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

[BrockLobster]

Lou must be out of fax paper

Or His messenger pigeon is late.

 

[SI90]

Florida taking calls on Gudas...I might prefer him over Kulikov.

Kulikov is better defensively and skating the puck. Gudas is just a POS that teams think is tough but he will cost you with stupid penalties.

 

[Taswell]

Kulikov is better defensively and skating the puck. Gudas is just a POS that teams think is tough but he will cost you with stupid penalties.

Don't think I would want either playing on an every night basis, but as depth filler, eh I could root for a POS on our team for a change.

 

[SI90]

Don't think I would want either playing on an every night basis, but as depth filler, eh I could root for a POS on our team for a change.

Kulikov is a legit NHL defenseman. Plays defense and blocks shots. He’d be a huge upgrade over Aho.

 

[MarsTBOW]

Kulikov is better defensively and skating the puck. Gudas is just a POS that teams think is tough but he will cost you with stupid penalties.

I would be happy with Kulikov

 

[The Wahligator]

I'd honestly be so shocked if we don't add a depth defenseman before the deadline. There's no way Lou thinks Aho is adequate for the playoffs. Especially if paired with Dobson

 

[SI90]

I would be happy with Kulikov

I honestly wouldn’t mind Wotherspoon but they don’t seem keen on playing him over Aho. If the cost for Kulikov was just a late pick it a low level prospect I would do it in a heartbeat

I'd honestly be so shocked if we don't add a depth defenseman before the deadline. There's no way Lou thinks Aho is adequate for the playoffs. Especially if paired with Dobson

Just doesn’t make sense to add Engvall and then not add a defenseman. If you’re adding then you’re adding.

 

[MJF]

Very valid point of view. Personally I advocate for more patience. 21-22 was a very strange season and I'd rather err on the side of adding and remaining competitive vs knee-jerk dismantling whenever something goes wrong. You can find yourself in a perpetual rebuild.

Not if you do it right the first time.

 

[WangMustGo]

again we are tying up too much money on our defense. We can get a cheaper 3rd RD. Our d-core next year is
Pelech-Dobson
Romanov-Pullock
Bolduc- FA

The problem isnt tying up too much money on defense, its tying up too much money on bottom 9 forwards. Palmieri, Bailey, Clutterbuck, Lee, and Pageau are all signed beyond this season and are all atleast slightly overpaid.

 

[MJF]

Florida taking calls on Gudas...I might prefer him over Kulikov.

Why?

 

[The Wahligator]

Not if you do it right the first time.

"Doing it right" requires a lot of luck. People think rebuilds are always straightforward and linear when we've seen time and time again that's not how it works.

 

[xECK29x]

Florida taking calls on Gudas...I might prefer him over Kulikov.

He’s the exact opposite of what we need

 

[The Wahligator]

Kraken are apparently entertaining offers on Soucy. Seems like a Lou guy...6'5 LHD

 

[SI]

It's a very fair question. Unlike players who you can watch at their craft (thus why we can say someone like Aho is no good), it's very hard to see head coaches at theirs. You aren't on the bench to hear what they say or in the locker room just the same. So anyone judging coaches is more of an exercise in conjecture than judging players (or even GMs as you can see their trades, picks, and signings).

As a result my feelings on Lane are opinion based on the limited information we have on him. And for me I don't get the sense he outwits/outthinks other coaches out there. With Trotz it always felt like, "He's got this" and you don't have to worry about the coaching part of the Isles. And the same way a team picks up confidence and plays better when they have confidence in their goaltender, I think Lane in lacking in that regard.

This is a very experienced roster with good chemistry and work ethic so any coach will have that as a base when they come in on day 1. From there it's a coach's job to get the team to play to their potential, and while no one is confusing them with the Bruins, does anyone here honestly believe this team has been playing the best it can all season? That alone should tell you that Lane might be ok, but he isn't good enough.

From a tactics standpoint - I think he has that element. I love the fact that he has the D more aggressively and not playing it too conservatively, whether it is D jumping in the play more or challenging forwards in the neutral zone. IMO, a sign of a poor coach is when the team does not buy into a system or identity (Green and the Canucks) or when there is a lack of structure (Boudreau and the Canucks) - I guess with Green it is more of losing the room and no longer having trust from the players. We are not seeing that here.

You are right we are not in the room or on the bench to see how Lane is doing. From comments we've read from players - we know Lane is more passionate and vocal than Barry was.

You are correct that the team has not played to its potential, but to be fair many here -you included- have criticized that the Isles are a mediocre team and so maybe they are exactly where they should be an above-average team playing above 500 hockey nothing more. I don't think that's on the coach is the roster or personnel.

Lane definitely has them all pulling in the right direction and doing it undermanned and that is to his credit.

I don't know if he is the right person for the job - I need more time to evaluate, like making the playoffs and then the playoffs.

Roster-wise - I think the team is still hurting from not replacing Toews AND missing that one more piece upfront... I think both those things address the PP and strengthen already a good team at even strength.
Horvat might be that piece upfront, but Aho and Romanov are not that piece on the blueline... hoping for one more move that gives this roster a bit more.

IMO, I think this team secures the 7th spot and faces Carolina in the 1st round. From there we'll see if Lane can outsmart a very good coach in Brind'amour.

 

[Mr Misunderstood]

Kraken are apparently entertaining offers on Soucy. Seems like a Lou guy...6'5 LHD

Feel like his name has come up around here before.

 

[Doshell Propivo]

Not if you do it right the first time.

Of course. But there's a balance. Progress is not always linear. Just because you take two steps forward and one step back doesn't necessarily mean you start over. If you panic and rebuild whenever there is adversity (not saying that's what you are doing), you will never get ahead.

 

[Taswell]

Kulikov is a legit NHL defenseman. Plays defense and blocks shots. He’d be a huge upgrade over Aho.

Welp, he's Pittsburgh bound.

 

[SCMURRAY]

Guess that thought is gone

 

[SI]

If Lou can somehow add a D man to play with Dobson and make Aho the 7th d man and somehow upgrade Bailey, then we can have some exciting hockey on our hands.

Salo (or a pick) for Kulikov (OR SOMEONE ELSE NOW).
Bailey + for Boeser or Garland or Buchnevich

BOOM!

 

[The Wahligator]

Kulikov gone, sucks. To the pens no less. Clock is ticking Lou.

 

[Glorydays22]

If Lou can somehow add a D man to play with Dobson and make Aho the 7th d man and somehow upgrade Bailey, then we can have some exciting hockey on our hands.

Salo (or a pick) for Kulikov (OR SOMEONE ELSE NOW).
Bailey + for Boeser or Garland or Buchnevich

BOOM!

lol, there is no shoot we are getting Buchnevich. And if Lou really liked Boeser (thank god he didn't) and Garland. He would have traded for them when he got Horvat.

 

[islesfan3913]

I really don’t understand the logic of this deadline if we end up making no moves. We’re not a contender if we stand pat and it would pretty much force us to re-sign Mayfield and maybe even Varly since we didn’t move them, but doing that gives us zero cap space to add for next year without somehow shedding a couple contracts. Just a really perplexing deadline imo.

 

[MJF]

"Doing it right" requires a lot of luck. People think rebuilds are always straightforward and linear when we've seen time and time again that's not how it works.

It requires good pro talent evaluators for starters. It also requires someone who can see trends developing in the league around us and have us respond in kind.

Everything needs luck. But I think the 18 year old entry draft requires more luck than retooling an already veteran team.

 

[doublechili]

Pred's RFA Dante Fabbro rumor to the Isles is still out there....

Fabbro is a RHD, so that rumor doesn't really make sense unless we're also moving out a RHD in that, or another, trade. Who is Nashville's GM again?

 

[SI90]

Price for Kulikov was a 3rd plus taking on Mcginns contract.