NYHN Daily: Palmieri an Extra, COVID Hits Islanders Again & More

There’s one more day before the New York Islanders play a hockey game for the first time in 12 days. Could Kyle Palmieri be benched for the Islanders game against the New Jersey Devils? Head coach Barry Trotz and Ryan Pulock have entered COVID-19 protocol.

These stories and more in today’s daily links!

Keeping it on the Island

When the puck drops for the New York Islanders contest against the New Jersey Devils on Thursday, it seems that head coach Barry Trotz will stick with Kieffer Bellows and Ross Johnston over veterans Kyle Palmieri and Matt Martin. Over the last two days at practice, the Islanders forward group did not include Palmieri or Martin, who skated with Austin Czarnik as the extras. (NYI Hockey Now)

While COVID-19 concerns forced the postponement of New Jersey’s Monday game against the Tampa Bay Lightning, the Islanders are now dealing with their own as head coach Barry Trotz and Ryan Pulock have been placed in COVID-19 protocol. (NYI Hockey Now)

The New York Islanders have caught legitimately one break this season, and no pun intended, it was the latest 12-day break between games that allowed New York to get as healthy as they have been all season long. Besides that, the Islanders have seen 10 games postponed, the latest a four-game West Coast trip, with the final game supposed to have been played Tuesday against the Calgary Flames. But even as the Islanders get set to play a game this Thursday could that game and a few games down the line be postponed as well? (NYI Hockey Now)

Around the National Hockey Now Boards

Rapper Kodak Black showed his support in Sunrise, Florida as the Panthers defeated the Vancouver Canucks by a score of 5-2. He also decided to show off some other things as he was caught on tape getting it on in a luxury box during the game. Yes, it actually happened. Yes, it’s on video. (Florida Hockey Now)

With the news that the Boston Bruins are signing Tuukka Rask to a one-year, $1 million contract, the B’s didn’t waste much time clearing up their crowded goaltending situation. Rask will immediately join the team and will start by serving as the backup for Linus Ullmark in Wednesday night’s game vs. the Montreal Canadiens at TD Garden, the third straight start for the Swedish netminder signed in the offseason. Jeremy Swayman has been sent down. (Boston Hockey Now)

It was 303 days since Evgeni Malkin scored a regular-season goal and 233 days since his last goal for the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Penguins Russian superstar returned to the lineup on Tuesday night for the first time this season and didn’t skip a beat as he scored not one but two goals and tallied three points in the Penguins 4-1 win over the Anaheim Ducks. (Pittsburgh Hockey Now)

Tuesday’s skate at MedStar Capitals Iceplex presented a different scene than one the Washington Capitals have usually seen at practice this season. The chirps, banter and fun celebrations that usually fill the rink were absent for the team at their 70-minute skate, as the players appeared to be less than thrilled with the team’s play of late. (Washington Hockey Now)

Bob Clarke verbally blasted former Flyers general manager Ron Hextall on Tuesday for selecting Nolan Patrick with the No. 2 overall selection in the 2017 draft and bypassing defenseman Cale Makar. Patrick, 23, is now with Vegas, and his disappointing career has been filled with injuries. Makar, chosen by Colorado two picks after Patrick, has become one of the NHL’s best defensemen. (Philly Hockey Now)

The Montreal Canadiens continued to get players back on the ice at practice at Bell Sports Complexe in Brossard as defenseman Jeff Petry (COVID) and forwards Michael Pezzetta (COVID) and Tyler Toffoli (hand) were back on the ice. Petry and Pezzetta skated in full-contact jerseys after being cleared to play but Toffoli – who underwent hand surgery back on Dec. 11 – was in a non-contact jersey. He joined Josh Anderson as the only two Canadiens players in non-contact jerseys at practice on Tuesday. (Montreal Hockey Now)

The Vegas Golden Knights may have fallen to the Toronto Maple Leafs in a shootout, but Vegas defenseman Alex Pietrangelo set a new career-high in minutes played (32:55 minutes of ice time) by a lone second. It’s also the most amount of minutes played by a defenseman in Vegas’ history. (Vegas Hockey Now)

It was a bad call, plain and simple. The Avalanche got jobbed tonight on a phantom too-many-men call in overtime and lost the hockey game as a result, 5-4 to the Nashville Predators. This, on a night when top rookie defenseman Bo Byram left the team for “personal reasons.” Other than that, another swell night in Nashville for the Avs, who endured a Covid fiasco the last time they were here about a month ago. (Colorado Hockey Now)

“We’re making sure the octopus wasn’t part of the play.” On a typical day in the National Hockey League, that Logan Couture quote about an octopus being thrown on the ice in the middle of play — right before Couture and the San Jose Sharks scored to beat the Detroit Red Wings 3-2 in overtime — would’ve been the most surreal thing about the night. (San Jose Hockey Now)

The Vancouver Canucks fell to the Florida Panthers on Tuesday by a score of 5-2. There were some dramatic moments, not on the ice, but in the Florida suites. Elias Pettersson, Brock Boeser, and Jason Dickinson were out of COVID-19 protocol. Here are the three takeaways from the loss. (Vancouver Hockey Now)

Darryl Sutter isn’t the Calgary Flames GM, but if he was, he wouldn’t be calling up the kids to help the team find their footing right now, either. He’s a big believer in the farm system. And you can save your farmer jokes. The Flames head coach skated the same path as the majority of NHLers not named Sidney Crosby and Connor McDavid. Sutter’s game got some seasoning in the American Hockey League before making an impact with the Chicago Blackhawks. (Calgary Hockey Now)

League Business

Jack Eichel skated with his Vegas Golden Knights teammates on Tuesday for the first time since undergoing his surgery. But just because he is back on the ice does not mean he will be ready anytime soon. “I was actually thinking about suiting up tonight, but they wouldn’t let me go so…” Eichel said. He will need time to regain form. (NHL)