Islanders News: The air is so dewy-sweet you don't even have to lick the stamps

Happy 1980 Stanley Cup Anniversary Day. We can never get enough remembrances and trivia about that glorious day.

Islander Stuff

• Garik’s first video podcast, with guest Alex “Ghost of Nyles” Novet, went so deep into Anthony Beauvillier’s first season that the only thing missing was x-rays. If you didn’t get to watch it live, you can catch it here.
• At Newsday, Arthur Staple posted perhaps his most fascinating mailbag article yet, with info about the expansion draft, Ilya Kovalchuk and Ryan Pulock’s status within in the team. We might disseminate this a little further later.
• Doug Weight is characteristically open and brutally honest about what he’s looking for in his assistant coaches. Sounds like Greg Cronin may indeed be out, but Weight remains a fan. [NY Post]
• A friend and former Gopher is helping Anders Lee with some extra video analysis. [CBS Minnesota]
• Eamon McAdam talks to The Hockey Writers about his AHL season, Jaroslav Halak’s influence and being pals with Josh Ho-Sang.
• Congrats to Devon Toews on his graduation:

• Our own North Dakota Red Eagle has opened his own stats site at RedLine.guru, and his first post is about blocks and what they means to a team’s results. Looking forward to more from him.
• New York teams have seen more than a few outstanding rookies in their times. [Newsday]

Memorial Cup

• Oof. The Thunderbirds season came to a crushing end with a 7-0 loss to Saint John on Tuesday, their second straight blowout defeat. Still, Seattle won its first ever WHL championship and features a bunch of guys that could be in the NHL soon, including our boy Barzal. [T-Birds | PPP]
• Here’s the handshakes. Sorry, guys.

NHL playoffs and other stuff

• The Senators pushed the Eastern Conference Final to a Game 7 with a 2-1 win over Pittsburgh on Tuesday. Craig Anderson was out of his mind. [Silver Seven]
• Certain Canadian sportswriters have been trying to relocate the Predators (and really any southern US team) for years. Now they get to see the passion Nashville has for its team during the Stanley Cup final. [Puck Daddy]
• Are the Avalanche trying to poach assistant GM Kyle Dubas from the Maple Leafs? Elliotte Friedman dropped a mini-bombshell during last nights game that conversations have take place. [PPP]
• The Islanders weren’t the only team to fire Peter Laviolette. While he should have gotten more time on Long Island, his run with the Flyers ended when it should have. [BSH]
• What are the Oilers going to have to pay Connor McDavid on his RFA deal? How about EVERYTHING. [C&B]
• Also from Edmonton, Oilers color analyst Drew Remenda isn’t impressed with Jordan Eberle’s practice habits. [Edm. Jour.]