You would think that any General Manager of a team that hasn’t found a way to put one in the win column would shy away from public appearances. But not Garth Snow. He could have sent someone else lower on the food chain. But this Business Club event was scheduled months ago and he was prepared to face any questions that were shot at him.
The room was filled with mostly professional men and a handful of women. (I really need to do something about that!) It was a networking event as much as it was an inquisition of our GM. There was no fanfare; this was business. Everyone ate and then Garth Snow was announced by Howard Sarafan to take the podium.
He began by thanking the IBC – a great networking group with a hockey commonality – for their continued support .
Garth is in his fourth year as NY Islanders GM and as difficult as things have been lately, he sees encouraging signs and “correctable situations.” He commended his very young team. Even though there are veterans in their late 30s, the bulk of the group is basically half Dwayne Roloson’s age. “It’s a tight group in that room. Good things are coming down the pike in the future.” He truly believes that and the rest of us hope for it.
One of the questions raised from the crowd echoed what I have seen on message boards and article comments – toughness or lack thereof.
“I would love to have the biggest, toughest, fastest skating team.” (Wait. Where did I hear that before? Right, Brian Burke talking about the Leafs in pre-season.) Garth continued “I’ll use an analogy from last year." (I wish it didn't have to be a Ranger analogy, but it was.) "There was a cheap shot, an elbow from Brashear on Betts. Colton Orr was on the bench and it STILL happened. It’s not a situation where it’s the Wild West." He's right. Simply having a prize fighter on skates is not going to protect the skilled players. "If you can’t skate and you’re a defensive liability, you’ll lose games.”
While tough-guy Joel Rechlichz (described by Scott Gordon as “a work in progress”) has been returned to Bridgeport for playing time, Snow reminded the folks in the room that the Islanders have Tim Jackman, who can drop the gloves as well as score a goal here and there.
“We’re building from within. This is the RIGHT direction for this team. We have more skill now than we ever have.” That skill level will only increase with the likes of Tavares and Okposo maturing. There is also 2009 draftee Calvin DeHaan, another bright spot on the Islanders' horizon. As they wait for him to get a little bigger and a little stronger, he's playing for his junior team.
With a healthy crop of NHLers hailing from Long Island, Garth was asked why he didn’t go after the likes of some of the more famous native sons currently playing on other teams. Snow reminded everyone that he DID go after and sign a local in Tony Romano. Where a player hails from isn’t the first and foremost criteria for signing. But of course, it wouldn’t hurt from a PR standpoint.
Snow also praised his head coach Scott Gordon for his teaching technique. “He’s the one coach who goes to the player and draws out what they need to do to get better.” Scott studies everything that happens on the ice and will explain it in painful detail to a player until they understand. As we’re only in the early stages of the season, I think he’s still filing up those folders on his computer and still teaching.
While the staggering number of injuries last season paved the way to John Tavares, it’s not something Garth hopes to repeat. Many of last season’s injuries were actually carried over from the season before, but changes have been made to the training staff. “Things have been addressed.” The Islanders are not the type of team to issue a press release on staff changes of that sort, but I believe the audience was pleased to hear.
Then, as if on cue, the big question that we’ve heard asked for months: “When is Rick DiPietro coming back?”
“We do have plans for Rick to be back this season. We have a rehab program that is extra cautious.” Garth can’t give an absolute date for Rick’s return, as there really isn’t one. “If you read all the reports of his practices, he is progressing just about on schedule. However, that schedule is not etched in stone and no one wants to put Rick’s health in jeopardy by rushing him to the ice before his knee is 100%.”
“Okay, so now you know. It was his knee, not his hip.” Garth laughed as if he just told a secret he was sworn to keep.
The discussion only lasted about a half hour, but Garth spent twice that talking to attendees one on one. There were those that wanted their picture taken with him and those that wanted to take home his autograph. I guess that proves he’s not really that far removed from his playing days.
“How’d I do?” he asked me as he tried to grab my note pad away. “Did I say anything I shouldn’t have?” I assured him he hadn’t. It was an honest, informative and sometimes humorous exchange between concerned fans and the man in charge. I think everyone walked away satisfied and just slightly late for work. It was worth it.
The room was filled with mostly professional men and a handful of women. (I really need to do something about that!) It was a networking event as much as it was an inquisition of our GM. There was no fanfare; this was business. Everyone ate and then Garth Snow was announced by Howard Sarafan to take the podium.
He began by thanking the IBC – a great networking group with a hockey commonality – for their continued support .
Garth is in his fourth year as NY Islanders GM and as difficult as things have been lately, he sees encouraging signs and “correctable situations.” He commended his very young team. Even though there are veterans in their late 30s, the bulk of the group is basically half Dwayne Roloson’s age. “It’s a tight group in that room. Good things are coming down the pike in the future.” He truly believes that and the rest of us hope for it.
One of the questions raised from the crowd echoed what I have seen on message boards and article comments – toughness or lack thereof.
“I would love to have the biggest, toughest, fastest skating team.” (Wait. Where did I hear that before? Right, Brian Burke talking about the Leafs in pre-season.) Garth continued “I’ll use an analogy from last year." (I wish it didn't have to be a Ranger analogy, but it was.) "There was a cheap shot, an elbow from Brashear on Betts. Colton Orr was on the bench and it STILL happened. It’s not a situation where it’s the Wild West." He's right. Simply having a prize fighter on skates is not going to protect the skilled players. "If you can’t skate and you’re a defensive liability, you’ll lose games.”
While tough-guy Joel Rechlichz (described by Scott Gordon as “a work in progress”) has been returned to Bridgeport for playing time, Snow reminded the folks in the room that the Islanders have Tim Jackman, who can drop the gloves as well as score a goal here and there.
“We’re building from within. This is the RIGHT direction for this team. We have more skill now than we ever have.” That skill level will only increase with the likes of Tavares and Okposo maturing. There is also 2009 draftee Calvin DeHaan, another bright spot on the Islanders' horizon. As they wait for him to get a little bigger and a little stronger, he's playing for his junior team.
With a healthy crop of NHLers hailing from Long Island, Garth was asked why he didn’t go after the likes of some of the more famous native sons currently playing on other teams. Snow reminded everyone that he DID go after and sign a local in Tony Romano. Where a player hails from isn’t the first and foremost criteria for signing. But of course, it wouldn’t hurt from a PR standpoint.
Snow also praised his head coach Scott Gordon for his teaching technique. “He’s the one coach who goes to the player and draws out what they need to do to get better.” Scott studies everything that happens on the ice and will explain it in painful detail to a player until they understand. As we’re only in the early stages of the season, I think he’s still filing up those folders on his computer and still teaching.
While the staggering number of injuries last season paved the way to John Tavares, it’s not something Garth hopes to repeat. Many of last season’s injuries were actually carried over from the season before, but changes have been made to the training staff. “Things have been addressed.” The Islanders are not the type of team to issue a press release on staff changes of that sort, but I believe the audience was pleased to hear.
Then, as if on cue, the big question that we’ve heard asked for months: “When is Rick DiPietro coming back?”
“We do have plans for Rick to be back this season. We have a rehab program that is extra cautious.” Garth can’t give an absolute date for Rick’s return, as there really isn’t one. “If you read all the reports of his practices, he is progressing just about on schedule. However, that schedule is not etched in stone and no one wants to put Rick’s health in jeopardy by rushing him to the ice before his knee is 100%.”
“Okay, so now you know. It was his knee, not his hip.” Garth laughed as if he just told a secret he was sworn to keep.
The discussion only lasted about a half hour, but Garth spent twice that talking to attendees one on one. There were those that wanted their picture taken with him and those that wanted to take home his autograph. I guess that proves he’s not really that far removed from his playing days.
“How’d I do?” he asked me as he tried to grab my note pad away. “Did I say anything I shouldn’t have?” I assured him he hadn’t. It was an honest, informative and sometimes humorous exchange between concerned fans and the man in charge. I think everyone walked away satisfied and just slightly late for work. It was worth it.
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