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The New York Islanders play their third game of the young season tonight, which in some parts is long enough to fire your coach, I'm told.
Yes, the Flyers fired ex-Isles coach Peter Laviolette yesterday after an 0-3 start. (But remember: Mark Streit is playing with a contender for the first time in his career," right Sportsnet?) Before we get to fun Flyers-related links, some Isles reads -- not the least of which is the question of if Cal Clutterbuck is coming back and who he'll knock out of the lineup (and 23-man roster) if he does:
- Newsday suggests the lowest-hanging fruit: Junior-eligible Griffin Reinhart, who has yet to play a game. "We don't really have a timetable for Griffin," Capuano said. "As long as he's here, learning the pace of how we practice and what we do, we think it's beneficial for him."
- The Post, meanwhile, suggests Brock Nelson. Both papers have bits from Capuano about wanting Pierre-Marc Bouchard to be "harder" on pucks.
- Just a thought, but one possibility if Clutterbuck doesn't come off IR today: Get Reinhart into at least a game, give him something to take back to juniors with him. Regardless, something is happening, but if Clutterbuck doesn't play today then the Isles have another game and practice day during which an injury could make the decision for them. (Or even a wink-wink "injury.")
- Derek Morris and Oliver Ekman-Larsson were both listed as questionable for tonight.
- Every Michael Grabner breakaway against the Devils last week.
- Some prospect updates at the official site and at Prospect Park. (Ryan Pulock shines again, but also hurt?)
- That's the future. What about the past? Where are they now: Ted Nolan
- Brenden Kichton is glad to be in a hockey market. He must mean St. John's.
- Nino Niederreiter is on the third line in Minnesota with Matt Cooke. Feel like I've heard this before: Nino "seemed to be confused system-wise a few times glaringly" (beat writer's words, not player or coach).
- After a long detour through the '70s and New Jersey, the Nets banners have returned to the Coliseum.
- FIG Picks: Leave your First Islanders Goal picks over here for tonight's game.
Elsewhere
- Broad Street Hockey coverage of Laviolette firing: Why now? | Why Berube? | In the presser, Ed Snider got testy with inquiring media wondering why they stayed in-house. He's right though, at least with the part about 30 teams vying for the Cup.
- Elliotte Friedman: Laviolette never could fix the Flyers' problems. Which include an inability to clone Chris Pronger.
- Separately, Friedman's 30 Thoughts.
- Digging into two of those 30 Thoughts: Wait, will the Leafs trade Jake Gardiner?
- Does fighting deter nasty stuff? [PPP]
- Zenon Konopka tells your cousin: "This is part of my everyday living. I grew up with hockey. It’s part of me. You take hockey away from me, it would be a crushing blow, and hockey needs policing."
- Jonathan Quick did this last night. Also last night: The Devils coughed up a 3-0 third-period lead, then tied it again but lost in the shootout, therefore they must plan for failure like the Isles, if I read Isles fan online commentary correctly.