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

[Lame Lambert]

Who got better?

Columbus was historically bad, and underachieved given their roster on paper. I would expect them to be competing for the 2nd WC next season, which is exactly where our team is projecting to be (again).

 

[Mr Misunderstood]

How many of us would be blasting Lou if he let Lee walk the same time that Tavares walked?

"Lee is EXACTLY what we need right now to fix the PP and lead us in the playoffs!" is what you'd see here I bet...

At the time when JT walked in July 2018? I really don't think so. Once Tavares was gone, we believed that we were going to be a barren wasteland destined for older vets to sign to reach the cap floor and ultimately be a in a 'Lose for Hughes ' position.

We would have said let's tough it out for the year and supplement Barzal with Hughes for the future.

July 2019 was a different story, just came off a great season under Trotz and Lee was the Captain. So yeah, I would agree with you there that we would have been livid to let him walk at that point.

 

[MJF]

Columbus was historically bad, and underachieved given their roster on paper. I would expect them to be competing for the 2nd WC next season, which is exactly where our team is projecting to be (again).

They may have underachieved last year, but I don't see where they can get any better with Severson and Provorov. It doesn't move the needle enough. The rest of their roster is mostly some shiny names that haven't lived up to their billing in years. They also traded away their solid goaltender to the Kings and kept the worse of the two. Now add in Babcock behind the bench. I'm not sure CBJ will be anything but a random bunch of players wearing the same uniform.

 

[Lame Lambert]

They may have underachieved last year, but I don't see where they can get any better with Severson and Provorov. It doesn't move the needle enough.

We’ll see. I see them on a 2016-2017 Avalanche trajectory.

 

[MJF]

We’ll see. I see them on a 2016-2017 Avalanche trajectory.

Sillinger has to get better. He can't just score against us. He has to do it against the rest of the league.

 

[Mr Misunderstood]

Sillinger has to get better. He can't just score against us. He has to do it against the rest of the league.

Good young core for sure, but who the hell is going to play goalie for them?

I see the current Devils in their future. Solid all around, but they can only go as far as their weakest link can take them. Having your weakest link be the most valuable position is a problem.

 

[Zeeker]

my god...

Lou, get off HFBoards and go fix the team

 

[crashthenet]

Two pretty bloated contracts awarded ahead of UFA season. I assume Mayfield gets paid. Finally and elsewhere. Wonder what Orlov gets?

 

[mm11]

They may have underachieved last year, but I don't see where they can get any better with Severson and Provorov. It doesn't move the needle enough. The rest of their roster is mostly some shiny names that haven't lived up to their billing in years. They also traded away their solid goaltender to the Kings and kept the worse of the two. Now add in Babcock behind the bench. I'm not sure CBJ will be anything but a random bunch of players wearing the same uniform.

they may have that new coach smell and have a good first year. Bottom line, Isles need to stay healthy and pop in some timely goals and ride the hot goalie in spring.

 

[MJF]

they may have that new coach smell and have a good first year. Bottom line, Isles need to stay healthy and pop in some timely goals and ride the hot goalie in spring.

Some of our guys need to find the Fountain of Middle Age.

 

[doublechili]

Well if someone in the metro got better from the Severson deal, that means another team in the metro got worse.

The question is, which of those is the Devs and which is CBJ.

 

[leeroggy]

Some of our guys need to find the Fountain of Middle Age.

 

[Richie Daggers Crime]

They may have underachieved last year, but I don't see where they can get any better with Severson and Provorov. It doesn't move the needle enough. The rest of their roster is mostly some shiny names that haven't lived up to their billing in years. They also traded away their solid goaltender to the Kings and kept the worse of the two. Now add in Babcock behind the bench. I'm not sure CBJ will be anything but a random bunch of players wearing the same uniform.

It'll make a big difference since they're getting Werenski back as well. Not saying they're going to be a powerhouse, but they should be vastly improved.

 

[seabass45]

Did I say I want Severson? I want Lou to get off his ass and improve the team. Bringing back the same group of players for the 4th year in a row is not an acceptable answer.

Same group of players as a few years ago? That’s news to me.

 

[The Wahligator]

Don’t get me wrong, there is still a LOT of work to be done on this roster, but if Lou never traded for Horvat and instead signed him on July 1 as by far the top UFA in the class, we’d all be jumping for joy and singing his praises. Gotta give him credit there.

 

[Zeeker]

Don’t get me wrong, there is still a LOT of work to be done on this roster, but if Lou never traded for Horvat and instead signed him on July 1 as by far the top UFA in the class, we’d all be jumping for joy and singing his praises. Gotta give him credit there.

Probably, but only because in your hypothetical scenario we’d never seen him play before. Now that we’ve seen his play…….

 

[Lame Lambert]

Same group of players as a few years ago? That’s news to me.

No core players on this team have changed outside of Beau for Horvat, which is looking like a disaster so far.

 

[The Wahligator]

Probably, but only because in your hypothetical scenario we’d never seen him play before. Now that we’ve seen his play…….

Small sample size, but FWIW I thought he was as advertised pre-Barzal injury. He hasn’t even had a training camp with the team, I’m not gonna judge the trade just yet.

 

[The Wahligator]

Also, Friedman seems to think the Islanders are open to moving a center, says they’re looking for a RD and another scoring forward.

 

[mm11]

JPG for Brady Tkachuk done deal.

 

[seafoam]

With the cap one FY away from rising, you're going to see a lot of AAVs handed out this summer that will look like head scratchers.

 

[seabass45]

No core players on this team have changed outside of Beau for Horvat, which is looking like a disaster so far.

We’re just going to act like we haven’t traded four first rounders in a row for players that are still on the roster?

 

[seabass45]

With the cap one FY away from rising, you're going to see a lot of AAVs handed out this summer that will look like head scratchers.

Scott Mayfield come on down!

 

[Lame Lambert]

We’re just going to act like we haven’t traded four first rounders in a row for players that are still on the roster?

Are we going to act like any of those trades made a true long term improvement to this team? None of these guys are core players, except Horvat, which is certainly not based on his play.

-JGP is a 3rd liner on a team full of them.
-Palmieri was a rental, and then was signed to replace Eberle, which is a wash at best
-Romanov was brought in to replace both Toews and Leddy despite having a completely different skill set
-Horvat was a rental having a career year who was then signed to one of the worst contracts in the league

How are any of these moves an improvement? They’re either redundant, bad, or exist to fill in holes that were left from other trades. Lou has burned 4 first rounders using them to rob Peter to pay Paul, and now he’s out of moves. The prospect pool is bare. Our collection of picks is bare. We’re stuck with a mediocre, slow, and talentless roster. We have little cap space. Our GM’s answer is to dump Josh Bailey and use his money to sign Mayfield and a 13th forward.

If you’ve watched any of the playoff games this season and think our roster can compete, then I don’t know what to tell you.

 

[periferal]

Did I say I want Severson? I want Lou to get off his ass and improve the team. Bringing back the same group of players for the 4th year in a row is not an acceptable answer.

See and I think the problem is seeing someone do anything 4 years in a row...And then thinking it will magically be different the 5th.