Speculation: Lose for Hughes

[seafoam]

 

[Macch]

This will be a retool not a total rebuild. Take a minute to remind yourselves what our roster looked like before we went full rebuild...

New York Islanders 2007-08 roster and scoring statistics at hockeydb.com

 

[Macch]

That graph makes it seems like signing Carter Hutton has the same impact as signing pajama boy

 

[NewYorkIsles]

We still have a good team, need just two more NHL ready players through trade and we'll be fine. I am confident with Trotz and Lou, and hearing them speak yesterday made me realize we are in good hands. I am happy Lou isn't rushing any trades, one can never rush a good deal. When the opportunity presents itself I am sure Lou will pounce. I don't want to see the Isles tank, but imagine they missed the playoffs and won the lottery? We'd be scary next year

 

[crasherino]

Picking 11 and 12 in a very deep draft. Next year it's back to normal. And by making the playoffs that puts the team in the teens and sets us back in our rebuild.
So you rather continue to be mediocre?
I wanted the NYI to tank even if we kept Tavares and CDH because our prospect pool is so devoid of talent. Snow didn't get the job done.
Look at the last teams to win the Cup. Their best players were high picks.
This reminds me of the NY Knicks philosophy.
Not bad enough to draft a Lebron James or Ayton and not good enough to make the playoffs.
Maybe Toronto should have tanked last year?
Could you imagine they drafted Dahlin or Svechnikov?

Its pretty hard to tank successfully. Sure, on a message board its easy to say "lets tank". But you still have to field a team, a team that will obviously try its damnest on the ice. You still have to show some promise to your players and fanbase and then hope you win the lottery (or not lose the lottery) in a year where there is a Connor McDavid as opposed to a Nail Yakapov. A lot of moving parts there. How exactly would have Toronto tanked last year? Just sat Matthews/Nylander/Marner?

Hockey is a team game, not like the NBA. The Golden Knights made the Cup Finals last year. Yeah the Caps won the Cup with their #1 draftee.....15 years later! I'm not sure that they had a 15 year plan in the works there.

Bottom line, there's nothing wrong with building for the future. There's no reason for the Islanders to make short-sighted moves and mortgage the future. But, there is a tremendous amount of parity in this league. A compilation of superstars (like on the Leafs) doesn't translate necessarily to on ice success. If the Islanders see steady improvement on a few levels this year, they can compete this year and add to their core in a meaningful way the next. Under Trotz and Lou, this team is not that far off from being in the mix.

 

[Poliz24]

In regards to being in position to get the #1 pick, I can't see us being as bad as Ottawa, especially if they moved Karlsson. With Trotz coaching the team now, we won't be a complete dumpster fire defensively.

 

[seafoam]

I want Hughes solely for the fact that he's going to be a seven figure cap hit player along with Barzal, meaning they can't afford to tie up "The Big Money" into grinders.

 

[LeapOnOver]

Did you intentionally try and make the line combos look bad?

Could throw them in a blender and get better results, i don't know what you think the line combos should be since you added absolutely nothing of value to the conversation armchair qb.

 

[Kevin27NYI]

Could throw them in a blender and get better results, i don't know what you think the line combos should be since you added absolutely nothing of value to the conversation armchair qb.

Could start by throwing Pulock in the blender

 

[Chardo]

Even without Tavares, this team has a lot more talent than given credit. A solid defensive structure, well coached, with player buy-in, can be transformative. Look no further than Vegas.

 

[Sorge Georos]

Vegas is not the new normal. We've won ONE playoff series in 25 years and all of a sudden any team can make the Finals because of Vegas? Please...

 

[Wanderson]

At the moment, the roster is far from competitive. So far, the off-season has been awful and we've not addressed our biggest need - defensive help. I fail to see how Lou will be able to make the Islanders into contenders this year without giving up our top prospects - and hopefully he is sane enough to not gamble with the future to reach quick success. I rather see the Islanders have one awful year and try to strike gold in the draft (Hughes, Turcotte or Newhook), than trading away our future and maybe become a team which stuggles to reach the playoffs for 5 years or more.

 

[Poulin 0n My St1ck]

So who thinks we can compete with the Caps, Pens, BJs, Flyers, and the Canes and Devils too?

I don't, so just mail it in all season.

 

[BMOK33]

So who thinks we can compete with the Caps, Pens, BJs, Flyers, and the Canes and Devils too?

I don't, so just mail it in all season.

This division is overrated. That said we probably aren’t making the playoffs barring some type of miracle acquisition or two in the next 8 weeks.

 

[LamorielloAndSon]

No tank

 

[LeapOnOver]

Could start by throwing Pulock in the blender

Probably a good idea.

 

[Chapin Landvogt]

The minute they brought in Lou, you had to know there'd never be a season of tanking.

He'll sooner have a team full of grinders nipping at spot 8 unsuccessfully than full out play a team likely to be in the draft lottery.

 

[LeapOnOver]

This chart shows the Kings just above us, but that's because they don't have numbers for Kovalchuk so they are even way better than our offseason lol.

 

[LGB51]

Not always the best idea Nolan Patrick (who was suppose to be #1OA) last season comes to mind. See what you guys have first, who knows maybe the Isles will have that Vegas chip on their shoulders after how their captain did them and just click. Point is the projected first overall is not always a sure thing, just look at, RNH, Yak, or the Blues 1OA Erik Johnson and the Isles have some really great pieces that if the click could really make some waves this season.

 

[SI90]

Not always the best idea Nolan Patrick (who was suppose to be #1OA) last season comes to mind. See what you guys have first, who knows maybe the Isles will have that Vegas chip on their shoulders after how their captain did them and just click. Point is the projected first overall is not always a sure thing, just look at, RNH, Yak, or the Blues 1OA Erik Johnson and the Isles have some really great pieces that if the click could really make some waves this season.

I understand and agree to a certain extent. I don’t believe in rooting for your team to lose because with the way the lottery is it isn’t a slam dunk.

But regarding Hughes I’m comfortable in saying he’s the real deal.

 

[Konk]

Not always the best idea Nolan Patrick (who was suppose to be #1OA) last season comes to mind. See what you guys have first, who knows maybe the Isles will have that Vegas chip on their shoulders after how their captain did them and just click. Point is the projected first overall is not always a sure thing, just look at, RNH, Yak, or the Blues 1OA Erik Johnson and the Isles have some really great pieces that if the click could really make some waves this season.

The draft years you are referencing were known to be down years without a true franchise #1 overall player. This year is one of those years where the projected top pick is clearly a special player and everyone knows it. Hughes is about a sure thing as it gets, next to McDavid and Matthews.

That said, even if the Isles lose the lottery there's a group of really talented kids that project as potential top 5 picks - Turcotte, Kakko, Cozens, Dach, Krebs, Lavoie, Newhook. I'd say the draft is already shaping up to be better than 2006, 2011, and 2012 which were all down years.

Even if we don't Lose for Hughes, we could Get outfought for Turcotte.... or how about Boycott wins for Turcotte.... ok, this one might need some work...