Reading Garth Snow's tea leaves
by Dominik on Jan 15, 2010 5:29 PM EST
in Bits o' Islanders News
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PrintSelf-promotional note: Saturday at 3:30 p.m. EST I'll be co-hosting on Hockey Night on Long Island, the long-running BlogTalkRadio show run by Islanders fans Alex and Steve. I'll include a link/embedded player for the show in tomorrow's game preview, too.
I wish Garth Snow were less tight-lipped as a GM. It's not that I want him filling the airwaves with Burke-ian bluster, nor divulging state secrets (and I question how many state secrets there even are). But when a GM speaks, it excites fans. It keeps the team in the conversation, it gives reporters an excuse better material to provide coverage of the team. The Islanders, as a business that seeks to fill seats and draw TV viewers, could use more coverage and more buzz.
But Snow, so recently an active player and member "in the room," doesn't play that way. His priority is to keep things quiet and eliminate potential distractions in the locker room. He takes that "in the family" approach to an extreme, I'd venture, but whatever. That's one fan's opinion. I am generally thrilled with how he has run hockey operations -- and a GM in New Jersey has shown hockey ops is by far the more important piece of a club.
But if he Snow did open up more, I bet people would like what they see. I have not met Garth Snow, but many accounts say he is great to interact with when the mics are off. From BlogBox members to fan club events to comments from his peers, they'll tell you Snow takes the mask off when he's not being probed for specific on-the-record info that could show up in a newspaper.
On that note, on the heels of the Brooks-ian "it is believed" Kovalchuk speculation, Snow appeared for the Islanders Booster Club meeting last night, and you can get a little, tiny window into his perspectives (Biron, Olympics, the two young blueliners) from the reports by Gary at View from Section 317 and Dee at her 7th Woman site (that post and this one). As far as words from the man in charge of the roster and all future Islanders, we fans have to take what we can get.
Other Bits:
Snow was part of the braintrust that have shut Witt down, not for the calf but for a knee injury he was trying to play through (again) ... after doing the hotel routine, Rob Schremp has received the proverbial "find a place" call -- a big step but hardly the final step in becoming a regular NHLer ... Still unclear which night, but Rick DiPietro starts this weekend, more likely against Buffalo ... Jesse Joensuu has been hot in the AHL ... Calvin de Haan is Oshawa's lone representative in the All-Star game.
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I wonder how bad Witt’s Knee is. If MacDonald and Hiller weren’t playing better then a hurt Witt or if we didn’t need the roster spot, would Witt be on IR?
"So basically, the Stats make no sense whatsoever."
They might have been more anxious to make a trade
I would certainly like to know if Tamby Sr is interested in trading Denis G.
To be honest, I really couldn’t care less if Garth talks or not. True he makes Bill Belicheck look fun and engaging but his actions as GM have spoken for themselves.
The Schremp news is interesting, though. Could this mean a roster move with one of the extraneous parts (Tambellini jr?) is in the near future? I would like to see more of JJ with the big club, he has proven he has a terrific work ethic after a slow start and has adapted well quickly to the North American game.
To fight the horde, sing and cry: Valhalla I am coming!
I definitely respect that view. And the areas where he is strong are far more important than PR. But I think the team is missing a marketing opportunity with him being so quiet. Quite the contrast to Dean Lombardi.
I’d love to see this team with Tambellini and Joensuu in the mix. But someone has to take the limited, rust-building fourth-line minutes. While Tambellini can do that, I wonder if JJ is still in the “rather he play 20 in Bridgeport than 11 here” phase.
Lighthouse Hockey: Under contract through 2021, knees and hips be damned.
fyi anyone with cablevision, the minn vs no.dakota hockey game is on
why isn't #16 hanging in the rafters?
Sweet. I’m moving to St. Paul to go to grad school in the fall, so I have to start learning to love the Golden Gophers (If producing Kyle Okposo and Herb Brooks weren’t enough).
To fight the horde, sing and cry: Valhalla I am coming!
by David Hanssen on Jan 15, 2010 8:34 PM EST up reply actions
Nice! Hopefully they’ll be back to better form by then.
Lighthouse Hockey: Under contract through 2021, knees and hips be damned.
More Kovalchuk talk from Brooks.
Is this just Larry seeling papers? Maybe not! For a team to justify moving a bunch of prospects for a rental player, they have to believe they can sign him beyond this season. Not many teams have the prospects/ picks to swing this deal AND the cap space to sign him next year. Maybe Atlanta moves him for less then a kings ransom. Garth could swing the deal- but does he think he can sign him? He was confident he could sign Smyth. No more Yashinesque contracts! Stay the course Garth!!!!! It’s starting to fell like 1976!
I think the next move is dealing Streit and Hunter (along with Biron)
As much as you love what they give, Streit and Hunter are never going to be more valuable in trades as they are right now, and given their ages (especially Streit) they are really not going to be huge parts of this team when it fully comes of age. I say deal them both (along with Biron) before the deadline, but what can we get for them?
Deal Streit AND Hunter????
Um, no.
Let Us Go, Islanders! (Ever notice how strange that sounds without the contraction?)
by TheMetalChick on Jan 16, 2010 10:57 AM EST up reply actions 1 recs
Agreed
Seriously, those are the two veterans I wouldn’t deal.
To fight the horde, sing and cry: Valhalla I am coming!
by David Hanssen on Jan 16, 2010 11:10 AM EST up reply actions
Why?
I mean I can see why you would wan’t to hold off on Hunter, he’s really the only decent vet we have there, and theres little depth at RW, but he’s 28 and never going to be more than an OK 2nd liner good 3rd, and that basically describes 95% of our top prospects (all not named Petrov) at wing that will be ready to play in the next two years.
As for Streit, he has to be dealt soon, if we are ever going to get anything decent for him. At 32 he’s reaching the end of his prime, and lets face it even if they make the playoffs this year the Isles wont be real contenders for another 2, at 34 Streit is not going to be playing a major role then.
I’m not saying trade them at all costs, just that they are the ones (along with Biron) that we will need to look to move in order to get anything of decent value in return, I really cant see them trading any other vets, because the rest have almost no value.
First off, the length of both their contracts are somewhat prohibitive for trades (Both through 2013). Second, with the mediocrity that is the Eastern Conference, you’re not going to trade off two valuable assets while you’re still in the race for a playoff spot.
As for Streit, why would you sign him to a long term contract only to trade him a year and a half in after he was your best player in a horrible season (Seriously, his +/- was positive last year… Think about it). No FA’s will want to sign here long term if they think that a year and a half afterwords they would be shipped off to the highest bidder. True he’s in his early thirties, but he was a late bloomer and his playing style is one that can keep him healthy and productive for years to come. If the Islanders didn’t think he couldn’t produce at age 36, they would not have signed him that long a contract.
To fight the horde, sing and cry: Valhalla I am coming!
by David Hanssen on Jan 16, 2010 1:49 PM EST up reply actions
See I don't look at it that way, yes they are in the mix...
but they really don’t have much of a shot even on the off chance they do get in this year. The Isles better days are ahead, but come on do you really think they are doing anything this season if they do make the playoffs. Trading off two valuable assets that will have little to do with your future is exactly what they need to do to further strengthen the foundation thats in place.
I think your point about other FA this year if Streit was traded is completely moot, I mean no one is signing with the Isles until the arena issue is settled unless they over pay, and trading Streit would have no impact after this off season if their young players develop and they are a more matured team closer to the top of the conference next year. Any FA would understand the trade, and if they see the Isles were on the cusp, see that things are changing.
No one is signing with the Isles until the arena issue is settled unless they over pay,
Then why should they trade the one prime-age free agent they did successfully sign, and who came up aces and should be good for his whole contract?
and trading Streit would have no impact after this off season if their young players develop and they are a more matured team closer to the top of the conference next year.It would have a huge impact. They’d be getting rid of their best defensemen without having a single guy at the AHL level who could even potentially replace him. They’d be getting rid of their lone NHL-ready above average asset at their weakest position. No one in the system is stepping in next season to do what he does.
…To say that he won’t be around when the team is good, then to hope the youngsters will step in and make the team good next season without him, is quite a contradiction.
Lighthouse Hockey: Under contract through 2021, knees and hips be damned.
I don't think its a contradiction...
I say they will be better next year, but still not there yet, I think trading Streit (of course for the right package/prospect) will make the team better for the future at the expense of this year and next.
These trades (of Hunter and Streit) would be very dependent on what your getting in return, and what you would want back most for Streit is that person your looking to replace him, hopefully getting a younger player with as good or even better upside, with of course risk.
The way Der Schweizer has player the past season and a half, it would be incredibly hard to get fair value back. You will be loosing your top pairing defenseman, power-play quarterback, potential captain and so much more…
To fight the horde, sing and cry: Valhalla I am coming!
by David Hanssen on Jan 16, 2010 5:43 PM EST up reply actions
there are many good reasons not to trade either player
for one Streit is the Isles’ best defenseman and defense is certainly their weakness. Streit has a lot of good years left.
Beyond that, Garth has clearly said that Hunts is a core player and that he will not trade him. He is even less likely to trade Streit.
The players who might be traded at the deadline are: Weight, Sutton, Sim, Biron. Park, and, if DP seems good to go and the deal is right, Roly.
Dealing veterans at peak value
In theory, I’m never opposed to the concept of considering dealing veterans at their peak trade value, but you don’t do it just to do it. You do it when either 1) you know you will lose them to free agency (e.g. Pronger trade last summer) or 2) you know you have a replacement waiting in the wings. Streit fits neither of those conditions.
the Isles wont be real contenders for another 2, at 34 Streit is not going to be playing a major role then.I think you’re selling Streit short and exaggerating the effects of age here. He could easily still be the Isles best blueliner at age 34 and the list of top defensemen who have played major roles well past that age is quite long.
Lighthouse Hockey: Under contract through 2021, knees and hips be damned.
Potential is a tricky thing. You make your draft picks based on potential, and EVERYBODY has heard about draft busts. ( Not that I will allow any of them to come to mind right now.) I can understand the point that you are trying to make, but I personally would not trade “proven” for “potential.”
/Note unceasing sarcastic laughter in background.
by burpchelischili on Jan 16, 2010 6:04 PM EST up reply actions
Of course, but think about...
how many times we traded potential for proven, and gotten bit in the a$$ (ie Yashin deal). Now it has to be the right deal, but I would certainly look to pluck some talent if we can get a great deal from a desperate contender, and Streit (and Hunter, but on a much smaller scale alone) gives us are best shot at that with the least amount of risk.
My reason why is that D and size are arguably the Isles two biggest weak spots. You dont get rid of two quality NHL players dedicated to this tam and make those two weak spots far, FAR weaker!!! The Isles have to ADD quality D and size, not take away from it!!!!
Let Us Go, Islanders! (Ever notice how strange that sounds without the contraction?)
by TheMetalChick on Jan 17, 2010 7:40 PM EST up reply actions
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