Forward Sean Bergenheim, who is the only Islander to file for arbitration, has fired his agents, Mark Gandler and Todd Diamond. General manager Garth Snow was notified of the change earlier this week and just began negotiations that potentially could avert a hearing. Snow declined to name Bergenheim’s new agent.
Bergenheim is one of six restricted free agents on the Islanders’ roster. Forwards Jeff Tambellini, Frans Nielsen, Jeremy Colliton and Ben Walter and defenseman Bruno Gervais also received qualifying offers. Those five have until 5 p.m. Tuesday to accept their offers or negotiate a deal before the offers come off the table.
Snow said on Friday he has deals beyond the qualifying offer on the table for Tambellini and Gervais and expected to hold talks with Nielsen’s agent. It’s anticipated that Colliton and Walter, both of whom spent the majority of last season with AHL Bridgeport, will accept their qualifying offers.
If an RFA is unsuccessful negotiating a contract and doesn’t accept his qualifying offer by the July 15 deadline, his only recourse is a holdout. Bergenheim used that tactic two years ago, and when he didn’t show up for the first day of training camp, the Islanders stuck to policy set by owner Charles Wang and refused to sign him the rest of the season. Bergenheim wound up playing in Russia and Sweden in 2006-07.
Bergenheim’s decision to exercise his one-time right to file for arbitration this summer, when he is coming off a modest year of 10 goals and 22 total points, caught some by surprise. He could have accepted the Islanders’ offer this year and waited until next summer to file for arbitration after having a chance to build on his statistics in the 2008-09 season.
Who knows? Maybe Bergenheim took a page from Alex Rodriguez’s playbook, albeit on a much smaller scale. As soon as Rodriguez fired agent Scott Boras, he was able to reach a deal with the Yankees last winter. That pattern might well repeat itself for Bergenheim and the Isles.
ISLES FILES: Elsewhere on the negotiation front, Nashville forward Alexander Radulov, who has one year remaining as an RFA, reportedly agreed to return to Russia to play with Ufa in the new Russian Continental League (KHL). The agreement came two days after the announcement of an agreement between the NHL, KHL and other European leagues to respect each other’s contracts. The Islanders will be watching close to see what kind of precedent might be set because it could affect their dealings with Russian forward Kirill Petrov, one of their third-round picks in the recent draft…Asked if he has any interest in forward Ladislav Nagy or any other unrestricted free agents left on the market, Snow said he’s not inclined to sign anyone else at this time, but he did not rule it out as an option.
Comments (51)
I sure hope that Snow doesn't lock Gervais up for some silly length of time ...a 2 year deal is ok - anything more than that for a guy who's shown nothing is going to be silly
It's about time!!! I Couldn't be happier!! I've been asking for him to fire Gandler since this started. He really didn't have his client's BEST interest at heart. He had his bank account's!
Come on Sean! I need a new number for my necklace. Go play Let's Make A Deal with Snow!
Nice job Bergie, you should have fired them after they botched things up the first time, two years ago.
I think Gervais will get a similar deal that Campoli got.
I think Bergenheim knows that he is one of the only young players on this team showing potential. Let's hope that he and Snow are fair to eachother!
505..I read the article you put up on the previous thread. It upsets me too. But I was at game 3 last year vs the sabres...before the beer throwing it was real hard core there... If they build it they will come...not the lighthouse... A real contender!
I think Nagy would be a good an cheap pick up he's only 28 and is a good player when healthy.
WHAT? Second chance? No one wanted him? Oh... you mean the kid that Scotty Bowman praised openly on a broadcast??? Right! Sorry, you're wrong on this one.
7 TH WOMAN 22:45 post not me.
Bergy needs to grow up and take control of his future. Hopefully ,he learned his lesson when he got banished by Wang a few years ago. Perhaps this firing is his first step towards getting his act together.
10 goals and 22 total points does not make for a great arbitration case. He wasted his one time shot on a very weak season and now is in no real position to bargin.
If Snow is smart, he will make Bergy a long term offer at a price higher than what a 10 goal scorer should get. If Bergy breaks out then Snow has him signed long term. If he continues on the same pace, so Snow has a slightly overpaid 4 th line player. I think Bergy's upside is more likely, so it is worth the risk.....Sir William
7 TH WOMAN 22:45 post not me.
Bergy needs to grow up and take control of his future. Hopefully ,he learned his lesson when he got banished by Wang a few years ago. Perhaps this firing is his first step towards getting his act together.
10 goals and 22 total points does not make for a great arbitration case. He wasted his one time shot on a very weak season and now is in no real position to bargin.
If Snow is smart, he will make Bergy a long term offer at a price higher than what a 10 goal scorer should get. If Bergy breaks out then Snow has him signed long term. If he continues on the same pace, so Snow has a slightly overpaid 4 th line player. I think Bergy's upside is more likely, so it is worth the risk.....Sir William
Ladislav Nagy is Miro Satan from a different angle. Just sign Bergie to a 3-5 yr deal!!!
Snow IS smart! VERY Smart! And THAT'S why Sean fired Gandler. How many times to do you think Gandler can piss Garth off before he just wouldn't listen to ANYTHING he had to say. That Yashin nonsense in the press must have been the last straw. Sean is MORE than a 4th line player. Is he a superstar? Nope. But he's an asset on any team. I would just like to make sure that he's OUR asset. And yes, sign him to a SENSIBLE 3-5 year deal and give the kid the security he's looking for. All he ever wanted was to be recognized for his abilities. He IS our NEXT Jason Blake..... the good one.... the one that was happy and scoring on Long Island. Just harder to toss off his skates on the ice, and nicer to be around OFF the ice. Trust me!
where is our enforcer? is snow going to go through another season of having comrie and gurien drop the gloves, and sutton getting knocked down in every fight??? Sign Andre Roy for one year, alternate him and hilbert in the lineup. I bet Roy puts up more points than Hilbert anyway, we have enough penalty killers (we don't need f'n hilbert)
ok
I dont want to go off on a NEGATIVE rant again as i did on draft day, so i willl keep it somewhat positive..If this is the case, that FILATOV will be coming to the NHL over from RUSSIA, which everyone was skeptical about, and reasoning behind not wanting to DRAFT him, I am somewhat disappointed again...but I want to stay positive and believe that with FILATOVS signing, it will help the ISLANDERS sign the 2nd best ranked European skater PETROV to a NHL contract ASAP....I know he has 2 yrs left on his RUSSIAN contract, but maybe something can be worked out to get him OVER faster, maybe beginning of next years training camp..
I am still optimistic that with the trade down at the draft will be very beneficially in the future, picking up some very talented prospects, but i was sold on bringing in a sniper to help up the goal totals, and the someone to bring fans back in the seats...and FILATOV i think will be one of those players..I hope im wrong and he is a total bust, and the next MINI-ME of Kvasha..bUT if he is the next Federov, i will be very very upset....
I like the move BERGIE made w/ firing his AGENT...SNOW SIGN THIS KID TO A 3 YR DEAL!!! and MAKE sure he gets MAJOR minutes next season..All last season WE saw BERGIE progress as a player and by the end of the SEASON, he left me wanting MORE!!!! This kid may not be a 30-40 goal scorer, but this KID has alot of potential...His HUSTLE, PHYSICAL play is much needed on this team, and i see him as the next STEVE WEBB impersonator, but with more of an offensive, defensive upside!!!
PREDICTION-...if given major minutes next season..BERGIE LEADS THE TEAM IN HITS AND LEAGUE IN HITS!!!!
cANT WAIT FOR TRAINING CAMP,
LETS GO ISLANDERS!!!
themass....
"505..I read the article you put up on the previous thread. It upsets me too."
Oh, I won't say that I was upset by it...
But I have always been a firm believer that a cheap shot requires a cheaper response.
I added a comment directed to the author (Ryan Dixon aka
Curley?) today.
Saw THN article. As big a fan as I am, the Isles are the Clippers of the NHL. It's easy to be blinded as a fan, but after so many years you get jaded. It's fine to make excuses for the past 20 years (ownership, money, arena, Milbury), and to hope that now things will turn around. They want to build through youth. But, am I the only one who thinks their young guys are not good?
Really, what good yong players do they have? Nobody accurately knows about this years draft yet, hopefully they did okay. But who do they have that is going to be a legitimate quality NHL player? Hopefully Okposo, and I like Bergenheim, but that's all I see. Tambellini, Neilsen, Comeau, etc., I can't see any of these guys even approaching all-star status let alone getting regular shifts on good teams.
The best hope this team has is to get lucky and land a Sidney Crosby type stud in the draft. That's why they should go totally young, stink really badly for a couple of years, and hope some bigtime young players are around. I've waited over 20 years, what's another 5? Trade all of the assets for young players or picks. I love Witt, but now that he's signed, get something for him. I also love Martinek, but ditto. And the best thing they could do is trade DiPietro, if anyone is willing to give up significant picks or promising prospects for a guy with a crazy longterm deal.
If anyone responds to this, I'm sure they will blast me by saying how great some young guys are that I criticized or left out, or I don't know what I am talking about. Bear in mind, I am a passionate fan who has missed very few games over the last 25 years that I can remember watching Islander games. I am being objective and hope that Garth Snow has enough sense and courage in his job security to tank it for a couple of years to improve long-term.
Interested to hear others thoughts.
Sigh..............Sir William
Uh boy.....Logan pushed over the applecart in the main pages.
Fasten your seat belts boys and girls.
"I am being objective and hope that Garth Snow has enough sense and courage in his job security to tank it for a couple of years to improve long-term."
Tank the season? This is such a dead argument. Go back in the June entry's and reread those carefully. Sorry but this is a been there done that by all the regulars.
Anybody else up?
If not Good Morning to ya!!!!!
Over/Under before Nolan gets fired?
I am setting the line at August 10.
WTF is Nolan thinking? Does he really not want to be here? I honestly did not (or, possibly, just did not want to) believe the situation was that bad.
I have a great deal of respect for the Coach, but if he doesn't want to go along with the Plan (and I think we have all agreed that, for the first time in 20 years, there actually IS a PLAN), then he should gtfo.
If his goal was to force Wang to a decision, then he may well have succeeded. Unfortuantely, that might just mean a trip to the Unemployment Office (with of course, a big paycheck).
Who do we have to bring in to teach these kids how to play the NHL game? Is Paul Maurice available?
505 said ~ "Uh boy.....Logan pushed over the applecart in the main pages.
Fasten your seat belts boys and girls."
505 .... I thought the same thing and Greg re-opened the sores that Botta had rubbed raw with one of his last blog entries ... Players read these things ... it undermines both Snow and Nolan.
Aside from that fact ... Nolan and Snow are both wrong .... and both right ... which has me befuddled about this whole finger pointing thing.
Without soundling like the NHL Net coach ... I'm going to just explain it this way.
When it comes to the Power Play ... I agree with Nolan on the better players thing ... the best players execute the play better than average players ... bottom line .. that is why they are the best .... ALL players in the NHL level have a pretty good grasp at how to run advanced PP sequences by the time they hit Midgets ... I know I knew how to do it ...
The object of using the man advantage is to create odd man opportunities for the best scoring chances ... passing the puck is the quickest way to move the puck .. so trying to manipulate the defense into giving up an opening to allow an odd man .. or open man situation is the strategy. This is where Snow is correct ....
The thing is .... you need excellent players to practice this strategy for it to become effective .... a good mobile skilled defense has a huge advantage over an average skilled offense ... remember ... the defense doesn't even have to control the puck cleanly ... they just need to clear the zone and keep the offense on their heels for the duration of the man-power disadvantage. Speed kills.
OK 505 ... I failed ... I sounded like the NHL net coach ... but he's just a brilliant coach .... I can't help myself.
I don't expect Snow to know how to run a powerplay being a goaltender ... and he knows very little about the preperation ... the key to practicing the power play is execution ... and timing ... if NHL players don't know that or aren't prepared as Snow suggested ... then Snow knows a lot less than I orignally thought... Just as I was getting some faith in Snow ... he says something so ingnorant as that.
Nolan I believe has a better understanding .. as he well should ... he understands it so well he was able to assemble a good countermeasure against opposing teams' power plays ... he just doesn't have the skilled players to execute ... but a good strategy and preperation by knowing your opponent can help..
Both Nolan and Snow better just get their crap together .. I'm tired of this ... I know they are both prideful men and want the same goal ... to WIN ... but as long as this continues .... they undermine one another and polarize the team and fans into two camps ... Snow vs. Nolan ... and it really is also another thing to turn off FA's.
Snow neeeds to understand that he has to acquire skill ... and Nolan needs to understand that right now ... the kids have to be the answer until Snow gets that skill. Period.... they both have to do their job.
Lets get training camp going already so these slow news days can put an end to this garbage.
Greg .... let us know if Snow calls you about your article and tells ya he spit his coffee out of his mouth. LOL!
You would think Nolan would be grateful to Wang for hiring him when NO ONE on the NHL level would touch him. It's becoming easier and easier to see why he was launched out of Buffalo and not re hired for a long time. I for one haven't forgotten his put down of the Isles fans for booing Simon. I think since that incident he really doesn't want to be here anymore. If you are the coach of the team you can't constantly butt heads with management and expect to survive. It's not micro managing if the organization tells you they want to go with a youth movement so play the kids. If he does get let go by the Isles he is not doing himself any favors by the comments he is making and unlike others on here I'm not so sure he would find another coaching job in the NHL that quickly.
19 Isles,
I agree that there is enough blame to go around, but being that I like Snow more than i like Nolan I'm going to say why I agree with Snow when it comes to the PP ...
Does Nolan need better players? Oh hell yeah he does and I think we'd all agree with that. But, for the time being these are the players we have so he should do the best with what he's got. My beef with Nolan is that he didn't always put out the best players for the PP in my opinion. He often spoke of giving time to the players that earned it, yet many of the skilled youngsters that were busting their butts of creating chances bearly sniffed PP time until the last couple of games.
I'm not trying to say the if he put the youthful players out there then all would have been fixed and the Isles PP would have been leathal but Nolan seems be stuck on using his "grinders" and his "gritty" players in all situations - even if they're not working or even warranted time in those spots ...
Nova Scotia Isles ... you're absolutely right ... even if Nolan has a point .. to put it back in Snow's face in the media is dead wrong ... and if they are not on the same page .... Nolan loses ... S**t runs down hill .. even if it's not justified ... it is what it is.
Nolan has to coach the hell out of these kids this season ... and he better enjoy it ... and I would think knowing what I know of Nolan he would ... being such a pundant for hard work and building something from scratch and seeing it succeed is so much more satisfying ... I'm sure he'd be prideful of seeing the kids evolve and know he had something more to do with it.
Anyone can coach an all-star team.
Side notes ...
Just read the Rookie Camp article ...I like the line combo of Okposo-Bailey-Smith ...Trevor Smith was tearing it up last year ...he was demoted, then got his act together and came back to the AHL and dominated ...he seemed to score everygame ...I think he's got a future - he probably won't make the team out of camp, but he could be a callup candidate. I believe Snow signed him out of college - could be a good signing ...that line combo should be fun to watch, although I doubt I can make it to watch them at the camp ...
Also, what the hell is Nolan thinking? He just needs to keep his mouth shut about this whole feud thing ...sounds like he's on his way out ...and he might know it. He's being very passive aggresive ...and I like the fact that he wasn't involved at the draft - why should he be? It also proves what I've been saying since last year that Nolan was a part of a lot of trade talks and UFA signings - so a lot of the heat that was given soley to Snow should have been shared by Nolan ...
Play the rooks in meaning minutes or get out ...
Isles27,
I will never forget that comment by Nolan either ...what a clueless thing to say - clearly shows that his friendship with Simon was only reason he was on the roster eating up a spot at all ...I also agree with you about his last NHL job (10 years ago!) ...I mean if he was so great - why did no one offer him anything in the past decade? If Wang tells him to jump he should happily ask "how high?" ....
AZS ... I agree ... that is why I said they were both wrong and right .... infact ... as I project forward and had gotten more familiar with Nolan's coaching style ... I am starting to believe less and less that Nolan can coach a modern Stanley Cup team... unless he changes his thinking ... he's a generation of hockey player behind in his thought process as to what makes a successful team ... I can't say I like Snow or Nolan better .... but I think Snow is on the right track ... he just can't say ignorant things like saying the PP needed to be better prepared to be effective ... because he's flat out wrong there. The Isles' PP was very predictable and skill limited ... it was easy for opposing teams to counter it. Preperation only gets you so far.
Nolan can be blamed for the PP giving up shorthanded goal after shorthanded goal with Satan on the point. I think a lot of NHL people realized that the main reason Nolan won in Buffalo, in the REGULAR SEASON, was that his goalie stood on his head game after game and stole games for him. Interesting that Buffalo did better AFTER Nolan left.
Remember all the NHL people who made fun of Wang for his 15 year deal with DP well Tampa just signed Lecavalier for 11 years so another long term deal done since the DP signing.
This Nolan vs Snow debate must stop. Nolan had his chance with his veterans last year, and did not make the playoffs, granted injuries can be used but only so far. When you have a beat up team, and you have fresh, unproven, young players, use them to their fullest potential. Nolan did not do that last year.
Now we still have unproven players because of their limited use of ice time from last year, less veterans on this team, and he's forced to coach with the team he has now. Good for the kids.
Nolan brought this on himself. Had he used the kids when they were available more, Snow would already know by now who is ready for the NHL and who still needs work, or whether Snow should part ways with a young player.
Nolan actually gets three veterans this year because i believe Sim is a new free agent ready to play a full season, so Nolan is getting as many veterans as he did last year.
Snow has put Nolan in a position where Nolan has a play making center, and a powerplay quarterback defensman for the young players to learn from. If Nolan can't get this team to even stay in the hunt past December, then he does not deserve a contract extension.
A good coach learns to accept what he has, and can adapt to his players in order for the team to win.
Snow has already proven he has the potential to be a great GM by addressing the needs of the organization this year. Nolan needs to prove to the Islanders that he can adapt without comments, and let his coaching ability do the talking, cause that's the only skill that will get Nolan a new extension.
Yeah Isle27 ... and the difference is .... DP was 24 ... and VL is 28 ... they'll both be about 39 when their contracts expire ... the difference .... DP is $4.5M .. and Goalies remain effective much longer than an older foward ... and VL's salary is in the $10M range .... bad contract TB ... and again ... another contract that floats salaries up ... DP was a salary stabilization move.
This is why it's the owners' fault for high out of control salaries ... not the players.
And the younger UFA age (going to 25 btw after next season) was meant to add more supply to the open market thusly keeping the supply high vs. a lower demand thusly keeping salaries in check .. but it had unintended consequences by having teams lock up players for long terms ... and lowering the supply of UFAs... and raising the salaries big time for mid level players. No foresight from the same GMs that came up with the idea.. that are now making these big signings .... look at the Finger deal that TO made.
Great post netminder ... agreed ... bottom line ... I don't want to see this Nolan / Snow stuff published anymore ... it does neither one of them any good .. and thusly hurts that organization .... which is what I care about most .... not the pissing match.
As a former Long Island resident and Islander fan. I have to say what happened to this once proud organization is sad. The best thing about the Islanders now from what I can see are the diehard group of fans that remain, and you guys put up with a ton of BS.
Wang should know better. As a successful business man he has to understand branding. He lifted the Isles from the ashes but has since tarnished the brand even further. He needed an experienced GM and have that GM hire his own coach.
Sure I still pull for the Islanders, but living on the west coast with a wife and sons who are Ducks fans it is primarily Ducks for me. I tried to convince my sons who are 10 and 8 to go to the Islander open house yesterday since my Mom told me they have this great new thing at the coliseum.
This doesn't seem to be going through. I'll try sending again, if it's repeats. You know why.
When they said no, they don't want to be with fans of a stinky team I thought of my late Dad's heart breaking if he could hear his grandsons say that. My Dad was as die hard as they come. Him and 4 co-workers split up a pair of season tickets each year. On his death bed one of his last thoughts were of the Islanders and those ridiculous fisherman jerseys. He said, "well I guess I'm not going to see another Islander cup again, and that he hoped they had cable in heaven." That is how much he loved that team. He said, "You're going to see big things from Bertuzzi, Chara, Palffy, McCabe, Berard and Jonsson." Irony. I don't think any of them have a ring either.
We laugh now, but in a way it's a good thing my Dad didn't have to see what happened to his beloved Islanders, or even Jets or Mets for that matter.
When I see articles about the coach and GM bickering when there are so many problems that the team has it really is a shame. I will always root for the Islanders except againt the Ducks, but it's weird to get poked fun by two kids about the Mets and Islanders. I'm mostly ashamed by the Islanders as an organization. Very proud of the draft, but I don't follow that as much. I have no idea who the players are that they drafted, but I heard they did a good job.
I know these words have no bearing, but I just had to get that off my chest. Maybe one day I can stick an Islander Stanley Cup banner in my boys' faces.
Good luck with this team guys. You guys get the brunt of it. I hope for all involved it turns around. I'll have to see them play at the new coliseum sometime. It would be worth it to make that trip across country.
HMMMM It seems that on the strength of Logans article the tide here has turned against Nolan in a big way. Amazing how the power of the press works.
Although I am not a Nolan fan at all, this is not the way the franchise should be doing things. One of two things need to happen.
One, Right NOW, TODAY, Ted and Garth need to sit down and hash this out. If at the end of the day, they can't see eye to eye, then Ted should resign or be fired. If Snow is content to let Ted twist in the wind then he is doing the team a great disservice and he is not the GM that he should be. It's time to make the tough decision, Garth. If you don't want him here fire him. If you do then get behind him. You can't have it both ways.
Two, Wang has to show some leadership here. He should meet with Snow and Nolan seperately and then together. He has to explain to both men exactly what he expects of each. He tried his committee and it was a disaster. In fairness to Nolan, Ted was hired under the idea that he would be part of the committee. If that sitiuation has changed then it should be spelled out loud and clear so that there are no misunderstandings. This is simply good management.
This is a time that calls for leadership. Lets see who shows some.......Sir William
SW my point was when Wang did the DP contract he was laughed at around the league since then other teams have signed players to very long term contracts. Personally I am against signing a player to more than a 4 or 5 year contract. As far as Nolan goes SW I had my battles over Nolan on this board during the season and the points I made today I made during the season. Bottom line on Nolan I think some people on here overestimate how good he is.
This is off topic but it makes me crack up. A fan from NY has a very good memory of an Atlanta reporter who decided to call the Islanders "turds" because of the uni's. Turns out that someone decided to get revenge by going back to his newspaper's blog so many months later and has been driving him crazy with posts lately. Does anyone remember him writing these stories? I was told they were all over the boards here but I can't find anything.
ISLES 27 The post at 15:27 was not me.....Sir Willaim
ISLES 27 I have never been a Nolan supporter. Personally I think her should have been let go after last season, when it became clear that he wanted nothing to do with the young players. And I have stated that many times going back to last year. And for the most part caught nothing but flack for it.
But I do not beleive that it is good for the franchise to leave the guy twisting in the wind. I have said many times that Bryan Trottier would be a better fit for this roster and it seems to me that either Wang or Snow is just waiting for an excuse to dump Ted.
Maybe they are waiting for the last NHL coaching job to be filled before they can him, so that he can't come back to haunt them this year.
Whatever the reason, they should resovle it forthwith. A team with this many young kids needs direction and continuity to be a success.
Make up or break up, but get to it............Sir William
Teddy has worn out his welcome, that is easy to see. As for the Atlanta reporter, I find it funny that the southern folk have the audacity to say anything at all about a northern sport, let alone considering they probably just learned how to watch the game in the last decade.
SW ... your comment at 15:01 is spot on ... I know we are on opposite sides of the Nolan debate .. I don't hold him unaccountable ... because he's as big a problem with the issue as Snow is .... the thing is ... Snow is in the position of authority ... HE has to make the first overture ... Both men are very prideful.... My boss knows when I snap back at him ... that I mean business ... and he takes the time to clear the air .... he knows I have a competitive nature ... and we both have the same goals ... so he doesn't ever question my desire to get a job done.
Sometimes in the heat of a crisis or issue people get a little short ... it happens ... and in the case of professional hockey ... it gets publish which only irritates the matter.
Nolan is a good coach ... he has shown flashes of brilliance ... but for him to succeed he needs to know his place ... and it might take Wang ... since he's the one who created this befuddled committee system in the first place that obviously doesn't work.
There needs to be a voice at the top ... and a line of succession... bouncing ideas off of someone is fine ... but someone still needs to have the final say .... and that should be Snow in personnel decisions.
I just hope right now Snow and Nolan are enjoying a slice of pizza together laughing at the whole thing and Nolan is looking forward to getting the kids going ... and Snow is looking forward to getting Nolan what he needs to help with his job.
I would assume that if Nolan getsd fired he gets paid the last year of his contract, and if he quits he doesn't. I know it sounds dumb but its seems like Nolan is trying to get himself fired and Snow is trying to get him to quit...man...I really hope not. That would be soooo bad for this organization which is far beyond "Mickey Mouse status"
Hey everyone, great debate today. I've been gone since before 8 - I took my little 14-year-old cousin to the All-Star Fan Fest, the Futures' Game, and then dinner at Mickey Mantle's. I'm his hero until someone gets him tickets to a better event.
I have to say that one thing eats at me more than all others about this Nolan-Snow feud right now. It seemed for most of the season that, while the rest of the hockey press was pounding on the Islanders claiming a Nolan-Snow feud, Greg was holding back. He never tried to chase it, and I assume it's his professionalism since he was trying to let the team keep a problem in-house. For better or worse, this is a luxury a team that's not widely covered can afford. I have already taken a side in this debate, to a point, and I think Nolan's words are sealing his fate more than anything else. Let's take a look at the chronology:
- He told the paper in Ontario that he'd be "coaching SOMEWHERE" next season, completely ignoring any commitment to the team he's currently under contract to coach.
- He described the youth movement as "You do your best with what you've got," which is the worst thing a coach can say.
- When I asked him a question at the Open House about his vision, he kept referring to the Islanders as "they," and it rubbed me such the wrong way. I've started calling my employer "they" recently, but that's because they're treating me badly and I'm planning my escape. I noticed the shift in my own terminology as well as Ted's, and it's not good.
- Today's article.
This is clearly a coach that does not want to be here. I tried with all I had to not judge him by his reputation, because it isn't fair. If a coach comes to your team with a rep as a GM-killer, you're going to look at everything with extra scrutiny, and you're apt to mis-interpret things he says or does as undermining the GM. However, at this point, he is clearly not happy, and keeping this situation going will not help anyone and could only provide the team with a distraction. I'm all in agreement Wang needs to step up, show leadership, and get his coach and GM to stop acting like children.
They need to come to a solution that works for everyone, and if that means Nolan gets fired than SO BE IT. I think he's a great player's coach, but his tactics are very lacking and he's too headstrong to surround himself with strong tactical coaches and trust their judgment. Either that, or he might think too highly of "tactical" coaches, such as Gallant with that abysmal powerplay last year, or Danny Flynn with his ridiculous D pairings the year before.
I'm just concerned that firing Nolan, when nobody else would hire him for so many years, will end up biting this team in the ass. Even if it's a deserved firing, would this result in another hit to the team's reputation, and yet another hit piece from our friend Mr. Dixon? Let's hope not...
Good post, Nick. I am for a total house cleaning here. A fresh start with a new coach and staff ,and a bunch of young kids to work with could all grow together into something special.
Nolan seems somehow resentful instead of comfortable here.
Let him move on.
Let Snow hire his own coach and staff and be a real GM. Then he can rise or fall on his own merits. Everything with this franchise is like pulling teeth. One step forward and one step back....Sir William
Maybe Ted wants to join his buddy Simon in the new Russian league.
My first post on this thread....I notice some trolls used my name a couple of times...I was floating in the water fishing since Thursday.....Typing right now is hard since I still feel the swaying !!
Just read the article of Snow on the hot seat....Nothing we did not all know.
For those questioning Nolan's attitude: Attitude is a reflection of LEADERSHIP Mr. Wang and Snow.
I have always said it starts at the top. I have to blame Wang. How can he let this rift go on? Why would he and Snow not ask for Nolan's input on draft day? This is why I call them the Bobbles...It is embarassing.
I want Nolan as our coach, but not like this. They should of FIRED HIM at the end of last year. I have said that a hundred times. Why not bring in the new coach early and work with him during draft day??????
This is yet another reason F.A's would not want to come here. BAD MANAGEMENT DECISIONS !!!
As you all say Wang and Snow are the boss....Well they have egg on their face right now. This is on THEM......They have the power to fire Nolan and they should. As much as I think it would be a horrible mistake from the coaching stand point.....
I do not know about you guys, but you know how many assistants I have hired that I did not like....Simply b/c they could produce....I would make it my job to get along with them. If it ever got too much and was effecting my whole team, I would fire them immediately so not to ruin morale and the direction we were going.
Just my opinion. This must be taken care of Mr. Wang and Mr. Snow....Not in a week, not by the opening night, and not by the all star break.....NOW !!!
p.s If they are waiting just to use him as a scapegoat for the team they put on the ice.....SHAME ON THEM !!
Posted by Simple Simon
"Wang should know better. As a successful business man he has to understand ..."
I do not think this is correct. Many in business/industry see him not a as a successful businessman but as an empire builder who like so many before him fell from grace and lost his empire in the end. What sets Mr. Wang apart from other less savvy empire builders is his self-preservation instinct. Absent that, his fall would have more severe and dramatic.
From the article: "For a coach known for his ability to motivate players, any loss of faith by his team leaders raises major concerns"
Didn't we hear these same exact things about Laviolette?
Feels like they're making all of the same mistakes to me: the ego of a misguided GM will result in the firing of a quality coach.
Posted by themass "...know it sounds dumb but its seems like Nolan is trying to get himself fired and Snow is trying to get him to quit"
Dumb this is not. It may be precisely what's going on.
We could be looking at another buyout scenario.
Steady,
Eventhough we are on opposite side of this Snow/Nolan issue I've tried to atleast see you side, but there's one thing I'd like to discuss ...it seems like there's some flip flopping going on ..
You said the following in your last untrolled comment (you're getting famous by the way)
"Why would he and Snow not ask for Nolan's input on draft day? This is why I call them the Bobbles...It is embarassing."
My issue with that comment is this - there have been times when I've braught up Nolan's role in the trades/calling up/sending down and other moves involving players, and you jumped to his defense pointing out that it was all Snow and it's Snow's job and that Nolan had nothing to do with it. To be honest I don't remember all of the specific times but I believe one had to do with Robert Nilsson being dealt.
With the above being said, I have to ask - Why would/should Snow and his scouts ask for any of Nolan's imput? Isn't that Snow's job - to make that final decision? I mean none of us like this committee BS and here is Snow making moves on his own (moves that have been applauded by many).
But, I do agree with you on the point that something needs to happen ASAP ...don't let this spill into training camp ...fire Nolan ...
The situation will be resolved well before camp opens. I suspect the decision to separate is already made and the method and timing are all that remains. It likely is a matter days or hours rather than weeks.
Just as an addendum. PR and marketing fallout is a real concern, ie. stability concerns-fan base etc. The goal is to get this done as soon as possible so the fallout can dissipate as much as possible before pre-camp and camp activity.
Of course there's a minor matter of a new coach. It is possible this decision may actually come later.
NOLAN IS FIRED!!!
ASK AND YE SHALL RECIEVE ....AND THE YOUTH ON THE TEAM REJOYCED!!!!
WOOOOO!!!