if anything.... Montreal would rather deal with Edmonton for the #1 spot. Edmonton needs D in the worst way. Now there would be a possible angle.
- B.D. Gallof

it would actually be a prefect fit...the number 1 pick and gagner or MPS

it would actually be a prefect fit...the number 1 pick and gagner or MPS
- NYI78

i think thats severe overpayment by the oilers...youre essentially saying Nail yakupov and gagne or mps for PK subban (who is (apparently) already walking a fine line in Montreal)

highly doubtful. just like his Semin rumor last season which had no merit whatsoever.

his 75% isn't on Isles hockey. Not sure where you are getting that from.

The chances the Isles trade out of 1st round is very slim, and above all, would only trade for someone locked into a contract who is young. PK is a RFA, so within the realm of possibility but here is the problem...

Isles have yet to trade ANY rebuild chip. de Haan is projected to be a possible #2 dman. Montreal could get much better return if PK was to be shopped.
- B.D. Gallof

The 75% was on what he has said an what ended up happening,
now dont get me wrong, Rumors are Rumors, so I understand that,
plus not basing it only on hockey, just on all sports that he says.

Sorry but if MTL has the 3rd pick, an we have the 4th pick, an if DeHaan is suppose to be a #2 D-man, that sets up MTL real good for the future....

The fans have been TOO patient. This team has been sputtering for almost two decades, sans a couple of seasons in the early 2000's. While Garth's "rebuild" may have only begun during the summer of 2008, this organization's "rebuild" has been going on for decades. Its about time someone got it right.

For the past two decades, the common denominator has been the same with this team: poor ownership. Ever since John Pickett sold to the Gang of Four, the ownership situation with this team has been dreadful. None of the ownership groups since the Gang of Four has been able to get an arena deal done or maintain a competitive payroll. And sadly, none of the ownership groups since Roy Boe have genuinely had the Isles' as their no. 1 priority, including Charles Wang, who I believe bought the team as a real estate investment more than anything else.

I don't like to read or hear (or write) negative stuff about the Islanders, but as fans the only way our displeasure with things can be shown is by expressing it. I think fans' "impatience" stems from long before Garth's tenure began. Its not as if the Isles were a model of consistency and success before Garth took over. Garth's "rebuild" has shown no improvement with the on-ice product at the NHL level for the past four seasons. Yes, the farm system is in much better shape and the core of the team is promising, but none of that promise has impacted the NHL product yet. Phoenix has been league-owned and under threat to move for the past three years, yet they consistently compete and just made it to the Western Conference Finals. The time for excuses is over.
- Jethro09

Well said.

i assume kasper is out buying his RDP jersey???

i think thats severe overpayment by the oilers...youre essentially saying Nail yakupov and gagne or mps for PK subban (who is (apparently) already walking a fine line in Montreal)
- LetsGoIsles

if subban is traded its going to be for alot....defense is so sparse

I understand your frustration I truly do.. but let's not get carried away. In 2009 when Phx made the playoffs it was the first time in 8 years. This year was the first time they ever made it out of the first round since they moved the team there in 1996. They had a great run and have a really solid young team with some great young prospects too... They were EXACTLY where we are in 2008.

As BD's article states this is a pretty big year for the Islanders. This owner and GM has to show improvement and make the playoffs. This is year 5 of the rebuild they both said would take 5 years. To include the Milbury, Spano, 4 dingbats and other nonsense with this rebuild is entirely unfair. All of those picks from those years are gone... all of those GM's, Owners, Players, etc. The only player from those 20 years of garbage is Franz. It seem right when a franchise is at it's last chance moment they turn it around (Penguins, Phx, etc.). I can only hope and pray this will be our last chance turn around... or else they are gone.
- niteislander

I'm not holding Snow accountable for the failures of prior ownership. I'm holding the organization accountable. 20 years of poor ownership, unresolved arena issues and non-competitive payroll levels can't be dismissed as irrelevant. Every time ownership and management changed over the last 20 years, the organization did not improve (except for the three seasons followingYashin/Peca)

Guys ....... wondering, dont know if anyone is on twitter, but if so
anyone follow Incarcerated BOB,
whether or not you find him accurate or not, I do find him
to be about 75% rite on things...
yesterday he tweeted about the 4th pick + DeHaan for Subban
whats your take, I dont know if theres more to it but I like it...
- Ur Not Me

Overpayment. Too much to give up for Subban.

Guys ....... wondering, dont know if anyone is on twitter, but if so
anyone follow Incarcerated BOB,
whether or not you find him accurate or not, I do find him
to be about 75% rite on things...
yesterday he tweeted about the 4th pick + DeHaan for Subban
whats your take, I dont know if theres more to it but I like it...
- Ur Not Me

Incarcerated Bob is 75% bullsh!t. The other 25%? Horsesh!t.

One point to note...

The Isles rebuild began at the 2008 draft... that is less than 4 years ago. And no rebuild: Caps, Blackhawks, Penguins or such has been any faster. Pens took 5 years and got a generational player... no, actually two of them. Tavares is neither Crosby or Malkin, despite the wonderful development into a key player.

You can complain about Garth's tenure, but it was not until the 2008 season under Nolan as the team just fell apart that a rebuild was decided on and committed to.

I think what comes into play into fan feelings/perception is fact of the miserable years under Milbury and above all... the very frustrating and concerning venue situation. Also, only Frans and Okposo were integral pieces in system before this, so not working with a whole lot here (Andy Mac in my mind is a depth Dman)

So, I think we all need to add those factors to the issues here to really make an assessment.
- B.D. Gallof

Finally someone who see's Mac for what he is

I'm not holding Snow accountable for the failures of prior ownership. I'm holding the organization accountable. 20 years of poor ownership, unresolved arena issues and non-competitive payroll levels can't be dismissed as irrelevant. Every time ownership and management changed over the last 20 years, the organization did not improve (except for the three seasons followingYashin/Peca)
- Jethro09

so what exactly do you expect them to do about it? Pull a Milbury and start trading youth for middle of the pack NHLers and watch the kids develop somewhere else ala Bertuzzi, McCabe, Chara, Spezza, etc?

It's easy to say make a trade but the reality is that was what gutted this franchise, a lack of patience and trading away quality youth for questionable returns.

They either make a trade which I think has a better chance of ending poorly, continue to draft and sign UFA's. Granted, the UFA's they can sign are bottom of the barrel, the players they're drafting aren't NHL ready and trading away draft picks and young players caused this rebuild in the first place. So what's the option?

Finally someone who see's Mac for what he is
- eichiefs9

i would like to see donovan play with hamonic..amac is a 5-6 maybe

I blame fat (frank) Kate Murray over everyone else
That female dog never replied to the emails and letters I wrote her

When it's just your own team's fans complaining, it's impatience. When the media completely ignores you, analysts snicker when they talk about you, every other teams' fans laugh at you, and players consider your team as either exile or just a way to rehab a career, then maybe, and I know this is some revolutionary thinking here, but maybe something needs to change a bit higher up the totem pole?
- UIF

Also well said. It's not complaining. How "bloggers" or whatever it is they're known as try to rationalize this "rebuild" it's funny. Whether anyone cares to want to accept it or not Snow is our GM and Wang is our owner. It is THEIR (Snow's in reality that's what he gets paid to do)responsibility to ice a competitive team and sell their product, to the fans or otherwise(media, FA's, politicians). That's not my job. I'm the person who pays these guys salaries. Snow stated the rebuild would take five years. He said in five years this team would, "be competing for the Stanley Cup". Does that mean squeaking into the playoffs and getting demolished in the first round? If so we still have a possibility at accomplishing that. I would be absolutely shocked if this team made the playoffs. I don't think anyone would pick this team to even make the playoffs next year. Yeah, I know. We haven't had our "off season" yet. All the big trades and signings coming. . All you have to read is Botta's last post about Pandalfo and what the team thinks of him and his amazing contributions to the team to know whats on the horizon.
For those that believe in this "rebuild" I say pull your heads out of your asses. You can hate me for saying it, I'm sure you all figured out by now I could care less. Snow is in over his head and is not capable of selling this team to anyone, that in turn makes him not capable of the job. Wang is a lunatic owner. I feel bad for neither and anyone who does is nuts. There is a reason why most think this team is a joke from the GM to the owner to Dipietro. Its not because they aren't in on some little secret Wang and Snow have. Or we as fans know something that THN or TSN doesn't. It's because this team created its image. Not only did they create it, they owned it! Almost did everything possible to make themselves look foolish and continue to do so. "Rebuild"?

Finally someone who see's Mac for what he is
- eichiefs9

yup...i see him as nothing more than a 3rd pairing dman on a quality team

i would like to see donovan play with hamonic..amac is a 5-6 maybe
- NYI78

I think Mac is probably still a top pairing guy with Hamonic this year, but that's just as of right now (before free agency). I think he'd be a great 5-6 guy, or an average middle pairing. No top pair though.

so what exactly do you expect them to do about it? Pull a Milbury and start trading youth for middle of the pack NHLers and watch the kids develop somewhere else ala Bertuzzi, McCabe, Chara, Spezza, etc?

It's easy to say make a trade but the reality is that was what gutted this franchise, a lack of patience and trading away quality youth for questionable returns.

They either make a trade which I think has a better chance of ending poorly, continue to draft and sign UFA's. Granted, the UFA's they can sign are bottom of the barrel, the players they're drafting aren't NHL ready and trading away draft picks and young players caused this rebuild in the first place. So what's the option?
- Isles_since_6

Why is this always the standard response to the mere mention of a trade possibility? I must have missed the rule that states every trade must only be one team's entire farm for another team's Trevor Linden...

I think Mac is probably still a top pairing guy with Hamonic this year, but that's just as of right now (before free agency). I think he'd be a great 5-6 guy, or an average middle pairing. No top pair though.
- eichiefs9

i agree...with donovan's offensive instincts and really good skating ability i think he would be a good fit for hamonic

so what exactly do you expect them to do about it? Pull a Milbury and start trading youth for middle of the pack NHLers and watch the kids develop somewhere else ala Bertuzzi, McCabe, Chara, Spezza, etc?

It's easy to say make a trade but the reality is that was what gutted this franchise, a lack of patience and trading away quality youth for questionable returns.

They either maktrade which I think has a better chance of ending poorly, continue to draft and sign UFA's. Granted, the UFA's they can sign are bottom of the barrel, the players they're drafting aren't NHL ready and trading away draft picks and young players caused this rebuild in the first place. So what's the option?
- Isles_since_6

What do I expect them to do? GET RESULTS! 20 years of losing and mediocrity is unacceptable. No other team in hockey has suffered as dismal a stretch of futility as the Islanders. If people want to keep saying "be patient", that's fine. But I am not going to say "well, I have no right to be frustrated because Snows only been on the job five years". Wang has owned the team for 10+ years. No improvement. No arena solution. No long-term venue certainty. No accountability. It was the same way under the previous four ownership groups.

I'm nearly done with the "patience" stuff. I've been patient for 20 years and all its gotten me as a fan is disappointment.

"there really is no clear cut timeline for an NHL hockey team rebuild." DEE


There you go boys! We're the one's at fault here. Our impatience is unjustified. We misunderstood Snow. It's not a 5 yr rebuild.

It's a 50 YEAR rebuild!!!!

So with that issue clarified. We're right on schedule.

Anyone have a heads up on the front runner in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft?

What do I expect them to do? GET RESULTS! 20 years of losing and mediocrity is unacceptable. No other team in hockey has suffered as dismal a stretch of futility as the Islanders. If people want to keep saying "be patient", that's fine. But I am not going to say "well, I have no right to be frustrated because Snows only been on the job five years". Wang has owned the team for 10+ years. No improvement. No arena solution. No long-term venue certainty. No accountability. It was the same way under the previous four ownership groups.

I'm nearly done with the "patience" stuff. I've been patient for 20 years and all its gotten me as a fan is disappointment.
- Jethro09

we can not worry about anyhting before snow...erase milbury and everything else from your mind...for me the isles have been in existence since 2008..thats the only way i can stay sane..i don't care about anything before it...

Snows top priority is to sign Pandolfo. PA is not necessary and Pandoflo provides better leadership. Plus Pandolfo can teach Strome how to play the defensive side of hockey the same way he taught Nino. Get it done Snow before some other team takes Pandolfo. The playoff push needs to start today, so I expect a huge D man signing soon. Welcome back Milan Jurcina.

we can not worry about anyhting before snow...erase milbury and everything else from your mind...for me the isles have been in existence since 2008..thats the only way i can stay sane..i don't care about anything before it...
- NYI78

Seems like you've regulated yourself into a fantasy world.
Which is the definition of INSANE.

Snows top priority is to sign Pandolfo. PA is not necessary and Pandoflo provides better leadership. Plus Pandolfo can teach Strome how to play the defensive side of hockey the same way he taught Nino. Get it done Snow before some other team takes Pandolfo. The playoff push needs to start today, so I expect a huge D man signing soon. Welcome back Milan Jurcina.
- mighty13duck

You just made me loose my Breakfast.

Guys ....... wondering, dont know if anyone is on twitter, but if so
anyone follow Incarcerated BOB,
whether or not you find him accurate or not, I do find him
to be about 75% rite on things...
yesterday he tweeted about the 4th pick + DeHaan for Subban
whats your take, I dont know if theres more to it but I like it...
- Ur Not Me

That is pretty ironic since we were talking about Subban trade on here yesterday. The trade we talked about yesterday was PK and Gomez (and his shtty contract) for DeHaan, Grabner and a pick. that makes a bit more sense.

those of you who don't think the 4th pick is worth Subban are crazy.