There’s a good chance Garth Snow won’t be the New York Islanders general manager this October, but him sticking around means business as usual.
It’s been 18 days since New York Islanders management hosted the most awkward media conference in recent history. Since then, things have gone quiet as the team prepares for another lottery pick in the upcoming 2018 NHL Draft.
In the week following the conference, the belief was that the search for a new executive would ramp up once the first round of the playoffs was concluded. At long last, the position that garnered two billboards would finally be vacated for a fresh influence to fill.
But does a new voice really mean anything if Garth Snow‘s 12-year tenure with the Islanders continues?
Snow and Doug Weight Weight were both informed before media day that they’re likely going to keep their jobs. That means any new general manager would likely still have to answer to Snow as team president—that he’d still have the final say on roster moves.
The potential of moving any contracts that may exist on the Isles roster would likely be a shot down, and it’s uncomfortable to even consider giving the thought of what a trade deadline would look like in this scenario.
Have texted with five people around the league outside organization and all repeating same mantra re: #isles front office evaluation. All depends on what they decide to do with Snow. Most don't see him going quietly into background, giving up all decision making power.
— Andy Graziano (@AndyGraz_WFAN) April 27, 2018
All feel that if Snow gets 'reassigned' upstairs to team president and a new GM comes in, doesn't really change much in regards to who's calling the shots. #isles
— Andy Graziano (@AndyGraz_WFAN) April 27, 2018
It’s a frustrating reality for Isles fans and executives alike: if Garth Snow is pushed upstairs, it ultimately means little for the Islanders in terms of an all-out culture change.
Snow Won’t Go
It seems no matter how badly the Islanders may want to, they just can’t shake Snow. At this point, with whatever contract Snow signed from Charles Wang, it should be a safe assumption that it’s keeping the current regime from ousting him outright.
If ownership wants to at least strip him of some titles, there’s clearly some ill will in the decision. Otherwise, why keep him around?
The Islanders’ situation nearly mirrors what happened in Carolina, when now owner Tom Dundon made the decision to remove Ron Francis’ GM tag and make him President of Hockey Operations.
However, the difference in Carolina is that there was an explicit clause in which the GM would report directly to Dundon, stepping right over Francis or whoever the team president was.
There is no indication that ownership is prepared to take any decisive action one way or the other, and the early signs aren’t showing a Francis-like shift. Until there is official word on stripping Snow of any influence over the team, the Isles are just hiring him a puppet.