NYI Fan Central Comments:
Scott Gordon can talk of his team playing with aggression and pressuring the other club into situations where they don't want to play with the puck, but the reality was and is the New York Islanders are a very slow team that cannot play that kind of hockey with the roster they have.
Ted Nolan talked about this often noting the lack of speed and skill and being forced to play the way they did to compete in games with other clubs and Scott Gordon will have the same problem.
Doug Weight does not make Sillinger, Guerin, Hunter or Comrie any faster and neither will any coach at this stage in their careers. Richard Park for his speed is not an offensive player who will not finish enough.
Scott Gordon comments on paper sound great about forcing teams into mistakes with pressure but this club does not have the team speed among it's forward to play that way as it's currently constructed.
Newsday: Katie Strang in the Islanders Newsday blog leads with general manager Garth Snow refusing to discuss management contract terms and his telling Mark Herrmann it's none of his business when pressed.
Ms Strang also notes the new coach was pretty nervous but not overwhelmed and was gracious enough to stay more than two hours after the press conference to speak with reporters as he talked about his communication skills and a lot of topics. Ms Strang also notes his reaction to a question about the Isles powerplay seems he knew there was a problem.
NYI Fan Central Comments:
Good for Garth Snow for calling out Mr Herrmann on this, it's not his business if that's the club policy. Ted Nolan played right into Greg Logan's hands on that one and made it an issue that could be exploited by the beatwriter who took full advantage even though Nolan never lobbied for an extension in the press.
What do you want me to write about Mr Logan being AWOL for a positive event as usual that I have not written before? It's Scott Gordon's and the New York Islanders day, this is for another time.
Newsday: Mark Herrmann goes over the history of Islander coaches and what they have to say when hired and gets in his little dig at Garth Snow in response to him not telling the length of Scott Gordon's contract as he told some sidebar stories from the new coach at the press conference.
Mr Herrmann of course makes the club's viability and possible future a point of his article based on the future of the Lighthouse project which we have read in most of his Islander updates.
NYI Fan Central Comments:
Par for the course with Mark Herrmann who loves doing Islander articles about the teams relevance, viability and possible future relocation whenever he can despite nothing from the owner on this at all. I guess this is what happens on days Charles Wang has nothing to say and something negative has to be put injected into the mix when the general manager tells him club policy on team contracts is not his business on a day for some optimism.
I remember a few years ago when the Devils swept the Rangers Mr Herrmann was so bitter he did an article about how the entire media went to the Ranger side and ignored the Devils.
NY Post: Devils beatwriter Mark Everson from the Post covered the press conference with his theme on winning now, taking Scott Gordon's comment he expects to win every game as he pointed to the Giants along with the new coaches thoughts on other subjects while Mr Everson speculated his contract was a standard three year deal and Mr Wang had the final interviews with Bob Hartley, Paul Maurice and Scott Gordon.
NYI Fan Central Comments:
Dan Martin apparently had the day off also for those wondering where the part-time writer was today.
Daily News: Someone named Mark Lelinwalla covered the press conference for the News in a limited space article that only had select quotes from the new coach mostly on how he expects to win every game with his philosophy.
NYI Fan Central Comments:
Sad Peter Botte seems off the radar for good along with any hope of dedicated covered or a blog from the News. Even when he did occasionally write something now he is out of touch with current events which negates the abilities he used to bring to the coverage.
Boston Globe: Kevin Paul Dupont has Scott Gordon's comments and speculates on the Islanders and who will be his sucessor in Providence.
Tribune-Democrat.com: Mike Mastovich has an article on Scott Gordon's ties to the Johnstown Chiefs with comments from former Chiefs GM and coach Toby O’Brien, now a scout in the Islanders system on how well-deserved this is for Scott Gordon.
Msg.com: Had Stan Fischler attend the press conference and do individual interviews with Gatth Snow and Scott Gordon.
NYI Fan Central Comments:
Of course Msg was not going to provide live coverage on it's network of the team it owns television rights to which is why the Isles have to do it themselves.
WFAN.com: Mike Francesa had an interview on radio with Scott Gordon.
NYI Fan Central Comments:
Usual negative theme mostly from Mr Francesa, Isles cannot attract free agents, poor fan support, not enough talent. Gordon did have a lot to say and was asked about hiring his own assistants.
Tsn.ca: Reports Mark Parrish's agent John Vollan spoke to Vancouver radio station CKNW on Wednesday confirming the Canucks' interest in his client while Tsn notes the Islanders and Predators also inquired about the unrestricted free agent forward.
NYI Fan Central Comments:
The agent does not specifically mention the Islanders here. This all seems tied to whatever Mats Sundin decides for Vancouver but agents have a job and that's to gauge interest and talk up their client. No real spot for Parrish here unless Kyle Okposo plays in Bridgeport or Parrish plays on a fourth line and a prospect or Richard Park
are moved, not a good fit from what I can see at this time.
ECHL.com: Has a release on the Islanders hiring Scott Gordon and notes he is now one of three former ECHL coaches working in the NHL.
Sportsnet: Analyst Nick Kypreos has learned that Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Bryan McCabe has reportedly waived his no-trade clause and may be headed to the Florida Panthers but should not be tied into a McCabe-for-Jay Bouwmeester deal.
