Top Shelf – Islanders Daily 7/24/13

Jun 15, 2013; Chicago, IL, USA; Boston Bruins right wing

adjusts his gear before game two of the 2013 Stanley Cup Final against the Chicago Blackhawks at the United Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Grabowski-USA TODAY Sports

With the announcement of various Olympic roster invitees and the details of Jaromir Jagr’s one-year contract with the New Jersey Devils being released, we finally have some real, bona fide NHL news to discuss.

At least, for now.

The New York Islanders had several players named to various country training camp rosters: Kyle Okposo (USA), John Tavares (CAN), Travis Hamonic (CAN), Evgeni Nabokov (RUS), Lubomir Visnovsky (SVK), Frans Nielsen (DEN) and Peter Regin (DEN).

Michael Grabner will likely appear on Austria’s Olympic roster, although no formal announcement of Austria’s evaluation camp invitees has been made.

There’s no guarantee that all eight players listed above will make their respective countries’ Olympic teams, but the fact that the Islanders have a good number of Olympic hopefuls is a sign that this team is cultivating the right kind of talent on Long Island.

In NHL news, Jagr’s deal is reportedly for one year and $2 million in base salary. Reports also indicate he can earn another $2 million in incentives by playing 45-or-more games for the Devils this season.

New Jersey is famous for generally not allowing their players to wear numbers higher than 30, but they will likely make an exception for a future Hall-of-Famer like Jagr and allow him to keep no. 68 on his back when he arrives in training camp.

-MW (@MichaelWillhoft)

In Case You Missed It

2014 Sochi Olympics: Can Young USA Win Gold? (EOI)

5 New York Islanders Games to Watch This Season (EOI)

Who Are the New York Islanders Centers in 2013-14? (Lighthouse Hockey)

Matt Moulson Should Not Be On Team Canada for the 2014 Winter Olympics (Isles Optimism)

Summer Report Card: Kyle Okposo (Islanders Point Blank)

Season Was Filled With Great Individual Efforts (NHL)

Jets Agree to Terms With Forwards Peluso, O’Dell (NHL)

Two Minutes For Tweeting

If anyone who saw the Cal Clutterbuck feature on NHL Network last night is claiming that trading Nino Niederreiter for him was a mistake, that person’s friends might have to stage an intervention. (Also: “might” means “definitely.”)

I’m certainly not recommending this…but it would definitely prove that you’re not a bandwagon NHL fan. I know it’s the summer and the need for hockey is at its greatest, but getting your team’s logo tattooed in a visible place on your body might not be the best way to cope with the lack of NHL action. (Maybe wait until October to get your hockey fix.)

More on Jagr: being named MVP of an international hockey league despite playing in a relatively small number of games speaks to his skills on the ice as a 41-year-old. For all the jeering that Devils GM Lou Lamoriello has gotten for signing Jagr, it’s really a low-risk, high-reward move.

Pretty awesome 2012-13 highlight compilation video? Pretty awesome 2012-13 highlight compilation video.

The name Pavel Bure will officially be immortalized in Vancouver Canucks franchise history during the upcoming 2013-14 NHL season. Bure is already a member of the NHL Hall of Fame, and the initiative to retired his number will put him alongside other Canucks greats Stan Smyl, Trevor Linden and Markus Naslund in the rafters at Rogers Arena.

As always, thanks for reading us at EyesOnIsles. Keep it right here for all of your NHL offseason coverage and up-to-the-minute Islanders news. Be sure to check the menu bar at the top of the page for ways to connect with the EyesOnIsles staff; we’re always happy to talk hockey.