OK, Kings. Let's try this again. Also, Dan Boyle wants to play for a good team, but somehow the Maple Leafs have jammed their nose into the conversation.
Islanders, um, "news"
- Maple Leafs assistant general manager and media ice-breaker Darren Dreger is reporting that Toronto and Dan Boyle might be a match. Boyle has the Leafs "on his list" because he wants to play for "a contender" and the team is "definitely interested." What the Leafs are actually contending for is unknown at this time. Of course, when Dreger and other Leafs people say "contender" what they really mean is "team in a big market that spends first and asks questions later and that people care about and that isn't the Islanders." [The Score]
- The Top 25 Under 25 goes to Czucz and faces down a Sandstorm.
- Long Island teenager and Islanders fan Cord Lehman had successful heart surgery to correct a birth defect, and had special visit from an Islanders legend. [New$day]
Stanley Cup Final and more
- The buzzword out of the Rangers' stay of execution was "luck," as in New York had all of it in Game 5. Barry Pechesky Deadspin says that's a bunch of BS. And Travis Yost says a bounce by any other name would smell just as sweet.
- Meanwhile, the Kings are looking pretty good beyond just this Spring. Bastards. [Jewels From the Crown]
- The Sharks would be dumb to trade Joe Thornton. [Adam Gretz at Pro ice Hockey]
- The Senators have to trade Jason Spezza, who has submitted his dreaded list of 10 No Fly Zones to GM Bryan Murray. Let's assume Long Island is one of those zones. [Pro Hockey Talk]
- SBN Mock Draft Time! Litter Box Cats picks on behalf of the Florida Panthers. And the No. 1 jersey goes to... followed by Die By the Blade's Sabres pick.
- Arctic Ice Hockey ranks the Top 10 prospects in the upcoming draft.
- The next stage of NHL Fancy Stats evolution will take place in New Jersey, as the Devils hire a one-time stats-based blogger as their Director of Analytics. Wait. You can get paid for this? [Edmonton Journal]
- Some kind of soccer thing started yesterday. Here are a few NHL teams as World Cup nations. The Islanders aren't listed, which I guess makes them Angola or something. [The Hockey Writers]
- Work Out The Gary Roberts Way you pencil-necked geek. [Angus Certified]
- Non-hockey fan preps to dismissively liveblog Stanley Cup final game and, in the process, becomes a new hockey fan. An inspirational and totally bananas story from Happy Nice Time People.
Hey, Hickey! Watch the games!
@ZachBoychuk I think your fenwick would be a better indicator. Lots of trees blocked your shots
— Thomas Hickey (@thomas_hickey14) June 13, 2014