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

[Osakahaus]

Eberle was a decent player, but agreed the Isles needed to recoup those 25G. Eberle couldn’t hack it in the playoffs though so you had the regular seasons vs playoff series debate.


He hit the post a lot last year. For some players that’s not ok, for others it is, according to certain fans.

im not gonna argue and say you're wrong, i just think that Eberle is a better player than Bailey and Lamoriello should've exposed Martin/Clutterbuck instead

 

[Throttle]

im not gonna argue and say you're wrong, i just think that Eberle is a better player than Bailey and Lamoriello should've exposed Martin/Clutterbuck instead

He certainly could have, but that season was also payday for certain players and Lou needed the cap space to do it. It wasn’t really about ‘better player’ it was the ‘cheapest’ way to create cap space.

 

[isles55]

Palmieri wasn't really viewed as less durable at the time so that's not a fair criticism.

The whole goal was to replaced Eberle or Bailey with Palmieri, he succeeded. There really wasn't a way to guarantee Bailey would be selected or he would've likely done so.

Moving Eberle for Palmieri was the wrong move and Lou didn’t need to do it. That’s what happens when you make reactionary decisions based on a few playoff games.

 

[Throttle]

Moving Eberle for Palmieri was the wrong move and Lou didn’t need to do it. That’s what happens when you make reactionary decisions based on a few playoff games.

Nope, only a wrong move when playing revisionist history. Eberle was flailing in the playoffs. Palms was actually delivering.

 

[duster19]

im not gonna argue and say you're wrong, i just think that Eberle is a better player than Bailey and Lamoriello should've exposed Martin/Clutterbuck instead

Cheapest for sure. Ended up back firing. Eberle clearly the better player over Bailey right now. He also brought in guys that made him have to go the cheap route. Varly. Komorov. Pageau. Not like Lou was just dealt this hand. He made decisions that led to that point. Just like his decisions that made us move on from Toews which in hindsight was a horrible deal for the isles.

when you look at the talent that has moved off the roster the last couple seasons and what was brought in or kept, it is no surprise we are where we are.

 

[Osakahaus]

Cheapest for sure. Ended up back firing. Eberle clearly the better player over Bailey right now. He also brought in guys that made him have to go the cheap route. Varly. Komorov. Pageau. Not like Lou was just dealt this hand. He made decisions that led to that point. Just like his decisions that made us move on from Toews which in hindsight was a horrible deal for the isles.

when you look at the talent that has moved off the roster the last couple seasons and what was brought in or kept, it is no surprise we are where we are.

Over the past four years, we have lost the following players to retirement, free agency, or trade
-Lehner
-Greiss
-Filpula
-Toews
-Komarov
-Eberle
-Greene
-Zajac
-Brassard
-Sbisa
-Boychuck
-Leddy
They've lost some okay players, but we at least expected to get talent back. instead, we get more middling players. Komarov might've been asscheeks, but he was a red flag from the start getting that contract from lamoriello. Point is that the islanders need to get back talent, and they aren't getting it with players getting older, slower, and prone to injury. The biggest concern is still Romanov. He isn't even worth a 1st round pick.

 

[Throttle]

Cheapest for sure. Ended up back firing. Eberle clearly the better player over Bailey right now. He also brought in guys that made him have to go the cheap route. Varly. Komorov. Pageau. Not like Lou was just dealt this hand. He made decisions that led to that point. Just like his decisions that made us move on from Toews which in hindsight was a horrible deal for the isles.

when you look at the talent that has moved off the roster the last couple seasons and what was brought in or kept, it is no surprise we are where we are.

Varly signing is an issue? Wow.

 

[benedictTavares]

This team sleepwalking to mediocrity. Maybe we luck into the 8th seed and they decide they want to play hockey.

 

[Mike C]

I like how this thread ebbs and flows... One day we're adding Chychrun, Kane, Horvat... The next we're selling everything off...

This team sleepwalking to mediocrity. Maybe we luck into the 8th seed and they decide they want to play hockey.

They'll be too tired from the long season and Lane will have lost the room by then

 

[MarsTBOW]

Varly signing is an issue? Wow.

I was thinking the same

 

[duster19]

Varly signing is an issue? Wow.

Call it what you like. He is paid 5 mil a year. There has been a gradual increase in salary paid to our goalies. They now make 9 mil. Greiss and Lehrer were making peanuts. If you take from one place you have to give in another. It contributed to decisions on other players is the point.

 

[Throttle]

Call it what you like. He is paid 5 mil a year. There has been a gradual increase in salary paid to our goalies. They now make 9 mil. Greiss and Lehrer were making peanuts. If you take from one place you have to give in another. It contributed to decisions on other players is the point.

With that increase the Isles went deeper into the playoffs. Isles went nowhere with Greiss and Lehner was peanuts for obvious reasons. More obvious is thanking Lou for NOT resigning him.
There’s no issue with Varly at $5M. Varly will resign at a smaller number or the Isles will have to find a suitable backup for Sorokin.

A lofty assumption, but maybe less likelihood Sorokin comes over w/o Varly. It’s a big unknown though. So, the Varly cost is a #1 goalie and his heir developing along with him.

Now, working the overall numbers of the cap is a different story.

 

[Osakahaus]

With that increase the Isles went deeper into the playoffs. Isles went nowhere with Greiss and Lehner was peanuts for obvious reasons. More obvious is thanking Lou for NOT resigning him.
There’s no issue with Varly at $5M. Varly will resign at a smaller number or the Isles will have to find a suitable backup for Sorokin.

A lofty assumption, but maybe less likelihood Sorokin comes over w/o Varly. It’s a big unknown though. So, the Varly cost is a #1 goalie and his heir developing along with him.

Now, working the overall numbers of the cap is a different story.

I think this is more about the cap than about the goalies. btw, i would fully expect a varly trade by the deadline with this pace of play.

 

[Top Corner]

It becomes dangerous when you start believing your own spin.

?????????????

We will be out of it when the deadline comes. We are losing touch as is. Teams are just slowly pulling away from us. we are more in the Florida Buf world then the playoffs.

We were out when I said if a move wasn't done before Xmas deadline freeze but glad you are seeing it now

 

[Top Corner]

I would give him a shot over Beau...
I think they have the same problems, but at least he is bigger than Beau and is from the Island.
Would be much cheaper

He certainly didn't look bad. A few good chances last night.

 

[Top Corner]

It will be interesting to see if things don't get better soon , will Lane survive the season or
will Lou actually do something to try and save the season

 

[Osakahaus]

It will be interesting to see if things don't get better soon , will Lane survive the season or
will Lou actually do something to try and save the season

jokes aside I just expect another stand pat deadline, and him wasting away a chance to gain prospects or picks for guys like Varlamov who might as well be traded for nothing.

 

[YearlyLottery]

Nope, only a wrong move when playing revisionist history. Eberle was flailing in the playoffs. Palms was actually delivering.

Just want to add the original resigning of Eberle was a playoff mistake. He had a brutal season and was only resigned because of the Pittsburgh series.

 

[duster19]

With that increase the Isles went deeper into the playoffs. Isles went nowhere with Greiss and Lehner was peanuts for obvious reasons. More obvious is thanking Lou for NOT resigning him.
There’s no issue with Varly at $5M. Varly will resign at a smaller number or the Isles will have to find a suitable backup for Sorokin.

A lofty assumption, but maybe less likelihood Sorokin comes over w/o Varly. It’s a big unknown though. So, the Varly cost is a #1 goalie and his heir developing along with him.

Now, working the overall numbers of the cap is a different story.

Agreed. I’m not saying Varly is a bad goalie. It’s just a fact of life. When you pay someone more, then there is less of the pie to go around.

 

[isles55]

Nope, only a wrong move when playing revisionist history. Eberle was flailing in the playoffs. Palms was actually delivering.

Palmieri had less points than Eberle, and he had 0 points in 7 games against the Lightning. Palmieri's playoff performance was very overrated. And regardless, making decisions around a strong or weak playoffs is not a smart move. Eberle had chemistry with Barzal and is talented enough to play with high-skilled players(he's now helping Matty Berniers become the front-runner for the Calder).

 

[Mike C]

jokes aside I just expect another stand pat deadline, and him wasting away a chance to gain prospects or picks for guys like Varlamov who might as well be traded for nothing.

He'll extend him for 2 like he did Cal

 

[Mike C]

This team sleepwalking to mediocrity. Maybe we luck into the 8th seed and they decide they want to play hockey.

Sleepwalking to mediocrity

"ladies and gentlemen, we have reached our destination " we hope you have enjoyed your trip on the LL. For those traveling on, the next stop is a place called 'God Knows'. Proceed at your own risk"

 

[The Real JT]

I like what Fasching has provided and a fourth line of Johnston-Cizikas-Fasching, with maybe someone like Durandeau (currently in the AHL) spotted for Ross against more skilled teams, would be cheap and serviceable.

While I don’t dislike Johnston at his low AAV, he barely does anything to make this team a contender.

He excites the fans by protecting his teammates and mixing it up every now and then. That’s great when your team sucks and you want to fire up the crowd but it doesn’t win games. He’s like a relic from the Isles teams of the 90s.

As for your proposed new 4th line, it’d be an upgrade. Too bad 2 of the 3 current members of that line still have another year and a half left on their deals.

I know our main problem is and always has been a lack of high end talent but I couldn’t resist jumping in on the fourth line debate.

 

[YearlyLottery]

While I don’t dislike Johnston at his low AAV, he barely does anything to make this team a contender.

He excites the fans by protecting his teammates and mixing it up every now and then. That’s great when your team sucks and you want to fire up the crowd but it doesn’t win games. He’s like a relic from the Isles teams of the 90s.

As for your proposed new 4th line, it’d be an upgrade. Too bad 2 of the 3 current members of that line still have another year and a half left on their deals.

I know our main problem is and always has been a lack of high end talent but I couldn’t resist jumping in on the fourth line debate.

Realistically Johnston at this point is a better player than Martin and has been for a while.

Every time I see guys like Fasching come up in a bottom six role and play well it bothers me that we've got Clutterbuck and Martin signed taking up roster spots. Loved when Lou gave out the Johnston contract because I envisioned it as a Martin takeover at some point, not that he would just take up the last roster spot forever.

 

[Top Corner]

jokes aside I just expect another stand pat deadline, and him wasting away a chance to gain prospects or picks for guys like Varlamov who might as well be traded for nothing.

I hear you, I think Lou mis-calculated what he had. It might of been better if Trotz didn’t have immediate success which could of allowed time for some accumulation of assets to make a more serious run a year or 2 later. As it stands from my point of view, Lou needs to relinquish his GM duties and focus on building the Islanders brand as President only.
Love to see a Mark Hunter GM hire