they lost 30 million last year... and this ownership was not even around before this cap. So that is incorrect. http://sports.yahoo.com/b...on-lockout-155615565.html

"doing just fine"
- niteislander

Going off a Yahoo article whose source was Charley Walters?
The Wild are doing just fine financially and will have plenty of cap space to go after Vanek... but I hope they do not.

They got into the playoffs last year because Nabokov was an above average goalie for 8 weeks.
- Isles316

Disagree. Even during that stretch, Nabby was only okay. The Isles won on that stretch because they played an extremely fast transition game with great puck support. It's something they've only managed to show flashes off this season. This team is in desperate need of a coach, even more so than a goaltender.

Disagree. Even during that stretch, Nabby was only okay. The Isles won on that stretch because they played an extremely fast transition game with great puck support. It's something they've only managed to show flashes off this season. This team is in desperate need of a coach, even more so than a goaltender.
- keaner17

Nabbys save percentage the 2nd half of the season was over .920

Nabbys save percentage the 2nd half of the season was over .920
- Isles316

Which means nothing. If a team is playing good defense, clearing rebounds, keeping shooters on the perimeter, a goalies save percentage will benefit. Everyone watched the games. This teams big run was not about Nabby, it was about this team playing lights out for a month and a half.

Isles are last in the NHL in save percentage this year. Aren't playing much different
- Isles316

I dont remember seeing your defense let the opposing teams best forward 20 feet behind the defense or skate wide open into the slot totally untouched much last year. Your defensive breakdowns this year have been pretty bad and often, and your below average goaltending doesnt do you any favors in covering up those mistakes.

I dont remember seeing your defense let the opposing teams best forward 20 feet behind the defense or skate wide open into the slot totally untouched much last year. Your defensive breakdowns this year have been pretty bad and often, and your below average goaltending doesnt do you any favors in covering up those mistakes.
- rangerdanger94

We had a better defense last year. A Mac played better, Streit was bad but still better than Carkner and Donovan and Vis and Hammer were healthy.

Which means nothing. If a team is playing good defense, clearing rebounds, keeping shooters on the perimeter, a goalies save percentage will benefit. Everyone watched the games. This teams big run was not about Nabby, it was about this team playing lights out for a month and a half.
- keaner17

It means more than nothing. They played lights out because they got solid goaltending and won games. The team this year has been playing lights out most of the year. The stat last week was they were 6th In the NHL in scoring. Teams 1 thru 5 are 1-5 in overall standings. So if this team wasnt horrendous in net they would be a playoff team.

Isles Vanek F and Amac D
for
Wings Petr Mrazek G, Martin Frk F, and Brenden Smith D and 2nd rounder

go ahead tear me apart everyone!!!!

- Nolanders

no and no. considering Vanek wont resign with detroit anyway
and macdonalds is garbage

anddd

Smith-sucks.
Frk-who knows, just started in GR
Mrazek-could be a backup next season

and detroit is at the cap.

I dont remember seeing your defense let the opposing teams best forward 20 feet behind the defense or skate wide open into the slot totally untouched much last year. Your defensive breakdowns this year have been pretty bad and often, and your below average goaltending doesnt do you any favors in covering up those mistakes.
- rangerdanger94

Nope. But we get 0 help from our goaltending most nights. Two weeks ago they scored 20 goals in 5 games and went 2-2-1.

Whelp, I take the day off from the internet and look what happens...
Mixed feelings on this whole experience, but here's my two cents:

No regrets. While it sucks that we're about to be left at the alter once again, the reality is this was a big risk and we knew it all along. On one hand, we can certainly blame Snow for taking this risk, but in reality it was an honest attempt. This wasn't about the team being cheap, it wasn't about them not being aggressive enough and it certainly wasn't about them not being able to broker a deal. 7 years ago, Snow attempted to bring instant credibility back to the franchise by trading for Captain Canada. It blew up in his face due largely to reputation that had been built years before he even joined the club. That was of course the last straw for Garth and the Isles went into a hiatus from big ticket trades/UFA's, deciding to instead draft their own big players.

After last seasons success, Garth decided it was time to see if the franchise had indeed turned the corner, not just in the minds of their fans but around the league as well. The trade may have been unpopular with some due to the player we sent packing, or the consideration that it wasn't a huge 'need', but Snow took the risk to bring in one of the biggest names in the game and signal t the league that the Islanders were serious again.

The fact is they made this bet on a player that wasn't likely to stay here regardless of the teams past, present or future. Vanek has his sites set elsewhere and seems to believe it's not such a huge risk to turn a massive deal down for. Obviously what it does for us, is suggest to the league that we still aren't that hotspot for UFA's.

It's the worst case scenario for the fans, the players, management and ownership. It's essentially a comment advising "you're still on your own".

I'm sure today has provided the fodder for the malcontents to tee off on the last 8 years, tell us how ownership is a joke, management is a joke, the team has no hope etc and some of it's deserved, but I think the story isn't complete at this moment. I'm pretty sure that Snow took into account the possibility that Vanek might not stay. Afterall, if we've gotten wind all along that MN was a preferred destination, I'm pretty sure Garth knew it as well. I imagine Garth will seek a 1st rd pick, a top prospect who is NHL ready and perhaps a player. It will be a huge asking price that may or may not pan out, but that return will only slightly dull the pain of getting publically insulted once again, deserved or not.

I don't blame Garth, this COULD have been a watershed moment for the franchise. Instead it's a reminder that this team has to earn a reputation. The players, coaches, management, ownership and even fans are all responsible (though not equally so). How we recovery from this, will truly be the franchises most defining moment.
- keaner17

It's all well and good to trade for Vanek keaner, the problem is letting another season go into the tank without a coaching change or further trades. Season ticket holders deserve more than watching another lost season in November. Hopefully the Isles get a good return on Vanek, still the sting of losing a Vanek is most likely going to hurt well after this season and it will hurt in many ways. How it affects JT is the biggest concern.

If MN was a known destination for Vanek, I'm not sure I would have even made this move and would have traded Moulson for a goalie or Dman. I just hope everything works out and we have a good offseason and the team brings in a new coach so I can stop being a malcontent.

It means more than nothing. They played lights out because they got solid goaltending and won games. The team this year has been playing lights out most of the year. The stat last week was they were 6th In the NHL in scoring. Teams 1 thru 5 are 1-5 in overall standings. So if this team wasnt horrendous in net they would be a playoff team.
- Isles316

I'm not debating whether this team would be better THIS year with better goaltender. They most certainly would have. They also would have been better if their defense had remained intact and if their forwards remembered to backcheck. They'd been better if they coach realized that once your top two dmen were out for an extended period it just might be time to modify that forecheck system to a more defensively responsible approach.

That said, this team didn't get in BECAUSE of their goaltender. I'd say the goaltending, while steady, was more of a direct reflection of just how complete this team was playing at that point. In other words, I'm not saying Nabby didn't play very good during that stretch, but he was not the catalyst.

In fact, I'd say that Nabby actually played a larger role as a goaltender in keeping the team in the race early on as opposed to his stretch play, which was starting to show kinks.

Disagree. Even during that stretch, Nabby was only okay. The Isles won on that stretch because they played an extremely fast transition game with great puck support. It's something they've only managed to show flashes off this season. This team is in desperate need of a coach, even more so than a goaltender.
- keaner17

Agreed, but it cant be Weight. It must be a proven coach or we're in the same situation next year.

I'm not debating whether this team would be better THIS year with better goaltender. They most certainly would have. They also would have been better if their defense had remained intact and if their forwards remembered to backcheck. They'd been better if they coach realized that once your top two dmen were out for an extended period it just might be time to modify that forecheck system to a more defensively responsible approach.

That said, this team didn't get in BECAUSE of their goaltender. I'd say the goaltending, while steady, was more of a direct reflection of just how complete this team was playing at that point. In other words, I'm not saying Nabby didn't play very good during that stretch, but he was not the catalyst.

In fact, I'd say that Nabby actually played a larger role as a goaltender in keeping the team in the race early on as opposed to his stretch play, which was starting to show kinks.
- keaner17

I think we at arguing semantics at this point. If you watch the team this year, being outplayed often isn't an issue. Yes they get flatter for certain parts of games here and there but so does every team. My point is with average goaltending they would be a playoff team. And last year Nabokov gave them that which helped solidly their better play

It's all well and good to trade for Vanek keaner, the problem is letting another season go into the tank without a coaching change or further trades. Season ticket holders deserve more than watching another lost season in November. Hopefully the Isles get a good return on Vanek, still the sting of losing a Vanek is most likely going to hurt well after this season and it will hurt in many ways.

If MN was a known destination for Vanek, I would not have even made this move and would have traded Moulson for a goalie or Dman. The Vanek trade should have only been made if the playoffs were a must this year and the Isles were willing to make other moves to really try to get him to stay.
- ses111

1st bold: I'm interested in seeing what, if anything, happens with Jack now. I didn't think the Isles would fire Jack right now largely because if they were trying to convince Vanek to stay, canning your coach isn't exactly the best way to sell the teams stable condition. Now that Vanek is gone, we may see a bit of a change in philosophy from management. Maybe not too. I say we let this thing play out up until the end of the season.

2nd: It's easy to say, this should have been traded for a dman, but you have to find the right partner for that trade. Considering the lack of available dmen and then the question of whether they were looking for a Moulson type guy, I dunno. As for the main bolded part. This trade wasn't about this year, and I've said that all along. It was about the next 8 years. Just like with Ryan Smyth, it was an attempt to create an identity and a major force on the top line. It failed, but the end result won't be known until we trade Vanek.

would that put the franchise at risk of relocation? i doubt it, but what if the only owners willing to buy it are only willing to buy it to move it?
- rangerdanger94

The NHL won't move the Isles out of the NY market and 2, the Isles just signed a 25 year lease for BK

I think we at arguing semantics at this point. If you watch the team this year, being outplayed often isn't an issue. Yes they get flatter for certain parts of games here and there but so does every team. My point is with average goaltending they would be a playoff team. And last year Nabokov gave them that which helped solidly their better play
- Isles316

I'd say that beyond the goaltending we've seen a constant issue here. Our forwards are being asked to play a system that doesn't allow them to effectively play a two way game. Our defensemen are being asked to play a system that relies on them being able to step up against larger numbers (ie odd man rushes). This is a recipe for disaster when your defense is nursing major injuries and goaltending is struggling. Those problems didn't exist last year. Last season during the Isles run we had three lines that were playing a fantastic two way game and the dmen were cohesively operating with the forwards. This year, it's clear neither unit has any clue how to fill the gaps.

I'd say that beyond the goaltending we've seen a constant issue here. Our forwards are being asked to play a system that doesn't allow them to effectively play a two way game. Our defensemen are being asked to play a system that relies on them being able to step up against larger numbers (ie odd man rushes). This is a recipe for disaster when your defense is nursing major injuries and goaltending is struggling. Those problems didn't exist last year. Last season during the Isles run we had three lines that were playing a fantastic two way game and the dmen were cohesively operating with the forwards. This year, it's clear neither unit has any clue how to fill the gaps.
- keaner17

It's like last years success never happened. Even Cappy's rookie year was better. How is that possible?

It's like last years success never happened. Even Cappy's rookie year was better. How is that possible?
- ses111

The defenses inability push other teams forwards outside, coupled with terrible fundamental play, has made them too easy to play against. Throw in schotty goaltending and a system that puts all the pressure on those weaknesses.... Cappystropic

The defenses inability push other teams forwards outside, coupled with terrible fundamental play, has made them too easy to play against. Throw in schotty goaltending and a system that puts all the pressure on those weaknesses.... Cappystropic
- keaner17

Agree with just about everything you've said today.

The other day you were wrong about everything with that injury stuff.

It's all well and good to trade for Vanek keaner, the problem is letting another season go into the tank without a coaching change or further trades. Season ticket holders deserve more than watching another lost season in November. Hopefully the Isles get a good return on Vanek, still the sting of losing a Vanek is most likely going to hurt well after this season and it will hurt in many ways. How it affects JT is the biggest concern.

If MN was a known destination for Vanek, I'm not sure I would have even made this move and would have traded Moulson for a goalie or Dman. I just hope everything works out and we have a good offseason and the team brings in a new coach so I can stop being a malcontent.
- ses111

This is the problem with Snow- if he was going to use Vanek to go for it, as opposed to a bargaining chip for something else, then he needed to add a solid veteran goalie and defenseman as well. Also, this coach should have been sh*t canned before Christmas. Lamoriello fired his coach with like a week left in the season a few years ago; that team doesn't seem to have suffered any long term scarring. You don't have to keep anyone for any reason.

That said, I will say this again- Milbury is the reason why this team still sucks. When he left, it had to be completely dismantled and rebuilt from scratch. Snow hasn't been great, but with a solid goalie and a good coach, I can see this team being pretty good in a couple of years. Milbury could have been here for f***ing ever and the best it would have been was 8th and out every year. The worst GM in the history of sports- when you think of the five worst trades in NHL history, he likely made two of them. There's no emoticon with a picture of diarrhea, so I had to go with that one.

This is the problem with Snow- if he was going to use Vanek to go for it, as opposed to a bargaining chip for something else, then he needed to add a solid veteran goalie and defenseman as well. Also, this coach should have been sh*t canned before Christmas. Lamoriello fired his coach with like a week left in the season a few years ago; that team doesn't seem to have suffered any long term scarring. You don't have to keep anyone for any reason.

That said, I will say this again- Milbury is the reason why this team still sucks. When he left, it had to be completely dismantled and rebuilt from scratch. Snow hasn't been great, but with a solid goalie and a good coach, I can see this team being pretty good in a couple of years. Milbury could have been here for f***ing ever and the best it would have been was 8th and out every year. The worst GM in the history of sports- when you think of the five worst trades in NHL history, he likely made two of them. There's no emoticon with a picture of diarrhea, so I had to go with that one.
- dcb1

I'm sure Vanek would have been impressed if Lavy was brought in to replace Cappy. I'm sorry I do not want to hear about Milbury. That has gotten old already like the George Bush excuse. Snow has the job now and he is to step up and get this team winning.

Agree with just about everything you've said today.

The other day you were wrong about everything with that injury stuff.
- UIF

Bear in mind that I never considered injuries THE reason for this teams failures however I do contend without them we could be in the thick of this race. There are obviously severial issues that made the 2013-14 Isles an inferior product, but correcting just one of them could have been enough to make them competitive.

Perhaps the worst result of this season is the reality that we all get to state, restate and re restate our stance on why the team has failed, what the cause is and just how bad management/ownership is. Too bad we can't just list our affiliations on our location so we can skip all of that.

I'm sure Vanek would have been impressed if Lavy was brought in to replace Cappy. I'm sorry I do not want to hear about Milbury. That has gotten old already like the George Bush excuse. Snow has the job now and he is to step up and get this team winning.
- ses111

Just responding to others who were talking about Milbury as if there was anything good about him. He has less than zero redeeming qualities.

Just responding to others who were talking about Milbury as if there was anything good about him. He has less than zero redeeming qualities.
- dcb1

I have to say at least Milbury never hid from the media. I will give him that at least. He when on the radio many times and took a beating.