On the Islanders Beat

Scotiabank Place is starting to buzz now as the roll call of 30 NHL teams is taken prior to the opening of the 2008 draft. There’s no indication yet of the trades that are bound to take place tonight, but I did run into Islanders captain Bill Guerin in the interview room.

Guerin said he’s recovering well from surgery to repair a torn labrum in his left shoulder, and he expects to be ready to go when training camp opens in September. He smiled when asked if that was his schedule or the doctors’ schedule but insisted he will be full speed for camp. Guerin said the injury occurred in the first half of the season and bothered him on and off all season, but he doesn’t believe it affected his shot. It was more a matter of learning to live with the pain.

Asked if he’s hopeful the Islanders’ top pick tonight will be ready to play in the NHL next season, Guerin was cautious. “There’s not many 18-year-olds who can play in this league,” he said.