One year into the NHL coaching career of Scott Gordon, the jury is still out on whether this move was the best for the organization. Right now – the path of waiting out what will happen in this upcoming draft, as well as seeing the second season of a new hockey system is in the opinion of this reporter, to be the best thing for Islander fans to do. BE PATIENT!

 

The Islanders are banking on this draft to make their case into respectability a legitimate one. Garth Snow’s ability as a GM has already been questioned. The franchise that knew such great potential in the early ‘80s looked to Nolan for a miracle. Ted Nolan delivered a surprise playoff appearance in the 2006-07 season, but failed to build off the success this last season.

 

Garth Snow brought in the new coach over “philosophical differences.” with his predeccesor. Whenever the term philosophical differences are used in a firing of a professional coach, it sounds like power struggle without either side being well-run or level-headed enough to make things work.

 

The Islanders were hoping to turn the team around and compete with the New York Rangers, the Pittsburgh Penguins, and the New Jersey Devils. Instead, this team struggled with the injury bug, leading the league with nearly 600 games lost due to hurting units, and now will hope to see the #1 pick in this years upcoming draft be a main cog in the regoup efforts.

 

As far as I see it, Gordon needs to be alloted time, as opposed to most organizations that just let people go when things do not immediately come out to their liking. The coach needs to have the chance to see if the moves of the organization, along with the maturation of young talent can make his team into a competitive one again.

 

The Islanders compete in a two team city and have been the Mets or the Jets rather than the Yankees or the Giants. The Rangers get to sell tickets as the top New York hockey team and the Islanders have to fight the normal professional pressure to win along with the battle for fans with those Rangers and even the Devils.

 

New York Islander tickets might be in for another rough season, as the team tries to find its identity. The team is not hopeless though. Young talent is brewing at Hockey Canada’s Nation Junior Development Camp.

Posted under Islanders 07-08