Last August 2nd I did a blog on whether the second year trend for Islander coaches will surface and cost Ted Nolan his job.
I'm very glad the Islanders have decided to make sure that trend finally breaks, even if it's not in a contract extension but just seeing through Ted Nolan's contract.
The pattern has almost be the same, first year solid/signs of improvement, second year message team takes steps backwards, coach goes.
We saw this with Butch Goring who worked miracles his first year to reach twenty four wins and was fired in his second season.
We saw it with Peter Laviolette who did not survive his second summer.
Finally Steve Stirling after a miracle playoff berth his first season with Oleg Kvasha hitting fifty points (more than any Islander this season..ouch) did not make it through his second year after the lockout.
Ted Nolan's first two years have had a lot of the same trends as these coaches, it looks like he will be back for a third year.
I still see Ted Nolan as part of the long-term answer for this organization and think he's someone who can bring the Stanley Cup back to New York under the right circumstances.