Roster/Rumors/Speculation/Trade Talk - 2023-24: Hotel California

[Osakahaus]

I really don't think in these days, where even fans can filter stuff out by paying attention to advanced stats, that any team will trade for Palmieri. He had some hot stretches, and did well on the PP.

imo it was an Islanders player's worst 30 goal season since the days of the Polish Prince. He avoids the criticism because he's got no shortage of grit, but he was simply awful everywhere but deep in the offensive zone, and especially in the neutral zone.

Hard disagree

 

[Osakahaus]

Shea Theodore may be moved from Vegas. In the unlikely scenario that Pelech was moved, i'd take a long look at him.

He's expecting a raise no matter what. If the isles trade for him its for picks and prospects. i'd move the 18th overall for him as well. Add his name to my list.

 

[iggy]

He's expecting a raise no matter what. If the isles trade for him its for picks and prospects. i'd move the 18th overall for him as well. Add his name to my list.

Great player but can't stay healthy. Pass.

 

[saintunspecified]

Hard disagree

that's a response, but just like palms, you failed to to get it in deep.

 

[Osakahaus]

that's a response, but just like palms, you failed to to get it in deep.

if you think this is the time to trade him, i dont disagree. i just think that without him, we dont make the playoffs.

 

[periferal]

Shea Theodore may be moved from Vegas. In the unlikely scenario that Pelech was moved, i'd take a long look at him.

Shea Theodore is nice. Would love to have him on the team. Now, do people fully realize:

1. What it would take to clear out current salary to fit in his 5.2M salary next season (Pelech cannot be moved)?
2. What he will want the year after when he's a UFA.
3. How many other teams could outbid us in terms of picks/prospects for him (or any other players)?
4. How even adding him would be probably the one big move Lou could/would make this offseason...And it wouldn't address the offense at all?

 

[Skip To My Lou]

Shea Theodore may be moved from Vegas. In the unlikely scenario that Pelech was moved, i'd take a long look at him.

Love Theodore. Amazing player, perhaps some injury concerns. Either way, I wouldn't be surprised if he asks for $9M.

 

[YearlyLottery]

Shea Theodore is nice. Would love to have him on the team. Now, do people fully realize:

1. What it would take to clear out current salary to fit in his 5.2M salary next season (Pelech cannot be moved)?
2. What he will want the year after when he's a UFA.
3. How many other teams could outbid us in terms of picks/prospects for him (or any other players)?
4. How even adding him would be probably the one big move Lou could/would make this offseason...And it wouldn't address the offense at all?

The offense needs some tweaks but I truly do not think that is the problem. The Islanders do not have a great defense anymore. Lou took our elite defense to make the offense better but now neither is elite.

 

[Kevin27NYI]

The offense needs some tweaks but I truly do not think that is the problem. The Islanders do not have a great defense anymore. Lou took our elite defense to make the offense better but now neither is elite.

Also Dobson got 70 points and the next Dman had like 20. Adding movement from the backend will help the frontend

 

[Chapin Landvogt]

The offense needs some tweaks but I truly do not think that is the problem. The Islanders do not have a great defense anymore. Lou took our elite defense to make the offense better but now neither is elite.

I'd say that without any doubt whatsoever, the two most pressing changes to this line-up - and we need this from the outside - are the additions of two top 6 wingers, one for the Barzal-Horvat pairing and one for the Nelson-Palmieri pairing.

No doubt.

That is construction site number 1, first and foremost.

This team goes nowhere without the production from Player Numero Tres on those two pairings being considerably more productive than what we saw this season. The whole outlook changes exponentially the minute those two spots combine to churn out 90+ points as opposed to 60+.

Exponentially!

Both goaltending and defense have enough in them to rebound if it's deemed that there's not enough space to do anything more than tweaking (and Högberg being added means the goaltending has been tweaked - now we just need a way to retain Reilly).

Yes, I'd love to see a number of changes to the group on whole, but when simply looking at the most pressing needs with respect to the guys under contract, that tops the list.

Really no reason to tackle other things until you upgrade from Lee and Engvall in those spots.

Going into the playoffs with Cizikas and Fasching in top six roles - no disrespect to either - was absolutely comical. It was an announcement to the league that this organization wasn't serious about getting more than one or two wins in the first round.

Sadly, it wouldn't be half bad having Engvall and Lee on the bottom two lines, but to pay 10 MM per for that is wasted dough. Big time!

Lou is going to have to find a way.

And I really like what we've ultimately seen from Holmstrom. There's a player here. But he's not ready to be a 50-point guy in a top 6 role next season. They should be concentrating on making him a more consistant Line 3 player.

Also Dobson got 70 points and the next Dman had like 20. Adding movement from the backend will help the frontend

On the other hand, Reilly was on a very decent PPG pace as your second most productive Dman.

Realistically, we should all expect Dobson to dial back down to 50-55 points next season. Those 70 points were born of gobs and gobs of ice time, but the kind that are neither sustainable nor a boon over the long run.

What happened over the final 20-25 games (incl. POs) was directly related to his overuse during midseason.

 

[JJ18Sniper]

Love Theodore. Amazing player, perhaps some injury concerns. Either way, I wouldn't be surprised if he asks for $9M.

I noticed he was in the Vegas lineup as a LH RD once they added Hanifin.

If he can play his off-side effectively, it does add Pulock into trade consideration in addition to the Pelech option. Pulock for that coveted wing and whatever needs to go to Vegas for Theodore.

If he wants 9M AAV though, it's likely not going to work with the Dobson extension looming. If he wants Hanifin type $, we could probably make it work as the offset from Pulock or Pelech is + ~1-2M AAV for the role.

 

[MJF]

I'd say that without any doubt whatsoever, the two most pressing changes to this line-up - and we need this from the outside - are the additions of two top 6 wingers, one for the Barzal-Horvat pairing and one for the Nelson-Palmieri pairing.

No doubt.

That is construction site number 1, first and foremost.

This team goes nowhere without the production from Player Numero Tres on those two pairings being considerably more productive than what we saw this season. The whole outlook changes exponentially the minute those two spots combine to churn out 90+ points as opposed to 60+.

Exponentially!

Agreed. And I want to point out that to fill all those positions will require more heavy lifting than Lou is capable of given the contracts we have on hand.

This in essence will be a multi-season retool.

 

[Osakahaus]

Also Dobson got 70 points and the next Dman had like 20. Adding movement from the backend will help the frontend

You need another puckmover at the very least. In terms of points, Pulock is becoming expendable along with Pelech if their defense aren't up to par

If the isles are gonna try to go ANYWHERE, you need another guy on that bottom pair like a Mike Reilly to stick, and we need another decent forward. However, that puckmover is more important, especially after seeing how rancid Aho was on our PP2 before Mike Reilly came along

 

[Mr Misunderstood]

I'd say that without any doubt whatsoever, the two most pressing changes to this line-up - and we need this from the outside - are the additions of two top 6 wingers, one for the Barzal-Horvat pairing and one for the Nelson-Palmieri pairing.

No doubt.

That is construction site number 1, first and foremost.

I'll believe it when shovels are in the ground.

 

[periferal]

The offense needs some tweaks but I truly do not think that is the problem. The Islanders do not have a great defense anymore. Lou took our elite defense to make the offense better but now neither is elite.

What am I missing? How did Lou take from the defense to make the offense better? Here are the most significant defensive moves Lou has made in the last few years:

• Toews - Traded for 2 picks (1 used to draft Calle Odelius and the other part of 3 picks to get rid of Ladd)
• Leddy - Traded for Panik and 2nd round pick that became Raty (added to another 1st and Beauvillier to get Horvat).
• Wotherspoon - Let go for NOTHING (and no eating up good minutes for the playoff Bruins)

Are you saying that the 2nd acquired from the Leddy deal, which made up 1/3rd of the assets needed to get HOrvat is Lou "taking from the defense to make the offense better?

I think you need to tweak this phrase and instead say that given all the picks he's traded, Lou has borrowed from the future to build an incedbily flawed, average, non Cup contender today.

 

[Chapin Landvogt]

What am I missing? How did Lou take from the defense to make the offense better? Here are the most significant defensive moves Lou has made in the last few years:

• Toews - Traded for 2 picks (1 used to draft Calle Odelius and the other part of 3 picks to get rid of Ladd)
• Leddy - Traded for Panik and 2nd round pick that became Raty (added to another 1st and Beauvillier to get Horvat).
• Wotherspoon - Let go for NOTHING (and no eating up good minutes for the playoff Bruins)

Are you saying that the 2nd acquired from the Leddy deal, which made up 1/3rd of the assets needed to get HOrvat is Lou "taking from the defense to make the offense better?

I think you need to tweak this phrase and instead say that given all the picks he's traded, Lou has borrowed from the future to build an incedbily flawed, average, non Cup contender today.

In essence, the draft capital Lou got from the Toews and Leddy deals, where Panik was forced upon him as wasted money in a wasted contract spot, basically was then used to pay Arizona to take Ladd off our hands.

 

[Osakahaus]

Are you saying that the 2nd acquired from the Leddy deal, which made up 1/3rd of the assets needed to get HOrvat is Lou "taking from the defense to make the offense better?

I think you need to tweak this phrase and instead say that given all the picks he's traded, Lou has borrowed from the future to build an incedbily flawed, average, non Cup contender today.

are we seriously implying Wotherspoon is a good player still? Guy got scratched in these playoffs and has been very mediocre.

 

[periferal]

I'd say that without any doubt whatsoever, the two most pressing changes to this line-up - and we need this from the outside - are the additions of two top 6 wingers, one for the Barzal-Horvat pairing and one for the Nelson-Palmieri pairing.

No doubt.

That is construction site number 1, first and foremost.

This team goes nowhere without the production from Player Numero Tres on those two pairings being considerably more productive than what we saw this season. The whole outlook changes exponentially the minute those two spots combine to churn out 90+ points as opposed to 60+.

Exponentially!

Both goaltending and defense have enough in them to rebound if it's deemed that there's not enough space to do anything more than tweaking (and Högberg being added means the goaltending has been tweaked - now we just need a way to retain Reilly).

Yes, I'd love to see a number of changes to the group on whole, but when simply looking at the most pressing needs with respect to the guys under contract, that tops the list.

Really no reason to tackle other things until you upgrade from Lee and Engvall in those spots.

Going into the playoffs with Cizikas and Fasching in top six roles - no disrespect to either - was absolutely comical. It was an announcement to the league that this organization wasn't serious about getting more than one or two wins in the first round.

Sadly, it wouldn't be half bad having Engvall and Lee on the bottom two lines, but to pay 10 MM per for that is wasted dough. Big time!

Lou is going to have to find a way.

And I really like what we've ultimately seen from Holmstrom. There's a player here. But he's not ready to be a 50-point guy in a top 6 role next season. They should be concentrating on making him a more consistant Line 3 player.

Per usual I agree with almost every opinion you have. However while you laid what Lou should do...There's zero discussion on HOW he can do it. Even if the cap goes up 6 million, the Isles won't have the cap space or assets to outbid other teams who would be interested in the same impact/top-end players that would solve the issues you mention below.

 

[periferal]

are we seriously implying Wotherspoon is a good player still? Guy got scratched in these playoffs and has been very mediocre.

I'm implying that Wotherspoon has proved to be an NHLer at the most important part of the season. And for a team that played Bortuzzo, Aho, salo, Bolduc, etc way too much, having another option (as opposed to letting him go for nothing) would have been smart.

 

[Richie Daggers Crime]

are we seriously implying Wotherspoon is a good player still? Guy got scratched in these playoffs and has been very mediocre.

Anything is possible when twisting your narrative to fit a conclusion.

 

[Osakahaus]

I'm implying that Wotherspoon has proved to be an NHLer at the most important part of the season. And for a team that played Bortuzzo, Aho, salo, Bolduc, etc way too much, having another option (as opposed to letting him go for nothing) would have been smart.

Hot take: Bortuzzo was a very good pickup and was a very solid 6-7 defenseman despite having one point during the entire season. I would rather him stay as a veteran than Wotherspoon, who is very meh and was never gonna play due to the roster. Did anyone expect Scotty to have his ankle destroyed one game in? No. No you didn't.

 

[periferal]

Hot take: Bortuzzo was a very good pickup and was a very solid 6-7 defenseman despite having one point during the entire season. I would rather him stay as a veteran than Wotherspoon, who is very meh and was never gonna play due to the roster. Did anyone expect Scotty to have his ankle destroyed one game in? No. No you didn't.

That is a hot take. You must have a real proclivity towards vets because Bortuzzo is so on his last legs that he barely has them any more. The amount of times he couldn't keep up with the play and it lead to opponent scoring chances was too numerous to count. .

And besides...Even if everyone was healthy all year this defense still needs work to the point where you shouldn't be giving away defensemen who still have room to grow.

 

[Lame Lambert]

We didn’t lose to Carolina in 5 games because of our 7th defenseman, so I don’t even know why this is relevant.

 

[MJF]

We didn’t lose to Carolina in 5 games because of our 7th defenseman, so I don’t even know why this is relevant.

But we were right there….

 

[leeroggy]

I'm implying that Wotherspoon has proved to be an NHLer at the most important part of the season. And for a team that played Bortuzzo, Aho, salo, Bolduc, etc way too much, having another option (as opposed to letting him go for nothing) would have been smart.

Yeah, but how likely was it anyone offered anything for him? He was a career minor-leaguer when we let him go. I thought he was basically a #7 when he played for us and then what would you have done with Bolduc, since he would have been claimed? Hobson's choice . . . And he spent 20% of the season this year in the AHL for Boston; that's not proof yet of a long career coming up.