Some New York Islanders bits of this and that, as well as the latest way Minnesota media find a reason to talk about the Isles:
- Newsday has Kyle Okposo discussing his uncharacteristically hot start, with more talk of changes to his training that continues what he thought worked toward the end of last season.
- Brian Strait has been placed on IR, retroactively. No word yet about extra defensemen on the road trip.
- Peter Regin is not on the ice this morning. But that's okay: Dental work, should be good to go tomorrow.
- So don't read into Johan Sundstrom not being on the ice with Bridgeport this morning. [Update: Day to day, says Pellerin via Fornabaio]
- NEW: Jon Sim returns to Sound Tigers in Sim Resurrection Shocker!
- From The Skinny after the win over Boston, confirming everyone's "Woevember" fears: "It’s the first time since 2007 that the Isles have won their first two November games. The 2nd of those games in 2007 was coached by Isles legend Al Arbour."
- IPB: Saturday's win a "statement" game for Kevin Poulin
- NYIFYI notes on the weekend: Cal Clutterbuck coming around?
- The NHL leaderboard looks odd with Kyle Okposo and Frans Nielsen ranked 6th and 7th, which might cause you to overlook that Okposo passed 200 career points.
Lines at practice sans Regin:
Vanek-Tavares-Okposo
Bouchard-Nielsen-Bailey
Grabner-Nelson-Clutterbuck
Martin-Boulton-Cizikas-McDonald
Minnesota Beat Writer Swears He's Not Trolling You
One of the strangely tamper-sounding things we heard after the Moulson-Vanek trade was how it was a foolish move because they're the Islanders, thus crazy Thomas Vanek is somehow destined to sign with Minnesota this summer anyway. It's apparently a certainty the way Zach Parise was supposedly a certainty to head home when his contract was up with the Devils, and we all know how that turned ou-...oh crap.)
Where did all this rumor mongering come from? Have Wild execs been tampering blabbing to team-friendly third-party conduits about Vanek too?
Minnesota beat writer (and self-described "ex-Islanders diehard/Newsday paperboy") Michael Russo, in the space of one "insider" column, calls the Islanders "crazy" (twice) for acquiring Vanek without a contract extension yet acknowledges he is to blame (emphasis mine) for... :
"... this Vanek frenzy because we have talked incessantly about the Austrian sniper being destined for Minnesota ... We have written about Vanek in the newspaper and blogs, talked about him on radio and TV..."
But now that Vanek is under a year away from free agency, it's time to "throw cold water" on all that.
The best part? Apparently after stoking this speculation for years -- even projecting the contract numbers it would take to get Vanek signed with the Wild -- now it's a "oh, nevermind" because the Wild have Mikael Granlund and, heh heh, Nino Niederreiter.
Tying a bow on the have-it-both-ways rumor-dancing:
"A month ago, I believed there was no doubt the Wild would pursue Vanek. Now, I wonder. Maybe it still happens. But there’s a long time between Nov. 3 and July 1."
Wait, like different teams' situations are different? And those situations and needs can change over time? Like one team might want a "play-me-or-trade-me, but really just trade me" Nino tomorrow, another might want a Vanek today? That's just crazy talk.
Crazy, like getting mired in hopeless and mini-Dater-like squabbles with Isles fans on Twitter. Crazy, like fanning Vanek speculation "incessantly" only to backtrack as the moment of truth gets closer. Crazy, like Twitter.
(To be fair, the "Haha Isles got Vanek but he's coming here or maybe not" is far from the craziest Isles fascination among staff at the Star-Tribune. And the prolific Russo's attachments to the Isles come naturally, from his roots, rather than via rampant Isles-fan-like insecurities about the local college team. So they've got that going for them. Which is nice.)
More from Lighthouse Hockey:
- New York Islanders 'Roll': Improvement will be tested on 4-game road trip
- [Sunday Brunch Bits] Emery Skates, Kaleta Exits, Dryden Speaks & Bure Retires Again
- Islanders-Bruins Post-Game Video: Capuano's Pleased and Hamonic Hears All
- Recap: Poulin's Pads, Vanek's Vroom Lead Islanders Past Bruins
- New York Islanders 3, Boston Bruins 1: Poulin's Pads, Vanek's Vroom Lead Islanders Past Bruins