Inside Islanders Alumni Weekend

Playing hockey for the New York Islanders is an honor and a privilege. And a heckuva lot of fun, to boot. That message was loud and clear throughout the Islanders' second annual alumni weekend, and happily underscored as the alumni (along with almost 12,000 fans) watched the present-day Islanders take care of business Saturday night, shutting out the New Jersey Devils 3-0 and moving into first place in the Metropolitan division.

The weekend began with 50-plus alumni and their families gathering for dinner and drinks Friday night and greeting each other with great joy and excitement. Players from the 2000's mingled with players from the 1970's, 80's, and 90's, showcasing the special bond they share despite the fact that many of them never sat in the same locker room - at least not at the same time, that is. Co-owner Jon Ledecky welcomed everyone with a toast to the crest they've all worn, making it clear they were just as happy to have players who'd played one game for the Islanders as they were to have the likes of Bryan Trottier, Clark Gillies, Bobby Nystrom, and Chico Resch (and a handful of others from the Cup dynasty years). As he said, "Once an Islander, always an Islander."

One ex-player, Don Cutts, took Mr. Ledecky's version of the new owners' welcoming spirit one step further. Apparently, Cutts hadn't even played a minute in an Islander uniform. A goaltender drafted by the Islanders in 1973, Cutts played for the minor league affiliate in Fort Worth, dressing as the back-up for the Islanders four different times, but he never made it into a game. No matter, he was welcomed with open arms and was as much a part of the celebration as anyone. Don was a real character as well. (For more on this wacky, engaging goaltender - that's redundant, I know - keep an eye on the Islanders Alumni Corner.)
Saturday morning began with a double-decker bus tour of the city. But even the wet weather couldn't dampen the spirit the group showed, turning up in surprising numbers and all choosing to sit on top of the bus - despite the wet seats and despite the fact that many of them had been last seen reminiscing well past midnight. The traffic gods then paid karmic tribute to the recent passing of owner Charles Wang when the bus got stuck for a minute at a light directly across from the Charles B. Wang Community Health Center - one of the many ways Charles chose to give back.

The tour ended and the bus pulled into City Vineyard where the players and their families enjoyed a champagne toast and a delicious lunch by the Hudson River just as the sun began to win its battle with rain and clouds. After lunch, Mr. Ledecky addressed the group and explained the players would be wearing a CBW patch on their jerseys in honor of Charles. He said he admired Charles not only for his considerable charitable work, but also because the warmth he spread extended towards any child he met, to his players, to the Long Island community. And Ledecky said, that was responsible for Charles' decision to buy the Islanders in 2000 - to ensure they would remain on Long Island. In fact, the plan to build the new arena in Belmont was also Charles' idea and will become part of his legacy. "Charles gave me lots of great advice," he said, "But there's one thing I can't quite do. 'After a tough loss,' he told me, 'You can stew for about 15 minutes and then move on.' It takes me much longer than that," Ledecky admitted.
The Islanders of old also got a glimpse of the future, with a brief presentation on the plans for the new building in Belmont. Part of the pitch was how the architects are making a special effort to keep the bowl tight and recreate the feeling of the old Coliseum, which appealed to the skaters who called the old barn home.
Captain Clark spoke last, remembering Bill Torrey, the cup dynasty General Manager, first as a tough but fair leader who understood what it took to win championships and did everything in his power to give his team the best chance to do that; and second, as a good friend. "Bill didn't come into the locker room more than once or twice a year," he said, "But it was usually when the team wasn't playing very well. One time he came in and told us, 'I know you all want to play on the power play, and if this keeps up, you all will be. Just not here!'"

Onto the NHL game Saturday evening, highlighted once again by the Islanders' stellar play in net and opportunistic scoring. That seems to be the young team's formula for success to date. After killing off two penalties early and then taking a 1-0 lead on a power play goal by Jordan Eberle to close the period, the alumni were introduced one-by-one on the Jumbotron. In the second, Greiss was forced to stop last year's MVP, Taylor Hall, on a breakaway, and Nelson finished off a two-on-one ripping a wrister past Kinkaid in the third. It was his seventh of the young season, leading the team in that department. Mayfield iced it, almost literally, as he scored an empty-netter all the way from in front of the Islanders net with less than a minute left to play.
After the win, the celebration continued back at the team hotel. The players talked about the team's renewed spirit, the retooled line up, the new leadership behind the bench and in the front office, the return to Long Island this season for 21 games, and the new arena coming soon to Belmont. It was clear the alumni are excited about the new-look Islanders. "I leave here feeling united," Trottier said. "It's wonderful to see 80's team and the guys from the early 70's, but guys I didn't play with from the 90's, and the 2000's, they're great. That inclusiveness is good for the Islanders and great for the tradition and history. There's a pride that's involved when you put the jersey on, and to be able to share that with generations of hockey players and generations of fans is really special."
This is true. Whether it's Don Cutts with four appearances on the bench as a backup goalie or Bryan Trottier with 1,123 games. Once an Islander, always an Islander.