Islanders News: Welcome rest, Ilya and Oliver, Habs iced, Lottery lessened

The Islanders did not play last night in Boston. We think they are playing tomorrow in Boston. Either way, the previously unscheduled rest was appreciated.

Islanders News

• With two days between games for the first time in a month, the Isles aim to rest and reset. [Isles | Newsday]
• Oliver Walhstrom and Ilya Sorokin are making big contributions and are getting noticed outside the Island. [SI/THN]
• For the record, the Bruins hope to practice today, but that’s pending Covid tests this morning. [NHL]
• Neil Best on missing Canadian teams and others outside the division this year. [Newsday]
• No Sleep Till Belmont podcast: On Sorokin, Oliver, and chasing a replacement for Lee. [Athletic]
• Also, on the need to replace Lee. [Isles Blog]
• This is really great: The artist behind the Islanders’ pre-game poster series. That Where’s Waldo one is still my favorite, a masterpiece. [Isles]

Jenny the Lighthouse GM

Arthur Staple took the Islanders’ turn in The Athletic’s “Who Says No?” series, where fans submit trade proposals and a couple of (unnamed) league execs helps evaluate them. It’s funny to see the number of times the execs had to say, “No really, I don’t think anyone is taking Komarov” (and it reminded me of some Avs fan claiming the Isles traded Devon Toews to protect Komarov. Ummm, no.).

But the top line for m was: “If you give me an Andrew Ladd trade I’m not doing this.”

Anyway, to my eyes our Jenny B. won the award for “Closest to Reality.”

Elsewhere: Habs suspended, Draft Lottery revised

Last night’s NHL scores include the Devils beating the Flyers in regulation. Whoa, Philly.

• The big league news yesterday, Canadiens games are now suspended through Sunday due to Covid. That’s going to stress things in May.
• The league also announced its revisions to the Draft Lottery process, though some of them will be phased in. [NHL | NHL media]
• Everyone’s watching Nashville, but perhaps the Coyotes will be big players at the trade deadline? [Sportsnet]
• Kurtis Garbriel has been encouraged to do stupid things to “fire up” the Sharks or whatever, but his latest maneuver, in the pre-game, got both he and his coach fined. [NHL]
• 31 Thoughts includes a (#12) “no one has thought of Lou pursuing Dustin Brown,” but actually yes, Jenny already did. [Sportsnet]

When Refs do Bad Things

Yep, this is the NHL:

Not Hockey But Worth It

The Suez Canal was (maybe still is?) blocked by a GIANT — like the biggest in the world — container ship run aground. The still photo of Evergreen is amazing, the tiny (by comparison) excavator on the shore is darling.

And with that, Milan Jurcina, Hall Gill and Ladd are replaced and a new metaphor is born.