Player Discussion: Thomas Hickey
- Thread starter SDIsles34
- Start date
Axel574
Registered User
- Dec 9, 2015
- 1,742
- 1,161
I seriously doubt that but there would be a great many here thrilled if that's the way it played out.
Personally I like Hickey.. he plays hard and for a smaller guy has laid some of the heaviest checks I've seen outta this team.
ekill08x
Registered User
- Oct 29, 2011
- 5,285
- 2,022
We have so much depth on D now with Pelech, Pulock, and Toews. Hickey, Hamonic, and De Haan really are all replaceable with the two latter much easier. Hamonic and De Haan are two players I would look to move to add offense when Pulock and Seidenberg are healthy.
Last season only Zidlicky, Pulock and Strait got more Offensive Zone Starts.
Last season only Zidlicky and Strait got weaker Quality of Competition.
Don't think Hickey is underrated, his usage is a walk in the park.
Hickey Mouse will make 3.1M next season, he should be traded if there's an opportunity. Vegas won't take him.
- May 17, 2011
- 60,479
- 9,782
He's solid, but replaceable by Pelech in my opinion. I think Vegas will take Pelech in the expansion draft if de Haan is not available (whether he's protected or traded).
Pelech is younger, bigger, and cheaper. The last part is the most important (albeit not for Vegas initially). You don't want third pairing defenseman or bottom six players eating up your cap. Those are the most common and cheapest roles to be filled at the trade deadline and in general (not that we have to worry about acquiring at the trade deadline).
Pelech is younger, bigger, and cheaper. The last part is the most important (albeit not for Vegas initially). You don't want third pairing defenseman or bottom six players eating up your cap. Those are the most common and cheapest roles to be filled at the trade deadline and in general (not that we have to worry about acquiring at the trade deadline).
SDIsles34
Registered User
- Jul 19, 2010
- 1,037
- 119
The problem with Pelech and de Haan to Vegas is their RFA status versus Hickey's guaranteed 2.2 million cap hit. This could be an issue for Vegas although they'll have a chance to negotiate with each during their 48 hour FA window.
Benedict Kovalchuk
Kovalchuk: A spy?
I agree his is very underrated. Dude is so clutch, arguably the most clutch on the team. That said, while I'd hate to lose him I couldn't say who I would put him before in terms of players I'd want to protect.
It will not happen this year, but he disappears(usually stapled to the boards) during the playoffs. Too small, too slow, and easily overpowered. Some of his late game heroics could be avoided if he would just play D during the first two periods.
Has he ever caught anyone who has beaten him from behind(hint, we all know the right answer)?
Has he ever caught anyone who has beaten him from behind(hint, we all know the right answer)?
BillD
Registered User
- Feb 12, 2004
- 14,669
- 804
Hickey Mouse is a very limited defenseman.
He is small and easily muscled off the puck.
He is just average speed, not a good thing for a smaller defenseman.
His shot is not very strong.
But I love Hickey. He does a lot with what he has, he gives you everything, and he has a ton of heart.
It is no accident that very often the biggest, toughest check is leveled by Hickey, or that he scores clutch goals or primary assists. But I don't see any way we can keep him and deHaan.
If LV takes CDH, we still need to make room for our emerging young guys like Pelech, Pulock, and Mayfield unless management feels that one or more of them will not be as solid as we need them to be.
Boychuk, Leddy, Hamonic are the main core. Boychuk because he is not movable. Hamonic may be a trade chip.
So if we build around those 3 and keep Hickey, Pulock, Pelech......Mayfield would be our 7th or 8th.
We still have some potential from among Vande Somple, Toews, Wotherspoon, maybe Somerby.
Defensemen that can play are commodities that can be saved or used to bring back value.
If you have a defenseman farm and grow them well, you will always be wealthy.
He is small and easily muscled off the puck.
He is just average speed, not a good thing for a smaller defenseman.
His shot is not very strong.
But I love Hickey. He does a lot with what he has, he gives you everything, and he has a ton of heart.
It is no accident that very often the biggest, toughest check is leveled by Hickey, or that he scores clutch goals or primary assists. But I don't see any way we can keep him and deHaan.
If LV takes CDH, we still need to make room for our emerging young guys like Pelech, Pulock, and Mayfield unless management feels that one or more of them will not be as solid as we need them to be.
Boychuk, Leddy, Hamonic are the main core. Boychuk because he is not movable. Hamonic may be a trade chip.
So if we build around those 3 and keep Hickey, Pulock, Pelech......Mayfield would be our 7th or 8th.
We still have some potential from among Vande Somple, Toews, Wotherspoon, maybe Somerby.
Defensemen that can play are commodities that can be saved or used to bring back value.
If you have a defenseman farm and grow them well, you will always be wealthy.
Don't think so. The problem with RFA is that Vegas is only allowed to draft 10 RFA. That's why they should not draft RFA goalies. But there wouldn't be a problem for CDH or Pelech. In gerneral contracts should be negociated before the draft and signed directly to avoid arbitration, also because some players might be traded again, there's no room for 13D.
SLAPSHOT723
QU! Bobcats!
Sparksrus3
Registered User
- Jun 2, 2012
- 10,034
- 4,914
PK Cronin
Bailey Fan Club Prez
- Feb 11, 2013
- 34,265
- 23,656
One of my Rangers friends texted me after he scored saying how bad Hickey is, but he always seems to be around for clutch plays. That about sums him up I think. Good player you can deal with having, but he's really nothing special because of all his short comings due to his size and speed.
rikker
Registered User
this sounds about right.
when our D are healthy, i put him about 8th on the depth chart.
Leddy, Boychuk, Hamonic, deHaan, Seidenberg, Pulock, Pelech, Hickey, Mayfield. and with guys like Toews, Vande Sompel, Wotherspoon, Burroughs, Bischoff, Somerby, waiting in the wings, i doubt that it will be long before he is supplanted.
he happens to get favorable treatment from Cappy, but seriously, how many teams would have him on their PP and PK?
weakest link, gotta go soon...
He's a solid 3rd pairing guy. Won't help much on pp/pk, but won't hurt you at even strength. That sounds like faint praise, but it's nice to have him around, someone who you can throw out there with relative confidence who also will surprise at times.
That said, he's also replaceable. His cap hit is about right for strictly a 3rd pair guy. I can't see LV taking him, because he is a UFA after next year and not good enough that he garner much in trade.
But, I also wouldn't dump him to make room for Pelech/Mayfield/Pulock. I need to see more from them first. Make one of them outplay Hickey in order to get that spot.
That said, he's also replaceable. His cap hit is about right for strictly a 3rd pair guy. I can't see LV taking him, because he is a UFA after next year and not good enough that he garner much in trade.
But, I also wouldn't dump him to make room for Pelech/Mayfield/Pulock. I need to see more from them first. Make one of them outplay Hickey in order to get that spot.
majormet
Registered User
With the all defensemen, we have would be interesting to play him at wing... I usually don't like that type of positional switch, but he has offensive instincts.
Yashin for President
Registered User
SLAPSHOT723
QU! Bobcats!
I completely agree with this. Strait wishes he could be anything close to Thomas Hickey.
As much as I like Hickey and agree with you that he's underrated, every bottom pairing defenseman is essentially replaceable. Unless they're being groomed to be a top-4 or top-pairing guy, but you get the point.
lovegun
Registered User
I only get to watch Islanders games that are actually televised here, plus I work shift work, so I don't see nearly as many games as you guys, but from what I've seen, he's an excellent depth defenseman who has some flaws, but plays with a lot of heart and feistiness and has scored some clutch goals, along with that playoff hit on Drouin last year that was a classic, so while we may not have a Norris Trophy winner on the blueline, I do think we have one of the better and deepest core of D-men in the league.
Beautvillier
beauvillier fan club
There's so many good defenseman getting taken in the expansion draft that I'd be surprised if they even took one from us since we're clearly protecting Leddy, Hamonic, Boychuck, and Pulock. Considering we protect four defenseman that only leaves room for Ladd, Tavares, Nelson, and Cizikas/Strome. Leaving guys like Lee, either Cizikas or Strome, Clutterbuck, etc. open. To me it makes more sense to take a guy like Lee as the offense won't be great compared to a solid defensive core. So I don't see us losing a defenseman in this draft as long as we play our cards right.
blitzkriegs
Registered User
Pulock has played a whopping 16 NHL games and injury plagued so far. I don't think its a 100% the Isles protect him.
blitzkriegs
Registered User
Fans are looking for the perfect player at every position. Hickey is good, but not great player, but he CONSISTENTLY steps up when the team needs it. Those guys are valuable to teams, maybe not so much to a 'fan' but to organization when they know a guy has something like that you usually don't toss it away.
blitzkriegs
Registered User
How does a bona-fide NHL defenseman end up 8th? Pulock/Pelech are rookies/prospects that haven't proven anything beyond minor stints in the NHL. Seidenberg? He's done right by the Isles so far, but I would call this one a wash, it you are asking longer term, then Seidenberg does not even exist.
Am I building a top4 around Hickey? No. Would I include him in a Top6 - absolutely.
