New York Islanders' Thomas Greiss Raises Autism Awareness
Anthony Gruppuso, USATSI

New York Islanders goaltender Thomas Greiss reminds us why hockey players are great. 

“To be doing good deeds is man’s most glorious task.” –Sophocles

Looking for another reason to adore Thomas Greiss?

Well, here’s one.

The man responsible for creating a logjam between the pipes raised autism awareness with his World Cup of Hockey mask. Thomas’s niece (who holds the distinction for being his biggest fan) has autism.

When he was a member of the Pittsburgh Penguins, Greiss notably wore an Autism Awareness decal on the back of his helmet every single game.

This isn’t the first time Greiss has been involved in touching off-ice stories. In January, he bailed a Long Islander out of a bit of a pickle.

Just another example of why hockey players are the best.


Former Isles skater Claude Loiselle will be a consultant to Garth Snow this season. Bold prediction: he won’t turn repeat his failures in Toronto, which included a dumpster fire.

Since joining the Isles, Mikhail Grabovski has been remarkably injury-riddled. His woes don’t seem to be going away, and writers such as Newsday’s Arthur Staple believe that he’s not going to be ready in time for the regular season.

Highly-touted prospect Mathew Barzal was an early arrival to rookie camp. That news is very popular on Twitter.

NEXT: Andrew Ladd Brings Playoff Experience To The Table

Justin Weiss is a staff editor at Elite Sports New York, where he covers the New York Islanders and Brooklyn Cyclones. In 2016, he received a Quill Award for Freelance Journalism. He has written for the Long Island Herald, FanSided and YardBarker.