The New York Islanders return to home ice tonight to take on a Tampa team that has embarrassed them twice already this season. This is the only game in the league tonight and all eyes will be on the Isles. This could be a perfect time to make some major changes to try and salvage this season.
Jaroslav Halak will make his six straight start. He will play against a team that he has been pulled twice against already this year. If only there were other goalies on this roster. Travis Hamonic will play tonight as he is magically healed. The Isles will now dress seven dmen tonight and rotate the forwards. Yeah, that should work. With the decisions that this staff makes on a daily basis, this crap writes itself.
All of this smells of one word, desperation. This team is a dumpster fire, there is no other way to put it. I have spoken to people with knowledge of the situation some of their responses are both alarming and hilarious. One player called the coach “clueless.… I have been told that new owner Jonathan Ledecky is “irate,… “furious… and “demands a fix now.… Take all of this at face value but one thing is clear, this ship is sinking.
It is sinking quickly too, like someone torpedoed the ammo room. This entire coaching staff has to go now! But with being said, Islanders General Manager and invisible man Garth Snow CANNOT be allowed to hire the next head coach. That is like letting your toddler babysit your newborn. So how can we make this work and save the season?
There are a couple of scenarios that crossed my mind. First, Ledecky forces Snow to fire the coaching staff and then the new owner tell Snow who the next head coach is. You simply don’t see a General Manager and Head Coach fired at the same time so this is something that could work.
However I would choose this approach. Fire everyone. From General Manager to Head Coach to the assistants to the guy who freezes the pucks. I would then bring in a big name former player to be Vice President. He could name an interim GM or hire one in the offseason and I’m sure Chris Lamoriello could help as well. I would then interview Ralph Krueger or Marc Crawford as the next head coach. I think both are worth a look and with the season in full gear you won’t be able to lure any team’s assistants. I know there are holes in both of these scenarios but I’m trying to figure something out and provide some answers. This cannot wait until the offseason. They can’t throw away another season and I do not want this staff drafting or “developing… anyone else. There is no prefect solution but I believe we all agree that something has to be done immediately.