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Islanders News: Jiggs retiring; Bellows makes Team USA; Bah humbug

The holidays are great. Especially because the Islanders can't actively torture us during them.

By Steven E. Smith
Holiday Hugs.
Holiday Hugs.
Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

Good morning folks. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays. Hope holiday celebrations have been going well for everyone, and that everyone is safe. The league is off again today, but the Isles are back it tomorrow night against the Capitals. Let's get to it, yes?

Islanders "Gifts"

  • Jiggs McDonald, longtime announcer for the Isles and original commentator for the Kings, is set to retire completely from broadcasting in February after calling one last Kings game. [Islanders Insight]
  • 2016 first-round pick Kieffer Bellows has made the cut for Team USA. Happy for him. Also, Team USA's decision-making has been spotty at best, let's say, so hopefully him making it is a positive reflection on him. [LHH]
  • Mike (ICanSeeForIslesandIsles) is here with the weekly/bi-weekly compilation of power rankings. As he says: they're getting nuttin' for Christmas! [LHH]
  • LATE ADDITION: Dom looks at our record now that we've hit Christmas, and how it compares to seasons past and what it means for us this season (nothing good, but you knew that already). [LHH]
  • Matt Martin posted a "family photo" on Instagram, with Mitch Marner posing as his teenage son. Funny and amazing. [PPP]
  • The final Weekly Metro Division Snapshot of 2016. [AATJ]

NHL Presents

  • The NHL takes off for Christmas Eve/Day now, but it used to be a busy day for the league. Butchie is among those who reflected on the last time the NHL played on Christmas, back in 1971. [NHL.com]
  • P.K. Subban continues to do wonderful things and just be wonderful: he took kids from a Nashville hospital first on a sleigh ride, and then took them to Bridgestone Arena where they had a party/shopping spree. [SBN]
  • This is why the Bellows link from above makes me nervous: a dude (Alex DeBrincat) who was scoring better than a goal a game (not points, goals) was among the first cuts. [SBN College Hockey]
  • As always, the Canadians think they're going to win gold. This time, they're referring to the World Junior Championships, which are upcoming. [Toronto Star]
  • And finally, PPP writer ElSeldo wrote a version of Dickens' A Christmas Carol, replacing Christmas with Corrado, for much-healthy-scratched defenseman Frank Corrado. [PPP]

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