Islanders Bits: Scoring hunt, Bergeron retires, Wirtz dies

Is it hockey season yet? No. But it will be in eleven weeks. And training camps open in less than two months. We’re getting there.

For now, enjoy some New York Islanders bits. It’s not really news, but it’s something. There has been some news around the league, though.

Islanders Reading

• Elliotte Friedman seems to believe the Islanders are still hunting for a scorer, although not Vladimir Tarasenko. [amNY]
• Stefen Rosner cracks open the mailbag. In Part I, he discusses Oliver Wahlstrom and the prospect pool. [THN Part I] In Part II, he discusses the salary cap and what it would take to get Erik Karlsson here. [THN Part II]
• Cap court is in session, the honorable Down Goes Brown presiding. The docket is positive this time, highlighting some of the better long-term contracts, including Ilya Sorokin’s. [The Athletic]
• Get the skinny on Chico Resch’s iconic Long Island goalie mask. [Islanders Video]
• Arron Asham is a good dude.

Elsewhere

• Patrice Bergeron decided to retire after 19 seasons. He’s one of the few players everyone loved, and the game is going to miss the first-ballot Hall of Famer. [NHL] His current and former teammates called him the “whole package.” [NHL] They didn’t call him Perfect Patrice for nothing, as he defined excellence on and off the ice. [The Athletic] Here are the most memorable moments from his career. [Sportsnet]
• Chicago Blackhawks owner Rocky Wirtz died suddenly yesterday. [NHL] Rocky poured money into the team, bringing it into the 21st century and embracing the fact that it was in a big market, saving the franchise and making a destination after the death of his penny-pinching father, previous owner “Dollar” Bill Wirtz. However, his legacy was tarnished a bit by his unnecessary outbursts at reporters asking about Kyle Beach at a town hall last year. [The Athletic]

• Eetu Luostarinen got a three-year extension from the Florida Panthers. [TSN]
• The Dallas Stars gave GM Jim Nill a two-year contract extension. [NHL]
• A “what does this mean for the Leafs” article that actually has to do with the Toronto Maple Leafs: how Ilya Samsonov’s arbitration ruling affects their outlook in the crease. [Sportsnet]
• The St. Louis Blues brought in Kevin Hayes to bolster their center depth. [NHL]
• The Arizona Coyotes want to extend coach André Tourigny, who has done the best he can with what he has out there. [NHL]
• Ottawa Senators prospect Tyler Boucher just wants to play hockey and be healthy. [NHL]
• By the numbers, here are the ten worst contracts in the league. No Islanders qualify, not even on the honorable mention list. [The Athletic]