The Isles Faithful Podcast

There comes a time in every fans sports life where things just don't go well. Your team loses, players get hurt or take stupid penalties. It just happens. Or like me, you wake up angry and you wind up accidentally breaking two different laces on your boots..... It's not every day the teams coach comes out after the game and informs the media that he too, is PISSED OFF. But here we are, and in Episode 50 - we have a little fun with the attitude. In two and a half years doing this podcast I have done a few interesting things - but I have never included audio from the game or even highlights. Up until recently, my computer couldn't handle it and I didn't even have the software to accomplish this. Having a new computer (love the Mac mini M1 by the way!) - this is now possible. I share a little audio from the game to set the tone of the episode, have some quotes from Trotz and have a little fun yelling. If you like how it turned out, let me know either in the comments or on Twitter and I will continue to do it. It added some extra time but I think it was well worth the trade off. I also plan on keeping episodes around the 30 minute mark here with all the games happening each week - so look for AT LEAST TWO episodes a week from now on. Thanks for sticking by me up til this point, I know I haven't updated near the amount I should and I want to change that moving forward. Give it a listen, hit me up on Twitter and let me know what we should talk about next episode! Please follow us on Twitter: @islesblogger and @faithfulisles If you're a fan of the show, or a new subscriber - please rate and review on iTunes to help more fans find the show. If you're not a subscriber - check out our subscription page where you can open the podcast in your favorite app to subscribe today. Lastly, help support the show by donating what you can - any little bit helps and is always appreciated!

Episode 49. I never thought I would be almost 50 episodes into a podcast, but I am glad that I am getting to experience this journey along with all of you great fans! 2020 sucked. I mean, really there's no getting around that. Between COVID, quarantine and everything that's gone along with it. That said, in the same breath you can also say that hockey was REALLY FUN once it returned and the Islanders did really well, making it to the Eastern Conference Final. But, here we are - in January of all months with hockey starting back up. We have seven whole months to enjoy watching hockey, and if we're lucky - talking about hockey here on the Podcast. I have a brand new computer this season, my third doing the podcast. It allows me a ton of flexibility to do things with the podcast I have never done before - audio clips, music and maybe even highlights. Who knows how crazy we'll get here. Regardless, this episode is a primer of sorts - it's to get me into game shape and it'll only get better as we progress. I go into some of the offseason moves (trades and singings) and all the new NHL mandates we are seeing this season as well. Give it a listen, hit me up on Twitter and let me know what we should talk about next episode! Please follow us on Twitter: @islesblogger and @faithfulisles If you're a fan of the show, or a new subscriber - please rate and review on iTunes to help more fans find the show. If you're not a subscriber - check out our subscription page where you can open the podcast in your favorite app to subscribe today. Lastly, help support the show by donating what you can - any little bit helps and is always appreciated!

Being born in 1980, on the cusp of New York Islanders greatness is pretty cool on paper. I can say that I was alive for the four consecutive Stanley Cup wins and the core of the four, sure. I can also say that I can remember the tail end of greatness, and know for sure being present when some of the above mentioned core group retired and had their numbers raised to the rafters. But, beyond that - if you were born in 1980 (1993, 1994 as the outliers) not much fun was to be had until last season sweeping the Penguins in Round 1. I realize that I am not alone in this pain. There are fans I have grown up with, fans that I am related to - and fans that I just know via Twitter, the Podcast or even playing hockey that are in the same boat. But 2020, things changed - with the Islanders making the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time in 23 years. Twenty Three. But they lost, and that's honestly ok because they gave it a heck of a go. But when I read The Athletic's Mark Lazerus's article a few weeks ago, discussing his growing up on Long Island, an Islanders fan - it resonated with me on a few levels. If you do not have access to the article, I HAVE FIVE 30 DAY TRIAL CODES to give away - reach out to me on Twitter and I will give you one. I reached out to Mark and he was nice enough to come on the podcast this episode and we talked about a variety of topics. It was great hearing his take on things as a professional writer, one who covers the Chicago Blackhawks who loosely roots for the Islanders. We talk about the salary cap situation next season, the Islanders run and a whole lot more. I hope you enjoy it! Please follow us on Twitter: @islesblogger and @faithfulisles If you're a fan of the show, or a new subscriber - please rate and review on iTunes to help more fans find the show. If you're not a subscriber - check out our subscription page where you can open the podcast in your favorite app to subscribe today. Lastly, help support the show by donating what you can - any little bit helps and is always appreciated!

It's not every day you get to record a podcast episode with your best friend and cousin - but that is exactly what I got to do today in Episode 47. It could maybe be something we do more of in the future. Twice the Schuerlein, twice the fun! Chris and our other cousin are actually working on an 80's movie podcast - I have helped them with some technical things as they were just setting up. I was actually supposed to record with them a few weeks ago, but we got sidetracked (haha - summer fun). Now that he's found his voice I felt it was a good time to have him on. Chris and I have been to countless games together and we're in a group Islanders chat as well. He's a great fan and we have the chemistry, so it was fun. In this episode Chris and I break down game seven of the Philly series and discuss the absolute clinic the Islanders put on. It wasn't even close. We talk about this being the first Eastern Conference Final appearance since 1993, how old the current roster was in 93 (or if they were even born in some cases), and go into some of the keys of the game for the Tampa series that starts tonight in Edmonton. We also talk about what it felt like to watch the last ten minutes of a game 7 that was well out of reach for Philly. All good stuff. Let us know what you think! Please follow us on Twitter: @islesblogger and @faithfulisles! If you're a fan of the show, or a new subscriber - please rate and review on iTunes to help more fans find the show. If you're not a subscriber - check out our subscription page where you can open the podcast in your favorite app to subscribe today. Lastly, help support the show by donating what you can - any little bit helps and is always appreciated!

Elimination games are hard, which we know the Islanders have had to have a few "do overs" since the opening play in versus Florida. The Islanders could've swept Florida, they didn't - they needed an extra game and finished the series in four. The Islanders could've swept Washington, they didn't - they needed an extra game and finished the series in five. Now, while the Islanders could NOT have swept the Philadelphia Flyers, they could have eliminated them Tuesday night in FIVE games - but they may as well make it six. Or at least that's what the fanbase is hoping for right now. In this episode, the 46th - my old friend from CBS NY, Jeff Capellini joins me again to give his take and analysis on how things have been going for the team. Like always, we run a little long - but as I listened back and edited out a ton - it's really good conversation that covers so many topics and thoughts. Give it a listen. Also, please follow Jeff on Twitter - if you can. I know I am still all out of sorts with the crazy come from behind story of the game on Tuesday night. It was the second time the team has managed to storm back from down a few goals late in games to force overtime - it was great to see and really exciting. Here is to hoping that things are wrapped up and the Islanders can move onto the Eastern Conference Finals. It would be their first birth into the finals since Dale Hunter killed Pierre Turgeon in 1993. Yes, 1993. That was 27 years ago, and I was 13 when it happened. Buckle up boys and girls - it's going to be a wild ride. Please follow us on Twitter: @islesblogger and @faithfulisles If you're a fan of the show, or a new subscriber - please rate and review on iTunes to help more fans find the show. If you're not a subscriber - check out our subscription page where you can open the podcast in your favorite app to subscribe today. Lastly, help support the show by donating what you can - any little bit helps and is always appreciated!

This, is super - super, strange. No, not the fact that we haven't spoken since before the world changing pandemic. Not even because it's been 173 days since the last podcast episode. Perhaps, it's a bit in part because we're discussing hockey yes, but only because the league shutdown for a few months and we are now discussing playoff hockey, IN AUGUST. Regardless, this is life right now - and we're going to make the most of it. I know for me, much like ALL OF YOU - I've become accustom to things being a little strange (well, okay a lot strange). Wearing masks, very little human interaction outside of family life, homeschooling the kids and worrying about everything, really. But - hockey is back. It's in a bubble, it's in arenas with no fans - but it's back. It's actually a really beautiful thing too. In Episode 45 I ramble on and on, no that's a joke. In this episode I talk a little about life, hockey and what I feel the NHL is doing so great during this playoff season. I talk about missing this, missing you guys - how awesome this is and of course how awesome the Islanders are playing. I mean, this IS The Isles Faithful after all. The New York Islanders are leading the Washington Capitals 3 games to none in the first round of The Stanley Cup Playoffs!!! I mean I won't bore you anymore with episode notes. Go forth my loyal listers and enjoy the podcast! Please follow us on Twitter: @islesblogger and @faithfulisles If you're a fan of the show, or a new subscriber - please rate and review on iTunes to help more fans find the show. If you're not a subscriber - check out our subscription page where you can open the podcast in your favorite app to subscribe today. Lastly, help support the show by donating what you can - any little bit helps and is always appreciated!

Trade Deadline 2020 We have a Trade to Announce - actually multiple trades and it all started earlier this month when the New York Islanders sent a 2021 Second Round Pick to the New Jersey Devils along with AHL Defenseman David Quenneville for Defenseman Andy Green. On it's own, the trade was good - Greene fills in for the injured Adam Pelech and in his four games with the Islanders have been very good. It's destabilized the Islanders back end and given Barry Trotz his well defined pairings. Fast forward to today, deadline day. The New York Islanders traded a conditional 2020 First Round Pick (top three protected) that turns into a 2021 first rounder otherwise, a 2020 Second Round pick and a Conditional Third Round Pick (should the Islanders win the Stanley Cup) for pending UFA Center - JG Pageau from the Ottawa Senators. Not only that, but Pageau would then go on to sign a 6 year contract extension with the Islanders. If that wasn't exciting enough, the Islanders were reportedly in the mix of a trade with the Minnesota Wild for Zach Parise that would've sent Andrew Ladd the other way. It was a complicated trade with salary retention and other moving pieces that didn't happen. However, it is said that both Parise and Ladd agreed to waive their respective no-trade clauses for the move. Parise WANTED to come to the Islanders, so this deal may ultimately be re-visited later this summer. Episode 44 talks about all that, and then some. We give you our opinions and talk about some of the Twitter reactions as well. It's a short one, but we will have another episode on the heels this week to talk more Islanders hockey! Please follow us on Twitter: @islesblogger and @faithfulisles If you're a fan of the show, or a new subscriber - please rate and review on iTunes to help more fans find the show. If you're not a subscriber - check out our subscription page where you can open the podcast in your favorite app to subscribe today. Lastly, help support the show by donating what you can - any little bit helps and is always appreciated!

Episode 43 features something completely foreign to me after a year and a half of podcasting - an "in studio" guest. This presented an exciting dynamic, but also a host of new audio problems I haven't had to deal with before. I learned a bit this episode and have some corrections when we visit it again in the works. Featured this episode is a local buddy and fan of mine - Tim English. He's just as passionate as I am (and way more prepared stats wise). We talk about a variety of topics this week - from the recent injury to Casey Cizikas, Kieffer Bellows' first two goals, the stretch of six games the Islanders are on (4-1-1 over that span), the "power play" and the approaching trade deadline. We bring up a couple of theories and pressing needs as well as answer some questions from Twitter followers. It's a fun one and hopefully you guys enjoy it. It was another one of those episodes where before I knew it, we were at just about an hour. Please follow us on Twitter: @islesblogger, @faithfulisles and @timenglish47 If you're a fan of the show, or a new subscriber - please rate and review on iTunes to help more fans find the show. If you're not a subscriber - check out our subscription page where you can open the podcast in your favorite app to subscribe today. Lastly, help support the show by donating what you can - any little bit helps and is always appreciated!

Episode 42! Man, I hate doing that to you guys - it's been far too long between episodes. We're back though, with a running start out of the gate for the first time in 2020. In this episode, I talk about a lot that's transpired since Episode 41, the games since, some of the struggles and even some of the good things the team has accomplished. I go into detail on some of the stats over a period of games and how, for a while - the two leading scorers on the Islanders had only 5 points each since Christmas (Barzal and Nelson). We talk about special teams, take some questions on the trade deadline and speculate on what we may see as things approach the February trade deadline. IT FELT GREAT to talk to you guys again - I have some plans moving forward for the next few weeks and hope to stick to the schedule you've come to expect here from The Isles Faithful Podcast. As always, please be kind to my sponsor - Kings Coast Coffee. Make sure to use the code I tell you in the episode for 10% off your entire order. Subscribe. Rate. Review - and if you can spare some change, throw some in our bucket to help keep the lights on at the TIF HQ. Anything helps! Hope you enjoy it!

Episode 41 Who are the Islanders? That's a great question and it's something that I realize is a legitimate question later on in this episode. It's also an important question, as it will determine what, if anything Lou Lamoriello will do to improve the roster later on in the season. The Islanders record sits at 20-7-2 with 42 points at this point of the season, good for 3rd in the East at the time of this episode. The team sits 4 points back of Boston, 9 from Washington. The Isles have 3 games and 4 games in hand respectively on those clubs. The Isles are also 4-4-1 in the last nine games (this is also the amount of games that've occurred since the last episode). They have had some good and bad games, with a lot of travel inbetween (hard travel, too). The team is also currently in second place in the Metropolitan division, 3 points up onV Carolina and Philly and 4 points up on Pittsburgh - so the lead they comfortably build with their record streak is starting to close a bit with how well the rest of the division is playing (stick tap to the Pens for doing so with all those injuries). The team has struggled to score at times, but when they do score at least 3 goals, Eric Hornick points out that their record is 17-0-1. Scoring....something I go into at depth in this episode. Ellliote Friedman mentions in his 31 Thoughts yesterday that the Islanders are seeking to add scoring via trade - so look out for that. We talk about trades a bit in this episode as well. Hit that play button to listen to everything else covered this episode. If you're a fan of the show, or a new subscriber - please rate and review on iTunes to help more fans find the show. If you're not a subscriber - check out our subscription page where you can open the podcast in your favorite app to subscribe today. Lastly, help support the show by donating what you can - any little bit helps and is always appreciated!

Episode 40, two episodes one one week - we are at mid-season form over here on The Isles Faithful Podcast. If you're reading this in your Podcast app, please head over to our website at The Isles Faithful to learn more about the show! This episode, a shorter one - but we talk about this amazing stretch of games the Islanders have been playing. They are 15-0-1 in their last 16 games, points in 16 straight games which is the best in franchise history. Not only is it a record, it's the most points and wins the Islanders have ever had through 20 games. Some other notable records? 14-3-3 - 1976-7714-3-3 - 1978-7914-5-1 - 1987-8814-6-0 - 2014-1512-4-4 - 1981-82 During this streak, the Islanders have had 17 different goal scorers, 11 different players have scored a game winning goal, they have had three different multi-goal comebacks and 9 total come back wins. It doesn't seem to phase the team when they are down a goal, or even goals - they just play their game and seize opportunities to get back into games. I also talk about players like Mat Barzal, Anthony Beauvillier, Derek Brassard and Brock Nelson - who've all be super hot as of late. Also talked about is the California road trip and how it's a great time for the team to get even closer as a group, as much as they are already a tight knit group who bring their lunch pail to every single game. The Islanders stop in San Jose to see the Sharks, Anaheim to see the Ducks and finally Los Angeles to see the Kings before they return home to Brooklyn to face the Columbus Blue Jackets. Will the streak continue? I guess we will find out, but regardless watching this team break records that the team set during the glory years is something special. If you're a fan of the show, or a new subscriber - please rate and review on iTunes to help more fans find the show. If you're not a subscriber - check out our subscription page where you can open the podcast in your favorite app to subscribe today. Lastly, help support the show by donating what you can - any little bit helps and is always appreciated! See you next episode! (Whatpods)

It has been a whirlwind of the last two weeks for me personally, as you may know if you follow me on Twitter. I had no choice but to put the podcast on the back burner for a bit. It all started with the death of my Grandmother two weeks ago, I was running around with the family with visitation and the funeral - you know how that goes (lot's of food...). Then I had some other stuff come up, and it just didn't happen. Well, that's all behind me and boy did the floodgates open! In Episode 39, our last in the 30's - Mike Tracey also known as @Isles_Life joins me as we talk about literally everything that's transpired around the Islanders since I left off with Dan in Episode 38. Back then, 19 days ago - the Isles were in the middle of a modest 7 game winning streak. They would ultimately be stopped by the Penguins at 10 games, but with an overtime loss - would extend their point streak to 11 games. Wouldn't you know it, the Isles have sandwiched another streak around it - having won the last three straight and points in 14 straight. If you don't know who @Isles_Life is, he's the fan that just recently was featured by the Islanders on their website for giving away his seats to games he cannot attend. It's a story we go into later in the podcast, but you can also read about he and his Fiancee, Sara here on the Isles Website. Sara suffers from severe Lyme's Disease - and despite all this, gives the tickets away in order to make other folks smile and make it through tough times. It's truly remarkable, they deserve the attention - please, consider donating to The Limelight Foundation! In all Mike and I talk about his story and the Islanders for well over an hour. We cover everything from the roster moves, Big Boy Otto Koivula, Andrew Ladd being waived, the amazing goaltending, injuries and of course Barry Trotz and the streak. We even touch base on the games ahead here against Pittsburgh and the injuries they are dealing with as well. Keep an eye out for another podcast later on in the week - it'll be of the shorter variety, but this one felt good. I hope you enjoy it. As always, please be kind to my sponsor - Kings Coast Coffee. Make sure to use the code I tell you in the episode for 10% off your entire order. Subscribe. Rate. Review - and if you can spare some change, throw some in our bucket to help keep the lights on at the TIF HQ. Anything helps!

Episode 38 comes at you fast and furious. Well, not so much. In what should be the last of an erratic schedule of recording for the podcast (I am over this cold, finally), this episode is chock full of interesting tidbits during this odd NHL scheduling quirk for the New York Islanders. The Isles have won their last 7 straight games in various fashions: come from behind victories, shootout wins, overtime wins, complete dominations in regulation and as Barry said - even games the team was clearly the luckier team. And that's a good thing when you think about it. The NHL is a fickle league where earning points in any fashion is of upmost importance early in the season. They often say that any chance you have to steal some points and bank them this early can only help you reach the playoffs later in the season. It's also better to win early and build momentum during a time you can afford to work out the kinks. As Dan Saraceni of The Isles Anxiety Podcast (and Lighthouse Hockey Contributor) and I discuss - the players and coaches are all aware of what they have to continue to do in order to find success. It seems nobody is wholly satisfied with their play and have yet to hit the gear they are looking to hit. Who is this team and where exactly will that gear take them? All great questions that Dan and I attempt to answer in this episode. Thanks as always for sticking by the podcast during the erratic recording schedule - make sure you Subscribe wherever you consume podcasts. Please rate and review wherever you can as it helps other people discover the show and most importantly, tell your friends and follow us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook as well! Please do the same for Dan and his amazingly good podcasts over on Lighthouse Hockey as well! The boys over there really do a great job and I listen every episode myself! Lastly, head on over to our Sponsor's page - Kings Coast Coffee and use the discount code we told you about in the episode for 10% off your entire order!

Episode 37 is a short one. In this episode, I talk about the Islanders and their .500 hockey as new kids Noah Dobson and Oliver Wahlstrom making their debuts in the NHL. We also go into detail on the power play, some of the struggles of the team and even some goaltending. Semyon Varmalov took a few games to get going, but he finally found his win over the weekend against Florida and Thomas Greiss has looked sharp, especially Monday against the Blues. Brock Nelson continues his strong usual October play, Mathew Barzal has begun to shoot more and has finally notched his first goal of the season. Fortunately for the Islanders, it came in an exciting come from behind victor in overtime on Monday afternoon. I was listening to the game on my drive home and had to pull over to watch the stream - I'm glad I did! All in all, I catch back up on all the games that have happened since the last episode, talk about some future guests and some other news thats happened around the team too. Episodes should occur pretty regularly from here on out. Make sure to subscribe wherever you consume podcasts - like Apple, Spotify, Google and now Pandora as well.

It's been a long summer and offseason, hasn't it? When we left off in May with The Isles Faithful Podcast - we were reeling in a sense, not from the season ending but more of HOW it ended against Carolina. Overall, it was clearly way MORE than we expected, but there was clearly some work to be done by Lou Lamoriello and crew. This summer saw a few additions, a few subtractions and a ton of extensions. Free agency saw the Islanders miss out on their number 1 target, only for him to sign with their bitter crosstown rivals. Where have we heard this before though? Jeff Capellini and I talk about all of this and a whole bunch more in Episode 36, the kick off show for Season 2. We talk contracts pertaining to Semyon Varmarlov, Anthony Beauvillier, Anders Lee, Brock Nelson, Jordan Eberle, Josh Ho-Sang, Michael Dal Colle and Derek Brassard. We go into the decision to allow Robin Lehner to walk, and how Valteri Fillpula wound up back in Detroit. We talk about SO MUCH, that this episode runs over an hour, but I promise it's worth it. Most importantly, we discuss the addition of Assistant Coach and former Maple Leafs power play coach Jim Hiller - ending the tenure of now former Assistant Scott Gomez, a leftover from the old regime. Thank you all for the amazing questions via Twitter over the last week - keep them coming as the season progresses here. If you like the show, please don't forget to Rate and Review on iTunes - the show is available where on all major podcast apps and please, if you can DONATE a dollar or two to help keep the lights on it would awesome!

That's it - that's a wrap on the 2018/2019 New York Islanders season. The Islanders swept the Penguins in Round 1, only to be swept by Carolina in Round 2. But this isn't exactly how we pictured the Islanders season, as we've said over the past few episodes, it's not how we expected any of this really. From start to finish this season has been a fun one. From Barry Trotz to Robin Lehner and everything in between. That in between includes the latter as a finalist for many awards and the former a finalist for Coach of the Year. Accolades aside, the Islanders had a successful season, even if the outcome wasn't where we all had liked. In Episode 35, I talk about everything that's transpired in the second round, touch upon the playoffs as a whole and even talk about the entire season in summary. I also go into what we can expect with some pending unrestricted free agents, restricted free agents and the upcoming free agent pool. If that's not enough, I talk about the podcast season and what's to come. I mentioned the Walk that Super Jack's Mom, Lauren is setting up - you can donate to that by clicking here! Speaking of donations, did you know you can donate to the show? You can help keep the lights on, or just buy me a beer. Click here to donate! I will be updating regularly as things happen, which we should have plenty of to talk about if my experience has told me anything. Talk to you then!

This is a non-traditional episode from me here at The Isles Faithful Podcast. It's a quick one, a few thoughts as we wait the final few hours before the Second Round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. I know I thought we'd be saying that 8 months ago, right? Yeah. The Islanders opponent this round - those Jerks from the Carolinas - the Carolina Hurricanes. That's another team everyone pegged to have the season they've had and also knocking off the Metro winner Washington Capitals. I am genuinely happy for them, as that fanbase has gone through a spell of bad times, much like we as Islanders fans have. But we are friends no more right? Maybe frienemies - or something? In Episode 34 I talk about some ket matchups and what Barry Trotz has needed to do during the 10 day layoff between playoff rounds. We talk about systems, injuries - and how similar both teams really are. I also talk about the Islanders Meetup Groups and where you can meet up with fellow Isles fans all over the country and also what the difference in home ice will be at the Barclays in comparison to Nassau Coliseum. We go from tailgating, to train beers. Pretty significant difference. I also drop a little hint that I was invited on the @Section_328 podcast next week - looking forward to talking about the Jerks-Greasy matchup with some guys who KNOW how to tailgate southern style! Should be fun. Do us a favor, give them a follow and also Subscribe! Special shoutout to Tristan and Jeff for jumping on board the donations train. You can help too by clicking here - anything helps to keep the lights on. Any little bit helps, especially if you enjoy the content!

Former New York Islander forward, current NHL Network analyst Mark Parrish has returned to The Isles Faithful Podcast for Episode 33! UPDATED 4/22/19 There were TWO audio issues that I found, made a few mistakes when I put the episode together. They are now corrected, please make sure you refresh your podcast apps to get the correct audio file! Thanks! In this episode, (an explicit version, I am sorry folks - it's PLAYOFF hockey talk!) Mark and I talk about this unexpected run into the postseason. Something both of us totally saw happening when we first met up in episode 9. Mark also talks about his amazing NHL hockey bracket that is sure to impress everyone! We talk about Robin Lehner and his amazing season, the Jennings Trophy win that he's split with Thomas Greiss, and Lehner's nomination for the Masterton and Vezina trophy's. We talk Trotz, the sweep over the Pittsburgh Penguins, Islanders history and how loud fans were last week at the Coliseum. We even talk about how ODD and UNFORTUNATE it is for a team that's rolling as good as it is to have to change up routine and play at the Barclay's center in the second round. I mean, is there not a more Islanders type thing to happen to a team than that? This episode is so chock full of great info, I am not doing it justice really. Give it a listen! Mark and I have plans to revisit whatever happens with the Islanders moving forward - we also have plans for a special 37 for Number 37 episode as well. Should be fun! Thanks again to Mark for coming on! You can follow him on Twitter @MarkDParrish!

Episode 32, a raspy voiced episode - from all the fun from games one and two at Nassau Coliseum. This episode I catch back up with most of the things that have happened through these amazing two games we've seen. Now it's off to Pittsburgh to face the Penguins in their barn - always fun. To help usher in this matinee game, is Chase Williams of WPXI Pittsburgh as he talks the Pens Perspective and keys to the game. The Islanders have a real good chance to put a further strangle hole on the series. This entry is short and sweet, but ill update it here as the day goes on. Listen, enjoy. Let's go Islanders!!!!

In Episode 31 Mike gets back to talking Islanders hockey, this time with Roger Luce - one half of the WBAB 102.3 Morning Show Roger and JP. For those that do not know, Roger is the long time public address announcer for the New York Islanders. Roger has been in that position since 1998, though since the move to Brooklyn has had to take a step back and allow Alex Anthony to take a bulk of the work (he's equally as good, btw). It's an understandable shift in availability as you'll hear Roger explain due to his schedule on the radio. This episode was really fun for me, having a radio professional like Roger talk about some of his experience both in radio and through the Islanders. Roger tells me of some memorable stories of being behind the glass in between the penalty boxes and we even got a little side tracked talking music and some other topics. Also brought up, about this fantastic Islanders season and get interrupted when Brock Nelson scored his second period goal last night. It's evident that Roger is a fan of the team himself, which is a great thing - given the amount of stories we covered in our half hour chatting together. If you don't follow Roger on Twitter, please give him some love. You can also stream his awesome radio show (which I have been a fan of a LONG time) on WBAB.com Let me know what you think and please remember to rate and review on iTunes and wherever else you enjoy The Isles Faithful. Subscribe today!

As I wrote on my blog, Islesblogger this week - Jack Foley, AKA Super Jack got the chance to meet his idol Robin Lehner. If you haven't seen the post please give it a quick read. I also got to spend a good chunk of the game on Monday night with Jack and his family too. It's a night I won't ever forget. Here's the Tweet heard round the world, the one that caused everything to happen the way it did. It currently has almost 4,000 retweets and over 14,000 likes! https://twitter.com/lkieferfoley/status/1112458180708179968 Episode 30 is a little different and a departure from the normal content you'll find here. We talk about some of the health issues Jack has been through in his young life and some other topics that will make people listen with a tilted head. I've been drawn to Jack and his family since I first heard his story. As you can see from the sign, Jack has experienced a host of medical problems during his young life. He's had THREE open heart surgeries to help with being born with HALF A HEART! He's beat every single set of odds and blown through all the expectations Doctors had set for him. He is truly an amazing young man - and I am happy to call him a friend now. It's about Fate, too. In my post on Islesblogger, I talk about Fate. I really feel like fate has brought us together - we go into that in the podcast. You may not believe in fate, and that's ok. Prior to recording, Super Jack made his Mom and I wait while he finished up a game of NHL19. His Mom told me afterwards that he played with Islanders great Pat LaFontaine - because of his work with the Companions in Courage Foundation (CiC). I happen to be a big Patty La fan (and a gamer) so he got a pass. Jack and I talked about the reasons why he picked Robin Lehner and about this huge hug from the big man: https://twitter.com/RobinLehner/status/1112919085820542976 He talks like someone much older than he is - and probably understand why at this point. He did tell me though that his likes Robin because he's gone through a lot in his hockey career, like he has gone through in his short life. It's a remarkable story the way things turned out. Jack not only got a stick from Robin, he got one from Thomas Greiss as well. He met a large group of players - Jack proudly listed them off as Scott Mayfield, Johnny Boychuk, Josh Bailey, Mat Barzal, and Anthony Beauvillier. He was really treated like royalty, His Mom, Lauren even told me that Boychuk remembered him from a previous meeting and seemed more excited to see HIM than Jack was to see the player. Lauren also told me that Jack will be attending the Matt Martin Hockey Camp this summer, so that's something else exciting for him to experience in the coming months. We made plans to hit the ice together as well - something I know I am really looking forward to. How's Jack handling the fame? I asked Jack if his new fame was causing him extra attention at school. He said everyone was asking him questions and wanted him to give them shoutouts when he was on Channel 7 News on Tuesday night. He didn't get the chance to give shoutouts, but we made sure he gave plenty during the podcast. We also talked about the Islanders season and the stretch run to the playoffs and who he thinks the Islanders will face and what he thinks they can do. It's a great little interview and I told him he can come back as my co-host whenever he wants. The goal for Jack, his real dream - is to become a New York Islander for a day. It's something that I know I won't stop pushing for either. Jack may not be able to play hockey forever, he may eventually even need a heart transplant. But for now, he enjoys playing as much as he loves watching his favorite team. We'll be back with another two episodes where we talk Islanders hockey over the next two days. Tonight Roger Luce the long time arena announcer for the Islanders (and WBAB Morning Show Radio Host) comes on to talk about some hockey and o...

It's stretch time, the most exciting time of the year if your team is still in the mix - and the Islanders are very much in that mix. There's a lot of different scenarios that can play out over the next few games, but one is the most important part. The New York Islanders can secure their bid into the playoffs with a win tonight over the Buffalo Sabres. That's all that matters right now. Seeding, opponent - none of that matters at this very second. I will be in attendance tonight at the Barn, as well as on Monday - but until then Episode 29 touches on all of the games over the last week, we take some Twitter questions and go into a little bit of detail on some other fun topics. Give it a listen and enjoy it tonight on your way to the game or if you plan to tailgate on this beautiful afternoon. Win tonight, build upon in and try to secure home ice, or even the division title later next week as the season wraps up.

Ten games, eleven points - that's all that's separating the New York Islanders from reaching their first playoff birth in three seasons. But, let's not forget that they're not supposed to even be where they are - by all accounts right? Don't tell that to Barry Trotz and company though, as the coach and his staff have their team playing sound defensive hockey. Episode 28 features the return of one of my favorite guests in Arthur Staple now of The Athletic New York. We talk about a variety of topics, from the showing signs of life power play, to line combinations, coaching strength and experience down to what to expect down the stretch and into the playoffs. Arthur and I also talk about the fantastic goaltending performances of both Thomas Greiss (the NHL's first star this week) and Robin Lehner. If you missed it, Arthur had a fantastic article yesterday in The Athletic talking about Mat Barzal and how he is coming into his own as a player - forgoing the personal accolades for the sake of winning. We happen to talk about some of this as well, including Barzal's slight struggles in his sophomore season. If that's not enough, we go into detail on the line combinations and what the team needs to do come playoff time to make the most of their opportunity. To keep up with tradition for Art, he gives us his self admitted horrible take on where the Islanders will finish and who they are likely to face - so I hope you guys enjoy it. The show will be on hiatus however, for a week as I will be headed down to sunny Florida for a few days. I'll be active on Twitter as always so please head there to join the conversation. Follow me on Twitter: @islesblogger and @faithfulisles - but don't forget to follow Art, too @stapeathletic Catch up with you all next week!

Episode 27, it's kind of fitting that we are going to exit the 20's of the podcast as we move down the stretch into the playoff hunt. It's been an exciting year with a lot of great guests so far and that continues this episode with Brett Cyrgalis of The New York Post. Brett recently announced that he's the full time beat writer covering the New York Islanders for the remainder of the season and I wanted to have him on to talk some hockey. Many of you guys out there tend to hammer him from time to time, but I'm here to announce that he's not an Islanders or Rangers fan, so you can stand down. Brett and I talk about what Lou lamoniello and Barry Trotz bring to the Islanders as an organization, we talked about pending unrestricted free agents Brock Nelson, Jordan Eberle, and Anders Lee (He wrote about his contract situation today actually, give it a read). We also talk about the sudden adversity that the Islanders face with illness and injuries and what that can mean for the team down the stretch drive to the playoffs. The Metropolitan division is so tight that anything can have a negative effect on the team, so it's so important to take every point they can earn. As far as injuries, we talk about Cal Clutterbuck and how there's a need for some concern over Robin Lehner's perceived concussion as it relates to his diagnosed anxiety and mental health issues. Obviously, as we saw with Kyle Okposo - concussions can do crazy things to mental health, and theres a real fear there for Lehner. But we're going to take that one day at a time, just like the Islanders. Special thanks to Brett again for coming on! Please give him a follow on Twitter @brettcyrgalis and head on over to the New York Post to read all his great Islanders coverage as well. If you've been listening and enjoying the content, please head over to iTunes and give us a rate and a review? Show us the love! Please also follow me on Twitter @islesblogger and @faithfulisles. Lastly, subscribe to the show by clicking here. If you're not subscribing on Youtube - do that as well!

It really IS time to Trotz. We've talked a lot this season about what a coach like Barry Trotz brings to an organization, I'm sorry - to THIS organization (Still hard to wrap my head around at times), He's the type of analytic thinker and teacher that gets his point across in ways that's clear, as made evident by the great article from Arthur Staple yesterday on The Athletic (paywall). But what does that mean for the New York Islanders? A lot. The Isles have historically struggled at various junctures throughout the long NHL season, most times the let down occurs later in the year when the team begins to show signs of low stamina mentally and physically. This has all occurred even before a guy like Barry Trotz was part of the organization. With injuries cropping up now to Cal Clutterbuck, Matt Martin, and most importantly Robin Lehner - coupled with some less than perfect offensive and defensive play, the onus is on the head coach to correct the problems he faces. The good news is, he's more than capable of this. He's shown it everywhere he's been a coach and at every level. He can squeeze every ounce of talent and great play from players for sure. In this episode I talk a little about what exactly needs to be done and also about the strangeness of the last few games. This episode also talks about the inability to score on the power play, at even strength at times and the penalty kill. It goes into the defensive woes, goaltending and how struggling right now with the tightness of the Metropolitan Division is probably the worst time to struggle. I also spend some time talking about the return of John Tavares and the Maple Leafs - especially the reaction by Isles fans, Leafs fans, the media and the City of Toronto. Amazing stuff. This episode is a short one, but I plan on recording again this weekend - so stay tuned. If you've been listening and enjoying the content, please head over to iTunes and give us a rate and a review? Show us the love! Please also follow me on Twitter @islesblogger and @faithfulisles. Lastly, subscribe to the show by clicking here. If you're not subscribing on Youtube - do that as well!

A good pilot always stays on course, so I guess one can also say that about a general manager. I know there's a lot of you out there who are likely going to disagree with a lot of what I have to say this episode, but please give me a chance - hear me out. This week has been a tough week. I've just gotten over being sick and obviously with then "ups" and downs of the trade deadline, it was an exhausting day trying to piece it all together. But it's still fun in a sense, especially because I can vent here on the Podcast and on Twitter (which is kind of my favorite, next to here). The Isles were in on Matt Duchene. But opted to not persue. He and everyone else went to Columbus. The Isles were in on Mark Stone. But nope, did not persue. He went out to Vegas and got an 8 year extension to go along with it, It was an exciting day, elsewhere - with 32 players moving today before the 3pm trade deadline. But the theme here was NO MOVES for the New York Islanders. And I'm OK with that. Here's some of my tweets today to back this up: https://twitter.com/islesblogger/status/1100137645215285248 https://twitter.com/islesblogger/status/1100161142385770502 I go into this in pretty good detail in the episode. I understand both sides - the need to make a move here down the stretch and also standing pat like Lou Lamoriello decided to do. He owed this to the 23 guys in the locker room, and that could be a huge confidence boost moving forward. Let me know what you think either on twitter or in the comments. I'll be updating this post tomorrow with some more thoughts. Don't forget to use your 10% code for Yes Men Outfitters - click here to have it automatically added when you add something to your cart.

I'm often horrible when it comes to learning about new trends and talented people. I guess it's part ignorance and part of my life where my free time doesn't involve being online 24/7 (Yeah, who am I kidding....). But have you heard about Jillian Fisher? Have you heard the Islanders are first in the Metro? Allow me to explain! But here's one of her videos first! https://youtu.be/DT-toCI4-lQ Jillian is an extremely popular video blogger on Twitter, Youtube and Facebook. She's got this amazing sense of humor and the ability to nail down the little nuances and tics of individual fanbases due in part to her background in Anthropology. She goes into this a little bit and it's pretty interesting, I mean I never really knew that the field extended into personalities like it does. You'll see as you listen. Throughout the episode Jill and I bounce back and forth between what she does in her videos, her background and career and even how she goes about with all her costume changes and editing. Naturally, we also talk about the New York Islanders and how a large chunk of the fanbase hammered her for some of the things she said, the same way we got Sean McIndoe and some other folks who cover hockey. We also talk about the little ways she nails the Islanders fan base as a whole and how she figured us all out. Jill and I also go down many different forked paths in this little adventure, and eventually talk all Isles with what Uncle Lou will do and how one of the little statements in her videos is so true that it's what we all say daily. I'll let you listen for yourself. Please follow her on Twitter, YouTube, Facebook and Instagram. This was probably one of the most fun episodes to date with one of the absolute funniest people I've met in a long time - thanks again Jillian! You never know, I could just wind up with a cameo in a future video! As long as the Islanders are first in the Metro, that is!

Back to back Islanders wins over the weekend, coupled with back to back episode releases by The Isles Faithful Podcast. What could be better? Not much I'd say - I mean maybe first place in the Conference, but the Isles are in first place in the Metropolitan Division, just in case you weren't aware. Episode 22 we had our what's becoming a regular guest in JPinVA come on to talk some hockey - check it out if you missed it. This episode, we have Sean Connors stop by and talk about his amazing HAND DRAWN Islanders artwork. Sean and I speak about the history behind his artwork, how the MSG commercial came to be and some of the work he's done in the past with some great stories added in. As per the norm around here, we go into his Islanders fandom and what he'd like to see happen down the stretch, during the fast approaching trade deadline and of course, free agency come July. But that's not all, we also talk about how the team is currently finding success and their amazing lead on the Penguins, Blue Jackets and building lead on Trotz's former team - the Washington Capitals as well. Truly amazing stuff. If you haven't seen Sean's work, head on over to his Instagram accountwhere he doesn't nearly have enough followers (the same can go for his Twitter account too) and show him some love. His works are also available for purchase and you can even request specific players - it doesn't come without a cost however due to the work involved. I know I plan on buying one in the near future - it'll look great in the "Podcast Studio"! Be sure to follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube. Sign up for the Newsletter too - you'll be notified ahead of time on upcoming guests and receive email updates when new Episodes are live! Edit 3/22/19 - Corrected Sean's Instagram link!

I have really dropped the ball this week, and for that I apologize. The nine day break aside, this last week I intended to record a few times, but I was exhausted - but enough of that. The podcast is BACK folks, and it's back in a big way. We recorded TODAY, we will be recording TOMORROW and again Tuesday and Wednesday next week. It's going to be a test of my time magement skills for sure - but it's exciting and worth it. You guys and your support are worth it as well! Episode 22 features the great opinions by @JPinVA and we talk about everything that's transpired over the last four games. (Hey did you know the Isles are in first place of the Metro?). JP and I also go into the power play, goaltending, defense - Hickey and Ladd close to returning and more. We talk about Dal Colle, we talk about Barzal and some of the prospects down in Bridgeport. We also go into some talk about coaching again and how these Islanders are really doing all of the right things compared to last season and seasons before that. It's really exciting, and it's hard to control emotions. I joked around on Twitter yesterday, even - how I am not really sure how to deal with all the positives around the team right now, it's a pretty confusing sensation if we're being honest. I also had stumbled across this masterpiece yesterday as well - you should follow my advice and watch it! https://twitter.com/islesblogger/status/1094016164060106752 I also have some HUGE podcast news! Jillian Fisher who is an extremely popular and funny YouTuber is going to be on the show next week. You probably guessed that with the reference early in this episode. Check out her Twitter, Website and YouTube channel. Seriously do it right now. I also have Twitter user SeanCon coming on - he's the guy featured on the MSG Commercials drawing the awesome works on Islanders players. But, that's not even all of it - I also have Mark Parrish coming back next week to talk about where the team is at this point. It's an exciting time for sure. JP and I also talk about the rapid approach of the trade deadline and what could happen with that and the eventual decisions with free agency as well. Give a listen and let me know what you think! If you haven't already -please sign up for The Isles Faithful Newsletter. It will be chock full of interesting tidbits and insider podcast information that I will use to give you a heads up on guests and plans before I talk about them anywhere else. We will not spam you, so don't worry there!

The New York Islanders sit atop the Metropolitan Division as they start their 9 day all-star and league mandated bye-week break. Think about this for a minute. They sit ATOP (read First Place) in the Metro. Did you think for a second when the season started that the Islanders would be where they are with everything that happened? I know I didn't. Personally, I thought at best, the Isles would maybe sneak into a wild card spot - but yet, here they are holding their own and playing truly inspired hockey for head coach Barry Trotz. I know I am loving this, and I bet the team and everyone around them are as well. I also have to sneak in here that The Isles Faithful Podcast is now on Youtube! I have a few plans for this with some live video mini-podcasts and behind the scenes things - but for now all of our content is available there as well. Check out the Channel Here and please like and subscribe! Take this awesome clip of Kevin Weekes on NHL Network's Power Rankings as an example: Just look around the league - theres been plenty of news stories from media outlets near and far praising what's happening on Long Island (and Brooklyn). https://www.nhl.com/video/nhl-tonight-islanders-changes/t-277350912/c-65151303?tcid=tw_video_content_id It all centers around Barry Trotz, too - a sure fire lock at this point for the NHL's Jack Adams coach of the year award. But it doesn't just end there! The Isles are SECOND in the Eastern Conference, 13 points back of Tampa, three ahead of Washington, four ahead of Columbus, four of Boston and five of Pittsburgh. Blown away by all of this, I talked about on Twitter and in this episode that I am not really sure how to feel by all of this. This week's episode I have Rob Taub (@RTaub_) stop by again to talk about everything thats transpired since Episode 20. Also, we talk about the Isles strong play, what they can improve and what certain players are doing or are not doing. We go into the power play (or lack thereof) and even talk about this awesome goaltending duo (Lehner #1 in the league, Greiss #7). Rob and I also talk about the trade deadline, one that for the first time in a long time could potentially see the Islanders add significant players down the stretch. You never know. It's entirely too much to go into here - you'll have to listen up. All I know is that this season has been fantastic to this point, the way they are playing is the best I have seen them play in a long time, it's structured and they're having fun! Scoring is balanced and the ceiling seems to get higher and higher. Is it sustainable? That's the most important question right now, but we should enjoy the season and whatever happens.

Episode 20, we are out of the teens now - it's the big time! Episode 19 got The Isles Faithful Podcast past the 5000 downloads range (and it's still climbing!) so thank you all for the continued support and always great questions! It's been a wild ride so far and 2019 is shaping up to be even better as we move through January here. The Islanders split their back to back games over the weekend with a loss to the Rangers on Saturday and a statement win on Sunday over the red-hot Tampa Bay Lightning! The Islanders exploded for three goals in under four minutes, Matt Martin had two primary assists, Casey Cizikas extended his season best goal total in the process, Cal Clutterbuck also chipped in - making the fourth line the "fourst" line? I don't know what they are - but I do know that @yesmenoutfitter created a new shirt for the Best Fourth Line in Hockey! Check it out! (Use the code FAITHFUL10 at checkout for 10% off thought the rest of this season!). https://twitter.com/YesMenOutfitter/status/1084886182369083394 The power play on Saturday was a complete disaster. The came out of nowhere on Sunday on their only power play and looked professional and clean - scoring their first goal being a man up. It was Brock Nelson coming to the rescue and riding his strong play into the new year. Josh Bailey would cap off the day with an empty net goal, as well. Joining me this week, is someone I have been a fan of for a long time - he goes by the name Down Goes Brown, but Sean McIndoe is a long time blogger, Twitter chirper (@downgoesbrown) and now full-time writer over at The Athletic. He joined the amazing crew over there during the offseason and has been pumping out great article after great article. Last week, he put out a piece titled "Are Islanders fans right in thinking their team's not getting enough credit?" that you should go and read, if you already haven't. In it, he approaches things in a unique way that presents fans with a line of questions (and explanations) from multiple angles. Overall, it's a pretty positive piece in a time where coverage outside of the regular writers, is not there. Fans had been giving him a hard time for never including him in his Power Rankings, and this story was a result of some of his research into wether the Islanders are deserving or not. Sean answers the bell here, he wore his hockey gear and I fired a few shots at him to see if he meant what he said. Turns out, he does - and it's worth a listen. Although, he does do the typical Canadian thing - he's way too nice and apologized for things I don't really think deserved apologizing over. He's a hard guy not to like, that Down Goes Brown guy.

Hello and welcome Episode 19! This week I am joined by a co-host from Twitter @JPinVA - JP and I have gone back and forth with some spirited Islanders discussions over the last few months and it's been some good talk. I wanted to have him on for several episodes now and we finally found a time that worked for both of us. We discuss the winning streak the Islanders ended with a loss last week against Carolina, the struggle they had against St Louis and the Rangers, despite stealing wins in regulation and the play of the kids Ho-Sang, Toews and Dal Colle. We also go into some talk on what to do with Eberle, Lehner, Nelson and some other pending UFA's and it Lou will do anything with trades down the stretch to the trade deadline. As the title suggests as well, we also reference the one shot/one goal from the game against the Rangers on Thursday and what it will take to play their best tomorrow against Tampa. We also take some off your Twitter questions, speak in detail about what can help the power play, how Barry Trotz has transformed players like Barzal, Nelson and the defense in general into something we've not seen in ages. I also hint at an upcoming guest, and congratulate the Isles Meetup guys for the creation of their own website NYIMeetups.com - head on over there to check it out! We will be back with Episode 20 either Monday or Tuesday! Stay tuned!

Happy New Year Isles Faithful! I hope that everyone had a fantastic holiday break! I know that I was extremely busy, I've been off since the Friday before Christmas, we did a lot of visiting and being visited by family. I also ate a ton of great food, maybe a little TOO much. I am certainly paying for that in the waist department -but back on that diet saddle we go. For the first episode of 2019, I talk about the Islanders 8-1 stretch of games and discuss their five game winning streak. We catch up on how the kids are doing (Ho Sang, Dal Cole and Toews), the goaltending being off the charts (Lehner is 2.13 GAA and .929 SV%) and also the special teams starting to come around. Is there something or someone I am forgetting about? Oh yea, "The Kid Who Scores Hatty's" - Mat Barzal. Barzal is on a bit of a tear currently, with 8 goals 4 assists for 12 points in 9 games. During that span that, he is also a +5 and has amassed 34 shots, including 8 last night, 5 against Toronto and 7 back on 12/15 against Detroit, He's really taken Barry Trotz's criticism and critiquing to heart it seems. Am I still forgetting something? Oh that's right - his natural hat trick against Tavares and the Maple Leafs. It was a sight to be seen, that 4-0 shutout masterpiece. Devon Toews has looked like an absolute bright spot on the back end, including his overtime heroics last night against the Chicago Blackhawks! He picked a heck of a time to score his first NHL goal, it's going to be one he's not going to forget anytime soon. The Isles are 5-0 with him (and Baby Stape, Congrats Art!) in the lineup, the Isles are also 8-1 with Josh Ho Sang in the lineup as well - two young guys who have really done great things for the make up of this squad. Also in this episode we take some of your Twitter questions again, discussing what - if anything Lou Lamoriello will do down the stretch with trades and contract offerings to his pending unrestricted and restricted free agents. Off topic, I also discuss my recent purchase of Bauer Supreme 2s ice hockey skates as I have been shopping around since my MLX skates broke last month, special thanks go out to Bauer here for steering me in the right direction! I'd also keep an eye out for an EXCITING announcement on another Yes Men Outfittersf contest! We're kicking of 2019 in style and you'll have your choice of any hat or t-shirt on his site. In the meantime please continue to use the discount code FAITHFUL10 on your orders over there for 10% off! Be sure to follow Devin on Twitter as well @yesmenoutfitter Thanks for listening and we will see you in Episode 19!

This is it! This is the moment many of us have been waiting for! Young stars, stud players if you will, are going to be flush in the New York Islanders lineup. Mat Barzal, the former rookie of the year has been a staple over and a breath of fresh air over the last year and a half has recently been joined by fellow puck possession wizard in Josh Ho-Sang. But wait, there's more - Devon Toews has been recalled to replace the injured Thomas Hickey. Yes, you're reading that right. We talk about all this and more, in Episode 17 - so read on. https://twitter.com/islesblogger/status/1075042046426132481 My example of a GREAT power play I've said pretty extensively on Twitter over the last few weeks, that I feel both Barzal and Ho-Sang are "drivers" in that they dictate pace of play with puck possession and zone entries. We know what we have in Barzal, and he's come around in Trotz's system as of late. With Ho-Sang, he's struggled to elevate his play in a way to earn the trust of the new management - but he earned his chance now and he's running with it. Trotz recently changed his tune from "no pressure to insert in lineup" to "I see no reason to take him out of the lineup" and that's fantastic news. Ho-Sang was rewarded with a goal this week in Arizona for his efforts and if you look at his fancy stats - the numbers say he's doing a great job. The second power play unit has also benefitted from his style of play - you have two guys (at even strength as well) that draw players to them and it opens up room for everyone else, plus they can both thread the needle like nobody else on the team, outside maybe Eberle. With Thomas Hickey out with a suspected concussion (which is a shame, I love what Hickey brings and I hope he's not injured too bad) - Devon Toews has been recalled. I joked in this episode that it's a Christmas Miracle! Fans and experts alike have been waiting for this defenseman to draw into the lineup for quite some time - and you have this Tweet from Newsday's Andrew Gross as a meter for how we ALL FEEL! https://twitter.com/AGrossNewsday/status/1075502652773945344 A bold statement, right? I also go into some more ranting about the mostly stationary, but improving power play, which involves mostly the adding of Ho-Sang and I took a few Twitter questions from the most faithful Isles Faithful listeners! Holiday season reminders! Kings Coast Coffee - it's amazing! Go buy some and use the code ISLES for 10% off your entire order. I just ordered $70 worth of coffee and mugs as a gift for my wife - good thing she doesn't read this space. That's not the only DISCOUNT CODE we have for you either, head on over to my buddy Devin's (@YesMenOutfitter) site Yes Men Outfitters for some sweet Isles swag and use the code FAITHFUL10 for 10% off your order as well. He's got a lot of great new designs he's pumping out - be sure to fill someone stocking, or even your own just like me! I finally met Devin last weekend at the Coliseum, such a solid dude and he's doing really great things with his trips and tailgates - I don't know how he finds the time to do everything he does! I am off for Christmas and New Years (11 days total) so I am planning on recording a few times and maybe a recap of the best episodes so far, but if we don't speak before then have a very safe and Merry Christmas/Happy Holiday!

I have been going on, and on, and on - for what seems like weeks now about this power-less power play of the New York Islanders. It didn't seem like long ago that we had a fantastic power play, but horrendous everything else....but such is life around here in Islanders country, right? We have top notch coaching now, we have top notch management and ownership. We're about to have a state-of-the-art arena, which feels really strange to type - but it's true. Why can't we have a well playing team under these new and awesome coaches, that INCLUDES a proper power play? Arthur Staple of The Athletic joins me on The Isles Faithful Podcast this week to find out, or at least discuss some of the possible reasons why the power is out. We also go into some defensive talk, praising Nick Leddy and Johnny Boychuk, we speak about the offensive powerhouse of Scott Mayfield under Barry Trotz and the solid play of Thomas Hickey as well. We touch on some of the offensive strengths and weaknesses, discuss what moves Lou Lamoriello can make or not make to bolster the teams needs and go into some possible moves that'll finally see Josh Ho-Sang called up from the AHL Bridgeport Sound Tigers. We literally touched on a ton of great topics that'll be sure to wet your whistle in a variety of areas. Have a listen and let us know what you think! Be sure to follow Arthur on Twitter if you're not already doing so - he's one of the best in Isles Twitter for sure. Head on over to The Athletic as well as they're running some great deals for you to subscrive and enjoy a bunch of great writers covering every sport there is - including all of the major area sports teams!

We are back with another episode, Episode 15 - and this time we sat down for a chat with the Author of the soon-to-be-released book "We Want Fishsticks", Nick Hirshon. Before I get into the book talk, I offer a rundown of all the games over the Thanksgiving break and some hard hitting analysis as always. I got pretty amped up this week, as the Islanders powerplay is fair to middling - to say the least. Nick isn't just an author, he's a college professor who wrote his college thesis on - the Islanders, but he's also obviously a huge New York Islanders fan. I reached out to Nick after seeing some promo work on his book via Twitter and we got to talking. Obviously, I invited him here and thankfully he obliged. Like all my guests, we talked about current and past Islanders related topics, the vintage Fisherman jersey we have all come to know and love (well, some of us anyway) and even about arenas and ownership. It was a conversation I thoroughly enjoyed and as it turned out, I learned quite a bit about a few things. Did you know that the fisherman on the crest is modeled after one of the Baymen out here in East Hampton? I didn't know that. In fact, Nick and I talked about all that after recording, in an unfortunate twist of fate - because I am related to one of the oldest fishing families on the east end. Nick did a lot of the research for his book, and the fishermen - right here in my local library. He will be out here again in January for a book signing and we have plans to meet up in person. I'm looking forward to it. Another quick coincidence - the Islanders, today actually, posted that the fisherman jersey is available for purchase and customization RIGHT NOW via their online store. It's something I will be jumping on as well. Fashion comes in

Hello there Isles Faithful! We are back with another episode where we talk puck, coffee (a podcast staple) and a slew of other topics. Episode 14 features Wayne Cafariella of Kings Coast Coffee, a local small batch coffee roaster who tells me his caffeinated goodness is enjoyed by Islanders players and broadcasters alike. Earlier this week I noticed that Brendan Burke posted up a picture of Kings Coast and I joked that I was insanely jealous and pondering my life coffee choices. Really excited for this morning to try some @kings_coast coffee. Big thanks to @chefwayneface for making it happen. pic.twitter.com/4c9BXaYTVm — Brendan Burke (@brendanmburke) November 12, 2018 Freshly Roasted! Wayne reached out to me and asked me if I wanted a sample (still waiting for delivery) but I took him up on the offer. We started talking and I found out that he's a rabid Islanders fan - like the rest of us, he also knows a lot of the people I know in the craft beer industry and plays on a rival brewery beer league team. Such a small world, which is why I invited him on the show. Besides being schooled on how to make the perfect roast, we talked about all of the Islanders moves to date (Lou, Trotz, Signings), how he became a fan, how he got into coffee and everything about his business. It was another one of those conversations where I felt like we could've talked for hours on end. Out what would turn into a wave of irony, we discussed Anthony Beauvillier's struggles, as well as Leddy and Boychuk's. We would also talk about how GREAT Brock Nelson and Anders Lee would be playing, Barzal's development and take Twitter questions on what we feel about potential trades and who we think should be called up from Bridgeport to replace the injured Ladd, Cizikas and Martin. Turns out, we speculated in Michael Dal Cole - we were right. We mentioned how Beau would break out - he did, for a hat trick last night against the Rangers. We plan on recording again, for the simple fact that things just worked out too perfect in what we discussed. With that, please give Wayne a follow on Twitter, he can be found @chefwayneface and the coffee company can be found @kings_coast. I also ask you to check out their website: https://www.kingscoastcoffee.com as well as their Facebook and Instagram accounts as well. The brand is super cool, and I suspect the product is just as delicious. I cannot wait for it to arrive. Wayne was also SUPER GENEROUS to our readers and listeners that if you use the Promo Code ISLES you'll receive 15% off your ENTIRE ORDER! I don't know about you, but with the Holiday's right around the corner, how is that not the perfect gift idea?! Wayne was so knowledgeable about hockey, coffee and local business that I hope he becomes a regular on the show. Let us know what you think in the comments!

It's been a bit since we've last spoken and a lot has transpired in that time. The Islanders would go on a five game win streak and catapult to the top of the Metro Division, but would eventually lose in a shootout to the Montreal Canadiens and last night in regulation to the Lightning. They have a respectable record of 6-2-2 over the last ten games and 8-5-2 so far this season, still in first place in the Metro division. That's not to say it's been all roses during that time either, because there have been warts. Those warts have names, too - and the biggest one is Nick Leddy. I really dislike throwing shade or too much negativity on one player, but in this case it's pretty warranted. The defense has been pretty mediocre in terms of the Islanders - Boychuk, Leddy, Hickey, Pulock, Pelech - and by association Sbisa. The standout, though - again, is Leddy. He's become a turnover machine, hasn't contributed much offensively and yet still remains on the Islanders top power play unit. You have to scratch your head there. In this episode we go over all of the stats from our elite wingers in Josh Bailey and Anders Lee. We praise Brock Nelson (YES WE DO!) and talk about Barzal's struggles. We go in depth about the Defense and even include a clip from an appearance on The Secondary Assist podcast with Shane Blackburn and Andy Graziano as well. We also talk about some of @reagankingisles latest fancy stat work this episode as well, always an interesting topic. Hope you enjoy it, let us know what you think.

It's been a tough week in Isles country, there's not many ways to sugarcoat it. It started last weekend with a tough loss to San Jose, the last of the West Coast trip. That game was a tough, physical grind that saw the real Sharks team that many thought they would be when the Islanders shut them out a week prior. It had everything, physicality, drama, fighting, ejections - the whole nine. By the time the Islanders woke up on Sunday, they - along with everyone else learned that former Islanders owner Charles B. Wang had passed away after a battle with lung cancer, he was 74. Somber notes from teams, officials and current and former players around the league began to trickle in, moments of silence would be had by all local teams - it was pretty special to see then impact this man had outside of the Islanders organization. By the time the Isles hosted the Panthers on Wednesday in Brooklyn, they had announced they would honor the former owners memory the rest of the season with a CBW patch on their jersey. MSG had a brilliant video montage on the Islanders telecast, the Islanders held a moment of silence prior to the game and coincidentally, I had a ticket to this game - so I got to see it first hand. In honor of Charles B. Wang. The Islanders will wear CBW patches for the remainder of the season. pic.twitter.com/iSxJq5aX9r — New York Islanders (@NYIslanders) October 24, 2018 In Episode 12, we share stories of our run-ins with Charles Wang - a man that really loved his New York Islanders, fans and Long Island in general. We hear from fans on Twitter, on Reddit and from an old friend in Dee Karl (@7thwoman). It was great hearing all these stories that prove someone who's affluent, could be an everyday Joe who wasn't just defined by his bank account. We offer our sincerest apologies to all of his wife, children, his extended family and friends during this difficult time. I was lucky enough to know Charles a little, and he was a true gentleman and a great owner - he will be missed. We also talk about the two recent losses the Isles have suffered, what to expect this weekend and take a few Twitter questions regarding the roster. See you in Episode 13.

Episode 11 is upon us! I decided to switch things up this week with something I have hinted at the last few weeks - The Discord Channel! Special thanks go out to Isles Reddit user Nick, for all the help setting up permissions last night! The Discord channel allows users to essentially listen in to the podcast LIVE and even PARTICIPATE if they would like, much the same way callers would to a live radio show. There is also a chat room where you can share links, tweets and even photos and video if you'd like. It was a lot of fun, honestly - and now that I know what I am doing id love to do it more often too. In this episode, we host a few Islanders fans and go over some of the singings (Gionta, Sbisa) and the Jan Kovar experiment coming to a really strange ending. We also talk about the last few games, what was the upcoming game in Los Angeles last night and what we can expect in the future from the team. We get a history on some of our fans as well - like I said, was a really cool experience and something I have wanted to do for a while. I admit, it's a work in progress though and I will likely change things up as we move forward with it. So to Saintsisles, Puckfeller and Nick from Reddit - thanks for coming on and talking Isles hockey! Want to check out the Discord channel for yourself? Click here!

I am sure there's a saying for this - but, current events get old really quickly when you don't get it out fast enough. I guess that's why other aspects of the media are so quick to push out content without much fact checking or even editing. Not here, though. Here at The Isles Faithful we like to sit on pre-recorded content to the point that it sounds like it's a year old! That's a joke, but news gets old quick in Islanders Country these days. Welcome to Episode 10 of The Isles Faithful Podcast! 10 Episode already, wow! This week, we had Rob Taub stop by, he's a contributor for NY Isles Blog and also one of Stan Fischler's many interns. He covers all things Islanders, Devils and Rangers and pumps out some great content - please give him a follow on Twitter when you get the chance - @rtaub_. In this episode, Rob and I discuss the home opener in Carolina, line combinations, the new third jersey, why Robin Lehner and Thomas Greiss will be great, the coaching and even talk about our jersey collections and the coaching. It was another fun episode and he's a very knowledgeable guy so we definitely touch on all subjects. This weekend I would love to finally hook up with everyone for the Discord chat - if you have a time that works for you please fire away in the comments! Thanks for stopping by, and we will see you in Episode 11 to talk about the west coast road trip!

Episode 9 has been an absolute blast to put together. Over the summer, Former NHL'er and New York Islander Mark Parrish was nice enough to answer some questions for a story I wrote about John Tavares - this was way before I decided to start a podcast. I reached out to Mark to see if he'd be interesting in coming on an episode - and boy did he provide! We talked a variety of topics, from Da Beauty League in Minnesota, to his career with the Islanders, the past, present and even future surrounding the team. Mark has this amazing way of describing hockey and his enthusiasm for the game is extremely telling. I felt like I was talking to an old buddy, and we could've talked all night. Please do yourself a favor and follow this man on Twitter: @MarkDParrish Also in this episode, we had speculated that Anders Lee would be a great Captain, little did we know when we recorded last night that the New York Islanders would name him their 15th Captain in team history today. Go figure. We also talk Barzal, Bailey, Nelson and the bottom six forward that the Islanders have a ton of. We talk Trotz and Trottier plus all the other legends that played on the Island before him. It's an episode I won't ever forget and Mark is welcome back anytime - that's for sure. I also welcome back Mike Carver, of The Isles Seat Podcast - which you should also subscribe to! We will see you in Episode 10, where we break down the Isles opener in Carolina against the Hurricanes. Shoutout to the @IslesMeetup_CLT crew going nuts down there along with @YesMenOutfitter providing all that sweet swag for the event!

Two episodes this week! The floodgates have opened! In this episode, I talk about some of the preseason moves the Islanders have made, roster cuts and give my opinions on everything that's transpired so far. We speak about how players have played, the PTO given to Luca Sbisa and the controversial fourth line of Komarov, Filppula and Kuhnhackl, the defense, goaltending and how new systems can effect everything. We also talk to Brett Kahn from @IslesMeetup_PHL and speak about the new group down there in Philly and what their plans are moving forward. Could there be another T-Shirt giveaway? Perhaps. Also, check out the picture of Brett's father that we spoke about during the episode: This goes along with our on going series of Isles Meetup Groups - you can find those episodes here and here. We also take your Twitter questions again, which proves to be a fantastic feature week after week. You guys literally blow me away with the questions, so keep it up. I really want to fire up this plan with the Discord channel as soon as possible, maybe next week sometime before the season starts. If you stick it out to the very end of the episode, theres a special announcement that I am excited about - let me know what you think! Thanks as always and we'll see you in Episode 9!

Welcome back to another episode of The Isles Faithful Podcast! In this episode, our 7th episode already - we talk to Jim Baumbach of New York's Newsday as he has been covering the New York Islanders arena stories since the very beginning. Jim and I actually go way back to 2007, back to my time when I covered the Islanders on a regular basis over on my blog www.islesblogger.com. Jim goes into detail on the NEW arena set to be built in Belmont, right on the border of New York City and Long Island's Nassau County. The difference this time is that there is state land involved. The similarities involve heaps of opposition to the project, plus the literal red tape that comes with mega projects. We also go into Transportation, other projects around the New York Area and some of the nuances involved with the Islanders playing parts of the next three seasons at their OLD home in Uniondale at Nassau Coliseum. This type of talk isn't for everyone, but it's an important on-going story that seems never-ending for the New York Islanders and Islanders fans. Please give Jim Baumbach a follow on Twitter, if you're not already. You can also find his articles on Newsday's website. Thanks as always and we'll see you in Episode 8!

This week, we were blown away with a bombshell by new Islanders goaltender Robin Lehner. Turns out, the last few years he has been suffering through an addiction, and mental illness. This all came out yesterday, in a story he wrote himself for The Athletic. It's worth a read, and - there's no paywall for the article. It's so important that they have chosen to make it free for everyone. Mental illness is no joke, neither is addiction. Lehner does a fantastic job of speaking of all these things in this letter and I truly believe this revelation and the treatments he's been through will make him a better person, father, husband and athlete. Which is why I asked my good friend and Buffalo Sabres writer for The Athletic, Joe Yerdon (@joeyerdon) to join me this week. Lehner previously played for the Sabres and was known for his outbursts, his fiery personality and for his at times, stellar play. Joe goes into detail about the type of guy Robin is and what Isles fans should expect out of him as a goaltender and a person. He also speaks about his history of dealing with Robin during his time with the Sabres. I also take your Twitter questions again them this week, and I have a small announcement as well - I have created a Discord Channel. This will be used to dedicate an entire episode, maybe once a month to YOU GUYS, Islanders Fans. The channel name is The Isles Faithful, it's not quite live yet so keep an eye out on Twitter and Facebook for news on this. Discord is like a chatroom, it's also like a party line Skype. I can pick on people to speak and we'll record the show like that if theres enough interest. It's shaping up to be a lot of fun, at least that's the hope anyway! Enjoy Episode 6 and we'll speak to you next week in Episode 7.

September is HERE! That means that NHL camps are just about to start, the weather is beginning to turn around and Pumpkin Spice is about to be everywhere and in every product. With hockey just about back, we are going to be cranking up our coverage and it starts with Episode 5! This week, we sat down with Former AHL Defenseman Steve Wood, whom I have known for 5 years now. Steve played in the Flyers organization and eventually wound up in Bridgeport for 12 games playing for Jack Capuano. You think that I would know Steve through my time covering hockey, but no - we met in Florida which you'll hear about in the interview. Steve tells us what life is like as a professional athlete, what it's like to come up through the high school and prep school ranks and eventually the collegiate level as well. He references a letter he wrote when he was 7 years old and what it's like to follow your dreams. We then talk about his latest venture, a program called Go Beyond the Ice. It's probably the most in depth interview to date and is chock full of stories. We also continue to look at all the Isles Meetup groups on the heels of Episode 4 when we sat down with Isles Meetup Charlotte, this time we sit with Kevin Carney of Isles Meetup Tampa (@islesmeetup_tpa). Kevin is just starting out his group down in Tampa but goes into his former life on Long Island (New Jersey, and Charlotte) and how he came to know Mike from Islesmeetup_CLT, his Islanders fandom and what his plans are for the group. Be sure to check that out as well. As always, we take your twitter questions again as well! Thanks as always and we'll see you in Episode 6!

In episode 4 we speak to Mike from @Islesmeetup_CLT and he tells us about his group down in North Carolina - its a rabid group of transplanted New Yorkers. They've sold 106 tickets to the Islanders-Canes home opener down there, hooked up with Yes Men Outfitters for a custom shirt for the occasion too. We're giving away one of those shirts here as well! a Rafflecopter giveaway I also speak a little about Trotz and Lamoriello recently brining up analytics which is on the heels of our episode with Reagan King of Corsisles. We also take your Twitter questions again! Hope you enjoy it!

In this week's episode (episode number three!) we talk to Reagan King of www.corsisles.com and also Devin from Yes Men Outfitters. Reagan (@ReaganKingIsles) tells us everything we need to know about fancy stats, we go into details on how stats are recorded, what they mean and some of the history behind the numbers. We also go into detail about what these different stat lines mean for individual players and how that could potentially land which players on what lines or how they could compliment each other. We do the same for the defense and go into some of the new stats recorded for goaltenders as well - something we both feel that Trotz, Korn and Greco will sort out as the season progresses. Devin (@YesMenOutfitter) and I talk about his company - Yes Men Outfitters, how he started the company and what his plans are for it, how he came up with the name and what some of his products are like. We talk about the crazy demand of the Say My Name and Kid Who Won The Calder shirts. We also spoke about his plans to go down to Carolina to meet up with the group IslesMeetup_CLT for the Canes home opener against the Islanders. He's even bringing some of his attire, and a special shirt as a giveaway for the trip! Tickets are going fast if you're interested! Group tickets for the @NYIslanders vs @NHLCanes game on 10/4 are now on sale! For $67 you will get a ticket to sit with us and a dope shirt designed by @YesMenOutfitter. If interested in purchasing tickets please head to https://t.co/flG1Lqo1nh . Spread the word! #isles #clt pic.twitter.com/1IBl5DiS9f — Isles Meetup_CLT (@islesmeetup_clt) August 6, 2018 We also take your Twitter questions again, something that's been a great time to date - it's been a fun episode, let us know what you think in the comments, on Facebook and on Twitter!    

The Culture Club No - not the Boy George led band of the 1980's and not even the awesome Club in Downtown Manhattan that bares the same name. We are talking about the culture club WITHIN the New York Islanders. Let's take it back a few months here. Clean out Day, April 9th 2018 - An unshaven and honestly disheveled looking Garth Snow feebly addresses the media, Doug Weight, with a sour look on his face attempts to do the same. Jon Ledecky reads, angrily - from a pre-written letter claiming that ownership and the team has let fans down. This is months following a billboard that was erected in Brooklyn, begging for the GM to be fired. It was just awkward, and honestly pretty confusing. It turns out, both Snow and Weight were lame ducks at that table that day in April. Things would eventually progress pretty rapidly afterwards  - Lou Lamoriello wouldn't be extended in Toronto. He winds up on Long Island, is named President of Hockey Operations and is given full autonomy by ownership. Stop the presses! Autonomy! What's that? Well, we would come to find out for sure. Lou started doing Lou type things. Leaks, they stopped. The culture, well he took it straight on and in one swoop - out with the old. It's what he does, right? Garth Snow and Doug Weight were removed as General Manager and Head Coach in the same afternoon on June 9th. Just like that, he ripped the bandaid off when nobody was even looking. As we move forward, Lou stated he was going to hire "the best coach available" and all signs were pointing to coaches without jobs - nobody expected a coach playing for and ultimately winning the Stanley Cup to reach a contract impasse with his team, the Washington Capitals, right? No, I didn't - you didn't, but Lou probably knew something and Barry Trotz was signed to a contract with the Islanders on June 21st. Just like that - the culture tide was changing. Lou would then go and add Steve Pellegrini, formerly of the New Jersey Devils as Assistant GM. Fire assistants Greg Cronin, Kelly Buchberger, and Luke Richardson - all Weight's guys. Curiously he would leave the Bridgeport staff as untouched.... Hire long time Trotz Assistant Lane Lambert as well as John Gruden (who's story is extremely interesting and worth a read, too). And then, they would let go of Goaltending coach - Fred Brathwaite in order to hire former Toronto Marlies tendy coach - Piero Greco, and following that up with the goalie whisperer in Mitch Korn as Director of Goaltending. Keep in mind both of these goalie guys are fresh off winning their leagues respective championships. So, to summarize - Every losing coach was canned and they brought in proven winners. Even Gruden has won at the levels he's coached. We have Trotz and Lambert that will install their own systems and evaluate talent. We have Greco who will work with Robin Lehner and Thomas Greiss and without a doubt work better numbers into their play. Gruden will work magic with the kids, or at least I assume that's the hope. In these sweeping changes, Lou Lamoriello has installed a system of accountability, proffessionalism and respect that the Islanders as an organization have not seen in a really long time. What they can do with the roster they have obviously remains to be seen, but the things coming out of the players mouths at this point have been really positive. It makes for exciting offseason talk, at the very least. I also took some Twitter questions for the podcast - just to try to involve some of you fine folks in the discussions. Let's take a look! Prepping for Episode One of The Isles Faithful Podcast @faithfulisles - let's hear some questions and I'll read your tweets on the show. #isles #islestwitter #hockeypodcast @nyislanders — Michael Schuerlein (@islesblogger) July 25, 2018     Hope you all enjoyed Episode Two!    

Show Notes: Good evening. today is July 28th 2018 and welcome to the pilot episode of The Isles faithful Podcast! I am your host, Michael Schuerlein - and you may know me best from my Twitter @islesblogger and my blog, www.islesblogger.com. For those of you that may not know me, I have been blogging about the NHL and the New York Islanders since 2007. I was one of the founding members of the Islanders Blog Box and have experienced a fair share amount of stuff over the years. I got into writing because of my love for automobiles believe it or not. I was a active member of a Ford Truck Enthusiast site, became a moderator and eventually a webmaster because I knew web design. The got purchased by a magazine, and I started writing because they asked me to cover the SEMA Show in Las Vegas my first year attending. What started as a 1000 word blurb, turned into the main feature of the magazine that month, and the rest was history. I wrote quite a bit for the magazine over the years before it ended sometime in 2009. Fast forward a bit, I got involved with an automotive TV show that was a spin off of the magazine - which started as a Youtube Channel by my fiend Chris Duke. That little show is now shown across various media platforms across the world, has a large following across social media and is a real driving force behind why I still write. I was the social media manager for the show for two years too, before my wife and I had our daughter and had to take a step back. Back to the Islanders and my blog - I have written for my own site, I was the featured columnist for The Bleacher Report for some time, I have collaborated with Lighthouse Hockey, Pucks on Broadway, Hockeybuzz, ESPN, Yahoo and even NHL.com. I've been on Islanders TV, Newsday, News 12 - and a variety of other places across the web. It's been a fun ride. I have always felt the drive to do MORE and The Isles Faithful is just that. My attempt to bring something completely different. When “he who shall not be named” penned his letter and spoke about the fans as The Isles Faithful - I knew I had a name. I plan on brining you my hot takes (ha I'm only kidding…) I plan on bringing you my unique perspective - sprinkled in with opinion and stories from across the web in a way only I can provide. I'll even have some special guests like I have over on my blog - which may or may not include current mainstream media, bloggers and past and present players. I know that's a big reach - but I have big plans for this podcast. I am aiming to stick around the 30 minute mark to start, but that is always subject to change. This is The Isles Faithful Podcast, I'm Michael Schuerlein - thanks for listening!