Good Morning, Islanders Country.
The next time you’re tired and debating whether or not to get that workout in, think to yourself “what would Zdeno Chara do? The answer is he already worked out and is about to start the second half of his two-a-day.
For 24 NHL seasons - a generation, Zdeno Chara has pushed beyond the limits of his peers. His story is one of perseverance, drive, determination, and even obsession. He paired a desire to be the best with an unmatched work ethic to fulfill his potential and then some. That will power shaped a remarkable career that will be celebrated tonight.
In another delightful long-read on NewYorkIslanders.com, Sasha Kandrach writes about the ‘do extra’ mentality that pushed a kid from Trenčín, Slovakia to new heights with a little help from the Foo Fighters, vegan diets, and cycling workout sessions.
Coming up, the time Mike Milbury asked a young Slovak a question and received an endearing answer. Plus, the Isles are reportedly getting calls on their longest-tenured player and Mat Barzal is upset that another athlete no longer calls Barclays Center his home.
Let’s dive in.
📰 NEWS: The Islanders arrived in San Jose yesterday but were given the day off as they get set to play game two of their five-game road trip tonight against the Sharks.
🤬 DON’T F— WITH ME: In celebration of Zdeno Chara tying, and after tonight breaking Chris Chelios’ record of games played all-time by a defenseman, Kevin Kurz of The Athletic takes a trip down memory lane to the 6-foot-9 Slovakian’s first tenure with the Islanders. Chara made an impact on then GM, Mike Milbury before he was even drafted by the Islanders.
“Can you fight?” Milbury remembers asking the youngster sitting across from him during the interview. Chara gazed back at Milbury and offered a deadpan reply.
“Better not to fuck with me.”
“That endeared him to me right away,” Milbury says.
1,651 games later, Chara is still going at it in his second tenure with the Islanders. In between, Chara was a member of the Ottawa Senators and Washington Capitals, but he’s most known for his tenure with the Boston Bruins where he was the long-time captain and Stanley Cup Champion.
There’s a reason why Chara has been able to put so many years into the game that he loves to play, even today as he approaches age 45. The future hall-of-fame defenseman never takes a day off, and although it sounds cliche, it’s true.
“I walked into KeyBank Center over an hour before the Islanders’ morning skate and Zdeno Chara is already working out off the ice by himself. No mystery how he’s playing at 44 years old.” - Lance Lysowski
👏🏻 HIGH PRAISE: The congratulatory messages have already started to pour in, including one from a fellow defenseman that also had a pretty good career in Boston.
✊ PAYING RESPECT: In the New York Post, Ethan Sears reports that Chara and Chris Chelios spoke for 15-20 minutes on Wednesday. Chara offered to fly Chelios and his family to San Jose to be in attendance for his breaking of the record against the Sharks on Thursday, but Chelios declined as he is scheduled to work for ESPN.
If the Islanders hold a ceremony to recognize the new lead in games played by a defenseman, Chelios is hopeful he can attend. “He’s just a class act,” Chelios told The Post of Chara. “He has been his whole career. It’s a good thing he wasn’t a real mean guy — he could do a lot of damage out there.”
🤫 RUMOR ROUNDUP: As the days go on and we get closer and closer to the trade deadline, the rumors churn a little bit louder each day. According to The Fourth Period, teams have reached out to Lou Lamoriello about a number of their veteran players. The newest name on the rumor mill is the current longest-tenured Islander, Josh Bailey.
“The Minnesota Wild are among the teams believed to have had a conversation about Bailey’s availability, though a deal is not believed to be imminent at this time.”
Bailey has skated all 959 career games as a member of the Islanders, third-most in the franchise’s history. The 2017-18 All-Star has accrued 165 goals, 368 assists in his career, and has two seasons left on his contract (that holds no-trade protection) with an AAV of $5 million.
⏭ NEXT UP: The San Jose Sharks will be looking to snap a seven-game winless streak when they host the Islanders tonight. San Jose lost in a shootout to Anaheim on Tuesday, 4-3. The Sharks are 0-3-4 in their last seven games. The Isles are 4-5-1 in their last 10 games.
📊 STANDINGS:
📚 SOUND SMART: Per Eric Hornick via The Skinny, the Islanders are 17-4-2 when they score at least three goals (including shootout winners) and are 2-15-5 when they do not. Under Barry Trotz, the Isles are 105-13-13 when scoring three or more.
🗓 ISLE REMEMBER: Sean Avery shocked the world yesterday when he signed a contract with the ECHL Orlando Solar Bears at 41-years old. This had many Isles fans reminiscing on Avery’s bout with Michael Haley back in 2011 when the Islanders faced the rival New York Rangers.
🎧 Nassaumen Hockey Podcast Episode 97 - Joe Pantorno (AMNY) talks Trust in Trotz & New York Islanders NHL Trade Deadline Chatter: James and Jon welcomed Joe Pantorno back to the show to discuss the latest New York Islanders news, trade deadline chatter, and much more.
🔗 Recent surge from Islanders' Kyle Palmieri and Zach Parise still has benefits this season, by Andrew Gross, Newsday: “The recent consistent offensive production from Kyle Palmieri and Zach Parise is likely too late to help fuel a playoff push. But there can still be benefits for the Islanders, who continue a five-game road trip against the Sharks on Thursday night at SAP Center.”
And we leave you with this… if the Islanders don’t make an unlikely turnaround, a playoff beard isn’t the only beard Mathew Barzal will miss. As a Brooklyn Nets fan, Barzy is sad to see James Harden traded to the Philadelphia 76ers.
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