I promise you I'm not drinking the kool-aid and I don't think this will happen but if the Isles win both of their games this weekend and Boston beats Washington today (very possible) then they would only be 3 points out. Once again, I do not believe this will happen but that is the situation.
- BringBackBalky

All that means is that they'll be 3 points behind Washington. It doesn't mean that Washington will still be in 8th place.

Yes, 14th and 15th place finishes with no potential to go higher are much better than 8th place finishes

Nolan didn't play Tambellini. He was perfectly comfortable playing Comeau when he earned his ice time. Other than those two, I must have missed all this young talent that Garth gave Nolan that he refused to play. I understand he didn't want to go through a rebuild. That's different than "only playing vets." I'm sure if you gave Nolan John Tavares, Taylor Hall, etc., he'd have no problem finding a way to slot them in. Hey, folks were still complaining about the coaches after Nolan playing Sim too much, or Rolston, etc., and saying they were taking ice time away from the kids. Coaches turn to their vets. It wasn't just Nolan.

As for the style of play, Nolan's style fit his players. He didn't have two or three lines of insane offensive firepower...he had good defensive forwards, and he used them appropriately. He made Hunter-Sillinger-Hilbert into a line to be reckoned with for crying out loud. Knowing your players' strengths and letting them play accordingly is better than Gordon trying to force Brendan Witt to play like Mike Green.

I was happy with the excitement level when Nolan coached. I don't know what to say if you find bottom-five finishes more exciting than the last game of the season against the Devils going to a shootout to determine the Isles' playoff fate in 2006-07. Heck, these days the team spends 3/4 of a game pinned in its own zone running around unsuccessfully after loose pucks like chickens with their heads cut off. That's exciting to you? Nolan's teams were better, tougher, and always ready to play.

Sorry to ramble, but I never understood why Isles fans are always so quick to trash people who have left the organization. Nolan was a good coach who did a lot with a little. Give the man his due. I don't care if no one hired him afterward. When he was head coach of the New York Islanders, the team played a gritty, tough brand of hockey, and we never saw him give broken-record interviews about the team needing to find the will to compete game after game.
- UIF

Did you already forget why Nolan was fired? Smyth left and snow went with the rebuilding option. Nolan wanted no part of it. Name one building block we had on that team or in the farm at that time. Did you forget they made the playoffs on a shootout win in the last game? Blake left, yashin was bought out, what other option did we have? How quickly people forget.

The PO push starts today? Mr Snow. You insult even the most casual of fans and solidify the belief of knowledgeable fans that your are a buffoon. Ponder this Mr Snow. The only thing that starts today should be the reality that this 14th place team YOU BUILT will not jump over SIX teams and make the PO's. Not this year, NOT next year and most likely not the year after that. Be truthful for a change. Stop treating us fans like illiterate morons. Be a man for once. Tell us what everyone but the most gullible of fans already knows. We need to hear from your mouth. Earn some respect.

Go ahead and say it, "Nothing positive will be done with this team before the lease runs out"! We dont plan on spending money. We will hover at the bottom of the cap floor and fill voids with band aids, rubber bands.& other teams castoffs. We will continue to defraud the fans and do as little as possible to improve this team. We will to stick to our plan. Knowing full well that it can not succeed. And since the arena deal is all but dead. We really no longer have any intention of succeeding here on LI.

And as for addressing the teams lack of scoring this summer. A little free advice. Alexi Yashin is not the answer so dont even insult us like you did last yr. As far as UFA go. Mark Parish & Jason Blake are finished and Ray Whitney is approaching 40 yrs old. And players like Dustin Penner and Steve Sullivan dont cut is either. So dont try and con us with acquisitions like those. We wont be fooled again. Its time you maned up Mr Snow and started telling the truth to the fans who pay your salary.




Eastern Conference GP W L OT PTS ROW GF GA HOME AWAY L10
NY Rangers 67 42 18 7 91 39 184 145 22-7-2 20-11-5 4-4-2
Boston 66 40 23 3 83 33 217 155 20-12-2 20-11-1 5-4-1
Florida 67 31 23 13 75 27 164 191 16-9-8 15-14-5 4-4-2
Pittsburgh 67 41 21 5 87 32 214 171 23-8-2 18-13-3 9-1-0
Philadelphia 66 38 21 7 83 36 218 193 17-10-5 21-11-2 7-3-0
New Jersey 67 38 24 5 81 28 189 177 18-12-3 20-12-2 5-4-1
Ottawa 69 36 25 8 80 31 213 202 18-13-3 18-12-5 7-3-0
Washington 67 33 28 6 72 32 178 190 22-10-3 11-18-3 4-5-1
Winnipeg 69 32 29 8 72 28 181 195 21-10-4 11-19-4 5-3-2
Buffalo 68 31 29 8 70 25 167 191 17-11-7 14-18-1 7-2-1
Tampa Bay 67 31 29 7 69 29 189 229 20-10-2 11-19-5 6-3-1
Toronto 67 30 30 7 67 27 200 209 16-13-5 14-17-2 2-7-1
Carolina 67 25 27 15 65 25 177 203 17-13-6 8-14-9 4-2-4
NY Islanders 67 28 30 9 65 23 156 200 15-14-5 13-16-4 4-5-1
Montréal 68 26 32 10 62 22 179 192 12-15-8 14-17-2 3-7-0
- SCLI

Whats he supposed to say? That even though we're not mathematically eliminated we've decided we're not going to make it so we're giving up? Geez, I know there are plenty of reasons to hate on the guy but really, if he said anything close to that he should be fired on the spot.

Whats he supposed to say? That even though we're not mathematically eliminated we've decided we're not going to make it so we're giving up? Geez, I know there are plenty of reasons to hate on the guy but really, if he said anything close to that he should be fired on the spot.
- PeteM

Dont tease me Pete.

I'll simplify things. If you dont have anything to say. Dont do the interview. Either lay it on the line with legitimate hockey talk or respectfully decline the interview. Snow insults every fan when he agrees to Nothing more then a BS session. No need to have an interview if your gonna blow smoke up our a$$es. Its become nauseating. We'll be 6 points out with 3 games to play and 4 teams ahead of us and he'll be saying the same $h!t. The guys a con artist.

If they lose it starts tomorrow.
- mighty13duck

Dee Karl: It Starts Tonight: One-on-one with Snow & Capuano
A few minutes spent during my lunch hour with the GM and an impromptu Q&A with the coach. More fan than reporter. But that's me.
- Dee Karl

It starts tonight? Seven points out of a playoff spot in 14th place in the conference? How stupid does Snow think we are? Is anyone else insulted by this?

I know that.

Check your PMs, dummy....
- potvin05

Maybe I'm doing it wrong but I don't have any messages? Mybe I am a dumby?

If they lose it starts tomorrow.
- mighty13duck

Thank you, this is the best post in a long time and even more funny because there is actually alot of truth behind it.

Also, as I sidenote, I have someething else to tell you.
yesterday I tweeted out a question as to Whose fault is it? Jack's or the players. I had an overwhelming response to the Q.

I copied and printed out every single one, including those that said the GM was at fault too.

He read them all. Every last one. And that was before he answered my questions.

Are the questions soft? Those on the tape, perhaps. But if you think my asking the "tough" questions is going to get us anywhere, you're mistaken.

The best thing I can do is continue to be a "fan advocate." I'm letting him know how the fanbase feels and what their concerns are.

Sorry... that's the best I can do.
- Dee Karl

Dee the only issues I really have with Garth is the signing of those "veterans" this year. I give him a pass on everything else b/c he is doing what so many before him has not.. He is letting the talent develop without making a drastic panic trade. In the long run I feel that blue print will pan out for the best. The questions I would like to get an answer is the ones from this season.

Why did we stick with Wallace, Rollston, Mottau for so long when they were not adding anything.. couldn't those spots have been better used on your young talent?

Why do we still continue to stick with Pandolfo and Reasoner? Same thing.. wouldn't those spots utilized on youth and/or toughness.

How come this team refuses to play guys who will drop the gloves? Tavares, Nino, and other players get killed out there and you at best have 2 guys willing to stick up for them (one now that Hamonic is wearing a mask). why is Haley and/or Gillies not on the team? is it Wang? if it is him should he really be able owning a team if he feels that strongly about not fighting? Doesn't he understand that is a part of hockey and when u have a team without it and your guys get bullied around it kills a locker room and team.

Did you already forget why Nolan was fired? Smyth left and snow went with the rebuilding option. Nolan wanted no part of it. Name one building block we had on that team or in the farm at that time. Did you forget they made the playoffs on a shootout win in the last game? Blake left, yashin was bought out, what other option did we have? How quickly people forget.
- Isles_since_6

No, I get that he didn't want to be a part of a rebuild, and said that in my post. But there's a difference between not wanting to coach during a full-blown rebuild and flat out refusing to play any kids. I think if Nolan had quality youth to play, he'd have played them. As evidence, he played Comeau when he was playing well. He never played Tambellini, which I believe is where the "he never gives the kids a chance" thing came from. But, well, he was right. Tambellini was a bad NHLer.

My problem isn't that we got rid of Nolan...if he didn't want to do a rebuild, then that's that. My problem is with us revising history saying he was boring and stuff like that. 2006-07 was a fun year...the last fun year we've seen. They started horribly, clawed their way back, fell off big time after DP got the concussion, then put a nice win streak together and found a way to get in on the last day of the season. For the talent they had, with all the predictions of them finishing last, they worked their tails off every game. That's fun to watch...kind of inspiring, actually. And I'll tell you what, if a couple of head-scratching video reviews would have went the other way, they could have put a much better series together against Buffalo. In all likelihood they still don't win the series...Buffalo had an awful lot of skill that year...but the Isles played them closer than the 5-game series would indicate.

These are the most ridicuolous answers to questions I've seen I think? "Bumholes don't become millionares"? What about Dolan? Is there a special clause for him? Seriously, stop writing and go bake a cake or somethig.
- Cptmjl

inherited doesn't count.

"We’re seven points out of a play-off spot. But we still have time to get back in. But it starts tomorrow."

Never go full retard.

It starts tonight? Seven points out of a playoff spot in 14th place in the conference? How stupid does Snow think we are? Is anyone else insulted by this?
- Cptmjl

Insulted?

you're wrong

Thank you, this is the best post in a long time and even more funny because there is actually alot of truth behind it.
- Cptmjl

Insulted?

you're wrong
- Dee Karl

In all seriousness Dee, if this is the best Wang, Snow and Jack can do, then, well, at the very least they need to bring in another brain here...maybe one that knows the ropes a little more and can offer some guidance based on experience, or maybe squeeze a little more out of other GMs during negotiations or something.

Arthur Staple ‏ @StapeNewsday
#Isles call up Micheal Haley on emergency basis. Casey Cizikas (flu) out tonight.


Arthur Staple ‏ @StapeNewsday
Nilsson in goal for #Isles tonight vs. Devils. Reese in on D, Jurcina scratched. Matt Martin (flu) out as well.

Dee the only issues I really have with Garth is the signing of those "veterans" this year. I give him a pass on everything else b/c he is doing what so many before him has not.. He is letting the talent develop without making a drastic panic trade. In the long run I feel that blue print will pan out for the best. The questions I would like to get an answer is the ones from this season.

Why did we stick with Wallace, Rollston, Mottau for so long when they were not adding anything.. couldn't those spots have been better used on your young talent?

Why do we still continue to stick with Pandolfo and Reasoner? Same thing.. wouldn't those spots utilized on youth and/or toughness.

How come this team refuses to play guys who will drop the gloves? Tavares, Nino, and other players get killed out there and you at best have 2 guys willing to stick up for them (one now that Hamonic is wearing a mask). why is Haley and/or Gillies not on the team? is it Wang? if it is him should he really be able owning a team if he feels that strongly about not fighting? Doesn't he understand that is a part of hockey and when u have a team without it and your guys get bullied around it kills a locker room and team.
- niteislander

We had a conversation about Rollston. He really did think he would have done more and his history suggested it. The toughness thing is a good question. I actually forgot to ask him about Gillies. I should have. I'll have to see if I can sneak in another question somehow.

Insulted?

you're wrong
- Dee Karl

I'm wrong? About what? Us not having a shot in hell? Please elaborate

We had a conversation about Rollston. He really did think he would have done more and his history suggested it. The toughness thing is a good question. I actually forgot to ask him about Gillies. I should have. I'll have to see if I can sneak in another question somehow.
- Dee Karl

Anybody here and anyone in hockey knew he would do nothing, he did nothing on the Devils last year just listen to any Devil fan tell you if you need too? After two months of watching the guy glide lifelessly on the first PP unit a five yr old couldve told you. If you are going to blog this shat at least back it up with common sense, I don't even mean to be insulting but come on. What was the point of the interview? What exactly did any of us learn from it about Garth and his plan or Capuano? Not trying to be a douche but don't waste your time with this. Not working

Arthur Staple ‏ @StapeNewsday
#Isles call up Micheal Haley on emergency basis. Casey Cizikas (flu) out tonight.


Arthur Staple ‏ @StapeNewsday
Nilsson in goal for #Isles tonight vs. Devils. Reese in on D, Jurcina scratched. Matt Martin (flu) out as well.
- UIF

Yep, and there's your toughness, although I really don't see JT getting pushed around this year as he had been.

I'm wrong? About what? Us not having a shot in hell? Please elaborate
- Cptmjl

Yes youre wrong.

The quote is a mindset not something literal.

Personally I don't think they have a shot in hell either, but you think I'd look Matt Moulson in the eye and say "go ahead, play like it doesn't mean anything, because it doesn't."

Now THAT would be an insult.

Arthur Staple ‏ @StapeNewsday
#Isles announce signing of F Mike Halmo of Owen Sound (OHL) to entry-level deal. Undrafted junior player may play in BPT after OHL season.


I looked up his stats...looks like an over-ager in the OHL, so the numbers will be misleading...but 40 goals and 84 points in 64 games. Maybe he gives B-port a little extra push for their run.

Great quote from Haley before the game: "Every game I get to play here is a chance to show I belong."

Big Angry Man wanted "heart" he'll see it tonight.

Great quote from Haley before the game: "Every game I get to play here is a chance to show I belong."

Big Angry Man wanted "heart" he'll see it tonight.

Anybody here and anyone in hockey knew he would do nothing, he did nothing on the Devils last year just listen to any Devil fan tell you if you need too? After two months of watching the guy glide lifelessly on the first PP unit a five yr old couldve told you. If you are going to blog this shat at least back it up with common sense, I don't even mean to be insulting but come on. What was the point of the interview? What exactly did any of us learn from it about Garth and his plan or Capuano? Not trying to be a douche but don't waste your time with this. Not working
- Cptmjl

I watched Rolston in his youth and was crushed when he left NJ. He was one of my favorites. I'm not going to lie, when we brought him back after his back, to back, to back, 30+ goal seasons in Minny, I was excited. He was an utter failure from the very beginning. Played a handful of games, got that high ankle sprain and didnt really recover that entire first year. We were all optimistic he would rebound in year 2, but it just got even worse

He did nothing well. Defensive liability, no compete along the boards, slow foot speed, and the most inaccurate slap shot in the history of the league.

How Garth parted with any assets, even one as poopty as Hunter, is beyond me. The only way it makes any sense is if he was reaching for the cap floor.