Speculation: The draft vs. The Tavares Decision

[Strome18]

Does anyone believe our phenomenal draft choices were premeditated given a first hand knowledge of Tavares' decision?

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[boredmale]

If that was the case wouldn't we draft a center?

 

[islesfan3913]

No, we had two boarderline top 5 talents fall into our lap. We’d be crazy not to have taken them.

 

[nyisleslover]

I am not a big conspiracy theorist, so I'm going to say no.

 

[bioman22]

No, we had two boarderline top 5 talents fall into our lap. We’d be crazy not to have taken them.

Agreed, plus maybe one of the picks could have been packaged - but the deal was apparently not equal value.

 

[MikeyMike01]

It’s pretty evident that nothing could be done to keep Tavares. He couldn’t wait even 30 seconds to post his bedtime photo.

The draft had nothing to do with it.

 

[RMimagery]

I'm not crushed because the contract would be a bad one in 3/4 years. He's slowing down and his play is not where the direction of the league is going. It's Barzal time now.

 

[dlawong]

Players do decline after 30 and if you watch one of the best ever played in Calgary you would know, no matter how much skill they have. This is especially true for players with big minutes. The tough long schedule, multiple injuries and the fact it is now a game of speed will wear you down even faster. So I do see decline after 30 for even a player like John who does not have the same speed as OV, Crosby and Bergeron. Yes he very likely will help TMl to get to the Cup final next couple of years just to lose the SC because their D core is not good enough. They can't compete with teams with a better D core especially one that has a # 1 D who can score a lot of points. Everyone SC won in recent years got top offensive contributions (not just assist but goals) from their D. Letang was really good at that year when Pens won and Doughty was a beast when Kings did.

For TML to win, they actually do have to trade Nylander for a top scoring D because the blue line goal contribution is important. To land a top D, you either have to overpay him in UFA or you have to give up a very talented roster player, top prospect and 1st round picks.

 

[firel28]

Or acquire ANDONG SONG

 

[Klaus3154]

Islanders took the best players available at 11 and 12. If you think they drafted those players because they “knew” JT wasn’t coming back? Who would they drafted if he was coming back?? Or are you suggesting they didn’t trade the picks because they knew he wasn’t coming back. Please elaborate...

 

[IslesNorway]

I think they couldn't believe their luck when Wahlstrom and Dobson fell into their lap and whatever deals were on the table for those picks fell through. I believe they still thought they would get JTs signature but the bastard had made his mind up long in advance.

 

[Strome18]

Islanders took the best players available at 11 and 12. If you think they drafted those players because they “knew” JT wasn’t coming back? Who would they drafted if he was coming back?? Or are you suggesting they didn’t trade the picks because they knew he wasn’t coming back. Please elaborate...

I think they did not trade because they knew he was not coming back and the league may have influenced the players selected to the Islanders based on the JT knowledge. The league wants Toronto to take the spotlight given the US Economy.

All speculation on my part.

 

[PDCIslander41]

Not even a little bit.

 

[Chapin Landvogt]

That Lou used ALL of our picks and didn't use the draft weekend to immediately improve the current team in any way, shape or form tells me - maybe not you - but me, that it was strongly felt that JT could walk away and our system, which is not all that stocked, needed to be infused with more building blocks.

For the post-JT time.

However, I was absolutely baffled that Snow was there, that he sat next to Lou, and that he went onto the stage for the picks. That message.... well it was downright terrible.

 

[Kevin27NYI]

That Lou used ALL of our picks and didn't use the draft weekend to immediately improve the current team in any way, shape or form tells me - maybe not you - but me, that it was strongly felt that JT could walk away and our system, which is not all that stocked, needed to be infused with more building blocks.

For the post-JT time.

We heard that Patches was going for one of the firsts but since those guys fell to us and we declined. It was the right decision no matter what.

 

[SI90]

No because we could have had time to offer Stastny a nice contract and potentially landed him.

 

[Lights911]

I think they were going to trade the picks or atleast one of them but two of the best players that were supposed to go top 10 or 5 fell right into our lap

 

[xIsle]

We heard that Patches was going for one of the firsts but since those guys fell to us and we declined. It was the right decision no matter what.

And Pacioretty was not what we need the most! At left wing, we already have Lee who scored 40 goals last season. Beauvillier scored 17 in the 2nd half of last season. With Dobson and Wahlstrom still available, it's normal to turn this offer down, it would have been a bad trade.

 

[Brunomics]

No because we could have had time to offer Stastny a nice contract and potentially landed him.

Him for 3 years would have been A-OK in my book.

 

[Kevin27NYI]

And Pacioretty was not what we need the most! At left wing, we already have Lee who scored 40 goals last season. Beauvillier scored 17 in the 2nd half of last season. With Dobson and Wahlstrom still available, it's normal to turn this offer down, it would have been a bad trade.

Agreed.

I mean what movement has there been on goalies and dman? Lou can't make it out of thin air and JT's decision obviously made time constraints to get it done.

 

[scott99]

We heard that Patches was going for one of the firsts but since those guys fell to us and we declined. It was the right decision no matter what.

True, I rather have Wahlstrom or Dobson than Patches. That being said, if they traded one of the picks for him, does that send a message to Tavares to re-sign with the Isles (making the team better NOW supposedly was something Tavares wanted). We will never know. And it’s something we can’t obsess about now. What’s done is done, we had a GREAT draft, but will probably not feel the full effect of that draft for a couple of years.