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

[Chapin Landvogt]

Kadri leading Calgary thus far in on ice shot attempt percentage AND high danger unblocked shot attempts. This guy is a phenomenal player who's getting paid 3M less than what the team is paying Crapalmieri or Bailey.

???

Did you mean to word this differently?

I'm pretty sure he's getting 2 MM more per year than either Bailey or Palmieri.

 

[seafoam]

???

Did you mean to word this differently?

I'm pretty sure he's getting 2 MM more per year than either Bailey or Palmieri.

Palmieri and Bailey come with a cap hit of 10M together. Kadri comes with a cap hit of 7M and is better than both combined.

 

[SI]

3 game losing streak
Next game at UBS versus the Rangers.

Beau - Barzal - Wahlstrom
Lee - Nelson - Bailey
Parise - Pageau - Palmieri
Martin - Zeeker - C'buck
Pelech Pulock
Romanov Dobson
Salo Mayfield

Soshnikov gets waived to get Salo back in the lineup.

Give that line up a run

 

[leeroggy]

3 game losing streak
Next game at UBS versus the Rangers.

Beau - Barzal - Wahlstrom
Lee - Nelson - Bailey
Parise - Pageau - Palmieri
Martin - Zeeker - C'buck
Pelech Pulock
Romanov Dobson
Salo Mayfield

Soshnikov gets waived to get Salo back in the lineup.

Give that line up a run

Holmstrom - Barzal - Wahlstrom
Lee - Nelson - Raty
Parise - Pageau - Dufour
Beau - Cizikas - Palmieri

I can dream, can't I?

Isn't it amazing after all these years that this site still assumes Barzal, Cizikas and Pulock are misspellings?

 

[beach]

This team is not going anywhere. I hope Lou doesn't do anything dumb like including Raty in a deal for Laine which still won't take us anywhere near a Cup with this lineup.

 

[leeroggy]

This team is not going anywhere. I hope Lou doesn't do anything dumb like including Raty in a deal for Laine which still won't take us anywhere near a Cup with this lineup.

The only way Raty goes for a Laine trade is if Palmieri is attached too. Laine is STILL only 24 years old. No reason to crap on him. He'd be our 1st line W the second a trade occurred. The guy has averaged 36 goals per 82 games for his career. He'd immediately upgrade the PP and give Barzal no more excuses. You want high-end talent or not? Don't bother with 'he sucks', no one in the NHL would take that claim seriously.

 

[TeamKidd]

this is the same flawed team as last year so far. too old, too slow and they never miss an opportunity to miss an opportunity. Too many redundant players - bailey, palmieri, clutterbuck, martin, beau. 20M of dead cap.

Where do we go from here? Hard to say, but current status is hoping a few middling prospects turn into stars....feels very 1996 around here...

 

[The Real JT]

this is the same flawed team as last year so far. too old, too slow and they never miss an opportunity to miss an opportunity. Too many redundant players - bailey, palmieri, clutterbuck, martin, beau. 20M of dead cap.

Where do we go from here? Hard to say, but current status is hoping a few middling prospects turn into stars....feels very 1996 around here...

Redundant, slow and old. Spot on comments.

Although it was implied, you can also add “lacking skill”.

This is going to be a little like last year for me when I was checking Dufour’s stats just as often as I was keeping an eye on the Isles. This year I’ll be checking on the Baby Isles in Bridgeport.

 

[Glorydays22]

Bottom line, it's going to be a bad year. We will definitely miss the playoffs and hopefully suck enough to get a top 5 pick.

I think us stinking up the joint this year will finally get it through to Lou and management heads that the window has pasted for this group. With looking at re-tooling or rebuilding, what ever words you want to say for this, Lou will realize he won't be able to do this at 80-81 years old and hand it over to someone else next year.

Pray that whoever takes over is a good young fresh mind with understanding how the NHL is being played currently.

 

[Doshell Propivo]

Bottom line, it's going to be a bad year. We will definitely miss the playoffs and hopefully suck enough to get a top 5 pick.

I think us stinking up the joint this year will finally get it through to Lou and management heads that the window has pasted for this group. With looking at re-tooling or rebuilding, what ever words you want to say for this, Lou will realize he won't be able to do this at 80-81 years old and hand it over to someone else next year.

Pray that whoever takes over is a good young fresh mind with understanding how the NHL is being played currently.

Way too early to make these declarations. Also, they will not be that bad. Way too much talent to be bottom 5. I predicted they would miss the playoffs but if they do, it's won't be by much. It's a long season and this team will win a bunch of games. Fair to question if this is a playoff team but to dismiss them and forget the season after 6 games is absurd.

 

[Glorydays22]

Way too early to make these declarations. Also, they will not be that bad. Way too much talent to be bottom 5. I predicted they would miss the playoffs but if they do, it's won't be by much. It's a long season and this team will win a bunch of games. Fair to question if this is a playoff team but to dismiss them and forget the season after 6 games is absurd.

They were 16 points out of the last wildcard spot last year. Bottom 13th in the league. Nelson had a career year with 37 goals. The team is older, slower and they made NO Moves to improve this team at all. Don't want to hear above Rovamov either. Trotzs gone and a new coach in Lambert who has the same system.

They cannot play with half the teams in this league currently. By the way, teams like Devils, Ottawa, Sabres and Red Wings all have improved and will be much better this year.

 

[Doshell Propivo]

They were 16 points out of the last wildcard spot last year. Bottom 13th in the league. Nelson had a career year with 37 goals. The team is older, slower and they made NO Moves to improve this team at all. Don't want to hear above Rovamov either. Trotzs gone and a new coach in Lambert who has the same system.

They cannot play with half the teams in this league currently. By the way, teams like Devils, Ottawa, Sabres and Red Wings all have improved and will be much better this year.

The hope is that last year was an aberration (mainly due to the long road trip and COVID shenanigans). The hope also is that while the vets may be a year older, the kids being a year older will be a net positive.

I'm not suggesting this team is a cup contender. But I'll go on record to say that if they do miss the playoffs, it will not be by more than 6-8 points.

 

[PK Cronin]

They were 16 points out of the last wildcard spot last year. Bottom 13th in the league. Nelson had a career year with 37 goals. The team is older, slower and they made NO Moves to improve this team at all. Don't want to hear above Rovamov either. Trotzs gone and a new coach in Lambert who has the same system.

They cannot play with half the teams in this league currently. By the way, teams like Devils, Ottawa, Sabres and Red Wings all have improved and will be much better this year.

They made no moves to improve the team, except for the move that I don't want to hear about.

 

[Mike C]

Way too early to make these declarations. Also, they will not be that bad. Way too much talent to be bottom 5. I predicted they would miss the playoffs but if they do, it's won't be by much. It's a long season and this team will win a bunch of games. Fair to question if this is a playoff team but to dismiss them and forget the season after 6 games is absurd.

i think we might overrate the talent here. we have some good D, a good goalie, a couple of good C, a young and potentially good wahlstrom and a bunch of guys who are all the same.....underperformers and/or aging slow inconsistant, fading and in some if not most cases overpaid. all these guys are 3rd/4th line players who have a good game once in a while and tease us into thinking they are back to being 10 years younger when they aren't

i've been a fan since 1972 but to me the reality is on the wall. others saw this last year and i resisted.... thinking it was ok to try it one more time. i'm starting to see it from the posters who called for the retool/rebuild philosophy.

 

[Doshell Propivo]

i think we might overrate the talent here. we have some good D, a good goalie, a couple of good C, a young and potentially good wahlstrom and a bunch of guys who are all the same.....underperformers and/or aging slow inconsistant, fading and in some if not most cases overpaid. all these guys are 3rd/4th line players who have a good game once in a while and tease us into thinking they are back to being 10 years younger when they aren't

i've been a fan since 1972 but to me the reality is on the wall. others saw this last year and i resisted.... thinking it was ok to try it one more time. i'm starting to see it from the posters who called for the retool/rebuild philosophy.

I don't think I'm overrating the talent at all. Unless they overachieve, this team will be mediocre. I think they will have anywhere from 88-98 points.

 

[Mike C]

I don't think I'm overrating the talent at all. Unless they overachieve, this team will be mediocre. I think they will have anywhere from 88-98 points.

didn't mean you personally. i meant a lot of us, myself included collectively as fans. totally agree with the mediocre assessment. on a given night we can look above average and on other nights we look like Don Blackburn and Ernie Hicke are out there

 

[Mike C]

Bottom line, it's going to be a bad year. We will definitely miss the playoffs and hopefully suck enough to get a top 5 pick.

I think us stinking up the joint this year will finally get it through to Lou and management heads that the window has pasted for this group. With looking at re-tooling or rebuilding, what ever words you want to say for this, Lou will realize he won't be able to do this at 80-81 years old and hand it over to someone else next year.

Pray that whoever takes over is a good young fresh mind with understanding how the NHL is being played currently.

let's hope someone realizes it for Lou and pulls the plug before the brand new building has more empty seats than fans with bags on their heads

 

[Doshell Propivo]

didn't mean you personally. i meant a lot of us, myself included collectively as fans. totally agree with the mediocre assessment. on a given night we can look above average and on other nights we look like Don Blackburn and Ernie Hicke are out there

It's hard to overlook the back to back semifinal appearances though. I think someone here said that they are a team built for the playoffs, that struggles in the regular season. I think that's true.

 

[Mike C]

It's hard to overlook the back to back semifinal appearances though. I think someone here said that they are a team built for the playoffs, that struggles in the regular season. I think that's true.

that is true but that group is now 2 years older, at least a step slower and those runs, as several posters have mentioned along the way were in shortened, travel restricted seasons which played into a master tactician like Barry coaching playoff style hockey. also, the league seems much faster and end to end now.

all that said, i wouldn't trade those runs for anything but i feel the time might be to move in the direction of today's NHL and leave those 2 cup runs for fond memories by the fireplace with a cup of hot chocolate or a sip of cognac

 

[seafoam]

It's hard to overlook the back to back semifinal appearances though. I think someone here said that they are a team built for the playoffs, that struggles in the regular season. I think that's true.

It's time to start being realistic...those semifinal appearances were almost 2+ years ago in shortened pandemic seasons.

The Islanders haven't been competitive in a full season setting.

 

[Doshell Propivo]

It's time to start being realistic...those semifinal appearances were almost 2+ years ago in shortened pandemic seasons.

The Islanders haven't been competitive in a full season setting.

The Islanders haven't been competitive in ONE season. Last year. The three seasons prior to that they were. If we're going to put asterisks on the semifinal appearances for pandemic reasons, then surely you also have to put an asterisk next to last season.

 

[beach]

The only way Raty goes for a Laine trade is if Palmieri is attached too. Laine is STILL only 24 years old. No reason to crap on him. He'd be our 1st line W the second a trade occurred. The guy has averaged 36 goals per 82 games for his career. He'd immediately upgrade the PP and give Barzal no more excuses. You want high-end talent or not? Don't bother with 'he sucks', no one in the NHL would take that claim seriously.

That's not what I am saying. Laine is great. Would love to have him. Problem is, with this lineup, while he makes us better, we're still going nowhere near past the 1st or 2nd round. So, is it worth sacrificing our future for an unrealistic attempt at winning a Cup? Nope. It's time to burn it down as much as possible for picks and build around Sorokin, most of our D, Barzal, and Wally (and Raty + Dufour). This party is over.

 

[leeroggy]

That's not what I am saying. Laine is great. Would love to have him. Problem is, with this lineup, while he makes us better, we're still going nowhere near past the 1st or 2nd round. So, is it worth sacrificing our future for an unrealistic attempt at winning a Cup? Nope. It's time to burn it down as much as possible for picks and build around Sorokin, most of our D, Barzal, and Wally (and Raty + Dufour). This party is over.

It's not sacrificing the future when you are dealing for a 24-year old, particularly when your 'futures' are not proven. When Bellows was 19, would you have had the same thought? He's 19, he's our future? We can't trade him because he's a great goal scorer.

It's not like I was offering Raty for a 30-year old

And yes, I do think Laine on Barzal's wing would mean a lot closer to a Cup. It also means Wahlstrom sees a lesser defense pairing too. These types of players are too rare at age 24.

 

[The Real JT]

Way too early to make these declarations. Also, they will not be that bad. Way too much talent to be bottom 5. I predicted they would miss the playoffs but if they do, it's won't be by much. It's a long season and this team will win a bunch of games. Fair to question if this is a playoff team but to dismiss them and forget the season after 6 games is absurd.

They were 16 points out of the last wildcard spot last year. Bottom 13th in the league. Nelson had a career year with 37 goals. The team is older, slower and they made NO Moves to improve this team at all. Don't want to hear above Rovamov either. Trotzs gone and a new coach in Lambert who has the same system.

They cannot play with half the teams in this league currently. By the way, teams like Devils, Ottawa, Sabres and Red Wings all have improved and will be much better this year.

The thought that we have way too much talent to be a bottom tier team is overly optimistic.

Nearly every team in the bottom half of the league has at least a handful of players that stand out as solid if not star quality.

Compare those teams to ours and you’ll be hard pressed to say we’ll be at least mediocre based on talent alone. As more time passes, our recent playoff success appears to have been based on a perfect blend of good but not great players in a well tailored system benefiting their skill sets. Oh yeah, Coach Trotz too.

 

[The Winter Soldier]

Here are my thoughts on the Isles the past season and 6 games in, The Team has lost their Identity.

The first 3 years under Trotz, the Isles were a VERY difficult team to play against. Love him or not, Leo was a glue guy that had an agitator edge to his game. Coupled with that the ID line was at their best those 3 seasons. Due to wear and tear, subtractions of Komarov. This team has become too easy to play against. Now some may disagree with the impact of Komarov. It's not just about scoring, it's about being on the ice and not being scored on. It's about dragging your team with you into a fight. Game is still won on one on won battles. Something Komarov was very dependable at. I find there is often times we get too enamored with shiny stats. Not enough is paid in attention that everyone has a role on this team, This team lacks a Kadri, Tkachuk, Marchand, even a Uncle Leo. Team looks like they are not as emotionally invested now without the ID line at its best, APB on Casey. Is he still missing in action? That one element I thought set the Isles apart the first 3 seasons with Barry Trotz's team. Now it is nowhere to be found.