It starts tonight....
- potvin05

The playoff push starts tonight(sorry I'm stealing this from another poster but i had too!)!

What Jack Capuano calls passengers will be identified and replaced.

Yeah, I'll believe it when I see it.
- PeteM

Too little too late, same old story

Here is to Washington destroying us tonight. I am hoping we get creamed. We might as well get the best pick we can. So lets go CAPITALS!!!!!
- kasperrko

I just want them to get creamed because they simply don't deserve to win

we should all be hoping they lose every game from here on out...lets not sugar coat this season with a few meaningless wins at the end of the season.

bottomline, this season was a step backwards (hard to believe) from last year. if they win the last 10-15 games management could rationalize keeping the poop that runs this team as well as plays for this team. lose out (or a lot) and changes will have to be made.

ive been saying it since preseason (not sure why i cant drop it but) why haley hasnt been up all year absolutely blows my mind. its such a simple solution to the lack of passion and physicality and yet they guy gets no respect. pretty (frank)ed up.

what happened to matt martin?? i was on my honeymoon last week, i "missed" a few games and thank god didnt care to look at isles news during my R&R
- LetsGoIsles

Agreed. This team was never in the hunt. They flirted with getting into the hunt, but when you only had one high bounce off the bottom (5 points out, I think?), you were never in it. Not once since, what, October? did the team even crack the top 8...or even 9 (maybe they got to 10th once? Don't remember). Toronto was in the hunt this year. Winnipeg was in the hunt. Even Montreal at one point was in the hunt. The Isles and Canes were pretenders...they both threatened to legitimately climb into the race at varying times, but they spent more time toiling near last place than posing any serious challenge to the teams fighting for 8th. If management tries to say any differently, than it's either really bad spin or they're just seriously deluded.

Hopefully the Isles don't win any games from here on out so we don't have to hear again about how a few meaningless wins show that this team is capable of taking the league by storm as currently constituted. Work needs to be done. We shouldn't fool ourselves here...the Isles have a lot of holes to fill, and the Atlanta/Winnipeg perpetual rebuild is actually going better than ours is as of now.

- MadCap2008

we should all be hoping they lose every game from here on out...lets not sugar coat this season with a few meaningless wins at the end of the season.

bottomline, this season was a step backwards (hard to believe) from last year. if they win the last 10-15 games management could rationalize keeping the poop that runs this team as well as plays for this team. lose out (or a lot) and changes will have to be made.

ive been saying it since preseason (not sure why i cant drop it but) why haley hasnt been up all year absolutely blows my mind. its such a simple solution to the lack of passion and physicality and yet they guy gets no respect. pretty (frank)ed up.

what happened to matt martin?? i was on my honeymoon last week, i "missed" a few games and thank god didnt care to look at isles news during my R&R
- LetsGoIsles

If we won every game from this point out after what happened last season if "management"(I say that with quotes because do we really have any management?)thinks its a good idea to keep the team the way it is then they should be shot.

It starts next season. Wang is so confident that he raised the ticket prices to share the excitement.
- mighty13duck

Whaa you mean we averaging 13,000 fans a home game this season? We're gonna be bottom 5 team again... When do these fans learn Garth?

RAISE THE TICKET PRICES GARTH !!!!

Good Boy, now lets go get tasty dumplings

Off topic. I believe some of you may enjoy this bit of TV nostalgia.

http://www.youtube.com/embed/Njs9NuDopC4

Enjoy! I did.
- SCLI

love that.. ty. although it sent me off on one heck of a Related videos tangent.

http://www.sportsnet.ca/h...nces_retirement_from_nhl/ kind of shocking.. He still can play. He is a moron.. but he can still play.

There wasn't anything stopping them from bringing him back up again on a "non-emergency" basis though, was there? Guy played hard when he was here...threw some hits, provided some energy, showed some life, and even created a couple of scoring chances. I really wish I knew what management's problem is with him. He didn't even take a penalty that I recall other than a fighting major, which is what people were saying doomed him to exile for the entire season in the first place -- a few preseason penalties.

I don't mean to suggest that Haley's the solution to our problems here...but he does bring a couple things that this team sorely lacks...passion and toughness. Not to mention, the season's over...at least sit some boring spare part and put in someone that will entertain the paying fans with a few nice hits and fights.
- UIF

You are only allowed 4 emergency call-ups after the trade deadline, nothing else.

You are only allowed 4 emergency call-ups after the trade deadline, nothing else.
- eichiefs9

I see. Invent something then. I think Marty Reasoner might have a sore leg, or a case of the flu

Here's my rant for the day. Its a bit of a carry over from yesterday, when I ranted about how sh**ty the team is after this past weekend's horrid performances.

People appear to be on both sides of the fence on this team. Some think its headed in the right direction, some don't. I think its a hybrid. I think prospect-wise, the team is headed in the right direction, but not in other areas. If this team is going to finish above the bottom five in the league next year, lots of stuff has to happen:

1) DP needs to be bought out or waived for the purposes of sending him to B-port. Its sad that his career has spiraled downward the way it has, but Nilsson and Poulin are knocking on the doorstep and DP is in their way. He's got to go.

2) re-sign Nabokov and PAP ONLY IF they are fair deals. I don't want to see the Isles have to drastically overpay either guy to get them to stay. If they can be re-signed to fair deals, get it done. If not, let them walk.

3) Fire Capuano and bring in a legit NHL-tested coach. Cappy is in over his head. His horrid handling of the roster this year (albeit, a bad roster) and the team's performance warrant dismissal. Cappy wasted an entire year of Nino's development by burying him on the fourth line and skating Rolston over him for no other reason other than Rolston was a vet (though force-fed Nino by Snow). Time to move on and bring in a coach who has both credibility and respect in the NHL community at whatever the salary cost.

4) Make offers to Parise, Weber and/or Suter, but don't expect any to sign. It can't hurt to make offers to show the fans and players on the team you're trying to improve and maybe a miracle happens and one of them sign. Just don't bet on it.

5) Refrain from making offers to scabs (i.e. Reasoners, Sims, Pandolfo's, Wallaces, Mottaus, Eatons, Jurcinas, etc.). If Snow can't get legit top six forwards or top four d-men to sign here or through a trade, then don't waste roster spots on guys that are just placeholders. Might as well promote guys from Bridgeport (Ullstrom, Cizikas, Donavan, de Haan, etc.) that can use those spots to develop rather than waste them on bums that don't have any future.

6) ticket Nino for Bridgeport, Strome for the OHL. No need to rush Strome to the NHL and waste a year of his development like they did with Nino. Give Strome a 9-game look if he warrants it. If he's ripping it up, then think of keeping him up. If he's not, send him back to JR. Nino needs to start in B-port. If he starts lighting it up, he can be recalled. But based on this season, Nino is nowhere near ready for the NHL.

The likelihood of any of this happening is remote, and maybe I'm wrong. But I don't see a better finish in the standings by bringing back this roster and coaching staff for another year.
- Jethro09

Agree on all points except #3 Cappy did not mis handle the roster (IF you are referring to callups, demotions etc......) Snow handles that part! Am concerned how many bad starts the Islanders have had and at times their listless play!
THAT IS Cappy's responsibility!!!!!

Agree on all points except #3 Cappy did not mis handle the roster (IF you are referring to callups, demotions etc......) Snow handles that part! Am concerned how many bad starts the Islanders have had and at times their listless play!
THAT IS Cappy's responsibility!!!!!
- Mike C

My problem with Cappy, aside from the fact that the team isn't ready to play night in and night out, as evidenced by the bad starts and listless play, is that he chose to skate Rolston over Nino when he was forced both guys on the roster by Snow. Cappy could have done the right thing and moved Nino up to the third line to give him a shot with better players when Rolston's bad play should have removed him from any top-nine forward spot. Instead, Cappy kept Rolston among the top nine, despite his awful play and placed Rolston on the PP to boot. That was the poor roster management that I was referring to.

I love all the days off this team gets. I mean really they suck they should be working every single day. They will have time off in April through like august. It shows on the ice every night how this team is runned. Like a bunch of kindergartens. In fact it might be their nap time right now

My problem with Cappy, aside from the fact that the team isn't ready to play night in and night out, as evidenced by the bad starts and listless play, is that he chose to skate Rolston over Nino when he was forced both guys on the roster by Snow. Cappy could have done the right thing and moved Nino up to the third line to give him a shot with better players when Rolston's bad play should have removed him from any top-nine forward spot. Instead, Cappy kept Rolston among the top nine, despite his awful play and placed Rolston on the PP to boot. That was the poor roster management that I was referring to.
- Jethro09

Didn't you hear? Rolston's problem here was that he didn't get enough ice time.

Whaa you mean we averaging 13,000 fans a home game this season? We're gonna be bottom 5 team again... When do these fans learn Garth?

RAISE THE TICKET PRICES GARTH !!!!

Good Boy, now lets go get tasty dumplings
- Killer' Carlson

http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/2012/03/13/report_sean_avery_announces_retirement_from_nhl/ kind of shocking.. He still can play. He is a moron.. but he can still play.
- niteislander

I may get killed for this but this is a player we could actually use. aside from all his off ice antics we don't have a player like this. He can put up points, agitate, hit and drop em' from time to time. Hate to say it but we could use him. Probably get him pretty cheap now too.

Before you guys kill me too much...i'm not sure who else would be available to fill this type of role who would actually considering signing here. Feel free to tell me.

I may get killed for this but this is a player we could actually use. aside from all his off ice antics we don't have a player like this. He can put up points, agitate, hit and drop em' from time to time. Hate to say it but we could use him. Probably get him pretty cheap now too.

Before you guys kill me too much...i'm not sure who else would be available to fill this type of role who would actually considering signing here. Feel free to tell me.
- gaf92

MICHAEL HALEY!!!!

I may get killed for this but this is a player we could actually use. aside from all his off ice antics we don't have a player like this. He can put up points, agitate, hit and drop em' from time to time. Hate to say it but we could use him. Probably get him pretty cheap now too.

Before you guys kill me too much...i'm not sure who else would be available to fill this type of role who would actually considering signing here. Feel free to tell me.
- gaf92

I think haley is a better hockey player in every aspect. We just don't play him for some unknown reason. Avery takes some of the dumbest penalties I have ever seen too. You are up by 2 goals with 5 minutes left... I am going to cross check a guy in the face and give them a 4 minute power play.

MICHAEL HALEY!!!!
- UIF

beat me to it.

Didn't you hear? Rolston's problem here was that he didn't get enough ice time.
- UIF

In Rolston's eyes, he should get 22 mins a game so he can put up a good 35 points. THe guy thinks ice time should be handed to him, never tried to work for it.

Didn't you hear? Rolston's problem here was that he didn't get enough ice time.
- UIF

I agree with Rolston. Him Pandolfo and Reasoner should have been our first line. Maybe then we would be in the playoffs? I blame Capuano on that one.

In Rolston's eyes, he should get 22 mins a game so he can put up a good 35 points. THe guy thinks ice time should be handed to him, never tried to work for it.
- rmdevil313

Do not insult Rolston, he is the answer to the Bruins future dynasty!

Whaa you mean we averaging 13,000 fans a home game this season? We're gonna be bottom 5 team again... When do these fans learn Garth?

RAISE THE TICKET PRICES GARTH !!!!

Good Boy, now lets go get tasty dumplings
- Killer' Carlson

Didn't you hear? Rolston's problem here was that he didn't get enough ice time.
- UIF

Oh. that's right. My bad.