Sorry folks, it's completely pointless to keep repeating the same entries from early October that saw this coming even before the injuries. Capuano's firing or Garth Snow dismissal changes nothing.
For now they will sink with the veterans like Carkner, Martinek, Bouchard, Regin, Clutterbuck. Eventually Nelson, with more prospects (who were not Capuano's in Bridgeport) will become regulars.
Everyone's doing their best, it's not nearly enough.
It will only get worse.
If Snow were smart, he would do everything possible to resign Andrew MacDonald immediately because he's not replaceable (just as Mark Streit was not replaceable to this organization) and make his best effort to lock up Vanek.
No individual would spend any more than Charles Wang has or purchase the team in this market with no taxpayer/corporate support as every other team receives to fund their payroll for the privilege of losing fifty million dollars (or more) for the max payroll some demand.
No owner of this franchise can ever give you that.
You want max payroll/front-loaded signings from Charles Wang or any future Islander owner they need the taxpayer money/Lighthouse projects that other teams received or are getting quietly approved. (Edmonton, Detroit)
Wang should not be happy with the results for what he spent on Bailey, Grabner, Hamonic, Clutterbuck, however he should be thrilled with the below market based signings for Tavares/many others vs Wisniewski, Ehrhoff, Richards, Lundqvist.
They all demanded huge front-loaded money.
After fifty five goals in two years Michael Grabner should be producing. Bailey's drop off is stunning but perhaps all the changing positions finally caught up with him?
I cannot improve on what was written earlier because a free fall was expected (even before Visnovsky was injured) & a three win November.
The problems are not fixable because the defenders needed to change the biggest weakness are not available in trade (the entire league of quality defenders are pending UFA with a NTC/NVC) or ready to play at this level.
Want aging veterans? Go ask Florida how much signing Brian Campbell or Ed Jovanovski helped?
My suggestion would be to read the Sept-Oct entries here again because
unfortunately it played out exactly as expected even back to last
summer.
There is nothing else left to write.