Joined again by their friend Sab, Mike and Dan remember Josef Vašíček, the big, versatile, likeable center who left us far too early in the Lokomotiv airplane disaster.
Vašíček only spent one season on Long Island, but he made a lot of fans in that short time, bringing goals and a big smile to a patchwork team about to enter a full rebuild. In Al Arbour's historic return game, it was Vašíček who led the Islanders to a victory in front of a packed house and the legendary coach. In a season that isn't fondly remembered or marked by consistency, Big Joe was one of the team's most reliable players.
Years before that, he made his reputation playing for the Hurricanes at both their bizarre beginnings and in their best seasons. He was part of their Stanley Cup finals team in 2002 and, after a quick jaunt to Nashville, was on their championship team in 2006. As usual, Vašíček contributed positively on the ice, even if it wasn't with a goal or an assist.
Following his time with the Islanders, he signed on with the nascent KHL so that he could play closer to his home in Slovakia. Even there, he helped lead Lokomotiv to the first Gagarin Cup finals and proved he could win anywhere. Tragically, in September of 2011, Vašíček died as the team's plane crashed soon after take-off, killing 44 passengers. The shocking loss of life still reverberates to this day, especially for those of us who were fans of the many players on board, including and especially Josef Vašíček.
Sab tells us about his memories of and connection to Vašíček through the years, including some rare personal stories that might be forgotten. As always, we thank him for coming on and for his invaluable YouTube channel, which is packed to the gills with Islanders history.
To hear more of our conversation with Sab about Lou, Kashawn Aitcheson and other topics, head over to our Patreon and sign up for the Country Club tier to access our latest Weird Islanders Extra! bonus podcast.
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