The Curious Case of Sebastien Thinel (Updates Photo and Video!)

Buried deep in Texas is a hockey player playing so far above his level of play it's almost criminal. He's been stranded in the Central Hockey League with the Odessa Jackalopes (save for a 2 game stint with Cincinnati during the '02-'03 season, and a year in Rouen, France) for nearly a decade. No, he's no up and coming youngster and in Hockey years he's essentially done, yet somehow during our mythical re-build he has never been broached as a guy to bring in and see what he can do.

By the Title you can guess this player's name: Sebatstien Thinel; he's 29 and Odessa's key sniper as well as one of their Alternate Captains. Jackalopes Captain David van Drunen is back with the team and netted 5 points in 13 games after a vicious pre-season sucker punch in Colorado that saw a number of bones in his face broken.

Here's a more detailed account I wrote on Thinel in an email to another Islanders blogger:

Sebastian and twin Marc-Andre are products of St. Jerome, Quebec born March 24, 1981.

Sebastien, undrafted, spent juniors with the Victoriaville Panthers (current Islanders hot shot netminding prospect Kevin Poulin also an alum), the Quebec Remparts, and Drummondville in the QMJHL. his first year with Victoriaville was nothing spacial netting 39 points in 60 games, that number jumped to 95 in 99-00 w/ Victoriaville on a team featuring his twin brother (who led the squad with 125 Pts), Antoine Vermette and Matt Lombardi. The '00-'01 season featured a 118 point campaign in 72 games. spending the next season between Quebec and Drummondville the point total plummeted, to a mere 92, now I'm not sure if there were disciplinary issues for Sebastien that led to him moving onto Quebec/Drummondville, but he did and continued to produce.

Thinel found his way to the CHL and Odessa (a LONG way from home) in the '02-'03 season netting 47 points in 57 games, won him a 2 game look with Cincinnati and the AHL, but 0 points. He then produced 67 points in 64 games for Odessa in '04, 55 PTs/59 GP in '05, 91 points in '06 before joining his brother in France for a season where he put up 55 points in 26 games. Returning to Odessa in '08, he netted 83 points and each of the next two years an identical 97 points (the '08-'09 and '09-'10 campaigns). He was named the CHL MVP in '08-'09, and won their equivalent of the Rocket Richard.

(photo from Swedish Islander blog)

He's a playmaker and a scorer, his MVP campaign featured 38 goals and 59 assists, and his first CHL 90 point campaign: 40/51/91 ('05-'06). In last season's CHL Playoffs Thinel got 23 points (8/15) in 13 games. In addition to these qualities Thinel stands up for himself and teammates (or takes a lot of stupid penalties) averaging 45 penalty minutes a year, not too shabby for a guy who's main goal is to put pucks in the net, a LOT...

This season in 28 games Thinel has 16 goals and 29 assists as well as a +13 (were he at Bridgeport or New York his numbers would lead both teams in scoring, as well as the Kalamazoo K-Wings), in his last 5 games he has netted 6 points, all assists, and a +1 rating.

With numbers like these the only possible explanation why he never got a shot at the AHL or NHL is he's a hothead, but seeing as he has a leadership role with Odessa, this doesn't appear to be the case.

He's under 30 (not for much longer though), and I think if given the opportunity may be just the guy to add to John Tavares' line NOW to give the Islanders a BADLY needed scoring punch. If the Islanders want to bring in help, shake things up and try to salvage something of a season, what can they possibly lose bringing in Thinel RIGHT NOW?

Hell, maybe he can get the offense started taking the pressure off Bailey and JT and help even out the pressure by moving Parenteau off the top line...it certainly doesn't hurt to give the guy a look, he resume says that he doesn't belong in the CHL...and if he clicks and sets Isles Country on fire, maybe he'll take the sting out of a disastrous fourth year of "the Rebuild."

Yes, many would argue that bringing in a guy who's only played two games above the CHL (in baseball terms think of it as A-ball) is yet another sign of "incompetence" by GM Garth Snow, but I beg to differ. This is a guy who's paid his dues, who only produces and in this "two steps back" sort of year gives us, the fans, a story to root for like last year with Matt Moulson. Garth caught lightning in a bottle with Moulson, and actually isn't looking too bad on signing Parenteau (his projections are all career highs, mainly because it will be his first complete season in the NHL, but still). Sebastien Thinel offers up a guy everyone can root for, is talented and won't cost a pick or leave on July 1 (okay, he might, but I would seriously doubt it).

Now for your viewing pleasure a Thinel Penalty Shot: