Islanders Gameday News: Of struggles and needs

The Islanders are finally back home for a mid-week tilt with the Florida Panthers, who are off to a disappointing start.

Leave your First Islanders Goal picks here.

Islanders Reading

• This question has come up a lot from a few different corners, so we’re excited to have Cary Haber do a deep dive into what’s behind Nick Leddy’s struggles. [LHH]
• Arthur Staple looked at the Isles’ struggles and touched on the Leddy topic, too: the coaching staff wants more offense and transition from the blueline, but the defensemen may be in mid-adjustment to a more “mind the store” approach. [Athletic]
• Noel had Jim Baumbach of Newsday on the Isles Buzz podcast to discuss Charles Wang’s legacy, including many efforts to keep the team on Long Island. [LHH]
• That kid who wore 91 here for a while spoke of Wang’s tremendous influence on him. [Newsday]
• Josh Bailey missed practice again to manage his “nagging” injury, while Jordan Eberle spoke of tonight being “must win.” [Newsday]
• Best part of October? PUPPIES! Photos from the calendar shoot are here and...well “tots adorbs” has never appeared in LHH print but...yeah. [Isles]
• On the farm and down the pipeline: Bridgeport Report, and then the Prospect Report [Isles]
• A little mix-it-up, small-group scrimmage style in Bridgeport, where Michael Dal Colle is hurt and to be evaluated. [Soundin’ Off]
• Anders Lee’s Kancer Jam benefit is back, set for Nov. 18 but raising money any time. Bittersweet this year without Fenov, who died this summer. [Crowdrise]

Elsewhere

Last night’s NHL scores including tonight’s opponent, the Panthers, giving up three second-period goals in a loss at the Garden.

Wouldn’t normally show you this but it’s Ryan Strome having to “defend” Sidney Crosby in 3-on-3 OT:

• Special teams have been an issue for the Panthers thus far. [Miami Herald]
• The Kings’ spiral continued with a loss in Dallas. [TSN]
• The Flyers will lose Michael Raffl for 4-6 weeks. They host the Isles on Saturday. [NHL]
• The TSN Insiders discuss stuff, not all of it about Toronto. [TSN]
• Always a fun topic: What if NYC evicts the Garden from its perch atop Penn Station? Not gonna happen, but the next decision point is five years away. [Gothamist]
• Former Isles pick Jake Bischoff made the team, was demoted, then recalled as he awaits his NHL debut. [LV Review Journal]

The Islanders will honor Wang tonight and have a moment of silence before the game. I’ve been thinking about some of the tributes, and the many things he was involved with both to secure the Isles’ future and in philanthropic efforts. The below video is essentially a Stony Brook marketing piece from 2016, but the sincerity of his answers about education and mentorship — combined with Baumbach’s thoughts on the Isles Buzz podcast — remind me of how he handled the spotlight (like “this is crazy, the gamesmanship”):