Our friend John Muir is back to talk about three hockey cards of inaugural Islanders he came across in an unlikely location.
While on a hunt for Pokémon cards with his kids, John found some NHL trading
cards from 1972 that captured the soon-to-be-hapless Islanders in all their haplessness. One was a depth forward who gave what he could before getting traded just as the team turned the corner. One was a collegiate star whose NHL career never quite took off. And one was a goalie who never actually played for the Islanders, but who once won a major award, outplayed a Hall of Famer, had an even more successful sibling and was traded for a host of other notable netminders. We also throw in a bonus Weird Islander who spent two miserable seasons with them before finding success (and possibly new romantic adventures) somewhere else.
We let John and the cards take us on this journey of discovery. Along the way, we discuss the origins of the EBUG, the joys of thrift shopping on vacation and the very real guacamole recipe of a Hollywood horror icon. This is a chill, hang out episode that, while not specifically Halloween-themed, feels like a trick-or-treat bag of random goodies.
(uh… Atlanta Flames?)
Thanks again to John for coming on again, and for inspiring the entire episode. And thanks to Chewy’s Cards and Collectibles in Indian Trail, NC for providing the cards we spent over an hour discussing. Check them out if you’re in the area.
WEIRD BONUS MATERIAL
- At one time, Craig Cameron was considered a “scoring threat” for the inaugural Islanders. He also had a 20-game goal drought that first season.
- He did score in first regular season Islanders-Rangers game on 10/21/72 (a 2-1 Islanders loss)
- He also scored to break up a team-wide 115:44 scoring drought with an early season goal against the Bruins and scored a hat trick against the Golden Seals on January 23, 1974 (an 8-1 win)
- Cameron was apparently nicknamed “Boris” because he looked like Boris Karloff (he did not look like Boris Karloff)
- The Islanders were able to acquire Dennis DeJordy (and Germain Gagnon and Chico freaking Resch) from the Habs in exchange for them not selecting one of the guys Sam Pollack didn’t want to lose: Bob Murdoch, Dale Hoganson and Chuck Lefley. Okay.
- DeJordy and Gerry Desjardins would not only be traded for each other in 1970 but they would both find themselves at Islanders training camp in 1972. Desjardins and a young Billy Smith would make the cut. DeJordy would be traded to Detroit in early October.
- I wrote about Desjardins in my Islander of the Day series. Getting traded to Buffalo was the best thing that ever happened to him.
- Desjardins’ eye injury in 1977 led to the end of fiberglass masks.
- Tom Miller’s NHL career might have been brief but his NCAA career was long and distinguished. He won two championships with the University of Denver in the late 60’s.
- He was also once beat out in Rangers camp by his coach with the Islanders, Phil Goyette. That’s gotta be a little embarrassing…
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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