Over the past 15 years, Islanders fans have dealt with bad trades, poor draft choices and lackluster decisions that have fragmented a once proud organization. One of the players that slipped away that is still brought up to this day is Todd Bertuzzi.

While his star has dimmed substantially over the past few seasons, to the point where he’s bounced around the league at an almost Mike Sillinger-esque pace, five years ago, the power forward was arguably one of the best in the league. Playing with players the likes of Marcus Naslund and the Sedin twins in Vancouver, Bertuzzi was a steady 40-goal scorer with the kind of toughness and desire that made many think he was the next incarnation of Cam Neeley or Clark Gillies.

A few years before that however, he was a fresh face on a young Islanders team full of them.

Scoring 18 goals in his rookie season, the shaggy-haired winger looked like he was ready to take the next step in his development, but over the next few seasons, a mish-mash of inconsistency, immaturity and lack of playing time made most feel that if he was ever going to get a chance to be a star, it wasn’t going to be with the Islanders.

Nevertheless, there were plenty of moments where Bertuzzi proved he had the ability to be a lot more than a third line grinder.

One game in particular against the Philadelphia Flyers I remember Bertuzzi deked around three defenders and beat the goaltender with one of the nastiest backhands I’ve ever seen. That same game, he landed about three or four vicious hits along the boards as well. It seemed whenever he was on his game, he played at a level that was far better than any of the players around him. To this day, I wonder what the Islanders could have been like if they had Ziggy Palffy, and Bertuzzi on the same line and on the same page. It would have been my teenage hockey fantasy [well, maybe Alyssa Milano in an Islanders Jersey anywhere else but a hockey rink was my teenage hockey fantasy, but I digress] that’s what.

Unfortunately, that situation just never came to be. For every game Bertuzzi was solid, there were three more where he took a bad penalty and didn’t hustle, causing Mike Milbury to put him on garbage pick up, where he never lived up to his true potential.

It’s a situation that will always leave Islander fans wondering.

As for me, I’ll just remember the good times, the few there were.

Photo by Elsa Hasch /Allsport

The first season the Islanders and I became buddies was way back in 92-93 and it is a season I’ll remember for the rest of my life. While guys like Pierre Turgeon, Derek King and Steve Thomas were my favorite players, my father was always a huge Ray Ferraro fan. I never quite understood it until later that season. Spending a huge portion of that season on the shelf, Ferraro wasn’t as big a part of the team’s success as he was the year before, when he scored 40 goals and added 40 assists and was the team’s lone representative at the All-Star game. Nevertheless, when the chips were down, Ferraro was money in the bank and after a while, his card had a spot on my wall over my bed right next to Turgeon’s.

After the team made the playoffs that season, Ferraro was at his very best. In the first round against the Capitals, Number 20 was all over the ice, creating offense and wasting no opportunities. He was so good in that series that he even out-shined Turgeon, who was one of the best players in the league that season. Thanks to the heart and soul he exhibited in that series, the Islanders took care of business against Washington and were all set to play the two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins.

All the team’s success came at a price though. After scoring the nail in the coffin goal against the Capitals in game six, Turgeon was taken out by Dale Hunter [a moment that is perhaps one of the worst in Islanders history. Some Islander fans, including myself, feel that the injury to Turgeon possibly cost the team a spot in the Stanley Cup Finals], leaving them without their leading scorer against the best team in hockey.

Some analysts at the time felt that without Turgeon, the Islanders were a more dangerous team because they had to separate their offense a bit more, giving them four lines that could contribute on offense, rather than three [even though the kid line of Travis Green, Marty McInnis and Brad Dalgarno had some offensive ability, they were often matched up against the opposition's best offensive line. The same thing goes for the fourth line, that usually sported the likes of Mick Vukota and Tom Fitzgerald and mishmash of other players], but make no mistake about it, Turgeon had 132 points that season; he was the heart and soul of that team.

Getting the team to play at the same level as the Pens would be no simple task.

Ferraro however, was uber solid once again and played an influential part in the team’s win in that series, making the pass to Dave Volek with a two on one in overtime that eventually led to a moment that young Islander fans would recreate on the street for years to come.

Well, at least until Shawn Bates’ penalty shot goal in 2002.

Even though he’d be off on the Rangers and an enemy of the state to Isles fans a few years later, Ferraro continued to be a productive player over the course of his NHL career, spending time with the Kings, Thrashers and a few other places before hanging up his skates and joining the broadcasting ranks.

Nevertheless, I’ll always remember him as the guy that almost singlehandedly kept the Islanders on the ice with the best team in the world.

With no game today and having already discussed my thoughts on the trading deadline, I figured I’d bring back another old segment on the website.

”When I’m old and gray, I’ll probably look back on two moments in my career. I’ll remember how nervous I was in my first NHL game and how great things turned out in my first game as an Islander.”

It might have been March 19, 1997, but I still remember that night like it was yesterday. I was so pissed off that the Isles gave up on Marty McInnis that I didn’t care who they got back for him.

Before I get discussing my memories of this former Islander, who by the way is Robert Reichel, if you lack the proper intelligence in Islanders history or have problems reading titles of web pages you click on, let me take you into my 13-year old subconscious at the time of the trade that brought Reichel to the Island.

“First, they shipped off Pierre Turgeon and Vladimir Malakov and then they gave up on both Glenn Healy and Mark Fitzpatrick. Then, they traded Steve Thomas and treated Bryan Berard like a piece of garbage [remember when Milbury made him play forward because he wasn’t coming back on defense?]. Why did they take Marty away? He’s a great penalty killer and still has upside. I bet he scores 20 goals a few more times before his career is finished. [Did I drop the ball on that or what?] What is going on with this team?

“I think that I have a curse or something. Every Islander that I get attached to is traded or given up on.. Anyone remember Jamie McLennan? Is this my fault? Brett Lindros? Again, am I responsible for this? Benoit Hogue? Where did he go? Plus, they haven’t won a cup since I was born. July 13, 1983 might have been the worst day in Islanders history. I hope Milbury knows what he’s doing. I swear if they take Ziggy out of here, I’m going to buy a Niklas Sundstrom jersey and say screw it.”

Ok, back in the present day. [Just for your reference, I never bought that Sundstrom jersey after Palffy was dealt. And for some crazy reason, I’m happy I didn’t]

Reichel, for a short time, combined with Bryan Smolinski and Palffy, gave the Islanders a legitimate first line, but they still couldn’t make the playoffs. The goaltending was too weak and it didn’t matter that Palffy and Reichel obviously had chemistry. The next season, Reichel was again solid, scoring 65 points and was on his way to another one before he was dealt for Brad Isbister. [Looking back, that deal was a bust for both sides] After Travis Green and Palffy, the Islanders other offensive threats were eventually traded, the team was so bad offensively that I used to pray every night for someone to come from the minors that could pass the puck to Mariusz Czerkawski.

Regardless of how it all eventually turned out though, Reichel’s first night, where he scored a goal and added two assists, was a fun one that turned the dimmer switch way up and made me think this team might make the playoffs…if only for a second.

I figured since the team has been playing miserably lately and that I don’t want to sound like a broken record, I’d bring back an old segment to the site, Islanders Memories.

It’s not that I wasn’t a fan of the Yashin signing when it was originally made, because I was, but I was really worried that the pick they gave away, Zdeno Chara and Bill Muckalt would come back and bite the Isles and their fans in the arse. Sadly, Chara and Jason Spezza have developed into bona-fide NHL stars, while the Islanders overpaid for a then point a game player who never panned out for a majority of reasons.

During his time with the Isles, there have been so many excuses made for why Yashin never helped the Isles get past the first round. The biggest one though was always that the Isles never had him on a line with players of his caliber [anyone remember how bad Isles fans wanted to sign Tony Amonte to play with him a few years ago?]. People who usually say that forget that Yashin enjoyed his most success while playing with Shawn McEachern in Ottawa. Anyway, Mariusz Czerkawski was coming off of two very solid offensive seasons and Brad Isbister was the next big thing [before he developed Oleg Kvashitis and got injured a few times], so Yashin never had an excuse to play like crap with them. For most of his first season with the Isles, his linemates were the ones playing like garbage as well, while he averaged close to or more than a point a game.

A hat-trick against the Rangers during the regular season and a solid performance in the playoffs and it looked like Yashin was doing alright. However, the next four seasons were marred in inconsistency, freak injuries [Yashin almost got his hand cut off my Michal Handzus after he fell down and the huge European accidentally ran his skate across his wrist] and problems with other players and coaches.

Rather than continue on this story that everyone knows, I think a nice way of looking at this is realizing that the deal the Islanders made with Yashin changed the NHL forever. I mean, look at how many long-term deals have been made in the league this year. I don’t think they would have been this commonplace if not for the Yashin [and maybe even DiPietro] deals. Also, by spending the money that they did, the Islanders reclaimed some of their fan base back and got back to the playoffs a few times and proved with solid ownership, any team can make the playoffs. While they never did win the cup with Yashin, they did get their respect back in part to bringing him.

That might not be that important to most of you, but as far as keeping the team afloat and changing the motif of hockey on the Island, the acquisition of Yashin helped make that happen. Could things have been different if guys like Tim Connolly, Taylor Pyatt and Chara were allowed to stay? Who knows, but either way, the Isles aren’t league doormats anymore. That to me, is a good thing.

In the end, argue all you want about how bad Yashin was for the team, but realize that they wasn’t completely destroyed by his presence and lived to fight another day, like every other team that has had free-agents busts. Understand that there are actually fans supporting this team now. Before that, there were just a bunch of die-hards that were sick and tired of the way things were going. I know it’s great to think that the Isles could have had a few snipers and great defensemen on the team if they could have held the hammer, rather than drop it, but the fact of the matter is they’ve been far from cellar dwellers since they acquired Yashin.

Now if only they could escape mediocrity…

Considering all the days off the Islanders have had this year, I think I can honestly say that I have almost exhausted myself talking about the same things. To counteract this, I’m reviving an old segment called Isles Memories. Today, I’ll be talking about one Tommy Salo.

While some people may not agree with what I have to say, I think Tommy Salo was one of the most talented goalies the team ever had. The only problem was, he had no support. During his time on the Island, players like Bryan Berard, Scott Lachance, Kenny Jonsson and Bryan McCabe were still developing, Dennis Vaske and Rich Pilon constantly getting hurt and whoever else they had there just wasn’t good enough to play in the NHL. I know a lot of Islander fans don’t want to admit how bad the team was during those years, but it’s true. They were horrible. From 95-99, the guy had 14 shutouts and was only 26 games under .500 on some horrible teams. If that’s not saying how good the guy was, then I don’t know what else will.

Wait, I do.

Take a look at his GAA during the three full seasons he was on the Island. 2.82, 2.64 and 2.62. What’s Rick DiPietro’s GAA right now? 2.49. Not much of a difference if you ask me. But what does this all mean you ask? I believe that the Islanders could have been a much better team if they would have put better pieces around Salo. They definitely wouldn’t have been Stanley Cup teams, but they would have made the playoffs. Simply put, the guy isn’t nearly as bad as many Islander fans think he is. The dude has stamps with his picture on them in Sweden, if that means anything [ok, now I’m making myself laugh here].

The reason why I think Islander fans don’t have much much respect for Salo is because of the beat down he took at the hands of Dan Cloutier. However, I don’t think anyone had the hindsight to see what a raving lunatic the kid was that early on and Salo was probably the first in many goalies that got smacked around by Cloutier. I watch that fight every so often on YouTube and I still can’t believe someone got beat up that bad. But I digress; despite Salo’s inability to throw a haymaker, he wasn’t a bad goalie. His success on the international level and the few solid years he had with Edmonton proved that.

Again, it’s just a sad case of the Islanders giving up on someone way too soon, again.

Pierre Turgeon, Ray Ferraro and Glenn Healy.

Despite having dozens of their cards in dust-filled boxes in their attics, those names don’t mean much to the average hockey fan anymore. 15 years ago however, there was no one more important to hockey fans in Long Island.

Influential players on the last team in the organization that made it past the first round of the playoffs, the 1992-93 Isles were a team that defied the odds and took down the two-time reigning Stanley Cup Champion Pittsburgh Penguins in the Patrick Division finals. Playing six of the seven games in the series without Turgeon, their leading scorer, the Islanders were the Cinderella story of the NHL and proved that a team of misfits could take down a league juggernaut.

“Whatever situation that team was in, they always found a way to bounce back,” said former Islanders play-by-play announcer Jiggs McDonald, who covered the team for over a decade, including three of their four Stanley Cups and the magical ‘93 season. “I don’t think I could even pick a favorite player from that team, there were so many good guys.”

While it seemed to many fans that the team came out of nowhere, the formation of the 1993 team was a work in progress that took former Isles General Manager Bill Torrey almost four years to complete.

Slowly trading away and releasing key members of their successful teams of the 80’s like Brent Sutter, Clark Gillies, Bryan Trottier, Pat Lafontaine and Kelly Hrudey for talented-yet inconsistent players like Steve Thomas, Benoit Hogue, Ray Ferraro, Healy and Turgeon, the Islanders put together a hard-working team that had something to prove. Add in an already Hall of Fame coach in Al Arbour and a group of gritty young players like Travis Green, Marty McInnis, Brad Dalgarno and Vladimir Malakov and the Isles were as solid as team’s come back then.

However, Torrey would eventually leave the team after new ownership took over. Former Ranger Don Maloney would take over as GM for the 92-93 season and didn’t have to make any moves to fortify the team’s lineup.

After going 40-35-7 with 87 points during the regular season, powered by three 30-goal scorers, including Thomas, Derek King, Hogue and a 58-goal season from Turgeon, the Torrey-built Isles faced off against the heavily favored Washington Capitals, who ended the season in second place in the Patrick Division with 93 points.

Armed with a high-scoring blue line that consisted of Kevin Hatcher, Al Iafrate and Sylvain Cote and an accomplished goaltender in Don Beaupre, the Capitals were predicted to take the series in five games by many of the local media outlets. However, the tough Capitals team was muzzled by Healy, who gave up 22 goals in the six-game series that saw three go into overtime.

With Healy keeping the Islanders alive with several breathtaking saves in overtime and Beaupre eventually playing his way to the bench, the Capitals were forced to bring in backup Rich Tabaracci, who didn’t fare much better. Giving up overtime goals to New York-native Brian Mullen and Ferraro in games two and three, Tabaracci was mediocre at best, while Washington looked nothing like the dominant team they were most of the season.

“Healy was the glue that kept that team together in the playoffs,” said McDonald. “He made so many great saves. He kept them alive and charged. Without him playing the way he did, I don’t think they would have advanced.”

Defeating the Capitals in the first round of the playoffs in six games, the Islanders were forced to do so without Turgeon, who separated his shoulder after a vicious cheap-shot from behind after scoring a goal late in the game six by Capitals assistant captain and emotional leader Dale Hunter.

Hunter, who scored seven goals in the series, slammed the 175-pound Turgeon into the Nassau Coliseum boards shoulder first after he stripped the puck from him and scored. Even though he remains a hated figure in Islanders history, Arbour recognized his tenacity and love for the game.

“I asked Al Arbour who he would pick if the league would let him replace Turgeon with one player from any other team,” said McDonald. “He looked me right in the eyes and said two words: ‘Dale Hunter.’ I think he definitely recognized the fact that Hunter had the heart of a lion and would have done anything to win.”

Suspended for a then record 21 games because of the hit, the Islanders were forced to deal with the absence of Turgeon against league heavyweight Pittsburgh.

Taking on the Penguins without their best player, the Islanders needed someone to step up and Ray Ferraro quickly became that man. Injured most of the 92-93 season, but leading the team in goals the year before, the two-time former 40-goal scorer heated up and rallied his team together, scoring 13 goals in only 18 playoff games.

While Ferraro played an influential role in the team’s success against Pittsburgh, several other players also stepped up and aided the cause for New York.

Becoming the first player in NHL playoff history to score two shorthanded goals on the same minor penalty in game four, Tom Fitzgerald almost single-handedly pushed the Isles ahead of the Pens in a 6-5 victory. Fitzgerald’s play, combined with the stellar defense of the rookie Green, who was consistently matched with the opposition’s top center during the regular season, proved pivotal against the Penguins potent offense.

The tough as nails play of Darius Kasparaitis, Mick Vukota, Rich Pilon and Dalgarno also played a crucial part in the team’s success, as Pittsburgh’s top players like Jaromir Jagr and Kevin Stevens left game seven with injuries resulting from crushing hits.

However, Pittsburgh’s experience in the postseason and the clutch play of goaltender Tom Barrasso seemed like it could have been enough to take them to the conference finals. As a matter of fact, many media outlets couldn’t see the Isles producing offensively without Turgeon. Predicted again to lose in five games, the Isles got the series to the seventh game in time for their star to return, but it was obvious he wasn’t at 100 percent.

“Pierre was the face of the team,” said McDonald. “The new ownership made a commitment to him and he took advantage of it. He kept that team in so many games during that season and without him, things looked like they would be over very quickly. He was just an extremely talented player and not having him in the lineup those first six games made things much tougher for them.”

Nevertheless, the Islanders would take the game into overtime after coughing up a late 3-1 lead, where Ferraro would continue to work his magic.

Grabbing a misplaced pass that hit off Penguins defenseman Ulf Samuelsson’s left skate, Isles forward David Volek fed Ferraro a long cross-ice pass and skated viciously up the left side of the ice, suddenly creating a two-on-one opportunity. Drawing Barrasso to the right side, Ferraro slid the puck underneath Kjell Samuelsson’s stick, allowing Volek to fire home a one-timer and give the Islanders their first Patrick Division championship since the glory days of the ‘80s.

While the team wouldn’t be able to continue their winning ways against Montreal in the next series, losing in five games, taking down the two-time defending champions still remains a hallmark in the team’s history.

“That was the best year I have ever experienced as an Islanders fan,” said Islanders Booster Club President Claire Harding. “I couldn’t believe it. I wish I could feel that excitement again one day.”

Rather than talk about the Penguins again [I’d much rather strap myself onto a bed of nails and be forced to watch the 94 Stanley Cup finals with Enya playing in the background and Nathan Lane giving me a foot massage] I figured, this would be the perfect time for another edition of Islander memories.

This time, it’s the last New York Islander to win the Calder Trophy, yes you named it, and it’s not Captain Hook on steroids [even though his vision is 20/400 in one eye and he’s been banned from international play due to steroid use], it’s Bryan Berard. One of the few really talented players on a bunch of bad teams, Berard was one of the reasons why I watched Islanders hockey in the late 1990’s.

Not nearly as solid defensively as he is now [and that’s still not saying much] Berard was basically like a fourth forward on the ice. I vividly remember one occasion where BB was a -3 or 4 one game and on every goal, he was caught pinching. This was during the “Mad Mike” era, so basically as bad as you think the Isles were, you’re probably wrong; they were twice as worse, but anyway, back to my story. As punishment for his tendency to not get back and play defense, Berard was forced to play forward. Let’s just say it wasn’t pretty. Berard could skate, but you could tell he was miserable out there.

Despite that penchant for jumping up and joining the play, Berard’s defense, throughout the year, got to the point where it wasn’t as much of a factor and with 40 assists, he managed to beat out Jarome Ignila for the Calder Trophy. However, like most good things on the Island, they didn’t last long and a year and a half later, Felix “The Cat” Potvin was here in place of Berard. Even though I thought the Isles desperately needed goaltending at that point in time with Tommy Salo not being a good fit [I’ll never forget the time Dan Cloutier beat the crap out of him] and no one to really back him up, it broke my heart to see us give up on someone who had so much potential.

It hurt even more to see BB get hurt the way he did in Toronto, but in spite of everything, he’s had a pretty successful career. He may not have lived up to the hype that goes with being a number one draft pick, but having Masterton and Calder Trophies on your mantle means something at the end of the day, doesn’t it?