Islanders Anxiety: A New York Islanders podcast
Sports:Hockey
Season Two of Islanders Awards Winners is finally here. It’s taken far too long to get to this point, but I’m proud of how these episodes turned out and I’m excited to finally release them to the world. Thank you all in advance for listening.
The story of Al Arbour’s one NHL Coach of the Year season begins and ends with devastating losses. In between was a franchise-record winning streak, several of the best individual seasons in team history, and the often ruthless pursuit of perfection. Arbour was a complex man - a hockey innovator who wore “dark suits and white shirts and ties that look like they were given as Christmas presents” and a father figure who pushed his players relentlessly, sometimes to the point of exasperation.
But his drive was to win the Stanley Cup under any circumstance. And any stumble, no matter how minor, was unacceptable. Arbour was not afraid to butt heads with his best and most loyal players and they all understood it was all done in service of making them the best the could be.
Arbour’s use of video review, notes on opposing teams’ tactics and installation of assistant coaches were all ahead of their time. The leaning on his wife Claire to not only record out-of-town games but to find out more about players’ family lives in order to better understand and help them when he could, was critical and should not be overlooked.
Man, what I would give to read those notebooks he kept on other teams. I can’t even imagine the sheer amount of hockey knowledge they contained. Maybe they’ll be released some day...
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, Sports Illustrated, and the books New York Islanders: Countdown to A Dynasty by Barry Wilner, and Dynasty: The Oral History of the New York Islanders 1972-1984 by Greg Prato.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Islanders Anxiety - Episode 218 - Dog Should Have Known Better
Weird Islanders: The Podcast! - Episode 16 - Relatively Famous (with guest Mike Basile)
Islanders Anxiety - Episode 217 - Genuinely Pleasantly Surprised
Islanders Anxiety - Episode 216 - Josh Bailey 1000 Games Special
Islanders Anxiety - Episode 215 - And Then It Went to Hell
Weird Islanders: The Podcast! - Episode 15 - Felix Potvin (with guest John Muir aka @OlegKvasha)
Islanders Anxiety - Episode 214 - Cautiously Encouraged
Islanders Anxiety - Episode 213 - Six Months of Playoffs
Islanders Anxiety - Episode 212 - Everyone is Such a Diehard
Islanders Anxiety - Episode 211 - The Natural State of Things
Islanders Anxiety - Episode 210 - All of a Sudden Out of Nowhere
Islanders Anxiety - Episode 209 - Our Third Season Finale
Islanders Anxiety - Episode 208 - There's Been No Shuffling
Islanders Anxiety - Episode 207 - Don't Be The Islanders
Islanders Anxiety - Episode 206 - We Have a Trade to Announce
Weird Islanders: The Podcast! - Episode 14 - Craig Janney (with guest Dominik Jánský)
Islanders Anxiety - Episode 205 - Research and Development
Weird Islanders: The Podcast! - Episode 13 - Chris Simon (with guest Eric Needell)
Islanders Anxiety - Episode 204 - Deep Pocketed Monsters
Weird Islanders: The Podcast! - Episode 12 - Raffi Torres (with guest Nick Costa)
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free
MMA Fighting
Shutdown Fullcast
Arrowhead Pride: for Kansas City Chiefs fans
The Block M Podcast Network: A University of Michigan Podcast
Another Dolphins Podcast