Weird Islanders: The Podcast! - Austin Czarnik (with guest Matthew Strauss)

7 months ago  /  Lighthouse Hockey

The man who may best represent everything the Islanders are and everything that the Islanders are never. Joined by Pitchfork managing editor and Islanders fan Matthew Strauss, we remember the short and unmemorable but indicative tenure of Austin Czarnik.
Joining the Islanders after productive stints in Boston and Calgary, Czarnik looked like he would be a fine depth piece or perhaps more for a roster that would be hit hard by injuries, Covid and bad luck. Even after he was lost on waivers to the NHL’s (now second) newest team, he would find his way back to Long Island in a rare move by Lou Lamoriello. And although his final totals aren’t much to write home about, Czarnik would come to personify a very weird brief time period in recent Islanders history.
Matthew tells us why Czarnik still fascinates and haunts him, how rare he is among current former Islanders and how Billy Joel helped change the sound of heavy metal (yes, for real).
Thanks again to Matthew for coming on. I was skeptical of doing a current NHL player but he made me a believer. His writing at Pitchfork can be found here.

WEIRD BONUS MATERIAL!

Czarnik was originally signed by the Bridgeport Islanders to a two-year contract in October of 2020. The Islanders must have seen something they liked in games like this one against Calgary.
His attitude and versatility led to a spot on the shortened season’s taxi squad and a couple of call ups while the big Islanders had injury (and Covid) problems.
His speed gave the Islanders a little boost in the 2021-22 season, too.
The nicest of his two goals as an Islander was this one against the Predators:



Lane Lambert, filling in for Trotz on bereavement leave, also praised Czarnik’s speed and referred to him as “reliable” and “trustworthy” with “a touch of grit.”
He, uhhhh, got time on the top line, apparently. At least he made it count.



With players ready to come back from IR, the Islanders waived Czarnik in February of 2022 to send him down to Bridgeport. Sadly, the Seattle Kraken got their tentacles on him.
He had nice things to say about the Islanders when he arrived for his (brief) stint in Seattle.
BUT! A month later, and with their own guys ready to come back, the Kraken waived him, too, and he came back like a boomerang to Long Island—or at least Bridgeport, where he spent his entire time post-claim.
And just like that, he was gone, signing a contract with his hometown Red Wings in 2022.



What makes a “Weird Islander?”
We’re always open to suggestions about other Weird Islanders to discuss. Remember the criteria. Candidates must fulfill one of the two of the following:

Played one (1) season or less for the Islanders or very short stints over multiple seasons.
Be a veteran NHLer who is not generally associated with his time on Islanders.


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