1. Huge NYI fan
2. Became a huge NYI fan for an odd reason; grew up in Sudbury, home of Al Arbour, and at age 9 was cheering on my "favourite" coach's team
3. My Father and Al Arbour's father worked together
4. I never played organized hockey growing up
5. After getting out of college, I decided to manage a minor hockey team to pad my resume with outside interests.
6. Went on to be manager/coach/trainer/team psychologist of minor ockey teams for 14 years, without ever having a losing season.
7. Have not lived in Sudbury for 12 years, but still keep an eye on the OHL standings to see how the Sudbury Wolves are doing.
8. I have received two Islander jerseys as gifts that I still have; my ex wife gave me a christmas gift of the "Captain Highliner" fishermans jersey, and a very good friend of mine bought me an "Isbister" jersey (not sure why Isbister, but it was the thought that counts, I still have it.
9. I own over $2000 worth of Islanders memorabilia, my favourite being a team bus that has music play when you push down on it.
10. My 40th birthday present from myself was a trip to Montreal and New York to watch the Islanders play at the Bell Centre and the "Shrine" on Long Island.
11. I only got to see one live playoff game during the Dynasty years and that was a game in Montreal, where the Islanders crushed the Habs.
12. Favourite player of all time will always be Bryan Trottier. The man was a beast.
13. One of the happiest days as an Islander fan was when they traded Todd Bertuzzi away. I coached against him in Sudbury and I am still surprised that they make hockey helmets big enough to fit his ego, and small enough to fit his brain. I am just happy that he was not an Islander when the marbles fell out and he seriously injured someone. The tears he cried following that incident where for the money he was losing and nothing else.
14. I still believe Rick will live up to his contract.
15. My second favourite team is anyone playing the Rangers.
16. I have still never met the man who helped create my coaching style and got me hooked on the Islanders, Al Arbour.
17. Never a gaming kind of guy, I only played NHL 200 once and won against my buddy using the Islanders over the Rangers, him being a huge Rangers fan, and won 7 - 1. Would never accept a rematch.
18. Was happy the day they hired Ted Nolan but was also glad the day they fired him, just because I was happy to see them go into full rebuild mode.
19. I will be back in Sudbury this year for a reunion with a lot of my old hockey players and can't wait to see the many great players I had the privilege to coach.
20. I am hoping you can convince Burt to do a segment on who he thinks will get Tavares in the draft this year.
- temmer29

#20 will happen!

1. - Growing up in Saskatchewan in a small town all winter was hockey and nothing else. The rink was left unlocked and my friends and I could go in any time and play hockey whenever we wanted. (Natural Ice Rink)
2. - I plan to play hockey into my 70's or 80's (if I live that long)
3. - I owned Cooperalls
4. - I remember that marathon playoff game between the Isles and Caps. My dad let me stay up to watch it. Such a long game.... that was so rare in the 80's
5. - I hung out at the rink quite often even when I didn't have a game to watch other teams play. In between periods we could go out and skate around with pucks while the adults "scraped" the ice. Those of you who played on natural ice in small towns know what this means
6. - I'm over 30 and would still play knee hockey if I could find a willing comatant
7. - My brother and I used to tape up a sock and play knee hockey in a long hallway in our house. Many pairs of pants ruined
8. - RINK BURGERS!!!!!!
9. - I was at game 6 against Detroit in 2004. Most exciting 1-0 game I've ever seen.
10. - I was at the Flames game when that guy tried streaking against the Bruins and knocked himself out. Funniest thing I've ever seen!
11. - Rec hockey should not be played without BEER
12. - I hate Molson Canadian but I do have a hockey scar / I have turned down a booty call in the playoffs /
13. - That was a goal in game 6 against Tampa!!!!
14. - I can't decide if I hate the Canucks or the Oilers more
15. - Having a Leather Team jacket definitely assisted in picking up girls
That's all I've got right now.

Back from lunch...

9- In 1993, I was 11, so therefore totally apolitical. After finishing off the Isles, I was hoping the Kings would take out the Leafs. I didn't understand at the time that it would have been some sort of historical match up. All I knew is that the Leafs had had a great year, and that we had had tons of troubles against them during the season.

10- A friend and I were interviewed by the SRC when we went to get our bracelets, the day before playoffs tickets were to be sold in 2007. A 5 minutes interview during which I got ask only one question, the last one. Those are the only 5 seconds that made it to the Téléjournal. The next saturday, I was playing deck hockey with my boss's husband. First question he asked : "Weren't you supposed to be studying at home?"

11- I was one of the those dumba$$e$ that turned the TV off when the Habs were trailing 5-0 against the Rangers last year...

12- The first All Star game I recall watching was the one in 1993 (lots of stuff that year) in Montreal, and the first period goals that were allowed by Ed Belfour. The poor guy seemed completely out of it...

13- My first goal ever came after a scrum in front of the net. Basically pushed a puck that was lying on the goal line into the open cage. I was an offensive defenseman back at the time, with great hands but absolutely zero finish. The most ever goals I got in a season was 2.

14- I have a killer slap shot when playing deck hockey. On ice, I couldn't perform a good slapper if my life depended on it!

15- I once scored a goal as a goalie in deck hockey. Worse part is that the other team had not even pulled its goalie! He made a Toskala out of himself on a weird bounce.

16- I've predicted the Habs will win the Cup each and every year for the past 9 seasons.

17- Some of my friends have started a group called "Let's drink a shooter for every Markov goal"... it's been a rather dry year so far. Never understood why they didn't name it "Let's drink a shooter for every Markov assist"... Would've made more sense.

18- Back in his junior years, Marty Brodeur used to play for the St-Hyacinthe Laser (RIP) in the QJMHL... which is pretty much my hometown. The team sucked real hard back then, and we had no idea Brodeur would become the star that he is. Other notable (!) that played for the Laser : Patrick Poulin.

19- Haven't played hockey on a pond for about three years. If some people still think that global warming is a joke... they used to make a rink on the Yamaska river, approximately 2 km in lenght... and they'd bring the zamboni to keep it smooth. Over the last 2-3 years, the ice has not hold for more than a week at a time...

20- Went to Paris, France, last year in April... right when the playoff started. At 3h am in the morning, I was in my room, on RDS.ca, watching the game. Next morning, I took a 3h nap during the conferences I was attending... my only international meeting up to now as a future scientist!

Might as well throw mine in there ...

1 - Grew up/still am/always will be deep down an Isles fan. (Bolts Nation understands this and has forgiven me.)
2 - Charter member of the NYI Blog Box, despite having lived in Florida since the age of seven.
3 - Proud owner of four Islander Stanley Cup commemorative beer mugs, one for each season, which will remain dry until the next Isles Cup. (If they move before then, I'll drink from all of them at the same time and then smash them on the street.)
4 - Treated very well by the Tampa Bay Lightning organization, making the separation of tradition/fandom and professionalism very easy.
5 - Nearly stepped on the Lightning logo my first time in the locker room. (Reminded nicely by member of the training staff to watch my step.) Doh!
6 - Fought in the stands of The St. Pete Times Forum (then The Ice Palace) at the age of 20 when two old drunkards accosted my father.
7 - Questioned a guest speaker at the age of 16 at a hockey school in Syracuse, NY, who kept using Joe Nieuwendyk as an example for a great professional. "Isn't Nieuwendyk holding out for a new contract right now?" was met with an evil stare and effectively dodged.
8 - Knows a guy who lived with Bill "Goldie" Goldthorpe in his North American League days and was an extra in Slap Shot.
9 - Was on the bench with the Syracuse Stars in the Newmarket Showcase Tournament in January of 2004 and laughed out loud at the face made by now-Colorado Avalanche prospect Kevin Montgomery when he was told to "Bite your f*ckin' lip!" to draw an extra penalty after a high stick.
10 - Scored the overtime goal (on a deflection off my ass) for Florida State University against the arch rival Florida Gators in a tournament in the 1997/1998 season (exact dates escape me).
11 - Broke the same bone in the same hand twice in a six-month period in college, costing me about three months of playing time.
12 - Played with this guy, briefly, in pickup leagues in Tallahassee, FL. You know you're in trouble when a guy with pro stats like his is, by far, the best player on your team.
13 - Played with a guy who took out his false teeth for games (and kept them in his sneakers).
14 - Same guy had a fake eye that would pop out from time to time. Once, he picked it up off the ice, put it in his mouth and finished his shift.
15 - Couldn't help but watch RHI and Pro Beach Hockey when ESPN2 would put them on air at 3:00 am.
16 - Would kill for an original, working copy of NHLPA '93.
17 - Knows to stay far away from Marty St. Louis after a Lightning loss.
18 - Wonders why there is a full keg in the press box at every Tampa home game (but nobody drinks from it).
19 - Still slightly intimidated to share the same space as a legend like Phil Esposito on a regular basis.
20 - Thinks Punch Imlach's drafting of "Taro Tsujimoto" is friggin' hilarious.

And on and on .... thinks this list could go on for days ... (Maybe that was Ek's plan?)

JJ
- Jon Jordan

outstanding JJ!

20- Went to Paris, France, last year in April... right when the playoff started. At 3h am in the morning, I was in my room, on RDS.ca, watching the game. Next morning, I took a 3h nap during the conferences I was attending... my only international meeting up to now as a future scientist!
- Vinster171

You had a good reason though.

I broke Eklund's Beck hat trick record approx 5 years after he got it (36 seconds)
- mek01

Say it isnt so! J Scarinci says otherwise

Hey Ek, what about your offer to me to be Cane's blogger?
- Elchrisco

still have one, but definitely on deck!

8. - RINK BURGERS!!!!!!

- jaybizz

This

#1. I got to be an emergency backup at a Junior A game last year
#2. I made the glove save of my life on Erik Christensen at a drop in game one summer. Full extension, around the world, all that jazz. I later went to the hospital to see if my hand was broken.
#3. Dan Hamhuis attended my cousins wedding. He got loaded
#4. My family used to billet out a bunch of the Kamloops Blazers when we lived there
#5. I've met Trevor Linden. Twice
#6. My first shutout at age 9
#7. I bought Darcy Tucker an icecream from Dairy Queen around age 4 after he won his 2nd memorial cup and delivered it to his table
#8. I see Gilbert, Cogliano and Gagner all the time at Oil City and Penner, Pouliot and Stortini at IronHorse. (Bars in Edmonton)
#9. I have Jarome Iginla's signature on an old helmet of his.
#10. I was at a charity event held by Paul Henderson once but had no idea who he was or why he was important. Then a week later I watched the 1972 box set. "poop. THAT'S THE PAUL HENDERSON FROM LAST WEEK?" Damn.
#11. I sat next to Steve McIntyre at Brad Paisley
#12. I'm currently using one of Sam Gagner's sticks from last year as my stick for the outdoor rink.
#13. I used to use a MA Bergeron prostock stick. It suited the player, it sucked.
#14. I see Al MacInnis all the time at Best Buy over the summer
#15. I wear #31 because its better than #1
#16. I remember watching Peter Worrell in junior at the Memorial cup and being confused as hell as to how he got to the NHL. Worst skater I've seen in my life.
#17. I scored a nicer goal on the outdoor rink than any of the ones in that SuperShootout thing at the ASG this year.
#18. Shane Doan is the nicest person you'll ever meet.
#19. I played on the ice of GM place during one of the intermissions when I was younger. I got lit up but it was okay because we met the team after and Garth Snow got lit up that game too.
#20. I've sharpened skates for the kids of Barnaby, Dempsey, Ronning, Buchberger, and a bunch of other explayers.
- GoodLeftUndone

love 19! and I couldn't agree more with 18.

This
- Double_A

That

1. - Growing up in Saskatchewan in a small town all winter was hockey and nothing else. The rink was left unlocked and my friends and I could go in any time and play hockey whenever we wanted. (Natural Ice Rink)
2. - I plan to play hockey into my 70's or 80's (if I live that long)
3. - I owned Cooperalls
4. - I remember that marathon playoff game between the Isles and Caps. My dad let me stay up to watch it. Such a long game.... that was so rare in the 80's
5. - I hung out at the rink quite often even when I didn't have a game to watch other teams play. In between periods we could go out and skate around with pucks while the adults "scraped" the ice. Those of you who played on natural ice in small towns know what this means
6. - I'm over 30 and would still play knee hockey if I could find a willing comatant
7. - My brother and I used to tape up a sock and play knee hockey in a long hallway in our house. Many pairs of pants ruined
8. - RINK BURGERS!!!!!!
9. - I was at game 6 against Detroit in 2004. Most exciting 1-0 game I've ever seen.
10. - I was at the Flames game when that guy tried streaking against the Bruins and knocked himself out. Funniest thing I've ever seen!
11. - Rec hockey should not be played without BEER
12. - I hate Molson Canadian but I do have a hockey scar / I have turned down a booty call in the playoffs /
13. - That was a goal in game 6 against Tampa!!!!
14. - I can't decide if I hate the Canucks or the Oilers more
15. - Having a Leather Team jacket definitely assisted in picking up girls
That's all I've got right now.
- jaybizz

#12 Excellent!

love 19! and I couldn't agree more with 18.
- Eklund

It's funny how reading other peoples makes you remember more of your own.

21. My little brother's team got to play as the little kids in the intermission of a Canucks game and I got to be one of the ref's for it. Ronald McDonald dropped the first puck but I got to drop it with my brother taking a faceoff. Best part is he's a defensman.

That
- selvig

and the Other.

1) I'm a diehard hockey fan

2) I write about hockey all the time on a sports fantasy website

3) I coached PeeWee hockey for one year and every time I remember it it brings a smile to my face - I even taught one of the kid's how to skate

4) I watch hockey whenever I can (all levels) and I don't miss ONE playoff game not matter who is playing

5) I am proud to be a Leafs' fan for our passion and love of the game despite the bad apples that have given some of us a bad reputation

6) When I was site-seeing at the Hoover Dam, Gary Bettman was there with his family too (we shared a tour group)

7) I attended the last game at MLG and the first game at the ACC

8) I own a red seat from MLG, which I used to watch games in and I stood up when the Leafs scored

9) Wendel Clark was my favourite player (now I don't have one, but like several players)

10) I've attended every Hockey Hall of Fame Game in Toronto

11) My basement has been remodeled twice due to holes in the walls from pucks and sticks

12) I've played ice hockey, floor hockey, air hockey, table hockey, field hockey and roller hockey

13) I've been a goalie and a forward in ice and roller hockey

14) I've worn three numbers in my playing days for ice hockey; 13, 11 and 22

15) My friends and I used to play roller hockey every day after school for five straight years

16) While attending University, I wrote an exam in St. Catharines, hopped on a bus to Toronto to attend a playoff game between the Leafs and Sens, and then traveled back to write another exam in the morning in the same day

17) Been lucky to have season's tickets for the Leafs just about all my life

18) I don't know what I do without NHL Centre Ice

19) I still have the first hockey stick I ever used - it can be used a solid wooden mini-stick now

20) I can talk about anything hockey for hours and I usually do

Does Eklund ever "meme" videos of Burt the Dog predicting trades?

4) I watch hockey whenever I can (all levels) and I don't miss ONE playoff game not matter who is playing

- hardCORE

Me too, but I think this year I'll have to skip the West coast games (I have to get up at 430 now for work)

1. The best game i went to was the game that montreal was loosing 5-0 against the rangers and came back to win it 6-5 in shoot out. The roof of the bell centre blew off that night.

2. the second best game i saw was game 1 of the series Mtl-Bos last year. It was my first playoff game and the two quick goals made it a lifetime memory.

3. I got pete mahovlich to sign my all-star game ticket when he was walking around the bell centre.

4. I saw serge savard walking in the bell centre at the all star game.

5. My best hockey memory is when i went to Hockey Expert to get a jersey and a t-shirt signed by Ovechkin. I got up at 4:30 a.m. to get there first and he was getting there at 11:00

6. I got a signed Jean Beliveau Jersey that i got for my birthday, best birthday ever.

7. The habs will make the playoff's

8. I wish people would not use Montreal winning a series or montreal loosing a series to start a riot.

9. I met Etienne Bouley at a habs game this year, he is a montreal alouette and was on the New York Jets practice team.

10. San Jose will win the cup this year against Washington.

11. Montreal will trade for Lecavalier at the 2009 draft.



12. My favorite player a Alexandre Ovechkin.

13. I think that Ovechkin is a way better player then Crosby.

14. i live 20 minutes away from Fracice Bouillon's summer cottage.

15. I got a puck and a picture of the two kostitsyns signed by them.

16. i got a sign markov jursey.

17. I have a picture of Saku Koivu and Ryan Smyth at the outside game in 2005 sign by koivu.

18. Saku Koivu should be ahead of Tuomo Ruutu and Jere Lehtinen in Hockey New's top ten finish players

19.I ate at a table beside Guy Lafleur at his restorant.

20.i played minor hockey with Maxim Gougeont, a goalie in the quebec major ligue. He plays for the Oceanic de Rimouski

1) I have been to a stag party for an NHL player. Yes it was pretty much as you would imagine, therefore,

I win.

18. Saku Koivu should be ahead of Tuomo Ruutu and Jere Lehtinen in Hockey New's top ten finish players
- habsglory

Agreed 100%.

1) I have been to a stag party for an NHL player. Yes it was pretty much as you would imagine, therefore,

I win.
- Aetherial

Yes, you do.

I am actually somewhere between JC Petite and Sergei Puckisin in height.

Agreed 100%.
- Vinster171

Saku should be miles ahead of those other players

1. - Growing up in Saskatchewan in a small town all winter was hockey and nothing else. The rink was left unlocked and my friends and I could go in any time and play hockey whenever we wanted. (Natural Ice Rink)
2. - I plan to play hockey into my 70's or 80's (if I live that long)
3. - I owned Cooperalls
4. - I remember that marathon playoff game between the Isles and Caps. My dad let me stay up to watch it. Such a long game.... that was so rare in the 80's
5. - I hung out at the rink quite often even when I didn't have a game to watch other teams play. In between periods we could go out and skate around with pucks while the adults "scraped" the ice. Those of you who played on natural ice in small towns know what this means
6. - I'm over 30 and would still play knee hockey if I could find a willing comatant
7. - My brother and I used to tape up a sock and play knee hockey in a long hallway in our house. Many pairs of pants ruined
8. - RINK BURGERS!!!!!!
9. - I was at game 6 against Detroit in 2004. Most exciting 1-0 game I've ever seen.
10. - I was at the Flames game when that guy tried streaking against the Bruins and knocked himself out. Funniest thing I've ever seen!
11. - Rec hockey should not be played without BEER
12. - I hate Molson Canadian but I do have a hockey scar / I have turned down a booty call in the playoffs /
13. - That was a goal in game 6 against Tampa!!!!
14. - I can't decide if I hate the Canucks or the Oilers more
15. - Having a Leather Team jacket definitely assisted in picking up girls
That's all I've got right now.
- jaybizz

Saku should be miles ahead of those other players
- Cape Breton Bruins

For those who dont know the list,
1- Niklas Backstrom (Minnesota)

2- Miikka Kiprusoff (Calgary)

3- Mikko Koivu (Minnesota)

4- Olli Jokinen (Calgary)

5- Pekka Rinne (Nashville)

6- Kimmo Timonen (Philadelphie)

7- Joni Pitkanen (Caroline)

8- Teemu Selanne (Anaheim)

9- Jere Lehtinen (Dallas)

10- Tuomo Ruutu (Caroline)

For those who dont know the list,
1- Niklas Backstrom (Minnesota)

2- Miikka Kiprusoff (Calgary)

3- Mikko Koivu (Minnesota)

4- Olli Jokinen (Calgary)

5- Pekka Rinne (Nashville)

6- Kimmo Timonen (Philadelphie)

7- Joni Pitkanen (Caroline)

8- Teemu Selanne (Anaheim)

9- Jere Lehtinen (Dallas)

10- Tuomo Ruutu (Caroline)
- habsglory

Caroline must work at a Finnish brothel