Islanders & Sandwiches: 1 Year Of Blue Line Deli In Huntington

HUNTINGTON, NY — New York Islanders hockey. The coronavirus. Massive sandwiches. Toilet paper. Those are a few things that come to mind when considering the first year in business for Blue Line Deli, an NHL-themed establishment in Huntington.

It wasn't even a week after Donald Rosner opened his passion project on March 12, 2020, that the coronavirus pandemic threatened everything he had worked for. One year later, Blue Line Deli still stands tall, and Rosner, 39, has a lot he's looking forward to — Islanders hockey chief among them. After all, the "Orange and Blue" are woven deep into the fabric of the deli.

"It’s never been more exciting for me to be an Islanders fan," Rosner told Patch. "The team is just amazing."

Rosner's passion for his boyhood team comes through in spades, whether it's the deli's blue, orange and white color scheme, Islanders memorabilia hanging from the walls, logo-emblazoned ping pong table or sandwiches named for the team's players or analysts.

Business has picked up after a rough winter season, Rosner said. He feels his deli's success and the team's success go hand in hand. His fellow Islanders fans, he said, have been "1,000 percent supportive."

"On a scale of 1 to 10, a 15," Rosner said. "Without Islanders fans, I wouldn’t be here. That’s not even a question in my mind. We try to provide fun entertainment for them: a ping pong table, basketball, tournaments, free bagels. We’ve done stuff to show our support for the Islanders fans. They’ve done so, so much."

Rosner gave particular credit to "Drive 4 Five," an Islanders social media fan group named after the team's quest to score its fifth Stanley Cup championship. Rosner's mother, LeeAnn, was recently diagnosed with stage 4 uterine cancer, he shared on social media. Drive 4 Five, led by Michelle Pasqueralli, helped raise $12,000 for LeeAnn.

Rosner has always made it a point to give back to not only Islanders fans, but the community at large. During the height of the coronavirus pandemic, necessities like toilet paper, paper towels and water were hard to come by. Rosner procured these household goods and sold them at cost value, making sure those in the community could affordably purchase items.

The business owner also delivered hot egg sandwiches and other food to front-line health care workers when the outbreak was at its worst and hospital staff were at their busiest.

Rosner could not choose his favorite moment of when he gave back, saying "all of them" — with more on the way. He said being able to help out those who need it is an addicting feeling.

"Just seeing the reaction you get, especially from kids," he said. "Even giving away foam pucks and Blue Line shirts. Any of it. Helping people is something that I’ve always took pride in. Any time I was in a position to help somebody, it’s not even a question to me. That’s how my family is, and that’s how I want my kids to be raised. There’s a lot more of it going around than people realize. There are so many good people out there who just want to help, and I’m one of them."

His sandwiches also help fill the bellies of anyone who orders one. The deli boasts more than two dozen signature sandwiches named for hockey terminology or in honor of Islanders players or broadcasters, and Rosner is always looking to create more. His chicken cutlet, bacon, onion rings and gravy creation named "The White Whale" after Islanders rookie goaltender Ilya Sorokin and his "Johnny Rocket" Reuben crafted for former defenseman Johnny Boychuk are just a couple of examples.

Rosner's creative clubs and subs have garnered the attention of the NHL franchise itself, up to team co-owner Jon Ledecky. This led to one of Rosner's favorite moments in the first year of his store: when Ledecky paid Blue Line Deli a visit.

"Him coming here was just amazing, because he was happy with what we were doing," Rosner said. "He came to celebrate the team with us. He brought hats for the staff and everything, and he was such a generous, nice and kind person. We got to talk about the team a lot. That was cool."

The shop has also gotten visits from Butch Goring, Clark Gillies and Bobby Nystrom, three of the team's core players from its 1980s dynasty that saw the Isles win four consecutive Stanley Cups. Islanders play-by-play announcer Brendan Burke and MSG Networks Islanders host Shannon Hogan have also paid visits, while former Islanders goalie Thomas Greiss stopped in when he was a member of the team.

Rosner's most memorable day was last fall when the Islanders were competing in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The franchise was looking to give out T-shirts, rally towels and lawn signs to fans, and Blue Line Deli was one of the places the team marked to help it distribute items. Rosner shared on Twitter that Islanders staff would be visiting the deli to hand out goodies.

"The line was out the door, down through the next shopping center over and all the way around the corner," he said. "It was bananas here for a good six hours straight. Everybody was great about social distancing. It was just incredible. I didn’t expect that, and I’ll never forget it. It was the coolest day here for me."

The most challenging aspect of Blue Line Deli's first year in business, was, of course, the coronavirus pandemic.

"Just trying to stay open and keep people safe, and not being 100 percent positive that was possible but doing our absolute best to make sure it would be possible to offer people a place to come where they wouldn’t have to worry about getting the virus and they could still get something good to eat," Rosner said. "It’s tricky. It’s hard to guarantee something like that, but we did our best, and, knock on wood, thank God, we haven’t had a single issue from beginning to now."

Rosner knocked on the wooden desk next to him upon finishing his sentence.

When asked if there was anything else he wanted to add, Rosner jumped back over to the Islanders success on the ice. The team has not won a Stanley Cup since its dynasty years in the 1980s, and many fans younger than 45 have not witnessed their favorite team find prolonged success.

That changed a couple of seasons ago when the team underwent a culture change, as Ledecky brought in Stanley Cup-winning Lou Lamoriello as general manager, and Barry Trotz as the coach, who had just been fresh off a Cup with the Washington Capitals. Under the stewardship of Ledecky, Lamoriello and Trotz, the team has made the playoffs twice in two years, making the Eastern Conference Finals last season.

The franchise is yet to secure its fifth Stanley Cup, but Rosner is optimistic the team his deli celebrates daily has a bright future.

The team, as of Thursday, sits tied for the division lead with the Capitals.

"The [playoffs] last year and the way they’re playing this year, I’ve never been more excited to be an Islanders fan," Rosner said. "I think that we have a shot this year, next year, the year after. With this team and this group, the ownership and everything, I think we have a good 10 years ahead of us."

Blue Line Deli is at 719 W. Jericho Turnpike. The store can be reached at 631-944-3222.

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