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

[LeapOnOver]

Now we are concerned about keeping Hudson Fasching in the lineup? Are we serious? If we can acquire a Horvat or Meier or Tarasenko, should we not because Hudson Fasching can play anywhere?

On a different note, what is going on with Brock Nelson? This is the worst 12 game stretch I have seen him play in years. He just looks lost and he might be the one player I have not said that about once in about 3-4 years.

I was talking about Tolvanen, and so was the OP. No need to come out of left field with names that had nothing to do with the conversation.

The fact that we're even asking this question goes to show you what a country club this has become. There are fans legitimately asking who would actually be waived on this team. This is a team with Bailey, Clutterbuck, Martin, Johnston, (Beauviller too, but he actually has trade value). We have absolutely no sense of reality anymore.

But you're actually right. This team would be fast to move Fasching down because he wasn't on the team two years ago when they made the playoffs last. Under Lou, you buy yourself at least 3-5 years once you make it past the first round. Must be nice to coast. These players need to shave, but don't actually have to play well.

Yeah, obviously I'm being realistic here. LL is still the GM. He's not going to waive any of those guys for a waiver wire like Tolvanen. That's why I asked the question. You can't ignore who the GM is.

 

[SI]

BAHAHAHAHAHA

Pierre Turrgeon had more of an impact on his Isles teams than Mat Barzal had on his.

This edition of the Islanders is the closest thing to a 100% team effort than any other.


The amount of genuflecting to this guy is unbelievable here sometimes.

Hahaha

No, he hasn’t.

Bah... that whole Barzal a "no show" for game seven is just silly... as usual.

Where was Point, Kucherov, Stamkos, Hedman with help from the rest of their 90M+ lineup also going scoreless?

- - -

@MJF,

Unfortunately, Dale Hunter made it inconclusive that Turgeon was materially more impactful than Barzal to the Isles. On one hand he was an offensive machine, who played a great first round. On the other, he never really had the opportunity to push his team to a conference final; much less twice.

But I'm a huge fan of Turgeon so I won't belabor any negativity towards him. I'm always happy to see him show up in the media and felt genuinely heartbroken for him and his family's tragic loss of his daughter.

C’mon Turgeon played ina totally different NHL - he never played a 200’ game and was soft - put up a ton of points, but again in a totally different NHL.

This Barzal bashing is really reaching idiocy levels - it’s making this place unbearable.

 

[SI]

John Tavares would like a word with you.

JT could eat a dick.

Barzal outshines anything that punk did here - 1 playoff win- give me a f***ing break

 

[SI]

Amazing to me the fans on this board.

Anyone who go comes in this board and compares Isles who did not play during the dynasty to ANY player during this stretch is laughable!

Turgeon, Pallfy, Yashin, Tavares whoever has not given anything close to what these players given.

I love having Barzal on this team - I love how he plays the game - I love watching highly skilled players - players who can skate, play the game fast and quick, and be as creative as he is. IMO, he is part of the solution and we need more skills like his. is he a perfect hockey player? No. BUT, my god I’m glad he is an Islander.

Pierre Turgeon? GTFO.

 

[MarsTBOW]

Amazing to me the fans on this board.

Anyone who go comes in this board and compares Isles who did not play during the dynasty to ANY player during this stretch is laughable!

Turgeon, Pallfy, Yashin, Tavares whoever has not given anything close to what these players given.

I love having Barzal on this team - I love how he plays the game - I love watching highly skilled players - players who can skate, play the game fast and quick, and be as creative as he is. IMO, he is part of the solution and we need more skills like his. is he a perfect hockey player? No. BUT, my god I’m glad he is an Islander.

Pierre Turgeon? GTFO.

As I remember, Pete did not want the "C" when approached.... The called him the "Reluctant One"

 

[BelovedIsles]

Turgeon, Pallfy, Yashin, Tavares whoever has not given anything close to what these players given.

To be fair, Palffy was playing on perpetual rebuilding teams. Coincidentally, he's exactly what this team needs now.

 

[CupHolders]

Hahaha

No, he hasn’t.


C’mon Turgeon played ina totally different NHL - he never played a 200’ game and was soft - put up a ton of points, but again in a totally different NHL.

This Barzal bashing is really reaching idiocy levels - it’s making this place unbearable.

Lol… I can only assume that based on your last few replies you were enjoying a Sunday night after a Giant win with a Monday off… or both.

Read what I posted again because I was doing the opposite of bashing Barzal. I also don’t disagree with anything you posted about Barzal and this site.

As for Turgeon, his reputation after the hit was as you wrote it. When he was in St. Louis he was nicknamed the “Tin Man.” It means “No Heart” for those who don’t know.

But again, I won’t trash a guy who’s only fault while on the Isles was to be assaulted and be part of a stoopid trade.

I would also rate him above Yashin and Tavares… similarly high scoring players with little playoff success. Turgeon was the more offensive productive player (regardless of era) of the three.

Anyway last call for me… Fortunately I’m off tomorrow morning too.

 

[SI]

As I remember, Pete did not want the "C" when approached.... The called him the "Reluctant One"

There is also the WJ where he did not join the brawl and was lambasted by his teammates.

 

[SI]

Lol… I can only assume that based on your last few replies you were enjoying a Sunday night after a Giant win with a Monday off… or both.

Read what I posted again because I was doing the opposite of bashing Barzal. I also don’t disagree with anything you posted about Barzal and this site.

As for Turgeon, his reputation after the hit was as you wrote it. When he was in St. Louis he was nicknamed the “Tin Man.”

But again, I won’t trash a guy who’s only fault while on the Isles was to be assaulted and be part of a stoopid trade.

I would also rate him above Yashin and Tavares… similarly high scoring players with little playoff success. Turgeon was the more offensive productive player (regardless of era) of the three.

Anyway last call for me… Fortunately I’m off tomorrow morning too.

CUPs the Barzal bashing was not directed at you.

Turgeon played during a time 100+ was not what it means today or even when Yashin played.

I enjoyed those early 90s teams more than Yashin era or Tavares era teams.

Barzal in 350 games played as an Islander has accomplished more in the playoffs than either of those clowns.

 

[SI]

Back to what matters

Big game against Washington - they need to beat teams they are vying for a playoff spot.

If they can beat Washington, Buffalo, Vegas, Ottawa, Detroit, and a loser point from either Toronto, Carolina, or Boston…

That would put them at 6-3-2 in that 11 game stretch.

 

[MJF]

JT could eat a dick.

Barzal outshines anything that punk did here - 1 playoff win- give me a f***ing break

I wish we could sticky this one as an example of how a guy is letting personal bias serve to form an opinion.

Like it or not, Tavares carried the team on his back in that series against the Panthers. Everyone knows it. And frankly I hold the same low opinion of the rattlesnake that you do, but I'm not going to be a clown and deny or minimize what happened in 2016.

 

[YearlyLottery]

I wish we could sticky this one as an example of how a guy is letting personal bias serve to form an opinion.

Like it or not, Tavares carried the team on his back in that series against the Panthers. Everyone knows it. And frankly I hold the same low opinion of the rattlesnake that you do, but I'm not going to be a clown and deny or minimize what happened in 2016.

Eberle carried the team more in the Pittsburgh series than Tavares did the Florida series.

Greiss was the main reason they won, not Tavares in my opinion.

 

[MJF]

Eberle carried the team more in the Pittsburgh series than Tavares did the Florida series.

Greiss was the main reason they won, not Tavares in my opinion.

Your opinion is noted.

 

[The Real JT]

JT could eat a dick.

Barzal outshines anything that punk did here - 1 playoff win- give me a f***ing break

I wish we could sticky this one as an example of how a guy is letting personal bias serve to form an opinion.

Like it or not, Tavares carried the team on his back in that series against the Panthers. Everyone knows it. And frankly I hold the same low opinion of the rattlesnake that you do, but I’m not going to be a clown and deny or minimize what happened in 2016.

How to make friends and influence people.

Don’t change guys. I appreciate the entertainment.

For the record, I fully approve the first sentence of the initial post.

 

[doublechili]

Barzal can be critiqued, but he's far from the biggest problem on the team. The Cs and Gs are fine, and the D is very close. The problem on the team is the wingers.

 

[YearlyLottery]

Barzal can be critiqued, but he's far from the biggest problem on the team. The Cs and Gs are fine, and the D is very close. The problem on the team is the wingers.

BINGO. Barzal has his faults but attributing the team's faults with him is like complaining about the distance a gas powered car can travel in a lot full of EV's.

 

[CupHolders]

I wish we could sticky this one as an example of how a guy is letting personal bias serve to form an opinion.

Like it or not, Tavares carried the team on his back in that series against the Panthers. Everyone knows it. And frankly I hold the same low opinion of the rattlesnake that you do, but I'm not going to be a clown and deny or minimize what happened in 2016.

Yes, but it was still just one series exactly as @SI stated and you quoted. So it's not personal bias, it's factual. As deserving as Tavares is for that series win... he has gotten way more mileage as a playoff performer then he deserves. Especially, when it's held in comparison to Barzal's playoffs.

My theory is that some people on this site look at Barzal's flashy and Tavares' boring playing styles and mistakenly reinforce some stereotypical narratives... one is a highly skilled inconsistent choker and the other is a two-way playoff performer. When the reality is way more muddled, but accomplishments thus far factually support Barzal.

Tavares has decent playoff numbers and carried a team to one career playoff win. He looked awful in elimination games against Tampa and Washington.

Under Trotz, Brazal has lead the Isles in playoff scoring in all three playoffs, including two conference finals and six post season series wins (I included FLA play in). But his poor second series against Pittsburgh and his pointless game seven against Tampa (who also had a pointless Kucherov, Stamkos, Point, Hedman and an additional 20M of cap or so) gets as much negative mileage as Tavares undeserving positive credit.

 

[CupHolders]

There is also the WJ where he did not join the brawl and was lambasted by his teammates.

Yes, but neither did Bossy when on the Islanders... It just wasn't Turgeon's game.

Also, I just wanted to add from a strictly offensive intelligence stand point I would still rate Turgeon second only to Bossy all-time. Even if he did play during the offensive bloated early 90's. Then Trottier, LaFontaine and Palffy. Potvin as a defensemen is in there somewhere too.

 

[YearlyLottery]

Yes, but it was still just one series exactly as @SI stated and you quoted. So it's not personal bias, it's factual. As deserving as Tavares is for that series win... he has gotten way more mileage as a playoff performer then he deserves. Especially, when it's held in comparison to Barzal's playoffs.

My theory is that some people on this site look at Barzal's flashy and Tavares' boring playing styles and mistakenly reinforce some stereotypical narratives... one is a highly skilled inconsistent choker and the other is a two-way playoff performer. When the reality is way more muddled, but accomplishments thus far factually support Barzal.

Tavares has decent Playoff numbers and carried a team to one career playoff win. He looked awful in elimination games against Tampa and Washington.

Under Trotz, Brazal has lead the Isles in playoff scoring in all three playoffs, including two conference finals and six post season series wins (I included FLA play in). But his poor second series against Pittsburgh and his pointless game seven against Tampa (who also had a pointless Kucherov, Stamkos, Point, Hedman and an additional 20M of cap or so) get as much negative mileage as Tavares undeserving positive credit.

Such a great post. When Lou had all of the Tavares shit taken down and spoke about how it shouldn't mean too much because the era was a lack of success it is so, so true.

Fact of the matter is Greiss was also just as important as Tavares in that playoff series where they beat just about the only team they could that year. They essentially purposely lost that last game of the season to match up against Florida.

While Tavares may have been a better player than Barzal this organization (actually no organization) has never seen Tavares play past game 5 of the second round in the NHL playoffs. While we can sit here and talk about his supporting cast, coaching, etc I find it interesting nobody talks about how he was the captain.

Tavares was given all of these things in Toronto and still not able to get over the hump of winning a series there.

 

[NC 1972]

No he isn’t. He’s one of the best skaters in the league with great edges, but a flawed center who overcomplicates his game.

As for where we are now versus where we’d be without Barzal? Well there’s really not much difference today. We’re not in great shape with him here. And this is Year 7 of Barzal’s time on the Island.

I don’t know the owners name and I believe the team was the Pittsburgh Pirates, Ralph Kiner had just lead the team or the league in HR’s and was negotiating a new contract his demands were a bit high and the owner said we finished last with you we can finish last without you. Or something like that.

 

[CupHolders]

I don’t know the owners name and I believe the team was the Pittsburgh Pirates, Ralph Kiner had just lead the team or the league in HR’s and was negotiating a new contract his demands were a bit high and the owner said we finished last with you we can finish last without you. Or something like that.

I mean... I take the moral to this story to be about the importance of player unionization and free agency. Why should such a player like Kiner perform as he did, then have an owner hold his organizational failings over said player’s right to fair compensation.

As for Barzal, well he has proven already that he is good enough to be an important member to a highly competitive team. Even at a higher salary, I don't see how that would be a hinderance to helping a club win a cup. Maybe it's not meant to be the Isles because the rest of their salary structure... but that also comes back to the Isles ownership and management.

 

[BrockLobster]

No he isn’t. He’s one of the best skaters in the league with great edges, but a flawed center who overcomplicates his game.

As for where we are now versus where we’d be without Barzal? Well there’s really not much difference today. We’re not in great shape with him here. And this is Year 7 of Barzal’s time on the Island.

Take barzal off team and theyre down there with the ducks and jackets

 

[MJF]

Take barzal off team and theyre down there with the ducks and jackets

Say that about Sorokin and I would agree with your statement.

 

[Mike C]

I don’t know the owners name and I believe the team was the Pittsburgh Pirates, Ralph Kiner had just lead the team or the league in HR’s and was negotiating a new contract his demands were a bit high and the owner said we finished last with you we can finish last without you. Or something like that.

Branch Rickey.

I'm full of useless information but I did get to be the phone a friend once on "Who wants to be a Millionaire "

 

[Osakahaus]

Say that about Sorokin and I would agree with your statement.

take both off and we're literally a bad team.