How The Islanders Won Summer

After a disastrous 2013/14 campaign, the New York Islanders headed in to the summer with some glaring holes in their line up, and an increasing amount of pressure on General Manager Garth Snow.

With the new season just days away, the simple reality of the situation is this – the offseason could not have gone any better for the franchise.

Snow Out to Strike Gold With Bouchard

Islanders General Manager Garth Snow deserves far more credit than he gets.

The former NHL puck stopper has assembled a competitive roster via the waiver wire, the ‘bargain bin’ and the draft whilst the franchise navigated some choppy financial waters.

Snow struck gold last season, signing former St Louis forward Brad Boyes to a 1 year, $1m contract. Boyes went on to score 10 goals and 35 points in the truncated 2012/13 season; helping the Islanders make the post season for the first time in six seasons.

The Isles brass is hoping to repeat that success with new signing Pierre Marc Bouchard.

The New York Islanders Fascinate the Hell Out of Me

It’s hard to say the New York Islanders enjoyed a particularly happy 40th birthday in 2012, but since being founded in 1972 the franchise has established one of the most varied and interesting histories in the NHL.

Since William Shea used his silver tongue to bring a second major sports team to New York, the Islanders have won four Stanley Cups, made some of the modern eras most mind boggling signings and endured a slump in the toilet that would make the mutants from Futurama feel superior.

Now the team seem to be on the rise again – and it’s really hard not to love the Islanders a little.