Staple's analysis: Snow should change players, too

The coach has been replaced. What about the rest of the Islanders?

General manager Garth Snow reiterated Tuesday his long-held stance regarding trades: The young core (John Tavares, Nino Niederreiter and a few of the other recent draft picks currently in the minors or juniors) is untouchable and it has to make sense.

"Both short- and long-term," Snow said.

The Islanders can end their 10-game winless streak Wednesday night against the Lightning, and even though most of the players have parroted the feeling that it is still early and they can still compete, it's starting to get late in the rebuilding process.

And what do the Islanders have to show for their frugal approach? Tavares will be centering Matt Moulson and P.A. Parenteau on the top line; Kyle Okposo would likely be on the right side if he were healthy, but as it stands, their cornerstone scorer is playing between two minor-league free agents - even though one of them has a 30-goal season under his belt.

The Islanders are right to hold on to their prospects; Tavares, Niederreiter, Josh Bailey, Calvin de Haan and Travis Hamonic are the future of the team. The now, however, is simply not good enough, and Scott Gordon taking the fall means the focus from Wednesday night on is on the assembled players - and on Snow and Charles Wang, the owner whose mandate to get younger and cheaper hasn't produced any results.

Snow has mined the hockey world for some positive roster additions, and the winless streak and Gordon's firing has undercut a genuine improvement in team defense. Dwayne Roloson has been solid for a second straight season and the additions of Mike Mottau, Mark Eaton and the currently injured Milan Jurcina have given the Islanders better quality and a steady veteran presence at the back.

Of course, it's come just as the thin forward group has regressed. Bailey has tailed off after a solid start, with no points in 10 straight; Trent Hunter, the second-longest tenured Islander, has been a shell of himself this season and outside of a decent power play, the forwards have been bad as a whole at even strength.

Jack Capuano will be evaluating what he has in the next week or two. So should Snow, since he has more than a few players who tuned out Gordon during the winless streak and who are in no position to quit on anyone.

The trade deadline isn't until Feb. 28, and we will all either see by then a team that's turned itself around and made strides under a new coach or is ready to have its viable parts sold off in preparation for another top-five draft pick.

But in the shorter term, changes should be threatened. The Islanders don't have much waiting in Bridgeport; even without a looming trade or call-up, Snow should remind his ragtag band of players that the coach won't be the only thing that's different.