Latest news with #LongIslander
Time of India
27-05-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
Here's why James Hagens is declining in the NHL Draft as Matthew Schaefer moves up
James Hagens (via Getty Images) What was once the clear top prospect of the 2025 NHL Draft, James Hagens' stock has dropped—and the New York Islanders are faced with a franchise-altering decision. Following an MVP performance at the 2024 U18 World Championship and a prohibitive USHL season, he was a strong favorite to be taken No. 1 overall. Then why is he no longer at the top of most draft boards? Concerns about James Hagens' NHL game change View this post on Instagram A post shared by ColorsTV (@colorstv) For all his bloodlines and offensive skill, NHL scouts have started to wonder how James Hagens' game will translate to the next level. He's a bit undersized at barely 5-foot-11 and lacks a physical component. Scouts have noted stretches of his NCAA season where he vanished in even-strength play, failing to get inside versus more physical defenders and landing with a less-than-expected goal total. James Hagens, born-and-raised Long Islander and lifelong Isles supporter, would be the sentimental choice. Comparisons to Tavares are unavoidable. But sentiment won't win playoff series — and currently, scouts overwhelmingly think defenseman Matthew Schaefer is the best player in the class. Matthew Schaefer, a 6-foot-2 blueliner with exceptional skating and excellent two-way skills, is considered a potential top-pairing NHL blueliner of the future. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 21st Century Skills Start with Confident Communication Planet Spark Learn More Undo Even in struggling with injuries this year, he dictated games on the back end with a physicality and composure Hagens has not yet matched. 'Schaefer is the only truly special player in this draft,' a scout told The Athletic. 'Other than maybe Misa, Schaefer is in a tier of his own.' The Islanders seem not to be in rebuild mode or fighting for survival anymore. With a new arena, playoff seasoning, and sound ownership, they can't miss on a franchise defenseman like Schaefer. 'They'd be going way off the board in the eyes of most teams if they took Hagens,' said one NHL scout. Also read: James Hagens continues to shine despite quieter season at Boston College The bottom line James Hagens is still one of the best-scoring players in this class. But for a top-six team drafting first overall — especially one that has true playoff hopes — the selection has to be made with an eye toward constructing a championship core. That choice, according to almost everyone in scouting, is Matthew Schaefer. Get IPL 2025 match schedules , squads , points table , and live scores for CSK , MI , RCB , KKR , SRH , LSG , DC , GT , PBKS , and RR . Check the latest IPL Orange Cap and Purple Cap standings.
New York Post
23-05-2025
- Sport
- New York Post
Miracle on Ice's Ken Morrow will always have second home in Northport, LI
One day, Islanders great and Miracle on Ice member Ken Morrow was going for a leisurely drive in Huntington Village when a pair of police officers suddenly pulled him over. 'When they came up, I didn't know why. I didn't think I'd been speeding or anything,' Morrow told The Post. 'And their first words to me were, 'I thought that was the Stanley Cup in the back of your car.' With their lights going, they stood at my back window looking at the Stanley Cup and reading the names.' Ken Morrow (center) is flanked by fellow former Islanders Bobby Nystrom (left) and Butch Goring while being honored before an Islanders' 2015 game at Nassau Coliseum. NHLI via Getty Images It became one of the many memorable moments for longtime Northport resident Morrow, who won Lord Stanley's hardware four straight times with the Isles — the first coming mere months after defeating the USSR juggernaut in Lake Placid. In the Michigan native's words, it didn't take long to become a bona fide everyday Long Islander. 'You were just part of the local community, and you didn't get mobbed or anything like that,' said Morrow, who now calls Kansas City home as director of pro scouting in the Islanders organization. Still, the defenseman who fell in love with local beaches and drives on the scenic North Shore would 'get a couple of people that would come up and knock on the door' occasionally. 'I remember one time, we had a school bus driver pull in our driveway, and we were trying to figure out what the heck was going on until he came up to the door,' he recalled. 'I struck up a lot of conversations with people. It certainly didn't bother me at all that people wanted to do that.' Now, nearly 45 years to that fateful day of May 24, 1980, when Morrow and the team celebrated their first Cup win in overtime of Game 6 against the Flyers, he remembers it all like it was yesterday. Ken Morrow and Jim Craig celebrates after Team USA defeated the Soviet Union at the 1980 Olympic Center in Lake Placid, famously now known as the 'Miracle on Ice.' Getty Images 'When Bobby Nystrom scored, I think the feeling was relief as much as it was joy,' Morrow said, adding that even climbing stairs became challenging when the Stanley Cup Final rolled around. The Olympic gold medalist, now 68, returned to the island two summers ago and recounted his days on top of the world in his memoir, 'Ken Morrow: Miracle Gold, Four Stanley Cups, and a Lifetime of Islanders Hockey,' co-written by sportswriter Allan Kreda. From gold to silver It was a blur when he arrived in Nassau County just weeks after the greatest hockey game ever played. Morrow and his family first stayed in a Holiday Inn on Old Country Road near the beloved Nassau Coliseum, but they didn't catch much of an authentic glimpse of the island he adores at first. What he did see, however, were fans salivating for their first chance to win it all in the spring of 1980. 'You had a lot of interactions with the fans, which was a really great thing.' His playing days were when spectators were much more accessible, as players parked outside the arena — right by pregame festivities that Morrow distinctly holds dear. 'The tailgating is something I'll always remember — probably unique to Long Island. The people were out there tailgating hours before games,' he said, adding it was the first time he ever saw the grills going for hockey games and fans escorting players toward the door. Leaving after a victory, when cars would blare a honk to the tune of 'Let's go Islanders!' is also something Morrow cherishes deep down. 'I probably did it, too, at some point,' No. 6 said with a laugh. Rocking the barn The real magic, however, came inside the Uniondale walls that shook with the passion of thousands who showed up every spring to watch their Isles vie for another title in the early 1980s. 'The roar,' Morrow, who still gets standing ovations at games, recalled, 'that's a memory that will stay with me. You could hear it through the walls of the locker room. It just gave you chills to walk out.' Rather than looking back at the glory days that well predate state-of-the-art UBS Arena, he's enthusiastic about what the team has done since — especially when the old barn rocked at dynasty-level decibels. Morrow distinctly recalls the shaking that followed the Shawn Bates penalty shot of 2002 and the Isles' conference final run nearly two decades later in 2021. 'There's something about the old barn, and there have been some great moments in the history of the New York Islanders — especially in the playoffs,' Morrow said. 'It doesn't take much to bring that out in our fans today.'
New York Post
21-05-2025
- Sport
- New York Post
2025 NHL Draft odds: Who is favored to go first overall to the Islanders?
Gambling content 21+. The New York Post may receive an affiliate commission if you sign up through our links. Read our editorial standards for more information. For the first time in a while, we have a genuine debate about who should go No. 1 overall at the NHL Entry Draft. And it's not just because there isn't a runaway No. 1 prospect in this year's class, but also because of which team owns the top pick at the draft, which is set to take place on June 27 at the Peacock Theatre in Los Angeles. The New York Islanders jumped 10 spots in the 2025 Draft Lottery, cashing in on their 3.5 percent odds to land the No. 1 overall pick after finishing 23rd out of 32 teams during the 2024-25 season. It was a massive windfall for the Islanders, but the timing couldn't have been funkier. The Isles are still searching for a new general manager after the club let go of Lou Lamoriello following his seven-year stint on the Island. And then there's the James Hagens connection. James Hagens was born on Long Island and grew up an Islanders fan. Getty Images Considered the No. 1 overall prospect coming into the 2024-25 season, Hagens was passed by defenseman Matthew Schaefer on just about every ranking by the time December rolled around. Hagens is still regarded as a top-three pick in this class by just about every prospect pundit, but his stock fell during a good-but-not-great freshman season at Boston College. Despite being passed by Schaefer and Michael Misa in most mock drafts, there is still a chance that Hagens goes No. 1 overall to the Islanders. That's because Hagens, 18, is a native Long Islander and grew up an Islanders fan. Betting on the NHL? So while it would make sense for just about every other team in the NHL to just go with Schaefer, the consensus top prospect, with the No. 1 overall pick, the Isles have a decision to make. The bookmakers believe that the Isles, who do have a big need for a top-end defenseman in their system, will likely go with Schaefer. The 17-year-old rearguard is -210 to go No. 1 overall, ahead of Hagens (+250) and Misa (+300). If you convert those odds to implied probability, you get Schaefer at 67.7 percent, Hagens at 28.6 percent, and Misa at 25 percent. NHL Draft odds: Who will go No. 1 overall? Player Odds Matthew Schaefer -210 James Hagens +250 Michael Misa +300 Anton Frondell 50/1 Porter Martone 50/1 Caleb Desnoyers 50/1 Odds via BetMGM Schaefer was limited to just 17 games this season, but he was so impressive during that span and during international tournaments that he shot up the rankings and landed at the head of the table in Central Scouting's rankings. But the gap between Schaefer and Hagens (and Misa, for that matter) is perceived to be small enough that you can make a coherent argument that it makes sense for the Isles to go with the local product and hope that the fanbase rallies around one of their own. Matthew Schaefer is the No. 1 prospect for the 2025 NHL Draft according to NHL Central Scouting. Getty Images And the oddsmakers are not counting out that scenario. Hagens would likely be a relative long shot to go No. 1 overall if any other team landed in this spot, but he's the second-favorite since the Isles are the current owners of the pick. And, since the Isles are without a general manager, nobody has any idea what they're thinking. Another interesting wrinkle to this whole song and dance is the fact that Hagens is a 15/1 outsider to go No. 2 overall, which tells us that the San Jose Sharks have little to no interest in picking the Hauppauge native. 2025 NHL Draft odds: Who will be picked No. 2 overall? Player Odds Michael Misa -165 Matthew Schaefer +130 Porter Martone 12/1 James Hagens 15/1 Caleb Desnoyers 25/1 Anton Frondell 30/1 The most feasible scenario where Hagens would go No. 2 overall would be if the Islanders and Sharks worked out a trade that saw San Jose jump to the front of the line to take Schaefer, allowing the Islanders to collect more assets and then pick Hagens. That is unlikely to happen, which is why Hagens is sitting at 15/1 to go second. Why Trust New York Post Betting Michael Leboff is a long-suffering Islanders fan, but a long-profiting sports bettor with 10 years of experience in the gambling industry. He loves using game theory to help punters win bracket pools, find long shots, and learn how to beat the market in mainstream and niche sports.
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
I went to Mel Robbins's Let Them tour to speak with fans — then one of them invited me in
New Yorkers had places to be last Friday. Many were headed to Madison Square Garden to watch the Knicks knock the Boston Celtics out of the NBA playoffs, while others were going to Yankee Stadium for the Subway Series to witness the return of Juan Soto. There were some heading to Broadway to see George Clooney and others to catch Jake Gyllenhaal. Then there were the people heading to the Beacon Theatre to see self-improvement author and motivational speaker Mel Robbins. I was one of them — except I wasn't. Robbins, a former lawyer who hosts The Mel Robbins Podcast, was on tour promoting her uber bestselling book The Let Them Theory, which came out last December. I showed up an hour and 45 minutes before the start of the show without a ticket or any understanding of how to practice Robbins's teachings myself. My plan was to talk to her biggest fans to understand the frenzy behind Robbins's burgeoning media empire. 'It's like Taylor Swift basically,' a 27-year-old Long Islander named Kaitlin told me. She bought two tickets at face value back in January when they were first released as a gift for her mom, Karen, 56, for Mother's Day. 'We listen to her together and we share episodes back and forth,' Kaitlin added before the mother-daughter duo flashed their matching friendship bracelets that spell out 'let them' in beads. They're toward the front of a crowd stretching three-quarters of a city block. Waiting on line, they made friends with Lisa Rosenblatt, a 70-year-old from Mineola, N.Y., who I also spoke with. 'I saw Mel Robbins when she had her CBS TV show about eight years ago. You felt like you were in her living room,' Rosenblatt said of Robbins's appeal. 'I read all her books, listen to the podcast daily and I feel like she's my friend.' She then pulled out her copy of The Let Them Theory with over a dozen Post-it flags hanging out from the pages she's marked up. Kayla, a 24-year-old from Lehigh Valley, Pa., also feels that personal connection to Robbins. 'Mel has gotten me through a lot of hard days,' Kayla admits. 'She's really helped me value myself as a person more.' Her 23-year-old Long Island bestie Hannah agrees: 'She puts everything into perspective.' Like Karen and Kaitlin, the mother-daughter duo, they also share episodes back and forth. 'Mel Robbins is our love language,' said Hannah. Another group of friends in their 60s hop into the back of the line at its longest. Their excitement to keep up with it as people start entering the venue means we're walking and talking. 'There's a lot of talking heads but when Mel speaks, it's plainspoken and I find it accessible and her delivery just makes sense. The 'let them' theory sounds so simple and yet, in our age group, damn we should have thought about this 30 years ago,' one of them said to me. Another agrees that Robbins makes a listener 'feel very comfortable,' although she's only been looped into the podcaster's content by the friend beside her. 'She's bringing me to Mel Robbins because she thinks I need a lot of help.' The 'let them' theory is what inspired many members of the sold-out crowd that night. The phrase, popularized by Robbins, is a cornerstone of the book bearing the same name, which has sold 5 million copies in just five months. The two words have become a declaration of boundary setting that reminds individuals to prioritize their own dreams, happiness and goals over those of the people around them. The theory, she wrote, 'will set you free from the exhausting cycle of trying to manage everything and everyone around you.' She's written two other books — The 5 Second Rule and The High 5 Habit — which have inspired her followers to rely on a 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 countdown to make a life-altering decision or give themselves a high-five in the mirror every morning to keep themselves going. She also has The Mel Robbins Podcast, which, according to SiriusXM, has more than 188 million streams and downloads globally and sits at the top of the charts week after week. I am not one of Robbins's rabid fans. I've come across her videos on TikTok but have only listened to her as a guest on one podcast. My plan for the evening was to speak with attendees before they filed in because actually getting in the theater was out of my budget: Resale on Ticketmaster was up to $1,058, prices I've seen for the likes of Taylor Swift's Eras tour and Beyoncé's current Cowboy Carter tour. But that all changed when I met Peggy Carroll, a 63-year-old from North Carolina. She approached me and asked if I needed a ticket, explaining that she had an extra she was trying to give away. 'I paid over $400 for it and it'd be a shame to go to waste,' she said. Carroll flew into New York that day and was leaving the next morning. 'This was the closest show,' she said of Robbins's tour, which also appeared in Boston, Chicago and Toronto. 'My son was coming with me but then he couldn't because of work stuff,' so she ended up making the trip alone. But, she wasn't really alone because she found me. 'You were supposed to be here with me,' she said, like it was meant to be. As we entered the venue, we were handed bright green tote bags with Robbins's tour logo on them and a book inside. I urged Carroll to take mine to bring back to her 31-year-old son who was 'bummed' to miss the event. 'No, no. You're going to need it,' she instructed. I looked in and saw a notebook that I thought I'd use only for my reporting notes once we were in our fifth-row seats. Carroll paid $499 per ticket on the day they were released but would have paid almost anything. She's disappointed to have skipped out on buying merchandise on site — like $45 T-shirts and $100 sweatshirts — because the line was wrapped around the entirety of the theater's main floor. As I headed into the women's bathroom, I saw that another attendee had already changed into her 'Let Them' shirt. Carroll would order something online later. We spent nearly an hour chatting in our seats before the show began (Robbins appeared at 8 p.m.). Carroll told me about converting her family and friends into fans of Robbins and showed me her Instagram explore page, which exclusively suggested Robbins's content to her. She shared photos of her daughter's wedding one year ago and her granddaughter's second birthday party happening that same day. She asked me about my life, my career and my relationship, exuding joy over it all as if she were an aunt relishing in my success and happiness. The energy in the room around us began to swell as the 2,894 seats of the venue filled up, and only intensified as an opening video played. I was ready to experience the magic of Mel Robbins — or so I thought. Nothing could have prepared me for the screams of thousands of women, from 20-somethings to 70-somethings, who were all up on their feet for Robbins's entrance, which included bright lights, loud music and lots of jumping from Robbins onstage. Over the next hour and 50-something minutes, she was meant to change my life. Robbins put on one hell of a show. She started by telling the crowd a bit about her upbringing, her marriage and starting a family — all context that was necessary for me but seemed to be known by most others. She shared her rock-bottom moments and how they became the spark for the practices that have ultimately made her famous — the 5 Second Rule and, of course, the 'let them' theory — sprinkling humor and humility throughout. Her 26-year-old daughter Sawyer was brought onstage to discuss her own journey to becoming her mother's coauthor for the latest and most notable book. They reenacted the ways that the 'let them' theory changed their relationship in an effort to assure that it works in practice. Her other daughter, Kendall, popped in toward the end to share her own experience with imposter syndrome and comparison, before singing an original song (a performance I wasn't expecting but loved). The grand finale was something out of America's Got Talent, mimicking the golden buzzer with a great splash of gold confetti as Robbins delivered her final line. 'I believe in your ability to create a better life. Now, go do it!' Before the confetti settled onto the ground, a line of VIP ticket holders appeared in the aisle beside us, waiting for their chance to take a photo with Robbins. Carroll joked that she was sorry she didn't pay for the VIP perks and I wouldn't have the chance to meet Robbins that evening. But truthfully, I didn't care too much about that — I felt like I had already met the people that impacted me most that night. The women I met in line who welcomed an outsider with open arms, the best friends sitting beside me tearing up and supporting one another through the show, the person who threw up their hand to show off a 'Let Them' tattoo, and the husband who sat with his wife just in front of me watching her experience what was sure to be her bucket list moment. And, of course, Carroll. We walked out onto the Upper West Side streets together with our green tote bags in hand — mine carrying a notebook that had just two pages filled, one with notes for this story and another with thoughts inspired by Robbins's presentation — discussing the magic of the show for just a moment before reflecting on the real magic of the night, which was encountering each other. 'Kerry, it was GREAT to meet you and I know it was meant to be! THANK YOU for joining me and for making the night even more special!' Carroll texted me later that evening. 'A gift to have met you tonight!! And remember..... 'Let Them.'' Days later and I have yet to tune in to Robbins's podcast, I haven't run to purchase her book (although I'm interested in reading it) and I don't think I've even shared much of the show with friends. What I have talked about is the woman who approached me, took me under her wing and shared something so personal to her with a complete stranger. And maybe that was the whole point of the evening — to let things unfold, let people surprise me and maybe even let them change me too. I wasn't going to pay over $1,000 for the ticket myself, but my 'let them' experience was unexpectedly priceless.
Daily Mirror
10-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
'I worked with Billy Joel and he is adamant about one thing in his future'
EXCLUSIVE: A music producer who worked with some of the biggest names in the industry, including Johnny Mathis and Billy Ray Cyrus, has claimed Billy Joel has an 'adamant' opinion on his next move Billy Joel has had a prestigious career spanning over five decades, and one man who previously worked with him has claimed to know his next move. While the Piano Man singer, 75, continues to tour and showcase his iconic tunes, pal and fellow musician Fred Mollin isn't so sure he'll be releasing any new tunes. Billy last released a new song, titled Turn the Lights Back On, on February 1, 2024. The track was his first new single since Christmas in Fallujah in 2007. But Fred, who co-produced Just Across the River with fellow Long Islander Billy, is convinced that will be his last. Speaking exclusively to the Mirror, Fred adamantly said: "He does not want to make another record." He then added: "If he did, I might get the call, but he's adamant he'll never make another record. "He doesn't write songs anymore. He writes musical pieces, he doesn't write songs anymore." He also explained how their bond began with their South Shore of Long Island connection. "He's a hometown hero to me and I've always loved his music," Fred said. "I was absolutely his biggest fan when his first albums came out and years later I was doing a duets album for Jimmy Webb. "I decided to do a duet of Wichita Lineman. I remember Jimmy saying it was Billy's favourite song and I said we'd have to do it with him and he said 'I'm there'. We got along famously," Fred added. Fred was speaking ahead of the release of his new book titled Unplugged in which he opens up on his career spanning over five decades. His biggest hit comes in the form of his co-production of Dan Hill's Sometimes When We Touch, and as well as working with Billy, Fred has worked alongside other huge stars such as Johnny Mathis, Kris Kristofferson and Billy Ray Cyrus. The Grammy nominated star has also been a part of the music set up for huge television and movie productions, including the Friday 13th series and Beverly Hills 90210. However, it was him time working with Disney on their popular Disney Lullaby albums that he is especially proud of. "I love doing music for children," he gushed. "It makes me happy, and I know it does some good. We had an idea to use Disney songs and other songs and make instrumental versions to put the baby to bed. "I have to tell you, it is probably one of the most successful records I've ever done. It's been out since 1999 and it's gone gold. It's also heading towards platinum and the streaming numbers are off the charts. He has since done another six similar albums and he added: "You know, it really has become this beautiful gift that I've been able to give. On some levels, I feel it's a beautiful gift to put a child to sleep and to calm down a child. I'm so proud of all of it. I really think it does good." Fred added: "The one thing I have to tell you is that me daughter is 38 and she has two kids of her own and she puts them to sleep with my lullaby albums, which I think is delightful. "However, her lullaby music when she was five or four, because her bedroom was directly above my basement studio when I was doing Friday 13th part seven, part eight. You name it, I was doing all these horror music that she heard as lullabies. She never had a problem with it I guess. "When I did the first lullaby album she must have been about 15 and she listened to it and just said 'good timing, dad."
