In the latest episode of “The Red Line” (the number 1 hockey podcast in Ireland 🇮🇪) with co-hosts Phil Farber (@PhilzFacts) and David Tuchman (@TuckOnSports), the boys are back to debate which Defcon level things after the Islanders dropped their fifth straight (0-4-1) to Edmonton.
In this episode:
Reasons to be worried
Reasons not to be worried
Is it time to move on from Lambert?
What are the possibilities for a replacement?
What to do with Anders Lee?
Battling through adversity
You can listen to Isles Fix podcasts on additional platforms HERE
Listen and Enjoy!
📰 NEWS: Islanders center and former Canucks captain Bo Horvat makes his return to Vancouver tonight for his first game at Rogers Arena since his trade to the Islanders on Jan. 30. After nine productive seasons, the 2013 first-round pick will surely get gracious applause, right? It’s not a given.
While there was little animosity toward Horvat after the trade, he slipped when he made an off-the-cuff remark during a post-game interview when asked about the UBS Arena atmosphere, saying it was “a lot better than Vancouver, I can tell you that for free.”
Horvat apologized quickly, but for some fans, the damage was done. The Canucks were suffering through a miserable and turbulent season, and that just poured a bit of salt in the wound. However, now under Rick Tocchet, the team is off to an 11-3-1 start as they aim to return to the playoffs for the first time since the 2020 bubble. That good start may soften them up a bit. We shall see.
“First of all, I hope they don’t boo him," former teammate Elias Pettersson said. "He gave it his all in the nine years he played here. He has always been a good teammate. It sucks that he’s not playing with us anymore. He’s always helped me.”
OKIE 1,000
Former New York Islanders forward and current Buffalo Sabres captain Kyle Okposo skated in his 1,000th game on Tuesday night. The 7th overall pick in the 2006 draft, the power forward played nine seasons on Long Island, scoring 139 goals in 529 games. He signed a seven-year contract with the Sabres as an UFA after the 2015-16 season and has scored 91 goals in 471 games.
⏭ NEXT UP: Bo Horvat returns to Vancouver tonight to take on the 11-3-1 Canucks at Rogers Arena. Face-off is scheduled at 10:00 PM EST.
📊 STANDINGS:
📚 SOUND SMART: Per Eric Hornick in The Skinny, Brock Nelson matched a career-high with 10 shots on goal vs. Edmonton on Monday night. Nelson is only the third player in club history with multiple games of at least ten shots (Mike Bossy 9x, Denis Potvin 3x). The Isles have led at some point in 11 of their first 14 games but recorded only five wins. Bo Horvat has eight points in his last eight games; he is second on the team in scoring.
🎥 ISLES REWIND: On November 15, 2018, Anthony Beauvillier registered his first hat trick and an assist as the Islanders held off the New York Rangers 7-5 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn. "I was pretty pumped before the game," the Quebec native said. "It was snowing outside; felt like Christmas. And playing the Rangers is always fun. It feels good to get the win."
🎧 Spittin’ Chiclets Episode 470: Featuring Arron Asham
🔗 Horvat set for Vancouver return: 'It'll always hold a special place in my heart' by Kyle Cushman, The Score "It's going to be an emotional night," Horvat told NHL.com's Tom Gulitti. "I had a lot of great memories in Vancouver, so to revisit the city, it's going to be a little weird going into the visitors dressing room. But I had so many great memories there; it's going to be a fun night."
🔗 Scott Mayfield and Adam Pelech appear to still be battling injuries by Michael Stahurski, Eyes on Isles “The NY Islanders have had their share of early season injuries, specifically within their top-4 defensemen. Scott Mayfield and Adam Pelech have been battling lower-body injuries, and neither seems 100%.”
And we leave you with this…Pierre Turgeon’s HOF plaque.
Thanks for reading! Follow us on Twitter for regular updates until the next newsletter.
And please check out our newsletters about the Knicks and Mets, too.
The Red Line Podcast: Defcon 3