The Islanders have a plan in place. GM Garth Snow would be straying away from that plan if he opts to bring back Alexei Yashin.
It was reported last week by Yashin’s agent and the Islanders’ organization that Yashin and the Islanders were seriously considering an offer, an offer that has many going “huh?” This is especially true if you have been following Snow and the Islanders over the last few seasons.
While the Islanders have not been a terrific team over the last few seasons, they have been one that has been getting younger and more talented. Just look at these names: John Tavares, Kyle Okposo, Josh Bailey, Matt Moulson, Nino Niederreiter, Blake Comeau, Al Montoya, Michael Grabner, PA Parenteau, and now, Ryan Strome.
If you look at those names mentioned above, you will see one common theme: they are all YOUNG. Over the past few seasons, Snow has been stocking both his NHL and AHL cupboards with young and talented players. While it has not paid off in spades just yet, it could very well happen within the next three years or so.
With that said, if Snow goes ahead and signs Yashin, it will feel like the team has gone back to its old ways of signing players to ridiculous contracts; and in the long run, contracts that end up hurting rather than helping the team. If Yashin, whose buyout from 2007 is still on the Islanders payroll through 2015, gets signed to any sort of deal, this will end up hurting the organization.
First off, how much does Yashin have left in the tank? He will be 38 years old in November and has not played in the National Hockey League since the 2006-07 season. Not exactly a good combination to have success this upcoming season and into the future. Yashin has been on a steady downward slope, production wise, since a career-high 94 points in the 1998-99 season. With SKA St. Petersburg of the KHL last year, he only tallied 33 points in 52 games.
Additionally, if Yashin gets signed, who does he take the place of? If he takes the place of a youngster, that could hurt the said youngsters’ development in the long run. Is Snow really willing to do that?
Lastly, and more importantly, it would go against everything that Snow has tried to do since becoming the GM of the New York Islanders in July of 2006. The team has been getting younger and more talented since then.
If the club goes out and signs Yashin, that young and talented path might be in store for a bumpy ride.
Photo credit: Getty Images
It was reported last week by Yashin’s agent and the Islanders’ organization that Yashin and the Islanders were seriously considering an offer, an offer that has many going “huh?” This is especially true if you have been following Snow and the Islanders over the last few seasons.
While the Islanders have not been a terrific team over the last few seasons, they have been one that has been getting younger and more talented. Just look at these names: John Tavares, Kyle Okposo, Josh Bailey, Matt Moulson, Nino Niederreiter, Blake Comeau, Al Montoya, Michael Grabner, PA Parenteau, and now, Ryan Strome.
If you look at those names mentioned above, you will see one common theme: they are all YOUNG. Over the past few seasons, Snow has been stocking both his NHL and AHL cupboards with young and talented players. While it has not paid off in spades just yet, it could very well happen within the next three years or so.
With that said, if Snow goes ahead and signs Yashin, it will feel like the team has gone back to its old ways of signing players to ridiculous contracts; and in the long run, contracts that end up hurting rather than helping the team. If Yashin, whose buyout from 2007 is still on the Islanders payroll through 2015, gets signed to any sort of deal, this will end up hurting the organization.
First off, how much does Yashin have left in the tank? He will be 38 years old in November and has not played in the National Hockey League since the 2006-07 season. Not exactly a good combination to have success this upcoming season and into the future. Yashin has been on a steady downward slope, production wise, since a career-high 94 points in the 1998-99 season. With SKA St. Petersburg of the KHL last year, he only tallied 33 points in 52 games.
Additionally, if Yashin gets signed, who does he take the place of? If he takes the place of a youngster, that could hurt the said youngsters’ development in the long run. Is Snow really willing to do that?
Lastly, and more importantly, it would go against everything that Snow has tried to do since becoming the GM of the New York Islanders in July of 2006. The team has been getting younger and more talented since then.
If the club goes out and signs Yashin, that young and talented path might be in store for a bumpy ride.
Photo credit: Getty Images
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