Islanders News: 50/50, goalie history, offseason speculation

The Stanley Cup will be awarded tonight. (Finally, at last.) As many of you know, I have a deep, personal and longheld rooting interest that traces back to former Blues captain and coach Al Arbour, the roots of every hockey bond I had with my late father.

There are also hundreds of people in my life who desperately want the franchise that has never won one to finally experience their first Stanley Cup hoist. It’s been a wild journey watching this all unfold, and at one point a dream/nightmare Isles-Blues final was not unrealistic.

However it ends, I just might tip a small vehicle over expressly oddly inappropriate emotions about the fortunes of a pro hockey team.

At Least Tangentially Islanders-Related

• Dan Rosen’s mailbag includes some Islanders talk, though it is mostly musings on Anders Lee, Robin Lehner and Jordan Eberley that you and I have already rehashed several times since the season ended. [NHL]
• In case you missed it: Maven’s Memories on Billy Smith creasemates Chico Resch and Roland Melanson: “Everyone is on the bus and Al wants to leave.” [Isles]
• A reminder that 50/50 tickets are already on sale all month up until the Islanders prospect Blue/White Scrimmage that takes place June 27. [Isles]
• Former longtime Sound Tigers and Islanders coach Jack Capuano is joining DJ Smith’s staff to coach the Senators defense, surely at the recommendation of his recent Florida boss Bob Boughner. [Silver Seven | Ottawa Sun]

Stanley Cup Final

• The officials for tonight’s Game 7 are the refs from Game 6, the last surviving refs after each pair has been ruthlessly removed following upsetting things. [STL Game Time]
• Bruce Cassidy and Craig Berube are both on their second life as NHL head coaches and hoping to make it a sweet success. [TSN]
• The Bruins feel they can rely on their Cup final experience. The Blues are feeling comfortable even though this is their first rodeo here. [NHL]
• Is it good or bad to have two days between games? (For the teams, I mean. For fans it seems kind of awful.) [TSN]

The Rest

• Competition Rule Changes: Recommendations have been made about expanded video review, and standings tiebreakers, among other things. [Sportsnet] The NHLPA has opinions.
• The TSN Insiders talk about that, and a current Leaf, a soon-to-be-former Leaf, and a former Leaf. [TSN Video]
• Is Milan Lucic Vancouver-bound? An Oilers take. [Copper N Blue]
• Speaking of the Canucks, needed contracts for Brock Boeser and Alex Edler (if he stays) complicate their summer plans. [Sportsnet]
• Penguins GM Jim Rutherford now says he expects Phil Kessel to remain with the Penguins. Well played, Phil, making that no-trade clause stick. [NHL | TSN]