Follow me on Twitter @thefirstnoel19
Garth Madness is officially underway. We start in the Ted Nolan region with four first-round matchups.
(1) Andrew Ladd signing vs (8) Nate Thompson waived
Andrew Ladd signing
Garth showed zero interest in bringing Kyle Okposo back. Okposo left for Buffalo on July 1, 2016.. Ladd signed a seven-year, $38.5 million dollar contract to replace Okposo. He started last season alongside John Tavares. It simply did not work. He was goalless in his first 12 games and had two goals and three assists in his first 24 games. He finished with 23 goals but had his lowest point total (31) since his second full season in the league.
This season has also been a struggle. Ladd hasn’t scored a goal in 20 games. He would have to score 11 goals in the final 18 games for his 4th straight 20-goal season. If the team is thinking about buying out Ladd in the offseason, the cost is great, $4.83M for the next four years and $333K the following five years. His no trade clause will prevent the Islanders from leaving him unprotected in the next expansion draft, like it did in the past June's expansion draft.
Nate Thompson waived
Let’s just say this moved just barely made it into the bracket. The gritty Thompson was claimed by Garth in 2008. He provided a spark when in the lineup and dropped the gloves when needed. When defenseman Andy Sutton was suspended for two games, the team needed a defenseman. The team felt Thompson was expendable and waived him. He was claimed by the Tampa Bay Lightning and carved out a nice career for himself.
bike trails
(2) Injuries as an excuse vs (7) Drafting Cody Rosen
Injuries as an excuse
While the average general manager looks to fill a hole when needed, Garth will simply throw his hands up, do nothing, and use injuries as an excuse. He said as much last month. “Not making excuses, I’m stating a fact,’’ he told Newsday, referring to season-ending injuries to Calvin de Haan and Devon Toews. Johnny Boychuk missed 18 games and Scott Mayfield will be out a minimum of four weeks. The defense was struggling when everyone was healthy so the excuse simply does not hold any water.
Drafting Cody Rosen
Cody who? That’s what was being asked on day two of the 2010 draft. Rosen was selected 185th overall despite playing just 20 minutes in goal his freshman year at Clarkson. Rosen himself, wasn’t even aware that any team was interested in him. In fact, when Snow called to tell him he was drafted, he hung up on him thinking it was a practical joke. Snow eventually got him back on the line as told Rosen his story of how he was drafted by Quebec 114th overall in 1987 and walked on as Maine’s third-string goalie. That’s all well and good. But Snow had much more talent than Rosen.
In his four years at Clarkson, Rosen played a total of 12 games, winning none of them. He played a season for the Knoxville Ice Bears of the Southern Professional Hockey League in 2013-14
Snow said that the last round is for taking chances, which is fine when talent isn’t there. Two picks later, Carolina selected Frederik Andersen.
survey services
(3) Pierre-Marc Bouchard and Peter Regin signings vs (6) Drafting Corey Trivino over Roman Josi
Pierre-Marc Bouchard and Peter Regin signings
The Islanders entered the summer of 2013 feeling good about themselves. After getting embarrassed 5-0 in Game 1, they took the more-talented Pittsburgh Penguins to six games in the first round. We all waited with bated breath as July 1 came and Garth delivered the fans, Pierre-Marc Bouchard and Peter Regin.
The injury-prone Bouchard, who had not played 80 games in six years, signed a one-year, $2 million dollar deal. It simply did not work. Bouchard scored four goals in 28 games. He didn’t even make it to 2014 as he was waived. Regin was signed to play on the fourth line. He lasted a little longer, 44 games. Both were traded to Chicago for a 2014 fourth-round pick that February. I will give Snow credit, he used the pick in a trade for Jaroslav Halak that May.
Drafting Corey Trivino over Roman Josi
Corey Trivino had first-round talent. He fell to the second round due to character issues and some thought he was emotionally unstable. He was kicked off the Boston University team after being arrested on assault and rape charges. Trivino would never play a game in the Islanders organization. He bounced around the AHL and ECHL before heading to Europe.
Two picks later, Nashville selected Roman Josi and has had an all-star career. He was named captain prior to the start of the season.
survey services
(4) 2012 defensive draft vs (5) Cory Conacher signing
2012 defensive draft
The Islanders were sorely lacking depth at defense throughout the entire organization that Snow use all seven picks on defensemen. There were rumors that Snow was willing to trade all his picks in that draft to Columbus to draft Ryan Murray, similar to what Mike Ditka did. The Saints traded away 8 picks, including two 1st rounders, to the Washington Redskins so they could move up from 12 in the draft to 5 and drafted Ricky Williams. It didn’t happen and they ended up taking Griffin Reinhart, who simply did not work out. He ended up being part of one of the greatest trades in team history. Thank you Peter Chiarelli!
Of all seven defensemen (Reinhart, Ville Pokka, Adam Pelech, Loic Leduc, Doyle Somberby, Jesse Graham, Jake Bichoff) taken that draft, only Pelech remains.
Cory Conacher signing
The Islanders signed Cory Conacher to a one-year deal on Juky 1, 2014 He began the season, where else, playing on John Tavares’s wing. He did scored his only Islander goal in the home opener. Conacher would play just 14 more games before heading to Bridgeport. He was traded at the deadline. He is having a bit of a resurgence with Tampa this season.
bike trail guide
New York Islanders Blogger • 
Join the Discussion:
»