Speculation: Rumors/Speculation/Trade Talk - 2019-20 - "Ross the Boss" Edition

[Strummergas]

Then prepare to turn blue.

Wrong character!

 

[BrockLobster]

6 more seasons of a 9.5mil cap hit for a guy already trending downward? Mehhhhh. I pass.

 

[doublechili]

There’s a pretty good gap between JHS and Gusev.

I wasn't referring to production per se. It's that we already have an offensively talented player who doesn't fit well into a defensive system, so why give up assets to get another one? Trade for a problem....

And Gusev has 4 points in 8 games. Limited sample size aside, that's not going to cut it if he's a liability otherwise (and is in the ballpark of what JHS produced under Weight).

 

[CREW99AW]

The hole just keeps getting deeper. *goes to look for a ladder*

I have one in my garage. I'll lend it to you.

 

[buud]

6 more seasons of a 9.5mil cap hit for a guy already trending downward? Mehhhhh. I pass.

Agreed. He's tempting, but we have an age and albatross issue, and he only exasperates it.

Bailey (30), Lee (29), Nelson (28), Eberle (29).

Barzal & Beau are 22, Holmstrom 18, and Wahlstrom is 19.

There's a bit of a gap between the two groups. We could use a few top 6 F's that are in their prime... 24, 25, 0r 26.

I would like to see us add a guy ''''like'''' Domi (25, MTL), Anderson (26, CLB), Reinhardt (24, BUF)... a player of this calibre, someone who may have a bit more developing to do? Someone maybe disgruntled with where they are? Namestnikov, Granlund, Toffoli, Zucker?

Best bet finding these guys is probably at TDL, so I'm willing to wait until then, before I start getting concerned. And if we're really rocking it, then there is no reason for concern.

I await with baited breath... the suspense is... not too bad.

 

[doublechili]

Best bet finding these guys is probably at TDL

I agree with most of your post, but I don't agree with this part. It seems like the TDL is when you get vets on expiring contracts, not prime players who are locked up.

 

[CREW99AW]

Not for them. For Toews, Pulock, and Barzal in July.

Lou knows we need a sniper so he tried for Panarin, just as he looked into Mark Stone last February. But he's not interested in bringing in another middle 6 forward who might make us only slightly better because "he's better than Leo or Kuhnhackl". Not unless he can rid us of one of the anchor contracts that we're saddled with.

With last season's success Lou now has the luxury of letting Wahlstrom and Dobson ease their way in as well as letting Nelson, Barzal, and a revamped power play supply the offense rather than going outside the organization for it, unless it's an elite sniper.

The comment I responded to was the isles did not make a move because they need to pay Dobson &Wally down the road.
This comment ignores that the isles recently tried giving Panarin a huge,long-term deal.
While I agree that the isles should not over pay for someone slightly better than Leo or Kuhnhack, I gotta disagree that their strategy has been " don't spend on a top 6 upgrade because Dobson & Wally have future big contracts coming up"

 

[IslesCLT]

The comment I responded to was the isles did not make a move because they need to pay Dobson &Wally down the road.
This comment ignores that the isles recently tried giving Panarin a huge,long-term deal.
While I agree that the isles should not over pay for someone slightly better than Leo or Kuhnhack, I gotta disagree that their strategy has been " don't spend on a top 6 upgrade because Dobson & Wally have future big contracts coming up"

The comment you responded to referenced paying the current RFAs and potentially blocking the path to the NHL for Dobson/Wahlstrom by adding bodies that take their potential spots. Nothing to do with not paying Panarin in order to pay Dobson and Wahlstrom who are already locked up on ELCs

 

[buud]

I agree with most of your post, but I don't agree with this part. It seems like the TDL is when you get vets on expiring contracts, not prime players who are locked up.

Yeah, didn't word it quite right.

I am not expecting any big moves early on. Lots of teams/players still figuring things out.

 

[PK Cronin]

The comment I responded to was the isles did not make a move because they need to pay Dobson &Wally down the road.
This comment ignores that the isles recently tried giving Panarin a huge,long-term deal.
While I agree that the isles should not over pay for someone slightly better than Leo or Kuhnhack, I gotta disagree that their strategy has been " don't spend on a top 6 upgrade because Dobson & Wally have future big contracts coming up"

Panarin would've been signed before Lee, so you'd have to take into account the fact that Lee either wouldn't have been signed or could've been signed for less.

 

[seafoam]

I think they are running out of patience with Brassard, otherwise why move him to the wing when he's above 50% on faceoffs?

 

[buud]

I think they are running out of patience with Brassard, otherwise why move him to the wing when he's above 50% on faceoffs?

Yeah, interesting.

Brassard seems to be struggling with the D side of the game, and maybe this is designed to take some weight off of him? He can still take faceoffs, and then just assume the responsibilities of the winger?

IDK... Trotz will experiment, for sure, and maybe this is trying to find some chemistry, with all lines?

 

[CREW99AW]

The comment you responded to referenced paying the current RFAs and potentially blocking the path to the NHL for Dobson/Wahlstrom by adding bodies that take their potential spots. Nothing to do with not paying Panarin in order to pay Dobson and Wahlstrom who are already locked up on ELCs

Paying Dobson & Wally raises was part of the excuse given for not making a move.

And the isles swing and miss for Stone and later Panarin, doesn't support that excuse

 

[Chapin Landvogt]

I think they are running out of patience with Brassard, otherwise why move him to the wing when he's above 50% on faceoffs?

If Brassard is on the wing, where he's played before, he can naturally still take face-offs.

If Trotz 'n co. feel that's really the only part of his game they're truly happy with, it sounds about right to see if he can produce more as a winger while more capable two-way players get duty up the middle.

 

[CREW99AW]

Panarin would've been signed before Lee, so you'd have to take into account the fact that Lee either wouldn't have been signed or could've been signed for less.

But the isles did not pass on Stone and Panarin because of their salaries. Lou tried and failed to acquire them.
Tnat is hardly the same as the isles not even trying because those kids in juniors and college will need raises down the road or will be blocked down the road.

 

[PK Cronin]

But the isles did not pass on Stone and Panarin because of their salaries. Lou tried and failed to acquire them.
Tnat is hardly the same as the isles not even trying because those kids in juniors and college will need raises down the road or will be blocked down the road.

No, but not trying now, after Lee was re-signed, is a lot different than before is all I'm saying. I don't agree that Lamoriello won't make a move because of salary cap implications. I think he won't make a move unless it's the right/perfect move because of salary cap implications.

 

[crasherino]

Panarin would've been signed before Lee, so you'd have to take into account the fact that Lee either wouldn't have been signed or could've been signed for less.

I know Lee says that he would have been an Islander no matter what but that simply doesn't hold water when you look at our cap. There's just no way we could have fit him in (more for long term) at his current salary, or even close to it. Which was why I would have much preferred signing Lee over Eberle. We probably would have gotten him for a little less than what we ultimately did and we could have made Eberle the July 1st fall back for when we didn't sign Panarin. Ultimately it would have gotten us to the same spot but this team is much better off with Lee/Panarin than Eberle/Panarin - at least IMO. I always viewed Panarin as an upgrade to Eberle. Lee is a different type of player, completely, and shouldn't have been the trade off, which is what he ultimately would have become, statements after signing not withstanding.

 

[PK Cronin]

I know Lee says that he would have been an Islander no matter what but that simply doesn't hold water when you look at our cap. There's just no way we could have fit him in (more for long term) at his current salary, or even close to it. Which was why I would have much preferred signing Lee over Eberle. We probably would have gotten him for a little less than what we ultimately did and we could have made Eberle the July 1st fall back for when we didn't sign Panarin. Ultimately it would have gotten us to the same spot but this team is much better off with Lee/Panarin than Eberle/Panarin - at least IMO. I always viewed Panarin as an upgrade to Eberle. Lee is a different type of player, completely, and shouldn't have been the trade off, which is what he ultimately would have become, statements after signing not withstanding.

I agree that both parties tried to salvage a bad look when Panarin tried to walk away. I do think once Panarin was out of the picture Lee was able to squeeze for a bit more money or term.

 

[Richie Daggers Crime]

No, but not trying now, after Lee was re-signed, is a lot different than before is all I'm saying. I don't agree that Lamoriello won't make a move because of salary cap implications. I think he won't make a move unless it's the right/perfect move because of salary cap implications.

Well, of course. That's because there's a nuanced hierarchy of priorities. So, signing Panarin would have necessitated an adjustment to the hierarchy and the interest in signing him demonstrates a willingness to do so based on that particular player in relation to other priorities (signing younger players down the road).

That doesn't mean it's an absolute and constitutes a binary in which either a) Lou wants to sign the young players or b) Lou doesn't care about that at all and wants to sign veterans. Do people really think like this?

 

[Strummergas]

Well, of course. That's because there's a nuanced hierarchy of priorities. So, signing Panarin would have necessitated an adjustment to the hierarchy and the interest in signing him demonstrates a willingness to do so based on that particular player in relation to other priorities (signing younger players down the road).

That doesn't mean it's an absolute and constitutes a binary in which either a) Lou wants to sign the young players or b) Lou doesn't care about that at all and wants to sign veterans. Do people really think like this?

How long have you been posting here?

 

[MJF]

Wrong character!

So what happened to the other one?

 

[Strummergas]

So what happened to the other one?

She went down the garbage chute.

 

[MJF]

The comment I responded to was the isles did not make a move because they need to pay Dobson &Wally down the road.

Who made that comment?

 

[Richie Daggers Crime]

So what happened to the other one?

Became a poster on HFBoards.

 

[MJF]

She went down the garbage chute.

How appropriate. There are some folks here who should join her.