Apparently not winning a Stanly Cup in the past 20 years wasn’t enough; the Islanders felt they really needed to become the laughing stock of hockey.

It’s been an on-going process since Charles Wang first took over the team. No one felt confident that a hockey team could be run like a board room, but he did it anyway.

Just as I was finally regaining my confidence in what has been referred to as a “rookie” team, Neil Smith leaves, and Wang hires a goalkeeper as the new GM.

Smith didn’t have a written contract. In fact, he and Wang had only shaken hands, but still, everyone thought he was stepping into the limelight as the new GM, when in fact only a month after that handshake, we are told that the new GM was in fact the old goalkeeper.

I’ve never played hockey, but I have been a hockey fan my whole life, and even I’m aware that playing the game and running the team are significantly different.

Sure I do believe that if Garth Snow puts as much dedication and heart into his new GM position as he did to playing goalie, then the Islanders could possibly stand a chance to turn themselves around, but really, is it me or does that just seem so unlikely?

Many managers, coaches and others are retired hockey players. The difference between them and Snow? They’ve had years upon years of experience inside and outside of the game.

Snow is just off the bench and is stepping right into a serious and important job as the general manager of the Islanders. He can’t possibly have as much experience as is normally necessary for a successful GM.

Fans and others are backing Snow, and for his sake I hope that he does a wonderful job turning this team around. But let’s face it, having Pat LaFontaine resign after Snow’s appointment was announced speaks loud and clear to those unbelievers.

LaFontaine was one of the best players to ever step on the ice for the Islanders, and he was equally as successful in the front office. So what does that say about him leaving right when Wang decides to hire a very inexperienced GM?

It says a lot. In my opinion, this was LaFontaine’s way of showing the world that he does not support Wang’s ways anymore and does not want to bring down his own name should this new system fail again.

Setting up the front office like a boardroom was a step that LaFontaine was fine to adapt to, but the hiring of Snow, whether or not he will ever admit it, was not a plan that he was going to back up.

If this doesn’t work, LaFontaine was smart to get out before his name gets dragged through the mud along with Wang’s and the others in the front office.

As for the players and the fans? I just hope that they can muster up the confidence in their new GM because this team obviously needs as many people to boost them up as is possible or else they are doomed to fail again this season.

Megan Tomlin is a regular contributor to Atomic Sports Media. She can be reached at megan.tomlin@atomicsportsmedia.com.