Newsday: Is it time to rebuild again?

[rikker]

i agree that there is a quality leadership void. we have older players, but they are not exactly known as the 'go through the wall to win' type.

i am not going to guess and say that Snowang had an opportunity to add someone like that (i think Brown, Kesler, Chara, Weber, Toews...). that said, if we knew for sure that a quality, i repeat, QUALITY leader, would have come to the Isles (big, big, point, that some of the posters here don't seem to fathom), and Snow turned them away, then i would be very pissed.

when i hear posters say, "all Snow had to do was add a #1 goalie, and a #1 defenceman, and a #2 defenceman", i shake my head. masochists...

 

[redbull]

I think it's the leadership void in the dressing room. Whether people liked it or not, Streit kept JT behind the scenes in the leadership category. He also ate up 20 mins a night on the back end. Glad Snow did not overpay for Streit, albeit declining, bc he WOULD be helping the team right now.

In the Vanek trade, the Isles essentially split the difference in salary with BUF on Vanek and moulson. There was a 2.5 difference with sabres picking up 1.2 of it. That was how Wang invested in the team...

Keep in mind, if Vanek goes by the deadline than Wang pays out LESS.

Wang/Snow exchanging assets (either the added 2nd rounder or first rounder) in exchange for cash (Vanek's salary) sickens me. It's CLEARLY a case of using the team's assets to add to his WALLET rather than make the team better. NOTHING MORE.

Have to believe that's Snow working with the "as little as possible" budget Wang has set for him. There's no GM in the world that has all that cap space that would choose to give up assets to save dollars. Makes zero sense.

If we had any media, Wang (or Snow) would be called to out on this fiasco - but that's for another time, another thread.

As I said, everyone's to blame here.

But there is still some talent on this roster and good players coming. This year though, looks like another lottery year.

And I agree with you on the leadership side. Not necessarily Streit specifically, but in some older players who can still play, that can offer that on-ice, off-ice leadership, help develop younger players, etc.

 

[blitzkriegs]

Wang/Snow exchanging assets (either the added 2nd rounder or first rounder) in exchange for cash (Vanek's salary) sickens me. It's CLEARLY a case of using the team's assets to add to his WALLET rather than make the team better. NOTHING MORE.

Yup, if you really look at it. With the $1.2 million share in the deal for picks (yes, the Isles exchanged, in part, picks for cash!) come the trade deadline there will be approximately $500-$600K off that difference by playing the season. Thus, when the Isles trade Vanek they will have only 'invested' about $600k in the player for 'x' number of months on a rental.

Now, if the Isles made the playoffs (takes a miracle, but whatever), then that was worth the investment. However, if the Isles don't I can assure you the move was in the HOPE that Vanek would achieve a LARGER return from a contender including a NHL ready or near NHL ready top prospect or two, something they do not believe Moulson will get.

It's sad, but what you are seeing is SnowWang trying to make non-traditional moves to obtain players without having to contend in the UFA by using real USD.