We have lines

Greg Logan has put the Islanders line combinations up, for the start of camp at least. No surprises, although 2008 first-round pick Josh Bailey is getting a look at center with Mike Comrie on his right wing. Interesting. Newcomer Mark Streit is on a third pairing with Cris Campoli, the pairing Logan speculates will be the #1 powerplay blueline.

Elsewhere, if you don't check TSN much, they've been previewing a different NHL club each day this month, in alpha order. The Islanders day came up yesterday ... but their preview offers nothing new. Did you know Mike Comrie's relationship with Ms. Duff was the "high point of last season?" I'd no idea ... somehow I thought they played 82 games, fired a coach, hired a new one.

Actually, I've been pretty disappointed with all of the TSN team-by-team previews. I thought they might shed a little "inside perspective" on each club, but so far they haven't offered up anything you wouldn't pick up from following the league, and certainly not anything matching even The Hockey News' beat-writer round-ups.

But whatever. If you're interested or have taken the summer off, the Rangers preview (including a whole paragraph devoted to ... the Ottawa Senators 07-08 season?) and the Devils preview are also up. For the Devils, I'll admit some intrigue about how the returns of Bobby Holik and Brian Rolston will go. The rest of the league, as they come up, is here.

Faust and the Devil Hit it Off
It's early, early, early, but Miro Satan is hitting it off in Penguins training camp, with four goals in three scrimmages. Serving the platter is one Sidney Crosby. If Satan excels in Pittsburgh, count me as happy for him. He did all he was asked here, he fought through injuries, he rarely had a center to assist his sniping ways.

Finally, the first Islanders preseason game of 2008 is just three days away -- Tuesday, in fact. But if preseason hockey isn't your thing, maybe you'll be glad to know, um, Def Leppard is playing the NHL's (not the Isles') season opener.