Top Shelf (Christmas Edition): Islanders Daily 12/25/13

Brad Barr-USA TODAY Sports

Merry Christmas hockey fans! What a great day Christmas is!

There is no hockey on the horizon today, as the NHL gives the entire league a day to spend quality, memorable time with their friends and families. That’s part of the goodness of our sport, family comes first, as it does for the rest of the world as well.

However, what sport would it be if there was no talk about it on Christmas? In case you haven’t yet heard, Larry Brooks of the NY Post reported that the Islanders are pursuing Montreal Canadiens forward Max Pacioretty. Pacioretty, a young 25 year old emerging goal scorer, has a very cap friendly contract that would take him into the 2018-19 season, and he would serve as a valuable member of the Islanders’ core (but let’s not get ahead of ourselves).

Regardless of the rumors, take a day off from hockey and enjoy your families today. Keeping it all in perspective, hockey might just not be the most important thing on earth (just maybe).

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to you all, and above all, be happy today, it’s what counts.

-PM (@pjmcentee)

In Case You Missed It

Andy Graziano and the Entire EOI Staff Wish You Nothing But the Best for the Holidays (EOI)

#IslesTwitter’s Tweets o’ the Week (EOI)

Joe Pantorno Poetically Transforms ” ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas” (EOI)

Islanders GIF’s of the Week (EOI)

Around the NHL

The NHL will be on a mini vacation of their own for Christmas, and no games will be played until December 27th.

Across the Sound

The Sound Tigers are coming off a 4-3 win on Sunday that saw the baby Islanders score what proved to be the game winning goal with just about a minute left in the third period.

The Sound Tigers have been playing decent hockey in the last few weeks, having gone 3-2-0 in their  last five  games.

From myself and my terrific fellow writers here at Eyes on Isles, we wish you nothing but the best for Christmas and going forward. Times are tough with the Islanders, but it all will get better eventually. Keep it light today, and we all thank you for your terrific and loyal readership here at Eyes on Isles. Our site will only continue to grow, and thank you all so, so much for getting it where it is today.