When the New York Islanders fired head coach Jack Capuano on Tuesday, it was an inevitable decision for a team that had won only 17 of 42 games this season.
Based on pre-season predictions, it was also totally unexpected.
The Islanders had been a playoff team in three of the last four seasons. After advancing to the second round last year by upsetting the Panthers, the John Tavares-led team seemed to be trending upwards. But then forwards Kyle Okposo and Frans Nielsen (42 combined goals last season) walked in free agency and GM Garth Snow gambled and lost on Andrew Ladd and Jason Chimera (eight combined goals this year).