Once upon a time, a hockey team named the New York Islanders was born -- and I was there to see it happen.

By 1972, The Maven had already been in the NHL business for 20 years both as newsman and fan. 

The baby Islanders intrigued me because I saw them as the reincarnation of the New York Americans who once had been the Rangers keenest rivals before folding in 1942.

I've covered the Islanders from their conception at the start of the 1970s to the present, I can confidently say that more than five decades of reporting about the club has left me with a ton of stories -- alias memories.

These include tales about such Hall of Famers as Mike Bossy, Bryan Trottier and Denis Potvin to lesser -- but no less important -- stickhandlers such as Anders Kallur, Gord Dineen, Gord Lane and their pals.

They meant a lot to The Maven then and mean just as much now. With that in mind, I'll be sharing these memories with you in a weekly blog called -- well, why not? -- MEMORIES. So, fans, here we go:

SHAWINIGAN - While most hockey players look to get their number retired to the rafters, Anthony Beauvillier has found a mouth-watering way to leave his mark in Shawinigan, Quebec. 

Beauvillier has been immortalized via the Tito Burger, a pair of mini bacon cheeseburgers served exclusively at Mont Blanc, a bar, bistro and ice cream shop on 186 Rue Principale, Saint-Boniface-de-Shawinigan. 

SHAWINIGAN - It's roughly an hour and a half drive from Saint-Hyacinthe to Shawinigan, Quebec without traffic or snow on the ground, which is a rarity during the hockey season. 

It's a drive Anthony Beauvillier knows well, and he claims he can get there with his eyes closed, though he needs to make a quick course correction after he starts veering towards the the wrong onramp - towards Montreal - when getting on the highway. 

The drive is a jaunt through rural Quebec that passes east through Drummondville, before doubling back northwest through Trois-Rivieres, the third biggest city in the province, but until then, farmland outnumbers buildings and towns by a healthy margin.

The New York Islanders will host the Philadelphia Flyers in a prospect game on Wednesday, Sept. 12 at the team's official practice facility, Northwell Health Ice Center. The game will take place at 6 p.m. on the Al Arbour Rink.

Tickets are required for entry into the event, with proceeds benefiting the Islanders Children's Foundation. 

*Disclaimer: Fans must purchase tickets prior to attending the event. By purchasing tickets online, you agree to pay the suggested donation.  

It's a sunny, but chilly Tuesday May morning as Scott Mayfield runs up the bleachers at the Red Rocks Amphitheater. 

It's a beautiful spot. Wood bleachers on stone slabs sandwiched between a pair of towering and rugged red rocks. There are deer grazing on the hill above the amphitheater and the Denver city skyline is below in the distance. This type of natural beauty is one of the reasons Mayfield makes Denver, Colorado his off-season home. 

The Red Rocks Amphitheater has 70 rows from the stage to the nosebleeds, which feel a little higher in the altitude, and Mayfield is running each one, zig-zagging his way up like a series of switchbacks.

At first glance, there doesn't seem to be anything different about Scott Mayfield's two-year-old golden doodle, Odis. He's friendly, with a ton of energy, likes his walks and perks up when he hears people walking towards the front door. 

But while other dogs double as vacuums when food falls on the floor, Odis needs a seat at the table. 

The New York Islanders announced today that Noah Dobson has signed a three-year, entry-level contract.  

Dobson, 18, scored 69 points (17 goals, 52 assists) in 67 games during his second season with the Acadie-Bathurst Titan of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. Dobson's 52 assists led the team and his 69 points ranked second.

The New York Islanders will play a nationally-televised game against the Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday, Jan. 3, 2019 on NBCSN at 7:30 p.m., per NBC Sports Group. The Islanders-Blackhawks game will be played at NYCB Live, home of the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum. 
 
For NBC Sports Group's full list of nationally-televised games, click here.