GORDON STANDS UP FOR HIS TEAM
Expresses faith and loyalty in his young players
4:45 pm - Scott Gordon expressed unwavering support and complete confidence in his young players this afternoon.
In a 20-minute scrum with two writers and two radio broadcasters, the Islanders coach did not display even a hint of frustration or desperation. At times, he asked sincere questions back. Confronted with the combined shot total of Frans Nielsen and Jeff Tambellini last night (zero), Gordon asked if we saw the duo have opportunities and miss the net (we couldn’t recall; the Islanders were credited with 15 missed shots last night, but Tambellini and Nielsen with 0). Later on, he said:
“It’s not going to happen overnight. Frans and Jeff are getting the kind of opportunity (to play) they’ve never had before. I don’t think it’s fair to expect too much this early, do you?
“Tambellini’s fighting what he had to go through last year. I’m confident he and Frans will slowly prove why this organization has faith in them.”
Gordon on whether it’s a challenge for him to stay patient: “It comes with the job. Developing a team’s identity, work ethic, mindset…it comes with time. Once it’s there, it’s there.”
On his message to the team today after last night’s loss: “Teams that win consistently don’t beat themselves. I told the guys, ‘Whatever you thought of last night’s game, we beat ourselves on the first three goals.’”
On all the chatter about The System: “I didn’t re-invent the wheel. We’re just playing a certain style.”
On Nate Thompson’s impact: “Sometimes you gotta have a dance partner. I know of at least two instances when Nate stood up, but the other guys didn’t want to dance. I know Nate can play better, but if we’re concerned about Nate Thompson’s performance and how it’s affecting our overall team performance…”
Point Blank Viewpoint: I appreciate Gordon’s comments about his faith and patience in his team. The coach is also very wise to attempt to diffuse the constant talk about his system. But I disagree with his implication that pointing out Thompson’s lack of any real impact so far is a stretch.
The Islanders took Thompson off waivers from Boston on recommendations from both pro scouts and Gordon himself. He plays ten minutes a night, while one of the summer’s promoted core-boys, Blake Comeau, was demoted to Bridgeport.
Just as I have a lot of respect for Gordon’s statements of support for his young players, I stand by the relevancy of my inquiry about Nate’s play. In the last couple of days, Scott has engaged in discussions with the media about what’s a pertinent story and what is not. Sometimes, especially after dropping two stinkers in a row at home, it’s best to let the media and fans decide what’s important to them.
26 Responses to “GORDON STANDS UP FOR HIS TEAM
Expresses faith and loyalty in his young players”
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Tamby has had chances, I wish they would just give up already. His puck handling is pathetic, he gets touched and loses the puck. Put Comeau in his spot. Im not sold on Neilsen yet either although he doesnt come off quite as bad. Thompson provides the only tiny bit of grit we have left, we lose him, we become a crap version of the Red Wings. Pathetic..
Good stuff CB, and I agree about Thompson, but Gordon is doing the right thing and trying to protect his players, I guess…It’s nice to see he isn’t hitting the panic button, It takes time!!!
Hey CB…tel Snow to can the youth project and bring in some vets that know how to play. This team sucks…
Someone told me to give Scott 20 games for the system to prove it’s working. I hope it doesn’t take more than that.
And this So Called system worked where? The AHL.
We need an NHL coach with a clue!
Comeau in BP while his pal Thompson is on the big club is a FREAKIN JOKE!
6 games folks - SIX!. Out of 82. Prediction for tomorrow, 5-2 or something close to that. They’re gonna come back.
Tambellini is on a one-way contract. Comeau is on a two-way. Sometimes that’s the difference between the AHL and the NHL. Although I’d like to see Comeau in stead of Tambs, I’d be happy to give the latter 20 games before waiving him.
It’s not the Comeu’s or Tams that are the problem. They are young and need to develope for some a brief stint in the AHL might do the trick. The problem with this team are the Hilbert’s and Thompsons. Good emergency recalls but AHL guys. Nolan did that the past two years with his guys and thus retarding the prospects development and Gordon is doing it this year because Hilbert and Thompson played for him. I could see it if they really set the world on fire but Hilbert never has and even though both of them “really know the system” ya don’t notice it on the ice.
I got a good laugh out of the headline on the Isles site “All out fight against cancer” it is the only good fight and effort we’ve seen from them this year.
I do agree that they need more time. We’ll see improvement as the year goes on. I hope this year makes it clear enough who is a keeper and who is not.
Thanks for the site Botta we are all enjoying it.
Is anyone hearing any trade rumors involving the Isles? Just looking for a bit of hope.
Benching Tambellin in isn’t the answer…He played well in the third period last night but was horrible for the other two. I fear we’re going to have to trade for a top-6 forward.
How about dressing Fritz? Kinda sad when Sean Bergenheim is the only one to stick up for his teammates and protect them against other’s enforcers
Trade what? For who? Trade more of the young guys for a mediocre vet who’s past his prime? Trade the 1st round pick this year (possibly Tavares)? It’s 6 games - breathe a little.
Everyone wants to trash Snow, but for what reason? It’s not his fault the elite players don’t want to play here - Snow is trying to rid this team of the ’stigma’ that has been surrounding it. Let’s look at Snow’s transaction history since taking over as GM:
10/25/06: NYI trade D Ryan Caldwell to CBS for C Eric Boguniecki.
12/16/06: NYI trade D Alexei Zhitnik to PHI for D Freddy Meyer and a conditional third round pick (third round pick in 2007 (D Mark Katic) or second round pick in 2008).
12/19/06: NYI trade C Mike York to PHI for C Randy Robitaille and a 2008 fifth round draft pick (D Matthew Martin).
01/06/07: NYI trade C Matt Koalska to OTT for D Tomas Malec.
02/18/07: NYI trade D Denis Grebeshkov to EDM for D Marc-Andre Bergeron and a 2008 third round draft pick.
02/26/07: NYI acquire LW/RW Richard Zednik from WSH for a 2007 second round draft pick (D Ted Ruth).
02/27/07: NYI acquire LW Ryan Smyth from EDM for C Ryan O’Marra, RW Robert Nilsson and a 2007 first round draft pick (D Alex Plante).
07/05/07: NYI acquire 2008 second round pick (D Travis Hamonic) from EDM for D Allan Rourke and a 2008 third round pick.
09/11/07: NYI acquire C Ben Walter and a conditional second round pick in 2009 from BOS for C Petteri Nokelainen.
01/09/08: NYI acquire RW Matt Keith from ANA for LW Daryl Bootland.
02/26/08: NYI trade 2008 seventh round pick (D Jason Demers) to SJ for D Rob Davison.
02/26/08: NYI trade D Marc-Andre Bergeron to ANA for 2008 third round pick (LW Kirill Petrov).
02/26/08: NYI trade LW Chris Simon to MIN for 2008 sixth round pick (LW Justin DiBenedetto).
06/20/08: NYI trade 2008 Entry Draft first round pick (fifth overall - D Luke Schenn) to TOR for first round pick in 2008 (seventh overall) and, at NYI option: either PIT’s 2nd round pick in 2008 (60th overall, previously acquired) and TOR’s 3rd-round pick in 2009; or TOR’s 3rd round pick in 2008 (68th overall) and TOR’s 2nd round pick in 2009 (NYI selected option two).
06/20/08: NYI trade TOR’s 1st round pick in the 2008 Entry Draft (seventh overall - C Colin Wilson, previously acquired) to NSH for FLA’s 1st round pick in 2008 (ninth overall - C Josh Bailey, previously acquired) and FLA’s 2nd round pick in 2008 (40th overall - D Aaron Ness, previously acquired).
06/21/08: NYI acquire CHI’s third round pick (72nd overall - D Jyri Niemi) and fourth round pick (102nd overall - W David Ullstrom) in 2008 for TOR’s third round pick in 2008 (68th overall - D Shawn Lalonde, previously acquired).
Not ONE player that Snow has moved off the Island is an impact player that would change this team. Snow just had what many call one of the 3 best draft classes of the year. The impact from that won’t be seen at the NHL level immediately. Let’s give Snow a chance to really put his mark on this team.
Almost forgot, Snow’s transaction history courtesy of islesinfo.com (sorry Chris if you didn’t want other sites named on here, just didn’t want to get anyone in hot water by posting that here without giving credit)
Comeau’s certainly not innocent in here. After a decent showing over 51 games last year, he could have made it a “non-decision” for Gordon by arriving at camp intent on becoming one of the young leaders on this team. That means in great shape, focused and determined. An approach that would have made all of this drama a non starter. As for Thompson, he’s really the only innocent party in the matter having been picked up off the scrap heap and given life. Gordon and his “Pro Scouts” will have their professional evaluation skills questioned if he doesn’t show more. My guess is that he will but that won’t and shouldn’t necessarily have any effect on Comeau as their roles do not conflict. He will be here one way or another soon enough whether it’s Thompson or someone else moved out! Frankly, the player most deserving of making the team out of camp was Trevor Smith, after 20 goals at Bridgeport last yr, he’s 3,2 for 5 pts in 6 games to date and 20 shots on goal! He should be on the short list for a call up. At 23 years of age he is the ideal candidate for the “youth movement.”
I’m not saying trade the 1st rounder…All i’m saying is that there are packages we could put together to pick somebody up. You could package a 2nd, 3rd, + Tambellini and get a nice return. Trades don’t necessarily mean that it has to be our #1.
Vik, Snow & Nolan disagreed last year because Nolan is an ego-maniac who refused to play the young kids. You have it backwards - Nolan is the one who thought he could win with mediocre vets, Snow was pushing for the young guys to play so they could actually develop and the team could really get a clue as to where they stood going forward.
Ted Nolan is a coach, Snow is a GM, so comparing the 2 makes no sense. Nolan has ZERO credibility by the way - if he was so good, someone else would have scooped him up by now. He wasn’t even mentioned for the Chicago job that opened up about a week ago. That went to Quennville, who should have been coaching the Isles in the 1st place.
A stated reason by Snow for firing Nolan was he did not give Tambellini a fair shot and did not give the kids a shot in general.
This year we have Tambellini showing little and Comeau in the minors while retreads get NHL ice time.
Different coach, same deal except each coach has his favorites.
Snow has to take the fall here. He fired Nolan to cover up the lack of talent Snow has assembled.
CB, you are truly the people’s journalist. If it weren’t for you Islander fans would be calling for heads. Thanks for bringing fan’s words to the team’s ears and giving honest straightforward answers back. Keep up the good work.
that’s extremely kind of you to say, especially on a day when spammers have said otherwise, LOL. Thanks, John. A reminder to commenters: I have to delete posts with really bad words…CB
Keeping with the topic of trades, In many of the blogs, when Mike Comrie’s name comes up as trade bait, most agree that the return would be a 2nd round pick or something comparable. We have 2 second round picks in the next draft. I wonder what Comrie + one of those 2nd round picks would fetch. His salary is not over the top at 4 million a year(also not saying he is worth that much). I wonder what a cap strapped team would give up.
We would not get what many of you dream we would get for Comrie. If you go the cap-strapped angle, he is an UFA at the end of this season- so his salary is not going to be much of an asset since they are already under the cap this season.
Comrie is a good 2nd line player even on very good teams. Why so many fans think that a team as starved for anything resembling offense should just throw away the guy Ill never understand. Unless it is back to the idea that many of you have visions of what the Isles would get back for him that are IMO completely unrealistic.
Chris: I specifically remember Tambs having a good scoring chance that resulted in a missed shot… he would up bouncing the puck off the side of the net. But one good scoring chance isnt going to get me hysterical for him, because that and more is expected from every forward and even most of the defensemen on the team.
And I think what youre saying about Thompson is valid. Im not seeing whats so great about him yet either. However, I am going to try to be as patient with him as Im being with all the other Islanders kids with limited NHL experience. I think we need to exhibit the same level of patience with him that we exhibit with all the other Isles kids because thats exactly what he is now… another Isles rookie player.
Ok, I think anybody who wants a trade for a big name-player right now aren’t buying into the rebuild. What sense does it make to trade for a top 6 winger right now? If this team really needed a veteran winger now, why didn’t Snow resign Satan or Fedotenko (or even Vasicek) last July? The talks about improving the team through trades are just silly. Be patient, give Gordon at least until christmas/new year to get something out of this crop of talent. If not, it’s not the end of the world.
I gotta mention this. I just watched Wisconsin Badgers vs Minnesota Golden Gophers at the Kohl Center in Madison tonight. Aaron Ness of the Gophers is a very solid and talented puck-moving defenseman. He’ll never be Zdeno Chara, but this guy is special. He never makes a mistake while puckhandling at the blue line after a bad pass during power play. He always puts his outbreak passes on his teammates tape. Although not a physical player, he knows how to handle himself and he’s responsible in his own zone. Remember, this is coming from a disappointed Badgers fan who just watched his team tie the fifth game of the season after losing the first four…
My point is, this guy is just one of three 2nd round picks in the last draft of the Isles. I think the hedging strategy of last year’s draft is going to pay off later on.
I take it back, CB. You started your reply with a lower case.
CB, Hes not a heavy but is Tim Jackman going to be called up at all? He can definitely take an NHL shift.
Chris TMC,
I hear what you are saying, and I am by no means questioning your hockey knowledge. Just throwing out ideas. I agree that this team is desperate for scoring. It just seems that if Gordon was not happy with him, and determined that he had to go, There are some contending teams(I know, too early in the season) that have a lot of money committed to just a few players, and might be looking for some secondary scoring. So wouldn’t the fact that the 4 mil is coming off the books be attractive and command a solid young player or more?
Chris, about the many things that concern me about the Islander’s, a few that quickly come to mind are, why, for quite some time now, have the Islander’s not been going for “Size”. They seem to continue to draft smaller player’s that never seem to emerge. You look at so many of the teams out there, and the are, much bigger, much faster, and much stronger than the NY Islander’s. These trades that some of your reader’s are proposing, make no sence. The NY Islander’s have become and have been for some time now the Kansas City Athletic’s of the NHL. Drafting, and Grooming wonderful talent, only to see a new GM to come in and try and make a quick name for himself. Millbury, Luongo, Chara, we can go on and on with all the “Stupid Trades” he made. And lets look at the Robert Nilsson, O’Marra, and a #1, for Ryan Smyth. The Islander’s would be that much further ahead if this foolish trade was not made. To return to, (lets start with)respectability, the NY Islander’s need to build through the draft, and by signing the right free agents. I am sorry to say this but having been a die hard NY Islander’s fan since the beginning, I am hoping the Islander’s finish last this year, so they can get the “Jewel” of this years draft, possibly Tavares. And by what I have seen so far, that wont be that difficult. Championship Teams, are won with “Blue Chips” and as we speak right now, the NY Islander’s don’t have any. This year for the Islander’s, should be a year of finding out what they have, not trying to be as close to average as they can, by bringing in these older players that probably won’t be here when the Islander’s are. “The NY Islander’s Need A Plan”, period. Chris, always a pleasure, Mark/NJ