Ok I will give him credit for the system once these guys he drafted do something in the NHL. Besides Tavares I am not getting excited here. As for Moulson yeah great pick up. Grabner seems to be a one year wonder so I give him a C- for that. As for PA well when he was with the Rangers I heard a lot fans say that he has a lot of talent but there was just no spot for him so that was an easy one for Garth. His bad moves out ways the good so for now good ole Snow gets a D+. He is trying to be a GM just he is not there yet.
- kasperrko

No, Tavares was a no-brainer. But credit where credit is due: After the summer of 2007, Snow recognized that his only chance of building a winner on Long Island was through the draft. He stockpiled picks, took chances on some high ceiling guys (Petrov, Kabanov) and his farm system is light years better than at any time under Milbury. He also deserves credit for sticking to his guns (albeit, too much for my taste) in not giving up on the rebuild and restisting the urge to try a "quick fix". That being said, I still think this team needs to make a major move to bring in one or two impact vets for some of the prospects/picks he's stocked up. No championship caliber team is built only through the draft.

Wallace is one of 6 forwards in Isles history to play in that many games with 0 goals (Marty Reasoner 42, Wyatt Smith 42, Craig Berube 38, David Maley 37, Raffi Torres 31)

That is my favorite stat... one of the other 6 is REasoner... lololol

Next years line up
Moulson, JT, PA
Ulstrom, Strome, Nino
Bailey, Nielsen, Ok
Martin, Cizicas, (Petrov, Lee, whoever)

Hamonic, Suter
Macdonald, Yandle (via trade)
Streit, Jurcina
Dehaan or Matt Donovan

Nabby
Poulin

(Pa is what I think... but they will be offereing Parise and Suter a fortune to play here..we have to spend a fortune to reach the floor).
- niteislander

Strome and Nino will not be here next year. We're not getting Suter AND Yandle in the same offseason if either of them ever.

Of course all of this could change if their is any word of the Islanders future after 2015 which I believe is the biggest factor in a lot of this mess.

Yeah, we sign whatever is left on the scrap heap. No one said they were going to be good, they just have to show up.
- BringBackBalky

put it this way.. .if you were Suter and someone is offering u 7 mill a year.. and Snow calls and says.. 10 mill for 2 years. You have to take the 20 mill. You say to yourself.. 2 years of my life for 6 extra mill... fuk it. I can live in NY.. etc.

I don't disagree but the owner is also a reason. We let Zenon go b/c of Wang. Haley and Gillies are not on team b/c of Wang. He hates fighting in NHL.. I don't give Snow a Pass but I don't give him all the blame either...

Snow does have a lot of talent in our system. A lot of those players have not finished developing too. Guys like Brock, Strome, Kirill1/2, DeHaan, etc. I kind of feel like They tanked this year on purpose to get one last high pick. It is the only reason to allow Rolston, Wallace, Pandolfo, et al to continue playing as long as they did.
- niteislander

I get a kick out of the same old story you keep hearing from the fan base, Not pointing fingers.

I keep hearing that " the UFA's don't want to sign here."

It is the GM's job to change this mindset. he has the ability to draw from the very successful past, to change the current thought of the team. He must be the salesman and create the passion in the Island again. This is his job..FAIL..

It is his job to recrute the players that are required to fit the system of play that he wants his team to play.... FAIL.... Unless that system is,,,Go get'em boys.

It is his job to find the players that can compliment the others he has already brought into the system, on both the AHL team and the NHL team...FAIL...

I changed my mind, F.

Fellas, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to pick the top draft eligible pick year after year, and build a team. His team has finished poorly in every year of his rebuild. He has brought in poor vets to assist the kids, he has 1 physical presence on the team. These things do make him an NHL GM. Score him a C-.
- bixll

Nelson (traded up for at #30), Lee, Cizikas, Nilsson, Donovan, Ullstrom, Poulin, Martin, Hamonic, ness, Kabanov, Petrov............

I don't disagree but the owner is also a reason. We let Zenon go b/c of Wang. Haley and Gillies are not on team b/c of Wang. He hates fighting in NHL.. I don't give Snow a Pass but I don't give him all the blame either...

Snow does have a lot of talent in our system. A lot of those players have not finished developing too. Guys like Brock, Strome, Kirill1/2, DeHaan, etc. I kind of feel like They tanked this year on purpose to get one last high pick. It is the only reason to allow Rolston, Wallace, Pandolfo, et al to continue playing as long as they did.
- niteislander

If thats that case. And I do believe that Wang has a lot to do with our wimpy team.
Then Snow has to get himself a set of Balls. Tell Wang. With all due respect. You dont have a clue when it comes to NHL hockey. You want a winner? Then let me build the team MY Way. Thats what I was hired to do. Let me do my job. This is the NHL. North American Hockey. This isnt Europe or China or Pee Wee. Men play here.

How can you compromise your beliefs and not get sickened when you look in the mirror?

put it this way.. .if you were Suter and someone is offering u 7 mill a year.. and Snow calls and says.. 10 mill for 2 years. You have to take the 20 mill. You say to yourself.. 2 years of my life for 6 extra mill... fuk it. I can live in NY.. etc.
- niteislander

Not if I'm going to say Tampa Bay where there is no state tax and the money was my primary motive.

No real argument with anything here... I have comment thou... "Outside of MM, PAP and Streit and Roloson, Snow hasn't signed one solid UFA since he took the job." That is 4 very solid players, add to them Konopka, Staios, Jurcina (everyone LOVED him last year) Mike Comrie... There are a few more.. granted we havent signed a super star, or a star for that matter.. but they have been some solid signings.

XxNYIxX
- XxNYIxX

In retort, I give him credit for the MM and PAP signings, but lets be honest: neither Snow nor anyone else knew what he was getting when he signed those two. It was pure luck that they worked out the way they did. Streit and Roloson had track records and Snow probably had competition for signing Streit and Roloson. I bet he had no competition signing MM or PAP.

As for the other guys, I don't think you can call Konopka a good signing, since Snow himself didn't see fit to bring him back and Ottawa has scratched him lately (full disclosure: I wanted him back this year and would love to get him back for next season). Staios and Jurcina are okay, but lets face it, they're back end guys. Comrie was a bit average too.

The truth is, for every Konopka, Comrie, etc., there are a Sim, Reasoner, Rolston (I know that was a trade), etc. With respect to free agents, Snow mostly signs back-end guys and on half of them he misses.

Nelson (traded up for at #30), Lee, Cizikas, Nilsson, Donovan, Ullstrom, Poulin, Martin, Hamonic, ness, Kabanov, Petrov............
- BringBackBalky

My bad, he is a Wizard.

I get a kick out of the same old story you keep hearing from the fan base, Not pointing fingers.

I keep hearing that " the UFA's don't want to sign here."

It is the GM's job to change this mindset. he has the ability to draw from the very successful past, to change the current thought of the team. He must be the salesman and create the passion in the Island again. This is his job..FAIL..

It is his job to recrute the players that are required to fit the system of play that he wants his team to play.... FAIL.... Unless that system is,,,Go get'em boys.

It is his job to find the players that can compliment the others he has already brought into the system, on both the AHL team and the NHL team...FAIL...

I changed my mind, F.
- bixll

I agree that his score is F .... Right now. My hope is the next couple of years that changes drastically. As far as the UFA's... if he can't get them to sign by offering them way more money. He needs to trade assets to get an already signed player.

My bad, he is a Wizard.
- bixll

Not saying he is, but just making a blanket statement about the top of the draft doesn't exactly mean anything.

If thats that case. And I do believe that Wang has a lot to do with our wimpy team.
Then Snow has to get himself a set of Balls. Tell Wang. With all due respect. You dont have a clue when it comes to NHL hockey. You want a winner? Then let me build the team MY Way. Thats what I was hired to do. Let me do my job. This is the NHL. North American Hockey. This isnt Europe or China or Pee Wee. Men play here.

How can you compromise your beliefs and not get sickened when you look in the mirror?
- SCLI

Amen.

It is money... and it Talks. They offer him enough to play here and he will be on the Island.
- niteislander

It hasnt worked in the past. Has It?

If thats that case. And I do believe that Wang has a lot to do with our wimpy team.
Then Snow has to get himself a set of Balls. Tell Wang. With all due respect. You dont have a clue when it comes to NHL hockey. You want a winner? Then let me build the team MY Way. Thats what I was hired to do. Let me do my job. This is the NHL. North American Hockey. This isnt Europe or China or Pee Wee. Men play here.

How can you compromise your beliefs and not get sickened when you look in the mirror?
- SCLI

I guess we should all run to our bosses and tell them this.

My bad, he is a Wizard.
- bixll

He should have traded nabby and PA like everyone on this board said. His playoff push is friggin dumb.

It hasnt worked in the past. Has It?
- SCLI

We never blew away the other offer.. just beat it by a small amount. I am talking blow them away

Early bets have Parise going to Minnesota and from what I've heard. (radio,tv) Suter is unhappy with the progress of the team in Nashville and wants out. So if he's not happy playing for a team that has a chance to go deep into the PO's. I dont think all the money in the world is gonna entice him to come to the perennial rebuild here on LI.
- SCLI

Exactly. If he's unhappy wiith Nashville's progress, how the he*l is he going to feel about the Isles "progress"? I'd love Suter, but lots of teams are going to throw stupid, close to Doughty money at him. With all those teams offering that money, it will be nearly impossible to entice Suter to Long Island.

It hasnt worked in the past. Has It?
- SCLI

Its not the money, it is a culture that must be created.

First off, the area is beautiful and just outside of one of the best Cities in the world. I never could understand the attaction to the Rangers and not the Isles. They are next door for christ sake.

Grath do your sales job.

I guess we should all run to our bosses and tell them this.
- BringBackBalky

If you have a problem with your job. Absolutely. Its called being a Man. Who else would you talk to?

I dont know you. And you dont know me. But I dont compromise my beliefs or my ideology.

Either your boss will respect you or he'll be pissed but regardless. Its the right thing to do.

Line up for the year ready?


THE SAME NOTHING WILL CHANGE.

WE will have teh same players with a couple of AHL veterans who should have retired about 10 years ago and starting next year Snow and Wang get creative and have a 4 headed monster in goal. Starring the true number one Nabby, with his side kick Poulin, the last one pick for any pick up hockey game DP and for good faith cause they want to hurt anyones feelings the outcast Montoya.

I dont know about you guys but I am excited to see how this plays out next year

Its not the money, it is a culture that must be created.

First off, the area is beautiful and just outside of one of the best Cities in the world. I never could understand the attaction to the Rangers and not the Isles. They are next door for sake.

Grath do your sales job.
- bixll

Tell me about it. Who in their right mind would choose the smell of urine and garbage over the fragrance of the ocean and fresh air?

And believe me. After working in NYC for nearly 2 decades. It does smell like Piss.

If you have a problem with your job. Absolutely. Its called being a Man. Who else would you talk to?

I dont know you. And you dont know me. But I dont compromise my beliefs or my ideology.

Either your boss will respect you or he'll be pissed but regardless. Its the right thing to do.
- SCLI

I shouldn't have used real life jobs vs. "fantasyland" jobs as an example. 2 totally different forums. Your right!

Very good post ...I'll add to your list:

That need to bring in a power forward to play on Tavares' line. Bobby Ryan and Dustin Brown come to mind. If they are available I would make a big play for them. Maybe Drew Stafford of Buffalo.

The second line is non existant. I would probably try to get another wing through free agency that can provide secondary scoring. I took a quick look at the free agency list. The best I saw outside of Parise was David Jones. Maybe you can Brad Boyes on the cheap. While I'd like Parise he wants $8 million and I heard he wants to go to Minnesota. Still think the Devils will sign him. Providing Parenteau signs I'd stick Bailey or Strome in between PA and the FA winger.

Draft Ryan Murray...Yakupov will be picked by Columbus. Murray is NHL ready...game is similiar to Denis Potvin. If he is taken probably by Edmonton, maybe trade the pick for an establish player. See my first comment.

While I like your idea of a defensive forward..I like Stoll, don't need him because you signed Neilsen long term and he would be the 3rd line checking/defensive center....
- kear20

Simple fixes:
1- Sign Nabby
2-Sign PA
3-Jettison RDP..hopefully with a buy out exemption withthenew CBA
UFA'S
4- Sign Grossman make a big offer.....probably resign with Flyers
5-Take a SERIOUS run at Gaustead!
6- Make a serious offer to Parise

Trade KO .....though injured at the moment, trade KO and Whomever to Calgary for Curtis Glencross
Make sure that a trio of Ness, Katic and DeHaan get a legitimate shot at making the big club.


Easier said than done ....we need to be aggressive and retool this club ...quickly!

Its not the money, it is a culture that must be created.

First off, the area is beautiful and just outside of one of the best Cities in the world. I never could understand the attaction to the Rangers and not the Isles. They are next door for christ sake.

Grath do your sales job.
- bixll

He's going to have a hard time selling Long Island to any free agents until he has a building in place for the long-term. The building and the facilities are awful on Long Island. There is also the little problem of the lease expiring in three years and no plan in place to keep the team in the area past the expiration of the lease.

I can understand the attraction to Rangers over Isles. Original six team, in Manhattan, play at MSG, NOT A THREAT TO MOVE TO ANOTHER STATE OR COUNTRY IN THREE YEARS. I think people continue to discount the affect the building has on the recruiting of UFA's. Its beyond how bad the facilities are. Its about the long-term uncertainty.

Think about it: If you're a UFA, your first and maybe only shot at a big pay-day and a long-term contract, you have a wife and kids that are going to be going where you decide to sign. Are you really going to consider the Isles when the team can't promise you that it will still be on Long Island (Brooklyn or Queens) past the 2014-15 season? Are you going to uproot your life and family's life to move to a place that you may have to move away from in three years and be forced to go to a place neither you nor your family wants to live?