2014 Free Agency and Trade Discussion

[First Blood]

The team hasn't been sold yet? Has it?

Probably going to get crucified for this post, but until the team has been officially sold it just isn't worth talking about. Want to know why? It's depressing that we've had this lunatic run this team further to the ground. It's been bleak for all of us fans, and the only promising things we have to look forward to is prospects, and not all of them pan out.

It sucks not being the team to not want to acquire top end talent via FA, and it sucks when your GM pulls off trades sending one of your fav's, etc etc.

Truth just hurts... And Wang is still here...

Rant over, let's for once have a good FA for once under the Snow era and get a decent player or two... Please?

 

[First Blood]

I think he is going to get over 5.5 from someone for 5 or 6 years. He is going to have over half the league interested I would think, for the Islanders to get him we just have to hope he doesn't want to leave the area.

He deserves the going rate for a 1st pairing d man imo. Would give him 5.5 or 6. But I read that's why Buffalo bought him out... Was tired of losing, hopefully he doesn't bring that same attitude here. I feel that he would want to go to a contender though.

When you look at the UFA defense men market, he's first on the list imo. A lot of teams are going to want him. He is more proven then Niskanen.

 

[ledzep1212]

He deserves the going rate for a 1st pairing d man imo. Would give him 5.5 or 6. But I read that's why Buffalo bought him out... Was tired of losing, hopefully he doesn't bring that same attitude here. I feel that he would want to go to a contender though.

That is why getting Halak done well before free agency was a big deal in my opinion. You can sell this team being a playoff contender to Ehrhoff by saying "We fixed our goalie problem earlier this off-season with Halak, now if you come to Long Island I have no doubt this team will make the playoffs next year." And with him being only 32 you can sell him on this team being a cup contender in 2 or 3 years with Brooklyn in the horizon, and the teams amazing prospect pool.

 

[19 in a row]

You did misread, but that is going to happen, I have done it a ton myself trying to be the first person to post a tweet.

hmm I read it as No to both, definitely not on jovanovski and pretty sure not on erhoff.. looks like staple had a whole bunch of responses and while I could not find some of the comments he was responding to, he let the air out of my tires for most of the guys that I would be interested in and seems like 2nd tier guys are on the radar.. I hope I am reading wrong or he is wrong..

 

[Riseonfire]

He deserves the going rate for a 1st pairing d man imo. Would give him 5.5 or 6. But I read that's why Buffalo bought him out... Was tired of losing, hopefully he doesn't bring that same attitude here. I feel that he would want to go to a contender though.

When you look at the UFA defense men market, he's first on the list imo. A lot of teams are going to want him. He is more proven then Niskanen.

Incorrect. That is NOT the reason he is being bought out. This is a salary cap move, plain and simple. Even if they traded him and he retired early the cap recapture would rock Buffalo upwards of 10M a year. That's a tough pill to swallow for a non-roster spot.

That said, I'd take him or Niskinen please.

 

[19 in a row]

Because of the move to Brooklyn I think the Islanders will have to spend more. Tickets will be more expensive so they will need to put a better product on the ice if they want to attract fans to their new arena.

just think if they would have done this for the last 20 years, they could have put a better product on the ice, won some playoff games, sold more seats at a higher price and had a better argument and sentiment for a new arena. .novel concept.. but typical they only might think of it when moving to a much more expensive building while trying to woo a new ticket buying fan base ..

 

[themanc84]

Bettman and Wang have both gone on the record to say Wang is considering his options. Sale of the team is not inevitable until a buyer is approved, vetted, and an offer is accepted by Wang. Right now, we have specious evidence of an offer. That's it. "Inevitable" is an awfully strong word for that.

So you're saying that Wang is going to own the Islanders until the franchise no longer exists? Because thats what inevitable means. Barroway has already been vetted and is in good standing with the league based on his business with the Devils. Specious evidence? Barroway has said himself that he is ready to buy and was told by the league to remain patient as to not scare Wang out of changing his mind. Not worth arguing the point any further. No reason to be a fan of the team if you have no optimism or hope for its future. Maybe you need to start seeing other teams. Rangers might suit you better.

 

[19 in a row]

So you're saying that Wang is going to own the Islanders until the franchise no longer exists? Because thats what inevitable means. Barroway has already been vetted and is in good standing with the league based on his business with the Devils. Specious evidence? Barroway has said himself that he is ready to buy and was told by the league to remain patient as to not scare Wang out of changing his mind. Not worth arguing the point any further. No reason to be a fan of the team if you have no optimism or hope for its future. Maybe you need to start seeing other teams. Rangers might suit you better.

I would believe this and at the pace Wang has set, i give it about 5 years. (can you go belly up while still having great developing talent? if not always a first time).

 

[Abe Vukota]

By my guess we basically have 8-10M to spent. We might even have more money since if we sign a player it might mean we have to trade a player to open up a roster spot(if we trade a guy like Strait that's an extra 750k, if we trade a guy like Bailey that's an extra 3.3M

According to Staple, the Islanders are totally or probably out on the following players:
Vanek
Moulson
Boyle
Ehrhoff
Niskanen
Stralman


Staple mentioned they might consider (though will they consider the Isles?):
Cammalleri
Heatley
Havlat
Michalek
Jokinen
Pouliot
Penner
Fayne

So Benoit Pouliot and his Bailey-esque 36 points is a first liner. The ghost of Dany Heatley is a first liner. Dustin Penner wants to bring his 23 goals in three years to our first line. Martin Havlat had 22 points last year.
Michalek at least managed 17 goals. Jokinen, Fayne, and Cammalleri are actually good. But I would really manage expectations, Isles fans. To paraphrase Rick Pitino, "Matt Niskanen is not walking through that door. Thomas Vanek is not walking through that door."

 

[ledzep1212]

hmm I read it as No to both, definitely not on jovanovski and pretty sure not on erhoff.. looks like staple had a whole bunch of responses and while I could not find some of the comments he was responding to, he let the air out of my tires for most of the guys that I would be interested in and seems like 2nd tier guys are on the radar.. I hope I am reading wrong or he is wrong..

The question he answered was if they would have interest in them, so to say pretty sure on Ehrhoff means that he is pretty sure they will have interest in him.

 

[First Blood]

Staple hasn't been honest much with us either, as I remember him tweeting that we were likely going to trade the 5th overall pick, luckily we didn't.

 

[Abe Vukota]

So you're saying that Wang is going to own the Islanders until the franchise no longer exists? Because thats what inevitable means. Barroway has already been vetted and is in good standing with the league based on his business with the Devils. Specious evidence? Barroway has said himself that he is ready to buy and was told by the league to remain patient as to not scare Wang out of changing his mind. Not worth arguing the point any further. No reason to be a fan of the team if you have no optimism or hope for its future. Maybe you need to start seeing other teams. Rangers might suit you better.

So you meant "inevitable" in the sense that one day, maybe thirty years down the line, the team will be sold? I doubt it. But okay, let's pretend that's what you meant. I stand corrected.

I've been a fan of this team for over thirty years. You don't get to decide who roots for what team. You can be optimistic; I'll be realistic based on the last, oh, twenty years.

And yes, the evidence that Wang is on the cusp of selling is specious. If there's a great offer and a vetted buyer and Wang wants out, then WHY DOES HE STILL OWN THE TEAM?

And please post a link to Barroway saying, "I'm ready to buy the New York Islanders", or words to that effect. I'd be thrilled to see it in print.

 

[ledzep1212]

According to Staple, the Islanders are totally or probably out on the following players:
Niskanen
Stralman

When did he say they were out on any of these players? Especially Niskanen, because he answered a question about him and said nothing of the sort.

 

[19 in a row]

The question he answered was if they would have interest in them, so to say pretty sure on Ehrhoff means that he is pretty sure they will have interest in him.

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Arthur Staple @StapeNewsday · 2h
@Chris_NYI8 Don't think so. Definitely not Jovanovski, pretty sure on Ehrhoff


to me it looks like he answered "don't think so" to the question about both then specified about interest in them.. after saying no he specified, definitely no interest in Jovo and pretty sure to don't think so on Erhoff.. I hope you are right though

 

[ledzep1212]

Staple hasn't been honest much with us either, as I remember him tweeting that we were likely going to trade the 5th overall pick, luckily we didn't.

He personally thought they were, and Snow really seemed like he wanted to, but if I had to guess nobody was offering anything of great value for the pick.

 

[19 in a row]

So Benoit Pouliot and his Bailey-esque 36 points is a first liner. "

so by Bailey-esque 36 points you mean better in points and ppg than Grabner and Nelson?j Better than grabner-esque or nelson-esque? Just checking..

 

[Abe Vukota]

The team hasn't been sold yet? Has it?

Probably going to get crucified for this post, but until the team has been officially sold it just isn't worth talking about. Want to know why? It's depressing that we've had this lunatic run this team further to the ground. It's been bleak for all of us fans, and the only promising things we have to look forward to is prospects, and not all of them pan out.

It sucks not being the team to not want to acquire top end talent via FA, and it sucks when your GM pulls off trades sending one of your fav's, etc etc.

Truth just hurts... And Wang is still here...

Rant over, let's for once have a good FA for once under the Snow era and get a decent player or two... Please?

THISTHISTHISTHISTHIS 100000000xTHIS

 

[ledzep1212]

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Arthur Staple @StapeNewsday · 2h
@Chris_NYI8 Don't think so. Definitely not Jovanovski, pretty sure on Ehrhoff


to me it looks like he answered "don't think so" to the question about both then specified about interest in them.. after saying no he specified, definitely no interest in Jovo and pretty sure to don't think so on Erhoff.. I hope you are right though

I think you are right, I was skipping over the don't think so part. My apologies to First Blood for saying he was wrong.

 

[19 in a row]

I think you are right, I was skipping over the don't think so part. My apologies to First Blood for saying he was wrong.

damn.. i was hoping you were right..

 

[First Blood]

I think you are right, I was skipping over the don't think so part. My apologies to First Blood for saying he was wrong.

It doesn't bother me... I want him even though Snow & Wang don't

 

[First Blood]

Also, Staple said we've been in on Niskanen. We were one of the first teams to contact his camp.

Fits the need for a #4 RHD

 

[19 in a row]

Also, Staple said we've been in on Niskanen. We were one of the first teams to contact his camp.

Fits the need for a #4 RHD

I am guessing still a long shot but would make me very very happy as long as we got a good backup goalie.. adding in a #1 LW would be icing on the cake but could be pie in the sky.. I would still like a top 9 though..

 

[ledzep1212]

so by Bailey-esque 36 points you mean better in points and ppg than Grabner and Nelson? Just checking..

Garik on twitter posted that Bailey has had only slightly worse 5v5 points/60 minutes over the last 3 seasons than Callahan. I would prefer they focused on Niskanen, Stralman, and Fayne, and used Bailey as the top line LW.

 

[Abe Vukota]

so by Bailey-esque 36 points you mean better in points and ppg than Grabner and Nelson?j Better than grabner-esque or nelson-esque? Just checking..

I don't really get this post. I didn't say Grabner was good or better than Bailey, and Nelson is a kid, so he should get some slack. Bailey is mediocrity personified, so I chose him.

 

[ledzep1212]

damn.. i was hoping you were right..

haha I was as well, I have wanted Ehrhoff for the last 2 years. Still some good options out there for the top 4.