need to be signed by June 1st or the Islanders would lose their rights.

2006-07 Update: May 1, 2007 Playoff Update: On Apr. 3rd, the Moncton Wildcats lost game 7 of their best of seven division quarterfinal 3-2 to the Halifax Mooseheads in double overtime. Andrew MacDonald was scoreless in the deciding game. In the series he went 1-5-6 and was a +4. MacDonald tied for the team lead in scoring in the playoffs with 6 points and led Moncton with 5 assists. He was named Moncton's  MVP for 2006-07 and the team's best defensive player. Following the series, MacDonald signed an ATO with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers of the AHL. He made his AHL debut on April 13, 2007 in a 3-0 loss at the Hartford Wolf Pack. MacDonald played in the Sound Tigers final 3 games of the regular season. He did not record a point and the team went 1-2-0 in those three games. MacDonald wore #11 with Bridgeport.

April 1, 2007: Andrew MacDonald went 1-4-5 in 7 games played with the Moncton Wildcats during the month of March. On the power play he went 1-3-4. His 41st assist of the season, a new career high, came in a 4-2 win at the St. John's Fog Devils on Mar. 3rd. MacDonald recorded the game winning goal in a win over Halifax on Mar. 16th. He assisted on the game winner in a win vs. Acadie-Bathurst on Mar. 18th, the last game of the regular season. Moncton went 4-3-0 in March to finish the season with a record overall of 40-24-6. On Mar. 26th MacDonald was named to the QMJHL First All Star Team. Playoffs: The Moncton Wildcats faced the Halifax Mooseheads in the first round of the QMJHL playoffs, a best of seven series. After 6 games the two teams are tied 3 games a piece with game 7 scheduled for Apr. 3rd. In the series, MacDonald has gone 1-5-6 and is a +5. He is 1-2-3 on the power play. MacDonald had a 6 game point scoring streak that began on Mar. 16th in the regular season and stretched into the first four games of the playoffs to Mar. 26th in which he went 2-8-10.

March 1, 2007: Andrew MacDonald went 2-7-9 in 9 games played with the Moncton Wildcats during the month of February. All of his 9 points came on the power play. MacDonald was a -7 during the month. His best game came on Feb. 26th as he recorded a goal and 2 assists to help Moncton to a 3-0 lead and later a 5-0 lead over Acadie-Bathurst. Moncton went on to lose the game 8-7 in overtime, but MacDonald was named the first star of the game. In that game MacDonald recorded his 40th assist of the season, which ties his career high he set in 2005-06. In his second full season in the QMJHL, he has more than doubled his goal production. MacDonald also recorded a goal on Feb. 6th in a 7-3 loss at the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles. The goal gave him 47 points which set a career high. Moncton posted a 2-4-3 record in the month of February and overall they are 36-21-6.

February 1, 2007: Andrew MacDonald went 3-4-7 in 13 games played with the Moncton Wildcats during the month of January. MacDonald had a 4 game point scoring streak from Dec. 30th to Jan. 6th in which he went 2-3-5. On the power play he recorded 2 goals and 4 points in January. On Jan. 12th MacDonald recorded the game-winning assist in a 5-2 win vs. the Shawinigan Cataractes. On Jan. 14th he scored the game-winning goal in a 4-2 win vs. the Halifax Mooseheads. Moncton posted a 7-4-2 record in the month of January and overall they are 34-17-3.

January 1, 2007: Andrew MacDonald went 1-7-8 in 10 games played with the Moncton Wildcats during the month of December. He was a +10 in December, and +22 over the last two months. MacDonald had an eight game point scoring streak in which he went 3-10-13 from Nov. 24th to Dec. 8th. In the shootout he went 0/1, missing on an opportunity in an eventual 3-2 win at the Lewiston Maineiacs on Dec. 6th. Only had one point on the power play, an assist, in December. Moncton posted a record of 6-4-0 in December and are 27-13-1 overall. MacDonald's defense partner is Luc Bourdon.

December 1, 2006: Andrew MacDonald went 3-12-15 in 13 games played with the Moncton Wildcats during the month of November. Nine (2g, 7a) of his 15 points came on the power play and he was a +12. MacDonald had a three game point scoring streak from Nov. 7th to 12th in which he went 1-2-3. From Nov. 24th to 29th he had a 4 game point scoring streak in which he went 2-6-8. Three of his assists came on game winning goals. MacDonald scored the game winner in Moncton's 5-1 win at Halifax on November 29th. His 7 goals on the season sets a new career high, surpassing the 6 he scored in 2005-06 for coach Ted Nolan. MacDonald is among the leading scoring defensemen in the QMJHL. Moncton posted a record of 10-3-0 in November. On the 2006-07 season they are 21-9-1 overall.

November 1, 2006: Defenseman Andrew MacDonald went 2-8-10 in 10 games played for the Moncton Wildcats during the month of October. He's averaging just over a point per game on the season. MacDonald had a three game point scoring streak from October 22nd to 27th in which he went 1-4-5. He had a three game assist streak earlier in the season from September 30th to October 6th in which MacDonald registered 4 assists. Moncton posted a record of 5-4-1 in October. On the 2006-07 season they are 11-6-1.

October 1, 2006: Andrew MacDonald was returned to Moncton from the New York Islanders training camp on September 24, 2006. He played that night for the Wildcats vs. Lewiston and recorded 2 goals and an assist in his season debut. MacDonald recorded an assist on a Shawn Bates' goal in his only preseason appearance with the Islanders, a 5-1 loss vs. the Boston Bruins on September 22nd.

Highlights:

* Named first star with 2 G ( 1 PP, 1 GW ) and 1 A in 7-6 win vs. Lewiston Maineiacs Sept. 24, 2006. 
* Named first star with 1 goal(GW) and 1 assist in 4-2 win at St. John's Fog Devils October 14, 2006.
* Named second star with 1 goal(PP) and 1 assist in 4-1 win at Chicoutimi Sagueneens Oct. 26, 2006.
* Named third star with 3 assists in 5-4 win at Saint John Sea Dogs November 24, 2006.
* Named second star with a goal and 2 assists in a 5-2 win vs. P.E.I. Rocket November 26, 2006.
* Named third star with 2 assists in a 4-2 loss at Cape Breton Screaming Eagles December 1, 2006.
* Named first star with 1 goal(PP) in a 5-3 win at Acadie-Bathurst Titan January 3, 2007.
* Named third star with an assist in a 3-2 win at Gatineau Olympiques January 26, 2007.
* Named third star with an assist in a 4-3 loss vs. P.E.I. Rocket February 13, 2007.
* Named third star with an assist in a 6-5 OT loss at P.E.I. Rocket February 21, 2007.
* Named first star with a goal (PP) and 2 assists in 8-7 OT loss vs. Acadie-Bathurst February 26, 2007.
* Named second star as a +1 in a 6-3 win at St. John's Fog Devils March 2, 2007.
* Named second star as a -1 in a 2-0 loss vs. Lewiston MAINEiacs March 14, 2007.
* Named second star with a goal(GW,PP) & an assist in 6-4 win vs. Halifax Mooseheads March 16, 2007.
* Named first star with 2 assists in 4-3 win vs. Acadie-Bathurst Titan March 18, 2007.

Playoffs:

* Named first star with 2 assists in 5-4 win vs. Halifax Mooseheads March 25, 2007. (Game 3 - 1st rd.)

Final QMJHL Defenseman Scoring Leaders 2006-07
as of Mar. 27, 2007

MacDonald named to the First-Team All Star
moncton-wildcats.com, Mar. 26, 2007

Moncton Wildcats defenseman Andrew MacDonald was named to the QMJHL first all star team. The 20 year old played 65 games during the regular season accumulating 14 goals, 44 assists for a total of 58 points while keeping a +/- rating of +5.

In 133 career games with the Moncton Wildcats, Andrew has put up great numbers for a defenseman registering 20 goals, 84 assists for a total of 104 points. The native of Judique, Nova Scotia, was part of the 2006 President Cup winning team and was also selected by the New York Islanders in the 6th round (#160 overall) at the 2006 NHL Entry Draft.

NHL prospect skating in familiar, unfamiliar territory
by Tina Comeau, Yarmouth Vanguard, Sept. 19, 2006

Andrew MacDonald isn’t used to hearing hockey fans applaud and cheer him at the Mariners Centre in Yarmouth.

“I threw a little smirk out there on the ice,” he says laughing. “I couldn’t help it.”

MacDonald is in town competing for a spot within the New York Islanders’ franchise. It may be the Cape Breton native’s first NHL training camp, but it isn’t been the first time he’s played hockey in this particular arena. He’s been here many times before, but always on the opposing team.

For two years MacDonald played junior A hockey with the Truro Bearcats, rivals of the hometown favourite Yarmouth Mariners. Prior to camp, the last time he had played hockey at the Mariners Centre was during the Fred Page Cup for the eastern Canadian junior A championship. For a young junior A hockey player, it was a pretty big deal.

Last year MacDonald – after agonizing with a decision of whether to play college hockey in Minnesota – opted to accept an invitation from Danny Flynn (Ted Nolan’s associate coach in Moncton at the time) to play with the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League’s Moncton Wildcats who were hosting the national Memorial Cup championship. For MacDonald it was an even bigger deal.

But for a young hockey player looking to score a career in the National Hockey League, an NHL training camp is about as big as it gets. Over the summer MacDonald, who just recently turned 20, was drafted by the Islanders in the sixth round. He says the hockey he’s being exposed to in the Mariners Centre this time around is, without a doubt, a lot stronger, a lot smarter and a lot faster and requires a much quicker reaction.

While all of the prospects at camp dream of penetrating an NHL lineup, others are more realistic about their chances, particularly on their first time out. MacDonald came into camp not expecting to make the team this year, although he’d love to crack the Islanders’ Bridgeport AHL affiliate.

Those vying for a spot in Bridgeport will get two more chances this week to be evaluated and to play exhibition hockey when they play Nova Scotia university teams St. Francis Xavier and Acadia on Thursday and Saturday. There is a lot of buzz in Yarmouth about these games. Flynn, now assistant head coach of the Islanders, says fans can expect to see games with a lot of intensity and a lot of skill level. Having previously coached St. FX to a national championship, Flynn says Canadian college hockey is the most underrated level of hockey in North America.

“There’s a lot of kids that were very good major junior A players and almost all of them go onto minor pro careers,” says Flynn.

As for Andrew MacDonald, he’ll continue to try and make an impression with the Islanders brass during the remainder of the camp. He says it can be a little difficult not to get awestruck on the ice when you’re skating with the likes players such as Alexei Yashin, Rick DiPietro and Miroslav Satan. But having his former major junior hockey coaches Ted Nolan, now head coach of the Islanders, and Flynn at camp has helped to ground him and add some familiarity to camp.

And as for those cheers from the Mariners Centre stands, they’ve turned out to be an unfamiliar added bonus.

Andrew MacDonald attempts to avoid check from Jason Blake

 

	Isles Select D Andrew MacDonald 160th Overall
	D Andrew MacDonald Born: September 7, 1986, Judicue, Nova Scotia 2005-06: Moncton (QMJHL) Shoots: Left CSB: not rated

Islanders Scouts: "Andy is a highly intelligent player," said Nolan. "I'm really glad we got him. He's vastly underrated and has come along way."

- MacDonald played for Ted Nolan with the QMJHL's Moncton Wildcats in 2005-06.
- was passed over in the 2005 NHL Drafts
- passed on a scholarship to Bemidji State to join Moncton.
- MacDonald is 19 years old and closer to turning pro.
- MacDonald was the only current CHL player taken by the Islanders in the 2006 NHL Draft.
- played with the Darthmouth Subway Major Midget Hockey Club from 2000 to 2002. Was a teammate of Sidney Crosby with Darthmouth in 2001-02.
- is third all-time with the Subways in plus/minus going +108 in 162 career games played.

excerpt from moncton-wildcats.com

What is your favourite food? Eggos, steak
What is your favourite movie? Grandma's Boy / Wedding Crashers / Gladiator
Outside of hockey, what are your hobbies? Ping Pong, Training, Ball Hockey
Who is your hero? Al MacInnis
What is your favourite T.V. show? House
What music do you listen to? Country, Rock, Alternative
What is your dream car? McLarren F1
If you were deserted on an island and could only have one thing with you, what would that one thing be? Yacht
If you could have dinner with any celebrity who would it be? Why? Adam Sandler (Halarious)
At what age did you start playing hockey? 3 years old
What was your favourite sports team growing up/now? Toronto Mapleleafs / N.Y. Islanders
Who is your favourite athlete (any sport)? Tom Brady / Andre Aggasi
What is your game day routine? Breakfast at Mike's, sleep, eat, rink
What are your nicknames? Mizz, A Mac, Weez, Shango
What is your favourite personal hockey moment? Winning the 2006 Presidents Cup, Playing for the Memorial Cup, Playing an NHL Exhibition game
What is your favourite hockey video game? NHL 05

Moncton 2005-06 Season Highlights

May 24, 2006: Probably the lowlight of MacDonald's junior career. In a Memorial Cup game vs. the Quebec Remparts, unlikely hero Andrew Andricopoulos scored the game winning goal for Quebec at 16:13 of the third period when he banked in a shot off of Andew MacDonald's skate and behind Moncton goaltender Josh Tjordman. It was the first Moncton loss of the post season on home ice after 13 straight wins. Quebec won the game 4-3 and won a bye to the Memorial Cup Final, where they would eventually beat Moncton again 6-3.

March 18, 2006: MacDonald was named the 2nd star of the game in a 6-2 win over the PEI Rocket.

March 5, 2006: MacDonald scored the lone goal in Moncton's 3-1 loss to the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles.

January 7, 2006: MacDonald recorded 3 assists and was named second star in a 5 - 0 victory over the visiting Gatineau Olympiques.

Captain lands tryout
June 27, 2006
By Neil Hodge - moncton-wildcats.com

Moncton captain Christian Gaudet and defenceman Andrew MacDonald are expected to return to Moncton as 20-year-olds next season, but that could change depending on how they fare in NHL camp. New York could decide to ink them to contracts and assign them to the American Hockey League.

The Islanders selected MacDonald in the sixth round of the 2006 NHL draft on Saturday in Vancouver.

MacDonald, 6-foot-1 and 185 pounds, wasn't in the NHL central scouting rankings. But Nolan felt strongly enough about him and convinced the Islanders that they should claim him.

"I managed to squeeze Andrew MacDonald in there," said Nolan. "I think the kid has exceptional hockey skills. He has good vision. The one thing that he doesn't have is probably the easiest thing we can teach and that's his physical fitness level.

"We've got to get him a lot stronger, more powerful and work on his body. He has all the hockey sense that the good players have. He made big strides going from junior A to major junior last season. Now to get to the next level is going to be even tougher. Do I think he's capable of doing it? There's no question."

MacDonald played two seasons ago for the Truro Bearcats of the Maritime Junior A Hockey League. He signed with Moncton as a free agent and made a smooth transition to the QMJHL.

He was a top three defenceman for the Wildcats and managed 46 points, including six goals, in 68 games.

"I'm not exactly sure how much conditioning work he did in the past," said Nolan. "You can play junior A on just your skill level. To play major junior, you need a little higher conditioning level.

"To play pro, you need optimum conditioning combined with your skills because you're going to meet players who are just as skilled, if not better. Andrew needs to put on some weight and add some power and quickness. His hockey sense will take care of itself."

CHARLOTTETOWN - It's a rookie who's the surprise scoring leader for the Moncton Wildcats and he's still an unknown to most fans early in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League season.

Meet Andrew MacDonald.

"I wasn't expecting this, definitely not," said the defenceman with a smile in reference to the fact he notched five points, all assists, in his first two games in the league.

"I was just looking to play two solid games. Really, it was a pleasant surprise for me to pick up the points, but I'll take them. That's for sure."

MacDonald, 19, is from Judique, N.S. and he played the past two seasons for the Truro Bearcats. He had 33 points, including 11 goals, in 56 games last season and helped the club capture its first championship in the Maritime Junior A Hockey League.

The Cape Bretoner graduated from high school with honours and had a scholarship offer to play Division 1 level U.S. college hockey this season for Bemidji State in Minnesota. Moncton worked hard to convince him to come here and be part of the host team in the 2006 Memorial Cup.

Quality defencemen are always a hot commodity. The Wildcats didn't have to use a draft pick or make a trade to land MacDonald - they signed him as a free agent - and that makes this acquisition extra sweet.

"It was a very long, stressful summer for me because I had a scholarship for a school in Minnesota," said MacDonald. "It was a tough decision for me whether to go there or come to Moncton. I was thinking about it every waking moment all summer.

"My parents told me they were going to stand by me whatever I decided. Even when I came here for training camp, I wasn't sure what I was going to do. It was like a see-saw and every day I was leaning a different way. I think I made the right choice by staying here.

"I would be lying if I said the Memorial Cup wasn't a big part of my decision to come to Moncton. Obviously, it is a big factor. I also think the coaching staff they have in place here is tremendous. I thought I was ready for the next level and I felt I could learn an awful lot here."

Moncton, 2-0, sits atop the Eastern Division entering tonight's road game against the Prince Edward Island Rocket.

The Wildcats will play their home opener against the expansion Saint John Sea Dogs on Sunday at 4 p.m. at the Moncton Coliseum.

MacDonald, 6-foot-1 and 185 pounds, went untouched in the QMJHL draft and it didn't bother him at the time because he was focused on trying to get a scholarship to play U.S. college hockey.

He attended Halifax Mooseheads training camp in 2003-04 as a free agent, but left after 48 hours to protect his U.S. college hockey eligibility. His five points in two games for Moncton have all come on the power play.

"The coaches have told us it's a privilege to be on special teams," he said. "I really take pride in being out there and hopefully I can keep contributing."

Moncton scored seven of its 10 goals on the power play in the opening two games. It has the best power play in the QMJHL with an efficiency rate of 33.3 per cent.

The Wildcats have a handful of defencemen capable of contributing on the power play. MacDonald is joined on the list by Keith Yandle, Nathan Welton, Oskars Bartulis and Jason Demers.

"I think we all realize things could change (with personnel on the power play)," said MacDonald.

"We've just got to support each other and hopefully we can all contribute to the team. If you're slacking off, it might be a wakeup call knowing they can pull you out and put another guy in so that's a good thing."

Moncton head coach Ted Nolan has been impressed with MacDonald for much more than just the offence he's provided.

"He understands the game extremely well," said Nolan. "He's a very intelligent and exciting player. Once he really adapts to the Quebec league in November or December, I think you're going to see a special player.

"He's going to make a difference, especially with the rule changes with no red line (for two-line passes) and the crackdown on obstruction. Maybe the day of the big clunky defenceman who can clutch and grab are going to be exchanged for the intelligent puck-moving defenceman."

The Wildcats talked to MacDonald for three months leading up to training camp.

"He had a lot of options and we're just thankful that he chose us as a place to further his hockey development," said Nolan. "I think he's a kid that's going to be really noticed by the professional people by the end of the season. "There's no substitute for hockey intelligence. People talk about skating, size and those type of things. I think having a knowledge of the game ranks right up there, especially the way the game is changing. You need intelligence out there." Wildcats associate coach Danny Flynn has been watching MacDonald over the past five seasons. "We knew that if we were going to put this team in position to contend for the Memorial Cup we would have to add some people," said Flynn. "History has shown in the Quebec league that at Christmas there's not a lot of movement (with trades). Last season, Rimouski was clearly going for it and they were able to add one guy at Christmas.

"We felt that the returning players, plus the people we could recruit this summer, would form largely the nucleus of this team. We talked to a lot of kids that we thought could come in and help our team. Andrew MacDonald is one of the guys we identified early as someone that could come in and contribute immediately at the major junior level."

Flynn offered this description of the defenceman.

"He's got good size," he said. "There's some areas he needs to work on such as foot speed and strength, but his poise with the puck and his puck skills are real solid. He's just getting comfortable in the league so I think he's going to keep getting better and better.

"His reads of the play are real good and I think with experience they're only going to get better. He thinks the game well. I've had two NHL teams talk to me about him already and we're only one week into the season."