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Capellini: Islanders' Self-Inflicted Wounds Are On Snow To Fix

By Jeff Capellini
WFAN.com

The Islanders have been in the news a lot lately, but not for the right reasons.

Their 4-6-0 start has the fan base in total panic mode, which is understandable considering the Isles entered the regular season not as good as the team that put up 100 points in each of the previous two seasons.

That, in itself, is very troubling.

The Islanders are supposed to be challenging for the top spot in the Eastern Conference right now. That's what is expected given their success since the start of the 2014-15 season. Their playoff breakthrough last April against Florida signaled this organization's readiness to begin an ascension not seen in these parts in some time.

Yet they simply are not better, on paper or otherwise, than last season's squad.

And that's on Garth Snow.

The general manager went into the offseason with seemingly no financial limitations. New co-owner Jon Ledecky basically said for all to hear that he would green-light spending to the salary cap ceiling if necessary. Well, the Isles are right there, but they still have the same problems that have plagued them forever and have been besieged by one off-ice distraction after another.

It's just not a recipe for winning.

It should come as no surprise to people who regularly read this column that I'm going to once again complain about the Islanders' inability to find proper linemates for superstar John Tavares. I can do this, because the Islanders still have not found proper linemates for John Tavares.

It. Is. Unbelievable.

Short of Thomas Vanek for 47 games back in 2013-14, Tavares, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2009 draft, has endured nothing but a revolving door of wingers -- some good but not top line-worthy and some at the AHL-plus level at best.

Put Andrew Ladd in the former category.

Islanders F Andrew Ladd
Islanders forward Andrew Ladd skates against the New Jersey Devils during at Barclays Center on Oct. 3, 2016. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

This poor guy couldn't put the puck in a soccer goal right now. He has but one assist in his first 10 games since signing a seven-year, $38.5 million contract on the first day of free agency in early July. He also owns the dubious distinction of being the highest-priced Islander to ever get bounced off the first line during Jack Capuano's six-plus seasons as head coach.

For his part, Capuano has said he's not worried about Ladd, a two-time Stanley Cup winner and perennial 25-goal scorer during his decade in the NHL, noting that the 30-year-old winger got off to a really slow start last season with the Winnipeg Jets before ramping things up in the second half and being attractive enough for the Chicago Blackhawks to reacquire prior to the trade deadline.

That's all well and good, but it's a problem for the Islanders because they simply do not score anywhere near enough to make up for a big-ticket free agent going AWOL. Say what you want about Brock Nelson's point total, Anders Lee's net presence and Ryan Strome's slightly improved overall play, but all three are still invisible more often than they are visible.

Do I think Ladd is miscast as a Tavares linemate? No, I don't. I think he will eventually be productive. But that may hinge on getting the other guy on the other side, the player, who is still nameless and faceless, that this franchise has needed since the day Tavares' name was announced at the draft.

The true sniper.

That player should be acquired at some point soon. It's really no longer a debate, though the build-like-it's-the-1970s brigade online will certainly tell me I'm being unreasonable.

I'm not out of line for demanding that Snow make a splash. When Frans Nielsen reportedly said no to more money from the Isles to bolt to Detroit and Kyle Okposo went on his merry way to Buffalo, the Isles were thrust into a desperate situation that should have been a call to arms for Snow. To be fair, I realize how difficult it is to make trades in the NHL. I really do. But at the end of the day, hockey, like all major professional sports, is a results-driven business.

The Islanders need to find a way to get scoring help. To say otherwise or to continue to preach patience is lunacy. If they don't, all of those pundits who were scoffed at during the preseason for having the temerity to look over this roster and call for a regression from this club this season will end up being spot on.

GOALIES ... GOALIES ... NOWHERE

As for the off-ice distractions that I alluded to earlier, the Islanders have three goaltenders who should be very good, but for whatever reason are not. Jaroslav Halak appears to be talking through his agent right out of New York, Thomas Greiss has been under siege, and J.F. Berube is on the back of a milk carton. In fairness, the Isles are oddly carrying three goalies because they are fearful of Halak suffering yet another injury and the possibility of losing Berube if he has to pass through waivers. Yet, the situation seems to get worse by the day.

Something has to be done about it, and the sooner the better.

I have no idea if a team will try to acquire Halak, who is being shopped, because he is a prohibitive sell due to his injury history and the fact that he has another season left with a cap hit of $4.5 million. Snow should try to kill two birds with one stone here. He might need to sweeten the pot and throw in one of his "prized" young forwards if the idea is to get something of substance to help this sputtering offense and bring some mental stability to the goalie conundrum.

THE ICEMAN LEAVETH

Oh, but did I mention the ice surface at Barclays Center? No? Well, allow me a few minutes of your time.

I swore on Twitter that I wouldn't talk about it because it's not something that the Islanders can control, given the fact that they currently do not have any other options in the form of places to play their home games, but to say it's an issue that will go away over time is foolhardy.

The ice surface matters a hell of a lot more than obstructed-view seating, which is extremely annoying in itself and worthy of countless columns on its utter stupidity. Somebody needs to step up and get a handle on this issue, pronto. It's embarrassing to play pond hockey inside a supposedly state-of-the-art facility, even if it wasn't constructed with hockey in mind.

ACT NOW, BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE

I am a firm believer in the mantra "winning cures all," but the Isles really cannot be expected to block out every single public relations nightmare and perform to the best of their abilities. There's simply too much of a negative cloud hanging over this franchise, and the Isles are not constructed personnel-wise to consistently win in spite of their many problems.

This team got utterly embarrassed by the Tampa Bay Lightning on home ice on Tuesday night. How they respond Thursday against the visiting Philadelphia Flyers will be important, but I'd be careful not to look at a decisive win as though the team has turned a corner or anything.

The Islanders have given no indication they can sustain positive play. They need to shake things up. You may say 10 games is far too small of a sample size to make that determination, and you'd be somewhat correct.

But look deep into your soul right now. Do you honestly believe this team will be OK as is?

I didn't think so.

Read more columns by Jeff Capellini and follow him on Twitter at @GreenLanternJet

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