3.5 Years In: Garth Snow's team taking shape

I still argue that we don’t particularly need to tank for a player. Sure, the higher the pick the better, but I have trust in who Garth picks. He’s been surprisingly good with higher first round picks.

The march ISS rankings have Seguin first, Hall second, Fowler third, Tarasenko fourth and Gormley fifth. I hope you are right about Boston taking a D-man because I would be happy with either Hall or Seguin. At this point I’m leaning a little more towards Seguin and agree with you that switching JT to wing could work out. What I like about Hall is that he played with Bailey and according to an an article written by Chris Pope from The Good Point he has “cited New York Islanders forward and 2009 NHL Entry Draft first overall pick, John Tavares, as a role model, both on and off the ice.” When all is said and done I wouldn’t be too dissapointed with Fowler or Gormley either, as we could certainly use the held on D. I see Tarasenko and Kabanov as more boom or bust type picks and would feel safer if Garth took a North American, although Nino is certainly an intriguing prospect.

I believe because Garth is picking quality people in the draft and FA. Lots of olks missed Mark Streit and Matt Moulson and they are now genuine star quality players. Lots of folks passed on Anders Lee and Casey Cizikas and they are already demonstrating that they are stars in the making as are De Haan and Hamonic. And lets not forget about Rob Schremp hockey. Schremp was allowed to walk and we picked up an everyday player for NOTHING. And all tis is after just two years of rebuild. It takes time to build a champion. I never really expected that they would compete this year, but they have shown impressive flashes. With the addition of Seguin and a quality FA defenseman and, hopefully, resolution of the Lighthouse nightmare, we should be fine.

I’ve seen this team play. Even with all their struggles and bad stats, the reason to be up on them is because of how close they are. Seemingly every talking head predicted us to easily be one of the worst teams in the league. Even with a poor PP, a Poor PK and a 5n5 ratio that’s not setting the world on fire, the team managed to stay within striking of the 8th seed till the latest losing streak.

These Islanders aren’t going out and getting blown out of the game every night. They are usually out matched, but they fight claw and scratch their way to keep in games. It’s a different energy of the team. When a team’s in the shitter you know it. They go out and you can tell from the body motions and the trying and see its just not there.

This is an Islanders team that goes out and fights nearly every night. Sure, they tend to lose games when leading going into the third, but they are young. They are going to eventually gain that edge and confidence and go into the 3rd with 2 goal leads and come out with wins. I think its really all right there close to the surface.

Can I just say that when I think of an Isles team that had no direction and was just depressing to watch it was the 00-01 team with Beezer in net, Wang had allowed Milbury to sign a bunch of FAs and he of course brought in a bunch of garbage over the Hill UFAs and proceeded to tell the fans that it was a playoff team that year or his head.

72 beginning and I’ve never been so down on our future. I know many of you want to believe in our “direction” but I’m sorry…I don’t see it.

I just find that so strange. Now that the Isles are finally building something long term, and we are even seeing real signs of it in only year two, NOW you are mad? I know you are not along in feeling this way, but I will never totally understand it.

I know many of you want to believe in our “direction” but I’m sorry…I don’t see it. I’m depressed.

I’m sorry to hear that … but we’re here to help. :P

our GM to our scouts to our coaching staff right down to our players we are MINOR LEAGUE.

I don’t feel that way, obviously. I certainly see the team operating on a shoestring in many respects (and given their revenues and the money already lost this decade, well it’s hard for me to begrudge that too much). But the GM and scouts sure don’t strike me as minor league. They’ve produced some nice finds the last couple of drafts, and I think Snow’s current approach is (1) a decade overdue, and (2) the only way up for a club in this uncertain position.

…Time will tell, though. (But the timing of this post after two wins is pure coincidence. I wanted to compare pre-rebuild and mid-rebuild rosters ever since the deadline, but only just got around to it.)

A few years back people were saying the same thing about Pittsburgh, Chicago. Those teams did the smart thing and built there teams through the draft. That is what I see the Islanders trying to do and so far I’m encouraged. Of course impatient fans want to see success right away and if Garth wanted to he could get a pretty good return on the likes of Tavares, Bailey, Okposo et al and put together a team that could grab an 8th or 7th seed and lose in the first round, like Milbury did time and time again. We’ll never see any real success in the playoffs but it would satiate impatient fans like you for a while. I’d rather see this team try to build something for real. How did Trottier, Bossey, Gillies and Potvin become Islanders? Free Agency? Trades? No, they were drafted and those early seventies Islander teams experienced plenty of growing pains while those guys matured. Plenty of fans then wanted to see the team win right away but the management was patient and it paid off in spades. We’ve some pretty promising signs things from Bailey, Okposo and Tavares (and plenty of growing pains as well) and we’ll have a pretty nice position this year for what looks like a great draft class. I’m not saying for sure that we have the next Trottier, Bossy or Gillies; maybe someone like Hall or Seguin will prove to be the star we can build a team around, or maybe JT will prove to be that guy…or maybe not, but we have to be patient and see this thing through. Or we can trade these guys and our first overall pick this year for the 2010 equivalent of Alexi Yashin, slip into the playoffs next year to get swept. I’ll take the first option and wait patiently to see we can build a winning team the right way.

we have scored more goals and given up less..it is 1 step in the right direction, the next step is to make the playoffs, the 3rd step to advance and the final to win the Cup. The Isanders of the early 80s didnt win the 1st year we started to draft them. we gathered players, and became a winner.
remember this team is young and playing well enough to be an 8th seed, Bailey and Taveras will gain man strenghth as Snow calls it, and become better. Schremp and Moulson must be resigned as they fit well.
If we can get out of the Depietro thing we become a winner, whether it is he is finally healthy and playing 50+ games, or we cut ties and bring up someone else

Minor League- I dont think so, what are you a Rangers fan

it is unlikely with their depth at center that he would play right away. Given that they are so deep there, given that they lack an elite quality D prospect, and given that Chara may walk next year, it is more likely that they will pick a defenseman. If Bergy is traded, it will be this year as he becomes an RFA this summer. Unlikely they will trade Hunts until they have a sutable replacement. As long as Petrov is not on the roster, Hunts will stay. Someone has to want Gervais before he can be traded. Trading Roly depends on DP, our goalie prospects, and any possible FA goalie signings. Before you get too attached to Madden, better look at comments about him at our Second City counterpart site.

I think the team is still a year away from making major decisions and a push for the playoffs.

I actually agree with that, though I like the prospect that, as you say, next year should be fun and closer.

I should clarify I wouldn’t want Snow to spring into “Buy! Buy! Buy!” mode next March if the playoffs are within reach — but I will be pleased if they’ve progressed enough that it enters the conversation.

That’s exactly what I was thinking when I saw Meyer listed as acquired by trade. I just looked it up, and thats pretty much how it happened: claimed by Phoenix on waivers October 2007, claimed by the Islanders on waivers almost exactly one month later.

I should have noted that when I listed it that way. Since it was a “We don’t want to lose him but we don’t have room for him” + Phoenix’s “We’ll take him! Oh wait, we don’t have room for him either” scenario within a short span, I just categorized it under how he was originally acquired. I’ll edit that.

And thanks for the correction — always appreciated.

Then make our second pick Mr Size and Snarl himself, Dylan McIlrath—he of the prospects game pummeling video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nmo1jlN4VHg

I think this situation will be clearer in August.

Agreed, for sure. Always penciled this summer in as pivotal for my impression of how Snow builds a team. I think it may extend past August though, as I could see this club waiting out some depth FAs who overpriced themselves and need a September invite.

If he does NOTHING this team isn’t ready for maybe three more years.. and then there will be a whole set of new questions. I really feel like he needs to act (not in a huge way, but there needs to be at least two moves made).

Yup, I think so too.

Sigh. A number of points:

There is no “moving” of Biron- the trade deadline already passed.

It looks like the Isles already ARE “hanging on” to Roloson- he is under contract for another season.

The Isles do not have a pressing need to “find OTHER young goalieS.” IMO you need to look at all the young goalies the Islanders already have.

And there is no “letting go” DiPietro- and “Buying out” Rick DiPietro at this point in time is such a ridiculously bad idea. Any frickin time I see it proposed it makes it tough to read anyhting else in that post with a straight face. In your mind, how in the world does that benefit this team right now???? It doesnt help anything- even a little bit. There is absolutely NO current benefit in doing so. NONE! So you tell me- WTF is “killing them” about Ricks contract right at this time? Could you explain that? The team is at the flippin CAP FLOOR!

Haha, Thanks Dee. I won’t tell.