Lighthouse Hockey: for New York Islanders fans

So far in this series, we've seen Denis Potvin win the Calder Trophy as the NHL's best rookie after helping transform a hapless team into something resembling a professional one. We've seen him rocket up the charts of the league's best defensemen, capturing his first Norris Trophy at just 22-years-old. We've seen him win a second Norris after pissing off the entire hockey world, learning to open up emotionally, and climbing back to the mountaintop after a inconsistent follow-up season. Today we finally reach his final Norris Trophy year, in which the Islanders win their first regular season championship and Potvin has, to this day, the best single season a defensemen has ever had for this franchise. Potvin's 101 points on 31 goals and 70 assists in 1978-89 was by all accounts a spectacular campaign, highlighted by hat tricks, long point streaks, torrid periods of dominance and one hit that would result in an unfortunate injury and even more unfortunate chant that has gone on for far too long. With Potvin leading the way on defense, Bryan Trottier, Mike Bossy and Clark Gillies pushing the offense and Smith/Resch duo on top of their games, the Islanders seemed primed to win their first Stanley Cup. But their closest rivals made sure they had one last hard lesson to learn. This is, thankfully, the final time we'll see the 1979 playoffs in this series. As painful as that loss was to the players and the fans, that whole season stands as one of the most fascinating in franchise history. It is still the second best season in team history by wins and points and is the only one in which the team won four major awards. That roster had everything going for it. Until it didn't... at the worst possible time to the worst possible opponent. Denis Potvin's Islanders story doesn't end here but his offensive and statistical dominance does. He would captain four straight Stanley Cup winners and make the Hall of Fame by letting others in on the action and becoming a key player, rather than the focal point. He's still one of the three best players in Islanders history and I hope this episode makes that case as clearly as it can. Research and other assistance was provided by Kevin Schultz. Visit VintageIceHockey.com, where you can buy t-shirts, hoodies and mugs featuring the logos over over 100 classic hockey teams from all across North America, as well as our own Al Arbour tribute shirt. Use the code ANXIETY20 to get 20 percent off an order of two items. Our portion of the sales go directly to the Center for Dementia Research. This episode of Islanders Award Winners was written using Wikipedia, archival material from Newsday, MacLean's, The Montreal Gazette, The New York Times and Sports Illustrated, as well as the books Power on Ice by Denis Potvin and Stan Fischler, Boss: The Mike Bossy Story, New York Islanders: Countdown to A Dynasty by Barry Wilner, Pride and Passion: 25 Years of the New York Islanders by Stan Fischler and Chris Botta and Dynasty: The Oral History of the New York Islanders 1972-1984 by Greg Prato. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mike and Dan recap (and differ) on the Islanders last week, which saw them pick up five of six points, play a game with just four defensemen and acquire a player they advocated for years ago. Wins against the Flyers and Senators weren't perfect, but were huge nonetheless, especially considering the losses of Adam Pelech (now on long term injured reserve) and Sebastian Aho. Getting a point on a back-to-back also against Philadelphia, mainly courtesy of Ilya Sorokin, was also enormous and kept them in the playoff mix. But their tendency to play poorly in third periods continues. Perhaps new waiver pick up Mike Reilly, who we wanted the Islanders to sign three years ago after his playoff series with the Bruins against the Isles, can help on the backend. In the second half, we look forward to a much tougher week, celebrate Cal Clutterbuck's 1,000th game and dive into a double blowhard edition of Master Leaf Theatre. Subscribe to our Patreon! Plans start as low as $2 a month and patrons get ad-free episodes of the shows, bonus podcasts, written posts, discounts and much more. Visit our friends: Vintage Ice Hockey for t-shirts, hoodies and jerseys with hundreds of classic hockey logos, and our Al Arbour and The Island merch which benefit dementia research. Use the code ANXIETY20 to save 20% off an order of two items. The Pinot Project has a Rosé, a Pinot Grigio and a Wine Enthusiast Best Buy Pinot Noir, all under $15 a bottle. Available at local wine stores and UBS Arena. Visit Lighthousehockey.com for the most up-to-date Islanders news and discussion. Islanders Anxiety podcasts are part of the Fans First Sports Network (@FansFirstSN). Our theme is "Morning Haze" by Family Dinner. Hear more of their music on Bandcamp and on Spotify. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Joined by Gotham Sports Network founder and Giants podcaster Ethan, Mike and Dan remember Mike Comrie, who brought a lot of skill and a very famous significant other to a downtrodden Islanders club. After 30-goal seasons in Edmonton and Phoenix and a run to the Stanley Cup final with Ottawa, Comrie signed with a mercenary Islanders team looking for all the skill it could find. The forward added just that in his first season, but an injury-plagued second year spelled the end of his time on Long Island. More importantly, Comrie's fiancée at the time was Disney Channel star Hilary Duff, who brought a strange and undeserved amount of celebrity to a team and an arena devoid of glitz or glamour. Mike, Dan and Ethan talk about how odd it was seeing a super famous actress/singer/crush at random empty Islanders games and how that short episode presaged the public's current obsession with the Taylor Swift/Travis Kelce relationship. Yes, the episode is "about" Mike Comrie but trust us, it's really about Hilary Duff. Thanks again to Ethan for coming on. Check out his work at Gotham Sports Network if you're a Giants fan. And he's a must-follow on Twitter at @EthanGSN. Subscribe to our Patreon! Plans start as low as $2 a month and patrons get ad-free episodes of the shows, bonus podcasts, written posts, discounts and much more. Our theme is "Knuckles" by Björn Falk. Hear more of his music on Spotify and at Bandcamp. Visit our friends: Vintage Ice Hockey for t-shirts, hoodies and jerseys with hundreds of classic hockey logos, and our Al Arbour and The Island merch which benefit dementia research. If you spend $50 or more, use the code FOURCUPS to get a free The Island coffee mug or pint glass or an Islanders Anxiety puck. The Pinot Project has a Rosé, a Pinot Grigio and a Wine Enthusiast Best Buy Pinot Noir, all under $15 a bottle. Available at local wine stores and UBS Arena. Visit Lighthousehockey.com for the most up-to-date Islanders news and discussion. Islanders Anxiety podcasts are part of the Fans First Sports Network (@FansFirstSN). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

By winning the Calder Trophy in 1974 and the Norris in 1976, Denis Potvin had already established himself as one of the best defensemen in the NHL. That was the good news. The bad news was that his mouth and idiosyncratic disposition separated him from many of his peers and even his own teammates. An inflammatory series of diaries written during the 1976 Canada Cup tournament made many in and out of the game think of him as a petulant grouch or an outright villain. But by beginning his journey as a businessman, taking a more team-oriented approach to hockey and opening himself up emotionally to his teammates, Potvin - still just 24-years-old - was able to unburden himself from pressure and expectations. In a season in which the Islanders started out sloppy and ended up with their first division championship, Potvin was a rock of consistency. After watching his brother Jean get traded away from Long Island, Denis went on a second half scoring rampage, blowing past his defensive competition to reclaim the Norris Trophy crown and prove once and for all that he was the premier blueliner of the era. But in the playoffs, the once scrappy underdogs learned a hard lesson about being the favorite and having a target on your back. Denis Potvin remains one of the more fascinating figures in Islanders history. He was so good on the ice that any perceived cold streak or bad play seemed like the end of the world. He wasn't into the usual hockey guy things (aka just “hockey”) and had a million interests away from the ice. Had social media existed in the mid-to-late 70's, I'm not sure he would have particularly cared for it. There's an argument that even with a Calder and three Norris Trophies (the last of which we'll examine in our next episode) that he might have still been underrated then and now. So let's go back and see what made Denis Potvin so special. Research and other assistance was provided by Kevin Schultz. Visit VintageIceHockey.com, where you can buy t-shirts, hoodies and mugs featuring the logos over over 100 classic hockey teams from all across North America, as well as our own Al Arbour tribute shirt. Use the code ANXIETY20 to get 20 percent off an order of two items. Our portion of the sales go directly to the Center for Dementia Research. This episode of Islanders Award Winners was written using Wikipedia, archival material from Newsday, MacLean's, The Montreal Gazette, The New York Times and Sports Illustrated, as well as the books Power on Ice by Denis Potvin and Stan Fischler, Boss: The Mike Bossy Story by Mike Bossy with Barry Meisel, New York Islanders: Countdown to A Dynasty by Barry Wilner, Pride and Passion: 25 Years of the New York Islanders by Stan Fischler and Chris Botta and Dynasty: The Oral History of the New York Islanders 1972-1984 by Greg Prato. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mike and Dan try to make sense of the Islanders' bizarre road trip through Western Canada and discuss a possible change behind the bench. In eventful losses to the Oilers, Canucks and Kraken and a shootout win in Calgary, the Islanders followed similar scripts: play okay, take a lead, then disintegrate in the third period with careless penalties and all around unstructured play. While gaining four out of eight points is better than none, this team's established "insanely psychotic" way of playing isn't going to help them win many games. And many of the problems fall on head coach Lane Lambert, who may be out of time and out of a job by the time you hear this. We also discuss the upcoming Thanksgiving week schedule and a column from The Twilight Zone (aka Larry Brooks's column in the New York Post). Not a lot makes sense right now. Subscribe to our Patreon! Plans start as low as $2 a month and patrons get ad-free episodes of the shows, bonus podcasts, written posts, discounts and much more. Visit our friends: Vintage Ice Hockey for t-shirts, hoodies and jerseys with hundreds of classic hockey logos, and our Al Arbour and The Island merch which benefit dementia research. Use the code ANXIETY20 to save 20% off an order of two items. The Pinot Project has a Rosé, a Pinot Grigio and a Wine Enthusiast Best Buy Pinot Noir, all under $15 a bottle. Available at local wine stores and UBS Arena. Visit Lighthousehockey.com for the most up-to-date Islanders news and discussion. Islanders Anxiety podcasts are part of the Fans First Sports Network (@FansFirstSN). Our theme is "Morning Haze" by Family Dinner. Hear more of their music on Bandcamp and on Spotify. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Attention: This episode immediately follows the Billy Smith/Roland Melanson Jennings Trophy episode posted last week. If you have not yet, please stop this episode and listen to that one. For much of the 1982-83 regular season, the Islanders did not look like three-time defending Stanley Cup champions, let alone a team that could win the Cup again. They were old and occasionally leaky, and sometimes they seemed downright disinterested. But once the playoffs started, the “real” Islanders showed up again, led by the man they called “The Money Goalie.” Billy Smith didn't take losing lightly. And he didn't like being the weak link or the feeling of letting his friends down. After a series against a pesky playoff-debuting Washington team that required the aid of creasemate Roland Melanson to win, Smith became a man on a mission. He battled and scrambled and pushed and parried his way through series victories against the Rangers and Bruins before eventually dismantling the cocky, high-flying Edmonton Oilers and angering all of Canada in the process. No matter what the Oilers did on the ice or what their coach/GM said or what the media printed, Smith gave it back in spades, refusing to concede even an inch. When the Cup final was over, and Smith was rightfully awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP, he continued to vocally lay waste to the people that had made him Public Enemy No. 1 in his home country. Perhaps more than anyone, Smith felt the condescension or dismissiveness people had for the Islanders despite their success. And he was determined to make them pay for their insolence. Hooo, boy. This is a fun one. We also touch on the Islanders' other three Conn Smythe winners and a few that missed out despite some outstanding postseason performances. Guess that's the price you pay for playing on one of the greatest teams ever assembled. Research and other assistance was provided by Kevin Schultz. Visit VintageIceHockey.com, where you can buy t-shirts, hoodies and mugs featuring the logos over over 100 classic hockey teams from all across North America, as well as our own Al Arbour tribute shirt. Use the code ANXIETY20 to get 20 percent off an order of two items. Our portion of the sales go directly to the Center for Dementia Research. This episode of Islanders Award Winners was written using archival material from Newsday, The New York Times, Sports Illustrated, “Maven's Memories: Rollie Melanson, The Forgotten Hero” from newyorkislanders.com and the books New York Islanders: Countdown to A Dynasty by Barry Wilner, Dynasty: The Oral History of the New York Islanders 1972-1984 by Greg Prato and Pride and Passion: 25 Years of the New York Islanders by Stan Fischler and Chris Botta. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mike and Dan lament a fruitless, frustrating week for the Islanders that left fans, coaches and players pissed off in equal measure. In losses to the Wild, Bruins and Capitals, the Islanders didn't play that poorly and had chances to win. But blown third periods, costly mistakes and ineffective play from key players left them with a four game losing streak and a road trip to Western Canada and the Pacific Northwest looming. Fans want coach Lane Lambert fired, which irrigated fiery forward Casey Cizikas and left everyone feeling that the circus was back in town. It's a tough spot with a lot of questions and few answers. In the second half, we look at what could be a truly disastrous trip and get to another (non-Toronto) edition of Master Leaf Theatre. Also, Mike tells us about running into several members of the Capitals at the Garden City Hotel and making them feel properly “welcomed” to Long Island. Subscribe to our Patreon! Plans start as low as $2 a month and patrons get ad-free episodes of the shows, bonus podcasts, written posts, discounts and much more. Visit our friends: Vintage Ice Hockey for t-shirts, hoodies and jerseys with hundreds of classic hockey logos, and our Al Arbour and The Island merch which benefit dementia research. Use the code ANXIETY20 to save 20% off an order of two items. The Pinot Project has a Rosé, a Pinot Grigio and a Wine Enthusiast Best Buy Pinot Noir, all under $15 a bottle. Available at local wine stores and UBS Arena. Visit Lighthousehockey.com for the most up-to-date Islanders news and discussion. Islanders Anxiety podcasts are part of the Fans First Sports Network (@FansFirstSN). Our theme is "Morning Haze" by Family Dinner. Hear more of their music on Bandcamp and on Spotify. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Joined by their friend Arthur Staple of The Athletic, Mike and Dan remember a rare NHL five-for-one trade that didn't really work out for either the Islanders or Maple Leafs. Just before training camp 2015, the Islanders sent winger Michael Grabner, an impending free agent coming off a couple of down years, to Toronto for five prospects: forwards Taylor Beck and Carter Verhaeghe, defenders Matt Finn and Tom Nilsson and goalie Christopher Gibson. In a very buttoned-up sport, trading one player for almost an entire starting lineup should be notable. But in this case, the results were mixed at best. Staple, who covered the Islanders at the time and is back on the beat now, tells us about Gibson's intelligence and intermittent excellence, Beck's missed potential, Grabner's short stay with the Leafs (and why he gave Staple the cold shoulder for a while), and how everyone missed on Verhaeghe before his recent breakout seasons. Time to look back on what seemed like a wild trade that just got sucked into the ether. Thanks again to Art for coming on. It's always great catching up with him and we're thankful to have him back covering the Islanders again. Subscribe to our Patreon! Plans start as low as $2 a month and patrons get ad-free episodes of the shows, bonus podcasts, written posts, discounts and much more. Our theme is "Knuckles" by Björn Falk. Hear more of his music on Spotify and at Bandcamp. Visit our friends: Vintage Ice Hockey for t-shirts, hoodies and jerseys with hundreds of classic hockey logos, and our Al Arbour and The Island merch which benefit dementia research. If you spend $50 or more, use the code FOURCUPS to get a free The Island coffee mug or pint glass or an Islanders Anxiety puck. The Pinot Project has a Rosé, a Pinot Grigio and a Wine Enthusiast Best Buy Pinot Noir, all under $15 a bottle. Available at local wine stores and UBS Arena. Visit Lighthousehockey.com for the most up-to-date Islanders news and discussion. Islanders Anxiety podcasts are part of the Fans First Sports Network (@FansFirstSN). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Before 1982, the Vezina Trophy was a team award, going to the NHL goaltending tandem that gave up the least goals against during the season. When the criteria was changed to voting by the league's general managers, the first winner was 31-year-old Billy Smith, who finally reached the pinnacle of his career after a decade in the league. A year later, Smith and his creasemate, 22-year-old Rollie “The Goalie” Melanson, turned in a masterful duet, consistently bailing the three-time champs out of trouble during a tumultuous season to take home the Islanders' first Jennings Trophy. Regardless of who was hot and who was cold, Smith and Melanson each gave the Islanders a goalie they could rely on. While the defending Stanley Cup champs battled fatigue, injuries, complacency, and challenges from all comers, the two goalies emerged as the team's true strength. And when it became clear they had a shot to reward their goalies with the Jennings late in the season, the trophy gave their teammates the motivation they needed to finish strong and defend the Cup again. Despite their age difference, Smith and Melanson shared similar qualities of a fiery combativeness and a bitter hatred of losing (not to mention each being a good quote). They supported and celebrated each other as the season went on, knowing everyone was counting on them. But when it got to playoff time, one of them took the puck and ran with it... which we'll cover in the follow-up episode next week. Research and other assistance was provided by Kevin Schultz. Visit VintageIceHockey.com, where you can buy t-shirts, hoodies and mugs featuring the logos over over 100 classic hockey teams from all across North America, as well as our own Al Arbour tribute shirt. Use the code ANXIETY20 to get 20 percent off an order of two items. Our portion of the sales go directly to the Center for Dementia Research. This episode of Islanders Award Winners was written using archival material from Newsday, The New York Times, Sports Illustrated, “Maven's Memories: Rollie Melanson, The Forgotten Hero” from newyorkislanders.com and the books New York Islanders: Countdown to A Dynasty by Barry Wilner, Dynasty: The Oral History of the New York Islanders 1972-1984 by Greg Prato and Pride and Passion: 25 Years of the New York Islanders by Stan Fischler and Chris Botta. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mike and Dan recap a week in which the Islander picked up a lot of points while blowing leads and generally not playing their best. In games against Detroit and Carolina, the Islanders had multi-goal leads and had things under control... until they didn't, losing both in overtime in very frustrating ways and throwing away valuable points. In Washington, a heroic effort from goalie Semyon Varlamov masked what had been a lackluster game controlled mostly by the Capitals. While picking up points is good, playing inconsistently, blowing leads and tasking defensemen with playing massive minutes to hide the deficiencies of others is not. In the second half, they look at a potentially difficult week ahead, the early evolution of forward Simon Holmstrom and another existential crisis up north. Subscribe to our Patreon! Plans start as low as $2 a month and patrons get ad-free episodes of the shows, bonus podcasts, written posts, discounts and much more. Visit our friends: Vintage Ice Hockey for t-shirts, hoodies and jerseys with hundreds of classic hockey logos, and our Al Arbour and The Island merch which benefit dementia research. Use the code ANXIETY20 to save 20% off an order of two items. The Pinot Project has a Rosé, a Pinot Grigio and a Wine Enthusiast Best Buy Pinot Noir, all under $15 a bottle. Available at local wine stores and UBS Arena. Visit Lighthousehockey.com for the most up-to-date Islanders news and discussion. Islanders Anxiety podcasts are part of the Fans First Sports Network (@FansFirstSN). Our theme is "Morning Haze" by Family Dinner. Hear more of their music on Bandcamp and on Spotify. Also featured is "Hold Music" by Steve Combs from the album "The Sun is Rising." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Part Two of our look at Mike Bossy's sensational rookie season begins at a low point, a fight-filled game in Detroit that Bossy later said embarrassed him. He thought he had put all of his old junior fears to rest once he joined the NHL and a line with Bryan Trottier and Clark Gillies. But a stumble at The Olympia was a wake up call. Over the next several months, Bossy resumed his scoring pace and eventually matched - then obliterated - Rick Martin's record for goals in a season scored by a rookie. The Islanders won their division for the first time and looked to be a serious contender heading into the playoffs. But Roger Nielsen, Tiger Williams and the rest of the Toronto Maple Leafs had other ideas... The decision to make this a two-part episode was a late one, but I think it makes sense. There's so much to unpack from Bossy's first season in the NHL, even almost 50 years later, that doing it in one episode would have meant either cutting content, or making the narrative too dense to fully comprehend. This way, we can sit back and really marvel at his immediate impact on the Islanders and on Long Island. It's not every day that a 21-year old player can be thought of as “legendary.” Mike Bossy wasn't an ordinary player. Mike Bossy's autobiography Boss: The Mike Bossy Story, co-written by Barry Meisel, was used extensively, with excerpts read by Michael Paul Smith. Listen to Michael's podcast “Ted and Michael Read Sketches into Microphones” wherever you find your podcasts, or directly from their website at TedandMichael.com. And follow Michael on Twitter and Instagram @mpsmithnyc. Research and other assistance was provided by Kevin Schultz. Visit VintageIceHockey.com, where you can buy t-shirts, hoodies and mugs featuring the logos over over 100 classic hockey teams from all across North America, as well as our own Al Arbour tribute shirt. Use the code ANXIETY20 to get 20 percent off an order of two items. Our portion of the sales go directly to the Center for Dementia Research. This episode of Islanders Award Winners was written using archival material from Newsday, The New York Times and Sports Illustrated, and the books New York Islanders: Countdown to A Dynasty by Barry Wilner, Pride and Passion: 25 Years of the New York Islanders by Stan Fischler and Chris Botta and Dynasty: The Oral History of the New York Islanders 1972-1984 by Greg Prato. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mike and Dan discuss the Islanders' 2-1-0 week that banked them four big points and kept them in the thick of the Metro Division. In games against the Avalanche and Senators, the Islanders played sloppy and undisciplined, resulting in a loss to one of the best teams in the NHL and a win against a young team with a bunch of distractions. They saw blown leads, costly turnovers, one terrible injury and a slew of careless penalties that made us wonder what anyone (other than Ilya Sorokin, who was brilliant in both) was thinking. Thankfully, they cleaned many of the problems up and had a quality game in Columbus that ended in a 2-0 shutout for a resurgent Semyon Varlamov, and left us in a better mood to end the weekend. In the second half, we look forward to three upcoming games against beatable opponents that give the Islanders a chance to make some real strides early in the season. The finish by looking at the Bo-for-Beau trade a few months later, and at ESPN's Frozen Frenzy, a good idea marred by the ESPNness of it all. Subscribe to our Patreon! Plans start as low as $2 a month and patrons get ad-free episodes of the shows, bonus podcasts, written posts, discounts and much more. Visit our friends: Vintage Ice Hockey for t-shirts, hoodies and jerseys with hundreds of classic hockey logos, and our Al Arbour and The Island merch which benefit dementia research. Use the code ANXIETY20 to save 20% off an order of two items. The Pinot Project has a Rosé, a Pinot Grigio and a Wine Enthusiast Best Buy Pinot Noir, all under $15 a bottle. Available at local wine stores and UBS Arena. Visit Lighthousehockey.com for the most up-to-date Islanders news and discussion. Islanders Anxiety podcasts are part of the Fans First Sports Network (@FansFirstSN). Our theme is "Morning Haze" by Family Dinner. Hear more of their music on Bandcamp and on Spotify. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mike and Dan kick off another season celebrating short-time Isles with ESPN's Greg Wyshynski discussing Alexander Semak, a notable Devil and forgotten Islander. From his inclusion as part of the Devils' wave of Russian imports to his career high 37-goal season, Semak was an important player in that team's evolution from pretty good to Cup contender. But he was traded to Tampa Bay just before New Jersey won its first championship, then was traded again to a fisherman-clad Islanders team in abject disarray and going nowhere. Despite a GM firing, a skeptical, temperamental coach and a woefully deficient lineup that piled up losses, Semak somehow had a decent season of 20 goals. Then just as quickly as he arrived, he was gone, with a snarky soundbite from his coach an another (bonus) ex-Devil in his place. Greg tells us how Semak helped the Devils during a formative time, and how fans lost track of him as they tasted Cup glory without him. The three then dissect Semak's lone Islanders season including his varied linemates, some of his more notable goals and the dreadful campaign the franchise experienced. Along the way, they cover the evolution of Lou Lamoriello, White Castles of New Jersey, the sick joys of dangerous arena parking and, somehow, Jean-Claude Van Damme. It's a headfirst dive into a brand new season of Weird Islanders so let's get deep. Thanks again to Greg for coming on and giving us a ton of his time. You know where to find him. Subscribe to our Patreon! Plans start as low as $2 a month and patrons get ad-free episodes of the shows, bonus podcasts, written posts, discounts and much more. Our theme is "Knuckles" by Björn Falk. Hear more of his music on Spotify and at Bandcamp. Visit our friends: Vintage Ice Hockey for t-shirts, hoodies and jerseys with hundreds of classic hockey logos, and our Al Arbour and The Island merch which benefit dementia research. If you spend $50 or more, use the code FOURCUPS to get a free The Island coffee mug or pint glass or an Islanders Anxiety puck. The Pinot Project has a Rosé, a Pinot Grigio and a Wine Enthusiast Best Buy Pinot Noir, all under $15 a bottle. Available at local wine stores and UBS Arena. Visit Lighthousehockey.com for the most up-to-date Islanders news and discussion. Islanders Anxiety podcasts are part of the Fans First Sports Network (@FansFirstSN). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mike Bossy's rookie season in the NHL has been the stuff of legend since it happened. But breaking league records and bringing fans out of their seats as a young phenom hid what was really going on in Bossy's mind. While projecting preternatural confidence, the winger worried about going to the minors, being attacked by goons roaming the ice and of generally not meeting his own hype. Using Bossy's own quotes from his 1987 book, Boss, we can dive deep into what he was feeling and thinking during his time in junior, when he was deciding whether to sign with the Islanders or the WHA's Quebec Nordiques and during his first days on Long Island. Early in his first camp, Bossy was placed on a line with skilled center Bryan Trottier and burly left winger Clark Gillies, and immediately found his footing among the pros. But that didn't stop the old junior fears from coming true. This is Part One of a supersized two-part episode. In Part Two, we'll examine the rest of Bossy's rookie season, his friendship with Trottier, and a crushing playoff defeat that included a scary injury for the kid. Mike Bossy's autobiography Boss: The Mike Bossy Story, co-written by Barry Meisel, was used extensively, with excerpts read by Michael Paul Smith. Listen to Michael's podcast “Ted and Michael Read Sketches into Microphones” wherever you find your podcasts, or directly from their website at TedandMichael.com. And follow Michael on Twitter and Instagram @mpsmithnyc. Research and other assistance was provided by Kevin Schultz. Visit VintageIceHockey.com, where you can buy t-shirts, hoodies and mugs featuring the logos over over 100 classic hockey teams from all across North America, as well as our own Al Arbour tribute shirt. Use the code ANXIETY20 to get 20 percent off an order of two items. Our portion of the sales go directly to the Center for Dementia Research. This episode of Islanders Award Winners was written using archival material from Newsday, The New York Times and Sports Illustrated, and the books New York Islanders: Countdown to A Dynasty by Barry Wilner, Pride and Passion: 25 Years of the New York Islanders by Stan Fischler and Chris Botta and Dynasty: The Oral History of the New York Islanders 1972-1984 by Greg Prato. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

NOTE (THAT WE FORGOT TO MENTION): Weird Islanders: The Podcast! returns for its third season this Friday! We've recorded some bangers already so it's going to be a great slate of episodes featuring some real blasts from the past (and a lotta goalies for some reason). Mike and Dan recap the Islanders first full week of the season, one that saw some great performances and some bewildering ones. After dominating the Arizona Coyotes to a deceptive 1-0 win, the Islanders showed a lot of fight against the speedy New Jersey Devils (before a Jack Hughes overtime goal went and ruined everything). A night later in Buffalo, the Islanders were no-shows against a Sabres team they had beaten just a week earlier. While skaters playing on a back-to-back might have had an excuse, the fresh players inserted into the lineup were all but invisible, raising serious questions about how they will fit in going forward. In the second half, they look ahead to the Islanders upcoming schedule against a recent champion, a young darling and in a house of horrors for them. They also discuss ESPN's upcoming "Frozen Frenzy" of wall-to-wall hockey coverage (for one night, anyway) and set the stage for another installment of Master Leaf Theatre. Subscribe to our Patreon! Plans start as low as $2 a month and patrons get ad-free episodes of the shows, bonus podcasts, written posts, discounts and much more. Visit our friends: Vintage Ice Hockey for t-shirts, hoodies and jerseys with hundreds of classic hockey logos, and our Al Arbour and The Island merch which benefit dementia research. Use the code ANXIETY20 to save 20% off an order of two items. The Pinot Project has a Rosé, a Pinot Grigio and a Wine Enthusiast Best Buy Pinot Noir, all under $15 a bottle. Available at local wine stores and UBS Arena. Visit Lighthousehockey.com for the most up-to-date Islanders news and discussion. Islanders Anxiety podcasts are part of the Fans First Sports Network (@FansFirstSN). Our theme is "Morning Haze" by Family Dinner. Hear more of their music on Bandcamp and on Spotify. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mark Fitzpatrick came to the Islanders as a highly-touted goalie prospect and quicky established himself as a fiery NHL-caliber netminder. But right before the 1990-91 season, the 21-year-old found himself in a Los Angeles hospital with swollen hands and arms, and feet the size of footballs. Even when doctors were able to name his ailment as a rare blood disease called eosinophilia-myalgia syndrome or EMS, Fitzpatrick's frightening and frustrating ordeal to reclaim his playing career was just beginning. After treatments and stops and starts on the ice, Fitzpatrick was able to play 30 games for an Islanders team with slim playoff hopes in 1992. He became the Islanders' second ever recipient of the Masterton Trophy for dedication to hockey, but more importantly, became a beacon of hope to others suffering from EMS all across the world. While Fitzpatrick was battling for his life and career, the Islanders of this time were an absolute trainwreck. Their scorers couldn't score, their defense wasn't consistent, their owner was an absentee cheapskate and their best player and only star wanted to be traded. Other than that, everything was great! It was all a far cry from where the team had been a decade earlier and a small taste of where things would go. And, yes, the use of Georges Bizet's “Habanera” aria as background music at times is an homage to Michael Richie's 1976 classic The Bad News Bears and a way to lighten the mood a little. Hearing it still makes me chuckle and picture a field of foul-mouthed kids who can't play baseball. That seems like an apt comparison to the early 1990's Islanders. Research and other assistance was provided by Kevin Schultz. Visit VintageIceHockey.com, where you can buy t-shirts, hoodies and mugs featuring the logos over over 100 classic hockey teams from all across North America, as well as our own Al Arbour tribute shirt. Use the code ANXIETY20 to get 20 percent off an order of two items. Our portion of the sales go directly to the Center for Dementia Research. This episode of Islanders Award Winners was written using archival material from Newsday, The New York Times, Sports Illustrated, 100 Things Islanders Fans Should Know and Do Before They Die by Arthur Staple and Pride and Passion: 25 Years of the New York Islanders by Stan Fischler and Chris Botta. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mike and Dan recap the Islanders opening night win over Buffalo and the loss of Ross Johnston, and debut a new bit, "Master Leaf Theatre." The victory over the Sabres, the Islanders' first win in an at-home opener in almost 30 years, had some great performances and some spotty ones, but as far as season opening games go, was very satisfying. Bo Horvat didn't get on the scoresheet, but his game and acclimation to Long Island over the summer bodes well for the future. In the second half, the hosts discuss the loss of Ross Johnston on waivers to the Anaheim Ducks and how he was an Islanders Legend in his way. Then they formalize a new and occasionally recurring segment called, "Master Leaf Theatre," in which they perform dramatic readings of reports/fan fic from the Leafs Land. "Master Leaf Theatre" might not always be about Toronto in the future but its spirit certainly runs through it. Other topics include Buffalo watcher melting down (again) about a loss to the Islanders, "culture changes" and a "tidy piece of business" for The Athletic's hockey side. Subscribe to our Patreon! Plans start as low as $2 a month and patrons get ad-free episodes of the shows, bonus podcasts, written posts, discounts and much more. Visit our friends: Vintage Ice Hockey for t-shirts, hoodies and jerseys with hundreds of classic hockey logos, and our Al Arbour and The Island merch which benefit dementia research. Use the code ANXIETY20 to save 20% off an order of two items. The Pinot Project has a Rosé, a Pinot Grigio and a Wine Enthusiast Best Buy Pinot Noir, all under $15 a bottle. Available at local wine stores and UBS Arena. Visit Lighthousehockey.com for the most up-to-date Islanders news and discussion. Islanders Anxiety podcasts are part of the Fans First Sports Network (@FansFirstSN). Our theme is "Morning Haze" by Family Dinner. Hear more of their music on Bandcamp and on Spotify. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Season Two of Islanders Awards Winners is finally here. It's taken far too long to get to this point, but I'm proud of how these episodes turned out and I'm excited to finally release them to the world. Thank you all in advance for listening. The story of Al Arbour's one NHL Coach of the Year season begins and ends with devastating losses. In between was a franchise-record winning streak, several of the best individual seasons in team history, and the often ruthless pursuit of perfection. Arbour was a complex man - a hockey innovator who wore “dark suits and white shirts and ties that look like they were given as Christmas presents” and a father figure who pushed his players relentlessly, sometimes to the point of exasperation. But his drive was to win the Stanley Cup under any circumstance. And any stumble, no matter how minor, was unacceptable. Arbour was not afraid to butt heads with his best and most loyal players and they all understood it was all done in service of making them the best the could be. Arbour's use of video review, notes on opposing teams' tactics and installation of assistant coaches were all ahead of their time. The leaning on his wife Claire to not only record out-of-town games but to find out more about players' family lives in order to better understand and help them when he could, was critical and should not be overlooked. Man, what I would give to read those notebooks he kept on other teams. I can't even imagine the sheer amount of hockey knowledge they contained. Maybe they'll be released some day... Research and other assistance was provided by Kevin Schultz. Visit VintageIceHockey.com, where you can buy t-shirts, hoodies and mugs featuring the logos over over 100 classic hockey teams from all across North America, as well as our own Al Arbour tribute shirt. Use the code ANXIETY20 to get 20 percent off an order of two items. Our portion of the sales go directly to the Center for Dementia Research. This episode of Islanders Award Winners was written using archival material from Newsday, The New York Times, Sports Illustrated, and the books New York Islanders: Countdown to A Dynasty by Barry Wilner, and Dynasty: The Oral History of the New York Islanders 1972-1984 by Greg Prato. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mike and Dan begin their eighth season of Islanders coverage by looking at the preseason and ahead to changes in the team's media coverage, and making oddly specific predictions. While Mat Barzal looked like a man on a mission during the exhibition season, his teammates mainly went through the motions. Most importantly, no one was hurt and Kyle Palmieri did eventually return from his still-undisclosed injury. Contrary to popular belief, there were some new faces in camp. Although most of them ended up in Bridgeport this past weekend, they could still play a part in the upcoming season. In the second half, the hosts examine the home/season opener against Buffalo on Oct. 14 and the many storylines that can be ignited with either a win or a loss. They discuss the terrifying opening month and spending yet another season on the margins. They also cover a shift in the Islanders' media coverage at The Athletic and the wrong guy at the wrong time who as since moved on. Finally, we get to some very specific predictions for who could score certain goals, who might be traded, who might come back and just how often some players will see the ice over the next 82 games. No matter what happens, we'll be right alongside you the entire time. Subscribe to our Patreon! Plans start as low as $2 a month and patrons get ad-free episodes of the shows, bonus podcasts, written posts, discounts and much more. Visit our friends: Vintage Ice Hockey for t-shirts, hoodies and jerseys with hundreds of classic hockey logos, and our Al Arbour and The Island merch which benefit dementia research. Use the code ANXIETY20 to save 20% off an order of two items. The Pinot Project has a Rosé, a Pinot Grigio and a Wine Enthusiast Best Buy Pinot Noir, all under $15 a bottle. Available at local wine stores and UBS Arena. Visit Lighthousehockey.com for the most up-to-date Islanders news and discussion. Islanders Anxiety podcasts are part of the Fans First Sports Network (@FansFirstSN). Our theme is "Morning Haze" by Family Dinner. Hear more of their music on Bandcamp and on Spotify. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mike and Dan recap some notable events of the last week including some Islanders press junkets, rookie camp and Josh Bailey's goodbye and PTO with Ottawa. We start with Lou Lamoriello's preseason press conference where he gave updates on Alex Romanov, Zach Parise and the coaching staff, as well as reminding everyone how schedules work. Rookie camp got underway with a few guys, such as 2022 pick and recent ELC-signer Isaiah George, turning heads. But it was Josh Bailey, the forever Islander, stealing some of the spotlight by penning a goodbye letter to Long Island in The Players' Tribune, then signing a try-out with the Ottawa Senators, leading to all kinds of mixed emotions. Finally, they discuss the Mike Babcock fiasco in Columbus, some kind words for Islanders fans from an unlikely source and Mike's brother's upcoming wedding. Compared to the rest of the Islanders' summer, it's been a lot to take in. Subscribe to our Patreon! Plans start as low as $2 a month and patrons get ad-free episodes of the shows, bonus podcasts, written posts, discounts and much more. Visit our friends: Vintage Ice Hockey for t-shirts, hoodies and jerseys with hundreds of classic hockey logos, and our Al Arbour and The Island merch which benefit dementia research. If you spend $50 or more, use the code FOURCUPS to get a free The Island coffee mug or pint glass or an Islanders Anxiety puck. The Pinot Project has a Rosé, a Pinot Grigio and a Wine Enthusiast Best Buy Pinot Noir, all under $15 a bottle. Available at local wine stores and UBS Arena. Visit Lighthousehockey.com for the most up-to-date Islanders news and discussion. Islanders Anxiety podcasts are part of the Fans First Sports Network (@FansFirstSN). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As a special bonus, subscribers to the main Islanders Anxiety feed can enjoy this month's Patreon-only Monthly Mail Bag podcast. If you like what you hear, please consider subscribing at Patreon.com/IslandersAnxiety to receive more exclusive podcasts, written posts, ad-free episodes of Islanders Anxiety and Weird Islanders: The Podcast!, early access to Islanders Award Winners and more. What a collection of questions! From a sincere wondering if we're ready for this shit, to a philosophical question about Adventureland, this Mail Bag podcast has it all. We answer inquires about the Islanders current roster, the state of their organizational goaltending "depth," historical What Ifs, the NHL media landscape and why exactly are Islanders fans like this? We also ask how Leafs writers and Penguins fanboy writers can coexist at The Athletic, what the best seat to watch an an NHL game from and where the weirdest place we spotted a fellow Islanders fan. It's an answer and laughs packed show so sit back and enjoy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mike and Dan get together in the middle of a quiet summer to discuss an interview with former Islanders GM Garth Snow that tries (and fails) to change people's opinions about the events of July 1, 2018. With his Islanders contract done and with an eye towards getting back into an NHL front office, Snow decided to tell Islanders fans, through the New York Post's Ethan Sears, that they are wrong to boo former captain John Tavares whenever he returns to Long Island as a Maple Leaf. In Snow's eyes, the decision to not trade Tavares before he hit free agency came from owner Scott Malkin, not the player or the general manager. While that might be true, Snow's misunderstanding of why fans still hate Tavares, not to mention the out-of-left-field timing and other petty-sounding quotes, come as a disappointment to many who viewed his work with the team in a positive light. It's the first real noteworthy Islanders thing that we've seen in months, so the guys have a lot to say. To get Islanders content all summer long Subscribe to our Patreon! Plans start as low as $2 a month and patrons get ad-free episodes of the shows, bonus podcasts, written posts, discounts and much more. Visit our friends: Vintage Ice Hockey for t-shirts, hoodies and jerseys with hundreds of classic hockey logos, and our Al Arbour and The Island merch which benefit dementia research. If you spend $50 or more, use the code FOURCUPS to get a free The Island coffee mug or pint glass or an Islanders Anxiety puck. The Pinot Project has a Rosé, a Pinot Grigio and a Wine Enthusiast Best Buy Pinot Noir, all under $15 a bottle. Available at local wine stores and UBS Arena. Visit Lighthousehockey.com for the most up-to-date Islanders news and discussion. Islanders Anxiety podcasts are part of the Fans First Sports Network. Learn more at Fansfirstsports.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In a special free episode of our Patreon exclusive non-hockey podcast, Mike gets a lesson from Dan on Bravo's Vanderpump Rules and the drama known as the "Scandoval." From a spin-off of a spin-off to a surprise hit to a dire, unwatchable mess, Vanderpump Rules has been a wild ride. But when star Tom Sandoval cheated on his girlfriend of nine years, Ariana Madix, with her friend (and a former fiancé of a mutual friend) Raquel Leviss, it upended what everyone knew about the show and its stars, and re-contextualized everything viewers saw happen on screen. This revelation, coming a few episodes into the season, meant there were effectively two concurrent stories happening simultaneously: one that was filmed and one that was happening off camera. It made for fascinating viewing for fans but confusing times for non-fans like Mike. Dan tries to get Mike to understand all of this and the history of the show, despite his natural antipathy towards it and its cast. Some headway was made but it's safe to say that Vanderpump Rules won't replace darts or cricket on Mike's watching schedule. If you like what you hear, consider subscribing to our Patreon! Plans start as low as $2 a month and patrons get ad-free episodes of Islanders Anxiety and Weird Islanders: The Podcast!, bonus shows like Country Club Atmosphere and the Monthly Mailbag, early access podcasts, written posts, discounts and much more. Here is some further reading and listening if you are interested in more about Scandoval! Vulture.com, led by Dame Bryan Moylan, the founder of the Real Housewives Institute for the Reality Television Arts, is the go-to place to read all about this nonsense by people that take it seriously but also, thankfully, not seriously at all. This article by Roxana Hadidi from Vulture got to the heart of why Tom Sandoval's defense of his actions fell on deaf ears (and blind eyes). There are many Bravo-focused podcasts (much like sports teams have) but the best of them is Watch What Crappens, by Ronnie Karam and Ben Mandelker. The guys are hilarious, knowledgeable and prolific, covering just about every show Bravo produces. Check them out wherever you get your podcasts, on video or at their own Patreon. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In their (probable) season finale, Mike and Dan react to the Islanders' four long contract extensions from Free Agency Day and the over-the-top national grades the team received. The new contracts for Scott Mayfield, Pierre Engvall and Semyon Varlamov are mostly cheap but very long, but the new contract for Ilya Sorokin keeps the Vezina Trophy runner up on Long Island for the next decade so, frankly, who cares about the other ones? The hosts are fine with the deals but look at some rumored trades the club could make. Meanwhile, hack NHL writers everywhere will tell you that Lou Lamoriello is a war criminal and we've had it with them. Islanders fans deserve better than the coverage we get, but sadly the landscape isn't changing anytime soon. Either way, we'll still be here. Thanks for listening and enjoy the offseason. We'll be back in October. To get Islanders content all summer long Subscribe to our Patreon! Plans start as low as $2 a month and patrons get ad-free episodes of the shows, bonus podcasts, written posts, discounts and much more. Visit our friends: Vintage Ice Hockey for t-shirts, hoodies and jerseys with hundreds of classic hockey logos, and our Al Arbour and The Island merch which benefit dementia research. If you spend $50 or more, use the code FOURCUPS to get a free The Island coffee mug or pint glass or an Islanders Anxiety puck. The Pinot Project has a Rosé, a Pinot Grigio and a Wine Enthusiast Best Buy Pinot Noir, all under $15 a bottle. Available at local wine stores and UBS Arena. Visit Lighthousehockey.com for the most up-to-date Islanders news and discussion. Islanders Anxiety podcasts are part of the Fans First Sports Network (@FansFirstSN). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A recording of Mike and Dan's livestream during the first round of the 2023 NHL Entry Draft. With the draft broadcast streaming in the background, the hosts talk about, joke, analyze (in our way...) and generally experience the event together in real time, chatting with guests along the way. Somehow they managed to talk for three hours about the Islanders during a broadcast in which they were barely mentioned at all. This was an experimental project and we're happy to say everyone had a great time. We'll do more livestreams via Playback.tv in the future. Please note that the audio is unedited so there are long gaps in the recording while we were watching the draft broadcast. To see the full video version, subscribe to our Patreon at Patreon.com/islandersanxiety. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Along with Islanders radio color commentator Greg Picker, Mike and Dan celebrate Kip Miller, who had three stints with the team including one spectacular but short playoff run. Miller was a Hobey Baker winner at Michigan State and is a member of a longstanding hockey family, but it took him a while to find his footing in the NHL. By the time he came to Long Island for the third time (after two short, unmemorable trips), he was the AHL's leading scorer and immediately jolted a team that was already good but had fallen off the track. And during their brutal playoff series with the Maple Leafs, Miller was an absolute machine, scoring goals in four straight games and giving fans a dose of hope that led to devastation when the series ended. Greg talks about how crucial Miller and that series was to his Islanders connection, the instantaneous impact he had on the roster seemingly out of nowhere, and how the player's exploits should be better remembered today (and might be had the Islanders beaten Toronto). A million thanks to Greg for coming on. You should be listening to his Talkin' Isles podcast with Cory Wright. It's a feel good, fun show full of love for The Island and the Islanders, and it makes a great compliment to the silliness of Weird Islanders: The Podcast! And a belated thanks again to Björn Falk, who provided our theme song, “Knuckles.” You can hear more of his music anytime on Spotify and at Bandcamp. This is our season finale for this year. Thanks to all of our great guests and for all of your listens. We'll be back next season with a whole new slate of Weird Islanders and guests. Subscribe to our Patreon! Plans start as low as $2 a month and patrons get ad-free episodes of the shows, bonus podcasts, written posts, discounts and much more. Visit our friends: Vintage Ice Hockey for t-shirts, hoodies and jerseys with hundreds of classic hockey logos, and our Al Arbour and The Island merch which benefit dementia research. If you spend $50 or more, use the code FOURCUPS to get a free The Island coffee mug or pint glass or an Islanders Anxiety puck. The Pinot Project has a Rosé, a Pinot Grigio and a Wine Enthusiast Best Buy Pinot Noir, all under $15 a bottle. Available at local wine stores and UBS Arena. Visit Lighthousehockey.com for the most up-to-date Islanders news and discussion. Islanders Anxiety podcasts are part of the Fans First Sports Network (@FansFirstSN). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mike and Dan talk about Lou Lamoriello's press conference, trades they'd like to see, the Stanley Cup final and a potpourri of topics. After taking a quick look at the Golden Knights championship (and a cynical look at the coverage surrounding it), the hosts discuss some of the more notable quotes from the presser that touched on Josh Bailey's future, the Islanders' unrestricted free agents and how the season ended. Lamoriello was slightly less cryptic than usual but that doesn't mean we have any idea what's going to happen this offseason. They also mention the addition of former NHL exec John Collins to the front office. In the second half, they talk about how the Islanders can acquire a couple of pricy stars, what the perfect Long Island sendoff for Bailey would be, and the upcoming NHL Entry Draft, Stay tuned for info about a possible live stream we'll try to host for the first round. Subscribe to our Patreon! Plans start as low as $2 a month and patrons get ad-free episodes of the shows, bonus podcasts, written posts, discounts and much more. Visit our friends: Vintage Ice Hockey for t-shirts, hoodies and jerseys with hundreds of classic hockey logos, and our Al Arbour and The Island merch which benefit dementia research. If you spend $50 or more, use the code FOURCUPS to get a free The Island coffee mug or pint glass or an Islanders Anxiety puck. The Pinot Project has a Rosé, a Pinot Grigio and a Wine Enthusiast Best Buy Pinot Noir, all under $15 a bottle. Available at local wine stores and UBS Arena. Visit Lighthousehockey.com for the most up-to-date Islanders news and discussion. Islanders Anxiety podcasts are part of the Fans First Sports Network (@FansFirstSN). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With returning guest Desmond Zantua of the Through the Island podcast, Mike and Dan remember winger Shane Prince, who counted as a big trade deadline acquisition during a dark time and had one very memorable playoff game. An analytic darling at the time, Prince was seen as a possible steal by GM Garth Snow and a player that just needed more of an opportunity. He got it, but it didn't translate into a lot of production... until one afternoon in Tampa as the Islanders shocked the Lightning in the first game of their second round playoff series. Sadly, that would be the high point of Prince's two-plus seasons on Long Island. Desmond tells us how Prince fit into that flawed but oddly successful 2015-16 Islanders team, how Prince is like a band you were really into in high school and how the now well-traveled winger came to block him on Twitter. Subscribe to our Patreon! Plans start as low as $2 a month and patrons get ad-free episodes of the shows, bonus podcasts, written posts, discounts and much more. Visit our friends: Vintage Ice Hockey for t-shirts, hoodies and jerseys with hundreds of classic hockey logos, and our Al Arbour and The Island merch which benefit dementia research. If you spend $50 or more, use the code FOURCUPS to get a free The Island coffee mug or pint glass or an Islanders Anxiety puck. The Pinot Project has a Rosé, a Pinot Grigio and a Wine Enthusiast Best Buy Pinot Noir, all under $15 a bottle. Available at local wine stores and UBS Arena. Visit Lighthousehockey.com for the most up-to-date Islanders news and discussion. Islanders Anxiety podcasts are part of the Fans First Sports Network (@FansFirstSN). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mike and Dan discuss the announcement of an Islanders-Rangers Stadium Series game at Met Life Stadium next season, and their tempered reactions to it. Although the game is a big deal for the team, its hard to shake the feeling that outdoor NHL games have "jumped the shark" and become homogenized by oversaturation and stale marketing. The remote location of Met Life Stadium plus the continued involvement of the Rangers raises more questions. They also finally laugh at their rivals' big acquisitions going bust in the playoffs. In the second half, a discussion about the Stanley Cup final leads to the third and (we hope) final installment of the Dubas Diaries, as the former Toronto GM arrives in Pittsburgh to start a new strain of fanfic from both Leafs and Penguins writers. We read some selections aloud for a treat you won't want to miss. Subscribe to our Patreon! Plans start as low as $2 a month and patrons get ad-free episodes of the shows, bonus podcasts, written posts, discounts and much more. Visit our friends: Vintage Ice Hockey for t-shirts, hoodies and jerseys with hundreds of classic hockey logos, and our Al Arbour and The Island merch which benefit dementia research. If you spend $50 or more, use the code FOURCUPS to get a free The Island coffee mug or pint glass or an Islanders Anxiety puck. The Pinot Project has a Rosé, a Pinot Grigio and a Wine Enthusiast Best Buy Pinot Noir, all under $15 a bottle. Available at local wine stores and UBS Arena. Visit Lighthousehockey.com for the most up-to-date Islanders news and discussion. Islanders Anxiety podcasts are part of the Fans First Sports Network (@FansFirstSN). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Joined by Broad Street Hockey Radio's Master of Fun & Games Bill Matz, Mike and Dan relive the short, strange and unsatisfying Islanders run of goalie and Flyers legend Ron Hextall. On paper a player Islanders fans should have loved for his fiery temper, Hextall never had a chance with them thanks to his ties to Philly and an awful start on Long Island. Hextall and the Islanders righted themselves enough to make the playoffs, but a horrendous playoff performance hastened his trip outta town and back to the Flyers, where he had a resurgence before going into management. Bill tells us what Hextall still means to the Flyers Faithful, how badly things went when he finally took over as the team's GM and how much fun it was to watch him destroy our mutual enemy - the Pittsburgh Penguins - from the inside as their GM. It's a wild ride with one of the wildest netminders of all time. Subscribe to our Patreon! Plans start as low as $2 a month and patrons get ad-free episodes of the shows, bonus podcasts, written posts, discounts and much more. Visit our friends: Vintage Ice Hockey for t-shirts, hoodies and jerseys with hundreds of classic hockey logos, and our Al Arbour and The Island merch which benefit dementia research. If you spend $50 or more, use the code FOURCUPS to get a free The Island coffee mug or pint glass or an Islanders Anxiety puck. The Pinot Project has a Rosé, a Pinot Grigio and a Wine Enthusiast Best Buy Pinot Noir, all under $15 a bottle. Available at local wine stores and UBS Arena. Visit Lighthousehockey.com for the most up-to-date Islanders news and discussion. Islanders Anxiety podcasts are part of the Fans First Sports Network (@FansFirstSN). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mike and Dan discuss the status of hard-to-analyze Islanders coach Lane Lambert before wading back into the continued upheaval in Toronto. In their last episode, they neglected to bring up the news that Lambert will also most likely return to the bench next season, which is par for the course with the coach. For everything his players did right last season, there was something that simply wasn't good enough, which makes a report card difficult to fill out accurately. They also throw in some sympathy for Coyotes and a bizarre photo op that will only rankle Islanders fans. In the second half, they look at the reaction of the Maple Leafs walking away from GM Kyle Dubas and the collective insanity that seems to have taken over many of the team's observers. With help from podcast clips, they discuss how some have lost the plot while sticking up for the guy they feel was one of them, while others have legitimate doubts that seem to get minimized. It's a lot to take in, but we think you're all up for it. Subscribe to our Patreon! Plans start as low as $2 a month and patrons get ad-free episodes of the shows, bonus podcasts, written posts, discounts and much more. Pre-order your Bryan Trottier-Mat Barzal "Then & Now" bobblehead from the fine folks at Foco today. These pieces are limited to just 72, so don't wait. Pre-order today. Visit our friends: Vintage Ice Hockey for t-shirts, hoodies and jerseys with hundreds of classic hockey logos, and our Al Arbour and The Island merch which benefit dementia research. If you spend $50 or more, use the code FOURCUPS to get a free The Island coffee mug or pint glass or an Islanders Anxiety puck. The Pinot Project has a Rosé, a Pinot Grigio and a Wine Enthusiast Best Buy Pinot Noir, all under $15 a bottle. Available at local wine stores and UBS Arena. Visit Lighthousehockey.com for the most up-to-date Islanders news and discussion. Islanders Anxiety podcasts are part of the Fans First Sports Network (@FansFirstSN). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Joined by Nassaumen Hockey podcast co-host Jon Zella, Mike and Dan remember when the Islanders acquired Trevor Linden, an actual NHL star, during a tumultuous time on an off the ice. Linden was just 27 at the time, a multiple time 30-goal scorer and All Star, and a longtime captain of a recent Stanley Cup finalist. He should have been the cornerstone piece for a "word salad of a team" that needed all the help it could get. But he ended up just passing through this very foggy era, and his acquisition left the Islanders "Generation Next" as more of a "Generation Left." Jon talks about his fuzzy memories of Linden as a player and about this very strange time in Islanders history; when the overmatched players, cheapskate owners and psychotic general manager made rooting for them impossible (unless you were a little kid and were just happy to be there). Subscribe to our Patreon! Plans start as low as $2 a month and patrons get ad-free episodes of the shows, bonus podcasts, written posts, discounts and much more. Pre-order your Bryan Trottier-Mat Barzal "Then & Now" bobblehead from the fine folks at Foco today. These pieces are limited to just 72, so don't wait. Pre-order today. Visit our friends: Vintage Ice Hockey for t-shirts, hoodies and jerseys with hundreds of classic hockey logos, and our Al Arbour and The Island merch which benefit dementia research. If you spend $50 or more, use the code FOURCUPS to get a free The Island coffee mug or pint glass or an Islanders Anxiety puck. The Pinot Project has a Rosé, a Pinot Grigio and a Wine Enthusiast Best Buy Pinot Noir, all under $15 a bottle. Available at local wine stores and UBS Arena. Visit Lighthousehockey.com for the most up-to-date Islanders news and discussion. Islanders Anxiety podcasts are part of the Fans First Sports Network (@FansFirstSN). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In an impromptu milestone episode, Mike and Dan discuss the possible contract extension for GM Lou Lamoriello before diving into an extensive vivisection of the now-eliminated Maple Leafs. Newsday reports that Lamoriello is expected to get a three-year extension, which is both good and disappointing for a team that's stable but needs changes. They also discuss goalie Ilya Sorokin's deserved spot as a finalist (and maybe dark horse winner) of the Vezina Trophy and pay their respects to defenseman Gerry Hart, an integral early Islander, who passed away this week. But the bulk of the show is about enjoying the end of another Leafs season and the bizarre stalker behavior exhibited by many in the Toronto hockey media. The coverage of the Leafs is a big reason why they generate so much hatred from other fanbases, and nothing brings out the feelings on both sides like their annual playoff flameout. This year's took a little longer but that just means more angst, more uncertainly for the offseason, more worries for next season, more knives out for the captain and more laughs from us. All that and it's episode No. 250. Where else would you be on a Saturday night? Subscribe to our Patreon! Plans start as low as $2 a month and patrons get ad-free episodes of the shows, bonus podcasts, written posts, discounts and much more. Pre-order your Bryan Trottier-Mat Barzal "Then & Now" bobblehead from the fine folks at Foco today. These pieces are limited to just 72, so don't wait. Pre-order today. Visit our friends: Vintage Ice Hockey for t-shirts, hoodies and jerseys with hundreds of classic hockey logos, and our Al Arbour and The Island merch which benefit dementia research. If you spend $50 or more, use the code FOURCUPS to get a free The Island coffee mug or pint glass or an Islanders Anxiety puck. The Pinot Project has a Rosé, a Pinot Grigio and a Wine Enthusiast Best Buy Pinot Noir, all under $15 a bottle. Available at local wine stores and UBS Arena. Visit Lighthousehockey.com for the most up-to-date Islanders news and discussion. Islanders Anxiety podcasts are part of the Fans First Sports Network (@FansFirstSN). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

While still waiting for the GM and coach to speak, Mike & Dan analyze the Islanders players' post-season pressers, and who said what in words and body language. Some players were more animated or unsettled in their answers, while others held court and made us emotional. They're all we have right now while both Lou Lamoriello and Lane Lambert take their time in making their final addresses to the press. In the second half, they shake their heads at the NHL and ESPN's handling of the draft lottery and laugh at the Rangers' post-season implosion, while Mike tells us how he ended up on an NHL video presentation with the one and only Pierre McGuire. Stay tuned to also hear about our release plans for the summer for both free and paid subscribers. Subscribe to our Patreon! Plans start as low as $2 a month and patrons get ad-free episodes of the shows, bonus podcasts, written posts, discounts and much more. Pre-order your Bryan Trottier-Mat Barzal "Then & Now" bobblehead from the fine folks at Foco today. These pieces are limited to just 72, so don't wait. Pre-order today. Visit our friends: Vintage Ice Hockey for t-shirts, hoodies and jerseys with hundreds of classic hockey logos, and our Al Arbour and The Island merch which benefit dementia research. If you spend $50 or more, use the code FOURCUPS to get a free The Island coffee mug or pint glass or an Islanders Anxiety puck. The Pinot Project has a Rosé, a Pinot Grigio and a Wine Enthusiast Best Buy Pinot Noir, all under $15 a bottle. Available at local wine stores and UBS Arena. Visit Lighthousehockey.com for the most up-to-date Islanders news and discussion. Islanders Anxiety podcasts are part of the Fans First Sports Network (@FansFirstSN). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Joined by comic book writer and historian Keith Dallas, Mike and Dan remember Oklahoma-born defenseman Matt Donovan, who endured many high hopes and trade proposals during his short time with the Islanders. Seen as a possible replacement to talented captain Mark Streit, Donovan showed signs of stability and flashes of greatness at both the AHL and NHL levels. But his stunted development during a chaotic time in Islanders history meant he never quite got off the ground the way many hoped. But he was good enough to sit in the press box just in case for a full season and be included in a thousand fan trade proposals, none of which actually came to fruition. Keith tells us about his unique interactions with Donovan as an Islanders season ticket holder, as well as the story of how the hell he came to own a Matt Donovan jersey. Subscribe to our Patreon! Plans start as low as $2 a month and patrons get ad-free episodes of the shows, bonus podcasts, written posts, discounts and much more. Pre-order your Bryan Trottier-Mat Barzal "Then & Now" bobblehead from the fine folks at Foco today. These pieces are limited to just 72, so don't wait. Pre-order today. Visit our friends: Vintage Ice Hockey for t-shirts, hoodies and jerseys with hundreds of classic hockey logos, and our Al Arbour and The Island merch which benefit dementia research. If you spend $50 or more, use the code FOURCUPS to get a free The Island coffee mug or pint glass or an Islanders Anxiety puck. The Pinot Project has a Rosé, a Pinot Grigio and a Wine Enthusiast Best Buy Pinot Noir, all under $15 a bottle. Available at local wine stores and UBS Arena. Visit Lighthousehockey.com for the most up-to-date Islanders news and discussion. Islanders Anxiety podcasts are part of the Fans First Sports Network (@FansFirstSN). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mike and Dan recap the Islanders' stunning loss in overtime of Game 6 against Carolina, and the many factors that doomed them (and might continue to doom them in the future). After two periods as the better team, albeit with only one goal to show for it, the Islanders decided to not play the third period, which led to a game-tying goal and a hostile, tense UBS Arena. After a few chances early in OT, it was two bad plays by two usually reliable performers that brought the series to a close. While the loss still stings - and will for some time - there are some for whom it might be their last game in an Islanders uniform, which just adds to the layers of sadness. In the second half, they discuss how fu... er, challenged the Islanders will be to improve over the offseason, and who might and might not be around to see it. Finally, they look around the NHL at playoff series results that have made the weekend just a little bit worse than it already was. Subscribe to our Patreon! Plans start as low as $2 a month and patrons get ad-free episodes of the shows, bonus podcasts, written posts, discounts and much more. Pre-order your Bryan Trottier-Mat Barzal "Then & Now" bobblehead from the fine folks at Foco today. These pieces are limited to just 72, so don't wait. Pre-order today. Visit our friends: Vintage Ice Hockey for t-shirts, hoodies and jerseys with hundreds of classic hockey logos, and our Al Arbour and The Island merch which benefit dementia research. If you spend $50 or more, use the code FOURCUPS to get a free The Island coffee mug or pint glass or an Islanders Anxiety puck. The Pinot Project has a Rosé, a Pinot Grigio and a Wine Enthusiast Best Buy Pinot Noir, all under $15 a bottle. Available at local wine stores and UBS Arena. Visit Lighthousehockey.com for the most up-to-date Islanders news and discussion. Islanders Anxiety podcasts are part of the Fans First Sports Network (@FansFirstSN). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mike and Dan recap a literally unbelievable Islanders win in Game 5 against the Hurricanes, and look ahead to Game 6 at UBA Arena. Facing elimination, the Islanders managed to stay alive in the series thanks to some timely goals, a vintage performance by Ilya Sorokin and sheer butt-clenching luck, leading to feelings of relief, excitement, happiness and befuddlement. It wasn't a perfect performance, but it was enough to get back home with a chance to extend the series to a Game 7. All it's going to take is for the Islanders to find the form they had showed in Games 2 and 3. Stay zen (but don't expect any national NHL media people to talk about this series). Subscribe to our Patreon! Plans start as low as $2 a month and patrons get ad-free episodes of the shows, bonus podcasts, written posts, discounts and much more. Visit our friends: Vintage Ice Hockey for t-shirts, hoodies and jerseys with hundreds of classic hockey logos, and our Al Arbour and The Island merch which benefit dementia research. If you spend $50 or more, use the code FOURCUPS to get a free The Island coffee mug or pint glass or an Islanders Anxiety puck. The Pinot Project has a Rosé, a Pinot Grigio and a Wine Enthusiast Best Buy Pinot Noir, all under $15 a bottle. Available at local wine stores and UBS Arena. Visit Lighthousehockey.com for the most up-to-date Islanders news and discussion. Islanders Anxiety podcasts are part of the Fans First Sports Network (@FansFirstSN). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mike and Dan hash out the Islanders' Game 4 loss to the Hurricanes and the bizarre, inexplicable decisions made by both the players and the officials. The follow up to Game 3's proud (and historic) euphoria was a massive letdown for a fanbase that was ready to explode from the opening faceoff. The Islanders seemed ready, too... until a curious call knocked them off the rails. They never really recovered and made the same mistakes they've been making all series enroute to a critical defeat. Heading back to Raleigh for Game 5, the team that's never just "due" just needs to earn the right to keep playing. Later, the hosts review some rare praise the Islanders received after Game 3, look at some series from around the NHL and shoutout a returning celebrity fan. Subscribe to our Patreon! Plans start as low as $2 a month and patrons get ad-free episodes of the shows, bonus podcasts, written posts, discounts and much more. Visit our friends: Vintage Ice Hockey for t-shirts, hoodies and jerseys with hundreds of classic hockey logos, and our Al Arbour and The Island merch which benefit dementia research. If you spend $50 or more, use the code FOURCUPS to get a free The Island coffee mug or pint glass or an Islanders Anxiety puck. The Pinot Project has Rosé, Pinot Grigio and a Wine Enthusiast Best Buy Pinot Noir, all under $15 a bottle. Available at local wine stores and UBS Arena. Visit Lighthousehockey.com for the most up-to-date Islanders news and discussion. Islanders Anxiety podcasts are part of the Fans First Sports Network (@FansFirstSN). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mike and Dan recap Games 1 & 2 of the Islanders series against the Hurricanes and all of the insane things that went wrong for them. Despite being the better team in Game 2, the Islanders return to UBS Arena down 2-0 in the series thanks to some fluke plays, curious officiating and their own mistakes, a combination that can make fans sick to their stomachs. The Hurricanes are a Rorschach test for whoever watches them, but their habit of constant motion causes the puck to bounce their way, something the Islanders haven't experienced in a long time. The hosts also look ahead to Game 3 on The Island and what to expect from a team that once again, finds itself in a desperate situation. They close with a look at some series around the NHL and wonder again why national hockey broadcasts in the US remain unbearable. Subscribe to our Patreon! Plans start as low as $2 a month and patrons get ad-free episodes of the shows, bonus podcasts, written posts, discounts and much more. Visit our friends: Vintage Ice Hockey for t-shirts, hoodies and jerseys with hundreds of classic hockey logos, and our Al Arbour and The Island merch which benefit dementia research. If you spend $50 or more, use the code FOURCUPS to get a free The Island coffee mug or pint glass or an Islanders Anxiety puck. The Pinot Project has Rosé, Pinot Grigio and a Wine Enthusiast Best Buy Pinot Noir, all under $15 a bottle. Available at local wine stores and UBS Arena. Visit Lighthousehockey.com for the most up-to-date Islanders news and discussion. Islanders Anxiety podcasts are part of the Fans First Sports Network (@FansFirstSN). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mike and Dan are joined by Lisa, a longtime Islanders fan and owner of the indispensable @Islandermania on Twitter, to remember Rob Schremp, whose slick moves and potential were highlight for fans during the early rebuild period. A standout in junior, Schremp was a star who never fully became a star, but who brought excitement and entertainment with him wherever he went. After a stalled start with the Oilers, he came to Long Island via the waiver wire and immediately seemed like a steal - and a possible core piece - going forward. But injuries and perceptions limited his tenure to a short but memorable one. Lisa tells us how she first heard about Schremp, how it felt having a vaunted player like him on the Islanders, and how she and a group and friends came to "Schrempify" some jerseys in tribute to the man. Be sure to follow both the @Islandermania and @IslesChick accounts on Twitter if you aren't already. Subscribe to our Patreon! Plans start as low as $2 a month and patrons get ad-free episodes of the shows, bonus podcasts, written posts, discounts and much more. Visit our friends: Vintage Ice Hockey for t-shirts, hoodies and jerseys with hundreds of classic hockey logos, and our Al Arbour and The Island merch which benefit dementia research. If you spend $50 or more, use the code FOURCUPS to get a free The Island coffee mug or pint glass or an Islanders Anxiety puck. The Pinot Project has Rosé, Pinot Grigio and a Wine Enthusiast Best Buy Pinot Noir, all under $15 a bottle. Available at local wine stores and UBS Arena. Visit Lighthousehockey.com for the most up-to-date Islanders news and discussion. Islanders Anxiety podcasts are part of the Fans First Sports Network (@FansFirstSN). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hockey podcasters from around the Fans First Sports Network discuss the first round of the 2023 NHL playoffs in a special roundtable. Voices include Jake Reiser (Bruins), Dan Saraceni (Islanders), PD (Blue Jackets), Sky (Bruins/Kraken), Wes (Stars), Stephen (Ducks) and Robyn (Kings), who all give their takes on each teams strengths and weaknesses, who the X-factors might be and what chaos may ensue. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mike and Dan preview the playoff series between the Islanders and Carolina Hurricanes and why the Isles are a trendy pick to upset the Metro Division winners. Both teams have flaws on offense and on special teams, but the Islanders boast the better goalie and a returning Mat Barzal, while Carolina has significant injuries but a structured and dangerous defense. Can the seventh-seeded Isles overcome the issues that made their regular season so turbulent, or will the pressuring, steady Hurricanes be too much for them? Honestly, we have no idea. But we try to figure it out anyway. In the second half, we remember some bests and worsts of the past regular season and laugh one more time at the Penguins. Over at the Patreon is our look at every first round series and Cup predictions. Sign up at Patreon.com/IslandersAnxiety for that, bonus content and ad-free episodes. Visit our friends: Vintage Ice Hockey for t-shirts, hoodies and jerseys with hundreds of classic hockey logos, and our Al Arbour and The Island merch which benefit dementia research. If you spend $50 or more, use the code FOURCUPS to get a free The Island coffee mug or pint glass or an Islanders Anxiety puck. The Pinot Project has Rosé, Pinot Grigio and a Wine Enthusiast Best Buy Pinot Noir, all under $15 a bottle. Available at local wine stores and UBS Arena. Visit Lighthousehockey.com for the most up-to-date Islanders news and discussion. Islanders Anxiety podcasts are part of the Fans First Sports Network (@FansFirstSN). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices