I'm not sticking up for that clown by any means but I get a kick out of how when player X was fine the year before with the same coach and then has a down year in the same role and then its the coaches fault. All I'm saying is that Players need to be responsible as well. that's all whether Arbour is the coach or Capuano
- Vukota

I agree that an individual performance can't be blamed in the coach, especially from an established veteran, however, these guys are still kind of young, and need guidance and coaching...to me, anyway. What happened in 2013 was they simplified things, and played their a$$es off for about 6 weeks, going into the playoffs, until the last couple of days. Prior to that and since then, they were crap in their own end of the ice. I blame the player if it's effort I'm not seeing, but I didn't see that- haven't seen it from a specific individual since Boyes left. These guys just look like they don't have any idea what to do, where to be, who to cover....it's like there is no plan. It also looks like the coaches know that, because every time they slow it down and simplify it, as at the end of this season, the results improve. It's like they're trying to do something that can't be done, but they're having trouble believing that it can't be done, so they force the issue, instead of making it simple and letting the boys play.

Of course it would but the reality is this team really isn't built that way IMO. Can Lee & Nelson be those guys? I guess but as of now the only bangers we have our Martin & Clutterbuck
- Vukota

Thing is Matt Martin makes $1MM and CC makes $2.75MM.
Martin is bigger & stronger and can be an enforcer, if necessary - Cal, not so much the fighter.
They have nearly the same hits each season but Cal is older—AND is the return on Nino, so Garth is hoping(aimlessly) to see a worthwhile return(which won't happen).

I think Matt Martin could score more if he wasn't relegated to 4th line minutes but well, you know...

Martin is better trade bait because of his salary & age. CC isn't someone you're likely to get much for in return, except maybe as a rental at the deadline, he could garner a 3rd or 2nd rd pick at best.

There are a couple of similarly-talented players on this team who are essentially, the same player or fill the same role. These are the guys Garth needs to sell another team on to get the upgrade at Defense because the free agent ship has sailed and once again, we're stuck watching it with "Hope" in one hand and "Sh!t" in the other.

Gotcha but I would say Cizikas playing 12 minutes a game as a fourth line center is not being overused
- Vukota

agreed...maybe cappy would have to mix and match a bit or double shift some guys but if matt martin, or anyone for that matter, dont deserve to be on the ice than they sure as hell shouldnt be on the ice.

I agree that an individual performance can't be blamed in the coach, especially from an established veteran, however, these guys are still kind of young, and need guidance and coaching...to me, anyway. What happened in 2013 was they simplified things, and played their a$$es off for about 6 weeks, going into the playoffs, until the last couple of days. Prior to that and since then, they were crap in their own end of the ice. I blame the player if it's effort I'm not seeing, but I didn't see that- haven't seen it from a specific individual since Boyes left. These guys just look like they don't have any idea what to do, where to be, who to cover....it's like there is no plan. It also looks like the coaches know that, because every time they slow it down and simplify it, as at the end of this season, the results improve. It's like they're trying to do something that can't be done, but they're having trouble believing that it can't be done, so they force the issue, instead of making it simple and letting the boys play.
- dcb1

Fair enough. The only good thing to happen with a slow start this year will be that cappy is gone

Thing is Matt Martin makes $1MM and CC makes $2.75MM.
Martin is bigger & stronger and can be an enforcer, if necessary - Cal, not so much the fighter.
They have nearly the same hits each season but Cal is older—AND is the return on Nino, so Garth is hoping(aimlessly) to see a worthwhile return(which won't happen).

I think Matt Martin could score more if he wasn't relegated to 4th line minutes but well, you know...

Martin is better trade bait because of his salary & age. CC isn't someone you're likely to get much for in return, except maybe as a rental at the deadline, he could garner a 3rd or 2nd rd pick at best.

There are a couple of similarly-talented players on this team who are essentially, the same player or fill the same role. These are the guys Garth needs to sell another team on to get the upgrade at Defense because the free agent ship has sailed and once again, we're stuck watching it with "Hope" in one hand and "Sh!t" in the other.
- jmo16

Like I said earlier Martin is tougher then Clutterbuck. All around Clutterbuck is a much better player. I also said it would be easier to move Martin because he is cheaper & Clutterbuck is over paid

I agree that an individual performance can't be blamed in the coach, especially from an established veteran, however, these guys are still kind of young, and need guidance and coaching...to me, anyway. What happened in 2013 was they simplified things, and played their a$$es off for about 6 weeks, going into the playoffs, until the last couple of days. Prior to that and since then, they were crap in their own end of the ice. I blame the player if it's effort I'm not seeing, but I didn't see that- haven't seen it from a specific individual since Boyes left. These guys just look like they don't have any idea what to do, where to be, who to cover....it's like there is no plan. It also looks like the coaches know that, because every time they slow it down and simplify it, as at the end of this season, the results improve. It's like they're trying to do something that can't be done, but they're having trouble believing that it can't be done, so they force the issue, instead of making it simple and letting the boys play.
- dcb1

i think this entire (semi) debate can be decided until the title of "who sucks more?" and not "who is solely responsible"

i think everyone agrees that capuano sucks but the players cant just point their finger at cappy and blame him...and the opposite is true also. cappy cant point his finger at the players and wash his hands clean either.

they are both responsible and both need to step it up.

Like I said earlier Martin is tougher then Clutterbuck. All around Clutterbuck is a much better player. I also said it would be easier to move Martin because he is cheaper & Clutterbuck is over paid
- Vukota

IF MM worked on his skating, his ceiling could be a solid 3rd liner. Cal is faster and plays the PK slightly better but when you factor salary, I would rather keep Martin, eat a little of Cal's salary and you still come out feeling like you didn't take it from a tranny hooker in bangkok a la Stu Price in Hangover II.

Thing is Matt Martin makes $1MM and CC makes $2.75MM.
Martin is bigger & stronger and can be an enforcer, if necessary - Cal, not so much the fighter.
They have nearly the same hits each season but Cal is older—AND is the return on Nino, so Garth is hoping(aimlessly) to see a worthwhile return(which won't happen).

I think Matt Martin could score more if he wasn't relegated to 4th line minutes but well, you know...

Martin is better trade bait because of his salary & age. CC isn't someone you're likely to get much for in return, except maybe as a rental at the deadline, he could garner a 3rd or 2nd rd pick at best.

There are a couple of similarly-talented players on this team who are essentially, the same player or fill the same role. These are the guys Garth needs to sell another team on to get the upgrade at Defense because the free agent ship has sailed and once again, we're stuck watching it with "Hope" in one hand and "Sh!t" in the other.
- jmo16

-- including matt martin will never be a deal breaker in any potential deals; whether we like it or not, there are plenty of matt martins. he doesnt have much trade value. same goes for cal clutterbuck. i like them both and want them both on the team but they are pretty much a dime a dozen


-- is this the beginning of the whats-taking-garth-so-long-to-make-a-deal fiasco?

As far as Kabanov...we got our "reach for the guy with off-ice issues"-bust out of the way with him. So Ho Sang is going to be awesome
- eichiefs9

Via Brian Compton:

#Isles From Kabanov's Facebook page: "I think it is time to say goodbye to all NY Islanders fans. Thank you for all your wishes and for great support through all those years. It was my choice to move and huge respect to Garth for understanding. I spend 4 years with the Islanders organization and never had a chance to play even in AHL for them. But I still appreciate Islanders Medical staff for being with me after injury i get my first year in Bridgeport. and all the staff in Islanders organization.. And specially fans . You will be my friends forever no matter what team i will play in the future. I made great friends and fall in love with Long Island, but it is time to move."

-- including matt martin will never be a deal breaker in any potential deals; whether we like it or not, there are plenty of matt martins. he doesnt have much trade value. same goes for cal clutterbuck. i like them both and want them both on the team but they are pretty much a dime a dozen


-- is this the beginning of the whats-taking-garth-so-long-to-make-a-deal fiasco?
- LetsGoIsles

Maybe we an get that Nino Niederreiter kid for him

agreed...maybe cappy would have to mix and match a bit or double shift some guys but if matt martin, or anyone for that matter, dont deserve to be on the ice than they sure as hell shouldnt be on the ice.
- LetsGoIsles

Using amac as a reference doesnt make someone too confident in Capuano's delegation of ice time.

I dont agree. Guy is under utilized. Im not saying hes a top six necessarily especially with our new found depth up front but he can be used more effectively imo.
- Cptmjl

It's a grabner problem.. If he drove the net like he did his rookie year and if he back checked and played like he did in his own end against Pittsburgh in the playoffs with any semblance of consistency then we could have that discussion

Maybe we an get that Nino Niederreiter kid for him
- UIF

no deal.

IF MM worked on his skating, his ceiling could be a solid 3rd liner. Cal is faster and plays the PK slightly better but when you factor salary, I would rather keep Martin, eat a little of Cal's salary and you still come out feeling like you didn't take it from a tranny hooker in bangkok a la Stu Price in Hangover II.
- jmo16

He is a much better PK'er then Martin. I think we will see a different Clutterbuck then last year. Like I said earlier first year with a new team and then he gets hurt and misses most of camp and First couple of weeks, so I'm gonna give him a pass on year 1. I'm not comparing salaries because like I said it will be tough to move Clutterbuck because of his salary. Plus I think having both of those guys on the 4th line will be nasty. They will be crushing guys all year long. They will have the hardest hitting 4th line in hockey that will also chip in some goals as well

Using amac as a reference doesnt make someone too confident in Capuano's delegation of ice time.
- Cptmjl

i didnt say he will pull players off the ice, i said he should...

if i were a betting man, i wouldnt be running to vegas to place any bets on cappy benching players for poor performance.

Donovan was a rookie and you have to expect growing pains especially as a yound D-man. Playing with some of those retreads didn't help for sure but do some of you forget that he couldn't take a one timer if his life depended on it. It got so bad that Butchie was killing him on air I guess that was Carkners fault as well
- Vukota

Donovan/dehaan looked fantastic in the short time they were paired together as islanders (I believe they played as a pairing in Bridgeport)

I believe playing with Dehaan gave Donovan the confidence to jump into the play a bit as well as step up and make a couple of open ice hits. Paired with Carkner or Martinek, he'd still take a chance but if it didn't work out it was in our net. He needed someone more reliable to play with, and Carkner/Martinek aren't even NHL players anymore.

It's a grabner problem.. If he drove the net like he did his rookie year and if he back checked and played like he did in his own end against Pittsburgh in the playoffs with any semblance of consistency then we could have that discussion
- Dan Petriw

It's a grabner problem.. If he drove the net like he did his rookie year and if he back checked and played like he did in his own end against Pittsburgh in the playoffs with any semblance of consistency then we could have that discussion
- Dan Petriw

I think he did for stretches and was rewarded with less ice time and crappier line mates. It almost seemed the better he played the more capuano took. I remember seeing a few post game interviews with capuani when g rabner had excellent games one of which he scored the game winner and capuano refused to acknowledge him. Theres an obvious dislike for the guy. I have no idea why? Maybe its warranted for all I know but from what ive seen of grabners play alone there are more passengers on our team that are far worse and deserve to be in the dog house more than grabner. When the guy is effective for a stretch and sees his ice time cut not do to a log jam that's not a player issue.

Donovan/dehaan looked fantastic in the short time they were paired together as islanders (I believe they played as a pairing in Bridgeport)

I believe playing with Dehaan gave Donovan the confidence to jump into the play a bit as well as step up and make a couple of open ice hits. Paired with Carkner or Martinek, he'd still take a chance but if it didn't work out it was in our net. He needed someone more reliable to play with, and Carkner/Martinek aren't even NHL players anymore.
- Isles_since_6

I agree at the same time Donovan shown flashes of being good on his own and he showed flashes of not being good all on his own. I expect him to get better with more playing time but I just don't see a spot for him in the next couple of years unless he breaks out in a big way soon

-- including matt martin will never be a deal breaker in any potential deals; whether we like it or not, there are plenty of matt martins. he doesnt have much trade value. same goes for cal clutterbuck. i like them both and want them both on the team but they are pretty much a dime a dozen


-- is this the beginning of the whats-taking-garth-so-long-to-make-a-deal fiasco?
- LetsGoIsles

Not the beginning...it's the never-ending story, which has lasted 7 years longer than the movie with the same title.

You know, it's not mandatory to reply or stick up for Garth every time I sprinkle a little criticism his way. I'm not the only one. In fact, if you haven't noticed, your unwavering approval of Garth is among the most narrow of opinions on this site, including our Blog author.

IS this the beginning of you whining about me pointing out the fact(s) that our GM has been an underachiever his entire hockey career? His non-traditional approach has yielded non-impressive results. You can't argue the truth. You have to accept it or continue to live in denial.

I agree at the same time Donovan shown flashes of being good on his own and he showed flashes of not being good all on his own. I expect him to get better with more playing time but I just don't see a spot for him in the next couple of years unless he breaks out in a big way soon
- Vukota

He’s going to find it tough to find a regular spot on the team with all the prospects getting close, and I don’t know if he gets a shot this year now that Reinhart looks ready and with the others (Mayfield, czuczman, pulock) he’s going to have to stand out or hope for an injury to get another shot with the big club.

It’s a shame that he was used with such crappy partners last season, because with better players he may have made some strides. As it is, he’s still a giant question mark and could get lost in the shuffle. I still remember watching him at the world juniors and thinking he looked solid. Obviously, it’s kids playing kids, but I had high hopes for him and I’m not ready to give up on him yet.

Not the beginning...it's the never-ending story, which has lasted 7 years longer than the movie with the same title.

You know, it's not mandatory to reply or stick up for Garth every time I sprinkle a little criticism his way. I'm not the only one. In fact, if you haven't noticed, your unwavering approval of Garth is among the most narrow of opinions on this site, including our Blog author.

IS this the beginning of you whining about me pointing out the fact(s) that our GM has been an underachiever his entire hockey career? His non-traditional approach has yielded non-impressive results. You can't argue the truth. You have to accept it or continue to live in denial.
- jmo16

comparing year 1 to year 7 just shows how unaware you are of what the necessary steps are needed in order to complete a proper rebuild...and clearly no one told you about the growing pains thatll inevitably ensue during said rebuild.

It's a grabner problem.. If he drove the net like he did his rookie year and if he back checked and played like he did in his own end against Pittsburgh in the playoffs with any semblance of consistency then we could have that discussion
- Dan Petriw

Yes and no. I'm not saying Grabner is the model of consistency, but during the lockout-shortened season, the guy was banished to Aucoin's line and had his 5-on-5 ice time cut to baffling levels...and I'd say he played some good hockey and scored at a nice clip. He wasn't rewarded with extra ice time for that. I think something about him rubs Cappy the wrong way.

comparing year 1 to year 7 just shows how unaware you are of what the necessary steps are needed in order to complete a proper rebuild...and clearly no one told you about the growing pains thatll inevitably ensue during said rebuild.
- LetsGoIsles

To be fair, I don't think even Snow's human-shield-style supporters would have said after 2008's 26th place finish that the same 26th place finish in year seven would be good progress. Probably, they would have labeled anyone who said that would be the case as overly negative and not a real fan of the team.

Arthur Staple ‏@StapeNewsday 52s
#Isles have signed Casey Cizikas to 2-year, $2-million contract and Calvin de Haan to 3-year, $5.9 million contract.