Speculation: Deletions To Improve

[BarBeauWahlDobLok]

In general, this is a good team. Franz Nielsen must be re-signed. He is such an important part of this team.

But then there are guys who I don't want back, or REALLY need to improve in a hurry:

- Kyle Okposo: Slight chance he comes back, and that's only if the open market blows up in his face, which I think could happen. Honestly, there's a lot of wind between the ears for this guy when it comes to hockey IQ, and it's been there his whole career. In whole, the Islanders are better off without him.

- Josh Bailey: The living, breathing poke check! And that does not mean that he does it well. He's still under contract beyond this year, which is unfortunate.

- Ryan Strome: He was pretty good last year. His struggles are obvious this year. Maybe he should get a chance at a bounce-back year, but maybe he should be traded this summer.

These are the guys who I'm most down on. Good chance that at least one of them is not back next season.

Click to read more...

 

[BARzalDOWN]

Before you start getting rid of 3 guys of our top ten scorers, we should probably come up with guy who will replace their production. And don't say barzal or dal colle, whom I both think will do well, but we can't count on them consistently as rookies.

 

[TheWhiteWhale30]

In general, this is a good team. Franz Nielsen must be re-signed. He is such an important part of this team.

But then there are guys who I don't want back, or REALLY need to improve in a hurry:

- Kyle Okposo: Slight chance he comes back, and that's only if the open market blows up in his face, which I think could happen. Honestly, there's a lot of wind between the ears for this guy when it comes to hockey IQ, and it's been there his whole career. In whole, the Islanders are better off without him.

- Josh Bailey: The living, breathing poke check! And that does not mean that he does it well. He's still under contract beyond this year, which is unfortunate.

- Ryan Strome: He was pretty good last year. His struggles are obvious this year. Maybe he should get a chance at a bounce-back year, but maybe he should be traded this summer.

These are the guys who I'm most down on. Good chance that at least one of them is not back next season.

Strome is on a cheap deal and unless he is part of a package bring back an Elite player, he needs to be give time. He could easily still be a 20-40-60 guy. Kid is so young still. This could easily blow up in our faces.

Grabovski, Strait need to be added to your list. Free up $6M.

 

[TheWhiteWhale30]

Before you start getting rid of 3 guys of our top ten scorers, we should probably come up with guy who will replace their production. And don't say barzal or dal colle, whom I both think will do well, but we can't count on them consistently as rookies.

KOs replacement is coming in way of trade at the draft. Doesn't matter if there is a replacement or not. You don't sign a guy long term for big $ just because. Look at Vanek. Bye bye

 

[Sparksrus3]

The islanders don't trade their players.
The last players that were NYI draft picks that played 100 games with us then were traded
were macdonald and before him Gervais.before that you would have to go back to the Tim Connilly trade.
THIS IS FOR PLAYERS WE DRAFTED AND HAVE PLAYED AT LEAST 100 GAMES FOR US.

The islanders don't trade their players

 

[seafoam]

Frans needs to be re-sign, no if's, and's, or but's.

I feel like Okposo is definitely replaceable. On 5 on 5, there should be cheaper, more well-rounded, options available on July 1st. On the powerplay, he could replaced by Barzal, or dare I say Ho-Sang. I'm not worried about losing him.

I honestly don't have a problem with Bailey at all. Can play every position except 1C.

I think Strome needs to be moved back to center, and if Nielsen is re-signed and Barzal forces himself onto the team, I don't think Strome will get that opportunity. His lack of strength and average skating ability worry me. He's all hockey sense right now. If you could swap him for a true winger of equal value (I still really like Drouin) or package him for a defenseman, I think that's something you have to look into, and maximize value on Hamonic (Laine please).

Nelson-Tavares-Laine
Drouin-Nielsen-Bailey
Grabovski-Barzal-Kulemin
Martin-Cizikas-Clutterbuck

With a Stempniak, Versteeg, or Purcell.

Nelson-Tavares-UFA
Bailey-Nielsen-Laine
Drouin-Grabovski-Kulemin
4th line

Barzal back to WHL

 

[TheWhiteWhale30]

The islanders don't trade their players.
The last players that were NYI draft picks that played 100 games with us then were traded
were macdonald and before him Gervais.before that you would have to go back to the Tim Connilly trade.
THIS IS FOR PLAYERS WE DRAFTED AND HAVE PLAYED AT LEAST 100 GAMES FOR US.

The islanders don't trade their players

Different times my friend. Unless your Milbury you don't trade prospects and we couldn't trade anyone else because they were fillers/garbage pickings. Teams go trough stages in a rebuild, this summer is different then any other. JTs age/contract, isles haven't build to win a cup because it was never realistic. There will be 1-2 trades this offseason. Book it.

 

[blitzkriegs]

Strome is on a cheap deal and unless he is part of a package bring back an Elite player, he needs to be give time. He could easily still be a 20-40-60 guy. Kid is so young still. This could easily blow up in our faces.

Grabovski, Strait need to be added to your list. Free up $6M.

Strait is already a UFA. Zid is most likely a goner.

Grabo can stay, he's not the issue. His salary is high, but you know what? Isles needed him and Kulemin to return to respectability, so no problem keeping him around. The way his 'upper body' injuries keep happening, he might not finish his contract healthy.

KO will be replaced by a 2/3yr deal to another player, if an elite guy is not brought in via trade.

I wonder, depending on this year's post season, whether Ledeky & Co. greenlight a major acquisition. While I don't think they will win, I can see Isles being in play for Stamkos.

 

[Richie Daggers Crime]

I feel like Okposo is definitely replaceable. On 5 on 5, there should be cheaper, more well-rounded, options available on July 1st. On the powerplay, he could replaced by Barzal, or dare I say Ho-Sang. I'm not worried about losing him.

Not proselytizing on behalf of Okposo, but I don't see any way Barzal or HoSang (!) replaces his production. Say what you will about Okposo's flaws (and he has some for sure), he's still a top 25 scorer in the league.

Nelson-Tavares-Laine

Yeah, not gonna happen.

With a Stempniak, Versteeg, or Purcell.

Aim for the stars, friend.

 

[2ndGenIslander]

Not proselytizing on behalf of Okposo, but I don't see any way Barzal or HoSang (!) replaces his production. Say what you will about Okposo's flaws (and he has some for sure), he's still a top 25 scorer in the league.



Yeah, not gonna happen.



Aim for the stars, friend.

That's what kills me about losing him. I don't think he quite gets the credit he deserves by a majority of people here wanting him gone. I know he wants a pay day but I hope perhaps he'd consider a hometown discount.

You draft forwards hoping they'll be a top 25 scorer in the league and he is not even 28 yet. He's got quite a few strong years ahead of him.

 

[LeapOnOver]

That's what kills me about losing him. I don't think he quite gets the credit he deserves by a majority of people here wanting him gone. I know he wants a pay day but I hope perhaps he'd consider a hometown discount.

You draft forwards hoping they'll be a top 25 scorer in the league and he is not even 28 yet. He's got quite a few strong years ahead of him.

Geez, about a month ago people were doing the same thing with Franz Nielsen. Now they are finally seeing the light and going from "unless he comes at a discount let him walk" to "he has to be resigned". That gives me hope that people will wake up on Okposo as well. Okposo isn't as important as Frans in my opinion, but it's the lack of replacement that worries me. He has to be resigned or our offense will nosedive.

 

[MatthewBarnabysTears]

Kyle Okposo: Slight chance he comes back, and that's only if the open market blows up in his face, which I think could happen. Honestly, there's a lot of wind between the ears for this guy when it comes to hockey IQ, and it's been there his whole career. In whole, the Islanders are better off without him.

Kyle Okposo has a low hockey IQ? That's one of the more convoluted ways I've ever seen someone complain they wished Okposo scored more.

 

[First Blood]

If you can resign Okposo any where between 5.5M - 6M you keep him, purely for his offense alone. He's a top 25 scorer whether you like him or not. But if he wants $ close to 7M I do not think any logical Islander fan can be justified in keeping him. He has too many flaws if he is not scoring. He turns the puck over too much and he is horrible defensively to compensate.

 

[Frankie41987]

Before we start talking about our roster players being replaced by prospects, lets remember all the arguments about how Nielsen was expendable because of Strome and Nelson. Prospect development doesn't always go as smoothly as predicted.

 

[TheWhiteWhale30]

Just an FYI for KO supporters...he is a -65 during his career. He is also a -8 this year on the 3rd best goal differential team in the league. Only other fowards that are a minus Nelson -2 Strome -1 then you have KO at -8...every other foward is a + player including JT (and he's struggled defensively) tells you how flawed KOs game is. Taylor Hall is a +2 on EDM! Let's set our sights a tad higher. I'd much rather see Hall on his wing. KO will want just as much as hall if not more. Hall has been a constant on the trade rumor market and EDM GM has already stated changes are coming. Id much rather move hamonic in a package for Hall. If KO wants to stay he can play 2nd line at $5M...anymore and forget it. Points aren't all that matter. He is much more replaceable then some think. Just like Matty mouls...it's time to move on.

Id rather have Hall over KO regardless but on top of that T hall is at $6M over the 4 years where as KO will want 7x7 no ****ing thanks. Hall at 24 is going to be a stud for a long time.

 

[PK Cronin]

I disagree strongly with your "deletions."

No teams get better by simply getting rid of a 60+ point scorer, a 35-40 point scorer, and a promising prospect who has put up 50+ points in his first year. Those players cannot be "addition by subtraction" victims. That's Brian Strait. These three are valuable NHLers, no matter how inconsistent or frustrating they are. They need to be kept around or replaced by an improvement.

 

[LeapOnOver]

Just an FYI for KO supporters...he is a -65 during his career. He is also a -8 this year on the 3rd best goal differential team in the league. Only other fowards that are a minus Nelson -2 Strome -1 then you have KO at -8...every other foward is a + player including JT (and he's struggled defensively) tells you how flawed KOs game is. Taylor Hall is a +2 on EDM! Let's set our sights a tad higher. I'd much rather see Hall on his wing. KO will want just as much as hall if not more. Hall has been a constant on the trade rumor market and EDM GM has already stated changes are coming. Id much rather move hamonic in a package for Hall. If KO wants to stay he can play 2nd line at $5M...anymore and forget it. Points aren't all that matter. He is much more replaceable then some think. Just like Matty mouls...it's time to move on.

Id rather have Hall over KO regardless but on top of that T hall is at $6M over the 4 years where as KO will want 7x7 no ****ing thanks. Hall at 24 is going to be a stud for a long time.

Great! Case closed. Pick up Hall IMMEDIATELY! Oh, wait, it's not that easy is it? In a vacuum you can have all sorts of fun. In real life, we aren't going to get Taylor Hall. Especially not at that contract. Until anyone has a viable option for replacement (none of these people deleting Okposo do) then it's Mark Streit for Matt Donovan all over again. I thought some of you learned your lesson from that. I guess not.

 

[TheWhiteWhale30]

Great! Case closed. Pick up Hall IMMEDIATELY! Oh, wait, it's not that easy is it? In a vacuum you can have all sorts of fun. In real life, we aren't going to get Taylor Hall. Especially not at that contract. Until anyone has a viable option for replacement (none of these people deleting Okposo do) then it's Mark Streit for Matt Donovan all over again. I thought some of you learned your lesson from that. I guess not.

Literally zero need to respond to me like I'm an idiot. I assure that I am not. I hate to tell you IT IS that easy. Halls name has been the #1 trade name all year... EDM has been saying for quite sometime that atleast 1 big contract IS getting moved this offseason. Isles need to move Hamonic and NEED a winger for JT, EDM needs defense...you think we can't get halls contract for Hamonics ? Lol Hamonic is even more of a bargain and fills a HUGE hole they have. They need hamonic way more then they need Hall and they want to cut $...top pair Dman for peanuts? Already been reported by many that WPG is not the likely destination for Hamonic as Snow is not interested in WPG. It makes way too much sense...it's honestly quite obvious. When you have the stupid amount of assests like we have just about any move is easily possible. Snow has options at his feet if he so chooses. Think he will mind making a slight overpayment to the western conference Oilers ? This is exactly why he didn't move any big assets at the TDL, he's not altering chemistry or moving hamonic before the PO run. Yeah I've learned a lesson...the lesson is this team is not winning a SC with your teams #2 offensive threat a -8 player. You can make your Donovan Streit comparison all day but this is nothing like that. Streit went bye bye and we acquired no one to replace him because we were not going to spend $ or move assets to replace him because this team was nowhere near peaking yet. It's called being a smart GM. People may have hated it at the time but it has the Franchise in the position it is in today. Snow will trade for a top winger for JT and it will very likely be T Hall. Be as condescending as you'd like, doesn't change how likely this move is. Remember how everyone knew weeks in advance Staal was a ranger.

 

[LeapOnOver]

Literally zero need to respond to me like I'm an idiot. I assure that I am not. I hate to tell you IT IS that easy. Halls name has been the #1 trade name all year... EDM has been saying for quite sometime that atleast 1 big contract IS getting moved this offseason. Isles need to move Hamonic and NEED a winger for JT, EDM needs defense...you think we can't get halls contract for Hamonics ? Lol Hamonic is even more of a bargain and fills a HUGE hole they have. They need hamonic way more then they need Hall and they want to cut $...top pair Dman for peanuts? Already been reported by many that WPG is not the likely destination for Hamonic as Snow is not interested in WPG. It makes way too much sense...it's honestly quite obvious. When you have the stupid amount of assests like we have just about any move is easily possible. Snow has options at his feet if he so chooses. Think he will mind making a slight overpayment to the western conference Oilers ? This is exactly why he didn't move any big assets at the TDL, he's not altering chemistry or moving hamonic before the PO run. Yeah I've learned a lesson...the lesson is this team is not winning a SC with your teams #2 offensive threat a -8 player. You can make your Donovan Streit comparison all day but this is nothing like that. Streit went bye bye and we acquired no one to replace him because we were not going to spend $ or move assets to replace him because this team was nowhere near peaking yet. It's called being a smart GM. People may have hated it at the time but it has the Franchise in the position it is in today. Snow will trade for a top winger for JT and it will very likely be T Hall. Be as condescending as you'd like, doesn't change how likely this move is. Remember how everyone knew weeks in advance Staal was a ranger.

I have to meet exaggeration with exaggeration. I have NEVER heard Halls name in trade rumors. Friedman never mentioned Hall, and I watch a lot of the Oiler's intermissions to see his responses. He has not once mentioned him. The only odd man out he talked about is RNH and before that he was throwing Eberle's name around until McDavid returned and they had chemistry.

It's fine if you have some insider information i'm not privy too, but you don't see how your post reeks of "all eggs in one basket"? I personally don't see how Hall can be available 1, 2 how it would only cost Hamonic. It would cost considerable assets above Hamonic to get him. Is it worth giving up Hamonic and Strome to get Hall? I don't know about that one. That would be the starting point for sure though. For as much sense as it makes I haven't heard one pundit equate a rumor that Hall was being offered in a Hamonic swap. Sorry if you don't like my disbelief but i'm going to need a little more than, "it makes sense"

 

[rikker]

i would be offering Grabo, Hickey and Kulemin around, and trying to get cheaper replacements. next year, obviously. hoping some team that is rebuilding could use their salaries to help meet cap minimum.

i might be tempted to replace these 3 with Prince, Pelech and Bernier, to be honest.

KO is such a big ? to me. i think his asking price, if more than 5.5 longterm, would mean that he is gone. i really don't think of him as a top 25 scorer. love his shot, but that is about it. his 5vs5 play leaves me disappointed as often as it leaves me excited. as is (expecting demands north of 6) , i would be leaning toward replacing him with Barzal.

Nelson-JT-Strome
Lee-Nielsen-Bailey
Prince-Barzal-Clutterbuck
MM-CC-Bernier
Halmo/JHS


Ledchuk
Dehammer
Pelock
Church/Mayfield

 

[A Pointed Stick]

NYIJT has it right. Some of you are hung up on "but goals!!!". If you do not consider his awful defense, his turnover rate, and how many goals wind up in our net as a result of him being on the ice then you are not looking at the whole picture. The guy historically is a net loss. For 7 million dollars let's get someone better. Or wait, let's add another 3 million and hire Stamkos for 10 million a year.

I do that tomorrow and never look back if there is even a 10% chance to make it work. Just imagine JT and Stammer on our top unit. Every single one of you would be fapping all over your tv screen every game and you know it.

 

[warrior60]

Before we start talking about our roster players being replaced by prospects, lets remember all the arguments about how Nielsen was expendable because of Strome and Nelson. Prospect development doesn't always go as smoothly as predicted.

I would still let Nielsen go before Strome or Nelson.

 

[TheWhiteWhale30]

I have to meet exaggeration with exaggeration. I have NEVER heard Halls name in trade rumors. Friedman never mentioned Hall, and I watch a lot of the Oiler's intermissions to see his responses. He has not once mentioned him. The only odd man out he talked about is RNH and before that he was throwing Eberle's name around until McDavid returned and they had chemistry.

It's fine if you have some insider information i'm not privy too, but you don't see how your post reeks of "all eggs in one basket"? I personally don't see how Hall can be available 1, 2 how it would only cost Hamonic. It would cost considerable assets above Hamonic to get him. Is it worth giving up Hamonic and Strome to get Hall? I don't know about that one. That would be the starting point for sure though. For as much sense as it makes I haven't heard one pundit equate a rumor that Hall was being offered in a Hamonic swap. Sorry if you don't like my disbelief but i'm going to need a little more than, "it makes sense"

Again like I'm an idiot lol there is no exaggeration and my eggs are not all in one basket it was just my opinion. 1) I said in a package Hamonic for hall. I did not once say hamonic straight up for hall. 2) I do not know more then anyone else in terms of insider information, you just clearly have never seen these rumors and that's fine. 3) Hall trade speculation/rumors leaving EDM are around. You can find them yourself.

This could've been a much more pleasent exchange. Could've discussed our opinions more in depth and would've happily did the work of pulling up these rumors for you. You should try not to be so condescending and be more respectful of other users here. Some will get annoyed and bicker, I will not. Take care.

 

[TheWhiteWhale30]

NYIJT has it right. Some of you are hung up on "but goals!!!". If you do not consider his awful defense, his turnover rate, and how many goals wind up in our net as a result of him being on the ice then you are not looking at the whole picture. The guy historically is a net loss. For 7 million dollars let's get someone better. Or wait, let's add another 3 million and hire Stamkos for 10 million a year.

I do that tomorrow and never look back if there is even a 10% chance to make it work. Just imagine JT and Stammer on our top unit. Every single one of you would be fapping all over your tv screen every game and you know it.

I would rather Hall at $6M and put that $4M else where. Other then that we are on the same page.

 

[Richie Daggers Crime]

I do that tomorrow and never look back if there is even a 10% chance to make it work.

Problem is that there's a 90%+ of getting nothing and being stuck overpaying for the "Stempniak, Versteeg, or Purcell" option that was opined about so eloquently earlier.