Newsday: Is it time to rebuild again?

[Bunk Moreland]

Oh my god...

ST. LOUIS -- Of all the questions that could be asked about the Islanders right now -- too many to list here, and I’ve got a plane to catch -- here’s one:

Is it time to rebuild the rebuild?

Garth Snow earned praise for jumping in as an inexperienced general manager seven years ago and committing to a bottom-to-top rebuilding of the organization. He stayed small-budget and low-key, amassing draft picks and prospects while achieving very little success on the ice.

Last season was supposed to be the breakthrough. Snow rewarded his core group with long-term deals and tried to plug the holes that remained, though there seemed to be fewer holes than in any of his previous seasons.

Turns out that was not the case. The Islanders face the Kings on Saturday night with the prospect of losing a ninth straight road game and going nine straight without a win -- we’re nearing the 1-17-3 collapse that cost Scott Gordon his job three Novembers ago, when the Islanders were widely acknowledged to not have enough talent to compete with the big boys.

He goes on to talk about trading off Vanek and other pieces. This is a complete disaster..

http://www.newsday.com/sports/hocke...028/time-for-isles-to-rebuild-again-1.6554713

Click to read more...

 

[IslesRock4]

Interesting thoughts from Staple. Something needs to be done. I like the guy but we do need to trade Vanek, he just won't be worth his contract even if he is interested in re-signing. Might as well do it earlier to get the best return.

 

[Dutch Frost]

This team is an epic failure.. never in my wildest dreams did I expect us to regress this poorly. It is like 2011 all over again.

what value does Okposo and Bailey have now? Grabner gets you nothing. Amac is more worn out then a pole dancer at Queens Blvd strip club.

Rebuild the Rebuild?? We never stop!!!

 

[checknate]

This ruined my day.. why do we all keep thinking "this year is going to be a big year!"

 

[OrangeZebra]

No, we need a new coach and for our guys to perform better.

 

[Bunk Moreland]

It's not rebuilding again if the first one never ended.

Something needs to be done alright but not rebuilding. I don't think my sanity will last another rebuild..

 

[Axe Man]

I agree with some of the points that were made. In reality I don't think the team needs a rebuild just a retooling. Maybe unloading Vanek might be a good idea. Play Strome and Nelson. Sit anyone who is not producing.

 

[MTK]

No, we need a new coach and for our guys to perform better.

Sadly, we need the following in no particular order:

1. Coach
2. Goalie
3. Defensemen
4. General Manager
5. Owner

 

[SDIsles34]

Unfortunately, I think it would be the best course of action at this stage.

Trying not to overreact to the recent freefall but even when the Islanders were at their best last season, this team never showed me glimpses of being cup contender.

The Blackhawks, Kings and Penguins all built through the draft and were able to turn their lottery years into perennial playoff teams. However, this team is declining and trying to force along the current rebuild (Vanek trade) is failing miserably.

 

[Strummergas]

It's not rebuilding again if the first one never ended.

Something needs to be done alright but not rebuilding. I don't think my sanity will last another rebuild..

Exactly. When I saw the title of the thread I thought "what do you mean, again?!"

If if IF, they decide to start from scratch, it had better be because someone has bought the team from Wang and all current management has been handed pink slips. It would be utterly pointless to go through this again with the current power structure intact.

But will they really need to do a total rebuild? Can't they just trim the fat ("cut the ****" might be more appropriate)? Get rid of most of the UFA's (PMB, Regin, Nabby, Martinek...we can probably assume that Vanek isn't going to resign), cut ties with Bailey, Carkner, maybe Grabner. Promote and play the prospects who have produced both in this league and the AHL, spend some money on quality UFA's....oh yeah, get a real head coach.

Yeah, easier said than done.....

 

[ScaredStreit]

Snow has to get fired. That's all there is to it. The rebuild as of right now is a failure. His tenure as GM right now is a failure.

 

[scott99]

I agree with some of the points that were made. In reality I don't think the team needs a rebuild just a retooling. Maybe unloading Vanek might be a good idea. Play Strome and Nelson. Sit anyone who is not producing.

I think you legally have to dress 20 players, so that idea won't work, otherwise you'd only have 4 or 5 guys on our bench.

 

[Bones45]

This ruined my day.. why do we all keep thinking "this year is going to be a big year!"

Speak for yourself..


From Fear and Loathing;..

"Those of us who were up all night, were in no mood for coffee and donuts...."

 

[islesfan186]

Unfortunately, I think it would be the best course of action at this stage.

Trying not to overreact to the recent freefall but even when the Islanders were at their best last season, this team never showed me glimpses of being cup contender.

The Blackhawks, Kings and Penguins all built through the draft and were able to turn their lottery years into perennial playoff teams. However, this team is declining and trying to force along the current rebuild (Vanek trade) is failing miserably.

While I agree with you, the difference between those teams and the islanders is the willingness to spend some coin on legit veterans and not make a living off the waiver wire. They also don't have an owner who knows jack **** about hockey and is constantly meddling in things that he should be

 

[scott99]

This team is an epic failure.. never in my wildest dreams did I expect us to regress this poorly. It is like 2011 all over again.

what value does Okposo and Bailey have now? Grabner gets you nothing. Amac is more worn out then a pole dancer at Queens Blvd strip club.

Rebuild the Rebuild?? We never stop!!!

I think Okposo has a lot of value, lots of teams would love to have him. BUT, he's one of the few I wanna keep. Bailey, I'd personally pay his cab fare to the airport if we can trade him. Grabner could just need a change of scenery, I bet we could get a 2nd round pick for him. Vanek, he SHOULD be able to get us the most, but we need him to dominate before we trade him to get full value, right now we'd be lucky to get a 1st round pick.

Lastly, are you talking about Wiggles on Queens Blvd ?

 

[Brunomics]

Can't have an actual rebuild unless you put veteran talent around the young players to help show them the way.

 

[PROMputt]

REBUILD?!?!!? Exactly what is a rebuild? How come some teams never need to rebuild(or miss the playoffs and re-tool and go back to winning), you know why- Because they have a REAL NHL coach, a REAL NHL GM, and a REAL NHL owner. Unless and until this team spends money on talent they will always be in rebuild mode(and by spend I mean on the ice and off). A rebuild is not playing only players you draft. That is the cheap way out as they make the least amount of money. You need approximately a 1/3 of your team to be acquired through the draft, a 1/3 through trades/waiver pu's and a 1/3 through free agents. It was apparent to everyone this team needed a goalie and a defensemen or two going into the season and it was never addressed. They talk of a rebuild but sit Brock Nelson every night? It is just so laughable how backwards this team is run that I am believing that it probably will never be fixed under Wang's ownership. I am 50 years old and am a die hard Islander fan and always will be, but I cannot see a light at the end of the tunnel, not even a train....

 

[A Pointed Stick]

So true. The more I see Vanek and Tavares the more I would prefer to swing a Banger up to the first line and trade Vanek for the right defenseman. That would help in a big way. Also swing a trade for a good goaltender sometime before the summer. If none of that happens keep next year's first rounder because we will be in the running for McDavid.

 

[blinkman360]

It's unfortunate, because I really don't think this team is that far away. Nelson, Strome, Visnovsky and Reinhart in this lineup could make a pretty big difference. After that, it comes down to bringing in a coach that gets the most out of his players, and being willing to spend the amount of money it would take to bring in a guy like Hiller in the offseason.

IMO, move #1 should be firing Capuano. Let Weight finish the year, and then do a thorough search in the offseason for the right candidate. Maybe Weight proves to be that guy, but I doubt it(not ruling it out though).

After the firing, the goal should be to get our young guys as much NHL experience this year as possible. That means Nelson, deHaan, Strome and Reinhart(once his WHL season ends). These are the guys who will need to be impact players for us in '14-15 for us to truly compete. Getting them acclimated in a wasted year will be one of the only positives we could take out of this season.

Other than that, trading Vanek is obvious. Personally, I'd go for a '15 1st+. IMO, our pick this year will be too high to pass on. I'd feel better about keeping it knowing that we have a 1st in our pocket for 2015, regardless of where we get it from. I'd imagine that won't be a difficult return to get for Vanek, since most competitive teams probably feel like they will have no shot at McDavid or any other member of that top-5 group.

Hopefully we're lucky enough to draft one of the NHL ready forwards(S. Reinhart or Draisaitl); lucky enough to find the right coach(and have that coach actually be willing to come here); and lucky enough to land Hiller, regardless of the price-tag.

If these things happen, I do expect big improvement next season. I can understand if I'm alone with that thinking though, based on just how pitiful this team has looked.

 

[kasper11]

How about before trading guys away we bring in a professional coach and see how they do?

Nobody on this team has shown any improvement in their game (JT aside). Whether it be supposed top-six forwards like Bailey/Grabner/Nielsen or checkers like Cizikas and Martin or dmen like Hamonic and AMac, veteran additions like Bouchard and Regin, everyone seems to either plateau or regress when playing for Capuano (not going to count Okposo until he proves he can play without JT).

You play for Capuano and your development stops. That can't be a coincidence. That has to be the first move. If we bring in a real coach you can get rid of the guys that aren't succeeding. But first you have to give them the chance.

 

[blinkman360]

BTW, Botta just tweeted that his source claims Laviolette will 'definitely' be a top candidate if Isles make a coaching change.

First bit of good news I've heard in a while.

 

[nyisles]

However, this team is declining and trying to force along the current rebuild (Vanek trade) is failing miserably.

I'm still glad they brought in Vanek, but the trade is remains a head-scratcher when you consider this team had much bigger holes it could have filled with the ransom Buffalo got for TV. Why bandage a scrape when you've got deep stab wounds to deal with?

 

[scott99]

A REAL team would have fired Snow and Cappy by now. Unfortunately our team is not a real team, just a laughing stock.

 

[kasper11]

BTW, Botta just tweeted that his source claims Laviolette will 'definitely' be a top candidate if Isles make a coaching change.

First bit of good news I've heard in a while.

What makes you think he would consider the Isles? He was fired earlier this year, is still getting paid by the Flyers, why would he go to a team with no goalie, no defense and only one line? A better opportunity is sure to come around for him.

 

[Satan'sIsland81]

For anybody crazy enough to still be a Snow supporter, reading this article HAS to put you in reality or nothing ever will. This guy has to go, more than anyone else. He has been given 7 years to rebuild this team, the team is a failure, with no defensive depth, not a single NHL caliber goalie or can't-miss goalie prospect in the organization...and now we are talking about ANOTHER rebuild.

If we start selling off pieces and are essentially back where we were in 2008 and 2009, there has to be another person in place to take control. Why should this guy be allowed to go through another rebuild after seven years of failing at the first one?