Ray Slover

Never think physical play is a lost part of the NHL. This isn’t a play-nice sport, and it shouldn’t be.

That’s why the Wild signed defenseman Sean Hill, despite his ongoing suspension. And that’s why the Islanders decided to nab Andy Sutton off the free-agent market.

Oh, and Sutton is more than a tough guy. His 6-6 frame and wingspan will take up a lot of room in front of Isles goalie Rick DiPietro.

The physical component of the Islanders’ defense has been restored in a very big way. General manager Garth Snow on Friday reached an agreement on a three-year, $9 million contract with Sutton.

Sutton’s addition should go a long way toward replacing the toughness of Hill, who was allowed to leave as a free agent following his suspension during the first round of the playoffs for the use of performance-enhancing drugs last season.

Sutton, an eight-year veteran, spent the past four-plus NHL seasons in Atlanta. He had two goals and 14 assists in 55 games last season. “Andy is a big defenseman who blocks shots and will help on the penalty kill,” Islanders GM Snow tells Newsday. “And he’s got a mean streak. We’ve improved our team defensively by a large margin. Andy has put up 25 points in the past, so it’s not like he can’t add offense, too.”

The knock on Sutton: He’s prone to injury.

Newsday beat man Greg Logan also says Sutton’s signing will take pressure off the team to deal for a defenseman. Snow will now focus on forwards. “Carolina free agent Josef Vasicek is a prime target, but the Islanders also have investigated free agents Jason Allison and Peter Forsberg,” Logan writes.

Next on the block?
Ownership changes have come fast and heavy in recent weeks. Doug MacLean’s group bought the Lightning last week, and a Nashville group is closing in on purchasing the Predators.

Meanwhile, the Thrashers are in an ownership overhaul. The same group owns the NHL team and the woebegone NBA franchise, the Hawks.

Writes Tim Tucker of the Atlanta Journal Constitution, Atlanta’s ownership group is “awaiting word on whether the Maryland Court of Special Appeals will uphold or overturn last year’s circuit court ruling that estranged part-owner Steve Belkin is entitled to buy out his partners at cost. The appellate court heard arguments on March 2.”

It would be good to get this settled soon. The Thrashers broke through last season and made the playoffs. Conveniently forget their playoff wipeout. This team, under the astute coaching of Bob Hartley, is making strides and could be a contender again.

The Eastern Conference is tight, and key losses in Atlanta must be offset by young players’ improvement. The Thrashers signed defenseman Karel Pilar and forward Milan Bartovic last week. Both can be serviceable.

Now the team is fending off rumors of a possible trade of elite forward Marian Hossa. San Jose and Vancouver are reported to be Hossa’s suitors. And GM Don Waddell is denying reports of trade talk.

Key to this situation is the team’s ability to reach accord with Hossa on a contract extension. This is the final season of Hossa pact. If Waddell can’t work out something, he’d be smart to peddle Hossa and get a healthy return.

Icy bits

Ever heard of the Mid-Atlantic Hockey League? It’s about to make its debut, and it has an affiliation with the NHL, which is a good start. The catch? The league itself isn’t affiliated with the NHL, but news on the league will be available on NHL.com. Quick, name the league’s five teams. Can’t? Here you go. Indiana (Pa.) Ice , Jamestown (N.Y) Vikings, Mon Valley Thunder (Belle Vernon, Pa.), Wooster (Ohio) Warriors and Valley Forge Freedom (Oaks, Pa.). Maybe it will expand to include the Charlestown Chiefs. ...

You knew it would happen. There would be a headline reference to Islanders prospect Justin Bourne and fictional spy hero Jason Bourne. This one comes from the Vernon Morning Star of British Columbia. The headline? “Bourne flashes NHL identity.” Yes, Justin is the son of Islanders hero Bob Bourne. ...

Slideshow   The Week in Sports Pictures The Giants on top of the football world, getting ready for the London Olympics and more. more photos

NHL czar Gary Bettman hasn’t had to face the nightmare situations his NBA, NFL and baseball counterpart are facing, but he will be confronted with a decision on what to do with former NHL player and coach Rick Tocchet. For his part in a gambling scandal that tarred the Coyotes, Tocchet will be sentenced Friday after pleading guilty to charges in a well-known case. Stu Cowan of CanWest News Service has this suggestion: Throw the book at Tocchet and ban him from the game. Hard to argue with that. ...

Further evidence of how far U.S. hockey has come in terms of talent development was presented last week at Lake Placid, N.Y. Patrick Kane was among players on hand for the USA Hockey National Junior Evaluation Camp, and the Press Republican newspaper of upstate New York got a look. Somewhere, Herb Brooks is smiling at a 45-player talent pool that will produce players for the next junior world championship tournament. Read more on USAHockey.com. Other notable names in the evaluation camp are James vanRiemsdyk, Blake Geoffrion, Kyle Okposo and Ian Cole. ...

By the way, the U.S. Under-18 team is tuning up for the 2007 Under-18 Memorial of Ivan Hlinka, a tournament in the Czech Republic. The select team beat the Czechs, 5-4, on Sunday.