NYHN Daily: Breaks Not Necessarily Bad for Islanders, Tanev Out for Season & More

The New York Islanders have a game against the Detroit Red Wings on Wednesday at UBS Arena. It’s been a while since the Islanders last played but with all the breaks this season, can it be an advantage in the second half? Get to know the first three players the Islanders added to the taxi squad.

These stories and more in today’s daily links!

Keeping it ON the Island

The Islanders have had their fair share of breaks this season. While getting into a rhythm has been tough, these breaks will allow for New York to be as healthy as possible in the second half as they look to climb the Metro standings. (NYI Hockey Now)

The Islanders added three players initially to the taxi squad. Hutton is granted another chance, Holmstrom looks to produce if given the opportunity and who could forget Bardreau’s first-ever stint with the Islanders? (NYI Hockey Now)

Islanders forward Mat Barzal had been stuck in COVID-19 protocol since mid-December. He is back on the ice practicing with his team and after a rough first stay, finding his legs, he looked more like himself on Monday. He also spoke to the media about what isolation was like. (Newsday)

The Islanders are a streaky team and will need one of those streaks to even come close to the point total needed to make the postseason. With the injury to Ryan Pulock, the COVID-19 issues the team is currently dealing with, and the inconsistencies on both sides of the puck, it may just make sense to punt this season. (The Athletic)

Around the National Hockey Now Boards

The Boston Bruins are looking to bolster their club before the NHL Trade Deadline. Should Phil Kessel be an option? How about Bryan Rust or Mark Giordano? Here is the list of upcoming UFA’s that the Bruins should look into acquiring. (Boston Hockey Now)

After missing 13 of the last 14 games, Sasha Barkov appears to be back in the fold for the Florida Panthers when they play host to the New York Rangers on Wednesday. “I think he looks ready to go,” Panthers interim coach Andrew Brunette said. “It was good to get him these couple of practices and see how he feels tomorrow and we’ll make a decision based on that.” (Florida Hockey Now)

The NFL and NBA have moved to different COVID testing measures and procedures. For better, worse, and unknown, the sports leagues based in the U.S. have in part waved a white flag to mass COVID testing and are instead using a targeted approach. Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman and NHLPA rep Kris Letang didn’t signal full support for such a measure in the NHL, but he probably gave the most honest answer. (Pittsburgh Hockey Now)

The Montreal Canadiens returned to practice on Monday…well some of them did. goaltender Jake Allen as well as defencemen Ben Chiarot, Jeff Petry, Joel Edmundson and Chris Wideman have been added to the league’s COVID list. Goaltending coach Eric Raymond has also been placed in protocol. The list is now at nine. (Montreal Hockey Now)

Dylan Larkin understood the concerns. He recognized the potential pitfalls and the consequences that might be incurred. Nonetheless, the captain of the Detroit Red Wings was all in when it came to the Beijing Winter Olympic Games. If asked, he was going. No matter what. (Detroit Hockey Now)

With players and coaches returning to practices after the holiday break, every member of every NHL team was tested for COVID-19 over the past two days. As a result, the league has seen a massive increase in the number of people listed in COVID-19 protocols. On Monday Vegas Golden Knights head coach Peter DeBoer and forward Brett Howden were added to the list. That increases their list to three players, with a handful of others out with injuries. (Vegas Hockey Now)

The Colorado Avalanche will not be playing hockey anytime soon as the NHL announced their game Wednesday against the Dallas Stars and Friday against the Stars have been postponed. What’s the point of the new roster rules if teams are not being allowed to play writes Adrian Dater. (Colorado Hockey Now)

rent Burns is out of COVID protocol, but now Adin Hill is on it.

Hill joined Tomas Hertl, Jonathan Dahlen, and Jasper Weatherby in protocol. San Jose Sharks head coach Bob Boughner also initimated that “a lot” of Barracuda players have tested positive, though he didn’t disclose which players. Three Barracuda players have been added to the COVID list which seems to grow on the daily. (San Jose Hockey Now)

It’ll be fun to see what Vancouver Canucks Head Coach Bruce Boudreau can do with Canucks energizer forward Nils Höglander. Or at least it’ll be fun trying. Apparently “Hoagie” used to drive former head coach Travis Green a little bit crazy. All the parts are there, now someone just needs to read the instruction manual. It’s in Swedish. (Vancouver Hockey Now)

If the Calgary Flames have learned anything during the last couple of weeks, it’s to adjust on the fly. That goes for the whole pandemic, really. The NHL’s most rampant Omicron outbreak was right here in Calgary, where the Flames saw all but three roster players go through COVID protocol in rapid succession. They had more than 30 people in the organization affected, including the coaching staff and support. And that doesn’t include any family or friends who might have contracted the most transmissible variant yet. (Calgary Hockey Now)

League Business

The Seattle Kraken announced that forward Brandon Tanev is out for the rest of the season with a torn ACL.  A fan favorite in Seattle, Tanev was third on the team in goals and was having a fantastic first season with the NHL’s newest club. More details regarding his surgery and recovery will be released later on. (NHL)

As the voting continues for NHL All-Star captains, Colorado Avalanche captain Nathan Mackinnon currently leads Kirill Kaprizov for the Central Division. Alex Ovechkin (Metro), Auston Matthews (Atlantic) and Connor McDavid (West) are also in the lead in their respective divisions. (NHL)