Edmond Sun: Jeff Harrison has a full feature on Islanders draft pick Matt Donovan with his comments about the draft and a few words from his father Larry Donovan, who is the head coach of the University of Oklahoma hockey team.
NY Post: Devils beatwriter Mark Everson in the generic NHL Post blog reports on Shawn Bates buyout, but more importantly reports Alexei Yashin has re-signed to play for Salavat Yulaev in the Russian league.
NYI Fan Central Comments:
It should be noted the Post track record is not too good on rumors and as of today neither Elite Prospect or European Hockey confirm this. Take that for what's it's worth but it's in line with what Marc Gandler has said all along that Yashin would be off the market before 7/1 and resign in Russia if he could not find an NHL club willing to meet his price.
What else is happening?
Leaf media is all but bullying Bryan McCabe in print to agree to waive his no trade clause so the Islanders can be ripped off for his services in a deal.
Between the denials and confirmations on some player rumors someone should split the difference and have them play at a neutral site. I sure appreciate Jeremy Roenick making things easy on everyone with a quiet resigning.
Isles website put up a media summary of the folks (professional media/otherwise) who approved of their overall draft.
NYI Fan Central Comments:
I saw Kevin Allen's blog the other day and it was from 6/21 so even I did not bother posting something that outdated here on him ranking the Isles third for a good draft.
I'm not blaming the Isles, they take such a beating on the p.r front regardless of what they do (starting in Newsday) almost anything that they do forces them to reach out and put together content to tell their part of the story.
One thing I will write is not one of those prospect writers would have given the Isles a good review if they did not think the club had a good draft in their professional opinion.
The media spin doctors like a Stan Fischler you take with a big grain of salt.
And the bottom line is overall they did a good job but they have taken a risk trading down because on paper Filatov and the other forwards were rated higher than Josh Bailey.
Of course in the end Islanders may be the biggest winners or losers of all. Again, ask me in three to five years when we see if they are in New York helping the club win a Stanley Cup.