12:38 pm: What the heck???? At first I thought Bob McKenzie's Twitter account had been hacked, cut then the news of the Leafs firing Burke started coming fast and furious from everywhere. I can't even put it together in my head so close to the beginning of the season. Maybe it was Burke's idea? Maybe it was done in a fit of passion? We all know how firey Burkie can be. Wow!
Okay, in other BST news, both Brock Nelson and Travis Hamonic skated without those jerseys that say "Yo, don't touch me." No word on Kabanov ever hittin the ice again. (Who? Yeah, the Russian kid with the tattoos.) Aaron Ness is not skating after taking a stick to the face last night.
Jack Combs and Brian Costello who were with the BST on PTOs have been signed for the remainder of the season. That was strictly an FYI. Now go back to being amazed that Burkie got fired.
7 am: The question was asked early yesterday, would Nino Niederreiter still be in the Bridgeport line-up for last night's game against the Hershey Bears or would he be on Long island for informal skates with his NHL team.
Nino was in the line-up and his presence was immediately felt at the 3:39 mark of the first period as his pass was deflected by Sundstrom for the Sound Tigers' first goal of the game. But the lead didn't last too long as Hershey scored two goals in 45 seconds to pull ahead 2-1. Colin MacDonald tied the score at two with less than three minutes remaining in the first.
Brandon DeFazio gave the Sound Tigers a lead midway through the third period since no one could score in the second. But this is the Washington Capitals farm team and they weren't going to go quietly. Thirty-two seconds later, the score was tied again at three.
The Sound Tigers outshot the Bears 38 to 28, but the Bears still came away with the win at the 4:34 mark of overtime. It was a heartbreaking defeat and one the Tigers are becoming all too familiar with.
The KHL Deal:
So first it was the Visnovsky deal that was making news yesterday as Lubo seems to have TWO valid hockey contracts. One with the KHL and one with the NY Islanders. Bill Daly came out and said the KHL said they would HONOR all NHL contracts in place but rumor has it the KHL is making it very difficult for players to leave their league by throwing money at them.
How much money are they throwing since it's also rumored that Kovalchuk, the guy that many CBA rules are now named after, doesn't want to come home to New Jersey either. He likes it where he is and even his home contractor has said Kovy won't be returning this season.
Wow. $100 million is a lot of money to leave on the table, so how much is the KHL throwing these players' way?
Neil Sheehy, agent for Visnovsky, said on radio that if Lubo 'has to' return to the states, he WILL play for the NY Islanders. I say, don't do us any favors. Last thing the Islanders need is a disgruntled player.
Hopefully they play "Let's Make A Deal."
Sideboards: As confirmed by Newsday's Art Staple, both Ryan Strome and Griffin Reinhart have been asked to Isles training camp whenever that does start.
Skating today at Iceworks are Nabokov, DiPietro, Carkner, MacDonald, Martinek, Nielsen, Martin, Boulton, Moulson and Reasoner. Coaches are still not allowed to participate until the CBA is ratified. (Or at least that's what I heard this morning on SiriusXMNHL Network Radio.
New York Islanders Blogger • 
Join the Discussion:
»