Islanders News: Practicing details, and a question: Your favorite defenseman?

It’s Thursday, We are a week away from the next un-postponed Islanders game.

In the meantime, a few links, and another question (thanks to everyone who answered yesterday’s, which included some great tales of your favorite/first regular season game): Who’s your all-time favorite Islanders defenseman?

If you’re of dynasty age, you might default to Denis Potvin — by far, on an Orr-esque level, the most impressive and dominant defenseman in franchise history. But even then, you might be partial to one of the dynasty’s more likeable characters (Ken Morrow?).

Or maybe you’re strictly a Marc-Andre Bergeron guy.

Personally: Potvin was an all-world force (but I was young, so did I really appreciate what I was watching?). Morrow was a silent but loveable beast. Richard Pilon was the first man to arrive with lethal intent when D*le H*nt*r did the most cowardly act I’ve ever seen on ice. Kasparaitis was a massive guilty pleasure. Adrian Aucoin was a living Festivus symbol, with unending endurance and feats of strength; he arrived at a much-needed time and the entire top four on his 2001-02 squad was a joy.

Since then? Dry spells (Gervais and Campoli are the future!) and some promising current guys who I appreciate, but it’s too early to enter them into my personal pantheon.

Islanders News

• With Barry Trotz out and presumably at home on a personal matter, Lane Lambert continued to run practice, and help the squad work on many “details” things. [Athletic]
• ICYMI: Perennial head coaching candidate Lambert is doing just fine in this role. [Newsday]
• Arthur Staple closes out the No Sleep Till Belmont by answering questions and riffing on many topics, like the Isles’ recent uptick, Lou’s horizon as GM, and his favorite Isle to cover over the years. [Athletic]
• On Andrew Gross’ podcast, the Isles didn’t get to play in Seattle yet but Andrew talked to Seattle-based NHL writer Andy Eide. [Newsday]

Here’s Lambert’s media availability. I’m waiting for someone to ask him when he’s gonna wear a shirt that shows off his shoulders and guns like Barry does.

Elsewhere

Last night’s two non-postponed games included the damn Penguins winning their ninth straight, via third-period comeback over the Blues.

• The NHL postponed three more Canadian games, but in a refreshing change, none of them involved the Islanders. [NHL]
• TRADE: The Penguins have acquired Nylander. But not that Nylander. [TSN]
• The Rangers are riding high but some are still skeptical because Igor has stolen quite a share of games for them. [Post]
• The Kraken have a tendency to give up “answer goals” right after they score. [Davey Jones Locker Room]
• The Flyers are dealing with the impact of multiple important players being held out because of COVID positive tests and I, for one, totally feel for them. [Broad Street Hockey]
• With the Oilers swinging through Toronto, you knew the War On Koskinen would continue as those two markets’ ridiculous media fight to out-drama each other. Spector checks in with, what, his third Mikko Koskinen article this week(?) to say Koskinen has lost the dressing room because hey, Spector knows players. [Sportsnet]
• Previously, Koskinen spoke to Finnish media and said hey, being thrown under the bus isn’t fun but it’s part of the business: “Either the goalie or the coach gets sacrificed.” [Sportsnet]
• Since the Oilers goaltending does pretty well suck, here are six potential targets for replacement. Semyon Varlamov is one. [Sportsnet]
• The Devils have lost Dougie Hamilton to a broken jaw that requires surgery. [NHL]
• The Flames have made a big show about canceling their agreement with the city to co-fund a new arena. [NHL] Alberta’s premier blames the city “for changing the deal at the last minute,” though one might suggest that is reasonable in COVID times. [Sportsnet]