from Larry Brooks of the New York Post,

In 40 days and nights, Neil Smith might not have done what Noah was able to accomplish in that same time frame, but the Islanders general manager did construct the final pieces of the 2006-07 playoff team, no small feat in itself, before being told to step away by owner Charles Wang.

It was Smith — working at least partially in concert with Pat LaFontaine and Ted Nolan — who used his limited time and the Islanders’ limited resources to sign free agents Brendan Witt, Mike Sillinger, Tom Poti and Chris Simon, thus proving he did not require an unlimited budget to identify complementary pieces to a puzzle.

Now nearly 6 ¹/₂ years after Smith’s tenure ended under circumstances bizarre and contentious enough that LaFontaine left the Islanders’ family once and for all, there is an opportunity for the men to reunite in Buffalo.

continued plus some brief talk on Team USA, Igor Larionov, Rangers; contract talks with players and OT games...