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Today is the first day of the rest of the season. But no Isles game today, so...
- A grudging B for the Isles at the mid-point. [Today's Slap Shot]
- Well, at least Mathew Barzal is lifting his team to victory. [Seattle Times]
- A wee look around the Metro [All About the Jersey]
The Ovechkin Sectchkin
- Alex Ovechkin scored number 500 (and 501) last night. Reactions included his parents in tears. [SB Nation]
- Whatever you think of the player -- personally, I detest his headhunting -- it's a relief to have someone scoring and being generally amazing in this age of low-scoring, big goalies, shot blocking, and coached-to-death defense. Adjusted for era, he is among the absolute best ever. [NHL]
- Some funny lines from the many goalies Ovechkin has beaten, including an interesting one from Jaroslav Halak. [WaPo]
- It's been an interesting career, and at one point it looked like Ovechkin's goals were drying up. [NHL]
Neither Isles nor Ovechky
- The Canucks would like you and everyone else to know they are trying to trade Chris Higgins. [Nucks Misconduct]
- This after they lost in OT as the Sedins...just kind of left the ice. [SB Nation | Jeff Patterson]
- A good read on why the Predators went for it with Ryan Johansen. [Boston Globe]
- Evander Kane got the last laugh on the Jets' "Track Suit Night" deal. [Puck Daddy]
- Connor McDavid won't return until after the All-Star break. [NHL]
- "According to accounts from those to be trusted, Tortorella has returned to nuts-and-bolts coaching, and absent so much of the sideshow that marked his time in New York and in Vancouver." [Post]
- Wu Tang Clan, er, Larry Robinson ain't nothing to [mess] with. [HEOTP]
- Jakub Kindl is through waivers, and off to Grand Rapids. [WIIM]