Awaiting arrivals, remembering departures: Tuesday notes

The only new face on the ice this morning for Bridgeport was Kent Simpson, up from Stockton, just in time for yet another hard skate. The other additions — Dustin Jeffrey, acquired for Cory Conacher yesterday; Mark Louis, for David Leggio; and Dyson Stevenson, last night for Matt Lashoff in an AHL deal — were expected in at some point today.

“It’s a good opportunity for the other guys,” Brent Thompson said. “Looking at where we are, it’s an opportunity for Leggio to kind of rejump his career. We all know his statistics. They weren’t where he wanted to be. They weren’t where we wanted them to be. It’s an opportunity to save a season and make the playoffs.

“I look at the same thing with Conny, an opportunity in a different organization to make an impact. And we get a huge piece for the Islanders, a solid two-way piece in the NHL. Any time you get a guy who’s played 100 NHL games, it’s a great opportunity.”

On Lashoff: “That’s a tough one. He came in. He was great in the room. It’s a similar great opportunity.”

Matt Carkner was back on the ice today, and Louis on arrival likely makes six defensemen again (not counting Scott Mayfield, who serves out his six-game suspension this weekend). Got to figure Kevin Czuczman and Jesse Graham will be back from Florida at some point here, but Thompson wasn’t spilling on when.

And RIP, Jeff McKnight.

Michael Fornabaio