First thoughts: Sabres vs. Isles

I'm no so sure I like the Sabres meeting the Islanders in the first round. Not only is New York riding an emotional high from playing their way into the second season, but the drama of Ted Nolan, who won the Jack Adams Award in his one season as Buffalo's bench boss, only cranks up the heat.

Back where he belongs

It's nice to see Ted Nolan, the head coach of the New York Islanders, back behind a bench.

The former Jack Adams Award (best coach) winner, who fell out of favor after walking away from a contract offer from the Buffalo Sabres and turning down a head-coaching opportunity in Tampa Bay, brings more than diversity (he was born into the Garden River Ojibwa First Nation tribe in Canada) to the NHL.

Through his actions, he has shown that good things happen to people who stand up for their beliefs. To me, it's no wonder that he has the Islanders within two points of making the playoffs with 11 games to go.