Friedman: Palmieri re-signing with the Islanders

[Gurglesons]

Is that supposed to be good? Especially considering he doesn't bring anything else to the table, such as defensive play, PK ability or physicality. That means 18 right wingers produced more than him, and that doesn't include RW who maybe produce slightly less but add other dimensions to the game.

I'd argue that a one-dimensional winger whose only job it is to produce ranking all the way down at 19th among RWs (not even total wingers) is actually proof he's not what you're describing him as. For a player who only adds offense and nothing else, they should probably be top 10 at their position if they're going to be called "one of the better RW in the league".

I mean if you want to argue semantics that’s fine.

ROR is 20th in terms of 5v5 production over the last two seasons. Guess he’s not one of the better centers in the league too.

For someone that was so adamant the Penguins need playmakers I figure you’d have a soft spot for Ebs.

 

[mm11]

Eberle is very good at sweatsuit hockey. No disrespect at all but Palms is tougher to play against and that's what Trotz wants

 

[Foppberg]

Please let me know where I referred to Eberle as an elite player.

I guess. Or Palmieri had a couple good weeks in the playoffs and sucked ass the rest of his time in NYI and Eberle is one of the better wingers in the league.

But, good luck. Either way I'm happy as a PIT fan I no longer have to see Eberle.

 

[Gurglesons]

Didn't know "one of the better wingers in the league" equated to "elite".

Thanks for putting words in my mouth though.

 

[13th Floor]

I mean if you want to argue semantics that’s fine.

ROR is 20th in terms of 5v5 production over the last two seasons. Guess he’s not one of the better centers in the league too.

For someone that was so adamant the Penguins need playmakers I figure you’d have a soft spot for Ebs.

I think you kind of proved his point because ROR brings a shitload to the table that Eberle doesn't.

As an Isles fan, I was SCREAMING on our boards at Eberle for all 3 of the latest playoff runs. It's because if Eberle is not scoring, he is a negative. And frankly, the Isles can't survive that given the game they play. The 2019 playoffs, him and Brock Nelson absolutely owned the Pens (he scored every game in the sweep). Every time you would score, one of them would score. But outside of that, he was kind of weak.

For example, in 2020 he scored a goal in the 1st game of the 1st round (after play-ins) and then went 11 straight games without a goal, including the entire 2nd round 7-game series against the Flyers. And he was awful during that stretch. He's also been a minus or even player in all 3 playoff runs.

I like Eberle but I see what Oilers fans said about him. I wouldn't call him a non-playoff performer by any stretch, but he's a guy that you just end up scratching your head over why he can't do more. It's the combination of streaky, being allergic to contact, not working hard enough, and not having enough skills to compensate.

The best hockey I've seen Eberle play is when he was taken off of Barzal's line this past season and was tasked to be the line driver / puck carrier. And I am one that strongly admits that Barzal is hard to play with, so that's a credit to Eberle. But I think that explains Eberle perfectly -- he needs too perfect a situation which is why he is kind of a tweener that leaves you wanting more. He needs physicality with him, he needs someone to do board work, he needs to carry the puck, but he's an OK playmaker and is a streaky goal-scorer with streaks that aren't long or big enough. When he starts struggling, he's a huge hole because he can't do anything else. Palmieri is built for playoff hockey and therefore I think is an upgrade. Eberle's skill will be missed, but the cap space might make up for it.

The Isles are an interesting team because not many teams would lose their RW1 and kinda shrug... but here we are. Maybe we'll eat crow on it, but if we made buckets that centered around guys Lou likes (e.g. Pageau, Palmieri, Parise) and guys that fit the never-ending-1st-round-pick-one-dimensional-Oilers, Eberle is in that latter group. It's not surprising they exposed him because with the understanding that a player was going to be lost, the cap space gained by the Isles versus the player they lost was one of the better swaps they could do. And I still think it's dumb that the Kraken didn't take Bailey because of everything I said above and because Bailey is a perfect leader for that team.

 

[LMFAO]

***Tazz Voice***


OUTTA NOWHERE!!!!

 

[Gurglesons]

I think you kind of proved his point because ROR brings a shitload to the table that Eberle doesn't.

As an Isles fan, I was SCREAMING on our boards at Eberle for all 3 of the latest playoff runs. It's because if Eberle is not scoring, he is a negative. And frankly, the Isles can't survive that given the game they play. The 2019 playoffs, him and Brock Nelson absolutely owned the Pens (he scored every game in the sweep). Every time you would score, one of them would score. But outside of that, he was kind of weak.

For example, in 2020 he scored a goal in the 1st game of the 1st round (after play-ins) and then went 11 straight games without a goal, including the entire 2nd round 7-game series against the Flyers. And he was awful during that stretch. He's also been a minus or even player in all 3 playoff runs.

I like Eberle but I see what Oilers fans said about him. I wouldn't call him a non-playoff performer by any stretch, but he's a guy that you just end up scratching your head over why he can't do more. It's the combination of streaky, being allergic to contact, not working hard enough, and not having enough skills to compensate.

The best hockey I've seen Eberle play is when he was taken off of Barzal's line this past season and was tasked to be the line driver / puck carrier. And I am one that strongly admits that Barzal is hard to play with, so that's a credit to Eberle. But I think that explains Eberle perfectly -- he needs too perfect a situation which is why he is kind of a tweener that leaves you wanting more. He needs physicality with him, he needs someone to do board work, he needs to carry the puck, but he's an OK playmaker and is a streaky goal-scorer with streaks that aren't long or big enough. When he starts struggling, he's a huge hole because he can't do anything else. Palmieri is built for playoff hockey and therefore I think is an upgrade. Eberle's skill will be missed, but the cap space might make up for it.

The Isles are an interesting team because not many teams would lose their RW1 and kinda shrug... but here we are. Maybe we'll eat crow on it, but if we made buckets that centered around guys Lou likes (e.g. Pageau, Palmieri, Parise) and guys that fit the never-ending-1st-round-pick-one-dimensional-Oilers, Eberle is in that latter group. It's not surprising they exposed him because with the understanding that a player was going to be lost, the cap space gained by the Isles versus the player they lost was one of the better swaps they could do. And I still think it's dumb that the Kraken didn't take Bailey because of everything I said above and because Bailey is a perfect leader for that team.

I think you’ll be surprised by the difference between Palmieri and Eberle in an 82 game season. Especially if Palms is not on PP 1.

 

[Foppberg]

Didn't know "one of the better wingers in the league" equated to "elite".

Thanks for putting words in my mouth though.

It doesn't, however the way you phrased it sure implied Eberle is some high end player. But sure, play the victim. It is 2021 after all.

 

[13th Floor]

I think you’ll be surprised by the difference between Palmieri and Eberle in an 82 game season. Especially if Palms is not on PP 1.

Any reason why? They are both 50-60-point wingers and one of them is a shitload more physical on a team that prides itself on physicality and commitment in the dirty areas.

 

[Gurglesons]

It doesn't, however the way you phrased it sure implied Eberle is some high end player. But sure, play the victim. It is 2021 after all.

What I said was Eberle is one of the better wingers in the league. I did not say he was top ten winger, or one of the best wingers in the game. I feel like he is very underrated by Isles fans.

 

[justHypnos]

I think you’ll be surprised by the difference between Palmieri and Eberle in an 82 game season. Especially if Palms is not on PP 1.

Since 2015-16 Palmieri has 0.03 fewer ES goals per 60 than Eberle does. Palmieri is absolutely a PP specialist but you are clearly overrating Eberle and/or underrating Palmieri.

 

[Gurglesons]

Any reason why? They are both 50-60-point wingers and one of them is a shitload more physical on a team that prides itself on physicality and commitment in the dirty areas.

I think that is why. Palms is more of the same where as Ebs brought an element the Islanders need in their top nine.

 

[Gurglesons]

Since 2015-16 Palmieri has 0.03 fewer ES goals per 60 than Eberle does. Palmieri is absolutely a PP specialist but you are clearly overrating Eberle and/or underrating Palmieri.

and in the last two years Palmieri is .8 per 60 at 5v5 versus .98 for Eberle.

I think they are comparable wingers, I just don’t see Palmieri filling a gap that the Islanders need. Undersized, scrappy winger with a hell of a shot seems to be the quota they have filled.

Granted, if they actually use him on PP1 with regularity I’ll disagree and see Palms as more effective.

 

[13th Floor]

I think that is why. Palms is more of the same where as Ebs brought an element the Islanders need in their top nine.

I see your point but it goes both ways though, right? Do you add more players that fit your style of play so you can continue to be a team that's greater than the sum of their parts, or do you try and add elements that you lack. It's a difficult question and a difficult balance. We definitely want more skill on our team, but Eberle is arguably one of the weakest dirty area guys in the game. He's a guy that HAS to be a 2nd liner. Not good enough for the 1st line and way too soft for the 3rd. As much as the Isles need his top-end skill, they become extremely hamstrung in rolling 4 lines when he's not going.

 

[Gurglesons]

I see your point but it goes both ways though, right? Do you add more players that fit your style of play so you can continue to be a team that's greater than the sum of their parts, or do you try and add elements that you lack. It's a difficult question and a difficult balance. We definitely want more skill on our team, but Eberle is arguably one of the weakest dirty area guys in the game. He's a guy that HAS to be a 2nd liner. Not good enough for the 1st line and way too soft for the 3rd. As much as the Isles need his top-end skill, they become extremely hamstrung in rolling 4 lines when he's not going.

I think part of the reason has been an insistence on using him with Barzal as you already alluded to. I dunno. I like Palmieri have been a fan of his since he was an up and comer on the Ducks squad I see live regularly.

I just think it is funny how easy to write off Eberle Islanders fans are.

 

[13th Floor]

I think part of the reason has been an insistence on using him with Barzal as you already alluded to. I dunno. I like Palmieri have been a fan of his since he was an up and comer on the Ducks squad I see live regularly.

I just think it is funny how easy to write off Eberle Islanders fans are.

I agree. I really wanted the experiment off of Barzal's line to continue, but I think it was an issue of how to deploy Eberle effectively because he's very one-dimensional. Like I said before, I think Barzal is really hard to play with. He throws everyone's timing off because he hold the puck for a long time when I think he can use his wingers quicker in transition to open up more space and create more scoring players toward the net. But Eberle has nowhere else to go in the lineup. Our 2nd line with Nelson and Bailey required shut down minutes, which Eberle can't do. Everywhere else requires physicality. His tenure on the Island relied on chemistry with Barzal, and unfortunately for Eberle, Barzal is good enough to overcome his difficulty to play with.

I said the same thing about Tavares but for the complete opposite reasons. He's slow, methodical, but probably the best player in the game below the dots (at least when he was an Islander). But that can be difficult for a lot of top line wingers who want to score in transition and not cycle down low for greasy goals. The Islanders have struggled for a long time to put together a top line around their star center. And probably will again next year.