PROCESS?! WE’RE TALKIN’ ABOUT PROCESS?!!
Notes on scouting, buzz, the party and the pick
Islanders Point Blank on Twitter
On April 10, four days before the lottery, I wrote a post entitled “No Reason To Vic Around.” (I liked that headline). Basic premise: if the Islanders won the lottery, they should declare John Tavares right then and there. Not get all nuts like Tampa Bay did last summer with the Stamkos billboards and all, mind you. Just start the relationship between cornerstone prospect, organization and fan right away.
Reaction was mixed from blog readers, mostly negative in some parts of the Country and met with some snickers in the hockey offices of the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum. The nose-thumbers said it was outrageous!
“What if their player suffered a career-ending injury in the junior playoffs”?!! (Uh, pick the next guy when you have to actually draft on draft day. No one would complain - not the kid with the ripped up knee, not the kid who’s now the No. 1 pick in the draft).
“How can you not wait to see all the great offers that are guaranteed to pour in”?!!! (Yep, we’ll still waiting. Can’t wait to hear about them).
The attitude of the draft purists was summed up in one encounter I had in Penn Station a week after I wrote the post. I ran into an influential fellow with strong connections to the Islanders. The lecture went like this: “If Garth did what you suggested, it would disrespect the scouting process.”
Okey-dokey. So where are we today after more than two months of process?
On Friday, 65 days after winning the Draft Lottery, Islanders GM Garth Snow admitted to Bob McKenzie of TSN that the player he wanted in mid-April is still the player he wants today.
“I said at the time that I had a pretty good idea but that I wasn’t firmly committed to it until we went through the process of doing our due diligence on all the top guys,” said Snow. “Let’s just say the process re-affirmed what I thought back then. We want the same guy now that we wanted back then.”
Okay, so let’s take a look at the process.
Victor Hedman: Hockey season was over before draft lottery. Islanders met with Hedman for team-allotted 20 minutes and watched him do the Presidential Fitness Test at the Draft Combine. Victor, his dad and his agent visited with the NYI for three hours earlier this month.
Matt Duchene: Played 11 post-lottery playoff games for Brampton, including one before Snow and Islanders owner Charles Wang. Draft Combine. Two nights lodging at Chez Snow, plus golf and meetings.
John Tavares: 5 post-lottery playoff games for London, including a visit from Snow and Wang. Two nights at Chez Snow, plus golf, meetings and breakfast with Doug Weight.
The Islanders knew who they wanted before all of the above. Now they’re really sure. Cool. Fair enough.
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As for this idea that the Islanders are waiting to announce their pick on Friday because it has put them in the league spotlight, has it really? I mean, having the first overall pick always comes with some buzz, of course. The drama has been gold for Point Blank and all Islanders blogs, but where else but the Country has this been talked about every day for the last two months? Nowhere. This week, however, the spotlight will shine when Garth Snow arrives in Montreal mid-week. You asked for it, old friend! Ha!
As fans, hope the Islanders take the best player on Friday. Hope the Islanders are not the talk of the league on Friday night. Been there, done that. Here’s the irony: if the Islanders do the smart, safe unspectacular thing on Friday - oh nooooooooo! - they’ll move a few thousand ticket packages this summer without having to proactively make the phone calls.
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The pick must be John Tavares. It’s one thing for the Islanders’ staff to not know Snow’s selection for the last two months. I’m sure they continue to have no idea. But it’s another to promote a draft party as “Islanders history” and work hard enough to get a possible capacity crowd into the Coliseum for the event.
Latest Islandermania poll results: Tavares 431, Hedman 46, Duchene 13. (Couldn’t help but notice that Duchene got a few extra votes on the team’s offical message board since Friday…hmmm).
There could not possibly be such a disconnect in the Islanders’ executive offices. It would be the worst on Long Island since…well, since Thursday in Bethpage, when the USGA proved with their initial raincheck response that they don’t live on the same planet as the rest of us.
Excellent point yesterday by Larry Brooks. If the Islanders are not drafting Tavares, better declare Duchene or Hedman early this week. Stay away from the “implicit danger of allowing the Tavares Bandwagon to roll down Hempstead Turnpike without brakes, only then to have it crash without warning into a dead end in Montreal on Friday night.” Larry concludes that the closer we get to Friday, the more likely the pick is Tavares. Yup.
The pick is Tavares. Hey, didja hear the news? For what it’s worth, a majority of the hockey world also believes he is the best player available.
Comments. Please follow the Comment Guidelines and treat fellow posters with respect. Moratorium called on all tearing-down-the-Coliseum jokes. Details on RC Dugans’ Post-Draft Draught Celebration a few threads down.
89 Responses to “PROCESS?! WE’RE TALKIN’ ABOUT PROCESS?!!
Notes on scouting, buzz, the party and the pick”
Please Wait
CB i hope that you are right. Its hard when Newsdays Isles beat writer says one thing - We know he is connected - but then a guy who was their PR guy for 20 years and still covers the team says something else. I guess i believe you b/c thats what i want. Either way - I will be in Montreal - was wondering if you made your plans yet for this Friday.
CB..Well as you know I hope you are right, however there really isn’t much of a difference between Duchene’s meeting with the Islanders and Tavares other than Doug Weight is involved..So I think using that logic I am convinced they aren’t going to take Hedman, but all this last minute Duchene business makes me nervous.
Just as you are passing on Montreal I am passing on my 75 min drive to the colliseum for the draft party, because if I go and they don’t take Tavares I am going to be VERY upset.
take the best player available, tavares. end of discussion. period. no looking back. take it and resurrect this franchise.
Why am I so afraid?
isles99, how do you know Tavares is the best player available? Are you a scout? You and I and 99% of us have no idea who the best player really is, so I know they’ve disappointed us non-stop for almost two decades, but we have to trust our GM and our scouts to do the right thing, because they know who the best player is more than we do.
Reading the posts here for the past few weeks, seeing the behavior of some of the fans at the U.S. Open this week, New York fans in general…
No doubt that no matter what happens on Friday, there will be more than a handful of Long Islanders who will behave in an ugly manner, (perhaps even uglier than I look).
Shame on them. As no doubt millions of viewers of the golf tournament that just ended today already think that Long Islanders are a bunch of drunken, low life dirt bags, here’s hoping that what takes place at the draft party will not help to confirm those opinions.
Whether the pick is Tavares, Hedman, or Duschene, show some class Islanders’ fans.
CB - Your commentary makes me feel better. It must by JT (and I do not mean James Taylor). I think this is all a smokescreen to get attention. You summed it up perfectly. The jury rests adn the verdict is in. I think you are dead on right on this one. If not, Garth has some splaining to do to Ricky (and I do not mean Ricardo)!
For the Islanders to hype this draft party up like this…..I can only imagine its because they are gonna draft Tavares or they know they might get a blockbuster trade offer that the 18,000 fans will love! Who ever they pick (Taveres) will defenetly improve the team and I trust Snojanks and the rest of the scouting department to make the best decision for the team.
Let’s Go Islanders
CB - Is it possible that the reason the Islanders kept this quiet was to stir up excitement and conversation amongst Islander fans. This would help draw a crowd of fans to the coliseum built mostly on curiosity. If they knew teh pick already they wouldn’t be so inclined to show up on a Friday night. Once everyone shows up, pick Tavares and sell a S-Load of shirts, Jersey’s and TICKETS?
I’m not trying to be sarcastic it is a serious question. To me that is and has been the only reason to do this since day 1.
joe, im not a scout, i just happen to listen to them. read the tsn article cb linked. 10 out of 10 scouts say tavares is better. in addition, every other article i have read, every other scouting serive besides the red line report says tavares is the best player. like you said the organization has disrespected us and dissapointed us for nearly 15 years. so trust is earned, not given blindly.
CB — Please find who ever it is that is sewing up the Draft Jersey for Montreal…..that person has to know before Garth and company get on the plane to Montreal!!!!!!!! Where’s Shakey??????
Is there a 91 missing from the number bin in the Coliseum????? That’s the leak!!!!
We’re doomed. Its gonna be MD. We are Islanders fans. We never get what we want. We got the #1 pick only to draft the player we (the fans) don’t want. It is the curse of Milbury.
Well, if Garth has known who he wants to pick first since April, let’s hope he’s ready to fill the other draft positions. He should know all about the players available.
HEY ISLANDER FANS RELAX The team will pick the right one and then you can say onto the “CUP” JUST KEEP THE FAITH. Then lets talk about July 1st.
Snow is doing the proper thing by not declaring for numerous reasons. We’d all love to know but soon enough. His discipline here is impressive.
I think Friday night all of you will be enjoying plenty of beer and wings talking about how amazing it is the Isles got Tavares and Kassian and debating who’ll the Isles will take with the first pick of the second round.
#4 i trust the other 25 or 26 gms that have already said tavares is the best player in this draft over a GM and a scouting department that hasnt won anything. what has snow done to earn our trust?
Good point warren about July 1st. We really haven’t been talking much about the UFA season because of the draft. Now obviously they Isles are not going to be major players (except maybe for Komi), but they do have some wholes to fill. We will only have 4 or 5 days after the draft to really talk about it. I am sure CB will have a lot to tell us though in those 4 or 5 days as he always does!
I was a previous season ticket holder of many years. I can say this, if they do the right thing and select JT - Then I will proactively call the Isles back myself and get back on a season ticket plan. Its a simple as that. JT is the draw for me, otherwise I will just watch them continue to lose from home.
Also, did anyone see that EA sports brought tavares in to help market the new NHL 2010 video game? Wouldnt it be nice if Tavares was wearing an Islander jersey? Crosby is on the competing product NHL 2k.
Passing on him would be a lightning rod of negative press to come.
I usually don’t like Brooks, nor do I put any faith in his statements. He seems to be an american version of a Canadian hockey writer!
But, he make an excellent point about the drafting/not drafting of Tavares.
If its not Tavares, it would be a HUGE disservice to the actual player taken to let then boo birds ruin his day (and the Islander and their fans as well).
CB,
Was it not you who said in a post a couple of days ago that the mere fact that Snow has known all along who he would take DOES NOT MEAN that it’s Tavares? The draft party could be, as you’ve said all along, an attempt to market ticket packages for the season and garner publicity and awareness for the lighthouse project, all irrespective of who they draft.
Look… the fact the the Islanders marketing department is hyping this draft party means ABSOLUTELY NOTHING. There are only three people who know who the Islanders are selecting first overall. And if the braintrust gave instructions to the marketing department to STOP hyping the draft party, well, that would effectively be letting the cat out of the bag.
i think the boos would be directed at garth, not the youngster who was just picked
It is a very big gamble to prompt the JT-loving fans to attend the coliseum get-together and not choose JT. In deed and very risky/damaging calculation that would damage the fan base until the surprise prospect choosen proves Snow right - which in itself could take years of never happen.
#7 offers a long shot idea with a blockbuster deal to get to #1 but, besides Burke - who doesn’t have much to offer, I don’t hear of any other clubs expressing a desire to trade up to the top 3.
Candidates for a big move like that would come from picks 4-10. Unless they throw in a very good prospect a trade doesn’t make sense.
It boils down to picking the best available and there are numerous small signs that suggest that the obvious choice is Tavares.
We’re getting close to the big night!
CB, I think it’s good that Snow is doing his due diligence. I realize there’s been a disconnect between management and fans in previous years, but hopefully the current leadership will be there for a few years and it’s good that they get to practice their process even if they’ve known it all the way who’s their number 1.
Also, from a PR standpoint. Wouldn’t you agree that there’s a really dead period after free agency through August? Now they can use the first overall in marketing in that period instead of wasting it all in May when people are more interested in the play-offs anyways. Just my opinion.
If they get anything near 18,000 that is going to be amazing. A wonderful image to be broadcast out is 18,000 rabid Isles fans cheering the first pick.
Roland Melanson was let go by Montreal. He’s be a heck of a goalie coach since retiring as a player.
A bit worried Bill Torrey is hiring the new GM in Florida. I hope he doesn’t go after Ryan Jankowski.
#20…all irrelevant to the fans in attendance if JT isnt picked…you think they’ll be thinking about tickets and the lighthouse if Duc is picked?
simple as this: the islanders will make a lot more money FRIDAY NIGHT if JT is picked rather than someone else…fact. (maybe beer sales will explode if not though)
only in time will we know who the best player in this draft was if we pic duchene and three or five years down the line he is the best then everybody will say “god garth snow was a genius” if we pic Ttavares and he turns out to be a flop then everybody will say “god the islanders are still the laughing stock of the league it doesn’t matter now who we think the best player is it’s whether we made the right pic three or five years down the road and how this team responds to the rebuild will determine how the media and islander fans reactic to this draft
It’s gonna be JT. Has to be. HAS TO BE.
The after JT is walking around the Draft floor with the 3rd Isles Jersey, I can’t wait to see what happens with our other picks…Something good is gonna happen..I can feel it!
:shrugs:
Some thoughts,
The boos will be recorded and whoever is picked will be under a lot of pressure knowing that most Islander fans DID NOT want him. They are still young, impressionable and Islander fans, like ranger fans,Montreal fans, Toronto fans can be tough! The boos will be tough for any kid picked!
Second, this is not a big money maker. Concessions and Islander stuff, tickets are free. I’d hate to think that the Islanders were clueless to any negative scenarios out there.
#21…it def has something to do with. Garth and Wang had to greenlight the event. And like others have said, its a great way to link our draft to other team activities and options (tickets, lighthouse, merch, etc..)
Best player for the team or not…the team is a business and they damn well know they will make A LOT more money if JT is picked on Friday night (not saying thats a reason, but more so a reason for the party)
Was Hedman or Duchene signed to grace the cover of NHL 2010 without having set foot on NHL ice?
NO.
You think EA Sports just takes a random chance by putting a prospect on one of its best selling sports franchise video games, a multi billion dollar business?
NO.
Tavares is either going to be our savior or our nemesis. The choice falls squarely in the lap of Garth Snow.
valentino, thats not tavares, that KANE (now i had to waste a post)
starz (25),
I’m not saying fans will buy tickets, I’m just saying there’s plenty of reasons to get 18,000 Islander fans in a room besides John Tavares. Most pale in comparison to Tavares, but they’re reasons nonetheless. Not the least of which is, as you said, concessions.
Furthermore, if I recall, the Islanders publicized their draft party just as much last season (albeit without as much response), only to trade down twice - proof that Garth doesn’t give a hoot about the draft party, and just wants to make what he feels is the best hockey move.
Pretty simple for me if they pick Tavares I’ll gladly put down some cash and me and a few of my friends will get sometype of ticket plan to attend Isles games as they will actually have something to watch. I’d think about it if it was Hedman. However if they take Duchene at #1 I’m done with the team for good.
And before I start getting the how many times did you see Tavares play ?’s the answer is a few times during the WJC. The same tournament where he took home the MVP. I will also take the word of 10 scouts that all agree on TSN that Tavares is the #1 player in the draft.
Snow and his boys have given me little to put my trust in for now. I know he was given a pretty base cupboard to start let’s see what he does with it with the #1 pick. He played his games last year compiling picks when he had his eyes on Bailey instead of a top pairing shut down guy in Schenn. I would have taken Schenn it would have atleast given the Isles a legit prospect on d instead of a young kid that looks like he has a #2 center at best.
Just pick Tavares Garth give us fans something to cheer about for once.
i think chris may be right, why?
the majority of islanders fans want tavares drafted #1 by the islanders : FACT
the majority of the NHL knows Tavares is the best player in the draft: FACT
the islanders front office knows the majority of islanders fans want Tavares: FACT
why on gods earth would the front announce ANYONE except Taveras on draft day infront of 18,000 people when EVERYONE in the hockey world knows the islanders fans EXCEPT Tavares. if it was going to be Hedman or Duchene snow would have blown his cover this week and said so to avoid facing embarassment on draft day.. ITS TAVARES!
Snow is trying to create a trade market, to see what type or any offers are made to him by Friday…I say if he gets no good trade offers for the pick by 5pm on Friday - just announce the pick an hour or two early….I still predicting a turnout of 6,000 at the most for the draft party…many people got the maximum 6 free tickets but are only using 2…also the mets vs Yanks on Fri….many people will stay home to flip between that and the 1st 15 min of the draft.
Please just draft Tavares and keep all of the other picks…this teams neeeds so much.
CB - What are the odds of Snow taking 2 goalies in this draft? Thanks
# 29 _ BOB
Read the rest of the announcement. Kane and Tavares.
I think Garth will make the best move. No one really knows what that direction should be. JT is an easy pick…Duchene will take balls to pick…but if Garth thinks its right, then so be it. Sadly, he may not play in 09, possibly staying another year, who knows (maybe as a 1rst line player then, LOL)but the kid has a talent and is a year behind JT. Point is, they are both two great talents…and we should be happy about that. I want JT, and I THINK snow wants him to…the kid just sounds like a great fit.
If the Islanders DONT SELECT TAVERES-
At The Draft Party- WE SHOULD ALL BOO-
THEN TURN SILIENT AND WALK OUT IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE #1 Pick,
Dont stick around for #2, also dont buy a single ticket package or souvenir.
A PEACEFUL WALKOUT / SILENT PROTEST
In reality only 10k will be there (not the falsly inflated 18K)-
If 7K of Us walk out, thats a powerful statement right there-
Who’s With Me on The WalkOut?
JT91 or BUST!!!!!!!!
DRAFT TAVARES!!! or SNOW MUST GO!!!
-22Isles22-
Playing close to the vest, or protecting a hand or keeping a poker face, those are all things you do in a game. I can’t stomach the idea that this draft is being approached like a game again, after so many others.
I don’t understand what he’s protecting. I don’t understand it because if he is going to make the sensible decision and just pick Tavares, there is no game involved, and he loses nothing at all if anyone or everyone were to find out at some point before the pick is made.
Yes if he were going to trade the pick, or he didn’t pick first (and have the power to dictate, thereby requiring leverage to do something), then there are valid reasons for all the behavior that you are describing.
But if he’s still approaching this as a game, then that scares the hell out of me, plain and simple.
Some have suggested that by maintaining suspense, he forces teams picking after him to not know what they are going to do until the last second, that they could be pressured into having less time than they like to make decisions. That may be true, but I fail to see how that benefits the Islanders. If anything, it might make it tougher for him to deal with other GMs if they happen to not like how cute he’s being.
If there is something to be gained by keeping up the secret agent charade, I honestly don’t understand what it is. All it really does is yank the leash of the fans that have had more than enough circus acts to watch at the coliseum over the last 15 years.
Its very much as if Garth is maintaining the charade for the sole purpose of inflating his own ego. Its great to know that he’s a “True Islander” and could never do anything not in the best interests of the franchise. Its not like there are fans of this team that have been following it loyally almost as long as he’s been alive, or anything like that.
And that’s a good thing, because the New York Islanders would mean a LOT more to those fans than to some backup goalie who is so incredibly smart, and understands his fan base so well, that he would still be playing charades this late in the process.
count me in 22 isles 22
# 36 your joking right? only in time are you gonna know who the right pic is so if duchene is the best player in three years how are you gonna feel? not a cool move be a fan and let management make the call if this rebuild doesn’t go well in a couple of years then you can call for snow’s head but it takes time man
For some reason I keep thinking back to the 2006 NFL draft, when Houston said all along they’re not definitely taking Reggie Bush who was EVERYONE’S consensus #1. Everyone thought they weren’t serious, or “waiting for trade offers”, and in the end, they WERE serious, and took who they felt would be the better football player in Mario Williams, contrary to public opinion. Their GM Charlie Casserly retired a few months later, but it looks like he was right, and the entire NFL scouting department and fanbase was wrong…
Chris–I just hope you are right. Most of us want to hear Snow say John Tavares. You want that as much as we do. The problem is that most of us fan–myself a fan since 1976-77 when I was a 7 year old–and those of us who may have missed the glory years but who have been fans since the 90s…
Too many time we waited to hear a name called at the draft that we did not hear. Too many times we have been kicked in the head with “we have a trade to announce…” or some player who is so far off the board he should be taken in the 4th round.
I hope you are right, and for the first time since Bill Torrey represented the Islanders, we end up with the right selection. Lets just hope that selection is Tavares. But until I hear his name called on Friday from my seat at NVMC, I wont believe!
Amen to that Akeem… I remember Eagle fans booing the pick of McNabb because they wanted a pot head named Ricky Williams. Look how that turned out.
Let Snow and company do their job people. There is no reason to boo. Its not like they want to make a bad pick.
(38) Sorry Tim, but we’ve ALL given “it” WAYYYY too much time. The last time we won a playoff series it was 1993. 1993!!!!! We, as Isles fans, have been asked to endure MUCH more than ANY fan shoud ver have to. From Spano, to Milstein. From The Fisherman logo, to HoistGate. From Muller holding out, to Smyth leaving as soon as he could. And we will NOT go into alllll the “deals” that Milbury made. Add to that a stretch of missing the playoffs for 7 straight years as well as the current (much smaller) drought of a couple of years and you’re maybe beginning to see what we are talking about when we say we are NOT going to be giving Garth Snow any additional time to get this right or benefit of the doubt if he drafts someone OTHER than Tavares.
Enough is enough.
Give us the guy we are coming to the Draft Party to see.
Breakfast with Doug Weight leaves no doubt in my mind that John Tavares will be our #1 pick. Doug doesnt just have breakfast with anyone folks. So where is the dang JT FAN CLUB already?!
Chris - Maybe this week you can write up a story of the behind scences of the 2000 draft? I would love to hear more about the reasoning behind the Loungo/Joiknen for Parrish/Kvasha trade? That story would get everyone ready & would ease the let down if Tavares is not taken. Thanks
I haven’t followed Duchene much, but from what I gathered from reading about him, he didn’t really start shining until later on, right? If they knew very early on who they wanted to get their hands on, I can only assume it is either Hedman or Tavares. I really believe it could go either way (especially after that comment that it may go against fan consensus).
It should be an exciting moment waiting to hear that name called. Either Tavares or Hedman would be a great addition, but I don’t think Hedman will be able to give as big a boost to the team as John Tavares could possibly give–both in play and in fan morale.
@#5…You must be kidding. Try reading the scouting ratings. Tavares IS the #@1.
Unfortunately IF the Islanders don’t take JT there will be a RAIN of BOOooooos. But one thing would be clear, the BOooing would not be against any of the other kids Hedman or Duchene, it would be directed at the Islanders.
It would be a shame if either of those kids were selected #1 and their dream day came true and they hear boooos from the fans they are supposed to want to play for.
This is why i can’t see Garth setting this up for anyone other than JT. There is NO WAY he could do this and present anyone other than the choice of the majority of Islanders fans.
I would really feel bad for those kids if they had to hear booing on their draft day. how dissapointed I would be that Garth would do that to one of them. He knows the reaction he will get if he picks anyone other than JT.
I read logans article and I see that Snow doesn’t really care what fans think of who he picks, which I guess is the right decision. My only thing is how is charles Wang going to feel when no one shows up to anymore of his lighthouse meetings because the GM of his hockey team just pissed of 95% of the fan base (WHO ALSO JUST HAPPEN TO BE 95% OF THE LIGHTHOUSE SUPPORTERS). If most other people have Tavares at one, and Im talking experts, not fans, what is the harm in picking him
well, we all seem to hope its Tavares–But the only thing i feel and also hear from even ex-Islander employees is “they will f this up, like always”
At this point i cant even guess who they will pick. CB- correct me if im wrong, but didnt jt/md’s agent say one of his guys is the isles choice? was that advertising/speculation, or was that closer to fact. put on your boots because all the bulls**t is getting thick. everyone seems to know,yet everyones conclusions are different. i think if youre a true fan, your a fan after pick #1 is made- no matter who it is. all this walk out/ fire snow/ etc is stupid. if you are that annoyed with the franchise-go away- more seats for the rest of us true fans!
(24)You wrote “A bit worried Bill Torrey is hiring the new GM in Florida. I hope he doesn’t go after Ryan Jankowski.”
If Snow doesn’t pick Taveres, Florida can have both Jankowski and Snow.
couple of things, 1st breakfast with doug weight sounds like a morning show. 2nd, i was and still AM in the draft JT camp, but, remember back in ‘79 when the giants drafted phil simms, that wasn’t a real popular pick either. it worked out pretty well for the g-men. point is, the draft is a crapshoot, we can’t predict the future, suppose one of the top 3 don’t develop like everyone thinks they will, you just don’t know. if they draft MD instead of JT, i’ll let out a 10 minute primal scream and then sit back and wait and see and pray that snow made the right choice
i want tavares more then anyone but my concern is that not drafting him really could result in the end of the new york islanders. the fan base will be so upset.
There is a interview of kane and tavares on TSN.ca where Tavares was asked if he thought hed be an islanders. I might be just crazy but he says theres a good chance and he kind of gives alittle smile maybe he knows something we dont. Again im prob crazy but i guess anything that makes me feel better about Friday im gonna grab and hold on to lol
If Garth passes on JT its a given that he will go on to be one of the top 5 players in the league. That’s the karma on th island. If they do pick him he will bust. So who cares who we pick someone else is going to be better..I am sick if this..let’s just trade down and select MPS..
I hate to say it but the team needs to take jt. Any lost momentum on the lp and u can forget about it. If the lp loses its number one backer (isles fans) the project is dead in the water. Sorry, but this decision is not being made in a vacuum.
I hope you are right CB. Tavares is what this fractured and dysfunctional franchise needs for so many reasons.
I will still be a fan after this draft if they don’t draft JT, but all those people who say its wrong for others to turn there back on this team, claiming those people are not real fans, are also wrong. Islander fans have put up with more then any other sports fan over the last 15-18 years. We have watched mistake after mistake being made by this franchise and we have stuck through it with them, even while being ridiculed by everyone else. When will enough be enough. When will this team cut the Sh*t and stop pulling these hair-brained schemes. How much more can one fan base take. Snow has been a good gm thus far, some of his trades are a little suspect, but other then that he has done fine. Garth is it too much to ask to do what the fan base wants for once. I think were all a little tired of hearing were building this team to comepete for the cup, or the ” or were doing whats best for the future”. we have been hearing those lines since Don Maloney traded Pierre Turgeon ( which in my eyes was the first of the bad decisions). This time Please do what the fans want
I really hope you’re right CB. Forget us fans, even most experts have JT at #1. I can’t take this anymore, please get here Friday. Draft JT or “Snow must go”!
Draft the player that will help bring you the Stanley cup.
Hmmmm,,,,,that nakes me think back to the Draft Lottery when Tavares and Hedman….yes not Matt Duchene, were interviewed and Tavares had me when he said he wanted to…ahem win a Stanley cup.
Hedman said it was a life long dream to play in the NHL. Lets be honest, its all about Lord Stanley, this Draft is all about John Tavares. He is a lock for a perenneal 40 goal scorer if not more. I applaud Snow and his tight lipped drama, but in the end John Tavares will be an Islander. It will be his team, he will love Long Island, most players do. And when it comes time to negotiate a contract, he will be an Islander.
I cant wait until he scores a Hat trick against the Rangers….LOL!! Heres to a new chant at the Garden,,,,,Tavares SUCKS!!!!!!!
CB…being that we dont know your status after the draft, and new stories may be hard to come by leading up to Friday. How about some quickies for free agency which is only a few days away as well?
Looking for opinions here…. alot was made of Garth saying “It was a unanimous decision among the staff who we should pick”. In reality, even if there was disagreement among the staff as to who the choice should be, would Garth even dare to come out and say that in public? I for one doubt it very much !
Blizzard you know Rangers fans will never say Tavares sucks. They still have an infatuation with Potvin. Now, let’s cut the BS and draft JT. We already have one JT that could skate, now all we need is one that could score. It’s the perfect match.
islanders1984 @53 - I couldn’t agree more. This team needs another PR disaster like I need another hole in my a$$. I’ll be there Friday and the only way this event means anything is if it’s a celebration of something we can all feel good about. As much as I was in support of drafting Hedman initially, I think it’s more important to energize the fanbase. The only way that happens is by selecting JT. Snow can play coy and say all the things he’s saying, but I have to believe that he’s not naive enough to believe that the fans’ patience is infinite.
He would not say there was disagreement among the scouts or that he had a different guy in mind at the time of the lottery. Its always “unanimous” that “this is the guy we targeted from the beginning.” Its just the usual hockey (all sports) cliches. There is nothing to read into that.
(Afterwards people will say, “See, he was telling us what he was going to do.” and with hindsight it might seem that Snow was giving us a “hint” there, but the “hint” can apply to any of the three choices no matter what he ultimately does. Before hand, I would not read anything into it.)
this idea that snow SAID he doesn’t care what the fans think is bogus. it’s not what he said. he said it “won’t have a bearing on what we do.” not that the man needs me to defend him, but any good g.m. in any sport would tell you a decision like this is to be made based on all resources available TO HIM and input from trusted sources, rather than on popular sentiment. his phrasing may seem a little callous, but let’s not shred the guy for something he didn’t say.
i predict there will be aprox 4-5K people at the draft party. Everyone probably order the 6 tix maximum, i mean why not for the price
Can’t wait for the draft!!
CB — I feel like I’ve traveled an extraordinarily long journey with you and my fellow Islander fans this season following the Tavheduch watch … We are almost at the end of that journey … We’ve had ups, downs, bans posting on IPB and plenty of reminders of comment guidelines … BUT … All in all … this has been a fantastic journey and I’m glad I can do it with you CB and the rest of the crew … as we come to the conclusion of this journey I’d like to say I’m as nervous and excited at the same time attending the draft party as if it was Game 7 of the Stanley Cup finals … I keep thinking of what a “Deafening Roar” that old barn is going to erupt into when John Tavares’ name is called … reminisent of Bate’s shoot out goal in 2002 … Johnny T … if you’re reading this … I’m sure you’ll know what that sounds like for sure.
comon do u want to the star thats been shining from the age of 14 or do u want one thats not a star and just coming to consideration a month ago
On second thought … I think if / when John Tavares’ name is called … the decibel level will greatly exceed the crowd’s roar during Bate’s goal…. especially if the attendance exceeds capacity.
If Snow selects anyone other than JT … I really hope nobody boos … it’s OK to be disappointed … but very very unfair to the kid with no control over who Snow picks … and he should be welcomed with open arms … save the seething boos for Snow at the next event … but make the kid feel welcome … because just like Josh he’ll be our Islander.
Now Garth draft Tavares!!!
To all of those who are saying not to boo if Snow takes Duchene or Hedman - sorry, that’s just not the way it works. Fair or unfair (it’s obviously unfair) any pick that is not JT is going to get mercilessly booed. That’s just the way it is. And I’m not embarrassed to say I’ll be one of the people booing.
Any keen observer of the Islander’s Insider email would notice a little blurb at the bottom announcing the Personalization Station would be open for any fans wishing to get #’s and lettering done on their jerseys. Call me crazy but I’ll bet a million bucks that not many people will be lining up for Matt Duchene jerseys. Quite possible, a bit of foreshadowing?
im not even booing im walking rite out when i hear duchene or hedman
#77: I stand corrected - I’ll probably sit there in awe for about 5 minutes or so, wondering how the hell they screwed up YET AGAIN, and then will promptly leave the Coliseum. I’ll be booing inside though
wow,i’d hate to be in snow’s shoes with all of us angry islander fans out there……Go getem garth
Hey Chris - If JT isn’t chosen can you arrange for us to get our 25 cents beers staring at 8:10?
Come on people…just listen to what Garth Snow is saying…He pretty much is telling us…”Hey we are picking Tavares guys….but because we’ve waited this long we might as well keep it ‘officially’ quiet for a few more days, and also I have to say the right things here about picking the right player and person, whatever, whatever, you know. I gotta get a reputation as a gm…make a name for myself. I;m gonna be the gm who never shows his hand and keeps everything in house. Also, I’m not an idiot guys…JT’s the pick.”
Seriously though…Garth Snow is not a liar…unanimous decision he said…its not possible that all the major NHL scouts are picking Tavares #1, but every single Islander scout is picking Hedman or Duchene. Garth didn’t have to say that…he knows that he’ll be asked about it if JT isn’t the pick. Tavares will be the pick, and Snow is the man.
I stopped worrying last week, cause now I know Tavares is the pick.
As we approach the draft I take solace in all the interest by Islander fans. My Ranger fan breathren always rip on Islander fans and the lack there of. Here’s hoping a new era where our Barn is dominated by Islander fans during the rivalry. Misery loves company I guess….LOL!!!!
I never stop worrying and probably won’t unitl Friday evening around 7:15. McKenzie says he thinks it’s gonna be Hedman, Craig Button says the same. I just don’t know at this point. I guess I better prepare myself for it not being JT as much as I hate to think about it.
dose (70): Such a great point… I agree with you. Its important to differentiate between what someone actually says and what people decide to interpret it as and then say themselves.
beatlebailey (71): Im sure that some people did order more tickets than they will use (like you said the price was right lol) but I doubt its like everyone. My friends and I ordered the exact number we needed, for example. Id understand people ordering more tickets is if there were specified seats and you wanted to make sure you and your friends could sit with you, but you can sit wherever you want at this. Predicting 4-5K would mean that only twenty-something percent of the tickets will be used, and seventy-something percent of the tickets given out would not be utilized. That seems like a low estimate to me considering how many tickets are promised out, but lets face it- even that “low” number would be a lot of people for a draft!
I still think it’s Tavares.
But if it’s Hedman… that’s fine.
But no Duchene.
Gotta be J-T. Offence wins games, defence wins championships. Perhaps, but the best defence is a good offence. Garth, bring some excitement back to the old barn! Tavares! I think it is no coincidence that Sun Media compared him to Mike Bossy in their mock draft yesterday!
CB,ya gotta stop beatin on that “isles should have announced the pick already” drum. They didn’t, they have their reasons. And I happen to agree with them here. Can there be no suspense in anything. Can’t we have a GREAT FAN MOMENT as we all sit together in the NVMC and the Isles finally do make it official. The place will erupt. Not so much if Ken Morrow had done it on some set with some ping pong balls and a couple of oak tag cut outs with team logos on them. I didn’t agree with your idea then, and that hasn’t changed.
A couple of people have stated it already but Snow has said that he went into the lottery with a guy in mind and after interviewing and scouting they have the same guy in mind. Duchene was not in the conversation at the lottery. If you remember they had both JT and Hedman doing interviews right after the lottery ended. Duchene’s buzz has only picked up over the last several weeks so we have to assume it’s JT or Prince Vic.
With this team, why is every draft a mock draft?
But hush little baby, don’t say a word.
Mama’s not gonna buy you a mockingbird.
Nope, not this year.
Tavares will not fly the coop.