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

So it helps you to stay sane with what they've done since 2008?

So it helps you to stay sane with what they've done since 2008?
- Cptmjl

no not at all..i'm being realistic...i have no expectations for this team until the arena issue is solved because i believe nothing will happen until this occurs

Incarcerated Bob is not a blogger. He's Eklund minus the web page.

I'll respect any journalist who writes for a legitimate news outlet and doesn't try to peddle crap from "anonymous inside sources".

I assume you're referring to my dislike for BD's work, also. Don't get it confused that while I disagree with a good number of things BD writes, I still respect him. He's a good journalist. Incarcerated Bob I do not respect, agree with, endorse, believe or even read his "work". Same with Eklund.
- eichiefs9

You don't read him... good for u.. say he is always wrong is just wrong. He is not a journalist.. no kidding. He puts rumors out there that are quite often true. EK puts a rumor out and it is 99% not going to happen. I don't know or care who Bob's sources are .. but he is right.. A LOT!!

no not at all..i'm being realistic...i have no expectations for this team until the arena issue is solved because i believe nothing will happen until this occurs
- NYI78

gotcha

Dee Karl: Isles Rebuild: Mission Impossible?
Linked...yep. I did.
- Dee Karl

Bring in a GM with a resume and who knows what he's doing and no, it's not impossible.

Subban Tweets today:

Subbannation and Subbanicacs and all my twitts brace yourselves.

Big announcent coming soon... stay tuned. ..

Bring in a GM with a resume and who knows what he's doing and no, it's not impossible.
- Cptmjl

yes it is... would you play here if you could go anywhere?

Habs trying to unload Subban and Gomez contract b/c they think they can sign Sutter. where would u rather play?

Subban Tweets today:

Subbannation and Subbanicacs and all my twitts brace yourselves.

Big announcent coming soon... stay tuned. ..
- niteislander

yes. extension should stop the PK rumors in its tracks.

yes. extension should stop the PK rumors in its tracks.
- B.D. Gallof

why you gotta crush my dreams BD

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

look, I may not post a lot but I've been reading here quite a while and your posts are usually substantially more reasonable and better than this. You can't just stomp your feet and wave your hands and demand results. Well, you can, but you're not going to get any that way.

Holding them accountable is fine, but expecting them to immediately reverse history isn't going to happen. So if any big name UFA's want no part of the team, and trading youth is a dangerous and very risky proposal, especially for a team with very little depth and talent, what's left other than drafting and developing players?

As much as it frustrates all of us, it's extremely difficult to turn things around quickly when you have next to nothing to build on. What do we currently have on defense that would be considered a building block? Hamonic? Streit is aging and going into his final year, AMac regressed and appears to be a depth defenseman and dehaan/donovan/ness might give us one NHL ready kid this coming season. We're not a playoff team, we're not a cup contender. Unfortunately, trading kids and picks away becomes a viable strategy with a team that has enough depth that it won't cripple them. Milbury crippled us. Wang let it happen. Be pissed at them for sure, but it doesn't mean that currently we're on the wrong track. If this team can get the arena situation solidified then we might have a shot at some UFA's in the coming years, but until then, or until 2015, I think the best we can hope for is progress from the kids and maybe an 8th seed in one of the years until then.

realistic, depressing, but it is what it is. I hope I'm wrong and Snow finds a way to surprise me, but I don't see how trading away multiple pieces for someone like PK Subban advances our rebuild. Where did Montreal finish this year with a better defense and a better goaltender?

yes it is... would you play here if you could go anywhere?

Habs trying to unload Subban and Gomez contract b/c they think they can sign Sutter. where would u rather play?
- niteislander

No it's not. If the GM who was trying to sign me said he was committed to winning and was going to bring in other players to help facilitate that I would consider it. Stop with the building BS and Wang. It doesn't help but look to the Coyotes. You couldn't have a more uncertain future than them. That's what Snow gets paid to do. It's his job to sell the team. Doesn't matter what the circumstances are. If I got hired somewhere and the dept was a mess that doesn't give me a pass. I'd still have to perform and do my job and show results. That's how it is in the real world. Even more so in a results oriented profession such as sports.
I'm guessing you are referring to Suter not Sutter? That oulwd depend on what I was looking for, what was proposed to me, etc... Me, personally I would never want to play for Montreal. That's just me, I have no idea what Suter wants/needs? That's Snow's job, if he really wants the player than get him, sell the team to them and Long Island, thats his job. If he can't do it hire someone who can, it's that simple.

No it's not. If the GM who was trying to sign me said he was committed to winning and was going to bring in other players to help facilitate that I would consider it. Stop with the building BS and Wang. It doesn't help but look to the Coyotes. You couldn't have a more uncertain future than them. That's what Snow gets paid to do. It's his job to sell the team. Doesn't matter what the circumstances are. If I got hired somewhere and the dept was a mess that doesn't give me a pass. I'd still have to perform and do my job and show results. That's how it is in the real world. Even more so in a results oriented profession such as sports.
I'm guessing you are referring to Suter not Sutter? That oulwd depend on what I was looking for, what was proposed to me, etc... Me, personally I would never want to play for Montreal. That's just me, I have no idea what Suter wants/needs? That's Snow's job, if he really wants the player than get him, sell the team to them and Long Island, thats his job. If he can't do it hire someone who can, it's that simple.
- Cptmjl

you should see how I spell Sean Coutieruoudroureouer

look, I may not post a lot but I've been reading here quite a while and your posts are usually substantially more reasonable and better than this. You can't just stomp your feet and wave your hands and demand results. Well, you can, but you're not going to get any that way.

Holding them accountable is fine, but expecting them to immediately reverse history isn't going to happen. So if any big name UFA's want no part of the team, and trading youth is a dangerous and very risky proposal, especially for a team with very little depth and talent, what's left other than drafting and developing players?

As much as it frustrates all of us, it's extremely difficult to turn things around quickly when you have next to nothing to build on. What do we currently have on defense that would be considered a building block? Hamonic? Streit is aging and going into his final year, AMac regressed and appears to be a depth defenseman and dehaan/donovan/ness might give us one NHL ready kid this coming season. We're not a playoff team, we're not a cup contender. Unfortunately, trading kids and picks away becomes a viable strategy with a team that has enough depth that it won't cripple them. Milbury crippled us. Wang let it happen. Be pissed at them for sure, but it doesn't mean that currently we're on the wrong track. If this team can get the arena situation solidified then we might have a shot at some UFA's in the coming years, but until then, or until 2015, I think the best we can hope for is progress from the kids and maybe an 8th seed in one of the years until then.

realistic, depressing, but it is what it is. I hope I'm wrong and Snow finds a way to surprise me, but I don't see how trading away multiple pieces for someone like PK Subban advances our rebuild. Where did Montreal finish this year with a better defense and a better goaltender?
- Isles_since_6

"whats left other than drafting and developing players" Soooooooo, you think we are doing that right?

you should see how I spell Sean Coutieruoudroureouer
- niteislander

Wasn't busting your balls just making sure? God knows I can't judge when it comes to spelling!

"whats left other than drafting and developing players" Soooooooo, you think we are doing that right?
- Cptmjl

did I say that? We're drafting players. Whether or not they're being developed correctly is an entirely different question.

look, I may not post a lot but I've been reading here quite a while and your posts are usually substantially more reasonable and better than this. You can't just stomp your feet and wave your hands and demand results. Well, you can, but you're not going to get any that way.

Holding them accountable is fine, but expecting them to immediately reverse history isn't going to happen. So if any big name UFA's want no part of the team, and trading youth is a dangerous and very risky proposal, especially for a team with very little depth and talent, what's left other than drafting and developing players?

As much as it frustrates all of us, it's extremely difficult to turn things around quickly when you have next to nothing to build on. What do we currently have on defense that would be considered a building block? Hamonic? Streit is aging and going into his final year, AMac regressed and appears to be a depth defenseman and dehaan/donovan/ness might give us one NHL ready kid this coming season. We're not a playoff team, we're not a cup contender. Unfortunately, trading kids and picks away becomes a viable strategy with a team that has enough depth that it won't cripple them. Milbury crippled us. Wang let it happen. Be pissed at them for sure, but it doesn't mean that currently we're on the wrong track. If this team can get the arena situation solidified then we might have a shot at some UFA's in the coming years, but until then, or until 2015, I think the best we can hope for is progress from the kids and maybe an 8th seed in one of the years until then.

realistic, depressing, but it is what it is. I hope I'm wrong and Snow finds a way to surprise me, but I don't see how trading away multiple pieces for someone like PK Subban advances our rebuild. Where did Montreal finish this year with a better defense and a better goaltender?
- Isles_since_6

love it!!! well said....youve officially thrown your hat into the "New Islander Blog Writer" sweepstakes...

Wasn't busting your balls just making sure? God knows I can't judge when it comes to spelling!
- Cptmjl

I often change whole sentences to avoid a word I have no clue how to spell.

I often change whole sentences to avoid a word I have no clue how to spell.
- niteislander

Google
Dot
Com!

did I say that? We're drafting players. Whether or not they're being developed correctly is an entirely different question.
- Isles_since_6

Whats the point of drafting players then? It's like pissing in the wind!

Whats the point of drafting players then? It's like pissing in the wind!
- Cptmjl

hes talking about the management strategy of drafting and developing talent bc signing UFAs doesnt seem to work out to well....not how the individual players have done- good or bad

Google
Dot
Com!
- LetsGoIsles

too lasy, lazie, lazey... don't feel like going to another screen.

Whats the point of drafting players then? It's like pissing in the wind!
- Cptmjl

good lord. please change your user name to chicken little. You'd find a way to complain about winning the lottery.


***EDIT***

let me clarify this. IMO, and only my opinion, I believe Snow has drafted some excellent prospects. I do not necessarily agree with how they have been developed. I think Dehaan and Donovan have been handled properly, playing in bridgeport rather than being thrown into the lineup. I think Nino was handled terribly and was clearly not ready to play in the NHL. If that means another year of juniors despite dominating at that level, so be it. This does not mean drafting players is not a viable option for the team. If they had more depth and talent, perhaps Bailey and Nino wouldn't have had to be rushed. However, I still think drafting players is the only realistic option for this team at this stage.

UFA's won't sign unless they're retreads on their last legs, and trading players before you know what we have is a very dangerous strategy that can easily backfire. In addition to that, not a lot of teams are looking to move established players in their prime for prospects and/or picks, so sometimes that option isn't even available.

It is what it is. You can stomp and pout and scream but at the end of it, both of us will be looking at the same team and one of us will have made an ass of himself. I don't believe it's me. Your opinion may vary.

hes talking about the management strategy of drafting and developing talent bc signing UFAs doesnt seem to work out to well....not how the individual players have done- good or bad
- LetsGoIsles

Snow took over a team that got into the playoffs that was largely built by UFAs that signed here. I'm not saying the guys we signed were world-class talent, but certainly better players than the players we attract now. We still had an old arena, a crazy owner, and not exactly the greatest success over two decades. I just find it strange how quickly we've all accepted "no FAs will sign here" as some sort of irreversible natural law to the point where we're all perfectly OK with abandoning that entire avenue to improve the team. Snow has to do a better job there. Period. Smith did it, and as many point out, he certainly was not the greatest GM since he's been unable to secure a job since then.

good lord. please change your user name to chicken little. You'd find a way to complain about winning the lottery.
- Isles_since_6

Only if we drafted DiPietro again! Oh, not that lottery

Snow took over a team that got into the playoffs that was largely built by UFAs that signed here. I'm not saying the guys we signed were world-class talent, but certainly better players than the players we attract now. We still had an old arena, a crazy owner, and not exactly the greatest success over two decades. I just find it strange how quickly we've all accepted "no FAs will sign here" as some sort of irreversible natural law to the point where we're all perfectly OK with abandoning that entire avenue to improve the team. Snow has to do a better job there. Period. Smith did it, and as many point out, he certainly was not the greatest GM since he's been unable to secure a job since then.
- UIF

this is such a tired argument. That team was filled with marginal players that overachieved yet still took a shoot out on the final day of the season to squeak into the playoffs, only to be demolished. Is this our goal as fans? To watch our team just barely make it into the playoffs hoping that the retreads we sign have a career year, knowing that whoever we play in the first round will out us in 4 games?

You may enjoy this, I don't. There was no foundation to build on. There was nothing of use in the farm system. If they'd tried to delay the rebuild and carry on with what they had it would have been embarassing. Please refer to the Calgary Flames. There's a time to let go and start over, and then there's the psychotic ex who continues to stalk you long after the break up, convinced they can make it work if they only got one more chance. Don't be a stalker.