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

[Potvottier]

It's going to be interesting because, whether we win or lose, there will be big changes. We know there are going to be 2 at least, with Martin and Clutterbuck (cue the , "But Lou's gonna extend them for 18 years!!" posters).

I think two of our top 6 are replaced as well, and 1 defenceman.

We should start a pool.

 

[beach]

I really don’t see Varly having much value. He still has 3 years left on his contract and it is an over 35 deal. The last 2 years of that contract are likely to be painful. If we could get a 3rd/4th rounder or a B prospect I would be happy if he was dealt. Can always pick up a backup as a UFA

Goalies age slowly and Varly's still solid. There would be a solid market for him if Lou desired to move him.

 

[Isles72]

I wonder if Boston would be interested in Pageau and Whally for deBrusk .

test drive deBrusk , maybe extend .

 

[IslesNorway]

Goalies age slowly and Varly's still solid. There would be a solid market for him if Lou desired to move him.

Not with another three years on his deal. One year and he'd have good value. But three more years, an NTC and 35+ contract to boot, his value is actually nothing.

 

[doublechili]

There could be something there for a team like Chicago without having to add anything.

Say, Lee and Mayfield for Seth Jones?

In such a case, Chicago would be taking on an extra million for the remaining two years of Lee's contract.

But those are two players who can help on the ice, in the locker room, and theoretically in the toughness department for a team that will be needing to protect Bedard considerably in the coming years while just plain deepening the quality of players they're surrounding Bedard with. That's a team I can see Lee getting some dirty PP goals for as well.

I can also see Lee having Chicago on the 15-team list. Much closer to home and right around the corner from his alma mater.

We wouldn't free up any cap space, but we'd free up a LW spot for a better skater and we'd upgrade CONSIDERABLY on defense.

You don't ideally want that money wrapped up in one blueline, or even one side of the blueline, but it's something to think about. And if things work out, maybe there are options to move Pulock when Dobson's payday sets in.

For those not in the know, Jones can be a beast. The hockey world has simply come to know that he can't bear the burden of entire blueline squad the way a Chicago would need him to, despite what he's being paid. But you get him on a team like this and you've got another Pulock with 40-50% more production offensively.

I actually was thinking about a deal for Jones as a way around some of our supposedly "unmovable" contracts. Obviously the NTCs are an issue right now (but not as of 7/1 for Lee), and I agree with you that he might see CHI as a desirable place to be (Mayfield's from StL, so he might be okay with CHI too). And yeah, Jones would make Pulock expendable (some think Pulock has little/no value, but I'll bet VAN disagrees!). Anyway, kudos for making a creative suggestion that actually makes some sense.

BTW, here's a nugget re: the Sens at the deadline that indicates there are teams out there that might value some of what we have too much of:

"Staios would like to add 'good pros' to the locker room, to take some of the pressure off captain Brady Tkachuk, Thomas Chabot, and Claude Giroux. Tkachuk said he would welcome another voice of leadership in the locker room."

Countdown to Tradecentre: Sens 'open for business' ahead of deadline | TSN

The Ottawa Senators have frequently been in trade rumours, and the expected chatter is only going to increase as the March 8 trade deadline approaches, reports Postmedia's Bruce Garrioch.

www.tsn.ca

 

[leeroggy]

Goalies age slowly and Varly's still solid. There would be a solid market for him if Lou desired to move him.

Not likely

Lou Lamoriello says Islanders must increase their goalie depth

ST. LOUIS — Having three goaltenders capable of playing in the NHL is not easy. But Islanders general manager Lou Lamoriello recognizes it as a need after his team was caught out when Semyon Varlam…

nypost.com

 

[doublechili]

Not with another three years on his deal. One year and he'd have good value. But three more years, an NTC and 35+ contract to boot, his value is actually nothing.

I'd be shocked if Varly were traded, but at $2.75M for a great #2 who can slide up to #1 in the playoffs if needed - I don't think there would be a problem finding a few teams very interested in him right about now.

 

[Throttle]

I actually was thinking about a deal for Jones as a way around some of our supposedly "unmovable" contracts. Obviously the NTCs are an issue right now (but not as of 7/1 for Lee), and I agree with you that he might see CHI as a desirable place to be (Mayfield's from StL, so he might be okay with CHI too). And yeah, Jones would make Pulock expendable (some think Pulock has little/no value, but I'll bet VAN disagrees!). Anyway, kudos for making a creative suggestion that actually makes some sense.

BTW, here's a nugget re: the Sens at the deadline that indicates there are teams out there that might value some of what we have too much of:

"Staios would like to add 'good pros' to the locker room, to take some of the pressure off captain Brady Tkachuk, Thomas Chabot, and Claude Giroux. Tkachuk said he would welcome another voice of leadership in the locker room."

Countdown to Tradecentre: Sens 'open for business' ahead of deadline | TSN

The Ottawa Senators have frequently been in trade rumours, and the expected chatter is only going to increase as the March 8 trade deadline approaches, reports Postmedia's Bruce Garrioch.

www.tsn.ca

I think more is made of NTCs than what actually happens. In the end, most players want to be valued and want to play. The NTC gives them some ‘initial’ control on a destination, but if a team doesn’t want you bc they want to make a change or wants another player, most players are going to waive to find themselves in a situation where they are valued and can play.

The edge cases seem to be the ones that get leaked and made bigger deals out of it.

All these contracts and players are movable.

 

[beach]

Not with another three years on his deal. One year and he'd have good value. But three more years, an NTC and 35+ contract to boot, his value is actually nothing.

The Canes and several other teams would take Varly in a heartbeat.

 

[SI]

I think more is made of NTCs than what actually happens. In the end, most players want to be valued and want to play. The NTC gives them some ‘initial’ control on a destination, but if a team doesn’t want you bc they want to make a change or wants another player, most players are going to waive to find themselves in a situation where they are valued and can play.

The edge cases seem to be the ones that get leaked and made bigger deals out of it.

All these contracts and players are movable.

Not the case - Krug invoked his NTC at the beginning of the season with St Louis. You have the fallout of the Dadanov situation. Berlin’s was another situation and there is another situation just recently that also involved a NTC, so to say it is t a big deal is not accurate

 

[PK Cronin]

I think more is made of NTCs than what actually happens. In the end, most players want to be valued and want to play. The NTC gives them some ‘initial’ control on a destination, but if a team doesn’t want you bc they want to make a change or wants another player, most players are going to waive to find themselves in a situation where they are valued and can play.

The edge cases seem to be the ones that get leaked and made bigger deals out of it.

All these contracts and players are movable.

They're used to prevent players from going to completely shit situations, whether that's location or specific teams in the standings. They don't often stop players from being traded altogether though.

 

[Throttle]

They're used to prevent players from going to completely shit situations, whether that's location or specific teams in the standings. They don't often stop players from being traded altogether though.

It gives some leverage, but in the end, if you wanna play, you’ll waive. Maybe the team finds an alternative team still on the list but better than the original target. Most likely, the player is being moved.

 

[Throttle]

Not the case - Krug invoked his NTC at the beginning of the season with St Louis. You have the fallout of the Dadanov situation. Berlin’s was another situation and there is another situation just recently that also involved a NTC, so to say it is t a big deal is not accurate

Again, those are the edge cases.

 

[periferal]

Here's a scary question that needs to be asked...

Is Roy a worse coach than Lambert?

If not then that should be proof that this roster is a combination of not that talented, lacking heart, and aging right before our eyes.

 

[BelovedIsles]

Here's a scary question that needs to be asked...

Is Roy a worse coach than Lambert?

If not then that should be proof that this roster is a combination of not that talented, lacking heart, and aging right before our eyes.

I just knew this was coming (not from you, per se).

From my limited sample, no. The team is playing faster, more aggressive in all three zones, and modestly better in their own zone. He also sounds like he’s more knowledgeable than Lambert.

With that said, it’s too soon to draw conclusions.

 

[Chockey22]

Here's a scary question that needs to be asked...

Is Roy a worse coach than Lambert?

If not then that should be proof that this roster is a combination of not that talented, lacking heart, and aging right before our eyes.

mostly agree - I don't think they lack heart, but the fact that a new coach hasn't made any difference amply demonstrates the lack of talent and age catching up to a few of our guys. The real question is does Lou have the ability to bring in young talent? His record is mixed, at best, on this.

 

[impaaaaaact]

Deal Nelson, get 2 1sts +
Deal Pelech while he still has name value
Clutterbuck and Martin if you can too

Get a long look at Bolduc, Ish and Maclean to finish the season. Maybe Maggio earns a late season call up

 

[seafoam]

I don’t get how Roy hasn’t thrown the lines in the blender yet.

 

[Lek]

I don’t get how Roy hasn’t thrown the lines in the blender yet.

I think first he has to (had to) see what they could do as established lines, learning what he was teaching. Too, up to this point, now knows what he has and likely knows he is limited, at least for the reminder of the season as to how much a blender will do. Did think it telling when asked why he moved Lee off the top line a game or two back, that he wanted that line to get faster. So he knows.

Here's a scary question that needs to be asked...

Is Roy a worse coach than Lambert?

If not then that should be proof that this roster is a combination of not that talented, lacking heart, and aging right before our eyes.

Guess in the long term we truly can not say. I certainly feel he is. I feel he has a better structural and foundational approach, at least one i like better so not sure that means much....and we certainly have seen progress on those fronts. I think we just have a team of broken players, a few that are at this point unfixable. Too many years ingrained in a system that in the long run failed.

Maybe too much pressure on these guys. Maybe an off-season fixes some of them. Not sure, but i do think we have the right guy behind the bench...just as i did in our first recent evolution when we hired Trots. Time to evolve again...

 

[Arsenalogist24]

I also think Reilly and Cizikas have trade value along with the other names already said

 

[DerekKingSnipes]

Deal Nelson, get 2 1sts +
Deal Pelech while he still has name value
Clutterbuck and Martin if you can too

Get a long look at Bolduc, Ish and Maclean to finish the season. Maybe Maggio earns a late season call up

Forget Iskhakov he’s more JHS but a worse skater, he will be in KHL next year. Maclean is a more of a career minor leaguer than a prospect, he works hard and it’s nice his dad is assistant but he’s not a prospect. Maggio has potential, could be a nice depth third liner who plays on both special teams units. He’s not ready to play here though whatsoever. There isn’t much that’s relatively close to helping soon unless someone comes out of nowhere. Id roll dice on some college free agent’s honestly, sign two or three and maybe you get lucky.

 

[ekill08x]

Forget Iskhakov he’s more JHS but a worse skater, he will be in KHL next year. Maclean is a more of a career minor leaguer than a prospect, he works hard and it’s nice his dad is assistant but he’s not a prospect. Maggio has potential, could be a nice depth third liner who plays on both special teams units. He’s not ready to play here though whatsoever. There isn’t much that’s relatively close to helping soon unless someone comes out of nowhere. Id roll dice on some college free agent’s honestly, sign two or three and maybe you get lucky.

Couldn’t agree more. We have to rebuild the system just as much as the actual NHL roster. We are going to be in trouble for quite some time.

 

[doublechili]

Here's a scary question that needs to be asked...

Is Roy a worse coach than Lambert?

If not then that should be proof that this roster is a combination of not that talented, lacking heart, and aging right before our eyes.

It may be that Roy currently has to work with a roster that was mostly built to play for Trotz. So, if Roy wants a team that can play with the puck and retain possession, it's maybe not going to work great with guys who fit a "bend but don't break" style where they get goals by capitalizing off forechecking and hitting.

 

[MJF]

It may be that Roy currently has to work with a roster that was mostly built to play for Trotz. So, if Roy wants a team that can play with the puck and retain possession, it's maybe not going to work great with guys who fit a "bend but don't break" style where they get goals by capitalizing off forechecking and hitting.

Then it’s fair to ask why Lou would bring in a coach who would try to change this roster’s style of play rather than someone who would coach to the team’s strengths.

It’s as if Lou is acknowledging the game has gotten faster and Roy can coach them out of what they were built for.

 

[Satan'sIsland81]

If I was GM of the Isles, this is what my plan would be:

Try to trade Pageau, Lee, Mayfield, Martin and Clutterbuck, literally for whatever you can get.
Add Duclair at the trade deadline and try to extend for around 3-3.5 million per year.
Use new cap space to add a dman and 2 legit top 6 wingers either at deadline or in offseason.
Next year's forward lineup could look something like this:
XXXXXX - Horvat - Barzal
Duclair - Nelson - XXXXX
Engvall - Maclean - Holmstrom
Fasching - Cizikas - Palmieri

If you get the right pieces for those "XXXXX" spaces and I am talking legit top 6 players, not the Lees and Pageaus of the world. That has the potential to be a faster, more skilled lineup with guys like Engvall and Palmieri playing in more suitable spots given their skillset.