faba Posted January 12, 2006 Share Posted January 12, 2006 Shaw to coach team; GM Milbury to step downAssociated Press UNIONDALE, N.Y. -- Brad Shaw replaced the fired Steve Stirling as coach of the New York Islanders on Thursday, and Mike Milbury will step aside as general manager after a replacement is found. Shaw, in his first year as an Islanders' assistant, will coach the team for the rest of the season, the Islanders said at a news conference. Stirling was dismissed Wednesday night. "We're hoping that Brad can handle this and give us a jump start," Milbury said. The coaching change is the eighth in the last nine years under Milbury, and came after the Islanders lost for the eighth time in their last nine games: a 2-1 defeat to Nashville on Tuesday night. Shaw was to be behind the bench when the Islanders played the Calgary Flames at the Nassau Coliseum on Thursday night. It would be his NHL head coaching debut. The Islanders said Milbury will relinquish his role as GM once he and team owner Charles Wang find a replacement. "Charles will make that decision, I will help him with that," Milbury said. Milbury will become a vice president for Wang's sports properties. In addition to the Islanders, Wang also owns the New York Dragons of the Arena Football League. "All the coaches and players are disappointed about Steve because they like him," Milbury said. "He worked hard at it, but it just wasn't happening." The Islanders were 18-22-2 before Thursday's game, fourth in the Atlantic Division and seven points out of a playoff spot midway through the season. In his first season in 2003-2004, Stirling led the Islanders to a 38-29-11-4 record and a third straight playoff appearance. Stirling replaced the fired Peter Laviolette. Stirling became the third NHL coach to leave this season. Pittsburgh's Ed Olczyk was fired, and New Jersey's Larry Robinson stepped down citing health and family issues. After the Islanders dropped a home-and-home series last weekend to Carolina, in which they were outscored 7-1, Milbury said he wouldn't sit back and watch the club fall out of playoff contention. He then traded defenseman Janne Niinimaa to Dallas on Tuesday before the loss to Nashville. After running Wednesday's practice, Stirling said, "If you win, you keep your job. If you don't win, you could lose it or you do lose it. I didn't make the rules, Mike didn't make the rules." Milbury has revamped the roster several times, changed coaches eight times, and has never won a playoff series since he's been in charge. Yet, his job had never been threatened until now. When Stirling replaced Laviolette, Milbury figured it was the last coach he'd be allowed to hire. Stirling had never led an NHL team, but came off a successful two-year stint as coach of the Islanders' AHL Bridgeport affiliate. While Stirling lasted less than 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gang Green Girl Posted January 12, 2006 Share Posted January 12, 2006 I'm not even an Isles fan and I'm CHEERING. Milbury will be GM til they find a new one. The bad news is that he's staying as Charlie's Senior Vice Pres. Still, I wish he was fired. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JetsMan57 Posted January 12, 2006 Share Posted January 12, 2006 HALLELUJUAH! HOLY SH!T! WHERE'S THE TYLENOL? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gang Green Girl Posted January 12, 2006 Share Posted January 12, 2006 HALLELUJUAH! HOLY SH!T! WHERE'S THE TYLENOL? They should declare this day a National Holiday. Rejoice, Isles fan. Congratulations. Hope they can pull themselves out of this mess quickly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JetsMan57 Posted January 12, 2006 Share Posted January 12, 2006 They should declare this day a National Holiday. Rejoice, Isles fan. Congratulations. Hope they can pull themselves out of this mess quickly. Thanks. Boy and I thought getting rid of Hackette was tough! Anyway, I would like to see the Islanders make Joe MIchelletti the GM. Call me nuts, but I have always been impressed with his input on the telecasts. I think he has a bright mind. If not, lets make Trottier the GM. He is not enough of a people's person to be a head coach, but he has an eye for talent. Then hire Brent Sutter to coach. Time to rejuvenate the fan base again with some old Islander pride. LETS GO ISLANDERS! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gang Green Girl Posted January 12, 2006 Share Posted January 12, 2006 Thanks. Boy and I thought getting rid of Hackette was tough! Anyway, I would like to see the Islanders make Joe MIchelletti the GM. Call me nuts, but I have always been impressed with his input on the telecasts. I think he has a bright mind. If not, lets make Trottier the GM. He is not enough of a people's person to be a head coach, but he has an eye for talent. Then hire Brent Sutter to coach. Time to rejuvenate the fan base again with some old Islander pride. LETS GO ISLANDERS! Micheletti? Yes, you're nuts. You'd be better off with Deb Kaufman for chrissakes. Trotts is not the answer, dude. He was a disaster in Pittsburgh, he'll be a disaster on the Island. Sutter is YOUR GUY!!! GET HIM. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JetsMan57 Posted January 12, 2006 Share Posted January 12, 2006 Micheletti? Yes, you're nuts. You'd be better off with Deb Kaufman for chrissakes. Trotts is not the answer, dude. He was a disaster in Pittsburgh, he'll be a disaster on the Island. Sutter is YOUR GUY!!! GET HIM. I meant Trottier for GM! LOL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gang Green Girl Posted January 12, 2006 Share Posted January 12, 2006 I meant Trottier for GM! LOL Great center, sh*tty businessman. :wink: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SlugORama99 Posted January 13, 2006 Share Posted January 13, 2006 I don't think that Trots is the answer for GM, either. However, Sutter is definitely a no-brainer as coach. He's an ex-Islander for one and he knows his sh*t. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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