Here we are. Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final kicks off tonight at 8:00 p.m. It's going to be a great battle between two southern teams,  surely irritating Canadiansand that may be the best part.I certainly don't think the league should have waited this long,  but alas.On the home front,  silence remains.New York Islanders ReadingIt doesn't seem as likely as it did in the immediate aftermath of yet another collapse,  but in the event the Toronto Maple Leafs do blow it up to any degree,  the Islanders could be the beneficiaries. [NY Po$t+]Another option would be to give Mathew Barzal back his center slot. [NY Post]Perhaps the Florida Panthers demonstrate that the Islanders might be closer to a Cup than they appear in the parity-laden NHL. [THN]This piece describes every team's worst-value contracts from this past season. For the Islanders Kelly Hrudey Jersey,  it was far and away Josh Bailey,  healthy-scratched parts of the regular season and all of the playoffs with a $5 million deal. Other than that,  most guys were near their valueRyan Pulock and Anders Lee were next on the list,  but they were about only $1-1.5 million overpaid. [The Athletic]It appears we have a date set for Islanders-Rangers at MetLife Stadium: February 18,  2024. That would be President's Day weekend and probably the weekend after the Super Bowl.Hearing Isles vs. NYR Stadium Series game at MetLife Stadium will be on Sunday,  Feb. 18. NJDevils vs. Flyers will be the day before,  Saturday,  Feb. 17.Times TBD. Stefen Rosner Thoughts]Ottawa Senators GMfor nowPierre Dorion wants to sign Alex DeBrincat long-term. But does the American Cat want to stick around in Canada? [TSN]John Gibson would like a trade from the Anaheim Ducks,  but the problem is he has a sizable contract and has not been very good the last few years,  although maybe a restart with a better team could change those results. [Orange County Register]U.S. hockey legend Hilary Knight is the first IIHF Female Player of the Year. [ESPN]Rod Brind'Amour sat down with the 32 Thoughts guys for a long interview. [YouTube] I've busted Brind'Amour's chops the last couple of months with the playoffs Simon Holmstrom Jersey,  but I do want to extend my condolences to him and his family,  as his father passed away this week.The league and players' association reached a trial agreement that allows for some on-ice training with team staff; the Vancouver Canucks were recently fined $50, 000 for it. [Sportsnet]Alphabet Sports Collective is bringing together hockey's LGBTQ+ community during Pride Month. [Sportsnet]

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