Islanders News: Off-day talk of dogs, goal songs, prospects, Salo’s future

Today is the date of the second postponed game, vs. the Flyers. At present, the Islanders are still scheduled to resume games Thursday with a visit from the Sharks. But that will depend on test results and whatever Tarot cards the NHL uses.

So as we wait for news on the COVID outbreak that (finally) postponed (at least) two Islanders games this week, it’s a good time for completely random topics that affect us all, like...:

The Prospect Pipeline

• The Ryan Pulock injury created an opening for Robin Salo’s NHL debut, where he impressed. But will the return of Adam Pelech and Andy Greene from COVID Protocol squeeze him back out? [Newsday]
• The schedule pause is a chance to check up on the prospects: 2020 7th-rounder Henrik Tikkanen is grooving with MoDo, putting up a 6-2 record so far. 2020 3rd-rounder Alex Ljungkrantz has been loaned to Vita Hasten in the second tier of the Swedish leagues. William Dufour continues to tear it up with QMJHL Saint John. [Isles]
• Oh, and congratulations to Isles Teacher of the Month in the Future Goals program, Pamela Ruiz. [Isles]

Disrespecting Our Dog

• Somehow, ESPN’s Paw-er Rankings of the best dogs only has Monte, the Islanders’ current woofer, ranked 8th. Tsk. [ESPN]
• Speaking of which, order your Islanders Pucks & Paws calendar here. [Isles Formstack]

Long-Running Nightmare: The Goal Song

Have we discussed this in a while? I feel like we haven’t discussed this in a while. But it’s a timeless thorn. (Where are you now, Zenon Konopka?)

They Rang the Bell

#capitalismparties

Elsewhere

Last night’s NHL scores had minimal Metro impact, but the Penguins lost to the Flames in a seven-round shootout. The miserable Canucks beat the miserable Canadiens in Montreal’s first game after clearing house.

• Also: The old Jets (Coyotes) shut out the old Thrashers (Jets) thanks to a 46-save effort from Karel Vejmelka. [NHL]
• Blake Wheeler says this Jets skid (one win in seven games) will only help them in the playoffs. {puzzled holding chin emoji} [TSN]
• Notorious weasel Brad Marchand is suspended three games for slew-footing. Remember his redemption stories from last year, about he’d finally grown up at age 32? It’s just the seventh suspension in his 13-year career though! Keep doing what you’re doing, swell guy! [NHL video explanation | ESPN]
• Flyers beatwriter says it’s time for the team to trade Claude Giroux and go full-blown rebuild. [Inquirer]
• Evander Kane has a new agent who is trying to facilitate a trade away from the Sharks, who want nothing to do with him and are willing to retain salary to be rid of him. [ESPN]
• Geoff Molson: The leader Canadiens fans have craved. (?) [Sportsnet]
• The Senators thought they were getting a nice buy-low deal on the still-young Cup winner Matt Murray, but it has not worked out, no not at all. Going back to his decline in Pittsburgh, should they have seen this coming? [TSN]
• The waiving of Murray is just one act in a multi-ring circus for the Senators. [Sportsnet]
• Five thoughts as the schedule reaches the quarter mark: Offense is back, teams are who they are, and what are the Canucks waiting for? [Sportsnet]
• One of the deals in the Penguins sale is that Mario Lemieux gets to retain a partial ownership stake and still have influence on team management, such as writing angry press releases after his team gets stomped. [ESPN]