Mike, Dan and special guest Carey Haber process the emotions of the Islanders losing three straight games and defenseman Ryan Pulock to injury as they open UBA Arena. They talk about how badly the team has looked in losses to the Devils, Lightning and Panthers and whether there are any silver linings. Carey walks them through some underlying numbers that tell where the team is failing and how they might be able to turn things around. Later, Mike and Dan discuss the one-of-a-kind exit of Leo Komarov, a one-of-a-kind player who may be more fondly remembered after his career is over than he was during his often maddening time with the Islanders. They also (finally) talk about the paper transaction trade of Johnny Boychuk to Buffalo and how Lou Lamoriello was able to seize another opportunity. Finally, they look toward the opening of the Islanders new home and all the changes it will mean for now and the future.

CONTENT WARNING: This episode contains explicit language because there's a lot going on right now.

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Mike and Dan chat about the Islanders mostly successful weekend and talk to Arthur Staple about his new book "100 Things Islanders Fans Should and Do Before They Die." The hosts recap two good periods and one bad one in Minnesota, three periods of unfiltered "Islanders Hockey" in Winnipeg and 50 minutes of "The Sorokin Show" in Montreal, that apparently still isn't enough to get anyone's attention. Later, they welcome Staple to ask about how the Islanders have fared in their first 10 games and about his book, which covers the full gamut of the franchise's ups and downs in easily digestible bites. They ask what facts surprised him, who he able to speak to and how the project came about at just the right time. Finally, Art sheds a little bit of light on what might be coming to the Islanders (and, uh, other guys) coverage at The Athletic a little later this season.

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Mike and Dan talk about the Islanders' shootout loss in Nashville, the positives they can take away from their record on the road so far and the next three games in Montreal, Winnipeg and Minnesota. They look at the play of Oliver Wahlstrom, who scored again, and Zdeno Chara, who continues to struggle, as well as the unlucky goal that basically cost the Islanders a point against the Predators. Later, they look ahead to games against the Canadiens, Jets and Wild and the inherent dangers, like goalless streaks coming to an end and tough goalies. Along the way they talk about how the Habs are covered, the similarities between Mat Barzal and Christiano Rinaldo, how opinions on trades change over time and how little they've talked about Cal Clutterbuck over the years.

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Dan interrupts Mike's vacation to talk about Ilya Sorokin's back-to-back shutouts, Zdeno Chara's struggles and Josh Bailey's miraculous Islanders tenure. They recap the skinny Sorokin's blemish-free weekend, and enjoy the lovable demeanor hiding a stone cold killer of a goaltender. Later, they turn their attention to Zdeno Chara, who is showing weaknesses on the ice that are concerning after his storybook return to his original team, and how much patience Barry Trotz will have for the 44-year-old marvel. Finally, they congratulate Josh Bailey on becoming the 10th leading scorer in Islanders history, passing "Mr. Islander" himself Bob Nystrom. They remember Bailey's drafting, gaze at his longevity in the face of franchise and fan friction, and wonder just how the hell this happened.

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Mike and Dan review the Islanders' first three games of the season, which saw a lot of bad with some good hope lurking below the surface. They talk about the defensive breakdowns in Carolina and the wheels coming off after a promising start in Florida, both leading to losses against other teams expected to contend this season. They then relax after a win in Chicago that was saved in large part by Ilya Sorokin and a career-best game by Oliver Wahlstrom. Later, they look ahead to the next three games, which can set the tone for the rest of their long season-starting road trip. Along the way they talk about fashion lists, getting respect versus being liked and watching their rivals start to crack from within. All the best to Mike Bossy as he battles lung cancer. We're with you, Boss.

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A short preview of the first episode of Islanders Award Winners Season 2. The Isles use a new rule to take a young and impressive Bryan Trottier in the 1974 NHL draft. After another stand out season in Juniors, the quiet farm boy from Saskatchewan makes the team and impresses everyone with his skills and poise. A new season of Islanders Award Winners is on its way in 2022. Listen to all of Season One at Lighthouse Hockey or in the podcast app of your choice.

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Mike and Dan ponder the Islanders' finalized roster and what it means to finally root for a team with Stanley Cup expectations. They look at who's in and who's in Bridgeport, the long, strange trip of Michael Dal Colle and how Lou Lamoriello uses every ounce of time he has to squeeze the most cap space out of his players. Later, they examine the shift in aspirations the Islanders have gone through over the previous decades and how this season's lofty predictions will make every game weight that much more. They also talk about the NHL's new broadcast partners, the bizarre admiration of the Tkachuk Family and other disseminated talking points from the season's start.

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For the first time ever, Mike and Dan turn their attention to teams that aren't the Islanders to give their thoughts, outlooks and bold predictions for each NHL division. They look at the much maligned three-tiered Pacific Division and how the two newest teams look like they could have the best upcoming seasons. They scan the tough Central Division, full of flawed but talented teams and the Coyotes, who are more of the former and none of the latter. They project the Canadian-flavored Atlantic Division and talk about the difference between hating a team for what it does on the ice and hating it because of how much attention it gets. And finally they discuss the Murderer's Row Metro Division and how the Islanders stack up against their traditional rivals. They close with a plea to model makers to check their work before talking trash.

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Mike and Dan discuss the Islanders goalie situation as Semyon Varlamov misses more preseason games, then turn their attention towards a secret UBS Arena sponsor's meeting and other topics. They wonder if Varlamov will be ready for Game 1 in Carolina or if Ilya Sorokin and Cory Schneider, who has looked good in the preseason, will be the tandem to start the team's 13-game road trip. They also talk about the first cuts from camp and who might stick around for a while. Later, they relay some intel they learned from a meeting of UBS arena partners and discuss Lou Lamoriello's philosophies on team building and gameday fashion. Finally, Mike gives his review of Amazon Prime's All or Nothing: Toronto Maple Leafs series, which lives up to it's "Nothing" in more than just describing the Leafs' latest playoff flame out.

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Mike and Dan "recap" the Islanders' first two preseason games, talk about the standouts so far and make some bold predictions for the upcoming season. They talk about the surprising intensity of the wins over the Rangers and Flyers and how they relate to the team's current status and standards. They also spotlight players like Aatu Raty, Robin Salo and Richard Panik, who have turned some heads in the early part of camp. Later, they make predictions for events that will totally definitely happen in the near future involving some Islanders players, their coach and their new arena. They finish with Mike's tale of running into an Islanders Legend eating a salad and an upcoming Amazon show hockey fans may want to tune into. Along the way they talk about the ghosts of preseasons past, the Press Box Purgatory All Stars and which team overrates its own players the most.

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