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OK, look: it’s always a little awkward to note when a group of people are calling for someone’s head. It’s not that far from “Frankenstein” territory.
That said, if there was ever a time when fans should really make their voices heard, this would be it.
Around the NHL, teams are sending mixed messages: they’re acknowledging a need to rebuild, while at the same time handing polarizing GMs contract extensions. With that in mind, it makes it easier to wrap your head around the New York Islanders civil revolt regarding their perceived need to get rid of longstanding GM Garth Snow.
It already began last night, as fans chanted “Snow Must Go” after the Islanders dropped an embarrassing 4-1 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets, showing porous defense once again by giving up 51 shots on goal.
Fans chanting: “(Garth) Snow must go.”
— Tom Reed (@treed1919) February 14, 2018
Rather than showing up with paper bags on their head (possibly with increasingly creative faces), an enterprising group of Islanders fans decided to buy a strategically placed billboard to voice their displeasure about Garth Snow. To do so, they put together a Go Fund Me account, and that drive basically only took about an hour to hit the $2,725 goal.
Here’s what the ad looks like:
Here’s part of the message:
It’s time to send a clear message to Islanders owners Jon Ledecky and Scott Malkin. Fans will no longer tolerate the culture of losing surrounding this franchise. Help us send a message and tell ownership that “SNOW MUST GO” on a poster board within a half mile of the Barclays Center.
Whether you believe that keeping Snow in place is the best way to retain John Tavares or that management needs to show more urgency with a playoff spot on the line, you have to give Isles fans credit for creativity here.
Considering the fact that Snow has been GM since 2006, it’s also difficult to deny that his fingerprints are all over the Isles’ issues at this point. Plenty of fans think there needs to be a change, and they’re going the extra mile (or 10'6" x 22'99") to express their beliefs.
Apparently such an effort worked out for New York Jets fans, too, and they feel like spiritual cousins to Islanders fans (and of course, in many cases people are fans of both teams).
Jets fans (aka a large portion of the NYI fan base) are already well-versed in GM shaming via billboard.. it worked for our football team, let’s see what we it can do for hockey...
— maleila (@sorokinszn) February 14, 2018
Let’s get this done, Isles fans:#SnowMustGo https://t.co/ZrFmKIJN3c
Will they get their wish? We’ll need to wait and see. Either way, it’s tough to say that they don’t have a point.
Stick-tap Greg Wyshynski of ESPN
UPDATE:
Update on the Snow Must Go billboard: They've upped the goal amount to $5,450, enough for TWO billboards and anything extra will go to Anders Lee's Kancer Jam. Oh my. #isles
— Laura Albanese (@AlbaneseLaura) February 15, 2018
— Anders Lee (@leeberr09) February 15, 2018
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James O’Brien is a writer for Pro Hockey Talk on NBC Sports. Drop him a line at phtblog@nbcsports.com or follow him on Twitter @cyclelikesedins.