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Welcome back to the Isles Den Podcast! First things first: the Bo Horvat panic was for nothing, he didn't miss a game while Frank Nazar got a two game suspension for the hit. The Islanders sit at 3-3 without Mathew Barzal. Today we covered the heartbreaking 5-3 loss to the Lightning, the bounce back 3-2 win over the Canucks, and opened up the mailbag to answer all of your submitted Islanders questions. The Tampa game gave us the play of the NHL season so far... Matthew Schaefer crossing up Anthony Cirelli, (a perennial Selke finalist), before burying the shot that flipped the whole game. The Isles went toe to toe with a Cup contender without Barzal on an off night from Ilya Sorokin, not too bad! Against Vancouver it was Kyle Palmieri's turn to answer the bell as notched two goals, while Matias Maccelli picked up two assists and is starting to look like the player I bet big on all summer. Credit to Pete DeBoer too: ice time on this team is being earned, with Ondrej Palat and Anthony Duclair climbing the lineup instead of riding their contracts. Lastly, we ran through the early Metropolitan Division picture, explained why this stretch reminds him of year one under Barry Trotz, and with Barzal's return around the corner, took your questions on who comes out of the lineup. Chapters 00:00 Bo Horvat Is NOT injured01:20 NYI vs. TBL Recap: A Heartbreaking Loss 03:30 Matthew Schaefer's Play of the Season 06:00 A Moral Victory Without Barzal 07:00 NYI vs. VAN Recap: Kyle Palmieri Bounces Back09:45 Ice Time Is Being Earned Under Pete DeBoer 11:30 Metropolitan Division Check-In 13:15 The Barry Trotz Year One Parallel 14:00 Q&A: Your Islanders QuestionsSocials: https://linktr.ee/islesden

Welcome back to the Isles Den Podcast! The New York Islanders bounced back from Tuesday's loss at Madison Square Garden with a mature 4-1 win at UBS Arena over the Chicago Blackhawks at UBS Arena to even the record at 2-2.  Sadly, the biggest takeaway from the night is unfortunately the health of Bo Horvat, who took a hit to the head from Frank Nazar while scoring the empty netter and is now being evaluated.  On the bright side, Ilya Sorokin leads the NHL in saves above expected and looks like the best goalie in the world right now — the Vezina conversation should already be starting. Horvat buried a power play goal from Matthew Schaefer, Emil Heineman ripped home another one, and Logan Stanley did his best Mathew Barzal impression to set up Anthony Duclair.  Jack gave Stanley and a rejuvenated Duclair their flowers, and explained why the Brock Nelson for Cal Ritchie trade is becoming the dream scenario — especially when you see what eight years of rebuilding looks like in Chicago.  On the down side, Alexander Romanov is out for the season with a torn ACL, and Jack broke down why the sky isn't falling on that contract with where the salary cap is headed.  Kyle Palmieri still doesn't look like himself coming off his own ACL recovery, and with Mathew Barzal only in the initial phase of his return, and I guessed the lineup for tomorrow against the Lightning with Cal Ritchie potentially centering the first line and Bo Horvat being out recovering.  Enjoy! Chapters 00:00 NYI vs. CHI Game Recap and the Bo Horvat Injury 04:15 Kyle Palmieri Doesn't Look Like Himself Yet07:00 Logan Stanley and Anthony Duclair Deserve Their Flowers 10:15 Alexander Romanov Is Out for the Season  12:30 What Does the Lineup Look Like Without Horvat and Barzal?18:04  Ilya Sorokin Is the Best Goalie in the NHLSocials: https://linktr.ee/islesden

Welcome back to the Isles Den Podcast! Jack wasn't planning on recording tonight, but after the Islanders fell 3-2 to the Rangers in game three of the season, there were too many takeaways to sit on — both positive and negative. On the bright side, Victor Eklund and Cal Ritchie continue to look like foundational pieces, with Ritchie outwaiting Shesterkin to tie the game and Eklund showing a level of grit you don't expect from a rookie. Ondrej Palat and Brayden Schenn have been two of the biggest surprises of the young season, Matias Maccelli picked up his first point as an Islander, and Semyon Varlamov made the timely saves to give his team a chance late. On the other side, the third line and Kyle Palmieri are struggling, the special teams were a rough watch, Ryan Pulock's tough start continued, and Matthew Schaefer finally had a human night after shouldering a massive workload. With Alexander Romanov leaving the game injured, Jack broke down what the defense pairs could look like going forward and why Mathew Barzal's return can't come soon enough. Enjoy! Chapters 00:00 NYI vs. NYR Game Recap02:57 Victor Eklund and Cal Ritchie Look Like Foundational Pieces05:45 Ondrej Palat and Brayden Schenn Are Surprising08:55 The Realities11:50 Romanov Injury Fallout, Barzal Updates and the Blackhawks Up NextRomanov Injury Fallout, Barzal Updates and the Blackhawks Up Next

Welcome back to the Isles Den Podcast! Joined by Brandon. (@Brandon266946), we recapped the Islanders statement 6-0 victory over the New Jersey Devils during the Isles home-opener on Saturday. We also discussed how Victor Eklund and Calum Ritchie are impressing already early on this season, while touching on the game against the Toronto Maple Leafs from Wednesday. They delve into Pete DeBoer's strategies, and the overall dynamics of this team as they navigate the early part of the season. Playoff hopes, prospect pipeline, and coaching impact carried us through a very positive podcast that we hope you enjoy! Chapters 00:00 Introduction and NYI vs. NJ Game Recap03:00 Victor Eklund Scores His First NHL Goal05:59 Ondrej Palat Impressing!08:48 Matthew Schaefer and Adam Pelech are DYNAMIC12:01 Cole Eiserman Development Is Trending Well21:47 Can The Islanders Make The Playoffs?25:26 Can Pete DeBoer be the next Barry Trotz?30:17 What does the lineup look like with Barzal coming back?38:21 Patience is key when evaluating Cal Ritchie or Victor EklundSocials: https://linktr.ee/islesden

Welcome back to the Isles Den Podcast. Hockey is officially back! Today Jack shared all of his takeaways from the New York Islanders season opener against the Toronto Maple Leafs, a game where the Isles came up just short on the scoreboard but left plenty of reasons to be impressed. We kicked things off with a reaction to Pierre LeBrun's new article on Mathieu Darche before getting into the on-ice takeaways. Cal Ritchie and Victor Eklund both looked good in their first game action of the season, Emil Heineman buried an excellent goal, and Jack made his case for why Simon Holmstrom deserves an extended run on the first line. It's one game out of 82, and if the Islanders bring this level of play every night, the results will come. The live postgame shows are back for the season and streaming on TikTok, so make sure you're following along after every Islanders game. Enjoy! Chapters 00:00 Intro0:44 Mathieu Darche Pierre LeBrun article reaction09:47 NYI vs. TOR Postgame: Cal Ritchie, Victor Eklund, Emil Heineman, Matthew Schaefer impress!17:15 Breaking Down Simon Holmstrom's Role19:15: Islanders Ownership Sells 15% Pierre LeBrun/Mathieu Darche Article

Welcome back to the Isles Den Podcast for our annual season preview show! Today Jack shared his takeaways from the preseason matchup with the Rangers where Kashawn Aitcheson and Matias Maccelli impressed, graded Mathieu Darche's offseason, and laid out the blueprint for how this team can surprise people under new head coach Pete DeBoer before answering all of the New York Islanders questions from you guys! Fans were wondering how the Mathew Barzal injury shakes up the opening night lineup, if Victor Eklund has already locked up a roster spot, and if Simon Holmstrom can finally break out in a contract year. We had some fun discussions like my ideal power play units and my opening night forward predictions as well. We also touched on why Matthew Schaefer and Ilya Sorokin are the two true game breakers who make this team so hard to predict, and Semyon Varlamov's incredible return to the crease after two years away. Hockey is officially back on Long Island as the regular season kicks off next Wednesday in Toronto. The live streamed postgame shows return next week too, now streaming on TikTok, so make sure you're following along all season long! Chapters * 00:00 Intro and Isles Content Updates * 01:09 Preseason NYI vs. NYR: Matias Maccelli and Kashawn Aitcheson Impress * 04:20 Grading Mathieu Darche and the Isles Offseason * 05:53 Season Preview & Predictions * 08:16 How great will Matthew Schaefer and Ilya Sorokin be? * 08:43 NHL Goaltending Landscape * 10:30 Mathew Barzal Injury  * 13:22 NYI Team Depth, Can It Improve? * 14:49 Semyon Varlamov Returns  * 15:56 Victor Eklund Is Impressing Everyone * 17:40 The Pete DeBoer fit * 19:12 Q&A Socials: https://linktr.ee/islesden https://www.youtube.com/@IslesDen?sub_confirmation=1 https://www.tiktok.com/@islesden https://www.instagram.com/islesden https://www.twitter.com/IslesDen

Welcome back to the Isles Den Podcast for Episode 12! Before you listen, this is not the type of betting you are thinking of. It's reference to some players the franchise has high hopes for that I find to be less bullish on. There was a little more to talk about now than a usual August thanks to the New York Islanders innovative idea of an exclusive fan made  jersey contest, we have more to talk about than usual for a hockey podcast in August. We touched on the polarizing jerseys, some x-factor players for next season like Simon Holmstrom, Victor Eklund, and Cal Ritchie. The mailbag and some Isles prospect talk took us home. Enjoy! Chapters * 00:00 Islanders Fan Jersey Contest: The Fisherman… * 02:24 Is Simon Holmstrom Primed For A Breakout Season? * 05:30 NYI Team Depth * 07:35 Isles Prospects * 11:35 Roster Management * 12:55 Q&A Isles Den Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AU-yeR2fmhk&list=PLoulMB-g2YoD2nJdyYu9m1upuBL_hTOoI&index=1 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QzG-0EIljdw&list=PLoulMB-g2YoD2nJdyYu9m1upuBL_hTOoI&index=2 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e6rLKX2pENk&list=PLoulMB-g2YoD2nJdyYu9m1upuBL_hTOoI&index=3 Socials: https://linktr.ee/islesden https://www.youtube.com/@IslesDen?sub_confirmation=1 https://www.tiktok.com/@islesden https://www.instagram.com/islesden https://www.twitter.com/IslesDen

Welcome back to the Isles Den Podcast, featuring Eric! In the dog days of summer, we got a little creative by reacting to an AI powered predictive model of how the New York Islanders roster will perform under new HC Pete DeBoer. There were two players comparisons for each players: One being how their upside might look, and their "floor." For example: Simon Holmstrom's ceiling out of formerly coached Pete DeBoer players was William Karlsson, and his floor was Nathan Horton. The google document of all the answers and logic behind them is available here: Claude Comps Let us know what you thought was the most egregious and what you thought made the most sense. Enjoy! Takeaways Player Predictions Under Pete DeBoer's SystemInsights into Player CompsPredictive Models and Player Projections Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Podcast Format03:16 Player Comparisons Under Pete DeBoer's System10:31 Insights into Player Comps32:36 Predictive Models and NYI Player Projections Discussion Follow the Isles Den Podcast! Offseason Mailbag: Does Victor Eklund Start In The NHL? Isles Den Episode 9 | Free Agent Frenzy Isles Den Episode 8 | Islanders Perspective Of This Insane NHL Offseason... Socials: https://linktr.ee/islesden Isles Den On YouTube https://www.tiktok.com/@islesden https://www.instagram.com/islesden https://www.twitter.com/IslesDen

Welcome back to the Isles Den Podcast for Episode 10. Today out of appreciation for the loyal listeners we ran a mailbag from X and Reddit where Jack answered all the New York Islanders submitted questions and comments. Fans were wondering if Mathieu Darche was done for the offseason, if Kyle Palmieri can bounce back, whether or not this team will be aggressive if things go south next NHL season and if this team can surprise some experts to make the Stanley Cup Playoffs in 2027. We had some fun discussions like who I think was the best UFA signing in team history as well. Things are pretty quiet on Long Island as we are in the middle of July. Outside of the NHL Schedule Release and Islanders alternate jersey designs being submitted, I’d expect the hockey news to be slow until we get closer to training camp. Enjoy! Chapters 00:00 Introduction00:50 NY Islanders Ownership: Discussing the roles of Jon Ledecky, Scott Malkin and John Collins02:52 Rebuilding vs. Retooling NHL General Managers06:11 Does Victor Eklund start next season in the NHL?08:30 Is Semyon Varlamov the best free agency signing in Islanders history?12:25 Will Mathieu Darche add more free agents this summer?14:25 Will Pete DeBoer be able to maximize the talent on this Isles team?18:40 What happens if the Islanders spiral next year?20:40 Would you rather trade Adam Pelech or Alexander Romanov?24:40 Is letting Anders Lee walk the correct decision?31:05 How will Trade Deadline look next year on Long Island?33:45 Will the Islanders make the playoffs this season?36:20 Evaluating the first season of Mathieu Darche Follow Isles Den: https://linktr.ee/islesden https://www.youtube.com/@IslesDen https://www.tiktok.com/@islesden https://www.instagram.com/islesden https://www.twitter.com/IslesDen

Welcome back to the Isles Den Podcast! In this episode, Jack and Data Dom break down the opening day of NHL free agency and Mathieu Darche's first moves of the summer. He reacts to the Islanders signing Matias Maccelli, Vitek Vanecek, and Matthew Kessel, and dives into the bigger storyline of the day: Captain Anders Lee heading to the open market after the two sides couldn't close the gap on a new deal. The conversation covers what Lee's potential departure means for the locker room and the franchise's direction, whether Darche made the right call letting his asking price walk, and what these depth additions signal about the team's approach to filling out the roster around the edges. THANK YOU for all of your questions! Enjoy! Topics: Free Agency Reaction: Breaking down the Maccelli, Vanecek, and Kessel signingsAnders Lee to Market: What it means for the captain to hit UFA and whether the Isles made the right choiceMathieu Darche's Decision-Making: Evaluating the GM's approach on Day 1 of free agencyRoster Construction: How these moves fit into the Islanders' bigger-picture planCap Space and What's Next: What's still left on Darche's to-do list this offseasonAround the NHL Data Dom: twitter.com/datadomNY IslesDen Content: https://linktr.ee/islesden

Welcome back to the Isles Den Podcast! Today we have a NY Islanders Beat Reporter Stefen Rosner from The Elmonters as a special guest to discuss the New York Islanders plans for the 2026 NHL Entry Draft, Mathieu Darche's offseason goals, a look at who's still on the NHL Trade Market and a brief Q&A. Chapters: 00:50 The Islanders miss out on Jordan Kyrou 05:00 Is the market underrating the next season's NYI team?14:15 Do the Islanders upgrade through the NHL Trade Market, Free Agency or stand pat?41:15 Q&A110:12 Mathieu Darche and the Islanders long-term plan Enjoy! You can find Stefen's work at The Elmonters right here: https://www.twitter.com/TheElmonters IslesDen Content: https://linktr.ee/islesden https://www.youtube.com/@IslesDen?sub_confirmation=1 https://www.tiktok.com/@islesden https://www.instagram.com/islesden https://www.twitter.com/IslesDen

Welcome back to the Isles Den Podcast! In this episode, Jack discusses trade talk, the Islanders roster, and the Stanley Cup-winning Carolina Hurricanes. He shares his thoughts on players he's willing to move, potential trade targets, and the Islanders cup contention timeline. The conversation also covers the asking price for Jordan Kyrou, the need for player protection, and the Isles approach to building a young roster. The conversation covers a range of topics including player contracts, power play struggles, potential trade targets, and the NHL draft. It also delves into the Islanders' playoff prospects, the GM's decision-making, and the potential impact of new acquisitions. The host shares insights on specific players, trade scenarios, and the team's future prospects. THANK YOU for all of your questions! Enjoy! Topics: * Trade Talk: Thoughts on players he's willing to move and potential trade targets. * Team Building: The conversation explores the team's cup contention timeline and the approach to building a young roster. * Power play struggles and coaching impact * Potential trade targets and acquisitions * NHL draft and player selection * Islanders' playoff prospects and Mathieu Darche's decision-making Chapters * 00:00 Trade Talk and Roster Overview * 01:00 New York Islanders Offseason Outlook * 05:42 Player Protection and Potential Trade Targets * 16:00 Cup Contention Timeline and Roster Building * 35:07 Player Contracts and Buyouts * 01:03:39 NHL Draft and Player Selection IslesDen Content: https://linktr.ee/islesden https://www.youtube.com/@IslesDen?sub_confirmation=1 https://www.tiktok.com/@islesden https://www.instagram.com/islesden https://www.twitter.com/IslesDen IslesDen Content: https://linktr.ee/islesden https://www.youtube.com/@IslesDen?sub_confirmation=1 https://www.tiktok.com/@islesden https://www.instagram.com/islesden https://www.twitter.com/IslesDen

Jack is back with Episode 6 of the Isles Den Podcast to share some thoughts on some of the recent hockey news this week. The offseason is nearing, the NHL rumors are thriving and New York Islanders GM Mathieu Darche has some big decisions to make for the franchise regarding the Draft, Trade and Free Agency Markets. NYI team captain Anders Lee seems to be heading to a new team this summer, Mathew Barzal's name is being discussed around the league in trade talks, is Dylan Larkin a good fit for the Isles? We touched on all of that and took your questions from Twitter and Reddit. Thanks for listening, hope you enjoy the show! Chapters 00:00 New York Islanders Headlines06:11 Anders Lee's Legacy and Impact11:59 NHL Player Mentorship and Development20:31 NHL Free Agency and Trade Targets26:05 Ideal Islanders Power Play Personnel34:39 Isles Offseason Mock Trades and Q&A IslesDen Content: https://linktr.ee/islesden https://www.youtube.com/@IslesDen?sub_confirmation=1 https://www.tiktok.com/@islesden https://www.instagram.com/islesden https://www.twitter.com/IslesDen

Welcome back to the fifth episode of the Isles Den Podcast! Jack and Mark previewed the 2026 NHL Entry Draft coming up in June and discussed the current state of New York Islanders prospects. Mark gave high-level analysis of all the popular names in the pipeline like Cole Eiserman, Victor Eklund, Kashawn Aitcheson and more! We talked about the NYI needs moving forward and how they should be focused on game-changing forwards as well as Right-Shot Defensemen. Enjoy! Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Draft Content06:17 Evaluation of Defensive Prospects23:10 Discussion on Victor Eklund and Forward Prospects35:33 NHL Pipeline Assessment50:16 Draft Strategy: Difference Makers at Forward56:33 Best Player Available vs. Team Needs Find Mark on Twitter here! https://www.twitter.com/MD_scouting https://www.twitter.com/mckeenshockey IslesDen Content: https://linktr.ee/islesden https://www.youtube.com/@IslesDen?sub_confirmation=1 https://www.tiktok.com/@islesden https://www.instagram.com/islesden https://www.twitter.com/IslesDen

Welcome back to the fourth episode of the Isles Den Podcast! Dom and I discussed the usual Season Recap topics! Talking points: Season expectations and team performance were not aligned, leading to disappointment.The firing of the coach and the impact of specific players on the team were significant topics of discussion. Player contracts and potential tradesImpact of coaching on team performance Player performance and impact on the teamTeam statistics and performance in the playoffsUpcoming draft and free agency Chapters 00:00 Season Expectations and Projections06:26 The Collapse of the Islanders14:46 Analytics and Player Impact24:36 Firing of the Coach and Coaching Decisions45:04 Impact of Coaching on Team Performance53:51 Player Performance and Impact Enjoy! Find ALL Isles Den Content right here: https://linktr.ee/islesden https://www.youtube.com/@IslesDen?sub_confirmation=1 https://www.tiktok.com/@islesden https://www.instagram.com/islesden https://www.twitter.com/IslesDen