After almost two and a half years on the bench I stepped onto a fresh sheet of ice and played like a never missed a shift.

Well, it wasn't exactly that easy, but it was worth the effort.

First, I dressed my bottom half at home.

Then I drove to the rink, sat in the back of my van and finished up. Which is something I usually only do at the drive in. Got to the bench and put my skates on to play my first game of shinny in years. A short bench is necessary to keep plenty of room so there was a lot of icetime.

Skated slowly, and stayed consistent with my style of shooting straight into the goalies pads.

Being out on the ice was always my happy place. The sounds of the puck off the post, blades cutting through the ice, pads hitting the ground because we're all bad at this and fall over a lot, its where I could let everything else go.

Kids playing themselves and my ability to keep getting laid off kept me out of the game for two years, but now, yes now, I've taken the plunge to get back out there and I missed it. I'm awful and terrible, but I skated and all of my muscles survived.

Speaking of surviving, that's something Anthony DeAngelo may not do in New York:

There was a boring trade yesterday as well:

Montreal Canadiens acquire defenceman Joel Edmundson from the Carolina Hurricanes

I love when a team trades for a players rights and then can't re-sign them. I hope this is one of those trades.

Katya is still doing that mock draft, and has reached the Winnipeg Jets*

Top 25 Draft Prospects of 2020: Picks 10 &11

Last night the Dallas Stars took a 3-1 series lead over the Vegas Golden Knights in the Western Conference final:

The NHL continued with the awards and announced Islanders GM Lou Lamoriello was the best one this season. Which, way to make him look good, Trotz.

Lamoriello of Islanders named General Manager of Year

Tonight it's game four of the Eastern Conference Final between Tampa and New York, and the Lightning have a 2-1 series lead over the Islanders.

Come on Bolts. Win this one for us; we don't need the Isles winning a cup.

From The Branches