If you thought last week was busy for the NHL and the Islanders, well this pace will keep up for at least another week. The NHL’s “talk” period for pending free agents has begun, with teams allowed to court free agents, who themselves are allowed to visit teams Andrew Ladd-style.
The Isles also have other stuff going on...
- It all starts with mini camp, highlighted by a public scrimmage on Thursday night. [LHH]
- Travis Hamonic was on Calgary radio talking glowingly about his time with the Islanders, general manager Garth Snow and his former teammates, and the opportunity for this farm boy and his “small town” wife to enjoy Western Canada again. [Sportsnet]
- Oh, by the way, if you went off the grid for the weekend: The Islanders traded Travis Hamonic for futures (and cap space) and selected five new players at the entry draft. [LHH]
- And Dan was on the Hockey Night in New York radio show to talk about Hamonic, Jordan Eberle, J-F Berube, Adam Pelech and all of the week’s weirdness.
- This is behind a paywall, but Tyler Dellow discusses how Hamonic is a major move for the Flames, grabbing one of the few available established (and coveted) “right-shooting” defensemen. [The Athletic]
- But the Islanders are still one of the “teams to watch” as everyone takes notice of Snow’s attempts to land Matt Duchene (and his agent’s frustration with slowly Colorado has moved) while clearing cap space for that or a different type of move. [NHL]
Elsewhere
- The Coyotes also had a crazy weekend, losing their goalie, their coach, and their longtime Captain Elbow. But then they got back to work and added some major pieces. [Five For Howling]
- The Capitals lost two defensemen for sure to expansion and free agency, and they’ll “pursue all options” etc. [NHL]
- The reason for the Penguins trading for fourth-liner Ryan Reaves is a never-ending trope in hockey: Tough guys can make opponents a little less courageous...and yet the cheap stuff happens with or without them. [Puck Daddy]
- Reaves, by the way, was with the Blues as long as Hamonic was with the Islanders. He was shocked to be dealt -- and shocked at the price paid -- but likewise spoke glowingly of his old team. [STLtoday]
- So did David Perron, claimed in the expansion draft and now dumped by the Blues twice in his career. [STLtoday]
- Free agent Brian Boyle hasn’t shut the door on returning to the Lightning. So there’s that. [NHL]
- The Flyers’ draft-day trades elaborately trace back to Mike Richards, who was dealt back in June 2011 (the same day the Isles drafted Ryan Strome). [BSH]
- Teemu Selanne and Daniel Alfredsson are candidates for the Hall of Fame. [NHL]
- For everyone who always loved the Quebec Nordiques jerseys (myself included), it’s often forgotten that the team was about to ditch those threads before the team was sold and moved. Here’s a Joe Sakic prototype. [Third String Goalie]
- Golden Knights fans discuss their new team’s new jerseys. [Knights on Ice]
- Joe Thornton and Brent Burns will appear in ESPN Magazine’s 2017 “Body Issue,” and teammate Jason Demers had the tweet of the day. [Fear the Fin]
Oddly enough this isn't the first time this has happened #ESPNBODYISSUE @Burnzie88 @espn pic.twitter.com/ZXl4ra6fuu
— jason demers (@jasondemers5) June 25, 2017