Pretty sure we hit this subject every offseason.
- Cptmjl

Milbury was better as a coach. He had some success with the Bruins. His style was not the best for long term success. GM was just not his thing.

Pretty sure we hit this subject every offseason.
- Cptmjl

And my position hasn't changed.

I would be all for it but I couldn’t see lameriello being on board after what happened with Wilde.
- Cptmjl

The guy is rumored to be locker room cancer and keeps changing teams. That's a red flag, and Lou is big on building team chemistry. He has some talent, but why are teams unloading him?

The guy is rumored to be locker room cancer and keeps changing teams. That's a red flag, and Lou is big on building team chemistry. He has some talent, but why are teams unloading him?
- JohnScammo

I'll pass and especially when the need is at forward.

He played wing at WHC. When he came he I know I said I would like to see him on the wing because of his size, FO% and defense or lack there of. I don’t think I was the only one on here who said it.
It definitely was popular and it may not work or he may have a 100 point year. Won’t know if you don’t try.
That said when the forwards are in the O zone it really doesn’t matter if you’re on wing or center. It really makes a different without the puck and d zone.
I hope Bo and Barzal find some magic because they showed glimpses of it when Horvat first came here.
I think they both will have big years.
- nyisles7

At the end of the day, two good players playing together...like Barzal and Horvat...should be able to create and score. So, on that, I agree. The size thing I'm not so sure about...a big center is nice, but a small, shifty center dishing the puck to big wingers who can shoot the puck and crash and bang on the boards is also a tried and true setup.

As for how easy it is to move from center to wing, I can really only go by what I read. My own experiences are, well, very limited...I wasn't very good at wing or center

But Barzal did mention the different skating approaches between the two positions before giving the very diplomatic "It's up to the coach" response. My concern reading that is Barzal is a player I think you want to make more comfortable out there rather than less. If he's comfortable, he can create. When he's pressing, he makes mistakes.

I mean, it's neither here nor there at this point. If they don't move out a center, Barzal will be on the wing, so I'll just hope you're right about how he'll adjust.

Milbury also had owners who were trying to cut the payroll when it was at 20 million.
Once it came time for a young player to get paid after his ELC Milbury had to trade them vs spend money.
That said when that wasn’t the case when Charles came in he made some bad deals.
Snow had money that was never a problem he just sucked. He’s my #2 after Maloney.
- nyisles7

I think Milbury might have been even worse when he had a freer hand It's like when Congress is gridlocked and can't get anything done...that's sometimes better than when they start doing stuff.

Been saying that for years. Milbury gets my vote for 2nd worst, and Snow is a close 3rd.
- JohnScammo

Yep. It's hard to imagine how dreadful Lou would have to be from here on out to even get within shouting distance of those three.

I think Milbury might have been even worse when he had a freer hand It's like when Congress is gridlocked and can't get anything done...that's sometimes better than when they start doing stuff.
- UIF

Yes on both points.

Yep. It's hard to imagine how dreadful Lou would have to be from here on out to even get within shouting distance of those three.
- UIF

Milbury and Garth were lousy, but it starts at the top. Ownership needs to provide enough resources to win, and they need to demand excellence. That was never the case with Charles RIP.

Milbury and Garth were lousy, but it starts at the top. Ownership needs to provide enough resources to win, and they need to demand excellence. That was never the case with Charles RIP.
- ses111

I will disagree somewhat on that last point. When Charles first arrived, he gave Milbury a blank check and told him to build a winner. Wang knew nothing about hockey, so he put his faith in Milbury who went out and got Yashin and Peca. The latter was a great pick-up IMO, but Yashin was a huge overpay, both in what the trade cost (Chara, the 2nd overall and Bill Muckalt--the last would be a good hockey trivia question someday), as well as in terms of salary. (Yashin's offensive numbers had been inflated by playing 2C in Ottawa behind 1C Alfredsson who drew the tougher match-ups, something Milbury apparently didn't realize. He also didn't realize that Yashin was a one-way center.)

I will disagree somewhat on that last point. When Charles first arrived, he gave Milbury a blank check and told him to build a winner. Wang knew nothing about hockey, so he put his faith in Milbury who went out and got Yashin and Peca. The latter was a great pick-up IMO, but Yashin was a huge overpay, both in what the trade cost (Chara, the 2nd overall and Bill Muckalt--the last would be a good hockey trivia question someday), as well as in terms of salary. (Yashin's offensive numbers had been inflated by playing 2C in Ottawa behind 1C Alfredsson who drew the tougher match-ups, something Milbury apparently didn't realize. He also didn't realize that Yashin was a one-way center.)
- JohnScammo

Money is only part of it. Charles fired a Cup winning GM and hired a backup goalie and left Garth in the job for years.

Money is only part of it. Charles fired a Cup winning GM and hired a backup goalie and left Garth in the job for years.
- ses111

Which is why I only said I disagreed "somewhat". I agree that Wang was not a good owner from a management standpoint. Although he gave Milbury a blank check and free reign in the beginning, after a few years he began to meddle and came up with his GM by Committee approach which left Smith, understandably, unhappy. And the selection of Snow to replace him? Head-scratching.

Which is why I only said I disagreed "somewhat". I agree that Wang was not a good owner from a management standpoint. Although he gave Milbury a blank check and free reign in the beginning, after a few years he began to meddle and came up with his GM by Committee approach which left Smith, understandably, unhappy. And the selection of Snow to replace him? Head-scratching.
- JohnScammo

I gotcha John. What might have been.

I think Milbury might have been even worse when he had a freer hand It's like when Congress is gridlocked and can't get anything done...that's sometimes better than when they start doing stuff.
- UIF

He thought the nickname Mad Mike was a compliment. Probably still does.

Agreed that Milbury was handicapped by his owners in the 1990s. However, Milbury's bad deals were throughout his tenure as GM. He loved to trade, and he was consistently fleeced by the other GMs. With all of his multitude of trades, I can only remember 2 trades of Milbury's that worked out well: obtaining Mike Peca for a couple of journeymen; and obtaining Jason Blake for a late draft pick. (Of course, after making the playoffs for 3 straight seasons, Milbury then traded Peca for the forgettable Mike York.........and started missing the playoffs again.) Also, just to look at results, NONE of Milbury's teams ever won a playoff round.

As I think you recognize, when Wang arrived, he gave Milbury a blank check to build a winner.......and Milbury had no idea how. By the time Snow arrived as GM, Wang had grown a bit tighter with his money.

I'm not saying Snow was much better than Milbury. He just sucked a little less.

It must be the middle of July.
- JohnScammo

Moral of the story is “Don’t get rid of your Peca!”

Moral of the story is “Don’t get rid of your Peca!”
- nyisles7

- JohnScammo

- nyisles7

He thought the nickname Mad Mike was a compliment. Probably still does.
- PeteM

Oh he definitely does.

If you dive into the Islanders history, they have always been behind the eight ball. Money has always been an issue. The fact that they had a run in the 80's was amazing.

They did have a legitimate shot at making the finals in '93. When Turg got hurt it just sucked the life out of the team.

In 2000, they caught a little lighting in a bottle, but that fizzled to. Wang tighten the strings around the money as his utopia plan fizzled.

If you ever get a chance if you have not done so already, read 'Fish Sticks'. It answers a lot questions that never made it to the main stream media. I have read it and have been lucky enough to know one of the co-authors. I was able to bounce a lot of questions off of him.

Is Milbury a pompous azz yes he was but it gives you a lot of insight as to what he was dealing with on a daily basis. The book takes you all the way up to pre snow era.

We can all female dog and moan as much as we want, but Lou has been the best GM since Torrey and Trotz was the best coach since Arbour. The team is not viewed as a complete laughing stock anymore.

Any further tinkering with this lineup and its success will determine if they go into a rebuild or continue to try an make the playoffs.

I hate July and August...September cannot come fast enough.

If you dive into the Islanders history, they have always been behind the eight ball. Money has always been an issue. The fact that they had a run in the 80's was amazing.

They did have a legitimate shot at making the finals in '93. When Turg got hurt it just sucked the life out of the team.

In 2000, they caught a little lighting in a bottle, but that fizzled to. Wang tighten the strings around the money as his utopia plan fizzled.

If you ever get a chance if you have not done so already, read 'Fish Sticks'. It answers a lot questions that never made it to the main stream media. I have read it and have been lucky enough to know one of the co-authors. I was able to bounce a lot of questions off of him.

Is Milbury a pompous azz yes he was but it gives you a lot of insight as to what he was dealing with on a daily basis. The book takes you all the way up to pre snow era.

We can all female dog and moan as much as we want, but Lou has been the best GM since Torrey and Trotz was the best coach since Arbour. The team is not viewed as a complete laughing stock anymore.

Any further tinkering with this lineup and its success will determine if they go into a rebuild or continue to try an make the playoffs.

I hate July and August...September cannot come fast enough.
- Nfdbulldawg

I don’t think anyone disputes that on here but what are you really saying when you say he’s been the best GM since Torrey? Look at the competition. All three will go down in history as some of the worst GM’s the NHL has ever seen.

Also, contrary to what’s insinuated on here ad nauseam for purely antagonistic, moronic, reasons I don’t think there’s anyone who doesn’t appreciate what Lou has done. Very few if any that want him fired on here. Though some may disagree with some of what he’s done, like myself, there isn’t much too what one poster says on here. I really have zero understanding why people continue to feed into the BS and help facilitate it.

This is a hockey thread based around the Islanders. If you(not you) don’t want to discuss the islanders, the good and bad, you’re more then welcome to go on the Leafs or Rangers thread to discuss peoples vaccine status or political affiliation. It’s always good for a laugh and there are more then enough people on there willing to scream and yell at you(not you) to your hearts desire…

I don’t think anyone disputes that on here but what are you really saying when you say he’s been the best GM since Torrey? Look at the competition. All three will go down in history as some of the worst GM’s the NHL has ever seen.

Also, contrary to what’s insinuated on here ad nauseam for purely antagonistic, moronic, reasons I don’t think there’s anyone who doesn’t appreciate what Lou has done. Very few if any that want him fired on here. Though some may disagree with some of what he’s done, like myself, there isn’t much too what one poster says on here. I really have zero understanding why people continue to feed into the BS and help facilitate it.

This is a hockey thread based around the Islanders. If you(not you) don’t want to discuss the islanders, the good and bad, you’re more then welcome to go on the Leafs or Rangers thread to discuss peoples vaccine status or political affiliation. It’s always good for a laugh and there are more then enough people on there willing to scream and yell at you(not you) to your hearts desire…
- Cptmjl

Many of us wanted Lou hired in the first place. A proven winner was needed after the Garth years. It’s fair to question though why Lou thinks it’s a good idea to so far bring back the same roster. It’s also fair to question why Lou thought just adding Chara and Parise was enough along with just Romanov the next year. Many of us mentioned at the time these moves would not be enough and have been proven right.

Many of us wanted Lou hired in the first place. A proven winner was needed after the Garth years. It’s fair to question though why Lou thinks it’s a good idea to so far bring back the same roster. It’s also fair to question why Lou thought just adding Chara and Parise was enough along with just Romanov the next year. Many of us mentioned at the time these moves would not be enough and have been proven right.
- ses111

Like I always say GM’ing is not an exact science. If you agree with everything a GM does or doesn’t do you’re an unobjectionable idiot that doesn’t really have an opinion. A mindless robot. I haven’t agreed with much he’s done in the last year but I don’t hate the guy.

Like I always say GM’ing is not an exact science. If you agree with everything a GM does or doesn’t do you’re an unobjectionable idiot that doesn’t really have an opinion. A mindless robot. I haven’t agreed with much he’s done in the last year but I don’t hate the guy.
- Cptmjl

No hate at all, but I feel it was time for a change at GM. Bill Torrey’s time came and went as GM and it’s the same for Lou and everyone else. Looking at the Islanders, they lost twice to Tampa and the Canes. They lost not because of the goalies and defense. They lost because of the offense. It’s been clear for the longest time the offense was not good enough to get to a Cup. You need a good offense to give you some easy wins during the regular season and you need to finish high enough in the standings you have some home ice advantage. It’s very difficult if the team needs to struggle just to make the playoffs.

It always seems like the Islanders are half pregnant. As all of know, you either are or aren't. The Islanders have always seemed to struggle to become pregnant. Why they cannot find that mixture is beyond me.

It is kinda of like trying to find the pieces for the power play. It continually eludes them.

Everyone seems to be happy once they get here...The problem is pulling in the right player to push them over the top...