Kind of funny how I was furious about the Islanders getting only a fifth rounder for Bill Guerin on Wednesday.
Now, three days later, the truth comes out.
It turns out that when the Islanders took Guerin out of the lineup before the Buffalo game on Feb. 28, they had no deal with any team in place, flubbing all the reports from various websites, based in both journalism and in rumor. At any rate, both Snow and Guerin’s agent felt it would be in the Islanders best interest to keep him out of the lineup to avoid injury.
This is where I don’t quite understand the logic.
You take a player out of the lineup that you know interest is low on because you don’t want them to get hurt, to do what exactly? Lower their already low value? Seriously, what is the worst thing that can happen, get a fifth round pick for a legitimate goal-scoring threat that could bolster any team’s offense?
Wait, that happened already.
Nonsense. Complete nonsense.
If Guerin played those games he sat out for and scored a few goals, perhaps he may have drawn some more interest from teams looking for offense and the Islanders could have gotten more.
If Guerin gets hurt, what happens? They don’t get a fifth round pick? I, like most Islander fans, could deal with that.
It’s highly doubtful this fifth round pick will be the franchise player that will guide this team out of the cellar. It’s also doubtful that this fifth round pick could be the 20-goal scorer the Islanders lost in Guerin as well. I know you should never really rate a trade until some time has passed, but I really think the Islanders should have taken a chance and let Guerin play his last few games with the team. Now the Islanders will have to wait and see what they’ve eventually received in return for their former captain.
Speaking of captains, it kind of irks me that the Islanders won’t name a captain until next season. It makes me think that they don’t have faith in the players they have now and will go outside the team and look for a veteran free agent to sign and name him captain.
That, I believe, would be dead wrong. This team has plenty of players, guys like Trent Hunter, Brendan Witt, Mark Streit and even Richard Park, that would be able to serve as a more than solid captain. The way things are going, this team needs someone from within to help them get to the next level. Someone that has seen how bad things are and can grow, despite thus struggles and help lead the team to respectability.
Those are just my thoughts though.
What do you guys think?
Posted under 2008-2009, Isles Thoughts 2009
This post was written by Patrick Hickey, Jr. on March 7, 2009
Gotta say I’m not at all irked that they’re waiting to name a captain. This is a team in transition. Their veteran leadership is there to bridge eras (and getting the “A”s in recent games), but the summer may bring more changes.
I’d rather they wait organically to see who the “lettered” leadership will be, and start fresh next season.
Patrick,
Where is the information citing there was no deal? I know I would be interested in reading that.
Mike, I think there’s a word missing in your message. I don’t quite understand what you’re trying to say.
Are you asking where I got my info from?
If that is the case, Howie Rose said the other night the team isn’t naming a captain until next season.
Patrick,
I was referencing this:
It turns out that when the Islanders took Guerin out of the lineup before the Buffalo game on Feb. 28, they had no deal with any team in place, flubbing all the reports from various websites, based in both journalism and in rumor. At any rate, both Snow and Guerin’s agent felt it would be in the Islanders best interest to keep him out of the lineup to avoid injury.
Not that they were not naming a captain, Gordon told us that the game after the trade deadline during his press conferece.