Islanders News: Midseason Award Season; Lee wants to stay

Does the NHL do anything on Friday night of All-Star Weekend anymore? I honestly have no idea. Sound off in the comments if you know anything. If there is, we can look forward to that tonight!

Update:

Yes it does! Here’s the schedule for the All Star festivities from San Jose:

NHL All-Star Skills, Friday, Jan. 25, 9pm ET │ NBCSN, CBC, SN, TVAS

Honda NHL All-Star Game, Saturday, Jan. 26, 8pm ET │ NBC, CBC, SN, TVAS

Meanwhile...

Islanders News

• Mathew Barzal enters this All-Star Weekend as a less flashy player than he was last season, but with more team-inspired confidence. “It’s all about the wins,” he says. [The Athletic]
• The PHWA announced its 2018-19 Midseason Awards and Barry Trotz is first in Jack Adams voting. Robin Lehner is first in Comeback Player of the Year (I believe the Masterton Trophy, unless it has been renamed) and Lou Lamoriello is third in GM of the Year voting. [PHWA]
• Jeff Veillette has some thoughts on Lehner not receiving a top-three placement in the Vezina balloting and Trotz being first in the Jack Adams, as well as Lou’s placement (at all) in the GM voting. [Faceoff Circle]
• The Times dives into Lehner’s hand in the Islanders’ overall resurgence this season. [NYT]
• Elliotte Friedman’s 31 Thoughts column this week has some Islanders tidbits about them being in first and about Devon Toews, and Friedman also spoke to Anders Lee about their success and his potential unrestricted free agency.

25. Lee is unrestricted this summer. “This is my home. I don’t see anything that makes me want to do anything different. I’m not worried about it.”

• The Isle Seat Podcast discusses the Isles’ strong finish that has them first in the division heading into the All-Star Break, takes calls from the fans about trade recommendations, and is joined by Jay Berman from CBS Sports Radio.
• This weekend, Trotz is returning to his (and Ryan Pulock’s) hometown of Dauphin, Manitoba to celebrate Ukrainian Night with the Dauphin Kings, a Jr. A hockey club.
• This week, Stan Fischler relived the 1983 All-Star Game, which was hosted by the Islanders. Billy Crystal emceed and Wayne Gretzky scored four goals. [Maven’s Memories]

Elsewhere

• P.K. Subban claims that Pierre-Edourad Bellemare bit his finger during a scuffle in the crease on Wednesday night, the latest alleged biting victim in the NHL. [Deadspin]
• Remember when Bruce Boudreau stirred up controversy for his expletive-laden rant on HBO’s 24/7: Road to the Winter Classic? Funny and memorable though it was, rants such as that, without any tactical advice, are slowly becoming extinct in NHL locker rooms. [The Athletic]
• Amid the news Pavel Datsyuk is considering a return to the NHL, fans of the team who signed his most recent paychecks, the Arizona Coyotes, mull over the idea of the legendary Russian joining their squad. [Five for Howling]