Retool or Rebuild if JT leaves and what would you do?

steveat

Registered User
Jun 4, 2011
12,057
2,003
I'm getting a bit antsy..probably like everyone else about JT and his next decision. It seems pretty effed up that up to this point, no one knows what's going to happen..

IF JT leaves....Bailey is back to being a 50 point player. His chemistry with JT was really good, but he won't get those numbers without him...so Bail's contract looks about in par.

Retool: I'd put up future picks, prospects, Nelson, Lee, Clutterbuck and maybe Zeeker up on the block to bring back either a solid goalie to last us the next 3-4 years until Sorokin comes over or a top 3. We have a ton of top 5-6-7-8, just very little top 1-2-3-4

Beau-Barzal-Eberle
(UFA - JVR or maybe Patches) - Bailey - Ho-Sang (He better be up by this time)
(UFA - Perron or Bellows) - (UFA Bozak/Plekanec or through trade) - Vrbata (1 year) OR Golyshev (assuming we could buyout his KHL contract and assuming Golyshev would want that)
Ladd - Fritz - Wagner

Quine and Prince - I would be fine with as long as they are only filling in for injuries.

Johnston
Dal Colle

Leddy - Boychuck
New top 3 - New Top 4
Pulock - Pelech
Mayfield/Davidson

I honestly don't have a clue which dman we could land. I would prefer 1A dman, but I don't think there is a team out there willing to give up there's...I mean..maybe Tampa needs to unload or maybe Nashville?


I'd love to take a shot at Sergachev, but it seems Mcdonagh might be possible..not sure if I want him, but he is the type we do need to fill that role. The Preds have top D overload....maybe we can work something out to give them more scoring?

Rebuild.

Sell anyone that has played for 5 years or more and use what we have to rebuild...I do think we have enough to start with a solid core. 3 years later..we could be another Leafs team now.
 

Poliz24

Registered User
Jun 25, 2012
1,116
93
LI
If JT leaves, I would rebuild. JT leaving means Garth is most likely gone. New GM different direction. If we are able to sell off the right contracts, Clutterbuck, Ladd, Greiss, maybe boychuk in a year or 2. That will open up our cap again(hopefully without retaining too much $). Build around Barzal up front, his game translates to the current NHL which is helpful. We obviously don't have a #1 Goalie or D-men pairing, so until we are able to find those 2 pieces, we will be in rebuild mode. I think we need to find better player development and scouting departments, hopefully with a new GM that can be attained. I wouldn't mind pelech, mayfield, nelson moved as well. If a new GM comes in perhaps they allow JHS to play up here. Pelech and mayfield while having long-term deals come at a low cap hit and they can be moved. Toews can step in and play next year and I think Aho can give us something. If we can hit on our two draft picks this year, then the "rebuild" can be sped up.
 

iggy

Registered User
Aug 2, 2005
284
115
If JT leaves, I would rebuild. JT leaving means Garth is most likely gone. New GM different direction. If we are able to sell off the right contracts, Clutterbuck, Ladd, Greiss, maybe boychuk in a year or 2. That will open up our cap again(hopefully without retaining too much $). Build around Barzal up front, his game translates to the current NHL which is helpful. We obviously don't have a #1 Goalie or D-men pairing, so until we are able to find those 2 pieces, we will be in rebuild mode. I think we need to find better player development and scouting departments, hopefully with a new GM that can be attained. I wouldn't mind pelech, mayfield, nelson moved as well. If a new GM comes in perhaps they allow JHS to play up here. Pelech and mayfield while having long-term deals come at a low cap hit and they can be moved. Toews can step in and play next year and I think Aho can give us something. If we can hit on our two draft picks this year, then the "rebuild" can be sped up.

JT leaving most likely means Garth stays
 
  • Like
Reactions: islesfan3991

Instant

Registered User
Feb 20, 2018
2,259
1,451
We need a re-tool WITH Tavares on the team. I don't know how can one imagine a re-tool without him.

If JT walks, blow this shit up. Sell everything that has any value, trade/sign some good vets for reasonable contracts and draft well.
 
  • Like
Reactions: SI90

beach

Registered User
Aug 17, 2005
5,692
3,244
here
Retool: I'd put up future picks, prospects, Nelson, Lee, Clutterbuck and maybe Zeeker up on the block to bring back either a solid goalie to last us the next 3-4 years until Sorokin comes over or a top 3. We have a ton of top 5-6-7-8, just very little top 1-2-3-4

Beau-Barzal-Eberle
(UFA - JVR or maybe Patches) - Bailey - Ho-Sang (He better be up by this time)
(UFA - Perron or Bellows) - (UFA Bozak/Plekanec or through trade) - Vrbata (1 year) OR Golyshev (assuming we could buyout his KHL contract and assuming Golyshev would want that)
Ladd - Fritz - Wagner

Quine and Prince - I would be fine with as long as they are only filling in for injuries.

Johnston
Dal Colle

Leddy - Boychuck
New top 3 - New Top 4
Pulock - Pelech
Mayfield/Davidson
We need Sorokin badly. Lee needs to stay. We need a 1/2D so we can push Leddy/Boychuk to 3/4. Wagner, Quine, and Prince need to leave immediately. I'd resign CDH. Mayfield should never been given that contract. We'll never be able to unload Clutter. Nelson and Del Colle need to be a part of an outgoing package.
 
  • Like
Reactions: IODCPiper

scott99

Registered User
May 13, 2005
10,997
1,520
I’m typically an optimistic person. But this offseason has crushed my soul.

That being said, my optimistic side thinks it would be more of a retool.

We already have a #1 center in Barzal, who already has found some chemistry with Bailey at the World Championships, so I disagree with the OP on Bailey. They could go 2 ways, Barzal as the #1 center and keep Lee and Bailey on that line. Or Bailey as the #2 center behind Barzal. Either way, I think they can produce a lot of offense even without Tavares.

The prospect pool is pretty good as opposed to teams on a total rebuild. 4 picks in the first 2 rounds this year too, to help restock a good prospect pool. My opinion, this would be a retool IF Tavares leaves, not a rebuild. They already have a great young #1 center.
 

Instant

Registered User
Feb 20, 2018
2,259
1,451
The prospect pool is pretty good as opposed to teams on a total rebuild. 4 picks in the first 2 rounds this year too, to help restock a good prospect pool. My opinion, this would be a retool IF Tavares leaves, not a rebuild. They already have a great young #1 center.

Yes, we have a great, young #1 center. And that's it. No goalie, no top pair d-men, few mixed quality wingers and a lot of bad contracts.
 
  • Like
Reactions: IODCPiper

MJF

Hope is not a strategy
Sep 6, 2003
26,865
19,579
NYC
Eberle, Tito, Barzal, Lee, Leddy, Pulock stay. Everyone else on the NHL roster last year can go.

We have no goalie, we have no top pair defensemen. That's a rebuild in my eyes.
 

scott99

Registered User
May 13, 2005
10,997
1,520
Yes, we have a great, young #1 center. And that's it. No goalie, no top pair d-men, few mixed quality wingers and a lot of bad contracts.
I agree somewhat. But I think Bellows is a guaranteed Anders Lee type. 30+ goals a year type player. Like Lee, he will flourish with a play making center. JHS and MDC need to be traded for picks. Neither look like they have a future with the Isles. Soderstrom, to me, is an elite goalie prospect, can be our version of Hellebuyck. Sorokin, I think we trade his rights, unless Snow gets replaced by a new GM. IF we can get him to come over, he will be an elite goalie in the NHL.

Also, one of our prospects who isn’t on the list of elite NHL prospects, will work out for the team. Seems to happen to EVERY team, where a no name prospect becomes a good NHLer.

I like some of our 2nd tier prospects like Toews, Aho, Golyshev & Kouivu. Add in the 4 picks in the first 2 rounds this year, and I liked some of the picks last year. I think we have a very solid prospect pool. Some will bust, yet some will surprise.
 
  • Like
Reactions: dood

scott99

Registered User
May 13, 2005
10,997
1,520
Also, forgot to add in. Pulock had an EXCELLENT rookie season, I think people are forgetting about him. I think he can be a key Dman going forward for the Isles.
 
  • Like
Reactions: YearlyLottery

saintunspecified

Registered User
Nov 30, 2017
5,974
4,295
I don't see how rebuild/retool matters much with NYI's roster going into the season. It matters more at the trade deadline.

- No matter what NYI will keep Barzal, Beauvillier, Pulock, Toews, Bellows, most other prospects.
- NYI should look to move Ladd, Boychuk, and Clutterbuck no matter what, but it's most likely none can get moved without taking on other bad contracts.
- It's likely if JT leaves that Nelson will sign a 1-year deal or go to arb. It's unfortunate but NYI will need warm bodies. Or trade him. Doesn't matter, would do it in either scenario if it makes sense.
- There's no reason to make an immediate decision on Eberle, who should remain impending UFA until NYI sees how the season goes.
- Lee should be signed or moved in a way totally dependent upon his contract demands. If he is to be moved, there's no rush.
- NYI just signed Bailey. It would be bizarre to sign and trade a guy in the same year. I'm not saying it can't happen, but it won't happen until the deadline at the earliest.

The only decision point I can see is Leddy. Moving Leddy would mean that NYI are throwing away the season for assets.

The way I see it, you can reduce this question to - should NYI move Leddy now for assets? And the answer, I think, is absolutely not. Leddy is a great athlete with stellar skating technique, and who should have all the physical tools well into his 30's. Unless NYI gets offered a haul for him, it's better to keep him even in the case of a rebuild.
 

aronjudge11

Registered User
Jul 2, 2017
1,017
222
An expansion team.can win the cup and the ISLES have only tried to win games half the years since 1995. Get a real GM and win a cup next year without JT.
 

Instant

Registered User
Feb 20, 2018
2,259
1,451
I agree somewhat. But I think Bellows is a guaranteed Anders Lee type. 30+ goals a year type player. Like Lee, he will flourish with a play making center. JHS and MDC need to be traded for picks. Neither look like they have a future with the Isles. Soderstrom, to me, is an elite goalie prospect, can be our version of Hellebuyck. Sorokin, I think we trade his rights, unless Snow gets replaced by a new GM. IF we can get him to come over, he will be an elite goalie in the NHL.

Also, one of our prospects who isn’t on the list of elite NHL prospects, will work out for the team. Seems to happen to EVERY team, where a no name prospect becomes a good NHLer.

I like some of our 2nd tier prospects like Toews, Aho, Golyshev & Kouivu. Add in the 4 picks in the first 2 rounds this year, and I liked some of the picks last year. I think we have a very solid prospect pool. Some will bust, yet some will surprise.

I think we should get a look at all the younger guys this coming season. Bellows, Ho Sang, Dal Colle, basically everyone who looks like they're ready to play in the NHL. And then decide who will be the core guys to do a (hopefully quick) rebuild. If Bellows lives up to the hype, having him, Barzal, Beau, Pulock and at least one player who turns out good from this year draft is a really good start. I don't think Ho Sang should be traded, he should be given one last chance to prove he can do it. His trade value right now wouldn't be high enough to get rid of him.

I'd also keep the rights to Sorokin if he's ready to come here after his current KHL contract ends. It wouldn't be good to lose him now. As far as Soderstrom goes, I don't believe Greiss/Soderstrom is enough to go on, we need someone who's ready to be #1 goalie right now and maybe then bring Soderstrom as #2.

As far as our prospect go, I'm careful. It's the Isles, we can't have nice things.

This leaves us with a glaring hole in the net and a top pair d-men to aquire and they don't grow on trees. There will be teams that will need to dump some of their guys because of the cap, but they won't be giving them out for free.
 

MJF

Hope is not a strategy
Sep 6, 2003
26,865
19,579
NYC
I don't see how rebuild/retool matters much with NYI's roster going into the season. It matters more at the trade deadline.

- No matter what NYI will keep Barzal, Beauvillier, Pulock, Toews, Bellows, most other prospects.
- NYI should look to move Ladd, Boychuk, and Clutterbuck no matter what, but it's most likely none can get moved without taking on other bad contracts.
- It's likely if JT leaves that Nelson will sign a 1-year deal or go to arb. It's unfortunate but NYI will need warm bodies. Or trade him. Doesn't matter, would do it in either scenario if it makes sense.
- There's no reason to make an immediate decision on Eberle, who should remain impending UFA until NYI sees how the season goes.
- Lee should be signed or moved in a way totally dependent upon his contract demands. If he is to be moved, there's no rush.
- NYI just signed Bailey. It would be bizarre to sign and trade a guy in the same year. I'm not saying it can't happen, but it won't happen until the deadline at the earliest.

The only decision point I can see is Leddy. Moving Leddy would mean that NYI are throwing away the season for assets.

The way I see it, you can reduce this question to - should NYI move Leddy now for assets? And the answer, I think, is absolutely not. Leddy is a great athlete with stellar skating technique, and who should have all the physical tools well into his 30's. Unless NYI gets offered a haul for him, it's better to keep him even in the case of a rebuild.
It’s not a coincidence that the Islanders missed the playoffs the last 2 years with Leddy having poor seasons in both. The way the defense corps is currently constituted, as Leddy goes so goes the Islanders.
 
  • Like
Reactions: IODCPiper

Doshell Propivo

Registered User
Dec 5, 2005
11,233
4,884
If the "rebuild" is like the last one where they intentionally try to not be competitive, then I will not be paying much attention.
 

Poliz24

Registered User
Jun 25, 2012
1,116
93
LI
JT leaving most likely means Garth stays
I can't see Garth staying if JT goes, garth and JT are close. If he can't find a way to keep JT I can't see ownership keepin GS after he blows it and lets our franchise player leave for nothing.
 

saintunspecified

Registered User
Nov 30, 2017
5,974
4,295
It’s not a coincidence that the Islanders missed the playoffs the last 2 years with Leddy having poor seasons in both. The way the defense corps is currently constituted, as Leddy goes so goes the Islanders.

Okay. I believe it's less likely that trading Leddy for assets gets NYI a better D than keeping him and looking to add D they should add anyway. If Leddy got NYI Boqvist, Bouchard, or Dobson they should do it. But he won't.
 
  • Like
Reactions: IODCPiper

steveat

Registered User
Jun 4, 2011
12,057
2,003
The only reason I put Lee up for trading is because right now, he's got the most value. My fear is that we resign him and he starts to slow down. He's already big and not as fast as the others and the quicker this league gets, the more of a hinderance he becomes. He probably has another 3-4 years of peak performance before he starts falling. This has nothing to do with his game, but timing..this is the time to let him go..also ..left wingers are cheaper to obtain than right wingers, which is why I want to keep Eberle. We need elite right wingers.

If we can land a decent 2-way 3rd liner or a second line centreman and out him on third line..we are good. Then we need to concentrate on a top D coming our way.
 
  • Like
Reactions: IODCPiper

Bood12

Registered User
Oct 12, 2016
3,349
1,066
who cares is what I am going to do if JT is going to leave, let me know in 5 years how this team is shaping out of he is going to walk, if there is still a team on Long Island or Brooklyn
 

steveat

Registered User
Jun 4, 2011
12,057
2,003
We need Leddy...the problem is the same as the one we had with AMAC..meaning..he plays well, but not if you make him play 25 minutes a game. What we need is a Suter to take on those minutes and another minute cruncher...THEN we should be good.

Leddy is not the problem...we can't let a good skating dman get away..He's better than any top 4 out there. We have to keep our higher end D..
 

saintunspecified

Registered User
Nov 30, 2017
5,974
4,295
He probably has another 3-4 years of peak performance before he starts falling. This has nothing to do with his game, but timing..this is the time to let him go..also ..left wingers are cheaper to obtain than right wingers, which is why I want to keep Eberle. We need elite right wingers.

I don't see why Anders Lee at 32-33 can't be as effective as Joel Ward at 35-36. It's all about how much money. He's not worth more than 6M AAV because he's just not good defensively.
 

Doshell Propivo

Registered User
Dec 5, 2005
11,233
4,884
The only reason I put Lee up for trading is because right now, he's got the most value. My fear is that we resign him and he starts to slow down. He's already big and not as fast as the others and the quicker this league gets, the more of a hinderance he becomes. He probably has another 3-4 years of peak performance before he starts falling. This has nothing to do with his game, but timing..this is the time to let him go..also ..left wingers are cheaper to obtain than right wingers, which is why I want to keep Eberle. We need elite right wingers.

If we can land a decent 2-way 3rd liner or a second line centreman and out him on third line..we are good. Then we need to concentrate on a top D coming our way.
I never understood this logic. We develop a player into a first liner. 40 goal scorer. And now we're afraid that in 3-4 years he may decline. So we should trade him?
 
  • Like
Reactions: BelovedIsles

SI90

Registered User
Jul 25, 2011
85,039
62,501
StrongIsland
If JT leaves, BLOW IT UP!


Rebuild. We’re alrwady ahead of where we were in ‘08

We have Barzal Pulock Beauvillier. Build around them. We have Bellows, Ho-Sang, and Devon Toews.
Dal Colle is what he is move him in a package.

Trade Bailey, Lee, Leddy, Eberle, Cizikas, Mayfield, Pelech and Clutterbuck. No one wants Ladd or Boychuck but maybe once they see the team is rebuilding they’d want a change and someone will take them for pennies.


Hopefully by the time we head into Belmont we’ll start to be competitive.
 
  • Like
Reactions: IODCPiper

Ad

Upcoming events

Ad

Ad

-->