Islanders Anxiety: A New York Islanders podcast

Mike and Dan recap a frustrating run of home games that have the Islanders losing all of the ground they picked up on their successful recent road trip. With losses to the Bruins, Flyers (via shootout) and Capitals, the Islanders continue to struggle at UBS Arena, which is making fans annoyed. They also have to now deal with losing Kyle Palmieri for the rest of the season following an ACL injury. Palmieri was a key player and point producer and without him, there is both concern and opportunity for others to step up. So far, no one has and games like Sunday's, where Washington simply bullied the Islanders and prized rookie Matthew Schaefer, could become more commonplace. This season went from no expectations to playoff dreams to gloomy catastrophe, and we're only a quarter of the way through. In the second half, we look at an upcoming schedule that sees the Islanders playing the last five Stanley Cup champions all in a row. This stretch could sink them for good, but we said that before the 6-1 road trip, too. So you never know. We also check in with broadcast partner MSG Networks to list the many good and few frustrating things about the way the games and the Islanders are presented. Overall, we're lucky to have a top notch broadcast. But there's a disconnect between the games we're watching and what we're being told. Subscribe to our Patreon!⁠ Members get ad-free episodes of all our shows, bonus podcasts, written posts, chats with us and much more.Visit our friends ⁠⁠Vintage Ice Hockey⁠⁠ for t-shirts, hoodies and jerseys with hundreds of classic hockey logos, as well as ⁠⁠the full line of Islanders Anxiety merch⁠⁠. As always our portion of those sales go directly to the Center for Dementia Research. ⁠⁠The Pinot Project⁠⁠ has a Rosé, a Pinot Grigio and a Wine Enthusiast Best Buy Pinot Noir, all under $15 a bottle. Available at local wine stores and UBS Arena. Visit ⁠⁠Lighthousehockey.com⁠⁠ for the most up-to-date Islanders news and discussion. Islanders Anxiety podcasts are part of the Fans First Sports Network (⁠⁠@FansFirstSN⁠⁠). Our theme is "Morning Haze" by Family Dinner. Hear more of their music ⁠⁠on Spotify⁠⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mike and Dan welcome back YouTube hockey documentarian Pinholes Graham to discuss his great film on the 2006-07 Islanders season, The Last Days of Bedlam. The 2006-07 Islanders defy belief. From shocking front office upheaval to a roster of mostly mercenaries to two surprise trades to a heroic performance by a relative nobody, that squad had more drama than most teams see in decades. The Last Days of Bedlam explores that season as well as its previous context and the cascade of emotions Islanders fans went through game-after-game, month-after-month and even after the season was over. Together with Pinholes, we get his takes on some Weird Islanders we've spotlighted from that season before, like Ryan Smyth, Marc-Andre Bergeron, Deron Quint and Wade Dubielewicz. But we also dive into some short-timers that haven't come up yet, like goalie Mike Dunham (who still gives Dan PTSD) and defenseman Sean Hill, who was hit with one of the most bizarre and bizarrely-timed suspensions in NHL history. Stay tuned to the end for a special bonus excerpt from an upcoming episode of Weird Islanders: The Podcast! about another member of this team that we've been waiting to feature in his own episode since Season 1. And subscribe to our Patreon for mounds of additional bonus material from this episode including two extra conversations with Pinholes about "regular" Islanders that came up in the film, as well as four (4) related Season 1 Weird Islanders: The Podcast! episodes that are being presented for Patrons commercial free for the first time. We thank Pinholes for not only coming on with us again but for giving all Islanders fans the great gift of The Last Days of Bedlam. We both excitedly recommend watching it before you listen to this podcast, if you haven't seen it already. Or better still, watch it again and tell all your friends to watch it. More people need to experience the insanity and ecstasy of the 2006-07 Islanders season and this documentary displays that in a way no one ever has before. Subscribe to our Patreon!⁠ Members get ad-free episodes of all our shows, bonus podcasts, written posts, chats with us and much more. Visit our friends: Vintage Ice Hockey for t-shirts, hoodies and jerseys with hundreds of classic hockey logos, as well as the full line of Islanders Anxiety merch. As always our portion of those sales go directly to the Center for Dementia Research. The Pinot Project has a Rosé, a Pinot Grigio and a Wine Enthusiast Best Buy Pinot Noir, all under $15 a bottle. Available at local wine stores and UBS Arena. Visit Lighthousehockey.com for the most up-to-date Islanders news and discussion. Islanders Anxiety podcasts are part of the Fans First Sports Network (@FansFirstSN). Our theme is "Knuckles" by Björn Falk. Hear more of his music on Spotify and at Bandcamp. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mike and Dan recap a wild, emotional week in which the Islanders cap off an epic road trip in style before struggling to find their game again at home. The gauntlet that seemed like it could sink their season instead saw the Islanders surge into a playoff berth with a tense win in Dallas and an unexpected blowout in Detroit. While the victory over the Stars took everything they had and came with casualties, the romp over the Red Wings served as a coming out party for a new folk hero. Max Shabanov went from mystery man to possible Weird Islander to a masked, rouge hero growing in confidence. A return game against St. Louis was less than triumphant, but the follow-up against Seattle got them two huge points despite exactly zero (0) goals being scored in regulation. It's all been a bit strange but as long as they keep climbing and winning, we can keep smiling. The week ahead contains more tough games including one against a team that's already roughed them up. American Thanksgiving is supposed to be the unofficial time when NHL teams show us what they can be. The Islanders have the chance over the next seven days to prove they're for real, especially in front of their own fans. To close this episode out, we give thanks for things we're grateful for, like the stumbles and struggles of our enemies. The Rangers and Maple Leafs are not having a good time right now, and we turn back the clock for a fun new Master Pens Theater. As always, we're thankful for you all for listening and supporting us. A new episode of Weird Islanders: The Podcast! releases on Friday, and be sure to check out the Patreon that day for a cornucopia of bonus content for it. Subscribe to our Patreon!⁠ Members get ad-free episodes of all our shows, bonus podcasts, written posts, chats with us and much more.Visit our friends ⁠⁠Vintage Ice Hockey⁠⁠ for t-shirts, hoodies and jerseys with hundreds of classic hockey logos, as well as ⁠⁠the full line of Islanders Anxiety merch⁠⁠. As always our portion of those sales go directly to the Center for Dementia Research. ⁠⁠The Pinot Project⁠⁠ has a Rosé, a Pinot Grigio and a Wine Enthusiast Best Buy Pinot Noir, all under $15 a bottle. Available at local wine stores and UBS Arena. Visit ⁠⁠Lighthousehockey.com⁠⁠ for the most up-to-date Islanders news and discussion. Islanders Anxiety podcasts are part of the Fans First Sports Network (⁠⁠@FansFirstSN⁠⁠). Our theme is "Morning Haze" by Family Dinner. Hear more of their music ⁠⁠on Spotify⁠⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mike and Dan are in good spirits as the Islanders win four of the first five games of their road trip and show signs of excitement. The seven game gauntlet through several Stanley Cup contenders loomed large on the schedule. But after three electric overtime games, the Islanders were making believers out of many. While not perfect by any means, they were playing fun games and picking up points, beating heavy hitters like New Jersey and Vegas, as well as surprising Utah, with timely goals and great goaltending. Even a loss in Denver to a stacked Avalanche team couldn't bring them down. Despite the defeat (and a goal against by an old friend), it was one of their most complete games of the season and showed that they can play with the NHL's elite. But the job's not done. Two more road games close out the trip before back-to-back matinee games at home. The names might not be as daunting, but the Islanders need to keep up this pace if they want to stay alive in the crowded Eastern Conference. They also might need to make decisions on what they want the bottom of their line-up to look like. Because right now, it's a bit of a mess and some of these guys are real psychos. Finally, they discuss a surprise article about former Islanders GM Lou Lamoriello, who is apparently still working with the team but away from the hockey department. It feels good to know Lou is still around and offering council and protection, but letting the new kid do his thing. Subscribe to our Patreon!⁠ Members get ad-free episodes of all our shows, bonus podcasts, written posts, discounts and much more.Visit our friends ⁠⁠Vintage Ice Hockey⁠⁠ for t-shirts, hoodies and jerseys with hundreds of classic hockey logos, as well as ⁠⁠the full line of Islanders Anxiety merch⁠⁠. As always our portion of those sales go directly to the Center for Dementia Research. ⁠⁠The Pinot Project⁠⁠ has a Rosé, a Pinot Grigio and a Wine Enthusiast Best Buy Pinot Noir, all under $15 a bottle. Available at local wine stores and UBS Arena. Visit ⁠⁠Lighthousehockey.com⁠⁠ for the most up-to-date Islanders news and discussion. Islanders Anxiety podcasts are part of the Fans First Sports Network (⁠⁠@FansFirstSN⁠⁠). Our theme is "Morning Haze" by Family Dinner. Hear more of their music ⁠⁠on Spotify⁠⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Joined again by their friend Sab, Mike and Dan remember Josef Vašíček, the big, versatile, likeable center who left us far too early in the Lokomotiv airplane disaster. Vašíček only spent one season on Long Island, but he made a lot of fans in that short time, bringing goals and a big smile to a patchwork team about to enter a full rebuild. In Al Arbour's historic return game, it was Vašíček who led the Islanders to a victory in front of a packed house and the legendary coach. In a season that isn't fondly remembered or marked by consistency, Big Joe was one of the team's most reliable players. Years before that, he made his reputation playing for the Hurricanes at both their bizarre beginnings and in their best seasons. He was part of their Stanley Cup finals team in 2002 and, after a quick jaunt to Nashville, was on their championship team in 2006. As usual, Vašíček contributed positively on the ice, even if it wasn't with a goal or an assist. Following his time with the Islanders, he signed on with the nascent KHL so that he could play closer to his home in Slovakia. Even there, he helped lead Lokomotiv to the first Gagarin Cup finals and proved he could win anywhere. Tragically, in September of 2011, Vašíček died as the team's plane crashed soon after take-off, killing 44 passengers. The shocking loss of life still reverberates to this day, especially for those of us who were fans of the many players on board, including and especially Josef Vašíček. Sab tells us about his memories of and connection to Vašíček through the years, including some rare personal stories that might be forgotten. As always, we thank him for coming on and for his invaluable YouTube channel, which is packed to the gills with Islanders history. To hear more of our conversation with Sab about Lou, Kashawn Aitcheson and other topics, head over to our Patreon and sign up for the Country Club tier to access our latest Weird Islanders Extra! bonus podcast. Subscribe to our Patreon!⁠ Members get ad-free episodes of all our shows, bonus podcasts, written posts, discounts and much more.Visit our friends: Vintage Ice Hockey for t-shirts, hoodies and jerseys with hundreds of classic hockey logos, as well as the full line of Islanders Anxiety merch. As always our portion of those sales go directly to the Center for Dementia Research. The Pinot Project has a Rosé, a Pinot Grigio and a Wine Enthusiast Best Buy Pinot Noir, all under $15 a bottle. Available at local wine stores and UBS Arena. Visit Lighthousehockey.com for the most up-to-date Islanders news and discussion. Islanders Anxiety podcasts are part of the Fans First Sports Network (@FansFirstSN). Our theme is "Knuckles" by Björn Falk. Hear more of his music on Spotify and at Bandcamp. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mike and Dan recap a week of great, bad and ugly as the Islanders follow-up a no-show performance at home with a hilarious win on the road. The week started with an eventful, entertaining game against the Bruins that didn't go the Islanders' way, and also included some social media drama. All of that was more palatable than the embarrassing zombie walk they took on Friday against Minnesota. Hosting a team on a back-to-back with travel and needing points before a daunting road trip, the Islanders chose to simply let the Wild do what they wanted for a full 60 minutes, which is the kind of game that keeps fans away from the arena. That set up a game at Madison Square Garden against a Rangers team still looking for its first home win of the season and hosting a celebrating group of alumni. All in attendance were treated to one of the Islanders' best games of the season, as they shutout the home team 5-0 to continue their scoring misery. Not only was the victory satisfying, but it provided us with some fresh Ranger Piece Theater material that we dive into. We also look forward to the aforementioned daunting road trip and hope the Islanders can stay afloat and win in some places they've pulled points out of before. Subscribe to our Patreon!⁠ Members get ad-free episodes of all our shows, bonus podcasts, written posts, discounts and much more.Visit our friends ⁠⁠Vintage Ice Hockey⁠⁠ for t-shirts, hoodies and jerseys with hundreds of classic hockey logos, as well as ⁠⁠the full line of Islanders Anxiety merch⁠⁠. As always our portion of those sales go directly to the Center for Dementia Research. ⁠⁠The Pinot Project⁠⁠ has a Rosé, a Pinot Grigio and a Wine Enthusiast Best Buy Pinot Noir, all under $15 a bottle. Available at local wine stores and UBS Arena. Visit ⁠⁠Lighthousehockey.com⁠⁠ for the most up-to-date Islanders news and discussion. Islanders Anxiety podcasts are part of the Fans First Sports Network (⁠⁠@FansFirstSN⁠⁠). Our theme is "Morning Haze" by Family Dinner. Hear more of their music ⁠⁠on Spotify⁠⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mike and Dan recap a busy week in which the Islanders stayed afloat thanks in large part to record-breaking super rookie Matthew Schaefer. The week started very poorly, with another blown lead followed by another blowout to a familiar bully. But what looked like a new bottom gave way to an unexpected rebound. A comeback win on Halloween and a miraculous last minute victory at home got us feeling good again and kept the Islanders in the thick of a packed Eastern Conference. That wouldn't be possible without Scheafer, who continues to do things we've never seen in ways we don't expect. This kid, who was barely alive when Iron Man was first released into theaters, is proving night after night to be the hero this team needs. We also look forward to a week of opportunities to grab more points before a brutal road trip takes the Islanders through several Stanley Cup contenders for the next two weeks. Wins are crucial but these guys never do anything the normal way. Finally, we once again are forced to do another early season edition of Master Leaf Theatre focused on a milestone 500th NHL goal that has been treated with more pity then excitement. Perfect for a guy who lives a life of discipline and disappointment. Subscribe to our Patreon!⁠ Members get ad-free episodes of all our shows, bonus podcasts, written posts, discounts and much more.Visit our friends ⁠⁠Vintage Ice Hockey⁠⁠ for t-shirts, hoodies and jerseys with hundreds of classic hockey logos, as well as ⁠⁠the full line of Islanders Anxiety merch⁠⁠. As always our portion of those sales go directly to the Center for Dementia Research. ⁠⁠The Pinot Project⁠⁠ has a Rosé, a Pinot Grigio and a Wine Enthusiast Best Buy Pinot Noir, all under $15 a bottle. Available at local wine stores and UBS Arena. Visit ⁠⁠Lighthousehockey.com⁠⁠ for the most up-to-date Islanders news and discussion. Islanders Anxiety podcasts are part of the Fans First Sports Network (⁠⁠@FansFirstSN⁠⁠). Our theme is "Morning Haze" by Family Dinner. Hear more of their music ⁠⁠on Spotify⁠⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Our friend John Muir is back to talk about three hockey cards of inaugural Islanders he came across in an unlikely location. While on a hunt for Pokémon cards with his kids, John found some NHL trading cards from 1972 that captured the soon-to-be-hapless Islanders in all their haplessness. One was a depth forward who gave what he could before getting traded just as the team turned the corner. One was a collegiate star whose NHL career never quite took off. And one was a goalie who never actually played for the Islanders, but who once won a major award, outplayed a Hall of Famer, had an even more successful sibling and was traded for a host of other notable netminders. We also throw in a bonus Weird Islander who spent two miserable seasons with them before finding success (and possibly new romantic adventures) somewhere else. We let John and the cards take us on this journey of discovery. Along the way, we discuss the origins of the EBUG, the joys of thrift shopping on vacation and the very real guacamole recipe of a Hollywood horror icon. This is a chill, hang out episode that, while not specifically Halloween-themed, feels like a trick-or-treat bag of random goodies. Thanks again to John for coming on again, and for inspiring the entire episode. And thanks to Chewy's Cards and Collectibles in Indian Trail, NC for providing the cards we spent over an hour discussing. Check them out if you're in the area. Subscribe to our Patreon!⁠ Members get ad-free episodes of all our shows, bonus podcasts, written posts, discounts and much more.Visit our friends: Vintage Ice Hockey for t-shirts, hoodies and jerseys with hundreds of classic hockey logos, as well as the full line of Islanders Anxiety merch. As always our portion of those sales go directly to the Center for Dementia Research. The Pinot Project has a Rosé, a Pinot Grigio and a Wine Enthusiast Best Buy Pinot Noir, all under $15 a bottle. Available at local wine stores and UBS Arena. Visit Lighthousehockey.com for the most up-to-date Islanders news and discussion. Islanders Anxiety podcasts are part of the Fans First Sports Network (@FansFirstSN). Our theme is "Knuckles" by Björn Falk. Hear more of his music on Spotify and at Bandcamp. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mike and Dan discuss an eventful week for the Islanders including wins, a loss, another good rookie, a guy lost for the season, a coach firing and an All Star event canceled. The team righted its ship with two big wins, one eliciting a now-iconic quote from its star rookie. After a rare blow out victory, they lost a chippy shootout matinee that saw the introduction of another first year player who might have a future with the club. All three games had some good, some bad and some dumb, but overall put them back into the mix after a poor start. In between, Pierre Engvall was lost for the season after ankle surgery and Piero Greco was relieved of his duties as goaltending coach. Neither was surprising and might end up being good things for all parties. In the second half, we look ahead to a challenging week of tough games and division opponents. The Islanders will need to continue to pick up wins (the earlier, the better) and learn how to play some defense if they want to get out alive. We also discuss the cancelation of whatever Olympic Kick-Off event was going to happen at UBS Arena during the All Star break, which should never have been scheduled or announced in the first place. Finally, we praise a new YouTube documentary on the 2006-07 Islanders called "The Last Days of Bedlam" by our friend Pinholes Graham that everyone should watch right away. Subscribe to our Patreon!⁠ Members get ad-free episodes of all our shows, bonus podcasts, written posts, discounts and much more. Visit our friends ⁠⁠Vintage Ice Hockey⁠⁠ for t-shirts, hoodies and jerseys with hundreds of classic hockey logos, as well as ⁠⁠the full line of Islanders Anxiety merch⁠⁠. As always our portion of those sales go directly to the Center for Dementia Research. ⁠⁠The Pinot Project⁠⁠ has a Rosé, a Pinot Grigio and a Wine Enthusiast Best Buy Pinot Noir, all under $15 a bottle. Available at local wine stores and UBS Arena. Visit ⁠⁠Lighthousehockey.com⁠⁠ for the most up-to-date Islanders news and discussion. Islanders Anxiety podcasts are part of the Fans First Sports Network (⁠⁠@FansFirstSN⁠⁠). Our theme is "Morning Haze" by Family Dinner. Hear more of their music ⁠⁠on Spotify⁠⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mike and Dan recap the Islanders' exciting first two wins of the season and the warts that are still very evident in their play so far. For a little while, they were 0-3 and staring down a quickly lost season. But two wins - neither perfect, but gutty and pesky - helped everyone breath easy for a little bit and gave the Islanders a chance to rejoin the rest of the NHL before it got too late. They took advantage of an out-of-sorts Oilers team at home, then outlasted a Senators squad on the road in a defensive clown show. Both were badly needed and had heroes and goats that will either be leaned on or replaced as the season goes. We don't need the Islanders to be great. We need them to at least not be aggravating. This week, they were more of the latter than the former. In the second half, we look ahead to a week that could get them to .500 or beyond with a little effort. We also talk about their newest post-win prize and how it feels good to have some goofy fun again (with a totem that's wired directly into Dan's brain). Finally, we reluctantly bring you another edition of Master Leaf Theatre, that acts as a second chapter to last week's installment. We don't want to go to this well too often. But some wells are far too easy to drink from. Subscribe to our Patreon!⁠ Members get ad-free episodes of all our shows, bonus podcasts, written posts, discounts and much more. Visit our friends ⁠⁠Vintage Ice Hockey⁠⁠ for t-shirts, hoodies and jerseys with hundreds of classic hockey logos, as well as ⁠⁠the full line of Islanders Anxiety merch⁠⁠. As always our portion of those sales go directly to the Center for Dementia Research. ⁠⁠The Pinot Project⁠⁠ has a Rosé, a Pinot Grigio and a Wine Enthusiast Best Buy Pinot Noir, all under $15 a bottle. Available at local wine stores and UBS Arena. Visit ⁠⁠Lighthousehockey.com⁠⁠ for the most up-to-date Islanders news and discussion. Islanders Anxiety podcasts are part of the Fans First Sports Network (⁠⁠@FansFirstSN⁠⁠). Our theme is "Morning Haze" by Family Dinner. Hear more of their music ⁠⁠on Spotify⁠⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mike and Dan begin Season 5 of Weird Islanders: The Podcast! by talking to affable one-game Islander Cory Schneider about his great NHL career and path to Long Island. From a standout career at BU to a run with a great Canucks team to a monster trade to New Jersey to years in the AHL, Cory Schneider provided excellent goaltending wherever he played for 13 seasons. All the while, he managed to keep his sense of humor and gratitude about the entire experience. We ask him about all of these stops, some of the relationships he made with teammates and managers along the way, and of course his final years with the Islanders and transitioning to more of a mentor role while winning his final NHL game against the team he had the most success for. We also ask him about his budding broadcasting career and podcast with friend and former teammate Brian Boyle, and he BLOWS THE LID off a secret about MSG Network that we've always had our suspicions about. Cory is someone we've wanted to have on the show for some time and the reasons why are made clear here. He's funny, has an unbelievable memory and has always felt like a perfect fit for the Islanders. He even does impressions! As with other former Islanders we've had or will have on, we wanted to know more about the experience of being a New York Islander and how it compares or differs from our experiences rooting for the team on the outside, and he didn't disappoint. We can't thank Cory enough for joining us and giving us way more time than we deserved. He was everything we could have asked for and more, and he was the perfect guest to kick off Season Five of Weird Islanders: The Podcast! Join us for the rest of the season for more great episodes, great guests and, maybe, even another ex-Islander. And be sure to check out the first episode of Weird Islanders Extra!, where Mike and Dan discuss how the interview with Cory and our interview last season with former Islander Deron Quint came about. We'll be releasing more bonus Weird Islanders Extra! episodes throughout the season, exclusively at our Patreon. (Since recording, it's been announced that Schneider will be covering Devils games this season. We wish him luck and hope to see him back on Islanders broadcasts at some point again). Subscribe to our Patreon!⁠ Members get ad-free episodes of all our shows, bonus podcasts, written posts, discounts and much more. Visit our friends: Vintage Ice Hockey for t-shirts, hoodies and jerseys with hundreds of classic hockey logos, as well as the full line of Islanders Anxiety merch. As always our portion of those sales go directly to the Center for Dementia Research. The Pinot Project has a Rosé, a Pinot Grigio and a Wine Enthusiast Best Buy Pinot Noir, all under $15 a bottle. Available at local wine stores and UBS Arena. Visit Lighthousehockey.com for the most up-to-date Islanders news and discussion. Islanders Anxiety podcasts are part of the Fans First Sports Network (@FansFirstSN). Our theme is "Knuckles" by Björn Falk. Hear more of his music on Spotify and at Bandcamp. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mike and Dan recap the Islanders' first two games of the season, which were mostly bad except for two new guys who were actually trying to win. We asked them for a couple of wins, something they haven't started a campaign with in ages. They did not do that, losing in Pittsburgh and against Washington in their home opener. Long stretches of both games featured familiar problems and a general lack of energy, which sapped a lot of the excitement out of what should be an exciting time. But Matthew Schaefer didn't get the memo. His performances - especially in Game 2, where he scored his first NHL goal - proved that he is already the team's best player and biggest reason to watch. He played the game in a way we've never seen, streaking down the ice and trying to make something, anything - a goal, a scoring chance, a shift in momentum - happen. While his older, established teammates took one or two periods to get going, the kid who turned 18 three weeks ago was leading the way. That's fantastic for him and a bad look for everyone else. Shout out to Max Shabanov, the other guy who apparently hasn't been invited to the Country Club yet. After talking about the loses and (mostly) Schaefer, we turn to the next few games, all against Canadian teams and all presenting more opportunities for the Islanders to either get right or show they might not have it this season. That might not be a bad thing overall, but it's going to get very old very quickly. Finally, we go to our first edition of Master Leaf Theatre this season. It's earlier than we expected but the passage was too good to pass up. Subscribe to our Patreon!⁠ Members get ad-free episodes of all our shows, bonus podcasts, written posts, discounts and much more. Try a free 7-Day trial of our Country Club tier to sample what we offer. Visit our friends ⁠⁠Vintage Ice Hockey⁠⁠ for t-shirts, hoodies and jerseys with hundreds of classic hockey logos, as well as ⁠⁠the full line of Islanders Anxiety merch⁠⁠. As always our portion of those sales go directly to the Center for Dementia Research. ⁠⁠The Pinot Project⁠⁠ has a Rosé, a Pinot Grigio and a Wine Enthusiast Best Buy Pinot Noir, all under $15 a bottle. Available at local wine stores and UBS Arena. Visit ⁠⁠Lighthousehockey.com⁠⁠ for the most up-to-date Islanders news and discussion. Islanders Anxiety podcasts are part of the Fans First Sports Network (⁠⁠@FansFirstSN⁠⁠). Our theme is "Morning Haze" by Family Dinner. Hear more of their music ⁠⁠on Spotify⁠⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mike and Dan are back to discuss a new Islanders season with a slightly different vibe than other recent campaigns (but no less unpredictable). After running down some of training camp and the preseason, we get to our biggest fears and worries about this season. From back-up goalie concerns to coaching doubts to the status of the team's once stout defense, there's a lot to be bothered by before the games even start. While some think there might be a resurgence, others see a team not good enough to win but not bad enough to win the lottery (even though they just did). It's an impossible season to predict so we're keeping our expectations open... until the losses start happening. We also look at the first two games of the season against division rivals Pittsburgh and Washington. How the Islanders perform in both games will give us a clear indication of how the season is going to play out. Two wins would be huge. Two losses would be crushing. Either way, we'll look out for the tendencies we should get used to going foward. We also give more of our annual Oddly Specific Predictions, some of which involve trades, annoyances and possible PTA meetings. We talk a little about a baseball guy who doesn't watch hockey (big shocker, there) and reflect on 10 years of Islanders Anxiety. We love getting together for these episodes, which are a perfect mix of both of us. And we thank you so much for coming along and joining us, whether you've been with us the whole time or tuning in to your first episode right now. Subscribe to our Patreon!⁠ Members get ad-free episodes of the shows, bonus podcasts, written posts, discounts and much more. Visit our friends ⁠⁠Vintage Ice Hockey⁠⁠ for t-shirts, hoodies and jerseys with hundreds of classic hockey logos, as well as ⁠⁠the full line of Islanders Anxiety merch⁠⁠. As always our portion of those sales go directly to the Center for Dementia Research. ⁠⁠The Pinot Project⁠⁠ has a Rosé, a Pinot Grigio and a Wine Enthusiast Best Buy Pinot Noir, all under $15 a bottle. Available at local wine stores and UBS Arena. Visit ⁠⁠Lighthousehockey.com⁠⁠ for the most up-to-date Islanders news and discussion. Islanders Anxiety podcasts are part of the Fans First Sports Network (⁠⁠@FansFirstSN⁠⁠). Our theme is "Morning Haze" by Family Dinner. Hear more of their music ⁠⁠on Spotify⁠⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Islanders Anxiety will return for it's 10th Season (!) on Monday, October 6th! If you can't wait that long, head over to Patreon.com/IslandersAnxiety and sign up for our Country Club tier to hear all the stuff we released throughout the summer, like our Monthly Mail Bag podcasts, Country Club Atmosphere podcasts and some other fun shows. Thanks for sticking with us and we'll see you on Oct. 6. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Please enjoy this sample of our latest Monthly Mail Bag podcast, available exclusively at our Patreon. In our last edition, we had a bunch of questions about Matthew Schaefer. Should the new star defenseman start in the NHL, go the college route or head back to junior? More importantly, which ex- or current Islander should he live with during his rookie season? And will he or one of his fellow prospects break our hearts? If you like what you hear and want to hear the full Mail Bag episode, subscribe to our Patreon.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Members get ad-free episodes of the shows, bonus podcasts, written posts and much more. Or follow us for free to get announcements and our weekly release calendar. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mike and Dan recap another busy week for the Islanders, with free agent signings, a prospect camp and other energizing events to keep us buzzing through the summer. The Islanders started free agency by giving big money to Alexander Romanov and retaining Tony DeAngelo, two somewhat surprising moves that had fans shaking their heads. But as the signing window opened, some tidy pieces of business emerged: team-friendly deals for Simon Holmstrom and new guy Emil Heineman, an actual NHL backup goalie in David Rittich and a potential homerun in forward Jonathan Drouin. Finally, they snagged sought-after Russian import Maxim Shabanov, who saw the Islanders as the best fit for him. Suddenly, a pattern was formed of risk-free short-term deals that should help next year's roster. Meanwhile, the future continues to look bright after their first prospect camp in seven years let a new batch of Uncles grab some of the spotlight. Matthew Schaefer, Cole Eiserman, Isaiah George and others got to flash some skills and personality in front of clamoring fans, and saw the passion they can look forward to as full time Islanders. It was a surprisingly inspiring time and let us head into the offseason feeling good. Finally, we take a tour around the NHL at some of the notable free agents who signed elsewhere and say good bye to the awful TSN Free Agent Frenzy Show (and, unfortunately, the wonderful Bob McKenzie). Thank you all very much for listening this season. This is the season finale but Country Club tier members at the Patreon will get content all summer long including a special standalone Master Leaf Theatre releasing next Wednesday. Subscribe to our Patreon!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Members get ad-free episodes of the shows, bonus podcasts, written posts and much more. Or follow us for free to get announcements and our weekly release calendar. Visit our friends ⁠⁠Vintage Ice Hockey⁠⁠ for t-shirts, hoodies and jerseys with hundreds of classic hockey logos, as well as ⁠⁠the full line of Islanders Anxiety merch⁠⁠. As always our portion of those sales go directly to the Center for Dementia Research. ⁠⁠The Pinot Project⁠⁠ has a Rosé, a Pinot Grigio and a Wine Enthusiast Best Buy Pinot Noir, all under $15 a bottle. Available at local wine stores and UBS Arena. Visit ⁠⁠Lighthousehockey.com⁠⁠ for the most up-to-date Islanders news and discussion. Islanders Anxiety podcasts are part of the Fans First Sports Network (⁠⁠@FansFirstSN⁠⁠). Our theme is "Morning Haze" by Family Dinner. Hear more of their music ⁠⁠on Spotify⁠⁠, including their new album "God Looks Out for Fools." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mike and Dan recap a busy weekend of trades, a draft, signings and some clarity in the Islanders direction. There's so much to discuss that it's easy to forget that the Islanders drafted Matthew Schaefer - the No. 1 rated prospect in the 2025 NHL Entry Draft, a singular defenseman and an exemplary human - first overall. Schaefer's introduction to Long Island has already been an event, and he hasn't even played a game for them yet. Had they simply walked out of Friday's draft with just him, it would have been considered a win. But before the draft, GM Mathieu Darche made a huge decision, trading defenseman Noah Dobson to Montreal for a pair of first round picks and depth forward Emil Heineman. The move shocked even those who expected it and wasn't met with universal praise from Islanders fans, who saw the team's best blueliner leave for futures and sign with the Canadiens for eight years. As we've learned more, it seems as if the player had a lot of leverage and Darche did the best he could. The trade also set fans up for what they thought was a second shocking move. And while drafting James Hagens didn't materialize, Darche did use the Habs' picks to get two highly-touted prospects in winger Victor Eklund and defenseman Kashawn Aitcheson, as well as even more rated prospects in Day 2. They've been getting great marks from the Prospect Perverts and Draft Grifters, which is better than getting raked over the coals. More than anything, it means that development has become a focus again after too many years of stitching the ship back together and hoping it still floats. In the last segment, we discuss two Bridgeport signings (one very surprising), the team's Restricted Free Agents outlook and take a stab at some Unrestricted Free Agents they might take a run at. There's a lot to digest before Tuesday at noon when free agency begins. Subscribe to our Patreon!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Members get ad-free episodes of the shows, bonus podcasts, written posts and much more. Or follow us for free to get announcements and our weekly release calendar.Visit our friends ⁠⁠Vintage Ice Hockey⁠⁠ for t-shirts, hoodies and jerseys with hundreds of classic hockey logos, as well as ⁠⁠the full line of Islanders Anxiety merch⁠⁠. As always our portion of those sales go directly to the Center for Dementia Research. ⁠⁠The Pinot Project⁠⁠ has a Rosé, a Pinot Grigio and a Wine Enthusiast Best Buy Pinot Noir, all under $15 a bottle. Available at local wine stores and UBS Arena. Visit ⁠⁠Lighthousehockey.com⁠⁠ for the most up-to-date Islanders news and discussion. Islanders Anxiety podcasts are part of the Fans First Sports Network (⁠⁠@FansFirstSN⁠⁠). Our theme is "Morning Haze" by Family Dinner. Hear more of their music ⁠⁠on Spotify⁠⁠, including their new album "God Looks Out for Fools." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Our friend and favorite ex-Nassau Coliseum usher Matt Kammerer joins us from his hot tub to crown the second ever Weirdest Islander of the Year. This season's chase came down to two men, although our winner was more than deserving of the honor. The circumstances that brought him to the Islanders were unique and presented an opportunity that he took and ran with. Based on his career and reputation, none of us ever saw him ever playing for the team. But once he did arrive, he gave them something we hadn't seen in this manic season: a totally normal performance from a defenseman. He might not be here much longer, but together we learned that hockey normalcy can sometimes come from the most unlikely of sources. Our runner-up also personified the season-long question of, "Where is everybody?" His single performance was brief as it could possibly be, but it was a flashpoint at the time and might still be having some lingering effects as we head into the offseason and the next campaign. Let's hope it's not the only NHL action he sees in his career. The winner of the Weirdest Islander of the Year is awarded the Don Cutts Trophy for his efforts. And the concept of Weirdest Islander of the Year comes from Patron Will Forthman. The opening clip was from Weird Islanders: The Podcast - Episode 50 - The Weirdest Islander of the Year 2024. Thanks again to Matty for coming on, for his humor and his hot tub. Follow him on Twitter at @ExIsledUsher). If you see a man in a Roosevelt Raceway hat tearing up the Flanders Duck one of these days, you'll know who it is. And thank you all for your votes and for listening to Season 4 of Weird Islanders: The Podcast! We got to make some new friends and caught up with some old ones for a great slate of short timers. We'll be back next season for more (and, hopefully, more ex-Islanders as well). WEIRDEST ISLANDER OF THE YEAR: 2024 - Robert Bortuzzo 2025 - ??? Subscribe to our Patreon! Members get ad-free episodes of all our shows, bonus podcasts, written posts, discounts and much more. Visit our friends: Vintage Ice Hockey for t-shirts, hoodies and jerseys with hundreds of classic hockey logos, and our Al Arbour and The Island merch which benefit dementia research. Use the code ANXIETY20 to save 20% off an order of two items. The Pinot Project has a Rosé, a Pinot Grigio and a Wine Enthusiast Best Buy Pinot Noir, all under $15 a bottle. Available at local wine stores and UBS Arena. Visit Lighthousehockey.com for the most up-to-date Islanders news and discussion. Islanders Anxiety podcasts are part of the Fans First Sports Network (@FansFirstSN). Our theme is "Knuckles" by Björn Falk. Hear more of his music on Spotify and at Bandcamp. Drum sfx via Zapsplat.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Joined by Hockey Night in New York's Sean Cuthbert, Mike and Dan "examine" the Islanders' new hires and a potpourri of different subjects. It's been quiet around the Islanders lately while still-new GM Mathieu Darche conducts his business. But the team has announced some fresh blood in the form of new assistant coaches Ray Bennett and Bob Boughner and most recently, new assistant GM/Director of Player Personnel Ryan Bowness. We have no idea what these guys will do with the Islanders but their hirings give us a chance to laugh about bad penalty kills, penalty minute trivia and the Ghosts of Assistant Coaches Past (shout out to the great Jacques LaPerriere). In the second half, we look at the draft one more time as the Islanders' moment in the spotlight nears (but not fast enough). Can they get both Matthew Schaeffer and James Hagens? Is this all a conspiracy against the Islanders? How can this all go wrong? We also talk about changes the team can make beyond the roster to give them a higher profile than they were allowed under the previous regime. We want more organ music and less Empire State Building, unless Sparky is climbing it like King Kong. Thanks again to Sean for coming on. Follow him wherever and keep an eye out for Hockey Night in New York on Twitch, YouTube and wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe to our Patreon!⁠⁠⁠⁠ Members get ad-free episodes of the shows, bonus podcasts, written posts and much more. Or follow us for free to get announcements and our weekly release calendar. Visit our friends: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Vintage Ice Hockey⁠⁠⁠⁠ for t-shirts, hoodies and jerseys with hundreds of classic hockey logos, as well as ⁠⁠⁠⁠the full line of Islanders Anxiety merch⁠⁠⁠⁠. As always our portion of those sales go directly to the Center for Dementia Research. ⁠⁠⁠⁠The Pinot Project⁠⁠⁠⁠ has a Rosé, a Pinot Grigio and a Wine Enthusiast Best Buy Pinot Noir, all under $15 a bottle. Available at local wine stores and UBS Arena. Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠Lighthousehockey.com⁠⁠⁠⁠ for the most up-to-date Islanders news and discussion. Islanders Anxiety podcasts are part of the Fans First Sports Network (⁠⁠⁠⁠@FansFirstSN⁠⁠⁠⁠). Our theme is "Morning Haze" by Family Dinner. Hear more of their music ⁠⁠⁠⁠on Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠, including their new album "God Looks Out for Fools." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Along with Will Stevens of Isles Meet Ups NYC we celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Islanders' sojourn to Brooklyn's Barclays Center and some of the players we connect to that era. In October of 2012, the Islanders announced that they would start play in Barclays Center for the 2015-16 season, ending 40+ years of glory and struggle at Nassau Coliseum. Even the most hardened haters were encouraged by the news... for about five minutes. Before they moved into the corner of Flatbush and Atlantic Avenues, there were already problems; building was critiqued and criticized, the people in charge didn't have a clue, and the fans weren't happy while the players tried to make the best of it. It wasn't long before an exit strategy - which turned into UBS Arena, back on Long Island - was needed. Still, we have a lot of nostalgia for this very strange period in franchise history, especially for some players who made their only appearances with the Islanders during it. Whether they were disappointing trade deadline acquisitions, "veteran" presences, minor league call ups or constant healthy scratches, these players best represent the bastardized, black-clad, hipster bearded, Brooklyn version of the Islanders that, in spite of everything working against it, actually had some success. Thanks again to Will for not only chatting but coming to us with the idea for this super duper-sized walk down Memory Lane. You can follow the Isles Meet Up groups on Instagram, Twitter or Facebook to find the one closest to you. Subscribe to our Patreon!⁠⁠⁠⁠ Members get ad-free episodes of the shows, bonus podcasts, written posts and much more. Or follow us for free to get announcements and our weekly release calendar. Visit our friends: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Vintage Ice Hockey⁠⁠⁠⁠ for t-shirts, hoodies and jerseys with hundreds of classic hockey logos, as well as ⁠⁠⁠⁠the full line of Islanders Anxiety merch⁠⁠⁠⁠. As always our portion of those sales go directly to the Center for Dementia Research. ⁠⁠⁠⁠The Pinot Project⁠⁠⁠⁠ has a Rosé, a Pinot Grigio and a Wine Enthusiast Best Buy Pinot Noir, all under $15 a bottle. Available at local wine stores and UBS Arena. Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠Lighthousehockey.com⁠⁠⁠⁠ for the most up-to-date Islanders news and discussion. Islanders Anxiety podcasts are part of the Fans First Sports Network (⁠⁠⁠⁠@FansFirstSN⁠⁠⁠⁠). Our theme is "Knuckles" by Björn Falk. Hear more of his music on ⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠ and at ⁠⁠⁠Bandcamp⁠⁠⁠. Drum sfx via ⁠⁠⁠Zapsplat.com⁠⁠⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices