Charles Wang took a stake in the ownership of the New York Islanders in 2000. 10 years ago. Since then, there have been 3 General Managers, 7 coaches (not including Al Arbour's one game), 2 beloved Islanders personnel released from the organization (Lafontaine and Trottier), and an up and coming Assistant GM released from the organization with virtually zero explanation. 7 goalies have played at least 30 games in a season, 4 players have worn a "C" on their chest, 3 players have been bought out, and 2 were given a contract of at least 10 years. When the Islanders face the Lightning tomorrow night, they will have their 8th head coach since 2000.
The one constant through it all? Charles Wang. Well, that and losing.
In fairness, the Islanders HAVE made the playoffs four times since Wang took over. Of those four endeavors, only one series (2002) went more than 5 games, with the Islanders losing each time. You can change the coach. You can change the GM. You can even change the players. But none of that matters unless you change the attitude.
And it seemed that Scott Gordon was doing that. The team played hard under him, or at least appeared to. They had the reputation of being one of the hardest working teams in the league. Just ask Bruce Boudreau. But hey, the team isn't winning, right? Must be the coaches fault.
It must be Scott Gordon's fault that he was handed a payroll that meets the salary cap floor due to the smoke and mirrors of the Witt and Yashin buyouts. Earlier this season, the New Jersey Devils played with a short bench so they could ice a team that was under the cap ceiling. In the meantime, if it wasn't for one guy sitting on the couch and another playing in Russia we would be below the floor.
It was Gordon's fault that Kyle Okposo and Mark Streit got hurt on a team already devoid in talent. I hate thinking that the team's fans are smarter than the people that actually run the team on a day to day basis. Unfortunately....we are. Hundreds of Islanders fans sat there as the roster developed in the offseason and were SCREAMING for some more help on offense. Seriously, go back and read some of the posts on Islander Mania. But no, the best we got was PA Parenteau.
I heard Charles Wang stubbed his toe on his desk....must be Scott Gordon's fault too.
As Islanders fans, we were sold a rebuild. Most of us even bought it. Instead of patchwork rosters, some of us were looking forward to an infusion of youth on this team. With Snow, Jankowski and Gordon, I actually thought this team was moving in the right direction. Now, I have absolutely no confidence whatsoever.
"Hey, it's a rebuild! 5 year plan! Oh wait, let's just change coaches right in the middle of it."
How can you have a rebuild without someone steering the ship? Wait, I forgot, someone IS steering the ship....their egomaniacal, nut job of an owner. The same owner who cares more about a landgrab than about hockey. The same one who took 7 years to fire Mike Milbury, yet goes through coaches like a virgin going through Kleenex during the Victoria Secret Fashion show. You want stability? It comes from the top. And Charles Wang is as unstable as they come.
Wang thinks he's smarter than everyone, when in fact, Sparky (on a bad day) has more common sense. Remember that "GM by committee" thing? That was totally going to revolutionize hockey, until it didn't. How about that idea to raise the price of walkup tickets to try and increase the number of season ticket holders. But wait, let's cut season ticket benefits at the same time, and not improve the team. Who would've thought that a last place team that doesn't improve it's roster would have a tough time selling tickets? Now, the team has resorted to having ridiculous promotions (Tim Hortons is opening in 2010, so let's selling tickets for $20.10! No one wants the Islanders on the radio except for Hofstra, so let's sell tickets at $18.87 to commemorate that!) Remember how well simulcasting the TV and radio broadcasts went?
Is Jack Capuano the answer? Sadly, no. I mean he's been praised for his work with the "kids" but how that translates when the focus is off of development on on making the playoffs (as Garth Snow said in the press conference after firing Gordon) remains to be seen. I hope he proves me wrong and the Islanders make the playoffs after a coaching change, much like the Flyers did last year (man, what a great young coach Peter Laviolette is. What idiot would let him leave? Oh wait...) I understand their rationale. The coach didn't work, you fire him, so you bring in a coach who employs the exact same system. I'm sorry, that doesn't make sense to you? Then you need to bone up on Charles Wang and how he runs the team my friend.
Scott Gordon was a scape goat for a pretty bad team. Believe it or not, I don't blame Garth Snow. As a GM, I think he's made some decent moves considered the fact that's he's trying to play a game of chess, minus his queen, both knights, a rook, 3 pawns, and a board. It starts at the top, and that goes above the broadcast booth where Charles Wang fired one of the best color commentators in the game because he was too negative. Until Uncle Charlie decides to stop using the Islanders as a land grab and starts focusing on the actual team, the Islanders will continue to be the laughingstock of the NHL while the fans will be sold a "rebuild" that is more of a veiled attempt by Wang to keep his costs low than anything else.
People are saying that firing the Gordon and hiring Capuano is like rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic. But remember: the Titanic had someone who cared enough about the ship to go down with it after he wrecked it. Let's see if Charles Wang will at least give us that courtesy.
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