Had the “ISLANDER” version of the New York Hockey Report last night… Had a lot of fun. Unfortunately, I did it solo, because my buddy, Patrick Hickey did not make it.

However, I had Billy Jaffe as my guest. We had a nice 20 minute conversation, about all things Islander, as well as the coverage he had during the playoffs.

Thanks Billy, I really enjoyed our conversation, and I know that I can get him again…

So - we believe the following:

1. Filatov is on the radar screen big time… I hope he comes.

2. Dubie should land in a good spot (we are hoping for Vancouver for his sake - being close to home).

3. JM Liles would be a nice fit for the team.

4. Billy would like the team to be younger, and build that way…

Had a lot of IM’s and messages from folks.. It was a great time… Thanks to all for listening!

Tomorrow is the draft party at the Coliseum. Garth is off to Ottawa with a bunch of jerseys… Which one will he give to the next pick? Tune in and find out.

Randolph.. should he have been let go? I dont think so. This team is an embarassment! I want to say more, but I want this blog to be PG rated.

I just hope that the team rebounds… (They have won 3 out of 4 - so that is a step in the right direction)

If you are at the draft party tomorrow - say hi!

Garth Snow is visiting the NYI Booster Club meeting tonight - along with Paul Lancey of the Lighthous foundation.

Looking forward to hearing his thoughts for the summer and next year. I am interested to see what direction the team is looking to go.

I was unable to make the town meeting last night, so I know that information will be a repeat to some, but it was real nice that Garth was able to give us some time as well.

We are going to get updates from the Lighthouse project. I got to see a glimpse of this before it went to the public a few weeks ago. I am real excited about it. The thought of having a building that will be helpful to not only give us better access, but a showplace for the Island…

Will write more tomorrow about the meeting..

Chris Campoli was a real great guest last night.  Definitely not as vocal or as charismatic as his roommate Bruno, but he holds his own rather nicely.

He told the crowd a lot about his background, his home life (especially when his family were disagreeing over who should have won the last game of the season last year, Devils (for Toronto) or the Isles.

He also gave some good insights into the locker room, and how the new guys are handling themselves.  He was honest and forthright, and was indeed a pleasure to listen to.

He also told us what fun he had the other day playing “Fireman” with Bruno.

If you tune into the NY Hockey Report tonight (www.blogtalkradio/nyhockeyreport) at 9:00 sharp, you will hear an excerpt from the meeting.  If you wish to call the show, please call (646) 716-7209.

Hope to hear you on the show tonight…. Should be fun.

Interesting news in Atlanta –> Hartley fired after going 0-6.  Win a division one year, get slammed two weeks into the next season.  How can that team start THAT BAD????  Makes you go hmmmmm????

And in Soccer news, I can not believe that England lost to Russia 2-1 today for Euro 2008!!!!!   Just the fact that England had to play on a “Astro Turf” field that made the old Giants Stadium turf feel like Augusta National…. Ugh, now my England lads need some help to get to play on…. Come’on England!

For me, this is the time of the year, that I start thinking hockey.  The summer months are usually about baseball, and the Mets and Ducks did their job of keeping my interest up.  Their respective seasons have provided enough to get the pulse going.

Hockey is back!

Although the month of July has brought many an emotion to me, it really begins, when I arrive at an annual August event.  The NHL Booster Club convention is a social gathering, with the job of interaction between fans of other teams.  This year, the Flyers fan club are the gracious hosts.  We are actually in King of Prussia, PA, and a good time is being had by all.

Since their colors are black and orange, the theme for last night was HALLOWEEN.  Costumes all over, and quite interesting to say the least.  The NYIBC crew went the simple route.  We all had tombstones on our chest, with various sayings, from Milbury, to the fisherman logo, to Yashin getting laid, we had a fun time without the makeup and heavy costumes that tend be needed on a holiday like this.

Today, is our annual meeting, which is just another reason to hang out.  And tonight it is a dinner with your jerseys, celebrating the game we love so much.  I will try to get pictures on the blog soon.

And the Islanders made some news with the signing of defense Andy Sutton from Atlanta for a 3 year, 9 million.  The 6 6, 245 mammoth, is a great shot blocker and can provide a good 2-way play.  He will definitely fill the void that was lost when Sean Hill went to Minny.

I think as far as the defense is concerned, we are in good shape.  I think that the roles of Campy and Bruno are needed to be extended and highlighted this season.  Martinek is another important piece.  This is the year, that we need an 80 game contribution from him.

According to Eklund, we are still in the hunt for another person.  And Peca may be a Ranger.  I know some people may rip the name off of the back of their jerseys.

Well - another day at the convention is upon me - speak later.  Cheers!

What a great meeting.

Articlulate, knowledgable, very funny.  All of the qualities of a great person, as well as a great hockey player.  That sums up the meeting with Mike Sillinger last night at the Long Island Marriott.

Someone in the crowd who heard Mike comment about a beer in one of his responses, decided to provide Mike with a sample.

It was a great meeting.  For members of the club, there will be a newsletter coming out in the next 10 days or so, which will have a breakdown of the meeting.

The next meeting is March 6th.  Details will follow.

The Booster Club are also the official voters of the Bobby Nystrom award.  We will have the voting up on our site around March 1st.

For more information, visit www.nyiboosterclub.org

Mike is coming tonight…. What an ironic tale.  Should be fun.  Check out the site tomorrow.

Also - kudos to a Pittsburgh blog, http://igloodreams.blogspot.com/ who mentioned this blog yesterday.

Remember folks, we are all HOCKEY fans first, then root for our teams second.  Check it out - it seems like a nice site….

G

Last night was our final Booster Club meeting for the calendar year.  We were supposed to have Chris Campoli as our guest, but he is currently in Bridgeport.  So, in a last minute change, Shawn Bates was inserted as our guest.

He was a great guest, and did not disappoint anyone.

He was a little shy and unsure at first, but as he got loose, he opened up and showed a funny and interesting side to the hockey player.

Did you know that he has 20/300 vision in his right eye?  He has had that since a child, so it is a further testament to his abilities to know that he is basically playing with one eye…

He has been chewing his mouthpiece for years, and it is just a habit.  Ask Keith (alias KPMats on the Islander boards about it….) Yarrrrr!

We tried to get some hidden secrets about him and his roommate (Ricky), but he played the good soldier and kept things quiet.  Oh well..

He was a lot of fun, and the Boosters did enjoy his company (even if he is a Red Sox fan — well, you can’t be perfect).

Thanks Shawn for coming, it was a blast!

And speaking of Booster Club meetings, we have gotten some interesting insights about the people that came to our meetings over the years.  The worst one, was from former Islander Todd Bertuzzi.  He is such a wonderful human being.  Remember, his girlfriend at the time (now his wife), complained the Clark Gillies was being too tough on him.  He had  a great comment about his life after hockey:

Why should I worry about what happens after hockey, I am only 22!

We found out the great story on how Peter Laviolette met his wife.  She was a flight attendant on an airline that his team was taking.  He saw her and said that she was going to be his wife.  Sure enough, as Peter can be, when he sets out on something, he gets it.

We had issues like last season, when Alexei Yashin was inadvertently booked to do two things at the same night.  So Alexei did his event in Hauppauge, and then got in his car and flew to the Marriott, because he did not want to disappoint the club.  He came, talked, signed autographs, and took pictures, satisfying everyone that was there.  He had tickets for the Andrea Bocelli concert  as well next door, but made sure that he took care of everyone before he left.  A class act all the way.

We found out about Brad Lukowich’s heave metal habits.  You would never think that he would be a fan of the music by looking at him.  He also told all about his time with the Stanley Cup, which is a dream for every Canadian boy that played hockey.

We have great stories every month of the season, as players, coaches, and other Islanders staff visit the Booster Club.  This year, Islanders TV have been covering the meetings.  Garth’s visit is on the page in a five minute feature on the Club, as well as the full 40 minute version on the Garth Snow show.  Check Islanders TV for future meeting updates.

We are still taking applications for the Club.  You can come to these meetings, take part in charity events, come on trips to Washington and Philadelphia, be on the voting list for the NYSTROM AWARD (only the Booster Club votes for this).  All for just $20 for adults and less for the kids.  You also get a newsletter each month as well and a gift for joining.  For more information, you can check the Booster Club website, which is www.nyiboosterclub.org, or you can see the Boosters between gates 3 and 4 on the concourse.

The New York Islanders Booster Club, 35 years and STILL GOING STRONG! Hopefully tomorrow - I will talk about the Islanders, the 2006-07 Islanders.  Hmm, such an idea! 

See you on the New York Hockey Report tonight at 8:05 PM!

Glenn Healy was always my favorite Islander.  As you saw in yesterday’s post, I kept my Isles 35 license plate.  Gotta love a hockey player that plays bagpipes.

However, there were a bunch of unsung players that I really liked over my Islander watching career.  I will dedicate a paragraph or so to some of them.  So here we go.

1. Anders Kallur - when you look at the Islanders dynasty over the years, you think of Trots, Boss, Potvin, Smitty, etc.  Usually the name Anders Kallur does not come up.  However, in my opinion, he was critical to the overall success of the team.  He played from 1979 to 1985 - and was a pivotal part of the 4 cup victories.  A offensive stalwart in Sweden, he joined the team during cup 1 and scored 36 goals in that season.  Over the rest of his career, he became a checking center, and was crucial in winning faceoffs, and penalty killing.  He left after the 1985 season.  Him and Stefan Persson were the first European trained players to have their name etched on the Stanley Cup.  Anders is now a European scout for the Islanders.  I had the honor of carrying his banner on the 1980 anniversary of the Stanley Cup team.  A nice man, so many people had such nice things to say about him, when we walked to the arena.
2. Steve Thomas - Alias “STUMPY”, this solid player born in the UK, made an immediate fan impact, when he was acquired from the Blackhawks in 1991 with Adam Creighton for Brent Sutter.  Before that, the Toronto raised centerman, came to the NHL through the Maple Leaf System.  It was during his years wearing #32 for the Islanders that he had his best years.  In the magical run of 1992-1993 he had 87 points for the Isles, and took the top line responsilbility when Pierre Turgeon was knocked out by Dale Hunter.  In the next season, he had a career high 42 goals.  After the 1995 season, he went to New Jersey, and his numbers never equaled his years in New York.  He was a key face off guy, the one that would deliver a big blow, or tussle in front of the net.  He did it all, and definitely was a fan fave.  Also - he was in the movie Youngblood, and got a towel whacking from Patrick Swayze.
3. David Volek - A large enigma from now the Czech reublic, Volek burst onto the NHL scene in 1989.  In his rookie season, he made the NHL All Rookie team, scoring 25 goals and 59 points.  Although his numbers stayed consistent, he just never became that player the Isles expected him to be, when he was a late round draft pick in 1984.  However, Volek will be forever remembered by just one goal.  At a time where his play was extremely limited, and in constant bickering with Islander management, Volek was placed back in the lineup with the Turgeon situation.  Then at Game 7 of the Penguin series, he received a pass from Ray Ferraro in overtime, and put the puck past Tom Barrasso to lift the Islanders past the two-time Stanley Cup Champions.  It would be his defining moment as an Islander, because a herniated disk basically ended his career the next season.  He was a scout in the Buffalo system, until becoming a coach in his native Czech republic.

That is it for today.  I will do some more tomorrow.  Have a great day!

If you can, the NYI Booster Club has a meeting tonight, and Shawn Bates is our guest.  Should be a fun night tonight.  Hope to see you there.

Unfortunately, I did not see much of the game last night.  On Tuesday nights, if I am not at a home game, I am bowling at Farmingdale Lanes in my Tuesday night Nite Owls mixed league.

It was a great night on the lanes for me.  I shot a 715 series last night (246-267-200).  I have been struggling all season, and for the last two weeks, I have had my “A” game going.  I had a 620 last week.

I got to listen to the last 10 minutes of the game.  I was watching on the big screen in the bar every chance I got.  However, I really did not see a lot of the game.  From what I heard from Steve and Chris, the team did play well, and Marc-Andre Fleury was definitely the difference.  Andy Hilbert got a shot off (one of his 8 of the day) and the puck was literally millimeters away from tying the game.

Viktor Kozlov, replacing Yashin on the top line, got his 5th of the season, with Jason Blake extending his point scoring streak to six games.  Arron Asham, promoted to the 3rd line, got his second to give the Isles a 2-1 lead in the second stanza.  Colby Armstrong scored his first two goals (one in the first and one in the second) to have the game knotted at two after two.

Newcomer Chris Thorburn got a fluky bank shot past Rick DiPietro early in the third period, which held up for the game winning shot.  Fleury stopped 14 of his 33 saves in the last period.

The team played well, but unfortunately for them, they remain in second in the division, one point behind the Rangers, who got another point via an overtime loss to Atlanta.  The Rangers are two points ahead of the Islanders with two more games played.  The Isles get back to work with the Flyers coming to the Island.  Then back to the Steel City for a Saturday night affair.  The Isles are having a game watching party at the Race Palace in Plainview on Saturday.  Why don’t you stop by and watch the game with some close Islander fan friends.

Listen to the NY Hockey Report tonight.  It will be an Islander themed show. Joe McDonald, the host, is off being the official Rangers Mascot, so Patrick Hickey, the blog writer of the DriveForFive blogspot, will be guest hosting with Derek and myself.  We should have a great time busting on Joe, talking about the Isles, and other stuff.  Hope you can listen.  Also - check out the Face Off Hockey show, which follows us.  Go to www.allinbroadcasting.com and check it out.  They are funny, and always provide some good insight.

See ya.

Gary

Last night, the Islanders GM garth Snow was the guest at the first Islanders Booster Club meeting for 2006-07.

He rocked the house!

He was candid, funny and brought a lot of information to the table about the team, and the life of a new General Manager.  He had some great comments about the team, he is excited about the way they have played of late, and had some interesting insights about some specific issues, especially Nilsson, and Bergenheim, among others.

I will deflect most of my musing on this to Dee Karl (alias the 7th Woman), who will be writing the article for the Booster Club.  This will be posted on the NY Islanders Booster Club web site next week, and will be in the Club Newsletter as well.

He was so impressed by how the club operates and gets involved, that he even JOINED the Club!

Great guest, and stand up guy!

The next meeting of the club, is on Monday, November 13th, at the Long Island Marriott.  We have not officially named the guest, but between you and me, it MAY be a guy that sits behind the players at games, and wears a suit and tie.

But you did NOT hear it from me….

Gary