Islanders Daily: Back in the Win Column, Barzal Line After 10, Mackinnon Injury

The New York Islanders got back in the win column on Tuesday night. The Mathew Barzal line has now been together for 10 games but are they doing enough for the New York Islanders? How does the salary cap rising affect the New York Islanders offseason plans?

These stories and more in today’s daily links!

The New York Islanders, after getting out to a 4-1 lead, held on to defeat the Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday night. The Islanders are now 29-27-9 on the season and just two points back of Columbus in the Metropolitan Division standings. (NYI Hockey Now)

It has now been 10 games for the threesome of Zach Parise, Mathew Barzal, and Oliver Wahlstrom. At times, the newest New York Islanders trio has been dangerous but has produced just three goals in 10 games. The attention has been on the duo of Mathew Barzal and Oliver Wahlstrom, yet Zach Parise has scored two of the three goals. (NYI Hockey Now)

The general managers from across the National Hockey League were in Florida for the past few days as they worked on plans for next season. There’s been chatter around officiating, what to do with long-term injury reserve, and more. On Tuesday, The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun announced that the league has officially told all general managers that the salary cap, which did not rise from last season to this season due to the pandemic, will increase by $1 million to $82.5 million for the 2022-2 season. (NYI Hockey Now)

The Toronto Maple Leafs jumped all over the Boston Bruins early Tuesday night. Jeremy Swayman was chased from his net, but not because of his bad play. The Leafs went on to win by a score of 6-4 as the Bruins were just outplayed. Here are the talking points from the loss. (Boston Hockey Now)

It was a rematch for second place in the Metro Division. Last Friday, the New York Rangers boat raced the Pittsburgh Penguins out of Madison Square Garden by scoring a few goals in the first few minutes en route to a 5-1 win. The Penguins won the initial meeting on Feb. 26 in a goalie duel, 1-0. On Tuesday night, the Penguins played rope-a-dope for 30 minutes and led 1-0 despite being outshot by a 2-1 margin. However, a pair of New York goals late in the second period and an early third period power-play goal were just enough. (Pittsburgh Hockey Now)

Claude Giroux, the former Philadelphia Flyers captain, continued to have success Tuesday with his new team, the Florida Panthers. Playing his first home game since he was acquired from the Flyers on March 19, Giroux did a lot of little things in the Panthers’ 7-4 win over the Montreal Canadiens. The Panthers are now 3-1 with Giroux in the lineup, and he has five points (all assists) in his four games. (Philly Hockey Now)

The day the Florida Panthers signed Ryan Lomberg as a free agent in 2020, general manager Bill Zito said  “I think the fans are going to love him … He is a very fast, speedy wing who plays with an edge.” Zito was not wrong. (Florida Hockey Now)

The Montreal Canadiens showed some bite in this game, erasing a three-goal deficit at the end of the second period, but simply ran out of gas in the third period as they fell to the Florida Panthers 7-4. Here’s the talking points from the loss. (Montreal Hockey Now)

This is always the time of year when the Avs seem to get ambushed by injuries. It’s happening again. Nathan MacKinnon, back to Denver on a plane this morning, upper-body injury, could be out weeks and coach Jared Bednar said it’s possible MacKinnon’s injury is related to his fight with Minnesota’s Matt Dumba on Sunday. (Colorado Hockey Now)

In just his third podcast/radio cameo as the new beat writer for Vegas Hockey Now, Owen Krepps joins the Krakin’ Knights Show to discuss the Vegas Golden Knights as they prepare for a week of games against the Seattle Kraken. (Vegas Hockey Now)

Erik Karlsson chose to remember the best of times with Eugene Melnyk this morning. “I’m just gonna remember all the good and positive stuff that he brought,” the once-Ottawa Senators superstar said. “There was a lot of it.” Melnyk, the long-time owner of the Senators, passed away from an undisclosed illness on Monday. He was 62. Karlsson said that he was unaware how sick Melnyk was. (San Jose Hockey Now)

No Gabriel Landeskog. No Nathan MacKinnon. But the Calgary Flames found out that the Colorado Avalanche depth is what makes them the class of the Western Conference. The Flames battled to the final buzzer in a 2-1 loss to the Avs at the Saddledome on Tuesday night. It just wasn’t enough. (Calgary Hockey Now)

At this point if the Vancouver Canucks were to make the Stanley Cup playoffs, they’d be icing the team they’ve been skating with pretty much the entire season. They have some names on Long Term Injured Reserve (LTIR) that won’t be donning skates again. Michael Ferland and his career-ending concussions, Brandon Sutter with long-haul Covid, and Brady Keeper with his broken leg (plus he’s essentially a minor leaguer for playing purposes) are legitimate cap-relief injuries. (Vancouver Hockey Now)