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

[Throttle]

I’ll take that bet ! Anyway you shake it, the team with Horvat last year just made it. A full year with the same roster requires everything to line up perfectly and that’s just to make playoffs. Some could argue that the coach has done well just to have them in this position but at the end of the day, this is a slower, older group lead by an old GM that unfortunately won’t see this team reach what some thought was a Cup contender during the Covid years. Things need to be reshaped and soon

The team is a bit of a mess, but despite that they have been in playoff spot most of the season. The league is a bit of a mess. The top team has only 11 points more than the last wild card spot. Two others have 8. From there, it’s all a couple of points margin. Plenty of room for error amongst the teams.

 

[Sparksrus3]

Where do you suspect the Isles will be?

35-35-12

 

[Osakahaus]

True, but it’s also game 40 something. 40 to go.

Well, lets see if we can have a game with a multi goal lead

 

[Doshell Propivo]

35-35-12

You think they will go 16-22-2 the rest of the way?

I think it will be more like 22-15-3

 

[Doshell Propivo]

Last season, the top 8 teams in goal differential in each conference were the only teams to make the playoffs. No exceptions.

We are currently tied for 11th in goal differential within our conference.

It’s a simple metric and there are rare exceptions in some years but it doesn’t reflect well on our performance thus far.

The only metric that matters is how many points you have at the end of the season. I like the Isles chances to get in (they are on pace to do so). Still say they finish 3rd in the division.

 

[leeroggy]

Let's see . . . replace the coach with an experienced head coach? Like Jacques Martin? well above .500 career wise in nearly 1300 games?

Put him on a team with Stutzle, Tkachuk, Giroux, Batherson, Chabot, Chychrun, etc?

He's 4-8 since taking over

John Hynes for Dean Evason? Lost 8 of his last 9 games

Drew Bannister for Craig Berube? 8-6.

Only Knoblach has turned their team around, and you have to ask how much of that is him vs McDavid, et all, getting going.

Be careful what you wish for . . .

 

[Doshell Propivo]

Let's see . . . replace the coach with an experienced head coach? Like Jacques Martin? well above .500 career wise in nearly 1300 games?

Put him on a team with Stutzle, Tkachuk, Giroux, Batherson, Chabot, Chychrun, etc?

He's 4-8 since taking over

John Hynes for Dean Evason? Lost 8 of his last 9 games

Drew Bannister for Craig Berube? 8-6.

Only Knoblach has turned their team around, and you have to ask how much of that is him vs McDavid, et all, getting going.

Be careful what you wish for . . .

The Wild were on fire when Hynes first took over. I think they went like 11-3. But now in a major slump as you mentioned.

 

[Throttle]

Let's see . . . replace the coach with an experienced head coach? Like Jacques Martin? well above .500 career wise in nearly 1300 games?

Put him on a team with Stutzle, Tkachuk, Giroux, Batherson, Chabot, Chychrun, etc?

He's 4-8 since taking over

John Hynes for Dean Evason? Lost 8 of his last 9 games

Drew Bannister for Craig Berube? 8-6.

Only Knoblach has turned their team around, and you have to ask how much of that is him vs McDavid, et all, getting going.

Be careful what you wish for . . .

Probably why the old man doesn’t make reactionary moves.

EDM fired their coach as an excuse for their own players underperforming. Remember, the Canadian media believes they are a cup contender. They are still a team led by two players with weak defense and goaltending. That hasn’t changed.

 

[doublechili]

Probably why the old man doesn’t make reactionary moves.

I'm guessing Lou can't just unilaterally fire Lambert - he'd need to get permission from the owners, right (since they'd be paying two head coaches in that case)?

So, we may need to consider the possibility that Lou did/does want to fire Lambert and ownership said "no".

It may sound tin-hatty, but the owners could want to play out the season with the status quo and then possibly clean house afterwards.

 

[seafoam]

I mean, you’re not firing Lambert for only this season. Lamorirello builds teams to win, so if it’s not this season, it’s next season (in his mind).

That may not be the right call, but you have a prime Barzal, Dobson, Horvat, and Sorokin.

 

[Doshell Propivo]

I'm guessing Lou can't just unilaterally fire Lambert - he'd need to get permission from the owners, right (since they'd be paying two head coaches in that case)?

So, we may need to consider the possibility that Lou did/does want to fire Lambert and ownership said "no".

It may sound tin-hatty, but the owners could want to play out the season with the status quo and then possibly clean house afterwards.

I think (hope) that the owners do not micro mange every move like this. Lou is the President of hockey ops. Any hockey decision should be his and his alone. Of course he has to operate within a certain framework, budget, etc. but I sure hope he doesn't have to go the Ledecky and Malkin to get permission to change the coach.

 

[Osakahaus]

Be careful what you wish for . . .

Lambert still is a terrible coach. i don't think his system is gonna work when the team is also terrible with their bottom 6 play and coaching trusting Oliver Wahlstrom and Matt Martin in 2024

 

[DerekKingSnipes]

I think (hope) that the owners do not micro mange every move like this. Lou is the President of hockey ops. Any hockey decision should be his and his alone. Of course he has to operate within a certain framework, budget, etc. but I sure hope he doesn't have to go the Ledecky and Malkin to get permission to change the coach.

I highly doubt Lou doesn’t make every call, he im sure has all the power obviously within the budget of course. Team looked in trouble off shark loss but has bounced back. They seem to be in another one of those on brink moments again so im guessing Lou sees what happens to finish this trip. He could make move to fire lambert when they return home, figure they need to win two of the next three. He could also have no interest in changing coach and perhaps make a move to shake up roster with a surprising player moved out. I’d imagine a lot of what happens before all star break and those seven games will determine if this is a playoff team or not.

 

[Throttle]

I'm guessing Lou can't just unilaterally fire Lambert - he'd need to get permission from the owners, right (since they'd be paying two head coaches in that case)?

So, we may need to consider the possibility that Lou did/does want to fire Lambert and ownership said "no".

It may sound tin-hatty, but the owners could want to play out the season with the status quo and then possibly clean house afterwards.

He fired Trotz, let him go, agreed to be fired, whatever that storyline was. Critically, Trotz had one year remaining on his contract. So, the Isles already paid for two head coaches in one season, with Trotz taking home a premium pay at $4M.

Lambert probably is on a 3 year deal worth about $3 total. It’s a wash cost wise. Year five Trotz plus year one of Lambert was an acceptable cost bump. Now, Lambert is maybe a $1M. A replacement like Berube comes at probably $3-4M. Again, a wash costwise.

I doubt these owners are waiting around to fire Lou in the offseason. He’s helped their valuation, they bottom line revenue. Absent a cost impact at the gate, doubtful Lou goes anywhere.

For as much complaining people are doing, UBS has strong ticket sales (not saying actual attendance).

 

[doublechili]

I think (hope) that the owners do not micro mange every move like this. Lou is the President of hockey ops. Any hockey decision should be his and his alone. Of course he has to operate within a certain framework, budget, etc. but I sure hope he doesn't have to go the Ledecky and Malkin to get permission to change the coach.

He fired Trotz, let him go, agreed to be fired, whatever that storyline was. Critically, Trotz had one year remaining on his contract. So, the Isles already paid for two head coaches in one season, with Trotz taking home a premium pay at $4M.

Lambert probably is on a 3 year deal worth about $3 total. It’s a wash cost wise. Year five Trotz plus year one of Lambert was an acceptable cost bump. Now, Lambert is maybe a $1M. A replacement like Berube comes at probably $3-4M. Again, a wash costwise.

I doubt these owners are waiting around to fire Lou in the offseason. He’s helped their valuation, they bottom line revenue. Absent a cost impact at the gate, doubtful Lou goes anywhere.

For as much complaining people are doing, UBS has strong ticket sales (not saying actual attendance).

I don't disagree, but I'm honestly having some difficulty understanding that Lambert is still here. Lou can't like what he's seeing, especially the disorganized play, defensive lapses and lost leads. He hasn't been shy about moving on what he felt a coach wasn't getting the job done, so I'm really just looking for a reason.

 

[periferal]

‘Other’ teams? Oh, apologies, I don’t see the fear in the Yzerplan when someone posts it. It’s working great! Do you mind sharing how well it’s going?

So boring how much you poke fun at other teams and barely ever earnestly discuss the issues with the Isles.

 

[Sparksrus3]

You think they will go 16-22-2 the rest of the way?

I think it will be more like 22-15-3

Just repeating my beginning of season guess

 

[Throttle]

I don't disagree, but I'm honestly having some difficulty understanding that Lambert is still here. Lou can't like what he's seeing, especially the disorganized play, defensive lapses and lost leads. He hasn't been shy about moving on what he felt a coach wasn't getting the job done, so I'm really just looking for a reason.

I agree, but thinking he’s seeing this as a player issue that’s on him vs the coach.

 

[Throttle]

So boring how much you poke fun at other teams and barely ever earnestly discuss the issues with the Isles.

That’s ok. Shall I add to the Chris is the next GM discussion? That’s interesting and realistic…

 

[periferal]

That’s ok. Shall I add to the Chris is the next GM discussion? That’s interesting and realistic…

At least it would be refreshing that you'd bring the discussing to the issues that need addressing as opposed to continuously talking about other franchises whose moves/success/failure has nothing to do with the Isles.

 

[Throttle]

At least it would be refreshing that you'd bring the discussing to the issues that need addressing as opposed to continuously talking about other franchises whose moves/success/failure has nothing to do with the Isles.

This thread isn’t limited to Isles talk - that’s kinda the purpose of it…

 

[periferal]

This thread isn’t limited to Isles talk - that’s kinda the purpose of it…

Cool. Keep doing you.

 

[Throttle]

Cool. Keep doing you.

As you do you.

 

[Top Corner]

I mean, you’re not firing Lambert for only this season. Lamorirello builds teams to win, so if it’s not this season, it’s next season (in his mind).

That may not be the right call, but you have a prime Barzal, Dobson, Horvat, and Sorokin.

I think it’s time he starts building a team to win, This team is far from a contender. Great goaltender, Horvat/Barzal/Dobson but still never sure if we can make playoffs

 

[Nassau Revisited]

Time to seriously look at at dealing Nelson