Do You Guys Expect More From Lou?

steveat

Registered User
Jun 4, 2011
12,057
2,003
I am wondering how the rest of the fanbase sees Lou now because he hasn't done anything blockbuster yet.

I just want to say that there have been a lot of small signings where I see people go "woop dee do" and "don't care" etc etc

To me, he was sideswiped by a certain someone and wasn't able to start running out of the gate, so in my mind, Lou is shoring up what he can. He probably listened to Garth about each player, what they can do, their strengths, weaknesses etc and Lou will fill the gaps, play the boys for maybe the first quarter of the season and then start dropping the ball by unloading players for ones that fit.

Lou was right though, we aren't a trainwreck and we aren't really rebuilding. Rebuilding means we have nothing and no prospect depth. We have prospect depth that make even good teams jealous, so stop it with the BS. I wouldn't say we are missing players..we just acquired the wrong ones. Right now, the entire 3rd line got a reboot....why didn't we try and go for Vermette? I think he would have been a better option than flippula...
 

StarBucks

Registered User
Dec 27, 2004
562
75
WANG____MeFoolingYOU
In Lou I trust. I’m guessing Gary bettman was involved somehow, and I think the owners listened to the Commissioner about Lou being the Best GM. Lou, isn’t Snow. He knows when to make and not to make to hurt the organization. We have one of the best coaches, and the boys will listen to what he has to say. The country Club is over!
 
  • Like
Reactions: dood

LeapOnOver

Mackenzie is a hack!
Jan 23, 2011
12,471
3,674
Iksan, S. Korea
www.leaponover.com
Nothing out there. I thought he'd make a play for ROR but i'm pretty sure Buffalo wanted to go out of conference with that. I'm actually glad he's got the patience for a rebuild at his age instead of cashing in the youth to still compete now. I'm glad he recognizes that playing in the east the chance of doing that is slim to none. Even the Flyers have gotten better....
 

GiveDWrightskates

Registered User
Jul 9, 2007
211
5
Oslo
I really hope he is mainly focusing on 2019-2020 and 2020-2021. Don't trade any top prospects or high picks for guys without term, and don't sign older players to Ladd type long term deals that will hurt us down the road, just so we can be a bit more competitive this year.

The Komarov deal was not a good start.
 

CREW99AW

Registered User
Mar 12, 2002
40,928
3,389
I really hope he is mainly focusing on 2019-2020 and 2020-2021. Don't trade any top prospects or high picks for guys without term, and don't sign older players to Ladd type long term deals that will hurt us down the road, just so we can be a bit more competitive this year.

The Komarov deal was not a good start.
I agree with not trading high picks or top prospects for short term additions. I would have hated the MaxPac for 11th or 12th overall, even if MaxPac sigmed an extension. He is looking for $7m per,on a long-term deal. I want no part of that.
 

Islander Class

Registered User
Jun 30, 2018
330
464
South Carolina
I’m judging Lou on whether he can deliver a Top 2-3 team in the Eastern Conference (and therefore a Cup contender) by the time we hit Belmont. I would expect that will be largely driven by trades- which you don’t know when they’ll bubble up. Could be well into 19-20 before we start seeing the plan materialize in a meaningful way. I do believe it will materialize though- and I expect Lou to be “smartly opportunistic” when chances appear...
 

CupHolders

Really Fries My Bananas!
Aug 8, 2006
7,441
5,736
Honestly not too much.

I advocated and hoped for Lou for a while. Well before any rumors of him being available.

But I see him as more of someone to set up an organizational structure and philosophy. In other words make it and run it like a “Real NHL club.”

I wasn’t keen on him for the GM role specifically. And was (and still) am hoping for them to bring in someone else as the GM (ie. Mark Hunter).

I was ok with him as GM going into this offseason because I figured he had enough “no brainer things”... Retain Tavares... get a goalie.... to handle before, Hunter could take over to handle the rest.

Once Tavares’ situation dropped... everything now seems a bit more panicked and reminiscent of Lou during his late Devils years.

Still hoping that Hunter as an associate GM, then full-time GM is ACTUALLY a long-term plan. But it may NOT even be.

EDIT: One last thing... Assuming Hunter is even brought in, It’s still an uncertainty of what he can do. He may be the next Yzerman or Bergevin.
 
Last edited:

CupHolders

Really Fries My Bananas!
Aug 8, 2006
7,441
5,736
I think you're still operating under the assumption that we have a tight cap. JT is gone so this silly contract won't really mean much.

Exactly, the entry level contracts will make this a wash. Hopefully, a guy like Wahlstrom is playing like a Boeser/Connor in four years to offset the price of this one.
 

Islander Class

Registered User
Jun 30, 2018
330
464
South Carolina
One thing I think he has changed already is the culture. Relations between management and personnel were way too “buddy buddy”/fraternity brother the last several years in my judgment- particularly relative to the amount of success enjoyed (or not enjoyed). A logical offshoot of elevating management directly from the dressing room (Snow, Weight, etc.) I guess. I am expecting no more sleeping in each other’s garage apartments or gratuitous golf outings under Lou.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: CBG

saintunspecified

Registered User
Nov 30, 2017
5,975
4,295
I think you're still operating under the assumption that we have a tight cap. JT is gone so this silly contract won't really mean much.

It won't matter for 2 years. Then it might. But, yeah, it's probably better we don't worry about what might happen in 2 years!
 

Newsworthy

Registered User
Jan 28, 2018
4,253
982
USA
Lou killed the draft and hired the right personell.
Dropped the ball so far in free agency
 

Newsworthy

Registered User
Jan 28, 2018
4,253
982
USA
I am wondering how the rest of the fanbase sees Lou now because he hasn't done anything blockbuster yet.

I just want to say that there have been a lot of small signings where I see people go "woop dee do" and "don't care" etc etc

To me, he was sideswiped by a certain someone and wasn't able to start running out of the gate, so in my mind, Lou is shoring up what he can. He probably listened to Garth about each player, what they can do, their strengths, weaknesses etc and Lou will fill the gaps, play the boys for maybe the first quarter of the season and then start dropping the ball by unloading players for ones that fit.

Lou was right though, we aren't a trainwreck and we aren't really rebuilding. Rebuilding means we have nothing and no prospect depth. We have prospect depth that make even good teams jealous, so stop it with the BS. I wouldn't say we are missing players..we just acquired the wrong ones. Right now, the entire 3rd line got a reboot....why didn't we try and go for Vermette? I think he would have been a better option than flippula...
no need to rebuild just tank
ISLANDERS used to be bad at drafting and good at tanking.
Now where good at drafting and bad at tanking.
 

JayEss90

Registered User
Jul 1, 2018
13
41
Yes and no.

Would I like to become a cup contender and make some trades? Absolutely. I’d like nothing more than to win and rub it in that snakes face.

Having said that, the signings haven’t bothered me too much. Trotz was obviously a great first step. Tavares holding us for ransom and porking us obviously set some things back.

Would O’Reilly or Karlsson have really put us over the top? I don’t see it. We already saw what the Blues had to give up for O’Reilly. We would certainly be more competitive, but I don’t think either truly makes us a cup winning caliber team.

Instead, though it’s not perfect and certainly not flashy, we have vastly improved our coaching, we have added veteran leadership with high character guys that improve our PK (which we desperately needed) and have improved our bottom 6.

I doubt this is the end, either. Its only been a day and a lot can still change.
 

PWJunior

Stay safe!
Apr 11, 2010
42,751
22,569
Long Island, NY
I’m judging Lou on whether he can deliver a Top 2-3 team in the Eastern Conference (and therefore a Cup contender) by the time we hit Belmont. I would expect that will be largely driven by trades- which you don’t know when they’ll bubble up. Could be well into 19-20 before we start seeing the plan materialize in a meaningful way. I do believe it will materialize though- and I expect Lou to be “smartly opportunistic” when chances appear...

Losing The Snake signalized a rebuild, I think we all know that and especially more now considering the moves made. I've said we're back to 2008 and we pretty much are, but we are in a far greater position with proven management, a strong prospect group and solid coaching. If we only had this in place back then, things might be different today. Lou also has years of Snow's mistakes to clean up in the process. I think he said it's a 5-year plan he's trying to execute, but I think 3 years is the more expected timeline to coincide with Belmont as you noted.

The fact of the matter is, we are still a Mickey Mouse organization and being the team to have their #1 overall pick walk for nothing is not going to help matters. Belmont is on it's way, but we are still the least desirable arena situation in the league until then. I think we've taken major steps to become a full fledged NHL franchise, but we're still not there yet. We have fan sympathy and leaguewide pity for losing that dishonest POS on our side so there are no expectations for next season except to suck. Lou just went through a successful rebuild in Toronto, he'll follow the same plan here and Trotz is our Babcock with an opportunity to mold this team from almost scratch. Barzal is a gift from the hockey gods to show that they don't completely hate us, we have a superstar and #1 overall level talent to start anew with.

Next season is all about taking our lumps, Barzal is going to have to transition to the alpha and he's honestly the least of my worries. He's a confident kid and clearly uber talented, he does exude that youthful exuberance that we're all going to need through a trying season. Beau is his sidekick and lieutenant going forward and Bailey is the likely consigliere who'll keep the C warm for him by Belmont. I think Trotz will have us playing hard and he'll instill a solid system that will help mask our deficiencies, but we're going to struggle all year. We may not be bottom dwellers, but we'll be in that group right above them. We'll need to evaluate all the kids in the 2nd half of the season after whatever sell off at the trade deadline. We should be hoarding draft picks.

Lou's main focus should be on helping get the shovel in the groud and then going to work once the season is over. The lottery is going to be important for us, getting Jack Hughes would be so huge for us and I hope Lou can play his 'Uncle Gary' card to make that happen. If not, there are some really good looking centers at the top of the draft and we should be players for one of them. I think Hunter will be running our draft next season, he should be joining us shortly. We took our lumps this year on July 1st, we should be major players next year because we will have major cap space. Lou will have the time to be prepared this time and make real noise. Depending on how things go, we could be big game hunting. Even if we don't land a big fish, we'll walk away with a key prospect or two for the future. Barzal-Hughes would be the ideal outcome for us.

I'm excited and optimistic about our future. Lou knows what he's doing and I trust he'll have a solid plan. Let the adjustments happen organically this year and evaluate who will be a long term core piece. The development of Barzal, Beauvillier, and Pulock are what I'm looking for. I would like to see Bellows, Ho-Sang, and Dal Colle get time in the 2nd half and Toews on the blue line. We'll also be a year closer to getting Sorokin over. Maybe next year we'll finally be able to pry him out of the KHL.

2019-2020 could be a quantum leap year. Draft well, develop your kids, and then get that gamechanger if one becomes available. In Lou We Trust.
 

firel28

Registered User
May 23, 2010
72
30
And don’t forget about ANDONG!
706DCE42-EF00-4400-B3A4-9AF5C1118710.png
 

NittanyIsle

Registered User
Feb 16, 2013
1,576
1,327
He got us Barry Trotz and got it done before the draft.

He had an incredibly solid draft, especially for how far down we were in the pecking order. Some of that is luck but I think he got AT LEAST 2 players that will be skating for us in 2 years.

Yeah yesterday sucked, but he's just filling out the roster with some depth. Isles needed to fix their PK, he went out and got someone who can do that in Komarov. We needed some grit to protect Barzal, he did that too. Probably a bit of an overpay, but with this much caproom it doesn't mean a hell of a lot.

I'm fine with Lou right now. I also think the FA pool was super shallow so I didn't expect us to do much. Let's see how he handles the G/D situation over the next week.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: IODCPiper

Brunomics

Registered User
Sep 2, 2006
8,787
1,586
He's been the Gm for a couple months and this is my list of what I expect

1)Culture change- check
2)quality coach - check
3)quality draft - check
4)fill some bottom six gaps with ufas-check
5)goalie - pending
6)trades to strengthen D and top 6 - pending

The fact of the matter is the important moves were not going to take place during Free Agency. Fill some gaps and then use trades to make the impact moves. Anyone who thought going out and winning free agency was the best strategy hasn't been paying attention to the NHL the past couple years.
 

Sheva7

Work Hahd Play Smaht
Oct 11, 2011
3,422
452
He just signed 2 of the most useless players in the league yesterday. One of them for FOUR YEARS!

Four years!!!!!

That's not trying to tank. That's thinking you got a real keeper that you can win with...which is totally ridiculous. I'm legit scared to see what comes next.

Based on yesterdays signings....I predict and expect much more pain for isles fans.
 

Ad

Upcoming events

Ad

Ad

-->