Scott Pellerin wanted to make it known, unsolicited: The language in the Brandon DeFazio press release surprised him yesterday. He’d said he’d heard nothing about a slew-foot and took exception to the idea.
“The interpretation I got from the league was that it was a reckless act,” Pellerin said. “Because the player (Gabe Guentzel) got hurt, (DeFazio) was suspended one game.” He saw the release and was upset: “By no means did DeFazio go in there intending to slew-foot him.” He saw DeFazio taking a hit, the players getting tangled up and Guentzel taking the brunt of it. “I’m not happy with the way it came out,” Pellerin said. “It made our player look like he did something in a negative fashion.”
DeFazio himself declined to comment. Sean Backman was in DeFazio’s usual spot with Scott Campbell and Blair Riley. Nathan McIver was back to take the full practice.
Edit: Tonight the Islanders announced that they’ve acquired Tim Thomas — yes, that one — from Boston for a draft pick they’ll only have to surrender if he plays. Thomas’ cap hit is $5 million, on the books one way or the other because he signed the contract at age 35. The team doesn’t have to pay him because he hasn’t reported. The Bruins save the cap space; the Islanders get cap-floor insurance without actually paying anything. For this we lost a year and a half of the NHL over the past decade. Anyway. By my count that’s 48 NHL contracts toward the limit of 50 (Strome and Reinhart, sent back to junior, don’t count); feel free to double-check me.
It’s almost meta: Did interviews Tuesday for a Mike Halmo story, how he’d had to wait his turn in the lineup. Then news broke, and the story had to wait its turn. Should go tomorrow. (Speaking of meta, while we’ll miss “30 Rock” greatly (how many shows end perfectly twice in three episodes?), Happy Oct. 19.)
Arthur Staple reports that Lubomir Visnovsky passed his physical; the Islanders announced that they’ve lifted his suspension.
Mark Arcobello was sent back to Oklahoma City. Here’s his postgame media scrum from last night.
Alex Bolduc was sent to Portland. Albany picks up Andrei Loktionov
Dylan Reese got called up to Pittsburgh after the Pens traded Ben Lovejoy** to Anaheim.
Jyri Niemi is back up with the Whale.
After Adirondack’s loss last night to Binghamton, Terry Murray didn’t want to talk to reporters (amid other postgame nuttiness). He told them this morning that he would’ve only been critical. Back to work today, the Phantoms found their intensity.
And RIP, Marge Ricker.
*-By the dictionary. Probably should’ve linked this yesterday, but here’s the NHL rule book on slew-footing. The AHL version is identical in substance.
**-Oldie but goodie.