Parenteau hopes to re-sign with Isles

--Right wing P.A. Parenteau is fifth in the NHL with 38 assists, including one on the Isles' lone goal in a 4-1 loss Sunday against Florida. The 29-year-old Parenteau, who will be an unrestricted free agent after making $1.25 million this season, hopes to re-sign with the franchise that gave him his first NHL opportunity. According to Newsday, GM Garth Snow has had "very preliminary" conversations with Parenteau's agent Allan Walsh.

"This contract is going to be my only big one left," Parenteau said. "I want to make sure I'll be paid at my value. Having said that, I love it here and I've said all along I'd love to stay here. I've never been in this good a (negotiating) position, so it's tough to think about. It's in the back of my mind a little bit, but we still have some games to win here and that's what I care about."

--Center Frans Nielsen, who inked a four-year contract extension worth $11 million last week, said he learned the deal was finalized while in the faceoff circle in a game last week against Philadelphia from Flyers center Scott Hartnell, a rep with the NHL Players' Association.

"(Hartnell) goes, 'Why aren't you smiling? You should be smiling,'" Nielsen said. "I asked why and he said he saw the e-mail and told me it was done. Kind of strange, but it's good news, you know, so I didn't mind hearing it from him."

QUOTE TO NOTE
"These games are so important at this time of the year. There's no excuse for us not to be ready to play or have our feet moving or having our game going off the bat." -- John Tavares, after the Islanders' 4-1 loss Sunday to Florida.

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