from Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet,

- Kelly Hrudey mentioned during last weekend’s Headlines that he’d heard Dale Tallon’s name in connection with a position in the New York Islanders’ organization. He’s not the only one who has heard it, and there is some belief it may have occurred when the Islanders were talking to Gerard Gallant about the coaching position. When Hrudey checked, he was told the team would not discuss its process, which is standard.

Meanwhile, Florida said it had not allowed permission. And, from what I’m hearing, the Panthers want to bring him back and would not be inclined to allow anyone to talk to him now. Tallon and Islanders GM Garth Snow have a good relationship, and I don’t assume that the former was pursued to replace the latter. If there was contact, it may have been to work together.

- Never mind all of the great hockey we saw Tuesday night — just for a second. What a great evening to watch Bryan Bickell and Clarke MacArthur. Sometimes we forget that stripped down, people are all the same. We may not be elite athletes, but we share a common trait with them: The things we love the most will be ripped out of our cold, dead hands. Think of what you love the most and imagine it taken away for reasons you cannot control. Bickell and MacArthur love to play hockey. Their careers were threatened by health issues thrown upon them. Who knows where it will go, but to see them get at least one more shot was really something.

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