Im sure some of us have met some former and current Islanders.
Who are some of the best and worst guys you have had the pleasure to mingle with, maybe some stories:
Best
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Chow
Isbister
I dont really like both guys too much on the ice but off the ice they are really cool. Both guys are down to earth and have no problems talking with fans and they dont make it seem like a chore.
Worst
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Mark Lawerence
A giant D-bag for a guy who is a career AHLer who caught a break with a terrible Islanders team. Maybe I just caught him on a bad day, but he couldnt be meaner.
Haven't met too many myself, but my dad, on the other hand, meets pretty much the entire team every year. He works in a restaurant, where the Isles have a couple team parties and dinners throughout the year. He was actually pretty good friends with Mike Milbury, when he was GM. He brought a jersey for the whole team to sign one particular night, and he said that Jason Blake ended up having a "few too many," and actually signed the jersey three different times.
But from the ones I have met, Miro Satan was really the nicest. I haven't met any ones that weren't friendly though.
I've spoken to Chico Resch a few times over the years and not only is he a friendly ex-Islander, he's probably one of the genuinly nicest people I've ever met. I felt like I was talking to my next-door nieghbor. Just a great guy.
On the flip side, a bunch of the players did a signing out at CA in Islandia a few years back for the employees, and my wife told my most of them were great(Snow, DP, and in particular Yash), with the glaring exception of Blake, who was acting like he was doing everyone a favor just being there. I've heard from more than one person that he could be a real d-bag at times.
When I worked for the Las Vegas Thunder, Joe Day was one of the member of the team. I know he did not play for the Isles too much, but he spoke fondly of the Island and his time there.
I have also worked for the Cleveland Barons and Lumberjacks. During which time I met Ken Morrow and Duane Sutter. Duane was not too talkative but did notice my Islanders lanyard, which I used to hold my credentials. Once he saw that he opened up a bit. Dipietro signed an official Islander puck for me.
But Morrow I knew really well. He came to town once a month for scouting and we spoke prior to the game each time. He actually remembered my first name as well. I saw him by chance outside of Nationwide Arena after a Blue Jackets/Isles game and spoke with him. It was not long after the Miracle on Ice reunion in Salt Lake. So we discussed that. I had a friend with me and I introduced him to Ken. On the way back my friend stated how so non-chalantly introduced him to a member of the Miracle on Ice team and 4 time cup winner.
He still talks about that today. Oh..other non-Isles players of note..Mark and Gordie Howe, Gerry Cheevers, Viacheslev Tretiak.
I met Jason Blake and trent hunter at Ruth Chris after i finished my dinner. They were both awesome guys, that was really the only time i met any of them, aside from when i had season tickets, and i could go meet all the players and receive autographs.
Trottier always seems bothered when he walks around, but was nice enough to sign my blade. Of all these new guys id say again Bailey Okposo and the Wrecker were the nicest, not only to me but to all fans. Especially the children
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New York Yankees 2009 World Champions!
Ray Ferraro was the absolute worst. I've never seen a guy so upset to spend a few minutes signing autographs for the fans. I was probably 13 and I asked him to sign my jsersey & he tisked and grabbed it out of my hands signed it & then threw it back at me. What a jerk.
Best: Satan, Wrecker, Bailey, Matt Martin and yes Chris Simon
Worst: Dennis Vaske, Jason Blake
Vaske, huh? He had some sort of signing or something at the Smithtown library back in the day... I was pretty young, but I don't remember him being a dick or anything. What was it that you didn't like about him?
Pat Lafontaine (NO ONE comes close, especially as far as superstar players)
Brent Severyn
Eric Cairns
Jim Cummins
Ken Baumgartner
Arron Asham
Mick Vukota
Paul Kruse
Jeff Norton
Mark Janssens
Jamie McLennan
Tommy Soderstrom (friggin awesome guy)
Darius Kasparaitis (see above, HILARIOUS)
Jason Strudwick
Alexei Yashin
Mark Parrish
Dave Scatchard
(to name a few LOL....my husband used to work for their team photographers so that was one of the reasons we've met so many)
Worst
Jason Blake
Michael Peca (and this killed me because I really like the guy)
Ray Ferraro (could be THE worst, actually saw him scream at a little boy, couldnt have been more than 6 for accidentally getting marker on his hand)
Mark Fitzpatrick
Travis Green (but he was more of a dumbass then a jerk)
Todd Bertuzzi
Not too many stand out as we had more good experiences with most of the guys over the years (most of them being the fighters/enforcers).
Best:
Jeff Norton, I saw him outside the Igloo in 1993 after game 7, he told me if I went to Montreal for game 1 he would leave me a tickets, I went and he delivered on the tickets.
Many of those guys from the 93 team were great; Healy, Houge, Thomas. I found Turgeon and Ferraro to be a bit less friendly but not by any means rude.
Living in Northern Ireland I've never met many Islanders players, infact the only one I have met was Eric Cairns when he played for London during the lockout. I was speaking to him in the bar after the game and got him to sign an Islanders shirt for my cousin.
On my way home myself and a friend seen him and 2 of his team mates waiting for a taxi, we offered them a lift back to their hotel in my friends Citroen AX.
He was a very cool guy and even offered by buy us a few beers next time he was in town.
Former Islander Paul Kruse also played for my home town team the Belfast Giants although I never really spoke to him.
Best:
Jeff Norton, I saw him outside the Igloo in 1993 after game 7, he told me if I went to Montreal for game 1 he would leave me a tickets, I went and he delivered on the tickets.
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damn thats cool, I guess thats why you have Norton as your name, I actually thought he wasnt playing during that series because he had some type of dispute with the team or something that eventually led to him getting traded
Vaske, huh? He had some sort of signing or something at the Smithtown library back in the day... I was pretty young, but I don't remember him being a dick or anything. What was it that you didn't like about him?
I throw Vaske in htere because the guy was a dick to me at least 3 times when I approached him for an auto. I always give guys the benefit of the doubt but after 3 times I say FU Dennis.
Best:
Trent Hunter
Eric Godard
Justin Mapletoft
Steve Stirling
Ted Nolan
Worst:
I dont have too many... but Mike Milbury was my worst!
I met Godard, Hunter, and Mapletoft when they still played for the soundtigers...i was out at the outback in Milford CT with a buddy and 2 of our friends [attractive girls] and in comes the 3 of them, they got seated at a table across the way from us and i dunno if they were nice cause they wanted our women or what, but me and my buddy are diehard isles and soundtigers fans...so we of course sent them a round of drinks on our tab and we saw them get them andthe waitress pointed over to us and within 15 minutes wehad a round of drinks [we were only like 19 or 20 at the time] and they came over and were talking and ************ with us...they were really awesome guys totally genuine and overall just really cool. i was always a huge godard fan and that day made it even better, i asked him to punch me in the face as a joke and he laughed, we talked about how it was to be an enforcer in the ahl and stuff it was really a good time.
also met formeer coaches stever stirling and ted nolan when they were down in shelton at the ice rinks scouting for some of the tiger talent, both guys were really cool and we talked about the team and their coaching situations and stuff overall really niceguys as well
however i also met mike milbury at the shelton rinks...he was standing in front of me for the whole entire game, i told him to sit down not realizing who it was and i turned to see mike milbury he then said id love to sit down but i cant i broke my knee in colorado on a skiing accident, i said thats no excuse mr milbury i cant see the game,he laughed and then moved over a few spots so i could see...but still hes a ****** cause he ruined our team.
