Garth Snow on replacing fired Scott Gordon with Capuano: 'Jack knows our players'
by Dominik on Nov 15, 2010 12:45 PM EST
in Big Picture Musings
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PrintTen-game winless streaks breed discontent, and a coach in his walk year is a ripe and economical target, so the New York Islanders fired coach Scott Gordon and today announced Bridgeport Sound Tigers coach Jack Capuano as his interim replacement. Leading up to the firing, throughout Islanders Country fans and pundits have wondered what ails the current Islanders roster most and how to fix it:
- The basement bargain payroll/roster?
- The offense that will not come alive (1.4 GF/GP during the 0-9-1 streak)?
- The preseason injuries to their best defenseman and best winger (Mark Streit and Kyle Okposo)?
- The tough opening "Tour of Division Leaders" schedule that saw them on the road for 12 of 17?
- A young coach whose system wasn't producing offense -- or wasn't getting their young players to produce?
- A thin roster that couldn't withstand injuries and depended on two waiver-wire pickups for secondary scoring?
These are the most popular excuses theories that populate the conversation of the here-and-now, which takes place over the murky background of an owner who keeps the budget at the bottom of the league while he searches for a replacement for a venue whose lease, maintenance and accessibility has been a thorn for most of this franchise's lifetime.
Those are the the long-term pains every fan knows too well. The immediate concern: Will this move make a difference? Is Capuano the right guy even for the near term? On the media conference call, Snow spoke of urgency to turn things around now, while the bulk of the season was still ahead of them:
On why now: "With 10 losses in a row, it’s a situation where a change needed to be made. ... We have a big game Wednesday…we need a strong performance on this home stand…"
On why Capuano: "Jack’s done a great job in Bridgeport the last few seasons…it’s a situation where he has familiarity with a lot of players in that locker room. ... Jack knows our players, so there won’t be a feeling-out process. Jack’s familiarity with them to me seemed like a strength."
Even with this biggest change a GM can make other than blowing up the entire lineup, opinions will remain divided on what the root problem was and whether this was the appropriate answer. So what can we expect with this move? I can think of a few probabilities:
The Record Will Improve: It has to. Teams go through streaks and slumps with or without changing coaches. A new coach will get the benefit of the odds, where the team is bound to "bounce" back. A little bit.
The System Won't Change Dramatically, But It Will Change: Capuano is his own man, with his own ideas. When Gordon came on board, the organization made it a point to have Bridgeport align more closely in style with the Isles. (Of course, neither franchise has been dynamite, but most would argue that's because neither franchise has had the horses.) Expect Capuano to put his own mark on in-game approach now that he's in charge and doesn't have to follow the system used by a parent club above him. But one benefit Snow hopes to get by using Capuano is that Capuano will not have to go through the evaluative and "get to know you" process that a new coach from outside (Think Peter Laviolette in Philly last year, where the team initially continued to struggle) has to go through. In theory he's a fresh voice who also knows the pieces he's been dealt. If Blake Comeau and friends don't respond to him now...well then some players' jobs will be as "interim" as the new coach.
The Goaltending Will Remain a Story: Watch what Capuano does here. He's going to be coaching for his professional future (at least for the chance at continued NHL employment) with a thin roster. With stakes like that on the line, will he really want to use real NHL games as chances to get Rick DiPietro to "shake the rust off"? He also has the benefit of having watched two potential successors and one emergency backup in Bridgeport, so he knows quite well what's available if DiPietro's play does not improve.
The Team Will Still Fall Short of the Playoffs: I will be here through it all, rooting like a good homer blogger should. But this team as constructed was always a bubble team at best; add the injuries to Mark Streit and Kyle Okposo -- with a sprinkle of Andrew MacDonald for good measure -- and you have too many holes that keep you from stealing games consistently. Now the Islanders are "only" six points out of 8th in the East (and 8th-place Boston has three games in hand), and they would require 79 points in their final 65 games to reach 90 points, which is arguably the bare minimum threshold it would take to make it in the weaker East.
* * *
Where I was Wrong, Where I was Right
Upon his hiring, I liked the idea of Scott Gordon bringing a more aggressive (and theoretically entertaining) approach. Unfortunately, we only saw glimpses of that. Like many, I worried he doesn't have the horses (particularly puck-moving blueliners) to deploy that approach effectively. This year the defensive effort imploded in a couple of blowout losses, and he spent the next few games getting the team to refocus there, with mixed results and the same old struggles on offense. Many may have been right that without better players, he needed to adjust -- but could never adjust enough. Or others may have been right that no amount of adjustment could win with this roster.
For what it's worth Snow said he thought Gordon had been good at developing the young players, but that they all are suffering from a loss of confidence right now.
Ultimately, I thought Gordon would suffer the same fate of most first responder coaches in a rebuild: They're gone (see Pittsburgh, Chicago, Washington, Los Angeles, St. Louis) by the time the team gets good enough to do damage. But I also thought he would at least last three years, the length of his contract. Even last week, I didn't think he'd get the axe until at least after the team's home schedule balanced out with the road-heavy schedule so far. I figured Snow would be wed to making this relationship work despite this turn, but I misread that one by a country mile.
On that note, even a firing conference call isn't going to have a lot of frank talk -- NHL execs don't like to rip one another, and a firing is damning criticism enough -- but I do figure this was a sincere sentiment from the GM:
"It's very disappointing. He’s a good friend, it’s been great working with him the last three years. ... But for me, when we're in the situation we're in right now, we've lost 10 games in a row, sometimes you have to go with your gut and make decisions that are tough."
Onward we roll...
Ex-Isles Analyst Billy Jaffe on Scott Gordon's Firing (NHL Video)
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Gordon quotes:
“Whenever you’re in a situation that we were in — not having won 10 games — you can very easily expect the unexpected”
“I enjoyed working with Garth and Charles — they’ve been great to me. I’m always going to remember that as my first opportunity. As someone who had no NHL head coaching experience, I’ll forever be appreciative of that.”
“It was not from a lack of effort,” said Gordon, who will remain with the Islanders as an advisor to GM Garth Snow. “At the end of the day, it didn’t happen and sometimes that’s the way it plays out. I don’t second-guess myself in how I did or what I did.”
“I didn’t want to be around while guys were trying to prepare. I didn’t want to be a distraction,” Gordon said. “As a team, this is a great group of kids that are good people and enjoyable to work with. There isn’t a guy on the team that you wouldn’t want to work with. Whoever coaches the team down the road will reap the benefits.”
“I haven’t really thought about the disappointment yet,” he said. “I’ve had so much disappointment in the past few game that I haven’t had much of a chance to think about it. It’ll probably faze me more tomorrow when I’m not there preparing for for practice.”
Let Us Go, Islanders! (Ever notice how strange that sounds without the contraction?)
WOW
Did not expect this, BUT desperate times call for desperate measures, I guess. Hope this perks up the team some, and I will be there no matter what…Love my Isles…Go, Isles, GO…
by upstateislesfan on Nov 15, 2010 1:04 PM EST reply actions
I’m surprised it happened this soon, but a 10 game slide requires action, I believe. Just sucks that the coach is the one to get bagged.
However, Tavares + Moulson + Neilson + Wiz = Bailey, etc etc etc should be putting up more than 1 goal per game. I’ve never really liked the way Gordon used his players, he seemed to be trying to fit square pegs into circle slots, but I figured he was the coach, it’s his team. Curious to see how the team responds.
Tavares + Moulson + Neilson + Wiz = Bailey
I hope Bailey doesn’t use this typo as fodder for a new contract.
"..."
by Thaddeus Ballpheasant on Nov 15, 2010 7:32 PM EST up reply actions
Too much thinking?
Gordon seemed quite detail-oriented. Have to wonder if his system/approach required too much thought. Maybe a simpler approach is the “new direction.”
I could buy that
Particularly with this roster. Was talking with some others, and I think I always would’ve enjoyed seeing Gordon Style with a better roster (IslesOfficial mentioned Laviolette with the Flyers roster), but with this one it was not producing, and they were probably doing things they don’t have the overall talent to do effectively.
Lighthouse Hockey: You say that like Streit and Okposo and MacDonald were important.
not producing is an understatement dear sir, to be fair, the boys left at least 15 goals on the ice by missing breakaways, great chances outdone by great D-plays, and just plain missing the net
a profound return... i still love sammy octoberfest :-)
missing breakaways, great chances outdone by great D-plays, and just plain missing the net
If true, each of those things are completely beyond the powers of any coach, of course.
Lighthouse Hockey: You say that like Streit and Okposo and MacDonald were important.
Such is the lot of a coach
Only so many things you can control. To me that’s why you have to be insane to want the job — like being President. Things beyond your control can do you in.
Lighthouse Hockey: You say that like Streit and Okposo and MacDonald were important.
only if you think 15 goals over 10 games makes that big of a difference
a profound return... i still love sammy octoberfest :-)
GOGO SYSTEM
It was a beautiful thing to watch when they executed the system, properly…Gordo was dealt a bad hand as well as the fans
I could see that
Often times it seemed like the Isles failed in the opponent’s zone if they were unable to set themselves into the right positions. However; when the opponent allowed the Isles to set themselves up they were much better.
All Who Oppose Grabner Shall Perish.
Gordon kept on as an "advisor" ...
smells of Snow trying to quiet him at least for now from saying anything negative.
Or you know, the Islanders have a history of keeping around guys till their contract is up…
"Islanders coach Scott Gordon fired for losing with terrible team" - Wysh
Contributor to Lighthouse Hockey not sure if I'm the Sniper or the Enforcer.
I think it’s more, “If I have a question, want this guy to be reachable rather than on the beach in Bermuda telling me to stick it up my Tambellini.”
If he’s on the payroll anyway, might as well make sure you can use him if needed.
Lighthouse Hockey: You say that like Streit and Okposo and MacDonald were important.
It is the way of Wang
Nobody is ever fired… they just advise the folks above them.
Community Projected to have eleven more posts before blowing out his laptop
Lighthouse Hockey - a beacon of greatness on the rocky coast of sports blog mediocrity
Miss the Jaff
We have no tradition, theres that word again, sorry
Throwing out a Thought
With the Islanders raising ticket prices and removing one of the pricing tiers, I wonder if they were expecting a better team to help sell tickets. They revamped the defense and hoped the offense (which scored as many goals as the Rangers and Devils last year) would be enough to get the team going.
With the Isles struggling to sell tickets, and the team struggles not helping matters, I wonder if Snow might have been pressured to do something.
Obviously the Islanders still had to get to the Floor and picking up Wiz and Grabner helped matters, but I wonder if Wang is upset about not getting a return on his investments already.
"Islanders coach Scott Gordon fired for losing with terrible team" - Wysh
Contributor to Lighthouse Hockey not sure if I'm the Sniper or the Enforcer.
Wang hasn’t been getting a return on his profits since he bought the Islanders
All Who Oppose Grabner Shall Perish.
Obviously, just saying that he spent more money (ie: getting to the cap via bonuses Doug Weight will never get costs nothing) this offseason then he had in a bit.
"Islanders coach Scott Gordon fired for losing with terrible team" - Wysh
Contributor to Lighthouse Hockey not sure if I'm the Sniper or the Enforcer.
Seems to me ...
there was a rigidity there, a reluctance to try real changes in line combos etc., maybe even an unwillingness to accept that a certain way just didn’t work. I do feel bad for the guy, and won’t be surprised if he resurfaces and has success somewhere else as Lavoilette did. But this was necessary. Ten in a row can do more damage then just falling in the standings. And the pieces he had to work with, while not an all-star team, were better than last year’s. I hope more changes are in the works in terms of ice time and line combos.
What would you do?
Not pinning you down, I just think this would make a good topic (in fact, maybe I’ll do a separate post). But what ice time/line combo changes would you make?
I think there was some rigidity there, but I also noticed line mixing that may have been too little, too late.
Lighthouse Hockey: You say that like Streit and Okposo and MacDonald were important.
I'm reading this book, "Sway"
and in it they talk about how the University of Florida’s Gators capitalized on their divisions stubborn refusal to change their styles of play in 1990s – it could be a similar “commitment” problem was making team management stick with a system that just wasn’t working.
WWID??? hmm
no gervais on the PP would be a good start, deemed him the 8th D-man, but he’s good enough to waste 45 seconds of a PP with?
a profound return... i still love sammy octoberfest :-)
May Not Be Long Term Solution But
Gervais looked better on the power play than many others this year. Same with 5 on 5 defense.
on the point, there's a loose formula
you need the cannon and the lurker, streit was a bit of both, wiz is 80/20 cannon/lurker, jurcina was 100/0 and gervais is 0/100, so maybe if jurcina was paired with him on the pp he’d make an impact… but right now he’s not scaring anyone with his shot, so they attack and he makes a bad pass, just like DW has been doing (at least bruno tries to shoot it though, DW never does on the pp)
a profound return... i still love sammy octoberfest :-)
He Doesn't Have A Cannon...
…but he was making smart plays [Weight has been turnover happy with those lazy passes] and creating scoring chances when rotating down. Right now, I’d prefer Gervais to many forwards including Weight, Comeau, & Paranteau.
fully agree
Bruno’s been one of the better players, particularly even-strength in my opinion, but also on the PP.
Not only that, but also Gervais has barely had any PP time to speak of. Sometimes your top options are not available (he’s hurt, he’s tired, he’s getting equipment checked, etc.) so you have to use someone else to fill in. His time has been pretty sparse.
Maybe Hillen should get that backup role (though he’s been weak for whatever reasons since the start of camp), I don’t know. I’m just reluctant to spend too much energy focusing on the bottom of the lineup when the guys carrying the main load aren’t getting it done.
Lighthouse Hockey: You say that like Streit and Okposo and MacDonald were important.
when the big guys aren't pulling their weight (pun not intended)
sometimes you need an unlikely hero.
Between Mottau and Gervais
I think I would prefer Bruno on the PP.
Community Projected to have eleven more posts before blowing out his laptop
Lighthouse Hockey - a beacon of greatness on the rocky coast of sports blog mediocrity
by mikb on Nov 16, 2010 12:44 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
Me too
Let Us Go, Islanders! (Ever notice how strange that sounds without the contraction?)
by TheMetalChick on Nov 16, 2010 1:45 PM EST up reply actions
like i've suggested,
i would try JT and bailey together. your best playmaker and best shooter/scorer. and i’d try matt martin out there with them.
also, i’d sit weight and hunter and give joensuu and rakhshani a look.
this is stuff i’ve already put out there. look, i’m obviously no scotty bowman here. but i remember when the yankees went through a particularly bad hitting slump, billy martin put together his lineup by picking the names out of a hat. it worked . he may have been a lush and a madman, but the man could manage. sometimes you gotta try some things to stir the pot. really stir the pot.
If JT taks the wing!
I hope Cappy uses this time to experiment. He’s got nothing to lose. The team has 5 centers. Bailey has performed well on the full sheet in the middle. Frans isn’t going anywhere. Schremp is sitting because he hasn’t done well anywhere but center. Konopka is a FO machine. JT is on his way to minus infinity again. He is not a great transition puck mover through the nuetral zone, and he doesn’t make impact plays in his own zone. So WHY does he have to play up the middle. What if he becomes a second line LW that puts in 30 goals this year… is that a bad year for a 20 year old with terrific hands and a shitload of resilience?
I’d like ot see…
MM-Bailey-Paentau
JT-Schremp-Comeau
Grabner-Frans-Hunter
Martin-Konopka-Sim/Weight
Dear Adam Larsson, from JFK you take the Belt Parkway east, to the Southern State east to the Meadowbrook Parkway north... then look for the big lighthouse.
not the time
As you might guess from my thoughts below, that’s not the way I’d go. I instead think these experiments on the wing need to stop. If they’ll be out in February or around New Year or whenever, JT on the wing might be worth a try, but not for now for my liking.
I understand they had to try certain stuff, such as give Nino 9 games, take a chance on PA, bring in Grabner late, send Martin down at the beginning before bringing him up again. And it’s unfortunate Hunter missed time with an injury and Weight has been surprisingly uneffective. And just like me they certainly expected Comeau to be much, much better. So, I see why there’s been no consistency on the wing and it was tough no matter what to manage that better, but these problems on the wing really is what’s killed them in my opinion.
It somehow all starts with Comeau. He shoots right, but doesn’t like to play RW and has been much worse than expected (and has been used way too much). Him playing LW forced others to play RW, such as Moulson or even Bailey, and that complicated things additionally. You have guys playing out of position there and additionally have guys you can’t trust in certain situations (PA, Grabner) or guys who need time to adjust (Hunter back from an injury, maybe Martin to some extent) and you have just a very uneffective group of wingers at the end.
JT would add to that right now, as he needed to adjust and probably could be used on a scoring line exclusively, etc. Bailey instead can be used on a scoring line as well as on your Frans-Nielsen-shutdown line and should as mentioned be able to build chemistry with either JT or Nielsen or even Schremp pretty quickly.
I never tought I’d say this one day, but I somehow have missed Jon Sim’s simple approach to the game lately. You at least know what you’re gonna get from him and I wonder if some lines (certain players) would not perhaps have done a little better lately playing him and knowing how the responsibilites are compared to playing with someone of the above group.
Also, I’d roll four lines more consistently (sorry Trevor) and wouldn’t use Konopka for every other faceoff. You can do that on a team that works, but not with this team right now, just too complicated and not helpful given all the problems they’ve had with this uneffective group of wingers.
by BenHasna on Nov 15, 2010 5:57 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
with all due respect ...
“Weight has been surprisingly uneffective”???
To me, there’s nothing suprising about it. It bothers me to be in a position that makes me sound like I’m against the guy. It’s not how I feel. He’s had a great career and been a consummate pro, but I didn’t think he should have been brought back after last year. And 5 games into this year it seemed clear to me he should be sitting. Same for Hunter. If they see value in Weight as a mentor to bring along some younger guys by imparting his experience and the obvious expertise he possesses, then they should give him Trottier’ s old job, or make him an assistant G.M. The more ice time he and Hunter consume on the ice, the less other guys have to develop. And I couldn’t disagree more that it’s “not the time” for “experiments.” To me, this is precisely that time. They’ve lost 10 games in a row, something I didn’ think was possible in today’s NHL, and the credibility of the ‘rebuild’ is in serious question. There are enough decent pieces here now and available for callup that experimenting with various combos of lines and pairings is exactly what is called for. In fact, I would be surprised if this is not the mandate the G.M. has given Capuano, who may very have decided on that approach on his own anyway.
experiment
Well, from our other postings I think we agree Gordon was reluctant to try real changes, etc., and we both would have tried Bailey-JT-Martin at some point for example. So, in that sense, I certainly agree there need to be changes, but yeah, looks like we disagree on where this team is coming from and thus in which direction they should change things.
In my opinion, how this group of forwards is put together has been kind of an “experiment”, which – for various reasons – hasn’t worked. Instead of trying other experiments at this point, I’d like to go back to something a little more simple, more consistent. Although I don’t think there’s any realistic chance to make the play-offs this season, it’s not the time to give up on this season. They need some consistent hockey out of this group in order to evaluate players (and coaches) and obviously give the guys a chance to make progress individually in a healthy environment. Otherwise the decisions about guys like Comeau, Bailey, etc. will be extremely tough to make next summer and serious damage to this whole rebuild could be done. Not sure if you disagree on this point, probably not.
Anyway, how they’ll get there depends on the analysis of what’s happened over the last 15 games. My point is that there have been way too many “difficult” forwards on this team. Difficult in the sense of tough to build around or not competitive in certain areas or struggling with individual issues. Again, think of Comeau playing really bad and forcing other forwards to play unusual positions, or think of Nino not being ready at all, Grabner signed on day 1 of the season, PA doing nothing 5-on-5, etc. In fact, only Matt Moulson doesn’t belong to this group of “difficult” wingers – he’s performed well in any situation.
So, as a whole, they obviously tried lots of things, Gordon as well as the management. Garth decided to get rid of a few solid guys (Park, Bergenheim, include Meyer speaking of defense), but took a chance on Grabner, PA, decided to give Nino 9 games, etc. And Gordon tried stuff, too, tried to compensate the lack of defensively solid forwards with the extensive use of Konopka in the own zone, tried to compensate for the loss of physical hockey with the inclusion of Gillies, etc. They tried lots of little things – too many. That’s all too complicated.
As for Weight specifically, well, he had 5 points after 5 games, not sure why you would have benched him 5 games into the season. Anyway, maybe my expectations were a little too high, though I never expected him to be a real top-6 again, but to hope for some nice contribution was quite fair I think after the talks of him feeling much healthier than last season, etc. However, I just included him there because he’s been another of these “difficult” forwards lately. I’m fine with him still being in the line-up, so, the following is not where I stand, but maybe you could argue he’s “difficult” in the sense that he can’t be benched because he’s the captain and they need him on the PP point.
So, again, too many “difficult” forwards on this team right now and they’re in this hole because they are too “experimental”, kind of too young, though not necessarily in terms of age. However, prior to make other experiments (like calling up guys or trying JT on the wing), I’d make sure to limit this problem on at least two lines and/or would try to turn some forwards into more valueable assets by using them differently, etc.
by BenHasna on Nov 16, 2010 11:47 AM EST up reply actions 1 recs
More than 5 centers...
Tavares, Nielsen, Bailey, Schremp, Konopka, Weight. Six.
After seeing how Schremp played in the Kings game, I think he might be better off at wing, regardless of his decent FO performance so far this year. Makes me wonder why we couldn’t get him to click at wing last year…
Lighthouse Hockey: I go there for their taste in beer.
(MTBVibe: Now a twit!)
Funny, I remember writing how Gordon didn’t let chemistry develop. I think he forced some of his lines together as opposed to reacting to what was happening on the ice. Chemistry is a funny thing and you can’t quite capture on paper what happens on the ice. Then again, the number of injuries made it nearly impossible to settle on a single line-up. Every time he seemed to adjust for one line failing it just messed up a line that seemed to have developed chemistry. Pulling a “hot” player (if there were any over the past 10 games) and moving him to a line that was struggling to get them jump started just resulted in cooling down the player that was hot. An oversimplified example was PA , he did almost nothing at even strength, but replacing him in the lineup meant the PP just stopped.
rigidity - very good point
If I had to read into what Garth said today, I’d guess this could be what he meant with “…we’ve lost 10 games in a row, sometimes you have to go with your gut…” He probably felt Gordon had trouble to try real changes, etc. And I certainly understand the decision in that context. Still surprised it happened today, thought they’d give him another 10 games or so and personally would have liked to see a few more. Just because the circumstances with the road-heavy schedule, the trip to California, an undermanned out-of-form roster, etc. were ever so tough to make real progress.
That said I was more and more disappointed with the coaching indeed, didn’t like it at all in the last week or two. Previously it had been really difficult to get consistent lines out there with the roster changing every game, but it’s been about five games since Gervais, Hillen, Martin, Schremp, Grabner, Hunter came in/back and they still haven’t built consistency or found good line combinations. And it certainly seemed Gordon was shuffling the lines around all the time, but always came up with the same solutions at the end – and nothing really worked.
As said, I’d have been interested to see him coach in the next few games. Maybe at home and with a few guys improving individually, he would have found some better solutions and they’d have helped each other out of this. But I certainly understand Garth’s doubts.
I guess the fans would often prefer the coach (and in some cases the management) to react a bit quicker than it is realistically possible. So, perhaps nothing uncommon to think Gordon was a bit slow adjusting to certain stuff, but that’s really been my impression over the last 12 months. Examples: Last season they played many teams worse and worse as the season series went on. JT might have needed some time off around New Year, or at least would have worked better without Comeau (same early this season). Okposo could have been taken off the PP point earlier, etc. And, though that is hardly relevant here, I thought Gordon’s coaching for the US team at the Worlds was very average and featured some of the same issues (bad adjustments, lines not working, etc.).
I think a big problem for this team has been consistency on the wing. Apart from Moulson and perhaps Martin in some way, no one’s been good or consistent in at least some areas. They have no wingers scoring consistently right now, they lack of depth on RW, and they generally lack of defensive contribution from the wingers. That’s why I’d use Bailey as a LW right now. I’m anyway not convinced he’s better at center and the team needs him on the wing right now in my opinion. Based on this, I’d go with something like that:
Bailey-JT-Martin
Moulson-Nielsen-Hunter
Comeau-Schremp-Grabner
Weight-Konopka-Sim
I’d put Bailey on with JT and Martin, as I think JT needs to be waken up. He’s been nearing last year’s mid-season slump shape dramatically. Moulson-Nielsen-Hunter has worked this season and should have been used more often. Plus I like the two best forwards at this point (Moulson, Nielsen) playing together. Schremp and Comeau had nice chemistry last season. Finally, a lot of combinations are possible on the 4th line, and though I do like PA generally, I just don’t think he fits in there in this situation. Plus I thought Weight-Konopka-Sim were pretty good early against San Jose and was surprised to see so little of them later in the game.
Bailey
He seems to be allot more noticeable when hes at center, this yr
That’s probably true, although it has to be said that he actually played center in the last few games and didn’t make a single play of notice. He certainly was briliant at the beginning – and did play center in those games – and it’s entirely possible he played well because he played center, but it’s not something we know for sure.
However, as mentioned, that’s not what I’d focus on when putting the lines together right now. I generally think this center/wing thing is discussed too often with regard how to maximize the individual performance opposed to the team’s needs. I mean, of course, to play everyone to his best use would be the ultimate goal and maximize team performance after all, but sometimes, depending on how the team is put together, you’ll have to make adjustments there. And I feel like this team is in such a situation right now. Bailey, in form, is one of the better players on this team regardless the position he plays in. And even if he plays on the wing now, the team still has 4 good centers. But if he plays center, the team, generally short in quality on the wing, suffers additionally.
With Weight struggling, Sim not being convincing, Hunter not getting the offensive side of his game going, Comeau being ever so bad, Grabner not having built chemistry with anyone, PA not doing much 5-on-5, they really need quality on the wing to provide a little help for their centers. As said, JT’s shape has been awful lately and it’s not really a surprise given he hasn’t had two consistent line mates all season. Nielsen did produce offensively in the few games he was paired with Moulson for example and would deserve better assistance for sure, etc.
Gordon chose Konopka to help out on the wing in the last couple of games – I’m not sure this is the way to go. I’d go with Bailey – he’s solid two-way, he’s still had more good games in this league on the wing compared to at center, and he played with any center (except from Konopka obviously) last season and should be able to build some chemistry more easily than perhaps Grabner or PA.
If you feel bad for Gordon
You don’t know Jack!
I had to…really, it was just sitting there for the tap in!
Cowboys won yesterday right? Maybe Wang/Snow were waiting for the outcome!
Sarcasm experience enhanced by Samsung (TM)
by Keith Quinn on Nov 15, 2010 2:17 PM EST via mobile reply actions
Snow said Gordon did and excellent job and the team just needed to make some changes.
I guess Gordon was just a casualty then according to snow, probably somewhat true. Either way, I thought a change was likely needed after this year. Going to be an interesting next month-month and a half to see how capuano has an effect on these guys,
Go isles or Go home.
I agree with deeco
Too much thinking about nails it on the head for me. In their last game this team had a real deer in the headlights look to them and I was actually hoping for this move. If not after 10 losses in a row then when is the right time? The timing is perfect with the next game not until Wednesday. I actually think Jack Capuano was the perfect hire. It seems to me the team although they won’t likely say it publicly had lost faith in Gordo and I believe Cappy will help the team relax a little more and let the players play to their strengths.
And besides the status quo was not going to work. A change of some description was needed to give them new hope. If the team is really as pathetic as they have been playing (for the record I don’t believe they are) then this coaching change is totally irrelevant.
Pat Quinn?
Read somewhere that he is available. Capuano is going from managing one AHL team to managing another. Seriously Gordon didn’t have the horses to win. Whose fault is that ? 1) Wang,2) Snow, 3) both?
Quinn = UGH.
No friggin thank you to Droopy Dog who sent goons out to down our Captain and top Dman with dirty hits just to get an edge in a playoff series.
Let Us Go, Islanders! (Ever notice how strange that sounds without the contraction?)
by TheMetalChick on Nov 15, 2010 2:51 PM EST up reply actions
Quinn can't coach in today's game
His management with the Oilers was just awful. Gordon at least tried to shelter his weaker players and give tough assignments to the guys who could handle them. Quinn did neither in his last kick at the can.
Lighthouse Hockey: You say that like Streit and Okposo and MacDonald were important.
No thanks
I remember when he was coaching the Leafs they had called up a kid from the minors and had been with the big club for 9 days. Someone from the media asked him how Coach Quinn wanted him to play. The player said that Quinn hadn’t even talked to him yet.
Communication skills would be pretty high on my list if I were looking for a coach.
I don't want Pat Quinn
I don’t want Pat Quinn. He just wants to raise taxes.
Sorry, I couldn’t resist. Nothing against Pat Quinn.
High five if you understood my reference.
All Who Oppose Grabner Shall Perish.
by pippup on Nov 15, 2010 4:59 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
Dylan Reese has been called up
There is a lighthouse at the end of the tunnel.
Guess I was late to that party
Didn’t see the 6 hour old fan shot.
There is a lighthouse at the end of the tunnel.
Heh, it did get buried by other events
Events which really mucked up my morning plans.
Lighthouse Hockey: You say that like Streit and Okposo and MacDonald were important.
been hot in Bridgeport
Any task BIG or small, Do it well or not at all
by Rickfansince76 on Nov 15, 2010 3:25 PM EST up reply actions
Things to think about...(yes, a list)
1. Next coach gets shiny 3 year deal… and an opportunity to have the best talent this team has had in ten years…. MAYBE.
2. Next coach should be part of the group that retains/ex-isles this year’s crop of UFA/RFAs which include…
Figren Gervais Gillies Grabner Hisey Joensuu Jurcina Kohn Konopka Lawson Martinek Moulson Parentau
Reese Roloson Schremp Sim Weight Wisniewski
(Alphabetic… with players that should have strong chances of returning to the organization in bold)
3. The next coach will be the one to see the “rebuild” completed. It needs to move to a maintenance level in 2012-13. Because if they haven’t built a playoff team with 3 or 4 top five picks and the steals Snow has made… then they just can’t make it work.
4. The next coach CANNOT BE A LACKEY!!! Garth Snow has to go outside his circle of friends and find somebody who will PUSH BACK. This was one of my arguments against firing Nolan… when everybody has the same vision it all sounds pretty… but nobody wants to make the tough decisions… /cough….rickey…cough
5. They need to settle the RDP situation before the long term coach (and it could be cappy) starts the 2011-12 season. He should not have that 200 lb lump of reconstructed hip and knee jamming up the works. Rickey has done his part in trying to get back, but the decision (whatever it will be) must be clear before another coach signs on.
We have an ex coach who did his best and should be commended for sticking it out and not giving up on the team…. but for now we have a new coach. We need to support him and try to make winning easier.
Dear Adam Larsson, from JFK you take the Belt Parkway east, to the Southern State east to the Meadowbrook Parkway north... then look for the big lighthouse.
Clarification
Question: On item 2, are you meaning as in part of the decision-making group that makes the call on those players?
Lighthouse Hockey: You say that like Streit and Okposo and MacDonald were important.
YES
I don’ t think they’ll have this kind of possible turnover (hopefully) for a long while. this year will determine a lot about the direction the team moves in for a while… especially with a new coach.
What was the alternative interpertation to that point?
Dear Adam Larsson, from JFK you take the Belt Parkway east, to the Southern State east to the Meadowbrook Parkway north... then look for the big lighthouse.
No alternative, just initially read like words might be missing, and if so I wanted to confirm I gathered what you meant.
Lighthouse Hockey: You say that like Streit and Okposo and MacDonald were important.
I’m a college hockey guy, so don’t get me wrong … but Snow needs to stop hiring his former UMaine buddies. I don’t care what organization it is – it’s not good if all you do is hire your buddies. Gordon was a fishy move from the start because of that, and so is Capuano … not that I have anything against those guys — but it doesn’t leave a solid feeling.
See Point #4
If nobody else wants to work as a clown in the circus… then it’s time to get a new GM…. OWNER!
Well… that’s not happening until they find a place to live in 2016. Wang and the TOH have pretty much hamstrung the organization by leaving it until the 11th hour to find a new home.
Dear Adam Larsson, from JFK you take the Belt Parkway east, to the Southern State east to the Meadowbrook Parkway north... then look for the big lighthouse.
This is NOT, I repeat NOT Garth Snow hiring a Maine cronie. They NEVER played together for the Black Bears (JC’s last season was the season before Garth was a Frosh) and were bitter rivals in Rhode Island during High School (Garth went to powerhouse Mount St. Charles while Capuano went to Kent. They’re the RIHS equivalent of Yankees vs. Red Sox). To think that this is a buddy hiring another is just plain not true. In fact Capuano has been a coach in some form with the organization since before Snow was hired as GM.
A contributor to Lighthouse Hockey - Where we come back to Earth at the speed of light.
by David Hanssen on Nov 15, 2010 4:48 PM EST up reply actions
That may all be true...
This change is just SOP. But why does he keep goin got the same well time and time again.
Jack and Garth went up the hill,
To get their house in order,
Jack went down, but soon got crowned,
While Garth carried the lamb to slaughter.
Dear Adam Larsson, from JFK you take the Belt Parkway east, to the Southern State east to the Meadowbrook Parkway north... then look for the big lighthouse.
Again!
I honestly don’t care about what he said in the presser, this will not be more of the same. And honestly, right now who would be a better option availible to immediately step into place? Dean Chynoweth, Scott Allen, Doug Weight or Mark Wotton with ZERO head coaching experience or a guy who has had success at the AHL level and been within the organization for the better part of the decade?
A contributor to Lighthouse Hockey - Where we come back to Earth at the speed of light.
by David Hanssen on Nov 15, 2010 5:00 PM EST up reply actions
Again!
Not arguing with you. I like the change… rooting for jack… wanna see it work…. though… who is taking the BP spot?
Funny you should mention Wotton. It would be a nice place for Dougie next year if that’s what he wanted to do…
Dear Adam Larsson, from JFK you take the Belt Parkway east, to the Southern State east to the Meadowbrook Parkway north... then look for the big lighthouse.
Pat Bingham is Bridgeport's new HC
Lighthouse Hockey: You say that like Streit and Okposo and MacDonald were important.
Beat me to the punch by two seconds!
After being fired as head coach, now a "Special Adviser" to Lighthouse Hockey -
by David Hanssen on Nov 15, 2010 5:39 PM EST up reply actions
Gotta love Fornabio...
Not only digs the dirt, but then he puts it on Coleman Jacoby… a man I’ve loved for 40 years and didn’t even know it!
Dear Adam Larsson, from JFK you take the Belt Parkway east, to the Southern State east to the Meadowbrook Parkway north... then look for the big lighthouse.
Word on the dromos is Pat Bingham is taking over as interim Sound Tigers head coach. He’s been an assistant of Capuano for the past two plus years.
I honestly don’t know how much longer Wots will play. He’ll be 37 tomorrow, still playing at a fairly good AHL level but I could easily see him hanging them up now and sliding right into the position as Bridgeport head coach (Doesn’t seem like that’s happening). Most of the players have had him as their captain for a couple of years now so the transition would be fairly smooth.
As for Weight, I don’t know… Honestly I don’t know whether he’d want to coach when he hangs them up or whether he’d
After being fired as head coach, now a "Special Adviser" to Lighthouse Hockey -
by David Hanssen on Nov 15, 2010 5:39 PM EST up reply actions
Knew this was coming when the streak hit about six games
Gordon clearly wasn’t an NHL caliber coach. That system needed an adjustment as all it does was offer up 2 on 1s and 3 on 2s the other way. Gordon never really did it.
Question marks about talent on this roster aside. The team needs an experienced coach that’s been through some wars in this league.
This another reason I like LHH...
CRYSTAL BALL references….
Chynoweth/Capuano….Let them audition for the permanent position… but get rid of Snow’s Chowdahead cronies… and that includes Gordon, Allen and Dunham. Maybe make Tanya Harding a goaltending coach… specifically for RDP… problem solved… no more New England Goaltenders in the organizaton…. except one.
Now I can go back to summer posts where I had given Gordon unitl thanksgiving to make things right… but, honestly, did anybody need a crystal ball to see this coming… and to have picked the [U of Maine] interim coach… I don’t know who Maine’s coach is right now, but i bet if he has a dream of becoming an NHL coach his chances will never be better.
Dear Adam Larsson, from JFK you take the Belt Parkway east, to the Southern State east to the Meadowbrook Parkway north... then look for the big lighthouse.
Picking your minor league coach
to be your interim generally tends to be SOP for a lot of teams. There’s really no controversey and nothing to see there.
Snow will more than likely do the obvious thing and get a battle tested NHL coach. I think Ken Hitchcock is still available.
Yeah... very true...
But if Tanya harding gets hired on I want full MEDIUM CREDIT!!!
MADAME JP…
Dear Adam Larsson, from JFK you take the Belt Parkway east, to the Southern State east to the Meadowbrook Parkway north... then look for the big lighthouse.
I think Ken Hitchcock is still available.
No. I don’t want him anywhere near this team after how he f—ked up the Blue Jackets.
After being fired as head coach, now a "Special Adviser" to Lighthouse Hockey -
by David Hanssen on Nov 15, 2010 5:52 PM EST up reply actions
I Don't Think So
I really don’t think Gordon was the problem. I mean, he may have been not helping the situation but I don’t think he was a bad coach. Part of the problem in this slump was the forward lack of spark.
All Who Oppose Grabner Shall Perish.
CB...cha cha cha
I’ve been folling CB throgh out the day and I find it funny who he is dancing around the broad comments made at practice.
And there you have it: immediate evidence that the system of play coached by Gordon and endorsed by Snow for the last two years has been abandoned as the Islanders search for a win after ten consecutive losses
- CB 1:15 after an interview with Weight where Doug said that they were going to simplify things.
Woh! Put the breaks on the post below about system-busting.
-CB 1:30 after a Cappy statement saying there would be no major changes
I fully expect a post later on how they had planned on making sweeping changes, but reversed that as soon as Snow read Botta’s post.
and I can’t help but think of carly simon right now….
Dear Adam Larsson, from JFK you take the Belt Parkway east, to the Southern State east to the Meadowbrook Parkway north... then look for the big lighthouse.
I noticed that too. I also like the indignation of not inviting him to the call. But that was just a gross oversight. Even though they never invite him to anything, anyway.
On the one hand, I think it’s shitty of the Isle’s not to include him in things, since he really is the only one that covers the team (Strang is hidden behind a paywall, but I don’t recall her ever really breaking anything anyway.) On the other hand…I wouldn’t invite him to anything either, given his penchant to take every decision Snow makes personally. I bet Snow only fired Gordon because a few weeks ago CB said Snow would not fire Gordon this season.
I'm wary of anything any player, coach or GM says after a change
Yeah it’s funny, so much of hockey is the same, you can only adjust around the edges (role, ice time, general approach). Capuano will surely adjust as he goes. Basically “system” talk is all a matter of degrees — one porridge eater thinks, “Wow! This is DIFFERENT!”, another thinks, “Well, yeah, we tweaked some things. Big deal.”
But everything any players, new coach, or GM says is couched in the desire to not come off as an asshole about the guy who just got his pink slip.
Lighthouse Hockey: You say that like Streit and Okposo and MacDonald were important.
I'm Shocked
Sure, I was expected good news after the loss on Saturday; but this blew me away. Gordon, gone? Unbelievable. Yes, its a tough time but I never saw the possiblity of tossing Gordon as Coach.
I saw the problems as a lot of lack of confidence from the forwards. They just were not able to finish what they started. When they got to the net they just didn’t finish off hard.
I never saw Gordon as the problem.
All Who Oppose Grabner Shall Perish.
I picked a bad day
To be in classes from 9-3:30.
I like the move. I like Jack and felt when I wrote my article on possible replacements last week that he’d be the best fit right now.
I know there’s a lot of doubt about Capuano and his abilities, relationship with Snow, whether he will be effective, ect. While I do not have a crystal ball, I can tell you definitively this: He is not Gordon, nor completely a Gordon acolyte. Capuano has been with the organization as an NHL assistant or AHL assistant/head coach since 50/06, the season before Snow was hired as GM and several seasons before Gordon was hired as head coach. He has head coaching experience, something Dean Chynoweth and Scott Allen do not. He has his own ideas on the game and how the knowledge of the game is transmitted than Gordon. To think (Even after what he said about the system not changing) that this will be more of the same, the facts of the situation do not add up to that.
I like Jack, and I hope he succeeds and will be the permanent head coach.
A contributor to Lighthouse Hockey - Where we come back to Earth at the speed of light.
Not trying ot be a smart ass...
but I agree with all of that. I see this a message v messenger moment though. The “system” or “philosophy” may be a moving target…. but I don’ t think the overall MO of the ORANIZATION will change all that much. What i do see changing is how it is delivered… and how questions (internally) are answered.
Problems seemed to linger for a lng time with Gordon… where the path seemed to be the thing. From the small bit of interviews over the years from Capuano, I feel that the end is more important for him.
No crystal ball here… but I bet he does simplify things… and he paints with a broader brush… and is more open to varying players’ preferences.
Just an observation here, and I may be totally off base… but whenever anybody was trying to trump up Gordon and did player interviews to get that point home… I can only remember the testimonials as, “Scott really helped ME”, “Scott has really improved MY game”, “I was having some trouble, but Scott helped ME”… I don’t ever remember anybody talking about what Gordon did to make it a better TEAM. Again… that’s just what I remember…
I think you’ll see a lot more TEAM now… and you know who will shine in this light…
EVERYBODY!
Just trying to make the point that I WASN’T saying that Cappy is here JUST BECAUSE he is a Snow crony (Wow… that sounds funny if you say it fast and together)…. I think this is a valid audition…. and I hope he is successful. But if he isn’t I’d like to see a search of the WHOLE CONTINENT rather than (AS IT HAS BEEN FOR 15 YEARS)… only where you can smell clam chowder and/or maple syrup.
…and I’m pretty sure Dean has minor league HC experience.
Dear Adam Larsson, from JFK you take the Belt Parkway east, to the Southern State east to the Meadowbrook Parkway north... then look for the big lighthouse.
I agree that this has turned into messenger vs. messenger, so lets leave it at that.
Yes, Chynoweth has head coaching experience, but with Swift Current in the WHL.
After being fired as head coach, now a "Special Adviser" to Lighthouse Hockey -
by David Hanssen on Nov 15, 2010 5:30 PM EST up reply actions
Back to the races..........
Arguing about what a coach can bring to the table is a legitimate discussion. However like in horse racing its more about the horse than the Jockey. The best jockey in the world can’t get a horse into the money never mind winning if he’s on a mule in the Kentuckey derby. Bottom line Wang is the owner and Snow is the trainer and let’s face it [here I think we can all agree, those two have not brought a legitimate contender to the race] Remember the Sondheim song……. "Bring in the clowns………maybe next year.
As a racetracker myself...
…well… it’s in the family anyway.
I agree… but I can also tell you that a jockey can make a helluva difference… and a trainer an even bigger one. If the horse can’t run it can’t run… but you don’t know it can’t run until you’ve explored alternative options.
There are reasons why there is an apprentice allowance…. and why good trainers have bigger barns. If it was all about the horse I wouldn’t be sitting behind this desk right now.
Sorry to over complicate your analogy.
Dear Adam Larsson, from JFK you take the Belt Parkway east, to the Southern State east to the Meadowbrook Parkway north... then look for the big lighthouse.
Only problem is
You get to shoot the horse when he breaks down, while they’ve got some stupid draconian laws against shooting trainers.
/piling on analogies just for the hell of it. Long day.
Lighthouse Hockey: You say that like Streit and Okposo and MacDonald were important.
Unless you're Buddy Jacobson....
Well… he was a trainer who did the shooting… of his girlfriend’s lover. Then, if my memory still works, broke out of prison by exchanging clothes with his lawyer.
I don’t really know what made me think of that (from the seventies) but my dad worked for him for a while and I went to my first Islander game with his son.
Dear Adam Larsson, from JFK you take the Belt Parkway east, to the Southern State east to the Meadowbrook Parkway north... then look for the big lighthouse.
more horseing around
good points about breeding and training. The way the Isles play I would swear they were caring extra weight under their uniforms. Some horses are front runners and others come from off the pace to get up at the end. If you believe Snow’s horse bleep the Isles are going to make the play-offs at the end. On the other hand Dom suggests that they should be put out of their misery now. Well I’m getting tired of this analogy which I started and will try to end now.
So we now have...
The coach of the incredibly successful sound tigers running things? (sarcasm intended). Excuse me but don’t the sound tigers have alot of those “hot” prospects we are all so excited about? and don’t they suck monkey balls every bit as much as the the monkey ball sucking “big league” version? This is the coaching upgrade?
I already feel sorry for Cap. I’m guessing the conversation went something like this Wang says Garth people are making fun of me we need to fire Gordon. Snow says ok Chuckster who should we hire, no one in his right mind would take this job. Wang says get Jack to do it he’s already under contract so we won’t have to pay him more and he can’t say no.
The coach of the incredibly successful sound tigers running things?
Capuano has actually had very good success with a Sound Tigers team the past couple of seasons without much to work with. He made the playoffs the previous three seasons seasons in charge of Bridgeport with rosters that included, among others, Junior Lessard and Jason Pitton. Not all that bad a job. And guess what? Even with the recent struggles of the past week, they’re only five points out of the 8th spot and tied for the fewest games played so far this season with 15. It’s not as desperate a situation as it might seem.
bq. Excuse me but don’t the sound tigers have a lot of those "hot" prospects we are all so excited about?
Not really. Calvin de Haan is still in Oshawa. Nino is in Portland. Nelson is at NoDak. Petrov is in Siberia. You do have some good prospects there like Ullstrom, Hamonic, Rakhshani and Koskinen, but there aren’t many of the “big time” blue chippers in the AHL right now.
and don’t they suck monkey balls every bit as much as the the monkey ball sucking "big league" version?
See my first point. By far they’re not the worst team in the AHL. That spot belongs to the Adirondack Phantoms.
After being fired as head coach, now a "Special Adviser" to Lighthouse Hockey -
by David Hanssen on Nov 15, 2010 6:29 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
Nice new sig! Now…go fetch coffee.
Lighthouse Hockey: You say that like Streit and Okposo and MacDonald were important.
Yes sir…
After being fired as head coach, now a "Special Adviser" to Lighthouse Hockey -
by David Hanssen on Nov 15, 2010 6:58 PM EST up reply actions
That spot belongs to the Adirondack Phantoms.
You should see the upbeat reporting the Phantoms get in their local papers. /shakes head
Lighthouse Hockey: I go there for their taste in beer.
(MTBVibe: Now a twit!)
I do believe that may be the prevailing sentiment, in 15 words or less.
Lighthouse Hockey: You say that like Streit and Okposo and MacDonald were important.
I guess the counter to that is should the defense be this bad though after moves were definitely made to improve it?
"Islanders coach Scott Gordon fired for losing with terrible team" - Wysh
Contributor to Lighthouse Hockey not sure if I'm the Sniper or the Enforcer.
Except for Wiz, I think it’s a tough sell to say that any of the other moves they made would be an improvement for any other NHL team. And then they lost Streit. . . .
I like Wiz being signed, I like Eaton being signed,
still too early to tell on jurcina and mottau, but jurcina has played better then expected so far and mottau has been spotty. That said, Eaton is barely to no longer a top 4/#4 like he used to be, and wiz has been too inconsistent of a defender but has brought a lot of offense.
Go isles or Go home.
Dunno what Capuano plans to do
But the only way this team can be remotely competitive is to trap, which —> ONOZ!!
My Thoughts...
This was a tough choice. In the middle of a 10 game non-winning streak a change definitely needs to be made either with the personnel or the coaching. And as it always is in sports it’s a lot easier to change the coach than it is the players. Gordon wrung every ounce he could out of the roster he was given and did what I would consider a great job last year. However this year seemed different. They started losing and then just couldn’t stop. Gordon reminded me a lot of Eric Wedge when he managed the Cleveland Indians. For whatever reason Gordon couldn’t stop player’s bad habits and was very stubborn in seemingly trying to force players into positions they were not suited for. Eric Wedge tried to convert solid first baseman Ryan Garko to a left fielder and when that failed Garko was shipped away even though he was one of the best hitters the Indians had. Gordon was seemingly set on trying to make Josh Bailey a winger when it was so painfully obvious that he was much better playing center.
Other things that seemed to not make much sense was giving Blake Comeau so much ice time even though he kept making the same mistakes over and over again. Granted there were massive amounts of injuries that continue to plague the team but it seemed to me that Gordon was unable to alter his system to fit the players on the team and instead tried to make players work in his system even though they were not good fits.
The goalie situation right now is lose-lose. You can ride Roloson as far as he’ll take you but you can’t expect to win games 1-0 or 2-1 every single night. Roloson is no spring chicken and is not now or ever has been a work horse goalie in the mold of Roberto Luongo or Martin Brodeur. Or you can give the bulk of the work to Ricky DiPietro who is quite obviously rusty from playing a mere 13 games the last two seasons. Along with scar tissue that needs to be worked away there are also, I’m sure, mental issues that DP has to work through in re-gaining confidence in his body and his skills. If you give the bulk of the work to DP you are guaranteed to have clunkers like in Philly and Carolina and more than likely you are going to lose more than win, but the only way to know for sure what DP has left in the tank is to play him and play him often.
All these factors were tremendous pit-falls that even the best of hockey coaches could’ve fallen into. Gordon was not the whole problem but he was definitely part of the problem IMO. It was definitely time for a change in direction and to have a new voice in the locker-room. I don’t know much about Capuano but hopefully he can find a way to motivate the players and bring some semblance of consistency back to their game. You can’t have guys like Bailey and Comeau not scoring since the second week of October when we are in the second week of November. Moulson and Tavares can not carry the offensive load. Hopefully Capuano can fix that. Personally I think it’s time to go outside of the box and bring in a veteran coach who knows how to win at the NHL level. I know right now the pickings are slim but in the off-season it should be a priority to find a veteran coach, even if that means bringing back Ted Nolan.
I appreciate all the hard work Gordon did, he was given a task pretty much equal to the 12 Labors of Hercules and unfortunately Gordon ended up not being Hercules.
The New York Islanders....they make opposing goalies look gooooood.
As they saying goes, you can't fire the players..............
When Nolan was fired, I felt at the time he did the best he could with the players he was given. Gordon came with the rep of developing young talent. Has Gordon done the best he could with the players he was given? If you say yes, then the fault clearly lies with Snow and Wang. If not, he deserved to be let go. Personally, Gordon was shafted. He was given a team made up mostly of players( with a few exceptions) who would be no better than 3rd or 4th liners/ 3rd D parings on other NHL teams, yet they masqueraded on 1st and 2nd lines. OK, Kyle and Mark going down didn’t help, but the makeup of this team doesn’t support other players to step up, because the talent just isn’t there. Snow said offense is the problem…really? Well, run a bargain-basement team, and you get what you pay for. Yes, some of Snow’s moves have been economically fruitful, but getting a FA 4th line player to give you 3rd line results doesn’t help. To attract quality FA’s you have to commit to paying more than meeting the league team minimum. Rebuilding is one thing, but you have to throw in quality FA’s to make it work, like LA is doing. If they don’t want to come, doesn’t that point to a management problem?
Sorry…..kind of rambled a bit…………………….tear me a new one!!!!!
Radical
I liked Gordon, fresh approach, new angle…BUT things change and coaches MUST adapt. As far as Jack goes…good luck pal. First order of business: dump Weight, Hunter, Gillies, Sim. Tired of wasting roster spots on players that cannot play or cannot stay healthy. Send Comeau out for shock value alone…Bailey must play center…Tavares should move to 2nd line wing…Somehow, someway Jack must find a new and better offensive system. The scary thing is: What if these players are showing exactly what they are capable of offensively?? Is it the coaches fault when players cannot execute a 2-1 or 3-2 or score on a breakaway?? Are these players being asked to do something they actually cannot do?? Can we find another finisher like Moulson? Can someone get in front of the net and cause trouble (Hunter) Can we find an effective breakout system that makes us look like a REAL NHL team Can we execute simple passes and can we shoot from someplace other than the wing?? At this point, I am concerned that we may be severely lacking offensive talent, not an offensive system. I would gladly suffer through some 5-4 and 6-5 games just to see a little offensive flow from this team. Please, Jack, go for broke (what do you have to lose??)!!!!
by upstateislesfan on Nov 16, 2010 8:04 AM EST reply actions
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1979-80
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May 24, 1980: Tonelli to Nystrom. At long last, the steady build of the New York Islanders from expansion doormat to surprise semifinalist to annual contender reaches the promised land: Buoyed by a late season trade for Butch Goring that gave the team the depth up the middle GM Bill Torrey had been seeking, the Islanders knock off the Philadelphia Flyers in six games.
The victory justified the faith in coach Al Arbour who guided them from their second season to their first Stanley Cup seven seasons later. The Islanders would not be the first expansion team to win the Stanley Cup, but they would be the only one capable of a dynasty.
1980-81
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May 21, 1981: This time it was much easier. After falling to "only" 91 points in the 1979-80 season, the Islanders returned to their division title tradition, piling up 110 points -- a whole 13 points over second-place Philadelphia.
Between the quarterfinals (where they beat the upstart Oilers in six games) and the finals, the Islanders reeled off eight consecutive wins -- with a four-game sweep of archrival Rangers in between. As they defeated the Minnesota North Stars in five games for their second Cup, their goal difference in the final was a combined +10.
1981-82
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May 16, 1982: Another year, another landslide title. The Islanders won the Patrick Division by a whopping 26 points over the second-place Rangers, and were seven points clear of their nearest competition for the President's Trophy, the still-not-quite-ripe Edmonton Oilers.
A first-round scare against the Pittsburgh Penguins turned in the Isles' favor thanks to John Tonelli's heroics, and a true dynasty was on its way: Past the Rangers in six games, then an eight-game sweep of the Quebec Nordiques and Vancouver Canucks to run away with the Stanley Cup.
1982-83
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May 17, 1983: Not so fast, whipper-snappers. The Edmonton Oilers' steadily rising challenge for league supremacy took them all the way to the finals for the first time, where the New York Islanders summarily dispatched them in a four-game sweep. For the Islanders, the Dynasty was secured. For the Oilers, it was a powerful lesson in where talent ends and the demands of playoff hockey begin.
Four years, four Cups, 16 consecutive playoff series wins (a record that would grow to 19 until the rematch with the Oilers the following year). Mike Bossy scored 60 goals yet again, and Wayne Gretzky became acquainted with Billy Smith's crease.
