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

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saintunspecified

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Nov 30, 2017
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Lambert absolutely is in over his head, but in the same respect Lou is not giving the guy the best roster to work with.

Firing Trotz was a massive mistake and if there is absolutely anyway to rectify that, but at this point… I just want Lou as far away from this team as possible.
We really don't know everything that went on there. I'm very curious whether Trotz will be on the market in the offseason. I think people underrate the effect grieving can have on tight families.

As far as LL is concerned, whether I want a change depends upon how he manages the team up through August. The difficult balance he has to play is that he needs to recoup assets while maintaining the ability to convince Sorokin that NYI will return to competitiveness in '25-'26. I don't even know if it's possible to do that. But, if not, he's got to realize that Sorokin won't be enough to win with an old, slow forward corps.
 
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SI

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We really don't know everything that went on there. I'm very curious whether Trotz will be on the market in the offseason. I think people underrate the effect grieving can have on tight families.

As far as LL is concerned, whether I want a change depends upon how he manages the team up through August. The difficult balance he has to play is that he needs to recoup assets while maintaining the ability to convince Sorokin that NYI will return to competitiveness in '25-'26. I don't even know if it's possible to do that. But, if not, he's got to realize that Sorokin won't be enough to win with an old, slow forward corps.
Nice post.

The cap is an issue for one more season.

Recouping draft picks and freeing up some cap space will be key. I am not so sure Lou is ready to sell guys like Nelson, but moving on from Mayfield Parise and Varlamov and if a team needs a banger and PK like Clutterbuck I would do it.

Beau and Bailey will be off season moves - IF they can find a home. I d rather keep Beau since the return will be minimal. Bailey may be for another contract who they can buyout
, like Mrazek, or for someone they can stash on LTIR like Little.

If Mayfield can return what Chiarot and Savard returned Lou MUST do it.
 
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Kevin27NYI

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If I were Lou I don't think I'd do much.

Truthfully, I wouldn't mind pursuing Timo Meier still, or going for Tarasenko in free agency. I'd buy out Bails this offseason. I wouldn't move on from Clutter or Martin this offseason. They each have one year left and the salary is low. Really doesn't impact as much as people pretend on here. Beau has to go in a trade.
 

saintunspecified

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I don't see the point on buying out Bailey or trading him for a LTIR asset. NYI will need competent bodies no matter what - I don't envision tanking. Who knows, Beau could be an asset as an expiring contract, and Bailey - at the very least - is good in the room. And for all we know he ends up on LTIR himself next year. He certainly seems to be slowing down a lot.

BTW, I would move on from both Clutter & Martin simpy because I'd prefer their icetime go somewhere else.
 
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MJF

Hope is not a strategy
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If I were Lou I don't think I'd do much.

Truthfully, I wouldn't mind pursuing Timo Meier still, or going for Tarasenko in free agency. I'd buy out Bails this offseason. I wouldn't move on from Clutter or Martin this offseason. They each have one year left and the salary is low. Really doesn't impact as much as people pretend on here. Beau has to go in a trade.
If you’re keeping Clutterbuck do you have an adequate replacement for him for the 40 games he misses next season?

I don't see the point on buying out Bailey or trading him for a LTIR asset. NYI will need competent bodies no matter what - I don't envision tanking. Who knows, Beau could be an asset as an expiring contract, and Bailey - at the very least - is good in the room. And for all we know he ends up on LTIR himself next year. He certainly seems to be slowing down a lot.

BTW, I would move on from both Clutter & Martin simpy because I'd prefer their icetime go somewhere else.
The better move with Bailey is to ask him to retire.
 

Kevin27NYI

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If you’re keeping Clutterbuck do you have an adequate replacement for him for the 40 games he misses next season?
I like what's being done this season, getting looks from younger players that aren't ready to be slotted in full time. Contract wise I think you can see that Raty, Holmstrom, Dufour are going to replace Beau, Bailey and Parise. Just need time to get there but this season the phasing out and introductions are evidently happening.

And further down the line but maybe only two years away that Liukas kid I think is a shoe in for being an NHL 4th liner. Next season if he's AHL bound that would be a benefit.
 
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iggy

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If you’re keeping Clutterbuck do you have an adequate replacement for him for the 40 games he misses next season?


The better move with Bailey is to ask him to retire.
And he will say ok and leave 3.5 million on the table? Lol sure.
 

duster19

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Feb 13, 2013
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Lambert absolutely is in over his head, but in the same respect Lou is not giving the guy the best roster to work with.

Firing Trotz was a massive mistake and if there is absolutely anyway to rectify that, but at this point… I just want Lou as far away from this team as possible.

Lou’s too arrogant to resign. Ownership needs to step in. I can’t believe where we are at. To just watch this season slowly tank and do nothing is pathetic really. ESP after running it back after last season.
He needs to be removed. I don’t think you can trust him at the deadline. He’s just making this roster worse…

Ownership has to step in.

And he will say ok and leave 3.5 million on the table? Lol sure.

Then he can go play in BPort. Results have to matter.
 
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Throttle

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Sep 22, 2020
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I like what's being done this season, getting looks from younger players that aren't ready to be slotted in full time. Contract wise I think you can see that Raty, Holmstrom, Dufour are going to replace Beau, Bailey and Parise. Just need time to get there but this season the phasing out and introductions are evidently happening.

And further down the line but maybe only two years away that Liukas kid I think is a shoe in for being an NHL 4th liner. Next season if he's AHL bound that would be a benefit.
Much to the chagrin of the fanbase, the phasing in of the youth may be part of the plan that Ledecky references in terms of Lou.

If we can compete, then we will, but we need to integrate these younger guys in while these deals expire due to the cap crunch.
 

Kevin27NYI

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Much to the chagrin of the fanbase, the phasing in of the youth may be part of the plan that Ledecky references in terms of Lou.

If we can compete, then we will, but we need to integrate these younger guys in while these deals expire due to the cap crunch.
I have legit criticism on Lou which is the lack of big fish acquisition up front. It's been needed for 5 years and with that much time there has been X amount of players available and honestly he should have just gotten one. Figure it out.

But some criticism you see on this 'aging core' seems like we're ignoring that he's never traded a prospect and these guys are being introduced and most of us have liked what we've seen.

And as you point out, we're competing and integrating at the same time and the contracts for these guys seem conscious to that.

Whether it's with Lou or another GM, I don't think a turnaround is hard.
 

MJF

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And he will say ok and leave 3.5 million on the table? Lol sure.
Then Lou will say you can expect to dress maybe 20 times next season. Maybe have your contract buried in the AHL.

Leo Komarov did the right thing and accepted his retirement.

Do you mean ask him to LTI-retire? Barring something extraordinary, I don't think a player would/could (from pov of NHLPA) give up guaranteed money.
No I mean let Bailey do what Leo Komarov did. Mutually terminate the contract.
 

Mike C

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Jan 24, 2022
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Then Lou will say you can expect to dress maybe 20 times next season. Maybe have your contract buried in the AHL.

Leo Komarov did the right thing and accepted his retirement.


No I mean let Bailey do what Leo Komarov did. Mutually terminate the contract.
i think Lou might think Bailey is valuable and wants to keep him
 

saintunspecified

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Nov 30, 2017
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Leo Komarov did the right thing and accepted his retirement.
I don't think this is a question of morality, and I don't recognize any 'right thing' in this context, except in terms of the 'right thing' for Leo Komorov. And it's not because I'm a moral relativist - it's because I don't think morality applies... at all except in the sense that people ought to satisfy their promises. Even then, it's governed by the contract itself, and the CBA.
No I mean let Bailey do what Leo Komarov did. Mutually terminate the contract.
I mean, if Josh Bailey wants to play in St. Petersburg, Sweden, go home, or go anywhere instead of wherever NYI assign him, sure. Andrew Ladd did not. In any case, I don't understand why it would be worthwhile to do anything like that when it seems extremely unlikely to me that NYI will need the cap space.

The only scenario where next year's cap space becomes a pressing issue, for me, is if Larkin hits free agency. I don't really see NYI maxing out on the cap simpy in order to absorb an extra bad contract for 1 year.

Cap Space in 2024-2025 is a different issue, but both Bailey and Beau will be gone by then. If I look at NYI's forwards that will be under contract then, I think Lee is unmovable, Palmieri is also unmoveable (but I think his body is breaking down), and Pageau will still be productive in some capacity. Also cap space in 2024-2025 is only really important if Sorokin is extended. If not, NYI's retool plan is probably going to take longer.
 

MJF

Hope is not a strategy
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I don't think this is a question of morality, and I don't recognize any 'right thing' in this context, except in terms of the 'right thing' for Leo Komorov. And it's not because I'm a moral relativist - it's because I don't think morality applies... at all except in the sense that people ought to satisfy their promises. Even then, it's governed by the contract itself, and the CBA.

I mean, if Josh Bailey wants to play in St. Petersburg, Sweden, go home, or go anywhere instead of wherever NYI assign him, sure. Andrew Ladd did not. In any case, I don't understand why it would be worthwhile to do anything like that when it seems extremely unlikely to me that NYI will need the cap space.

The only scenario where next year's cap space becomes a pressing issue, for me, is if Larkin hits free agency. I don't really see NYI maxing out on the cap simpy in order to absorb an extra bad contract for 1 year.

Cap Space in 2024-2025 is a different issue, but both Bailey and Beau will be gone by then. If I look at NYI's forwards that will be under contract then, I think Lee is unmovable, Palmieri is also unmoveable (but I think his body is breaking down), and Pageau will still be productive in some capacity. Also cap space in 2024-2025 is only really important if Sorokin is extended. If not, NYI's retool plan is probably going to take longer.
There is nothing to prevent Lou from telling Bailey that there is no plan to play him next season and his contract will be buried in the AHL. The next move is Bailey's.
 
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Taswell

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Oct 4, 2017
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Depending how things go the rest of the year and this offseason will highly color my opinion of ownership.

Are they truly content to miss the playoffs the first two years in our new building? And if they aren't, are they ready to accept a retool is necessary leading to further seasons without playoffs, or will they continue to run this back with minimal changes hoping for the best.
 
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PK Cronin

Bailey Fan Club Prez
Feb 11, 2013
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Bailey is a loyal player, he took less money than he would've gotten on the open market when he signed his last contract because he wanted to stay with the Islanders. His entire career has been in one place. I'd be shocked if he did anything to stop the franchise from progressing forward. He'll be given the Boychuk/Hickey treatment if he plays ball with whatever Lamoriello wants.
 

saintunspecified

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Nov 30, 2017
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There is nothing to prevent Lou from telling Bailey that there is no plan to play him next season and his contract will be buried in the AHL. The next move is Bailey's.
Right. I have no problem if he did that. He did the same thing to Ladd. But, I feel pretty certain that Bailey will be one of the NYI's 12 best forwards next year. And, like I said, I don't see Bailey's cap hit becoming an important issue. Do you?
 

PK Cronin

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Feb 11, 2013
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Right. I have no problem if he did that. He did the same thing to Ladd. But, I feel pretty certain that Bailey will be one of the NYI's 12 best forwards next year. And, like I said, I don't see Bailey's cap hit becoming an important issue. Do you?

Baily's cap hit is already an important issue. He's making too much for what he's producing and he is struggling this season. In order to upgrade the roster in any significant way he, Beauvillier, Palmieri, or Pulock (or some combination) need to be removed from the roster.
 

saintunspecified

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Nov 30, 2017
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Baily's cap hit is already an important issue. He's making too much for what he's producing and he is struggling this season. In order to upgrade the roster in any significant way he, Beauvillier, Palmieri, or Pulock (or some combination) need to be removed from the roster.
I agree about Palmieri, but I don't think those upgrades will come this offseason, so I do not feel any urgency to move Bailey, especially when it will cost draft assets or young players NYI need. And there's no point buying him out, and moving dead cap to future years,

I admit, if I thought that e.g. going after Tarasenko in the offseason was the answer, or if I thought signing Larkin was a live option, I'd feel differently about Bailey. But I don't.
 

MJF

Hope is not a strategy
Sep 6, 2003
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Right. I have no problem if he did that. He did the same thing to Ladd. But, I feel pretty certain that Bailey will be one of the NYI's 12 best forwards next year. And, like I said, I don't see Bailey's cap hit becoming an important issue. Do you?
If Bailey is in the top 12 next season we have a big problem. Not for his cap, but for his production and for the fact that he, Clutterbuck, Martin, and Johnston are monopolizing roster spots that could go to the young guys we've seen this year. Now I will say guys like that are holding back the Holmstroms, Ratys, Dufours, etc.

At some point the kids have to play. Why tell them wait one more year until those contracts all expire?

Actually, in a way, that would be Bailey being given the spot because it wasn't expedient to move him.

Bailey is a loyal player, he took less money than he would've gotten on the open market when he signed his last contract because he wanted to stay with the Islanders. His entire career has been in one place. I'd be shocked if he did anything to stop the franchise from progressing forward. He'll be given the Boychuk/Hickey treatment if he plays ball with whatever Lamoriello wants.
The end of the line comes for every athlete. Sometimes it's not on the players' own terms.
 

IslesNorway

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Apr 9, 2007
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Bailey's not retiring, but they should be looking at trading or demoting him. I don't think they'll be looking to buy him out although it should be considered if it's for the greater good. He's been a good soldier for a very long time but he should see the writing on the wall himself. If the Isles are looking for a turnaround he'll be the first one out the door.
 
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