Tag Archive for 'garth-snow'
On Saturday, they named the Ice Girls. Tonight, the Islanders named a new head coach. Priorities people, priorities! Just got home from men’s league and heard the news, more tomorrow. Isles press conference at 1pm.
New York Islanders General Manager Garth Snow has named Scott Gordon the team’s head coach. Gordon, the reigning American Hockey League Coach of the Year with the Providence Bruins, is the 14th head coach in franchise history. He has agreed to a multi-year contract with the Islanders.
“Scott has been one of the top up-and-coming coaches in hockey and with good reason,” said Snow. “Through his work in the minor leagues and most recently with Providence over the last eight years, he has gained an impeccable reputation. The entire Islanders organization looks forward to working with Scott.”
“Garth has given me an unbelievable opportunity to coach in the NHL with the Islanders,” said Gordon. “From my time coaching in Providence, I’ve seen firsthand the talented young players in this organization. I look at the direction and the vision for this team and see a bright future.”
…so consider the following SI.com photo gallery link 27,000 words about how the Islanders became synonymous with “suck”, “circus”, and “farce”. Thanks to an old co-worker/Toronto fan for the link. No really, you shouldn’t have. Great to hear from you too…how’s that Jason Blake signing working out?
Watch the Isles go from this proud moment - Stanley Cup Champions, top of the world…
To this confused mess, throwing money into a seemingly bottomless pit…
All your favorite Islander low-lites are accounted for…Ron Hextall, Fishsticks, John Spano, Alexei Yashin, Dale Hunter, Dave Chyzowski, Brett Lindros, Don Maloney, Kirk Muller, Mad Mike Milbury, Neil Smith, Cryin’ Ryan Smyth, and the aging Nassau Coliseum. Normally I’m not big on Vanilla Ice quotes, but “Will it ever stop? Yo, I don’t know!” is just too fitting for this franchise.
Resigning for “philosophical differences” is about as descriptive as resigning “for personal reasons.” There’s some nice words in there but what the hell does it really mean?
In Ted Nolan’s sudden departure as coach of the New York Islanders, it likely means he no longer wanted to work in a place where he was expected to produce playoff victories but was given a line-up of spare parts, has-beens and never-will-be’s. I love the OrangeAndBlue, but there’s no way I can sit here today and honestly tell you the roster during Nolan’s time with the club was anything but suspect.
Whether it was Nolan ultimately behind this or Snow or Chuck Wang, it doesn’t really matter. Obviously these guys could not get on the same page about what the Islanders are supposed to be. And I’m afraid the wrong guy lost.
The Islanders ask their fanbase to believe. They ask their fanbase to remember the good old days and use retired number nights and championship anniversaries to keep the ticket sales going but at some point management is going to have to be held accountable - and that means putting together a team with a real shot of winning the Cup. This isn’t about first-round playoff exits. The bar has been set so low now that no Islander fan ever seriously thinks of his or her team winning a championship. How did that happen? It shouldn’t be permitted. The Islander fans have been loyal. They’ve waited out more than their share of dark days. The Islanders need to provide some light. It’s time to flip the switch one way or the other here.
Big decision coming up with the new coach but I don’t expect much. Why should I? I’m just an Islander fan.
Cue the circus music. Charles Wang’s Three Ring (rink?) Circus is back in town. Citing “philosophical differences” Ted Nolan has left the Islanders.
Added Nolan: “While I am disappointed I will not be coaching the Islanders next season, there have been philosophical differences and we’ve agreed it’s a good time for me to move on. I want to thank the Islanders organization for giving me a chance to coach in the NHL again. I have tremendous respect for what the team is trying to do and I wish them well.”
You’ve got to be kidding me? Let’s recap…Isles hire coach Ted Nolan, former Coach of the Year, the move is generally applauded. Isles hire GM Garth Snow, former backup goalie, the move is ridiculed across the league and especially the hockey blogosphere. Just another punchline to the league’s biggest joke - Spano, Fishsticks, ice girls, sumo goalies, and backup goalies running the team. So when there are philosophical differences, who would YOU keep?
Dear Coach Nolan, Thanks for trying. You gave it your best with the players you had and overachieved in 2006/07. Last year, the team started down that same path until injuries took their toll. It certainly wasn’t your fault. I have the utmost respect for you and have a feeling it won’t be as long as last time before some NHL team starts calling you.
The NHL Free Agent shopping mall opened for business yesterday, and while the Isles are expected to pass on the big names like Brian Campbell, Marian Hossa, and Mats Sundin, they aren’t about to sit out this pool party.
Addressing the team’s woeful powerplay, the Islanders signed defenseman Mark Striet away from Montreal yesterday. A solid move by Snow and crew especially when you look at the terms and $$ thrown at Campbell and Wade Redden yesterday.
With the supply of offensive defensemen dwindling quickly on the first day of free agency, Snow swooped in to grab the 30-year-old power-play specialist. Streit tied for third among the league’s defensemen last season with 62 points, including 13 goals (seven on the power play) and 49 assists.
“Mark solves our power play,” Snow said. “He was a player we targeted early on. He’ll come here and be a solid contributor on the blue line and obviously play a significant role on the power play. I see him as a top-four defenseman, but his play will dictate that.”
Some Striet highlights.
When the dust settled yesterday, the Isles ended up with 13 picks in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft and whatever you think of their first overall pick, it’s hard to argue with the Isles’ strategy of adding as much young talent as possible to their franchise. There are only 7 rounds in the draft - the Isles almost averaged two per round.
XM Radio was most impressed by the way Islanders GM Garth Snow traded down to acquire extra picks while still drafting the player they targeted from the beginning. The show went onto say that this enabled the team to take a chance on Petrov, who was the second ranked European skater in the draft, but fell because of his contract status in Russia.
Said one of the show’s hosts: “What goes un-noticed is by moving back down twice and picking up three extra picks in the first three rounds [the Islanders] were then able to take a complete flyer on [Petrov], who was a top-10 talent at No. 73.”
You can listen to the full NHL on XM audio here.
Petrov is signed in Russia for the next three years, and the risk is he could stay there and never play for the Islanders as the Russian hockey leagues offer more and more money to keep their talent away from the NHL. When you have 13 draft picks, you can make a gamble for a Top 10 payoff like that.
The NHL’s exposure to Russian encroachment has been lessened over the past few years. NHL teams have shied away from drafting Russian-born players because of the lack of a transfer agreement. The lack of an agreement provides NHL teams little leverage in signing Russian prospects still playing in their native land, making it a significant risk to use a high draft pick on a player who might never compete in North America.
Oh those tricky Isles. Just when the hockey world figures they know what they are going to do next, Charles Wang reminds everyone who’s in charge here. The Isles traded down from the 5th overall pick not once, but twice to end up at 9th overall. Along the way they picked up two 2008 second round draft picks and a 2009 third round pick. Then they went and picked Josh Bailey, who was pretty below the radar - ranked 14th overall by NHL Central Scouting. Here are some Bailey highlights.
Last home game tonight for the Islanders as they start a home and home with the Rangers. After tomorrow night’s game, it’s off to the golf course early Saturday morning. Hopefully the Rags will get bounced in the first round and join us on the links the following weekend. Disappointing end to a season that started off pretty good. This home and home series was supposed to have major playoff implications (like keeping the Rags OUT of the playoffs).
Hey Garth, what do you think of the Rangers?
Amen brother, amen. They can make the playoffs but we all know they still suck.
The Isles and GM Garth Snow have about 24 hours to decide whether to be buyers or sellers in the trade market. As reported by Greg Logan in today’s Newsday and aFeb. 22 piece, the OrangeAndBlue have some pretty good chips to offer, should they decide to let go of some talented veterans now in the hopes of turning them into prospects or high draft picks. Here are some of the names that may no longer be stitched on the back of an Isles jersey come tomorrow night:
Miroslav Satan - Proven scorer (335 career goals, 679 points) who would be an offensive boost to almost any club in contention. He has played 56 postseason games, scoring 15 goals, 23 assists, and a minus-1.
Mike Comrie - At times very good, other times he sort of disappears. Helped Ottawa reach the finals in 2006-07. Has played 32 playoff games in his brief career, registering 4 goals, six assists, and a minus-2.
Ruslan Fedotenko - The 29-year-old was one of the leader’s in Tampa’s march to the Stanley Cup Championship in 2003-04, tallying 12 goals in 22 games. For his postseason career, Fedotenko has 13 goals, four assists in 53 games with a whopping minus-15.
Josek Vasicek - Has been a solid contributor for the Isles for most of the season. Has just five goals and two assists and a plus-3 in 37 playoff games.
Chris Simon - You think anyone is going to touch this guy? For the record, he’s played in 73 playoff games, scored 10 goals, assisted on seven, has a minus-12 and totaled 191 penalty minutes.
All that said, the Isles could easily decide to be buyers and bring in some scoring prowess and blueline skill. With 67 points and 19 games to go, the Isles are tied for ninth with the Flyers and are just one point behind Buffalo for the final playoff spot. Both the Sabres and the Flyers have a game in hand on the Isles.
Our friends at FauxRumours understand Snow’s predicament and have the Isles as a bubble team going into the deadline, which basically means they could go either way.
Whatever Snow decides over the next 24 hours or so will have a huge impact on this franchise. Is there enough there to win now with a little outside blood or do the Isles need to replenish the core with a talented young group from the farm? Decisions, decisions.
Cross one Islander free agent off the list, NewYorkIslanders.com is reporting that Trent Hunter has signed a 5-year deal to remain with the Islanders. There’s no news story yet, just a video of Garth Snow announcing the deal on Islanders TV.
I think it’s a good move by the Isles to lock up Hunter. Although his scoring is down since his rookie season (25 goals), Hunter provides a gritty, hard hitting, Ted Nolan style of play out there. His contributions to the team don’t always show up on the scoresheet, but fans appreciate and respect his effort on the ice.
Trent Hunter 2007-08
GP G A P +/- PIM
62 8 24 32 -10 33
