My favorite player from the pre Tavares era is Richard Park. I have a distinct memory of him scoring a shorty and being a menace
cadoin
Maybe not my favorite player from the team (which is probably Frans) but Richard Park is one of my favorites for sure. He was wasn’t fancy or insanely good but he was a great utility piece. He was JG before JG.
dietdoctork3lp
Blake. Small, fast, quiet. DP and Bates are close 2nd
hopefulbeartoday
Dipietro is my favorite islander on this team and 2nd overall only to palffy. But this team has fun players blake asham bates.
minos157
Aaron Asham. Shit stirrer and quality fighter. Like a precursor to Clutterbuck.
Boner666420sXe
Jason Blake. He’s one of my favorite Islanders ever, so easy decision there.
miscs75
Radek Martinek
therealdieseld
DiPietro and Yashin
hpick627
Blake and Frans ❤️
CaramelPop27
Yashin
MrManDan94
Franz became my favorite player ever over time but during this season my guy was Mike Sillinger. Don’t ask 12 year me why but I just loved him.
Jason Blake and Miro Satan too.
islander8324
Yashin or Witt
SmashYourEnemies02
Blake
Pristine_Nebula2953
Bruno Gervais and Frans.
replayer
I had met Jason Blake when he played for the Orlando Solar Bears and was totally excited when he joined the Islanders. Had no idea he’d ever have that good a season.
HammerheadGiraffe
Frans/Aaron
NYIsles55
Jason Blake, on the basis that he’s the reason why I have the number 55 in my username.
I loved Richard Park and Trent Hunter as a kid too. And I still defend DP. What could’ve been without those injuries. While Nielsen was on that team, I don’t really associate him with that era Islanders so I won’t count him.
Jokers518
Brendan Witt. Always will remember he was hit by a car and played that same day.
Waldo19
Really liked Jason Blake.
smashl3yyy
Richard Park or DP were probably my favorites but so many great players that year.
nypama217
I’m going Radek Martinek
PACKER2211
Blake definitely
StretchyPear
What a weird era of Islanders hockey, IIRC there was a huge exodus that off season, which I guess setup the Tavares era.
I’ll go with DP but there are a lot of Islander vibe players there
egorrito
MAB was a player that would dominate in today’s game. Huge shot, could skate and move the puck but was a tad a the small size for the hockey of the late 2000s.
HajdukNYM_NYI
Blake by far
Distant 2nd Bates, soft spot for Gervais seemed like a goofy guy 😝
monkeyhead62
Probably one of the first season I started watching hockey and the isles. I love watching Blake. Not one of the best players but easily will always be one of my favorites
Is it basic to say Yashin? Blake and Satan as well.
ErgoVolts
Always liked Miro. After that Asham. He could play, was tough, and could throw em. Loved having that dude on the roster
Turtle_With_Grudge
Ryan Smyth was one of my favorite players of the era. Really was hyped on his arrival, shame it didn’t work out.
Miro Satan wasn’t one of the most likeable guys, but damn he was exciting to watch. And that little eyebrow lift he used to do.
Gleb2006
Players on that roster I loved most would be frans and radek. Just didn’t realize until a few years later how much
___dojob___
Where was Mattias Weinhandel? Maybe a few years later. My friend was a huge isles fan and we went to a ton of games back around these years then I moved to FL and haven’t followed nearly as closely since.
I always liked the players with the weirdest names. Like Radek Bonk or Peter Budaj. We would play NHL 2k5 or whatever and he’d always be the isles.
Islesphile
Hail Satan 🤘
GiantTeddyGraham
If I remember correctly, after this season the entire team had a mass exodus leaving us incredibly bare. Those were some dark years until we drafted Tavares
VinPickles
the debut of the great dane! loved this team
ImJJboomconfetti
Bates undoubtedly.
wheremyturtles
I’d have to pick Trent Hunter. I enjoyed watching him in Bridgeport before he got the call-up.
ambre_vanille
As long as Shawn Bates was on the team, he was my favorite.
trireme32
Such a fun team. Really tough to pick 1 name. Blake was always a blast to watch. Šatan always seemed to score the big goal. Bates will always be an Isles legend, so will DP. Always fun watching him play the puck at center ice. So many players on that team were just fun. Nolan knew how to bring out the fun from his players.
43 Comments
My favorite player from the pre Tavares era is Richard Park. I have a distinct memory of him scoring a shorty and being a menace
Maybe not my favorite player from the team (which is probably Frans) but Richard Park is one of my favorites for sure. He was wasn’t fancy or insanely good but he was a great utility piece. He was JG before JG.
Blake. Small, fast, quiet. DP and Bates are close 2nd
Dipietro is my favorite islander on this team and 2nd overall only to palffy. But this team has fun players blake asham bates.
Aaron Asham. Shit stirrer and quality fighter. Like a precursor to Clutterbuck.
Jason Blake. He’s one of my favorite Islanders ever, so easy decision there.
Radek Martinek
DiPietro and Yashin
Blake and Frans ❤️
Yashin
Franz became my favorite player ever over time but during this season my guy was Mike Sillinger. Don’t ask 12 year me why but I just loved him.
Jason Blake and Miro Satan too.
Yashin or Witt
Blake
Bruno Gervais and Frans.
I had met Jason Blake when he played for the Orlando Solar Bears and was totally excited when he joined the Islanders. Had no idea he’d ever have that good a season.
Frans/Aaron
Jason Blake, on the basis that he’s the reason why I have the number 55 in my username.
I loved Richard Park and Trent Hunter as a kid too. And I still defend DP. What could’ve been without those injuries. While Nielsen was on that team, I don’t really associate him with that era Islanders so I won’t count him.
Brendan Witt. Always will remember he was hit by a car and played that same day.
Really liked Jason Blake.
Richard Park or DP were probably my favorites but so many great players that year.
I’m going Radek Martinek
Blake definitely
What a weird era of Islanders hockey, IIRC there was a huge exodus that off season, which I guess setup the Tavares era.
I’ll go with DP but there are a lot of Islander vibe players there
MAB was a player that would dominate in today’s game. Huge shot, could skate and move the puck but was a tad a the small size for the hockey of the late 2000s.
Blake by far
Distant 2nd Bates, soft spot for Gervais seemed like a goofy guy 😝
Probably one of the first season I started watching hockey and the isles. I love watching Blake. Not one of the best players but easily will always be one of my favorites
Marc-Andre Bergeron was a great skater
Richard Park. Chef Bruno was fun to watch too
Brendan Witt and this story are legendary.
[https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/sports/islanders-witt-hit-by-truck-in-philly/1867729/?amp=1](https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/sports/islanders-witt-hit-by-truck-in-philly/1867729/?amp=1)
Is it basic to say Yashin? Blake and Satan as well.
Always liked Miro. After that Asham. He could play, was tough, and could throw em. Loved having that dude on the roster
Ryan Smyth was one of my favorite players of the era. Really was hyped on his arrival, shame it didn’t work out.
Miro Satan wasn’t one of the most likeable guys, but damn he was exciting to watch. And that little eyebrow lift he used to do.
Players on that roster I loved most would be frans and radek. Just didn’t realize until a few years later how much
Where was Mattias Weinhandel? Maybe a few years later. My friend was a huge isles fan and we went to a ton of games back around these years then I moved to FL and haven’t followed nearly as closely since.
I always liked the players with the weirdest names. Like Radek Bonk or Peter Budaj. We would play NHL 2k5 or whatever and he’d always be the isles.
Hail Satan 🤘
If I remember correctly, after this season the entire team had a mass exodus leaving us incredibly bare. Those were some dark years until we drafted Tavares
the debut of the great dane! loved this team
Bates undoubtedly.
I’d have to pick Trent Hunter. I enjoyed watching him in Bridgeport before he got the call-up.
As long as Shawn Bates was on the team, he was my favorite.
Such a fun team. Really tough to pick 1 name. Blake was always a blast to watch. Šatan always seemed to score the big goal. Bates will always be an Isles legend, so will DP. Always fun watching him play the puck at center ice. So many players on that team were just fun. Nolan knew how to bring out the fun from his players.
Asham and honorable mention for dubie!
MIROSLAV SATAN🤘