Speculation: Offseason Moves Part II

[boredmale]

Tim Murray demonstrated that he's a scout masquerading as a GM. He's been talking about rebuilding the right way and yet he made all of these bold moves where he overpaid and reek of desperation to improve fast. He took on a ton of unnecessary risk and the moves seem so short sighted, it seems that he cares only by talent and has no regard for character. It could really blow up in his face and then this vaunted rebuild will require a reboot or reshuffle - preferably with a real GM.

Assuming they can sign ROR for under 7M I think the ROR trade was a good move. Seems like all the prospects they traded to Colorado have their share of warts. The only guy I could see them regretting at the end of the day is Zadorov

The Lehner trade seems like to much but if he can reach his potential it might end up turning ok

One thing Murray has lucked out with is an owner who is willing to spend. Many trades he made the owner basically would pay for half the contract(thus driving up the value of the player)

 

[PWJunior]

Assuming they can sign ROR for under 7M I think the ROR trade was a good move. Seems like all the prospects they traded to Colorado have their share of warts. The only guy I could see them regretting at the end of the day is Zadorov

The Lehner trade seems like to much but if he can reach his potential it might end up turning ok

One thing Murray has lucked out with is an owner who is willing to spend. Many trades he made the owner basically would pay for half the contract(thus driving up the value of the player)

Pegula has more money than sense, not necessarily a good thing when paired with an inexperienced GM who is in over his head. Buffalo was on track for a scary rebuild, that's over now.

Murray has pinned a significant amount of hope in R'OR, Kane, and Lehner. They will be improved, but they are not a team that scares me anymore. The fans were promised a super team, not seeing it at all. Buffalo bottomed out and then decided that they are ready to start sprinting, skipping some steps in the process. Rushing their rebuild could have very damaging repercussions. I heard they want to avoid perpetual medocrity... well that's probably what they're getting now.

As an Isles fan, I can only laugh my ass off as Murray continues to screw everything up.

 

[boredmale]

As an Isles fan, I can only laugh my ass off as Murray continues to screw everything up.

I don't think he is screwing things up. He is taking a huge gamble on Lehner living up to the hype but even if that fails that would only be a minor setback. In the case of ROR, let's wait till July 1 to evaluate that trade(ie does he sign or not and for how much)

 

[PWJunior]

I don't think he is screwing things up. He is taking a huge gamble on Lehner living up to the hype but even if that fails that would only be a minor setback. In the case of ROR, let's wait till July 1 to evaluate that trade(ie does he sign or not and for how much)

Whether R'OR signs or not, he was a needless gamble at this stage. Introducing a $7M-$8M contract now is pretty stupid. Kane is just going to be licking his chops when it's time to re-up. I wonder how Eichel and Reinhart are going to look in tracksuits and wanting their own money phones.

Murray emptied the chamber, what assets does he have now? He shot his load prematurely while the team is just question mark after question mark. Eichel is going to need time before he emerges, same for Reinhart. Their defense has Ristolainen and then Bogosian, who else? The huge gambles taken have no real outs.

It's an incomplete rebuild and now they are just another team in the mix. Murray should stick to scouting.

 

[boredmale]

Murray emptied the chamber, what assets does he have now?

I am guessing at some point down the road Reinhart will be used as a trade chip for a position of weakness.

Their defense has Ristolainen and then Bogosian, who else?

My guess is we will find this out on July 1, 2015, 2016 and 2017. They also have Jake McCabe down in the farm. When push comes to shove see above.

 

[PWJunior]

I am guessing at some point down the road Reinhart will be used as a trade chip for a position of weakness.



My guess is we will find this out on July 1, 2015, 2016 and 2017. They also have Jake McCabe down in the farm. When push comes to shove see above.

Reinhart is one of the few high end pieces they have along with Eichel and Ristolainen. Shouldn't they keep him? Seems to me that they have a lot more weaknesses that will require more than just trading Reinhart. Every team has B level guys like McCabe, Psyk. Wow, they are teeming with talent, not.

So Pegula can fix the defense by throwing money at it on UFA's... smart.

 

[fanhabs]

I would like to see how fans value some players in terms of mtl players:
strome
nelson
lee
bailey

now that the isles have drafted barzal... it seems like they've got too many centers
for example,
would you be interested in smith pelley ++ ?

 

[boredmale]

I would like to see how fans value some players in terms of mtl players:
strome
nelson
lee
bailey

now that the isles have drafted barzal... it seems like they've got too many centers
for example,
would you be interested in smith pelley ++ ?

It should be pointed out Lee and Bailey are both wingers and I don't see that changing even if they get traded(maybe Bailey might be moved to center if a team is hard up for centers, but Lee definitely will spend his career on wings).

As for Barzal, he is still 2-3 years away from putting on an Islanders jersey so we can worry about that then.

As for Smith Pelley, I might be interested but not for any of the players mentioned besides maybe Bailey(who might be expendable if we don't get any decent offer for Grabner). All that being said I really don't see any need to trade Bailey now unless it's for an upgrade.

 

[Felix Unger]

Whether R'OR signs or not, he was a needless gamble at this stage. Introducing a $7M-$8M contract now is pretty stupid. Kane is just going to be licking his chops when it's time to re-up. I wonder how Eichel and Reinhart are going to look in tracksuits and wanting their own money phones.

Wow. Realize you don't like annoying Buffalo fans, and I agree. But this is really silly.

Buffalo is a really interesting team right now. They have a lot of centers, but I don't see how any Islander fan could possibly have a problem with that. Some will move to wing, and that will be fine. The Lehner gamble is an interesting one, but it can fail and Buffalo could still be fine. The interesting thing will be how they're going to build their defense. Right now it looks like it's going to be:

Gorges-Bogosian
???? -Ristolainen
Weber-Pysyk

You've got to expect they're going to pay some top-4 UFA Dman a significant amount. Even so, that D is weak. We're going to have to see what they do.

 

[Felix Unger]

So what move do NYI make during free agency?

We know there will be a backup goalie, one of the usual suspects.

The question is, do NYI look to add a veteran D-man either top-4 (Ehroff, Martin, Oduya) or bottom pairing (Hejda, Jackman)?

I don't know in goal. It'll probably be one of Neuvirth, Greiss or Enroth.

I'm going to guess Hejda on D, but I suspect they'll go the bottom-pair rotation-player option considering that they are close to resigning Hickey.

 

[Macch]

Anyone else shocked that the Coyotes didn't qualify Moore? I'd take him over Hickey every day.

 

[MoBoTFB]

Anyone else shocked that the Coyotes didn't qualify Moore? I'd take him over Hickey every day.

I was thinking the same thing. I would love Moore. He's probably looking at a deal in the same price range as hickey. And I think he would be an upgrade over him. He's got a lot of experience from his time with the Rangers. Solid defensively and 6 foot 3. He'd be a great guy to pair with pulock.

 

[SLAPSHOT723]

Anyone else shocked that the Coyotes didn't qualify Moore? I'd take him over Hickey every day.

I don't think Moore is that much better than Hickey. I'd look into better defensemen than him.

 

[duster19]

So what move do NYI make during free agency?

We know there will be a backup goalie, one of the usual suspects.

The question is, do NYI look to add a veteran D-man either top-4 (Ehroff, Martin, Oduya) or bottom pairing (Hejda, Jackman)?

I don't know in goal. It'll probably be one of Neuvirth, Greiss or Enroth.

I'm going to guess Hejda on D, but I suspect they'll go the bottom-pair rotation-player option considering that they are close to resigning Hickey.

I think they have to at least put an offer to beauchemin. It will take a miracle to get him, but he seems like the best fit for the isles right now.

 

[MatthewBarnabysTears]

I don't think Moore is that much better than Hickey. I'd look into better defensemen than him.

Moore is the rare free agent I've actually seen a fair amount because he played in our division. I really don't think he's better than Hickey, or that they're even really that close. I think this is purely a grass-is-greener thing.

 

[seabass45]

According to Andy Strickland, Hawks and Preds are interested in Barret Jackman. I can easily see him signing with Chicago on that Brad Richards type of discount.

 

[WinhallVT124]

I don't think Moore is that much better than Hickey. I'd look into better defensemen than him.

I'd take Moore's size and Hickey's brain and put them together and you'd have a pretty solid defenseman.

Moore is young but I have heard that his hockey sense sucks.

 

[seabass45]

I'd take Moore's size and Hickey's brain and put them together and you'd have a pretty solid defenseman.

Moore is young but I have heard that his hockey sense sucks.

Checked the Arizona board and they're a little baffled that he wasn't qualified but it sounds like he's still a little raw. In any case, if he can't crack Arizona's top six maybe that's a bad sign.

 

[WinhallVT124]

Checked the Arizona board and they're a little baffled that he wasn't qualified but it sounds like he's still a little raw. In any case, if he can't crack Arizona's top six maybe that's a bad sign.

I too noticed that right away.

 

[PWJunior]

Checked the Arizona board and they're a little baffled that he wasn't qualified but it sounds like he's still a little raw. In any case, if he can't crack Arizona's top six maybe that's a bad sign.

We have enough 3rd pairing options already, we need quality.

 

[Isles Drive For 5]

Guys, I keep trying to come up with potential trade offers involving okposo and nielsen. The problem is that we are so LW dominant on this team right now that it becomes very hard to trade Okposo and get back a young but highly talented RW with NHL experience. Any thoughts on who could realistically trade such a player to the Isles. Additionally, with Nielsen involved, what type of value could we expect back for both of them. I was trying to think of ways we could land Brandon Saad, but again, he's a LW so that kind of puts that to rest. Players comparable to Saad who play on the right side who would fit well here.

 

[seabass45]

Guys, I keep trying to come up with potential trade offers involving okposo and nielsen. The problem is that we are so LW dominant on this team right now that it becomes very hard to trade Okposo and get back a young but highly talented RW with NHL experience. Any thoughts on who could realistically trade such a player to the Isles. Additionally, with Nielsen involved, what type of value could we expect back for both of them. I was trying to think of ways we could land Brandon Saad, but again, he's a LW so that kind of puts that to rest. Players comparable to Saad who play on the right side who would fit well here.

We're not getting Brandon Saad. Sorry but between him saying he'd take a hometown discount and Chicago saying they'd match any offer sheet, it's not happening.

 

[seabass45]

Meanwhile, former Tavares wingers PA Parenteau and Brad Boyes are both being bought out! Matt Moulson still overpaid and presumably safe.

And just in: Alexander Semin buyout!

 

[BroadwayJay*]

Boyes and Semin on unconditional waivers. Boyes has taken a nosedive, but Semin on the cheap would be a great deal.

Semin is a good player still, his contract was the problem. Strong CF player. Makes his teammates better in both CF and GF. Love him.

 

[PWJunior]

Boyes and Semin on unconditional waivers. Boyes has taken a nosedive, but Semin on the cheap would be a great deal.

Semin is a good player still, his contract was the problem. Strong CF player. Makes his teammates better in both CF and GF. Love him.

Semin definitely interests me as a reclamation project since his contract isn't an issue.