Speculation: Rumors/Speculation/Trade Talk - 2019-20 Pt. VII: The Lou Awakens

[Newsworthy]

Its funny how so many on this forum (when I didn't dislike it so much and participated more a few years back) raved over how eberle - strome was such a steal favoring

Its funny how so many on this forum (when I didn't dislike it so much and participated more a few years back) raved over how eberle - strome was such a steal favoring the NYI.

I was at the NY Islanders draft party at the Coliseum the year Ryan Strome was drafted and was delighted with the selection.
I was so wrong. Still Strome has carved out a solid NHL career. I was indifferent with the trade for Eberle. Strome's trade value was at an all time low and he clearly lost his confidence. Thing is we probably could have re-acquired Strome from Edmonton sometime down the line at a discount.

 

[Newsworthy]

I was at the NY Islanders draft party at the Coliseum the year Strome was drafted and I was delighted with the selection.
I was so wrong. Still Strome has carved out a solid NHL career. I was pretty indifferent with the trade for Eberle.

 

[Islesfan22]

I was at the NY Islanders draft party at the Coliseum the year Strome was drafted and I was delighted with the selection.
I was so wrong. Still Strome has carved out a solid NHL career. I was pretty indifferent with the trade for Eberle.

Playing with Panarin saved his nhl career.

 

[SayItAintSoJohnny]

We are really scraping the frustration bucket of insanity on this board now...

Strome had sucked it up MIGHTILY his last two seasons in NY...and he pretty much laid an egg in Edmonton too, as well as his first year back in NY with the Rangers. Eberle had averaged per 82 more goals (26) in his last 6 seasons than Ryan had scored his last two seasons combined with us (21). I make that trade 7 days a week and twice on Sunday...

It has been a nice little resurgence for Ryan, but I cant erase his four woeful ones before that and say he is all the way back....Even with his nice season, he still has 26 LESS goals in 15 MORE games than Jordan since that trade...

For a fifth overall pick, he has been a bust...

His career average of points is on par with Eberle's worse season

 

[nystromshairstylist]

Honestly. I have been quite negative but if you actually view Strome as a better player you either don't watch enough hockey or you do not know how to evaluate players. I am a big Strome fan but this is a joke.

I don't but Strome was a #5 pick and a significant bust. That mika Z was picked one pick later is rather telling, and there were a number of better players selected after.

Draft selection is an inexact science, but the NYI over the past 10-15 years have consistently failed at it.

Yeah I am sure Snow would have been GREAT. Please..

Did not say that. But LL has made a number of highly questionable decisions in the past 6-12 months, some of which were borderline Snow-like.

 

[IslesNorway]

The issues are rather clear:

1-too many passengers like bailey, eberle, nelson, leddy whose efforts on the ice are sorely lacking most of the time

2-not such good players like lee, mayfield, komarov making bad decisions/bad plays like lee flubbing countless open looks

3-#1 and #2 combined leads to an inability to get the puck out of the defensive zone, leading to having to face huge numbers of shots against. NYI lead the league in shot deficit.

4-consistently poor drafting at the top of the draft where teams cores are built upon; strome/niederreiter/dal colle and inability to sign FAs...panarin, tavares, etc.

5-trotz might have lost the room. Their effort the last 2 months has been dreadful, which injuries cannot account for as the players lacking effort and floating most of their shifts were not injured.

I expect another 2 or 3 poor efforts will likely lead to trotz getting canned.

I refuse to believe that Trotz has lost the room, but it is more that the team is actually showing their true selves. They overperformed all of last season, and the beginning of this, but when the wear and tear sets in they show their true colours - a pretty mediocre lot.

In addition we have several very streaky players on our roster: Beauvillier, Nelson, Eberle and Brassard can do really well in spurts only to go AWOL for months. Brassard in particular should be given a rest. Lee is looking nothing like the player he as a couple of years ago and Bailey is not noticable at all.

 

[Newsworthy]

We are really scraping the frustration bucket of insanity on this board now...

Strome had sucked it up MIGHTILY his last two seasons in NY...and he pretty much laid an egg in Edmonton too, as well as his first year back in NY with the Rangers. Eberle had averaged per 82 more goals (26) in his last 6 seasons than Ryan had scored his last two seasons combined with us (21). I make that trade 7 days a week and twice on Sunday...

It has been a nice little resurgence for Ryan, but I cant erase his four woeful ones before that and say he is all the way back....Even with his nice season, he still has 26 LESS goals in 15 MORE games than Jordan since that trade...

For a fifth overall pick, he has been a bust...

His career average of points is on par with Eberle's worse season

Right now Strome who is 26 is clearly the better player Panarin or no Panarin. He has 59 points in 67 games and has been playing winning hockey. But no one is questioning the trade of Eberle.
At the time of the trade Eberle was a much better fit for us. Strome had lost his confidence as a NY Islander and looked really bad and soft. He looked lost at times and trading him was the right move. Amazingly he was worse off on Edmonton and other than his contract his value as a player/prospect was at an all time low. If we really wanted to we probably could have re-acquired him from Edmonton and likely at a considerable discount. IMO the Rangers saved his career while Panarin has elevated it.
He's probably leaving the Rangers as a free agent. I feel someone is going to overpay him big time and may regret it. He may even get an Eberle type contract this off season.

 

[12Dog]

I refuse to believe that Trotz has lost the room, but it is more that the team is actually showing their true selves. They overperformed all of last season, and the beginning of this, but when the wear and tear sets in they show their true colours - a pretty mediocre lot.

In addition we have several very streaky players on our roster: Beauvillier, Nelson, Eberle and Brassard can do really well in spurts only to go AWOL for months. Brassard in particular should be given a rest. Lee is looking nothing like the player he as a couple of years ago and Bailey is not noticable at all.

The Lee contract is going to look bad in a hurry

 

[Chapin Landvogt]

Maybe it is just me, but I don't see the situation as being so dire. This adversity will be helpful in figuring out exactly who stays and who goes - and I already see a few players that can go. Before next season, the Isles probably need to make about five moves to revamp the team.

The first move is that the Isles absolutely must bring Sorokin over. As we have seen with other young goalies, they stabilize a team. When you don't give up back-breaking goals (that should be saved) and you trust your goalie, the rest of the team plays looser and better. Plus, Sorokin seems to have a great personality for the locker room and NYC market, as someone who likes to joke around off-ice, but is deadly serious on the ice.

Get the defense healthy and add CHEAP veteran depth (second move). I would be looking to bring back Green (or a comparable UFA) on a one-year deal for about $2-2.5 million. Assuming Pelech returns to form, which will be huge, and Dobson is gaining important experience right now, the Isles should be able to ice a top-5 defense corps. The four core defensemen should be: Pelech, Pulock, Toews (probably extended a year or two at $2.5 million AAV) and Dobson (with perhaps Wilde down the line joining this group if he isn't traded to help elsewhere). Add in Boychuk and Greene for sure (see Leddy and Mayfield discussed below) and that gives the Isles six quality defensemen at the NHL level with probably Hickey, Aho and Wilde in the AHL for depth (unless more is added by trade). Not ideal but few teams have much depth on defense now.

Third move, option 1: The Isles have to go all-in on an UFA goal scorer like Taylor Hall (doubtful to sign with the NYI), Hoffman or Dadonov. Hoffman would be my target and I do whatever is reasonably necessary to bring him in to play alongside Barzal. Dadonov would be the next choice. If you can sign a player like Hoffman or Dadonov, I trade Bailey for futures (to help restock the system or use in trade down the line) and see if I can move Leddy in a trade for a cheaper, albeit lesser defenseman to help the depth. Like the Trouba for Pionk deal in reverse. If you can't find that, get the best package of futures available for use later.

Third move option 2: If the Isles cannot add a goal scorer in free agency, then they are going to have to trade for one and I would use Mayfield and his cheap contract as one asset to do that. The other assets are probably some mix of Wahlstrom, Bellows, Holmstrom, Wilde, the 2021 draft pick, etc. In the right deal for a significant upgrade, Beauvillier is also on the table. I look to see if a trade built around Mayfield, Beauvillier and another couple assets can get a player like a Nylander or Rakell. What the Isles give up depends on the quality of player being returned.

For the fourth move, I revisit the Parise-Ladd swap. Try to find a workable deal there. I am not sure what it is going to be but, if you can move out Ladd's deal for a serviceable player and take on more real $$$ but work under the cap, you have to do it. Otherwise Ladd goes to Robidas Island and gets paid to stay away next season.

Finally, I let Martin, Brassard and Kuhnhackl all walk and I look to add 2-3 NHL/AHL tweener players at forward to come in and compete but also provide depth in the AHL. Ross takes Martin's spot and MDC is not guaranteed a spot unless he earns it.

Assuming the NHL salary cap moves up to the $86-88 million mark, the Isles should be able to resign their RFAs, although there might have to be a bridge deals for Towes and Barzal right now, add one top goal scorer and look to round out the team. Provided they make the tough calls on players like Bailey and Leddy (good players but redundnat to the Isles) and jettison Ladd. And a bit further down the line, contracts like Boychuk and Clutter will either come to an end in a couple seasons or be moved off the books via trade or buyout.

Of course if the Isles miss the playoffs, let's pray for a (long overdue) NHL draft lottery win, because that would expedite improvement, just like it has helped Carolina, Philly, the Rags, etc.

The Isles don't have a first or second round pick this summer.

Otherwise, lots of good thoughts in this post.

 

[Chapin Landvogt]

Probably about plenty of church attendance, because Lazarus will have to rise again for us to make a playoff run.

Or the boys just get their act together and make a strong playoff run.

 

[NC 1972]

The Isles don't have a first or second round pick this summer.

Otherwise, lots of good thoughts in this post.

I believe the first round pick is protected should it fall in the top 3

 

[NC 1972]

The Isles don't have a first or second round pick this summer.

Otherwise, lots of good

 

[CBG]

It is very hard to play a grinding style of hockey each and every night over 80 games and I believe that it takse a heavy toll over an 80 game season especially when this team lacks the horses.

 

[Chapin Landvogt]

No one said they are a useless team even though they are playing like it, As a fan, I hope you are right but I've been saying it when they were winning and losing, they have too many 3rd/4th liners being paid more like 2nd liners and they dont have alot of depth so they will be just that, an avg team that doesnt have the enough to bring on what will push them to the next level.

The players we have now are the players we have now. Who knows what the summer will bring or if Lou will be able to do some magic on the free agency or trading fronts.

Regardless of who is suiting up, what we need now is for everyone to stop making plays and decisions that are free of rhyme and reason. There's been far too much of that recently - and it's killing us. It's led to a number of unnecessary turnovers and the types of backbreaking goals that we have shown ourselves not to be too capable of bouncing back from.

Our boys desperately need to focus on the thing they SHOULD be able to do best, namely prevent goals.

That is Trotz' calling card and it's what we saw at the core of the success last season.

And it's something they most certainly could start doing again starting tonight. The commitment to carrying that out first and foremost has eluded us for a while. We must get back to it, because we're not winning the 6-5 games.

Naturally, it hasn't helped that guys like Pelech and Cizikas have been out (simultaneously), because they have often been the best or most accountable players in just that task.

Lou decided to pay premium prices at the Trade Deadline that was to move this team into the post season and it hasn't paid dividends yet and if doesnt is was a costly gamble.
We better hope he can shed some of the dead wood to free up contracts & some cap space in the offseason

The price was frustrating, but it's not like a guy was acquired who could walk this summer. Through the long-term signing, Lou addressed a major need in the here and now, and for the future. The center position has gone from a weakness when Lou took over to basically our strength. Hopefully, we'll see that if and when all 4 centers are on board.

I expect that to be the time when we'll really start seeing dividends.

Regardless of what happens now, Lou's job this summer, as I see it, is as follows:
- Get Sorokin over here
- It's time to turn a Dman into more help up front or use a Dman to replenish some of the picks we've recently dished off
- Get Barzal, Pulock, Toews, and perhaps Beau on doable and promising contracts moving forward
- Be successful in adding more speed to this line-up.

Lou isn't necessarily damned to get rid of payroll or dead weight, especially with the cap rising and even as much as many Isles fans can't wait to see Komarov and Ladd out of here. And we're in no position to pay other teams to take contracts off our hands.

We ARE near the 50-contract limit though. I think we have one, maybe two slots open. I'm not sure about Martin, but I see Kuhnhackl and Brassard walking for sure. Several guys on deals in the minors likely aren't going to be re-upped or will likely be cut off. Heck, the team may even walk away from RFA kids like Aho, Wotherspoon or Vande Sompel if it sees other players it wants more.

Plenty of decisions to be made.

 

[PK Cronin]

The players we have now are the players we have now. Who knows what the summer will bring or if Lou will be able to do some magic on the free agency or trading fronts.

Regardless of who is suiting up, what we need now is for everyone to stop making plays and decisions that are free of rhyme and reason. There's been far too much of that recently - and it's killing us. It's led to a number of unnecessary turnovers and the types of backbreaking goals that we have shown ourselves not to be too capable of bouncing back from.

Our boys desperately need to focus on the thing they SHOULD be able to do best, namely prevent goals.

That is Trotz' calling card and it's what we saw at the core of the success last season.

And it's something they most certainly could start doing again starting tonight. The commitment to carrying that out first and foremost has eluded us for a while. We must get back to it, because we're not winning the 6-5 games.

Naturally, it hasn't helped that guys like Pelech and Cizikas have been out (simultaneously), because they have often been the best or most accountable players in just that task.



The price was frustrating, but it's not like a guy was acquired who could walk this summer. Through the long-term signing, Lou addressed a major need in the here and now, and for the future. The center position has gone from a weakness when Lou took over to basically our strength. Hopefully, we'll see that if and when all 4 centers are on board.

I expect that to be the time when we'll really start seeing dividends.

Regardless of what happens now, Lou's job this summer, as I see it, is as follows:
- It's time to turn a Dman into more help up front or use a Dman to replenish some of the picks we've recently dished off
- Get Barzal, Pulock, Toews, and perhaps Beau on doable and promising contracts moving forward
- Be successful in adding more speed to this line-up.

Lou isn't necessarily damned to get rid of payroll or dead weight, especially with the cap rising and even as much as many Isles fans can't wait to see Komarov and Ladd out of here. And we're in no position to pay other teams to take contracts off our hands.

We ARE near the 50-contract limit though. I think we have one, maybe two slots open. I'm not sure about Martin, but I see Kuhnhackl and Brassard walking for sure. Several guys on deals in the minors likely aren't going to be re-upped or will likely be cut off. Heck, the team may even walk away from RFA kids like Aho, Wotherspoon or Vande Sompel if it sees other players it wants more.

Plenty of decisions to be made.

In regards to the contract limit, a bunch of UFAs are on the roster and if the team doesn't qualify Ho-Sang that's another spot. Plenty of room if they want to do something.

 

[SayItAintSoJohnny]

Right now Strome who is 26 is clearly the better player Panarin or no Panarin. He has 59 points in 67 games and has been playing winning hockey. But no one is questioning the trade of Eberle.
At the time of the trade Eberle was a much better fit for us. Strome had lost his confidence as a NY Islander and looked really bad and soft. He looked lost at times and trading him was the right move. Amazingly he was worse off on Edmonton and other than his contract his value as a player/prospect was at an all time low. If we really wanted to we probably could have re-acquired him from Edmonton and likely at a considerable discount. IMO the Rangers saved his career while Panarin has elevated it.
He's probably leaving the Rangers as a free agent. I feel someone is going to overpay him big time and may regret it. He may even get an Eberle type contract this off season.

He is not clearly the better player. Considering we are still somehow 2 points ahead of the Rangers with a game in hand, then the "winning hockey" label for the season could be put on him as well, despite our current woes.

It is all Panarin...

He has played 130 games as a Ranger...

in the 74 games without Panarin on his line:

19 goals, 22 assists and 41 points

in the 56 games with Panarin on his line:

17 goals, 34 assists and 51 points

Hell, 17 of his points this season have come on the PP benefiting with 2 and sometimes 3 of Pan, Kreider and Mika on his line...

Better? No, lol. Much better offensive talent around him, you betcha...

 

[Duanesutter12]

It is very hard to play a grinding style of hockey each and every night over 80 games and I believe that it takse a heavy toll over an 80 game season especially when this team lacks the horses.

Actually, this is the best message in this thread! It's not just that a grinding style of hockey is tough to play over 80 games it's that this team is only comprised of grinders. Scoring punch has been the biggest problem since the Trotz era began so what do we do at the trade deadline? Add one of the leagues best grinders that albeit can add a little scoring punch. The Isles just can't hang with uber talented teams and we don't have any pure finishers. We can even go back to the Tavares era when we were all complaining about JT not having a top fight wing man. For some reason, this team has been stuck in an offensive funk since I can remember sans the one year Doug Weight turned everyone loose at the expense of playing any semblance of defense. It's been really frustrating!

 

[MJF]

Actually, this is the best message in this thread! It's not just that a grinding style of hockey is tough to play over 80 games it's that this team is only comprised of grinders. Scoring punch has been the biggest problem since the Trotz era began so what do we do at the trade deadline? Add one of the leagues best grinders that albeit can add a little scoring punch. The Isles just can't hang with uber talented teams and we don't have any pure finishers. We can even go back to the Tavares era when we were all complaining about JT not having a top fight wing man. For some reason, this team has been stuck in an offensive funk since I can remember sans the one year Doug Weight turned everyone loose at the expense of playing any semblance of defense. It's been really frustrating!

That’s not entirely true. Leddy, Pulock, Toews, Bailey, Eberle, Beauvillier, Nelson, Barzal, Lee are not grinders. They are expected to bring the offense and they are all underperforming.

 

[SayItAintSoJohnny]

It is hard to keep things in perspective when we are playing so woeful right now. Truth is this team doesn't come close to being a very good one in this system without being healthy because of the lack of depth.

We also have no idea how this team will look with four quality pivots anchoring the four lines. Regardless of how we do the rest of the way and if we make it in or not, that will be when we really get to evaluate what we have- that and of course if and when Sorokin gets here.

If we can get a commitment from Greene to re-up with us, then we could have as many as 10 deep on our blue line with a return of health of Pelech joining Pulock, Toews, Leddy, Boychuk, Mayfield, Dobson, Hickey and Aho.

No, Hickey is not necessarily someone we should count on- but he has been a serviceable 7th d-man in his past and Aho very well could be ready to secure that role in some fashion next season. And of course just how much of a strength this unit will be is going to be the maturation of Noah- but still there are options galore that most teams would envy.

Greiss will be gone and in comes Sorokin and we get to see just how good he really is...

Meaning of course our true off season focus will be on the wings.

Lee and Bailey are the only two of our Top 6 who took steps backwards in year 2 offensively in this system. Nelson, Beau, Barzal and Eberle all are on pace to improve on their totals from last season. Most of them already have and that is with 16 games to go.

It doesn't take a genius to understand it really. Lee needs to be on a line where the other two mates are shooting, and neither Matty or Jordan are doing it enough. Our superstar needs a finisher, and neither Anders or Jordan is that. And Bailey, well since all he does is pass- needs to be either on a line with two scorers or revert himself as being a third line forward...

Still the answer "shouldn't" be too far off. Not when it comes to depth anyway. It is having 8 guys who are in the mix for those six wing spots on the top 3 lines. We will almost certainly have Lee, Eberle and Beau back...meaning we will need 5 more to put into the mix. Upgrading Bailey would be great, but that is subtracting from the 5 which puts us further into the hole.

We aren't adding 4 free-agent forwards who we could (with comfort) pencil into the mix, nor are we going to be able to trade for that many. No, what we need is for two of our youngsters out of Wahlstrom, Bellows and Koivula to join that group and then somehow, someway get 2 more SOLID OPTIONS by trade or free-agency.

It isn't going to easy with all the bad contracts we have on the books (Ladd, Komarov, etc) but it can be done and the clearest sign is using our defensive depth to either open the space or acquire one....

Lastly is going back to some resemblance of that identity line. It begins and ends with Cizikas and for all case and purposes likely includes Clutterbuck for two more seasons.

This season the Islanders have played 33 games with the duo and 33 games without at least one of them:

23-8-2 with both of them
12-15-6 without

 

[Duanesutter12]

That’s not entirely true. Leddy, Pulock, Toews, Bailey, Eberle, Beauvillier, Nelson, Barzal, Lee are not grinders. They are expected to bring the offense and they are all underperforming.

I don't think Beau's under performing and I would argue he's got some grind to his game. I guess my main point is that the team is built around grinding and none of the guys you mention, other than Barzal, are top flight scoring threats. Again, this team has always lacked scoring punch and nothing has been done to address that. That's where the frustration lies.

 

[PK Cronin]

I don't think Beau's under performing and I would argue he's got some grind to his game. I guess my main point is that the team is built around grinding and none of the guys you mention, other than Barzal, are top flight scoring threats. Again, this team has always lacked scoring punch and nothing has been done to address that. That's where the frustration lies.

Lamoriello deserves criticism for not bringing in more offense, the Pageau move was more pressing at the deadline unfortunately. I said at the beginning of the season that if he didn't bring in scoring help I'd be annoyed. I'm annoyed because we're seeing the same issues we saw in the second round last year a little bit earlier this season. The injuries, for a team lacking high end talent, has been brutal as well.

 

[MJF]

Lamoriello deserves criticism for not bringing in more offense, the Pageau move was more pressing at the deadline unfortunately. I said at the beginning of the season that if he didn't bring in scoring help I'd be annoyed. I'm annoyed because we're seeing the same issues we saw in the second round last year a little bit earlier this season. The injuries, for a team lacking high end talent, has been brutal as well.

I've said it before. It's fair to question Lou on why he committed to streaky scorers like Nelson, Eberle and Beauvillier last summer. But we probably already know the answers and we're not going to like them.

1)Nelson had a career best and they thought that Trotz was the coach who finally got the best out of him, and Eberle came alive down the stretch and carried the team on his back in the first round sweep of the Penguins.

2)If we didn't re-sign those players we would have had a hard time replacing them in the UFA market. We still have to ice a competitive roster and the Islanders were very few players first choice.

 

[Chapin Landvogt]

In regards to the contract limit, a bunch of UFAs are on the roster and if the team doesn't qualify Ho-Sang that's another spot. Plenty of room if they want to do something.

A bunch?

Other than the 3 I mentioned, only Greiss and Greene.

I guess five could be seen as a bunch though.

On the farm, there's both Gibson and Coreau, Helgeson, St. Denis, and the new guy Schmaltz (Group 6).

Aside from Ho-Sang and those I mentioned above, there are a few other RFAs down there, primarily Hutton, Carpenter, and Burroughs.

The importance of my mentioning that we are near the contract limit now (we actually have 50, but I think Vande Sompel's slides due to his long-term IR - might be wrong) is that, as far as I know, this won't allow Lou to add more than maybe one college or junior free agent this spring, if he so chooses.

Last spring, he added three. And in light of our lack of early round picks the next two drafts, something like this may have been a bit prudent.

And I don't know if he can add any say Euro free agents (many go around WC tourney time) until the current contracts expire.

Going even further, we also have some prospects who need to be signed, if desired. I believe both Coskey and Bibeau would have to be signed this summer. Blade Jenkins needs to be signed, or he can go back into the draft. Nick Pastujov would need to be signed, or he becomes a UFA.

Naturally, for those with few NHL prospects, they could just sign with Bridgeport. That is a route that has been taken in the past.

MY TAKE:
Of our UFAs, I expect to see Martin and Greene retained for less money than they're getting on their current contracts.

Of the UFAs in Bridgeport, I think only Gibson and Schmaltz may be retained. Just maybe. Of the RFAs on the farm, I expect to see Carpenter and Hutton retained. They may keep Vande Sompel around. I believe we're going to see Aho and Wotherspoon moved - or allowed to walk.

I also think we'll see Bibeau and Coskey signed. If Pastujov plays any role (doubt it), it'll be as an AHL/ECHL signing.

 

[Tahoeblue]

The players we have now are the players we have now. Who knows what the summer will bring or if Lou will be able to do some magic on the free agency or trading fronts.

Regardless of who is suiting up, what we need now is for everyone to stop making plays and decisions that are free of rhyme and reason. There's been far too much of that recently - and it's killing us. It's led to a number of unnecessary turnovers and the types of backbreaking goals that we have shown ourselves not to be too capable of bouncing back from.

Our boys desperately need to focus on the thing they SHOULD be able to do best, namely prevent goals.

That is Trotz' calling card and it's what we saw at the core of the success last season.

And it's something they most certainly could start doing again starting tonight. The commitment to carrying that out first and foremost has eluded us for a while. We must get back to it, because we're not winning the 6-5 games.

Naturally, it hasn't helped that guys like Pelech and Cizikas have been out (simultaneously), because they have often been the best or most accountable players in just that task.



The price was frustrating, but it's not like a guy was acquired who could walk this summer. Through the long-term signing, Lou addressed a major need in the here and now, and for the future. The center position has gone from a weakness when Lou took over to basically our strength. Hopefully, we'll see that if and when all 4 centers are on board.

I expect that to be the time when we'll really start seeing dividends.

Regardless of what happens now, Lou's job this summer, as I see it, is as follows:
- Get Sorokin over here
- It's time to turn a Dman into more help up front or use a Dman to replenish some of the picks we've recently dished off
- Get Barzal, Pulock, Toews, and perhaps Beau on doable and promising contracts moving forward
- Be successful in adding more speed to this line-up.

Lou isn't necessarily damned to get rid of payroll or dead weight, especially with the cap rising and even as much as many Isles fans can't wait to see Komarov and Ladd out of here. And we're in no position to pay other teams to take contracts off our hands.

We ARE near the 50-contract limit though. I think we have one, maybe two slots open. I'm not sure about Martin, but I see Kuhnhackl and Brassard walking for sure. Several guys on deals in the minors likely aren't going to be re-upped or will likely be cut off. Heck, the team may even walk away from RFA kids like Aho, Wotherspoon or Vande Sompel if it sees other players it wants more.

Plenty of decisions to be made.

Agree on all counts. Especially trying to regain assets(picks) and drop some contracts and term. I still think Lou needs to fix the situation at the Bridge. Also, stay away from handing out terrible contracts on July 1.

 

[PK Cronin]

A bunch?

Other than the 3 I mentioned, only Greiss and Greene.

I guess five could be seen as a bunch though.

On the farm, there's both Gibson and Coreau, Helgeson, St. Denis, and the new guy Schmaltz (Group 6).

Aside from Ho-Sang and those I mentioned above, there are a few other RFAs down there, primarily Hutton, Carpenter, and Burroughs.

The importance of my mentioning that we are near the contract limit now (we actually have 50, but I think Vande Sompel's slides due to his long-term IR - might be wrong) is that, as far as I know, this won't allow Lou to add more than maybe one college or junior free agent this spring, if he so chooses.

Last spring, he added three. And in light of our lack of early round picks the next two drafts, something like this may have been a bit prudent.

And I don't know if he can add any say Euro free agents (many go around WC tourney time) until the current contracts expire.

Going even further, we also have some prospects who need to be signed, if desired. I believe both Coskey and Bibeau would have to be signed this summer. Blade Jenkins needs to be signed, or he can go back into the draft. Nick Pastujov would need to be signed, or he becomes a UFA.

Naturally, for those with few NHL prospects, they could just sign with Bridgeport. That is a route that has been taken in the past.

MY TAKE:
Of our UFAs, I expect to see Martin and Greene retained for less money than they're getting on their current contracts.

Of the UFAs in Bridgeport, I think only Gibson and Schmaltz may be retained. Just maybe. Of the RFAs on the farm, I expect to see Carpenter and Hutton retained. They may keep Vande Sompel around. I believe we're going to see Aho and Wotherspoon moved - or allowed to walk.

I also think we'll see Bibeau and Coskey signed. If Pastujov plays any role (doubt it), it'll be as an AHL/ECHL signing.

Nearly every team in the league is near the same number. If minor deals to move out contracts has to happen, that's not too hard to do. We see that done every single year. Martin, Brassard, Kuhnhackl, Greiss, Greene, St. Denis, Schmaltz, Hegelson, Coreau, and Gibson are all set to be UFAs, which is ten contracts. Some will be brought back, some will be replaced, but that's plenty of flexibility. Then you add in the RFAs and there is even more flexibility. I don't think the contract limit is really a problem at the moment and usually becomes a problem for teams trying to make trades in-season.