Islanders & NHL News: Bailey destinations narrowing; Flames in trouble

We’re less than a week away from the NHL Entry Draft, and business appears to be picking up. I say “appears to be” because nothing concrete has happened in a little while, but reports out of Calgary, for example, indicate that the phone lines are jammed.

Here at home, well, same ol’, same ol’. But there’s a special podcast episode coming out later this morning.

New York Islanders News

• The team officially announced the preseason schedule. [Islanders] As noted yesterday, it’s all the usual preseason suspects, meaning they’ll play the New York Rangers twice. [Newsday]
• It’s fair to wonder where Josh Bailey will be next year—my guess, honestly, is with the Islanders at this point, but those around the team see otherwise. [amNY]
• However, we can cross off two rebuilding teams with cap space in the Arizona Coyotes and Anaheim Ducks. Not many options after that. [THN]
• Anders Lee has become something of a philanthropist with his charitable work, and he has certainly earned his King Clancy Trophy nomination. [Newsday]
• A couple of My Draft Days from the guys who went back-to-back in the first round of the 2018 draft. [Oliver Wahlstrom | Noah Dobson]
• Speaking of the draft, what do the Islanders have in their farm system? Your guess is as good as mine because I don’t have Post Plus. [NY Po$t+]
• One guy in the system is Quinn Finley, a 2022 draftee who was just invited to join Team USA for the 2023 World Junior Summer Showcase. [THN]

Elsewhere

• Elliotte Friedman reported from the NHL Board of Governors meeting yesterday in Manhattan, and Gary Bettman relayed a variety of information. The salary cap is only going up $1 million after all. Also, no more specialty warmup jerseys, including Pride jerseys. [Sportsnet | ESPN]
• Blake Wheeler has almost certainly played his last game with the Winnipeg Jets; they’re trying to trade the last year of his contract but might buy him out if that doesn’t work. [TSN]
• The Calgary Flames are in tough. Early yesterday, Frank Seravalli reported that all three of Elias Lindholm, Mikael Backlund, and Noah Hanifin indicated they don’t intend to sign extensions on July 1 and would move on after the year if they weren’t traded. [Daily Faceoff] Then, later in the day, he reported that Tyler Toffoli told the Flames the same thing. [Daily Faceoff]
• But hey, at least Marc Savard is going back to Calgary. He returns to Cowtown this time as an associate coach. [Daily Faceoff]
• The Qatari sovereign wealth fund is investing in Monumental Sports & Entertainment, the parent company of the Washington Capitals, Washington Wizards, and Washington Mystics. It is probably the first instance of the Qatari government investing in U.S. sports, having already made its mark in European soccer. [ESPN]
• This is phrased as “every team’s toughest decision” in free agency, but more accurately, it’s the toughest decision of the offseason. [The Athletic]
• Vancouver Canucks GM Patrik Allvin says that the team has time to sign star center Elias Pettersson, who is eligible for an extension on July 1. [NHL]