Roster/Rumors/Speculation/Trade Talk - 2023-24: Hotel California

[seafoam]

Not to you in particular. To everybody.

I’ve read more than a few people here say we’re still a team built for winning now.

Got it, you’ve been chiming this claim all offseason and honestly I don’t disgaree. But with Barzal/Lee/Nelson + Dobson/Pelech/Pulock + Sorokin this team will be trying to ‘win now’ whether it’s the right call or not.

Almost nobody thinks this group is winning a regular season division or making the playoffs by more than 6 points. That's the part that annoys me with Lou. He's so in love with this group that isn't even very good on paper. I was surprised last season there wasn't more people upset with the covid games being played. I don't think anyone got a real explanation if that was the ownership, Lou, or Betman. Its hard to imagine Lou couldn't of told Betman we aren't playing these games. To me, when they lost the 2nd homemade of the season, the season was over. I've seen so many islander seasons end before Thanksgiving. Its easy to see if your not a optimist. The Isles were always going to make the playoffs by 6 points or less. So you take 6 to 10 points away, from covid, there was never a chance. I think alot people forgot how tough it is and maybe alot islander fans are Yankee fans and just think they will win with half a roster or go on a 10 game winning streak. I would guess it was the owner who wanted to play, and Lou, who failed to convince the owner that it would cost the isles the playoffs. I just can't imagine it was bettman.

Of course not, but with the defense as currently constructed and having Sorokin/Varlamov in net on a nightly basis there’s potential for this to roll (if they can stay healthy and get off to a good start). Banking points early on is critical…

 

[seafoam]

@MJF I get where you are coming from, but Sorokin is the most talented goalie NYI has has since Smith, no? They’d be stupid not to try and win now.

 

[MJF]

@MJF I get where you are coming from, but Sorokin is the most talented goalie NYI has has since Smith, no? They’d be stupid not to try and win now.

I can’t look at this forward group, then look at the division and conference around us and think that we have enough to be a cup contender, Ilya Sorokin or not. For this team to be a contender they need another season of scoring by committee. 10 guys who can put up 15+ goals. I can’t lie to myself and go “if THIS and if THAT happens…” I’m sorry. I just don’t see it here. And if this team is Lou’s idea of going for it all, he’s in for a rude awakening. He built a bubble team.

 

[doublechili]

After last season we can't say that the Isles are for sure contenders. But it's not inconceivable that they could be.

Goaltending is elite - safe to say that, no?

Defense is very good, and if a couple of things fall the right way could be flirting with elite.

Centers are good. If Barzal takes a step under Lambert and JGP comes back strong C could be excellent.

Wingers: this is the main issue. No dynamic stud type. Does Lambert have a positive impact? Maybe some vets have a comeback season, and a youngster or two steps up? Otherwise a pretty average group at best and we're looking at trying to roll 4 lines and beat you with depth.

Having said all that, the team could certainly get back to where they were a couple of seasons ago, and if the young D develop as hoped and one winger breaks out they could possibly take the next step. But a lot will need to turn the right way....

 

[PWJunior]

After last season we can't say that the Isles are for sure contenders. But it's not inconceivable that they could be.

Goaltending is elite - safe to say that, no?

Defense is very good, and if a couple of things fall the right way could be flirting with elite.

Centers are good. If Barzal takes a step under Lambert and JGP comes back strong C could be excellent.

Wingers: this is the main issue. No dynamic stud type. Does Lambert have a positive impact? Maybe some vets have a comeback season, and a youngster or two steps up? Otherwise a pretty average group at best and we're looking at trying to roll 4 lines and beat you with depth.

Having said all that, the team could certainly get back to where they were a couple of seasons ago, and if the young D develop as hoped and one winger breaks out they could possibly take the next step. But a lot will need to turn the right way....

This team is built for the playoffs, the main issue is can the team can get in first over the regular season. At least that was the issue with Trotz teams. Maybe Lambert opens it up a little more, our defense is probably the most mobile and talented in quite some time so they can activate more. Chara and Greene were slow to traffic cone, Romanov is going to be Kaspairaitis 2.0 and won't be anchored to an enigmatic talent like Malakhov... Dobson is gonna challenge for a Norris soon. Salo/CholoCop/Aho can all skate, Mayfield is our worst skater and by a fair mrgin.,, not a bad thing. Pelech and Pulock is a modern Jonsson and Aucoin. Sorokin is a stud.

We need our forwards to rebound and play to their career norms at least. The defense and goaltending is Cup caliber if they play to their potential. Get into the dance with a hot team and Sorokin, this team can make a legit run and scare the shit out of the other teams. Just gotta get in...

 

[Sparksrus3]

I can’t look at this forward group, then look at the division and conference around us and think that we have enough to be a cup contender, Ilya Sorokin or not. For this team to be a contender they need another season of scoring by committee. 10 guys who can put up 15+ goals. I can’t lie to myself and go “if THIS and if THAT happens…” I’m sorry. I just don’t see it here. And if this team is Lou’s idea of going for it all, he’s in for a rude awakening. He built a bubble team.

Hopefully Bailey ah never mind

 

[MJF]

This team is built for the playoffs, the main issue is can the team can get in first over the regular season. At least that was the issue with Trotz teams. Maybe Lambert opens it up a little more, our defense is probably the most mobile and talented in quite some time so they can activate more. Chara and Greene were slow to traffic cone, Romanov is going to be Kaspairaitis 2.0 and won't be anchored to an enigmatic talent like Malakhov... Dobson is gonna challenge for a Norris soon. Salo/CholoCop/Aho can all skate, Mayfield is our worst skater and by a fair mrgin.,, not a bad thing. Pelech and Pulock is a modern Jonsson and Aucoin. Sorokin is a stud.

We need our forwards to rebound and play to their career norms at least. The defense and goaltending is Cup caliber if they play to their potential. Get into the dance with a hot team and Sorokin, this team can make a legit run and scare the shit out of the other teams. Just gotta get in...

This team was built to battle the Capitals and the Bruins in the playoffs when those teams were in their primes. This team is not built to counter speed and skill over 7 games. And Lambert can have us open it up some, but I have real doubts about the hands on our forwards—the ability to pass the puck quickly and accurately, and our finishing ability. It hasn’t really been there all these years. Why would it be there now?

 

[YearlyLottery]

This team was built to battle the Capitals and the Bruins in the playoffs when those teams were in their primes. This team is not built to counter speed and skill over 7 games. And Lambert can have us open it up some, but I have real doubts about the hands on our forwards—the ability to pass the puck quickly and accurately, and our finishing ability. It hasn’t really been there all these years. Why would it be there now?

This team was one game away from winning the Cup though (assuming we agree Montreal was no match). They competed against Tampa for 7 games without Lee (and 6 games the year prior). Time will tell who is right and I hope you are wrong. I would argue this team is closer towards a Cup than a rebuild.

I think if we do not go for it while we have Sorokin cheap we will regret it.

 

[MJF]

This team was one game away from winning the Cup though (assuming we agree Montreal was no match). They competed against Tampa for 7 games without Lee (and 6 games the year prior). Time will tell who is right and I hope you are wrong. I would argue this team is closer towards a Cup than a rebuild.

I think if we do not go for it while we have Sorokin cheap we will regret it.

And came up short both times.

I don’t take pleasure In the position I’m taking. Until this past February I was pretty bullish about our chances to get to a Finals. But I can’t look at this team and in good conscience think we’re going to pick up where we left off before COVID and everything in our Conference is the same as it was 2 years ago. I’m not convinced our weakness at defending against good skating teams has strengthened, and I see more teams becoming younger and faster. But Lou decided at the TDL to make no changes and doubled down on the team he assembled. I disagreed with it in February and I don’t see us having enough to even get back to where we were in 2021 when we got shut out in Tampa.

 

[LeapOnOver]

You mean like trading for USA to be Ryan Smyth , 3 first rounders. Granted none of them made it in the nhl but Snow traded 3 first. And upon hearing the new Smyth was said to be in tears.

Most of the draft picks Snow traded didn't amount to much, which says he was good at cutting bait on deadwood, but also that the scouts he hired were terrible. Feel like 75% of Snow's problem was the personnel he kept around him.

 

[Sparksrus3]

This team was one game away from winning the Cup though (assuming we agree Montreal was no match). They competed against Tampa for 7 games without Lee (and 6 games the year prior). Time will tell who is right and I hope you are wrong. I would argue this team is closer towards a Cup than a rebuild.

I think if we do not go for it while we have Sorokin cheap we will regret it.

“Let’s hit em now, while we still got the muscle”. Frank Pentangeli

i feel if Lou needs to give us a bump up front Patrik Elias and Jamie Langenbrunner are on speed dial.

 

[periferal]

I strongly disagree with trading Mayfield (unless Hutton transformed himself over the summer). He's a valuable guy for the 3rd pair, on the PK, and a tough playoff performer.

I do agree with this. I was more talking if the Isles have another poor season and aren't in a playoff position coming up to the trade deadline - At that point it would be very smart to deal Mayfield since he's a pending UFA.

But of course we all know that Lou won't and he will overpay to keep Mayfield when he resigns him.

 

[periferal]

Thanks for not answering my question, lol.

I've already answered this earlier, so didn't know I had to explain it to you again.

When Gaudreau didn't resign with the Calgary last summer, they should've traded BEFORE last season started. That way you don't have to make a much tougher situation if your team is in Cup contention.

If you think that's crazy, well it's what the Isles should've done with Tavares, what the Blackhawks did with Seth Jones...AND WHAT CALGARY JUST DID WITH MATT TKACHUK.

The Flames got the Tkchuck situation right and the Gaudreau situation wrong. You need to always protect the organization, and no player (not even an elite talent) is immune to that.

 

[SI]

I've already answered this earlier, so didn't know I had to explain it to you again.

When Gaudreau didn't resign with the Calgary last summer, they should've traded BEFORE last season started. That way you don't have to make a much tougher situation if your team is in Cup contention.

If you think that's crazy, well it's what the Isles should've done with Tavares, what the Blackhawks did with Seth Jones...AND WHAT CALGARY JUST DID WITH MATT TKACHUK.

The Flames got the Tkchuck situation right and the Gaudreau situation wrong. You need to always protect the organization, and no player (not even an elite talent) is immune to that.

The difference with those scenarios were that Jones and Tkachuk both said to their GMs they weren’t going to sign long term.

Tavares didn’t do that and actually stated he didn’t want to be traded in the season and had a NMC to back that up.

 

[SI]

Got it, you’ve been chiming this claim all offseason and honestly I don’t disgaree. But with Barzal/Lee/Nelson + Dobson/Pelech/Pulock + Sorokin this team will be trying to ‘win now’ whether it’s the right call or not.


Of course not, but with the defense as currently constructed and having Sorokin/Varlamov in net on a nightly basis there’s potential for this to roll (if they can stay healthy and get off to a good start). Banking points early on is critical…

More like jamming it down everyone’s gob on this board. It’s getting tired. It’s just one posters opinion just like yours or mine or anyone else’s.

The truth is the team is playing to win now - look at the collective age of this team. It’s is stupid to say otherwise and it is egotistical to state one’s opinion as a fact.

The team has a very strong blue line and top 5 with a star goalie and a great back up. The play strong and efficient at EV. They may not have enough firepower upfront to get it done (ala win a Stanley Cup), but they will be contenders in their division and likely even win a playoff round or two.

I am not happy with off-season - love the Romanov move but that’s it. I don’t like that he didn’t bring in a more secure piece to battle for the 6D, make a big move to upgrade the top 6, or even add another F to deepen the F group. But IMO, this is going to be a team that will win 100 points this season and be a top 3 team in the metro.

Many teams in the East have warts and holes in their roster. It’s why they play the game! Right, Herm.

 

[Chapin Landvogt]

Not to you in particular. To everybody.

I’ve read more than a few people here say we’re still a team built for winning now.

The sad thing is that it's Lou who sees this team as built to win now.

And his message to Islanderville is that a new coach in his first head coaching gig plus two younger, more mobile Dmen to replace Greene and Chara are the only tweaks the team needed to (continue to) be built for winning now.

At least to start the season...

But he might be right.

 

[Chapin Landvogt]

Almost nobody thinks this group is winning a regular season division or making the playoffs by more than 6 points. That's the part that annoys me with Lou. He's so in love with this group that isn't even very good on paper.

What do you mean isn't good on paper?

It was better on paper last season than the results on the ice.

I'd say it's the other way around. The players - particularly up front - are now being asked to live up to what they're capable of.

 

[Chapin Landvogt]

I can’t look at this forward group, then look at the division and conference around us and think that we have enough to be a cup contender, Ilya Sorokin or not. For this team to be a contender they need another season of scoring by committee. 10 guys who can put up 15+ goals. I can’t lie to myself and go “if THIS and if THAT happens…” I’m sorry. I just don’t see it here. And if this team is Lou’s idea of going for it all, he’s in for a rude awakening. He built a bubble team.

He built a playoff team.

Getting there is going to be the problem.

But I don't think there's a pundit in the business who thinks the organization will have the same kind of stumbling blocks as it faced last year.

Skepticism is well-warranted, of course.

I'll definitely be the first to confirm any "See, I told you so" claims you might be inclined to make if the team fails this year. Your doubts about how this team is built now are well-documented over the past few weeks/months.

I'll also happily verify your feelings on how anything less than a Stanley Cup appearance is failure.

Or was it everything short of the Cup is failure?

 

[MJF]

He built a playoff team.

Getting there is going to be the problem.

But I don't think there's a pundit in the business who thinks the organization will have the same kind of stumbling blocks as it faced last year.

Skepticism is well-warranted, of course.

I'll definitely be the first to confirm any "See, I told you so" claims you might be inclined to make if the team fails this year. Your doubts about how this team is built now are well-documented over the past few weeks/months.

I'll also happily verify your feelings on how anything less than a Stanley Cup appearance is failure.

Or was it everything short of the Cup is failure?

I don't do "I TOLD YOU SOs." Never have. It's childish. And believe me, nobody will be happier than me to be wrong about this team as I go to nearly every home game. I don't want to sit through another lost season.

Everything short of a Cup is not a failure, unless you're George Steinbrenner or one of our longwinded regulars here on HFIsles. But what is acceptable for folks here? A 2nd round exit? Getting back to the semifinals and losing there? We'll soon see what everyone has the stomach for.

Our first pre-season game starts in 9 hours. As always, in the first game I'm looking for someone who is ticketed for the AHL to push a vet for a job. That, and nobody gets hurt. LGI.

 

[Mike C]

I don't do "I TOLD YOU SOs." Never have. It's childish. And believe me, nobody will be happier than me to be wrong about this team as I go to nearly every home game. I don't want to sit through another lost season.

Everything short of a Cup is not a failure, unless you're George Steinbrenner or one of our longwinded regulars here on HFIsles. But what is acceptable for folks here? A 2nd round exit? Getting back to the semifinals and losing there? We'll soon see what everyone has the stomach for.

Our first pre-season game starts in 9 hours. As always, in the first game I'm looking for someone who is ticketed for the AHL to push a vet for a job. That, and nobody gets hurt. LGI.

after last season, i'll be happy for a competitive team with a shot at the playoffs. as many of us have lamented, indeed this is a squad built for the post season with the dubious challenge of getting there.

let's crank that hopper up tonight!

The sad thing is that it's Lou who sees this team as built to win now.

And his message to Islanderville is that a new coach in his first head coaching gig plus two younger, more mobile Dmen to replace Greene and Chara are the only tweaks the team needed to (continue to) be built for winning now.

At least to start the season...

But he might be right.

at the school of hard knocks where i got my masters degree, they taught me that the opposite of "might" is "might not"

 

[leeroggy]

after last season, i'll be happy for a competitive team with a shot at the playoffs. as many of us have lamented, indeed this is a squad built for the post season with the dubious challenge of getting there.

let's crank that hopper up tonight!


at the school of hard knocks where i got my masters degree, they taught me that the opposite of "might" is "might not"

I'm more of a process guy. If we played our best and lost to a better team, I can handle that emotionally.

I learned the opposite of might is thgim . . . but I guess which base numeral system that is would make a difference . . . and I still believe if you play Klattu backwards, it's says John is alive, but I may have that backwards too

 

[Mike C]

I'm more of a process guy. If we played our best and lost to a better team, I can handle that emotionally.

I learned the opposite of might is thgim . . . but I guess which base numeral system that is would make a difference . . . and I still believe if you play Klattu backwards, it's says John is alive, but I may have that backwards too

number 9 number 9 number 9

 

[doublechili]

I do agree with this. I was more talking if the Isles have another poor season and aren't in a playoff position coming up to the trade deadline - At that point it would be very smart to deal Mayfield since he's a pending UFA.

But of course we all know that Lou won't and he will overpay to keep Mayfield when he resigns him.

IDK. The Isles top 4 defense have some of the best D contracts in the league - all negotiated by Lou.

 

[Chapin Landvogt]

I don't do "I TOLD YOU SOs." Never have. It's childish. And believe me, nobody will be happier than me to be wrong about this team as I go to nearly every home game. I don't want to sit through another lost season.

Oh wow, almost every home game? Respect!

And color me envious. Very envious.

But I might have different thoughts on the team as well if I were in attendance regularly, much less that often.

Everything short of a Cup is not a failure, unless you're George Steinbrenner or one of our longwinded regulars here on HFIsles. But what is acceptable for folks here? A 2nd round exit? Getting back to the semifinals and losing there? We'll soon see what everyone has the stomach for.

I'm thinking Conference Final. That's what Lou got us used to.

But obviously, things will depend very much on how the general direction is looking. If we're looking like a contender should look and real solid heading into the playoffs, and then we lose a Barzal or Sorokin for the season and end up going out fighting against one of the biggest fish in the first or second round, that might still be a positive/strong season with great promise moving forward.

Anything less is, for me, grounds for new direction. Just getting into the playoffs somehow and then fizzling out should put the owners in a different mood moving forward.

Our first pre-season game starts in 9 hours. As always, in the first game I'm looking for someone who is ticketed for the AHL to push a vet for a job. That, and nobody gets hurt. LGI.

Amen to that.

 

[seafoam]

The sad thing is that it's Lou who sees this team as built to win now.

And his message to Islanderville is that a new coach in his first head coaching gig plus two younger, more mobile Dmen to replace Greene and Chara are the only tweaks the team needed to (continue to) be built for winning now.

At least to start the season...

But he might be right.

I think Lou also recognizes NYI was dealt a tough hand last season between the long road trip to start the year + one of the first teams to get COVID and suffer from it + Pulock’s injury probably didn’t help. Even Nelson was injured for 10 games and most forwards were horribly snake bitten (likely because the team was hemmed in the defensive zone so many times last season that they had no energy to excel in the offensive zone).

The team also came off two long postseason runs and last season was the first time they had to play a full schedule in a few years. The shorter schedule benefitted the roster, but the team had long offseason this year so the schedule shouldn’t affect them as much.

Plus the Islanders have two goaltenders capable of stealing a game on a nightly basis and the defensive depth is younger, deeper, and more mobile.