WASHINGTON AT NYI, 2:05 pm; Fair & Balanced:
Blogging from both sides of the fence
12-29-4 is grotesque, an embarrassment, a stain on the franchise that will take more than the summer to cleanse.
If the Islanders had Rick DiPietro and half the man-games lost to injury, they’d be 18-23-4, out of the playoffs (as predicted by everyone in October) and on the road to nowhere - least of all a potential top 2 draft pick and cornerstone player.
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Playoff push or not, Garth Snow had no business giving up a first round pick in a rental deal for Ryan Smyth.
In a rental, Dallas got Joe Nieuwendyk for…Jarome Iginla. In giving up Robert Nilsson and Ryan O’Marra, perhaps Snow proved he knew which inherited first-rounders to move before their value plummeted. Same for first round pick turned fourth-liner Petteri Nokelainen. Now Snow has to prove that he and his staff can pick the right players with their draft picks.
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The Islanders are at least another full season away from being respectable.
Man, have you really watched Kyle Okposo lately? He’s looking so good, if this was a decade ago the Islanders would have already traded him!
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In a press release, the NHL referred to “Toronto Maple Leafs rookie sensation Luke Schenn.” Nikita Filatov had a hat trick last week, and then did a really cool interview with Puck Daddy that makes you think he’s got the combined confidence of Ovechkin and Semin.
Josh Bailey has shown plenty enough in his play and approach to make you think that if the team and the kid grow together, the Islanders won’t look back on draft day 2008 with any regrets.
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Seriously, what the hell is up with all the injuries?
When he took over the Giants, Tom Coughlin implictly criticized outgoing coach Jim Fassel and said injuries “were a state of mind.” Then Coughlin endured a hellish year of watching one of his players sidelined after another. He never talked about injuries again. While everyone wants to blame the trainers with each groin strain, ever think about pointing a finger at the players - the men ultimately responsible for putting in the work to be ready to play at the highest professional level?
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The rebuilding Islanders do not have any representatives in the Young Stars Game.
Funny how that works. The NHL adds the game to All-Star Weekend to promote top young talent. But if you don’t get one of your kids in, it backfires as a poor reflection on your prospect pool. With the exception of Steve Stamkos, I’ll take Okposo over all the other 6 rookie forwards in the game. For the long run, I’ll take Bailey over half of them. Okposo will be on the sophomore team in next year’s game, and the Islanders’ first round pick in June will be on the rookie squad.
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Brendan Witt is not the only Islander who has a problem with the Go-Go system.
Of the players that don’t, the over-under of how many of them will be in training camp in September? One.
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Scott Gordon is a good teacher of young players. He has a stubborn 60-minute allegiance to a system that his NHL coaching career will live and die with. He has surprisingly thin skin with a tiny and tame press corps that hasn’t even hinted at his culpability in 12-29-4. (I mean, has a Newsday columnist written a critical word?) Beyond that, there’s still a lot we don’t know about Scott Gordon as a head coach.
Between the injuries and the roster of veteran players ill-suited to his style (or not inclined to commit to it), no one can say they know what kind of coach Scott Gordon is. You will be able to next season.
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Weight’s hurt, Guerin has a no-move and wants to stay, Witt is -27, Sillinger’s done, the Country adores Park. For a team that’s supposed to be rebuilding, March 4 is going to be a quiet trade deadline.
Today is January 18. Too early to say for sure one way or the other.
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You can’t say the Islanders planned this disaster so they could get a top-5 draft pick in June.
No, but the Islanders have been consistent with their plan - shouted to the mountaintop all last summer in Town Hall meetings - that they would rebuild from within and not go for quick fixes if the losses mounted.
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The Islanders are playing a preseason game in Kansas City. That can’t be good.
The response of Islanders fans after word got out was overwhelming.
Comments.
102 Responses to “WASHINGTON AT NYI, 2:05 pm; Fair & Balanced:
Blogging from both sides of the fence”
Please Wait
im man enough to admit, i refresh this website every time i go to the computer. keep up the good work.
that’s very nice of you to say, Ken. I appreciate it. Okay, now let the flogging begin! LOL…CB
K.O. is REALLY starting to grow on me. Great line CB …” If this was 10 yrs ago he would have been traded already” LOL hopefully we are done with that. Really hurts seeing Parise play so well, especially since we have nothing to show for the kid we took in his place.
CB like the okposo line about being so good he would have already been traded already. As Homer Simpson said. “Its funny because its true”
I can’t get past the fact that this team may be moving. I’m really upset about it.
It makes me angrier to see the people in KC chomping at the bit to get our team. How many late nights have they spent talking about this team?
How much heart break have they endured over the years?
How many blowout have they spent hundreds of dollars on tickets to watch?
It’s so parasitic. I know it’s wrong but I find myself hating those people the more I read their comments.
I’m a daily reader. I just want to say you do an awesome job and I am on this site more than any other on the internet. Us islanders fans are passionate at least.
Anyways, you really don’t think they’d trade Witt? He is relatively young (I thought older than 27), but hes been out of place all year and I think you can’t turn down even a 2nd rounder for him. I think that would make the deadline a success already.
Joao, Witt is minus 27 in +/-. He’s 33 years old.
Chris, do you think Gordon is uncomfortable coaching this team? It seems that way to me. Do you think he’ll suddenly become comfortable if they jettison all the players not on board with the way he wants the team to play?
well i feel dumb
I dont know what has happened to Witt but he seems to be a shadow of the player he was last year. He seems to be awful defensively, isnt hitting as much as simply doesnt seem as tough as he was last year. I loved the guy last year but this year it seems as though every time we give up a goal he is on the ice. I think he is -27 or something outrageous.
great article chris. i agree that okposo and bailey are both keepers. i thought they would be bad this season but not quite this bad. in the ny post a couple of days ago it sounded like guerin was thinking about waiving his nmc. i agree that we don’t know a lot about go-go but that those players that won’t play his system will be weeded out before next season. then the pressure is on go-go. agree that we’ll prob be bad next season, but i don’t think quite this bad. i think witt, comrie, guerin all will be traded.
Gordon will be our coach for 2 more seasons, then everyone will be fed up with his ridiculous system and we will have the talent to compete. Thats when we bring laviolette back and win the cup. hehehehehe.
I agree with you that the deadline is not going to be that dramatic and everyone is gone. I think people forget Hilbert is a UFA after this season, but since he seems to fit Go-Go’s system maybe he’ll extend?
I hope we trade every one over 24 except Hunter and DP. Get second and third round picks if we have to. I want the team to get younger and have as many draft pics as possible.
agree completely that gordon seems defensive with a press corp that is the smallest in the area. Is he serious? He gets no crticism other than this blog
If I am snow i trade guerin, witt, weight, park, witt, martinek. I resign hilbert for 3 yrs 3 milling total. I either send sim to the minors next yr or buy him out. This summer sign an enforcer and 2 forwards and 2 dmen under the age of 30!
Botta I think you would be a good GM!
OK, so I guess this is the ‘recap the complaints’ entry? Well, I had a laugh at the Okposo comment lol.
Is it the system or is it the players? After Gordon has a roster more suited to his system next year I think he will be under closer scrutiny by management.
there is nothing wrong with Gordon’s system. It works elsewhere. He is obviously incredibly frustrated.
umm we can trade all of them because of the cap. i wouldn’t want to trade park anyway. and we can’t trade witt twice anyway lol. ugh this season sucks!! and we should have traded everyone before they got injured. our luck
I second Islesfan @ 17. CB or GM! I saw the ex GM Mad Mike doing commentary during the Rags Pens game this afternoon. The guys been gone for years and i STILL can’t stand him!
I agree with most everything that has been stated in this blog but I hope CB is as wrong about the Isles not being very active at the deadline as he was about Bailey’s status a few months ago (timing!).
The thing is there are many guys who don’t fit the system. Contract status or not they should go at the time Isles can maximize their value.
The guys who have age and contract issues HAVE TO BE MOVED, even if it is for less then desirable.
Anyone here envision some of these guys here next season? If so it will be ugly again.
I would trade if possible: Witt, Martinek, Geravis, Pock, Meyer, Katic, & Kohn.
On Offense: Weight (if we get Tavares no way he plays next season for us and hurts chances of signing Bozak this year if he’s on the roster), Sim, Hilbert (don’t expect to win much with Hilbert, Pock, SIm and Martinek), Guerin if he waives his agreement and the value is good.
I am not sure if I am missing anyone but they’ll look at trading Hunter (shocker), Tambelleni, Thompson.
Need guys with real character and fits for the system. This team lacks character big time.
my comment was directed to islesfan999 btw. all in good fun. and great comment on okposo. what is the penalty against being below the cap?????????????????????????????????????????????
Hunter has done zippo since early in the year.
24 kevin on Jan 18th, 2009 20:10:47 said:
“my comment was directed to islesfan999 btw. all in good fun. and great comment on okposo. what is the penalty against being below the cap???????????????????”
Im not certain, but I think that whatever amount you are below the cap gets split up and paid to the players that you have so that you spend to it, anyway. I believe its something like that.
Anyone wonder if Montreal’s obession with Komisarik and him having to hear he could be going to Tampa might increase the Isles chances of signing him? He knows now Montreal would move him.
The trainers and conditioning staffs have to be replaced. Last year the Miami Dolphins had new staffs and lead the league in injuries by far and went 1-15. Parcells (a Coughlin mentor) came in and replaced those people and this time they had the fewest injuries and went 11-5.
Gordon does seemed thin skinned and a bit of an excuse machine. He can explain away his mistakes (he thinks). I do think he is a good coach with a good system. I enjoy reading the young players talking about how he keeps his word and how much he is teaching them.
I hate how he doesn’t seem to understand toughness, justice and respect.
I think with fewer injuries, more intelligent signings like Streit, and an aggressive draft that pulls in guys like Tavares, Kassim, Dougherty, and some GOOD trades the team can rebound quickly on the ice.
I think the Lighthouse will get started this summer because finally Murray has the publics eyes on her and not just Botta’s and some Islander fans she can dismiss and let’s face it lie to.
I have to admit, earlier in the year I was thinking Kyle might be a bust. I wanted Peter Mueller on draft day and his numbers made him look like the better pick. Lately though, Okposo’s game has been fantastic and he’s been the best Islander out there. He has a bright future, the numbers will come.
Just one of the many bright spots to look forward to.
CB, I disagree, March 4th will be a busy day one way or another. Names are changing places, to what extent, I wouldn’t bet on what, but something is happening. Snow doesn’t make the same mistake he made last year.
Different tone in this post for you CB.
Makes me wonder if you are frustrated, drinking, or just plain fed up.
then i wouldnt mind paying more to other players so we can further this rebuild. and to beatlebailey, everyone has been invisible the last month and a half. though i do agree. and i mean point wise. okposo has been great lately. and strummer, why would we trade prospects katic and kohn? makes no sense. ”were going to rebuild but we are going to trade katic to wherever for a 3rd and kohn to wherever for a 3rd as well” makes no sense. same goes for tambs and thomspon.you want to get character and ppl who fit the system and you trade thompson? and i think tambs has been playing his best hockey since he got here in the last 2 weeks.
hey chris, there is no AS game next year due to the olympics (even if they dont play in it, they arent doing an AS Game)
Garth better clean house by or at the deadline for prospects, draft picks, or perhaps the future Jerome Iginla. Guerin seemed to indicate that he might be open to waiving his “no movement” clause. Weight can and should be moved if healthy. Both could help more elsewhere and the line goes “We can finish last with you, we can finish last without you.” Chris, jokingly, is there any shot that Wang arranges for the NHL to hold the draft lottery in Kansas City (to put more pressure on Kate Murray?) On a serious note, how soon can all of the environmental studies be completed so Hempstead can move forward?
Jeez, Chris. I realize that this may be the reality for us fans, but that was pretty bleak.
Love the stream of consciousness twist on this one.
Question: worst case scenario, Isles get the No. 1 pick and Tavares pulls an Elway. What do you think Mr. Wang would do in that situation - trade the pick, pick someone else, or draft him and spend 2(?) years trying to convince him to come to LI?
Does anyone know what the Isles tv ratings have been this season?
Just wondering if anyone is bothering to watch this anymore.
Wang and Snow have alot to answer for.
The owner should step up and give a mid-year review for the fans.
Quagmire:
He drafts him a la the Bucks and Yi Jianlain. Take him, try to make him think it’s a good idea, and then trade him when you have better leverage on other teams.
do you think wang could tell us anything we do not know about the isles this year jon #2? were in a rebuild so times are going to be hard. this argument is repeated so many times..
I think they should keep Guerin. Although he seems to take bad penalties at times and appears somewhat indifferent at others, the team needs a a solid leader next season.Plus the guy can still play. Gervais. Great person, can be decent at times…sorry to say it but if he is added to a package trade, so be it. I like Hilbert…never seems to mail it in and he fits this system so I say sign him. Hunter is an Islander. Guy has heart and has shown it during some tough and strange years. Not sure where he fits in but would hate to see him go. He might fit beautifully with another team though. Seeing Witt come back onto the ice last night after getting stitched-up speaks volumes why this guy kicks ass. Another guy that might fit nicely elsewhere though and obviously it aint happening for him this year on the Island. Campoli can skate and at times can play tough…somewhat. I think he’ll come around and is worth keeping. I am against the *staged* heavyweight fight and having somewhat on the ice less than 5 minutes a game is lame. Period. Having said that this team is very S O F T!!! Jackman isn’t dominating fights but man this guy has improved ten-fold in many other ways. I like him. Would love to have a Rupp or Clarkson on this team too. There, I said it! Agree very much, CB that Bailey and Oposko are going to be fine.
Go Isles!
You think anyone will ever address the radio situation? That alone is embarassing. I live in Brooklyn and cannot listen to a game if I’m in the car.
You know? I never thought about that before.. I wonder why Wang hasn’t stepped up an gave some sort of press conference or at least step up to the plate an address islander fans. Today newsday was all about the Islanders, when most days we get zip!..and what I read was sad in ways, the whole franchise is upside down I just feel bad all around because we may be losing our team to another City, some will agrue no way will it ever happen..I use to believe that myself, but now?..these days?..I’m not so sure anymore, it’s not looking to good.
Welcome to year #1 of a four year build-from-the-draft youth movement people.
also, last post, tavares said that he would stay with any team that drafted him. so there is no point in saying ‘will he pull an elway or lindros?’
meant to say comrie isntead of witt 2xs lol. Although if we could I would love to trade him twice haha
Kevin, absoultley if I could get a 3rd rounder for Kohn or Katic I’d do it an a flash. Neither project to be more then a 5th-7th d-man and neither are certain to even play in the NHL.
They are both small and not physical and the Isles have plenty of them. Isles need bigger, more talented, more physical d-men.
While I see progress in Tambs for the rigth deal I’d move him.
Thompson is OK but he’s never gonna be phenomenal. Guys like Collitton and Walter are there.
So absoultley I would trade any of those guys to benefit the team. Kohn and Katic don’t fit the plan moving forward (at least if Snow has wised up and is gonna move away from these little d-men).
Any prospect in the organization who doesn’t fit the plan moving forward or the system I’d move while there is value, rather then just not signing them when the Isles are required to sign them or they become FA’s. You may have noticed over the past few years the Isles have chosen not to sign many former draft picks.
who is arranging the rally to show these politicians we care???
KO is a Keeper! I think Stamkos is a terd. Imagine if KO was playing with St Louis and Lecavilier? He would have 20 goals and 40 points by now. Leaving him out of the game when he has one point less in 10 less games, with the worst scoring team in hockey. He should be there!
Favorite players on bad record isles: Danny Plante, Gino Odjick, Bobby Beers.
Say what you want about milbury, but I met him at the rinx in his 3rd year as GM, and he was sitting alone at the top of the bleachers, I went up to him he gave me an autograph and then sat there with me and my popz and BS’d about the team for an hour. You don’t get that from the front office often (EXCEPT HERE!)
If the Islanders manage to draft Tavares and can’t sign him, I will not be renewing my season tickets. Mark Hermann in “Newsdolan” is right. The politicians have to step up and Mr Wang has to do a better job.
I realize that impartiality is as rare Super Bowl appearances by the Detroit Lions but are there any “independent” people (academicians, etc) who have said whether the Lighthouse project is a good idea or not in improving business and housing in Nassau County?
PS Is Kyle Okposo out of position playing the point on a power play? He fanned on a slapshot last night. Would he be more effective close to the net?
I know that this is sacrilege to MANY MANY people here….but….here goes….
HUNTER BLOWS.
If there is one player that epitomizes someone who does not fit Go-Go- style..it’s Trent Hunter.
The same Trent Hunter who led the team in Nolan’s system with most shots on goal last year, as well as brought up the rear with one of the lowest shooting percentages IN THE LEAGUE.
Slow of foot, quick to shoot, adept at drilling the glass or the crest on the goalie’s jersey.
He is adept at “finishing checks” but more often than not, the puck is in another zone by the time he delivers the hit.
He’s an average PK’er, (Hilbert and Park are better, can’t/won’t fight….will occasionally get himself in front of the net, but more often than not, it’s on the wrong side of the goalie and seemingly lacks the hand eye coordination to deflect nothing but air.
BUT HE LOOKS GOOD IN AN ISLES JERSEY.
Give me some uglier guys, PLEASE.
Just my opinion…from two time zones away.
Jim Clark…
I have wondered about KO on the point as well, I suspect that it is part of a Gordon experiment right now.
I have no opinion on it at this point other than to say that I am simply happy to see him on the PP….ANYWHERE.
Get more of the kids (Bailey, Neilsen, Comeau, Bergie, even Thumbellini) out there.
Keep experimenting Gordon.
Bailey IS winning a lot more faceoffs lately…..a VERY good thing.
Botta you really think we will be quiet on the deadline???
I disagree CB, I think the Islanders could be a big player in the deadline. We have several tradable assets.
Comrie
Park
Witt
MacDonald (if he gets healthy)
Hilbert (see above)
Sutton (see above)
Guerin if he waives his NTC
Weight
Now I know not all of them will be gone, but I doubt we will be quiet.
What’s the point of trading anyone? 3rd round draft picks? Yuck. It won’t help the season from sucking any less. It already has surpassed all pathetic seasons in the past 15 years, and it’s not even down to the last 10 games.
No All Star Weekend next year CB…Kyle’s gonna have to either make Team USA or the real All Stars in 2011….
It’s too expensive now to go to games at the Coliseum- so what would you expect from the current regime if they do get the Lighthouse and pricey players. They’ll price the fans right out of the arena! This is not the Garden- we do not have the corporate big money fan base. Our fan base is the blue collar family and with the worst team in the NHL, we cannot afford to go to games. $100 for 2 tickets 4 rows from the roof! You gotta be kidding me. Imagine what they’ll charge if they bring in a couple of guys that can actually play.
I love the increased activity, Chris. Right now, we need some reassurance, and as much as this is a slap in the face, it’s pretty enlightening too. I think that it’s just going to make it all the more sweeter when we do break through and become contenders, because we will have done it the real way. We won’t have bought all of our key players, like the Pee Smell, we will have actually gone through a real rebuilding process. What’s the last New York franchise that can say that.
4 wins and a tie. Just think that if we had DiPi in goal and healthy, we’d all be sitting here screaming about being out of the “Tavheduch” sweepstakes. You have to figure we’d have at least 5-10 more wins at this point.
Of all the thing’s I’m most amazed at it’s that our beloved Isles are NOT the “laughing stock” of the league any more. Listening to the NHL network on a constant basis you consistantly hear about us being bad but “they’re rebuilding and it’s to be expected”, or we have a lot of “wrong players for the system” not to mention the injuries. The thing I love the most (being stuck down here in Florida) is listening to how the TB Lightning have become the joke of the NHL. (gotta love it!)
As far as K.C. here we come, Tampa, Phoenix and one other “non traditional” hockey market team I can’t remeber are much MUCH closer to moving to K.C. than we are or going under financially and needing to sell.
Also mentioned was the Lacalvier situation in TB and someone sugested they should try to trade him to our beloved Isles for our number one draft pick rather than to Montreal. Haven’t laughted so hard in a while! But you all know if Milbury was GM we’d be worried!
Meanwhile Roberto Luongo is back and has given up 5 goals on 18 shots. Seesaw game with the Blue Jackets (If Columbus can get an NHL franchise, I suppose Kansas City can) tied a 5-5 with 12 minutes in the third.
CGS878 - Here’s something to do with all the 2nd. 3rd. and 4th. round picks we can get. Bundle them up into packages for low or middle 1st rounders and high seconds. (just an example) Thats the value of them.
The thing with the draft is you never know what you’re gonna get. Look at Stamkos. So far he’s a BUST!
Is Hillen suppossed to fight Brashear or Erskine? I know Sim or Jackman will take the other one.
505,
I totally agree with you about Hunter!
He does this one “move” so much…
He’ll have the puck …he’ll be skating - slowly - through the neutral zone …then when he hits the line he stops skating all together and just looks to make a pass cross ice (or he’ll take a weak wrist shot) …a man his size should keep skating a head towards the net - 2 things would happen …1) he’ll either force the d-man to take a penalty or 2) he’ll create a scoring opportunity …
He’s a very frustrating player to watch and it’s funny because fans like his “grit” and hitting but he seems to hit waaaay after the play has ended …wouldn’t cry if he was dealt …
yes strummer thats why they got him up here. you got to let the get bigger thing go. i agree that we should draft bigger defenceman for now on unless it is the an awsome defenceman at 5′8 then that is different but come on. let it go. i think we could get bigger over the years like the bruins but every post for you is saying we have to get bigger. take a break man. i do hope we get doherty though. that will be something special. if we had a true enforcer ( a la parros for next year ) then yes they can take on brash and former islander erskine but we do not.
I wish Wang would sell, its mistake after mistake with him, Milbury, commitee, snow, dp contract, yashin, he KNOWS NOTHING!….Yes he bought the team just for the land….he just needs to stay out of hockey decisions….and fire his son in law!
Is it a coincidence that this team has simply stopped scoring altogether since Weight went down? To everyone who wants to move him for whatever, someone, even on this shitty team, needs to be able to make a play in the offensive zone. the power play, even with Streit, is nonfunctional without Weight.
Bailey looks about 2-3 years away from being able to create offense, despite his oft-mentioned face off prowess. I would suggest that if we don’t want next season to be even worse than this disaster, Weight should be extended immediately.
Kevin what is disturbing is I’m not sure Snoe/Gordon see’s it. He could have had many enforcers and bigger guys. He could swing a minor deal at anytime for one but sits on his hands and we all get pissed no one got justice for Neilsen. We will all keep bringing it up until he addresses the need, same for quality trainers. They read this board it is like voting. You’ll be complaining tomorrow to if Brasear acts like Brashear and we have to watch Witt and Jackman get beat up again.
I was hoping they would be fairly respectable before the end of next season CB. At least when compared with this season. If we could get one finisher it could happen. Couldn’t it?
matt on Jan 18th, 2009 22:46:27 said:
I wish Wang would sell, its mistake after mistake with him, Milbury, commitee, snow, dp contract, yashin, he KNOWS NOTHING!….Yes he bought the team just for the land….he just needs to stay out of hockey decisions….and fire his son in law!
Oh brother.
It’s going to take a while Willis. Chicago has been commited to rebuilding for 6 years, I believe the Coyotes 4 years.
They are doing well so it’s something to look at but it’s going to take more than this offseason as well.
I know one thing about Scott Gordon’s NHL coaching career… it never should have began in the first place. Snow gets rid of Nolan for this schmuck?? What an organization.
I move to have the #12 removed from Josh Bailey, unless he is going to drop the gloves and honor Mick Vukota!
I feel strongly both ways …
but, you forgot …
Our veterans suck!
How about trading Guerin/Weight/Hunter/Comrie/Witt for a first rounder?
Best watching of the weekend: Listening to Chico Resch hang Milbury out to dry for all the blunders he made here. Chico, who never has a bad word to say about anyone, ripped Milbury’s regime up, down and sideways for failing to keep players like Luongo and Chara, etc. Basically said they need to tear it down and atart over — and noted that there was a big untapped base of fan support that’s been driven underground by the team’s failures. Go Chico!
In terms of respect around the NHL, the Isles are 31st in a 30-team league. People simply do not regard this franchise as major league — partly, no doubt, due to the arena, partly due to the lack of on-ice success, and partly due to the owner’s foibles (some of which he seems to have gotten over), such as the contracts to DP and Yashin. This is as big a hurdle to rebuilding as any on-ice problems.
Snow is on the clock now. He has to turn some of his vets into future assets — not just 2nd- and 3rd-rounders, but actual players. If he doesn’t; well, maybe Mad Mike can find a TV gig for him and Gordon.
Im all for dropping vets for picks. Love guerin and weight, nice guys, but this is not the team for them come next year. Im all for keeping park and hilbert.
Josh Bailey used to play the point on the powerplay in Windsor. Why is Okposo there? Bailey should try to fulfill Weight’s role on the PP because of his great passing skills. Okposo in front of the net.
I keep hearing people talking about Tavares pulling a John Elway and demanding a trade on not wanting to play with us. I don’t believe it for a second. JT can be part of something pretty damn big here. If the Lighthouse project gets started within the next 12 months, NVMC will be renovated and the transformation of the parking lot into a mini city will start. The facilities will be second to none. What athlete wouldn’t want to be part of this. Don’t think for a second that JT isn’t aware what the standings look like right now. His camp will continue to monitor the Isles situation and update JT. It’s no secret what this organization is going through and I’m willing to bet that JT is well aware of majority of it. As for him leaving after the 3rd year (if we get him)….he can’t. He is an RFA, we will have his right for a minimum 7 years. He’ll have a stanley cup ring with the Isles by that time….he won’t want to leave.
bcarey @ 70 - Did that Milbury sighting happen the morning of the 2000 draft?
Note to Lee from Queens: Coaching jobs were available. Ted Nolan is not coaching any of those teams either. “Just sayin’ “
I think that Pic CB has up there of the iceskaters is one hell of a shot!..lol!
k..trying to make light of a very down situation.
I keep saying better days are coming..but lately the little bit of faith I had..has fallen.
well im heading off to the nvmc. my bro is playign for the that lighthouse thing. goalie. maybe the isles should sign him lol. and yeah strummer i will be complaining. i hate brashears guts. he always gets his one goal of the year against us and he sucker punched witt and he did somehting else i just cant remember but i think we should sign parros and neil in the offseason. or get one and try out minor leaguers joe mirasty or ryan flinn
or mike hoffman to fight. idk. do something. although i can see an enforcer coming our way at the deadline. or sooner. rupp looks like the odd man out when shanny plays. maybe we can try for him. wouldnt take much. and rupp can actually play. maybe rupp and neil for next year. ( via trade or free agency ) they both can play too
Wow Chris! Are they going to let you in the building after this latest post? Thanks for your candor.
Kinda off topic here but has DP officially been shut down for the season?
well maybe wang will do us all a favor if he gets approval…sell the team to a real knowledgeable hockey owner and hire a real GM…hes worried about chinese hockey too much. Gordon is just a cheap inexperienced coach too…bring back Lavy!!
Heading to the game today section 115 with my little guy age 7, big isles fan- -he’s already getting into it with Rags fans at school. I keep telling him one day. . . Hope our guys come out to play today. . . Let’s go Islanders!!!!!
I am a firm believer that 5 or 6 3rd and 4th rounders wont help - it will stock bridgeport. What Garth needs to do IMO, is trade anyone but DP, KO, Bailey, Streit, for young up and coming talent, not picks. If its a 1st, take it and run. Otherwise, lets get some young talent with potential. Picks take forever, and with the right moves, we could be closer than 4 years. Taveras wont hurt either
Donk #72 Thank You for mentioning that. A couple of days ago I posted that NHL people usually smirk and make a stupid remark when the Isles name is mentioned. Someone wrote back and stated yeah right you talk to NHL people gimme a break….well in my reply to that I mentioned the name Chico Resh among others. If you are ever in NJ go talk to Chico he will let you know in no uncertan terms how he feels about all of this and our glass goalie!!
Donk #72 Thank You for mentioning that. A couple of days ago I posted that NHL people usually smirk and make a stupid remark when the Isles name is mentioned. Someone wrote back and stated yeah right you talk to NHL people gimme a break….well in my reply to that I mentioned the name Chico Resh among others. If you are ever in NJ go talk to Chico he will let you know in no uncertan terms how he feels about all of this and our glass goalie!! There are many others too. It is not too hard to find Islander bashers out there trust me. It is going to take a lot to change the reputation that this team has like you said 31 in a 30 team league classic.
sorry bout the double post my unfinished post#87 wound up going on….sorry
Martinek is one of our better skating defensemen. Watch Mondays game and you’ll see. You’ll also see that the Islanders look like a mite team in terms of size compared to Washington. I’m so tired of watching these guys lose, bring back Reed Larson.
CB put forth in the Topic that we would only have 18 wins instead of 12 with a healthy DP and half the injuries. I assume that is looking at 3rd period collapses, GO-Go’s system, etc. My question is how many more wins if we kept Nolan? I believe we could have been better then .500. Would that help the team be more relevant or have top picks for the future? No, but as painful as rebuilding is, it can be done by without subjecting the fans to this junk. Jut my humble opinion…
i would check those hedge fund #’s again based on recent events.
Maybe is the size that prevents a defenseman like Witt or Sutton from being able to play in this kind of system. However if the Islanders get the first pick and draft Travares they will need a big defenseman to defend against the hit the kid took last week that knocked him out with a shoulder injury. I don’t a Streit type player who is flourishing under this system will get the job done. Thoughts???
Hector Marini, Where are you now ?
Go Chris Go! Tank Isles Tank!
What is really funny is that PointBlank has become the best thing about the whole damn Islander organization.
For the second year in a row our first line would probably be considered a third line on any other team in the NHL.
The owner is threatening to move the team because he can’t get his development deal done. Meanwhile, in the background, there is a slight possibility that he is the THIRD owner to be sent to prison.
A NEW coach was brought in to guide a “youth movement”… but the team is too old to put his idealic system into successful practice. There is no evidence what-so-ever that it can be successful. But he really hasn’t had much of a chance because the third rate players he was given can’t even dress… so he’s foced to pencil in what were AHL second liners on a consistent basis.
The former backup goalie turned GM will no doubt have the great fortune of a top 2 draft pick. So far, his draft picks are no where to be found… BUT… some do have 2nd line or 3rd defensive pair upside.
Wahoo… Damn straight I’m excited about next year!
Good luck to Jack today. Hopefully, his signing last year will eventually bring some redemption to the Snow legacy.
Dan (#91),
JT will need linemates who will help nurture his development, but also intimidate anyone who even thinks of cheap shotting the kid. Remember, when Pittsburgh drafted Crosby, they signed Leclaire. He had lost his scoring touch by then, but he was a big guy who could still intimidate people. That’s why, if they do draft Tavares, Snow will have to sign some decent FA’s to play on the kid’s line and be his big brother. They better not be cheap with this–they must protect their investment.
we dont know what kind of coach he his but he is a weird dude that doesnt communicate well with the press..oh and he has the least amount of wins in hockey..so we know 2 things thin skin and thin on the wins
The worst case senario is that we draft JT and move to KC.
I heard that tavares did NOT hurt his shoulder, but in fact pulled his groin. The league has decided that based on this injury he is automatically being drafted by the Islanders and can report to the trainer’s room immediately.
sorry for the illicit comment, CB. after posting i thought to myself, “that’s going to be deleted.”
CB -the freeform style is cool. kind of like ’shooting from the lip’ without the pompousness.
50 ISLESFAN999 on Jan 18th, 2009 21:28:10 said: Botta you really think we will be quiet on the deadline???
51 mjisles on Jan 18th, 2009 21:33:19 said:
I disagree CB, I think the Islanders could be a big player in the deadline.
maybe CB thinks if the consensus is that Snow won’t make moves, that will make him makes some moves.
Ok… Point taken, I won’t speculate that the training staff is at fault for 9000 groin strains. It must be the players, fire all of them instead.
This is an excellent post. The only comment I disagree with is the Ryan Smyth one. Garth was taking a chance, and the Islanders got a lot of visibility and positive publicity from bringing Smyth in, and he contributed to a team that miraculously made the playoffs. Snow gave it his best shot in trying to re-sign Smyth over the summer, but it didn’t work out. I felt it was worth the risk.