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Islanders News: I always knew Gritty was a crook

He had that wild look in his eyes.

By Steven E. Smith

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2019 NHL All-Star - Red Carpet
I mean, look at him. Look at that menacing look.
Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images

The NHL is officially on break today. There will be no games tonight. Then the All-Star festivities begin on Friday night. The Islanders will not play until February, and I think we’re okay with that.

Islanders News

  • Mathew Barzal didn’t take a shift in the third period of Tuesday’s win against the Rangers but he knows why, supposedly. Everyone is exhausted and ready for a break. [The Athletic]
  • The break couldn’t come at a better time, having just played a ton of games, some of them mentally-draining, in a tight stretch. [Newsday]
  • In which Elliotte Friedman believes it was the Islanders who came calling for Travis Zajac; Zajac’s agent confirmed that he exercised his NTC recently. [31 Thoughts]
  • Alumni Corner catches up with John Tonelli, who will have his number retired in a month. [Islanders]
  • LISTEN: The next installment of My Favorite Islanders Game features Nathan Lawson taking on the Coyotes, Frans Nielsen’s hat trick, and more. [LHH]
  • The Islanders returned Sebastian Aho back to Bridgeport during the break. No vacation for the Swede. [Islanders]
  • Colin McDonald is a new dad and is back leading the Sound Tigers again. [CTInsider]

And some more Bridgeport news:

Elsewhere

Last night’s NHL scores include the Blue Jackets beating the Jets and heading into the break one point behind the Islanders (though New York has two games in hand). Who’d’ve thunk they’d be here after the mass exodus they had this past summer?

  • Gritty, the Flyers’ mascot, is currently under investigation by Philadelphia Police for allegedly punching a 13 year-old boy in his back at a meet-and-greet in November. Yes, this a real story. The Flyers, for their part, investigated the incident already and found no evidence to corroborate the claim. [CBS Philly | Inquirer | BSB]
  • But this is, for sure, the most absurd part:
  • Chris Kreider will replace teammate Artemi Panarin at the All-Star Game. [NHL]
  • And Brady Tkachuk will take Auston Matthews’ place. [NHL]
  • Drew Doughty says it is “frustrating as hell” to be a part of the Kings rebuild. So I ask: why re-sign there? [The Athletic]
  • Enjoy this funny article displaying all the Ducks’ chirps at each other. Someone in that locker room farts constantly. [The Athletic]

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