Islanders Anxiety: A New York Islanders podcast
Sports:Hockey
Part Two of our look at Mike Bossy’s sensational rookie season begins at a low point, a fight-filled game in Detroit that Bossy later said embarrassed him. He thought he had put all of his old junior fears to rest once he joined the NHL and a line with Bryan Trottier and Clark Gillies. But a stumble at The Olympia was a wake up call.
Over the next several months, Bossy resumed his scoring pace and eventually matched - then obliterated - Rick Martin’s record for goals in a season scored by a rookie. The Islanders won their division for the first time and looked to be a serious contender heading into the playoffs. But Roger Nielsen, Tiger Williams and the rest of the Toronto Maple Leafs had other ideas...
The decision to make this a two-part episode was a late one, but I think it makes sense. There’s so much to unpack from Bossy’s first season in the NHL, even almost 50 years later, that doing it in one episode would have meant either cutting content, or making the narrative too dense to fully comprehend.
This way, we can sit back and really marvel at his immediate impact on the Islanders and on Long Island. It’s not every day that a 21-year old player can be thought of as “legendary.” Mike Bossy wasn’t an ordinary player.
Mike Bossy’s autobiography Boss: The Mike Bossy Story, co-written by Barry Meisel, was used extensively, with excerpts read by Michael Paul Smith. Listen to Michael’s podcast “Ted and Michael Read Sketches into Microphones” wherever you find your podcasts, or directly from their website at TedandMichael.com. And follow Michael on Twitter and Instagram @mpsmithnyc.
Research and other assistance was provided by Kevin Schultz. Visit VintageIceHockey.com, where you can buy t-shirts, hoodies and mugs featuring the logos over over 100 classic hockey teams from all across North America, as well as our own Al Arbour tribute shirt. Use the code ANXIETY20 to get 20 percent off an order of two items. Our portion of the sales go directly to the Center for Dementia Research.
This episode of Islanders Award Winners was written using archival material from Newsday, The New York Times and Sports Illustrated, and the books New York Islanders: Countdown to A Dynasty by Barry Wilner, Pride and Passion: 25 Years of the New York Islanders by Stan Fischler and Chris Botta and Dynasty: The Oral History of the New York Islanders 1972-1984 by Greg Prato.
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BONUS: Patreon Monthly Mail Bag podcast - September 2023
Islanders Anxiety - Episode 255 - I’m Not Under Anyone’s Control
BONUS: Country Club Atmosphere - Dan Explains "Scandoval" to Mike
Islanders Anxiety - Episode 254 - A Pie for Every Guy
BONUS: 2023 NHL Draft First Round Livestream
Weird Islanders: The Podcast! - Episode 34 - Kip Miller (with guest Greg Picker)
Islanders Anxiety - Episode 253 - Worst Sweepstakes Ever
Weird Islanders: The Podcast! - Episode 33 - Shane Prince (with guest Desmond Zantua)
Islanders Anxiety - Episode 252 - Once Every 10 Years
Weird Islanders: The Podcast! - Episode 32 - Ron Hextall (with guest Bill Matz)
Islanders Anxiety - Episode 251 - The Great Unhinging
Weird Islanders: The Podcast! - Episode 31 - Trevor Linden (with guest Jon Zella)
Islanders Anxiety - Episode 250 - The Opposite of Growing Pains
Islanders Anxiety - Episode 249 - That's Not Normal
Weird Islanders: The Podcast! - Episode 30 - Matt Donovan (with guest Keith Dallas)
Islanders Anxiety - Episode 248 - So Unnecessarily Evil
Islanders Anxiety - Episode 247 - Confused and Proud
Islanders Anxiety - Episode 246 - Halfway Between a Miracle
Islanders Anxiety - Episode 245 - No Rub of the Luck
Weird Islanders: The Podcast! - Episode 29 - Rob Schremp (with guest Lisa aka @IslesChick)
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