Proposal: Isles Retool/Rebuild this summer

[Leafshater67]

I wonder if the habs could get Barzal somehow with a package around Reinbacher and some picks or prospects.

 

[miscs75]

Horvat is a better fit for Montreal. True center, left shot. Great on draws, perfect 2C.

I doubt NYI ever starts a sell-off unless Lou is gone.

Even if Lou goes, the sell off of EVERYONE isn’t smart. They move out Barzal/Horvar/Dobson/Romanov/Sorokin for futures and they’re stuck with a bunch of prospects who aren’t ready and/or cap dumps (plus the current pieces like Duclair/Engvall/Mayfield/etc) that just make the team Chicago level bad. A scorched earth rebuild just doesn’t work with the Islanders based on what we’ve seen from the past. They would need to hope the year the team is a disaster has a prospect with the pedigree of McDavid instead of Lafreniere.

 

[VancouverJagger]

Canucks would take a hard look at Barzal or Horvat. I imagine their 1st a solid roster player (Hoglander or Garland) plus a younger player/prospect like Raty or Mynio/Kudryavtsev would be around the rate?

(Raty has finished the season with the big club very strong and we have him pencilled into our line up as our 3rd or 4th line center with some upside. Could potentially be a decent piece for them as he's great on draws and has some skill if he can take another step with his skating he's a 3rd line center with 2nd line upside. Worth a look at least (personally I would prefer he's left out of any deal and we move a prospect instead even Mancini or one of the AHL D.

 

[WangMustGo]

Canucks would take a hard look at Barzal or Horvat. I imagine their 1st a solid roster player (Hoglander or Garland) plus a younger player/prospect like Raty or Mynio/Kudryavtsev would be around the rate?

(Raty has finished the season with the big club very strong and we have him pencilled into our line up as our 3rd or 4th line center with some upside. Could potentially be a decent piece for them as he's great on draws and has some skill if he can take another step with his skating he's a 3rd line center with 2nd line upside. Worth a look at least (personally I would prefer he's left out of any deal and we move a prospect instead even Mancini or one of the AHL D.

Unless Lou is removed the isles will not sell Barzal or Horvat. Hypothetically he is removed and the are on the market I would want a 1st+ top prospect + a good roster player for Horvat. Barzal would cost more.

 

[VancouverJagger]

Unless Lou is removed the isles will not sell Barzal or Horvat. Hypothetically he is removed and the are on the market I would want a 1st+ top prospect + a good roster player for Horvat. Barzal would cost more.

Barzal would cost more? I assume not much then.........

And yeah that was pretty much my offer - our first 13-15th OA, Any prospect or young player not named Willander, Lekkermaki or DPetey and Hoglander or Garland. Think that is fair it may get beat by Montreal or we may had to add a 3rd or something etc. to seal that.

Starting to sound like Lou being removed is a legit possibility though now or?

 

[HuGo Sham]

1. Isles trade Ryan Pulock, Matthew Maggio and a 2025 4th to Winnipeg for Elias Salomonsson and a 2025 1st.

2. Isles trade JGP (50% retained) to Montreal for Adam Engstrom and a 2026 2nd (the worse, ie closer to 64, of theirs and Columbus')

3. Isles trade Adam Pelech and the rights to Quinn Finley to Chicago for the NYI 2026 2nd.

Isles get a bunch of picks and two solid prospects that can help in the very immediate future. Trading Finley for the second is something Isles fans are gonna get pissy about, but I want that pick back. They're going to stink in 25-26 and it's a valuable piece going forward. And I know Pelech has a 16 team NTC as of 7/1 and might block Chicago, but if you've gotta threaten him with waivers like Trouba, then so be it. I'm assuming Pulock and JGP waive with little issue.

DRAFT:

10th: Jake O'Brien
26th (from WPG): Blake Fiddler
42: Nathan Behm


SYSTEM:

In this scenario, Isles will have added in the last 4 months; Ritchie, Salomonsson, Engstrom, O'Brien, Fiddler and Behm. If it's not a top 10 system then it's awfully close. A dramatic turn around from May of 2024.

You're not a good team for 25-26, but there's no scenario in which the Isles are a good team in 25-26. But you've loaded the farm, freed up significant cap space and have four picks in the first two rounds in the 2026 draft, and that's before you trade Lee at the deadline. Should you wanna move a "core" piece like Dobson/Horvat/Sorokin/Romanov/Barzal, that option is still available.

But you're looking to add quality at the 2026 draft. Maybe get lucky and fall into McKenna.

absolute no from Montreal

 

[HuGo Sham]

Moving out the veterans to create cap space/roster turnover would be ideal. Once again moving Barzal to get back what I said would just be stupid for the Isles. Getting back for example Mailloux, Anderson and a 1st wouldn’t do anything for the Islanders.

just as it would be stupid for montreal to move one of their better D prospects and a 2nd for a 33 year old C

 

[miscs75]

just as it would be stupid for montreal to move one of their better D prospects and a 2nd for a 33 year old C

This is why it’s a stalmate. The Isles aren’t moving Horvat for table scraps and fringe roster pieces and Montreal won’t give up anything of quality that makes the Islanders truly better. The Isles need to upgrade skill without creating a gaping hole in the lineup.

 

[WangMustGo]

Barzal would cost more? I assume not much then.........

And yeah that was pretty much my offer - our first 13-15th OA, Any prospect or young player not named Willander, Lekkermaki or DPetey and Hoglander or Garland. Think that is fair it may get beat by Montreal or we may had to add a 3rd or something etc. to seal that.

Starting to sound like Lou being removed is a legit possibility though now or?

You likely aren’t getting Barzal without Willander or Lekkermaki. Barzal is far more dynamic and a line driver. With a decent forward group around him he’s gonna hit 90+ points

I hope so but things on the island are very hush hush. I wouldn’t be surprised either way. Lou brought respect back to the organization, but Father Time has passed.

 

[Baksfamous112]

I wonder if the habs could get Barzal somehow with a package around Reinbacher and some picks or prospects.

Reinbacher is not going anywhere, especially not for a forward

 

[Canucks LB]

I have a weird feeling Lou is gonna step down or get fired after this season.

 

[Canucks LB]

You likely aren’t getting Barzal without Willander or Lekkermaki. Barzal is far more dynamic and a line driver. With a decent forward group around him he’s gonna hit 90+ points

I hope so but things on the island are very hush hush. I wouldn’t be surprised either way. Lou brought respect back to the organization, but Father Time has passed.

I would honestly do 1st (14-16) + Lekkerimaki for Barzal.
But would the islanders?

 

[Chapin Landvogt]

First, management needs to be sorted out.

If Malkin does what's right for the sporting prospects of the organization, then a new GM will be brought in and that will surely be about shaking things up.

And rightfully so....

Then HFBoards can start rocking the trade suggestion threads.

 

[JeffreyLFC]

I do not understand how the Isles rebuild and just trade their dead weight players. That's not a rebuild.
If you rebuild you need to tank in the standing and aim for top 5 pick + trade away older players for futures including some older core players+ take 4 or 5 years to rebuild the whole pipeline to compete.

It would mean: Barzal, Horvat, Pulock, Sorokin would have to be traded. As they are too good and older.

They keep Dobson, Romanov, Tsyplakov, Holmstron as the core players of their rebuild unless they can get a susbtantial offer for them.

Other wise it's not a rebuild, it's just a firesale.

 

[Chapin Landvogt]

I would honestly do 1st (14-16) + Lekkerimaki for Barzal.
But would the islanders?

Current management aside (which would not do this), the Islanders are in no position to move Barzal as currently built.

He's the only dynamic player the team has.

And it already moved it's second most dynamic player in Nelson.

Islander fans have just struggled and suffered through a post-trade deadline stretch of watching Horvat-Pageau-Cizikas-MacLean down the middle.

If the other teams in the east weren't so pathetic along the way, the Isles would be creeping into a top 5 pick right now.

Truth is, the center situation alone makes a trading of Barzal gross negligence at this point.

 

[Chapin Landvogt]

I do not understand how the Isles rebuild and just trade their dead weight players. That's not a rebuild.
If you rebuild you need to tank in the standing and aim for top 5 pick + trade away older players for futures including some older core players+ take 4 or 5 years to rebuild the whole pipeline to compete.

It would mean: Barzal, Horvat, Pulock, Sorokin would have to be traded.

They keep Dobson, Romanov, Tsyplakov, Holmstron as the core players of their rebuild unless they can get a susbtantial offer for them.

Other wise it's not a rebuild, it's just a firesale.

"Rebuild" is definitely the wrong word.

Not sure why NYI fans will use it when looking at the contract structure of the team?

And you're right.

The Islanders have every reason to believe that they can bounce back into the playoff conversation next season by keeping - and adding to - Barzal, Dobson, Horvat, Sorokin, Holmstrom, and Romanov (as you mentioned). Tsyplakov could certainly belong to that list.

Isaiah George and Calum Ritchie could already be topics next season.

Otherwise, plenty of other players have contracts in place. Naturally, there are GMs who could do some wheeling and dealing to make to sound flipping of assets and removal of unnecessary expenditures.

 

[leeroggy]

Move out your veterans elsewhere. Habs aren’t interested in washed up veterans. Even less interested to pay assets for them. Thanks

I understand Pageua's age being an issue, but if washed up is a 3C with 41 points, a +6 on this team, has won 60% of about 964 faceoffs (2nd in the league %-wise) and still throws hits and blocks shots . . . I wish I was as washed up

 

[TGWL]

Isles retrool this summer - every team says no. Darn you!!

In all seriousness, GM's do view players differently...

 

[Captain Mountain]

I'm not sure why any of the non-Islanders teams make those trades.

1. That already feels rich for Pulock just value-wise, and Winnipeg doesn't need RD.

2. Montreal's doesn't need to pay for retention and JGP isn't much of an upgrade on what they already have. May as well bet on the guys they have to improve at that point if that's the best they can do.

3. Chicago is loaded with cap space and young D, they can find a veteran filler much more cheaply. I don't think Finley even registers for them prospect/need-wise.

I get that the Islanders fans don't want to give up top guys for less than an absolute haul, but the reason fans bring then up is that there's demand and the other guys just aren't worth all that much.

 

[Gabrielor]

Buffalo would have interest in Pulock.

 

[Baksfamous112]

I understand Pageua's age being an issue, but if washed up is a 3C with 41 points, a +6 on this team, has won 60% of about 964 faceoffs (2nd in the league %-wise) and still throws hits and blocks shots . . . I wish I was as washed up

Pageau is on its decline and I don't see how he could potentially be a 2C for a playoff team next year. Let's just say it like that.

 

[miscs75]

Pageau is on its decline and I don't see how he could potentially be a 2C for a playoff team next year. Let's just say it like that.

Pageau is also on the last year of his current contract so ideally it works out well for a team who wants a short term middle 6C that can win faceoffs. No real commitment needed in this case.

 

[WangMustGo]

Buffalo would have interest in Pulock.

I think Buffalo would be a great spot for Pulock. A good second pairing RD that is good defensively and provides much needed playoff experience. I could see Pageau being a good fit there as well.

 

[Baksfamous112]

Pageau is also on the last year of his current contract so ideally it works out well for a team who wants a short term middle 6C that can win faceoffs. No real commitment needed in this case.

Sure, but that’s just not Montreal. We have Evans, Newhook, Dach and Beck who’s very close to being NHL ready as 3C / 4C options. Pageau just isn’t an option for us

 

[WangMustGo]

Pageau is on its decline and I don't see how he could potentially be a 2C for a playoff team next year. Let's just say it like that.

He’s a good third line center, and on a good playoff team that is where he slots in. Plenty of teams would be happy to add him to their bottom 6. If you are looking for a 2nd line center look elsewhere.