As the Islanders “trail of tears… continues tonight in Los Angeles against the Kings, the team continues to search for answers to end a losing streak that has now reached eight games. Their needs to be one common cause here and all parties from owner to skate sharpener need to be on the same page. However in my opinion the top of the Islander organization is hanging its staff and players out to dry by being invisible through this mess of a season. The top of the organization reminds me of a European abbey where monks take a vow of silence. At this point a desperate fanbase just wants to hear something. Here is my advice for Islanders Owner Charles Wang and General Manager Garth Snow; SAY ANYTHING!
Anything would be a start; with not a peep coming from Islander top brass the coaching staff is left on an island. Despite the song and dance we hear from Islander head coach Jack Capuano no reasonable person in sane mental health believes a word coming out of his mouth. More importantly I believe his captain John Tavares doesn’t believe it. When Capuano uses phrases like “team played hard… and “we can’t catch a break… the captain is using words like “where is the passion… and the “team needs to have some pride.… This is proof of a clear disconnect between the players and staff.
The mess flows up stream to Islander General Manager Garth Snow who to be blunt has failed his coaching staff, his players and his fanbase. At this point coming out and just being honest could help. It would not hurt if he spoke about his offseason signings not working out or how he didn’t have adequate depth to cover the loss of injuries. Snow needs to admit to his mistakes, and tell the fanbase that he is trying desperately to fix it.
Then there is owner Charles Wang. The fans need to hear from him. And they need to hear a candid conversation with him. Not the softball song and dance that he gives when he is on MSG+. There is no question that the team is losing money. How much he is losing is debatable but Wang could simply come out and say that this losing culture is not acceptable and I have allocated funds for Garth Snow to try and fix this problem. The bottom line is; the fans. The fans deserve a better fate. Being honest with them would go a long way and would at least help them understand what has gone wrong. The organization has to be accountable as well. The dead weight on this roster needs to be moved aside and if this season is truly lost why not give these kids a chance to play.
Brock Nelson deserves ice time. He has earned it and is not being rewarded for his hard work. That is an awful message to send to the rest of the team. Matt Donovan deserves ice time. While he has made mistakes the Islanders need to see if he is part of the long term future of the team. He has been a good foot solider and has not whined or sulked. He went down to the AHL and through five games in Bridgeport he has six points. Then there is Ryan Strome and Anders Lee. Both have been on a tear over the past month and are deserving of a look with the big club. After three more points last night Strome now leads the AHL in points and Lee can add size and strength to the lineup. I don’t understand the fear of calling them up; if they fail you can simply send them back down. It isn’t a NHL or juniors decision. The Islanders have far more options regarding the two. What it boils down to is the fans need to hear from the powers that are running the team. It is time for a clear message from the team and a plan to fix this debacle. Everyone needs to get on the same page. Until then we are all John Cusack standing on the team’s front lawn, boom box in hand, simply desperate to hear…ANYTHING.