Islanders News: Wrapping up Bridgeport's injury- and callup-riddled season

The Bridgeport Sound Tigers held their debriefings and breakups this week, so Michael Fornabaio in the Connecticut Post has a wrap on their season: "The challenge all year for the Sound Tigers was to translate a young and ever-changing roster into a successful team." A total of 65 players were used, from all walks of hockey, with predictable team results

Beyond that, a lot of painstaking recording and transcribing for the breakup quotes from a number of future (hopefully) Islanders, so go check that out for observations on the record and schedule, a look at contracts plus stuff like this from Scott Mayfield

I need to kind of get bigger. That’s going to be a focal point, adding a few pounds and making sure my skating’s still there. You need quicker decisions. Guys are on you a lot quicker.

It's funny, and you hear it so often that it feels cliche, but it's true: The most frequent observation from kids jumping to the AHL from juniors or even NCAA is the need to get stronger, faster, prepare for quicker decisions. To a man the many Islanders prospects (including some late-season PTOs) said that, plus more on their individual experiences.

More Reads

• Fornabaio also has a piece on Justin Johnson's NHL debut and TKO of John Scott, just weeks before Johnson's 33rd birthday. [CT Post]
  
• On any potential Islanders sale: Gary Bettman is nothing if not message disciplined. [Newsday blog]
• Ex-Islander Kevin Weekes is living the dream so you don't have to. [Sporting News]
• Last night's playoff action in a nutshell: All your highlights and gifs in one fancy package.
  
• More: The Habs swept poor Bishop-less Tampa Bay (and Thomas Vanek looked great again). If you like Metallica this is the recap for you.
  
• Also: The Rangers won easily, the Bruins shut out Detroit, and the Sharks put the Kings on the verge of a sweep with an OT win in L.A.
  
• Flyers fans were all ready to flip off Daniel Carcillo when he scored (!), and he was all ready to troll them. Check the opposite-angle gif in the comments too. [SB Nation]
  
• Twitter was all ready to tell Brad Marchand he's a faker until he pointed out Twitter is Twitter and he's in the NHL. (Twitter reportedly went to bed without admitting its mistake.) [SB Nation]
  
• Hockey Time Machine: Barry Trotz once had a neck.
• Well of course: Medvedev would like Alex Ovechkin to follow the Kovalchuk route. (I wonder, at what point would Ted Leonsis like it too?) [Puck Daddy]

Random

No. No, don't listen to this Corey Feldman song. You'll only hate yourself.