SNOW: ‘RESILIENT” NYI “WILL GET OUT OF IT”
Practice: Gordon gets ticked, Bailey a center again
12:45 pm, Iceworks: Garth Snow declined an interview request made Saturday night by me for AOL FanHouse and Point Blank after his team’s seventh consecutive loss in regulation.
However, Snow conducted an interview (subscription required) on Sunday afternoon with Katie Strang of Newsday, saying he has confidence in his team, they “will get out of it” and he felt the last two games – a 4-1 loss in Ottawa and 2-1 loss at home to the Flyers – “have shown our resilience.” The Islanders also coughed up a source saying Scott Gordon’s job was safe, going the source route because they have a policy to not publicly discuss the job status of head coaches.
More on this another time.
NOTES
Breaking news: Josh Bailey, the 2008 ninth overall pick who has played a lot of wing over the last year, is back at his natural position of center. The new lines at practice:
Moulson - Tavares – Grabner
Comeau – Bailey – Parenteau
Martin – Nielsen – Hunter
Weight - Schremp – Gillies
After having days off Friday and Sunday, the Islanders went through a 90-minute practice today that was not exhausting, but exhaustive in reviewing how they want to play the game. “Stern and to the point,” Scott Gordon called it.
At 11:00 am – 30 minutes after practice began – Gordon conducted a quiet, calm, instructional session in front of the dry-erase board at center ice that went on for more than ten minutes. In practice with any NHL team, this is rare.
At around 11:30, Gordon momentarily got pissed off. Basic premise was that he really wanted a certain player to get to that darn net.
Zenon Konopka (foot injury, more evaluation to come) and Radek Martinek (day off) did not practice.
I asked Gordon if there was any word on if Kyle Okposo is skating soon. “I was told he’s not back until December, so I haven’t given much thought to it,” said the coach.
Gordon on his team’s play before a three-game trip to Califormia: “I’m more encouraged going on the trip knowing we showed some positive signs in our last two games.” He added, “I liked the way we responded in Ottawa, cleaning up our defenisve zone coverage. I like the way we have competed.”
Charles Wang and Garth Snow watched practice together.
Comments.
118 Responses to SNOW: ‘RESILIENT” NYI “WILL GET OUT OF IT”
Practice: Gordon gets ticked, Bailey a center again
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ed says:
Glad to see we have a professional GM that won’t talk to any reporter he doesn’t like. Has Snow always been an egomaniac or did it start after Wang took a shine to him? That is pathetic. Great insight from Snow saying he thinks the team will get out of it. Thank god. I was so worried and now Lord Snow has spoken so we will be ok.
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IslesCupsx4 says:
So basically Snow will only answer questions from people who will not challenge him or only throw softballs at him? Boy this sounds like the Obama administration here.
I’d love to see an interview by Larry Brooks with Garth. -
I don’t know, even if this team gets out of it Gordon’s development of young talent hasn’t been great. Without some fundamental changes to personnel on the ice or with the systems put in place it’s just going to be same old same old. How does our rebuild compare with those of Chicago, Pittsburgh, Washington or even the growth of the Rangers prospects over recent years. We’re just not doing this right. When you start taking positives out of losses you’re showing your cards, the management and players don’t seem to have the right focus. If it takes a 7 game losing streak to just get to this point then I have to question what kind of commitment this team has to it’s fan base.
As of now I will no longer be spending any money on this team.
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Stumpy32 says:
This is such garbage. I refuse to believe that our “limited talent” warrants a 7-game losing streak. Please. Gordon is the most to blame here, not Snow, not Wang, not the ticketing staff. We aren’t a Cup winner, nor a contender. We’re barely a playoff team at best. I get that. But when your team is getting their butts kicked over and over again, showing minimal effort over a 60-minute span, making the same mistakes over and over again, that’s the coach. Snow hasn’t been A+ in his reign, and Wang has certainly precluded raising payroll beyond the cap floor. But that doesn’t excuse the crap I’ve watched for two-plus weeks now. It’s an absolute embarrassment. We Isles fans are far from uniform in our views, and aside from being far too passionate about a team that only hurts us, we rarely agree. However, I think we’d all agree that if our youth showed consistent fight, and that our games were competitive, we’d be just fine. None of us could have reasonably expected a 4-1-2 clip all season. But SEVEN STRAIGHT LOSSES? I don’t care if you’re the guys from Slap Shot, you just don’t lose seven straight. And we do it all the damn time! Every season, we have a few long losing streaks. NOT OK. NEVER OK.
Thanks for reading my literary rant, and hopefully commiserating with me. Let’s Go Islanders.
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EAF says:
Gordon liked the way they competed. Wow! No words. And Snow reassured us that we’ll be okay. i can’t believe my eyes what I am reading.
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Cold Spring Harbor says:
We are too soft, plain and simple.
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Does anyone have a link to bypass the subscription to read the article? I know I’ve seen posts like that before. Definitely want to read this.
I actually like Snow but the decline is pretty silly. What more can be done to alienate this fan base?
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MarioGazz says:
CB, I have been working for the AHL at tigers games doing time on ice and I just wanted to state that Poulin is going to be the real deal. The games in which he has played he has been really good. Who didnt get to the net?? Is Comeau back to his routine??
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PotvinRocks says:
I have no idea why Gordon is not in danger of losing his job. The Islanders & Bridgeport both play the same system and they have won a total of 9 games. I really don’t think that Gordon’s system is working. I’m not a fan of Hitchcock or Murray, but at least they win games. This is so sad. What happened to Snow saying “I’m sick of mediority”, I thought that he wanted us to be better? When are we suppose to be better 3010?
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CM says:
True fan base is on this blog. Not Newsday. Alienating fans here is not good business. I still like the plan, but management still needs to be more transparent.
Coaching has to be accountable at some point. We should be in the playoff race till at least March or Feb. Not out of it in Novemeber. The repeated 6+ consecutive losses 6 times should never happen to any good coach no mater what talent you have. Still think Gordon needs to go. Next few wins need to be in regular time not a lucky OT or SO goal. Also need to see some fight in the players. No fight means Coach has lost his players. I vote for a coach change ASAP. -
JD says:
Snow declining the interview requests is stupid. For a team with literally no media coverage, any interview requests he receives should be granted. The only way I see us getting any points this trip is against the Ducks. We are nowhere in the same league as the Kings and Sharks.
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Onesinceforty says:
The pass on the interview is such a slap in the face to this intensely loyal group. Hey, it’s only a blog so I guess we don’t count.
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Sandy says:
Finally, Bailey back at center is what I want to see. He obviously showed his best hockey there recently. And maybe, but just maybe, he was holding himself back a little to get back at it.
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To think we could have had Lombardi as GM!
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Ted says:
So cute Garth & Wang watched practice together, The happy couple, wonder who bought the popcorn. I want to puke.
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Jerky says:
I still want answers as to why things went downhill so quickly and why there has been zero accountability among the players for having a zero compete level for several straight games, especially this early in the season.
I hope nothing major is wrong with Konopka – losing him right now could be a painful loss since he’s one of very few players who has actually given 100% every game so far.
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geduffer says:
#12 – Lombardi would never take this job without full autonomy to run the franchise. Ask Neil Smith how that worked out for him. Until Charles is willing to keep his nose out of the hockey ops side of the business, this team will never get anywhere.
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IslesYanks says:
Before this season started, I didn’t have much hope – figured the best case scenario was to just make the playoffs. But after the first 7 games or so where we had some wins and played really good teams at a high level of competition, my hopes started to rise. While I always saw the potential in these players and had faith in Gordo, it seemed like they were clicking – that things were officially different. And I got excited to start going to see live hockey again bc I felt like we have a chance to beat any team on any given night. Now I’m scared to buy tickets cuz i don’t know whether dr jekyl – our potential stanley cup contender islanders – or mr hyde – the islanders team that gives no effort and loses 10 in a row at some point every year – will show up. Once I see more consistency from this team, I will be happy to purchase partial plans, merchandise, etc. Until then I agree with fred – no more of my hard earned paper going to support this team!
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alex says:
I thought schremp looked great when he had the puck. He was making space and creating plays in the offensive zone. So why is he centering the 4th line in practice now?
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Will C. says:
CB,
You sound kinda pissed he wouldn’t talk with you. Of course reading a blog feelings can be lost or interpreted incorrectly. I think Snow understands that your viewership is so much more important and can sway opinion so greatly he treads lightly around IPB when times are tough. Just an outside viewpoint.
To Mario Gazz’s point, I have heard Poulin is lights out good. Interesting to see if DP can regain it or not what will happen.
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Staten Islander says:
Going West might be good, though I think the only team they have a chance against might be the Ducks.
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Bob E. says:
Finally, Bailey at center again. Is it just me that has a problem with accomodating Schremp to play only centre b/c that is only place he can play?
I was in attendance saturday and i agree, Isle dominated play for about 50 out of 60 mins. Problem is we could hit the side of a barn with our shots on net and when they did they were right in Philly goalie chest.
I have to give props the Philly D saved two goals.Like the line shakeup. Anaheim win can end the streak but good luck beat sj or la after that. Not a chance.
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StevieL says:
How many points do you get for resiliency and positive signs??
Snow is a joke. He treats the fans like they are 2 years old! Guess what Garth, I have read comments here from posters that I actually think can do a better job than you!! Bailey back at center?? Genius move! We have only been talking about that here for weeks!
So basically the solution to this 7 game losing streak is for Gordon to break out his blackboard and Snow’s command to play harder!So simple!You just have to teach NHL players how to play hockey!! Brilliant management strategy! What a joke! -
The New Isles GM says:
Ted at 13- knowing how cheap Wang is right now, he probably charged Garth for the popcorn….
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AJAX says:
Wow. I can’t wait for Gordon to get fired.
Its obvious that Snow isn’t going anywhere, nor is Wang.
I guess one step at a time.
Good to see Josh back at center. -
Brian @ Work in DC says:
Snow you reassured me that everything will be alright, the rebuild is working marvelously! 4-76-2 would be funny! My Isles fandom has now turned against me. I root for them to lose now so Wang gets disinterested and sells! Then Wang, Snow, and Gordon are exiled…
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Brian G says:
Create some Competition with forwards on the roster, bring 2 forwards up from the Bridge. Scratch 2 forwards a game – send a message…these guys are too comfortable
We know Snow is not allowed to do that b/c that means Wang has to pay more money toward the roster, and he doesn’t like to spend money on anything
Wang is a Joke – Larry Brooks hit the nail on the head…how much longer will Wang use the Lighthouse project as an excuse not to spend money on an NHL Franchise
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Isle_in_LA says:
Time for Snow to stop being a baby. He’s still pissed about that tiff you had TWO YEARS AGO! That was when he put you in timeout…lol. How dare you question the moves of the mighty New York Islanders!!!
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Mike from Sarasota says:
It will be a great day for this organization when Wang/Snow are no longer involved.
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Dan says:
Heading out on this west coast swing lets not forget about their “stellar” play in the third period against the Flyers saturday night. They played most of that period as if the Flyers were on a 5-3!!
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VA ISLES says:
Extra Butter – go to the mobile version mobile.newsday.com it updates a day or two later than the pay site, but it’s got a loophole in that it does not require a subscription.
Seriously? Declining to talk to you? Does he KNOW what IBP does for this fan base? Seriously?
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Dean says:
This season is over already. What’s really the point of following this team anymore. I’ve followed the Isles for 21 years and only 2 playoff round wins in 1993 that’s just pathetic. They are mismanaged from top to bottom and I still think it could take another 3 years of top 5 draft picks until they can break into the playoffs.
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this crap will continue until the arena lease expires. until then nothing gonna happen except the fact that KO, JB and JT are all leave the team (and i can’t blame them).
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IslesRock says:
It’s no secret that Gordon is thin skinned, but what can he really say at this point? The owner and GM have given him a roster of a few good young players along with other teams castoffs and AHL players. We are a slow, soft, undersized team with an embarrassing budget. I have been a fan and seasons ticket holder since the 70s. This is getting hard to take. For example, the Mets. Say what you want about them, but it looks like the Wilpons finally get it. They are now rebuilding their organization by investing in top executives and infrastructure. That’s the way to “rebuild” Mr Wang. Unfortunatley, the Islanders want to rebuild by putting a team on the ice that gets top draft picks year after year. Wrong Mr Wang. You still need a scouting department, player development personal, and GMs and coaches that are seasoned, and not getting on the job training along with the players.
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isles71 says:
I love all the “positive play over the last 2 games” talk…result the same…LOST. That is like saying the Detroit Lions made positive strides because they lost the game in OT…”Well at least we were in it to blow another game!!!” That just shows the mind set of the franchise. That PC, hippie, lovey-dovey crap where we want everyone to feel good about themselves…shut up and go win an ugly game and we’ll talk about “Positive Strides”!!! go isles
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DeadAir says:
Sooner or later, only Butch is going to be allowed to ask questions.
Funny how a seven game losing streak will make you change your tune. Not one of them have a clue as to how to handle the media. Oh and again, no offense to the kids there but listening to the radio broadcasts are embarrassing. Kinger does his best but to hear everything be “underwritten”?
FAIL
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Mike says:
This franchise is DEAD just waiting for burial in 2015.
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Angelos says:
1) I like that Bailey is back in the position he knows best. He showed a lot of spark when he played C in the first few games of the season.
2) Regarding this losing streak, I am just not surprised. I’m absolutely an optimist and go into every game expecting the Isles to win, but I’m also a realist. This year’s team is not a playoff team and the rebuild is NOT over. I’ll tell you what’s over; the days of a top 1-5 pick. This team is better than that. Now comes the most important part – Correctly developing the talent we have acquired these past few years!! I expect this team to be mediocre this year and next and then start running on all cylinders in 2-3 years. If everything goes correctly, KO, Bailey (IMHO,future Selke nom), and JT should be dominant by then. Nino, Hamonic, Dehaan, should be on the team full time and maybe even have a season under their belts and add to that a few surprises like, let’s say, Donovan, Brock, and Petrov. This is when I will expect them to make the playoffs year in, year out.
Sorry for the rambling.
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Is this franchise seriously going to die slowly until 2015? Is that Wang’s intent here? It sure seems like he’s going to wait out the Coliseum lease so that he can continue being cheap and not pay a buyout.
I don’t get how it makes sense, from a business perspective, forget about competitiveness, to keep a corporation languishing for what would end up being around a decade, losing money like water, devaluing your asset in the process. Thoughts?
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Steve says:
Things are so bad with this team that I can’t even settle on one entity to blame. Is it that the team doesn’t have enough talent? Is it Wang? Is it Snow? Is it Gordon?
The honest answer is that IT’s ALL OF THEM.
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LouD says:
Oh my God it’s about time! I have been yelling about this for two weeks. Why in the world they busted up our best scoring line of Bailey with Comeau on his wing is beyond confusing. Why did it take so long for the coaching staff to see this?! Stop trying to force things and let the players find their natural spots. And here’s a hint , if you find something that works, STICK WITH IT!
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Ice Girl Dad says:
We will see what happens now that bailey is back at center. Though Schremp appears to move the puck well on the powerplay, his lack of backchecking is quite apparent. he has that long windup before he shoots…. Will he sit on Wednesday?
This WC swing will be the clincher for those waiting to jump off the ledge.
Lets hope that we all “come in” off of it! -
Bob Bassen says:
Atta boy, Garth! Team is sucking wind and your stubborness is alienating fans even further. Shame on you! This blog has been wonderful from the beginning and now as the team continues to barely tread water, the *blog* has elevated itself on par with the best of modern media.
What an organization the Isles are. Unreal. -
sean says:
Everyone blames Gordon but he is not the one playing the game. Yeah he has to get them motivated to play and win but he can do so much. Look at laviolette won a cup with Carolina, an insider source told me Peca didn’t like laviolette but we got rid of peter and He got a cup . We still have a young team that needs a lot of work. I feel we won’t make the playoffs this year but heading in the right direction. I want a new arena before anything else because a new building makes a difference in attracting good free agents.
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UIF says:
Ah, finally, some speed to go with Tavares and Moulson. Hopefully that makes a difference. I think the team has to work on getting faster. A lot of their skilled players can’t play to their strengths b/c they always seem a step behind. Just looking at the lines today…Schremp, Tavares, Moulson, PA, Hunter, Weight, Gillies, Martin…even Bailey…they’re all not known for speed. That’s 9 of 12 players playing a system that emphasizes speed and pressure to create turnovers. I like most of those guys, but the Isles either need to find a way to be faster or find a way to slow the game down for the players they have.
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Dadi says:
Gordon got pissed off ? Can he ? I want him to react like that sometimes during the game – show that you care: throw the bottle of the water or the stick on the ice, say **** word to the referee, show -some imotions…
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JP in NJ says:
Holy Crap!
I go away on vacation for 10 days and find that the once surprising Isles are knockin’ on the cellar door.Still, I’m not pushing the panic button just yet. This team has strong character and good chemistry, and should find a way to bounce back.
As for Snow’s interview decline, the Isles have done more than most teams to encourage alternate sources of coverage, so it’s puzzling that Snow would decline a request from the most comprehensive new source on the scene: CB and his work for Isles Point Blank and Fanhouse.
As someone who works in PR, I doubt it was intended as a slight. The reasons for these things are usually much more mundane. But it’s not wise. The fans are understandably concerned and they need to hear from the top guy. Newsday will always be important, but it only reaches a small segment of the fan base.
As someone said above: This is where the fans are.
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Billy the Kid says:
Gorton finally wakes up to one of the most glaring line mistakes he has made….playing Bailey out of position.
Next move for coach stubborn to figure out is that Tavares is better suited to play RW on a line centered by Bailey and Comeau on LW. I would say Moulson but we need some speed on that line that Comeau can add.
Johnny is not suited to be an NHL center. He will do much better scoring goals by being fed the puck or scooping up rebounds. -
MorDraftPicks says:
Send a message…..we still all are passionate about our beloved Islanders. We HATE how we have been bottom feeders for so long. We HATE the whole Lighthouse debacle. Simple remedy…Ive done it, many friends have done it, obviously other people have done it too. DONT GO!!! Watch on TV, discuss here (the only place) like every game is on the road. This organization is a DISGRACE!! Dont show up -SEND A MESSAGE!!
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who is garth snow kidding saying that the last two losses show “resiliency” What were we resilient to exactly?? BEING SHUT OUT!? a 4-1 loss and a 2-1 loss during a 7 game losing streak with all the losses in regulation is pathetic no matter what the final scores are.
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Jack says:
Great tactic! Continue to isolate yourself from the few fans that are left.
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We are all really frustrated, but it does not help when everyone reads these posts and they are so negative. I can’t imagine anyone in management wanting to fail, and I agree that they should be marketing the team better and be accessible to the most loyal fans, but bashing them is not the answer. Let’s give them a healthy roster and a little more time. I don’t think the players that read this blog are going to be motivated, which means we are not doing our jobs as fans. We need to cheer them on so they know they are playing for a proud fan base. I have been a misery all week, I hope they can pick up a few points this week.
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dave says:
NO. 5-: However, JT is one of the better faceoff men on our team after Konopka.He may be slow and definitely more suited to the wing, but don’t forget his playmaking and hockey sense which are both excellent.
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Strummer's Army says:
I wish Snow and Wang did not have this dictator personality in how to conduct themselves and the Isles organization. The Chinese government, Hugo Chavez, Kim Jung El would be very proud of you two.
Perhaps they should understand a lot of the media has no interest in covering the Isles unless there is a reason to mock them. Perhaps they should understand at last check Newsday had 35 subscribers.
Greg Logan was pushed out because his writing was challenging many things Isles were doing, too small, too soft, bringing back players who suck year after year,constant spinning, not doing what they said they needed to do. Snow didn’t want to put up with being questioned by the the Isles beat writer so he went to Newsday had Logan reassigned and demanded a cub reporter, who doesn’t press him.
Botta could have gotten the Isles story on CNN/SI, AOL, and Pointblank and Yahoo. That is a lot of readers.
The whispers of firing Gordon are crap. He doesn’t deserve to lose his job. How about this, sent Hunter, PA, Geravis, and Martinek to the Bridge. It will prop up Bridge and allow the youngsters to develop with more ease and free up space for real NHL players.
BP loses because just like the Isles they have talent up front and in goal and not much on defense.
Would it be so hard Garth to grab a Robyn Regher, Jack Johnson, O’Bryne, Englland, type or two and a young stud d-prospect from a team who doesn’t have room for them right now (like Nash or Chi)? Not only would it not but it wouldn’t ruin the cap (spending more then Wang wants).
Bring up JJ. Nino obviously should not have been sent down, I am convinced he only was because Snow had locked in a lot of crap and Wang did not wish to pay for both.
How many years have we all known the Isles needed to fix the defense but has done virtually nothing? De Haan and Hamonic will be awesome one day, Streit was a great find and Wiz looks like a nice pick up but seriously Bruno, martinek, Eaton, and Jurcina?
What is even worse we don’t know what our owner and gm are thinking because they bellieve they are gods and have no reason to speak to people as low as their fans.
Logan, Jaffe, Jankowski, Botta, Trottier are just a few names who lost their jobs because Wang and Snow are way too sensitive and believe no one can question them. Remember what Trottier said, “they never listened to me anyway”. Be careful, dictators usually end up hung.
Also, Botta Bing can you shed some light on why there has been nothing from Bossy this season and why Dunham is being paid but barely working?
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Jim Clark says: Our slow and steady rebuild is in good hands with Moe, Larry and Shemp…make that Charles, Garth and Scott. Seven game losing streaks are hard to take but we must keep on eyes on the prize and not lose heart.
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nyislanders93 says:
A resilient team would have stopped the skid at 3 or 4 games. “There are no excuses. We are going to compete for the playoffs.” If that is how Garth and Scott feel, how can they possibly commend the team for good effort in a 4-1 regulation loss and a 2-1 regulation loss. That is a joke. Only Buffalo and New Jersey are below us in the entire NHL standings. Both won’t be there for long.
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jason says:
I dont think its Gordons fault. But, I blame wang for alot. I went to the game on sat, and if lucky it was half full. You dont raise ticket prices and parking when ur teams hasnt done anything in years. People are not going to waste $$ on a bad product.
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Also, you could see JT is getting frustrated by all the losing.
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4theisles says:
Gordon’s attacking system – strong checking all over the ice has a flip side – By the third period legs get tired and the team whilts. Has happened in several of our loses.
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NHL fan says:
@ Stumpy 42….Who knows what Wang’s real intentions are at this point. But the Islanders losing money can help in his accounting by off setting any gains. He seems stuborn enough to drive this franchise into the ground to prove a point to the Town of Hempstead. What point that is I don’t know…pissed off that he didn’t get his land deal? What is really scary is that he seems to want to run the team with Snow. Why else fire Jankowski and Trottier? His ego is so big he can’t look back at all the mistakes he has made since he has owned the team and realize that he just can’t do it. Firing Jankowski and Trottier made no sense. I wish he would start another business to keep him occupied and away from the Islanders.
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VoteofconfidenceforGordon says:
Even though it’s minor in the scheme of things, one of my beefs with Gordon has to do with Gillies. I know he gets no ice time to begin with, but after the halfway point of the game, he never gets a shift. It becomes even more glaring when he doesn’t play late against the Flyers. How can Gillies have any idea what his role is? You have to give him three shifts a period minimum. Is five minutes a game too much to ask for a guy that will do ANYTHING to help this team win?
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Chris says:
Garth is such a freakin baby to deny you an interview. I’m glad you don’t cave to them and you write what you know and feel. Charles is a disaster. I wish he would sell the team to an owner who is a hockey fan or a guy who cares about running a team.
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Numbers65 in Ohio says:
What a joke?!?!? Wouldn’t give you an interview. To me that is him telling me and us we don’t matter. He is so sure we will come out of it. We are the Led Zepplin Islanders. It’s not a rebuild it’s a regression. WOW- Garth and Wang watched practice together. Everyone must’ve been so scared. May as well have had Cheech and Chong watch the practice, they may have better hockey insight then that pair. Agreed about Gillies, Why doesn’t he get ice time. When he has the puck, he knows what to do with it.
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Bill A. says:
guys…we just have to realize, this team is what it is and we are not going to get better, with Wang, Snow, Gordon in control.
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Wang should be doing whatever he can to keep fans, instead he alienates them…so I will support them from my couch
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Joe in Massapequa says:
I guess the Isles brass fails to see how much of a link CB is to their fanbase. Good job Garth. Nothing against Katie Strang but I guess she gets the fresh info. In case they forgot she is employed by Newsday, who is owned by those guys who skate on that little island known as Manhattan. Fools!
I do agree with the Gillies stuff too. It does the team no good when he can be on the bench and look as intimidating as h*ll on his rear end. But when he is on the ice it is a different story. I just don’t get this team sometimes… well a lot of times…
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Alfred says:
As long as Wang continues to shortchange and underfund the Islanders, nothing will change.
He asked for almost 20% increase in tickets this season, and he receives funds from parking that he hasn’t always.
Yet the team payroll did not increase, and if not for Yashin’s buyout, would be in danger of falling below the NHL salary floor.
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gary9-19-22 says:
we are what we are.. Take any sport and pay the team ~15% under the cap floor and see what you get… 4-8-2
We have some young talent that is still maturing. We still dont have that take a game over player. Well we did, but he hurt his knees and hip and is one of the worst goalies in the league now.
The bottom line is that the team had the opportunity to spend a little more money (ex: Sutton, Asham, Madden) to bolster the lineup until the kids mature, and we didn’t.
I just dont understand the logic behind not spending smart money to make us a contender. The fan base is dying for a sniff of winning and will shell out cash if the team starts to win.
Our kids need positive winning role models to learn from. A few more vets would make us a solid 7-8 seed.
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jeff says:
These guys just don’t have a clue. So sad what has become off a once great franchise. RIP NY Islanders.
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Chris Governara says:
It seems to me that Garth Snow really doesn’t care for you, when he truly should. You really do a lot for the Islander fans and such
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Dan says:
Even Los Mets have reduced ticket prices for next year. Only the Isles would raise ticket prices & parking during these times…
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Chris says:
In a way I’m kind of happy the isles are on the west coast this week, being that the games are so late I wont have to see the massacre. The players look lost on the ice. The sudden fall of the team is on Gordon, period. He’s got to go.
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Chris,
How does a so called pro sports team not have a media guide,yearbook,program nothing?
Chuckles is really running this team into the ground worst arena,lowest payroll it is clear that they will be gone come 2015. Very SAD. -
bossjones15 says:
Why would we expect anything different from Snow? The ineptitude that the management had demonstrated particularly with the press (but every other aspect as well) has been appalling.
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JKP on LI says:
Chris has written before about Snow cutting off his access. I suspect it’s because Chris has the gall to actually, you know, report facts, rather than Goringize the truth. I’m glad that Chris isn’t letting him off the hook for it.
The losing stream has made me think a bit, and I’m getting more and more worried that Wang has moved into Millstein-style “unwilling to spend” territory here. I think we’re also seeing more and more of his autocratic CA-style management with firing Trottier and Jankowski.
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Perry Card says:
Gordon is safe because he is cheap and Wang will never pay 2 coaches salaries. I am tired of hearing about Gordon’s system Hockey has got to be the easiest sport to coach. This isn’t football. Against the Flyers in the third period their point men were wide open the whole period. We could not get the puck out of the zone. Is this part of Gordon”s System? Except for maybe 2 or three forwards, no one crashes the net. This also must be part of his system. We let rookies stand in front of our net (Skinner), I guess this must be part of his system. Under his system I guess we are not allowed to win on the road. Finally we can’t start a fight but only react to one after getting our asses kicked. This also must be Gordon’s system.
There is a pretty good assistant in Edmonton. I am also sure he is pretty cheap. -
Jimmy says:
I’ve never seen another team change line combinations more than we do. Gordon seems to have some rule about not keeping line combinations together for more than two games. When lines start clicking, that must be time to change them.
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Baz says:
Which player did he want getting to the darn net? Hmmm.
At least we budgeted correctly for that dry erase board.
And why am I envisioning the coach who falls off the chair in the Triple Play commercials right now?
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dose says:
The news that Bailey has been moved back to center ice is great news to me. I wish they had done it sooner. Hoefully they now will leave him there, finally. I think the movement back and forth can only have held him back, not because it affected his psyche ala Joba Chamberlain, but it just seems like in hockey, it has to be easier to settle into a comfort level and easier to grow in your NATURAL position. I will be very surprised if there isn’t a quick rise in his play, and that of his linemates, even if they change.
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I agree completely with #5 ; Well put Stumpy32…Gordon is really an AHL coach who was moved up prematurely…It was a wise move on The GM’s part because the expectations are not that high.
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j.branny says:
Gordon looks totally overwhelmed on the bench. He looks like a man worried about losing his job and is not making good decisions. I also wonder, given the fact he was a goalie, whether he really understands the game away from the net. He does not undertand the PP or the forward game. That is for sure.
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Nick Hauk says:
I am very frustrated with this team. However, I think we’re all being a little sheeplike here in our critique ‘on-the-fly’. The season is not even 20-games old, and we have a lot of young players with next to no experience. After seven games, we had ‘depth’, and now we are doomed to a slow and certain death?! Perhaps things are somewhere in the middle. Yes, we are still bad enough to suffer a 7-game losing streak. Yes, we are still bad enough to question everything around us. But it’s too early for all this gloom and doom.
Bailey should be at center, and I would like to see what JT can do with him and Comeau, but I think that Moulson and Grabner have showed they are a bit more consistent night-in night-out and probably deserve the frontline, they seem to play like men…which is more than I can say for the rest of them (who look more like my nieces).
I think that we really are missing McDonald as a staple on D. Remember, Weight is like 65…he’s not going to be a superstar with tonnes of points. This team needs to be about chemistry…which has not yet been realized and has to be found…it will come I bet. Gillies should have more shifts, and kudos to Zenon for his attitude, however, dropping the gloves when we’re cycling the puck for once is not prudent.
We’ve all practiced long-term patience, but I think we’d be wise to practice some short-term patience as well. You can still watch the game on the couch, just take the screwdriver out of your ear first! -
When you don’t have any player a positive in the +/-, and your “top” 2 defensemen are a combined -23, what do you expect? This team is just like all the others, and Snow and Gordon can spin it any way they like. This organization is a joke and will alwasy be a joke, when you have clowns running it.
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James says:
“Resilient” is what I would use to describe Islanders fans, who along with Pittsburgh Pirates fans, have endured a 17-years-and-counting “rebuild.”
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znatokhokkeya says:
Garth, please let the fans know “when we will get out of it”? looks like fans can’t wait any longer. Also, it would be nice if you share with fans on what you want to do to “get out of it”. Your prompt response will be greatly appreciated.
Thank you in advance
very concerned fan -
Whoa Nellie! Sir Snow won’t give CB an interview! How pompous is that? Is Snow afraid he might ask a question about the team? On second thought, I think all posting on this site should refer to Snow as snow, using lower case, since he is a lower case. You are a small man, Garth.
Gordon should be fired now, before this gets really out of hand. If they don’t want to pay for an experienced coach than try Weight, Guerin, or someone in section 215. If they are playing Gordon’s style hockey in Bridgeport, then they are destroying the Islander’s future. -
isles316 says:
“I like how the team competed in Ottawa.” Are you flipping kidding?
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Hockeyboy says:
I care less and less…
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SCLI says:
Two things. One, Gillies should be playing 4 to 5 mins a game. His presence ON THE ICE raises the intensity of the game. Isles could use an adrenalin rush, for sure. Two, Robby Schremp makes unbelievable pass after unbelievable pass. Quick, on the blade, Tape to tape, in traffic, across ice, behind the back, doesnt matter. His passes are terrific. If you disagree you havent been watching. Put him on a line where someone can put the puck on net with consistency and the goals will come. I heard one “FAN” calling for his head if he doesnt produce quickly. Thats absurd. Like the rest of the team is doing something?
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anthony c says:
gordon finally smartened up and put bailey back at center with comeau on his wing. Keep these lines as they are the rest of the way if they produce, but most of all keep bailey at center for good cause that is where he was thriving when he and comeau were lighting it up the 1st couple games and when tavares missed some time.
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not Steve K says:
How does Snow expect the Islanders to “get out of it”? They’re not a good team, no matter how you analyze it. Fully healthy, they are below average. He knew that they were going to fail, who wouldn’t. And then, losing Okposo and Streit (especially) is crippling, did he do anything to replace them? No. He just picks up the scraps that the other teams throw away hoping for a miracle.
Snow has to go through the same old garbage quotes of how “we are going to get better” and “I have confidence” but the bottom line is this team currently sucks. May it get better with the kids improving? Sure. But what about now?
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50 in 50 says:
If the slide hits 10, is that the time we should see something happen. Or are we just going to secure a #1 pick next draft day. We will see what Snows Magic 8 ball of quotes says after the road trip.
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Blaming Gordon for the current state of the Islanders is like blaming the captain of a ship (with a gaping hole in it) for not getting safely back to port.
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claude says:
Pressures on .We don’t win 2 in the west gordon’s gone .It’s too bad because I think their just a couple of cagey vets away from being a eighth seed.
Snow should have never have never resigned
Weight and should have traded Hunter two years ago. Now their untradeable commodities. No other team in right mind is even going to pick up a penny of their contracts. Nice ! Give me a million dollar free ride. -
D in BIG D says:
Another item Gordo may want to pay attention to is maybe start playing the line match up game.Ie our 1st out against their 3 and 4th.Maybe just maybe that might get our 5 on 5 play better.Put together a shut down line lets say our highly touted defensive guru Franz w/ lets say Konopka,Sim/Hunter.Yeah this line may end up w/ more ice time but if they keep the opposition off the board then its a plus.Not to mention this should keep our offensive players fresh and hungry for more ice time.Schremp should replace Weight on the point on the PP and Martin needs to be in front of net as well as on 1st line w/ JT and Grabner.Comeau,Bails,Moulson 2cnd.4th-Gillies Schremp PA.Keep deadweight in the stands…he’s done.It would be interesting to see how much space they would be given w/ toughness on 3 lines instead of when Gordo wants to play the fight line.I also say play Gillies a bit more.He’s not that bad.Oh and Amen James#84.By the way CB…Who was the player Gordon was telling to get to the net?
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Blizzard says: Gordon was rather successful as an AHL coach. Makes me wonder why he isnt with his current AHL squad……oh wait.
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of course snow would not grant a interview. why would he? he would be asked REAL questions instead of snow ball questions by the puppet of the rags owned paper. larry brooks as right on about the isle $ 1.29 payroll and how he is punishing the fans since he didnt get his lighthouse. as brooks said he could a state of he are new arena in queens and own ny, but he will never do that because he will never spend a dime on this franchise. like i said before look at the difference between isles and kings and of course they should have signed on lombardi but wang justs wants a puppet. finally regarding janks and trotts and why they were fired is very simple. sure you need top development people in your organization if you cant or wont spend money, but if you dont care, you just save more money this way and fire everybody. hopefully someone smart will buy the isles and move to queens and then the isles will own n.y.
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hoser14 says:
#75 really hit on the head! No Programs, no media guides, no media presence. No veterans to help the good young talent to go along with a coach who refuses to make game adjustments like playing a washed-up broken-down goalie or having a 4th-line enforcer play 2 or 3 minutes.
Their respnse to no playoffs for the last three years is to rised the prices for parking, tickets and food on top of a bad economy. No wonder why faithful stay home, a minor league product at major league cost. No bang for the buck!
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Bob E. on Nov 8th, 2010 14:26:11 said:
Finally, Bailey at center again. Is it just me that has a problem with accomodating Schremp to play only centre b/c that is only place he can play?No, it’s not only you. Bailey is obviously more important for rebuild and him losing shifts at his natural position to Shremp (or Weight) was driving me nuts. Hopefully that’s over now and Bailey will be allowed to develop fully right where he belongs.
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Chris in DC says:
I’ve been very patient with Gordon and happy for the most part, until recently. First off, the guy needs to get a little more animated and at least try to engage the fan-base a bit better. Yes, that’s probably not written in the contract, but every great NHL coach has grasped that notion (see the great Al Arbour).
At least it shows he’s not completely blind to our pleas and is moving Bailey back to center where he rightly belongs. Josh needs to be the No. 2 center full-time; uninterrupted. I don’t care if this moves around Schremp, Konopka or Nieslen. We can still figure out ways to get Z taking faceoffs and find time for the others at center. Bailey NEEDS to be playing the pivot…. -
Sean Couturier should be the #1 pick in the 2011 Draft. Im thinking I should get my jersey pre-ordered
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“Put him on a line where someone can put the puck on net with consistency and the goals will come.”
who would this be?
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Pnut says:
@hoser (#97) The no media guides might be a sign that less people are getting them. So with the rise in new digital media the team is getting rid of them like most major league teams should. No vets? Hunter? Weight? Sim? Wis? DP? None of them are Billy Smith or Mario Lemieux but there are vets here. I havent seen the last 3 games but it is Gordons style not to change things in game (or rarely) and why people are just noticing this 3 year in is beyond me. DP is broke and I agree with you, but we are stuck with him for teh time being before 2015 gets here or Wang decides to A.Yashin him. 4th line enforcers DO play 2 minutes a game, it is the NHL way. Oh well.
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chrism says:
Snow and Wang sound like Jerry Manuel after a mets 9-0 loss. -”well i saw some good things tonight, the team fought hard”. Get over it. They have made this into a Mickey Mouse organization.
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mike says:
as long as wang is owner and snow gm this team will never go anywhere mark my words.wang is a jerk and so is snow for holding a team hostage that has so many many many passionate fans.If is see wang or snow i punch them both in the face for this disgrace of what was once 4 consecutive stanley cup champions we were TREMENDOUSLY PROUD CHAMPIONS TO THIS ????
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Vlad from Brooklyn says:
Snow just doesn’t know what to answer if he interviewed by an independent journalist like CB who doesn’t owe him anything. You never know what kind of questions will be thrown at him. So it’s easier for him just to decline the interview than to sound silly.
Regarding Gordon: He is a good coach but with a huge problem. He sticks to his system all the way without any flexibility. What disappoints me the most that he had enough time to learn how to adopt himself and the players to most game situations. But we always only hear about ALL THE SAME MISTAKES that were done during games instead. There is a time to drop stones and there is a time to pick them up. I really hope he learns that. Otherwise NOTHING is going to change. -
Tom D. says:
A coach with no personality, a GM who wont talk,an owner who has deserted the fan base,worse arena in pro sports, 7 game loosing streak,raised ticket prices.
Only way Ill drive in from Jersey is if someone organizes a fan protest. -
Derek A says:
All I can hope for is this team is in LI, Queens, or Brooklyn after 2015
I’ll always stand with the Islanders!
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Beatlebailey says:
Wang should sell the team asap! As a season ticket holder I despise him for being so cheap with his player signings and the upkeep of the dump we play in.. Please sell to the russian owner of the nets… I will make the trip to Brooklyn no problem! I can’t take it anymore Wang is a clown and snow is a paranoid puppet who would only dream of an NHL gm job anywhere else…. This guy won the lottery of life to be plucked from back up goalie to gm??? Geezus…what a rinky dink small time organization
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lefty says:
Can someone explain to me why we constantly refer to the islanders as a “Mickey mouse organization”? Last time I checked, everything Mickey has a hand has turned to gold.
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CG in SC says:
CB,
First off, I want to say thanks for keeping this blog alive. Your expanded coverage with AOL, Yahoo, and SNY can only make IPB more valuable to the team and its fans. Well, at least the ones remaining… At some point, Garth will have to come to grips with the fact that fans that care the most and have money to spend (if given a reason), are here. Until he puts that grudge away (somewhere near the oversized gear) and grants you interviews, I sincerely question his integrity and loyalty to the fans whose hockey jerseys now resemble a modern era scarlet letter.
Other random thoughts
I’d like to see Gordon finish the year. If he can get the kids to get out of the slump and prevent another for the rest of the season, I’d be impressed.
One problem we have is off the ice. We let guys like Trots and Janks go, but never replaced them. I don’t know much about hockey ops, but you’d think they’d replace the head scouting guy.
What’s worse? The fact we are paying Yashin $4.755M to play in a different country? Or the fact that it makes him our highest paid player?
Mr.Gordon, Please give Zenon an “A”. The guy brings it and had the goal song changed. Wait, maybe that’s why we haven’t scored, it’s a bad song… Just give it to him anyway.
I firmly agree the over-speed system doesn’t work. You need to play a system devised around a team’s strength, not it’s weakness! I would tell these kids they had to register a shot on goal, hit or block before their shift was up.
Sorry for the long post CB, I am a repeat offender for post length. I tried to start my own blog, but no one read it.
On a side note, Neil Smith’s ECHL team just moved into town down here. The Greenville Road Warriors. Blasphemy. They should have stayed with the Chiefs.
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hope not says:
I hate to say it but I think Wang is just riding out this lease and then he’ll cut his loses. JT, Bailey, KO gone after their rookie contracts are up. Wangs not going to spend the money to keep them and then right before the lease is up he’ll probably sell the team. Might be the best thing for these young kids. It will be tuff watching JT or Bailey skating in a maple leafs jersey…
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Hoser14 says:
@Pnut (#105) To me having few vets on the forward lines is a major problem, while Weight has been OK and often their best forward, but Hunter is done, he too slow and his 20-25 goals days are a thing of the past and as for the exiled Sim, no bang for the buck. I would almost rather have Jed Ortmeyer and even Dean McAmmond who played well when he was here) in their place than Hunter and Sim, plus they’re cap friendly (ie cheap).
I wonder what if Snow had made a play for the Hawks cap-casualities en-mass like Dustin Byfuglien, Andrew Ladd, Ben Eager and Kris Versteeg, and to have them in the locker room with their Stanley Cups ring to boost the locker room, leading by example, there would be no 7 going 10+ game losing streaks that sinks a another season and costs coach’s and even GM’s their jobs.
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Hey Scottie what about a top line of Comeau, Bailey and Tavaras? Then Moulson, Neilson and Grabner. Third line Martin, Kanopka and Parenteau (should be Niederreider). then Hunter, Shremp and Weight with Gillies sprinkled in every other shift or so? I think one real strong line is better than watering down 3 and Moulson Neilson and Grabner isn’t all that bad. Neilson and Grabner could lead the rush with speed and Moulson could followup with a shot off a rebound. Got you thinking didn’t I?
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shlo says:
Wang is responsible for the Isles problems. Maybe he cannot admit he is capable of making mistakes. He stuck with Milbury no matter what. We saw the results.
Snow may be smart but a GM? I wonder.
I do not know about the “system”. It looks like every team is trying the high tempo style. The question is are the current players capable to play that system. It works in short bursts but not through a long hockey season. -
Michael from Toronto says:
I believe Gordon is not the problem. He has proven that he can teach younger players and win with younger player, but in the AHL. How in the world does anyone expect Gordon to win with young kids, in a league with grown men.
Looking at the roster, how many forwards on this team have more than 3 years experience. How many of these forwards would have played a year or two in the AHL in other organizations. The big problem here is that Snow has failed to provide veterans that are productive. Weight may be a leader in the locker room and can still get some points, but not many. Take Phoenix for example, a young group with veterans like Jovanoski, Aucoin, Doan, Whitney to name a few. These are player that still produce.
Why can Columbus,St. Louis and Tampa Bay win with a coach from the AHL? They have good veteran talent, along with the young kids.
As for Garth, the team may be resilient and they may get out of it, but hopefully they are not our of it when it happens. And please, someone tell Garth to grow up. This political campaign called the New York Islanders is wearing very thin on many die hard fans!
Wow. We could really use a couple of lucky bounces right about now or this will get REALLY ugly quick… What happened to “no excuses, we’re a playoff team” Garth? This West Coast trip could either turn it around or pronounce us DOA back in NY next week… Obviously with the East being as poor as it is it’s actually a hard thing to be out of it by Christmas, but…. it can be done – ask Carolina last year – bad start can KILL you.