Defensive Surplus

[majormet]

For a team that historically has dressed up some awful guys like Brian Strait, Freddie Meyer, Dustin Kohn, Bruno Gervais, etc... we have basically 9 defensemen and 8 are good enough to play in the NHL.

So what do the Isles do with the 8 guys

deHaan - is playing his best hockey ever

Boychuk - isn't bad this year, but no one wants his salary

Hamonic - not playing as well, but probably still our best shutdown guy

Leddy - untouchable for obvious reasons

Hickey - doubt he would fetch as much as others

Pelech - guy is a rock, deserves to be here

Seidenberg - played well before he broke his jaw, but he is going to return

Pulock - first round pick with great slapshot, needs to be here

Mayfield - not an NHL guy but he is the 7th man


This is where we can package a prospect and get an offensive weapon or do we shove guys in the luxury box who should be playing?

 

[seafoam]

The only two guys who would bring back an impact forward are Hamonic or Leddy.

I'd move Hamonic before Leddy.

 

[PWJunior]

You can never have enough quality defensemen, I see no need to trade anyone. We've been hit with injuries too, even more reason to keep them all.

If it's dire by the TDL, then that's when we should deal someone if we have to. There is no forward realistically available on the market (who won't cost you your unborn child to acquire) to move anyone either.

I'd like to see how this group does when everyone is healthy and hopefully under a real NHL coach (yeah, I said it Capuano apologists... if there are any left other than the usual suspects) before shipping anyone.

 

[TommytheCat]

For a team that historically has dressed up some awful guys like Brian Strait, Freddie Meyer, Dustin Kohn, Bruno Gervais, etc... we have basically 9 defensemen and 8 are good enough to play in the NHL.

So what do the Isles do with the 8 guys

deHaan - is playing his best hockey ever

Boychuk - isn't bad this year, but no one wants his salary

Hamonic - not playing as well, but probably still our best shutdown guy

Leddy - untouchable for obvious reasons

Hickey - doubt he would fetch as much as others

Pelech - guy is a rock, deserves to be here

Seidenberg - played well before he broke his jaw, but he is going to return

Pulock - first round pick with great slapshot, needs to be here

Mayfield - not an NHL guy but he is the 7th man


This is where we can package a prospect and get an offensive weapon or do we shove guys in the luxury box who should be playing?

I think hammer is struggling cause he's moved away from just being a shutdown guy ... in my opinion he just needs to simplify his game, hit the net with the quick wrister, and punish guys in the corners and in front of the net ...

 

[majormet]

You can never have enough quality defensemen, I see no need to trade anyone. We've been hit with injuries too, even more reason to keep them all.

If it's dire by the TDL, then that's when we should deal someone if we have to. There is no forward realistically available on the market (who won't cost you your unborn child to acquire) to move anyone either.

I'd like to see how this group does when everyone is healthy and hopefully under a real NHL coach (yeah, I said it Capuano apologists... if there are any left other than the usual suspects) before shipping anyone.

It's one thing to have quality guys, another thing to demoralize potentially great ones like Pelech and Pulock in the luxury box.

There are guys like we saw last night (King or Lewis) that can be low cost acquisitions that can fit in, look at what the Rags are doing with Hayes, Miller and Grabner.

Boychuk/Berube for Kane and Moulson might be a trade that is worth a gamble.

 

[majormet]

I think hammer is struggling cause he's moved away from just being a shutdown guy ... in my opinion he just needs to simplify his game, hit the net with the quick wrister, and punish guys in the corners and in front of the net ...

I agree, that is why Pulock needs to suit up, may make more and more sense to use Boychuk in a trade of expensive guys

 

[PWJunior]

It's one thing to have quality guys, another thing to demoralize potentially great ones like Pelech and Pulock in the luxury box.

There are guys like we saw last night (King or Lewis) that can be low cost acquisitions that can fit in, look at what the Rags are doing with Hayes, Miller and Grabner.

Boychuk/Berube for Kane and Moulson might be a trade that is worth a gamble.

Kane? Come on, the guy is a problem and I don't want him anywhere near this group... at all. The guy is a schmuck and is always getting into trouble.

Like I said, I'd like to see how a real NHL coach handles the kids. I've had enough of Capuano and his double standards and terrible handling of our kids.

I agree, that is why Pulock needs to suit up, may make more and more sense to use Boychuk in a trade of expensive guys

Pulock is still hurt and no one is taking Boychuk off our hands. He also controls his own fate with his NMC.

 

[12Dog]

Boychuk is going no where, NMC

 

[majormet]

Kane? Come on, the guy is a problem and I don't want him anywhere near this group... at all. The guy is a schmuck and is always getting into trouble.

Like I said, I'd like to see how a real NHL coach handles the kids. I've had enough of Capuano and his double standards and terrible handling of our kids.



Pulock is still hurt and no one is taking Boychuk off our hands. He also controls his own fate with his NMC.

Only coaches that can do better with this team are the instant impact/fade away type coaches like Bob Hartley, Hartley will get them turned around for 120 games and then they tune him out. There are no real coaches on the market right now, and I don't blame this as much on Capuano as others, he ain't great but you can't win with that forward configuration.

Pulock is coming back soon and needs to play, Boychuk might be OK with going to Buffalo.

Kane will mature eventually, these players eventually do mature, type of guy that may end up becoming a Lucic type for us, there are solid elements to Kane's game that we don't have right now.

 

[YearlyLottery]

You can never have enough quality defensemen, I see no need to trade anyone. We've been hit with injuries too, even more reason to keep them all.

If it's dire by the TDL, then that's when we should deal someone if we have to. There is no forward realistically available on the market (who won't cost you your unborn child to acquire) to move anyone either.

I'd like to see how this group does when everyone is healthy and hopefully under a real NHL coach (yeah, I said it Capuano apologists... if there are any left other than the usual suspects) before shipping anyone.

I would love to see what our offense does under a real coach and GM. Bring up Dal Colle and Barzal and bring in a real top six forward. This offense is not nearly as bad as it looks.

We should also not be trading any defenseman for forwards. We have been lucky with injuries this year and one day we will praise our depth. You keep that depth.

 

[majormet]

I would love to see what our offense does under a real coach and GM. Bring up Dal Colle and Barzal and bring in a real top six forward. This offense is not nearly as bad as it looks.

We should also not be trading any defenseman for forwards. We have been lucky with injuries this year and one day we will praise our depth. You keep that depth.

We have 8 NHL dmen and 3 NHL goalies and a broken forward unit.

Dal Colle and Barzal will not fix it and the kid we got from the Leafs may be the only NHL ready forward we have at Bridgeport besides that dinosaur Kearns LOL

You yourself said bring in a real top six forward, well how do you do that, trade from strength.

No team that is rebuilding trades for a goalie, so you have deal from the defensive strength, different story if we had 2015/2016 forward group, we didn't have holes like we do now

 

[PWJunior]

Only coaches that can do better with this team are the instant impact/fade away type coaches like Bob Hartley, Hartley will get them turned around for 120 games and then they tune him out. There are no real coaches on the market right now, and I don't blame this as much on Capuano as others, he ain't great but you can't win with that forward configuration.

Pulock is coming back soon and needs to play, Boychuk might be OK with going to Buffalo.

Kane will mature eventually, these players eventually do mature, type of guy that may end up becoming a Lucic type for us, there are solid elements to Kane's game that we don't have right now.

Why would Boychuk be OK with going to Buffalo? I don't think so. If he wanted to go to a crap destination, he would be more likely to return to Edmonton where they have a future with McDavid and is his hometown. Would you want to go to Buffalo? I know I wouldn't. He has a NMC, he isn't going anywhere.

Kane is going to mature? Our Lucic? Have you seen him play in the last couple of years? The guy is a bonehead, the bonehead of boneheads in the NHL ranks. He has no hockey IQ and he is as selfish as they come. Just because he beat down Cooke years ago, he isn't anything close to Lucic (the Lucic you're thinking of in Boston).

If Kane and/or Moulson is the best you can come up with as a target to trade our d-men, count me out. Big time out.

 

[Space Herpe]

Also gotta think about Vegas and expansion.

 

[SI90]

Defense is so crucial. Youre always one injury away from disaster.

Hickey is a solid #6-7 defenseman but moving forward id like to
See Pelech above him.

Mayfield is good for depth.

I really don't want to lose deHann in the expansion draft. He's been so good.

I'd rather vegas take Strome or Lee to be honest.

 

[majormet]

Why would Boychuk be OK with going to Buffalo? I don't think so. If he wanted to go to a crap destination, he would be more likely to return to Edmonton where they have a future with McDavid and is his hometown. Would you want to go to Buffalo? I know I wouldn't. He has a NMC, he isn't going anywhere.

Kane is going to mature? Our Lucic? Have you seen him play in the last couple of years? The guy is a bonehead, the bonehead of boneheads in the NHL ranks. He has no hockey IQ and he is as selfish as they come. Just because he beat down Cooke years ago, he isn't anything close to Lucic (the Lucic you're thinking of in Boston).

If Kane and/or Moulson is the best you can come up with as a target to trade our d-men, count me out. Big time out.

Buffalo, is a city in renovation, not the same place where i spent my freshman year in college back in the 1980's... Team has a future, decent coach...

Kane may need a change in scenery, I mean there aren't really any forwards out there that are worth their weight in gold, without having to deal Barzal at this point. Duchene deal was contingent on Barzal so that talk died out.

The only forward type trade we can make are Shane Prince type trades.

Kane in Atlanta worked, he actually was pretty good when he was a Thrasher. At this point our forward crew is so messed up as it is, that even Kane couldn't make it worse.

 

[majormet]

This team could do a Hamonic for Blake Wheeler trade at this point, Winnipeg has dismal defense. Hammer goes to Manitoba at last

You have to hope dehaan can keep playing well

Leddy/Boychuk
deHaan/Pelech
HIckey/Pulock

Seidenberg/Mayfield

If Pulock falters Seidenberg moves into place

Wheeler is the RW we need

 

[PK Cronin]

Seidenberg won't be here long term, I wouldn't think anyway (we've been surprised before).

I'd be interested in trading de Haan, Hamonic, or Pulock for an impact forward. Hickey or Pelech could be traded, but neither has a ton of value I'd guess, so it's just not worth it (unless they're a + in a deal). If there's no forward to be had, keep them all and let the chips fall where they may.

Someone suggested elsewhere on the board that the Isles could protect just 3 forwards and 5 defensemen, which would definitely be interesting.

Tavares
Ladd
Nelson
Hamonic
Leddy
Boychuk
de Haan
Pulock

That leaves Pelech available for selection, but would Vegas really take him over a guy like Strome?

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

Buffalo, is a city in renovation, not the same place where i spent my freshman year in college back in the 1980's... Team has a future, decent coach...

Kane may need a change in scenery, I mean there aren't really any forwards out there that are worth their weight in gold, without having to deal Barzal at this point. Duchene deal was contingent on Barzal so that talk died out.

The only forward type trade we can make are Shane Prince type trades.

Kane in Atlanta worked, he actually was pretty good when he was a Thrasher. At this point our forward crew is so messed up as it is, that even Kane couldn't make it worse.

...Oh, were you serious about the bolded?

 

[majormet]

Seidenberg won't be here long term, I wouldn't think anyway (we've been surprised before).

I'd be interested in trading de Haan, Hamonic, or Pulock for an impact forward. Hickey or Pelech could be traded, but neither has a ton of value I'd guess, so it's just not worth it (unless they're a + in a deal). If there's no forward to be had, keep them all and let the chips fall where they may.

Someone suggested elsewhere on the board that the Isles could protect just 3 forwards and 5 defensemen, which would definitely be interesting.

Tavares
Ladd
Nelson
Hamonic
Leddy
Boychuk
de Haan
Pulock

That leaves Pelech available for selection, but would Vegas really take him over a guy like Strome?

I'd take Quine or Prince over Strome but Strome has upside I guess

That group of 8 could subject to change if Lee turns it up

Hammer for Wheeler makes great sense also factoring that Toews could be good NHL dman pretty soon too.

 

[majormet]

...Oh, were you serious about the bolded?

Bylsma is decent, he did win a cup, OK he ain't great, just decent.

My litmus test in sports is if you win a title despite the talent on the roster you are innoculated

Charlie Manuel
Ned Yost
Dan Bylsma
Jimmy Johnson
Erik Spoelstra
Tyronn Lue
Mike Sullivan
John Tortorella
Bob Hartley

These guys all get labeled decent because they were able to get to the finish line. Barry Melrose never got there in the end

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

Bylsma is decent, he did win a cup, OK he ain't great, just decent.

My litmus test in sports is if you win a title despite the talent on the roster you are innoculated

Charlie Manuel
Ned Yost
Dan Bylsma
Jimmy Johnson
Erik Spoelstra
Tyronn Lue
Mike Sullivan
John Tortorella
Bob Hartley

These guys all get labeled decent because they were able to get to the finish line. Barry Melrose never got there in the end

The problem with using that as a benchmark is it leads teams to signing these guys as their coaches, believing they can replicate with their new team what they did with their old.

Buffalo is learning the hard way that Bylsma's not the same coach when he doesn't have the luxury of sending Crosby and Malkin out there to "just win the game on skill" whenever he gets badly out-coached by the opposition.

Bylsma's faults as a head coach:
-Questionable system that seems to cater to 4th line plugs and not actual skill guys.
-An inability to adjust said system when the other team counters it.
-Stretch pass the hell out of teams, even when the stretch pass isn't available.
-"Grind those *****es down" ... whatever that means.
-No accountability among vets.
-Heavily favors veterans over rookies, to the point of sitting promising rookies in favor of AHL fodder veterans.

His faults sound very similar to a certain Islanders coach who many want gone, no?

 

[Sheva7]

Trade Hamonic when Pulock comes back & shows he can be player.

The return we get should be decent. Plus, Pulock can't be much worse than what we've seen out of Hamonic for the last long while. IMO it'll be an upgrade both short & long term.

Leddy-Pulock
CDH-Pelech
Hickey-Boych
Seidenberg

 

[PK Cronin]

The problem with using that as a benchmark is it leads teams to signing these guys as their coaches, believing they can replicate with their new team what they did with their old.

Buffalo is learning the hard way that Bylsma's not the same coach when he doesn't have the luxury of sending Crosby and Malkin out there to "just win the game on skill" whenever he gets badly out-coached by the opposition.

Bylsma's faults as a head coach:
-Questionable system that seems to cater to 4th line plugs and not actual skill guys.
-An inability to adjust said system when the other team counters it.
-Stretch pass the hell out of teams, even when the stretch pass isn't available.
-"Grind those *****es down" ... whatever that means.
-No accountability among vets.
-Heavily favors veterans over rookies, to the point of sitting promising rookies in favor of AHL fodder veterans.

His faults sound very similar to a certain Islanders coach who many want gone, no?

Yeah, they're essentially the same. Isn't Byslma a U.S. guy too? That's probably the foundation of that philosophy.

Most coaches don't win a cup with another team. Using that as a benchmark for success is ignorant. I'd rather go for the guys who have regular season success over and over, everywhere they go, with different talent, but just can't seem to get over the playoff hump. Hitchcock, Trotz, those types of guys.

 

[duster19]

For a team that historically has dressed up some awful guys like Brian Strait, Freddie Meyer, Dustin Kohn, Bruno Gervais, etc... we have basically 9 defensemen and 8 are good enough to play in the NHL.

So what do the Isles do with the 8 guys

deHaan - is playing his best hockey ever

Boychuk - isn't bad this year, but no one wants his salary

Hamonic - not playing as well, but probably still our best shutdown guy

Leddy - untouchable for obvious reasons

Hickey - doubt he would fetch as much as others

Pelech - guy is a rock, deserves to be here

Seidenberg - played well before he broke his jaw, but he is going to return

Pulock - first round pick with great slapshot, needs to be here

Mayfield - not an NHL guy but he is the 7th man


This is where we can package a prospect and get an offensive weapon or do we shove guys in the luxury box who should be playing?

Given what dmen are fetching on the market I would consider moving someone to bring some kind of talent in up front. CdH or Hickey look like the obvious guy to get moved. The play of Pelech makes on of CdH/Hickey expendable.

If I had to choose 1 D to be on the ice at the end of the game when we are up a goal it would be Pelech.

 

[YearlyLottery]

We have 8 NHL dmen and 3 NHL goalies and a broken forward unit.

Dal Colle and Barzal will not fix it and the kid we got from the Leafs may be the only NHL ready forward we have at Bridgeport besides that dinosaur Kearns LOL

You yourself said bring in a real top six forward, well how do you do that, trade from strength.

No team that is rebuilding trades for a goalie, so you have deal from the defensive strength, different story if we had 2015/2016 forward group, we didn't have holes like we do now

I'm just not convinced this forward unit is as bad as it looks. I believe this has a ton to do with Cappy. I guess time will tell.

Our depth is not going to net us a top six forward though. We will only get one if we trade Leddy or Hamonic and that isn't going to happen.