So a wacky day, both on the Island and in my sinuses. I could do with more consistent weather. Thanks. Apologies for the posting delay.
In Shelton, apparently the calmest place in the Islanders’ organization: More breakouts today, and then a systems, forechecking session after a flood. Didn’t look bad. Mark Wotton joined the group, filling in the open forward’s spot with Kharin and Sellitto.
It’s kind of funny: Beaulieu, the defenseman, is 6-foot-4 and stands out just a bit. Sellitto is perhaps a little smaller than he’s listed at 5-foot-10, but it’s not particularly noticeable. Everybody else is right around that 5-10 to 6-foot range. The body types don’t help you identify much, and when you’ve got as much trouble with faces as I do? Forget it.
So you’ve got Kyle Okposo out indefinitely (two or three months, or perhaps half a Streit). Travis Hamonic left practice early, Chris Botta reported. The Islanders signed Mike Mottau for two years to replenish the defensive depth up top. As Larry Brooks noted on Twitter, that’ll complete the Metropolitan Hat Trick for Mottau.
The big club finally starts playing games (split squad) against other teams on Wednesday.
Matt Keith to Abbotsford. Joel Rechlicz speaks in Hershey. A former Sound Tiger and a Connecticut kid are big pieces in Syracuse.
Weak, American television viewers.
Cute piece in Language Log on the 27th letter of the English alphabet. Don’t get it? Pullum’s piece only alludes to it, I suppose.
Farewell, Real Quiet.
And RIP, George Blanda.