While recording an upcoming episode of Weird Islanders: The Podcast! we had a great conversation with guest John Cullen about Islanders' fans continued vitriol towards former captain John Tavares.

John tries to better understand where Islanders fans get their hatred from by asking how it all came to this. Clearly, Mike and Dan still have a lot of feelings about it and the many people who made that time period so traumatic for them. They try get out as much as they can while also learning how to better communicate it all. It's hard to tell how swayed John is, but perhaps his own feelings about former Maple Leaf Mitch Marner, as his return with Vegas Golden Knights draws near, will make him sympathize with Islanders fans more.

With the Islanders hosting Toronto this weekend, it seemed better to release this Weird Islanders Extra! bonus episode now rather than wait for John's full episode to run, which will be in February during the Olympics. John is a great guy who's part of a lot of entertaining projects, so follow him at @CullenTheComic on Instagram and listen to his podcasts, Broomgate, A Curling Scandal, What is...? A Jeopardy! Podcast, The POD Kast and Blocked Party. He'll also be covering curling at the Olympics for CBC and his book Curling Rocks! will be out on February 3rd.

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Mike and Dan look back at a week that was great for the Islanders until it wasn't, and an annoying week ahead.

With wins over the Devils and Rangers on either side of the Christmas break, the Islanders gave their fans a great holiday. Whether it was a surprise game-winning goal from Adam Pelech or an incredible performance by David Rittich against a team of scumbags and nobodies, there was a lot to like. Sunday's game in Columbus looked as if it might be another reason to smile but in a one-minute-plus span in the third period, those feelings got wiped away. The Islanders ran out of gas and missed out on two points, but we award Rittich with a brand new weekly prize for his efforts.

The upcoming week features two winnable games against wounded Western Conference opponents and another meeting with the hated Maple Leafs at UBS Arena. This one is going to be more annoying than usual as it's the first meeting of the last two Islanders to be drafted first overall. But while John Tavares does his usual classy thing and gets fawned over by The Weirdest Media Circus in All of Sports, Matthew Schaefer might be coming face-to-face with his past as a Leafs fan. We can only hope that someone (ahem... Matt Martin?) teaches him about the significance of these games for Islanders Fans. We bring forth a brand new Master Leaf Theatre to remind us that things are different up there.

⁠⁠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.

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Joined by friend Matt Strauss, we remember two modern Weird Islanders who felt like they were around more than they actually were; Parker Wotherspoon because of his many years in the AHL and Dmytro Timashov because of how he came to the Islanders.

Parker Wotherspoon is not an exciting player. As a defensive defenseman, his value is in doing his job effectively and without notice. After almost 300 games in the minors, he finally got a chance in NHL and got to play in his hometown, where picked up his only point with the Islanders before was sent back down again. But he emerged the next season - and is currently - giving other teams the kind of defensive stability the Islanders, frankly, could use a little of right now. We recount his short time in blue-and-orange and the few memorable moments he had.

Dmytro Timashov was an exciting player - for a moment, at least, and in a city that makes a big deal out of any tiny thing that seems to have some kind of juice. But his Islanders tenure was even shorter than Wotherspoon's, and whatever we thought he would be, he wasn't. What he lacked in longevity, Timashov made up for in bizarreness, so at least we have that.

We thank Matt again for coming on and picking two great current Weird Islanders. Check out the Weird Islanders Extra! bonus episode right behind this one, to hear more about Matt's work at Pitchfork and our debate on the Islanders goal song.

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.

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Mike and Dan lament the Islanders three loses last week and how poorly they looked through most of them, before discussing a recent article about growing the team's fanbase.

Losing three games because one of your best players is hurt is one thing. Looking like you forgot how to play hockey is something entirely different. That was how the Islanders' week went, with seven plus periods of chasing other teams around the ice and generally looking sloppy, slow and tired. They salvaged half of one game and got a point, and the standings didn't totally get away from them, but they'll need better performances from a lot of players down the lineup if they're going to right their course. That starts with three games against division rivals this week and whether they have Bo Horvat back or not.

In the second half, we also have a lengthy discussion about a Newsday article in which the team's head of business operations Kelly Cheeseman talks about their plans for expanding the team's customer base. It's a lot of marketing speak that, while perhaps technically true, seems to be disconnected from the actual fans they're trying to reach. Islanders fans are a unique group, and understanding how the existing fan thinks would be a great first step in getting new fans to sign up.

Finally, we have a good laugh at the New York Rangers MSG broadcast, which didn't show the in-arena tribute videos for Chris Kreider and Jakob Trouba to home audiences. That's some bush league stuff from a world class grudge holder, but let's hear from Rangers fans about how they feel (Example: "Had to get in their fan duel commercials.").

⁠⁠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.

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Mike and Dan recap the Islanders' week of winning shootouts (!) and the big trades that went down in the NHL before the weekend.

When was the last time the Islanders won two shootouts in the same week? With the same guy scoring both game-winners? Feels like never. We talk about the wins (and blown leads) against Vegas and Tampa Bay, and the big win over Anaheim in the middle. We're glad for the return of Marc Gatcomb and happy to be fully rewired into this fun, proud version of the Islanders. It was a fun week to be an fan, and even more fun to be in the building as they inducted Pat LaFontaine into the team's Hall of Fame, and Mike and his family celebrated his dad's birthday.

We also look ahead to a week of winnable games and discuss the Penguins and Oilers swapping goalies and the Minnesota Wild getting Quinn Hughes.

⁠⁠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.

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We welcome back our friend Joe Buono of IslesFix to rediscover Mathieu Schneider, an excellent defenseman who made a big impact on the Islanders in a surprisingly short period of time.

The "other" piece of the disastrous Kirk Muller trade, Schneider was a born-and-bred New Yorker and the rare player who actually looked forward to coming to Long Island in the mid-1990's. After winning a Stanley Cup with the Canadiens and gaining headlines for calling out NHL commissioner Gary Bettman before the 1995 lockout, Schneider seemed like a big get for the Islanders and was a popular player among fans, many of whom were also members of the Jewish faith. He was their All Star Game representative in 1996, an alternate (and sometimes temporary) captain and productive all-around player. But then, just like that, he was gone in another big trade that sent yet another All Star away (but at least brought back a couple of future ones).

Along with Joe, we discuss Schneider's high standing among fans of this time, some of his standout moments on the ice and the quietly impactful NHL career he had a for a long list of teams and even after retirement. We also run down some other Islanders All Stars who were weird for various reasons.

Thanks again to Joe for coming on, it's always a pleasure talking to him. If you're not already signed up for the IslesFix newsletter for some reason, fix that immediately.

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

This is a special bonus for listeners on the main feed. If you enjoy the show, please consider subscribing at Patreon.com/IslandersAnxiety for more.

Mike and Dan pay tribute to late New York Post hockey columnist Larry Brooks and more of their favorite sportswriters.

Brooks passed away at 75 after a short battle with cancer. He leaves behind a long legacy as one of the most unique and important voices in New York hockey. No matter what team you rooted for, or whether he made you think or drove you crazy, his Sunday Slapshots column was required reading. He was a fierce critic of (and cheerleader for) the Rangers, but was also staunchly pro-players and the NHLPA, and had a deep love and appreciation for the dynastic Islanders who he considered the best team of their generation.

We also discuss other sportswriters who have shaped our love of the sport throughout our lives. First, of course, is Stan Fischler, who is still covering the NHL at 93-years-old and living abroad. Stan, like Larry, was a voice unlike any other, especially at a time when the league was made up of a dozen teams or less. If you only know Stan from his TV work with the Islanders, you've only barely scratched the surface of what he's done over his 70+ year career in hockey and what makes him Hall of Fame-worthy (even if the actual Hall of Fame hasn't recognized him yet). We also celebrate Stan's late wife Shirley, who was a pioneer for female sportswriters and fought many battles to do a job she knew she was good at.

Thank you for your continued support of Islanders Anxiety. We hope you accept this rare hockey-centric episode and enjoy our small tribute to a man who's writing will be dearly missed by us.

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Mike and Dan enjoy being proven wrong by the Islanders, who won three of their tough games this week before losing to the Panthers on Sunday afternoon.

Last week, things were not looking good. The Islanders had squandered much of their homestand on losses and had a run of games against recent Stanley Cup champions on the horizon. But using a more balanced attack - including from a new, actual fourth line - and some dominant goaltending, they beat Tampa Bay twice and Colorado, who had only lost once this season. The games against the Lightning and Avalanche were some of the most fun this season, even if Saturday's 2-0 win at [whatever it's called] Arena in Tampa was also nerve-wracking. Even Adam Pelech, of all people, got in on the scoring fun. The games were so good for our psyche that losing to the Panthers in a sludgy Sunday matinee didn't even bother us.

In the second half, we look at tricky upcoming games against the Golden Knights, Ducks and Lightning - again! - for the final time this season. They can win them if they keep using their new identity. We also discuss the delights of Brock Nelson's return to UBS Arena and the induction of Pat LaFontaine into the Islanders Hall of Fame coming up on Saturday. Finally, we thank you for letting us do this for 350 episodes (so far) and for giving us another great year of growth and laughs. We hope you're having as good a time as are.

⁠⁠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 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.

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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