I'm not sure how you can call it a fluke. I’m not a fan of Sather, but he’s been building this team for quite a few years. He’s drafted some pretty key players, like Dubinsky, Callahan, Staal, Del Zotto, Hagelin, Stepan, Ansimov, let them slowly develop. Done whatever it took to keep Lundqvist in the fold (also after drafting him). And augmented that with some free agent signings that have been huge for the team, and essentially gotten them to the next level, in Richards and Gaborik.

Yeah, in the past, his free agent signings have been his weakness. He’s thrown big money at the wrong players in the past. His last couple are huge though. But he’s ALWAYS rocked the other GMs in terms of trades, easily. No question. His drafting and development has built the majority of the team.

I think he gets too much credit for the Oiler dynasty. He walked into a team that would have pretty easily won those cups with a monkey at the helm. And pre-lockout, throwing money at everything was his M.O., and it didn’t work. You can say the cap forced him to all you want, but he’s adjusted, and built this Rangers team through every method a GM has available to him, and done so pretty well. The Rangers being in the conf finals is no fluke. It’s been building this way for a years.
- prock

You seem to have a severe problem picking up on sarcassam?

Cpt should have put a after his post. He wasn't serious...
- UIF

Do you really think it needed it

your vocabulary is impeccable...youre sarcasm detection skills, not so much
- LetsGoIsles

Ahh. Well, regardless, it's what some seem to be seriously suggesting. It's pretty silly.

I don't know...If I remember right, back during the last round of penny-pinching owners, no one was ready to blame Milbury because of all the restraints he had on him. But when those restraints were lifted, he didn't exactly become GM of the decade. Bad GMs always have an excuse until there are no more excuses left. Good GMs find ways to at least have some limited success even in bad situations.
- UIF

your comparing apples and oranges...when milbury was around the islanders were a decent team, they had a good prospect pool, they were competing, the main issue at the time wasnt where theyll be after 2015, the arena wasnt falling apart (or at least as much as it is today)....garth was given a bad team, no prospect pool (thanks to MM), team wasnt competing, have the uncertainty on the forefront of everyones mind, and the building sucks....not to mention they have 1 dictator who calls the shots as opposed to multiple owners who MIGHT HAVE had different views as wang and therefore we able to interject and make more hockey decisions based on the fact they too are owners...

im not saying garth is GM or the decade or year or month or anything...im saying its just inconclusive because no one knows who is calling the shots from day to day, where as (just about) every other team we know who to point the finger at

I think most people on here feel the same way about you.
- Cptmjl

once again, drawing your own conclusions.....

sometimes i wish i knew who these guys are that i talk with...i almost hope they are 12 year old boys who have no reason to understand the realities of building up a business/team and that it takes time and its a step by step process....cjtly cant wrap his hear around the fact that i give garth very limited credit for what he has done; garth is a tool and a puppet...my opinion, which has always been the same is that, i can never fully blame garth on ANY move because in any move we dont know how hard wang is pulling on the reigns.
- LetsGoIsles

I know you are referring to me with this post. Let me ask you something, did you ever "build up a business" ? I have. Did you ever even watch/witness a team getting built? I can say I have, have you? I bet you have done very little or witnessed very little. Yeah, that's right. I'm going to assume that. I don't need any facts to back that up. You making this post("12 year old boys who have no reason to understand the realities of building up a business/team") is implying that you think the Islanders are building a business properly, am I wrong for assuming that?

once again, drawing your own conclusions.....
- LetsGoIsles

I've seen enough to draw this conclusion.

Still Bored...let's do the Rangers later round picks.

1986- Rurcotte 6th round 635 games.
1987 Mike sullivan in 4th round 709 games
1988- Dennis Vial 6th round 242 games. (Amonte in 4th round)
1989- Oksiuta in 10th 153 games .. Aaron Miller in 5th 677 games .. Cummins in the 4th 511 games
1990 - Sergei nemchinov in the 12th round.. wow 761 games.. Zubov in the 5th 1068 games
1991 and 1992- meh
1993 - Todd Marchant 1195 games 7th round
1994 Kim Johnsson in the 11th 739 games and Eric Boulton in the 9th round 600 games
1995 Purinton int he th 181 games and Marc Savard in the 4th
1997 Mottau in the 7th 313 games York in the 6th 179 games..
1998 Tonas Kloucek in the 5th 141 games.
2000 Henrik in the 7th.. guy sux.
2001 Hollweg in the 8th 228 games.. hate him. and Zidlicky in the 6th 570 games.
2002 Prucha in the 8th 346 games and Crabbin the 7th 144 games
2003 Dylon Reese in the 7th... wooooo Dawes in the 5th 212 games
2005 Callahan in the 4th


Hopefully I didn't list anyone that has passed...

im not saying garth is GM or the decade or year or month or anything...im saying its just inconclusive because no one knows who is calling the shots from day to day, where as (just about) every other team we know who to point the finger at


Isles have all this BS uncertainty hoopla around them, deranged(we think) owner, Rags are up 1-0 in the conference finals against the Devils...How much worse can it get?

Now would be the perfect time for our owner and GM to trot out our new Head Coach for 2012-2013.......drumroll.......

Dale Hunter!!!!

im not saying whether kreider or nino is better...clearly for the extremely limited sample size of kreider and the not-as-extremely-but-still-pretty-limited-sample-size of nino, kreider has been the "better player"

having said that, if you are going to formulate a comparison between the 2 players, you NEED to include:

Kreider plays with Callahan and Stepan on the 2nd line
Nino played with Reasoner and pandolfo on the 4th line
- LetsGoIsles

I have no idea who will be the better player, but I do know that Kreider was brought along far better than Nino was. Nino was not NHL-ready this year. It doesn't matter who Nino was playing with. He shouldn't have been playing in the NHL This past year.

I have no idea who will me the better plauer, but I do know that Kreider was brought along far better than Nino was. Nino was not NHL-ready this year. It doesn't matter who Nino was playing with. He shouldn't have been playing in the NHL This past year.
- Jethro09

I actually think it’s quite the feat, playing 55 games and having 1 point to show for it.

Kreider CHOSE to stay in BC. This was not the Rangers doing.. it was Kreider's doing. He went back for his junior year. e is 21 years old.. Nino is 19. The logic behind having Nino play this year in the NHL is they did not think he could learn anything more in Juniors AND NHL rules stipulate he can not go to the AHL. Everyone who hates the Islanders seem to scream from the high heavens we "rush our players" into the NHL. How come no one complains when Boston, Philly, Edmonton, etc. do the same thing? Nino is a 19 year old kid who has a year under his belt in the NHL. Next year he may end up starting in B-port... none of this "hurt his developement". He is very very young.. the only thing Nino is in need of is Patience from the fans.
- niteislander

There is no proof that Kreider was approached by the Rangers to sign early and that he turned them down. The Rangers likely decided it wouldn't so the kid good to develop before signing him.

Big differences and the other teams you listed: the other teams 19 year oles WERE NHL-READY (see Seguin , Couturier, Hall, RNH). Nino was not NHL ready. Snow and Co. made the mistake in believing Nino was NHL-ready. That is the common denominator for the isles rushing of prospects. I don't care how old Nino is or what he did in Portland or who he was playing with. Nino was not NHL-ready this season. He was only on the team so the isles could get his cap number to count towards the salary floor, which is the wrong reason to have had him in the NHL last year.

I actually think it’s quite the feat, playing 55 games and having 1 point to show for it.
- prock

For an 19 year old it is... especially playing with Reasoner and a 97 year old Pandolfo.

There is no proof that Kreider was approached by the Rangers to sign early and that he turned them down. The Rangers likely decided it wouldn't so the kid good to develop before signing him.

Big differences and the other teams you listed: the other teams 19 year oles WERE NHL-READY (see Seguin , Courturier, Hall, RNH). Nino was not NHL ready. Snow and Co. made the mistake in believing Nino was NHL-ready. That is the common denominator for the isles rushing of prospects. I don't care how old Nino is or what he Did in Portland or who he was playing with. Nino was not NHL-ready this past season. He was on the roster because the isles needed his
- Jethro09

I guess you missed Larry Brooks' 2 articles on the kid last year. The Rangers CLEARLY wanted him to leave last year and he went back to colleg to try for a Championship.. mission accomplished by the way.

edit.. no idea why this entire post is bold.. none.

I have no idea who will me the better plauer, but I do know that Kreider was brought along far better than Nino was. Nino was not NHL-ready this year. It doesn't matter who Nino was playing with. He shouldn't have been playing in the NHL This past year.
- Jethro09

agreed

I guess you missed Larry Brooks' 2 articles on the kid last year. The Rangers CLEARLY wanted him to leave last year and he went back to colleg to try for a Championship.. mission accomplished by the way.

edit.. no idea why this entire post is bold.. none.
- niteislander

For his Jr year, not his freshman and sophomore years.

I have no idea who will me the better plauer, but I do know that Kreider was brought along far better than Nino was. Nino was not NHL-ready this year. It doesn't matter who Nino was playing with. He shouldn't have been playing in the NHL This past year.
- Jethro09

I wouldn't argue this point..I just am not as sure as other's are how it was detrimental to his developement.

For his Jr year, not his freshman and sophomore years.
- Jethro09

He wrote them last year too

I wouldn't argue this point..I just am not as sure as other's are how it was detrimental to his developement.
- niteislander

Because he was utterly embarrassed for the whole year in the NHL, and as a goal scorer, he finished the entire season scoring...one goal. It wouldn't be surprising at all if that had an impact on his confidence going forward, imo.

I know you are referring to me with this post. Let me ask you something, did you ever "build up a business" ? I have. Did you ever even watch/witness a team getting built? I can say I have, have you? I bet you have done very little or witnessed very little. Yeah, that's right. I'm going to assume that. I don't need any facts to back that up. You making this post("12 year old boys who have no reason to understand the realities of building up a business/team") is implying that you think the Islanders are building a business properly, am I wrong for assuming that?
- Cptmjl

A) i wasnt referring to you; i specifically said your name...wasnt that you stressing reading comp?

B) i have watched/witnessed teams being built from the ground up...and in certain aspects YES i think they are moving in the right direction, most notably sticking to the youth movement and NOT depletion the system of their prospects...plenty of things are not being done correctly, most notable, in terms of on ice product, people (read: wang) interjecting their opinion in other peoples (read: snow) expertise and department.

A) i wasnt referring to you; i specifically said your name...wasnt that you stressing reading comp?

B) i have watched/witnessed teams being built from the ground up...and in certain aspects YES i think they are moving in the right direction, most notably sticking to the youth movement and NOT depletion the system of their prospects...plenty of things are not being done correctly, most notable, in terms of on ice product, people (read: wang) interjecting their opinion in other peoples (read: snow) expertise and department.
- LetsGoIsles

using expertise and Snow in the same sentence makes you lose what little credibility you may have had, thats a fact!

I actually think it’s quite the feat, playing 55 games and having 1 point to show for it.
- prock

It is, we're hoping in a couple years he can reach Kadri's potential?

Ahh. Well, regardless, it's what some seem to be seriously suggesting. It's pretty silly.
- prock

It sure is. Re-read the beginning of the comments if you're looking for a laugh.

It is, we're hoping in a couple years he can reach Kadri's potential?
- Cptmjl

Joke if you like. But Kadri fared a LOT better than that, and the Leafs sent him down anyway. I don't think the Leafs have been handling Kadri that well, but Niedereiter? They could be screwing him up big time.

your comparing apples and oranges...when milbury was around the islanders were a decent team, they had a good prospect pool, they were competing, the main issue at the time wasnt where theyll be after 2015, the arena wasnt falling apart (or at least as much as it is today)....garth was given a bad team, no prospect pool (thanks to MM), team wasnt competing, have the uncertainty on the forefront of everyones mind, and the building sucks....not to mention they have 1 dictator who calls the shots as opposed to multiple owners who MIGHT HAVE had different views as wang and therefore we able to interject and make more hockey decisions based on the fact they too are owners...

im not saying garth is GM or the decade or year or month or anything...im saying its just inconclusive because no one knows who is calling the shots from day to day, where as (just about) every other team we know who to point the finger at
- LetsGoIsles

Oh yeah. The way you look at things how would you know who to point the finger at? You need "factual proof" for any statement or opinion. I need to prove to you that Snow actually wanted to sign Rolston(*trade), Jurcina, Eaton, Mottau, and Reasoner to contracts to reach the floor and it wasn't Wang's idea to sign these hockey legends. How do you know its not Dolan drafting and signing all those players for the Rangers? Maybe Sather has nothing to do with it? I have no "factual" evidence of it.
I wonder, if the team was doing great would you give Wang credit for building this team or would we be allowed to post what a good job Snow was doing without you telling us we couldn't "factually" prove to you it was Snow's doing so we can't really say that? If this team has a winning record next year (don't hold your breath)you'll be the first one to say, "I told you so"! Guaranteed. I will follow it up with that I want "factual" proof that Snow actually built the team and it wasn't Wang.