No reason given yet, this news just broke in the last 45 minutes or so.
Smith was hired along with Ted Nolan as a coach in early June.
This has got to lead to either Nolan having both roles, or Milbury back in the saddle as GM, it just smacks of a power play by someone to me, either that or Neil Smith is looking at some serious health related/personal problems (Note that is pure speculation on my part)
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Seriously, the Isles are messed up. 2007 will not be a playoff year.
Scene: Mark DeRosa's brain. The year is 2005. Part of Mark DeRosa's brain: Come on, another position change? One day it's second base, the next day right field, now it's third? Why, I oughta go into Buck's office and throw his talking fish on the floor! Other part of Mark DeRosa's brain: Hold on, other part of the brain. We're making $500,000 this year. Last year we made $725,000. All for playing a damn kids' game. This is, as they say in Brainland, a no-"us"-er. We're not going to complain. Part of Mark DeRosa's brain: You're right, dude. Let's go back to looking at this crazy porn Teixeira gave us!
As a long time Islander fan, I am just shaking my head. I thought the hiring of Smith, Nolan, LaFontine and Trottier to top positions was a great move by Wang and I even bought into the whole everyone reports to him. Smith made a coupel of good FA signings and I felt that the team had a chance to make a playoff run this year.
Now, I have no idea. Apparently, Snow was a finalist for the GM job and would have been considered if Smith said no. With Snow in place, all this means is Wang wants to be the final word on all decisions. The problem with this is if he is wrong, he does not get fired, everyone else does.
My only hope with the Islanders is Nolan, who I think is a terrific coach. He will get the most out of all the players.
As for Snow, I hope he knows what he is getting into. This has all the makings of a disaster and he will be the fall guy.
Give me a Sandwich and a Douchebag and there's nothing I can't accomplish!
If that article is true, LaFontaine suggested to Isles owner Charles Wong that he give the team that Smith is trying to form a chance to, y'know, play some games before he decided that it would be a failure. Wong said no. LaFontaine then mentioned that it would be a good idea to look around at executives that may be willing to come over and be the new GM. Wang instead went out and hired the backup goalie.
Oddly enough, LaFontaine then decided that this just may not be the right situation for him, and handed in his resignation.
Everything I've read suggests that Wong wants to run this team like a business, meaning that Neil Smith wouldn't have had final say in personnel, he would have just suggessted, and then Mike Milbury, Brian Trottier, Pat LaFontaine, and Ted Nolan would have all weighed in, before Wong ultimately said yes or no. This probably protects Garth Snow a bit as he settles into the job, but ultimately, this orginization is still going to be run by Mike Milbury, and that worked out SO well last time.
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I wonder what she was thinking wearing a Bertuzzi jersey to the Pepsi Center? Not that I condone getting beer dumped on her, but she had to figure she'd get some abuse. They do it all over again in an hour in Colorado.