Monday Updates:

Newsday: Mark Herrmann updated the Islanders blog today and reported Ted Nolan kept his lines together and the club has moved on from Saturday's loss.

NYI Fan Central Comments:
Interesting Nolan quickly went back to Fetotenko-Comrie-Guerin Saturday but today the practice report had Guerin back with Mike Sillinger and Andy Hilbert which he did not give much time to Saturday. Simon's gotten some shift's in Andy Hilbert's spot also during games.

Ct Post: Michael Fornabaio reported in his blog today Trevor Smith has been sent to Utah so he can get more playing time and because the Sound Tigers have had a surplus of forward at different times.

NYI Fan Central Comments:
It's also been interesting watching the Islander-Bridgeport-Utah connection with all teams have a forward surplus at times. Oilver Labelle was sent to the Utah, now Trevor Smith. Bootland cleared waivers and played in Norfolk Saturday.

I added a feeder to what I think is their primary newspaper in Salt Lake to their section on the page yesterday.

USHL.com: Has a link up for anyone wishing to ask Islander prospect Blake Kessel a question.

Tsn.ca: Reports Colin Campbell suspended Randy Jones of the Philadelphia Flyers two games and had the following comments:

"While it is my determination that Jones did not intend to injure his opponent, he did deliver a hard check to a player who was in a vulnerable position,"

"There have been suggestions by some that this hit was comparable to incidents earlier this season where players received significant game suspensions for blows to the head. These comparisons and suggestions are wrong,"

Espn.com: Scott Burnside of course provides the counterpoint that put the pressure on Campbell to issue a suspension and mentions the " Culture of recklessness in Philadelphia " mentioning the old Broad Street Bullies.

NYI Fan Central Comments:
Last I checked there is nothing in the NHL rulebook about players being allowed to deliver hard checks who put themselves in a vulnerable position. This seems like an unfair suspension because a star player got injured or Campbell felt pressure to give Jones some kind of suspension despite his comments the comparisions to other recent incidents are wrong.

I'm glad Bergeron did not suffer a serious injury and will return at some point and Jones was very classy in his comments. Bergeron is an outstanding talent who is good for the league. I did not see any merited suspension here.

I think Scott Burnside (as usual) does not get it right and I don't think Randy Jones was watching old Dave Schultz highlights before he went out and checked Bergeron to get pumped up to play.

Tsn.ca Also reported former Capital Peter Bondra retired from professional hockey today to become the general manager Slovakia's national team.

NYI Fan Central Comments:
Almost seems unfair a player with his career stats exits the NHL this quietly and hopefully the Caps pick a night to honor him. NHL's loss is Slovakia's gain.

Updated 7pm:
Newsday:
Elizabeth Moore in the business section and Noel Rubinton in the busness blog section had updates on the Lighthouse project timetable and reaction to a donation by Charles Wang and Scott Rechler blog for the community surrounding the Coliseum.

NHL.com Released some beautiful pictures of Devils opening night in the Prudential Center that I thought everyone would enjoy. Very happy for the Devils fans.

A few words: Randy Jones & Patrice Bergeron

Tsn.ca: Bob McKenzie had his take on Randy Jones hitting Bergeron today and I wanted to write something about it but have not had a chance today until now.

NYI Fan Central Comments:
I saw the hit and some of the reaction to Jones hitting Bergeron and even though some are blaming the Flyers for all three incidents as an organization they must all be treated as seperate occurances. My first reaction was concern for Bergeron but I also watched the play and saw a player shove a player in the back with both hands who was turning and in a spot where he was vulnerable. Similar to a hit Michael Peca put on a Montral Canadian several years ago as an Islander.

This was not Gary Roberts taking a full charge from center ice where he picks up speed and then takes his hands and slams Kenny Jonsson's head in the boards. This was one where Jones shoved Bergeron who was off balance at a point where he was just far enough away from the boards where he could hit his head on the dasher and did.

I think McKenzie got it right here in this article and agree he likely will get a suspension because of policitcal pressure on the league but I did not see anything that merited a suspension but there was no intent and far different than the two other instances involving the Flyers.

Any suspension here seems like just caving to political pressure. That said of course it's a loss for the league to lose a player of Bergeron's ability and it's great it was reported he will be ok.

Were talking Colin Campbell here folks, only thing consistent about Campbell is his inconsistency in decision making.