Islanders Gameday (Finally!) News: ‘I like the look of it’

We’re finally here! The NHL season began almost a week ago, it feels like, but the Islanders are finally opening their schedule tonight.

NOTE: First Islanders Goal (FIG) picks go here!

It’s a refreshing Saturday night home opener, so the crowd should be pumped, well-served and ready. I trust the team will be too.

There’s been much debate about whether the team is the same (I refuse to use the cliche “run it back,” and I don’t understand why that has suddenly become the default phrase across the NHL), or whether the rather significant changes since a year ago represent a more promising outlook.

On the bright side: Lane Lambert entered a year ago with either a mandate or a mission to open up the offense a bit. That didn’t seem to work, so a mid-season return to more Trotz-like hockey yielded results. And even with Mat Barzal out injured, the Isles played at a 100-point pace and made the playoffs, giving the Hurricanes more than most figured they would.

Islanders News

• Consider Barzal a fan: “I like the look of [this year’s roster]. Lou does a great job at finding pieces that we need throughout the year. Last year getting Engvall and Horvat and [Julien] Gauthier this offseason, he’s provided some size and speed, so I like our roster right now.” [Isles]
• Waiting so long for the season to start: “Not ideal.” [Post]
• Simon Holmstrom on what he needs to do, and on joining the top line. [THN]
• The Islanders really better have an improved power play. [Newsday]
• Four questions the Islander must answer. They must! [AM NY]
• Hudson Fasching is ready to face the Sabres, one of the teams that rejected him, and a team he “kneed” last season. [THN]

Elsewhere

Other teams continue to play games. The sad Penguins shut out the sadder Capitals, while Logan Cooley had two assists as the Coyotes beat the Devils in a shootout.

• Devon Toews signed a seven-year extension in Colorado because he’s really good; even Garth Snow knew that. [NHL]
• Shane Pinto to Long Island! To continue his training away from the Ottawa media spotlight, at least, while he waits for them to fix their cap and sign him. [TSN]
• Garnet Hathaway was fined but not suspended for kneeing Zach Werenski, who will miss a couple of weeks. [NHL]
• Daniel Alfredsson returns to the Senators once again, and this time it’s probably for good. [Sportsnet]
• Ryan Reaves hit a guy in the numbers and then whined about getting jumped. It’s kind of hilarious how much Leafs media will co-sign making him a big story early in the season, before he’s inevitably a regular scratch by mid-season. [Sportsnet]

Some former shampoo salesman and part-time hockey player thinks the Rangers goofed in adding Blake Wheeler, should have (somehow?) kept Vladimir Tarasenko.

Wouldn’t be so sure about that last part though! Tarasenko has not left a sterling impression on several Sens observers:

I’ll just be over here chewing popcorn.