Islanders GM Snow not too worried about injuries
Photo credit: Getty Images | Frans Nielsen of the New York Islanders waits for the drop of the puck in his game against the Philadelphia Flyers. (November 25, 2009)
Islanders general manager Garth Snow said he isn't worried about the Islanders resembling last season's team. Especially in the injury department.
"You know what, injuries are part of the league and we're not the only team that has players out with injuries," he said during Monday's practice at IceWorks. "We've got to win with whoever is in the lineup at the time. It [injuries] is a fact of life in the NHL, especially this year with the condensed schedule."
Even as Andy Sutton (groin) and Frans Nielsen (upper body) joined the growing list of injured Islanders (Radek Martinek, Jeremy Reich, Doug Weight, Rick DiPietro), Snow isn't looking beyond the organization for help.
"If a trade scenario comes up that makes sense we'd look at anything but right now our solution is within the organization," Snow said. Andrew MacDonald, the defenseman who has impressed coach Scott Gordon, is back from the team's AHL affiliate in Bridgeport.
It is possible Snow will wait for DiPietro to return before making any deals. "We have a game plan," Snow said. "Bottom line, we've got to get Rick 100 percent playing again with us and until we get to that point to me it doesn't make very much sense to elaborate on it."
Goalie Martin Biron likely will be dealt once the organization is sure DiPietro is healthy. Otherwise, only 40-year-old Dwayne Roloson would remain. Would that necessitate a comeback for Snow, the Isles' former netminder?
He then made his own Garth's girth joke, saying, "I take up a lot more net now."
