Speculation: What do we do with with Lee and Eberle?

LeapOnOver

Mackenzie is a hack!
Jan 23, 2011
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I think everyone is in agreement that both Lee and Eberle are talented. The latter meshes really, really well with Barzal. There is no denying that. The former meshed well with weasel who is gone looking to see if his pajamas still fit. I also think that everyone is in agreement that IF Lee and Eberle want to stay and at a reasonable rate, there should be no hang up in re-signing them. I'm pretty okay with giving Eberle the same money or an okay pay raise or even a bigger pay raise for shorter term. Lee is the one that's tricky.

Like most say, try to extend them both and hope they want to stay. If they play coy or pull that "I don't want to negotiate while the season is ongoing nonsense" peace be with you and don't let the door hit you in the ass on the way out.

The only thing we cannot do is sign them to horrible cap destroying contracts or let them walk for nothing. The balls in their court.
 

LeapOnOver

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Jan 23, 2011
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As far as Bellows, didn't he have a weak year in college and then went on to play in a league with younger guys? I wouldn't count on him to make a big impact and I still don't think it's a safe bet he's a future NHLer. I know many posters have flip-flopped on him, but my attitude is you aren't shit until you do something in the NHL. I just ain't going to put a lot of faith in him yet. Not going to be Matt Donovaned by this fan base again.
 

ndgolden

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Jan 9, 2009
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I think everyone is in agreement that both Lee and Eberle are talented. The latter meshes really, really well with Barzal. There is no denying that. The former meshed well with weasel who is gone looking to see if his pajamas still fit. I also think that everyone is in agreement that IF Lee and Eberle want to stay and at a reasonable rate, there should be no hang up in re-signing them. I'm pretty okay with giving Eberle the same money or an okay pay raise or even a bigger pay raise for shorter term. Lee is the one that's tricky.

Like most say, try to extend them both and hope they want to stay. If they play coy or pull that "I don't want to negotiate while the season is ongoing nonsense" peace be with you and don't let the door hit you in the ass on the way out.

The only thing we cannot do is sign them to horrible cap destroying contracts or let them walk for nothing. The balls in their court.

The issue becomes their trade value as a end of season rental will often be just picks, and draft picks even first round picks are hardly a sure thing vs. established contributing players in their prime.

May I remind you finding someone of Eberle or Lee's value is not going to come from the UFA market and if so, no one is signing here for a team "friendly deal" It will come at a considerable cap cost.

The longer this team finishes near the bottom of the league the longer and deeper this franchise reputation's as a NO GO, NO TRADE destination becomes. I can't believe this fan base wants to sit for another 3-5 years for a potential group of draft picks to pan out.

Can I remind you of all the top picks Edmonton accumulated during their re-build? How much closer are they now to a Cup, even with the worlds best player.
 
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Rehabguy

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Oct 2, 2011
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I think for sure they need to keep them. Sign them for what they are worth.
 

LeapOnOver

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The issue becomes their trade value as a end of season rental will often be just picks, and draft picks even first round picks are hardly a sure thing vs. established contributing players in their prime.

May I remind you finding someone of Eberle or Lee's value is not going to come from the UFA market and if so, no one is signing here for a team "friendly deal" It will come at a considerable cap cost.

The longer this team finishes near the bottom of the league the longer and deeper this franchise reputation's as a NO GO, NO TRADE destination becomes. I can't believe this fan base wants to sit for another 3-5 years for a potential group of draft picks to pan out.

Can I remind you of all the top picks Edmonton accumulated during their re-build? How much closer are they now to a Cup, even with the worlds best player.

I'm confused about what you are saying. You are acting like Eberle and Lee have no choice what they do. Is your suggestion really to throw truck loads of cash at them just to get them to stay? Even that doesn't always work. My point is, if we can't sign them we have to trade them.
 

Poliz24

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Jun 25, 2012
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We learned our lesson about not moving guys and losing them for nothing. I like them both like probably most of us do. If they don't re-sign trade them both. We can get a solid return on both of these guys.
 

Beastrt

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Jun 14, 2011
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We learned our lesson about not moving guys and losing them for nothing. I like them both like probably most of us do. If they don't re-sign trade them both. We can get a solid return on both of these guys.

Ya the key is not giving these guys 7 years, 5 would be great likely we would have to give 6 but look how bad andrew ladd has declined and he is only 32. The josh bailey contract is good cause it ends when he is 34, which still may be to long since he has so many miles on him. I would give them more money if they take less years. I would offer both around 5 years @ 7 million per if they don't take it trade them.
 

Chapin Landvogt

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Two thoughts here (among many others):
1) Without JT, there's plenty of cap space, right? Thus, the ability to resign both.
2) E. Kane's 7 mil. per for 7 years may have blown open the LW market until the next lockout. Lee's agent is going to want to tap in on that.
 
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saintunspecified

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Nov 30, 2017
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I think considerations of "chemistry" are being overrated here. Recall that Anders Lee scored 25 mostly playing with Ryan Strome and Brock Nelson, and he's just gotten better since then. The market has been set with Kane and JVR. There should be no difficulty negotiating the deal - there's only a question of whether to make the commitment. I'd say yes.

Eberle is a more complicated situation. He doesn't seem to be the leader type, so I'm not as attached to keeping him. OTOH, along with Bailey, he plays the most "structured" game, so there's value there too. RW is a premium position these days, so his salary demands could be as high as Lees. At that rate, or at any raise at all, my opinion is trade him.

I don't see any reason to make any moves before the season really gets going, though, unless it becomes clear that negotiations with Lee won't go well. I hope they've already started.
 
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doublechili

For all intensive purposes, your nuts
Apr 11, 2006
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I like both Lee and Eberle and in a vacuum would re-sign them. However:

*they are both UFAs in 50 weeks and need to be re-signed for long-term and big $$; and
*we have other holes that need filling (D and C).

So Lou (and/or Hunter) will have to decide whether they prefer to commit to Lee/Eberle at the contract terms required, or fill another hole.
 

saintunspecified

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Nov 30, 2017
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You have to be careful about assuming that before he even plays in the NHL. Remember when Dal Colle was a lock to be Tavares' future 35+ goal LWer immediately after he'd been drafted?

I remember it well. I was worried - I wanted Ehlers at the draft, and was concerned about Dal Colle's lack of explosiveness. In retrospect, those were sound judgments. I don't have the same reservations about Wahlstrom.

Also, this is about cost-benefit, and I don't think the cost of locking up a diminishing Eberle is worth it. I think it's fair to say that Eberle has already lost a step from his peak, and that when he loses another he's going to be a less effective player. Otoh, I kinda sorta think Anders Lee could score 20 goals in perpetuity a la Dave Andreychuk even when his skating becomes sluggish.
 

CREW99AW

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Mar 12, 2002
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I like both Lee and Eberle and in a vacuum would re-sign them. However:

*they are both UFAs in 50 weeks and need to be re-signed for long-term and big $$; and
*we have other holes that need filling (D and C).

So Lou (and/or Hunter) will have to decide whether they prefer to commit to Lee/Eberle at the contract terms required, or fill another hole.
I know our fans want results NOW, but I wonder if Lou does not look at the 2019 draft,which is reportedly a center heavy draft and look to fill the longterm #2C spot from that draft.

Get a short term #2C,but plan on the 2019 draft filling the longterm spot.
 
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Doshell Propivo

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Dec 5, 2005
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I know our fans want results NOW, but I wonder if Lou does not look at the 2019 draft,which is reportedly a center heavy draft and look to fill the longterm #2C spot from that draft.

Get a short term #2C,but plan on the 2019 draft filling the longterm spot.
No offense but really doubt Lou is counting on a 16 year old kid to fill a key role on the team. Not even knowing where he will be picking next year.
 
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ndgolden

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Jan 9, 2009
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I'm confused about what you are saying. You are acting like Eberle and Lee have no choice what they do. Is your suggestion really to throw truck loads of cash at them just to get them to stay? Even that doesn't always work. My point is, if we can't sign them we have to trade them.

No, truck loads of cash is not the answer, and of course if they are not signing of course move them, but neither of them seem like the type to dupe the team of their intentions and could be moved so that all parties would benefit. I do think it will be far cheaper in the long run to pay them fair market value vs. attempting to obtain a similar player through UFA's or a trade.
 

Richie Daggers Crime

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Mar 8, 2004
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Also, this is about cost-benefit, and I don't think the cost of locking up a diminishing Eberle is worth it. I think it's fair to say that Eberle has already lost a step from his peak, and that when he loses another he's going to be a less effective player. Otoh, I kinda sorta think Anders Lee could score 20 goals in perpetuity a la Dave Andreychuk even when his skating becomes sluggish.

I totally agree. I just don't think Eberle is the type of player you should be committing term to into his 30s. He's a decent guy to have around for a few years and give you a bit of scoring, but you don't wanna be locked into him long term.
 

ScaredStreit

Registered User
May 5, 2006
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As far as Bellows, didn't he have a weak year in college and then went on to play in a league with younger guys? I wouldn't count on him to make a big impact and I still don't think it's a safe bet he's a future NHLer. I know many posters have flip-flopped on him, but my attitude is you aren't **** until you do something in the NHL. I just ain't going to put a lot of faith in him yet. Not going to be Matt Donovaned by this fan base again.

I somewhat agree on Bellows. I think he could be a productive NHLer, but that he's not ready yet and isn't a slam dunk.
 

Rehabguy

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Oct 2, 2011
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Lee is 6'3", 230 or so, is good along the walls and has soft hands and a touch around the net that enabled him to score 40 goals. Oh, and he's apparently a good guy.

How many other NHL players fit that description?

The Isles have to try to keep them both and hope they sign reasonable contracts. They were both a big part of the Islanders offense last year. I think Lee's playing style could adjust to playing alongside any other center so long as they his game. The strategy is no more complicated then, if he's at the net get the puck to him. Eberle had great chemistry with Barzal that it would make little sense to separate these two. The Isles are long past looking into future only to realize that the kind of players they will be looking for are exactly the kind of players that Eberle and Lee are presently. This team is should not be in a rebuild mode. The time to win is now. It would make little sense for this franchise to be looking once again to the future with the new arena around the corner and the owners trying market more interest in this sports team. They need to make a deep playoff run and make a real run for the Cup now. Trade only when it makes sense, not because they are looking forward to upcoming drafts. We've already lost what we thought was the original core, Tavares, Okposo, DeHaan, Hamonic, Franz. I don't want to live the day when we are supposedly once again, "there" years from now only to find a tweet of Barzal sleeping in Ranger sheets.

Trotz and Lou, I believe are trying to change the identity of the Islanders. Trotz knows what it took to beat the Islanders because his former team was so effective at it. They kept the Islanders to the perimeter in the playoffs because they were afraid of the Orpik's and the Wilsons on the Caps. Team toughness in their minds was a number 1 priority. And I agree with them. How many posts did I post over the last few seasons that claimed that this team is too "soft"? It's not about scoring a gazillion goals against the opposing team but building a balanced team that can create a lead and keep it. It doesn't matter if you win a game by 1 goal or 4. You can keep leads in many ways, one of which is great team defense. The other way to is to break their will by intimidating the living crap out of them. By the looks of it, Lou and Trotz are leaning towards the latter.
 
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Satan'sIsland81

Registered User
Feb 9, 2007
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This is my ranking of the four possible options:
1) Keep Lee and Eberle (or use Lee in a trade for a top dman)
2) Keep Eberle, lose Lee
3) Keep Lee, Lose Eberle
4) Lose both
 
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HyeDray

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Jul 13, 2006
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The season has to play out and the Islanders need to see where they are at the deadline.

If they can both produce with a different center (Nelson? Kovar? Filppula?) and they are willing to sign and extension prior to the deadline for the right price point and term, I would be all for it.

The big "however?"

Lets not have a repeat of this past week where a high-valued UFA leaves for nothing. If the Islanders are not competing for a playoff position at the deadline, and neither player has signed an extension, I do not see how a professional GM would leave two high-valued players on the roster and lose them for nothing. If it were me — as painful as it might be — I would much rather have the first round pick(s), top prospect(s) these two players would yield heading into the June 2019 draft — then nothing but a hole in the roster.

To me that is the beauty of where Lou's signings have been (with the obvious exception of Komorov). If Lehner, Filppula, Kuhnackl and Kovar are reasonable additions, but collectively with the team we are out of the playoff hunt, we can deal them all for other assets at the deadline. (I understand Filppula has a NTC, that can be waved by the player). Then again, I can see this team scraping its way into a competitive position and perhaps add a player to make a run at a spot.

We really have to let the summer and the season come together.

Perhaps one of Lee, Eberle, Nelson or someone else is yet to be traded for a defender or a center — only a handful of Islander executives know for sure.
 

LeapOnOver

Mackenzie is a hack!
Jan 23, 2011
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No, truck loads of cash is not the answer, and of course if they are not signing of course move them, but neither of them seem like the type to dupe the team of their intentions and could be moved so that all parties would benefit. I do think it will be far cheaper in the long run to pay them fair market value vs. attempting to obtain a similar player through UFA's or a trade.

Okay, yeah we are pretty much in agreement then.

And if I'm LL, I don't play a guessing game anymore with players intentions. It's cut and dry. You have until this date to negotiate an extension and if one is not reached, your gone.

I like the Islanders rule about not being signed by camp, time to institute one for expiring contracts as well, lol. This is a business, not a boy's club.
 
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