Staples Twitter: Isles Sign Sbisa

[The Winter Soldier]

Sbisa averaged 19 mins in the regular season and 16 mins in the playoffs on a stanley cup finalist team last year. Little risk with the Isles having a tonne of cap space.

 

[seafoam]

 

[Joedoggy]

More grit..good depth....think playoffs..no more losing points having to pad stats for individuals. Toronto has the problem now...Likely not a playoff team

 

[13th Floor]

More grit..good depth....think playoffs..no more losing points having to pad stats for individuals. Toronto has the problem now...Likely not a playoff team

The team that finished with 105 points last year, tied for 3rd in the conference with the Cup winners and just added Tavares? I'll take that bet.

 

[danteipp]

I have no problem with Sbisa as depth, given the seemingly annual Boychuk injury and the fluke injury to Toews last season (you never know who will get hurt), provided the best players start when healthy. And I think Trotz will do that.

But let's hope that Leddy/Boychuk stay healthy and Pulock and Toews play well, then you can slot in the rest based on health, match ups and performance.

I am also hoping that with some better structure and coaching, we see improved play out of Pelech and Mayfield. A couple years ago, I watched Pelech play quite a bit in the AHL and he seemed to make more decisive passes and was a capable and relatively sound player. Hopefully that returns.

 

[Richie Daggers Crime]

At the moment, I see it going down like this...

The team starts with the expected top 6 and sends Toews to BPort to start the season. He gets his game feet back and enjoys plenty of PP time.

Sbisa is the guy in the pressbox.

As soon as someone gets a little injury and misses a couple of games or needs a day off, Sbisa suits up.

If anyone gets in Barry's doghouse and he wants to send him a message, Sbisa is in the line-up.

If someone gets a more serious injury and is out of the line-up for an extended period of time, Toews comes up and immediately jumps into the top 6.

And he likely won't look back once he does.

I have a feeling people will need to get used to seeing Sbisa on the ice. The team is going to lean hard on veterans and see if any of them snap.

 

[doublechili]

His brother Duane Sbisa will wear #12.

 

[MatthewBarnabysTears]

More grit..good depth....think playoffs..no more losing points having to pad stats for individuals. Toronto has the problem now...Likely not a playoff team

sigh this year is gonna suck

 

[seafoam]

At the moment, I see it going down like this...

The team starts with the expected top 6 and sends Toews to BPort to start the season. He gets his game feet back and enjoys plenty of PP time.

Sbisa is the guy in the pressbox.

As soon as someone gets a little injury and misses a couple of games or needs a day off, Sbisa suits up.

If anyone gets in Barry's doghouse and he wants to send him a message, Sbisa is in the line-up.

If someone gets a more serious injury and is out of the line-up for an extended period of time, Toews comes up and immediately jumps into the top 6.

And he likely won't look back once he does.

If you think Toews is Bridgeport bound, and Sbisa is the 7th, why aren’t they paired together in practice?

It looks to me that Sbisa is a top 6 defenseman on this team and it’s Toews and Mayfield on the outside looking in. Otherwise Sbisa wouldn’t be playing his offside.

I’m already seeing it now, Pelech is going to be paired with Sbisa, who’s going to make him look like crap, and fans will be calling for Pelech’s head, while Sbisa gets a free pass because he’s a veteran who “played” in the Cup finals who’s a “known quantity” as a depth D.

This culture their trying to build seems to be a lot more about flexing your strength and trying to act like something your not thank just trying to play the best team hockey as fast as possible (which is what VGK did, not try and out-hit and out-grit you).

 

[Satan'sIsland81]

If you think Toews is Bridgeport bound, and Sbisa is the 7th, why aren’t they paired together in practice?

It looks to me that Sbisa is a top 6 defenseman on this team and it’s Toews and Mayfield on the outside looking in. Otherwise Sbisa wouldn’t be playing his offside.

I’m already seeing it now, Pelech is going to be paired with Sbisa, who’s going to make him look like crap, and fans will be calling for Pelech’s head, while Sbisa gets a free pass because he’s a veteran who “played” in the Cup finals who’s a “known quantity” as a depth D.

This culture their trying to build seems to be a lot more about flexing your strength and trying to act like something your not thank just trying to play the best team hockey as fast as possible (which is what VGK did, not try and out-hit and out-grit you).

Pelech already sucks, he doesnt need anybody else to make that evident. Okay, maybe a little harsh, but he is definitely not good. I am actually shocked by how many people still believe Pelech is an everyday NHL defenseman. People on here talk about him like he is a top 4. I dont think he is even a top 6 on more than 2-3 other teams in the league. He is better than Mayfield though, I will give him that. Says something about Mayfield.

 

[Satan'sIsland81]

This is my honest opinion on how our defenseman rank from best to worst OVERALL at the position if completely healthy:
Boychuk
Pulock
Leddy
Toews
Sbisa
Hickey
Pelech
Mayfield

 

[Richie Daggers Crime]

I'm always very wary of dishonest opinions, so thank you for the preemptive clarification.

 

[DerekKingSnipes]

I have no problem with Sbisa as depth, given the seemingly annual Boychuk injury and the fluke injury to Toews last season (you never know who will get hurt), provided the best players start when healthy. And I think Trotz will do that.

But let's hope that Leddy/Boychuk stay healthy and Pulock and Toews play well, then you can slot in the rest based on health, match ups and performance.

I am also hoping that with some better structure and coaching, we see improved play out of Pelech and Mayfield. A couple years ago, I watched Pelech play quite a bit in the AHL and he seemed to make more decisive passes and was a capable and relatively sound player. Hopefully that returns.

I’m more worried about Mayfield rather than Pelech. Pelech to me can be a decent #4 but a really good #5 or 6. I think eventually guys like Aho, Wotherspoon and Van de Sompel could push Mayfield out this year.

 

[SI90]

Competition never hurt nobody. The cream will rise to the top. Toews needs to embrace it and take a spot. Let’s see what these kids are made of. Toews seems like the type of guy that gets fueled by competition. Time will tell

 

[Cygnusx1018]

I'm hoping for
Leddy - Boychuk
Hickey - Pulock
Toews - Mayfield
7D: Pelech
8D: Sbisa

 

[buud]

two things...

1) i think some people put too much stock in pre-season games. it's only part of the evaluation process. the real test, is how they perform in games, and more importantly, high pressure games. guys like Toews, Bellows and JHS, have not proven anything at the NHL level. they should not be given a spot on the big club, based on a few exhibition games. they've proven that they can be dominant, but they need to take the next step, and be consistent.

2) Hickey in the top 4? noooooooooooooooo..... 3rd pairing at best, and i hope that they stop using him on the PK. he is decent offensively, but terrible defensively. seems like a character guy, and may be good with the youth, but no more PK for him. please, please, please...

oh... Sbisa. he is ok for one year.

 

[duster19]

The team that finished with 105 points last year, tied for 3rd in the conference with the Cup winners and just added Tavares? I'll take that bet.

I agree with you. But not everything in this world goes as planned. If JT wants to be a cup winner he needs to change up his game. He can’t be that selfish player anymore. To many times he comes through looking more like a Spezza then a Crosby. I think everyone has been sold that JT is this great leader. Good team guy. I think we were all fooled. He is a stats guy first. Team guy second. Needs to be the opposite.

 

[Goombha]

I put my trust in the cup winning coach with a track record of great success to make the lineup decisions and manage the team. Though it truly is fun to read this board with all the allegedly better coaching decisions that comes with it.

 

[PuckItUp27]

This is my honest opinion on how our defenseman rank from best to worst OVERALL at the position if completely healthy:
Boychuk
Pulock
Leddy
Toews
Sbisa
Hickey
Pelech
Mayfield

This is accurate

 

[crasherino]

I'm hoping for
Leddy - Boychuk
Hickey - Pulock
Toews - Mayfield
7D: Pelech
8D: Sbisa

I'm surprised at how many people are down on Pelech. At least down on him to the point that he's dropped below Mayfield in the lineup. I would go with that rotation as well but I'd shift Pelech over to the right side (something he's done quite a bit) and have Toews on the left. To me, Mayfield is the quintessential #7 Dman. Skills are somewhat limited and gets exposed over the long term but able to perform well enough in short stints with the occasional suprising offensive play.

 

[Macch]

I'm surprised at how many people are down on Pelech. At least down on him to the point that he's dropped below Mayfield in the lineup. I would go with that rotation as well but I'd shift Pelech over to the right side (something he's done quite a bit) and have Toews on the left. To me, Mayfield is the quintessential #7 Dman. Skills are somewhat limited and gets exposed over the long term but able to perform well enough in short stints with the occasional suprising offensive play.

Think fans will have a much different view on certain players who struggled last season after Trotz gets his system up and running.

 

[crasherino]

Think fans will have a much different view on certain players who struggled last season after Trotz gets his system up and running.

Like most young players (but perhaps more than some), I think Pelech will benefit from an infusion of confidence. Part of that comes from maturing and part comes from the CS having faith in you. I remember noticing quite often over the past 2 years him being just a bit uncertain with the puck - wanting to make the right play but hesitating and pinning the puck against the board instead of getting it out of the zone (just as an example).

If he wants to be considered a top 4 Dman - which is not out of the realm of possibility for him - this is the year he really needs to make that leap and assert himself. He's not a 21/22 year old rookie who is surprisingly getting thrust into the lineup. He's got some time under his belt, he now has to take the opportunity, grab it and not let go. The spot is there for the taking.

 

[PK Cronin]

Think fans will have a much different view on certain players who struggled last season after Trotz gets his system up and running.

I'm definitely interested to see how some guys perform with a better system and structure. I think it has the potential to make a lot of players better, with some of them actually getting worse in our eyes.

 

[IslesNorway]

I think we'll see a lot of rotation on our D this year. Might serve someone like Boychuck well as it could well prevent some injuries.

 

[sabremike]

I put my trust in the cup winning coach with a track record of great success to make the lineup decisions and manage the team. Though it truly is fun to read this board with all the allegedly better coaching decisions that comes with it.

Even the best coaches in the league make terrible roster decisions (just look at some of the decisions Babcock has made). It doesn't make say giving Toews a ticket to Bridgeport to make room for a guy incapable of receiving even the simplest of passes, is an unforced icing machine and is as effective a defender as a traffic cone any better.