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

[islesfan3913]

All we need is a backup goalie to play 25 games. I don't think paying Vary 5M for that is worth it. When you can get cap flexibility for a FA winger.

I agree. Sorokin needs to take over the job this upcoming season. If management truly believes he won’t have an issues getting back here from Russia, then Varly has to be moved. No point in wasting $5 million on someone who should be a backup for us. If Sorokin ends up underperforming and a backup is needed for more games, then we have way more problems than just our backup needing to start.

 

[JTToilinginToronto]

After all the debate, NYI did indeed trade the 13th overall to Montreal, but not for Josh Anderson. That's pretty funny to me...


Parise-Barzal-Palmieri
Lee-Nelson-Beauvillier
Bailey-Pageau-Wahlstrom
Martin-Cizikas-Clutterbuck
Bellows, Johnston

Pelech-Dobson
Romanov-Pulock
Salo-Mayfield

Sorokin
Varlamov

Also kind of funny how the 13th wound up in a Chicago's hands, but they did not trade Debrincat here.

 

[PK Cronin]

Lou won't be trading Bailey unless he knows he has a deal for one of the elite forwards.

I agree. Clearing salary like that but not replacing it with an upgrade is not a good move. It needs to be for a marked improvement in order to bother moving anyone out. Imagine moving Bailey and then signing a replica of him in free agency at the same or a higher cap hit? It just doesn't make sense.

 

[Glory Days]

I agree. Sorokin needs to take over the job this upcoming season. If management truly believes he won’t have an issues getting back here from Russia, then Varly has to be moved. No point in wasting $5 million on someone who should be a backup for us. If Sorokin ends up underperforming and a backup is needed for more games, then we have way more problems than just our backup needing to start.

Suppose Sorokin gets hurt or delayed in Russia. Are you willing to throw away a season on that? This team is built from the net out. Strong goal tending and good defense will be imperative if this team has ideas of competing this season. Let’s move a forward to create cap space for a new forward.

 

[WangMustGo]

Suppose Sorokin gets hurt or delayed in Russia. Are you willing to throw away a season on that? This team is built from the net out. Strong goal tending and good defense will be imperative if this team has ideas of competing this season. Let’s move a forward to create cap space for a new forward.

Tampa is built from the net out as well, who is their backup?

Spending 5 million on a backup goalie is stupid. Sorokin can play 55-60 games. Go spend that 5 million towards a forward that can put the puck in the net for 82 games.

 

[Glorydays22]

Suppose Sorokin gets hurt or delayed in Russia. Are you willing to throw away a season on that? This team is built from the net out. Strong goal tending and good defense will be imperative if this team has ideas of competing this season. Let’s move a forward to create cap space for a new forward.

We can say that about anyone really. What happens if Brazal goes down for the year? Dobson? You are looking at worse case scenarios.

 

[seafoam]

This will be an unpopular opinion, but it’s one I am suggesting based on my belief that NYI is done on the trade market (for a defenseman at least).

Brad Hunt, 1 year 1M for a third pairing role, have Salo start the year in Bridgeport. He’s a veteran who had as many points last season in 50 games as Romanov has had in his entire career thus far.

Pelech-Dobson
Romanov-Pulock
Hunt-Mayfield

I think NYI needs a little more offensive pop on the back end and Hunt can provide that (another option would be Yandle but I believe Hunt is better). In a perfect world, he loses his job to Salo at some point throughout the season, but depth is key at the start of the year.

 

[islesfan3913]

Suppose Sorokin gets hurt or delayed in Russia. Are you willing to throw away a season on that? This team is built from the net out. Strong goal tending and good defense will be imperative if this team has ideas of competing this season. Let’s move a forward to create cap space for a new forward.

Like I said, if Sorokin cannot play for whatever a reason and a backup is needed, then we have way more problems to worry about. I know Varly is a very good backup, but the reality is he should be the backup and backups should not be making $5 million. We desperately need a high end forward, and if it means moving Varly in a deal for one or to clear cap space to sign one then we have to take our chances and do it.

 

[seafoam]

Tampa is built from the net out as well, who is their backup?

Spending 5 million on a backup goalie is stupid. Sorokin can play 55-60 games. Go spend that 5 million towards a forward that can put the puck in the net for 82 games.

It's one year, Varlamov likely re-ups for 2-3M per next summer.

If NYI needs cap space to fit in a Gaudreau or Miller type, Bailey will be traded.

 

[Not4u]

It's one year, Varlamov likely re-ups for 2-3M per next summer.

If NYI needs cap space to fit in a Gaudreau or Miller type, Bailey will be traded.

Agreed! I want Varly extended not traded. If you can find away to get a high end forward in here then Lou will find cap space, but it will be a trade.

 

[MJF]

Tampa is built from the net out as well, who is their backup?

Spending 5 million on a backup goalie is stupid. Sorokin can play 55-60 games. Go spend that 5 million towards a forward that can put the puck in the net for 82 games.

Tampa has enough offense that they can still win games playing up tempo hockey if they have to. The Islanders don’t.

We can say that about anyone really. What happens if Brazal goes down for the year? Dobson? You are looking at worse case scenarios.

This will be an unpopular opinion, but it’s one I am suggesting based on my belief that NYI is done on the trade market (for a defenseman at least).

Brad Hunt, 1 year 1M for a third pairing role, have Salo start the year in Bridgeport. He’s a veteran who had as many points last season in 50 games as Romanov has had in his entire career thus far.

Pelech-Dobson
Romanov-Pulock
Hunt-Mayfield

I think NYI needs a little more offensive pop on the back end and Hunt can provide that (another option would be Yandle but I believe Hunt is better). In a perfect world, he loses his job to Salo at some point throughout the season, but depth is key at the start of the year.

Why? If Salo can win a job outright in camp have him start the season on the Island. He’s ready.

 

[The Real JT]

Twist, Aho ain't young.

Considering the amount of ice time he logged last year, Lou figures he doesn’t qualify as a player either.

 

[Quickdraw2828]

Who isn’t younger than Lou?

I know a guy…oh wait…he’s dead

 

[SayItAintSoJohnny]

Having Sorokin is a luxury that we simply can't afford plus it would be absolutely INSANE not to take advantage of this ridiculous goalie market. Based on other moves, the Islanders should be able to get quite a return for him instead of him possibly leaving for nothing after the season. I had actually hoped he would have been moved during the Draft and I still think it is in our best interest to do so.

It really isn't only about the cap space (which will only be about 3-3.5 million because we will have to sign a backup) but also to acquire more assets, which would lessen the sting on what we may have to give up to get a difference making forward (Kane, Miller, Tarasenko, etc) should the FA market shrink before it even begins with team re-ups the next week for players like Filip Forsberg and Johnny Gaudreau.

With the strong likelihood that those top two "difference makers" will take their 8-year offers and stay put with the Predators and Flames respectively, for me their are only 3 other guys I would have interest in really and even that doesn't look promising. Love to have Nazem Kadri but not at the insane amount he will likely ask for (and get) after his out of norm monster season- and the other two wing guys I'd be interested in are the Lightning's Ondrej Palat (for all the intangibles he brings) and another Avalanche in Valeri Nichushkin, who I think still has room to grow and is only 27 years old. Off course the two Stanley Cup competing teams are in serious negotiations with both of them and they too may never actually become available. All the other FA forwards available look like the same type of forwards we already have on our roster honestly...and not a difference maker among them.

So with Fiala and DeBrincat already dealt it is looking more and more like this will be the offseason where only by trade can you really get a difference making player; and we all know the Islanders need one. There "could" be 2-3 more available among the rumored half dozen or so.

With 12 million in cap space, we are likely needing that 3 million Varlamov gives us to put us at 15.

Then we would still need to trade Bailey, but maybe now eating a million isn't the end all if it too can net us another asset. Now you are at 19 and you can sign your RFA's (9 million) and it leaves you that flexibility to get that difference making forward as well as likely another veteran LD into your cap...plus remember you should now have those assets (Varly/Josh) to make that trade for said forward, lessening the need to trade our 2023 1st or say Wahlstrom/Raty for instance....

Not sure Josh by himself is going to do it....and it certainly isn't going to do it if you are willing to go double digits for your difference maker (leaving JG and possibly Forsberg out anyway)...

 

[periferal]

Agreed! I want Varly extended not traded. If you can find away to get a high end forward in here then Lou will find cap space, but it will be a trade.

I'm fine with Varly being extended for 3M or less, but if he continues his good play this year (along with the limited goalie options out there) he's going to be offered more than that on the open market. If he wants to take less to stay here...Great.


....But if he doesn't, to me it's unacceptable to let him walk for nothing. Especially since at the next trade deadline you should be able to get a 2nd round pick for him which will be very valuable in the very talented/deep 2023 draft.

 

[Chardo]

It's one year, Varlamov likely re-ups for 2-3M per next summer.

If NYI needs cap space to fit in a Gaudreau or Miller type, Bailey will be traded.

Why do you want to sign a 35 year old backup next year?

No one will trade for Bailey without retention or sending salary back. Bailey is not a valuable asset, and trading him will not clear significant cap space. And you'd still have to replace him on the ice, at a cost.

 

[seafoam]

Tampa has enough offense that they can still win games playing up tempo hockey if they have to. The Islanders don’t.



Why? If Salo can win a job outright in camp have him start the season on the Island. He’s ready.

He wasn't that great in BPT last playoffs IMO.

You may be higher on him than me but if NYI is already running with a defenseman with less than 150 games in Romanov on their left side, I'd rather start with a vet than Salo.

Two green D is just as bad as two over the hill D (Greene and Chara).

 

[Throttle]

All we need is a backup goalie to play 25 games. I don't think paying Vary 5M for that is worth it. When you can get cap flexibility for a FA winger.

Unless this is the 1983 Islanders, those 25 games will make or break a season.

 

[MJF]

He wasn't that great in BPT last playoffs IMO.

You may be higher on him than me but if NYI is already running with a defenseman with less than 150 games in Romanov on their left side, I'd rather start with a vet than Salo.

Two green D is just as bad as two over the hill D (Greene and Chara).

He had a some better games than the one we saw in BPT.

Again, camp will tell the story on Salo. He’s already had a taste of the NHL, he’s 25 years old. It’s time for him to earn his way to the NHL.

 

[islesfan3913]

It's one year, Varlamov likely re-ups for 2-3M per next summer.

If NYI needs cap space to fit in a Gaudreau or Miller type, Bailey will be traded.

The only issue is that we may need to add to Bailey in order to move him for anything of value. He isn’t a bad player, but he has little upside, so unless we just want to dump him for garbage then it won’t be as simple as “just trade Bailey”. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if teams would be hesitant to take him on for cheap, it very well might require us sweetening to deal to get it done.

 

[Throttle]

The only issue is that we may need to add to Bailey in order to move him for anything of value. He isn’t a bad player, but he has little upside, so unless we just want to dump him for garbage then it won’t be as simple as “just trade Bailey”. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if teams would be hesitant to take him on for cheap, it very well might require us sweetening to deal to get it done.

IF Bailey gets traded, I am gonna LMAO when he doesn't get shipped with 12 1st round picks like people think need to be added. A $5M cap hit, $3.5M cash payout for a 2nd liner, at worst third liner, has value in the league.

If the key UFAs stay in their markets, then the trade market stays fairly normal. If the key UFAs move on, then the trade market really opens up as teams look to cover for their losses.

 

[SayItAintSoJohnny]

Also Varlamov is only owed 4 million in cash this season, another HUGE tidbit in raising his attractiveness in this insane goalie market....

 

[SayItAintSoJohnny]

IF Bailey gets traded, I am gonna LMAO when he doesn't get shipped with 12 1st round picks like people think need to be added. A $5M cap hit, $3.5M cash payout for a 2nd liner, at worst third liner, has value in the league.

Yes this puzzles me as well. I mean do people on here not realize he has averaged more points on this team his last two "declining" years than EVERYONE on our roster not named Mathew, Brock and Anders??? <and Lee beats him by less than 3/4 a point>

Dude has basically been a 50-pt forward the last half dozen years who can still play on both special teams and be a 2nd line wing. 5 million is the going rate for this type of player and you get him for only 3.5 million in cash the next two seasons....

No, we aren't getting anything back of serious value for him, but we aren't having to attach anything of real value either....

 

[BrockLobster]

I agree. Clearing salary like that but not replacing it with an upgrade is not a good move. It needs to be for a marked improvement in order to bother moving anyone out. Imagine moving Bailey and then signing a replica of him in free agency at the same or a higher cap hit? It just doesn't make sense.

A bailey replica? Come on now. Hes one of a kind.

 

[Glorydays22]

if Montreal can trade Weber without adding picks. I'm pretty sure we can trade Bailey to someone. Even though the isles fan are tired of him (and yes I'm one of them) he is still putting up numbers:

19-20 - 43 pts in 68 games
20-21 - 35 pts in 54 games
22-22 - 44 pts in 74 games

He's got 2 years of a cap hit of 5M per. He's actual salary for the next 2 years is only 3.5M

Is everyone telling me you can't find a team either on the fringe of making the playoffs or a Stanley cup contender who needs a solid vet can't use him??? To me, this is all on Lou. How can you not be able to sell this to those type teams??