Menace, ,I agree to disagree,,Cappy sux and he definately hindered the young guys but as I said in my rant,,these guys can go,,,Strome,Bailey ,Especially Nelson,,,,pathetic,,,I never expected this team to win the cup but to watch what transpired in this series,,,it was hard very hard as this team is not very good from top to bottom and we're always in over they're heads,,,and the coach and Gm ,well that we agree on
Maybe a light at the end of the tunnel,,AS OF TODAY CHARLES Wang surrenders ownership of the team,,so maybe no loyalty to Snow or Cappy and a whole new regime gets brought in,,, we can only hope
I have no issues with getting rid of Bailey, Kulemin, Zidlicky, Strait, Okposo. That being said, Brock is the only guy to hit 20 plus goals on this team, beside JT and Okposo, you should not get rid of that type of production from a 2 year guy because he is soft, he carried the team the first month of the season. I think Strome can be salvageable, he is not a winger, he is a center, Capuano insist on playing him as a winger, he does not have the skill set to play the wing, he is a set up guy. I would prefer a coaching change first, bring in a new system and some quality FA, preferably guys that are physical players. Keep Strome and Nelson, surround them with good NHL veterans and see how things play out. Unfortunately I think your right, nothing is going to change.
The Tuesday game told you everything you needed to know. Every time they scored to take the lead, they gave one right back.
This really is a key - I will always give Wang credit for doing everything he could to keep the team on Long Island, but between driving out Neil Smith while keeping Milbury, Snow, and Capuano he has done more than anyone to doom them to their status of the last 15 years. The new guys have no loyalty to Snow or Capuano, but unfortunately they might also not want to rock the boat in the first few months of taking control of the team.
But Menace if I did not know any better U could swear you are my buddy Jimmy,,,,we were talking about the Isles last night and he said the exact same thing about Strome and Nelson.lol he thinks if we added a few vets it would make a world of difference, ,,,,I on the other hand think if me you or my buddy Jimmy played along side Tavares any one of us could score 20 goals,,lol We will see how this all plays out but I want the coach and GM gone ! Hopefully the new owners are smart and have balls ,,,time will tell!
I'm guessing you and I have been watching this team for quite some time, I remember all the talent they traded away because Milbury could not pay the young guys to stay on a sinking ship. I don't want to give away the young talent anymore. I'm a believer that Capuano is a big reason this young team can't seem to get out of their own way, he coached the Bridgeport Soundtigers, I have seen this offensive system for quite some time as my wife and I frequently attend the Soundtigers games in CT. I have seen many of these young players develope in the AHL. In my opinion it's a combination of both, bad coaching and not enough skilled veterans. Nelson was on pace for a 30 goal season, all of a sudden he stops scoring, how does that happen? He was not injured. Strome is just skating at this point, he has no confidence. Everytime he makes a mistake he gets scratched for 2 games. Bailey is out there playing worse than Strome and he is rewarded with more playing time. I'm not saying those 2 guys are future HOF, but they need a change of scenery on this team. I think Ryan Strome will ask to be traded in the off season, and if he lands on a team with a good coach, you will see him blossom.
I always thought Milbury was impatient, and an asshole, which was why he kept trading away young players. Drafting DiPietro and trading Luongo was just bullshit and a waste. But he also dumped Laviolette after only two years. Moving on from what he had was just his MO.
Menace ,like you probably I have watched this team since they were on regular TV,,chan 9, I'm not talking cable and WHT either ,lol I don't follow the farm system nearly as close as you but have been to Bridgeport and would gladly have a drink with you at one of those games . We watched them win cups and then We both lived through Milbury and Maloney,Spano and Neil smith who was here shorter than Belicheck and a cast of others,,,,,high draft picks each year and sadly not much to show for it . Hopefully the new owners have a clue and get us going in the right direction ,,,,see you in Bridgeport buddy
Kasparitis, Luongo, Wayne Redden, Palffy, Eric Brewer, Zdeno Chara, Brad Lukowich, Todd Bertuzzi, the list is a long one of players Milbury drafted that he jettisoned of this team. With the right Coach and some patience by Milbury, this team could have been good for a while. Instead we ended up with the likes of Randy Wood, Travis Green, and Veterans that were just trying to hold on to their pay checks..uugghh
Travis Green,Marty Mcginis , Brad Del Garno,,,the kid line,,,ugh,,,,,,,u left off Mcabe,,,,Dave Chyzowski,,,and a few others but we all understand and get the point ,,,,,if we are all cried out we might as well laugh
He is even terrible on NBC as a commentator, he and Pierre Maguire are probably the 2 worst commentators covering hockey.
If only Mick Vukota acted when he had the chance the Islanders history might have been much different. A story related to me exactly the same by two different people who witnessed it, one a professional athlete, the second a credentialed journalist (I guess what are referred to as "normally reliable sources") tells of a night in Detroit after a bad loss when Milbury would not stop chirping all the way back to, and into the hotel. Even with his own team Milbury was always looking for a fight as he did when he wore the skates. An hour or so later Vukota decided the only way to handle the problem was to throw Milbury out a window. Seriously, he was ready to do it. I believe there was some kind of confrontation and others kept the deed from being done but any chance the coach had to run the team was gone. He gathered reporters the next morning and would not allow any on the bus (and promised to continue that for the season) unless they swore to not make the events of the night before public. I only wonder if Wang ever knew the level of discontent the team had with Mad Mike before he turned over the keys to the castle for the next how many years.
If you ever listen to Espn radio in the afternoons you can hear Dipietro and the contempt he has for MM ,,,,great story ralebird !
I am told Travis Hamonic rescinded his request for a trade,,,he now wants to stay,,,this is good news ! Am I reading into it or do you think Cappy and possibly Snow are goners ? Why else would he now want to stay ? I think something happens soon
Needed a bump,,,,,Okposso gone , Franz Neilson gone, Matt Martin gone,,,,,,sorry to see them go , liked them all. Okposso made me pull my hair out with his disappearance in the playoffs and dumb decisions,,,,,Neilson played well in the playoffs and Martin has so much heart,,,,this said I wanted them to get Ladd last year to play with JT and am excited he is now here , he brings leadership and ability to this team ! As for Chimira the guy is older than dirt but he can still play, he has size and is fast and he can put the puck in the net and kill penalties . I think they still need to sign or trade for at least 2 forwards because to keep hoping the kids develop makes me ill,,lol. Lee was playing well before his injury but the other guys I just don't know ? Nelson has all the tools and size but looks like Tarzan plays like Jane and Strome was Jerked around who knows where his head is at,,,,,,,,wish they had fired the coach,,,,,we will see what if any moves remain but as I said 2 more decent forwards would make me smile .
