Now is probably the time to finally go all-in

[leeroggy]

It's not the big trades that put you over, it is the little ones

Luongo for Halak and one of our 2nds
Hjamarlsson for the other 2nd and Hickey

First trade gets us a goalie with .3 better save pct traditionally then our current group
Second trade takes Hickey and Seids off the ice without having to dress 3 novices

I think Luongo has a no-move contract. Also, his entire family is from down here (I live in Boca and sometimes go to the family restaurants . . . Pizza Time in both Coral Springs and East Boca . . . the food is fantastic!), his wife isn't going anywhere and he'd probably retire first.

Hjamarlsson would go for more from many other teams so we have to offer more.

I posted this elsewhere:

Maybe the answer to putting us over the top would be to trade Hickey for a draft pick and call up Toews to play that 3rd pair LD with whoever you want to cycle in on the RD. I'm at the point where I could see us looking for that one upgrade on the Bottom 6 that could be able to dominate the faceoff dot and kill penalties as well as fill in on the Top 6 should we get an injury. You've got Martin Hanzal out there, who some of us thought could be the answer at 2C. He certainly would be the answer at 3C. Nelson and a pick for Hanzal? Hanzal has started out poorly this year, partly due to a 3% shooting percentage and a weird pattern of use with Dallas:

Here's his advanced stat link, could others better informed at this gives us an analysis:

Martin Hanzal NHL Advanced Statistics (All) | Hockey-Reference.com

With Hickey and Nelson gone you get the money to slot Hanzal and Toews.

Now you run with

Lee/JT/JB
Ladd/MB/JE
Beau/Hanzal/Ho-Sang
CC/CC/JC or Quine
Prince

You can mix and match that bottom 6 too if you want Beau on the 4th you can move Prince/Quine to that spot.

Toews for Hickey would have possibly already happened if we weren't winning so much right now. To me he's like Kenny Morrow, in that we are waiting for a player who is better than the incumbent and it's just a matter of time but there is a hesitancy to fool with the winning right now.

This is all assuming we don't make a serious run at an OEL. If we are not going that route:

Leddy/Boy
DeHaan/Pelech
Toews/Mayfield or Pulock is the way to go

Toews' ability to make outlet passes and quick decisions with his speed will make Mayfield and Pulock more effective as they will play less time in their own zone with him as a partner. Hickey can't do that.

And one other thing I would do is to trade for a goalie prospect for Bridgeport. Right now it looks like Gudlevskis is just taking up space. Maybe not even a prospect. I assume we still have the rights to Mikko Koskinen. In the offseason I see no reason why he and Soderstrom can't be the pairing for Bridgeport unless his salary with the KHL is too much.

 

[beach]

Guys, 'Shutdown' defenders mean we don't have the puck. The best defense is possessing the puck. Please lets not trade for a Walrus.

Cole is a +47 since 2012. When you are up by 1 or 2 night in and night out when things get tight in the last third of the season, shut down guys have a huge impact on team success. To add him as a #5 D man and also use him in strategic situations, i.e. late in games to protect leads, I'd be all for it.

 

[PK Cronin]

I get that you all want to be all in, but in the (un)likely event that we go all in and Tavares ends up leaving...we’ve lost Tavares and mortgaged away all of our future...it’ll get ugly real quick.

You don't trade all of it, you trade some of the assets. Losing Tavares is going to cripple the team anyway, might as well make a real run.

Guys, 'Shutdown' defenders mean we don't have the puck. The best defense is possessing the puck. Please lets not trade for a Walrus.

Not necessary. I think Hedman is a shutdown defender and he has the puck plenty. Patrice Bergeron is a shutdown defensive center and he was excellent in his prime, offensively and defensively.

 

[mm11]

As of last night, this team is a legitimate contender. They are lacking 3 or 4th line center depending where you put Cizekas. They need to improve on faceoffs IMO. Addressing that need with a Frans Nielsen in his prime center and a healthy Cizekas is what we need. That’s it.

If all we get is a legit faceoff guy i'll be ok. Trying to obtain top 4 D's and #1 goalies in this day and age must be harder than trying to score in a monastery. Let's see what unfolds

 

[GrandmaSlices51631]

We should add a solid 2nd Pairing D and a 3c. We could do that without mortgaging the future, as much as I've bashed the idea of having a dad-type D in the line up. Seidenberg has had more good games then bad games and will be a calming presence when Playoffs come around, he can still bring some physicality too, which is an area we are lacking in.

Let's not forget the dog fight that is the playoffs, I know we are on fire now but things will cool off. Right now there are 36 players playing at a PPG or better, by the end of the season there will maybe 10. Going ALL IN now based on a 1/4 of a season is short sighted, depending on how you define ALL IN.

We really need to just solidify the lineup and rid ourselves of passengers, Brock Nelson and a 2nd Round pick should be available. If MDC starts doing anything in the AHL that gets a team looking, he should also be available. IF Hickey is going to be dealt, we need to get Toews or Aho some meaningful minutes during the playoff hunt so they are not thrown to the wolves. Shutting down Cory Conacher and shutting down Kuznetsov is a big step.

 

[2ndGenIslander]

I think the long haul of the season will expose the goaltending at some stretch. Luongo will be 39 in April but he still has it, he is superior to our existing tandem and hungry for a cup and supposedly one of the best locker room guys.. He would be a major upgrade

If our goal is winning a cup this year, i have a hard time believing Luongo is the guy we ride throughout the playoffs. The guy could barely hang in there for 6 games with us in the first round, how the hell is he going to make it through 4 rounds of NHL teams that get harder to defeat as the playoffs go on? Need a guy with much more youth and upside than a 39 year old.

 

[norwegianislander]

Don't go Montreal on trade deadline. Idiots going for bigger and stronger in a fast league. Puck possesion wins championship this days. Maybe i have been an Islanders fan for to long, but i dont trust this team to be elite yet.

If scoring dries up, we are in big trouble fast. Last time we made the playoffs, we started like this (not this good), but lost form. I agree with you guys that we have needs, but with the future of this franchise is so unkown with JT's future and Belmont, i would be very careful going all in this year.

 

[majormet]

If our goal is winning a cup this year, i have a hard time believing Luongo is the guy we ride throughout the playoffs. The guy could barely hang in there for 6 games with us in the first round, how the hell is he going to make it through 4 rounds of NHL teams that get harder to defeat as the playoffs go on? Need a guy with much more youth and upside than a 39 year old.

He had a pretty weak team in front of him against us, this Islander team is very strong, he just has to make a few "steal saves" that the current guys can't get to... I do believe that some of the 8 shorties we have given up could have been saved.... And if you are up 3-1 in a series you can start Greiss

 

[majormet]

He's also got a bunch of years left on his deal and has been historically mediocre in the playoffs. That would be a really bad acquisition.

Vancouver got to the cup with him,... he looks better than ever right now, we have a very bad save percentage for a supposed elite team... He has 1 1/2 years left right?

 

[Strummergas]

Vancouver got to the cup with him,... he looks better than ever right now, we have a very bad save percentage for a supposed elite team... He has 1 1/2 years left right?

That was 6 friggin' years ago and this season is only a third over. What's more likely at this point; that he magically reverts back to 2011 form for the rest of the season, or that he winds up looking like he did against the Islanders in the first round of 2016 by the time the playoffs roll around?

 

[PK Cronin]

Vancouver got to the cup with him,... he looks better than ever right now, we have a very bad save percentage for a supposed elite team... He has 1 1/2 years left right?

Our goaltenders always end up near their career averages. Even with Halak having a horrific start to the year last season he was close to his career average. I wouldn't worry about the goaltending too much.

 

[majormet]

That was 6 friggin' years ago and this season is only a third over. What's more likely at this point; that he magically reverts back to 2011 form for the rest of the season, or that he winds up looking like he did against the Islanders in the first round of 2016 by the time the playoffs roll around?

He is always around .930 save pct, that is kind of true about him.. but if his contract stinks and he wants to retire on South Beach,, then it is moot...

PK... not so sure we have cup winning goaltending, we have playoff entry caliber goaltending.

 

[PK Cronin]

He is always around .930 save pct, that is kind of true about him.. but if his contract stinks and he wants to retire on South Beach,, then it is moot...

PK... not so sure we have cup winning goaltending, we have playoff entry caliber goaltending.

If it can be improved, reasonably, I'm okay with it. I don't think it's a must. A lot of teams have done worse than Greiss and Halak.

 

[mm11]

but if his contract stinks and he wants to retire on South Beach,, then it is moot...

If that's the case, cant blame Luongo, there could be worse places to retire right? anyway, Cam Ward looked pretty good against us and he has a ring no?

 

[Richie Daggers Crime]

Vancouver got to the cup with him,... he looks better than ever right now, we have a very bad save percentage for a supposed elite team... He has 1 1/2 years left right?

He's signed through 20/21. He'll be well into his 40s by the time that thing ends. It was a terrible contract to take on when he was in his early-mid 30s, but it's even worse to buy into the fading years of it.

 

[gadiamon72]

I'm waiting until after the next 2 weeks to put more thought into this. After they play the Sens. on Friday, they play 8 games over two weeks. 5 of them are against TB, CBJ, the Caps, Pitt, and the Kings. Also included in that span is Dallas, who crushed them last time. I'll have a better idea of where this team is going after this stretch.

 

[majormet]

He's signed through 20/21. He'll be well into his 40s by the time that thing ends. It was a terrible contract to take on when he was in his early-mid 30s, but it's even worse to buy into the fading years of it.

Very good points,

 

[majormet]

If that's the case, cant blame Luongo, there could be worse places to retire right? anyway, Cam Ward looked pretty good against us and he has a ring no?

I don't blame him at all, he will never get a cup, has a bratwurst burping assistant coach, and plays with a 4th line psycho but that works for him

As for Ward, I would be in for that too, he is not as good as Luongo but has won a cup and has friends on the Isles (Weight and Ladd)... but Carolina is going to contend and win me a beer

 

[Jester9881]

You also don't want to mess with the chemistry too much. I don't think this team needs much, but 0ne area I worry about come playoff time is grit. They never really replaced that aspect when Matt Martin left, and you know once the post season starts it's no holds barred. Don't forget the crap Washington pulled with Hickey and Visnovsky. I'm not saying to go out and get a Trevor Gillies.... but adding a Bobby Ny wouldn't hurt this team.

 

[SCMURRAY]

I think Hjalmarsson is smart choice. Also think Vermette would be wise. Guy is lights out in the face-off circle

 

[Jester9881]

While I like Aho and Toews, you don't want to go into the playoffs with too green a defense. If Boston isn't asking for the moon for Chara, I'd love to replace Hickey with him.... that would be a significant upgrade.

 

[periferal]

I think the long haul of the season will expose the goaltending at some stretch. Luongo will be 39 in April but he still has it, he is superior to our existing tandem and hungry for a cup and supposedly one of the best locker room guys.. He would be a major upgrade

The problem with Luongo is:

1. Has a history of underperforming in the playoffs. I only want to trade for guys who RAISE their game in the playoffs.
2. Luongo has another FOUR years on his contract after this one. Haven't we had enough of goalie contracts being paid out into their 40's?

 

[nystromshairstylist]

Don't go Montreal on trade deadline. Idiots going for bigger and stronger in a fast league. Puck possesion wins championship this days. Maybe i have been an Islanders fan for to long, but i dont trust this team to be elite yet.

If scoring dries up, we are in big trouble fast. Last time we made the playoffs, we started like this (not this good), but lost form. I agree with you guys that we have needs, but with the future of this franchise is so unkown with JT's future and Belmont, i would be very careful going all in this year.

Agreed, speed and youth are the winning combination in the NHL in 2017, and trading for 39 or 40 year olds is pointless waste. OEL would make the most sense, and bringing in a young talent like that after a deep run in the playoffs on a team headed to a new stadium in the league's biggest market would be a strong incentive for him to stay.

 

[periferal]

It would be surreal if the Isles won the Cup with Luongo and Chara. Talk about things coming full circle.

You really could've stopped your post at "Cup."

 

[Sparksrus3]

I agree with the whole premise of the thread, we'll see what happens.

Garth is well positioned with assets to make things happen. Currently, Calgary is out of playoff position so that pick could carry a little more value too. Nelson needs to go on one of his good streaks.

As opposed to leaving skid marks , as opposed to leaving skid marks . ( sighs )