Wasn't Staple the guy who tweeted "doesn't look too good for the Isles losing prospect Durandeau by not signing him" like two hours before he signed his contract? Staples is washed up, he has no good connections to the Islanders brass.
He was as on top of thing as anyone up until Weight and Snow were around. I wouldn't say washe dup, but yeah, he's not getting 20% fof what he was getting from Isles brass as he did 2 years ago. I mean, logic tells you that Lee and Lehner are likely gone simply because it is 3 days before UFA and there seems to be no traction. I undertand that UFA's sometimes say shit that isn't true, but Lehner said a lot in the last couple weeks. He could have gave a canned answer to the media about how he hopes it works out, yada yada, but he came out and flat out said he doesn't care about term, he doesn't care about salary, that he just wants to be here no matter what. OF COURSE thats not a 100% true. He won't take 2 years 6 million and he shouldn't, but Arthur is basically saying that Lehner wants north of 5 mil a year and 5 + years. If that's really what he wants, which base don his comments, and his career history, makes little sense, IDK why they can't find common ground at 4 years at 5 or 5 and 4.5 or something like that.
This reeks of Lou putting all his eggs in the Bob/Panarin double basket. Regardless, point remains that Staple's word means half or less than that of what it did 1-2 years ago.
Who is giving Lehner 5x 5? I just don't see it. I know he is coming off an amazing year, but he still only played half a regular season of games and has 1 year out of many in his career that hasnt been totally erratic.
We'll see. No clue why Lou cann't offer 7 x 11-12 to Panarin and still bring back Lee and Lehner. They have 21.5 mil in cap space, 2 LTIR candidates in Ladd/Clutterbucks who will likely not be ready on opening day. Of course they need to look forward with Barzal/Toews/Pulock as RFA's after next season, but you have moveable contracts in Leddy/Bailey and some expirings next year.
We'll see what happens. Big game hunting can end up bad, usually does for the Isles