oops…that wasn’t finished: What I meant to say with Cairns was that, “yet it works. We think.”

This is why I appreciate when Botta adds benign-but-telling facts like: “The Islanders have yet to release statements on Jankowski and Trottier, or post the news on the official team website.” Same way Logan used to do it: State the fact, the reality, and if that fact seems at all odd to the reader, then the reader can make their own conclusions.

Don’t mean to keep harping on this, but I could write a dissertation on it. The reason you issue press releases, the reason you provide explanatory interviews, is because people are going to WANT TO KNOW what the thinking is. The Islanders cannot both leverage and play up the fact they have much beloved Islander greats like Trottier in the organization, and then act like it’s merely a private internal matter when they are reassigned/let go/whatever.

And while we know nothing yet and it’s hardly been even hours since the news “broke,” this is why you need to have stuff ready — and approved — for when it does. Maybe they planned to announce it later in the month, not during busy mini-camp week when they’re focused on other things. But they had to know people would notice the absence of both men. You have to try to control the timing and tone of the message, but also be prepared for when the news gets out before you intended. And since I’m pretty sure their PR staff already know that, it’s up to ownership to trust and authorize the PR side to do their jobs.

it doesn’t paint the prettiest picture of this organization. Smith, regardless of where he came from, was hired to be the GM. He lasted 40 days here, I believe, in a capacity that was not what he understood it to be. Again, that may be his fault, but the perception is that he was hired to do a certain job, wasn’t actually hired for that job, and then was no longer a part of the organization. All this happening in a span of 40 days. Very strange to outsiders, I would think.

Also, hiring and firing of coaches happens all the time. No big deal. It is the timing of these things. If I recall correctly, and I honestly may not, but Nolan was fired in the middle of the summer, because of a disagreement of the direction of the organization. OK, no problem. This one isn’t so bad, because they told us why he was fired!

This team has been dealing with a perception problem for a long time. This doesn’t help our perception. We are fans, and we are torn over these things. Ask a free agent how they feel about moving their family to a new place while facing such uncertainty. It’s not gonna happen, not to the guys who can demand top dollar. They’ll even accept less money to play elsewhere, and a great deal of it is the perception of the club. True or not, it doesn’t matter.

Letting a coach go is not embarrassing in itself…..it was the way in which it happened. I am pretty sure that, like me, you were excited to have ted nolan here as a coach. He was a players coach who had success in Buffalo. We made the playoffs during his short tenure. And then what? he was fired because he clashed with GM Garth Snow regarding the youth movement and “rebuilding” of the islanders. We are ALWAYS rebuilding.

Now we have tiny Napoleon behind the bench. He had an issue with Guerin. He had an issue with Witt. He had an issue with Campoli. Funny, he has no issue with the front office…because he and Garth are boys.

Word gets around the league from veterans like Guerin, and media outlets, regarding the moves and decisions made by the front office. All the players love Doug Weight, how come he is not signed…….

I agree on that point Dom, but from what has been said, Jankowski was blindsided. Must be nice to have a “good to the last drop” philosophy in the organization, I can see how that will exemplify an endearing quality about the team. OR something…

I just can’t wait till Kabanov starts pulling some pranks on Petrov

“Krill says he is better then Crosby and Gretzky combined and wishes to in the future be referred to as Krill “The Great Crostky” Petrov"

He is a D-man. And by the looks of it, Martin has him beat in the Beach Body competition.

What about Pink November?

I vote Assistant GM! Two birds one stone.