The national holidays have passed, the list of remaining unsigned free agents is already getting that sour milk smell, and -- oh hey, another Nassau County coliseum proposal is due. Here are some links and views to catch you up on what's doing in the hockey world, both inside and outside the Islanders:

• The top 30 free agents left, according to nhl.com.
• Shane Doan might leave Phoenix: He doesn't want to, and he took himself off the UFA market for the first nine days specifically to avoid it, but it's possible he'll shop himself elsewhere tomorrow, with a reported 11 teams in the hunt.
• The Wild landed the two big prizes in Ryan Suter and Zach Parise. But does that even make the team average?
• The Islanders smartly package all their PR challenges for prospective free agents in one testimonial package. One more missing ingredient though: Money to reel them in.
• Jeremy Colliton is a happy father, but he's still not healthy, sadly.
• P.A. Parenteau's long journey from minor leaguer to NHL salvage to bit-ticket free agent.
• Jets fans examine what they have in new backup Al Montoya. [Arctic Ice Hockey]
• FanPost: In which LHHer Torgo spent the week in Quebec.

• They're coming at it from different ends, but Newsday's Arthur Staple say both the Rangers and Islanders offseasons are marked by patience. Which, you know, isn't typically a strength of New York fans.
• Parise: Thirty-seven years later, Zach Parise reverses Dad's course
• Behind the Wild's 72-hour pursuit of Parise
• Who's the more desirable target: Nash or Bobby Ryan?
• One to watch: Sam Gagner Files for Salary Arbitration - The Copper & Blue
• Roberto Luongo sounds like he's ready to move on for sure from the Canucks. But about that contract...
  
• When shopping for upgrades, focus on asking the right questions.
• So are there any questions that Alexander Semin doesn't answer?
• Speaking of how to answer questions, praise for the Stars for rebuilding without sinking to the bottom.
• Good read: The many phases of Brad Richards, dictated by contract.
• Great read: The Hockey Hall of Fame and the Politics of Hockey Legacy: How and Why Are Certain Players Remembered? " Hockey in Society
• Fantastic takedown of one twitter rumor-monger in particular.
  

Not that the Wild are the best example, but I think this perspective from the Wild owner at the end of the season is similar to the Islanders' approach to Parenteau negotiations:

Chuck had to build this team for this year knowing who he’s got coming in for future years. In isolation, if he only had to build one year’s worth of team, he probably would have done it differently and maybe we would have gotten a higher end centerman, but we’ve got a lot of centers coming the next two years. So who you going to get on a one-year contract?

Finally, for the locals, if you're up for playing in the LHH pick-up game, check this FanPost.