If I have learned one thing watching practices and morning skates for 18 of the past 21 seasons, it is simple: Never Get Hurt.
And, I mean, it goes beyond simple getting-hurt-is-bad. Example oh, let’s label it 18-10: Mitch Vande Sompel (21 yesterday) is back on the ice, which is great news even if he can’t touch a puck yet… except that he got bag skated. Stops and starts all inside the center-ice circle. Around cones, stopping, reversing direction. My legs were burning watching him. (Or I may have a serious medical problem. 50-50.)
There’s no timetable on him yet. Brent Thompson still called him week-to-week. But he’s not dead yet. Good start.
Only a few other guys on the ice today, Kristers Gudlevskis in net, Kyle Schempp, and Scott Eansor, who’s been out ill for a week. He seemed to get through a hard practice himself OK. Tomorrow seems to be possible.
Lehigh comes in tomorrow with the most points in the division and the fourth-best points percentage in the league. Bridgeport has had no luck with them, in several different senses of that phrase. See how it goes.
AHL Player of the Week: Our ol’ buddy Trevor Smith. (It’s eight years since he’s been here. Crazy.) Smith was never player of the week here, but he was rookie of the month 10 years ago this month.
And RIP, Daryle Singletary (h/t Stan).