Editing New York Islanders (section)

===Management shake-ups and the DiPietro contract (2006–2009)===
On the day of Stirling's firing, January 11, 2006, Milbury also announced that he would step down as general manager once a successor was found.<ref name="IslesHistory"/><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2006/01/12/skidding-islanders-fire-stirling/|title=Skidding Islanders fire Stirling|date=January 12, 2006|work=[[Chicago Tribune]]|access-date=January 15, 2015}}</ref> He served as vice president of Wang's sports properties for one year before resigning in May 2007.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.upi.com/Sports_News/2007/05/29/Milbury-resigns-as-Islanders-senior-VP/10951180480417/|title=Milbury resigns as Islanders senior VP|date=May 29, 2007|work=[[United Press International]]|access-date=January 15, 2015}}</ref> Wang proceeded by hiring [[Neil Smith (ice hockey)|Neil Smith]] as general manager and [[Ted Nolan]] as head coach, following a brief stint by [[Brad Shaw]] as the team's interim head coach.<ref name="NS">{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/nhl/news/story?id=2522886|title=Goalie Snow to replace Smith as Islanders' GM|date=July 19, 2006|publisher=[[ESPN]]|access-date=January 15, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2006/06/09/sports/hockey/09islanders.html|title=Nolan and Smith Are on Board and Aim to Turn Islanders Around|last=Picker|first=David|date=June 9, 2006|work=[[The New York Times]]|access-date=January 15, 2015}}</ref> Smith, however, was fired after approximately one month and quickly replaced by the team's backup goaltender [[Garth Snow]], who retired from his playing career to accept the position.<ref name="IslesHistory"/> Before his dismissal, Smith made several free agent acquisitions, including defensemen [[Brendan Witt]] and [[Tom Poti]], and forwards [[Mike Sillinger]] and [[Chris Simon]].<ref name="NS"/>

On September 12, 2006, the Islanders signed DiPietro to a 15-year, $67.5&nbsp;million (${{formatnum:{{Inflation|US|67.5|2006|r=2}}}}&nbsp;million in {{Inflation-year|US}} dollars{{inflation-fn|US}}) contract, which was believed to be the longest contract to date in the NHL and the second-longest in North American sports, behind a 25-year contract for [[National Basketball Association]] player [[Magic Johnson]].<ref name="DP1">{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/nhl/news/story?id=2584306|title=DiPietro's record 15-year deal will pay him $67.5M|last=Burnside|first=Scott|date=September 13, 2006|publisher=[[ESPN]]|access-date=January 15, 2015}}</ref><ref name="DP2">{{cite web|url=http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/sports/hockey/nhl/islanders/2006-09-12-dipietro-15years_x.htm|title=Islanders sign DiPietro to record 15-year deal|last=Allen|first=Kevin|work=[[USA Today]]|date=September 12, 2006|access-date=January 15, 2015}}</ref> DiPietro, Wang and Snow all spoke confidently and felt it was the best move for both sides, despite the mixed reactions it received from the rest of the hockey world. Specifically, Wang stated, "This is not a big deal. You have to have a commitment to who you're working with."<ref name="DP1"/> As speculation began as to whether other teams would follow suit and give lengthy contracts to star players, [[Atlanta Thrashers]]' general manager [[Don Waddell]] felt that, "It's highly unlikely that you will see teams go beyond that. This is a once-in-a-lifetime contract. Ownership must feel very strongly that he's their guy for the next 15 years."<ref name="DP2"/>

[[File:Bill Guerin.jpg|thumb|upright|[[Bill Guerin]] was the team captain from 2007 to 2009.]]
The new-look Islanders were picked by most analysts to languish towards the bottom of the standings.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/sports/hockey/nhl/2006-10-03-ten-questions_x.htm|title=NHL preview: 10 questions|date=October 3, 2006|last=Allen|first=Kevin|work=[[USA Today]]|access-date=January 15, 2015}}</ref> Eyeing a playoff spot, Snow traded for forward [[Ryan Smyth]] from the [[Edmonton Oilers]] at the trade deadline on February 27, 2007.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/nhl/news/story?id=2781777|title=Unable to reach new deal, Oilers trade Smyth to Isles|publisher=[[ESPN]]|date=February 28, 2007|access-date=January 15, 2015}}</ref> Injuries to DiPietro provided extra setbacks, but not enough to drop the team from playoff contention.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/nhl/news/story?id=2802222|title=Minus DiPietro, Dunham expected in goal vs. Panthers|date=March 17, 2007|publisher=[[ESPN]]|access-date=January 15, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/nhl/news/story?id=2794638|title=Simon suspended minimum of 25 games|date=March 12, 2007|publisher=[[ESPN]]|access-date=January 15, 2015}}</ref> They qualified for the playoffs, assisted by a late-season winning streak and a 3–2 shootout victory against the [[New Jersey Devils]] in their final regular season game.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/nhl/islanders-grab-playoff-spot-with-shootout-win-1.655845|title=Islanders grab playoff spot with shootout win|date=April 8, 2007|access-date=January 15, 2015|work=[[CBC Sports]]}}</ref> Despite DiPietro's return to the team in time for the playoffs, the team lost their first round matchup in five games to the [[Presidents' Trophy]]-winning [[Buffalo Sabres]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/nhl/recap?gameId=270420002|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170131224334/http://www.espn.com/nhl/recap?gameId=270420002|url-status=dead|archive-date=January 31, 2017|title=Buffalo holds off Islanders' rally for series-clinching win|date=April 20, 2007|publisher=[[ESPN]]|access-date=January 15, 2015}}</ref>

Management announced in June 2007 that they would buy out captain [[Alexei Yashin]]'s contract, which had four seasons remaining on it.<ref>{{cite web |title=Islanders to Buyout Alexei Yashin |url=http://islanders.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=464981 |website=NHL.com |access-date=January 15, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150222215101/http://islanders.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=464981 |archive-date=February 22, 2015 |date=June 6, 2007}}</ref> Free agents Smyth, Poti, [[Viktor Kozlov]], [[Jason Blake (ice hockey)|Jason Blake]], and [[Richard Zedník|Richard Zednik]] also left in July 2007.<ref name="Guerin">{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/10/sports/hockey/10islanders.html|title=Islanders Name Captain; It's a Surprise|date=July 10, 2007|work=[[The New York Times]]|access-date=January 15, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/sports/hockey/2007-07-01-255883848_x.htm|title=Smyth leaves Islanders for Avalanche|last=Podell|first=Ira|date=July 2, 2007|work=[[USA Today]]|access-date=January 15, 2015}}</ref> During that month, the Islanders signed [[Bill Guerin]] to a two-year contract as he immediately assumed team captaincy.<ref name="Guerin"/> Also in the off-season, free agents [[Mike Comrie]], [[Andy Sutton]] and [[Jon Sim]] joined the team.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/07/05/AR2007070501867.html|title=Islanders Sign Bill Guerin, Mike Comrie|last=Podell|first=Ira|date=July 5, 2007|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|access-date=January 15, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/nhl/news/story?id=2969625|title=Islanders sign ex-Thrashers defenseman Sutton|date=August 11, 2007|publisher=[[ESPN]]|access-date=January 15, 2015}}</ref> That summer, it was announced that Nolan extended an invitation to Al Arbour to return as a coach for one game in order to bring his total number of games coached to 1,500.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/20/sports/hockey/20hockey.html?fta=y&_r=0|title=Arbour to Coach His 1,500th Game for the Isles|last=Caldwell|first=Dave|date=July 20, 2007|work=[[The New York Times]]|access-date=January 16, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://islanders.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=465041|title=Al Arbour Returns to Coach 1,500th Game|date=July 19, 2007|publisher=[[National Hockey League]]|access-date=January 16, 2015}}</ref> Arbour signed a one-day contract, the shortest in league history, on November 3, 2007; it put him behind the bench the following day as the Islanders defeated the [[Pittsburgh Penguins]] 3–2, raising his career coaching win total to 740.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/04/sports/hockey/04isles.html|title=Arbour Makes His Comeback, and Islanders Make It Count|last=Robinson|first=Joshua|date=November 4, 2007|work=[[The New York Times]]|access-date=January 16, 2015}}</ref> The team remained in the playoff hunt through the trade deadline as they re-signed Comrie to a one-year contract and traded away Simon and [[Marc-André Bergeron|Marc-Andre Bergeron]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=355097#&navid=nhl-search|title=Islanders sign Mike Comrie, trade Chris Simon and Marc-Andre Bergeron|date=February 26, 2008|publisher=[[National Hockey League]]|access-date=January 15, 2015}}</ref> A rash of injuries saw them plummet to the fifth-worst record in the league by the end of the season.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/nhl/recap?gameId=280404013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170813055746/http://www.espn.com/nhl/recap?gameId=280404013|url-status=dead|archive-date=August 13, 2017|title=Dubielewicz makes 48 saves, Isles spoil Rangers' home finale with SO win|date=April 4, 2008|publisher=[[ESPN]]|access-date=January 15, 2015}}</ref>

[[File:Josh Bailey 2013-05-09.JPG|thumb|150px|left|[[Josh Bailey]] was drafted by the Islanders in 2008, to provide depth at the wing for the team.]]
At the [[2008 NHL entry draft]], the Islanders made two trades to move down from the fifth to the ninth overall pick, with which they selected center [[Josh Bailey]]. They also added free agents [[Mark Streit]] and [[Doug Weight]]. The team dismissed head coach [[Ted Nolan]] over alleged philosophy differences,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.upi.com/Sports_News/2008/07/14/NY-Islanders-fire-coach/UPI-57541216059166/|title= N.Y. Islanders fire coach|date=July 14, 2007|work=[[United Press International]]|access-date=January 6, 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/nhl/news/story?id=3486480|title=Isles, coach Nolan part ways after two years; differences with GM cited|date=July 14, 2008|publisher=[[ESPN]]|access-date=January 15, 2015}}</ref> and later that summer replaced him with [[Scott Gordon (ice hockey)|Scott Gordon]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/sports/hockey/nhl/islanders/2008-08-13-gordon-coach_N.htm|title= Islanders hire AHL coach of year Gordon to succeed Nolan|date=August 13, 2008|work=[[USA Today]]|access-date=January 15, 2015}}</ref> Near the trade deadline, Snow traded Comrie and [[Chris Campoli]] to the [[Ottawa Senators]] in exchange for forward [[Dean McAmmond]] and the [[San Jose Sharks]]' first-round draft pick in the [[2009 NHL entry draft]] and sent captain Bill Guerin to the [[Pittsburgh Penguins]] in exchange for a conditional draft pick.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://bleacherreport.com/articles/127274-senators-surprisingly-trade-for-islanderss-mike-comrie|title=Senators Surprisingly Trade for Islanders' Mike Comrie|last=Poulin|first=Fred|date=February 20, 2009|work=[[Bleacher Report]]|access-date=January 15, 2015}}</ref><ref name="GuerinTrade">{{cite web|url=http://www.newsday.com/sports/hockey/islanders/islanders-trade-bill-guerin-to-pittsburgh-penguins-1.896119|title=Islanders trade Guerin to Pittsburgh|last=Logan|first=Greg|date=March 4, 2009|work=[[Newsday]]|access-date=January 15, 2015}}</ref>

In the [[2008–09 NHL season|2008–09 season]], the Islanders finished in last place in the league with a record of 26–47–9, which was the team's worst record since the 2000–01 season. After the conclusion of regular season, they won the draft lottery to retain the first overall pick in the [[2009 NHL entry draft]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=418363|title=Islanders win 2009 Scotiabank/NHL Draft Lottery|last=Compton|first=Brian|publisher=National Hockey League|date=April 14, 2009|access-date=July 4, 2015}}</ref>