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Weird Islanders: The Podcast! – Weirdest Islander of the Year 2025 (with guest Matt Kammerer)

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It just became normal that he was there. Like it wasn’t really anything.

Our friend and favorite ex-Nassau Coliseum usher Matt Kammerer joins us from his hot tub to crown the second ever Weirdest Islander of the Year.

This season’s chase came down to two men, although our winner was more than deserving of the honor. The circumstances that brought him to the Islanders were unique and presented an opportunity that he took and ran with. Based on his career and reputation, none of us ever saw him ever playing for the team. But once he did arrive, he gave them something we hadn’t seen in this manic season: a totally normal performance from a defenseman. He might not be here much longer, but together we learned that hockey normalcy can sometimes come from the most unlikely of sources.

Our runner-up also personified the season-long question of, “Where is everybody?” His single performance was brief as it could possibly be, but it was a flashpoint at the time and might still be having some lingering effects as we head into the offseason and the next campaign. Let’s hope it’s not the only NHL action he sees in his career.

The winner of the Weirdest Islander of the Year is awarded the Don Cutts Trophy for his efforts. And the concept of Weirdest Islander of the Year comes from Patron Will Forthman. The opening is from Weird Islanders: The Podcast! – Episode 50 – The Weirdest Islander of the Year 2024.

Thanks again to Matty for coming on, for his humor and his hot tub. Follow him on Twitter at @ExIsledUsher). If you see a man in a Roosevelt Raceway hat tearing up the Flanders Duck one of these days, you’ll know who it is.

And thank you all for your votes and for listening to Season 4 of Weird Islanders: The Podcast! We got to make some new friends and caught up with some old ones for a great slate of short timers. We’ll be back next season for more (and, hopefully, more ex-Islanders as well).

WEIRDEST ISLANDER OF THE YEAR:

  • 2024 – Robert Bortuzzo
  • 2025 – ???

WEIRD BONUS MATERIAL (trying not to spoil too much…)

  • After eight years in the NHL replete with moves, suspensions and controversies, our Weirdest Islander of the Year signed with SKA St. Petersburg of the KHL in September of 2024. Just four months later, he was released. He was the team’s highest scoring defenseman and third on the team in points at the time. There were reports of issues with the team’s coach and being too focused on individual bonuses or just being a bad teammate.
  • Two weeks after getting released, he was signed in a flurry of moves by the Islanders who had massive injuries on their blueline. It was a move no one saw coming, not even him.
  • He immediately made a positive impact on the ice and sounded genuinely appreciative of the opportunity to return to the NHL. He spoke highly of his treatment by then-GM Lou Lamoriello and of finally getting to play with a team he had heard a lot about. He also wanted to be closer to NJ and his family, due to a personal issue he didn’t elaborate on.
  • His first goal as an Islander was the most memorable – an OT winner over the Lightning that gave the Islanders a season-high seven straight wins. It was the highlight of the season for him and us.
  • Meanwhile, our runner-up had a season to both remember and forget. He played just six games for Bridgeport after missing over a year with an injury and went 0-5-0. With Ilya Sorokin hurt, he was called up and his first (and so far only) game in NHL was a 9-2 disaster against the Rangers. He was put into the game to relieve starter Marcus Hogberg with the score 5-1 Rangers. He immediately gave up a goal to Brett Berard (the first of two for him on the night) and was pulled in favor of Hogberg (who gave up two more goals)
  • Patrick Roy’s explanation afterward was… not convincing.

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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