The Calder Cup Finals begin tonight. (The League goes THAT way.) Syracuse at Grand Rapids, 7 p.m., and they’ll do it again Saturday, same time, same station. Speaking of which, the league has again opened the AHL Live doors: video’s free for the Final (sorry, Finals) with promo code FINALS17. (You may want to set yourself up early.)
From earlier in the week, Lindsay Kramer on Cory Conacher and how he’s reached finals just about everywhere (cough), and Peter J. Wallner in Grand Rapids on ex-Ranger Dylan McIlrath, who’s taken a circuitous route this year to the Final (sorry).
Assorted local ties on the Syracuse roster, like Conacher, Mike Halmo, Adam Erne, Matthew Peca. Not so many on Grand Rapids aside from Islanders draft pick Robbie Russo.
Speaking of futures and former futures, one of those fun-formality days today: The Islanders announced they’ll keep David Quenneville‘s rights another year. Less formal: Victor Crus Rydberg’s four years are up, so the Islanders no longer have his rights. (Ryan Pilon’s two years are up, too, though he’s since given up playing, at least at this level.)
Congrats to Pete Mannino on a new gig at Omaha, fresh off his Clark Cup title.
And it feels like an every-day thing: thoughts to Kabul and Manila. Frickin’ world.