We were talking about Ziggy Palffy a lot this week upon news of his retirement from pro hockey. As noted in those posts, it seems like so long ago that he was an Islander.
How long ago?
Well, at the beginning of his tenure, the Isles and SportsChannel (their pre-Fox/MSG broadcaster at the time and going back to the Cup years) ran promos like the one above by YouTube user stevienics1991.
It doesn't actually feature Palffy. In fact, it doesn't feature any Islanders. It does feature a fan, an unnerving narrator, and a table hockey game modified for proper Isles colors (but with a bizarre palm tree motif on the sides).
The promo is for a Thursday game against the Capitals. If this is indeed 1995, it might be this one, a 4-3 loss on March 2.
Though it doesn't show footage of any players or indeed any NHL game action at all, it does reference Pierre Turgeon in the opening as one of the action figure players. If this is that March 2 game, Palffy scored a goal and Turgeon notched two assists (against flash-in-the-pan Jim Carey, no less).
Turgeon was traded to Montreal a month later. The potential Turgeon-Palffy hookup was gone for good.
Readers: Remember this ad? Remember anything from these promos (and the table hockey game)?