The Islanders’ ship has been careening off course for most of the past 15 years, but yesterday’s events were bizarre even when compared against the Isles’ high standards for absurdity.Noah survived on the ark for 40 days and nights in the biblical story, but Neil Smith wasn’t able to survive his 40th day at the helm of the Isles’ ship.Yesterday, he was fired from his post as the team’s general manager, and back-up goaltender Garth Snow was hired to replace him.

“I spoke with Garth at length throughout the spring about the general manager’s position, and he really impressed me with his passion and his knowledge,” Islanders owner Charles Wang said in a statement.”When the job opened up, the choice was an easy one. Garth knows the league as well as anyone, has an eye for talent, and understands how our staff works as a team.Most importantly, Garth is a man of integrity, someone I trust will work hard, be creative and represent the Islanders with dignity.”

A native of Wrentham, Mass., Snow was drafted by the Quebec Nordiques in 1987. He represented Team USA in the 1994 Winter Olympics in Norway, and played for five different NHL teams during his 12-year professional career. Despite the less-than-ideal circumstances under which he takes over the post, Snow is understandably upbeat about his future at the head of the table, perhaps in large part due to the accomplishments of the two other men who retired from their playing careers to immediately assume a GM post.

Bobby Clarke and Serge Savard both retired in 1983, taking over the Philadelphia Flyers’ and the Montreal Canadiens’ GM posts, respectively. Savard’s Canadiens went on to win the Stanley Cup in 1986 and 1993, while Clarke has been one of the NHL’s most effective GMs during the past two decades. And although the scenarios are wildly different, precedent speaks in Snow’s favor.

“This is a proud moment for me, a dream come true,” Snow said. “It’s an opportunity I wanted more than anything. Islander fans can be assured that this franchise is going to do everything in its power to bring another Stanley Cup to Long Island.”

In the early 1980s, the Isles were absolutely dominant, winning four straight Cups before having their dynasty finally derailed by Wayne Gretzky and the Edmonton Oilers in 1984. In all, that Isles team won 19 consecutive playoff series, an accomplishment unlikely to be surpassed by any team … in any sport.

But beginning in 1992, when the legendary Bill Torrey exited as GM after a stellar 20-year reign, the franchise’s troubles began. And following a four-game sweep at the hands of the Smith-helmed Rangers in the first round of the 1994 playoffs, the Isles fell into a malaise that made them the mockery of the sports world. From the ill-fated purchase of the team by penniless felon John Spano to an atrocious jersey redesign that spawned countless “fish sticks” chants, the once-proud organization became a laughingstock.

The purchase of the team in 2000 by Computer Associates executives Wang and Sanjay Kumar appeared to be a turning point for the Isles, and in fact, the Mike Milbury-run team did end its seven-year postseason-less streak in 2002. But the Isles never managed to reach the seecond round, and a plethora of laughably bad Milbury trades (most notably the dealing of Roberto Luongo and Olli Jokinen to Florida) only served to keep the franchise down.

Smith was hired during this season’s Stanley Cup Finals, and onlookers were expecting him to lend the Isles an aura of credibility they have sorely lacked since Torrey’s departure. He was the Rangers’ GM from 1989–2000, and was the architect of the Blueshirts squad that ended a 54-year drought and won the Stanley Cup in 1994. Over the course of the past month, Smith made a number of solid maneuvers, especially the addition of bruising defenseman Brendan Witt to the blue line. But the strange circumstances of his hiring provided a strong clue that the marriage wouldn’t last.

Smith was brought aboard at the exact same time as new head coach Ted Nolan, with both men expected to report directly to Wang (as would new executive director of player development Bryan Trottier and special adviser Pat LaFontaine). All four were introduced on the same day; rather than being given the chance to mold the organization in his own image, Smith was forced to work with Wang’s hires. And given Wang’s lack of hockey experience, it wasn’t a very good way to start.

“As I made clear at the press conference [announcing Smith’s hiring] last month, we are running this as a business, incorporating the opinions of our hockey operations staff, including Ted, Garth, Bryan, and Pat,”Wang said. “Despite Neil’s commitment to me that he could work in this environment, he later expressed to me on a number of occasions his philosophical opposition to our business model.

“In light of our differences, I felt that I had no choice but to make this decision in the best interests of the Islanders and our fans. I’m very proud of our draft and the roster additions our staff made this month. Our fans should know that with Ted, Garth, Bryan, and Pat helping to lead the way, the Islanders are in very good hands.”

But although Snow is certainly familiar with the roster’s strengths and shortcomings — he tended goal for the Isles in 2005–06 — he has absolutely no experience in management.And for an Islanders team that desperately needs to refurbish its reputation, he is a dubious choice.

In the long run, Snow may prove to be as great a success as Clarke and Savard. In the present, the Islanders organization finds itself facing still more uncertainty. If Snow is, in fact, able to right the Isles’ ship, it would be — as was Noah’s successful voyage — a miracle.

Mr. Greenstein is the editor in chief of InsideHockey.com.