I have a Bernese Mountain Dog named Bear. He’s an absolute doofus, a rescue that we foolishly adopted after he’d basically run the streets of a rural area for the first two years of his life. So he knows not personal space nor manners. He drools — and flings his drool — more than any dog we’ve ever had (and we’ve had some drooling gentle giants). He yelps like an absolute baby when you so much as tap his paw, yet barrels headfirst into you without pain whether your napping, cooking, reading or walking.
But…Bear would not intentionally hurt a fly. He loves EVERY human, dog, or car (because they contain humans, typically) that he sees and cannot fathom why they would not want to make his acquaintance. Bear does not understand his own size and cannot grasp why others might be intimidated and recoil from 100 lbs. of galloping black fur and drool.
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Rescuer’s remorse? Not exactly. We’ve had big drooling giants before (Great Pyrs), but we definitely bit off a different breed with this one.
All of which is my slow offseason-day way of saying, when the Isles send out a press release headlined “Islanders Sign Bear,” I pause and chuckle.
Islanders News
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J-G Pageau discusses his summer, on Long Island and with a trip to Italy. [Isles]
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The Isles announced signing Ethan Bear to another one-year, two-way deal. He missed time with injuries last year but if healthy he could be a good veteran callup option. [Isles | Post]
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Could a refurbished Belmont Park host an outdoor NHL game? Ask the Cheeseman. [Newsday]
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Dan and Mike reflect on offseason news, the Cup final, and whether the Knicks’ stunning title after half a century changes our outlook. [Islanders Anxiety via LHH]
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The first offseason buyout window has opened. Will Ondrej Palat get a call? [THN]
Elsewhere
Tuesday at the World Cup, Lionel Messi scored a hat trick, ho hum — albeit his first in a World Cup — while Norway dumped Iraq and France dispatched Senegal.
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Mitch Marner opens up a bit about the “dark” days in Toronto, importance of mental health and family support. [ESPN]
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Speaking of his old Leafs, they traded goalie Joseph Woll in a curious deal. [NHL] A third-pair defenseman, is apparently why. [Sportsnet]
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Carolina’s Cup win is proof hockey analytics nerds and jocks can get along. Canes GM Eric Tulsky — who used to share neutral zone research here with us at Lighthouse as well as lots lots more on Broad Street Hockey — is quite the story. [ESPN]
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And Jackson Blake, getting emotional enjoying the cup with his dad, Jason. [NHL]
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Three change-of-scenery trade candidates this summer. [Sportsnet]
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Former NHLer Kyle Calder has died at age 47. [TSN]
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