Maven's Memories: The Day the Captains Convened

Among my all-time favorite Islanders memories took place away from the ice and just a few yards away from a golf course.

It was the start of my last year of broadcasting for MSG Networks before retirement and about a month before the season's start.

Islanders co-owner Jon Ledecky got the wonderful idea of bringing a group of former Isles captains -- and families -- together for a few days of golf and assorted other pastimes at a Southampton country club.

This was one of Ledecky's earlier -- and very successful -- alumni outings that helped bring players together as a greater Isles family -- and away from the thunder and lightning of a regular National Hockey League season.

What made this so special for The Maven was that my MSG Networks producer got the bright idea of setting up a "studio" in a wooden gazebo at the end of the golf course.

It wasn't so much that my MSG boss liked gazebos but rather he did like golf and -- even better -- this was a rare opportunity for me to interview a few wearers of the "C" while all of us were enjoying our pre-season leisure.

Among those I interviewed included Denis Potvin, Clark Gillies, Michael Peca and Patrick Flatley.

Each player had separately completed a round of golf and then climbed the steps up to the gazebo for our interview. Since I knew all of the players well -- and vice versa -- it felt more like a family reunion with stories galore, lots of laughs and a sprinkling of sadness added to the mix.

Our seances wound up making a neat tv feature whereby every guy contributed an interesting story. The yarns included coach Al Arbour as well as prankster Gillies. And, believe me, there were some serious moments as well, especially when Michael Peca discussed the infamous cheap shot delivered by Maple Leafs' Darcy Tucker that significantly altered a playoff series.

Denis Potvin explained why coach Arbour picked on him more than other players.
"Because," Denis asserted, "Al wanted to send a message that he would never play
favorites. And even though I was captain, I'd get bawled out as much as anyone on the team."

Clark Gillies chuckled over one of his funniest stories. The episode took place one night in the dressing room after the Isles had a poor first period. Radar roared at his skaters: "Out of all of you there was only one hit." Then Al headed into the next room, slammed the door but secretly put his ear to the door. "One of the players," chuckled Gillies, "goes, 'alright who had that hit and ruined our perfect record?' Then Al came back out and said, 'Gillies I know it was you!' And he was right!"

Michael Peca revealed what made him a successful captain. "I led by example. And that was in a practice and in a game as well as off the ice. If I didn't lead by example my words would have been meaningless."

Patrick Flatley allowed that former Washington Capitals defenseman Scott Stevens was responsible for the "biggest hit I ever received." He then added: "Scott almost killed me yet it was a clean hit and a bad move by me. I should have remembered to never go to the middle of the ice when Stevens was out there."

The following are some of my favorite comments from those present:

ED WESTFALL ON FLOWERS FOR SINGER KATE SMITH:

"It was Game Seven of the 1975 series with the Flyers and Kate Smith -- the Flyers' good luck charm -- was there at the Spectrum in person before the game. She was to sing their good luck song, 'God Bless America.' Our aim was to counter that.

"Before the game some Islander fan had sent our defenseman Gerry Hart a bouquet of chrysanthemums. I took the flowers from Gerry and came up with a ploy. I presented them to Kate before she started 'God Bless America' and she almost couldn't sing. She was rattled but she did sing and the Flyers wound up beating us.

"A few weeks later Kate Smith was on some tv show and she told the host about how one night she almost couldn't sing. She said, 'The part I couldn't figure out was how did that handsome hockey player know that my favorite flower was a chrysanthemum!'"

CLARK GILLIES ON BEING NAMED CAPTAIN:

"I followed Eddie Westfall as captain and I should say that I owe a lot to Eighteen. He took me in as a rookie and treated me like his son. Meanwhile, the vote for captain was a 'blind' one and it was between me and Bryan Trottier.

I won by one vote, but I was only 22 at the time and I'm not sure that I was ready for the challenge of being the captain."

PATRICK FLATLEY ON HOW HE KNOCKED BARRY BECK OUT OF THE '84 PLAYOFFS:

"Every playoff with the Rangers was an intense classic, especially the one in 1984 because we were in our 'Drive For Five.' It was a best-of-five series and we were tied at two apiece. Barry Beck was their big defenseman and I knew that if I could neutralize him, we had a chance.

"That chance came when he was in the corner of the rink, so it was an opportunistic time to take advantage of a big man. He was extended and I hit him clean. It was unfortunate for Beck because he got hurt."

Then, a pause and a wry smile: "By the grace of God he never played again (in the series) so he couldn't get me back. It would have been bad for me if he ever came back."

MICHAEL PECA ON THE DARCY TUCKER HIT IN THE PLAYOFF VS. TORONTO:

"Yeah, it was a cheap shot, but cheap shots go on all the time. I just happened to be on the wrong one that ended my season. We players put ourselves in position to get hurt and hurt others at times. We don't intend to do it but it's the nature of the game. You've got to live with the good and the bad."

This "Captains" tv shoot was one I'll never forget because of the heart-warming -- and sometimes tough -- remarks candidly delivered. But the one I liked best was expressed by Patrick Flatley after I asked him how he'd describe his life as an Islander.

"Every day was the highpoint of my career," Flats concluded. "Every day as an Islander was like Christmas! for me!"