2014 Free Agency and Trade Discussion Part VI

[Johnny GODreau]

Not really no.

Plenty in Gio though I'll tell you that much.

Darn guess I'll packup and leave..

 

[BroadwayJay*]

Darn guess I'll packup and leave..

Probably for the best.

 

[A Pointed Stick]

So Wideman @50% for Josh Bailey, Pedan and 3rd'15?

you did infer you want to pay more...

Now that's just trolling.

 

[First Blood]

I like Gio too but the cost would be unreal

 

[Isles Drive For 5]

Isles Thoughts

Hey guys, new poster here. Been following you guys on this website for a few months and decided to join the fun. First off, like many of you, I'm pumped for this upcoming season. For the first time in what seems like forever, I feel legitimate optimism about this team. For my first post, I'd like to address the notion of the Islanders potentially trading for a top 4 defenseman.

First off, I am not convinced that the Isles have to trade for a top 4 defenseman. While I can't say I "know" they are ready, I find it hard to believe that out of Reinhart, Pokka, and Pulock, we can't find at least 1, possibly 2, in house prospects that are ready to step into the NHL now and be immediately effective. I know many out there are firm believers in not rushing prospects, but I think we need to keep in mind that every prospect develops at a different rate. Was Bailey and Neiderreiter's development stunted because they were rushed? Maybe. Or, maybe Bailey is just a marginal player from a weak draft and Neiderreiter's linemates from his semi-full season with the club (Pandalfo and Reasoner I believe) were an absolute joke. I don't think either of those guys receiving an extra year or two in Bridgeport would have made any difference in their development. Reinhart was drafted 2 years ago, dominated in juniors last year, and no doubt has the size to handle the physical demands of the league. It wouldn't be as if we're throwing a just drafted, underdeveloped, 18 year old kid right into the fire. As far as I'm concerned, let the kid play on the 2nd or 3rd pairing and learn on the job. I feel the same way about Ville Pokka, who was recognized as one of the better defenders in Finland's professional league (playing against grown men). And then you have Pulock, who while I believe is a little behind the two aforementioned defefenders in terms of own zone play, still has far superior talent than that of Strait and Carkner. Sometimes the best way to develop prospects is to let them play in the big league and learn. Ideally, I'd like to see a defensive unit of Hamonic, de Haan, Hickey, Reinhardt, Visnovsky, Pokka, and Brennan. Every year I see other teams play their top picks early and they perform just fine while our prospects are pampered in juniors or in Bridgeport. Take 2012 for instance; Ryan Murray-# 2 overall by Blue Jackets, Morgan Reilly- # 5 overall by the Leafs, Olli Maata- # 22 overall by Penguins. I think it's time to take the training wheels off and let some of our guys crack the line-up.

Now, in the event that Garth Snow disagrees with the above logic and decides to pursue a top 4 D-man, he needs to be very careful. Preferably, I would rather him not give up any of our blue chip prospects, unless of course we are getting a Giordano type defenseman in return. As I’m sure he has already done, Garth needs to continue to shop Bailey and/or Grabner and hope that a cap stricken team bites before the start of the season. Honestly, I don’t expect that to happen. So what becomes the next best move? In my opinion, trading Frans Nielsen is an option that I feel at least needs to be considered. Here’s my rationale. Frans, while he had a very good season last year, is already 30 years old, which right off the bat, makes him more expendable then our young guns (Strome, Nelson, Lee, Dal Colle, Ho-Sang etc.). Up until last years 58 point campaign, Frans had had only had 2 seasons where he registered over 40 points. Many might respond to that by suggesting that he has continually improved and will now be 55-60 point a year player going forward. Could this be the case? Possibly. However, it’s also entirely possible that Nielsen overachieved last season and will regress back to around the 45 point mark this upcoming year. His trade value right now is as high as it might ever be. He certainly seems to be well regarded throughout the rest of the league, so why not unload him now and get the maximum value back for him in return. Here’s another thing to consider regarding this scenario. I believe that as soon as this year, both Nelson and Strome will produce a minimum of 45-50 points and probably significantly more, especially a few years down the road. Basically, that means that Nelson and Strome, in their worst possible year, will be just about as productive as Nielsen was in his best season ever last year. Thinking of things in that manner I feel makes it much easier to entertain the thought of trading him away. You simply then move either Nelson or Strome back to center, which let’s face it, will have to eventually happen anyway. Which one of the two do you move back to center? That’s a debate for another time. Whichever one you don’t, however, plays wing next to Tavares this upcoming year. Here’s one last thing to contemplate concerning the Nielsen issue. Is anyone else concerned that after playing a year or two at the wing position, Nelson or Strome might not be able to effectively transition back to center? In other words, by the time the team needs one of them to move back to their natural position, will they have been playing wing so long that they will no longer be able to play the center position in a highly effective manner? They may be able to make a seamless transition back, but then again they may not. And considering that one of them is going to have to play center, and play it well when Dal Colle and Ho-Sang come aboard, are they risking too much down the road with their plan for this year? Based on that concern, the fact that Nielsen is already 30, and the fact that Nelson or Strome (in my opinion) will in a down year for themselves still be able to produce as well offensively as Nielsen did in his best year, doesn’t it make sense to trade Frans now while his value might never be higher? I’m thinking something along the line of Nielsen and Pulock for a stud, top pairing defenseman somewhere in the NHL.

Again, I’d like to re-iterate, I’m not stating that Garth Snow HAS to trade Frans Nielsen. In many ways, the thought of keeping him this year and rolling out 4 solid lines is very appealing. I just feel that in trading Nielsen, we may be able to stay status quo in the short term and benefit greatly from it in the long term. Some of you no doubt are thinking that I’m underrating the defensive ability that Frans brings to the table. Honestly, I feel that Nelson or Strome, while not being as strong as Nielsen in the defensive zone, still are capable of being very good two way players. In the end, should Garth Snow not receive an offer that blows him away regarding Nielsen, simply hold on to him and see how things transpire. We may very well already have both our short and long term answer for a top 4 defenseman in the names of Griffin Reinhart and Ville Pokka any way. Those are some of my thoughts concerning our New York Islanders. I look forward to all of your responses. Thanks for reading gentleman, here’s to a great 2014-2015 season!

 

[rikker]

Hey guys, new poster here. Been following you guys on this website for a few months and decided to join the fun. First off, like many of you, I'm pumped for this upcoming season. For the first time in what seems like forever, I feel legitimate optimism about this team. For my first post, I'd like to address the notion of the Islanders potentially trading for a top 4 defenseman.

First off, I am not convinced that the Isles have to trade for a top 4 defenseman. While I can't say I "know" they are ready, I find it hard to believe that out of Reinhart, Pokka, and Pulock, we can't find at least 1, possibly 2, in house prospects that are ready to step into the NHL now and be immediately effective. I know many out there are firm believers in not rushing prospects, but I think we need to keep in mind that every prospect develops at a different rate. Was Bailey and Neiderreiter's development stunted because they were rushed? Maybe. Or, maybe Bailey is just a marginal player from a weak draft and Neiderreiter's linemates from his semi-full season with the club (Pandalfo and Reasoner I believe) were an absolute joke. I don't think either of those guys receiving an extra year or two in Bridgeport would have made any difference in their development. Reinhart was drafted 2 years ago, dominated in juniors last year, and no doubt has the size to handle the physical demands of the league. It wouldn't be as if we're throwing a just drafted, underdeveloped, 18 year old kid right into the fire. As far as I'm concerned, let the kid play on the 2nd or 3rd pairing and learn on the job. I feel the same way about Ville Pokka, who was recognized as one of the better defenders in Finland's professional league (playing against grown men). And then you have Pulock, who while I believe is a little behind the two aforementioned defefenders in terms of own zone play, still has far superior talent than that of Strait and Carkner. Sometimes the best way to develop prospects is to let them play in the big league and learn. Ideally, I'd like to see a defensive unit of Hamonic, de Haan, Hickey, Reinhardt, Visnovsky, Pokka, and Brennan. Every year I see other teams play their top picks early and they perform just fine while our prospects are pampered in juniors or in Bridgeport. Take 2012 for instance; Ryan Murray-# 2 overall by Blue Jackets, Morgan Reilly- # 5 overall by the Leafs, Olli Maata- # 22 overall by Penguins. I think it's time to take the training wheels off and let some of our guys crack the line-up.

Now, in the event that Garth Snow disagrees with the above logic and decides to pursue a top 4 D-man, he needs to be very careful. Preferably, I would rather him not give up any of our blue chip prospects, unless of course we are getting a Giordano type defenseman in return. As I’m sure he has already done, Garth needs to continue to shop Bailey and/or Grabner and hope that a cap stricken team bites before the start of the season. Honestly, I don’t expect that to happen. So what becomes the next best move? In my opinion, trading Frans Nielsen is an option that I feel at least needs to be considered. Here’s my rationale. Frans, while he had a very good season last year, is already 30 years old, which right off the bat, makes him more expendable then our young guns (Strome, Nelson, Lee, Dal Colle, Ho-Sang etc.). Up until last years 58 point campaign, Frans had had only had 2 seasons where he registered over 40 points. Many might respond to that by suggesting that he has continually improved and will now be 55-60 point a year player going forward. Could this be the case? Possibly. However, it’s also entirely possible that Nielsen overachieved last season and will regress back to around the 45 point mark this upcoming year. His trade value right now is as high as it might ever be. He certainly seems to be well regarded throughout the rest of the league, so why not unload him now and get the maximum value back for him in return. Here’s another thing to consider regarding this scenario. I believe that as soon as this year, both Nelson and Strome will produce a minimum of 45-50 points and probably significantly more, especially a few years down the road. Basically, that means that Nelson and Strome, in their worst possible year, will be just about as productive as Nielsen was in his best season ever last year. Thinking of things in that manner I feel makes it much easier to entertain the thought of trading him away. You simply then move either Nelson or Strome back to center, which let’s face it, will have to eventually happen anyway. Which one of the two do you move back to center? That’s a debate for another time. Whichever one you don’t, however, plays wing next to Tavares this upcoming year. Here’s one last thing to contemplate concerning the Nielsen issue. Is anyone else concerned that after playing a year or two at the wing position, Nelson or Strome might not be able to effectively transition back to center? In other words, by the time the team needs one of them to move back to their natural position, will they have been playing wing so long that they will no longer be able to play the center position in a highly effective manner? They may be able to make a seamless transition back, but then again they may not. And considering that one of them is going to have to play center, and play it well when Dal Colle and Ho-Sang come aboard, are they risking too much down the road with their plan for this year? Based on that concern, the fact that Nielsen is already 30, and the fact that Nelson or Strome (in my opinion) will in a down year for themselves still be able to produce as well offensively as Nielsen did in his best year, doesn’t it make sense to trade Frans now while his value might never be higher? I’m thinking something along the line of Nielsen and Pulock for a stud, top pairing defenseman somewhere in the NHL.

Again, I’d like to re-iterate, I’m not stating that Garth Snow HAS to trade Frans Nielsen. In many ways, the thought of keeping him this year and rolling out 4 solid lines is very appealing. I just feel that in trading Nielsen, we may be able to stay status quo in the short term and benefit greatly from it in the long term. Some of you no doubt are thinking that I’m underrating the defensive ability that Frans brings to the table. Honestly, I feel that Nelson or Strome, while not being as strong as Nielsen in the defensive zone, still are capable of being very good two way players. In the end, should Garth Snow not receive an offer that blows him away regarding Nielsen, simply hold on to him and see how things transpire. We may very well already have both our short and long term answer for a top 4 defenseman in the names of Griffin Reinhart and Ville Pokka any way. Those are some of my thoughts concerning our New York Islanders. I look forward to all of your responses. Thanks for reading gentleman, here’s to a great 2014-2015 season!

welcome aboard. always good to have another opinion.

the thing that stands out for me, considering the team that we are icing this year, is.. options. we have many. seriously, for the first time in a while, and i am excited. just hope Cappy utilizes them properly.

 

[OlTimeHockey]

Hey guys, new poster here. Been following you guys on this website for a few months and decided to join the fun. First off, like many of you, I'm pumped for this upcoming season. For the first time in what seems like forever, I feel legitimate optimism about this team. For my first post, I'd like to address the notion of the Islanders potentially trading for a top 4 defenseman.

First off, I am not convinced that the Isles have to trade for a top 4 defenseman. While I can't say I "know" they are ready, I find it hard to believe that out of Reinhart, Pokka, and Pulock, we can't find at least 1, possibly 2, in house prospects that are ready to step into the NHL now and be immediately effective. I know many out there are firm believers in not rushing prospects, but I think we need to keep in mind that every prospect develops at a different rate. Was Bailey and Neiderreiter's development stunted because they were rushed? Maybe. Or, maybe Bailey is just a marginal player from a weak draft and Neiderreiter's linemates from his semi-full season with the club (Pandalfo and Reasoner I believe) were an absolute joke. I don't think either of those guys receiving an extra year or two in Bridgeport would have made any difference in their development. Reinhart was drafted 2 years ago, dominated in juniors last year, and no doubt has the size to handle the physical demands of the league. It wouldn't be as if we're throwing a just drafted, underdeveloped, 18 year old kid right into the fire. As far as I'm concerned, let the kid play on the 2nd or 3rd pairing and learn on the job. I feel the same way about Ville Pokka, who was recognized as one of the better defenders in Finland's professional league (playing against grown men). And then you have Pulock, who while I believe is a little behind the two aforementioned defefenders in terms of own zone play, still has far superior talent than that of Strait and Carkner. Sometimes the best way to develop prospects is to let them play in the big league and learn. Ideally, I'd like to see a defensive unit of Hamonic, de Haan, Hickey, Reinhardt, Visnovsky, Pokka, and Brennan. Every year I see other teams play their top picks early and they perform just fine while our prospects are pampered in juniors or in Bridgeport. Take 2012 for instance; Ryan Murray-# 2 overall by Blue Jackets, Morgan Reilly- # 5 overall by the Leafs, Olli Maata- # 22 overall by Penguins. I think it's time to take the training wheels off and let some of our guys crack the line-up.

Now, in the event that Garth Snow disagrees with the above logic and decides to pursue a top 4 D-man, he needs to be very careful. Preferably, I would rather him not give up any of our blue chip prospects, unless of course we are getting a Giordano type defenseman in return. As I’m sure he has already done, Garth needs to continue to shop Bailey and/or Grabner and hope that a cap stricken team bites before the start of the season. Honestly, I don’t expect that to happen. So what becomes the next best move? In my opinion, trading Frans Nielsen is an option that I feel at least needs to be considered. Here’s my rationale. Frans, while he had a very good season last year, is already 30 years old, which right off the bat, makes him more expendable then our young guns (Strome, Nelson, Lee, Dal Colle, Ho-Sang etc.). Up until last years 58 point campaign, Frans had had only had 2 seasons where he registered over 40 points. Many might respond to that by suggesting that he has continually improved and will now be 55-60 point a year player going forward. Could this be the case? Possibly. However, it’s also entirely possible that Nielsen overachieved last season and will regress back to around the 45 point mark this upcoming year. His trade value right now is as high as it might ever be. He certainly seems to be well regarded throughout the rest of the league, so why not unload him now and get the maximum value back for him in return. Here’s another thing to consider regarding this scenario. I believe that as soon as this year, both Nelson and Strome will produce a minimum of 45-50 points and probably significantly more, especially a few years down the road. Basically, that means that Nelson and Strome, in their worst possible year, will be just about as productive as Nielsen was in his best season ever last year. Thinking of things in that manner I feel makes it much easier to entertain the thought of trading him away. You simply then move either Nelson or Strome back to center, which let’s face it, will have to eventually happen anyway. Which one of the two do you move back to center? That’s a debate for another time. Whichever one you don’t, however, plays wing next to Tavares this upcoming year. Here’s one last thing to contemplate concerning the Nielsen issue. Is anyone else concerned that after playing a year or two at the wing position, Nelson or Strome might not be able to effectively transition back to center? In other words, by the time the team needs one of them to move back to their natural position, will they have been playing wing so long that they will no longer be able to play the center position in a highly effective manner? They may be able to make a seamless transition back, but then again they may not. And considering that one of them is going to have to play center, and play it well when Dal Colle and Ho-Sang come aboard, are they risking too much down the road with their plan for this year? Based on that concern, the fact that Nielsen is already 30, and the fact that Nelson or Strome (in my opinion) will in a down year for themselves still be able to produce as well offensively as Nielsen did in his best year, doesn’t it make sense to trade Frans now while his value might never be higher? I’m thinking something along the line of Nielsen and Pulock for a stud, top pairing defenseman somewhere in the NHL.

Again, I’d like to re-iterate, I’m not stating that Garth Snow HAS to trade Frans Nielsen. In many ways, the thought of keeping him this year and rolling out 4 solid lines is very appealing. I just feel that in trading Nielsen, we may be able to stay status quo in the short term and benefit greatly from it in the long term. Some of you no doubt are thinking that I’m underrating the defensive ability that Frans brings to the table. Honestly, I feel that Nelson or Strome, while not being as strong as Nielsen in the defensive zone, still are capable of being very good two way players. In the end, should Garth Snow not receive an offer that blows him away regarding Nielsen, simply hold on to him and see how things transpire. We may very well already have both our short and long term answer for a top 4 defenseman in the names of Griffin Reinhart and Ville Pokka any way. Those are some of my thoughts concerning our New York Islanders. I look forward to all of your responses. Thanks for reading gentleman, here’s to a great 2014-2015 season!

You don't trade Neilson, the most complete player and an asset in all facets of the game unless.....you can explain trading away any player due to age.

But I did love the original Children of the Corn movie.

 

[ScaredStreit]

Hey guys, new poster here. Been following you guys on this website for a few months and decided to join the fun. First off, like many of you, I'm pumped for this upcoming season. For the first time in what seems like forever, I feel legitimate optimism about this team. For my first post, I'd like to address the notion of the Islanders potentially trading for a top 4 defenseman.

First off, I am not convinced that the Isles have to trade for a top 4 defenseman. While I can't say I "know" they are ready, I find it hard to believe that out of Reinhart, Pokka, and Pulock, we can't find at least 1, possibly 2, in house prospects that are ready to step into the NHL now and be immediately effective. I know many out there are firm believers in not rushing prospects, but I think we need to keep in mind that every prospect develops at a different rate. Was Bailey and Neiderreiter's development stunted because they were rushed? Maybe. Or, maybe Bailey is just a marginal player from a weak draft and Neiderreiter's linemates from his semi-full season with the club (Pandalfo and Reasoner I believe) were an absolute joke. I don't think either of those guys receiving an extra year or two in Bridgeport would have made any difference in their development. Reinhart was drafted 2 years ago, dominated in juniors last year, and no doubt has the size to handle the physical demands of the league. It wouldn't be as if we're throwing a just drafted, underdeveloped, 18 year old kid right into the fire. As far as I'm concerned, let the kid play on the 2nd or 3rd pairing and learn on the job. I feel the same way about Ville Pokka, who was recognized as one of the better defenders in Finland's professional league (playing against grown men). And then you have Pulock, who while I believe is a little behind the two aforementioned defefenders in terms of own zone play, still has far superior talent than that of Strait and Carkner. Sometimes the best way to develop prospects is to let them play in the big league and learn. Ideally, I'd like to see a defensive unit of Hamonic, de Haan, Hickey, Reinhardt, Visnovsky, Pokka, and Brennan. Every year I see other teams play their top picks early and they perform just fine while our prospects are pampered in juniors or in Bridgeport. Take 2012 for instance; Ryan Murray-# 2 overall by Blue Jackets, Morgan Reilly- # 5 overall by the Leafs, Olli Maata- # 22 overall by Penguins. I think it's time to take the training wheels off and let some of our guys crack the line-up.

Now, in the event that Garth Snow disagrees with the above logic and decides to pursue a top 4 D-man, he needs to be very careful. Preferably, I would rather him not give up any of our blue chip prospects, unless of course we are getting a Giordano type defenseman in return. As I’m sure he has already done, Garth needs to continue to shop Bailey and/or Grabner and hope that a cap stricken team bites before the start of the season. Honestly, I don’t expect that to happen. So what becomes the next best move? In my opinion, trading Frans Nielsen is an option that I feel at least needs to be considered. Here’s my rationale. Frans, while he had a very good season last year, is already 30 years old, which right off the bat, makes him more expendable then our young guns (Strome, Nelson, Lee, Dal Colle, Ho-Sang etc.). Up until last years 58 point campaign, Frans had had only had 2 seasons where he registered over 40 points. Many might respond to that by suggesting that he has continually improved and will now be 55-60 point a year player going forward. Could this be the case? Possibly. However, it’s also entirely possible that Nielsen overachieved last season and will regress back to around the 45 point mark this upcoming year. His trade value right now is as high as it might ever be. He certainly seems to be well regarded throughout the rest of the league, so why not unload him now and get the maximum value back for him in return. Here’s another thing to consider regarding this scenario. I believe that as soon as this year, both Nelson and Strome will produce a minimum of 45-50 points and probably significantly more, especially a few years down the road. Basically, that means that Nelson and Strome, in their worst possible year, will be just about as productive as Nielsen was in his best season ever last year. Thinking of things in that manner I feel makes it much easier to entertain the thought of trading him away. You simply then move either Nelson or Strome back to center, which let’s face it, will have to eventually happen anyway. Which one of the two do you move back to center? That’s a debate for another time. Whichever one you don’t, however, plays wing next to Tavares this upcoming year. Here’s one last thing to contemplate concerning the Nielsen issue. Is anyone else concerned that after playing a year or two at the wing position, Nelson or Strome might not be able to effectively transition back to center? In other words, by the time the team needs one of them to move back to their natural position, will they have been playing wing so long that they will no longer be able to play the center position in a highly effective manner? They may be able to make a seamless transition back, but then again they may not. And considering that one of them is going to have to play center, and play it well when Dal Colle and Ho-Sang come aboard, are they risking too much down the road with their plan for this year? Based on that concern, the fact that Nielsen is already 30, and the fact that Nelson or Strome (in my opinion) will in a down year for themselves still be able to produce as well offensively as Nielsen did in his best year, doesn’t it make sense to trade Frans now while his value might never be higher? I’m thinking something along the line of Nielsen and Pulock for a stud, top pairing defenseman somewhere in the NHL.

Again, I’d like to re-iterate, I’m not stating that Garth Snow HAS to trade Frans Nielsen. In many ways, the thought of keeping him this year and rolling out 4 solid lines is very appealing. I just feel that in trading Nielsen, we may be able to stay status quo in the short term and benefit greatly from it in the long term. Some of you no doubt are thinking that I’m underrating the defensive ability that Frans brings to the table. Honestly, I feel that Nelson or Strome, while not being as strong as Nielsen in the defensive zone, still are capable of being very good two way players. In the end, should Garth Snow not receive an offer that blows him away regarding Nielsen, simply hold on to him and see how things transpire. We may very well already have both our short and long term answer for a top 4 defenseman in the names of Griffin Reinhart and Ville Pokka any way. Those are some of my thoughts concerning our New York Islanders. I look forward to all of your responses. Thanks for reading gentleman, here’s to a great 2014-2015 season!

Nielsen is our most consistent forward (and yes I'm including Tavares). He's also our best overall forward. I would REALLY hesitate to trade him.

 

[TheWhiteWhale30]

Good OP except for Fran's..he should not be and maybe never be traded. He's got another 4 or so years left in his prime. We have plenty of prospects we can move. Nielsen should be this teams 3rd line center until he retires in 8-10 years. Lifer.

 

[Words Of Wisdom]

Who else is available in free agency at this time?

 

[JZCislesHockey]

Why can't we sign Derek Morris and be done here?

 

[YearlyLottery]

I don't expect Snowy to be signing another roster player when we already so many. Hopefully we can find a team willing to take Baileys contract on. I do like his skillet but if it means bringing in a top four dman than so be it.

 

[LeapOnOver]

Hey guys, new poster here. Been following you guys on this website for a few months and decided to join the fun. First off, like many of you, I'm pumped for this upcoming season. For the first time in what seems like forever, I feel legitimate optimism about this team. For my first post, I'd like to address the notion of the Islanders potentially trading for a top 4 defenseman.

First off, I am not convinced that the Isles have to trade for a top 4 defenseman. While I can't say I "know" they are ready, I find it hard to believe that out of Reinhart, Pokka, and Pulock, we can't find at least 1, possibly 2, in house prospects that are ready to step into the NHL now and be immediately effective. I know many out there are firm believers in not rushing prospects, but I think we need to keep in mind that every prospect develops at a different rate. Was Bailey and Neiderreiter's development stunted because they were rushed? Maybe. Or, maybe Bailey is just a marginal player from a weak draft and Neiderreiter's linemates from his semi-full season with the club (Pandalfo and Reasoner I believe) were an absolute joke. I don't think either of those guys receiving an extra year or two in Bridgeport would have made any difference in their development. Reinhart was drafted 2 years ago, dominated in juniors last year, and no doubt has the size to handle the physical demands of the league. It wouldn't be as if we're throwing a just drafted, underdeveloped, 18 year old kid right into the fire. As far as I'm concerned, let the kid play on the 2nd or 3rd pairing and learn on the job. I feel the same way about Ville Pokka, who was recognized as one of the better defenders in Finland's professional league (playing against grown men). And then you have Pulock, who while I believe is a little behind the two aforementioned defefenders in terms of own zone play, still has far superior talent than that of Strait and Carkner. Sometimes the best way to develop prospects is to let them play in the big league and learn. Ideally, I'd like to see a defensive unit of Hamonic, de Haan, Hickey, Reinhardt, Visnovsky, Pokka, and Brennan. Every year I see other teams play their top picks early and they perform just fine while our prospects are pampered in juniors or in Bridgeport. Take 2012 for instance; Ryan Murray-# 2 overall by Blue Jackets, Morgan Reilly- # 5 overall by the Leafs, Olli Maata- # 22 overall by Penguins. I think it's time to take the training wheels off and let some of our guys crack the line-up.

Now, in the event that Garth Snow disagrees with the above logic and decides to pursue a top 4 D-man, he needs to be very careful. Preferably, I would rather him not give up any of our blue chip prospects, unless of course we are getting a Giordano type defenseman in return. As I’m sure he has already done, Garth needs to continue to shop Bailey and/or Grabner and hope that a cap stricken team bites before the start of the season. Honestly, I don’t expect that to happen. So what becomes the next best move? In my opinion, trading Frans Nielsen is an option that I feel at least needs to be considered. Here’s my rationale. Frans, while he had a very good season last year, is already 30 years old, which right off the bat, makes him more expendable then our young guns (Strome, Nelson, Lee, Dal Colle, Ho-Sang etc.). Up until last years 58 point campaign, Frans had had only had 2 seasons where he registered over 40 points. Many might respond to that by suggesting that he has continually improved and will now be 55-60 point a year player going forward. Could this be the case? Possibly. However, it’s also entirely possible that Nielsen overachieved last season and will regress back to around the 45 point mark this upcoming year. His trade value right now is as high as it might ever be. He certainly seems to be well regarded throughout the rest of the league, so why not unload him now and get the maximum value back for him in return. Here’s another thing to consider regarding this scenario. I believe that as soon as this year, both Nelson and Strome will produce a minimum of 45-50 points and probably significantly more, especially a few years down the road. Basically, that means that Nelson and Strome, in their worst possible year, will be just about as productive as Nielsen was in his best season ever last year. Thinking of things in that manner I feel makes it much easier to entertain the thought of trading him away. You simply then move either Nelson or Strome back to center, which let’s face it, will have to eventually happen anyway. Which one of the two do you move back to center? That’s a debate for another time. Whichever one you don’t, however, plays wing next to Tavares this upcoming year. Here’s one last thing to contemplate concerning the Nielsen issue. Is anyone else concerned that after playing a year or two at the wing position, Nelson or Strome might not be able to effectively transition back to center? In other words, by the time the team needs one of them to move back to their natural position, will they have been playing wing so long that they will no longer be able to play the center position in a highly effective manner? They may be able to make a seamless transition back, but then again they may not. And considering that one of them is going to have to play center, and play it well when Dal Colle and Ho-Sang come aboard, are they risking too much down the road with their plan for this year? Based on that concern, the fact that Nielsen is already 30, and the fact that Nelson or Strome (in my opinion) will in a down year for themselves still be able to produce as well offensively as Nielsen did in his best year, doesn’t it make sense to trade Frans now while his value might never be higher? I’m thinking something along the line of Nielsen and Pulock for a stud, top pairing defenseman somewhere in the NHL.

Again, I’d like to re-iterate, I’m not stating that Garth Snow HAS to trade Frans Nielsen. In many ways, the thought of keeping him this year and rolling out 4 solid lines is very appealing. I just feel that in trading Nielsen, we may be able to stay status quo in the short term and benefit greatly from it in the long term. Some of you no doubt are thinking that I’m underrating the defensive ability that Frans brings to the table. Honestly, I feel that Nelson or Strome, while not being as strong as Nielsen in the defensive zone, still are capable of being very good two way players. In the end, should Garth Snow not receive an offer that blows him away regarding Nielsen, simply hold on to him and see how things transpire. We may very well already have both our short and long term answer for a top 4 defenseman in the names of Griffin Reinhart and Ville Pokka any way. Those are some of my thoughts concerning our New York Islanders. I look forward to all of your responses. Thanks for reading gentleman, here’s to a great 2014-2015 season!

Not only underestimating what he brings to this team defensively, but as well as the PP (gaining the zone a thing the Isles always have problems with) and how he is lights out on the shootout which is still a thing. Too many things the guy does extremely well to trade him.

I disagree about your assessment of the defense. I think if we want to keep using the "rebuild" mindset, then yeah your opinion of our defense is solid. Bring in some rookies, let them learn the job, but don't be disappointed when we aren't playoff bound because of it. That's the key, you have to keep your expectations in check if you want to roll with a young, inexperienced D-Corp. I urge many fans on this board to remember how they felt about Donovan and him "replacing" Streit. Everyone saw how badly that backfired. Be prepared for the same on the backend this year especially if Vis can't stay healthy. So I'm ok with rolling a young defensive corp, but I certainly will not expect to make the playoffs with the current defense we have and I already set my expectations accordingly. If we do make the playoffs I will be pleasantly surprised.

 

[A Pointed Stick]

First off, I am not convinced that the Isles have to trade for a top 4 defenseman. While I can't say I "know" they are ready, I find it hard to believe that out of Reinhart, Pokka, and Pulock, we can't find at least 1, possibly 2, in house prospects that are ready to step into the NHL now and be immediately effective...

You mention a few interesting things but I wanted to touch on this. As Blinkman (or Crew, Scott, Seafoam... I forget guys so don't kill me) or someone likes to remind me players can step in and perform like champs in their pre-22 y.o. rookie season. As I always point out, it is rare. Now I would call Reinhart, Pokka, and Pulock from the upper 25% of general hockey prospect pools, maybe upper 10%, but IMO if just one of them comes in and performs like CdH did this past year we won. Hoping 2 do that is expecting your lottery ticket to cash in. I won't call it impossible, but 99% unlikely. Add in Vis' propensity for concussions at this point and no, our defense is still shaky. A solid top 4 would go a long way to smoothing the waters of our future this year, and would take pressure off the shoulders of incoming kids. Remember, Vis is a giant head injury question mark now.

If he goes down, with this defense again, it will be lights-out on our playoff hopes just like last year. Sure we will finish closer to the 8th seed, but we still won't make it because he is our best defenseman by a mile in both zones.

 

[CREW99AW]

Hey guys, new poster here. Been following you guys on this website for a few months and decided to join the fun. First off, like many of you, I'm pumped for this upcoming season. For the first time in what seems like forever, I feel legitimate optimism about this team. For my first post, I'd like to address the notion of the Islanders potentially trading for a top 4 defenseman.

First off, I am not convinced that the Isles have to trade for a top 4 defenseman. While I can't say I "know" they are ready, I find it hard to believe that out of Reinhart, Pokka, and Pulock, we can't find at least 1, possibly 2, in house prospects that are ready to step into the NHL now and be immediately effective. I know many out there are firm believers in not rushing prospects, but I think we need to keep in mind that every prospect develops at a different rate. Was Bailey and Neiderreiter's development stunted because they were rushed? Maybe. Or, maybe Bailey is just a marginal player from a weak draft and Neiderreiter's linemates from his semi-full season with the club (Pandalfo and Reasoner I believe) were an absolute joke. I don't think either of those guys receiving an extra year or two in Bridgeport would have made any difference in their development. Reinhart was drafted 2 years ago, dominated in juniors last year, and no doubt has the size to handle the physical demands of the league. It wouldn't be as if we're throwing a just drafted, underdeveloped, 18 year old kid right into the fire. As far as I'm concerned, let the kid play on the 2nd or 3rd pairing and learn on the job. I feel the same way about Ville Pokka, who was recognized as one of the better defenders in Finland's professional league (playing against grown men). And then you have Pulock, who while I believe is a little behind the two aforementioned defefenders in terms of own zone play, still has far superior talent than that of Strait and Carkner. Sometimes the best way to develop prospects is to let them play in the big league and learn. Ideally, I'd like to see a defensive unit of Hamonic, de Haan, Hickey, Reinhardt, Visnovsky, Pokka, and Brennan. Every year I see other teams play their top picks early and they perform just fine while our prospects are pampered in juniors or in Bridgeport. Take 2012 for instance; Ryan Murray-# 2 overall by Blue Jackets, Morgan Reilly- # 5 overall by the Leafs, Olli Maata- # 22 overall by Penguins. I think it's time to take the training wheels off and let some of our guys crack the line-up.

Now, in the event that Garth Snow disagrees with the above logic and decides to pursue a top 4 D-man, he needs to be very careful. Preferably, I would rather him not give up any of our blue chip prospects, unless of course we are getting a Giordano type defenseman in return. As I’m sure he has already done, Garth needs to continue to shop Bailey and/or Grabner and hope that a cap stricken team bites before the start of the season. Honestly, I don’t expect that to happen. So what becomes the next best move? In my opinion, trading Frans Nielsen is an option that I feel at least needs to be considered. Here’s my rationale. Frans, while he had a very good season last year, is already 30 years old, which right off the bat, makes him more expendable then our young guns (Strome, Nelson, Lee, Dal Colle, Ho-Sang etc.). Up until last years 58 point campaign, Frans had had only had 2 seasons where he registered over 40 points. Many might respond to that by suggesting that he has continually improved and will now be 55-60 point a year player going forward. Could this be the case? Possibly. However, it’s also entirely possible that Nielsen overachieved last season and will regress back to around the 45 point mark this upcoming year. His trade value right now is as high as it might ever be. He certainly seems to be well regarded throughout the rest of the league, so why not unload him now and get the maximum value back for him in return. Here’s another thing to consider regarding this scenario. I believe that as soon as this year, both Nelson and Strome will produce a minimum of 45-50 points and probably significantly more, especially a few years down the road. Basically, that means that Nelson and Strome, in their worst possible year, will be just about as productive as Nielsen was in his best season ever last year. Thinking of things in that manner I feel makes it much easier to entertain the thought of trading him away. You simply then move either Nelson or Strome back to center, which let’s face it, will have to eventually happen anyway. Which one of the two do you move back to center? That’s a debate for another time. Whichever one you don’t, however, plays wing next to Tavares this upcoming year. Here’s one last thing to contemplate concerning the Nielsen issue. Is anyone else concerned that after playing a year or two at the wing position, Nelson or Strome might not be able to effectively transition back to center? In other words, by the time the team needs one of them to move back to their natural position, will they have been playing wing so long that they will no longer be able to play the center position in a highly effective manner? They may be able to make a seamless transition back, but then again they may not. And considering that one of them is going to have to play center, and play it well when Dal Colle and Ho-Sang come aboard, are they risking too much down the road with their plan for this year? Based on that concern, the fact that Nielsen is already 30, and the fact that Nelson or Strome (in my opinion) will in a down year for themselves still be able to produce as well offensively as Nielsen did in his best year, doesn’t it make sense to trade Frans now while his value might never be higher? I’m thinking something along the line of Nielsen and Pulock for a stud, top pairing defenseman somewhere in the NHL.

Again, I’d like to re-iterate, I’m not stating that Garth Snow HAS to trade Frans Nielsen. In many ways, the thought of keeping him this year and rolling out 4 solid lines is very appealing. I just feel that in trading Nielsen, we may be able to stay status quo in the short term and benefit greatly from it in the long term. Some of you no doubt are thinking that I’m underrating the defensive ability that Frans brings to the table. Honestly, I feel that Nelson or Strome, while not being as strong as Nielsen in the defensive zone, still are capable of being very good two way players. In the end, should Garth Snow not receive an offer that blows him away regarding Nielsen, simply hold on to him and see how things transpire. We may very well already have both our short and long term answer for a top 4 defenseman in the names of Griffin Reinhart and Ville Pokka any way. Those are some of my thoughts concerning our New York Islanders. I look forward to all of your responses. Thanks for reading gentleman, here’s to a great 2014-2015 season!

Welcome.
Reinhart/Pokka- That's a lot of youth you want to see on the blueline. I have high expectations for Reinhart/Pokka, but would rather see one start on the 3rd pairing and work his way up the depth chart.

Bailey/Nino- I am convinced the isles rushed and hurt the development of Bailey and Nino. Bailey's struggles are not because of injuries or lousy effort. He has been accused by the coach of trying to do too much. Bailey's inconsistent play, his very low SOG numbers is caused by lack of confidence. As for Nino... after a yr in the AHL, he bounced back to a 17 goal season in 2013-2014. Very solid for his 2nd yr in the NHL.

 

[Skip To My Lou]

A Red Wing fan proposed a Jakub Kindl to LI for a 3rd. He had a strong 2012-2013 season, then got a 4 yr extension. He had an awful 2013-2014 season. A big player, who refused to use his size, avoided contact and is now looking for a bounce back season. He's got 3 yrs/$8m in salary left on his deal. Snow got Lubo for a 2nd and Wiz for a 3rd. Is this the type of change of scenery deal that Snow is looking for?
Maybe Bailey for Kindl? Bailey's got 4 yrs, $14.3m let on his deal.
Or are we better off sticking with Hickey and the rookie Reinhart?

http://www.mlive.com/redwings/index.ssf/2014/08/red_wings_outlook_jakub_kindl.html

That would be an amazing steal if we got Kindl for Bailey. Which leads me to believe that it won't happen.

 

[First Blood]

I'd do Bailey for Kindl swap. Win win for both teams, I think DET still needs a secondary center.

A change of scenery would help both of these players.

Kindl would add some size to our d.

 

[rikker]

would rather try and pry away Smith from Detroit, if we are giving up Bailey.

i would also do a 3rd for Kindl. he seems to be another player that settled in around the bottom pairing. would help with depth, i guess.

Vis and deHAAN are still fragile, IMO. scary, heading into the season. c'mon Snow, just 1 more D would be so much better.

 

[CREW99AW]

That would be an amazing steal if we got Kindl for Bailey. Which leads me to believe that it won't happen.

He had a pretty lousy 2013-2014. But, yeah, I agree it's a gamble worth taking if you are Snow.

 

[seabass45]

Why can't we sign Derek Morris and be done here?

That he isn't signed at all at this point is a bit curious.

 

[Sheva7]

Morris is 20,000 years old, hasn't had a season where he's played more than 65 games since 2010-11...and was never that great to start off with. I don't get the obsession with this guy. Not sure how he's a upgrade over what we already have.

 

[Sheva7]

From what I've seen of Kindl........no thanks. Bailey is the better player.

The grass isn't always greener boys.

 

[seafoam]

That he isn't signed at all at this point is a bit curious.

The Coyotes board has said that he has been dealing with familiy issues on an off for some time now. He's probably a.) more concerned about getting those fixed b.) not looking to relocate his family across the country if said family issues do exist.

With that said, I would take him or Salo (preferably Morris) on a short term deal without questions asked.

A trade for a defenseman isn't going to happen before the season, and one may never come when you consider the lack of quality defenseman available right now. Get another solid veteran on board and this group of defenseman we have are going to have to work together as a unit to get this team into the playoffs. We can't put the workload too much of the workload on one pair, it's just not going to work out.

 

[seabass45]

The Coyotes board has said that he has been dealing with familiy issues on an off for some time now. He's probably a.) more concerned about getting those fixed b.) not looking to relocate his family across the country if said family issues do exist.

That seems about right. His name hasn't really popped up in rumors and it sounds like he still has some left in the tank. At this point, if you're a UFA and you haven't been signed, something's going on.

 

[LeapOnOver]

The Coyotes board has said that he has been dealing with familiy issues on an off for some time now. He's probably a.) more concerned about getting those fixed b.) not looking to relocate his family across the country if said family issues do exist.

With that said, I would take him or Salo (preferably Morris) on a short term deal without questions asked.

A trade for a defenseman isn't going to happen before the season, and one may never come when you consider the lack of quality defenseman available right now. Get another solid veteran on board and this group of defenseman we have are going to have to work together as a unit to get this team into the playoffs. We can't put the workload too much of the workload on one pair, it's just not going to work out.

I don't know why you think a trade isn't going to happen. There are still four teams over the cap. Sure, it's possible they won't trade with the Isles, but I guarantee Garth has been working the phone with them in case they are ready to unload a defenseman. I wouldn't dismiss the possibility of a trade for a defenseman still happening like you have.

PS: Tampa sure has a lot of money tied up in there defense, but I don't see who they would possibly move from that group. Maybe Matthias Ohlund?