Top Shelf: Islanders Daily 7/16/13

Apr 26, 2013; Buffalo, NY, USA; Buffalo Sabres left wing

(26) brings the puck up ice as New York Islanders center

(53) pursues during the second period at the First Niagara Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Hoffman-USA TODAY Sports

Rich Diaz here filling in for our own Andy Graziano.

Hot enough for you? What’s more annoying, the question or the reality of an underground train station reaching 113F? Survey says, “shaddup!”

Don’t know where you are at present, but here in the Baked Apple there’s absolutely no relief from the sweltering heat, save the thought that in 10 weeks from now (yikes), the New York Islanders and New Jersey Devils face-off at Barclays.

Here’s a thought: when asked about his activities during the offseason, the great Roger Hornsby once said, “People ask me what I do in winter when there’s no baseball. I’ll tell you what I do. I stare out the window and wait for spring.”

Well, Roger, my man, I stare out of the window to my hot, stuffy, ever-crowded F train and await October. Who’s with me?

Anyway, Josh Bailey and the Islanders agreed to a 5-year deal worth 16.5M. Fair deal as far as the money goes, but personally Bailey still has lots to prove for me. Loved his play late last season, and hoping he can carry that momentum more so in October.

Otherwise, Garth Snow (aka Snow-Tzu) is awfully quiet these days and will remain so until the bitter end.

And aside from the eventual signing of Damien Brunner, there’s nothing really going on in the NHL that’s of profound interest to him or us, except, perhaps, the Buffalo Sabres calling an audible early last week, stating they’d wait until the 11th hour before dealing away Ryan Miller and Thomas Vanek. Good luck with that one, Darcy Regier.

Also, Dion Phaneuf is apparently heading over to Edmonton, but that’s just more of the same ol’ rumors perpetuated during these lazy, hazy days of summer. Something to help pass the time, I guess. So, honestly, I don’t put much stock on such talk anymore. But, yes, it’s fun to “dream.”

And then there’s still the aftereffects of Ilya Kovalchuk‘s NHL departure, and the rumors he’d do his best impersonation of the Prodigal Son in four years, but methinks that’s as likely as Roberto Luongo making a ‘triumphant return’ to an Islanders uniform. But hey, you never know, right? I say, who cares. Let’s deal with the here and now.

Hang in there Isles country!

In Case You Missed It

• Ashley March with her first of many LEGENDS OF LONG ISLAND segments. First topic: Mike Bossy
• Chris Triantafilis enlightening us on the Josh Bailey deal
• Frank Seravalli from PHILLY.COM with his views on Ron Hextall’s return to Philadelphia
• Great piece from Ryan Lambert at PuckDaddy on why the KHL is still second fiddle around here

Two Minutes For Tweeting

Snow-Tzu strikes again! We’ll see how this one pans out. I’d give it ’til November before we realize the results of this move.

No love whatsoever for Canada’s own Justin Bieber. His recent flub has some hockey players taking pot-shots. Enroth here gives JB a fair-warning. Biebs, you best heed the word, if I were you. Just my two-cents, brother.

Tom elucidating the Kovalchuk situation some more. Basically, Kov’s return to the NHL would require signatures from all teams, and him sitting out a year. Whatever the case, this situation will get a bit worse (or, at the most, complicated) before it gets better, the negative effects of which will be felt  for years to come. In the end, the Devs are out one Zach Parise because of it. 

Agreed, Billy. In my humble opinion, these types of maneuvers should never be announced in such fashion. Regier ‘tipping’ his hand, as it were, shows desperation rather than astuteness. I’m content with all things Snow-Tzu.

So, by ‘depth guy’ we mean Thomas Vanek, yes? Methinketh, yes  Here’s to hoping. By the way, liking that current line-up, nevertheless. Is it October, yet?

Yeah, this Tweet here, this one, this is funny. Grabner knows that self-deprecation is sexy. ? Could be worse, Grabs, right? ;p

Beach Reading

My little additive to this daily segment. So here’s what I’ve been reading/have read that might pique your interest:

•  William Shakespeare’s Star Wars by Ian Doescher (Reading)

If you’re a Star Wars geek and/or Shakespeare buff, you must kindly walk to your neighborhood bookstore and procure yourself a copy of this gem of a summer read. Very funny, and quite the clever take on both the Bard and Lucas’ cult classic.

• Glengarry Glen Ross by David Mamet (Read)

Great play. David Mamet, ever the Über-masculine playwright, shares with us the underpinnings of the real estate world, while shedding light on the anger and frustration infecting the American male. Also, a great movie, staring Al Pacino and Alec Baldwin, so you know there’ll be lots of yelling and cursing.

• Poet in New York by Federico Garcia Lorca (Reading)

The book that launched a 1K poets. Well, maybe a bit less. Considered by many to be the turning poet in Modernist poetry, this seminal Spaniard poet shares his views and feelings about the Big Apple during the early decades of the 20th century, all while living and studying at Columbia University.

–RD (@RDNHL)