Isles Buzz

Mike and Dan examine the Islanders' wild week: two big wins (and two John Tavares hat tricks), one ugly loss, and the somewhat surprising assignment of Josh Ho-Sang to the AHL. They then get philosophical, and discuss how the Islanders got to be what Tyler Dellow wrote in The Athletic, "might be the most perfectly average team in the NHL." Finally, they revisit the team's Alumni Night and all of the former and forgotten Islanders that attended and who they'd like to see in a future iteration. Please subscribe, download, rate, review or spread the word as best you can. All of it helps to raise the show's profile and maybe could get us a fancy sponsor to sell out to in the near future. And if you give us an iTunes review, leave us message on Sound Cloud, write a comment here or even send us a tweet, we might just read it on our next show. Theme Song: "Sports" by Josh Spacek, available at the FreeMusicArchive.org. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mike and Dan talk about what’s working (Mathew Barzal, Josh Ho-Sang) and what isn’t working (the power play and the defense, among other things) after the first week of the Islanders season. They also discuss Taylor Hall’s sick burn of Jordan Eberle, the team’s all-in Belmont arena gambit and whether or not all of this is some kind of preordained ordeal just to make Islanders fans squirm. Theme Song: "Sports" by Josh Spacek, available at the FreeMusicArchive.org. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mike and Dan are BACK! with another season of Islanders-fueled paranoia and emotional instability. But, as the team wraps up a 6-0-2 preseason, the hosts find themselves in positive moods and asking some speculative (and occasionally silly) questions about how they think the real season will play out. Will anyone get major award consideration? Which player will take #IslesTwitter by storm? And what's the deal with the slogan "All for Islanders?" Note: We're being hosted on a new site this season. If you're a subscriber via iTunes or another podcasting app, you should be good to go with no change in service. But listen to the episode for more info that might be relevant to you depending on where you access the show. Theme Song: "Sports" by Josh Spacek, available at the FreeMusicArchive.org. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In their (probable) final show of the summer, Mike and Dan talk about the deals made on the first day of free agency and why the Islanders sat out the festivities. They also wonder why Matt Duchene hasn't been traded, why the Islanders would wait to sign John Tavares and why it feels like Seth Helgeson has played way more than just 50 NHL games. Mike also divulges why new Canadiens defenseman Karl Alzner blocked him on Twitter back in 2004.Dan absolutely butchers the name of the Islanders’ new depth goalie, Kristers Gudlevskis. It’s pronounced “güd-LEV-skeez." There’s no “Elvis” in there. Unfortunately.Thanks to everyone for listening this this season. We really appreciate your clicks and listens and shares and generally letting us vent about this crazy team a few times a month.Theme Song: "Sports" by Josh Spacek, available at the FreeMusicArchive.org. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mike and Dan record a ragged, punky podcast just at the start of a busy week in the offseason for the NHL and the Islanders. They talk about the reported expansion draft deal with the Vegas Golden Knights, what Sunday's protection list means and what impact the draft will have on the Islanders going forward.They also take a minute to talk about some pet peeves, Travis Hamonic's language skills and Mike's star-making cameo appearance on the upcoming ESPN 30-for-30 film about Mike & The Mad Dog. Then his Skype cuts out and we end.Theme Song: "Sports" by Josh Spacek, available at the FreeMusicArchive.org. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The NHL playoffs are set, and the Islanders are among the teams that won’t be participating. Mike and Dan kick around possible front office and coaching changes, much of which was rendered moot by this morning’s announcement that the Islanders would be retaining the services of Doug Weight for next season. Nevertheless, they also discuss Garth Snow’s future, the danger of being a “Do Something Guy” and why the Islanders should avoid former Kings GM Dean Lombardi like he’s carrying a deadly virus.Thanks again to IrishMarineMP for his very kind iTunes review and for their service. We all wish we could record more often but life usually intrudes.Theme Song: "Sports" by Josh Spacek, available at the FreeMusicArchive.org. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Islanders have stumbled badly over the last few games and enter the final week of the season a handful of points out of the playoffs. With that in mind, Mike and Dan talk about the team's slim hopes and the devastating injury to captain John Tavares that could derail literally everything including the franchise's future. They also discuss the role of Islanders management moving forward, Mike critiques the "new" Nassau Coliseum and Dan tells his sad tale of meeting Tavares and completely freezing up in the great man's presence.Thanks again to Stonehand CO for the very kind iTunes review and sticking with the Islanders and NHL all these years.Theme Song: "Sports" by Josh Spacek, available at the FreeMusicArchive.org. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As the Islanders enter the final crucial stretch of their season, Mike and Dan discuss what energetic young forward Joshua Ho-Sang has brought to the team as well as their own evolution from their early season depression to the excitement of a run for the playoffs. They also debate whether or not the team will bite the bullet and recall goalie Jaroslav Halak from the AHL and how the three goalie rotation has affected (or maybe ruined) J-F Berube's career.Check out Mike's new podcast, "Long Distance Fanatics," in which he interviews an Islanders fan from the UK and asks, "why them?" (http://www.lighthousehockey.com/2017/3/14/14903220/new-york-islanders-long-distance-fanatics-jon-from-the-uk)Theme Song: "Sports" by Josh Spacek, available at the FreeMusicArchive.org. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mike and Dan prepare for the NHL trade deadline by talking about all of the players they don't expect the Islanders acquire because of what they would cost. They also finally discuss the changes in the team under new coach Doug Weight, bemoan the lack of "caretaker coaches" in American sports and pay tribute to the late, great actor and director Bill Paxton.No reviews read today but thanks to those that have left us messages on Sound Cloud and elsewhere.Theme Song: "Sports" by Josh Spacek, available at the FreeMusicArchive.org. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mike and Dan boil over as more Islanders arena drama obscures the good run the team is on under interim coach Doug Weight. They discuss the recent reports about Barclays Center's finances, the chances of the team relocating, the letter asking them to come to Hartford and the many, many, many distrustful, duplicitous political animals that helped to put the team in this situation and who now want to flip the script. REMEMBER: Whatever happens, read beyond the headlines.Thanks to Sound Cloud user(s) The B'town Groove Corps for the kind words. Glad we can bring the dysfunction and dirty politics of Nassau County right to your door, wherever it is.Special opening theme : "Our House (8 Bit Remix Cover Version) [Tribute to Madness]" by 8 Bit Universe, available at YouTube.Regular Theme Song: "Sports" by Josh Spacek, available at the FreeMusicArchive.org. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices