A LESSON IN MAINTAINING TRADE VALUE
Go-Go’s smart position on the Witt controversy

On the MSG Plus Plus Plus Pre-Game Show, Scott Gordon did his best to diffuse today’s controversy over Brendan Witt’s criticism of his system.

 

After saying that he talked to Witt and agreed with him that the system needs work and that’s why the Islanders practiced it so hard this week, Go-Go went for the money quote:

 

“All I can tell you is I’m glad Brendan Witt is on our team. He’s going to be here next year. I think he does a tremendous job for us. He’d be one guy I’d be sorry to see leave.”

 

Okay. Witt’s trade value has been effectively nudged back to normal. Well-played, Coach.

 

 

Comments.

39 Responses to “A LESSON IN MAINTAINING TRADE VALUE
Go-Go’s smart position on the Witt controversy”  

  1. 1 Ryan Tendrup

    Well played Scott Gordon, well played.

  2. 2 318J1

    games about to start, lets see how Witt and the rest of the defense play tonight. actions speak louder then words

  3. 3 Chris TMC

    Gordon chose his words more wisely than Witter initially did. IMO.

  4. 4 JKP on LI

    I don’t really understand this; aren’t opposing GMs free to come to the same conclusion about this that you did, Chris? If another team gets a call from Snow about Witt, doesn’t that sort of erase any kind of comment Gordon made to the media?

  5. 5 DingoAteYoBaby

    I would have heard this quote…if only the crappy reception we’re getting here in Queens on Time Warner…fuzzy, pixelated, audio cutting out. And that’s normaly how things look thanks to this being an overflow channel…such crap.

  6. 6 kevin

    whats the line-up? i wanted fritz to play so badly

  7. 7 kevin

    nvm, fritz is in and walter and blakey are out. good job billy for sticking up for your teammate

  8. 8 Bryan from Massapequa

    I’m sorry, but I don’t normally make posts on websites like this (although I do read them regularly), but as a life long fan I’ve learned to live with constant turnover from ownership down to the players. So at this point it’s only the little things that really get to me. But we have a guy who - statistically - is a fringe-NHLer that we don’t want, as evident by his being placed on waivers (and no other NHL team feeling he can help them in any way), and he’s playing the power play.

    This team is a joke!

  9. 9 kevin

    wait, walter is in. who is out???

  10. 10 Joe

    Fritz is out I think Kev.

  11. 11 Rob

    Comeau is a scratch and Hunter is out with an injury

  12. 12 kevin

    hes on yahoo so i couldnt figure it out. comrie made some nice moves. hes lookin pretty good. fritz is also on the website

  13. 13 kevin

    o thx rob. well im off until l8er. gotta find a way to shorten my post counts. sorry CB ;)

  14. 14 Mikey G

    Anyone else have messed up sound on this crappy channel that is not in HD… no love for the isles… at all

  15. 15 Danny from VA Beach

    with all due respect!
    u all are on a computer, no?
    goto nhl.com and look at the box score and see who’s playing!
    sheesh………

  16. 16 Danny from VA Beach

    Brian, you have a HUGE point,
    one that many of us have probably been thinking!

  17. 17 kevin

    nhl.com doesnt show fritz. and aparently (sp) fritz was thrown in last minute cuz hunter cant play. ok now i am seriously off until next article

  18. 18 Danny from VA Beach

    i was being an ass anyway,
    sorry,

  19. 19 beatlebailey

    why did snow extend witt this summer before knowing if he would fit in with the new coach? gong!

  20. 20 Isles316

    I missed it, but where is Trent Hunter? Why is Mitch Fritz dressed over Blake Comeau if he doesn’t leave the bench?

  21. 21 phil

    why were we even talking about trading witt in the first place? are you serious? just because he isn’t waving the system flag, he needs to go?

    the system is failing. not the players. this blog really kisses gordon’s ass if you ask me. get real, bro.

  22. 22 Isles316

    What is Hunter’s injury? Is it a body injury? A lower mid region? Any guesses?

    Or is it another groin or weird leg injury? Why do all of our players get hurt in practice?

  23. 23 Rick

    So Chris, are we to assume from your post that you think Witt should be traded?

    Bottom line - Brendan Witt has been a successful NHL player for 13 years. Scott Gordon played 2 seasons for Quebec, was a TERRIBLE goalie and has only been successful in the minors as a coach. I’m sorry, but I will take Witt’s side in this. Scott Gordon is starting to come across as someone who thinks he’s a lot better at his job then he really is. I didn’t see any other team with a coaching opening this offseason scrambling to get to Gordon before the Isles did.

    I’m all for giving this guy a chance, but he needs to stop saying ‘the system needs tweaking’ and start saying ‘maybe this system isn’t going to fly for 80 games and we need to do some other things as well’.

  24. 24 Steve S

    While we’re at it, can we send Mitch Fritz packing? He’s not an NHL player and is completely wasting a roster spot.

  25. 25 Big Dog

    Sound is still out on MSG plus. Figures this is the first game in a while they actually look good (great save by Jody Mac!) and I can’t listen to it….

  26. 26 Rick

    I’m watching it on 414 on Cablevision & the sound is coming in no problem.

  27. 27 Big Dog

    Yeah - I’m watching on Time Warner on 51 in Manhattan. Ugh.

  28. 28 Justin

    That’s an amazing stat…that the Isles have been outscored by 39 goals this season during 5-on-5 play. That is not about systems or character, it’s about skill. We don’t have nearly enough, offensively or defensively.

  29. 29 beatlebailey

    anybody else get like 50 of the same friggin e-mail from the islanders today pushing their holiday ticket sale promotion?..hey isles marketing/sales please check your e-mail distribution program..something is wrong!…gong!

  30. 30 Isles316

    The Islanders talk about getting fast puck moving defensemen. Say they do that, then teams like Minnesota can just camp out in front of the net all night and the Isles D won’t be strong enough to defend them. Players are bigger in the NHL than the AHL and the Isles get pushed around as it is. This 3rd period is a disgrace.

    Also why are we the only team that lets teams skate over the blue line and never challegnes them in the neutral zone? No wonder teams come in our zone with speed.

  31. 31 Original Rob

    Lol @ beatlebailey..

    Fun facts:
    Tambellini: 23 Games Played, 0 Goals
    Bailey: 17GP, 0G
    Okposo: 18GP, 2G

    GONG!!

  32. 32 Justin

    I said this about 5 games ago but how many more games does this team win the rest of the season? 10, 12? I can’t see more than 15.

  33. 33 Joe

    Sutton- broken foot.

  34. 34 WM

    Islanders - broken organization.

  35. 35 Isles Fan in Ulster County

    How much trade potential do any vets have on this team at this point? We have a bunch of one-way contracts, and players that no one else will take off waivers. I hope Garth has an idea what to do because these lackluster games need to stop. The skid has an end, but I think it will engulf December. We can’t even get to OT consistently.

  36. 36 JKP in Halifax

    Fans -broken hearted…

  37. 37 Vlad from Brooklyn

    Instead creating some offense by passing the puck, they constantly dumped it into Minnesota zone which being picked up by their defense and turning over to odd-man rush with quality scoring chances. So much for the “System”… And did you, guys, see how easy they were getting behind our Ds? Minesota coach knew exactly how his team needed to play against Isles. And guess what? They won.
    If I would be JMac, I would beat the whole team with a goaley stick. Without him it’s a 10-1 game.

  38. 38 beatlebailey

    hey you have to laugh otherwise you’d bash your head into the tv watching these guys…two more and I retire the Gong…

    we did have some good news today isles fans straight from the isles website
    “Mandarin Chinese broadcaster Alex Peng receives New York State Proclamation for his service to broadcasting and the community” Gong!

    what has more value..my remaining isles season tix or an investment with that son of a madoff??!! Gong!

  39. 39 Angelica

    Gordon was pretty professional about it, which is a good thing. I’d hate to see Witt go also.

    As for Fritz, whom someone mentioned earlier… yeah, send him packing. He does nothing for our team. Give Blake Comeau a spot in our lineup for keeps.

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