NHL & Islanders News: Laviolette joins the dark side; Sens owned; Cup *in* the building
I understand you had to do it. I’m just saying you’re going to regret it.
Tonight could be the night that long-suffering Vegas fans have been waiting their whole early childhood for. The NHL carries on for what could be its final night of 2022-23 as the Golden Knights look to close out the Stanley Cup final in Game 5 vs. the Florida Panthers.
If you’re (still?) watching, this can be our late-day news dump and game thread.
Plus, a wee bit of Islanders-related reading:
Islanders ‘News’
Tales from when the Isles used to fly commercial. [Isles]
Vote for the Bobby Nystrom Award nominees. [Isles]
In a terrible career move, Mr. Metro Peter Laviolette accepts the Stench of Ranger. [NHL | TSN]
But we loved him as a rookie Islanders coach. And so did Stan Fischler. [THN]
Elsewhere
The Panthers weren’t divulging Matthew Tkachuk’s status, which probably confirms that he’s still nowhere near 100%, if he plays at all. [NHL]
Did he withdraw? Or just try to save face because he wasn’t getting selected? Steve Aposto, Aposto, Aposto-not-gonna-own-the-team-lopoulos reportedly withdrew his bid for the Sens. [TSN]
Former Flames assistant Ryan Huska says he’s damned comfortable and ready to take on his new gig as the head coach. [NHL] They hope he can help bring the “swagger” back. [TSN]
So with a new coach and the boogie man Darryl Sutter out, now the crosshairs are on the Flames players. [THN]
And in Quebec, as he steps down from another successful junior coaching run, Patrick Roy says interest from NHL teams is “none.” [TSN]
In a sometimes annual tradition, a Canadian fan and an American fan force each other to watch the others’ most annoying playoff commercials. (Except, I don’t recognize any of the American ones, so maybe I’m on a different planet? Or maybe I stopped watching after the first round?) [Athletic]
Continuing a fine tradition, the Flyers have named more former Flyers to management by selecting Patrick Sharp as a special advisor or some such title. [NHL]
Building a culture of success, the Maple Leafs have added long-time Coyote Shane Doan to their front office. [TSN]
Finally, in what is mostly a rant about how the players have to dip into their own funds (via more escrow) for the cap to increase, Larry Brooks drops two funnies: Number 1: “Why doesn’t the NHL simply add $35M to the next expansion entry fee? There’s every chance the league will expand to 34 clubs within the next three or four years.”
Number two, regarding Vegas having the benefit of starting life with zero cap commitments: “If right now teams could renounce their rosters in exchange for $83.5M in cap space entering this offseason, how many do you think would stand pat with current personnel and how many would opt to begin again?
“The Devils would stand pat. Of course they would. The Islanders would not, and please do not insult either of us by trying to convince me that anyone would willingly choose to run this back under any circumstance. Lou? What?”...
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