Headlines

Go To MLB Trade Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Islanders Rumors

Hall Of Famer Clark Gillies Passes Away At 67

at CDT | by 7 Comments

The hockey community, especially those in New York, has lost one of the greats. New York Islanders legend Clark Gillies has passed away at the age of 67, the team announced late Friday night. Gillies spent a dozen seasons in New York to begin his career and wrapped up his playing days with a pair of seasons with the Buffalo Sabres. Since retiring in 1988, he has worked closely with charities on Long Island, including his own Clark Gillies Foundation, and has stayed involved with the Islanders club.

Gillies is best remembered as a key piece of the Islanders early-1980’s dynasty that won four consecutive Stanley Cups. Gillies played an integral role in each title, recording 250 points in 302 games in those regular seasons and 47 points in 66 postseason games as well. Gillies was the fourth overall pick by the Isles in 1974 out of Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan and the WHL’s Regina Pats and jumped immediately into the NHL. It didn’t take long for him to find his groove, recording career-best seasons of 85 and 91 points in 1977-78 and 1978-79. For his career, Gillies notched 697 points in 958 games, only topped by his 1,025 career penalty minutes. The epitome of a power forward, the 6’3″ Gillies was notoriously tough to play against in all three zones. A physical net front presence, especially on the power play, and menacing checker, it was easy for Gillies’ teams to score when he was on the ice and far more difficult for the opposition, as evidenced by a whopping +245 rating for his career. The two-time First Team All-Star had his No. 9 retired by the Islanders in 1996 and was a 2002 Hockey Hall of Fame inductee.

The Islanders, in announcing the sad news of Gillies’ passing, including a statement from GM and fellow Hall of Famer Lou Lamoriello:

The entire Islanders community is devastated by the loss of Clark Gillies. He epitomized what it means to be a New York Islander. The pride he felt wearing the Islanders sweater on the ice was evident by his willingness to do anything to win. Off the ice, he was just as big of a presence, always taking the time to give back to the local community. The New York Islanders have four Stanley Cups because of the sacrifices he and the members of those dynasty teams made for the franchise. On behalf of the entire organization, we send our deepest condolences to the entire Gillies family.

Many more have released statements sharing their condolences and expressing their appreciation for the role that Gillies played in a number of hockey communities, including NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman, WHL Commissioner Ron Robison, Pittsburgh Penguins great and close friend Mario Lemieux, and many former and current Islanders. It is clear that the charismatic and caring Gillies made a major impact on many lives.

We here at PHR extend our condolences to the family, friends, and many fans of Clark Gillies.

 

Trotz: Palmieri Progressing Slower Than Expected But No Setback

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

  • Islanders winger Kyle Palmieri hasn’t suffered a setback but head coach Barry Trotz told reporters including Newsday’s Andrew Gross (Twitter link) that his lower-body injury hasn’t been recovering as anticipated. He pegs the veteran’s health around 80-85% so it would appear Palmieri will be out for a little while longer.  The 30-year-old has struggled considerably this season with just one goal and six assists in 25 games.

Islanders Head Coach Barry Trotz Returns To Game Action

at CDT | by 5 Comments

New York Islanders head coach Barry Trotz is back behind the bench for game action tonight after a personal leave of absence from the team for the death of his mother and clearing COVID protocol, reports Newsday’s Andrew Gross.

The team placed Trotz in COVID protocol on January 11, not getting a chance to coach the team after returning from his leave of absence. The last Islanders game Trotz coached was against Buffalo on December 30th, taking his leave of absence the next day.

However, due to a rash of postponements, Trotz has been absent only for the last three of the team’s games. Assistant coach Lane Lambert took over head coaching duties in the process.

With Trotz back at the helm, the Islanders continue a long road back toward a potential playoff spot. By standings points, the team is third-last in the Eastern Conference and 18 points behind Boston for the last wild card spot. However, they have as many as 10 games in hand on some teams, ample room to make up some difference. The eighth-place points percentage in the conference is Washington’s .654, though, and New York’s .467 mark still lags far behind.

Poll: Is The Eastern Conference Playoff Picture Already Complete?

at CDT | by 6 Comments

It doesn’t make for much of an exciting stretch run, but it just might be the truth and The Buffalo News’ Mike Harrington isn’t afraid to make the claim: less than halfway through the 2021-22 NHL season, the eight Eastern Conference playoff spots appear to be locked up. While the eight in place can certainly jockey for position, Harrington believes that those teams currently in the postseason in the East will stay in postseason position and those not, including his Buffalo Sabres, have nothing left to play for this season. Do you agree?

The conference standings do paint a pretty bleak picture for the playoff race, as the gap between the eighth and final playoff spot and the next closest competitor is sizeable. In terms of both absolute points and points percentage, the Boston Bruins sit in eighth in the East with 46 points and a .657 points percentage, holding the second wild card spot if the postseason started today. In ninth place in both categories are the Detroit Red Wings, but calling it a distant ninth is generous. Detroit has 39 points on the year, just seven back of Boston, but having played four more games than the Bruins the Red Wings are actually just a .500 team, 157 percentage points back. Every other team outside the playoff picture is under .500 and they are all chasing a Bruins team that is 8-2 in their past ten games, riding a five-game winning streak. Just ahead of Boston are the Pittsburgh Penguins, who are also 8-2 in their last ten. The only other teams in the conference that are not 200+ percentage points ahead of Detroit are the Washington Capitals and New York Rangers.

[See: Eastern Conference Standings]

Statistically, there don’t appear to be any clear underachievers outside of the playoff picture primed for a late push either. All eight teams not in a playoff spot in the East have a negative goal differential, with the top mark being the Columbus Blue Jackets at -15. In contrast, the worst differential among the playoff teams is the Rangers’ +17 and they are the only club below +20. Hardly any of the non-playoff teams hold a spot in the top half of the league in any major statistical category either. The New York Islanders are ninth in goals against per game and eleventh in penalty kill efficiency, the Blue Jackets are tied for twelfth in goals for per game, the New Jersey Devils are thirteenth on the penalty kill, and the Ottawa Senators are tied for fourteenth in power play efficiency – end of list.

Yet, can the playoff picture really be sealed up this early? The law of averages suggests that a current playoff team is likely to slump while a current non-playoff team is likely to hit their stride in the second half. In fact, this may have already begun. While the Bruins and Penguins have been surging, the Capitals are just 4-3-3 in their last ten games and struggling to find consistent goaltending and defensive play. The Capitals’ record is also buoyed by a league-leading nine overtime points and their abysmal 30th-ranked power play is a major stain on their playoff resume. If there is a pretender in the East, it could be Washington. The Rangers may also be due for some regression in the second half. New York has exceeded expectations thus far and have somehow found ways to win despite trouble scoring. Their 2.85 goals per game is tied for 18th in the league, behind the likes of Columbus and New Jersey and just .01 ahead of Ottawa. On the flip side of the playoff picture, the Islanders are one of the biggest disappointments of the season. A conference finalist last year, the Isles looked to be building a true contender. While they are still playing a good defensive game, the team has had no luck offensively this season. Yet, with a league-low  30 games played, the Islanders could have time to find their game and fight their way back into postseason consideration. At least on paper, the Philadelphia Flyers should also be better than their current record, while the rebuilding Red Wings and Blue Jackets should be happy with their performance so far this season but would be even happier to get their young rosters into a postseason battle.

It is hard to remember a conference having no battle for playoff position in recent memory, especially so early in the season. While it looks like that could be the case this year in the East, is that actual a realistic expectation? Is the current gap in the standings just too wide to overcome? Or is there enough potential for one or two teams in the playoff picture to collapse while one or two on the outside find a way back? Vote now and comment on which teams, if any, could drop out of the playoff picture and who might replace them.

Is The Eastern Conference Playoff Picture Already Complete?
Yes 73.52% (647 votes)
No 26.48% (233 votes)
Total Votes: 880

[mobile users vote here]

Ross Johnston Suspended Three Games

at CDT | by 2 Comments

The Department of Player Safety has handed out a stiff penalty to New York Islanders forward Ross Johnston, suspending him three games for his hit on New Jersey Devils forward A.J. Greer. As the accompanying video explains:

It is important to note that the head is the main point of contact on this hit as Johnston’s shoulder makes clear, forceful contact with the head of Greer, and the head absorbes the brunt of the force from the check. Further, the head contact on this play is avoidable. Greer’s head remains on a level and consistent plane throughout the play and he does not adjust his speed suddenly. While Greer does pivot while he collects the puck and moves his body as he shoots the puck, this movement does not happen immediately prior to, or simultaneous with the hit in a way that significantly contributes to the head being the main point of contact. 

While he did not leave the game initially, Greer was under evaluation from the Devils’ medical team following the match. Today, head coach Lindy Ruff told team reporter Amanda Stein that Greer is doing okay, but that he is going to miss “serious time.” That injury is an important factor in the decision to suspend Johnston for three games, despite his clean history in the NHL. He has never been fined or suspended previously, though some will remember his 15-game suspension while still in the QMJHL.

Johnston will now miss games against the Washington Capitals and Philadelphia Flyers as he serves his suspension. The forward will also now have a history of supplementary discipline in the NHL which will be considered in any future rulings.

Ross Johnston To Have Hearing With Department Of Player Safety

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

The Department of Player Safety has some more work to do. The league has announced that Ross Johnston of the New York Islanders will receive a hearing today for his illegal check to the head of New Jersey Devils forward A.J. Greer. The incident happened early in the first period of last night’s game and resulted in a two-minute minor penalty.

Greer did not seem to suffer a serious injury on the play and eventually returned, though the Devils’ coaching staff indicated to reporters after the game that he was still being evaluated by the medical staff. Johnston meanwhile earned another roughing penalty later in the game and will now face stiffer consequences for the first period hit.

The DoPS has handed out two suspensions so far in 2022 and will likely now have a third, given the usual outcome of hearings. Some may remember Johnston’s 15-game suspension in junior, but that will not be taken into account here. In his 95-game NHL career, Johnston has not yet been suspended.

Islanders, Blackhawks Announce More COVID Placements

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

The New York Islanders will not have Barry Trotz behind the bench when the team takes on the New Jersey Devils on Thursday, as the head coach has been placed in the COVID protocol. Unfortunately, it doesn’t end there as Ryan Pulock has also found his way to the protocol today despite being injured.

Pulock hasn’t played since the middle of November as he deals with a lower-body injury, but now won’t even be able to get on the ice to rehab for the next little while. The loss of the 27-year-old defenseman has been one of the biggest problems for the Islanders this season. After receiving Norris Trophy votes and Olympic consideration, Pulock has played in just 12 games so far.

The COVID announcements don’t end there. The Chicago Blackhawks have placed Jake McCabe and head athletic trainer Mike Gapski in the protocol, according to Mark Lazerus of The Athletic. Jakub Galvas has been recalled from the taxi squad to take McCabe’s place and could be making his NHL debut should he get into the lineup tonight against the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Galvas, 22, is in his first year of North American hockey after several years in Czechia and Finland. Through 20 games with the Rockford IceHogs, the fifth-round pick has six points but has shown enough to earn this recall to the NHL squad. While perhaps not a full-time solution at this point, filling in for a few days while McCabe goes through his isolation period shouldn’t be an issue.

NHL Postpones Nine More Games

at CDT | by 18 Comments

As a result of attendance restrictions in Western Canada, the NHL has postponed eight more games.  The games affected are as follows:

Monday, Jan. 3
Minnesota @ Ottawa

Wednesday, Jan. 5
New York Islanders @ Vancouver

Saturday, Jan. 8
New York Islanders @ Edmonton

Tuesday, Jan. 11
New York Islanders @ Calgary

Wednesday, Jan. 12
Minnesota @ Edmonton

Friday, Jan. 14
Vegas @ Edmonton

Saturday, Jan. 15
Vegas @ Calgary

Sunday, Jan. 16
Edmonton @ Winnipeg

In addition to those contests, the Islanders’ road game in Seattle on January 4th has also been postponed due to the other games on their West Coast road trip being postponed.

No make-up dates for any of the games were announced but in the release from the league, it was noted that the games “will be rescheduled for dates later in the season when such restrictions may be eased or lifted”.  These postponements bring the running total to 90 games that the league will need to reschedule in the coming weeks and months.

New York Islanders Make Several Roster Moves

at CDT | by 2 Comments

Dec 30: Brock Nelson entered the protocol on December 28. He joined Beauvillier, Clutterbuck, Wahlstrom, Parise, Salo, and Martin at that point but the latter three have now cleared. Today, Sebastian Aho has been placed in the protocol, while Cole Bardreau, Austin Czarnik, and Michael Dal Colle have all been recalled from the taxi squad. Grant Hutton has also been recalled from Bridgeport, while Kyle Palmieri has gone on injured reserve.

Dec 26: After their roster was decimated by COVID cases earlier in the season, the New York Islanders placed Anthony Beauvillier, Cal Clutterbuck, Zach Parise, and Oliver Wahlstrom into the NHL’s COVID-19 protocol today.

In a corresponding move, the Islanders assigned forwards Cole Bardreau and Simon Holmstrom, as well as defenseman Grant Hutton, to the freshly re-introduced taxi squad as COVID cases continue to climb around the league.

It’s not all bad news, however. The team activated center Mathew Barzal from protocol, and general manager Lou Lamoriello says winger Matt Martin and defenseman Robin Salo will be activated on Wednesday.

Beauvillier is in the midst of a truly tough season, like most of the team. The 24-year-old winger has just four goals and four assists through 24 games.

The toughest loss at this point for the Islanders is Wahlstrom, who’s finally been elevated to top-line duties and has eight goals and seven assists through 26 games. Clutterbuck and Parise have combined for six goals and five assists through 26 games each.

NHL Announces More Postponments

at CDT | by 20 Comments

The count is now 80. The league has postponed another match this week, this time between the New York Islanders and Detroit Red Wings on Wednesday. The Islanders continue to place new players in the COVID protocol–Brock Nelson went in today.

There have also been nine games postponed due to attendance restrictions in Canadian markets. The following will be rescheduled for later this season:

  • Pittsburgh @ Ottawa, December 31
  • Winnipeg @ Calgary, December 31
  • Carolina @ Toronto, January 3
  • Washington @ Montreal, January 4
  • Toronto @ Montreal, January 6
  • Buffalo @ Montreal, January 8
  • Seattle @ Winnipeg, January 8
  • Columbus @ Montreal, January 10
  • Minnesota @ Winnipeg, January 10

The game between Bruins and Canadiens originally scheduled in Montreal on January 12 will now be played in Boston. A make-up date for the Bruins-Canadiens game that needs to be played in Montreal will be announced at a later date.

The Islanders are expected to get two players out of the protocol tomorrow but still will have Nelson, Anthony Beauvillier, Cal Clutterbuck, Zach Parise, and Oliver Wahlstrom unavailable tomorrow. The Red Wings, meanwhile, added Lucas Raymond and Nick Leddy on Sunday and have several other players still in the protocol.

For the Montreal Canadiens and Winnipeg Jets, in particular, moving home dates to later this season would give them a chance to collect some if not all of the expected revenue. With the players still owing a huge amount of escrow debt to the owners, keeping hockey-related revenues as high as possible is important if the league is to rebound to the high levels commissioner Gary Bettman explained earlier this month.

Pro Hockey Rumors is not affiliated with National Hockey League, NHL or NHL.com

Do not Sell or Share My Personal Information

scroll to top