Former Islander and hockey Hall of Famer Pat LaFontaine is launching a new initiative with his non-profit organization Companions in Courage today. CIC, LaFontaine's organization that has set up interactive technology centers called "Lion's Dens" in children's hospitals throughout the country to allow kids to play games and interact with friends, families, and celebrities, has partnered with Microsoft to install 450 Xbox 360 kiosks at children's hospitals throughout North America. Like "Lion's Dens, these kiosk will provide kids a fun outlet and a way to communicate with others.
LaFontaine got involved in this work 10 years ago, and ironically, started his LaFontaine Foundation with Microsoft stock. LaFontaine became interested in this particular cause during his NHL days, where he made many hospital visits to kids throughout his career. LaFontaine was particularly touched by one 12 year-old boy Robert. While in Buffalo, LaFontaine visited Robert, who had a rare form of leukemia, 2-3 times a week to play video games. One day when he left, a nurse grabbed him by the arm, got very emotional, and told him how much those visits meant to Robert. The nurse told him those were some of the only times she saw Robert smile. LaFontaine was not only touched, but inspired by Robert's courage, as well as the many other children fighting for their lives. Though Robert passed away, LaFontaine still keeps in touch with his mother, who is very excited about the work he's been doing.
"When you're in a hospital, children can feel disconnected," LaFontaine said. I never thought of technology as a healing element, but when you see the kids smiling and laughing, they literally forget what's happening to them, and it eases their pain."
While there are several Lion's Dens throughout the NY area already, LaFontaine wants to install them, along with the Xbox 360 kiosks, in all 30 NHL cities. So far on Long Island, LaFontaine has already received help from Rick DiPietro and Ted Nolan to help promote CIC, and he looks forward to more activities and visits in the future.
"I think about Robert all the time and here we are creating this network where kids can talk to each other, play games, have special memories and just be kids again, and that's pretty special." LaFontaine said.
To learn more about CIC, you can visit:
www.cic16.org
LaFontaine also still follows the NHL quite a bit and offered some of his thoughts on this past Islanders season:
"I think they're going through a transition right now, and it's obvious they're going more toward their youth, but you still have to continue to add to that mix [with free agents and experienced players]."
LaFontaine said he thought Ted did a tremendous job in keeping the Islanders in playoff contention 85-90% of the season, despite the amount of injuries they suffered. He also liked what he saw from Okposo, who he believes will be a "real, solid NHL player," and Blake Comeau. He also said he thinks Campoli and Gervais are great, young defensemen for the team, and that obviously, it's huge to have DP in net as a "cornerstone" for the franchise.
"I still believe as you're developing young players that you can dip a little into the free agent market and get some support," LaFontaine said looking to next year. "If you can continue to add free agents in the mix while developing, and Rick stays healthy, they should be able to make the playoffs next year."
--KS
Comments (54)
I agree with Anon......stop crying about the injuries.they didn't prevent the Isles from making the playoffs and winning a playoff series.After all,it's been 15 years since the isles have last won a playoff series.
also,when you sign a goaltender to a 15 year contract you can't complain about injuries.He is a mellon head after all.You should have kept Luongo.
and if you think the Pens will beat us and sh*t all over us,all I can say to that is PLAYOFF HOCKEY IS GREAT....THERE IS NOTHING LIKE PLAYOFF HOCKEY.We are one of the 8 best teams in the league right now.You ,on the other hand root for one of the BOTTOM FEEDERS in the league.Well you actually had a better record the 4 other teams.If the season lasted another couple of weeks the Isles would have had the most ping pong ball chances for that #1 pick.To bad the season ended too soon for you guys.
Enjoy the hockey the next few weeks.PLAYOFF HOCKEY.I know us Ranger fans will enjoy,win or lose.
NYR#1
Jeezus....
We get more comments over here from Ranger fans than Zip get's on his own blog from them.
And the Ranger's are playing for the Cup.
Unbelievable.
Pity the poor fly at MSG.....I'd get my wings torn off BEFORE I was swatted.
Apparently the U.S. Army recruited their guards for Abu Ghraib from MSG.
sick people.
"I know us Ranger fans will enjoy,win or lose."
Sorry, but I don't see that.
Your "fans" are already complaining about the refs for a series that hasn't started yet. (See Staple's column in the main pages).
That's called going into a series by "putting one foot in the grave".
And I don't see how anyone can "enjoy, win or lose" where they think "the fix" is already in.
Play the game...and worry about the other team....Not the refs or a team that has no bearing on the mission at hand.
Unbelievable.
Who said Philly fans were bad?
From the previous thread.....
19isles....
"or attend 505's hooked on Fonix classes held on monday nights."
How many times have I told you??.........TONICS!!!!!
Not Fonix.
what the heck do flukeskirt fans know about playoff hockey that Islander and Devils fans did not teach them.
New York four straight stanley cups
New Jersey three stanley cups
Edmonton Oilers 94 cup.
You don't even deserve a team in New York with one bought cup since 1940. Just be grateful the Isles saved hockey in New York with all those championships because it's the only thing that kept you from relocating when the garden was bleeding red ink.
amateur hour renney is already putting his foot in his mouth and completely over his head this deep in the playoffs, he'll do something to cause your defeat if it's even close with the trap protecting flukeqvist...
new york will be watching baseball.
Way to go Patty LaFontaine, he knows the only New York hockey story is the New York Islanders.
I guess those payments from Dolan have stopped
No Msg propaganda for you....LOL
Here come the dancing Trautwig's....
I wish to interrupt the usual static to congratulate Pat. I've heard about this initiative, and he's actively involved in it. Way to go!
Katie,
fix your punctuation. there are misspellings and grammatical flubs all over.
Anon 19:27- Hey RAG C,I thought you jumped off a tall building months ago.Glad to see your alive to see the NYR PLAYOFF RUN. BTW,don't screw up that great draft choice.
NYR#1
Didn't Lafointaine walk out on the Islander orgainization, LOL?
LaFontaine is a pretty special guy. I see his charity is doing wonderful work that just keeps growing. He's one of the best "Islanders" living on Long Island. And good work here Katie.
Way to go Patty! You're awesome. What a nice guy. You're a role model and a true hero. I thank you for this.
Pat LaFontaine would be a tough guy on this powder puff squad.
GET MUSCLE GARTH.
Pat LaFontaine is not only one of the greatest hockey players of all time, but one of the most generous, caring human beings on the face of this Earth. God bless you, Pat. Now, let's get that #16 in the rafters at the Coliseum!
Gotta love it...
Another Newsday Jourbalist has struck!!!
With his article about "Rangers have to Beat the Refs", Arthur Staple has:
A/Become to Penguin fans what Baumbach is to Islander fans.
B/Probably garnered more hits and comments in Newsday from area code 412 (I doubt the advertisers will appreciate that) than they got from 212 or 516 today.
C/Made Tom Renney VERY proud, knowing that the article will no doubt be posted in the Pen locker room for the duration of the series.
Oh, and Zipay in his blog tonight mentioned Joffrey Lupul as a player to watch for the Pens in the Pen/Ranger series.
(I must have missed a trade between Philly and Pitt in the last 12 hours)
I wonder if The Oracle knew that forces within the Ranger Nation would be working against them?
Word on the Toronto sports air waves is that the Snow /Nolan rift is much bigger than meets the eyes. Nolan's agent is actively pursuing Ottawa amongst other NHL teams now looking at coaching changes. The idea makes sense in that Ted is so pro veteran/anti youth in his player thoughts and this drives Garth nuts. Start watching for more signs of this storm since no one seems to be touting an extension for Teddy on the Island.
505 ~ All NHL fans already know that Crosby embellishes to draw penalties ... Jagr enjoys the same benefit ... but Crosby is the new NHL golden boy who the NHL feels as a whole that it needs to protect ..... but for Staple to write an article about it just sends the wrong message. Even if there is some truth to his article ... that series is not going to be decided on bad penalty calls ... I think any sportsman knows when it gets to that level you make your own fortunes.
On Zipay's "mis-statement" .. he should correct it and apologize to Ranger fans ... how could he mistaken one division rival opponent for another division rival team? Lupol is not just a callup player... he's a key productive veteran ... albeit spent the begining of his career out west.
Easy 505 and 19 Isle. Go back an read Zipay's post again. He means that a tight series usually turns or is decided by a lesser known player, LIKE LUPUL DID FOR THE FLYERS AGAINST THE CAPS. He wasn't saying that Lupul plays for the Pens, just that a player like Lupul scored the series winner. He THEN goes on to discuss players in the Rangers/Pens series who could be that player (Dawes, Girardi, Malone, Etc.) So ease up on him.
19 Isles. You couldn't be more wrong, no disrespect intended, in your last post. We all agree that Sid embellishes/dives/throws his head back and all. He's one of the worst in the game. But JJ, he NEVER goes down and it drives me, and all Rangers fan, nuts sometimes. For all the hooking/holding/grabbing he endures he NEVER dives. He is so damn big and strong he tries to fight through everything. He could draw so many more penalties if he acted like Sid or Mario. Again, no disrespect, just disagreeing with your point.
Brian...
"Go back an read Zipay's post again. He means that a tight series usually turns or is decided by a lesser known player, LIKE LUPUL DID FOR THE FLYERS AGAINST THE CAPS."
Agreed..
Flame of Zipay is withdrawn...
Staple's stands.
Miggsey - are they talking a change for the 08-09 season? How can Nolan be pursuing other jobs if he is under contract with the Isles, unless they let him walk?
Miggsey - I read something last week that makes me believe what you are hearing, unfortunately. Don't know how much to believe of what I read so I don't want to put it here. But...keep your ears out people, this may be our dose of yearly drama. (Of course I hope not!)
Brain .. Agreed about Zipay if you read it with the understanding of the context that you have provided ... and I'm no Captain Grammar for sure ... but Zipay should of identified Lupol in the context of a hero for Philly ....
I'd also argue that Lupul is not an unknown player ... he's relatively new to the east conference ... but he's been a key second tier player for several years now. On the cusp of being a star quality player with another year of experience perhaps.
I'm guessing that Zipay was trying to make a point that series' aren't won by the Jagrs or Crosbys ... it takes a whole team of players .... and to that end ... he's absolutely right.
---------------------------------
On Staple ... he's totally right about Crosby ... but totally wrong for writing what he did in the context that he wrote it ... and I disrespectfully disagree with your assertion that Jagr NEVER dives ... and I also NEVER mentioned in my previous post that he did dive ... I said he EMBELLISHES ... I'll agree with you on the fact that Jagr is strong on the puck and rarely dives ... but that is what I'd expect from a player of his caliber .... he loses an opportunity if he does dive .... but he's not immune from the acting drama ala Crosby.
I've followed Jagr's career since the start .... and even had the opportunity to talk with him .. he's a bit shy and an OK guy ... but he whines with the best of stars and yaps at the refs .... he was ONCE ... a highly protected NHL commodity ... and all NHL fans know this ... the point I was trying to make is that you play around that ... it is nothing new .... there has always been generations of star players that draw penalties from their embellishments.... JJ included.
Heck ... Brian .. I have played hockey for almost 30 years .... I've dealt with questionable officiating my entire playing years .... it's something you play through ... Staple was just dead wrong in writing an article that pretty much is a disclaimer that suggests if the Rangers lose ... biased officiating will be the factor... heck .. even I wrote a post yesterday almost defending the Rangers that kinda said NY teams have gotten the short end of the stick when it comes to officiating ... it will not decide the series though.
Fact is ... officials blow calls ... and they also get fooled by some players' embellishments ... but after a while ... even that doesn't work for some players anymore .... it happened even to Gretzky and Lemieux when officials got wiser to it.... oh ... and officials are human .. they hold grudges ... and have biases ... but that is a whole other topic.
No disrespect Brian ... you are one of the good posters ... I just wanted to point out a few clarifications.
On the Nolan rumors .... if any team is talking to Nolan or his agent about his future services ... then those teams are endanger of forfeiting a first round draft pick(s), compensation and huge fines .... I'd dismiss them strictly as Canadian press rumors. No coach is worth forfeting a first round draft pick along with other possible compenstory picks / cash.
Look it up for more info.
Pat LaFontaine ... he's been class from day one in the NHL. Kudos to Pat for his efforts ... he didn't end his philantropy even after his playing days ... ^5 Pat.
Letting Nolan go would just be another cycle in the "one step forward, two steps back dance" that this organization constantly puts us through. Nolan was the ONLY bright spot before last season when this whole management circus reached comical proportions. He brought much needed stability and sanity to Wang's crazy hockey musings. If Nolan goes, then watch the clowns run free again. Sorry Garth, don't blame Nolan for playing the players that YOU brought in. Is there a single hockey mind in two countries who would not replace Snow before Nolan?
It should be noted that most of the players that have left Long Island have heaped praise on Nolan and have said how much they enjoyed playing for him. It's the ONLY bit of good publicity we have to attract players here. Don't screw that up, Isles.
Isn't this sweet...
Sean Avery, hockey player for New York Rangers, to intern at 'Vogue'
Chicago Tribune staff and wire report
11:51 AM CDT, April 24, 2008
Sean Avery, the feisty forward for the New York Rangers, is evidently into fashion. According to ABC News, Avery, 28, is taking an unpaid internship at Vogue magazine.
"We are going to have to see how far the Rangers go to determine when he will start, but he will certainly be here and get an internship with a variety of editors," Patrick O'Connell, Vogue's communications director, told ABC. "I don't know if he'll be writing yet, but he will be doing regular tasks."
Isn't this sweet....
Sean Avery, hockey player for New York Rangers, to intern at 'Vogue'
Chicago Tribune staff and wire report
11:51 AM CDT, April 24, 2008
Sean Avery, the feisty forward for the New York Rangers, is evidently into fashion. According to ABC News, Avery, 28, is taking an unpaid internship at Vogue magazine.
"We are going to have to see how far the Rangers go to determine when he will start, but he will certainly be here and get an internship with a variety of editors," Patrick O'Connell, Vogue's communications director, told ABC. "I don't know if he'll be writing yet, but he will be doing regular tasks."
Bravo UIF.
I'm trying to stay out of this "Nolan rumor" stuff for now.
Rumors rhymes with tumors for a reason......
And where there is smoke there is fire.......
I'm guessing neither Nolan or Snow were happy with how the season turned out......and that's a good thing (that they were not happy).
SPEAKING FROM EXPERIENCE...when things go bad for a team (at any level), those that share responsibility (coach, GM) will come away with their own reasons for failure and will initially clash over what the accurate reasons for failure are.
There is a tendency by all "A" personalities (which most coaches and GM's are) to get "huffy" and take on a "my way of the highway" attitude. AT THE OUTSET....
Like a marriage, give Snow and Nolan some time off away from each other....go get drunk....get laid......don't watch any hockey for a coupla weeks and come back, make nice, and start reading the same book again....
Just my opinion......I hope I'm not wrong.
So much for staying out .....
I see what you are saying 19 Isles. I too disagree with Staple's article and I hope the Rangers do as well. I don't want them going into a series thinking about the refs. I don't think they are giving how they, taking Renney's approach, acted during the Devs series. I firmly believe the fans take the officiating harder than the players do. Much like you said, a player understands that the officials are part of the game and that you must roll with their punches. Fans take it personally and that is where our venom comes from.
I played baseball in college and very low minor leagues as a catcher. Obviously, I've dealt with inconsistent umps (the worst kind of an ump) better as a player than I do as a fan watching the refs and the Rangers. And I've read your post about the NY teams and the refs and I agree with that as well. It is very difficult for me to watch Sid bitch and moan, I just don't like it. But if it works, it works. Personally, I like Renney's approach better. Forget the refs and just play the damn game. Everything else will take care of itself.
And as far as Miggsey's post.....
"Nolan's agent is actively pursuing Ottawa amongst other NHL teams now looking at coaching changes."
Key word in that sentence....AGENT.
Everyone needs to go watch an episode of Entourage for a refresher course on agents.
Nolan's own "Ari Fleisher" just got done with 10 years or so of NO MONEY coming in from what should have been one of his stellar clients and like any good agent he's gonna start fanning the bushes now to make up for lost time and money. If there was a "paper trail" leading back to who started the "Nolan/Snow rift" rumors, my guess is that it would lead back to "Tom Cruise".
Just doing his job.
Brian.....
"I played baseball in college and very low minor leagues as a catcher."
Hope you didn't quit.....play MSBL..
Until last year (eyes), I played for another 15 years in the "over 30 league".
Catchers are a PREMIUM in old man leagues.
www.msblnational.com
After much deliberation and thought ... I'm finally ready to respond to the "Open House" from last week. I'll do it in segments to keep the posts "shorter" ...
Post # 1
I'll start with Snow's topic ...
*** Draft Wisely ***
I know I've sarcastically responded to Snow's statements over the past week .. but to take it to a more serious level ....
Sure ... drafting wisely has probably always been on the Islanders' agenda ... but perhaps Snow who is finally getting the opportunity to draft in rounds one and two has taken stock of the organization and has correctly assessed the Isles' needs.
I'm to assume now that Snow has his pulse on the Isles' future requirements, and what his options are. Anyone can follow the ISS draft rankings and pick the highest rated player available when it's your time to select a player.... I think what Snow wants to do is select the best player for the Islanders' needs.
The Islanders pretty much need everything .... we know we have a very good promising right winger in Okposo ... and Comeau ... we should be set in goal so long as DP is truely healthy. Everything else 5 years out is a huge ????
I'm not 100% sold on Campoli and Gervais as the future of the blue line .... not ready to give up on them either ... so perhaps if all of the sure shot centers are snatched up 1-4 before the Isles pick .... that the Islanders should draft one of the stud defensemen available. That to me would be drafting wisely ... drafting a possibly good center over a sure shot blue chip defenseman would be poor drafting.
I know we need to fix our top center spot ... but if all the centers ranked in the top 10 are gone ... you don't draft an 11th or 12th ranked center at #5 that only has good promise if there is a top ranked stud defenseman on the table ... or even the stud LW's available.
Here is the logic .... scenario .... Tampa, LA, Atlanta and St. Louis all pick centers .... that means Stamkos, Hodgson and Wilson are probably gone. Hell .. at LW that means Filatov would be snagged too before the Isles pick ... leaving the recently newcomer to the top ten ranked Boedker at the LW who is ranked #7 .... but here is the where the wise part comes in. Do you take #3 overall ranked stud defenseman Zach Bogosian over the best available forward Mikkel Boedker?
I say you go with the defenseman ... even though Boedker at LW is a very good player according to scouting reports ... he stormed to the top 10 rankings this year as a speedy playmaking winger than can also QB the power play. So maybe the Isles get two for the price of one with selecting Boedker ... but their future needs at the blue line might just be more critical at this time ... even though it's not obvious because of the Islanders' shortage of goals.
I think that my above scenario most probably will not even playout ... I just used it as an off chance scenario. I think the Isles will be able to choose a quality forward or defenseman .. they will have to take which ever the best available player that would fit the needs of the team is for both short and long term.
505 and I have firmly stated that the most important rounds in this draft are 3-5 .... I'll even throw the second round on that too... because round 1 is a gimmie .. and the Isles can't screw that one up this year.... well .. they can ... but I doubt it.
The later rounds of this draft is where you find the players that can fit in your organization and thrive. You don't want to draft any career AHL'ers, but in all likely hood .. you probably are. Infact ... sometimes you draft just for the purpose of using the player as a commodity.
Not to dehumanize the players ... but that is what they are... commodities. Sometimes you have to draft to prevent another team behind you from acquiring that player. Even if you have a stable full of that type of player ... it gives you the chance to develop that player and decided to keep him in the organization .. or control where that player goes to via trade.
So I'll give Snow credit for looking at the draft more wisely ... and not just picking what is behind curtain #5.
I'll write about Snow's *** Develop Players *** comments another time.
Brian ... agreed ... that was pretty much my point regarding Staple's article ... the players just gotta go and play and the rest will take care of itself.
-------------------------------
505 ~ In the NHL and I think even NFL & MLB a manager's or coaches' agent may not discuss their client while under contract with another team ... and that team cannot discuss the prospects of hiring a coach or manager while they are under contract with another team ... even mentioning to the press that they'd like to have that coach is considered tampering. There is a very very fine line .... and your Jerry Maguire comparisson doesn't fit very well in this scenario if infact Ottawa was discussing future prospects of hiring Nolan with Nolan's agent.
Sure ... Nolan's agent may be fanning the bushes with the press by feeding the rumor beast to get some feed back on one of his bread and butter clients ... but ... any contact between agent and another team that even mentions a contracted coach or player ... is tampering.
I had an agent in the late 80s to early 90s ... they are beyond ethics ... I don't doubt they'd try anything to keep their client in the press ... bad or good.... again ... commodities.
THERE IS NOTHING LIKE PLAYOFF HOCKEY!
You guys can watch the greatest hockey player to wear #16 in the metro area in the last 20 years.He'll be on the ice in Pittsburgh
tomorrow night at 7:00 wearing the red,white and blue of the NY Rangers.Playoff hockey..........Enjoy boys.
19Isles
"bad or good.... again ... commodities."
Commodities?
Too often it's morphed into something far more sinister...and I'm always reminded of Mel Brooks in Spaceballs...
"Moichendizing"
Ted Nolan - the coach..
Ted Nolan - the lover...
Ted Nolan - the placemat.
LET'S GO ISLANDERS, THE ONLY HOCKEY TEAM IN OUR TOWN.
Were you the same guy rocking Lafontaine'a ambulance in 90 who was crying when he got his final concussion as a Skirt?
Didn't Tibbetts wear 16 as a skirt too? Such a storied tradition of disgrace.
Funny how that poster forgot Nolan said he did not have an agent, now Toronto wants him and he has an agent?
You can bet they want Ted Nolan badly. Amateur hour renney with his team bonding exercises and tennis balls will be available when he implodes with his trap because Messier needs a job and Dolan needs someone to notice his laughingstock franchises and Daddy Doug wants another payday.
Watch anything else Islander fans, without us they are nothing which is why they are here. Thank god for Crosby giving them any chance at being noticed at all. I almost feel sorry for Flukeqvist with the beating Ruutu and Roberts are going to throw at him after the trap breaks and the bad goals start coming in bunches.
Dolan better demand Knick fans buy tickets, the Garden's only major franchise team.
Who wants a coach who doesn't want to be here? If Nolan wants to go, then goodbye. The Isles will get compensation and move on. Having a coach who would rather be elsewhere would be a disaster for the team. I won't be sad to see him go.
As far as players saying good things about their former coach, who cares? I have heard players say nice things about Mike Keenan. The key word there was Former players. They may have liked the coach but they left anyway. So, the arguement that Nolan attracts players doesn't hold any water. I would love to hear what Tambellini, Bergy, MAB, and Campoli really think about Nolan.
Overall, hockey players are generally nice people. They almost always have good things to say about any organization or about the sport in general. They are easily the most approachable of any players of the four major sports. It is almost unheard of for players to knock coaches, GM's or other players in public.
Privately, is another matter.........Sir William
SW ~ Your anomosity towards Nolan is well documented ... There is no evidence that Nolan would rather be else where. I honestly don't care what MAB thinks of Nolan ... he brought only one thing to the Isles ... Nolan had his reasons for his distrust of MAB on the blue line ... I think all Nolan asked of MAB was to take care of defense first ... and MAB looked totally lost at times ... but I'm not going to dig that old skeleton out of the closet.
Tamby did diddly squat when he was given a fair chance with +15 minutes of ice time .... so he proved Teddy right. Bergy played his best hockey under Nolan so I don't know why he'd have anything bad to say .... and Campoli was having a decent season and improving with every game ... truth be told .. Campoli took some time in the 06-07 to recover from injury ... but he was given veteran ice time this past season ...
I also didn't see any other coaches getting inline for the Islander job when Nolan took it ... Brent Sutter who as an Islander alumni had a great history here .. and said he wanted to stay with his junior team ... and a year later ... wala he's 30 miles away coaching ... Nolan took this team further than it had any right to in 06-07 and had it on track to go further this season until injuries unraveled a pretty good season.
Your arguement that Nolan doesn't attract other players in itself doesn't hold water just because players went else ... they wanted money more than they wanted to be coached by Nolan ... that doesn't condemn Nolan as a coach. Snow might not of offered them what they wanted if anything at all. They didn't have to say anything positive about Nolan on their depature .. they could of still been PC by saying ... it was time to move onto something different ... or similar.
Talent attracts players ... so I'm not getting on borard with the Nolan will attract players side of the arguement either. However I don't think Nolan coaching hurts our prospects for attracting free agents.
Just watched another one of Milbury's mistakes make a great showing against Colorado tonight ... Osgood was the goalie that took the Isles 7 games in 2002 .... DP should of had an extended apprenticeship ... learn from a seasoned successful veteran.
-----------------------------
Montreal / Philly ... what a battle .... Philly gave away the game pretty much. Philly looks like it's ratcheting it up ... they are a prototypical playoff team. Kovolov is looking a lot better than I'm used to seeing him ... he's dangerous anywhere within 30 feet of the net.
19 Isles, I worte you a lengthy reply which "is being held by the moderator for review." Gotta laugh. Anytime you question Nolan's coaching ability, this happens.
I am gonna try to post it paragrph by paragraph to see what the triggers are........Sir William
19 ISLES, I don't have any "anonimosity" towards N****. I never even met the guy. I just do not think that he is the right fit for this team. He is a veterans first coach on a young team. Square peg in a round hole type logic.
Say what you want about MAB but he produced PP goals. How did the PP do without him? N**** misused him. He should have only been used as a PP specialist and not asked to do something that he was not capable of, which was to log minutes at even strength or in man down situations.
Same with Tambellini. Even with the worst PP I have ever witnessed, N**** refused to use him on the PP. To me that was N**** trying to show Snow that he was running the team, not Snow. Tambellini is a talented player who will do just what a Robert Neilson did and blossom next year. Snow has made that clear to Teddy that Tambs will play important minutes next year, like it or not.
I also don't buy the nonsense that N**** took the '07 team anywhere. How many 20 goal scorers were on that team? That's right ...six and another at 18. So don't tell me it was a talentless team.
If anything he almost blew it by sticking with a washed up Dunham and then proceeded to use the immortal Randy Robatille
as if he was Wayne Gretsky in the playoffs. The Isles should have finished sixth with the talent they had, but instead limped into 8 th,
because of Ted's insistance on sticking with Dunham. And they one ONE game in the playoffs. Big deal. See LaViolette, Sterling, etc.
I, for one, beleive that the rift between Snow and Nolan is real. Ithink that Ted had the same problem in Buffalo and that's why he was only offered a one year deal. Buffalo felt that they could win without him and they did.
As I have stated before, Ted's fate will be decide in the first 40 games next year. If the Isles fall out of contention, he will be let go. If they get off to a good start he may get his extension. You can see that Snow has won the power struggle and my guess is that Ted's days are numbered.
You may agree or disagree. I respect your opinion.....Sir William
19 Isles, I do not think that talent alone attractes player. Some players go for the money. Other for a chance to win the Cup. And still others are attracted to the big markets for a chance to cash
in on endorsements. Different players have different reasons. No reason to think that they all sign with the team that has the most talent.
In any case, I respect your point of view because you make it without personal attacks and don't feel the need to make use of capital letters and exclaimation points. Sir William
Damn, that was hard work, but it got around the triggers.......Sir Willaim
ALL BULLSCHIT 2NIGHT.
We are not even playing.
ALL BULLSCHIT 2NIGHT.
We are not even playing.
ALL BULLSCHIT 2NIGHT.
We are not even playing.
SIR WILLIAM,as hard as you've worked here to get your post's through,if you played hockey you'd be a Nolan Type Player.
Maybe if your lucky the Iceies will sign you as assistant gm.That is if they don't hire from within and hire the peanut vender.
Remember one thing about Nolan it was the Isles and Wang in particular who did him the favor not the other way around. No one in the NHL was touching Nolan until Wang hired him so let's not make it out to be that he did us a big favor by coming here if he wanted back in the NHL he had no choice but to come here.
f5
Mr Islander, I played hockey all of my life, from the Greater NYC Hockey League in 1966 up until last year when a torn ACL ended that. You are 100% correct. I was a Nolan type play. Lots of hard work and NO TALENT...............Sir William
Did anyone see the rangers blow a 3-0 lead?