In our first ever four-person episode, Mike’s brother David and friend Frank join us to discuss a quartet of short-time Islanders goalies spanning several eras.
Goaltending is the lifeblood of any hockey team. When it’s good, a mediocre roster can do great things. When it’s bad, even a talented team can be stopped dead in its tracks. Some goalie are Corvettes, some are Camrys. The four goalies we discuss run the gamut from youthful exuberance to veteran stability to blink-and-you’ll-miss-him tenures
to guys who hung around the ice seemingly forever.
Eric Fichaud is still a name that puts smiles on Islanders fans’ faces thanks to a great look, a cool name and memories of hope for better days. Wade Flaherty was the consummate backup and deputy sheriff, never spectacular but solid when the team needed it. Of all of the goalies in Islanders history, Marcel Cousineau was… certainly one of them. But you’d have to be a real sicko to even remember him. Years after these guys came and went, Yann Danis carried on the tradition of showing up out of nowhere, playing (and winning!) a bunch of games and getting people excited before roaming the larger hockey world like a samurai ronin.
Along the way, we find out how David inadvertently drove Mike to the Islanders, and how Fichaud played a huge role in their youth. Frank tells us what it’s like to be an unofficial Leboff, growing up with the Islanders through his friendship with them. Thanks again to both guys for coming on, sharing their stories and bringing these goalies back to life, however briefly they may have stayed on Long Island.
WEIRD BONUS MATERIAL
- The full Fichaud experience was a wild ride, full of hopes that ended up smashed to bits.
- Teammate (and fellow Weird Islander) Matheiu Schneider called Fichaud, “a very calm kid, very impressive.”
- Fichaud might not have been the “Goalie of the Future” but he and his fellow Islanders were a tight group back then:
- In 2001, Fichaud finally called it quits, saying he had lost his desire to play
- To this day, he might be the only Islander from the era to say nice things about the Fisherman jersey.
- Wade Flaherty had a long career in the NHL as a backup and spot starter for a few teams. He was in net when the early San Jose Sharks upset Calgary in the 1995 playoffs.
- He came to the Islanders at a time of great goalie upheaval: Roberto Luongo was traded to Florida and Rick DiPietro was selected first overall. He was the starter when Rick was first called up from the AHL.
- Flaherty had four (4) shutouts for the Islanders including this one over the Panthers and Roberto Luongo.
- For better or worse, his greatest claim to fame was giving up the 894th and final goal of Wayne Gretzky’s career. He’s still got a great sense of humor about it.
- Since 2011, Flaherty has been the goalie coach for the Winnipeg Jets, helping Connor Hellebuyck win two Vezinas and a Hart Trophy.
- In a weird bit of synergy, Eric Fichaud and Marcel Cousineau opposed each other in an Islanders-Leafs game on Dec. 30, 1996. The final was 2-0 Toronto, Cousineau’s only NHL shutout.
- After signing with the Islanders, Cousineau won zero times in six tries. One of those losses was the day they acquired Felix Potvin from Cousineau’s old team, the Leafs. Tommy Salo stayed home, Cousineau got the start, and the Islanders lost 3-2 to the Habs.
- This video is trash but it is the only video evidence that Cousineau played for the Islanders. The lone commenter (from 13 years ago) says: “Marcel Cousineau rocks.” Okay, then.
- After an non-impact stint on Long Island, Cousineau was part of the massive trade of Ziggy Palffy and finished his NHL time with the Kings.
- Before coming to the Islanders, Yann Danis had decorated stints at Brown University (including being a Hobey Baker finalist) and Hamilton of the AHL as part of the Canadiens organization.
- He didn’t play much at first, but once Joey McDonald (who himself replaced Rick DiPietro) went down with a groin injury, Danis stepped in and had a surprising run for a very bad Islanders team.
- After seven straight losses, Danis finally got a win, a 2-1 victory over Anaheim at Nassau Coliseum:
- As bad as that Islanders team was, Danis had two shutouts in 2008-09. One was at home against New Jersey, the first time the Islanders had blanked the Devils in 17 years:
- Alas, he was not meant to be on Long Island for long. He left for New Jersey in 2009 and for Edmonton in 2011. His well-traveled career was mainly spent in the AHL, where he led Oklahoma City and Hartford on long playoff runs. He returned to the Devils organization in 2015.
What makes a “Weird Islander?”
We’re always open to suggestions about other Weird Islanders to discuss. Remember the criteria. Candidates must fulfill one of the two of the following:
- Played one (1) season or less for the Islanders or very short stints over multiple seasons.
- Be a veteran NHLer who is not generally associated with his time on Islanders.
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