I never wanted Leo to go last year. To me, I saw a player that was super dependable defensively, played a heavy agitating game, and great for team morale. He did a lot of things that helped the Isles win games. One was he was instrumental of the culture change here when Snow days came to an end. In short, winning just follows him around. I don't think its a coincidence.
As for Eberle, I will admit I thought Palmieri was an upgrade to him. Not sure where you stood on this, but agreed most wanted him gone. This looks like a mistake now, I would take Eberle over Palmieri, Bailey and Pageau right now. I can't criticize this move since I thought it was the right one at the time. But it looks like Eberle was one of our better skill guys, abeit he had a tendency to disappear at times.
Leddy was a logical cap dump, I think Dobson has filled his offensive role well. If he was a lesser cap hit I would have kept him, but with Salo and Romanov in now. He is not needed.
If there is any backseat driving here, It is the players that were supposed to be difference makers have all gone into malaise. I don't see the old Pageau when we first acquired him. Palmieri is trying hard but has been a colossal disappointment, Bailey is playing like a man that knows his days are numbered, and Cizikas, Clutterbuck, and Martin all went to the well one year too often.
Still we are only 6 games into the season. Things can change, but I don't like how it has looked for a year and 6 games now. It was easy to invest watching this team the first 3 seasons Lou took over, the last year and 6 games, not so much.
Leo is what he was multi-dimensional player that was asked at times to play above his skill set. He was a glue guy, it because his cap hit was too high and ice capades kept trying to feed him the puck thinking he was gonna be Brett Hull or something (instead of taking the shot himself …and a less talented player like Leo could possibly put in a rebound), he was torn apart by the fan base.
Eberle was routinely torched for Lou overpaying him, yet when asked on these boards how to do replace his offense, mum was the word. He seems to be the only Islander that could work with ice capades. Palms was money in the playoffs and was seen as a cheaper player for similar production - that hasn’t happened at all. Somehow Isles fans wanted $7M and 25G off the cap and ice, then Lou to find a better equivalent player (uh-huh in UFA or trade).
Part of the Isles issues are the following:
- they lost the transition game with the loses of Toews, then Leddy. Dobson ‘made up for it,’ but Pulock’s offense is non-existent and he was expected to be a 15/40 guy with that shot (under the older game, now, heck, Dobson is smoking him bc Pulock has a slow shot and passer). Well, that’s not happening and doubtful he ever gets 200 SOG. And…right now Pulock is entering overpaid territory under his new deal.
- Beau, Palms, and Bailey all have produced in the playoffs and contributed to deep runs. They have kinda sucked in the regular season.
- isles invested in Beau developing a homegrown player, but he hasn’t. So, he’s a tough contract.
- and paying $7M for a 2nd line center w/o a PPG in 120+ games and giving him a more expensive extension is another hope and prayer he’ll improve (good luck…he doesn’t make his linemates better, carry the team, heck, even carry a PP).
Overall, the Isles are stuck with a number of underperforming homegrown players on long term contracts and aging guys that have too years left to move on out unless another team is really looking for a change and is willing to take on that extra year. It’s not a great place to be in.
