Isles hire Smith and Nolan

[jkrdevil]

Looks like the Islanders have hired Neal Smith as their GM and Ted Nolan as their coach.

http://tsn.ca/nhl/news_story/?ID=168159&hubname=

Smith IMO is a question mark. Sure he won a cup with the Rangers but he did that by basically buying the Edmonton Oiler dynasty. After the 94 season things fell apart pretty quickly for the Rangers. Smith compounded them by reckless spending. There was a reason why he wasn't hired for 6 years.

Nolan is known as a GM killer I'm glad to see him get another chance I'm just surprised a new GM and not one with job security brought him in.

[Stampman]

I was thinking Billy Smith--too bad.

Good on Nolan though.

[Braden]

I'm glad Nolan gets another NHL coaching stint. It's been way too long.

The role of GM has changed since the salary cap. It'll be interesting to see how Smith does.

[NJTank]

Its about time Nolan gets his chance and he gets it a good spot too they are hungry for a winner out on the Island.

[JQK]

It's about time Nolan got back. That blackball bull was childish. The man could coach.

This makes me want to root for the Isles a little bit more now...

[HatCityEnforcer]

In a way I'm glad to see Nolan back...just not liking where he ended up..

As for the GM situation on the Island...wonder how Smith can do without the limitless resources of Cablevision behind him (and after 1997, if y'all recall, he didn't do so hot)...

As for bringing a winner to the Island...as long as Yashin wears the C, they'll never be anything..the guy couldn't lead fat people to an all you can eat buffet, much less a hockey team.

[Korkie]

What was the deal with Nolan? I remember him being a young hot-shot coach with Buffalo and then seeing a story on espn with him coaching in Juniors and claiming he was blackballed from the NHL. What happened?

[jkrdevil]

What was the deal with Nolan? I remember him being a young hot-shot coach with Buffalo and then seeing a story on espn with him coaching in Juniors and claiming he was blackballed from the NHL. What happened?

No one really knows. He was fired from Buffalo after winning the coahc of the year award. Apparently he tried to go above the GM John Muckler and get him fired. From there on he became known as a GM killer and know GM would touch him. That lead to Nolan's firing.

Nolan claims he was blackballed becasue of his Native American heritage.

Him being known as a GM killer is why I'm surprised a new GM like Smith would bring him in. I always thought a GM who has job security would be the one that hires him.

[KevinMcD]

What was the deal with Nolan? I remember him being a young hot-shot coach with Buffalo and then seeing a story on espn with him coaching in Juniors and claiming he was blackballed from the NHL. What happened?

No one really knows. He was fired from Buffalo after winning the coahc of the year award. Apparently he tried to go above the GM John Muckler and get him fired. From there on he became known as a GM killer and know GM would touch him. That lead to Nolan's firing.

Nolan claims he was blackballed becasue of his Native American heritage.

Him being known as a GM killer is why I'm surprised a new GM like Smith would bring him in. I always thought a GM who has job security would be the one that hires him.

I heard it was because Hasek didn't like him and said if Nolan didn't leave he would.

[benJAMMIN039]

What was the deal with Nolan? I remember him being a young hot-shot coach with Buffalo and then seeing a story on espn with him coaching in Juniors and claiming he was blackballed from the NHL. What happened?

No one really knows. He was fired from Buffalo after winning the coahc of the year award. Apparently he tried to go above the GM John Muckler and get him fired. From there on he became known as a GM killer and know GM would touch him. That lead to Nolan's firing.

Nolan claims he was blackballed becasue of his Native American heritage.

Him being known as a GM killer is why I'm surprised a new GM like Smith would bring him in. I always thought a GM who has job security would be the one that hires him.

I heard it was because Hasek didn't like him and said if Nolan didn't leave he would.

I also heard Nolan slept with Hasek's wife, but this is all heresay.

Good move, no less. Maybe 06-07 is our year?

okay, i can dream

[Korkie]

Thanks for the info.

[jkrdevil]

Apparently it wasn't Smith who hired Nolan. This has a makings of a disaster.

[Coast2CoastAM2006]

neil smith is a joke the guy had a bottomless pit in budget and couldn't get the rangers to winning, yeah they won the cup in 94, 3 years later they become noncompetitive which put an embarrasing end to Gretzky's career. but a NOlan is definately what the isles needed when the idiot in chage was still running the team. i would have been happy to see Nolan be a GM killer for the isles. then we wouldn't have to suffer through some idiotic gm decisions that milbury subjected us to. i know Nolan is too good of a coach not to be given a coaching job again. seems like someone would have tried to sign him at least to roll the dice on. i know he is a gm killer, but you would think somebody would have at least rolled the dice on him. TO is a known franchise wrecker and he gets 2nd and 3rd opportunities.

[Brendan]

If the Ilses were smart they would of got rid of mike milbury all toghter. He was one of the reason the Islanders couldn't hire anyone any better nobody wanted to work under him. Also they should of made Nolan gm to he would be much better than neil smith.

[sp0rtsguy13]

I like the moves, especially Nolan as the coach. Choosing Smith is okay, but Nolan won coach of the year and hasnt had a chance to reprove himself since.

[NJTank]

Yeah there are all sorts of rumors with Nolan and players wives epsecially Hasek and its teh reason he was blackballed.

[HatCityEnforcer]

neil smith is a joke the guy had a bottomless pit in budget and couldn't get the rangers to winning, yeah they won the cup in 94, 3 years later they become noncompetitive which put an embarrasing end to Gretzky's career. but a NOlan is definately what the isles needed when the idiot in chage was still running the team. i would have been happy to see Nolan be a GM killer for the isles. then we wouldn't have to suffer through some idiotic gm decisions that milbury subjected us to. i know Nolan is too good of a coach not to be given a coaching job again. seems like someone would have tried to sign him at least to roll the dice on. i know he is a gm killer, but you would think somebody would have at least rolled the dice on him. TO is a known franchise wrecker and he gets 2nd and 3rd opportunities.

The Rangers didn't become non-competative until they let (unwisely) Messier walk to the Canucks, got shot down trying to sign Joe Sakic, and made that disasterous trade with LA (basically giving away Mattias Norstrom & Ray Ferraro for an over the hill Jari Kurri)...all of that happened in 98, which was kinda shocking seeing they had made the Conference Finals just the year before...

"Apparently it wasn't Smith who hired Nolan. This has a makings of a disaster."-- by jkrdevil

Mad Mike's still got a say in all of the goings on (seeing he's the "head" of Wang Sports Enterprises or whatever Chucky's calling it these days )...then again, it's the same guy that traded away Todd Bertuzzi, Bryan McCabe, Roberto Luongo, and a pick that became Jason Spezza for jack (although he did get the pick that became Dipietro out of it...)

[sp0rtsguy13]

"Apparently it wasn't Smith who hired Nolan. This has a makings of a disaster."-- by jkrdevil

Mad Mike's still got a say in all of the goings on (seeing he's the "head" of Wang Sports Enterprises or whatever Chucky's calling it these days )...then again, it's the same guy that traded away Todd Bertuzzi, Bryan McCabe, Roberto Luongo, and a pick that became Jason Spezza for jack (although he did get the pick that became Dipietro out of it...)

The Dipietro draft pick was the Isles draft pick, not from a trade. They won the lottery as the 5th likely team to win. He traded for the 5th pick and got Raffi Torres out of it. Raffi then of course was traded for Janne Niinnima, who was traded for John Erskine and a second rounder. So in the end, the 5th overall pick, for a late second rounder and a number 6 defenseman.

[HatCityEnforcer]

"Apparently it wasn't Smith who hired Nolan. This has a makings of a disaster."-- by jkrdevil

Mad Mike's still got a say in all of the goings on (seeing he's the "head" of Wang Sports Enterprises or whatever Chucky's calling it these days )...then again, it's the same guy that traded away Todd Bertuzzi, Bryan McCabe, Roberto Luongo, and a pick that became Jason Spezza for jack (although he did get the pick that became Dipietro out of it...)

The Dipietro draft pick was the Isles draft pick, not from a trade. They won the lottery as the 5th likely team to win. He traded for the 5th pick and got Raffi Torres out of it. Raffi then of course was traded for Janne Niinnima, who was traded for John Erskine and a second rounder. So in the end, the 5th overall pick, for a late second rounder and a number 6 defenseman.

OK...that came out a bit wrong on my part...

What I implied was in all those trades, Mad Mike managed to trade up to get Dipietro (took him #1 overall IIRC).

However, one good move doesn't take away from the horrid body of work....(esp. that stinker of a trade with Ottawa to get Yashin. Bad enough he put Chara in the deal (have to admit, he'd look pretty darn nice on the Isles blueline), but watching that pick become Jason Spezza? Ouch)