PDO
1-12-06, 3:42 PM
http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/article.jsp?content=20060112_114119_4760
Off the Island
The Islanders currently occupy 12th spot in the Eastern Conference, seven points out of the final playoff spot.
UNIONDALE, N.Y. (AP-CP) -- Mad Mike's run will finally come to an end with the New York Islanders.
Owner Charles Wang announced at a new conference that GM Mike Milbury would step down once a replacement for him was found, which could be in a few weeks but also take until the summer.
"My goal is to have someone in place by the June draft and off-season signing period," Wang said. "Until his successor is found, Mike will continue to run hockey operations and work with coach (Brad) Shaw because we are not giving up on this season.
"There are 40 games remaining. We have a very talented team here. I expect us to make a run."
Brad Shaw was also elevated to interim head coach after the expected firing of Steve Stirling. It is the eighth coaching change for the Isles in nine years.
"We're hoping that Brad can handle this and give us a jump start," Milbury said at the news conference.
Once a new GM is hired, Milbury would then become senior vice-president of Wang's sports properties, which include the Islanders, New York Dragons (AFL), Bridgeport Sound Tigers (AHL) and Islanders Iceworks.
"Even prior to our current slump, Mike and I had been discussing the next phase for him," said Wang. "I have often challenged him about what he wanted to do when he grows up. Yesterday, Mike came to me and selflessly said that the time had come for a change in the general manager's seat.
"Mike told me he felt it was the right thing for the Islanders, it was the right thing for Charles Wang and, most importantly, it was the right thing for the fans."
Milbury took over as GM from Don Maloney in December 1995 and became notorious for his blockbuster trades, most of them not helping the Islanders. He traded away the likes of Todd Bertuzzi, Bryan McCabe, Eric Brewer, Wade Redden, Roberto Luongo, Zdeno Chara and Olli Jokinen.
The Islanders failed to win a playoff series during his 10-plus seasons and missed the playoffs seven times.
Stirling, meanwhile, went 38-29-11-4 during his rookie year of 2003-04 and guided New York to its third straight playoff appearance after taking over for the fired Peter Laviolette. But a recent skid dropped the Islanders out of the playoff picture and sealed Stirling's fate.
"All the coaches and players are disappointed about Steve because they like him," Milbury said. "He worked hard at it, but it just wasn't happening."
The final blow came Tuesday when the Islanders lost in Nashville to fall to 18-22-2, fourth place in the Atlantic Division.
"We have under-performed this season," said Wang. "We have a very talented team. Our fans have every right to be disappointed - so am I and so is everyone in the Islanders family. Let me be clear that our expectations are to bring the Stanley Cup back to Long Island - nothing else.".
Stirling, who ran practice Wednesday morning, was hired as the 11th coach in Islanders history in June 2003. He is the second NHL coach to be fired this season, joining Pittsburgh's Ed Olczyk. New Jersey coach Larry Robinson stepped down, citing health and family issues.
After the Islanders dropped a home-and-home series last weekend to Carolina, in which they were outscored 7-1, Milbury said he wouldn't sit back and watch the club fall out of playoff contention.
New York, which slipped into 12th place in the 15-team Eastern Conference, traded disappointing defenceman Janne Niinimaa to Dallas on Tuesday before the 2-1 loss to Nashville.
But if the move was intended to create a spark, it didn't happen instantly as the Islanders lost for the eighth time in nine games and 10th in 13 -- including six straight on the road.
"If you win, you keep your job. If you don't win, you could lose it or you do lose it," Stirling said after what turned out to be his final practice. "I didn't make the rules, Mike didn't make the rules."
Stirling was the Hockey News' minor pro coach of the year in 2001-02, after taking Bridgeport to the AHL finals, and compiled a mark there of 83-51-19-7.
He got the unexpected call to the big leagues at age 53.
Stirling's only trip to the playoffs ended in a five-game loss to eventual Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay.
When the Islanders got back together after the lockout wiped out last season, they were a different club.
During the off-season, New York decided against buying out Alexei Yashin's big contract to create more space under the $39-million salary cap and instead dealt away Michael Peca. Not only did the Islanders keep Yashin, Stirling named him Peca's replacement as captain.
But Yashin has not become a leader on or off the ice. Despite being one of the highest-paid players in the NHL, he has produced only 15 goals and 38 points in 42 games. In Tuesday night's 2-1 loss at Nashville, Yashin took two of New York's four penalties -- both for delay of game.
It wasn't just the loss of Peca that left the Islanders looking for leadership, they also saw defencemen Adrian Aucoin, Roman Hamrlik and Kenny Jonsson depart, along with veteran forward Dave Scatchard. Replacing them with defencemen Alexei Zhitnik and Brent Sopel and forwards Mike York and Miroslav Satan hasn't helped.
Coaches fired under Milbury:
Rick Bowness (Fired after 63 games of the 1997-98 Season)
Bill Stewart (Interim Head coach for final 37 games of 1998-99 season)
Butch Goring (Replaced after 62 games in 1999-2001)
Lorne Henning (Interim Head coach for final 17 games of 2000-01 season)
Peter Laviolette (2002-2003)
Steve Stirling (2003-present)
**Mike Milbury (Resigned to take GM post in 1995, interim coach for final 19 games of 1997-98 season, stepped down after 45 games of the 1998-99 season)
Milbury moves:
June 23, 2001: Traded Bill Muckalt, Zdeno Chara and first-round draft pick to Ottawa for the Alexei Yashin. Ottawa used the draft pick to select Jason Spezza second overall; Long Island selected Cory Stillman (the other one) at 101.
June 23, 2001: New York Islanders trade Tim Connolly and Taylor Pyatt to Buffalo Sabres for Michael Peca.
June 24, 2000: New York Islanders traded Olli Jokien and Roberto Luongo to the Florida Panthers for Mark Parrish and Oleg Kvasha.
June 19, 1999: New York Islanders traded Zigmund Palffy, Bryan Smolinski, Marcel Cousineau and 4th round selection (previously acquired from the New Jersey Devils - Daniel Johansson) in 1999 to the Los Angeles Kings for Olli Jokinen, Josh Green, Mathieu Biron and the Kings 1999 first round draft pick (selected Taylor Pyatt).
February 6, 1998: Islanders trade Bryan McCabe, Todd Bertuzzi and a third round
pick to Vancouver for Trevor Linden.
January 26, 1996: New York Islanders trade Damian Rhodes and Wade Redden to the Ottawa Senators for Bryan Berard, Don Beaupre and Martin Straka.
A lot could be said.. I'll go with - "finally". The Isalnders team right now could look something like..
Heatley - Spezza - Bertuzzi
Hunter - Jokinen - Palffy
Redden - Chara
McCabe
Luongo
:laughing:
Off the Island
The Islanders currently occupy 12th spot in the Eastern Conference, seven points out of the final playoff spot.
UNIONDALE, N.Y. (AP-CP) -- Mad Mike's run will finally come to an end with the New York Islanders.
Owner Charles Wang announced at a new conference that GM Mike Milbury would step down once a replacement for him was found, which could be in a few weeks but also take until the summer.
"My goal is to have someone in place by the June draft and off-season signing period," Wang said. "Until his successor is found, Mike will continue to run hockey operations and work with coach (Brad) Shaw because we are not giving up on this season.
"There are 40 games remaining. We have a very talented team here. I expect us to make a run."
Brad Shaw was also elevated to interim head coach after the expected firing of Steve Stirling. It is the eighth coaching change for the Isles in nine years.
"We're hoping that Brad can handle this and give us a jump start," Milbury said at the news conference.
Once a new GM is hired, Milbury would then become senior vice-president of Wang's sports properties, which include the Islanders, New York Dragons (AFL), Bridgeport Sound Tigers (AHL) and Islanders Iceworks.
"Even prior to our current slump, Mike and I had been discussing the next phase for him," said Wang. "I have often challenged him about what he wanted to do when he grows up. Yesterday, Mike came to me and selflessly said that the time had come for a change in the general manager's seat.
"Mike told me he felt it was the right thing for the Islanders, it was the right thing for Charles Wang and, most importantly, it was the right thing for the fans."
Milbury took over as GM from Don Maloney in December 1995 and became notorious for his blockbuster trades, most of them not helping the Islanders. He traded away the likes of Todd Bertuzzi, Bryan McCabe, Eric Brewer, Wade Redden, Roberto Luongo, Zdeno Chara and Olli Jokinen.
The Islanders failed to win a playoff series during his 10-plus seasons and missed the playoffs seven times.
Stirling, meanwhile, went 38-29-11-4 during his rookie year of 2003-04 and guided New York to its third straight playoff appearance after taking over for the fired Peter Laviolette. But a recent skid dropped the Islanders out of the playoff picture and sealed Stirling's fate.
"All the coaches and players are disappointed about Steve because they like him," Milbury said. "He worked hard at it, but it just wasn't happening."
The final blow came Tuesday when the Islanders lost in Nashville to fall to 18-22-2, fourth place in the Atlantic Division.
"We have under-performed this season," said Wang. "We have a very talented team. Our fans have every right to be disappointed - so am I and so is everyone in the Islanders family. Let me be clear that our expectations are to bring the Stanley Cup back to Long Island - nothing else.".
Stirling, who ran practice Wednesday morning, was hired as the 11th coach in Islanders history in June 2003. He is the second NHL coach to be fired this season, joining Pittsburgh's Ed Olczyk. New Jersey coach Larry Robinson stepped down, citing health and family issues.
After the Islanders dropped a home-and-home series last weekend to Carolina, in which they were outscored 7-1, Milbury said he wouldn't sit back and watch the club fall out of playoff contention.
New York, which slipped into 12th place in the 15-team Eastern Conference, traded disappointing defenceman Janne Niinimaa to Dallas on Tuesday before the 2-1 loss to Nashville.
But if the move was intended to create a spark, it didn't happen instantly as the Islanders lost for the eighth time in nine games and 10th in 13 -- including six straight on the road.
"If you win, you keep your job. If you don't win, you could lose it or you do lose it," Stirling said after what turned out to be his final practice. "I didn't make the rules, Mike didn't make the rules."
Stirling was the Hockey News' minor pro coach of the year in 2001-02, after taking Bridgeport to the AHL finals, and compiled a mark there of 83-51-19-7.
He got the unexpected call to the big leagues at age 53.
Stirling's only trip to the playoffs ended in a five-game loss to eventual Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay.
When the Islanders got back together after the lockout wiped out last season, they were a different club.
During the off-season, New York decided against buying out Alexei Yashin's big contract to create more space under the $39-million salary cap and instead dealt away Michael Peca. Not only did the Islanders keep Yashin, Stirling named him Peca's replacement as captain.
But Yashin has not become a leader on or off the ice. Despite being one of the highest-paid players in the NHL, he has produced only 15 goals and 38 points in 42 games. In Tuesday night's 2-1 loss at Nashville, Yashin took two of New York's four penalties -- both for delay of game.
It wasn't just the loss of Peca that left the Islanders looking for leadership, they also saw defencemen Adrian Aucoin, Roman Hamrlik and Kenny Jonsson depart, along with veteran forward Dave Scatchard. Replacing them with defencemen Alexei Zhitnik and Brent Sopel and forwards Mike York and Miroslav Satan hasn't helped.
Coaches fired under Milbury:
Rick Bowness (Fired after 63 games of the 1997-98 Season)
Bill Stewart (Interim Head coach for final 37 games of 1998-99 season)
Butch Goring (Replaced after 62 games in 1999-2001)
Lorne Henning (Interim Head coach for final 17 games of 2000-01 season)
Peter Laviolette (2002-2003)
Steve Stirling (2003-present)
**Mike Milbury (Resigned to take GM post in 1995, interim coach for final 19 games of 1997-98 season, stepped down after 45 games of the 1998-99 season)
Milbury moves:
June 23, 2001: Traded Bill Muckalt, Zdeno Chara and first-round draft pick to Ottawa for the Alexei Yashin. Ottawa used the draft pick to select Jason Spezza second overall; Long Island selected Cory Stillman (the other one) at 101.
June 23, 2001: New York Islanders trade Tim Connolly and Taylor Pyatt to Buffalo Sabres for Michael Peca.
June 24, 2000: New York Islanders traded Olli Jokien and Roberto Luongo to the Florida Panthers for Mark Parrish and Oleg Kvasha.
June 19, 1999: New York Islanders traded Zigmund Palffy, Bryan Smolinski, Marcel Cousineau and 4th round selection (previously acquired from the New Jersey Devils - Daniel Johansson) in 1999 to the Los Angeles Kings for Olli Jokinen, Josh Green, Mathieu Biron and the Kings 1999 first round draft pick (selected Taylor Pyatt).
February 6, 1998: Islanders trade Bryan McCabe, Todd Bertuzzi and a third round
pick to Vancouver for Trevor Linden.
January 26, 1996: New York Islanders trade Damian Rhodes and Wade Redden to the Ottawa Senators for Bryan Berard, Don Beaupre and Martin Straka.
A lot could be said.. I'll go with - "finally". The Isalnders team right now could look something like..
Heatley - Spezza - Bertuzzi
Hunter - Jokinen - Palffy
Redden - Chara
McCabe
Luongo
:laughing: