Player Discussion: Jean-Gabriel Pageau

[Richie Daggers Crime]

I know they may not be together long term, but can we call them the Zipp Line for now?

No. They're the Dead Line. Already done.

 

[CupHolders]

No. They're the Dead Line. Already done.

That’s awesome…. the trade “Dead Line”

 

[SI]

The veteran team that has been not been able to get past TB,is facing another cap crunch and had a poor prospect pool. So, not only is there no potential elite, cost controlled player making his way thru the system,but the weak prospect pool makes it harder to attach attractive sweeteners to bad contracts.

You speak like the series is already over.
You are projecting things and problems that haven't happened.

The truth and current landscape is -

• Despite the flat cap, Lou and staff were able to put together a team that made it to the conference final for the second year in a row.
• Despite a poor prospect pool, the team staff has integrated their blue-chip goalie prospect, who has thrived in his rookie year, looking like an elite goalie in the next couple of years.
• In addition, the team has fully integrated their blue-chip 21-year-old RHD Noah Dobson, who was slowly brought along last season and has been given more and more playing time through the year - featuring on the 1st PP unit. There are growing pains during these playoff series, but the young man is playing through it and learning the game in real-time - mind you he turned 21 in January... Pelech and Pulock are over 26 both struggled at his age and had more seasoning in the AHL.
  
• In addition, the Isles integrated future top 6 F - Oliver Wahlstrom, who put together a great rookie campaign at the age of 20 - he turns 21 tomorrow (buy the man a beer!).
• That is 3 young players the team has integrated into their lineup with Bolduc, Bellows, and Salo knocking on the door next season. It is not the norm to integrate that much young talent to a SC contender.
• Bad contracts - Komarov was being shopped all year, but Lou wasn't able to find takers, and thank God because Leo has been great in these playoffs. Not finding a dance partner worked out. Hickey, will most likely be buried again next season or bought out for a cap hit .800 K. Ladd is the albatross and the only real potential problem for the off-season, LTIR writing is on the wall. The truth is we do not know for certain what will happen with LADD or the expansion draft or with new contracts to Beau, Pelech, and others.
• Potential sweeteners - '22 1st, as well as the two 2nds the team got for Devon Toews, can be used to move contra. ts out. Kieffer Bellows will see his stock rise once the expansion draft is done and rising young blueliner Samuel Bolduc can all be used to move out contracts

 

[SI]

JGP and Palmieri seem to fit like a glove together. They are the 3rd line that plays like the #1 line. I would love to see Palmieri stapled to JGP for the next 5 years on his next contract. This is looking ahead but I think we can do this if Eberle is exposed or traded. Wally can take up the Right wing on Barzal's line with Lee next season. That would be an awesome line up.

There is a path to keep both Eberle and Palmieri (I assume KP will get 4/16 that is in line with Toffoli's payday).
It would mean Leddy is the player selected by Seattle.

We can take this discussion to the rumors thread.

 

[Mr Misunderstood]

Looks like he got hand surgery and should be good for the start of camp.

Explains why he was a different looking player against TB and the offensive life was sucked out of him and the rest of his line.

 

[MJF]

Looks like he got hand surgery and should be good for the start of camp.

Explains why he was a different looking player against TB and the offensive life was sucked out of him and the rest of his line.

Yet he was taking every faceoff and was usually over 50%. Incredible.

Now you all know why Travis Zajac remained in the lineup.

 

[seabass45]

Looks like he got hand surgery and should be good for the start of camp.

Explains why he was a different looking player against TB and the offensive life was sucked out of him and the rest of his line.

Really wonder if they might have been better off sitting him at that point. Whole point of getting Zajac was to prep for a possible injury down the middle and here it was.

 

[Throttle]

Damn first rounder for that third liner....

 

[Poulin 0n My St1ck]

What impressed me most about JGP this postseason was how he absolutely manhandled Mr. Selke, AKA Patrice Bergeron, all series long.

 

[Throttle]

Yet he was taking every faceoff and was usually over 50%. Incredible.

Now you all know why Travis Zajac remained in the lineup.

And another often overlooked reason to acquire depth for the playoffs. Zajac was a great addition. Not the best skater at his age, but he made a lot of simple plays to low danger ares routinely. Something a frantic rookie may not do and cause turnovers leading to changes in possession and GAs.

 

[SI90]

kid is a warrior

 

[The Winter Soldier]

"If "ifs" and "buts" were candy and nuts, not for an injured JGP, we would probably be playing for Lord Stanley. But let's not go there, but I sure would pay to view a crystal ball, to know how the series would have gone had JGP been the JGP of the Pittsburg and Boston series.

 

[The Winter Soldier]

kid is a warrior

Wonder how it was broken, slash? I do recall him leaving a game, and not playing in the 3rd in the Boston series.

 

[MJF]

And another often overlooked reason to acquire depth for the playoffs. Zajac was a great addition. Not the best skater at his age, but he made a lot of simple plays to low danger ares routinely. Something a frantic rookie may not do and cause turnovers leading to changes in possession and GAs.

Absolutely. Making the simple pass is an underrated feat. Especially on a team that had trouble managing the puck and took 3 moves to get the puck out of their zone way too often.

Anyone who listened to Trotz's presser on Sunday heard him talk about defending against a team like Tampa. That's what he wants because that's how our roster is constructed. Part of us defending is having 4 strong centers. Now we know that Zajac kept drawing in case Pageau couldn't finish a game and Leo, Casey or Brock didn't have to take extra faceoffs. Instead he'd double shift a winger and move Zajac to center.

 

[MJF]

Wonder how it was broken, slash? I do recall him leaving a game, and not playing in the 3rd in the Boston series.

I would have bet the house that it was a lower body injury. Pager's skating looked off. Amazing that he won as many faceoffs as he did after the Bruins series. He's a friggin warrior. Love that guy.

 

[seabass45]

I would have bet the house that it was a lower body injury. Pager's skating looked off. Amazing that he won as many faceoffs as he did after the Bruins series. He's a friggin warrior. Love that guy.

Looks like it could have been a groin issue when he left Tampa game 2, thought that might be the injury people were speculating about but it’s possible he was dealing with a couple of things.

 

[JKP]

I would have bet the house that it was a lower body injury. Pager's skating looked off. Amazing that he won as many faceoffs as he did after the Bruins series. He's a friggin warrior. Love that guy.

Nothing saying he wasn't dealing with a groin or something in addition to the hand. I thought that's what it looked like to me. I was surprised about the hand surgery.

Hope he holds up for the next 5 yrs of that deal given how hard he plays.

 

[Mr Misunderstood]

In game 1 against TB he threw a harmless looking backhand on net while on the PK and immediately skated off the ice with his arm dangling.

That's what could've been the hand injury and wouldn't be surprised if he was playing through more.

 

[19 Straight]

Wonder how it was broken, slash? I do recall him leaving a game, and not playing in the 3rd in the Boston series.

I take it NBC didn't bother searching the game tapes for some slash by one of the Lightning?

 

[leeroggy]

I would have bet the house that it was a lower body injury. Pager's skating looked off. Amazing that he won as many faceoffs as he did after the Bruins series. He's a friggin warrior. Love that guy.

I thought he had strained a groin based on the first reaction I saw on the shift he was hurt but the slash makes sense and he played the shift after hurting it early in the shift

 

[Islander Class]

Mad respect for JGP. Just so awesome that he’s an Islander. Heal up & get some rest warrior!

 

[CupHolders]

I agree with the posts above that he was dealing with multiple things. It was just the hand that needed surgery. The other stuff is likely just typical R&R time.

 

[MJF]

I thought he had strained a groin based on the first reaction I saw on the shift he was hurt but the slash makes sense and he played the shift after hurting it early in the shift

As others here have said JGP may have other nagging injuries. The hand was the injury that needed surgery.

 

[The Winter Soldier]

Where has the time gone? Seems just like yesterday the Isles traded for him at the TD. Not saying JPG will be traded but his No trade turns MTC this year. In a summer of uncertainty the way I see it, it's a good to note this.

 

[Mike C]

Mad respect for JGP. Just so awesome that he’s an Islander. Heal up & get some rest warrior!

I was very thrilled that he got to wear the "A" one night when others were injured/out towards the end of last season. Warrior is a good description for him. He has become one of my favorite Isles

In my humble opinion, I think he is a PERFECT #3 center