Welcome to the Isles Den Podcast — your source for all things New York Islanders and NHL, hosted by Jack (@IslesDen on Twitter, YouTube, and TikTok). This show will be coming from an honest fan perspective from someone who’s lived through the highs, the rebuilds, and everything in between. Whether the Isles are pushing for the playoffs or in full tank mode, I will be here weekly. Enjoy!
What Will We Learn About The Islanders Under Pete DeBoer?!
42 min
Welcome back to the Isles Den Podcast, featuring Eric! In the dog days of summer, we got a little creative by reacting to an AI powered predictive model of how the New York Islanders roster will perform under new HC Pete DeBoer. There were two players comparisons for each players: One being how their upside might look, and their "floor." For example: Simon Holmstrom's ceiling out of formerly coached Pete DeBoer players was William Karlsson, and his floor was Nathan Horton. The google document of all the answers and logic behind them is available here: Claude Comps Let us know what you thought was the most egregious and what you thought made the most sense. Enjoy! Takeaways Player Predictions Under Pete DeBoer's System Insights into Player Comps Predictive Models and Player Projections Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Podcast Format 03:16 Player Comparisons Under Pete DeBoer's System 10:31 Insights into Player Comps 32:36 Predictive Models and NYI Player Projections Discussion Follow the Isles Den Podcast! Offseason Mailbag: Does Victor Eklund Start In The NHL? Isles Den Episode 9 | Free Agent Frenzy Isles Den Episode 8 | Islanders Perspective Of This Insane NHL Offseason... Socials: https://linktr.ee/islesden Isles Den On YouTube https://www.tiktok.com/@islesden https://www.instagram.com/islesden https://www.twitter.com/IslesDen
Offseason Mailbag: Does Victor Eklund Start In The NHL?
44 min
Welcome back to the Isles Den Podcast for Episode 10. Today out of appreciation for the loyal listeners we ran a mailbag from X and Reddit where Jack answered all the New York Islanders submitted questions and comments. Fans were wondering if Mathieu Darche was done for the offseason, if Kyle Palmieri can bounce back, whether or not this team will be aggressive if things go south next NHL season and if this team can surprise some experts to make the Stanley Cup Playoffs in 2027. We had some fun discussions like who I think was the best UFA signing in team history as well. Things are pretty quiet on Long Island as we are in the middle of July. Outside of the NHL Schedule Release and Islanders alternate jersey designs being submitted, I’d expect the hockey news to be slow until we get closer to training camp. Enjoy! Chapters 00:00 Introduction 00:50 NY Islanders Ownership: Discussing the roles of Jon Ledecky, Scott Malkin and John Collins 02:52 Rebuilding vs. Retooling NHL General Managers 06:11 Does Victor Eklund start next season in the NHL? 08:30 Is Semyon Varlamov the best free agency signing in Islanders history? 12:25 Will Mathieu Darche add more free agents this summer? 14:25 Will Pete DeBoer be able to maximize the talent on this Isles team? 18:40 What happens if the Islanders spiral next year? 20:40 Would you rather trade Adam Pelech or Alexander Romanov? 24:40 Is letting Anders Lee walk the correct decision? 31:05 How will Trade Deadline look next year on Long Island? 33:45 Will the Islanders make the playoffs this season? 36:20 Evaluating the first season of Mathieu Darche Follow Isles Den: https://linktr.ee/islesden https://www.youtube.com/@IslesDen https://www.tiktok.com/@islesden https://www.instagram.com/islesden https://www.twitter.com/IslesDen
Isles Den Episode 9 | Free Agent Frenzy
1 hr 9 min
Welcome back to the Isles Den Podcast! In this episode, Jack and Data Dom break down the opening day of NHL free agency and Mathieu Darche's first moves of the summer. He reacts to the Islanders signing Matias Maccelli, Vitek Vanecek, and Matthew Kessel, and dives into the bigger storyline of the day: Captain Anders Lee heading to the open market after the two sides couldn't close the gap on a new deal. The conversation covers what Lee's potential departure means for the locker room and the franchise's direction, whether Darche made the right call letting his asking price walk, and what these depth additions signal about the team's approach to filling out the roster around the edges. THANK YOU for all of your questions! Enjoy! Topics: Free Agency Reaction: Breaking down the Maccelli, Vanecek, and Kessel signings Anders Lee to Market: What it means for the captain to hit UFA and whether the Isles made the right choice Mathieu Darche's Decision-Making: Evaluating the GM's approach on Day 1 of free agency Roster Construction: How these moves fit into the Islanders' bigger-picture plan Cap Space and What's Next: What's still left on Darche's to-do list this offseason Around the NHL Data Dom: twitter.com/datadomNY IslesDen Content: https://linktr.ee/islesden
Isles Den Episode 8 | Islanders Perspective Of This Insane NHL Offseason...
1 hr 20 min
Welcome back to the Isles Den Podcast! Today we have a NY Islanders Beat Reporter Stefen Rosner from The Elmonters as a special guest to discuss the New York Islanders plans for the 2026 NHL Entry Draft, Mathieu Darche's offseason goals, a look at who's still on the NHL Trade Market and a brief Q&A. Chapters: 00:50 The Islanders miss out on Jordan Kyrou 05:00 Is the market underrating the next season's NYI team? 14:15 Do the Islanders upgrade through the NHL Trade Market, Free Agency or stand pat? 41:15 Q&A 110:12 Mathieu Darche and the Islanders long-term plan Enjoy! You can find Stefen's work at The Elmonters right here: https://www.twitter.com/TheElmonters IslesDen Content: https://linktr.ee/islesden https://www.youtube.com/@IslesDen?sub_confirmation=1 https://www.tiktok.com/@islesden https://www.instagram.com/islesden https://www.twitter.com/IslesDen
Isles Den Episode 7 | An Interesting Offseason Begins...
1 hr 9 min
Welcome back to the Isles Den Podcast! In this episode, Jack discusses trade talk, the Islanders roster, and the Stanley Cup-winning Carolina Hurricanes. He shares his thoughts on players he's willing to move, potential trade targets, and the Islanders cup contention timeline. The conversation also covers the asking price for Jordan Kyrou, the need for player protection, and the Isles approach to building a young roster. The conversation covers a range of topics including player contracts, power play struggles, potential trade targets, and the NHL draft. It also delves into the Islanders' playoff prospects, the GM's decision-making, and the potential impact of new acquisitions. The host shares insights on specific players, trade scenarios, and the team's future prospects. THANK YOU for all of your questions! Enjoy! Topics: * Trade Talk: Thoughts on players he's willing to move and potential trade targets. * Team Building: The conversation explores the team's cup contention timeline and the approach to building a young roster. * Power play struggles and coaching impact * Potential trade targets and acquisitions * NHL draft and player selection * Islanders' playoff prospects and Mathieu Darche's decision-making Chapters * 00:00 Trade Talk and Roster Overview * 01:00 New York Islanders Offseason Outlook * 05:42 Player Protection and Potential Trade Targets * 16:00 Cup Contention Timeline and Roster Building * 35:07 Player Contracts and Buyouts * 01:03:39 NHL Draft and Player Selection IslesDen Content: https://linktr.ee/islesden https://www.youtube.com/@IslesDen?sub_confirmation=1 https://www.tiktok.com/@islesden https://www.instagram.com/islesden https://www.twitter.com/IslesDen IslesDen Content: https://linktr.ee/islesden https://www.youtube.com/@IslesDen?sub_confirmation=1 https://www.tiktok.com/@islesden https://www.instagram.com/islesden https://www.twitter.com/IslesDen
Isles Den Episode 6 | How Bold Will Mathieu Darche Get This Offseason?
45 min
Jack is back with Episode 6 of the Isles Den Podcast to share some thoughts on some of the recent hockey news this week. The offseason is nearing, the NHL rumors are thriving and New York Islanders GM Mathieu Darche has some big decisions to make for the franchise regarding the Draft, Trade and Free Agency Markets. NYI team captain Anders Lee seems to be heading to a new team this summer, Mathew Barzal's name is being discussed around the league in trade talks, is Dylan Larkin a good fit for the Isles? We touched on all of that and took your questions from Twitter and Reddit. Thanks for listening, hope you enjoy the show! Chapters 00:00 New York Islanders Headlines 06:11 Anders Lee's Legacy and Impact 11:59 NHL Player Mentorship and Development 20:31 NHL Free Agency and Trade Targets 26:05 Ideal Islanders Power Play Personnel 34:39 Isles Offseason Mock Trades and Q&A IslesDen Content: https://linktr.ee/islesden https://www.youtube.com/@IslesDen?sub_confirmation=1 https://www.tiktok.com/@islesden https://www.instagram.com/islesden https://www.twitter.com/IslesDen
Isles Den Episode 5 | Islanders Draft and Prospect Talk FT. Mark!
1 hr 13 min
Welcome back to the fifth episode of the Isles Den Podcast! Jack and Mark previewed the 2026 NHL Entry Draft coming up in June and discussed the current state of New York Islanders prospects. Mark gave high-level analysis of all the popular names in the pipeline like Cole Eiserman, Victor Eklund, Kashawn Aitcheson and more! We talked about the NYI needs moving forward and how they should be focused on game-changing forwards as well as Right-Shot Defensemen. Enjoy! Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Draft Content 06:17 Evaluation of Defensive Prospects 23:10 Discussion on Victor Eklund and Forward Prospects 35:33 NHL Pipeline Assessment 50:16 Draft Strategy: Difference Makers at Forward 56:33 Best Player Available vs. Team Needs Find Mark on Twitter here! https://www.twitter.com/MD_scouting https://www.twitter.com/mckeenshockey IslesDen Content: https://linktr.ee/islesden https://www.youtube.com/@IslesDen?sub_confirmation=1 https://www.tiktok.com/@islesden https://www.instagram.com/islesden https://www.twitter.com/IslesDen
Isles Den Episode 4 | FT Data Dom!
1 hr 12 min
Welcome back to the fourth episode of the Isles Den Podcast! Dom and I discussed the usual Season Recap topics! Talking points: Season expectations and team performance were not aligned, leading to disappointment. The firing of the coach and the impact of specific players on the team were significant topics of discussion. Player contracts and potential trades Impact of coaching on team performance Player performance and impact on the team Team statistics and performance in the playoffs Upcoming draft and free agency Chapters 00:00 Season Expectations and Projections 06:26 The Collapse of the Islanders 14:46 Analytics and Player Impact 24:36 Firing of the Coach and Coaching Decisions 45:04 Impact of Coaching on Team Performance 53:51 Player Performance and Impact Enjoy! Find ALL Isles Den Content right here: https://linktr.ee/islesden https://www.youtube.com/@IslesDen?sub_confirmation=1 https://www.tiktok.com/@islesden https://www.instagram.com/islesden https://www.twitter.com/IslesDen
Isles Den Episode 3
1 hr 6 min
Welcome back for your weekly Isles Den Podcast Episode! Last week Jack sat down with Thomas (@PalffyNYI16 on X), the first ever follower of Isles Den to discuss the LONG time season ticket holder's thoughts on the 2025-26 season. We discussed: Sorokin's exceptional performance and the Islanders' goaltending issues were key factors in the team's season. Fan engagement and vibe shift at games were notable aspects of the Islanders' season. The conversation highlighted the reasons for the Islanders' collapse and discussed underrated and most improved players. Assessment of trades and their impact on team performance Evaluation of coaching changes and playoff implications Roster analysis, player retention, and offseason strategy Impact of power play on playoff expectations Chapters 00:00 Season Recap and Expectations 05:04 Vibe Shift at Games and Fan Engagement 25:03 Underrated and Most Improved Players 35:13 Assessing the Trades 40:23 Player Pairing and Team Expectations 45:37 Player Evaluation and Offseason Moves 51:04 Coaching Assessment and Offseason Strategy 58:40 Offseason Moves and Roster Adjustments 01:05:11 Power Play Analysis and Playoff Implications Enjoy! Find ALL Isles Den Content right here: https://linktr.ee/islesden https://www.youtube.com/@IslesDen?sub_confirmation=1 https://www.tiktok.com/@islesden https://www.instagram.com/islesden https://www.twitter.com/IslesDen
Isles Den Episode 2 | Season Recap FT. Phil & Eric
1 hr 28 min
Welcome back for another Isles Den Podcast episode, this time Jack is joined by some familiar faces we saw all season long on the live streamed postgame show series on YouTube! Eric and Phil are the first of a few more guests coming on to share their perspective on the 2025-26 New York Islanders season. Below are the questions I asked their opinion's on, and we discussed plenty more: What were the realistic expectations heading into the year, and how far off were the actual results? Then we dig into the collapse — why the Islanders missed the playoffs and what caused that late-March/early-April meltdown (yes, trades get mentioned…). Phil and Eric also spotlight the most underrated contributor on the roster, call out the player who might be getting too much credit. They shared their raw thoughts on the shocking coaching change that came with just two games left on the schedule. Finally we look ahead to the offseason: which UFAs and RFAs should the Islanders bring back, and who should they let walk? Overall this is a passionate, honest, and insightful discussion between us three. Hope you enjoy! Find ALL Isles Den Content right here: https://linktr.ee/islesden
Isles Den Episode 1 | Beginning At The End
41 min
Welcome to the the first episode of the Isles Den podcast! We covered a comprehensive review of the 2025-26 New York Islanders season, discussing player performances, coaching decisions, and potential offseason moves. The host shares insights, opinions, and answers fan questions, providing a detailed analysis of the state of the NY Islanders. Takeaways Islanders' 2025-26 season review: What went well and how they missed the playoffs Unforgettable season from Matthew Schaefer Why this was a Vezina Trophy deserving season for Ilya Sorokin Coaching decisions and evaluating player performances, why we should be excited about the change from Patrick Roy to Pete DeBoer What to expect this offseason from GM Mathieu Darche Isles Den Socials: https://www.youtube.com/@IslesDen https://www.tiktok.com/@islesden https://www.instagram.com/islesden https://www.twitter.com/IslesDen
