Isles Fix Podcast Network

Good Morning, Islanders Country.

It’s a Quick Fix featuring Joe Buono (@IslesFix) and former VP of Communications for the Islanders, Chris Botta (@ChrisBottaNHL).

We preview the upcoming New York Islanders season (84 games!), discussing the direction of the franchise under Mathieu Darche and Peter DeBoer and what the moves made this offseason suggest about expectations for the year ahead. They discuss whether the Islanders are truly retooling, still trying to contend, or attempting to do a little of both — and what Darche and DeBoer have signaled about how quickly they expect the team to take a step forward.

Later, Chris and Joe also make their predictions for where the Islanders will finish, what needs to go right for them to stay in the playoff race and which players could shape the season. Then they wrap things up with a round of rapid-fire questions covering which player needs to take a meaningful step in their development, what to watch for tonight in Toronto, and how the fanbase will feel about the franchise in April.

Thanks to all who listened this season. Enjoy!

📚 SOUND SMART: Per Eric Hornick in The Skinny, almost every club record for a teenager is within reach this season for Matthew Schaefer. Schaefer brings career totals of 23-36-59 (4 game-winning goals) into this season; Bryan Trottier went 32-63-95 (5 game-winning goals) in his teenage season of 1975-76. Schaefer has 221 shots on goal, 64 shy of Tim Connolly’s club record for a teen.

Schaefer will still be a Teenager for the next 84 Isles games and on Tuesday, was named an Alternate Captain, the first teenager to wear a letter for the Isles.

🎥 ISLES REWIND: On September 30, 1999, Kenny Jonsson was named the eighth captain in team history, taking over the C after the departure of Trevor Linden. Jonsson held the captaincy until Nov. 18, 2000, with a team record of 30-55-13 over that span. The Swedish defenseman recorded 31 points (2G, 29A) as Islanders captain, before relinquishing the role early in the 2000-01 campaign.

🔗 The unusual messaging following Islanders into season comes with giant caveat by Ethan Sears, New York Post “It’s easy to exercise cautious optimism after everything goes right in training camp. It’s harder to strike an appropriate tone when the last few days of preseason were rough enough that people in the organization started to feel uneasy.”

🔗 Matthew Schaefer earns a letter as NY Islanders announce their alternate captains by Jiggs Wesfall,Eyes on Isles “Pete DeBoer ultimately selected Ryan Pulock, Kyle Palmieri and Brayden Schenn as alternate captains, along with one name that stood out from the rest: 19-year-old Matthew Schaefer. After determining Schaefer was too young to become captain following Anders Lee's departure, the Islanders still felt their young defenseman was ready for an official leadership role.”

And we leave you with this…your official Isles Territory 2026-27 Hype Video

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It’s a Quick Fix featuring Joe Buono (@IslesFix) and former VP of Communications for the Islanders, Chris Botta (@ChrisBottaNHL).

In this episode, Joe and Chris react to “Clean Out Day” interviews with players and GM Mathieu Darche following the bitterly disappointing end to the Islanders’ 2025-26 season. We dig into Darche’s comments defending his in-season trades, which he says helped the team but didn’t lead to team success. Based on his comments, the big changes some expect may not come with a roster that has few spots open, and several contracts that will be hard to move.

Later, we discuss the treatment of Anders Lee this season, and the type of deal Darche may make to have the captain return and play his 1,000th game in an Islanders uniform. Plus, Barzal and Ritchie say they’re centers, Bridgeport loads up for the post-season, and reasons to be optimistic about next season.

It’s a Quick Fix featuring Joe Buono (@IslesFix) and former VP of Communications for the Islanders, Chris Botta (@ChrisBottaNHL).

In this episode, Chris and Joe didn’t dance around it — Mathieu Darche’s decision to fire Patrick Roy with just four games left in the season and immediately bring in Peter DeBoer is as stunning as it gets. In the middle of a playoff push, with everything still technically in front of them, the Islanders didn’t just tweak — they detonated.

The Islanders are spiraling, losers of four straight, watching their playoff position slip while other teams gain ground. Darche felt like he had no choice — that something, anything, had to change to spark a response. But this wasn’t just about the next four games. This was about control. Darche inherited Roy. He didn’t hire him. And now, at the exact moment where the season can still be salvaged, but failure is a real possibility, Darche makes the move that he owns.

Good Morning, Islanders Country.

It’s a Quick Fix featuring Joe Buono (@IslesFix) and former VP of Communications for the Islanders, Chris Botta (@ChrisBottaNHL).

In this episode, Joe and Chris react to the team’s inexcusable loss to the Chicago Blackhawks, which has the Isles back outside of a playoff spot, and the fanbase once again doubting whether they’ll have enough to find their way back in. We get each of their predictions for where the Islanders will be at season’s end.

Throughout the show, they take questions from social media on Mathew Barzal’s lack of effort on the game-changing goal, whether Patrick Roy’s longevity as coach will be impacted by the way the season ends, and Mathieu Darche’s calculated gamble that hasn’t quite worked out.

Good Morning, Islanders Country.

It’s a Quick Fix featuring Joe Buono (@IslesFix) and former VP of Communications for the Islanders, Chris Botta (@ChrisBottaNHL).

In this episode, Joe and Chris dive into an honest and nuanced discussion about the Islanders’ move to acquire Brayden Schenn, unpacking why the trade is far more complicated than a simple “win or lose” transaction. The two examine the deal from several angles, including the perspective of the new Islanders GM, Mathieu Darche, the players in the room, and the fan base trying to make sense of the cost and timing. Joe and Chris walk through the reasoning behind the move, the price paid to land an aging middle-six center, and why opinions around the Islanders community remain divided.

At the center of the conversation is Darche’s decision-making. As Joe and Chris explain, the easiest path would have been to stand pat when the asking price climbed too high. Instead, Darche chose conviction. The trade reflects a calculated decision to reward the current roster and show belief in the group already competing for the Islanders.

Rather than risk looking back with regret about not doing enough, Darche acted boldly and aggressively, making a move that signals intent. The episode explores whether that kind of conviction is exactly what Islanders fans have been hoping to see from the front office—and what it could mean for the team moving forward.

Good Morning, Islanders Country.

It’s a Quick Fix featuring Joe Buono (@IslesFix) and former VP of Communications for the Islanders, Chris Botta (@ChrisBottaNHL).

On this episode, Chris and Joe discuss how the magic and joy of this season have created an unexpected feel around the franchise and put the Islanders and GM Mathieu Darche in the position to be aggressive at the trade deadline, with the Islanders linked to multiple targets before Friday’s trade deadline.

Chris and Joe discuss the buzz around Vancouver’s Connor Garland, Jordan Kyrou, and some other names, while assessing the type of deal and price that it would cost to add to a roster that could make some noise this post-season. Plus, we talk about the Islanders’ soaring attendance (is it all due to Matthew Schaefer?) and take questions from our followers.

Good Morning, Islanders Country.

It’s a Quick Fix featuring Joe Buono (@IslesFix) and former VP of Communications for the Islanders, Chris Botta (@ChrisBottaNHL).

On this episode, Chris and Joe dig into the Islanders’ latest trades and ask the big question: Did Mathieu Darche make the most of the market right now, and is there still another bold swing left to take? From roster construction to timing, they break down what worked, what didn’t, and what might still be coming.

They also talk about Patrick Roy coaching with real conviction—and why they firmly believe he’s a meaningful part of the Islanders’ future. Meanwhile, Matthew Schaefer keeps leaving them speechless with his off-ice performance and endlessly entertained by his media savvy, gleefully leaning into the Islanders–Rangers rivalry with subtle, knowing jabs after a season sweep of the Blueshirts.

To wrap it up, Chris and Joe zoom out to the bigger hockey picture with a conversation about Netflix’s Miracle: The Boys of ’80—and what that team, that moment, and that belief have meant to generations of hockey fans. A packed episode full of analysis, perspective, and a little rivalry-fueled fun.

It’s a Quick Fix featuring Joe Buono (@IslesFix) and former VP of Communications for the Islanders, Chris Botta (@ChrisBottaNHL).

In this episode, Chris and Joe dig into the most revealing comments yet from Islanders president of business operations Kelly Cheeseman, following his recent interview with Newsday.

Just weeks into the job, Cheeseman, who categorized himself as “a builder,” has already identified the core challenge facing the franchise off the ice: how to grow a fanbase that is aging, overly concentrated on Long Island, and increasingly sensitive to the full game-day cost of attending games at UBS Arena.

The conversation goes beyond the usual “just win more” debate. Chris and Joe explore whether success on the ice is enough on its own, or if the Islanders are finally taking calculated risks to expand their visibility across Queens, Brooklyn, and younger demographics. From parking headaches and transportation access to ticket pricing and perceived value, they break down the real barriers preventing casual fans from becoming regulars—and what Cheeseman can realistically change in the short- and long-term.

It’s a Quick Fix featuring Joe Buono (@IslesFix) and former VP of Communications for the Islanders, Chris Botta (@ChrisBottaNHL).

We’re back with our first episode during the 2025-26 season, which was our first opportunity to verbally marvel at what Matthew Schaefer has done on and off the ice for the team and the franchise. Chris and Joe discuss what’s impressed them the most about his media persona. Later, the importance of Ilya Sorokin, the Islanders’ balanced scoring attack led by Bo Horvat’s hot stick, and the initial impact of Mathieu Darche’s summer acquisitions.

Later, Chris shares his perspective on Mathew Barzal being disciplined for missing the team bus (and yes, it has happened to other Islanders before, but maybe not so publicly) and what Kelly Cheeseman means for the business of the Islanders as their President of Business Operations.

It’s a Quick Fix featuring Joe Buono (@IslesFix) and former VP of Communications for the Islanders, Chris Botta (@ChrisBottaNHL).

Chris and Joe are back to set the stage for the upcoming 2025-26 season following a successful Islanders’ summer that saw the team undergo a rapid culture reboot with Mathieu Darche as GM. There’s a new behind-the-scenes docuseries, alternate game broadcasts, player access to new media, and more to come.

They discuss how wins and losses may not define this season, but rather player development and building towards something better and more sustainable under Darche’s hybrid approach, which strategically retools the team while keeping all options on the table moving forward.

Plus, we talk about Pat LaFontaine finally getting the nod to be inducted into the Islanders Hall of Fame, the broadcast about-face that has Alan Fuehring behind the mic, and a whole lot more.