Islanders Anxiety - Episode 321 - There's a Pretty Clear Path

Mike and Dan chat with Arthur Staple of The Athletic about Brock Nelson, Noah Dobson, James Hagens and a number of Islanders topics. After briefly discussing on the Four Nations Face-Off (yes, we gave in), we dive into the uncertainty surrounding the Islanders on an off the ice. Nelson's free agency is first, of course, and Art maintains his feeling that Nelson will be traded at or before the deadline on March 7. But there are many considerations in doing so that make the spot a difficult one for GM Lou Lamoriello. The same goes for Noah Dobson and his next contract, while a trade of the young defenseman seems unlikely. In the second half, we talk about Hagens, the Islanders fan who will be a high pick in this year's draft, as well as Cole Eiserman, Danny Nelson, Quinn Finley and other reasons for optimism in the Islanders' generally dismal development system. We end with questions about the coach and the integration of the new players into the team's historically tight locker room. As always, we can't thank Art enough for his time and insight and we'll try to get him on again after the dust settles. Subscribe to our Patreon! Members get ad-free episodes of the shows, bonus podcasts, written posts and much more. Or follow us for free to get announcements and our weekly release calendar. Visit our friends: Vintage Ice Hockey for t-shirts, hoodies and jerseys with hundreds of classic hockey logos, as well as the full line of Islanders Anxiety merch. As always our portion of those sales go directly to the Center for Dementia Research. The Pinot Project has a Rosé, a Pinot Grigio and a Wine Enthusiast Best Buy Pinot Noir, all under $15 a bottle. Available at local wine stores and UBS Arena. Visit Lighthousehockey.com for the most up-to-date Islanders news and discussion. Islanders Anxiety podcasts are part of the Fans First Sports Network (@FansFirstSN). Our theme is "Morning Haze" by Family Dinner. Hear more of their music on Spotify, including their new album "God Looks Out for Fools." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices