From Greg Logan of Newsday:
Some might find fault with Snow for choosing a coach who is unproven at the NHL level when he had so many veteran coaches from which to choose. Without knowing much about Gordon beyond his resume as the AHL coach of the year last season in Providence, I was leaning toward former Toronto coach Paul Maurice because he succeeded in similar circumstances previously with Hartford/Carolina.
But Gordon fits the bill as a teacher and communicator who has spent the past eight seasons working with prospects at Providence, including the first three as an assistant. He also was a head coach for six seasons in the ECHL and the old IHL. Most importantly, Gordon is Snow’s guy. They hit it off in a way that convinced Snow they can be an effective team with the same objective.
Progress may be slow at first with a team that lacks scoring punch. Young players will have to produce in major roles, and veterans will have to show they still have enough left in the tank to lead effectively. But Snow is convinced the Isles have a goaltender in Rick DiPietro and a solid veteran defense that will allow them to compete beyond the low expectations for the coming season.
Read more from On the Islanders Beat here.
I really think the Islanders made the right decision in hiring Scott Gordon. The team is currently in the beginning stages of a youth movement and Gordon’s coaching record speaks for itself when it comes to teaching at the minor league level. Sure there is no guarantee that his past success will translate at the NHL level, but hey, there was no guarantee with someone who has coached in the NHL before either. Give the Islanders organization credit, because I think they got this one right.
