Speculation: Lose for Hughes

[PWJunior]

“In Toronto, we had to really break it right down and get to the core and see who wanted to be a part of it,” Lamoriello said. “It’s different here. There’s more talent here at this given time from the original core. It’s not a breakdown.”

So he's evaluating, that's what I want him to do. That tells me people should put away their dreams of obtaining Duchene, Faulk, Karlsson, or whichever player tickles their fancy.

Evaluate away Lou. When we have our sell off at the trade deadline then he can evaluate the hell out of all the prospects that will replace those that were traded.

 

[Isles Junkie]

Jack Hughes has an annoying face.

 

[dv92]

One of my first thoughts after losing the Snake was to tank for Hughes. This kid is an absolute stud in the making. Possibly the American Connor McDavid. With that being said, I don't think we are bad enough to land the first overall. Even if we had a shot at first overall you aren't guaranteed to get it. Look at BUF last year losing out on McDavid. If the hockey gods truly feel sorry for us, maybe we do have a shot at Hughes and things will be okay. I want Lou to still make a couple of trades to give us a shot at competing this year. If we can't land anyone, I'll be keeping a better eye on the draft next year. Still so much time before October and we finally have a Hall of Fame GM. I trust his process.

 

[bigtim1988]

Enough with tanking already.

What did our #1 OA in 2009 get us? And mind you, he had almost as much hype as Crosby before that draft.

Playoffs 33% of the time during his tenure, 0 cups, and heartache in the end.

Screw that. I propose we get the best amateur scouts in the game, and never tank again!

 

[islesfan66]

we don't need to tank... don't get me wrong if we are out of the playoff hunt ill start hoping for some losses and then obviously hope for some lottery luck (FOR ONCE!!) but it'd be way more important to actually hit with our draft pick and get a stud instead of hughes... and if we were gonna tank id tank 2020 for Alexis Lafrainire

 

[Kevin27NYI]

No way, we aren't bad enough to be in that spot. I guarantee we end up with more points than last year key injuries withstanding.

Also, if we did get another lottery pick, meaning anywhere between 1-15 it would do our franchise very well in Lou's five year plan.

 

[nyisles]

It's only July 5th and already this board is being pervaded by loser mentality. Let's at least wait until they're out of the playoff picture by December before posting this tanking garbage.

 

[CodeE]

So he's evaluating, that's what I want him to do. That tells me people should put away their dreams of obtaining Duchene, Faulk, Karlsson, or whichever player tickles their fancy.

Evaluate away Lou. When we have our sell off at the trade deadline then he can evaluate the hell out of all the prospects that will replace those that were traded.

I don't see a trade-and-sign with Duchene being that outlandish PW. Karlsson's a fever dream and Faulk doesn't make much sense with RHD Boychuk, Pulock on the roster and Dobson, Wilde in the system.

But there's that weird thing - like with Eberle and now even arguably Lehner - where he was linked to us so much and we've wasted so much of our lives arguing about him that of course he'd eventually wind up an Islander.

With the situation in Ottawa, I can't see Duchene wanting to stick around. Dorian sucking up the giant L and flipping Duchene for less than he paid for him (the Vanek special), just going full-on cap floor cheap Melnyk certainly seems possible.

As this offseason goes on, I expect a few more big trades. Karlsson, Patches, maybe Panarin, as teams get nervous with the Tavares drama when extensions can't be reached. Duchene would be a perfect fit at #2C and knows he would have some seriously talented wingers to flank him.

 

[Hunn]

Tanking is not what it used to be. 20% probability of winning (a little more than rolling a dice), 50% probability of being bumped to No 4 (a coin flip). Not worth it.

 

[boredmale]

Jack Hughes has an annoying face.

 

[PWJunior]

I don't see a trade-and-sign with Duchene being that outlandish PW. Karlsson's a fever dream and Faulk doesn't make much sense with RHD Boychuk, Pulock on the roster and Dobson, Wilde in the system.

But there's that weird thing - like with Eberle and now even arguably Lehner - where he was linked to us so much and we've wasted so much of our lives arguing about him that of course he'd eventually wind up an Islander.

With the situation in Ottawa, I can't see Duchene wanting to stick around. Dorian sucking up the giant L and flipping Duchene for less than he paid for him (the Vanek special), just going full-on cap floor cheap Melnyk certainly seems possible.

As this offseason goes on, I expect a few more big trades. Karlsson, Patches, maybe Panarin, as teams get nervous with the Tavares drama when extensions can't be reached. Duchene would be a perfect fit at #2C and knows he would have some seriously talented wingers to flank him.

While I understand your reasoning, I don't see Duchene or anyone else as an option. It goes beyond what happens on the ice. Until we have a shovel in the ground, you're trying to sell them on a fairly tale.

 

[MattMartin]

I will say this. Eberle and lee better be signed or dealt by the deadline. No more losing players for nothing. Okposo, Nielsen, and Judas would all have got us 1st rounders and possibly more.

 

[CodeE]

While I understand your reasoning, I don't see Duchene or anyone else as an option. It goes beyond what happens on the ice. Until we have a shovel in the ground, you're trying to sell them on a fairly tale.

Are there any holdups to Belmont apart from a few whiny NIMBYs? Construction was always scheduled to begin in 2019, why are we panicking in 2018 that things aren't going according to schedule?

For Duchene these last few seasons, it's been one nightmare with Colorado, and then another with Ottawa. Offering him a stable, long-term deal without any real centers in the organization looking to push him out of a top-6 spot, we may just be able to convince him.

 

[PWJunior]

Are there any holdups to Belmont apart from a few whiny NIMBYs? Construction was always scheduled to begin in 2019, why are we panicking in 2018 that things aren't going according to schedule?

For Duchene these last few seasons, it's been one nightmare with Colorado, and then another with Ottawa. Offering him a stable, long-term deal without any real centers in the organization looking to push him out of a top-6 spot, we may just be able to convince him.

I just can't trust that anyone would re-sign. I have my doubts that Eberle or even Lee would re-sign. We're not a complete tire fire, but we are on in the midst of a clean up/regime change. We have real issues. Duchene doesn't put us over the top.

Evaluation season means tanking to me.

Not all that caught up to date on Belmont. For me I need to see a shovel in the ground to be real.

 

[seabass45]

There's enough talent here that you don't need to tank. See how the team plays and proceed from there. If it turns out we end up with a top 5 pick, yay, but there's room to fill the holes in the lineup and make a playoff push while keeping our best assets.

 

[Newsworthy]

I will say this. Eberle and lee better be signed or dealt by the deadline. No more losing players for nothing. Okposo, Nielsen, and Judas would all have got us 1st rounders and possibly more.

You could throw in CDH and Nino when you think poor asset management

 

[CodeE]

I just can't trust that anyone would re-sign. I have my doubts that Eberle or even Lee would re-sign. We're not a complete tire fire, but we are on in the midst of a clean up/regime change. We have real issues. Duchene doesn't put us over the top.

Evaluation season means tanking to me.

Not all that caught up to date on Belmont. For me I need to see a shovel in the ground to be real.

I mean, what about:

But even after losing Tavares, Lamoriello said he does not believe the Islanders are rebuilding under new coach Barry Trotz, who led the Capitals to the Stanley Cup last season before departing because of a salary impasse.

“What we’re doing right now is trying to get knowledge of who we are and learning more about each and every one of the players we have here,” said Lamoriello, who was part of the Maple Leafs’ rebuilding efforts as their general manager the past three seasons

That to me says no tanking. It says that even minus Tavares, we have young players who can contribute and win hockey games. If we can shake Duchene loose from the Sens at a fair price, we do it.

As for the arena:

Isles’ arena set to start on schedule, state agency says

Construction on the Islanders’ new arena and surrounding retail development project at Belmont Park remains on schedule to start as early as next spring, according to an Empire State Development timeline presented at a board meeting Monday.

The environmental review process at Belmont, which began this year, is “working toward completing” a draft environmental impact statement by the end of the year, said Thomas Conoscenti, ESD vice president for real estate and development.

Conoscenti added that he expects the final environmental impact statement to be done “by the second quarter 2019,” which begins April 1.

All this legal crap doesn't get solved in a day, the government always dragggggggggs it out munching up tax dollars in the process. But by all accounts we're completely on schedule and I've heard nothing to contradict that. Too much money has been invested by the owners at this point for them to go "screw it, lets move the team to Quebec" no matter how many miserable Leaf and Ranger fans say so.

 

[PK Cronin]

I'm in favor of trading some players to grab younger assets. Not really a fan of intentionally tanking at this point. Trotz has a really great record as a head coach. He's only missed the playoffs a few times in the past ten or fifteen years (can't remember specifically right now).

Accumulate assets through trades that make sense for the future, while also trying to teach these young guys how to play winning hockey. Imagine this team makes the playoffs without Judas? That would do a lot for the young guys mentally I think, and go a long way towards building the team>individual mentality.

 

[MattMartin]

You could throw in CDH and Nino when you think poor asset management

CDH was injured at the deadline.

 

[MattMartin]

I'm in favor of trading some players to grab younger assets. Not really a fan of intentionally tanking at this point. Trotz has a really great record as a head coach. He's only missed the playoffs a few times in the past ten or fifteen years (can't remember specifically right now).

Accumulate assets through trades that make sense for the future, while also trying to teach these young guys how to play winning hockey. Imagine this team makes the playoffs without Judas? That would do a lot for the young guys mentally I think, and go a long way towards building the team>individual mentality.

But what do we do if we are in the playoff hunt and Lee and Eberle have no interest in re-signing? I'm in the market of trading them ASAP or signing them. I don't want either getting hurt or waiting to "let us know".

This is such a difficult position IF we are in the playoff hunt.

 

[Poliz24]

First things first, it's been said here multiple times, "We can't even lose right, we are the islanders." I can't wait for this board to blow up when the Lose for Hughes supporters get mad we win games in march and we are out of playoff contention.

Anyhow, Buffalo can be just as bad as they were last year, No ROR and Lehner. Montreal has a shot of being worse too, no weber for 5-6 months and they have been listening for offers for MaxPac. Arizona you never know, they are usual basement dwellers but things could be looking up. Vancouver losing the sedins doesn't help either. At best that might put us at 5, unless there is a surprise time who really underachieves. That being said, we would have to see where the season plays out in order to really get into this.

 

[CodeE]

Buffalo adds Middlestat + Dahlin to their young core, plus a goalie we tried to get before Lehner.

Vancouver adds Elias Pettersson, regarded as the consensus top prospect last year who should make an immediate impact.

Montreal seems absolutely doomed though with the Weber out 5-6 months news. If any team's gonna lose for Hughes it'll be them.

 

[Glory Days]

It is not in Lou or Trotz's DNA to tank. Anyone hoping for a bottom 5 finish will be disappointed. I'm not expecting a playoff team. There are too many holes at this point. But Trotz will have this team playing competitive hockey most nights.

 

[Kevin27NYI]

It is not in Lou or Trotz's DNA to tank. Anyone hoping for a bottom 5 finish will be disappointed. I'm not expecting a playoff team. There are too many holes at this point. But Trotz will have this team playing competitive hockey most nights.

It's up to the players as long as Trotz is coach, the coaching and discipline will be there for the players. Lehner if he can go back to his .920 save percentage ways, the PK operates at 82-85% (73% last year!) we can get in the playoffs. Not easily or anything but under those guidelines it's doable. At that point you just need Leddy to hit 40 points, Pulock 30+ on the backend; Barzal to hit 70 with Lee getting 30 and a 4 others in the 20s (Eberle, Beau, Barzal and Nelson?). That's a playoff team IMO. Fill me in if you don't think we can hit those benchmarks but I think we can and the players can. If you don't think those benchmarks are enough to get in I can get that but I think it's possible.

 

[Quickdraw2828]

I am not. NYG actually.

Yeah, for the first time last year I was cheering for my team, the Jets, to lose. I feel dirty but it worked out.