NHL - Sports Rumors

Thu Dec 18, 2008 10:03 am EST

For the Islanders, things are going from bad to worse

By Joe Zedalis

The New York Islanders are bad again. Maybe they are not as awful as they were eight seasons ago, when they lost 51 games, but they are plummeting out of contention fast, the New York Times reported.

"We're desperate to get out of this," Bill Guerin, their 38-year-old center and captain, said.

Tuesday's wrenching overtime loss to Washington was their seventh defeat in a row, dropping the Islanders' record to 10-18-3, 14th in the NHL's 15-team Eastern Conference. Loyal fans are considering wearing bags over their heads.

But at least they are still going to games. In wintry weather Tuesday, the Coliseum was about half-full, perhaps 8,000 fans, although the crowd was announced at 11,655. Officially, attendance has dropped only slightly this season to an average of 13,195, which is about 2,000 more than in 2000-1. Nevertheless, the Islanders are last in the 30-team league in attendance.

It was not supposed to be this way. Scott Gordon, 45, a coach with solid American Hockey League credentials, was hired Aug. 12 to put in an aggressive forechecking system, but the Islanders have been damaged by injuries.

"We're there at times," Gordon said Tuesday, "but when we get going in the right direction in one area, we're not in another."

Source: New York TimesNew Window

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68 Comments

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  1. bill
    1. Posted by bill Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:31 pm EDT

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    they will always suck...until they move to another city.
  2. kennydust
    2. Posted by kennydust Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:15 pm EDT

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    retract the ice-landers!!!!
  3. Sinsemilla
    3. Posted by Sinsemilla Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:37 pm EDT

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    kennydust is witty
    ICE LANDERS HAAAA
    bad hockey puns suck.
  4. Andrew C
    4. Posted by Andrew C Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:39 pm EDT

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    isles are the clippers on ice. pathetic.
  5. wildslider33
    5. Posted by wildslider33 Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:46 pm EDT

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    I think they will end up losing about more than half of their games this year. We all know that in the back of our mind they could be a rising star one day.
  6. doobtastic
    6. Posted by doobtastic Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:47 pm EDT

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    they need to get rid of Garth Snow, or hope they get #1 pick in the draft and get Tavares
  7. wherley
    7. Posted by wherley Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:38 pm EDT

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    If this team doesn't get a new arena they will be forced to move
  8. gotroot801
    8. Posted by gotroot801 Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:38 pm EDT

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    "Not supposed to be like this"? Didn't every hockey pundit pick the Isles to finish near the bottom of the East anyway? And now everyone is shocked and appalled...
    If they're serious about a rebuild, I'll accept a few years of bottom-feeding if the team shows some heart in the meantime. And for most of the year, they have. But heaven help us poor, pathetic Isles fans if this turns out to be the start of some LA Kings-esque wheel-spinning.
  9. Monkey man
    9. Posted by Monkey man Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:11 pm EDT

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    Doobtastic is correct. Garth Snow has shown throughout hie entire career that relying on him to pull his team through tough times is ridiculous. Fine with me though as I don't give a rat's ass for the Isles.
  10. Tom
    10. Posted by Tom Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:12 pm EDT

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    I have been an Islanders fan my entire life, seen the great years, the ok years, and the dismal years. They need alot of changes. They need an owner who is committed to putting a competitive team on the ice and spend MONEY to bring in quality players! They need a PROVEN NHL head coach. Wang is more concerned with his never to be seen "Lighthouse Project". They need a GM who knows what he is doing. Garth Snow is not the answer. Their scouting has been horrible. They have traded great players and gotten back garbage in return. They have the record for the 2 worst contract signings in NHL history: The Yashin contract and the DiPietro contract. They need a new place right here on Long Island. Sadly, the politicians are delaying the rebuilding of the Nassau Colessium. Yes, there are many problems here, but I still go to the games to support my team, as horrible as they are.
  11. Tugboat25
    11. Posted by Tugboat25 Thu Sep 03, 2009 2:57 pm EDT

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    Don't worry, they will get a top five pick and manage to trade down and choose a 3rd line forward.
  12. islesguy
    12. Posted by islesguy Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:59 pm EDT

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    John Taveres, welcome to NY Projected as at least Siney Crosby or better. Tanking this year is worth it as he is the most coveted player since Lindros and Crosby.
  13. Me
    13. Posted by Me Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:42 pm EDT

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    The effect of the SMG lease. The same lease that strangled the Pens and almost sent them into a bankruptcy as well as Buffalo years ago. The owner loses $20 million a year just to operate (even with a round of playoffs). Until they get out of that lease and a new stadium, they'll continue to suck.
  14. Joe D
    14. Posted by Joe D Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:51 pm EDT

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    Having sat thru every playoff game in the winning years, I am very frustrated watching my team pass the puck like a mediocre college team. I do think a healthy team with Dipietro at full strength will make a difference, but these guys have to learn how to pass the puck to each other. Living in vermont near the Bell Centre, i watch the Canadiens kill the Islanders every year. It really comes down to puck handling. Does anyone else notice this? I am sick of watching Park skate blindly past the blue line without even turning his head to see where his team mates are. Looks like a Jerome Bettis short yard run...
  15. Tim S
    15. Posted by Tim S Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:21 pm EDT

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    Goodbye NY, hello Vegas!
  16. victor p
    16. Posted by victor p Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:25 pm EDT

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    I am a huge Islanders fan and hockey fan but I dont understand why they dont sign more big name players. They dont have alot of fire power or stars and thats why they lose so much. But I love em anyway and I will go to a game from Chicago thsi year.
  17. Ant
    17. Posted by Ant Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:25 pm EDT

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    This is exactly what I expected. Quit blaming it all on injuries. This team does not have the right talent what so ever to make scott gordon's system work. Frankly I am not very impressed with bailey. He shows some bright spots but nothing thats makes me say snow was right about trading down to get him. Snow you should've drafted filatov and do what the blue jackets did with him. By letting him play a few games up here then give him a year in the minors. But they had to keep bailey up here cause of injuries, but he definately not a franchise player. Just keep losing so maybe you can draft Taveres come june, but if the isles do get the #1 pick snow will most likely trade it for nothing. I'm just happy I moved to the west coast before the season started so I wouldnt have to read newsday about every game the isles get killed in.
  18. Ant
    18. Posted by Ant Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:25 pm EDT

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    victor p, its because no big names want to play on long island. who the hell would want to play in nassau coliseum, its run down, old, and completely utdated
  19. Diz
    19. Posted by Diz Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:19 pm EDT

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    21-49-10 finish
  20. Original6
    20. Posted by Original6 Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:06 pm EDT

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    This is the revenge for Leon Stickle.
  21. Ant
    21. Posted by Ant Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:25 pm EDT

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    your forgetting there are 82 games in a season diz. that 21-49-10 projected record adds up to 80 man
  22. Brett P
    22. Posted by Brett P Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:12 pm EDT

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    They should bring back the Gorton's Fisherman jerseys.
  23. Kb
    23. Posted by Kb Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:16 pm EDT

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    i'd wear a bag if i was an islanders fan
  24. Tim S
    24. Posted by Tim S Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:21 pm EDT

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    I went for a Ranger Islanders game last year. There were pigeons flying around the stadium the entire time. I hope they do get another stadium, because i would truly miss that rivalry.
  25. Morris Buttermaker
    25. Posted by Morris Buttermaker Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:17 pm EDT

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    we need Sean Avery to come here and stir [profane]e up. come to the coliseum sean, we await thy presence and bring your hate, as long as they dont medicate it out of you.

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