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

[WangMustGo]

This is a concept Lou has always struggled with. In a vacuum, these players are likely getting paid market value (term aside). Engvall would be an excellent 3rd line player. Mayfield, is an above average 3rd pair dman. This issue with a Lou team has always been not understanding what the team needs. The team did not need another 3rd line player, or a 3rd pair dman. Now I did not mind these two signings at the time. And to an extent, I still don't mind them. They are playing these players more than they should in roles that they don't belong in. Engvall is not a top 6 player. He just does not have the hockey IQ for such a role. Mayfield was playing top 4 minutes because of injuries.

The team is riddled with players that don't belong at the top of the lineup. Lee is a middle 9 winger making 7 mil. Pageau is a 4th line center making 5 mil. Martin and Clutterbuck are no longer NHL players.

The Isles may have a unique opportunity here to unload Pageau at the deadline. There is a run at centers. Someone is bound to overvalue him just because he's a center and has an unearned reputation of being a good defensive forward. Lou made a mistake by giving him a modified NTC, but there may be a chance to move him now. There is no reason to ever give a bottom 6 forward that type of contract especially when you're overpaying him. I hope Lou does.

Yep, this is the exact issue with Lou. He is loyal to a fault. These middle of the roster guys should not be getting 6-8 year deals. Too much mediocre on this lineup and not enough top end talent.

Signing Barzal, Horvat, Sorokin, and eventually (hopefully) Dobson long term are fine moves. Signing Lee, Cizikas, Pageau, Engvall, Mayfield to 6+ year deals is where the problems start.

I’d like to see Nelson moved for Byram. Gives the isles 3 top four defensemen under 25. Than move JGP for picks, and every other UFA to be. The later rounds of the draft are a crapshoot, get as many darts as possible and maybe we find a couple of diamonds in the rough. You can fix this roster relatively quickly.

 

[IslesNorway]

Yep, this is the exact issue with Lou. He is loyal to a fault. These middle of the roster guys should not be getting 6-8 year deals. Too much mediocre on this lineup and not enough top end talent.

Signing Barzal, Horvat, Sorokin, and eventually (hopefully) Dobson long term are fine moves. Signing Lee, Cizikas, Pageau, Engvall, Mayfield to 6+ year deals is where the problems start.

I’d like to see Nelson moved for Byram. Gives the isles 3 top four defensemen under 25. Than move JGP for picks, and every other UFA to be. The later rounds of the draft are a crapshoot, get as many darts as possible and maybe we find a couple of diamonds in the rough. You can fix this roster relatively quickly.

Ideally, a team should only be allowed a set number of contracts over 4-5 years. In recent years there has been terrible inflation in giving out 6+ year deals and as a result a lot of players get term they shouldn't and trades are hard to make. Not too long ago teams only had one or two of those players on their rosters, but now every team seems to have a nice little bouquet of them.

 

[WangMustGo]

Ideally, a team should only be allowed a set number of contracts over 4-5 years. In recent years there has been terrible inflation in giving out 6+ year deals and as a result a lot of players get term they shouldn't and trades are hard to make. Not too long ago teams only had one or two of those players on their rosters, but now every team seems to have a nice little bouquet of them.

Yep, it’s not a unique situation for the isles. Unfortunately when you trade every pick/prospect year after year you are left with overpaying older players and no cost controlled young players.

 

[Kevin27NYI]

Ideally, a team should only be allowed a set number of contracts over 4-5 years. In recent years there has been terrible inflation in giving out 6+ year deals and as a result a lot of players get term they shouldn't and trades are hard to make. Not too long ago teams only had one or two of those players on their rosters, but now every team seems to have a nice little bouquet of them.

Everyone needed lower cap hits, 2-5 year deals turned into 5-8.

 

[MJF]

I think the outdoor game will determine Lou's fate. If the Isles lose, especially if lopsided, I think Malkin fires him after the season.

Whatever the circumstances are of Lou's departure, you will never see him actually "fired." Lou will announce he is giving up the GM's job and the Islanders will frame it as his decision.

 

[DerekKingSnipes]

Whatever the circumstances are of Lou's departure, you will never see him actually "fired." Lou will announce he is giving up the GM's job and the Islanders will frame it as his decision.

Lou will be here next year I think, Roy wouldn’t be coaching if Lou isn’t here I believe. It’s yet to be determined what kind of coach Roy is and if he can be successful but I think we are going to see roster changes before Lou goes. I really believe Lee will not be here next year whether that’s via trade or more likely a buyout. There is disconnect In room now versus what Barzal, Horvat, coach and others said last night versus what Lee said. I appreciate Lee has tough role as captain and having to answer the questions every night while he struggles personally as a player but the captain should echo coach I think and clearly Lee isn’t. Isles need a legitimate wing to play with Horvat and Barzal. You can role dice I think with mostly everyone else if you move Lee out and are able to add that winger to replace him. I think the D is fine, you could bring back Reilly as stop gap if you want while you wait for hopefully Odelius or George to push for spot. The goalies are fine it’s really that too wing spot.

 

[MJF]

Lou will be here next year I think, Roy wouldn’t be coaching if Lou isn’t here I believe. It’s yet to be determined what kind of coach Roy is and if he can be successful but I think we are going to see roster changes before Lou goes. I really believe Lee will not be here next year whether that’s via trade or more likely a buyout. There is disconnect In room now versus what Barzal, Horvat, coach and others said last night versus what Lee said. I appreciate Lee has tough role as captain and having to answer the questions every night while he struggles personally as a player but the captain should echo coach I think and clearly Lee isn’t. Isles need a legitimate wing to play with Horvat and Barzal. You can role dice I think with mostly everyone else if you move Lee out and are able to add that winger to replace him. I think the D is fine, you could bring back Reilly as stop gap if you want while you wait for hopefully Odelius or George to push for spot. The goalies are fine it’s really that too wing spot.

I’m not so sure Roy or Lou are going to be here much longer.

 

[doublechili]

not for a second should we believe that Malkin is micromanaging Lou, and that the moves Lou makes are Malkin's idea. He wants to make money and the mall being built right now will enable him to make a lot of it. I assume he also wants the Isles to win, but he's left it up to Lou to do that. I wonder if Malkin knows what to do next when many of the players in the lineup continue to age and fade and the team starts to do the same...

We can make guesses, but we have no idea whether or to what extent Malkin influences the direction of the hockey end of things. I suspect as you do that he does not micromanage, but I also find it hard to believe the there are no big picture discussions of what ownership would like to see for the short and long term. In other words, if making the playoffs is important to ownership then that would be communicated. And a decision to rebuild would not be made without input/sign-off from ownership.

 

[MJF]

Roy has them doing suicides at practice today.

x.com

x.com

 

[Top Corner]

I’m not so sure Roy or Lou are going to be here much longer.

I think they’ve got another year but I do feel Lou has seen that even another coach hasn’t righted the ship and now it comes down to roster ! Enter ROY part 2, he will certainly have considerable input into this roster in the coming weeks and as they head into next year. Lou has put his last egg in Roy’s hands , so if Roy is to fix this team, he will need the parts he feels will get the Job done and Lou will need to accommodate.
A fail ! They are both gone by the end of next year

 

[MJF]

I think they’ve got another year but I do feel Lou has seen that even another coach hasn’t righted the ship and now it comes down to roster ! Enter ROY part 2, he will certainly have considerable input into this roster in the coming weeks and as they head into next year. Lou has put his last egg in Roy’s hands , so if Roy is to fix this team, he will need the parts he feels will get the Job done and Lou will need to accommodate.
A fail ! They are both gone by the end of next year

Roy strikes me as a Billy Martin type. He knows the game inside out, you hire him, get a great burst of energy, and by Year 2 he’s driving everyone bonkers. Burns out fast.

I think they’ve got another year but I do feel Lou has seen that even another coach hasn’t righted the ship and now it comes down to roster ! Enter ROY part 2, he will certainly have considerable input into this roster in the coming weeks and as they head into next year. Lou has put his last egg in Roy’s hands , so if Roy is to fix this team, he will need the parts he feels will get the Job done and Lou will need to accommodate.
A fail ! They are both gone by the end of next year

Roy might be better with kids than with vets.

 

[Top Corner]

Roy might be better with kids than with vets.

I believe he probably has more influence for sure and I’m in hope that Lou does his part and moves a few older vets to teams pushing this year for younger less proven talent.
Every time I watch a game, the team just seems to scream “We need more youthful energy” With all these long term contracts, the mindset with most of them, is they are set for Life in terms of Hockey career , no need to sweat it

 

[Throttle]

Ideally, a team should only be allowed a set number of contracts over 4-5 years. In recent years there has been terrible inflation in giving out 6+ year deals and as a result a lot of players get term they shouldn't and trades are hard to make. Not too long ago teams only had one or two of those players on their rosters, but now every team seems to have a nice little bouquet of them.

That’s because the league shifted from contract 3 as the primary contract of a player to contract 2. Next that was done to maximize cap space to cost control your cap.

The PA wants long term deals since all deals are guaranteed- a cap on deals is probably not happening below the current 7/8 model.

 

[Doshell Propivo]

Roy has them doing suicides at practice today.

x.com

x.com

This will get old quickly.

Roy strikes me as a Billy Martin type. He knows the game inside out, you hire him, get a great burst of energy, and by Year 2 he’s driving everyone bonkers. Burns out fast.

Hopefully we'll see that burst of energy soon. 3-3-2 so far...

I think the outdoor game will determine Lou's fate. If the Isles lose, especially if lopsided, I think Malkin fires him after the season.

Seriously?

 

[warrior60]

Roy strikes me as a Billy Martin type. He knows the game inside out, you hire him, get a great burst of energy, and by Year 2 he’s driving everyone bonkers. Burns out fast.


Roy might be better with kids than with vets.

You are 100% correct, he can hauling and scream tell his red in the face but he will never get what Trotz got out of they by talking and showing them he had confidence in them.

 

[Doshell Propivo]

You are 100% correct, he can hauling and scream tell his red in the face but he will never get what Trotz got out of they by talking and showing them he had confidence in them.

Yeah but he couldn't unleash Barzal...

 

[The Real JT]

Random thought for the day:

The Isles have 9 games left before the TDL. Lou typically likes to strike early and the clock is now ticking.

Looking at their next 7 games I suspect the Isles will be underdogs for each of those games with the exception of the TB home game. Granted, even as underdogs they could still win a bunch of these games but enough to get near a playoff berth? Doubtful IMO.

What will Lou do? (Probably whatever the f*** he wants to do) and are his hands tied by management? (I doubt it).

 

[Glory Days]

So obviously having Lambert try to implement an up tempo system was a mistake. But I still think that is Lou’s goal. So Roy was brought in now for 2 reasons. One, to start properly implementing a new system and two to see which players can adapt and which players can not. I think we will see players moved in the off-season. I think the rest of this season may be an evaluation period.

 

[DerekKingSnipes]

I’m not so sure Roy or Lou are going to be here much longer.

Roy didn’t take this job to coach half a season, he will be coach next year. I think he’s tied to Lou as well so Lou also will be back. I think they are going to shake the room up should this team not get to playoffs, maybe even if they get in and have another first round exit.

 

[dino26]

Do we trade away or trade for first ...I know we will be active in the trade market but I got a feeling Lou will go for Eberle!

 

[DerekKingSnipes]

View attachment 819619
Random thought for the day:

The Isles have 9 games left before the TDL. Lou typically likes to strike early and the clock is now ticking.

Looking at their next 7 games I suspect the Isles will be underdogs for each of those games with the exception of the TB home game. Granted, even as underdogs they could still win a bunch of these games but enough to get near a playoff berth? Doubtful IMO.

What will Lou do? (Probably whatever the f*** he wants to do) and are his hands tied by management? (I doubt it).

Need 15 points probably to stay in it, this break before outdoor game will close gap on games played between all the relevant teams. Can this team win 7 of these next 9

 

[Throttle]

Do we trade away or trade for first ...I know we will be active in the trade market but I got a feeling Lou will go for Eberle!

Why is Seattle trading Eberle?

If anything, they should be buying Nelson or JGP from the Isles.

 

[DerekKingSnipes]

You are 100% correct, he can hauling and scream tell his red in the face but he will never get what Trotz got out of they by talking and showing them he had confidence in them.

I think Roy is very much similar to Trotz, Roy was great all time player but he is also very articulate the way he speaks about game. The leadership group needs to be changed, they have gotten what they could get from them and it’s time to hand the leadership to Horvat, Barzal etc. I think that’s what is going to come next here. the guys wearing letters gave them what they could and team came up short so it’s time for new leadership IMO.

 

[WangMustGo]

View attachment 819619
Random thought for the day:

The Isles have 9 games left before the TDL. Lou typically likes to strike early and the clock is now ticking.

Looking at their next 7 games I suspect the Isles will be underdogs for each of those games with the exception of the TB home game. Granted, even as underdogs they could still win a bunch of these games but enough to get near a playoff berth? Doubtful IMO.

What will Lou do? (Probably whatever the f*** he wants to do) and are his hands tied by management? (I doubt it).

And only 3 home games out of the bunch (Stadium series isn’t a real home game). Isles are under .500 on the road. I just don’t think they have it in them. Too old, too slow, not enough depth, and a pathetic Pk.

I will never root against them, but it may be best that they lose a slew of these next 9 games. Maybe Lou sells or in an ideal world is replaced.

 

[MJF]

Hopefully we'll see that burst of energy soon. 3-3-2 so far...

I think we already had it. Roy’s first week here the team “played guilty” for a few games, but couldn’t string a streak together.

These players just aren’t talented enough to play the way Roy wants, imho.