Islanders News: Mathew Barzal Coronation Day

Tonight is the ceremony known as 2018 NHL Awards By [Sponsor], and the New York Islanders can expect to be prominently featured.

Well, one New York Islander, anyway. In honor of his Calder Trophy finalist nod and widely expected award, let us recall a moment from Mathew Barzal’s draft night, when the Islanders traded Griffin Reinhart to move into the first round because...

...didn’t happen.

Thank you, hockey gods. Sometimes you remember that good things can happen after 1984.

Check back later this morning for an in-depth piece on Barzal’s season by one of our favorite LHH regulars.

Islanders Reading

• Barzal? He’s in Vegas. Ready to lift a heavy trophy. [Newsday] He’s also one stylin’ dude. [SI]
• How is Barzal handling the hype this week? “I don’t mind it (attention) now, but I’d prefer to stick to my business. Just skate and train, and I don’t like to go out too much and I like to keep everything hockey based.” [Province]
• To make the Coliseum fit(ish) for NHL hockey presentation, the Isles have requested $9.5 million in upgrades, to which they would contribute $3.5 million. [Newsday]
• There were no actual developments in The John Tavares Saga yesterday, but lots written and worthy of updates in the Encyclopedia: “This is all a lot to take in, and will only become even more next week, when these meetings between Tavares and other teams can start taking place.” [LHH Opus]
• Podcasts? We got podcasts. Noel and Dan the 2nd debate Barry Trotz, and welcome a guest to break down the first round of the draft. [Isles Buzz podcast via LHH] Compton & Carver also tackled these very topics. [Isles Seat via Audio Boom]
• The draft, you say? Anthony Beauvillier remembers his big day: “From then my heart kind of started bumping a bit and I blacked out.” [Isles]

Elsewhere

• That Mike Hoffman trade (times two): What did the Senators get? [Silver Seven] What are the Sharks up to? [Fear the Fin] Roberto Luongo says the Panthers locker room can handle whatever drama is incoming. [NHL]
• Now that one distraction is out of the way, the Sens appear intent on finding a trade for Erik Karlsson, too. [TSN]
• Artemi Panarin Enters Tavares Territory: The talented Russian isn’t ready to sign an extension on July 1. The Blue Jackets will gauge his market while also asserting that they intend to re-sign him. As one does. [Cannon | NHL]
• Draft talk: The Bob explains his final ranking. [TSN] Here are the top 10 N. American skaters, according to Central Scouting. [Isles] Here’s the order of picks for all seven rounds. [NHL]
• The Golden Knights sure enjoyed that magical first-year run, but it’s time to put that behind them. [NHL]
• In Vegas, the Humboldt survivors meet some hockey greats, who are trying to wrap their heads around what these young players experienced. [TSN]
• How to evaluate Milan Lucic for trade? A career-high power play scoring spike two seasons ago obscures the fact that he’s actually in a two-year slump at five-on-five. [The Athletic]