New York Islanders

New York Islanders Roundtable: Replacement GM, Is He Out There

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

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Nov 14, 2016; Brooklyn, NY, USA; New York Islanders right wing Ryan Strome (18) scuffle with Tampa Bay Lightning right wing J.T. Brown (23) during the second period at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

Nov 14, 2016; Brooklyn, NY, USA; New York Islanders center John Tavares (91) controls the puck in font of Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Nikita Nesterov (89) during the second period at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

New York Islanders management is being served notice by its fans: “we want you out”. That’s great and all, but who comes in to replace that vacancy? Got anyone good in mind?

There are only a few options for an NHL team when things aren’t going well like the New York Islanders. They either do nothing, fire everyone, make a trade, or fire some scapegoat power play coach.

The response of a team’s ownership decides exactly how seriously they view the problem. Either they don’t see a problem or their hands are figuratively tied, in which case they won’t do anything, kinda sound familiar?

But what we asked the Eyes on Isles staff writers is: What if the owners saw a problem. What if the problem was so disturbing that they had to act? And they fired Garth Snow.

With a vacancy at the General Manager position, what do the staff writers think would be a good fit? So the Eyes on Isles staff writers are Jon Ledecky and Scott Malkin? Minus the deep pockets (sorry guys).

Who do they put in Snow’s place to turn this around?

That’s the goal, to turn this around. Not to start another rebuild, but to get this team back into the 100 shape they had shown to be over the last two season.

Nov 14, 2016; Brooklyn, NY, USA; New York Islanders right wing Cal Clutterbuck (15) checks Tampa Bay Lightning left wing Ondrej Palat (18) during the third period at Barclays Center. Tampa Bay won 4-0. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

Chris Lizza

Given the current general manager landscape, what direction should the new ownership team of Scott Malkin and Jonathan Ledecky go, if they let go Garth Snow?

They have no choice but to interview the three to four top assistant GM’s in the league and hire the one they feel is ready to take the next step. It’s sounds easy. Because it it simple

There is no Jim Nill type of former general managers waiting by the phone looking to get back into the NHL.In my recent article, I mentioned Scott Mellanby as a possibility to replace Snow.

Mellanby is a former NHL player who’s put in his time in the Montreal Canadiens front office and is very well thought of around the league. There were rumors he was a serious candidate for the GM job in Las Vegas. I would hire a Mellanby type and let him pick the new head coach.

Nov 7, 2016; Brooklyn, NY, USA; New York Islanders left wing Nikolay Kulemin (86) celebrates after scoring a goal against the Vancouver Canucks during the second period at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

Matt O’Leary

Garth Snow has held the position of General Manager for ten years with very little success on his resume. Sure, back-to-back 100 point seasons are nice but the Islanders have been first round and done three of the four times that they’ve made the playoffs in recent history.

It seems like Snow has this job locked up for eternity, but if he were to be replaced I could see Paul Fenton as an option.

Fenton is currently serving as the assistant general manager in Nashville. He’s been with the team since their first season. Since coming into the league in 1999-1999 the Predators have made the playoffs nine times.The Islanders, seven times.

Fenton and David Poile have built hockey in Nashville from the ground up, maybe he can help the Islanders add a few more pieces and put them over the top. Too bad the Preds are unable to get over the hump in the playoffs.

The Preds are known for building within and the Isles have a lot of prospect talent which can still be developed. Clearly, the Islanders have floundered in their development with some players, like Ryan Strome, Anders Lee and Josh Bailey to name a few. Fenton can hopefully change that culture.

Snow’s job seems safe at the moment but if ownership decides to go a different way Fenton should at least be a candidate for the job.

Billy Lewis

To say the Islanders are struggling is putting it mildly. Coming into the year you would be hard pressed to find somebody who thought the roster improved after the offseason. They basically replaced Nielsen, Okposo, and Martin with Parenteau, Ladd, and Chimera. Surprisingly Parenteau would not make it past training camp. Coming out of the gate at 5-8-3 is just an awful way to build off of actually advancing in the playoffs last year.

You would have to put the blame on Garth Snow, and if the Islanders do part ways I would look to replace him with somebody that has been around a Stanley Cup winning front office recently.

I would look towards Blackhawks assistant general manager Norm Maciver. He joined the Blackhawk organization in 2006 and has been behind the scenes of a team that has become a perpetual Stanley Cup contender. Maciver has also served as Director of Player Personnel and Director of Player Development.

Maciver could be the new face the Islanders need. He would bring a winning culture and would demand accountability from all involved. The Islanders have some good pieces in place, and maybe a change of culture is what they need to reach their potential.

A change of leadership may help players like Ryan Strome and Brock Nelson play more consistently. Strome obviously has the skills to succeed in the NHL, but for whatever reason has taken a step back since his rookie year. Some would point to the mishandling of Strome as a reason for his struggles, and a change of the guard could allow Strome to succeed in the blue and orange.

A Stanley Cup culture could be what the Islanders need to become the great team we all want them to be. Maciver would certainly bring that culture and lead the strive for five.

Nov 5, 2016; Brooklyn, NY, USA; New York Islanders center Casey Cizikas (53) celebrates his goal with teammates during the second period against the Edmonton Oilers at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports

Michel Anderson

I’m Jon Ledecky (or Scott Malkin, but Makin’s never around so Ledecky it is). First order of business, y’all get a hug. It’s not much but its human, it’s compassionate, and it’s the humbling.

Second order of business, I tell Garth Snow that his services are no longer required. Thank you for your service. Don’t let the door hit you on the way out. And then the search begins.

I need someone that can build a winner in a tough market. I focus in on an ex-GM that was unceremoniously removed from his position for what was seemingly no good reason. He’s not out of a job, he was actually “promoted”. But this guy still wants to be GM.

I look to the Dale Tallon of the Florida Panthers.

Why Dale Tallon? Well in the six years that he was the GM of the Florida Panthers he dramatically altered that franchise. Sure, some high draft picks like Jonathan Huberdeau 3rd overall in 2011, Aleksander Barkov 2nd overall in 2013 and Aaron Ekblad 1st overall in 2014.

He’s been able to wheel-and-deal his way from the cast misfits he had in 2010 to a team that resembles something of a power in the east.

That’s my first call. Tallon still wants in. He’s the perfect blend of old school eye-test type pf talent evaluator and new school analytics sympathizer. He’ s the perfect candidate for the job. Next the coach. Or maybe I do something about the Sushi. Sushi and hockey don’t seem to be made for each other.