New York Season At Breaking Point: Snow & Weight Should Go

New York Islander Fan Central | 1/07/2018 09:27:00 PM |
It's nice they came back, and won a skills competition against the struggling Devils, but we have to be honest here after half a season with an ownership that can't wait to be the Dolan's tenant back in front of 8,000 fans in a few years unless Barclay's does not opt out of it's lease by 1/30/18.

But that's for another day or tomorrow if no opt out has been given or leaked yet.

It's time for a new gm, and an experienced head coach to teach a system to these players, even if it means John Tavares/Josh Bailey leave. 

The group constructed by this management is 31st in goals allowed, their special teams are terrible, and clearly have no ability to play the low scoring games you must have to make the playoffs, there is no excuse or defense for it at this point in the season.

The problems have been there since the opener in Columbus or the home opener when Buffalo scored two short-handed goals, it had nothing to do with the current five game losing streak.

Halak has done all he can, and is getting no help around him. Greiss looks lost, and this team gives up quality chances no goalie can be expected to stop, the problems were there with deHaan, Boychuk, Kulemin, still healthy. 

Worst of all Doug Weight's inexperience as a head coach, along with many on his staff are showing badly, and even this fan feels Garth Snow's time must be over. I wanted a house-cleaning last summer.

Another goal was allowed by Scott Gomez powerplay, who's experience was talking with players after a short time announcing.

The NHL's worst beat-writer (Arthur Staple) finally reported, Halak's goaltending coach, Marc Champagne, was let go, which is something even bloggers at practice could have figured out by around 9/17 at camp. 

The team with the least rest in the division will be getting no breaks moving forward, and show no sign of any kind of defensive turnaround, that will be required to beat teams that can skate as a five man unit, and play defense/special teams.

Even at the Coliseum I was posting schedule disparities that cannot be defended vs other well-rested teams in this division, that continues after the break.

Weight reminds me of Phil Goyette or Wayne Gretzky as a coach, a lot of words, statements, but just as many contradictions, one team was an awful expansion club, the other not very good but you get where I'm going.

Bottom line this coaching staff seems lost in X/O department, the technical plans that come with years of coaching experience at many levels which is how Capuano with many flawed rosters/injuries could win some 1-0, 2-1,3-2 games you must play.

Capuano had years of experience and taught coaching, it's not a game of who gives the best motivational speech before or after the game, you need real strategy to win.

And that's not a slam at Doug Weight, who clearly is giving all he has, we see this all the time in sports when a good player becomes a coach, says all the right things, but it does not translate to the players in games.

As for defense Nabokov played eleven games allowing one goal or less down the stretch in 2013 to get them in the 48 game playoffs with a defense far inferior to this one. For years I have written about Staios, Mottau, Jurcina, ect, and even those 34-37-11 teams loaded with injuries did not allow goals to this degree. 

You want me to write about the offense....did that. Then I asked how come this team is not 15 over given what Lee, Bailey, Tavares, Barzal, Eberle, Leddy has given them?

I always hope for the best, but the rules say you can't play 82 games, give up 3-4 goals practically every single game, and make the playoffs.

This team needs a new direction. I felt that way last summer when Malkin-Ledecky should have cleaned house when Ledecky called for at least going to the second round. Snow's had 12 years, his team is top five in wins the last three years & Weight turned them around in the second half as interim, but they are what their goals against are, what the penalty kill is.

30/31st.

It's time for a new direction top to bottom. If Barclay's does not opt out, locking this team into NYC until 2040, and this ownership wants to sell, I have no problem with that either.

Mr Ledecky, good luck facing your stockholders whether they are from NYC or anywhere else, the honeymoon just ended.

Graeme Townshend, Tony Hrkac will come back again for the next owner.