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

[Richie Daggers Crime]

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.

It's a low risk move and hypothetically, one made to cover the GM. Roy is a Nolan type figure that hasn't coached in the NHL in years. Lou needed to do something. If the coaching change works out, great. If not, Roy is an easy sacrificial lamb.

 

[Nassau Revisited]

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

Really is surprising he keeps the same broken lines. I understand we have limited talent but at least shuffle the deck chairs

 

[DerekKingSnipes]

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.

Maclean as third center is awful, he has no skill whatsoever. He’s a career minor leaguer really. Duclair isn’t getting anywhere near three million off season he’s had, only connection is Roy had him in junior but we have no idea if Roy even liked him or wants him. I think we need to aim higher for top two LW altering buying out Lee.

 

[Tahoeblue]

My 2 cents- Love the mix of young and veteran skill and leadership on the Dallas Stars. This team drafts well, manages the cap, and develops their own talent. Wyatt Johnson and Logan Stankhoven are going to be great and step in for their aging players. Jealous!

For the Isles, maybe there is a young and talented team that has struggled like the Ducks, Coyotes, Sabres, or Senators who may be duped in taking some veteran players off the Isles roster. Maybe Lou could persuade a gm to give up a young player who has yet to pop for a needed vet presence to balance out their roster. I know a total long shot as Lou handed out too many trade protection contracts. Sort of a sneaky way to insert some youth and speed in the roster.

 

[duster19]

Maclean as third center is awful, he has no skill whatsoever. He’s a career minor leaguer really. Duclair isn’t getting anywhere near three million off season he’s had, only connection is Roy had him in junior but we have no idea if Roy even liked him or wants him. I think we need to aim higher for top two LW altering buying out Lee.

Pageau as a second line Center is crazy. Maybe Lou is working the phones for another Center. I’m guessing they are moving to an evaluation mode from a make the playoffs. So we will see some changes to lines and roles. Hopefully see a couple Bridgeport guys. Move some of the lower hanging fruit at the deadline.

 

[seafoam]

Really is surprising he keeps the same broken lines. I understand we have limited talent but at least shuffle the deck chairs

Welp

https://x.com/stefen_rosner/status/1761791488936104043?s=20

 

[The Real JT]

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

Nelson is not returning 2 firsts.

 

[Nassau Revisited]

Welp

https://x.com/stefen_rosner/status/1761791488936104043?s=20

Looks like a great 1st line and 2 3rd lines and a 3rd line in the AHL. I am happy Roy is trying something new but man this roster stinks

 

[DerekKingSnipes]

Pageau as a second line Center is crazy. Maybe Lou is working the phones for another Center. I’m guessing they are moving to an evaluation mode from a make the playoffs. So we will see some changes to lines and roles. Hopefully see a couple Bridgeport guys. Move some of the lower hanging fruit at the deadline.

Yeah makes sense for isles to see if Nelson can play wing on top line, a lot easier to get second line center than a top line winger.

 

[Satan'sIsland81]

Definitely need a nickname for that top line. The helicopter line, all centers and no wings.

 

[xECK29x]

Definitely need a nickname for that top line. The helicopter line, all centers and no wings.

Stole this from Staple

 

[impaaaaaact]

Nelson is not returning 2 firsts.

He absolutely is, or a first and a recent first round selection. He’s a center who can play wing on pace for his third straight 35 goal season with another year on his deal at a reasonable AAV. Lindholm went for a first and a third and Hunter B and his resume is less impressive.

 

[The Real JT]

Trade proposal:

Nelson for Debrusk + pick.
I’d do it if the pick were a first rounder but a second may be more realistic.

We need a LW so seems like a good fit though he’s an impending UFA.

 

[leeroggy]

Definitely need a nickname for that top line. The helicopter line, all centers and no wings.

The Rockefellers

 

[doublechili]

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.

It's a low risk move and hypothetically, one made to cover the GM. Roy is a Nolan type figure that hasn't coached in the NHL in years. Lou needed to do something. If the coaching change works out, great. If not, Roy is an easy sacrificial lamb.

I actually agree with both of these posts. I could see a scenario where if it doesn't work out, Roy stays and Lou goes. That would be if ownership thinks (and/or Lou admits) that the game has changed and he's not the guy to move with the change. The next 4-5 months could be pretty interesting around here.

 

[Top Corner]

Calgary is still trying to make the playoffs, Would Calgary move Hanifin for Nelson + 1st ?

assuming the isles could sign Hanifin, would the Isles make this deal ?

 

[Big L]

If you’re moving Nelson, you need someone to replace him. Better be a pick + top prospect

 

[periferal]

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.

I think Lambert is pretty much a putz so the bar Roy has to clear is very low. Certainly he deserves more time, but...

If you think Roy is a better coach that's even more of an indictment of this roster.

Lou made the coaching change because he was counting on it spurning the team into a playoff run. Now they're going in the wrong direction and easily going to miss them (in a year when the Eastern Conference is down).

Add it all up and you have a failing roster lacking talent and a GM who hired an inept coach, replaced him, and is still going to miss the playoffs while constantly saying how much he believes in them to be a contender.

And none of us is going to be surprised if he trades the 2024 1st yet again because he refuses to/cannot admit what this team has become.

Not sure how you can build more of a resume to be fired, but alas there are those that judge Lou based on his name rather than the current accurate state he's led this franchise to. I hope Malkin views the latter.

 

[periferal]

If you’re moving Nelson, you need someone to replace him. Better be a pick + top prospect

If you don't trade Nelson you need "someones" to replace the bottom 6 forwards and last 3 defenseman.

 

[SI]

Trade proposal:

Nelson for Debrusk + pick.
I’d do it if the pick were a first rounder but a second may be more realistic.

We need a LW so seems like a good fit though he’s an impending UFA.

That is terrible! Debrusk is a UFA.

Try Danielson and Detroits 1st in 2025

 

[Chapin Landvogt]

NEWSFLASH:
For those not sure of Nelson's trade value, you really don't need to look any further than Horvat and what we moved for him. There's absolutely no way he goes for less than a usable young NHLer, a grade B prospect, and a 1st. That's the starting point.

Then calculate into the equation that several big, big contenders are sorely in need of a prime #2 center and several of the other prime options are off the market (i.e. Lindholm and Monohan).

Then throw on top of that the fact that Nelson still has another year on his 6 MM deal, thus the "UFA" risk is not part of the equation.

That he's also a goal-scoring center is an extra bonus on top, because there isn't a lot of that to be had anyway.

The one negative would be that several of the biggest contenders for his services have next to no cap space.

But cap gymnastics can and have been done, so I wouldn't say that's a dealbreaker just now.

And who knows... maybe guys like Aho, Gauthier and Fasching could be "tossed" into a deal for him as well, much like Zajac back in the Palmieri deal.

I'm thinking that right now, Nelson gets you a young, promising NHLer, a bluechip prospect, another decent prospect, and a team's first, perhaps even a 2nd as well if the team acquiring him is looking like a hot contender for the Cup (thus devaluing the position of the 1st).

I mean, look at what Tampa paid for Jeannot last trade deadline. Nelson is stud on this market.

 

[The Real JT]

That is terrible! Debrusk is a UFA.

Try Danielson and Detroits 1st in 2025

While I’m not comparing Debrusk to any of the previous pending UFAs Lou has traded for, the expectation in my proposal was that he agrees to sign with the Isles like every single player has since Lou arrived.

 

[periferal]

NEWSFLASH:
For those not sure of Nelson's trade value, you really don't need to look any further than Horvat and what we moved for him. There's absolutely no way he goes for less than a usable young NHLer, a grade B prospect, and a 1st. That's the starting point.

Then calculate into the equation that several big, big contenders are sorely in need of a prime #2 center and several of the other prime options are off the market (i.e. Lindholm and Monohan).

Then throw on top of that the fact that Nelson still has another year on his 6 MM deal, thus the "UFA" risk is not part of the equation.

That he's also a goal-scoring center is an extra bonus on top, because there isn't a lot of that to be had anyway.

The one negative would be that several of the biggest contenders for his services have next to no cap space.

But cap gymnastics can and have been done, so I wouldn't say that's a dealbreaker just now.

And who knows... maybe guys like Aho, Gauthier and Fasching could be "tossed" into a deal for him as well, much like Zajac back in the Palmieri deal.

I'm thinking that right now, Nelson gets you a young, promising NHLer, a bluechip prospect, another decent prospect, and a team's first, perhaps even a 2nd as well if the team acquiring him is looking like a hot contender for the Cup (thus devaluing the position of the 1st).

I mean, look at what Tampa paid for Jeannot last trade deadline. Nelson is stud on this market.

I agree with your assessment of Nelson's value. The big problem is that the only "gymnastics" that would need to be performed would be getting Lou to actually trading AWAY a player of value as opposed to trading FOR one.

That is never happening so we will have to leave Nelson's supposed trade value to discussions on internet boards like this (while watching Nelson's trade full trade value window close with it ultimately slamming shut once Lou gives him a new 7 year deal a year from now).

 

[Osakahaus]

about to fall to 7th now

if im Lamoriello, sell.

 

[PWJunior]

about to fall to 7th now

if im Lamoriello, sell.