The two-year marriage of inconvenience between Islanders general manager Garth Snow and coach Ted Nolan ended today. Irreconcilable differences over the direction of the franchise led to a mutual decision by Snow and Nolan, who met earlier this morning at Nassau Coliseum, to part ways.
Nolan quickly gained popularity with Islanders fans in his first season when his motivational touch and hard-working style of play produced an eighth-place finish in the Eastern Conference and a playoff berth by a team most experts picked to finish near the bottom of the NHL. But last season’s playoff hopes faded because of injuries and a series of distracting internal disputes between Nolan and Snow, and several key players apparently lost faith in the coach’s methods.
The rift between Nolan and the organization became apparent last spring after his request for a contract extension before the final year of his three-year contract was denied by owner Charles Wang. When Snow became convinced that Nolan did not share his belief in rebuilding by emphasizing the development of the organization’s young prospects, he made the decision to end the power struggle and seek a partnership with a coach of his own choosing.
Describing the reasons for making a coaching change, Snow said, “There were philosophical differences between Ted and myself. Since last season and continuing into the summer, I have realized we don’t share the same philosophies. I’d like to thank Ted for his two years with the team and wish him the best.”
Asked why it took three months since the end of the season reach this conclusion, Snow said, “That’s a fair question. This has been a difficult decision for both Ted and myself, especially for me because of Charles Wang’s desire to give Ted the opportunity to coach in the NHL and because of his loyalty to those he hires.
“I understand there could be some criticism, and if there is, it can fall on me. What I can tell you is there was a process. I spoke with Ted regularly following the season and when the draft and free agency ended. Our strong belief about our philosophical differences led me to believe, and Ted as well, that we needed to part ways. I know this decision will be best for not only the team and our fans, but for Ted as well.”
No successor is in place, but Snow said he plans to begin a search for a replacement “as soon as possible.” Three logical candidates who figure to be on the list include Paul Maurice, John Tortorella and Bob Hartley. Those three were fired last season by Toronto, Tampa Bay and Atlanta, respectively. There is a strong connection between Snow and Hartley, who once coached the Isles’ GM.
Former Islanders stars Bryan Trottier, who is now executive director of player development, and Butch Goring, who is a part-time television commentator, are not expected to join the list of candidates, and neither is Jack Capuano, who coaches the team’s AHL affiliate in Bridgeport.
Nolan, who compiled a two-season record of 75-68-21, must be paid for the final year of his contract, which is believed to be in the vicinity of $600,000 per year. In a statement released by the Islanders, Nolan said: “While I am disappointed I will not be coaching the Islanders next season, there have been philosophical differences and we’ve agreed it’s a good time for me to move on. I want to thank the Islanders organization for giving me a chance to coach in the NHL again.”
It was Wang who hired Nolan two years ago in an earlier shakeup that saw former general manager Mike Milbury moved out of hockey operations to become vice-president of marketing. Nolan had been out of the NHL for nine seasons after a two-year coaching stint in Buffalo ended in a controversy that also cost Sabres GM John Muckler his job. Nolan, who is a member of Canada’s First Nation, expressed the belief that racial bias was partly to blame for his long absence from the league.
After hiring Nolan, Wang named former Rangers president Neil Smith as the Islanders’ GM. But after only 40 days on the job, Smith was fired because he resisted the management-by-committee approach favored by Wang, who replaced him with Snow, who was the Isles’ backup goaltender at the time.
In their first season working together, things seemed to go smoothly for Snow and Nolan. No one was more excited than Nolan when Snow pulled off the trade for Edmonton forward Ryan Smyth to help with the playoff drive, and no one was more disappointed than the coach when they lost Smyth and several other free agents last summer. But Nolan was heavily involved in all the personnel decisions when Snow signed free agents Bill Guerin, Mike Comrie, Ruslan Fedetenko, Jonathan Sim and Andy Sutton a year ago.
As the season progressed, differences between Snow and Nolan became apparent. Nolan preferred to rely on tested veterans, while Snow privately urged him to give more playing time to such young players as Jeff Tambellini, Blake Comeau and Frans Nielsen. Snow also was concerned about the Isles’ 29th-ranked power play and Nolan’s refusal to give young players an opportunity and his insistence on playing forward Miroslav Satan at the point, where he committed several turnovers.
Nolan’s 1-3-1 defensive system in which one defenseman was designated to mirror the opposing center as he entered the Isles’ zone was another bone of contention. When Nolan finally changed the defensive system, and the injury-weakened Islanders shut down high-powered Pittsburgh in a 4-1 home win in late March, Snow took it as a sign that the Islanders should have been playing that way all along.
As the season deteriorated, the flare-ups between Snow and Nolan became more public. Snow second-guessed the coach’s decision to play backup goalie Wade Dubielewicz ahead of a healthy Rick DiPietro during a radio interview before a home game against the Rangers in early March. The coach carped about not being invited to the “Core of Four” dinner celebrating the Islanders’ Stanley Cup teams from 1980-83, which later was disputed by a team source.
The rift grew when Nolan raised the contract extension issue and then complained publicly about Snow’s characterization of his role in the decision to part with Dubielewicz in free agency. When it came time for the draft and free-agent signings this summer, Nolan was completely out of the decision-making loop.
The break was irretrievable, so, the divorce became final today.
Comments (113)
ted thanks for your effort. hire trottier
Big time bummer. I thought Nolan was starting to gain the trust of the players. Combine that with their draft and all things seemed to be coming together.
Man, what to do...
And the Islanders continue to embarrass us with their stumbling, bumbling ways....
Will Tortorella or Hartley sign up for what seems to be a continual rebuilding process? I'd be surprised but NHL coaches are nomads so we'll see who ends up coaching. I almost don't want to see Trots end up as coach because I don't want to see it end badly, as it always seems to do with our Isles.
"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 !!!"
-Steady from the previous thread
Wow...the oracleness astounds me. Got to hand it to Snow this time. As much as people will complain (and trust me I really wanted Nolan to work out), getting rid of Nolan now rather then in the middle of the season is the right move.
This does hurt the organization's reputation a little bit but it could be worse. Now the question is who will be coming here? Who would want to come here?
It was my opinion that Nolan's coaching was what caused the Islanders to go beyond what the "experts" all predicted. I guess we truly are in the Tavares sweepstakes now.
This is a sad day.
I really like Ted Nolan. Considering the philosophical differences and the direction (correct, IMO) this team is taking, the split had to happen. But I can't help thinking back to the Al Arbour-coached Pittsburgh game. The fact that Ted set that up - the way it ended - the feeling that I and apparently the players had about their coach. Everything behind the Islander bench at that time just finally felt so right... after so many years of question marks. Ted Nolan as coach was one of the few things that I could take pride in as an Islander fan. League-wide he was respected even by the most ardent Islander-bashers. "Your team and organization sucks", they'd say, "but you've got a great coach."
This is just a very sad day.
I agree with Healy. Fact is, we are rebuilding and Nolan dod not want to sign on for that. That's his right. The key word here is "mutual" and I truly believe it was.
The media - who knows nothing about hockey - will jump all over us because all any hockey writer in the US can ever say about the Islanders is "never count out Nolan working miracles with no talent." So whatever - it's nothing new. Fact is there IS talent that shouldn't be playing behind Chris Simon.
I wish Nolan the best - he's a great coach, but not the right guy for this team. We tried to make moves to fortify a veteran team for him, but this franchise can't play that game.
We need a coach who is known for working in young players to develop the young talent here into a winner. We'll be portrayed as a laughingstock, but we're not. This was a gutsy call by Garth and better done now than in December.
Yes a sad day but the handwriting was on the wall. My fear is that who'll coach here? Look on the bright side - maybe we won't have to see Andy Hilbert this year.
this is a great move. clearly, there were differences among snow and ted. ted relied on vetreans way too much and snow wanted the young guys in. nolan showed no confidence in the young guys and that is what led to today's happenings. i am so happy we are in complete rebuilding mode. and btw, count is in as offical contestants for the john tavares sweepstakes if snow has his way
sad day...I agree
Oracle works even when i don't want it too :) :)
This move had to be done....Snow asked that the "waiting" be on him and not Wang....Well, takes two too party Garth !! Your both to blame.
If any of those re-tread coaches are hired I will puke !!!
AZS : Good post on the other thread and in a way you are right. I do not want to re-hash our back and forth last year, but I guess in a way I am playing both sides of the fence. Fair enough!
If I am the Rangers, Caps, etc...... I would really consider Nolan. The guy can coach !!!
*** Now it is all on you Garth....Go get YOUR coach....Get a guy that can lead kids....Get a guy you LIKE .... get a guy Free Agents want to play for...GET SOME STABILITY !!! Enough is Enough !!!
ALL ON YOU NOW !!! ENJOY THE HEAT !!!
f5
My guess on where Nolan ends up...
Tampa
(I just hope it's not a flip-flop).
Who will they hire to coach the team a Backup Goalie??
Nolans record with some of the worst hockey talent (if you include injuries and what they had to play with)
75 -68 -21 (and made the playoffs the first year)
WOW....The guy can coach.
I pray you are all right about Snow. I hope I am wrong. If Snow blows this next hiring and does not do the job you all think he is capable of......WE ARE TOAST !!!
Smith - LaFontaine - Nolan .... ?????
I cannot believe your Icelanders let Nolan go....this is nothing more than a "Snowjob", and from a hockey fans point of view, I feel bad for you folks....and I'm not being sarcastic here.
Horrible.
I don't know what to say, except this... just when you think the Islanders are getting their act together, they always do something to remind you that they're the #2 team in New York for a reason.
Not to be a shill or anything, but I said my piece here... http://www.nyhockeyrivalry.com/2008/07/holy-crap-isles-fire-nolan.html
Fantastic
I was actually shocked when I read the news about Nolan. But I agree he is the type of coach who wants to win every game and that is hard to work with when you are rebuilding. Not that a coach shouldn't want to win every game, but you need to be focused on winning the war, not the battle.
As steady says, Snow will have no one else to blame from now on.
Kevin T.
This Team Doesn't have a Clue what they are doing!!
Wang should sell this team also! He always tries to be different
Good Luck trying to sell any tickets for this garbage team
Breaking News: The Islanders just Hired Eric Fichaud as their new head Coach
Hartly - Won a cup
Tortorella - Won a cup
Maurice - Lost a cup final
Nolan - coach with a rep as a GM killer who got bounced from Buff - a team that has improved in his absence ...a coach that over plays vets - ignores youth ...blames his 9 year vacation from the NHL on race which always bothered me because he doesn't take accountability for his actions in Buff.
Good luck Teddy ...take Stone Hands Hilbert with ya ...
Corey, thats funny ...and by funny I mean played out ...
If you've got such a problem then don't go to games - oh wait, you probably don't go anyways ...
stop you whinning and go to the Garden
Writing was on the wall. Ted not being onboard with the youth movement got him a pink slip. Visit my blog at:
http://floridaislesfan.blogspot.com/
**People talk about fans not wanting to go to games and it gets really annoying. Islander "fans" are the worst in sports and the best in sports ...what I mean by that is this - there are the people who go to games regardless of how the team is playing - they are the best fans in sports. Then there are those who refuse to go until the team is winning - they are frontrunners which in my opinion are the worst kind of fans in sports.
As someone who goes to every game I would like to thank Snow for getting rid of Nolan because I would rather pay my money and watch a bunch of kids who are giving it their all then a bunch of vets only getting ice time because of their time on the job. It's ironic that the pic Newsday chose to use has Nolan standing behind Tamby (on the bench ofcourse).
I'm 30 years old and all I've really ever known as an Islander fan is losing - yet I'm still here - I'm still going to games. So, from that point of view I'm glad that this season I might get to see Tamby on the PP to see if he can use his skill to help out ...or that I'll see KO on the PP ...and that I won't have to worry about seeing certain "Nolan guys" in every situation ...
How can you see if the youth can cut it if you don't give them a legit chance? A legit chance doesn't mean under 10 minutes a game ...but we'll have to see who's hired before I get all excited about seeing the youth get PT
In retrospect, this is probably something that should have happened 30 minutes after the last Ranger victory at the Garden.
But it didn't.
And it is purely speculation as to why it didn't.
It could have happened a day or two after that game at the Garden.
But it didn't.
Interesting that it happened on the 1st day of Baseball's All-Star Break with thousands of sports media types converging on the Bronx.
There is something very Steinbrenneresque in the timing of this announcement.
Just a thought, not trying to read into anything too deeply here.
Just a thought, from two time zones away.
Wow... my worst fear realized.
A lot of what is said on both sides of this are true. the bottom line is that in a period whent eh team needs consistency and congruence... they fire the one bright spot over the last two years.
You can not argue with Nolan's success here. I'd take his side on that any day. Look at the years he got out of Blake and Yashin. Look at what happened to Snow when the gates opened last year... and this.
All I see is Milbury II... I hope I'm wrong... but all signs point to it.
Good luck ted.... and thanks.
Snow... you just put all the WEIGHT ALL ON YOU!!!
good luck!!!
A fan (albeit a disappointed one) forever!
PLUS - people want Wang to sell the team??
Anyone who thinks Wang should sell the team is honestly a moron. I mean it - you must be a moron to think that.
He saved the team from being moved. Who do you think will buy this team and keep it on LI? No one will!
He's working on getting the Lighthouse completed which will keep this team here forever. Who else would even bother? No one. He spent a ton of money to bring in a #1 center when we needed one - Yashin - then was willing to eat the money on the contract when it wasn't working out ...I mean jesus ...the guy is dropping a ton of money in the team ...
Seriously, some of you need to think before you type ...again, I beg you - if you're that upset - then leave ...don't come back ...
What are the chances Snow reaches into the College or Junior ranks? I am luke warm on the obvious 3 choices Greg mentioned, and although I like the idea of Bob Hartley, didn't he just get booted out of Atlanta where they were pretty much in a similar "rebuild?"
I may not be the Oracle, but I definitely called this one (does that make me the Orifice?):
1. They needed to come to a mutually-acceptable decision, and if that meant Ted had to go, then he had to go.
2. Regardless, the Islanders would be blamed, and I'm sure my new best friend Mr. Dixon will write all about it on Friday.
I don't even want to take a Nolan vs. Snow side, because I think this is a future direction of the team issue. We all know, given the state of this team, that the Islanders need to rebuild and set the stage to compete in a few years with a core of solid, homegrown talent. Snow has realized this, and he showed good character as a GM by willing to course-correct when his big-money offers were rejected last summer. Nolan was not willing to sign onto it, and he had to go.
So many of us in this blog are in the business world. We have entrepreneurs, consultants, lawyers, CPA's, financial advisers, et al. We all know that if someone on the team is pulling in a different direction, that person needs to go. Hell I'm feeling it myself at the moment because I'm not sure if I fit in with what my employer wants to do, and as a result I'm thinking about moving on.
I'm not happy they let this drag out for so long, but I'm very happy they managed to make this divorce as clean as possible.
My vote for next coach: Bob Hartley
if i was trotts id rather work in one of the parking booths then coach this years team. The isles could lose 60 games this year...Our team is awful. We dont have a single guy who can score 20 goals...But I am okay with it. However when next years draft lottery happens and we lose the #1 pick and Tavares I will know we are cursed....
ted nolan must be so pumped roght now to get out of here...i hope snow just pulls an isaih and coaches this lump of crap himself
Wow! Took all of an hour for Baumbach and Rieber to jump all over this story. Don't worry 505, I've got this one.
Hey AZS - Any realist fan wants to see a Winning team once in a while, not once every 25 years. I am a huge fan watch & every game. They will not hire any retreads - Hartley (didn't do anything with the young players in ATL) Tortarella (Not good with young players - just used his veteran players) Maurice (hasn't done anything meaningful - also not good with young players, that's why toronto didn't want to keep him) - Wang will probably insist on hiring a guy who doesn't speak english b/c he wants to go a different route than everyone else. Good to see Wang's System of everyone having input worked out. Wang better have many $10 games, no one will be showing up. They seem to treat people in their organization real good. Maybe Nolan will get a job and win a cop in a few years like Laviolette.
I remember when Laviolette was hired everyone was yelling about that also because no one knew who he was - I'm sure you were one of those people Brian G. - you seem like a hindsight is 20/20 guy ...I'm sure when Lavvy was hired you were yelling about how the Isles did it again ...and I'm sure over the past nine years you've been yelling for Nolan to coach the Isles right?
Nah, you just a b!tch who never goes to a game but loves to whine ...
There are people on this board who don't even live around here that probably put more $ into seeing this team play than you do ...
AZS....I got to get on you a little for saying Nolan did not give the kids a chance....Tamby stunk in the NHL ... He did not deserve to play.
Snow gave him the likes of Sillinger, Park, Hilbert, MAB , etc....
Nolans job was TO WIN !!! He did that when the team was healthy. When they weren't he played the kids and they stunk up the ice !!
Comeau and Kyle played well and they had a REGULAR SHIFT !!!
It's over now...You Snow guys have got your wish. I think it is the right move b/c of the situation, but the WRONG move in that Nolan left and not Snow....But that is the way it is....Time to move on and PRAY !!!
We got Wang the owner and Snow the new GM to sell this team to free agents and the fans..... That is not going to be easy. If the team falls flat on their face next year, then what ??? Best part about all of this is now it is on Snow. He is the next to get the axe !!!
p.s Snow said last year the team was underperforming. Nolan said he did not have the right type of players....Let's see who was right in 08 !! Snow obviously thinks this is a WINNING CLUB to say that to Ted ...... Well let's see if his guy can take us to the playoffs...IF not Snow was wrong and should be held accountable....None of this "we are re-building with kids" talk...SNOW SAID they underperfomed....We shall see Garth!
I can deal with another bad season if it lands the Isles Tavares or the D-man from Sweden - I believe his name is Hedman ...
In the next calander year I want to see the following and I think the Isles will be on the right path
1) The lighthouse deal be officially approved
2) Okposo, Tamby, Comeau, Bergy and Co. show they belong ...they're all young so I don't need miracles - just show you belong
3) Next season bring up Bailey, Smith, and Figren ...get more young guys in the mix and see what they can do ..
I just want to see progress ...I'm not one of those fans that is expecting a miracle ...I don't want the Isles in the 8th spot this year ...I'm tired of watching them fight to barely get in and then get bounced ...would rather then lose big in the short term to win big for the long term ...
Steady - I hear you about Tamby. But I still think he deserves a full year up in the bigs with time on the PP to see if he can produce - if he can't then so be it but we can't just keep judging these players without really seeing what they can do ...but this year is a "I belong" year for Tamby
AZS posted:
Hartly - Won a cup
Tortorella - Won a cup
Maurice - Lost a cup final
Nolan - coach with a rep as a GM killer who got bounced from Buff - a team that has improved in his absence ...a coach that over plays vets - ignores youth ...blames his 9 year vacation from the NHL on race which always bothered me because he doesn't take accountability for his actions in Buff.
Are you telling me that the islanders were as talented as those teams that won cups. Your talking about the avs who had 3 HOF players on it. Sakic, forsberg, Roy in goal for Gods sake. Tampa had the big 3 plus Anderchuck and Khabbiulin. That is the most ridicuous argument I have ever heard. Nolan can coach and that is the bottom line.
This whole thing smells just like when they fired PL "we are going in a different direction" or "the players lost faith in his system" is what was said back then and PL won a cup with a team that missed the playoffs the season before he got to CAR. This organization is an ABSOLUTE JOKE. CLOWNS,BOBBLEHEADS,CLUELESS AND A TOTAL EXAMPLE OF DYSFUNCTION THAT STARTS AT THE TOP. As you can tell I am disgusted. For the islanders not to realize the talent they had in the coach and his abilitites is APPALLING. ONCE AGAIN THEY HAVE EMBARRASSED THEMSLEVES AND PUT SHAME UPON THE ISLANDER CREST THAT WAS SO PROUDLY WORN AND BUILT BY TRUE SPORTSMAN AND DEDICATED MANAGEMENT AND OWNERSHIP. I AM FLABBERGASTED. I DONT KNOW WHAT ELSE TO SAY.
We all saw this coming but now that it has really happenned reality sets in.
I am 38 yrs old. I became a fan of this team in 1979 when I was 9. I went to my first game in 1981 against the winnipeg jets. I remember john tonelli scored twice and I have seen all the cups, the easter eve game, I was in the Navy stationed overseas and I watched game 7 against pitt for the 93 run That is how big a fan I am. I get to as many games as possible and I never miss a game on tv.I have been through it all. Now I dont know if I can continue. I really have to question whether to waste my time anymore. I think fans can go through alot but I dont think any fans have gone through what we have gone through over the past 15 yrs. Ex rangers for GM, Con man owner, Milstones,4 playoff appearances in 15 yrs, 10 coaches in 15 yrs, Horrible trades and FA acquisitions, Hiring the backup goalie to become a GM, Now fire a coach who proved his worth and let him go. It goes on and on. I dont think I will be rooting anymore. I really cant. It hurts too much to see what has happenned to MY ISLANDERS. OUR ISLANDERS!
In all due respect Mr. Wang, I think its best you sell the team. I thank you for putting up the funds to keep the islanders here on LI and you are commended for that. However, the team under your direction has not improved over the last 8 yrs of your ownerhsip tenure. Your methods undoubtedly worked in the corporate world of software develpment but that has not translated into professional sports. So, in respect for the Islanders fans and the islander community I think it is wise for us to part ways and move forward. All the best to you in the pursuit of the LH project and your other philanthropic programs that always has our support. Thank you.
Jisles
SIr W and I can celebrate. Nolan is a good man but just not the right fit for this group. Hire John Tortorella. He wont let the vets get away with lazy play and he is probably just as good, if not a better motivator than Nolan.
"Your team and organization sucks", they'd say, "but you've got a great coach."
Well said Cincy!
It's true thought, now what do we have? We'd better do something decent this season.
Jisles,
If Nolan is such a great coach then why did it take him seooo long get another job after he was famously let go in Buff?
Answer me that ...why won't anyone answer that?
And don't tell me it has anything to do with his race ...that's BS
nolan got fired cause he may have gotten this pile of garbage to win this year (like he did the past two years), and the wanger and garth want it to tank this season...
they want a shot to get tavares, get the lighthouse approved and start from scratch...
its always darkest just before dawn, and this could be the darkest season ever. Half of our team doesnt belong in the NHL, and we dont have a single player who could play on the first two lines of the top ten teams in hockey. No more 8th place finishes and first round exits --- i agree with AZS, lets bottom out and start over....
Also, so because those guys had good players does that mean they aren't good coaches aswell?
How many teams with good players underachieve?
Is Al Arbour not worthy of being called a good coach because his team had tremendous players?
Is Joe Torre not a good coach because he had good players?
So, Hartly and Tortorella had great players ...but they still won the Cup ...and so what you're saying is that Nolan is a good coach but can only win with HOF players?
So I ask again - what has Nolan done ...what schemes do you like? Why hasn't he been hired by ANYONE in decade after Buffalo?
how many times do you guys get an error when you try to post?? most frustrating site of my life
nolan got fired cause he may have gotten this pile of garbage to win this year (like he did the past two years), and the wanger and garth want it to tank this season...
they want a shot to get tavares, get the lighthouse approved and start from scratch...
its always darkest just before dawn, and this could be the darkest season ever. Half of our team doesnt belong in the NHL, and we dont have a single player who could play on the first two lines of the top ten teams in hockey. No more 8th place finishes and first round exits --- i agree with AZS, lets bottom out and start over....
Well, that sure worked out well, didn't it?
About par for the course in "Islander Country", which, as we all know quite well is really "Loser Country", or perhaps more accurately "Laughingstock of the NHL Country". You could also call it "Mockery Island". Yeah, I think that's really the best one. Mockery Island.
The fact is things never get to this point if you hire a real general manager instead of trying a new experiment every time you get a chance. Mr. Wang is still apparently too stupid to realize this, which is a bit suspect since he was smart enough to avoid a serious prison sentence for his part in the fraudulent management of his corporate finances.
I believe the last coach to be jettisoned in such a manner was Laviolette, yes? Around the same time and in the same manner, yes? All he did was go out and embarrass the team even more by winning a championship the next season. Expect more of the same here, given the storied history of this most excellent hockey club, and the unimpeachable hockey credentials of the ownership.
By the way, what do we do with all of our NOLAN-TYPE PLAYERS now that there is no NOLAN?
Its best to just rip this whole thing down every season and start over anyway. That way you can keep shoveling the "growth!" and "building a winner!" and "watch the kids!" piles all season long, without actually making any tangible progress. Evidently there are enough idiots following this team that will buy into it year after year after year. If you can do that, why bother building a serious team?
What a joke, mockery, laughingstock, mickey-mouse, loser franchise this is. It is terminally diseased and must be allowed to die peacefully and with dignity.
If Trottier is brought into this mess then god help the management because I'll park a truck full of fertilizer outside the coliseum and detonate it before I let them run Bryan through the ringer like all the others.
okposo:
The error message is because the security code generated for your post is only good for 1 post. Say your security code is 123456. If you spend a good long while typing out a well thought out post and someone else posts a quick two liner in that time, they will have used 123456 and now it becomes old for you and you get the error message.
If you are going to hard core post, type it in Notepad and then hit refresh and copy it in. You get a new code and you won't get the error message.
~Healy, tech support (and no thats not my day job)
Well, I guess we saw this coming. I was planning on taking my little fanatic to the Rookie camp this week. So now when she asks where the coach is, I guess I'll have to use the "inmates running the asylum" speech.
Although I was overjoyed to see Nolan hired, I can't say I'm really sad to see him go. The powerplay was atrocious, and the pk wasn't much better.
As marty feldman once said, "Could be worse, could be raining..." and we know what happened next.
healy,
thanks my man, i appreciate it...i was losing my mind...
Frei, I've never been against people voicing their opinions, but the fact that you called me, and others who still do their best to support this team against what can be overwhelming odds IDIOTS is just too much.
I just want to know one thing from you....in the grand scheme of things, which of these decisions would actually be idiotic:
1. Believing there's an actual plan in place, which is something we could have never said with Milbury.
2. Buying into the youth movement for more than a season at a time.
3. Leaving Nolan as coach even after his fate was sealed and causing major distractions.
4. Slamming every move the organization does to the point of paralysis.
5. Making a change pro-actively because it's clear the coach and management do not see eye-to-eye.
Honestly, I'm fully convinced that if it was announced tomorrow the Islanders traded Gervais and Hilbert for Crosby and Malkin you would still have a severe problem with it and make fun of anyone who would actually support such an idiotic move.
This is not the Laviolette firing....Milbury brought in Yashin and Peca, and that created a volatile mix. 2 superstar centers coming in at the same time was bound to polarize the locker room, and nothing short of Al Arbour or Scotty Bowman could've prevented that from exploding. It was obvious the locker room was fractured, and Laviolette paid the price for something that was Milbury's doing. In this case, the team has made a clear decision to build toward being a perennial contender, and Nolan wanted no part of it. If your coach doesn't buy into the plan, he has to go, and it doesn't matter who he is.
If you hate this team so much, Frei, stop following it, stop writing about them, and go find something else to do. If you choose to stay, try to use your head, and don't you dare insult the intelligence of fans who stick by this team for the hope of a better day that some of us (myself and AZS) have never actually seen.
And Snow is rebuilding? SO, he traded down in the draft and ignored a franchise NHL ready D man for a center he could have drafted late in the first round. You really think based upon the way Snow handled this draft that he is any better than Milbury? Sadly, Milbury may have been an Exec of the year in comparison to Snow. Where ezctly is all the young talent that Nolan refused to play? And how would that talent have done anything except assure the Isles of finishing last? Now, the new coach needs to come in knowing that the goal is to get a high draft pick to rebuild with. Sounds like a job for a young caoch on his way up as opposed to a coach with an NHL pedigree. Of course Hartley fits because he doesn't mind losing with young players, he did pleanty of that in Atl, sadly they got tired of rebuilding and losing. Do you really think this franchise is on better shape than it was 5 years ago? or 10 years ago? How long does a rebuilding campaign take?
AZS posted:
Hartly - Won a cup
Tortorella - Won a cup
Maurice - Lost a cup final
Nolan - coach with a rep as a GM killer who got bounced from Buff - a team that has improved in his absence ...a coach that over plays vets - ignores youth ...blames his 9 year vacation from the NHL on race which always bothered me because he doesn't take accountability for his actions in Buff.
Are you telling me that the islanders were as talented as those teams that won cups. Your talking about the avs who had 3 HOF players on it. Sakic, forsberg, Roy in goal for Gods sake. Tampa had the big 3 plus Anderchuck and Khabbiulin. That is the most ridicuous argument I have ever heard. Nolan can coach and that is the bottom line.
This whole thing smells just like when they fired PL "we are going in a different direction" or "the players lost faith in his system" is what was said back then and PL won a cup with a team that missed the playoffs the season before he got to CAR. This organization is an ABSOLUTE JOKE. CLOWNS,BOBBLEHEADS,CLUELESS AND A TOTAL EXAMPLE OF DYSFUNCTION THAT STARTS AT THE TOP. As you can tell I am disgusted. For the islanders not to realize the talent they had in the coach and his abilitites is APPALLING. ONCE AGAIN THEY HAVE EMBARRASSED THEMSLEVES AND PUT SHAME UPON THE ISLANDER CREST THAT WAS SO PROUDLY WORN AND BUILT BY TRUE SPORTSMAN AND DEDICATED MANAGEMENT AND OWNERSHIP. I AM FLABBERGASTED. I DONT KNOW WHAT ELSE TO SAY.
We all saw this coming but now that it has really happenned reality sets in.
I am 38 yrs old. I became a fan of this team in 1979 when I was 9. I went to my first game in 1981 against the winnipeg jets. I remember john tonelli scored twice and I have seen all the cups, the easter eve game, I was in the Navy stationed overseas and I watched game 7 against pitt for the 93 run That is how big a fan I am. I get to as many games as possible and I never miss a game on tv.I have been through it all. Now I dont know if I can continue. I really have to question whether to waste my time anymore. I think fans can go through alot but I dont think any fans have gone through what we have gone through over the past 15 yrs. Ex rangers for GM, Con man owner, Milstones,4 playoff appearances in 15 yrs, 10 coaches in 15 yrs, Horrible trades and FA acquisitions, Hiring the backup goalie to become a GM, Now fire a coach who proved his worth and let him go. It goes on and on. I dont think I will be rooting anymore. I really cant. It hurts too much to see what has happenned to MY ISLANDERS. OUR ISLANDERS!
In all due respect Mr. Wang, I think its best you sell the team. I thank you for putting up the funds to keep the islanders here on LI and you are commended for that. However, the team under your direction has not improved over the last 8 yrs of your ownerhsip tenure. Your methods undoubtedly worked in the corporate world of software develpment but that has not translated into professional sports. So, in respect for the Islanders fans and the islander community I think it is wise for us to part ways and move forward. All the best to you in the pursuit of the LH project and your other philanthropic programs that always has our support. Thank you.
Jisles
Congrats to Ted Nolan for escaping the pathetic and irrelevant NYI's.
The "youth movement' lacks talent, the team has NO grit, and the golden boy goalie is a punk.
Can things get worse?
AZS,
I have no idea why Nolan never got hired. That is not the point. The point is he can coach. And as far as torre goes I vaguely recall people calling him "Clueless Joe" when the yankees hired him. he didnt win jack until he got to the yankees. Bill Torrey knew what he had in Al Arbour. He knew the man who was an excellent coach for a season in St Louis and could come to LI and grow with a young and upcoming team. BTW the bottom line is Al Arbour had 5 HOF on that team. So players do matter. Players always matter. Yes teams with alot of talent have underachieved but my question to you would be this.
Name me one coach who won a championship in any sport who did not have a HOF player on it? Name me one.
What I am saying is that I am not buying the spin anymore. These bobbles can talk all they want about how they have a plan to rebuild and draft but theydont have any integrity nor experience to show they can or have an idea How. They do not carry CREDENTIALS which is why their whole line is suspect. If it was Lou lameriello or another GM, even an assistant GM who has actually done it then I would be all in but these guys WANG AND SNOW ARE CLUELESS I am tired of Wang making this org into a mockery of the NHL and sports general. Enough is Enough.
Jisles
quenville
Don't worry. It's all part of our 25 year rebuilding plan.
Nick, keep believing whatever you want to.
About this team, about the lighthouse, about life in general.
Keep hoping against hope for a better day.
The idealism of youth only lasts for so long. Then, reality sets in. This will happen to you one day, I promise.
Carry your clipboard all the way to the ToH.
You'll notice your tune has changed significantly since your statement of around 6 months or so that a "shovel in the ground" would be happening "within a year". Remember that? Just a few months ago you were SURE that was the way it would go down, remember? Not so sure now, are you? That's reality setting in, lil' buckaroo. Prepare for loads more of it in the future, because its about to hit you like a freight train.
Nick, you sound like a nice guy, and I know sometimes you think things are personal, but the stuff you keep trying to blow up people's asses just isn't true, hasn't happened, isn't going to. You need to get a bit more realistic and get with the program, because this is true:
THERE IS NO LIGHTHOUSE OR CHAMPIONSHIP-CALIBER TEAM BEING BUILT ON LONG ISLAND.
Get that through your idealistic little head, put down the clipboard full of signatures from people who live nowhere near LI, and start seeing things for what they are.
The fact that you WISH things were going as well as you say means nothing to what is actually happening here.
I put more into this franchise in just 5 years of the 80's than you have in your entire life. Don't even think about telling me how to feel or what to say about this team. Don't even THINK about it. Just take your clipboard and walk. When the "Lighthouse" is built and this team hoists a cup, THEN you can come to me and tell me I'm wrong, and how great things are on LI, and how this team finally has a PLAN. But not before. Sorry pal. Reality talks. Clipboards walk.
Just skip right over my comments and post more garbage about how close the lighthouse is. I will keep seeing and writing about things as they are, not as "I want them" or "they should" be.
The facts, son. Facts dictate. Facts. Not "hope for a brighter day". Reality.
Horrific. They finally get this franchise moving in the right direction, have a terrific draft, and then fire the only competent coach they've had since Arbour (with the lone exception of Laviolette).
A coach's job is to coach. A GM's job is to manage the team. Who cares about "philosophical differences"? Each could have done their job without agreeing on every aspect of the rebuilding.
Ridiculous and it really bodes poorly for keeping this team on the Island. One thing is becoming clearer by the day - Wang simply does not trust people (professionals) to do their jobs. That's not good management - it's the opposite of good management.
A devastating loss, because "philosophical disagreement" or not, Nolan was developing our young players at an impressive pace, something we have not seen on the Island in years and years.
A poor hiring now could utterly destroy our attempts to regain a winning edge.
Let's cut to the chase, I don't care who is the coach so long as they start their weeknight home games at 7:30
Lol, Merrick I totally agree!
Here's a link to the Isles site with the official release and Nolan's record ...He's got a career .512 winning percentage ...his career best regular season happened twice 40-30 with buff and also his first season with the Isles ...
Again, I just don't see him leaving as some devistating loss ...
http://islanders.nhl.com/team/app/?service=page&page=NewsPage&articleid=368322
Jisles, I've got 5 years on you, and I'm right there with you... I'm a fan, I'll always be a fan because of the CLASS ORGAINIZATON this was when we were kids.
But it's just as if Disneyland was taken over by Muslim Extremists... and I don't want to see them decapitate Tinkerbell becasue she is a fairy!
As for Wang and selling the team, it is clear that his main concern is developing the parking lot into Wang's World... and I really couldn't give a rat's (_*_) about that.
As much as I love them, they are a joke. Wang has his own agenda. Snow has done some good things, but they always blow up in his face. (The same could be said for Milbury)
Here's a list of some of my favorite Isles in the post glory years... see if you can spot the trend...
Palffy
Kasparitis
Scatchard
Aucoin
Jonnson
Blake
That may be why I was so confused when they extended Witt... I'm guessing he's gone by the deadline...
Nolan may not have had THE formula, but I thought that he got the players to compete every night.
I don't agree that this team is that terrible. Yes they can lose 60 games, but that's been said the past two years. If they do lose 60 games, and are out of the hunt by mid december then I think that needs to fall squarely on SNOW.
What peeves me the most is the philosophy of "youth"... WHAT F'N YOUTH??? Tambellini??? The damn youth went to EDMONTON for MAB and Smyth... Did Nolan make those deals?
Okposo may turn out to be something, but was he an option.
Comeau and Nielsen seem to have 2nd or 3rd line upside... THAT'S WHAT MIRACLES ARE MADE OF???
Somebody shoudl find out what YOUTH MOVEMENT GUY signed DUNHAM as the backup goalie... and pushed for him to be the starter even after he showed he was DONE.
Who made the roster a surprise to his head coach every day... well Botta says that was Snow's doing...
Who didn't sign Blake before the trade deadline becasue he hated his guts (purely specualtion on my part)?
Who is a Mike Milbury Clone???
Who is the pinhead owner of the NY ISLANDERS????
the answer to those two questions will be the answer to the following one as well...
WHY ARE THE ISLANDERS A JOKE???
who is laughing...
Ranger fans... as they should have no problem playing meaningful hockey in the spring.
Peter Laviollete... who already has a cup and a competetive team.
Pat Lafontaine... who disassiated himself with this flying circus and remains a class act.
Blake... all the way to the bank
Dubie... all the way to a Russian bank.
Yashin... all the way to carol Alt's bank
Chris Botta... All the way to the publisher's office... man, I can't wait for his book to come out.
...and every contractor and labor union on Long Island who will be the only real benefactors of Wang's World.
I'm fully willing to let you do whatever you want and think whatever you want. I had a problem with you saying that people who still support the team in spite of the BS thrown our way are idiots. I will apologize for the time I was a little tipsy and flamed you back in April, that was not something I should've done. I'll also admit that your negativity frustrates the living hell out of me because I can't understand it. I don't know if it's my nature or the fact that rooting for the Yankees and Giants has at least allowed me to see championships, but I don't believe in killing this team for everything they do. I won't bore anyone with a life story, but like everyone else I've seen plenty of things that could have led to my losing faith and optimism, but I choose not to. I actually try not to take things personally, but using personal language does bother me because it seemed through your post you were calling fans like me idiots.
If you've been a fan so long, then you know it's not exactly easy to just stop following a team. I have to hope the team will win a Cup because I have no memories of it, and Trevor Linden, Brett Lindros, and Mike Rupp really aren't enough to keep me satiated in my memories as a fan. Therefore, I choose to move forward, and I choose not to hold Charles Wang responsible for the sins of John Pickett, John Spano, Steven Gluckstern, and Howard Milstein. In the same vein, I will not hold Snow responsible for the sins of Maloney and Milbury. The fact that the team seemed to be in constant rebuilding mode is not 100% the fault of the current regime, and being willing to give them the chance they deserve is not idealism, I would actually call that unbiased realism.
As for the Lighthouse, I don't think much has changed. I've always said the obvious things, such as the Town had to complete the environmental review and approve the re-zoning before they could finalize the lease with the County and build, build, build. The Lighthouse has been saying shovels in the ground (in the form of Coliseum renovations, which are already approved by all bodies and could start tomorrow, theoretically) in July of 2009. If I were simply blowing smoke, would I have talked to other parties and independently fact-checked it? The fact remains that the Coliseum is the first step, and they COULD start renovations next year while environmental review is on-going. It's a massive risk that I don't know they'll take, but it could be done. That's not a change in position, it's an explanation based on facts.
I knew from the beginning the team would get murdered for firing Nolan, but I also know having a coach that's not pulling in the same direction as the rest of the team would cause this to appear to be more of a Mickey-Mouse organization in the long run. It's probably better to take the hit and move forward, while, actually, sticking to the plan. That's the interesting thing here - Nolan fell victim to the plan, not necessarily personalities. Maybe things really ARE different here.
Nick, your wrote:
1. Believing there's an actual plan in place, which is something we could have never said with Milbury.
Problem is what credential do Wang and Snow have? Zip
2. Buying into the youth movement for more than a season at a time.
Again, I am fine with rebuilding if the person at the helm had any experience and the owner had some sense.
3. Leaving Nolan as coach even after his fate was sealed and causing major distractions.
This is Pete Laviolette all over again. Same quotes, Same excuses. Snow is trying to sell the fans that Nolan cant coach youth.
4. Slamming every move the organization does to the point of paralysis.
Nick I have read many of your posts. You have said you were too young to remember the cup years. Well I am not. See my previous post. Wang has had 8 years to prove to the fans that he is willing to do the right thing but he has not. The islanders have not got to the next level under wangs ownership. It has been multiple misteps year after year. You cannot deny it. For example, he claims that players wont come here because of the building. Well , if he would have renovated the building 8 yrs ago they would have state of the art facility right now! But he overly hedged on this LH project and thought it would already be done. I remember in 2000 when he bought the team that he hoped it would be done in 2004 or 05. It is not even close. And it is headed for a downfall. Too much time is going by and the more time goes by the more bad things can happen. Get me an owner who only cares about Hockey and builidng a winner not a shopping mall.
5. Making a change pro-actively because it's clear the coach and management do not see eye-to-eye.
Firing Nolan was not pro-active. It was just another move in the long laundry list of Wang trying to recreate the wheel. he learned absolutely nothing from the days he had MM. Just let the same things happen over and over. With Wang history always repeats itself and whoever the next coach is he will be fired in two years too. Wang needs to sell this team and fast.
Nick, You are drinking the cool aid from people who cant mix it or never mixed it at all. take a step back and really analyze what this org has done over the last 8 yrs of Wangs tenure. Making the playoffs 4 times in 8 yrs. and losing in the first round of all them, hiring and firing 3 coaches, hiring a backup golie with no experience as a GM and firing people like Smith/Lafontaine is unsatisfactory in my book. It is time for Wang to move on. And i am tired of the scare tactict of we need wang or else the team would move. Well I have alwasy said that this is still a NY market and if you put a winner on the ice they will come. The building will be full and any owner with any sense will understand that. NY fans want to watch winners not rebuilidng projects.
jisles
I am unofficially awarding Merrick comment of the day..
Brilliant.
Sorry to see Ted go as an Islanders fan.
Snow goes if Isles dnt make playoffs next year!
AZS: IF Snow left would it be devastating?
My only point in all of this, is what I have been posting for a long time.....
Why does everyone with a hockey brain leave this organization? Why does every person with a hockey back round get pushed out? Why does Wang surround himself with people that are in over their heads ??? (Hence his son in law as our PR rep..LOL)
Nolan....LaFontaine....Smith....
Nolan was a good coach. He took a team with no talent to the playoffs. He took a team as far as possible last year before injuries.
AZS: If he did not have a resume than why did Wang hire him?
**I just feel it all starts at the top. Wang has been a very poor owner. ***
Snow is a horrible GM (I mean Pupet) - Who will this guy Hire? If this was not a good situation why let this drag on for months? They should have just fired Nolan in March or April and start the Search for a new coach, not wait 6 weeks before training camp. Nolan should be fired - Him and Wang were disappointed that this Team didn't make the playoffs last year....What are they smoking, Last years' roster was filled with all 3rd and 4th line players - like it will be this year. This Organization is a complete Joke!!
guys, i dont think there is a snowballs chance in hell in the Lighthouse happening...This is the worst real estate market in years. The entire mortgage process will be overhauled. People wont be able to get a mortgage. The construction costs are through the roof, and what they can charge people to live there is probably shrinking by the day...The Jets/Giants just paid 1.6 billion for a stadium that cost the Pats 350 million a few years earlier....Somethings got to give. The Mets are building a field named for a company that has seen its stock go from 52 to 15 in the last year. The environmental review is the least of our worries..if i was the wanger, i'd hope they shot it down.... I love the Isles but they are not going to be here for much longer....
What really bothers me is that our "All Star" goalie had something to do with this as well. Who does Dipietro think he is? He should worry more about stopping the puck and STAYING HEALTHY than talking behind the coaches back and getting him fired. It isn't his job to go straight to the owner and backstab the coach. Becuase he knows that Wang likes his "personality" he feels he has the owner, and therefore the GM, in his pocket.
So you know what Ricky, this is on you as well. No excuses now for you. You think you should be mentioned in the same breath as Brodeur and Lundqvist, you shouldn't. You don't deserve to be, "All-Star" game aside. They are currently out of your league. Stay healthy, stop some rubber and shut up. Because your "marketability" will only get you so far.
No excuses. Because you haven't lived up to your own billing.
I guess Snow and Wang must have read my posts yesterday about doing something RIGHT NOW.
So now it's done. The last shoe has dropped and now Snow must get on with hiring the right coach for this young crew.
Hartley...No thanks. He couldn't win with a team that had much more talent than the Isles have now.
Maurice.. Nope. Too laid back. Great fit in LA, dude.
Quenville....Another retred. I'll pass.
Torterella.... Bingo!! Firey. Hates to lose. Did well with the Bolts young players as they matured. Won a Cup. A crack the whip type guy. Will play the best players and will not give in to DP.
I would have liked to see Bryan Trottier get a shot but I guess that's not to be. Too bad.
OK Garth, the ball is in your court now. Time to put up some wins here. Get your coach and his staff and let's get this thing turned around in a hurry............Sir William
My vote is for Torterella as well... but my guess is that Snow's Coach from Maine (If he's still alive) or maybe Dunham...
How about Mike Sillinger... what a perfect transition if you're forced to retire because of an injury... you can step right into the job you saw yourself getting 7 to 10 years after you retired RIGHT NOW...
only in Wang's World... Shawiiiiing!!!!
hmmm.. wang and garth... doing silly things on their way to fame and fortune... Christy Brinkley can be the tia Carrera character...
how about...STEVE WEBB?!?!
how about..STEVE WEBB
Here's another reason why Wang needs to sell this team.
Smith and Wang parted company when Wang wanted to have all management decisions made "by comittee"
In Logan's artical yesterday, which restates what Botta's blog said. they didn't even consult with Snow during the draft or frfee agent signings.
They drafted a kid that played with Brandon Nolan, and they didn't consult with Ted... I would find that hard to believe... until I consider that it's Wang and Garth...
Let's go back a few years...
So... you have the top rated young goalie in the NHL and you want to trade him to make room for a kid in college...
Well... there's that and we'll get perenial scoring powerhouses Mark "cement feet" Parrish, the heir apperent to Derek King, and Oleg "the sleeping bear" Kvasha... if only he would have woken up... that would have made that trade soooooooo worth it.
8 years later... same place... only we're all 8 years older.
Wang's World is still a pipe dream (to everybody but Wang and Nick)...
Rookie camp opened today... and there is no coach in place.
What a great chance for the zamboni driver to see what kind of kids he has in the system.
Hey, but it will be the 30th anniversary of the 1978-79 march to the quarterfinal deafeat by the rangers... maybe they cac have a Mike Kasziky night... or maybe give away Pat Price Bobbleheads...
THE FIRST 5,000 fans get a DEFENSE IS A MARSHALL ART poster, signed by Marshall McLure...(they probably won't even have to have 5000)
GENIUS!!!!
they didn't even consult with Snow during the draft or free agent signings.
should be "nolan"
Wow, I guess I should have gone with the "under".
I'll have somewhat to say about this in detail later, but, while I am sad to see Ted go (and especially because it probably means the Moncton, New Brunswick, training camps will go the way of the Dodo), I think it was necessary to get the Captain and his First mate heading in the same direction. I care less (not really ;-))whether it is the RIGHT direction, just the SAME direction.
Now, the Captain can go recruit a new First Officer.
I think Paul Maurice would be a great choice. He did not fare well in TO, because that city eats its children when it comes to Hockey, and he was made to wear a lot of the decisions made by John Ferguson, Jr.
What's Steve Stirling doing these days?
sir yaps a lot trying to take credit for others saying he needs to go now not later. Only one oracle. steady called it on weds. go back and read when he said it is the wrong move, but do it now if your going to do it.
Wow. The morons at NVMC keep embarassing themselves. Too funny.
Let's Go Rangers !
I really liked Ted Nolan as our coach because he brought back some respectability to the organization but let's be real. He was in the "win now" frame of mind and unfortunately, our organization was not built to win now for 2 glaring reasons:
1 - We cannot attract the most prized high-profile free agents to sign with us
2 - Our development and organizational depth was extremely lacking due to poor drafting and some bad trades
To "win now", almost certainly #1 and #2 need to happen at the same time. If they don't, while a playoff berth is a possibility, a run at the Cup is not.
Ted Nolan wanted to "win now", that was not going to happen. He had a chance to put his neck out on the line and play the young kids and give them a chance to prove themselves. Instead, he chose to put guys like Simon and Hilbert on the PP units which ultimately became a big reason for his removal. The PP did not work and he chose not to fix it.
Snow and Wang have a plan, and the plan is to play the youth. If Nolan did not agree to play the youth and chose to "win now" to help himself gain another contract rather than build for a real winner, unfortunately, I have to say I agree 100% with this move and realized it need to be done now.
Good luck Ted
As with the draft, you probably can't judge this move until a couple of years go by, and we see 1) if Nolan landed another job (or was he just another misfit in this group), and 2) how the Isles coach and team have developed together. But, all in all, I'm with Merrick: time to move on and see who's next...
Mr Wang Please just move the Islanders to another state where you can get a new arena and the suffering to true Islander fans like myself.We were once a team to be delt with now we just get laughed at .PLEASE JUST GO WE ISLANDER FANS ARE TIRED OF THE ENDLESS SUFFERING !
Dmen: If Snow has a plan and does not mind if we do not "Win Now," than why did he tell Nolam last year that the team was underperfoming and he had the talent to WIN NOW ??
Nolan is the one that said they DID NOT have the talent.....
Gary - a few others also said that the team needed a decision sooner than later.
Well let's see Snows plan unfold. I think him and Wang are full of it, but I will always buy in and support the team...This one is tough to swallow though.
Can someone please just answer the question I have asked many times......
WHY does everyone with a hockey brain leave or get fired from this team ??? Laviolette, Smith, Nolan, LaFontaine......oh and the old pr guy who got fired for Wangs son in law who never saw a hcokey game in his life!
above was me...shocker ;)
I will have to make my comment later.... dinner now ... and then hockey practice tonight ... hey ... maybe Nolan can coach my team ... my coach can't be at every game or practice. :)
JD
"Wow. The morons at NVMC keep embarassing themselves. Too funny.
Let's Go Rangers !"
Conveniently overlooked in this Newspaper, JD, was another little news item in the last month that some might consider equally "embarassing" to you Ranger fans.
How come you guys let the heart and soul of your team last year get voted off of Manhattan Island?
The Rangers struggled last year whenever Jagr and/or Avery were not in the lineup and yet your ESTEEMED MSG Management didn't even make them an offer to come back?
Jagr virtually carried the Rangers on his back in the playoffs.
Zipay merely mentioned it in his blog, posting no opinion.
Yet, that topic was not even worthy of "a debate" on the Vinal Flore by Rieber and Baumbach? Two guys who's hockey allegiances are well documented. Two guys who NEVER have a mean thing to say about the Rangers (or almost anything for that matter?). Two guys who are all too quick to blast the Isles anytime there is a Press Release.
Yet it took Rieber all of about FIVE MINUTES to go on his blog and crucify the Islanders for firing Nolan.
I suppose we can expect more of this as MSG takes over Newsday.
That is, chickenchit homer journalism.
Chickenchit reporters who put their paychecks ahead of professionalism and suck up to their own personal agendas and kissing their bosses arse whenever they can.
Just my rambling in a small way associated with JD's comment rant.
(cuz if I post this on the Vinal Flore, it will get deleted).
The comment at 16:58 was not mine.
Whoops.
Now I've done it.
Looks like I am permanently banned from the Vinal Flore!!
Oh, the pain!!!
Your wish is my command Mr. Rieber.
I will stay off of your blog.
This...
Will Not...
Be Pretty.
Support your team Isles fans. Your management sure as hell isn't.
Anon: I believe the youth movement idea started around December of last year............more on that in a bit.
When Nolan got hired, I believe they had the plan of trying to acquire veterans through free agency and let their youth develop in the minors.
In 06-07 Nolan had the team playing very well and everyone was jumping on the bandwagon. Snow saw a chance to make us real contenders and mortgaged some of the future and landed Smyth. At the time, I don't think anyone was unhappy with the move until DP got hurt. DP getting hurt put the team into a tailspin that they truly never recovered from, even though they made the playoffs. The team that lost to Buffalo was not the same calibar it was before DP got hurt.
Snow banked on Smyth re-signing which of course did not happen. With that and other top free agents rebuffing, I believe the direction of the team changed. Snow and co had to piece together free agents to field a competitive team.
On to December 07 where the team was coming off a horrendous November. I believe that's where Snow made it clear that the youth needs to start getting some quality minutes so they can evaluate where they were at. To me, it was absurd to have Simon and Hilbert on PP units when we had some kids sitting on the bench that actually had some scoring ability.
It took 1/2 the team going down with injury before the youth started getting quality minutes. While I believe it was a poor decision for Snow to hang onto our pending UFA's at the deadline to make one last run at a playoff spot, I don't believe Nolan ever thought otherwise either.
Nolan was out of coaching in the NHL for the last 10 years. The last thing he wanted to do is coach a young team and fall flat on his face doing so. I believe he thought in his mind that if that happened and the Isles did not extend him, no team will look twice in his direction either.
I'm assuming he saves face by leaving before the season even starts and it gives him a better chance of landing another job somewhere.
everyone is talking here about mngmt cutting nolan loose because he wanted veterans vs they wanting youth.... dont know if anyone has seen this yet, but here is an article from they hockey news that offers a different perspective but doesnt speak well of the choices that wang and garth have made in regard to that youth....
http://www.thehockeynews.com/articles/17189-Analysis-Isles-future-looks-worse-without-Nolan.html
oops
basically suggests nolan took the high road after seeing what wang and garth did to the team and high-tailed it outta town while he still had the chance of getting a good gig.
Come-on, let’s get a coach in here that's willing to take chances with young talent, someone who changes things up when things don't work out. Like FIX THE POWERPLAY, how about not putting MAB then SATAN on the point if your caught short handed everyday on the power play. If you can't score from the Blue line STOP TRYING.
This team missed the playoffs because of LONG losing streaks. They only won 4 Games in January. They had 2 losing streaks of 6 Games or more. They had 5 Losing streaks of 4 Games or more 2 losing streaks of 6 games or more. This team played well in stretches and awful at other times. The coach could not get this team to play consistently period. Talent issue's, injury issue's whatever the excuse fact is the team got 13 of 14 points in 7 games in February what changed so drastically that the same team got 1 point out of 14 the previous 7.
Forget the controversy following Nolan. Forget his targeted remarks. Forget Snow's and Wang's rookie positions. Nolan had a job to do. Get consistency out of his team. Nolan failed.
.Morty
move the team to brooklyn with the nets please!!!
Well said Dmen77:
To those who believe that the Islanders are purposfully tanking or should tank the upcoming season for a shot at Taveras are just being unrealistic.
Are you serious? You will be the same fans that criticise every loss with "they are clueless" rants.
Besides, there are no guarantees that you will actually finish last, especially if DiPietro is healthy and the defense is what it is supposed to be. There are other teams that will suffer from unfortunate injuries to key players etc. that may cause them to have terrible seasons... worse than the islanders.
Nolan will be missed in some ways... but coach and GM really do need to be going in the same direction. This team will win with all of it's decision makers pulling in that same direction.
Detroit wins no matter who its' coach is. NJ wins despite making coaching changes with 3 games left in the season. It's great having a coach that fans can look to for stability... but in the end, it is the organisations commitment to a plan and executing that plan. I believe Snow and Wang are getting it now.
Just my opinion. NOT fact... just an opinion.
DOC
This team finds new ways monthly IN THE OFFSEASON to disappoint its true fans. To AZS - I dont know who made you the official "real fan" moderator - but I can guarantee you havent been to more home games than I have since 2001. I am 26 and have been going to games my whole life - i was 11 when we last won a playoff series - and I bought seasons in 2001 and have not missed 1 home game since. So you cant reply telling me i'm a terrible fan and iknow nothing bc i dont go and blah blah blah. This is another rediculous move made by people who have no right running a professional sports franchise. Like they said on PTI today - the Islanders are the "blah" franchise of the NHL. 2 summers ago for 39 days i thought we had it right. We had a respected GM and Ted Nolan manning our team. Charles "power trip" Wang saw that he dindt have full control if Smith was the GM so he gets rid of him and hires our BACKUP GOALIE?????? Wang doesn't want to spend money and Snow is scared to make a big move after Ryan Smyth so we dont bother trying to sign players that will help us finally win a playoff series. So the only thing Isles fans had going for them was we had a coach who can get the absolute most out of every player that plays for him - a guy who has done more than you could have asked for him in his first two seasons with the Isles and we FIRE HIM???? WHY - BECAUSE HE WANTS TO WIN NOW!!!!!!! Get rid of him - he is trying to win. Any fan who gets on Nolan wasnt paying attention. He played the kids last year - and the year before. Our WHOLE TEAM WAS KIDS. God Forbid a coach wants his organization to do the necessary things to help them WIN. NOW! - how many youth movements and head coaches do we need to go through before we win a playoff series much less A CUP??? All this does is re-affirm the real reason that free agents dont want to come to the Island. Its not the building, its the fact we have no stability - we have had 7 coaches since the turn of the century. We have a GM who is absolutely clueless and thinks he deserves power. And an owner who would probably trade the rights to Tavares for 2 3rd round picks, a 4th round pick, and 38 signatures on the Lighthouse petition. This way he doesnt have to pay Tavares - "We really liked the deal, by trading the rights to Tavares, we were able to take a flyer on some players and add depth to the Sound tigers." I dont know if i can continue to buy season tickets to a team who shows me no commitment to winning" I am waiting for the "no name, company guy" who is our new head coach. I'm sure it will be someone with no voice that does what SIR WANG tells him to say and do - another day to add to the list on Misery Island
Rob, how about I just reply by calling you a whinning faggot? And how about I also tell you that if you've got such a problem with the team that you shouldn't go to any more games?
More than 40 % of the NHL hired new coaches this year. It is a bad time for Ted to be looking for a new job. Only LA remains unfilled. Since Nolan is still under contract he would have to get permission from the Isles to get the LA gig. I don't see them giving permission without a draft pick being involved.
With so much turnover and a good 40% more of the league locked into solid coaching jobs, that doesn't leave much room for Ted to get back into the NHL. As I said, bad timing for Ted.
I do not think that Snow would have made this move without having someone in mind to take over so don't be surprised if the new guy is introduced quickly.
This is a good move. Obviously Snow has established himself as the boss. A franchise needs someone to be in charge in order to be successful.
Before the gnashing and naysaying is finished, how about we see who gets the job before killing Snow?
Need I remind people here about the draft when there were calls for Snows head on Friday. On Sat. a different tune was being sung.
Lets see what transpires before giving up on the season before the first puck is dropped, Hell, some of you doomsday guys may even agree with the choice of coach. Let's get all the info before making up our collective minds.
Does anyone know if the entire coaching staff was let go also?........Sir William
Yes... it's disappointing that this team has not won in several years... you have to see the bigger picture.
3 years ago when people were crying for the Islanders to tear it down, rebuild it... bottom out and build it right...
Fans would say... "I'll still support the team through the rebuilding..." Well here it is... and people are bashing it.
They are doing the right thing here. If faced with the prospect of drafting #1 next year... they won't trade it for two 3rd round picks as MR. Rob so astutely puts it.
They traded down this year because it was a way of accelerating the development of the organisation with as many quality 18 and 19 year olds as possible. That same philosophy shouldn't be in effect next year if it were to fall in their lap.
And to the fan above... I don't remember who... that so astutely stated that he could see NOLAN landing somewhere like Tampa now... well there's just one little problem with that suggestion.
Tampa hired Barry Melrose like 2 weeks ago...
By the way... I know Tampa has made some pretty bold offseason moves... and look good on paper because they have a pretty solid core still... but do you really think Melrose is a good hire...? Let's see how that one plays out...
DOC
"He's got a career .512 winning percentage ...his career best regular season happened twice 40-30 with buff and also his first season with the Isles .."
i don'tt know who wrote but sorry, this means zippo. nothing.
of all who post here, frei makes the most sense. it hurts me to say it, but so starkly realist and direct as he is, he faces reality dead on and his opinions are unaffected by sentiment.
the truth is that 'the lighthouse' - a shred of a dream of a shot in the dark at this point - is all that is left for this franchise. as the local economy continues to crumble, we are left with a grasp. a desperate reach that becomes more pathetic with each passing day.
i wish it were not so, but if it is, and we have lost this part of our lives, then let it go already. a slow death is worse than no death at all.
AZS - I cant believe that you are also and Islander fan yet you spend all this time calling other Isles fans names and telilng us not to go to games. Who made you an authority of that? Seriously I feel like you are a Rag fan. Are you happy with the fact it is 15 years and counting between playoff wins? Are you enough of a Wang shrill that you think we are better today than we were after our final game this past season? I mean most people who in July come on this site to read or post blogs are here doing it because they care - so maybe you should take that into account before you pretend you are the know it all of the isles - i probably have seen more hockey and am closer with the people who cover the team than you are - even they see my point.
Any possibility the Icahn skips the Yahoo-Microsoft shenanigans and and buys the Islanders and FIRES every single person...including almost all the players.
I say break up the whole team, send the players to the Rags and watch them fall apart.
Long Island hockey is almost done and we all know it.
I cant believe Nolan is gone because a little baby like Tamby simply sucks.
WOW!! Lots of hostility here. Perhaps it's time to take a breath and see what happens before throwing in the towel.
Calm down.......Sir William
i dont want any hostility but that is what losing breeds - i doubt any Lightning fans are fighting on message boards about the direction their team took this summer - i can only dream of the day where all Isles fans are rejoicing b/c we built a young cup contender
I posted this on another blog and I'll post it here. I liked Ted Nolan as our coach and felt he brought some respectibility back to the franchise but unfortunately, the numbers don't lie. Nolan did not give our kids the minutes they needed to develop and for management to get a clear indication of where they were.
Playing Chris Simon and Andy Hilbert on the top PP unit are moves that killed this season. We scored the 2nd fewest goals in the league and our PP ranked 29th in the NHL. Obviously the vets in our lineup were not getting the job done and Nolan refused to try something different and give quality minutes to the kids, That couldn't happen again this year and after today's events, it won't be an issue.
Just so we can say the numbers don't lie, here are the forwards season goal total and average ice time per game:
Comrie 21 19:11
Guerin 23 17:23
Hunter 12 18:13
Satan 16 18:19
Vasicek 16 15:51
Fedotenko 16 16:42
Park 12 15:14
Sillinger 14 18:36
Bergenheim 10 11:15
Hilbert 8 13:29
Comeau 8 11:40
Okposo 2 16:28
Jackman 1 6:37
Tambellini 1 10:25
Nielsen 2 8:42
Walter 1 6:05
YES....let's see who Wang and Snow pick. agreed.
The micro-scope must now be on them now though. This is yet another thing the NHL community is shaking their head at.
So it is time to pick the guy SNOW wants. Pick the guy that will make or break his legacy as GM of this team.
My disapproval of Snow and Wang is simple. Why is everything they do met with so many questions??? Whether it is right or wrong it makes you scratch your head:
The Smith and LaFontaine debacle. The Nolan hiring. The Snow hiring, The Laviolette firing. The Smyth trade. The DP contract. The "committee" bs. The draft and not staying with pick #5. The signing of Weight. The firing of Nolan. ETC. ETC. ETC.
Not saying all the above are right or wrong. But all can be debated. Everything can be viewed very negatively.
This team NEEDS a solid foundation. It needs a NO BRAINER. It needs a can't miss. Wang and Snow have proven this far they are incapable of achieving this.
So, as usual we must wait. We must pray. We all have our opinions, and some will be right and some will be wrong. I personally hope I am dead wrong, but I do not see a "great master plan" by Snow and Wang. I see a power trip of two unproven men selling us on their third plan in as many years.
So prove me wrong Snow and Wang. Spot light is on you. No more safety net.
Dmen....Before the injuries last year the Isles were on pace to make the playoffs. That is a simple fact and the numbers do not lie. A coach's job is to make the palyoffs and play the best players that give the team a chance to win. Nolan did that. When we were out of contention, he palyed the kids. The kids quickly put the team in a 1-7 streak and stunk up the ice.
Also, please name me one person on that list you would of liked to see get more ice time?
Tambellini was the big name in question after reading all the reports. My eyes do not lie. He was the weakest kid on the ice night after night. He looked star struck and intimidated. He was horrible at the NHL level. Hopefully this year he has matured and gained some confidence, but do not tell anyone he deserved more time last year.
The PP was putrid no matter who was on it and that I guess you can knock Nolan and his staff. YET, if it Nolans fault for not putting the right people on the ice, why was SNOW's one move in the off-season to get a PP QB ???? That tells me he now agree's with Nolan that the team was flawed. That he did not give Nolan the right players. No ???
Steady - I agree with what you say to a certain extent.........BUT, can you honestly say this team was a Cup contender? I'll answer that.....absolutely not
I don't see an organization in all of professional sports whose goal is to make the playoffs just to get knocked out in the 1st round year after year. It's not a winning formula.
I can admit, I would love for them to make the playoffs year after year but I know I would trade all 5 of those 1st round exits for 4 years of fultility and then have one solid playoff year and get into the conference finals.....THAT would be a team you could build from. That is hopefully a team built with youth and then sprinkle in veterans from there.
THIS past season's team was not a team to build from, making the playoffs or not. I agree, that blame can be placed on Snow but hey, Snow finally realized the road was going nowhere and made the decision to rebuild the right way. He wants the young kids to play and wants them to get quality minutes and learn the right way, win or lose.
I don't care that Tambellini did not look good on the ice, but I know something else, Okposo wouldn't have looked good either if he were getting the same minutes. No one is going to look very good getting 10 minutes a night. For arguments sake, what's the excuse for Bergenheim getting 11 minutes a night? There were many times he was the guy with the most energy. You get 15-16 minutes a night, that energy will turn into putting pucks into the net and helping the team win.
The bottomline was that the ship was not sailing the right way, it was broken, and Nolan did nothing to fix it. We don't know what talent we have at B-Port until the kids come play and are given quality minutes, Nolan did not want to take part in that and that's why at this very moment, he is without an NHL coaching position.
Well you wanted him gone and he is.....Now let's all watch who Snow picks. Let's all see what all those kids have. The next couple of seasons will prove whether Snow does have a plan or not.
As for taking the next step and making a run at the cup. I agree it would not of happened last year or the year before with the talent SNOW gave Nolan. That is on Snow. Nolan did what he could with the stuff he was given.
Nolan is no saint here. Maybe he was defiant. Maybe it was time for him to go. But, again I ask...Why does everyone with a hockey brain leave this orgainzation ????
On to the next chapter. So far the book being written by Wang and the Bobbles is an epic tragedy! Thank God I believe in happy endings !!!
There are 3 sides to this story .... and a lot of people seem focused on one side or the other .... I thought about the BIG PICTURE ... and as much as I think Nolan was a really good coach ... his antics rocking the boat proved he didn't want to be there .... so I think regretably the right action was taken.
I'll have more thoughts on this tomorrow ... just got back from practice ... and a few drinx with teammates .... gotta get up early for work ... so I'm outty ... I'll catch up with this white hot debate tomorrow.
There were a few comments here that are unfair to Snow. To place the blame solely on him because he provided the players is a bit off. First of all, Snow made offers to Smyth, Gomez and Drury that were for more money than the team that those players signed with. How can you possibly blame Snow because the big time free agents chose to go elsewhere. He tired to sign them and they wanted to play somewhere else. How is that his fault?
Since the players that Snow wanted were not willing to come to the Island he had to turn to lesser players to fill out the roster.
I beleive that Snow then realized that the Islanders were never going to become a championship team, except from within. It is the sign of a clever man who accepts reality and attempts to work
from that point of view. Not from what he wishes it to be.
Perhaps things will change if this Lighthouse Project ever gets going. But until then, the fans have to accept the reality of the situation and that is that the big time UFA'S are just not signing here.
So then, how do you go about building a winning team? The only alterative left is the draft. And Garth did a wonderful job in this past draft. So that is pahse one.
Phase two has to include a coach who is on the same page as the GM. It doesn't do anyone any good if the GM provides players who the coach has no confidence in and refuses to play. And in truth, that was the situation the Islanders were in.
Phase three will be this year, when the young players will be evaluated and seperated. The keepers will stay and the others will be let go. A nucleus will be formed.
Phase four will be next season when the Sillingers, Guerins and perhaps Comries drop off the radar. Some of the players chosen in this draft will emerge to join the big club. Combined with the kids who survive this season, a new and exciting team should begin to show itself.
This is how I see Snow's plan for the future. I hope my analysis
is correct and I am encouraged by it.........Sir William
This move by Snow is not his fault. He did not hire Nolan, and Nolan was brought in here to take a bunch of veterans and get them to the playoffs and beyond. As many have pointed out before in the past, last years free agency proved that getting the veteran talent to play on Long Island was very difficult, and a new approach to building a Stanley Cup caliber team needed to be implemented.
Nolan has already proved to the Islanders that if it is his choice, he will play the veterans over the youngsters, no matter what the situation. With the Islanders wanting a coach to play youth, Nolan was no longer a legitimate candidate to coach this team, regardless of how much/little of his input he gave Snow in the beginning.
The Islanders had a two year "Win Now" plan with a coach who wanted to win now.
However, a win now coach doesn't fit into the "Plan" Snow and the rest of the Islanders have for their future.
Nolan was a great coach for what the Islanders had the last two years, and I thank him for that.....Time to move forward, again, and find out when the schedule comes out to make my trips to Long Island.
Terrible mistake. Good luck Islanders.
It took me 3 seperate readings to get through all these posts ..
I have to say ... as odd as it is ... I find myself mostly agreeing with ... Steady, 505, AZS, Nick, Sir William, the mass and Netminder39 .... how can that be you say?
Well ... because each of them made some very valid arguements stating their cases for the way they feel. 505 said it with the fewest words ... but before this blog got flooded with the non-NIMBY posts ... we've been debating it ... and even some of us Nolan supporters felt with the situation the way it was ... it might be better just to let Nolan go ... even Steady conceeded that the night before Nolan left.
I don't really see it as Nolan getting FIRED ... maybe he did? Maybe he didn't? ... but as I said the other night .... Snow and Nolan had to get together and hash things out ... and if they can't get past things ..... then guess who's the one to go. It seems that is what happened yesterday morning.
Snow still has a lot to prove to me... and his stock with me dipped slightly since he impressed me during the draft.... as Steady said ... it is HIS team now ... and now everything is on his shoulders ... but ya know what? That is fine .... that is how it should be.
I have a lot more to add ... but I think Netminder39 just summed it up best.
You all can say whatever you want...it's all blah, blah, blah. Let me bottom line it for 'ya: It always starts at the top...can we agree to this?...ok, good. So until Wong either becomes a silent owner OR sell the team, you are always, ALWAYS going to have the same lame problems because the "thinking" starts w/the Owner. Look at James Dolan.....he never interferes w/Glen Sather, and let's the true knowledgable hockey people run the business. Good owners never interfere-YOU folks have one that always does. OMG, who in their right mind would give any player a 15 year contract???....who in their right mind would hire a 2nd string goaltender to be GM?...are you fricking kidding me?...and over Neil Smith no less. Your team isn't going anywhere UNTIL Wong disappears and hires a good, well respected and experienced GM. Then that GM can hire the coach he believes can take the team to a new level....imagine Neil Smith as Gm and Ted Nolan as Coach?????????????? wouldn't that be the direction to start with?.....just keeping it real folks.
You all can say whatever you want...it's all blah, blah, blah. Let me bottom line it for 'ya: It always starts at the top...can we agree to this?...ok, good. So until Wong either becomes a silent owner OR sell the team, you are always, ALWAYS going to have the same lame problems because the "thinking" starts w/the Owner. Look at James Dolan.....he never interferes w/Glen Sather, and let's the true knowledgable hockey people run the business. Good owners never interfere-YOU folks have one that always does. OMG, who in their right mind would give any player a 15 year contract???....who in their right mind would hire a 2nd string goaltender to be GM?...are you fricking kidding me?...and over Neil Smith no less. Your team isn't going anywhere UNTIL Wong disappears and hires a good, well respected and experienced GM. Then that GM can hire the coach he believes can take the team to a new level....imagine Neil Smith as Gm and Ted Nolan as Coach?????????????? wouldn't that be the direction to start with?.....just keeping it real folks.
What else is new. This organization needs to be sold to someone who is interested in Hockey, not Real Estate ! Start from scratch. This administration is as bad as our Countrys. The bottom line is the Players underachieved, and were injury plagued. Shame on Wang and Snow for excluding Ted from any Draft consideration. As when the other reject, Milbury, was around blaming everyone but him self for the Teams shortcomings, Snow is following suit. At this point, I wouldnt mind seeing the team leave the state, im about done being a fan of this lowly run organization. I can deal with losing seasons, but the stupidity that Owners and Management posess, leaves me dumbfounded.......