10/14 Mangano's Latest Coliseum Plan Announced/NY Notables

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Ed Mangano announced his latest plan for the Nassau Coliseum site on 10/14, it could mean a new Coliseum on the Northern part of the Hub constructed, or a renovation of the current facility.

The study, which needs state funding/private investment, was from something called Accelerate-Nassau-Now which had images in rough sketches.

NYIFC Comments:
Page eight, nine, ten, fourteen are the sections on the Coliseum. Twenty, twenty one relied on some Lighthouse background information.

Means nothing unless Charles Wang agrees to a lease extension.

Staios Signing Garth Snow's Worst Player Decision As GM

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Garth Snow's worst personnel decision as General Manager was signing Steve Staios to play in this role. I amended title from worst moment, because this is specifically about signing a player.

Steve Staios, two years ago had trade value equal to former Islander, Aaron Johnson and a third round pick.

Instead, not only is tryout player Steve Staios here, he's an assistant captain, playing top line minutes with Mark Streit?

That's almost the equivalent of Doug Weight centering the first line, it makes no sense given the slow, veteran defenders returning or Staios age/resume.

Staios and Mottau right now are two players who at best get two-way contracts, come up as seventh defenders. I would absolutely even use Dylan Reese over both.

Snow tried to get a top four defender this summer, but I absolutely expected to see him to do what twenty nine other clubs looking for that kind of defender would have done, go with what they have, exercise patience using the defenders he had success with in the second half that brought the speed out of his forwards.

Instead Garth Snow signed Steve Staios, knowing his returning core was older, slower.

Wishart played twenty games here and posted a plus five rating, perhaps they were counting on Katic to replace Martinek or Hillen, but his injury changed things.

deHaan cannot be called up quickly enough. Ness, Donovan also have to get serious consideration. Why did Snow sign Klementyev so quickly for him to barely be used in the AHL the last two years?

Add to that moving Comeau off his natural spot, plugging in older/slower Rolston, Pandolfo, Reasoner is hardly known for speed with a mix of Staios, Mottau, Eaton and eventually Jurcina is it any surprise the team is pinned in their own end, forcing the forwards back, scrambling for large portions of games?

Snow's worst management decision by a mile. All the posts saying no to McCabe, Kaberle and other players make this even worse because you don't sign Staios for the same reasons. Campoli's worst game is miles ahead of Staios, and under no circumstances would I want Campoli back.

Even Souray would have been a better choice, but a terrible one.

Perhaps Garth Snow is so concerned with injuries, he overstocked on the backline. I can understand that reasoning given his experience/man games lost since he took the job as general manager, but you don't improve a weakness, by adding the same kind of player.

Snow had a fantastic summer locking up the core players, even if he did make the call to not retain Martinek, Hillen or Gervais, he should have been patient enough to see things through with his prospects on defense or identifying the right player.

Steve Staios on a team without Eaton, Mottau, Jurcia is at best someone to be used as a sixth defender with a two-way contract.

I also believe Snow's decision on Panfolfo is also a significant mistake but he is not playing first line right wing.

Again, this is not about the first two games. I never expected Staios to be employed in this manner on a team bringing back Mottau, Eaton that already had Jurcina.

Bottom line, Steve Staios, is not going to get younger or faster, same as Doug Weight was never going to start scoring at five on five on a top line. Eaton, Mottau are all limited even without rust and not going to become faster defenders who can spring a rush, by winning a race to the boards, to chip pucks to Grabner/Nielsen or anyone else.

This extends to the offensive forecheck as well, slower point defenders need more time to get into position, they are not going to be able to move in traffic as well and will be easier to read on the perimeter when they make passes or put low percentage shots on goal.

Most of this corrects itself next offseason, but for now, this team is going to be scrambling in it's own end of the ice, forcing the forwards back to play the game in their own end of the ice.

The kind of game they played in November of 2010, the kind they did not play in the second half of last season as other clubs had problems with the Islanders speed and aggressive play.

This is a step back.

Quickly and quietly, Garth Snow, just made his worst personnel decision as General Manager. Jack Capuano has him playing with Streit, so no hiding his decision here to make this combination.

Slow Defense Big Early Notable on 11-12 New York Season

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Well aware it's only two games, this is not about the record but what alarming trends have been seen.

Simply put this team is living down to the worst of our expectations, token win stolen by Montoya aside against Minnesota.

Martinek, Hillen, Gervais or anyone's ability to skate the puck out or chip it to spring a rush from the boards is desperately missing.

Two poor/mediocre teams have badly out-skated and outworked the New York Islanders, in a way rarely seen during the second half of last year.

It looks like Jack Capuano got back Scott Gordon's November 2010 club again with Eaton, Mottau on the backline, which now includes Staios.

Eaton needing to dive early to break up a play, Staios watching players take the puck at the net? Mottau/Eaton/Staios struggles moving the puck all over the defensive zone, forcing the forwards back, Pandolfo's lack of speed with Reasoner?

Anyone watch the play against Florida in the third by Staios, a Panther saw him not have his angle, and he went right to the net, slow to read and react.

I liked Eaton's game a year ago and pointed out his plus rating, even through the losing streak, however you can only carry one defender who plays that kind of game.

Comeau looks completely lost as a right wing, who took some big hits against Florida drifting to the middle, while Rolston hardly looks ready as a left wing, which does Bailey no favors.

Has management learned yet, you turn Comeau into nothing but an inconsistent player, by moving him off left wing? We saw this for years with other coaches, and last season.

One offensive zone setup against Minnesota with Tavares (all individual efforts) to find Moulson in the first period for sixty minutes? Six shots after the first period?

And the New York Islanders are taking some big hits, slow plays developing are easier to defend and target forwards for legal hits.

I understand two games is just that, but the speed, jump, quick plays to spring the rush along the boards, are not there with this slower, older defense, nor does it look like it has anything to do with two games, but current resume/calendar.

It's not what we saw with virtually no healthy defenders in the second half of last season, as the Islander forwards were flying and forcing teams on the defensive.

The 2011-12 team are getting pinned in their own end scrambling to get the puck out, in a way that does not create any odd man rushes or offense because of a lack of speed to get to pucks.

It holds back the faster forwards from breaking out, and easier to defend.

The two teams the Islanders have played, stepped it up and took over the game, they saw they could play the game forcing the Isles defense. Minnesota could barely get out of their own way for a good part of the game on Monday.

The idea of Steve Staios being used as a top paring defender, is frankly alarming, and begs the question why did Garth Snow go in this direction?

deHaan, Katic, Wishart, anyone would have been a better alternative in terms of puck moving in the corners/walls to spring the forwards for rushes.

I guess the good news is Montoya has started fast, Nielsen's even strength goal puts him a month and a half ahead of last year's pace. Streit is not in game-shape, however his talent carries him to a large degree, with that brilliant shot-pass to Nielsen.

Tavares individual efforts to create chances, looks great, but far from what's expected.

Perhaps more rust comes off Staios, Mottau, Eaton, Panfolfo, Reasoner, Rolston, even MacDonald, who are hardly in game shape, but that collective defense is not getting younger or faster.

This entry is not about two games, more about something that is seemingly not fixed with the current group. It's something we did not see in the second half.

This team looked fast in Bridgeport against Boston, they looked fast against the Devils at home for the one preseason game.

Tampa, Rangers (pick a team) are going to eat this defense alive, no goaltending is going to hide this for long, if these trends continue. Wishart should be here over Mottau, deHaan over Staios.

Even a risk of calling up Donovan/Ness may have to be considered.

Jurcina is no answer.

Katic's speed would have been a huge help.

Radek Martinek's ability to move the puck in traffic, is missed....badly.

Even the defender coming in Wednesday from Tampa (Bruno Gervais) is a big improvement moving the puck vs what has been seen so far.