Rumor: Lubo on the Move?

[YesCubed]

Yep. Jay's going to owe me a lot of dinners if the team keeps getting knocked out in the first round. And with that line-up, I would anticipate plenty of time to enjoy baseball in May and June next year. If baseball wasn't horribly boring.

The Islanders would have won that series if they had "that line-up"

 

[Abe Vukota]

The Islanders would have won that series if they had "that line-up"

Probably would have won the Cup with a healthy Matt Carkner.

I think with a glass menagerie like Vis and CDH in the line-up, it's safe to pencil Strait in for 30 games.

 

[Chapin Landvogt]

No reason not to resign Visnovsky on a cheap, incentive-laden deal.

Strait stays as depth.

Neither should prevent Snow from getting another NHL Dmen to fill the 4/5 slot.

Don't think management intends to give/free up a slot to/for Pulock and Mayfield at this juncture. Not heading into the season.

 

[periferal]

No reason not to resign Visnovsky on a cheap, incentive-laden deal.

Strait stays as depth.

Neither should prevent Snow from getting another NHL Dmen to fill the 4/5 slot.

Don't think management intends to give/free up a slot to/for Pulock and Mayfield at this juncture. Not heading into the season.

I think Snow is seeing if he can sign or trade for a d-man who's either better or cheaper than Lubo. Assuming that Lubo does get signed I think that will signal that all other D-man options via FA or trade have been exhausted.

 

[Richie Daggers Crime]

No reason not to resign Visnovsky on a cheap, incentive-laden deal.

Yes. There are reasons.

 

[Tavares2TheRescue]

In the interview linked above, Vis wants to play 50 or 60 games realistically. So that means he knows he isn't as much of an everyday player at this point. Play him 50 and Pulock the other 30. Someone will be injured at some point, so Pulock can get more games then.

Keep Lubo from back to back games and rotate him out every now and again.

That sounds pretty good to me. Despite what some people seem to think around here, Visnovsky is still really good. If you can limit him through the regular season and then have him fresh for the playoffs, that would be a huge boost for this team. To compare him to Radek is silly, seeing as Radek was never good.

 

[Chapin Landvogt]

Yes. There are reasons.

Does signing him reasonably for the 40-60 games he could play in any way break the bank, deplete from the defensive depth or prevent the team from adding even more capable defenseman, much less stand in the way of the kids from making their way into the line-up?

It'd be nothing more than shoring up the blueline with a player who still has the skating and puck management skills that few of our defenseman have, including Boychuk and Hamonic.

 

[Hip Of Rick*]

Does signing him reasonably for the 40-60 games he could play in any way break the bank, deplete from the defensive depth or prevent the team from adding even more capable defenseman, much less stand in the way of the kids from making their way into the line-up?

It'd be nothing more than shoring up the blueline with a player who still has the skating and puck management skills that few of our defenseman have, including Boychuk and Hamonic.

Exactly, Viz is still a better player than CDH, Hickey, and Strait in the 50ish games he can play. If we sign someone else good than I will be happy but going into next year with Strait/rookie as our number 6 is just asking for trouble

 

[crasherino]

Exactly, Viz is still a better player than CDH, Hickey, and Strait in the 50ish games he can play. If we sign someone else good than I will be happy but going into next year with Strait/rookie as our number 6 is just asking for trouble

I'm not against bringing back Vis in the manner you describe, but if that doesn't work out why are we in trouble with a choice of high end prospects (talkin' Mayfield or Pulock here) who both have at least 1 full year of AHL experience, for our #6 spot? Its not like we relying on either of them for top pairing minutes. Our top 4 dmen all have over 100 games under their belt (top 3 over 300 each) and we'd be pairing the rookie with a guy who has some decent NHL experience as well. And while there will certainly be some bumps, they've got to pop their cherry eventually. On the 3rd pairing with somewhat sheltered minutes (at least to start) is as good a way as any.

I'll take Lubo back on that one year deal if its an option (and he's healthy). But if that doesn't work out, we at least have some redundancy in our D prospects for injury and/or struggles. And I think we'd also be talking about Pelech more if he wasn't stuck behind Griff/Pulock/Mayfield the past 2 years.

 

[Richie Daggers Crime]

Does signing him reasonably for the 40-60 games he could play in any way break the bank, deplete from the defensive depth or prevent the team from adding even more capable defenseman, much less stand in the way of the kids from making their way into the line-up?

It'd be nothing more than shoring up the blueline with a player who still has the skating and puck management skills that few of our defenseman have, including Boychuk and Hamonic.

That's fine, but there are reasons I'd pass on Vis. He's had a number of concussions already and I think it's irresponsible to sign an aging, declining, smallish defenseman who was absolutely targeted in the playoffs. The risk of permanent injury to this man is real.

 

[stranger34]

I would be really happy if after all this Vis does come back. He's one of our best, if not our best PMD and I would just shelter him and sit him vs. known physical teams. I don't think Snow is going to bring in anyone else on D of note and I think it's just going to come down to cheapness if they don't resign him. What's the harm of giving him a fat 1 year contract other than wasted money if he gets hurt? We aren't hitting the cap this year so I say go for it.

 

[blitzkriegs]

That's fine, but there are reasons I'd pass on Vis. He's had a number of concussions already and I think it's irresponsible to sign an aging, declining, smallish defenseman who was absolutely targeted in the playoffs. The risk of permanent injury to this man is real.

That risk is on Viz, not the team.

 

[ThreeLeftSkates]

That's fine, but there are reasons I'd pass on Vis. He's had a number of concussions already and I think it's irresponsible to sign an aging, declining, smallish defenseman who was absolutely targeted in the playoffs. The risk of permanent injury to this man is real.

I agree. Partnering him with Hickey(or worse, Strait) was/is the recipe for disaster. However, partnering him with a physical defenseman with decent hands would work for me. Vis has back problems, but he is the best we have when the chips are down until somebody else steps up. Could be Leddy, DeHaan, or one of the guys in the pipeline, but we stand a chance to go further with Vis than without him right now.
BPA, right?

 

[Sheva7]

I agree. Partnering him with Hickey(or worse, Strait) was/is the recipe for disaster. However, partnering him with a physical defenseman with decent hands would work for me. Vis has back problems, but he is the best we have when the chips are down until somebody else steps up. Could be Leddy, DeHaan, or one of the guys in the pipeline, but we stand a chance to go further with Vis than without him right now.
BPA, right?

If he's gonna get hit, he's gonna get hit. It won't matter who he's paired with.

Fact is, although delicate, he's probably still our 3rd best dman. If we cant get an upgrade via trade or UFA, bringing him back on the cheap should definitely be considered.

 

[Richie Daggers Crime]

That risk is on Viz, not the team.

Just from a personal standpoint, I wouldn't want to be the one to facilitate it.

 

[Chapin Landvogt]

That's fine, but there are reasons I'd pass on Vis. He's had a number of concussions already and I think it's irresponsible to sign an aging, declining, smallish defenseman who was absolutely targeted in the playoffs. The risk of permanent injury to this man is real.

True that I would hope that, if retained, he's still nothing more than a depth Dman come playoff time and is not one of the top six going in.

 

[A Pointed Stick]

Just from a personal standpoint, I wouldn't want to be the one to facilitate it.

I didn't expect you to take the humanistic approach, and I agree with you here.

 

[stranger34]

you can protect the old man easy enough... you sit him vs physical or dirty teams and thats that. Vis very rarely gets lit up on hits unless he's being targeted.

 

[Richie Daggers Crime]

I didn't expect you to take the humanistic approach, and I agree with you here.

There are people dealing with deadly serious brain issues because of taking repeated blows to the head. Last year showed me that Vis isn't capable of taking the defensive measures needed to ensure he has a reasonable chance to avoid getting tagged again. His reaction speed, strength and foot speed just aren't good enough. He has the guile to play in the NHL, but IMO, his physical tools are too diminished. An injury seems inevitable, IMO.

He wants to play because that's what hockey players do. I just wouldn't want to be the one to enable that... and for what? To be the 7th defenseman that sits against "dirty teams"? What's the point? Sign or trade for a capable defenseman that can play everyday.