""The players were just so cordial," said Riverhead Town Council Member Ken Rothwell. "As soon as they got off the bus they arrived on, they started shaking hands with the kids and signing autographs," Rothwell said."
""It was their regular daily practice and they followed their daily sequence," Rothwell said. First some injured players had time on the ice and then the whole team comes out for their full daily practice, he said. "It was an amazing experience," Rothwell said."
""He said, 'Listen, last year I was a kid out there, on line waiting to meet NHL greats and getting autographs.' He goes, 'I just, I can't fathom that I'm playing in the NHL. I'm playing for the New York Islanders.'""
""He's just a phenomenal individual. He keeps up on even the current day in the current rosters, and knows all the players.""
The New York Islanders held a daily practice at the Eddie Westfall bubble rink in Veterans Memorial Park in Calverton. Eddie Westfall attended the practice at the rink operated by the Peconic Hockey Foundation. Local Peconic Wildcats players observed the practice up close and took photos with NHL players. Islanders players greeted children, signed autographs, and even watched warmups while kids played soccer in the parking lot. The team followed its regular practice sequence with injured players skating first then the full team. Islanders co-owner John Ledecky and Peconic Hockey Foundation President Troy Albert helped arrange the session. Defenseman Matthew Schaefer described disbelief at playing in the NHL and recalled being a fan last year. Eddie Westfall remains engaged with current rosters and knows the players.
Read at RiverheadLOCAL
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