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Islanders News: Blueline growth, Rath-gone?

We have blossoming defensemen and we have options.

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NHL: Edmonton Oilers at New York Islanders
Responsibilities have grown.
Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

Don’t the Bruins know about The Curse of the Sweep? The Islanders swept the Penguins...then got swept by the Hurricanes. The Hurricanes swept the Isles...and are now on the verge of a sweep at the hands of the Bruins.

If they’re not careful they’ll set up a very short Stanley Cup final.

Islanders Reading

  • On the latest Islanders Anxiety, Carey Haber filled in for Mike and talked with Dan about free agents, possible trades, and underrated performances this year. Give it a listen. [LHH]
  • The Islanders’ homegrown defensemen Scott Mayfield, Adam Pelech and Ryan Pulock each took steps forward in 2018-19. [Isles]
  • Meanwhile, their former Isles prospect contemporaries Griffin Reinhart and Jake Bischoff are in the AHL conference final. [Soundin’ Off]
  • Last summer’s Swiss signing Yannick Rathgeb was reportedly placed on unconditional waivers, so that’d be the end of that experiment. [Cap Friendly]
  • I can relate: If you asked Billy Smith to play a “friendly” competition with money on the line...well, there’s no such thing in his book and he wasn’t going to hold back. [Maven’s Memories]
  • Tryouts are open for 2007 and 2008 birth years. [Isles]

Elsewhere

  • After Petr Mrazek’s struggles since returning from injury, the Hurricanes went with Curtis McElhinney in goal. [NHL]
  • The Blues are getting by with a range of depth scoring. Game 3 vs. the Sharks is tonight at 8 p.m. EDT. [NHL]
  • Speaking of Game 3, this is a wonderful, brief and tear-jerking story. [Blues]
  • Jaden Schwartz leads the way for them after a snakebitten regular season. [TSN]
  • Former Oilers fired-via-Skype coach Ralph Krueger is going to be the Buffalo Sabres’ next coach. [TSN]
  • How much time do the Predators have left to make a run with Pekka Rinne? [On the Forecheck]
  • As expected, Sergei Bobrovsky and Artemi Panarin headed to South Florida (for vacation, duh). [Athletic]
  • Nathan MacKinnon will not need shoulder surgery after that injury in the Avalanche’s elimination game. [NHL]
  • Top draft prospect Jack Hughes changed from a cage to a visor at the World Championship. Because he turned 18. So that’s legal. The U.S. play the Brexiteers this morning. [NHL]
  • The Germans are perfect thus far, though it’s three games against weaker competition. [IIHF]
  • Derek Boogaard’s mother wants to make sure his death and the problems leading to it are not forgotten. [THN]
  • The Leafs extended Brendan Shanahan’s contract by six years. [NHL]