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Folks, my apologies for the lack of Bits the last two days. These are the dog days of summer, and hockey is on the back burner even for those involved with the game.
Islanders News
- Arthur Staple has noticed that Lou Lamoriello & Son have signed a lot of former captains to the Sound Tigers and throughout the organization. The importance of leadership. [The Athletic]
- The Islanders have kindly compiled all the entries from their Alumni Corner series into one helpful homepage to access all of them. And here it is! [Islanders]
- PHOTOS: You want to see some Islanders hair throughout the years? Sure you do, what else would you want to see?! [Islanders]
- Perhaps an even better trip down memory lane would be to read this old story about the Islanders, Rangers, and Flyers of yore playing slow-pitch softball at Shea Stadium back in the 1980s. [Islanders]
The Matt Martin Foundation was bowling in Melville last night. Were you there?
We’re hanging with @mattymarts17 and the @MattMartinFdn tonight in Melville for the third annual #MMFBowling fundraiser! pic.twitter.com/8OXwSsLbvm
— New York Islanders (@NYIslanders) July 23, 2019
The RFA Corner
In this section, we’ll briefly run through some of the guys who have avoided arbitration by signing before their hearing.
- First up, Zach Aston-Reese signed with the Penguins, a 2-year pact with an AAV of $1 million.
- Then, Neal Pionk signed with the Jets, not long after the guy for whom he was traded was signed, to a 2-year deal with an AAV of $3 million.
- And, Mirco Mueller got $1.4 million for next year to avoid his hearing with the Devils.
Beyond the Isles and RFAs
- The Flames and the city of Calgary have reached an agreement on a new arena worth $550 million. The team and the taxpayers will each foot about half of the bill. [Yahoo]
- The Maple Leafs will bring in Michal Neuvirth on a PTO in September. He’d probably have a job right if not for his body breaking down, unfortunately. [Yahoo]
- Scott Wheeler, he of many hot takes, ranks his 50 best prospects already drafted by NHL teams for this year, updating from the draft and to deal with graduations and one aging-out, Ilya Sorokin. [The Athletic]
- Mark Lazerus, the longtime Blackhawks beat writer from Long Island, worked out with the guy in Chicago who trains Patrick Kane, as well as other NHLers from the area and not from the area. He was dead before the workout even began. [The Athletic]
- Down Goes Brown gives you a template of what your team is going to look like on Opening Night. Not just this season, but next season, and next season, and next season, and every season after that. [The Athletic]