While it would seem that the only commonality would be their color scheme and state; the New York Islanders and Syracuse’s women’s ice hockey team share a very similar story.

The Islanders and their fanbase have sometimes been referred to as a group with “little brother syndrome.” The idea that there is something to prove, due to a larger group in the area, defines the headspace. The Rangers have served as this specter for the New York Islanders.

Culture is being confused here though. The Islanders have a blue-collar mentality, not a form of little brother syndrome. This “blue-collar” headspace is rarely seen in modern-day sports. The Orange have this same mentality in their makeup. 

It is rare for a collegiate team to be brought together in under a year. In under three months? Unheard of. Though Coach Paul Flannigan, who still coaches the team today, did just that. The Orange were able to ice a potpourri of high school graduates and quick college transfers for their initial season.

On the quick creation, Coach Flannigan in 2008 told the Daily Orange, SU’s independent student newspaper that, “it is something I probably look back at it and say ‘What the hell was I thinking?’ You almost say I can’t do that, but when you jump in with both feet, you just do it.”

Being a workhorse defines “blue-collar” styles of play in hockey. Whether it be the most well-known fourth line in hockey or Johnny Boychuk blocking yet another shot, the Islanders have taken this identity in stride.

What is more “workhorse” than playing down in the numbers? The initial season saw the Orange ice 19 players: 11 forwards; five defenseman and three goalies. Syracuse would fall one forward and one defenseman short of a full roster.

Even the identity of their coaches ring similar bells for the Islanders and Syracuse University. Going into his first season, Coach Flannigan told the Daily Orange that, “It’s a game of mistakes, and we are going to have to be the team who makes the fewest. We have to outwork teams that are more talented than us.”

When going into this first season with the New York Islanders, Barry Trotz told the NHL Network that, “We’re going to be a team that’s not afraid to work. We should be a team that’s willing to compete. We have to be a team that’s willing to go the distance, the 200 feet, every shift.”

The two coaches also have other similarities in their tenure. Barry Trotz has coached in the NHL since 1998, leading the inaugural season for the Nashville Predators. Flannigan has also been in his position since the teams creation in the late 2010’s. Flannigan still operates as the head coach for the Orange.

Just as the Islanders, humble beginnings have yielded massive returns. While the Islanders can stake claim to hockey legend Mike Bossy, the Orange can take pride in excellent players such as Stefanie Martie who played in the Olympics in 2014 for Switzerland. 

While the Orange have not been able to establish their dynasty as of yet, they’re on their way in doing so. This gives way into the differences between the two hockey clubs.

While the Islanders are a team that have found success in low scoring games, the Orange have suffered from a scoring surplus in the wrong direction. In their previous season, the team averaged an allowance of 3.1 goals per game, leading College Hockey America.

The Islanders have had better luck this past campaign when compared to the Orange. While the Islanders were able to make the playoffs and even reach the Eastern Conference Final, Syracuse struggled with a 14-20-2 record.

Is it a coincidence that two different hockey teams in the same state, wear the same colors and have coaches that both have coached inaugural teams with a similar work ethic? Yes, one-hundred percent. But, it is an interesting rabbit hole between the Islanders and the Syracuse women’s hockey team; two seemingly disconnected teams. It will be interesting to see if these parallels continue over the next few decades.

John Smark