Open House

This Wednesday evening the Islanders are hosting an "Open House and Chalk Talk", the highlight of which (for me, at least) will be a presentation / Q&A on the direction of the team. I'm hoping there will be some real substance to the event, as promised by Chris Botta, but wouldn't be shocked if it's more of a dog-and-pony show to try to lure some new season ticket holders.

Regardless, I have to say this is one of the great benefits of being a hockey fan and, specifically, an Islanders fan. You just don't get this kind of access in other sports. Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but could you imagine the Yankees sending Cashman and Girardi out to interact with the fans like this, especially after an unsuccessful season?

There are a few questions I'm hoping are addressed/discussed during this session:

For Garth
- Do you think your ability to attract free agents would be different if the Lighthouse project was approved before the FA period begins?
- Is your approach with the draft to go for the best player available, or to draft based on needs?

For Ted
- Do you think you were proactive enough in addressing the struggling powerplay this past season? What adjustments do you think you made over the course of the year?
- Do you think your effectiveness as a coach would be different on a "veteran" team vs. a "young" team? Do you think you need to adapt your style based on the experience of your players?

It'll also be interesting to see the interaction between Garth and Ted, in their first "public" interaction since the rumors of a strain in their relationship. Body language may say more than their words in this case.

Hope to see a lot of you on Wednesday night.