Islanders News: Replacing a new assistant coach with an even newer assistant coach

It’s that time of the year in hockey. Not much going on at the moment.

But the New York Islanders did announce another change to their coaching staff yesterday. You’ll be shocked to learn we brought in another former Devil.

You’ll also be shocked that in the release announcing the new hire, they buried the fact that the parted ways with one of the guys they hired a few weeks ago to be one of Lane Lambert’s assistants.

Islanders News

• The new guy: John MacLean, New Jersey Devils legend and former assistant coach, most recently a fired assistant coach along Bob Boughner in San Jose. Out the door in one short sentence and no further explanation: Brian Wiseman. Sounds like the Isles just got a lot more sugar. [Islanders]

• Seven potential Nazem Kadri destinations to fill the dead air; which team has the two forks of Long Island on their logo and was listed first here? [E$PN]
• Kevin Kurz wrote about the new Offside Tavern, which will be in my neck of the woods on the Lower East Side. Its post-pandemic revival has made a lot of happy city fans. [The Athletic]
• This week, Stan Fischler wrote about Gary Howatt, who overcame epilepsy to become an NHL enforcer and win three Stanley Cups. [Maven’s Memories]
• Last week, Stan told Oleg Kvasha’s tale. Man, talk about contrasts. [Maven’s Memories]
• This Day in Isles History: The Islanders bored the Rangers to sleep in a 2-1 exhibition win, both teams’ first game since the world shut down and the Isles’ first-ever July game (2020).
• Brendan Burke called a few Yankees games on the radio this summer, filling in for John Sterling. It sounds like that’s the succession plan, too. It’s tradition, after all, that the Islanders TV play-by-play guy also calls baseball on the radio. [NY Post]

Absurd Trade Proposals

It’s almost not even worth linking because it’s so ridiculous, but it infuriates me to the point that I feel the need to share it with you.

• Ben Kuzma, a Vancouver hockey writer, penned a hackish column suggesting that the Islanders, a team which needed defensive help last season, might dangle Noah Dobson, a 22-year-old RFA defenseman coming off a 51-point season, for JT Miller, a 29-year-old pending UFA coming off a career year. It sounded like some Canucks fan’s homerish trade proposal on Twitter. He actually suggested that the trade would ease the cap burden on the Islanders. [The Province]
• Then, The Hockey News, which has also become quite hackish, picked up the idea. At least in this article, the author buries one line about how it’s unlikely. I get that they have a job to do and need to produce content somehow, but this is how these guys view the Islanders: at best as a Sears where they can exchange their old Craftsman tools for new ones. [THN]

Elsewhere

• All-time games played leader Patrick Marleau will have his no. 12 retired by the San Jose Sharks in February. [NHL]
• The Rangers and Kaapo Kakko agreed to a two-year bridge deal. The subhead on this story is a fun treat. Big 2017 Colorado Avalanche Carl Soderberg tweet vibes. [NHL]
• I am very much looking forward to the fact that for the next eight years (barring realignment, that is), the Tkachuk brothers will be division rivals. [Sportsnet]