Players the Isles Should Target

[bluechipbonzo]

Boris Valbik was supposed to be the next Chara - you can see where that got ATL.

Valabik was comparable to Chara at the same age.

Oleskiak is considered much, much further along than Chara at the same age.

Kid is Myers part deux, and I would love the pick in a trade down situation.

 

[doublechili]

Valabik was comparable to Chara at the same age.

Oleskiak is considered much, much further along than Chara at the same age.

Kid is Myers part deux, and I would love the pick in a trade down situation.

I've read that there are questions about his decision-making. If true, you don't use a high-ish 1st rounder on that. I mean, all defensemen do is make decisions....

 

[It Was 4 to 1*]

who i'd like the isles to sign in order of likeliness

Not Likely
Bieksa
Ehrhoff
Laich
LaRose
Gagne

Maybe
Leino
Hannan
Upshall
Handzus

Most Likely
Fiddler
Ryder
O'Brien

ideally i'd like

Moulson - Tavares - Leino
Grabner - Nielsen - Okposo
Comeau - Bailey - Upshall
Fiddler - Konopka - Haley
Gillies, Parenteau

Streit - Bieksa
MacDonald - Hamonic
Jurcina - Mottau
Hillen, Eaton

Montoya
DiPietro

 

[OrangeZebra]

who i'd like the isles to sign in order of likeliness

Not Likely
Bieksa
Ehrhoff
Laich
LaRose
Gagne

Maybe
Leino
Hannan
Upshall
Handzus

Most Likely
Fiddler
Ryder
O'Brien

ideally i'd like

Moulson - Tavares - Leino
Grabner - Nielsen - Okposo
Comeau - Bailey - Upshall
Fiddler - Konopka - Haley
Gillies, Parenteau

Streit - Bieksa
MacDonald - Hamonic
Jurcina - Mottau
Hillen, Eaton

Montoya
DiPietro

Where is nino in there?

 

[IslesRock4]

Where is nino in there?

We're not going to sign Leino or Upshall. He'll be there.

 

[Kevin27NYI]

We're not going to sign Leino or Upshall. He'll be there.

and i think hunter wont be bought out so he will take fiddlers spot. and martin will take haley's spot and the islanders didnt resign parenteau for 1.25 million to be the healthy scratch so he should take the spot next to JT again.

 

[It Was 4 to 1*]

Where is nino in there?

in the whl

and i think hunter wont be bought out so he will take fiddlers spot. and martin will take haley's spot and the islanders didnt resign parenteau for 1.25 million to be the healthy scratch so he should take the spot next to JT again.

i also forgot about hunter and martin completely. as for parenteau, i hope they re-signed him just as a safe back up plan

Moulson - Tavares - Leino
Grabner - Nielsen - Okposo
Martin - Bailey - Comeau
Haley - Konopka - Hunter (if they re-sign konopka) or Fiddler - Haley - Hunter
Gillies, Parenteau

Streit - Bieksa
MacDonald - Hamonic
Jurcina - Mottau
Hillen, Eaton

Montoya
DiPietro

 

[Hip Of Rick*]

in the whl



i also forgot about hunter and martin completely. as for parenteau, i hope they re-signed him just as a safe back up plan

Moulson - Tavares - Leino
Grabner - Nielsen - Okposo
Martin - Bailey - Comeau
Haley - Konopka - Hunter (if they re-sign konopka) or Fiddler - Haley - Hunter
Gillies, Parenteau

Streit - Bieksa
MacDonald - Hamonic
Jurcina - Mottau
Hillen, Eaton

Montoya
DiPietro

PAP will not be a healthy scratch as much as some may want him to be. He was signed to be on the first line, Wang and Garth are not going to sign a guy for over a million to stash in the press box. I would not get your hopes up thinking we will sign Leino or Upshall. I do think both would be good fits but with this years UFA crop being crappy those are some of the more top end guys this year.

As for Nino make him earn a spot in camp and maybe a 9 game tryout again. If he does not earn it send him back to the juniors, no need to hand him a spot based on his birthday. We killed Bailey and if Nino does not wow us let him go back to juniors. I also would not hand Bailey a spot, if he does not earn it with strong play he should end up in the press box. We can not afford to carry his dead weight every game if he does not produce.

 

[OrangeZebra]

To all of you adding Bieksa, he has said that he will take less pay to stay in Vancouver. We need to look at other options such as Kaberle, Pitkanen, Hamrlik, and McCabe

 

[BennyBST]

Not too sure of his faceoff % but how about a lesser known guy like Tim Brent? who had a decent season with Toronto, is a UFA and can chip in offense for the 4th line.

 

[seafoam]

Not too sure of his faceoff % but how about a lesser known guy like Tim Brent? who had a decent season with Toronto, is a UFA and can chip in offense for the 4th line.

I like that, I'm all for Garth trying to find those lesser known guys in the cracks than signing the #1 back end center on the market. If there's a big name guy who wants to play here and take less then I think you have to pursue him, but that never happens.

And somebody mentioned Grant Clitsome, a dman from Columbus, they said he had a good year.

 

[BennyBST]

I like that, I'm all for Garth trying to find those lesser known guys in the cracks than signing the #1 back end center on the market. If there's a big name guy who wants to play here and take less then I think you have to pursue him, but that never happens.

And somebody mentioned Grant Clitsome, a dman from Columbus, they said he had a good year.

Clitsome just signed a 2 year extension with CLB. The defenseman I think we should pursue is Jonathan Ericsson.

 

[Otto91]

It is time for The Isles to make a splash and be Bold


Snow has stockpiled some good young talent and more to come in this draft.


On Draft Day I would like to see us add The 6'4" Sean Couturier to the mix if he is on the board at #5

I would also Like to see Snow deal For RFA Zach Bogosian Using Josh B. and Hillen as bait. If need be playing with a combo to get a deal done here.

This team is in Need of a 2nd Line center....I do not see Franzie as 2nd liner.....but perfect as a solid 3rd line center. Josh B. is not experienced enough for 2nd line center and his game has been rushed which has caused very little upside in his game to date.


Snow and The Isles Need to step up to the plate and make a bold bid on July 1st to UFA Brooks Laich...

This guy is a solid Center with size and grit. I feel he has all the tools The Islanders need at that 2nd line center position....Time for Snow to be bold and offer Laich a nice contract.


Going with the same people up the middle will get this team nowhere fast...just more of the same.
I am fine with JT and Franzie...but we need more then Josh B at that 2nd line center position.


Adding Brooks Laich, Zach Bogosian, El Nino to the 2011-2012 team should provide better results then last year.

If we somehow are able to land Couturier at #5... I am sure we will not cry that Josh is Traded. Don't get me wrong I like Josh but it is time to be bold here if this team plans to make a run at the playoffs it needs an experienced 2 line center with size and grit.

Moulson JT EL Nino

Grabner Laich Okposo

Comeau Frazie Pap

Martin Konopka Hunter


Streit Bogo


Amac Hamonic


Eaton/ Motts/ Jurcina/ Wishart

Goalie....????? 1 should step up

 

[blitzkriegs]

Enough with the Bogosian already. The team just moved, it will have a new coach, management, and a focus on building through the draft. They need to keep their RFA's

I love the automatic, Bogosian becomes a super hero on LI, yet the return we give them does not or is given little to no consideration. What happens if nyi trade for him, he stinks it up, yet the Bailey boy hits it big??? Thought so.

Also, please pass on all things Kaberle. Talk about a dog all playoffs. Hes slow, misreads the play, and is pretty terrible defending the crease. His offense? Where?

He'll get paid but I don't see nyi biting on him. Pitkanen would be a wiser choice.

 

[Riseonfire]

It is time for The Isles to make a splash and be Bold


Snow has stockpiled some good young talent and more to come in this draft.


On Draft Day I would like to see us add The 6'4" Sean Couturier to the mix if he is on the board at #5

I would also Like to see Snow deal For RFA Zach Bogosian Using Josh B. and Hillen as bait. If need be playing with a combo to get a deal done here.

This team is in Need of a 2nd Line center....I do not see Franzie as 2nd liner.....but perfect as a solid 3rd line center. Josh B. is not experienced enough for 2nd line center and his game has been rushed which has caused very little upside in his game to date.


Snow and The Isles Need to step up to the plate and make a bold bid on July 1st to UFA Brooks Laich...

This guy is a solid Center with size and grit. I feel he has all the tools The Islanders need at that 2nd line center position....Time for Snow to be bold and offer Laich a nice contract.


Going with the same people up the middle will get this team nowhere fast...just more of the same.
I am fine with JT and Franzie...but we need more then Josh B at that 2nd line center position.


Adding Brooks Laich, Zach Bogosian, El Nino to the 2011-2012 team should provide better results then last year.

If we somehow are able to land Couturier at #5... I am sure we will not cry that Josh is Traded. Don't get me wrong I like Josh but it is time to be bold here if this team plans to make a run at the playoffs it needs an experienced 2 line center with size and grit.

Moulson JT EL Nino

Grabner Laich Okposo

Comeau Frazie Pap

Martin Konopka Hunter


Streit Bogo


Amac Hamonic


Eaton/ Motts/ Jurcina/ Wishart

Goalie....????? 1 should step up

Laich would not be a good pivot for Grabner. Him and KO would work well together, but Grabner will throw off the chemistry. I say let Nielsen have a real shot at the 2C and lets see if he can produce a little more.

 

[OlTimeHockey]

Laich would not be a good pivot for Grabner. Him and KO would work well together, but Grabner will throw off the chemistry. I say let Nielsen have a real shot at the 2C and lets see if he can produce a little more.

Nielson and Grabner WORKED....and PAP and Moulson and JT WORKED.....so I like Nino (if he makes it) working his way up and EARNING a spot.

But I'm old fashioned I guess.

Also, Bailey showed spurts of being solid....part of being young is growing up/maturing.

I'd rather work with what we have and add what we need than redesign the wheel every year. If we land a top winger, PAP moves down. Same on D. Same in net. You get the best 20 guys and Rick (can't help with Wang's lovechild) and they tell the coach where they spot themselves with their play. So far, Bailey stays with Comeau, JT with Moulson and Grabner and Nielson are three duos you do not experiment with.

Furthermore, Poulin gets to grow up on his own until Rick breaks his hymen again.

 

[Richie Daggers Crime]

I don't really see the difference between Leino and PAP.

 

[Marlo Stanfield]

If the Isles were to draft Couturier, Arnott would be an excellent mentor. Both are big, up the middle guys, who are productive in each zone.

I'd stay away from Arnott...apparently he was disliked over the his last few seasons in Nashville before being moved to NJ/Washington. Lot of players complained he didn't train/work hard enough and didn't do much as a captain. Not exactly the type of guy I want in my locker room.

Other players I'd stay away from:

Kevin Bieksa; someone will overpay for him. Hope it's not us. Too inconsistent.

Simon Gagne; love watching him play, but injuries have altered him from the player he used to be. Too many concussion issues.

Alexei Ponikarovsky; loafer, lazy player. Has played on two good teams now (Pittsburgh and LA) and can't manage to do jack s*** with top notch talent and oppourtunities presented to him.

Any player over the age of 35.
I understand the importance of veteran influence in the locker room but most of the players 35+ are on their last legs. I feel this team is ready to compete next year and can't rely on someone who's gonna be in and out of the lineup and may have just signed with the Isles because Wang threw them the most money.

That being said I'd rather shoot for players ages 29-33 who may not be star players but played in the NHL playoffs repeatedly over the past few years.

Player I WOULD target (one of each)

Eric Belanger, Michael Handzus or Rob Niedermayer (potential Konopka replacement now that it seems like he's not coming back)

Ville Leino, Mike Rupp Vernon Fiddler, Tomas Kopecky or Scottie Upshall (gritty energy players)

Keith Ballard; would LOVE him on the Island and hopefully Vancouver will wanna trade him after the Stanley Cup to free up cash to resign Ehrhoff and Bieksa. Would be an ideal veteran to keep around our team for the next two to three years.

Ian White; puck moving defenseman. Turning 26 or 27. Just entering what could be his prime years. Ultimately see him as a pipe dream; SJ will resign him or he will go to a contender for 4+ per.

Also, kinda have a soft spot for a few former Isles (Eric Brewer, Roman Hamerlik, Bryan McCabe; I know the last two go against what I mentioned with the 35+ rule). If there was a way we could bring McCabe back on a 1 or 2 year deal or potentially sign Brewer to the type of contract Michalik or Hamius got (4-5 years, 4.5-5.0 per) I'd be okay with that as he's a good defender and could easily mentor Hamonic and help us.

Just my 2 cents. Take it as you will.

 

[OlTimeHockey]

I don't really see the difference between Leino and PAP.

One scores a decent amount on an underwhelming team, one plays a decent agitating game with limited offense on a very good team.

 

[Seph]

One scores a decent amount on an underwhelming team, one plays a decent agitating game with limited offense on a very good team.

Neither of them play an agitating game, and both contribute pretty much the same amount of offense.

 

[isles57]

dmen wise i would love to see pitkanen come or kaberle offensivley leino would be nice or parise doubtful tho

 

[seafoam]

There will never be another Chara

 

[SpeedDemon]

In your opinion who do you think the Isles should target this offseason as UFA's or through a trade? Explain why. Should Garth make one or two minor signings and wait for someone through waivers like Grabner etc? Or should he go after some top tier players like Parise or Erhhoff or w.e?

1- A versitable all-around winger. (or Center if we move Bailey to the wing) to complete the 3rd line
2- Powerplay quaterback
3- a Goalie without injury issues
4- some GOOD FORTUNE

 

[seafoam]

The games not over, but with the Canucks losing to finals, do people still want Bieksa?

 

[Chapin Landvogt]

I'd have to think Bieksa will remain of interest and will receive a good pay-day if on the free market.