At least one person doesn’t want to see (Garth) Snow go.
Following, or in some cases extending, the path of Jets fans who paid for a billboard calling for former general manager John Idzik to be fired, a group of Islanders fans created a GoFundMe account to pay for signage demanding longtime general manager Garth Snow’s job.
In Tuesday’s ugly 4-1 home loss to Columbus, fans at Barclays Center chanted “Snow must go,” and the torch-wielding mob has since grown larger, with the account already raising enough money to pay for two billboards, which would be placed less than a mile from the Brooklyn arena. The account has raised $5,980 — after doubling its original fundraising goal, from $2,725 to $5,450 — and planned on donating the extra money to center Anders Lee’s Kancer Jam charity.
However, Lee, who was drafted by Snow and the Islanders in 2009, couldn’t support his worthy cause through the efforts of one he doesn’t believe in.
Lee posted this on Twitter: “Islanders fans are the most passionate, dedicated fan base in the NHL. There’s nothing better than scoring a goal and seeing them erupt in celebration. For them to want to generously donate to my Kancer Jam foundation, is extremely humbling, however I do not feel right accepting money from a movement I do not agree with. The main goal of everyone in the organization is to win games. I know that’s a fact because I live it and see it every day. We all share that same goal. We also share the bond that we were brought here by Garth Snow. He had the faith to draft me in 2009 and I wouldn’t be where I am today without his support, so I do not feel right accepting the donation. I appreciate the gesture from our fans and their efforts to support the Kancer Jam Foundation but ask that they use this money to support another fund that can benefit from this donation.”
The GoFundMe account has since closed its fundraising and will donate the superfluous funds to other cancer charities.