The Hockey News: Special Features: Analysis: Isles' future looks worse without Nolan

Analysis: Isles' future looks worse without Nolan

Ted Nolan coached the Islanders to a 75-68-21 record and one playoff berth during his two seasons behind the bench in New York. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)

Mike Brophy
2008-07-14 14:15:10

As my good pal Ken Campbell likes to say, this one doesn’t pass the smell test.

The official word is Ted Nolan and the New York Islanders have parted ways due to philosophical differences. Sounds nice and tidy, huh?

Read between the lines, however, and this is the more likely accurate scenario: Excellent coach sick and tired of trying to make chicken doo-doo into chicken salad. My guess is Nolan took a look at the Islanders’ roster and decided to conjure up a few philosophical differences to get his butt out of town.

In two years with the Islanders, after a decade-long exile from the NHL, Nolan coached this rag-tag bunch of characters to a 75-68-21 record; remarkable given what he had to work with. You could make the case Nolan actually did a better coaching job with the Islanders than when he won the Jack Adams Award with the Buffalo Sabres in 1997. That season at least he had Dominik Hasek in goal.

Related Links

New York Islanders announce Ted Nolan out as their head coach

The Islanders have become the team veteran players with nowhere else to play sign with. At the rate they are going, it will be years before they become a contender.

At least with Nolan behind the bench, they had a fighting chance.

There are plenty of quality coaches still walking the unemployment line – Pat Burns, Bob Hartley, Marc Crawford, Joel Quenneville and Paul Maurice amongst them – but even those guys will have to think long and hard before hitching their wagon to this mess.

As for Nolan? Don’t expect him to be out of work for too long. He is a proven winner, the kind of coach a team like, say, the Los Angeles Kings might want to hire as fast as humanly possible.

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COMMENTS (45)

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Singularity Posted
(2009-04-30 06:41:07)

I'm thinking the conversation went something like this: Snow: "Ted, we're going with youth. Play the kids. Nolan: "Then how am I supposed to have a winning team? I am all about winning." Snow: "I'm not (actually) saying 'throw the season,' but...well...We want Tavares."

Danny Posted
(2009-04-30 06:37:29)

Serious...Nolan was smart to leave. I noticed the headline for this article was that the islanders have a bleak future. If Wang is smart...and since he's a billionaire I'll assume he is....the Islanders should have NO FUTURE. The team has been run into the ground. The fanbase is terrible. They constantly compete in a futile competition for fans with two other MUCH BETTER and more successful local NHL franchises. What they need to do is look for a buyer and move the team off Long Island. There are several cities who might want an NHL team. Either that or just fold up for good. That would allow Charles Wang to bring a minor league hockey team to Long Island. A minor league team based in central Long Island wouldn't have to deal with the competition factor of the Rangers and Devils and would make a fortune. Give it up Islanders...you have no future.

James Giorgio Posted
(2009-04-30 06:37:24)

I've been an Islander fan since high school and I am 48. I have watched a classy organization go downhill to the worst franchise one can root for. Obviously losing Torrey and Arbour was tough on the franchise but who could have expected the soap opera ownership situations: the NHL approving a crook, who did not have money purchase the franchise, the Wang fiasco. Wang somehow believed Mike Milbury knew something about hockey and he singlehandedly destroyed the franchise. The likes of Neil Smith and Pat Lafontaine fled, why? In my opion Mike Milbury still has control of this team and the GM is a puppet. This was likely not ok with Smith and Lafontaine and likely Nolan. How else does Milbury leave as GM but gets a contract to be in Wang's computer company. Look into that, Mike Milbury destroyed this franchise and continues to do so. Check it out.

Joseph DiDominca Posted
(2009-04-30 06:36:22)

Look at the facts. 4 years of NHL coaching. 2 general managers that he can't get along with. I think it is time for Ted Nolan to look in the mirror and get rid of his big ego. If he wants his extension, then he should have played nice with his boss and done the job. No big time player will sign with the Islanders until they build a good base of young players. He could have done this. It has been made very clear that Charles Wang is very loyal to employees that are loyal to him and his ideas. Look at what he did for Mike Milbury. If he did that this year, Charles would have made him a very wealthy man and at the same time been part of a big rebuild here on Long Island. They have alot of young talent to start with, a great goalie and a pretty solid defense. I hope he gets black balled for another 10 years.

Clay Posted
(2009-04-30 06:36:21)

Blessing in disguise. Nolan deserves better. If there is a smart GM out there looking for a coach then Nolan's back in the saddle promptly. I do like Hartsburg but it is too bad the Sen's don't have that option now, because Nolan is a proven winner.

fleetwood94 Posted
(2009-04-30 06:36:16)

Hmmm....the only diff between the Isles and the Leafs-two trainwreck franchises if ever there were any- is the Isles have some superb young talent in the pipeline like Okposo who have the potential to bring them back to semi-respectability(is that even a word???). now all they need is a coach who has a strong history shaping young talent and they're on the way! Good luck trying to get a coach who's willing to deal with the most eccentric owner in sports since Bill Veeck and Charlie Finley!

sulko Posted
(2009-04-30 06:36:15)

WOW are we are talking about nolan like he is Bowman, shake your head he was band aid coach at the time and obviously talks to much on his point of view and not the good of the team for the future . My guess just like the sabres he brown nosed Mr Wang and Snow could see the Muckler problem all over again and gassed him. I believe the isles problem is Wang,sign the checks and hire your management and let them be accounted for there results . Hmmm wonder why Smith left{a hockey man]. He could see Wang as a problem and new to get out. i would to say good luck to snow hiring a coach, but the puppett master wang will decide this one as well...

jan Posted
(2009-04-30 06:36:15)

if Ted Nolan was the coach of a team (similar to Detroit) who had talented, skilled players and a GM who does his job (signs the players) and lets the coach do his job w/out interference, and an owner who lets the GM and the coach do their jobs w/out interference, would Ted be successful with that team?

MJB Posted
(2009-04-30 06:36:13)

Hey Bruce, I understand Mats Sundin may be available to coach. I'm not kidding. This Wang-nut owner might just do it!

DonK Posted
(2009-04-30 06:36:12)

Lamar -- for the record, Wang hired Nolan. Neil Smith had nothing to do with it (that was part of Neil's problem; he wanted to act like a traditional GM and Wang didn't want to set things up that way).

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