Arthur Staple Q&A on Eclipse Day (AKA Shedding of Darkness Over NYI Day)

[leeroggy]

Although Staple said there's only a 5% chance of JT being traded that assumes a normal progression in the news on the arena going forward. Frankly, if Garth isn't kicking the tires on a trade now he wouldn't be doing his job. I don't see the 65% being right either, I think that's high.

Some time back a poster made a note about JT's fiancee looking to further her career in Toronto and we sort of glossed over that point. Doesn't mean JT has to go to Toronto but Buffalo is close by and Pegula has no qualms about spending money and Buffalo has young talent to send back.

Hate to be a Debbie Downer but this doesn't look good. Staple's change of emotion/direction is telling. Don't overlook it. O'Reilly and Nylander for JT might well be a Pegula type of offer.

 

[Bones45]

I truly laughed out loud on this one. Shows where everyone's head should be. Ill be surprised if he signs, TBH. And Ill honestly be surprised if they get Belmont too. No way this JT signing is a slam dunk. Or the arena. Nothing is.

Its the team who nobody cares about.



ANNNND last but not least:



Like Ive been saying, no way JT signs with the arena still up in the air.

Exactly. God damn, I'm smart. Its the whole thing -- the travel -- the arena, the ice, the cupholders.. all of it.. It all sucks.

 

[eoin92]

Exactly. God damn, I'm smart. Its the whole thing -- the travel -- the arena, the ice, the cupholders.. all of it.. It all sucks.

It's mostly the cup holders I'm sure.

 

[Strummergas]

It's mostly the cup holders I'm sure.

I mean, it couldn't possibly be the fanbase.

 

[MJF]

I mean, it couldn't possibly be the fanbase.

Why would it be? Does he sit around all summer readinf HFIsles and Isles Twitter?

John Tavares loved the Isles fans enough that he embraced the "YES! YES! YES!" thing back at NVMC.

Maybe it's not the fanbase but the unstable franchise he's been playing for since he was 18.

 

[ThreeLeftSkates]

Walk for nothing to the Western Conference and snow shipped to North Korea the same day.

Who is South Korea sending to us in return?

 

[TheWhiteWhale30]

Would you rather JT walk for nothing or get traded to the Rangers?

I'd do JT Miller, Skjei and next year's 1st.

 

[redbull]

I'd do JT Miller, Skjei and next year's 1st.

i'd rather nothing than three nothings

 

[leeroggy]

i'd rather nothing than three nothings

Skjei is not a nothing, that kid's really good.

Could be a 2-1 for us, strip the Rangers of some talent and watch JT go elsewhere anyhow . . .

Just looks more like we're getting the shaft as fans again. Anyone have a Kate Murray voodoo doll for sale? I want to poke it everyday for the rest of my life . . .

 

[Mr Misunderstood]

Skjei is not a nothing, that kid's really good.

Could be a 2-1 for us, strip the Rangers of some talent and watch JT go elsewhere anyhow . . .

Just looks more like we're getting the shaft as fans again. Anyone have a Kate Murray voodoo doll for sale? I want to poke it everyday for the rest of my life . . .

Not if Hank gets hot and JT lifts the Cup in a blueshirt. That would be the WORST

 

[SI]

I'd do JT Miller, Skjei and next year's 1st.

You cannot have 91 traded to the Rangers

 

[First Blood]

With JT leaving us in the dark the need of a Duchene/Nugent-Hopkins type of center goes up for me

It is going to be a huge blow if Tavares does not resign, but if we can acquire a #1B center and Barzal develops nicely it will lessen the sting

 

[TheWhiteWhale30]

You cannot have 91 traded to the Rangers

I'd rather not but it's better then getting absolutely nothing for him. Ideally in a realistic trade...I'd like to see us go after one of Mackinnion or Duchene as the main piece.

 

[seafoam]

With JT leaving us in the dark the need of a Duchene/Nugent-Hopkins type of center goes up for me

It is going to be a huge blow if Tavares does not resign, but if we can acquire a #1B center and Barzal develops nicely it will lessen the sting

If Tavares leaves, there is no reason to go after Duchene or Nugent-Hopkins.

 

[Doshell Propivo]

If Tavares leaves, there is no reason to go after Duchene or Nugent-Hopkins.

Why? You'd want another rebuild?

 

[Brunomics]

If Tavares leaves, there is no reason to go after Duchene or Nugent-Hopkins.

Gonna disagree with you there. You can grab RNH who is a 50 point guy who can be more and then behind him you have Barzal who can be the #2 in a year and when he pans out can slide into the #1 role.

RNH
Barzal
Beavillier/Nelson
Cizikas

It's better than half the league down the middle at least.

 

[YearlyLottery]

I mean, it couldn't possibly be the fanbase.

It's the fanbases fault he's leaving? Really?

 

[seafoam]

Why? You'd want another rebuild?

Acquiring Duchene/Nugent-Hopkins to be your 1C puts you in the same exact position that Colorado is currently in and pre-McDavid Edmonton was in.Terrible, and without a legitimate future foundation of players.

Neither of those centers would fit into the timeline of the team and would just hinder the franchise from committing to a real direction instead of aimlessly trying to patch up holes that are too big to fill with guys like Duchene/Nugent-Hopkins.

It would just be completely ass backwards in my opinion.

You can get by with two 1B centers if you have a bonafide elite defenseman, but without a bonafide 1D, you're just a Wild Card team annually.

 

[Strummergas]

It's the fanbases fault he's leaving? Really?

Sure. Why not?

 

[seafoam]

Gonna disagree with you there. You can grab RNH who is a 50 point guy who can be more and then behind him you have Barzal who can be the #2 in a year and when he pans out can slide into the #1 role.

RNH
Barzal
Beavillier/Nelson
Cizikas

It's better than half the league down the middle at least.

Those are very lofty expectations for Barzal, his ceiling could very well be where Nugent-Hopkins is at right now (45-50 point guy).

 

[Brunomics]

Those are very lofty expectations for Barzal, his ceiling could very well be where Nugent-Hopkins is at right now (45-50 point guy).

I would expect Nuge to settle in to a 50-55 point center if he's playing top 2 line minutes. If you get the similar from Barzal at a minimum you are alright down the middle.

Also say Nuge is around that and JT is a 70-75 point player. That's 20 points you need to makeup somewhere else. It's not as damning as doing nothing.

If JT walks without someone like RNH coming back at a minimum this team is sunk.

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

If Tavares leaves, there is no reason to go after Duchene or Nugent-Hopkins.

I'm not sure the Isles are in a position where going through a second rebuild is feasible. I know the Isles have some promising youngsters, but if you look at their current roster a lot of the players are at the age for a "win now" strategy. Rebuilds typically take 5+ years (or more), which means pretty much every decent player the Isles have will be 30+ by the time the rebuild is done.

 

[seafoam]

I'm not sure the Isles are in a position where going through a second rebuild is feasible. I know the Isles have some promising youngsters, but if you look at their current roster a lot of the players are at the age for a "win now" strategy. Rebuilds typically take 5+ years (or more), which means pretty much every decent player the Isles have will be 30+ by the time the rebuild is done.

Which players are you talking about, because I'm suggesting basically moving everyone if Tavares goes...

Guys like Leddy, Boychuk, Ladd, Clutterbuck, and Cizikas will stay around (with Leddy, Clutterbuck, and Cizikas) ultimately being moved closer to the expiration of their contracts, but Boychuk and Ladd will likely retire Islanders and are ALREADY past their prime in my opinion.

Guys like Eberle, Lee, and Nelson must be moved to the highest bidder and the rest of the UFAs will just walk because I assume Tavares leaving only comes in the form of a July 1 exit.

The only "real core" left would be Barzal (20), Beauvillier (20), Ho-Sang (21), Dal Colle (21), Bellows (19), Koivula (18), Pulock (22), Toews (23), Wotherspoon (19), Salo (18), Soderstrom (20), and Sorokin (22).

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

Which players are you talking about, because I'm suggesting basically moving everyone if Tavares goes...

Guys like Leddy, Boychuk, Ladd, Clutterbuck, and Cizikas will stay around (with Leddy, Clutterbuck, and Cizikas) ultimately being moved closer to the expiration of their contracts, but Boychuk and Ladd will likely retire Islanders and are ALREADY past their prime in my opinion.

Guys like Eberle, Lee, and Nelson must be moved to the highest bidder and the rest of the UFAs will just walk because I assume Tavares leaving only comes in the form of a July 1 exit.

Oh, well in that case, sure. But that's quite the roster overhaul. I was assuming the scenario where *only* Tavares was moved/let walk, the Isles' roster still had too many guys who were at the age for "win now", and so adding a Duchene or RNH might be still a good option.

 

[seafoam]

Oh, well in that case, sure. But that's quite the roster overhaul. I was assuming the scenario where *only* Tavares was moved/let walk, the Isles' roster still had too many guys who were at the age for "win now", and so adding a Duchene or RNH might be still a good option.

Yeah, I could see why some people would think that would be a good option.

For me, that's a good option if you have a bondfide top pairing defenseman, but for a team like the Islanders who don't, trying to patch up Tavares with Duchene/Nugent-Hopkins would basically tell me they are okay with being mediocre AT BEST and challenging for the wild card every year.

I'm more interested in being a top team, and don't think you can get their by bringing in Duchene/Nugent-Hopkins to be a 1C w/o a top D.