They don't have the "Super Star" talent.. but instead they have 4 lines of very very good talent.
- niteislander

I understand the idea the Isles do not have classic Stanley Cup type talent but they have good talent and a great coach in Barry elevates the talent even more. I still stand by the idea Barzal needs a better wing and maybe that wing is Wahlstrom starting next year? You watch a player like Bailey and see how well he passes and he always had the talent to be a very good top 6 talent. Same for Nelson. Garth did many things wrong but he was not off base with a lot of the players he drafted.

I mean he is correct. His team should have been called for embellishment a few times.
- TurdFergeson

lol.. true.

listening to NHL radio yesterday was just painful.. How can these guys still not have a clue who the Islanders are at this point. They have been shoving it up your keester for 3 years. It's not a friggin trap, the don't goon it up or take runs at guys and it's certainly not "boring hockey". They are just completely oblivious to what's happening on the ice. Four lines on non-stop forechecking and playing responsible is just good fundamental well coached hockey.

They even brought up Vasilevskly being a Vezina finalist numerous times without mentioning a word or stat line on Varly. Varly had better Save %, Better GAA and more shut outs despite playing much less games.

Ladies and gentlemen I give you the New York Islanders 7 wins away from there fifth Stanley cup Championship. I dedicate the rest of the playoffs to my great friend and brother David. We talked everyday about the fifth cup this season. Win the cup for David. RIP

I understand the idea the Isles do not have classic Stanley Cup type talent but they have good talent and a great coach in Barry elevates the talent even more. I still stand by the idea Barzal needs a better wing and maybe that wing is Wahlstrom starting next year? You watch a player like Bailey and see how well he passes and he always had the talent to be a very good top 6 talent. Same for Nelson. Garth did many things wrong but he was not off base with a lot of the players he drafted.
- ses111

Absolutely true about Snow. He hit on a lot of draft picks with guys like Barzy, Zeeker, Pelech, Sorokin, Martin, Nelson, Lee, Bailey, Mayfield and Pulock. His failure was his refusal to hire an established coach.
Lou came in, brought in Barry and made a a few adjustments that turned out massively impactful like Varly, Pageau and Palmieri. Perhaps even more important was the change of culture that Lou provided, which may have been Garth's biggest failure.

Absolutely true about Snow. He hit on a lot of draft picks with guys like Barzy, Zeeker, Pelech, Sorokin, Martin, Nelson, Lee, Bailey and Pulock. His failure was his refusal to hire an established coach.
Lou came in, brought in Barry and made a a few adjustments that turned out massively impactful like Varly, Pageau and Palmieri. Perhaps even more important was the change of culture that Lou provided, which may have been Garth's biggest failure.
- keaner17

It has to kill Garth seeing this team now knowing he never hired a decent coach. Garth and JT are not enjoying this at all.

Absolutely true about Snow. He hit on a lot of draft picks with guys like Barzy, Zeeker, Pelech, Sorokin, Martin, Nelson, Lee, Bailey, Mayfield and Pulock. His failure was his refusal to hire an established coach.
Lou came in, brought in Barry and made a a few adjustments that turned out massively impactful like Varly, Pageau and Palmieri. Perhaps even more important was the change of culture that Lou provided, which may have been Garth's biggest failure.
- keaner17

Agree 100%.. I will also give Snow credit for not making the mistakes of the past by trading guys we drafted for aging veteran rentals. they were offered tons of trades over the years and Garth refused to trade guys. As a long time season ticket guy it was torturous to watch GM' trade young players that we earned with painful seasons for very little.

Garth had a few issues I could write about for a while but his biggest was his faith in Capuano.

It has to kill Garth seeing this team now knowing he never hired a decent coach. Garth and JT are not enjoying this at all.
- ses111

It has to kill Garth seeing this team now knowing he never hired a decent coach. Garth and JT are not enjoying this at all.
- ses111

The combination of Snow and Wang made for such a goofy amd unorthodox culture. Their coaching decision's were just about at the top of that list

It has to kill Garth seeing this team now knowing he never hired a decent coach. Garth and JT are not enjoying this at all.
- ses111

jpretty sure he is still making $5 mill thanks to Wang's absurd contract extension before he sold the team.

Agree 100%.. I will also give Snow credit for not making the mistakes of the past by trading guys we drafted for aging veteran rentals. they were offered tons of trades over the years and Garth refused to trade guys. As a long time season ticket guy it was torturous to watch GM' trade young players that we earned with painful seasons for very little.

Garth had a few issues I could write about for a while but his biggest was his faith in Capuano.
- niteislander

Milbury being the pristine example of a GM who drafted well but had no patience. Chara, Luongo, Bertuzzi etc....there was likely a cup winning team he drafted that he squandered away because he relished the mad scientist role.

- gergeswillems

jpretty sure he is still making $5 mill thanks to Wang's absurd contract extension before he sold the team.
- niteislander

This is true but can money really buy happiness when Lou and Barry will be getting the credit?

Milbury being the pristine example of a GM who drafted well but had no patience. Chara, Luongo, Bertuzzi etc....there was likely a cup winning team he drafted that he squandered away because he relished the mad scientist role.
- keaner17

There was a time when I was sitting in my seats that 7 Isles draft picks or players we had on the roster that were traded were the captains of other teams. (off the top of my head.. Luongo, Brewer, McCabe, Chara, Jokinen, and before u ask.. yes a goalie was the Captain.

"On September 30, 2008, prior to the start of the 2008–09 season, Vancouver Canucks general manager Mike Gillis and head coach Alain Vigneault named Luongo the 12th captain in team history, replacing the departed Markus Näslund.[5] The decision was unconventional, as league rules forbid goaltenders from being captains.[79] As such, Luongo became only the seventh goaltender in NHL history to be named a captain, and the first since Bill Durnan captained the Montreal Canadiens in 1947–48 (after which the league implemented the rule).[5] In order to account for the league rule, Luongo did not perform any of the on-ice duties reserved for captains and did not wear the captain's "C" on his jersey. Instead he incorporated it into the artwork on the front of one of his masks which he occasionally wore for the early months of the 2008–09 season."

Isles do not have star power talent like teams like Tampa and Colorado but the Isles have good talent. Many of us were saying for years Nelson and Bailey and Eberle have the talent and Barry has been able to bring it out of them and this team. Coaching was clearly the biggest issue for years. Many HB posters and even hockey experts only mentioned the Isles need for a goalie and never a mention about coaching. Lou has done a great job adding to the talent but much of the talent was already here and this team never had a decent coach. Now they have an all time great. The Isles have a huge edge in the coaching department and maybe this will push the Isles over the top?
- ses111

I agree with all of this. I think it’s hysterical when opposing fans say the islanders have no talent besides Barzal. Most of these guys are first and second round picks that are now veterans. Hate him or love him Snow drafted most of these guys and kept the band together so to speak. He just never put the right people in place to take the team to the next level. Pretty much everyone on here always said that and here we are reaping the rewards with competent people in charge. I love when opposing fans scoff at Nelson, Beauvillier, Pelech, etc. It just show how limited their knowledge of this team is.

Milbury being the pristine example of a GM who drafted well but had no patience. Chara, Luongo, Bertuzzi etc....there was likely a cup winning team he drafted that he squandered away because he relished the mad scientist role.
- keaner17

Lack of patience and lack of money was a big factor as well.

I agree with all of this. I think it’s hysterical when opposing fans say the islanders have no talent besides Barzal. Most of these guys are first and second round picks that are now veterans. Hate him or love him Snow drafted most of these guys and kept the band together so to speak. He just never put the right people in place to take the team to the next level. Pretty much everyone on here always said that and here we are reaping the rewards with competent people in charge. I love when opposing fans scoff at Nelson, Beauvillier, Pelech, etc. It just show how limited their knowledge of this team is.
- Cptmjl

Lack of coaching and being afraid to make key trades did Garth in. Look how much trading for JGP and Palms and Zajac have done. It's not just opposing fans it's hockey people as well. If many did not give the respect to the Islander dynasty teams, the same thing thing will happen if this Islanders team wins a Cup. Unless you play like the 80's Oilers you will not get the respect many times.

There was a time when I was sitting in my seats that 7 Isles draft picks or players we had on the roster that were traded were the captains of other teams. (off the top of my head.. Luongo, Brewer, McCabe, Chara, Jokinen, and before u ask.. yes a goalie was the Captain.

"On September 30, 2008, prior to the start of the 2008–09 season, Vancouver Canucks general manager Mike Gillis and head coach Alain Vigneault named Luongo the 12th captain in team history, replacing the departed Markus Näslund.
- niteislander[5] The decision was unconventional, as league rules forbid goaltenders from being captains.[79] As such, Luongo became only the seventh goaltender in NHL history to be named a captain, and the first since Bill Durnan captained the Montreal Canadiens in 1947–48 (after which the league implemented the rule).[5] In order to account for the league rule, Luongo did not perform any of the on-ice duties reserved for captains and did not wear the captain's "C" on his jersey. Instead he incorporated it into the artwork on the front of one of his masks which he occasionally wore for the early months of the 2008–09 season."

I'll never forget the day we traded Luongo. I was travelling home and missed the draft. Got in and there was a message from my brother, who is a Flyers fan. I played it and it just said 'Luongo!" Followed by laughter. Of all the Isles draft picks ovwr the years, he was the one I was most excited about. And instead we end up with Parrish, Kvasha and Jokinen. Devastating

Lack of patience and lack of money was a big factor as well.
- ses111

Yeah.. that is truly one thing no one talks about but when Spano was getting $18 mill from Cable and told Milbury to cut the salary to $20 mill it really handcuffed him big time. I don't fault him for a lot of those trades b/c of it... but then once we got real ownership that wanted to build a contender he shipped a ton of young talent for guys that were worse the day of the trade.. that is where he infuriated me.

I'll never forget the day we traded Luongo. I was travelling home and missed the draft. Got in and there was a message from my brother, who is a Flyers fan. I played it and it just said 'Luongo!" Followed by laughter. Of all the Isles draft picks ovwr the years, he was the one I was most excited about. And instead we end up with Parrish, Kvasha and Jokinen. Devastating
- keaner17

That was the year we had 2 picks in top 5. there was a really decent shot we win the lottery b/c of it and would have had Thornton.. (one one team could moved back then.. actually made a lot more sense than the current lottery). Worse we could do is 4 and 5.. that is what we ended up with .. took Luongo and Brewer. out Goalie and Stay home D-man of the future... Milbury traded them both soon after

That was the year we had 2 picks in top 5. there was a really decent shot we win the lottery b/c of it and would have had Thornton.. (one one team could moved back then.. actually made a lot more sense than the current lottery). Worse we could do is 4 and 5.. that is what we ended up with .. took Luongo and Brewer. out Goalie and Stay home D-man of the future... Milbury traded them both soon after
- niteislander

Such an unbelievably bad time to be an islanders fan

Yeah.. that is truly one thing no one talks about but when Spano was getting $18 mill from Cable and told Milbury to cut the salary to $20 mill it really handcuffed him big time. I don't fault him for a lot of those trades b/c of it... but then once we got real ownership that wanted to build a contender he shipped a ton of young talent for guys that were worse the day of the trade.. that is where he infuriated me.
- niteislander

Lousy ownership really sunk this team for years. When Wang first started and was willing to spend Milbury does not get a pass.

Such an unbelievably bad time to be an islanders fan
- Cptmjl

Isles had Luongo already and could have taken Gaborik as the #1 pick instead of DP.

Lousy ownership really sunk this team for years. When Wang first started and was willing to spend Milbury does not get a pass.
- ses111

The thing with Wang is he truly meant well and wanted what was best for the team and it’s fans. The guy thought he was doing the right thing he just wasn’t.

Isles had Luongo already and could have taken Gaborik as the #1 pick instead of DP.
- ses111

From Maloney to milbury and the whole spano situation on top of it. It’s a miracle this team is still here.