NEWSDAY ON THE GARTH SNOW ERA
Wally Matthews talks to the GM about his plan
Only in Newsday. (Subscription needed).
63 Responses to NEWSDAY ON THE GARTH SNOW ERA
Wally Matthews talks to the GM about his plan
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GZ says:
Could someone post the link to the free article like they did last time please?
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duff says:
matthews was “real tough” on garth there….riiiiight. it’s the same regurgitated B.S. that snow has said before. no real answers to questions, and definitely no assurance that they’re going to go after FA’s. No questions about getting the young guys the proper supporting cast or icing more than 1 NHL caliber d-man next year. Just “we plan on sprinkling in the right FA’s if its a good fit.”
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Matt S. says:
of course other GMs are going to praise him, why get rid of the village idiot when they can abuse him for the next decade and have one less team to worry about come playoff time.
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JTavares91 says:
hey GZ just click on “only in Newsday” and u can read the article. and us as fans have to realize that we have to understand it usually takes 5 years in a rebuilding process, and everytimes Garth Snow has dipped into free agency they’ve been great (Matt Moulson and Mark Streit). Who knows what no name will be a who dat wit 20+ goals and 20+ assists next year?
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Joe says:
Yeah, can we link to the free version, or can someone copy and paste the article? That would be awesome
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GS: “We just gotta get back to playing the hockey we were playing about a month ago and things will fall into place.” Fans: With the thinnest blue line in the NHL?
GS: “When I talk to fans, everyone shakes my hand and applauds the direction this team’s going, because it is an exciting young group.”
Fans: Drinks his own Kool-Aid, or fans don’t want to get whacked with a hockey stick for saying anyhting else.GS: “I’ve played enough years in this league, been on championship teams, played on an Olympic team. I know what’s going on” – and insists Wang puts “no restrictions” on him in regard to spending for free agents.
Fans: Snow is smart enough to know he can’t make the same $$$ he makes now anywhere else unless he feeds us this crap about having no restrictions on spending.GS: Snow points to the signing of Mark Streit to a five-year deal in 2008 and a four-year deal given to defenseman Andrew MacDonald in February as evidence that the Islanders will spend for the right players.
Fans: LOL. We love Andy and hope he works out, but 40 games in the NHL earns a 4-year deal?Let me end by saying I’m happy he finally answerd some questions.
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Mike from Sarasota says:
“…build through the draft, develop some young players…”
So is the rest of the league. Only they also spend money on free agents. Snow just threw Tavares to the wolves this year.
I’ve read a lot of comments about how “the plan” is so wonderful and we can’t be the like the Flyers or Rangers and build through free agency. Last time I checked the Flyers (Gagne, Richards, Carter, Giroux, van Riemsdyk) and Rangers (Staal, Lundqvist, Girardi, Dubinsky, Callahan, Del Zotto, Anisimov) have quite a nice core of drafted players. For crying out loud the Rags system is better than ours, with Grachev, Stepan and Kreider leading the way.
The bonus is the Flyers and Rangers also open the wallet in July so they don’t have to be perfect with their picks, like we do. If de Haan is’nt a top pairing D and we are screwed. Our scouts have no margin for error.
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Marc says:
Quote from Snow in the article: “When I talk to fans, everyone shakes my hand and applauds the direction this team’s going, because it is an exciting young group.”
REALLYYYYY??? I find it hard to believe that everyone applauds the direction.
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Isles4Ever says:
Lets face it free agents are runing to the Isles. there best bet is build through the system and the draft and add a few veteran players until we can make the plaoffs every year. That is when we will be able to attract free agents. Remember we can offer as much $ as anyone but when the player has the choice to come to the Coli or play a beatuful new building..hmm.
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nobody says:
#11…”Last time I checked the Flyers (Gagne, Richards, Carter, Giroux, van Riemsdyk) and Rangers (Staal, Lundqvist, Girardi, Dubinsky, Callahan, Del Zotto, Anisimov) have quite a nice core of drafted players. For crying out loud the Rags system is better than ours, with Grachev, Stepan and Kreider leading the way.”….PLEASE, you are comparing apples and oranges…Snow has been doing this since the 08 draft..06 he wasn’t there but we got KO, McD and JJ has better AHL stats that Grachev. 06, no first or second rd pick, but Katic is a legitimate prospect. So, add de haan, hamonic, martin, donavan, and anyone else you want (poulin, Koskinen, Petrov, ullstrom) and for such a short time we’re doing all right…can’t compare us to other teams who have been drafting well and keeping there players. THIS REGIME DIDN’T START THIS PROCESS TILL 08. You are right, we don’t have the players like richards, Can riemsdyk, Carter and others…THEY WERE DRAFTER PRIOR TO 08 (EVEN PRIOR TO 06)…come on everyone, get real here.
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MattyB says:
Fans of this team are always angry….We sucked in the 90s cause our GM was an A**clown, and we went nutz about that. Then Snow came in, we gave him no shot. Now he has some decent young players and we expect to be great next year. I think it’s because we have never actually seen a real rebuild like this. It takes time. I’m sick of people bashing JT, kids 19 and plays with nobodies. Duchene plays in Colorado with a solid line. Give this time, I can’t really point to anything glaring that snow has done wrong, but the DP thing. However, that’s mostly Milbury’s fault. Give this some time. Like another year or two. Then Lets rip Snow.
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YabbaDabbaDooDoo says:
Yeah, free-agents are so architecturally sensitive… if only the Coliseum had lively colored throw pillows with matching dust ruffles.
This is hockey not the home and garden show.
Players don’t want any part of Wangworld.
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Patience says:
No 14. Well put. It’s year two of rebuilding so why aren’t they cup contenders already? lol.
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mark says:
garth snow is a dillusional idiot if he thinks fans are shaking his hand.what the fans want to do is give him a good kick to the curb for being a lier and so arrogant .why is he arrogant ?he hasnt accomplished anything .wang has got to go we are the laughingstock im sick and tire d of losing 4 straight stanley cups 5 straight finals 19 consecutive playoff series won a north american pro sports record still standing by the way to this??????i think not we were a tremendously proud organization and these clowns who have ruined our legacy??i hate them all but no matter what i am a islander through and through my heart bleeds every day
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bergie20 says:
the most interesting part of that aricle, imo, is the endorsement of garth and his plan by lou lambs. i take lou’s opinion very seriously. a great endorsement from one of the best gm’s ever.
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Jack1NJ says:
It starts at the top and the team on the ice is reflective of ownership/management.
I said this years ago and I will say it again, this team will never succeed until Wang sells the team to somebody that actually cares about winning.If he had somebody like that owning the team, they certainly would give us a real GM and not the joke that garth snow is.
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Dont be fooled by Lou’s endorsement, they asked him and what can he say. He will certainly not insult another gm publicly. That is not professionial and not his style.
If you need more evidence that endorsment means nothing, i remember Lou endosring Milbury a few times when asked.
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Talk to fans? when does this guy talk to fans? He live in his gm sky box with his expansive suits and slicked back hair. who does hethink he is John Gotti. Unfortunatly last years free agency was better than this years is going to be with alot less high caliber of players. so in essence alot of teams competing for the few big fish out there. I would love to be able to draft Cam Fowler But if we get Hall or Seguin shoot one of these top offensive picks we keep getting eventually has to be able to burry the puck in the back of the net. I was a hall guy top line Hall-tavares-okposo But i hear seguin is the real deal.Wonder who will be on the team next year out of the young crop? Hamonic De Hann Krill Petrov Klemyentev Rhett rokashani Kessle toews
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UIF says:
Snow: “When I talk to fans, everyone shakes my hand and applauds the direction this team’s going”
These must be the same fans telling Chris Dey that the radio deal is a really good thing
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Thank you for the link #4!
I mean, I get the approach, but I don’t understand not adding some players that will speed the process up. There HAS to be some available that fit our needs. We have plenty of needs.
I still don’t understand why one of our goalies was not moved. I don’t even understand the yashin thing.
That article made me feel even worse about this team. Its a really big mess that I sadly think we’re far far away from seeing corrected.There’s little to no signs to show us that things will get better.
Company outing is canceled. The non-hockey guys will be turned off for good once they realize the true mess we’re in. -
You missed the entire point of my comment. Talent wise we are behind all of the teams in our division. Yes, we’re drafting some good young players. Many of whom I look forward to watching in the blue and orange. But all of those teams also have scouting departments and are drafting and developing players (in many cases doing a better job than us). Unlike the NYI they are also signing free agents and are able to acquire salary via trade. Other than hitting the lottery with every single draft choice we select how are we supposed to contend in the Atlantic, let alone the conference.
As for LL, the man has too much class to throw a fellow GM under the bus. Do you honestly think he’d have hung Tavares out to dry like Snow has?
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ed says:
It is one thing to be the youngest team, another thing to be the smallest. There is no good reason for our lack of size and toughness. If it is a true rebuild, Jackman, Sim and Hunter wouldn’t be here and we would have a couple tough guys to make sure our young guys have the room to develop. There is no explanation for this except that Snow is an idiot lol
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I have no problem with the direction the team is going on, my problem is that the Islanders need to attain picks and prospects and did neither at the deadline.
I think the biggest problem is watching Roloson get run over today and Comeau hit from behind and the team has no physical response. Watch any other team and they don’t let anyone near their goalie. -
and add to to my comment, I still think this is going to take some time. Snow has the right ideology here.
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eastonhockey says:
You know the saddest thing about saying more or less “I have no payroll restrictions from Wang”….the saddest thing is hald the fans believe him. Cmon…Snow doesnt think Richard Park is a better player then Gaborik…cmon..Or that Simm Is better then Marion Hossa…cmon..Wang orders Snow to spend the lowest amount allowable on Players….and thats the Payroll the Isles have. Thats what its been most years Wang owned the team. Thats what it will be next season again and 3 years from now.
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Scott says:
Snow has done a good job so far. But if we don’t make the playoffs next year, I’m not sure I can stay a fan. Enough is enough. I’ve seen improvement. I see players who want to be Islanders. Snow has done much better than anyone thought he would. Now spend. Overspend if necessary. Just get us a veteran or two and a playoff birth. Or else!
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rb says:
Lamoriello became the Devils GM in 1987. It took him 6-7 years to build the team into the club that took the Rangers to a 7 game semis in 1994 and to a Cup in 1995.
And Lou took over a team in 1987 that already had good young players in John MacLean (’83 draft), Kirk Muller (’84 draft), Sean Burke (’85 draft), Ken Daneyko (’82 draft), Bruce Driver (’81 draft), etc. so there was already a base of talent and assets in place.
I’m NOT saying Snow will become Lamoriello or have his success. But it’s not “drinking the Kool-aide” to give Snow a chance to rebuild the franchise after Milbury left the cupboard bare.
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Mike says:
Overspend? We played that game. His name was yashin. You cried out “why” for years now you want to do it again? Players are not knocking down the doors to play here. We have to pay 100k per point for that kind of talent. Make up your mind. You can’t have it both ways.
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GGC says:
Umm, I came away with no new insight, just the same “company line.” I will lose some faith in this rebuild and ultimately in this regime of the franchise if a legit. top-6 forward is not signed AND a legit. top-4 D man.
Actions speak louder than words, I mean, unless you’ll feed us the same drivel: “It didn’t make sense for our team…blah…blah…blaahhh.”
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brian says:
There seem to be a perception that it is etched in stone that if the Isles follow their plan, they will be a winning team in a few years. Why is that? In their own division, the Pens Flyers and Devils have futures FAR superior to the Islanders. The young talent on the Flyers and the Pens absolutely blows the young talent on the Islanders out of the water.
Scary thought: The Isles contines to “build through the draft”….. and things do not get any better in a year or two. What happens then? Personally, I like Okposo. But the fanbase and management have FAR overated him, IMO. He is not a “player to build a team around” IMO. I mean, when he didn’t make Team USA and their was outrage here, I was like, maybe Kyle should be on more than an 17 goal pace if he wants to be a shoe in for the Olympics.
The Islanders are a diseater. And I do not buy the belief that they are destined for great thins. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if things got worse.
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Ellen says:
Snow has done a good job eh? They ruined Bailey by shoving him into the NHL too early, Kyle is at BEST a Pat Flatley type player and Tavares – well sorry, but he flat out sucks. He’s supposed to be a natural sniper and he has TWO GOALS SINCE DECEMBER??? I don’t care if he is 19, a first overall talent should be able to find the net more than twice in three months. Talent?? I am still waiting to see the “talent” the Isles are selling…
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There is no Garth Snow era; he has done a thing to turn this organization around….Lets be real, Wang is not going to spend a penny until this, “Lighthouse Nonsense” is resolved….He is going to cry and whine until there is some resolution…..Picking first or third in the 1st round is not going to bring you a playoff caliber team, unless you pick up quality free agents also…Not some recycled old goats like Weight….Sorry Doug, time to retire….It is probably best for the team to move to Flushing, start form scratch….Afterall Wang has his roots there!!!!
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JayK says:
I think one of the biggest tests of how well Snow does is the development of Bailey and De Haan. The two are tightly linked. He traded down to load up on picks and get Bailey, drafted a few extra picks but then packaged some of those picks, along with the Campoli #1, to get De Haan. If Bailey and De Haan bust, then the two biggest moves he’s made at the draft the last two years show him to be a lousy draft maven.
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Blizzard says: …there is no reason why we cant tender anoffer for a solid FA. I love what Moulson and Streit have done dont get me wrong. Cammalari? Man I would have at least thrown an offer. Even Afinegenov…I agree with number 11. No frills rebuilds arent going to cut it. Wang needs to open the wallet to keep the fanbase interested Im sorry. All the faithful rallied for the LHP cause and this team. What do we get? Smurf team, a ridiculous goalie situation, a late second rounder, and more lipservice. Its getting old. For all those who have patience for this mess good for you. I have been suffering for 15 years with this team and I have had enough.
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Doug says:
When I met Snow in Tampa in February I told him he needs to trade for a goal scorer. He said “that he wasn’t giving up a high draft pick or a young player”.
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19 Isle in NJ 22 says:
Really. Where do you start with the Garth situation?
Rebuild. Rebuild. Rebuild.
How long have we been hearing that word?
Contrary to what most believe, I consider the rebuild starting somewhere around the time the Isles shed players like Pierre Turgeon, Steve Thomas and the cancellation of the Heals and Flats show.
Aside from the Peca / Yashin acquisitions in ’91, nothing has been done to significantly improve the team.
The Isles have had some great young players drafted since ’95, but none of them lasted here long enough to become a veteran core player. Trent Hunter is the only player who we can claim grew up in the organization and became a regular. He wasn’t even drafted by the Isles. DiPietro? I will not even go there.
All this has nothing to do with Snow. However, it seems to me he’s following a familiar ugly path. As if I’ve been down this road before. I’m not quitting on him just yet. However, his “Iron Curtain” mentality of communicating to the fans aggrevates me. If Snow wants the respect of the fans from that perspective, he’s got to deal with explaining the ugly just as much as his willingness to pump up the good. I think CB has been very fair to Snow, and Snow can do a lot to repair his image via a frank and honest interview with Chris. I have nothing to add to others’ comments since the fans on both sides make some valid points.
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Staten Islander says:
What does the free agent pool look like this year?
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John from ATL says:
The Isles started from scratch in April 2008. I know its hard to be patient after the last twenty years of Milbury, bad ownership and first round playoff loses but, take Snow at his word. They are buildng the team slowly and through the draft.
I have not agreed with every move; (the moves at the ’09 draft for de Haan; the 15 year deal to DP or not trading a goalie this year). But, most of his moves have worked out. Gordon must know what he’s doing or he wouldn’t have been asked to the Olympics. Streit, Moulson and Schremp were great moves.He’s brought defensemen Hillen, MacDonald and Kohn all along at the right pace.
Year two of the rebuild isn’t over yet.
Snow doesn’t say much which is better than the way Milbury acted. He was smart in not giving a time frame for the rebuild but, it wasn’t going to take less than two years. Spending money on FAs would just slow things down. Look at the Rangers and all the money they’ve spent and they’re not that far ahead of the Islanders in the standings.
Next year probable isn’t going to be much different. A lot could depend on who their #1 pick in the 2010 draft turns out to be. Plus the 2011 draft is not supposed to be that deep. Maybe a FA signing in July 2011.
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stevedepot says:
Doesn’t matter what the free agent pool looks like, this ownership has already drowned us before we got our feet wet.
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dan says:
SIGN HAMHUIS
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MickeyBoy7 says:
I’m afraid that I’ve almost never been quite so pessimistic over our future. Every time I see Charles or his minions open there mouths I get more depressed. I feel like our cruise ship is taking on water and they want to tell me how good the buffet is.
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Darren says:
Rebuild??Trade Sutton for a 2 when our defense is showing 0 signs of taking the next step?Sign a d-man to 4yr deal after 1/2 season?Move Guerin for a 3rd and leave us w/ DEAD-Weight to lead the young guys?How can he lead when he’s playing on 4th line??Our better players being run @ w/ no response from any Isle…ehh wait thats not true Martin did make a statement when he was up…but then we had all these better quality players returning from injury so he was sent back down!!Are you kidding me!1st of all let me touch on these longterm deals for players who @ best are still or have become questionmarks.Its the Isles way of keeping payroll down PERIOD.They kinda know mcd will become serviceable d-man @ best and thats just fine w/ them.He’ll become our vet when Streit is moved in 2 yrs.If Yashin is still under contract and being paid bring him back!Put him on the PP play and let him play the role of vet.He’ll @ least be able to put the puck in the net 20 times or so.What the heck does Weight have 1!!!As for not having ANY toughness or size Garth must take the hit on that one.Who else could be blamed??Did Wang force him to sign Schrimp??Yeah this guy can score in the shootout but so can Tamby.The thing they both have in common is their lack of size.As for the lack of purging @ the deadline I’m disappointed.Suts should not have been moved unless Snow had other deals in place to move Roli,Hunter,Bergy,Park,Sim,Weight,Gervais etc.Why is it they are quick to purge vets on the d-line but yet @ the foward position we keep em around forever?Sorry for the Rant but enough is enough!!The rebuild will not work this way and everyone knows it!!
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steve says:
please do not compare our franchise to the pens. there was an obscene amount of luck in winning the post lockout draft lottery. who was that guy they got in round 1?
somebody recall that our 2008/2009 first round picks are at the nhl level.
look at the guys the leafs signed in one season to add size to their defense. you can buy size and grit on the blue line.
power fowards and natural goal scores are hard to buy, nearly impossible to trade, and have to be drafted.
finally, the rangers. maxed out and out of the playoffs. buried under horrid LONG TERM contracts that are CAN NOT BE TRADED! there most important player, the king, drafted in round six or seven.
stop tossing 17/18/19/20 year old players under the bus and calling them busts. did anybody read the versteeg comments? peter mueller career with the coyotes? stamkos in tampa? it takes time for young guys to develop.
spend the money? the owner is losing $55,000 a day. (20,000,000/365.) consider that before you blame the guy for not tossing more money down the money pit. -
LouD says:
Snow said nothing new in that article and are we seriously going to sit through another offseason watching as other teams sign top tier free agents as we get the scraps? I’m also tired of people saying that JT isn’t doing well because he’s playing with nobodies. Kyle Okposo, Josh Bailey, and Mark Streit are certainly not “nobodies”. And I thought we were told JT was going to make everyone around him better. It seems to me that people are now saying we have to surround this kid with superstars for him to perform better so now he just becomes a “nobody” because anyone in the league performs better with stars around them. The great ones are able to do things on their own. His saving grace is his young age and I hope he grows over the summer.
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Seth says:
it is really the same old story with this organization. i would not expect any changes anytime soon and i would expect the 2010-2011 team to be very similar to the 2009-2010 team in that both teams are made up of mostly fringe NHL players.
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A few years ago (I think when Dubie got us to the playoffs) I said I wasn’t going to spend a dime on this team until they made it to the 2nd round of the playoffs. I ended up scoring some free tickets along the way, which is always nice and actually paid for 3 games so far this year. I’m going back to my not spending any money on this team again, they’re horrible and Snow is just a liar.
You want your young guys to be better? Get some older guys who can step up and get them some time and space to make a play here or there.
I’m surprised KO & JT are doing as good as they have with what they go out there with.
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oh and the fact that the Islanders had the nerve to raise season ticket prices for next year is an absolute joke. we all know that Wang will not open up his wallet to try and improve this team over the summer so for those who are thinking about tickets, please think again. the Islanders will be a lottery team in 2010 and the way things work with this franchise again in 2011.
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50 in 50 says:
I would love to know what Snow is smoking. He has gone mad ! How can he sit there and believe the lies he is telling. I guess if you tell a lie enough you can honestly believe it to be true. Wake Up Snow, 1/2 of your fan base has left…
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Strummer's Army says:
The fans he meets shakes his hand and tells him what a great team they have? HOLY CRAP! WAIT UNTIL I MEET YOU GARTH! YOU ARE IN FOR AN EYE OPENER!
“It’s a fun team to watch.”-I guess if you enjoy watching your team not score, not hit, be intimidated, not fight, and have your best players targeted then yes this is the team for you. I unfortunetly am looking for exactly the oppossite. That would be fun for me to watch. I’ve not made the two hour trip to Tampa to watch the team in years because they are boring and soft.
I ASK ALL ISLANDER FANS TO WRITE TO BOTH SNOW AND WANG AND LET THEM NOW IN POLITE AND DIRECT TERMS WHAT YOU WANT.
In reading the Newsday article I determined that Snow is kidding himself. The issues I’ve screamed about for years lack of toughness, size, skill, battle level and leadership he doesn’t view as problems. That is why he has FAILED to address them. He told all the media last year (Gordon & Ryan too)they knew they needed to get bigger and tougher. Since the trade deadline last year, the draft, FA, to the trade deadline this year I ask you what have they done to get bigger & tougher? Haven’t they actually become smaller?
I like the drafts, the few good FA signings but it’s not enough and Snow’s arrogance and flat out lying to the press and fans about how good this team is makes me dislike him.
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You want our money put a better product on the ice.
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Adam B says:
I’m a bit confused here. WHEN exactly did this rebuild begin. Snow is acting like we’re in the first or second season of rebuilding and to have patience. I look at MY calendar, and the last time we made the playoffs was 2007. And obviously you have to lose a few years to gain picks like Pitt and Chicago, but they also added vets that aren’t over 40! (Sorry Weight).
I’m all for patience. I LIVED through the impatient years where Mad Mike traded away Bertuzzi, McCabe, Chara, Luongo, Jokinen, Brewer & more. But what is the realistic timetable here?
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AM says:
Why isn’t Wallace Matthews covering the Knicks 20 pt loss to the Nets?? Oh Wait…
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gino says:
wadda f——– joke. pissing down our backs n telling us its raining outside.
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Oldtime_islesfan says:
With all of the depressing events of the last week with this franchise, Matt Duschane leads Taveras by 8 points and looks like he will win the Calder as rookie of the year.
Just rubs salt into the wound of long suffering Islander fans.
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Diane says:
“It’s a fun team to watch” – sorry Garth, it hasn’t been lately. Its sad watching these guys struggle so now.
Being optimistic and patient hasn’t been that difficult but right now there is just too much wierdness, I don’t feel I can defend this organization and it really bothers me.
That “no frills rebuild” someone above coined sounds very reasonable. What a shame.
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Garth, the fans tell you what you want to hear, you know like what you do to them.
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CJCB says:
This is flat out physically the weakest Islander team ever assembled, thats what i would say if i had the chance to talk to Snow or any other Islander mgmt member. Bring back real hockey to the Island and stop playing Ice Works style hockey. Maybe the islanders should think about fielding an AHL or JR league team. Home games at Ice Works!! Who needs a new arena!
I think patience for losing is running out fast. There better be some moves made over the summer and a good start to next year or ugly will get uglier.