NYHN Daily: Martin Back in, Johnston Gets 3, Islanders Discipline & More

The New York Islanders are back in action Saturday, as they face the Washington Capitals for a daytime showdown. With the suspension to Islanders’ forward Ross Johnston, will Matt Martin re-enter the lineup Saturday? What’s the latest on forward Kyle Palmieri?  Discipline, or lack thereof, has been an issue for the Islanders this season, an issue that was unmasked in the win on Thursday.

These stories and more in today’s daily links!

Keeping it on the Island

Matt Martin was back skating with his usual fourth-line mates when the New York Islanders practiced on Friday ahead of their Saturday matinee against the Washington Capitals.  Although Martin was not listed as a scratch in the 3-2 overtime win over the New Jersey Devils on Thursday, he was not in the lineup and had been skating with the extras at practice earlier in the week. (NYI Hockey Now)

New York Islanders forward Ross Johnston has been suspended x games for an illegal check to the head of New Jersey Devils forward A.J. Greer in a contest on Thursday, Jan. 13. (NYI Hockey Now)

On Thursday, the New York Islanders were victorious in their 3-2 win over the New Jersey Devils. Mat Barzal’s go-ahead goal at 15:07 of the third period allowed the islanders to push their point total to five games and remain undefeated in 2022. But the win unmasked an issue that has not been discussed much. (NYI Hockey Now)

The New York Islanders season resumed Thursday night after a 12-day hiatus due to COVID-19. That resumption in play saw a 3-2 victory over the New Jersey Devils, which pushed their point streak to five games (4-0-1) and their point streak at UBS Arena to five games (5-0-1). What the win also did was improve the New York Islanders to 2-0-0 in 2022. (NYI Hockey Now)

Around the National Hockey Now Boards

Boston Bruins head coach Bruce Cassidy told the media Friday that defenseman Derek Forbort is out of COVID Protocol but fellow Bruins defensemen Matt Grzelcyk and Connor Clifton remained in the protocol as of Friday afternoon. Depending on how Forbort feels and recovers over the next 24 hours, he could be in the lineup when the Bruins host the Nashville Predators in a 1 PM matinee Saturday. (Boston Hockey Now)

After slipping into the NFL Playoffs as the last seed in the AFC, the Pittsburgh Steelers visit the Kansas City Chiefs at 8:20 p.m. Sunday night in a wild card round game at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City that provides plenty of opportunities for NFL betting and a few sneaky Steelers bets. The Barstool Sportsbook Promo Code will even ease the sting of losing if your picks are wrong. (Pittsburgh Hockey Now)

Lose 10 straight games. Get points in the next seven. Lose the next six. Ladies and gentlemen, these are your 2021-22 Philadelphia Flyers. Down. Up. Down. They are a roller-coaster ride on Wildwood’s Morey’s Piers. Yes, they have had injuries and major COVID issues. Just like virtually every NHL team. (Philly Hockey Now)

Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin said that as of right now, he’s all in for the 2022 NHL All-Star Game in Las Vegas to open the month of February. The 36-year-old won 30.4 percent of the All-Star fan vote and will serve as the captain for the Metropolitan Division. He called the ASG selection a “huge privilege,” and was excited to earn his 12th career All-Star Game selection — and be voted as the Metro captain for the fifth time. (Washington Hockey Now)

The Florida Panthers offense has been so potent at home of late, when fans started chanting they wanted ten goals midway through the second period Friday night against the Dallas Stars, well, it wasn’t too far-fetched an idea. Not with Sam Bennett scoring the way he was. (Florida Hockey Now)

The Detroit Red Wings are 25th in goal scoring, 27th in shots on goal and 31st on the power play. In their past seven games, the Red Wings scored more than two goals only twice. They won only one of those games. This is an offensively challenged rebuilding team. This seems like the right time for an update on some of Detroit’s forward prospects. There are no more Lucas Raymonds coming. However, the Red Wings have drafted some skilled forwards. Here are some of Detroit’s top forward prospects. (Detroit Hockey Now)

How far has every current member of the Vegas Golden Knights made it in their Stanley Cup Playoff careers? Owen Krepp of Vegas Hockey Now goes through each member as this could be the season, with the talent, that Vegas gets back to the Stanley Cup Finals like they did in year one of their existence, but this time wins it. (Vegas Hockey Now)

The latest stint on the Covid list for Avalanche captain Gabe Landeskog is over. Avs coach Jared Bednar said Landeskog’s five-day, mandated absence from a positive test ended Friday and he boarded the team’s charter plane in preparation for Saturday’s second of a barn-to-barn series with the Arizona Coyotes. (Colorado Hockey Now)

The San Jose Sharks want Tomas Hertl back. “I expect the San Jose Sharks to circle back around over the next month here and perhaps make an offer to Tomas Hertl,” Pierre LeBrun reported on TSN’s Insider Trading yesterday. The impending UFA is in the midst of a career goal-scoring campaign — he’s on pace for 43 goals, which would be his first 40-goal season. (San Jose Hockey Now)

Depending on how the rest of this road trip goes, the NHL trade chatter might increase dramatically for the Vancouver Canucks. If they distance themselves from a playoff spot it’s only going to get worse. Speculation, rumours and theory generation are subtly three different things. At this point, any chit-chat about Brock Boeser, JT Miller, and Jaroslav Halak are the latter. Let’s look at them as individual pieces. (Vancouver Hockey Now)

The National Hockey League — no, the world — needs more Tkachuk brothers content. After years of competing head to head, no one expects Calgary Flames winger Matthew and Ottawa Senators captain Brady to drop the gloves. But that doesn’t mean they don’t battle. During the Flames’ disappointing 4-1 loss to the Senators on Thursday, there was a must-see moment that likely had their dad grinning and their mom frowning. (Calgary Hockey Now)