Umm... No. This team is talented enough to maybe finish 25th overall, that's about it. A lot of things have to go right in order for them to win any game. Virtually every single player on this team is being put into situations that are above them. And many of the players don't even have NHL level talent. The fact of the matter is that they will lose most games they play - no matter how hard they try... Regardless of who is behind the bench. It is what it is
How many coaches will we have to recycle during this, ahem "rebuild" before you poeple realize it's not the coach? We're at over 1/2 dozen by my count. Even assuming Capuano is not qualified (which is a big assumption since he has yet to coach an NHL roster), firing him is like throwing a cup of water on a burning skyscraper. Who cares? It will accomplish nothing - except for maybe further erode whatever miniscule amount of constinency and stability is left in this wretched organization.
it really is this simple.
The person who's most accountable is the owner who simply doesn't spend enough. The evidence is overwhelming in this matter, no need to get specific.
The next person who's most accountable is Snow. Whatever the perceived con$traint$, he's built a team without an identity. He's assembled players that are flawed (one dimensional/limited/whatever) that, as a unit, simply fail to compete. How many coaches will he be allowed to hire until he is held accountable? Furthermore, money aside, he's managed to continue Wang's great work in destroying the Islanders brand. It's not just the lottery finishes, it's in the way other executives have been treated (I won't name names), the media, the fans/season ticket holders - and on top of all that, the team continues to lose on the ice.
Then, sure, Capuano won't be confused with Scotty Bowman. He's been exposed on line matchups more often than not, not that he has much choice other than to play Hamonic & MacDonald all night, and work Tavares to death while he covers for his wingers. He only has a handful of players he can rely on.
I don't blame the players at all. They put in an honest effort, they work as hard as any team I've seen. They just aren't good enough. It's the same as the last five years.
I think Aucoin, McDonald, Ullstrom, Martin, Cizikas, Nielsen, Grabner (especially this year!), Tavares, all the dmen work to death out there. You can argue that Streit has lost his intensity, especially on defense, but he's never been Pronger. Boyes and Moulson have played the same way their whole career.
This season's results were a foregone conclusion simply by looking at the roster at the start of the year. When it was clear that Columbus was worse, on paper, and nobody else. We'll see how things shake out but anyone who expected anything more wasn't looking closely enough.
And the Tim Thomas move puts a gigantic exclamation mark on the disaster this organization is.
