"I showed them Long Island because you don't get a good feel for it if all you see is the Coliseum. They all loved Long Island. I talked them through my experiences from when I first signed with the Islanders in 2001.

"All I knew about Long Island was the Marriott hotel and the Coliseum, but you come here and fall in love with Long Island. That's not to say this was a recruiting mission. It's not like free agency. These kids are going to be happy anywhere they go. But it's a chance to get to know them."