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

[Big L]

It comes down to either waiving Bortuzzo or trading Aho. Aho can play both sides, which is valuable to someone. That would make it 4 RHD's and 4 LHD's with Aho out. My gut tells me Bortuzzo might be the odd man out, since any of our 9 would be claimed. Roy has been praising Aho.

Yeah I agree. Bortz probably on the bottom of the list. He wasn’t all that spectacular TBH

 

[WangMustGo]

I have a feeling people don’t really watch Zegras play and are working off highlights and such. Is he talented? Yes. The issue is he elects to defer to the flash vs the better play on a consistent basis. And the NHL tried to NFL the guy in terms of marketing him while he was a thing, except he’s not doing much.

My guess is Verbeek keeps him around to keep the interest in the team. Doubtful he stays through his 3rd contract.

You also hate Barzal. Go look and see what Duck fans have to say about him.

 

[impaaaaaact]

Reilly played 22 minutes last night. I know it has something to do with Romanov being hurt, but him playing 5 mins more than Pelech is interesting. Something to monitor

 

[Glorydays22]

Agreed. I think with proper coaching and supporting cast Zegras would thrive. He reminds me a lot of Barzal. He is incredibly skilled, and would be a big upgrade in the top 6. Barzal-Horvat and Nelson-Zegras would be the core of 2 very good lines and a good upgrade on the PP.

I think he’s so flashy that it gives some of the older fans tantrums.

Yeah!!! Are you calling me old?? LOL just kidding....but I am

 

[impaaaaaact]

Seems like Bortuzzo is healthy. My guess is he’s actually the one who gets waived. Usually you don’t turn a 7th round pick into 12 NHL games. I doubt they ask him to report to Bridgeport if he doesn’t get claimed but it’s hard to see me Aho or Bolduc getting waived

 

[PWJunior]

Seems like Bortuzzo is healthy. My guess is he’s actually the one who gets waived. Usually you don’t turn a 7th round pick into 12 NHL games. I doubt they ask him to report to Bridgeport if he doesn’t get claimed but it’s hard to see me Aho or Bolduc getting waived

Trade Aho, problem solved.

 

[Osakahaus]

im gonna be bold

Sell high on Ishakov. Stick it to the prospects. Isles should do everything to get a guy like Buchnevich or Vatrano

Trade Aho, problem solved.

Aho should fetch a good return for a team like Ottawa :^)

 

[Throttle]

You also hate Barzal. Go look and see what Duck fans have to say about him.

Are you 5? I don’t need to read what Ducks fans say when I actually see what he does. Hmmm…

Apologies, I think a $9M can do better than circle the ice and be completely unproductive in doing so. Now that Horvat has him playing a N/S game, he’s playing better, but consistency is still a thing he needs to learn.

 

[IslesNorway]

Trade Aho, problem solved.

Now, watch Lou sign him to brand new 5 year deal instead.

I bet they'll waive Bortuzzo and bring him back up once past the TDL.

 

[crashthenet]

Yeah I agree. Bortz probably on the bottom of the list. He wasn’t all that spectacular TBH

The team preformed better with him in the lineup than Aho. Rather have Bolduc Bortuzzo 7/8.

 

[saintunspecified]

Reilly played 22 minutes last night. I know it has something to do with Romanov being hurt, but him playing 5 mins more than Pelech is interesting. Something to monitor

I think NYI were monitoring kucherov's sore loser attitude with Mayfield on the ice.

 

[MJF]

Now, watch Lou sign him to brand new 5 year deal instead.

I bet they'll waive Bortuzzo and bring him back up once past the TDL.

Had the defense not been mired in injuries after the Reilly and Bortuzzo pickups, my guess was Bortuzzo would be the first one to get cut as our injured Dmen returned.

 

[Nassau Revisited]

The team preformed better with him in the lineup than Aho. Rather have Bolduc Bortuzzo 7/8.

I would love to see Bolduc moved for a conditional bag of pucks

 

[seafoam]

If you waive Bortuzzo, Hutton becomes your 4RD after Dobson/Mayfield/Pulock.

They are obviously comfortable playing Aho on his offside so you can make the argument that he would be the de facto '4RD', but I think I'd rather have Bortuzzo and Bolduc + Salo than Aho and Bolduc + Hutton.

 

[Olliemets]

Yeah I agree. Bortz probably on the bottom of the list. He wasn’t all that spectacular TBH

Not spectacular, but I like the touch of nasty he brings to the blue line. Hope Isles hang on to him

 

[CupHolders]

Are you 5? I don’t need to read what Ducks fans say when I actually see what he does. Hmmm…

Apologies, I think a $9M can do better than circle the ice and be completely unproductive in doing so. Now that Horvat has him playing a N/S game, he’s playing better, but consistency is still a thing he needs to learn.

But you consistently maintained that this was not possible. That there was no imaginary player who could “unleash or unlock” Barzal. So you’re take then or now seems to be at odds.

With that said, I don’t actually agree that Horvat has lead to any change in Barzal’s playing style. That came from Barzal himself. It started to trend that way just before the Horvat trade and progressed since.

Horvat as a skilled player has helped Barzal’s production. That generally happens as a natural byproduct of better players.

 

[CupHolders]

Sadly, Aho makes the most sense as the 7th d-man. He’s tough to watch. But honestly how many teams actually have better options for their number 7?

It’s a different slice, but all from the same block of cheese.

 

[Big L]

Sadly, Aho makes the most sense as the 7th d-man. He’s tough to watch. But honestly how many teams actually have better options for their number 7?

It’s a different slice, but all from the same block of cheese.

Yeah, but who cut the cheese?

 

[JRD76]

I would call up Tampa and see if they want bortuzzo. They're probably looking for a cheap vet on the backend.

 

[WangMustGo]

Are you 5? I don’t need to read what Ducks fans say when I actually see what he does. Hmmm…

Apologies, I think a $9M can do better than circle the ice and be completely unproductive in doing so. Now that Horvat has him playing a N/S game, he’s playing better, but consistency is still a thing he needs to learn.

I think you should see what fans that watch him every night say. There is a reason none of them want him moved. Just like I think isles fans generally have a better scouting report on isles players than a fan of a west coast team would.

shockingly Barzal needed a player that is an actual top 6 player to put up better numbers. He hasn’t had to learn anything. He needed someone that could put the puck in the net with him. Barzal is worth 9 million, and the way he has been playing I would even argue he is slightly underpaid, but yes rip on him because he can’t produce with glorified ahlers.

 

[Throttle]

But you consistently maintained that this was not possible. That there was no imaginary player who could “unleash or unlock” Barzal. So you’re take then or now seems to be at odds.

With that said, I don’t actually agree that Horvat has lead to any change in Barzal’s playing style. That came from Barzal himself. It started to trend that way just before the Horvat trade and progressed since.

Horvat as a skilled player has helped Barzal’s production. That generally happens as a natural byproduct of better players.

It’s 100% on Barzal himself - he needed to change the way he played. I’ve maintained that pretty consistently.

Horvat played N/S with Vancouver and came to the Isles and has pretty much done the same thing. Barzal can either skate around like the ice like he used to do or he could change his game to adapt to the team. That’s been pretty consistent. The end of last season is pretty telling that once he was out of the lineup, the change in defense play was already underway, but a way simpler game was executed, mainly because one player created a lot of unnecessary chaos on the ice that the other players didn’t know where to go or react. It reared its head again in the Carolina series.

Going to the net, not coughing up the puck, or trying to make the perfect pass are all things a player can do no matter the skill set they have and the players around them.

Barzal has played better this season, but has also had large stretches of ineffectiveness - that’s on him. See what happens the rest of the way.

 

[Arsenalogist24]

The day I don’t have to read Grant Hutton’s name on this forum anymore I will know peace

 

[CupHolders]

I think you should see what fans that watch him every night say. There is a reason none of them want him moved. Just like I think isles fans generally have a better scouting report on isles players than a fan of a west coast team would.

shockingly Barzal needed a player that is an actual top 6 player to put up better numbers. He hasn’t had to learn anything. He needed someone that could put the puck in the net with him. Barzal is worth 9 million, and the way he has been playing I would even argue he is slightly underpaid, but yes rip on him because he can’t produce with glorified ahlers.

But John Tavares did for years on the Isles. And up until this year he was seen as the better overall player because of that AND his ability to rise in the playoffs... limited mostly to his performance against Florida.

While Barzal's playoff history is often summed up exclusively on his last series against Crosby, the first half of the Boston series and game seven vs Tampa. If you further ignore the rest of Barzal's playoff success, while concurrently ignoring Tavares' failures... facing Hedman, Washington in a game seven etc. Then the narratives all fit.

 

[Throttle]

I think you should see what fans that watch him every night say. There is a reason none of them want him moved. Just like I think isles fans generally have a better scouting report on isles players than a fan of a west coast team would.

shockingly Barzal needed a player that is an actual top 6 player to put up better numbers. He hasn’t had to learn anything. He needed someone that could put the puck in the net with him. Barzal is worth 9 million, and the way he has been playing I would even argue he is slightly underpaid, but yes rip on him because he can’t produce with glorified ahlers.

Tavares seemed to better the players around him…

 

[CupHolders]

It’s 100% on Barzal himself - he needed to change the way he played. I’ve maintained that pretty consistently.

Horvat played N/S with Vancouver and came to the Isles and has pretty much done the same thing. Barzal can either skate around like the ice like he used to do or he could change his game to adapt to the team. That’s been pretty consistent. The end of last season is pretty telling that once he was out of the lineup, the change in defense play was already underway, but a way simpler game was executed, mainly because one player created a lot of unnecessary chaos on the ice that the other players didn’t know where to go or react. It reared its head again in the Carolina series.

Going to the net, not coughing up the puck, or trying to make the perfect pass are all things a player can do no matter the skill set they have and the players around them.

Barzal has played better this season, but has also had large stretches of ineffectiveness - that’s on him. See what happens the rest of the way.

How many people have actually, realistically ever disputed this?

Your posts for years now have stipulated that Barzal was essentially a finished product and would never be worth his contract at either 7 or 9 mil... and that no other players, systems, coaches or Barzal himself would ever result in that changing.

Therefore, trade him for the likes of William Karlsson or Nazeem Kadri before he becomes an anchor.

The day I don’t have to read Grant Hutton’s name on this forum anymore I will know peace

But until then...

Grant Hutton
Grant Hutton
Grant Hutton
Josh Bailey (shout out @Bones45)
Grant Hutton
Grant Hutton