Doug was snows assistant GM and and a bench coach for years working under snow. Snow was forced to make a change. He picks Doug weight, knowing what system he will use. He could of hired dozens of other candidates with proven systems. He wanted Doug's system. Or do we think snow never asked him what system he was going to use. it's like saying the Mets new GM can do whatever he wants...in reality he needed to tell the owners what they wanted to hear to get hired. The owners were going to pick the guy that will do to the team, what they were also thinking they should do. I'm sure al arbour was not making decisions on ice time and game plans on his own. You feel very strongly on this topic as if it is insulting to you at the thought of A GM telling the coach what to do.
That's the point though - what was Cappy's system? What was Weight's system? Under Trotz you can point to low defensive play, crowding the net during a PK to not allow wide open chances, defensemen always ready to retreat to prevent odd-man rushes.
Cappy's system appeared to be screaming about battle levels.
Weight's system appeared to be letting Tavares stay on the ice as long as he wanted, and defense you guys just do whatever it is defenseman do I don't know, I was a center in the NHL.
Snow wanted comfortable mediocrity. Don't trade any our core. Don't trade any of our prospects. Hire your friends, despite how much experience they have (I again point to Fred Braithwaite who was named our goalie coach last year despite having never held that role for another NHL, AHL, CHL, NCAA, USHL, or professional European franchise but he was buddies with Weight in St. Louis) and let Cappy sleep in your basement if he wants.
It was an absolute circus and deserves criticism from Islander fans who had to deal with it, as well as outside fans who only took a rudimentary glance yet still understand what a bad job Snow did.