And we barely made the playoffs. That's really all that needs to be said.

Our opponent (the Penguins) had 5 top 5 picks from 02 to 06. They lost the cup 2 years later and won it the next season.
- kencan98

They also already had talent on the team while picking top 5 & talent in their farm system... Isles had neither

XxNYIxX

Considering he's only done that ONCE this year, looks like you missed your chance
- keaner17

Again, Islander blog. I forgot. Game winner, nice goal, shootout win, nice pass, etc.

No, not every single person on planet earth but a large majority, yes. I forgot I was on an Islander blog for a second and I needed to spell everything out word for word in order for it to be understood.

Are we talking about players not under Snow because you brought them up and seem to be changing your "rules" again. I just want to know so I can stay on topic.

And you are right. All prospects are different. But the way we as fans are sold them is exactly the same. The only one that actually turned out the way management said was JT and that wasn't much of a surprise. Every other one was not nearly as good as expected.
- kencan98

Dude, just go away. Nobody likes you here obviously. You said you had such wonderful friends on the Pens and Rags blogs so why don't you go back over there. For ALL OF US to be united in our distaste for you says a lot about your personality. Just leave already you (frank)ing douche.

He is to blame/credit for the current situation. He is also to blame/credit for the future of the team.

The picks that are on the current roster are not what we thought (or were told) they would be. And again, someone will jump in and try to be the hero and point to JT. He is the only one. Every other pick on the current roster is not what they thought they'd be. Okposo and Bailey are third liners at best on a great team. They are NOT top 10 picks. Snow didn't pick Okposo but he's on the team.

The prospects we have now are Snows picks and responsibility. My hope is that he learned from the Bailey/Nino mistakes and he doesn't make the same mistake again. Your hope is that he does.
- kencan98

And there you go again. The only 1st round picks currently on this roster that Snow picked are Bailey and JT So you have no grounds to proclaim anything about Snow's record in that area. No one here is going to dispute that the Isles reached on Bailey. You were probably too busy thumping your chest on another site to see how ugly the criticism got here. The problem here is you are unable to decipher the difference between an elite prospect and a 'good' one, because you simply want to lump them all into the same category. Take a look around the league and see how many top picks flourished in the NHL directly out of juniors and tell us how it can't be done.. Guys like JT, Strome, and MOST other top 5 picks typically are ready to step in directly from juniors.

Dee Karl
- Cptmjl

She's like the Islanders Kate Smith!!


XxNYIxX

Again, Islander blog. I forgot. Game winner, nice goal, shootout win, nice pass, etc.
- kencan98

Do you still believe Boyes will be the most sought after forward in free agency next year?

thats EIGHT years worth of restocking the cupboard...you get that right??
- LetsGoIsles

Cupboard. I love the Islanders terms.

From the 02/03 WB Pens, who on that roster won the cup with them in 09?

Orpik?

Some Cupboard.

And hopefully this continues. Based on what happened in the past though, and YES, under Snow, this isn't going to happen.

Based on the past (SNOW), we will not resign Boyes, we will either fill in with another "Boyes/PAP" or we will bring up a prospect. Either the prospect will bust (like Bailey and Nino did) or the UFA will work or not.

It's hard to say what will happen in net because Snow really hasn't made any moves back there yet. The only real goalie he had was Nabby and he's still here. If he resigns him, the team may be in decent shape. If he doesn't, it's lottery time all over again.
- kencan98

Hopefully if this happens you will stop being a fan so you stop making the rest of us look like (frank)ing idiots. There I said it, the elephant in the room. The one thing you constantly say is how Isles fans make the fanbase as a whole look stupid. The irony in this is IT IS YOU that makes all of us look stupid!

Do you still believe Boyes will be the most sought after forward in free agency next year?
- keaner17

He will be one of the top 5 forwards, yes.

And hopefully this continues. Based on what happened in the past though, and YES, under Snow, this isn't going to happen.

Based on the past (SNOW), we will not resign Boyes, we will either fill in with another "Boyes/PAP" or we will bring up a prospect. Either the prospect will bust (like Bailey and Nino did) or the UFA will work or not.

It's hard to say what will happen in net because Snow really hasn't made any moves back there yet. The only real goalie he had was Nabby and he's still here. If he resigns him, the team may be in decent shape. If he doesn't, it's lottery time all over again.
- kencan98

the reason we are in the playoffs are large in part because of the work okposo and bailey did the final half of the season..but hey don't let the facts get in the way of a good arguement

Man, if you never heard of Tavares, Niederreiter, Strome and Reinhart before the drafts, then I don't know what to say...you just weren't paying any attention. You can debate whether they were the right picks at the time the Isles selected (except for JT...no one should question that one), but Bailey is the only first selection they made from 08 on that was really way off the board and someone that the average fan probably wouldn't have known much about...and I hope we can agree that the guy we all wanted that year, Filatov, would have been the wrong choice.

I think everyone knows the Isles made big mistakes with Bailey and Nino. Saying that on this board isn't really news...we've beat that topic into the ground, dug it up, kicked it some more, set it on fire, and scattered the ashes. What's wrong with the way they've developed Strome? He and Sheifele are the only players picked in the top 10 that year that haven't played (regularly) in the NHL yet. You should be happy about that. It's exactly what you're asking for. Reinhart is developing in juniors. Donovan spent another year in the AHL and led all defensemen in scoring there. They kept Nelson down there...even with Nino they made the right call sending him down after making the bad decision to have him in the NHL last season. At least they learned a lesson from their mistakes.

The problem is you're making arguments that are coming about a season too late and speaking in absolutes without at least acknowledging some of the lessons learned since 2008. Heck, I'm not even a fan of Wang and Snow, but have to defend them against some of your criticisms...because this season, they did the right thing finally with their young talent...they let them develop.
- UIF

STRONGLY disagree with nino....BIG TIME!!!

Hopefully if this happens you will stop being a fan so you stop making the rest of us look like (frank)ing idiots. There I said it, the elephant in the room. The one thing you constantly say is how Isles fans make the fanbase as a whole look stupid. The irony in this is IT IS YOU that makes all of us look stupid!
- Cptmjl

Yes. Most of you - "Keep making the same mistakes over and over again"

Me - "Change, since what you are currently doing isn't working."

It's guys like me who make the fan base look stupid.

the reason we are in the playoffs are large in part because of the work okposo and bailey did the final half of the season..but hey don't let the facts get in the way of a good arguement
- NYI78

The reason we are in the playoffs is because of JT and mostly Nabby. Without those two (mostly Nabby) we are a lottery team.

If Poulin/DP let up 4 goals a game, it's over.

If JT doesn't carry the entire team for half the season while Nabby at least gives them a shot, it's over.

STRONGLY disagree with nino....BIG TIME!!!
- LetsGoIsles

I guess we are just done with the pens and their 8 year cupboard thing huh?

Yes. Most of you - "Keep making the same mistakes over and over again"

Me - "Change, since what you are currently doing isn't working."

It's guys like me who make the fan base look stupid.
- kencan98

Most factual thing you have said today!


XxNYIxX

Dude, just go away. Nobody likes you here obviously. You said you had such wonderful friends on the Pens and Rags blogs so why don't you go back over there. For ALL OF US to be united in our distaste for you says a lot about your personality. Just leave already you (frank)ing douche.
- Cptmjl

Yes. Most of you - "Keep making the same mistakes over and over again"

Me - "Change, since what you are currently doing isn't working."

It's guys like me who make the fan base look stupid.
- kencan98

if they keep making the same mistakes then why are Martin, Cizikas, Macdonald, Hamonic doing so well in their rolls?

Most factual thing you have said today!


XxNYIxX
- XxNYIxX

You should edit out the first two lines of my quote in your response.

Yes. Most of you - "Keep making the same mistakes over and over again"Me - "Change, since what you are currently doing isn't working."

It's guys like me who make the fan base look stupid.
- kencan98

Yeah, because that's what all of us are saying. Once again you are "blanket" statementing all of us here. You seem to know us all so well and our opinions. OK, lets play this game. What's my opinion of Snow, Wang, our moves and non moves over the last 5 years, Snow's drafting, etc?

The reason we are in the playoffs is because of JT and mostly Nabby. Without those two (mostly Nabby) we are a lottery team.

If Poulin/DP let up 4 goals a game, it's over.

If JT doesn't carry the entire team for half the season while Nabby at least gives them a shot, it's over.
- kencan98

Which means what? Did you watch the games? Because I'd say the line that carried us most through the big run was the Bailey/Nielsen/Okposo line...you know..that line with those two terrible picks

You should edit out the first two lines of my quote in your response.
- kencan98

I dont need to.

XxNYIxX

Dude, just go away. Nobody likes you here obviously. You said you had such wonderful friends on the Pens and Rags blogs so why don't you go back over there. For ALL OF US to be united in our distaste for you says a lot about your personality. Just leave already you (frank)ing douche.
- Cptmjl

I'm not here to be liked. I'm here so that next year when (if...hopefully not) Snow brings up Strome and he doesn't live up to his expectations, I can call out the people who then turn around and say "See, I said all along the guy needs to be developed more."

And Ranger fans are exactly the same as Islander fans. The only difference is the date when the "wait till next year" starts. For Ranger fans it's July 1. For Islander fans it's the draft.

The reason we are in the playoffs is because of JT and mostly Nabby. Without those two (mostly Nabby) we are a lottery team.

If Poulin/DP let up 4 goals a game, it's over.

If JT doesn't carry the entire team for half the season while Nabby at least gives them a shot, it's over.
- kencan98

so the second line did nothing then?? when your boy boyes went 12 games without a goal and moulson went 10 without one... and i have been the hardest crtitics of bailey and okposo..but they stepped up and played their hearts out and i have to give credit where credit is due

Tavares and Nabby. Without those two we are a lottery team. And mainly it's Nabby. Without JT it would be tough but I think we could have still hung in for a little while. With DP and Poulin in net we would have had the worst record in the league.
- kencan98

and no one else???

We are talking about the Islanders, then we aren't. We are talking about Snow, then we aren't. Lets pick one and stick with it.

Since 2006, ONE of the Islanders first round picks turned out as expected. Of those players, all of the ones on the current roster and those who have played a significant amount of games on the roster, have NOT turned out as expected besides one.

My point is that in order to turn that around you need to change something. The one thing in common that all of those players have is that they were all prematurely put into the NHL. And that's what needs to be stopped.
- kencan98

Okay, let's stick to the Islanders top-5 picks of the last decade+, your original point. Since 2001, which of those Islanders top-5 picks were put into the NHL prematurely?