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

[Kevin27NYI]

A lot of the chatter about Engvall is that he's so infuriating to watch. You can see the spark and the potential he brings, but he'll disappear for 10 games. I worry that he'll do exactly the same. At this point we're just banking on hope with him, which scares me given the cap situation (I still want to bring him back at a reasonable price).

I can take certain things with him.

I don't think he really disappeared as much as his game is limited for consistent production. The issue everyone seems to have is watching his frame and skill set knowing this guy could be a 30 goal scoring power house but it's just not his style/doesn't have the head for it.

But if you take him for what he is, I completely want him back as you said on a reasonable price tag.

 

[Mr Misunderstood]

Supposedly Buffalo is going to trade Olofsson. Guys got one of the most wicked one timers and shots. Could
Be a guy that could help that night not cost as much as other players available

Gets a bunch of goals in the Nelson spot on the PP on one timers, which would be very helpful. A lot of his other goals were off the rush.

I would assume he's poor defensively and we would most likely call him 'soft' similar to Eberle, considering he gets Byng votes. Stacking up a whopping 24 career PIMs in 263 GP.

Kid can shoot though...

 

[Tahoeblue]

Toffoli would probably be a nice fit on Long Island.

Toffoli fills the net for sure and has done it with multiple teams. I think he still has a year on his deal. Calgary is in worse cap hell than the Isles. I can see the argument that he would be another 30 plus forward and we already have Palms.

I like him, durable, and consistent. Lou is so limited considering options this offseason. Thanks for commenting.

 

[Richie Daggers Crime]

Gets a bunch of goals in the Nelson spot on the PP on one timers, which would be very helpful. A lot of his other goals were off the rush.

Up until last year, he was a power play specialist. Don't know if he's benefitted or not from Buffalo's general uptick in offense. He's been replaced on the PP to a degree, and has picked up more even strength goals with better matchups and better linemates.

Reminds me of Czerkawski.

 

[Mr Misunderstood]

Up until last year, he was a power play specialist. Don't know if he's benefitted or not from Buffalo's general uptick in offense. He's been replaced on the PP to a degree, and has picked up more even strength goals with better matchups and better linemates.

Reminds me of Czerkawski.

Makes sense, did appear that all of his goals were him finding space and benefiting from others. None of them resulted in a strong individual effort.

In your opinion, would a Czerkawski-type fit the needs of the 2023-24 Isles? Considering UFA class, players rumored to be available and current cap situation?

 

[seafoam]

Toffoli fills the net for sure and has done it with multiple teams. I think he still has a year on his deal. Calgary is in worse cap hell than the Isles. I can see the argument that he would be another 30 plus forward and we already have Palms.

I like him, durable, and consistent. Lou is so limited considering options this offseason. Thanks for commenting.

Toffoli’s career production is a tick above Palmieri’s, but Toffoli’s coming off of a career year (has won the Stanley Cup in LA which is nice).

Is he going to continue to play at 30 goal 70 point pace for the next few seasons and maybe trend in the direction of say a Justin Williams-esque player, or was last season a flash in the pan and he will trend in the direction of Palmieri?

Some guys seem to get better with age and have been able to has success into their late 30’s.

 

[JJ18Sniper]

Up until last year, he was a power play specialist. Don't know if he's benefitted or not from Buffalo's general uptick in offense. He's been replaced on the PP to a degree, and has picked up more even strength goals with better matchups and better linemates.

Reminds me of Czerkawski.

I like the Czerkawski comparison. I was originally thinking of the one trick pony forward version of Marc-Andre Bergeron.

 

[seafoam]

Gets a bunch of goals in the Nelson spot on the PP on one timers, which would be very helpful. A lot of his other goals were off the rush.

I would assume he's poor defensively and we would most likely call him 'soft' similar to Eberle, considering he gets Byng votes. Stacking up a whopping 24 career PIMs in 263 GP.

Kid can shoot though...

24 career PIMs?

That’s how many if felt like the Islanders had in games 1 & 2 in Carolina alone.

 

[Throttle]

Toffoli fills the net for sure and has done it with multiple teams. I think he still has a year on his deal. Calgary is in worse cap hell than the Isles. I can see the argument that he would be another 30 plus forward and we already have Palms.

I like him, durable, and consistent. Lou is so limited considering options this offseason. Thanks for commenting.

The Isles are not in cap hell. A bunch of players are underperforming on their deals, however, they can be moved to reallocate cap dollars and the players on the ice.

Fitzgerald is going to Dubas himself in NJ, watch all that cap space vanish and choke them real quick and not really advancing their cause.

 

[doublechili]

Reminds me of Czerkawski.

Yeah, Olofsson seems like a good player to have on a bad team. He was sitting a lot as last year progressed, and BUF fans are looking to give him away. Pass.

 

[doublechili]

It's going to be an interesting few weeks coming up. With the minimal $1M cap increase and a relatively weak UFA class, we might see some unconventional player movement. Like, do we see a few salary for salary type deals (where teams trade their own bad salary for another bad salary that fills a need on their team)? Or will teams go the buyout route instead? If there are buyouts, then maybe you can pick up a guy on the (relatively) cheap afterwards. VAN may need to go that route, for example.

 

[Lame Lambert]

Supposedly Buffalo is going to trade Olofsson. Guys got one of the most wicked one timers and shots. Could
Be a guy that could help that night not cost as much as other players available

He’ll come here and forget how to shoot.

 

[seafoam]

Use the cap space to acquire Hellebyuck.

They’ll still find a way to get bounced with a Sorokin/Hellebyuck tandem.

 

[Throttle]

Use the cap space to acquire Hellebyuck.

They’ll still find a way to get bounced with a Sorokin/Hellebyuck tandem.

How about a three way with WPG and NJ: Barzal WPG), Meier (Isles), Helkybuck (NJD) and some fodder to make it work.

Or for the rebuild crowd and ‘can’t let him walk for free’, how about Sorokin to CLB for their 2023 1st rounder?

 

[SI]

1 - Nelson - Barzal - Palmieri
2 - Lee - Horvat - ?????
3 - Parise - Pageau - *Wahlstrom
13th F - Fasching
x - Holmstrom (is not waiver eligible so he can start the season in the AHL and is the first one up if there is an injury)
x - Johnston is waived or starts the year mysteriously on IR.
* - Wahlstrom is not arbitration eligible, so Lou can play hardball & qualify him at .875/1 yr
1 - Pelech - Pulock
2 - Romanov - Dobson
3 - ? - ?
x - Aho

G - Sorokin and cheap backup (Rittich @ 1-1.2 aav)

This model gives you 10.25 m cap space and you had 3 holes to fill - RHD, LHD, and a top 6 F - How would you do it? What is the best allocation for the

Here is a bit more detail -
Top 6 F (ideally someone with speed and skill)
*Options - sign JT Compher, sign Pacioretty, trade for Hall, trade for Garland, sign Bertuzzi, sign Tarasenko, trade for Boeser, resign Engvall, or give the job to Holmstrom.

RHD - someone to replace Mayfield
Options - Sign Luke Schenn, trade for Tyler Myers, sign Shattenkirk, trade for Peeke, give the job to Hutton, sign Dumba, sign Klingberg, sign Hamonic, sign Holl, sign Burroughs, trade for Fabbro, trade for Boqvist, trade for Gudbranson, or resign Mayfield.

LHD - a better option than Aho -
*Options - sign Ryan Graves, sign Ghost, trade Hanifin, sign Kulikov, sign Soucy, trade for Girard, trade for Krug, or give the job to Aho and give 7th D job to Salo or Cholowski.

 

[SI]

A case for Erik Karlsson - the PP would be immediately improved.

Dobson and Palmieri for E. Karlsson (@ 25% retention).

Sign Ryan Graves and Luke Schenn
Trade for Garland

New Blueline
Pelech - Pulock
Romanov - Karlsson
Graves - Schenn
Aho

F -
Nelson - Barzal - Wahlstrom
Lee - Horvat - Engvall
Parise - Pageau - Holmstrom
Martin - Cizikas - Cbuck
Fasching and Johnston

 

[Mr Misunderstood]

Yeah, Olofsson seems like a good player to have on a bad team. He was sitting a lot as last year progressed, and BUF fans are looking to give him away. Pass.

Okay, all it took was one post for me to forget about him. I'm out on Olofsson!

 

[SI90]

He’ll come here and forget how to shoot.

Most likely

 

[Richie Daggers Crime]

In your opinion, would a Czerkawski-type fit the needs of the 2023-24 Isles? Considering UFA class, players rumored to be available and current cap situation?

Not really. He seems like one of those players that falls down the depth chart quickly on a team that's not a bottom feeder.

 

[leeroggy]

Not really. He seems like one of those players that falls down the depth chart quickly on a team that's not a bottom feeder.

A third-line goal scorer who can finish on the PP is what this team has been searching for, He scored TWENTY-EIGHT GOALS last year, it was his BEST YEAR . . . LAST YEAR!!! Last 10 games he was 4G/3A . . . that's great for a 3rd liner.

Why do you take the Sabres fans at face value BEFORE you check the stats?

He's got one year left on his contract, if he doesn't work out you are out of the contract after one year,

Heck, if Buffalo hates him so much, let them retain. Hell, send them Bailey for him! It's basically a wash on Cap,

 

[Richie Daggers Crime]

Why do you take the Sabres fans at face value BEFORE you check the stats?

I don't. I addressed this in the post prior.

 

[Duanesutter12]

Supposedly Buffalo is going to trade Olofsson. Guys got one of the most wicked one timers and shots. Could
Be a guy that could help that night not cost as much as other players available

I always wanted Olofsson! He could be a Carter Verhaege type signing. Agree he has a wicked (and under used) one timer.

 

[Duanesutter12]

A lot of the chatter about Engvall is that he's so infuriating to watch. You can see the spark and the potential he brings, but he'll disappear for 10 games. I worry that he'll do exactly the same. At this point we're just banking on hope with him, which scares me given the cap situation (I still want to bring him back at a reasonable price).

Well to be fair that was Beauvillier's entire time here and he came up with a lot of clutch goals and great moments for us. They are roughly the same age too. I'm not comparing them as players but in terms of productivity they're pretty similar. I'll take the risk on some of that frustration knowing that if the light goes on the ceiling is far higher.

 

[leeroggy]

I don't. I addressed this in the post prior.

Sorry Richie, but you gave an opinion without any factual support, you didn't address my facts.

Well to be fair that was Beauvillier's entire time here and he came up with a lot of clutch goals and great moments for us. They are roughly the same age too. I'm not comparing them as players but in terms of productivity they're pretty similar. I'll take the risk on some of that frustration knowing that if the light goes off the ceiling is far higher.

Beau is not the goal scorer this guy is and that's a missing piece we are still searching for

 

[Top Corner]

Based on listening to Lou’s media day, it’s highly unlikely but I think the Isles are going to need a collection of moves to ignite a stale game that currently exists. As much as I want to see a remodel of sorts ,Unfortunately with cap constraints and Lou’s conservative approach it won’t happen. I would be shocked if there were 2 or more new bodies come opening day.