Rumors/Speculation/Trade Talk - 2019-20 Pt. V

[Tres Peleches]

They send down Bardreau, which is curious since now they’re down a player on the roster. Since he cleared waivers, couldn’t he have been assigned at any point?

Something has to be coming, right?

 

[IslesNorway]

Lee being too 6 is even worse

The deals that both lee and Bailey are on are even worse than that. Lee is buyout fodder in two years from now

 

[leeroggy]

Kuhnhackl effectively lost his job to Bellows. Stop being melodramatic.

we are targeting keeping the score as close as possible. Unless you want to just come out and say "WE'RE NEVER GOING TO SCORE AGAIN"

Great! Let's target losing every game 2-1. What ever happened to Al Arbour's dictum that I can teach defense, I can't teach goal scoring? If Trotz believes he can teach everyone how to play defense then LET'S SEE IT, teach Wahlstrom, not Johnston. Trotz is a great coach but he didn't win a Cup in Nashville over MANY years, did he? It took the offensive star power of Washington to get there. All he did in Nashville is be very competitive but their only Cup final came under his successor, didn't it?

 

[Mr Misunderstood]

For crying out loud, do you not understand the difference between correlation and coincidence?

Unless you are REPEATING, EVERY team that wins the Cup LOST the previous year in the playoffs or made the leap from non-playoff team directly to the Cup, which KILLS your theory right then.

If I lost with Coach A and won the next year with Coach B it's more likely it's the coaching change, NOT the losing playoffs that helped the most. Do you think all those bad losses by the Capitals was more important than bringing in Trotz to put them over the top?

Or trading for Reilly that made the difference in St. Louis?

WAKE UP!

As far as our Dynasty is concerned it wasn't the losing playoffs that made the difference, it was the a trade that BALANCED the offense, not letting a team gang up on our 1st line.

A lot of coincidences that happened...almost like realism.

And yes, I do believe the Trotz and O'Reilly pieces are the ones that made the difference. You try and try and try with the same group and it can't break through. Then the front office can make a true evaluation of those players/coaches that can and cannot win you a Cup. Ship out the ones who can't get it done multiple times in the playoffs and bring in guys who can.

Like Eberle, he's had a bad year (again) but if he turns it out come playoff time (again) it proves that he is a guy you can rely on when the push comes to shove.

 

[YearlyLottery]

Great! Let's target losing every game 2-1. What ever happened to Al Arbour's dictum that I can teach defense, I can't teach goal scoring? If Trotz believes he can teach everyone how to play defense then LET'S SEE IT, teach Wahlstrom, not Johnston. Trotz is a great coach but he didn't win a Cup in Nashville over MANY years, did he? It took the offensive star power of Washington to get there. All he did in Nashville is be very competitive but their only Cup final came under his successor, didn't it?

So are you going to ignore the immense roster changes that went down in Nashville after Trotz left or eventually bring that up?

 

[MJF]

Great! Let's target losing every game 2-1. What ever happened to Al Arbour's dictum that I can teach defense, I can't teach goal scoring? If Trotz believes he can teach everyone how to play defense then LET'S SEE IT, teach Wahlstrom, not Johnston. Trotz is a great coach but he didn't win a Cup in Nashville over MANY years, did he? It took the offensive star power of Washington to get there. All he did in Nashville is be very competitive but their only Cup final came under his successor, didn't it?

With 24 games left in the season? Be reasonable.

I realize everyone gets frustrated after a stretch like this and starts venting their spleens. But realize what you're saying before you hit post reply.

 

[leeroggy]

Barry Trotz Career Record

Nashville - 15 years
8 playoff appearances, TWO first round wins
Team goes to the Stanley Cup finals after he leaves

Washington - 4 years
3 first round losses and One Cup - the ONLY time he got to the Conference final too

Maybe Lou should have some input on the kids getting their shot? How many of us will be happy 8 years from now with no second round victory? He made them consistent in Nashville, probably due to the style of play. But it didn't get very far in Nashville did it?

 

[leeroggy]

So are you going to ignore the immense roster changes that went down in Nashville after Trotz left or eventually bring that up?

Doesn't that prove my point?

 

[MJF]

A lot of coincidences that happened...almost like realism.

And yes, I do believe the Trotz and O'Reilly pieces are the ones that made the difference. You try and try and try with the same group and it can't break through. Then the front office can make a true evaluation of those players/coaches that can and cannot win you a Cup. Ship out the ones who can't get it done multiple times in the playoffs and bring in guys who can.

Like Eberle, he's had a bad year (again) but if he turns it out come playoff time (again) it proves that he is a guy you can rely on when the push comes to shove.

Eberle and Lee have shot percentages this season that are way under their career averages. There was no way to predict that happening and no reason to believe this is the way it's going to be for them for the rest of their careers.

Guys slump, it happens. It just really sucks when an entire 2 lines slump at the same time.

 

[SayItAintSoJohnny]

One goal in 3 games means it doesn't matter how they play defense. Unless we are targeting winning a bunch of 0-0 shootouts. Lose every game 1-0 and win the Vezena? And next year we are making the same arguments while re-signing Kuhnhackl and Brassard and others while the kids stay in Bridgeport until they are asking for a trade 3 years from now.

I actually think the 17 games BEFORE the current 3-game stretch is a better indicator then just three games, don't you?

Before this stretch in the 17 games after losing Pelech for the season we were averaging 3.00 GAA (51 goals) as opposed to 3.03 before he went down- barely a difference at all

In those same 17 games though we were allowing 3.00 GAA (also 51) as opposed our 2.63 GAA when he was with us....

I think you might be overreacting to the last 3 games a little, and I agree it has been frustrating...but clearly Greene was a priority

 

[leeroggy]

With 24 games left in the season? Be reasonable.

I realize everyone gets frustrated after a stretch like this and starts venting their spleens. But realize what you're saying before you hit post reply.

I did and I stand by it. This team is going nowhere with the injuries and we need to get the kids their experience.

 

[MJF]

Barry Trotz Career Record

Nashville - 15 years
8 playoff appearances, TWO first round wins
Team goes to the Stanley Cup finals after he leaves

Washington - 4 years
3 first round losses and One Cup - the ONLY time he got to the Conference final too

Maybe Lou should have some input on the kids getting their shot? How many of us will be happy 8 years from now with no second round victory? He made them consistent in Nashville, probably due to the style of play. But it didn't get very far in Nashville did it?

Isn't Lou the guy who says better to take too long to bring up a guy than to bring him up too soon?

 

[leeroggy]

I actually think the 17 games BEFORE the current 3-game stretch is a better indicator then just three games, don't you?

Before this stretch in the 17 games after losing Pelech for the season we were averaging 3.00 GAA (51 goals) as opposed to 3.03 before he went down- barely a difference at all

In those same 17 games though we were allowing 3.oo GAA (also 51) as opposed our 2.63 GAA when he was with us....

I think you might be overreacting to the last 3 games a little, and I agree it has been frustrating...but clearly Greene was a priority

Scoring droughts in this sport tend to extend longer than expected. Grips tighten and bounces are tougher and you press because scoring is such a premium in this sport anyhow. It's not lacrosse where an average team puts up 10 goals a game. Smaller margin of error and I don't see one player turning this around.

 

[mk21]

Washington - 4 years
3 first round losses and One Cup - the ONLY time he got to the Conference final too

Washington won round 1 all 4 years he was there. They were knocked out in round 2 all 3 years they didn’t win the cup.

 

[leeroggy]

Isn't Lou the guy who says better to take too long to bring up a guy than to bring him up too soon?

That's not defined by a fixed number, but by a depth chart that grants you that luxury and a team's health. Neither of those are present right now.

 

[xECK29x]

I did and I stand by it. This team is going nowhere with the injuries and we need to get the kids their experience.

I think you need to step away from the phone or computer and take a nice walk. There are other things to worry about this much.

 

[leeroggy]

Washington won round 1 all 4 years he was there. They were knocked out in round 2 all 3 years they didn’t win the cup.

You're right I misread the table

 

[SayItAintSoJohnny]

I did and I stand by it. This team is going nowhere with the injuries and we need to get the kids their experience.

lol. Well keep screaming it. But it isn't going to happen.

Dobson may see a few games subbing now and then but he has been relegated to being the 7th defenseman

They ARE NOT wasting a year on Wahsltrom and rush him up this season

Perhaps Koivula gets another look, but only if we don't do anything else at the deadline

Bellows is your lone hope of getting an extended look, and even that I wouldn't count on....

And there is a 50/50 chance one of them may in fact be packaged...

You aren't testing rookies out during a playoff run, sorry.....

 

[leeroggy]

I think you need to step away from the phone or computer and take a nice walk. There are other things to worry about this much.

I live in Boca, I get to do that every day. I work at home, gives me plenty of time to vent!

 

[SayItAintSoJohnny]

Scoring droughts in this sport tend to extend longer than expected. Grips tighten and bounces are tougher and you press because scoring is such a premium in this sport anyhow. It's not lacrosse where an average team puts up 10 goals a game. Smaller margin of error and I don't see one player turning this around.

I would probably agree and be more worried if common sense didn't prevail here. As mentioned before by someone else, they are pressing and slumping collectively at the same time. After Denver, they return home for 3 teams who are basically in rebuild mode- so I fully expect them to get out of it. I also expect at least one more forward to be brought in by that time....

Still, you got to get to the point where you realize it simply isn't going to happen (the calling up the kids thing you keep clamoring for)...otherwise it will just frustrate yourself further..

 

[Strummergas]

I think I'm finally all caught up with this thread. So we've finally moved onto blaming Trotz? I was wondering how long it was going to take.

 

[leeroggy]

I'm pointing out that Trotz is making it tougher to make the additions this team will need to get to the next level. That started with the comment about benching Bellows so early in the game and why in a 1 goal deficit in the 3rd you aren't giving a natural sniper a longer leash when the team has scored one goal in 180 minutes of hockey.

There is a track record here over 20 years now and there's no reason not to point it out. Does he grip TOO tightly on the kid's playing time? Arbour knew the balance. One has 4 Cups and one has 1. I think Trotz needs to loosen the grip on the kids like Arbour did. That's the sum total of that part of my argument.

 

[mm11]

I live in Boca, I get to do that every day. I work at home, gives me plenty of time to vent!

This is one thing I can agree with you buddy. Living in Florida and working from home certainly has perks this time of the year

 

[periferal]

Honestly, I’m pretty sick of this narrative when the Islanders are the club with the most home grown players on their NHL roster.

Go back and take a look at how garth snow blew almost all of his top 10 picks, where true impact players are usually drafted, and then you'll be sick for the correct reason.

 

[periferal]

12-8-4 gets them 100 pts and in. Are we saying this is impossible? Come on now.

Of course it's possible, but are these our expectations around here? To try and "sneak in the playoffs" yet again? I thought we improved them when we got rid of wang/snow/capuano/weight.