STANDING UP FOR HIS MEDICAL STAFF
Gordon on the Islanders’ man-games lost
UPDATED at 7:05 pm: You can’t make this up: Mark Streit out day-to-day with groin strain. Okay, now on to our injury story…CB.
Scott Gordon was talking to a trio of reporters today about the hurdles of teaching with so many players missing games and practices in the first half. He specifically mentioned the season-opening setbacks for Rick DiPietro, Mike Sillinger and Mike Comrie and then the run of injuries to Frans Nielsen, Trent Hunter, Nate Thompson, Freddy Meyer, Andy Sutton, Kyle Okposo and on and on and on.
Referring to the lack of anything close to a consistent lineup, Gordon said, “The first half of the season, to me, was a waste. There was no development of chemistry because we didn’t have our full team.”
Not even close. Joining the media scrum in the coach’s office mid-way through, I saw an opportunity to broach a much-debated topic on this blog. You know, the one about the Islanders’ off-the-charts man-games lost to injuries in recent seasons.
The Islanders will undoubtedly monitor the troubling trend. But Gordon today said that most of the Islanders’ injuries “were the stuff you can’t control.”
As for the proliferation of groin and hip injuries, Gordon said very few NHL teams have been fortunate to not get the bug. “It’s happening almost everywhere around the league,” he said. The quality of ice and the new models of skates are other factors being looked at. “The new skates,” Gordon said, “there’s absolutely no give to them at all.” (I can confirm hearing the same from dozens of players, coaches, trainers and scouts the last few years).
I told the Islanders head coach directly about many of the Comments on this blog questioning the effectiveness of the team’s training and strength and conditioning staff. Gordon said he understood the fans’ frustration over the lengthy injury list and he was right there with them.
Then he mentioned the more than 200 man-games lost by DiPietro, Sillinger and Sutton combined, plus the injuries of Joey MacDonald, Thompson, Hunter, Sutton and Nielsen (broken ankle after hitting a rut in the ice while absorbing an elbow to the head by Mike Mottau).
“There’s not one strength coach or trainer who could have prevented the majority of our injuries,” Gordon said. “If there was, I can tell you he’d be a really rich man.”
Comments.
48 Responses to “STANDING UP FOR HIS MEDICAL STAFF
Gordon on the Islanders’ man-games lost”
Please Wait
Never really understood blaming the training staff for these injuries in the first place.
He blames the injuries but not the training staff and of course not the coaching.
Gordon needs to take a look in the mirror. He will see the coach with the worst record in the NHL.
Either have I. Mclean’s injury could have been prevented but you cannot blame the training staff for that. They can tell you it might not be a good idea to do that before a game, but its up to you, individually, to decide if you should follow their advice or not.
This is pretty much what I posted on my site at the mid-pole of the season.
While SOME of the injuries may have been preventable - it seemed that REALLY BAD LUCK, and BAD ICE were the root cause.
At least you got a really honest answer and some insight on this “situation”.
Gotta love Gordo. From a former goaltender I what he thinks of DP.
Jon, he blames the injuries for lack of a consistent line up and therefore, a void of both team and individual development. I think that is a pretty good reason, because I don’t think anyone can say that the team is “not developing” because of the coaching.
Chris,
As always first class. The information that you provide is second to none. As far as the equipment statement from the coach, I agree. I bought a new pair of skates to teach my grand daughter how to ice skate and they are not forgiving at all. I wish I had kept my old skates. The salesman at the store told me the same thing. He stated to loosen up for twenty minutes before hitting the ice.
Funny how when we we moved away from the overspeed system the injuries went down. Take a look in the mirror Gordon, also the training staff clearly screwed up with DP more than once.
What did you expect him to do…throw his trainers under the bus?
Yawn… Everytime the injury traning staff is mentioned as a possible issue, the defense is “this broken ankle, or that other bone thing” and they leave out all the groins, and strains, and “general soreness” which, as I’ve stated before… If you added up only those injuries, we’d STILL be ahead of many teams in man games lost. Teams with the same skates, and many with ice problems as well. Look no farther than MSG… yet they don’t have our injury problems.
Sorry to say, but this is fluff. Do you really expect Gordon to throw the trainers under the bus?
“There’s not one strength coach or trainer who could have prevented the majority of our injuries,” Gordon said. “If there was, I can tell you he’d be a really rich man.”
I would bet you anything that the Rags Med staff is making significantly more coin than the Isles… Just saying
To Mike from Oceanside,
Yes I do, if they are incompantant they should be held responsible. But not on the Island where failure is acceptable.
I don’t understand the negativity toward Gordon. He is not to blame for the injuries. I don’t buy the whole thing with the training staff being innocent. You can’t blame them for everything but the NHL is a business and when your team has a ton more man games lost due to injury than any other team, as the GM you have to show everyone that your trying to solve the team’s problems. Changes do have to be made with the medical staff.
i think training staff might have something to do with it. cant be coincendence all the time. Stretching definately prevents most groin injuries.
Streit out now too? well its ok. Without streit in lineup you can guarantee we finish last. Works for me.
I just wanted him to play vs Montreal and beat his old team. That and i good friend of mine is huge montreal fan, that thought streit was not work the money. He eating his words now.
The way I see it, blaming the coach or the system they play for injuries leads to a simple and logical train of thought: If the coachs system is indeed to blame for injuries, by all logic, Bridgeport (which implements the same system) would be dealing with a substantial increase in injuries when compared to the rest of the AHL. Since that is not the case, that particular theory does not work. It has to be something else.
So, is it the training staff? Considering the exponential increase in injuries, one would question whether there has been a complete revamping of their training and conditioning regiments. This has not taken place as far as I know. Gordon and Snow say that is not the case and the training staff is not to blame (as CB posted here today.) Some people have stated that they think the training staff is being protected. However, it must be noted that both Gordon and Snows careers are dependent on the short term and long term health of the players- not the continued employment of the training staff. There is no logical reason to think that they would defend a training staff at the expense of the players that in reality are the lifeline of both their careers.
TMC,
Where is it written that Snow and Gordon are so smart? Snow talks to the fans like he is a used car salesman and comes off like a complete fool with his double talk and Gordon is like an amatuer speaking to the media.
Hey Steve (16),
If what you say is the case, please direct me to the used car lot looking for a salesman and have the media there each day critiquing my performance.
I figure if I can do those two things, I can become an NHL General Manager or NHL Coach and make millions as opposed to what I do now.
LOL
I would like to point out that contrary to another posters claim, the Islanders have not “moved away from the overspeed system”. Gordon tweaked the defensive side of it because of complaints from the veteran defensemen. The complaints were all about the system being confusing for the D-men because there was too much thinking involved when the play was moving fast in their own end. It had nothing to do with the physical aspect of the system, it was all mental. Gordon listened and took away some of the defensive responsibilities when it came to predetermining where you need to be BEFORE hand. That is all. Look at his record all you want as long as you look at the talent and experience level he has been given to work with. He has these kids believing in themselves and believing in the team concept. They’re playing hard and sticking up for eachother and in my opinion, after what we’ve been through for over a decade, this new attitude that Gordon brought to the Island is very refreshing to say the least.
Comment Guidelines:
http://www.islanderspointblank.com/2008/12/comment-guidelinesthese-are-effective-immediately/
I can’t believe that someone suggested that the reason for the injuries is because of the coaching. That just makes absolutely no sense at all. And I’m wondering how Gordon comes off as an amateur when talking to the media? He talks to them the same way that Bellichick and Parcells (two coaches he idolizes and tries to emulate)talk to the media. Just curious and would love to see some examples as to why that is being an amateur. Some coaches like Renney and Torts love the media. They love joking with them and sometimes come off as brown nosers to me. Gordon acts like he would rather be anywhere else than answering stupid questions about not taking timeouts or why he made a coaching decision. I would be the same exact way! They write bad crap about you and your expected to kiss their butts? WHY? Screw that, tell them what they need to know and get back to work.
John R—-Amen! I agree 100%
I have to disagree with you Scott Gordon a good staff prevents many of these injuries. The fact is they have been in place for two years and during those two years the Isles have lead or been darn close to the lead in man games lost. You have to look at their results and this staff isn’t getting very positive results.
it was mentioned here, but i’ve never read it as an official cause…do the isles consistantly lead the league in man-games lost to injury because of the shoddy NVMC ice? when you play 40+ games on “home ice” that has less than desirable quality, its gotta be a huge factor.
Can’t blame the training staff for poor ice conditions.
Islander ice conditions are among the worst in the league.
Watch the games the puck is all over the place.
Plus…
They are professional athletes… they know what to do to care of themselves.
As for Streit, sit the guy…. the remainder of the year.
That may be of benefit on multiple levels:
1. he’s never played this much in a year. Give him some rest.
2. no sense in losing your #1 dman to injury in a set of meaningless games.
3. the draft.
Did you guys read the article in Newsday about Murray starting a petition to get Suozzi to get funding for the Coliseum.
Murray is unbelievable.
I hate politics…. you knew she had to be planning something.
It never ends with the injuries!
Still a lot of positive things to look foward to next season so I’m not so mad we may lose our best D-man for these last few games…could be a silver lining in there somewhere regarding the draft.
CB did you see the Newsday article (on their website) about how Kate Murray sent out at petition to renovate the Coliseum? Newsday reports that in the petition it say:
“Long Islanders should not be held hostage and our beloved hockey team should not be used as a pawn in a high-stakes game of profit-driven development”
What do you make of this?
I can make a hat, or a broach … or a teradactyl
OK, I’m going to change the subject…sorry, CB.
This story is just unbelievable: http://www.newsday.com/news/local/nassau/ny-licoli0112604637mar31,0,4559971.story
I don’t think there’s any doubt anymore what Kate Murray’s plan is: to be in favor of a renovation that won’t get done, so she looks like she’s not simply a force for obstructionism. She will run on the platform of “I have been pushing a quick and immediate renovation of the Nassau Coliseum for months now.” And then she can kill the Lighthouse and try to say it was all somebody else’s fault.
What I don’t understand is Goosby. Is she stupid? She is a Democrat, and she’s basically going against Suozzi. Maybe the best thing here is that no other Republicans are signing on to this idiotic petition, at least visibly.
I have to believe that Kate Murray doesn’t want to see the Islanders or the Coliseum disappear. So what’s her game? Is she so dumb as to actually think that Wang and Rexcorp are lying, and that in the end they will agree to an arena-only renovation? Or that somebody else will step up and buy the Islanders when the Lighthouse throws up its hands in disgust and walks away? Or does she just not give a damn about either and has no vision past the upcoming election?
And my bipolar moods on the Lighthouse swing into the danger zone…..
And Tampa Bay is getting shut out….
whoa. aweso …real bad news about streit.
i hope he can …make it back.
Steve @ 30 with the Airplane line….niicce. As for Steit let him sit. The man’s earned a rest.
I’m working on a Lighthouse story and hope to have something up in the next hour or so. Thanks for your patience. I’m hoping to add more to the Newsday story…CB
If you’re going to add more stuff to depress us, CB, please…spare us!!
Bridgeport clinched a playoff berth with a 5-3 win tonight, Bentivoglio had a hat trick. Sim had 1G, 2A and Andrew MacDonald had 3A.
This just in: Mark Streit receives a One Million Dollar bonus to sit out for the rest of the season. Unbelievable!
CB - did you have prior knowledge about the injury and add it later just to egg us on? We’re on to you buddy. LOL
Steve (16): There is no reason to argue an opinion of whether one thinks Gordon and Snow are smart or not- it seems people will feel how they feel.
What can be stated however is that high intelligence is not really necessary in order for either to understand the most basic fundamentals of his job. A GM and a coach do not have to be ’so smart’ to understand that the welfare of the organizations contracted players, individuals in which time, effort, and tens of millions of dollars have been invested, is what is truly important. Both their careers depend on the players- not on the continued employment of the the training staff.
I honestly cannot think of a single reason why either of them would make a specific point of expressing faith in the training staff unless it is indeed how both of them genuinely feel. I mean, think about it- how would either of them possibly benefit from defending the training staff if it was not doing its job???
I hate to say it but Jon Sim really got the shaft. He’s no star but he’s better than a fair amount of the players in the NHL right now.
This is absolutely true. I saw kate Murray on the News tonight, I believe it was channel 4. She was being interviewed about her unique approach to controlling the overgrowth in some Hempstead park. The Town bought 5 goats! They will eat the overgrowth and thus save money for the parks dept. She said she got the idea from the success they had last year when they bought Guinea hens for the Park to control ticks! Please! How can we have any serious discussions on the Lighthouse project when there are goats to buy!! By the way the Goats were named after the 7 dwarfs> I believe that was approved at a TOH board meeting! You can’t make this stuff up!!
The Kate Murray story was the first time I saw her mug in Newday in who knows how long. Too bad it’s a story about Goats. Anyway, I have not been a Gordon fan throughout most of the year . He is learning, like the rest of this team. The second half Isles have shown enough to show we may be on to something.
In regard to injuries, there may be something to the equipment. Technology has not helped. Look a the sticks. Better shots if you can deal with them breaking at any
Moment. Reebok has shown that hockey people are not making the decisions. Look at all of the issues the league had with their jerseys.
Finally, thank god for Tim Jackman!!! Just because!!
Sim Got a nice contract. He cleared waivers. Where did he get the shaft. No one wanted him. What are garths options? None!!
Just because….how is the injury situation in the Bridge???? Has the minor team been hit like the Isles?
CB…don’t forget this summer….you said you’d write some “Deep Cuts” about some of the lesser known Islanders….I remember the Blue Oyster Cult reference from WBAB!!!
What is it that these players do that strains their groins all the time?
It is very clear Kate Murray doesn’t want the retail space. Someone commented before (months ago) saying they knew she was owned by the near by mall and that made sense to me. that is why she wants arena only. Fact is the county already said what they wanted. She is trying to get them to raise funds so Wang won’t pay for it and then won’t insist on the deal to cover his cost of renovation.
Then when that is over she thinks Wangs groups will lose the rights or give them up to redevelop the site (which is gonna happen anyway) but then maybe her dark masters will get the rights. I think that is really what her game is. She is tied into people who wanted to develop the site and she is trying anything to get Wang out of the way so her group can but she is stuck because with no Islanders that site is way less attractive and no one will renovate the NVMC without a pro tenant in there.
#44:
The reason for so many groin strains, tears and abdominal sports hernias are due to the following;
The employment of over-stretching techniques in the name of flexibility, only to cause weakening of the musculotendinous and ligamentous connections/insertions… (under the direction of physical trainers). They then perform high impact and high demand physical activity (stop and go skating), that puts undue stress on those same “weakened” structures leading to increased incidence of sprains, strains and tears.
DOC
Take a look at the injury rates in Bpt and at their training staff/system. Something is working.
There is really only one important medical question- What is the real medical facts on DP?