Roster/Rumors/Speculation/Trade Talk - 2024-25: Re-Tool, Re-Group, Re-Mix, Re-Build

[Mr Misunderstood]

Former Isle and Stranger GM Neil Smith says "The Isles are Stuck In Park"
Go to the 13:57 Mark to hear Smith speak about the Isles....

I think collectively we can agree that the roster is not as dynamic as the rest of the league, I think "stuck in park" is unfair.

A more apt representation is "the Isles safely drive the speed limit and never dare go over."

 

[leeroggy]

Former Isle and Stranger GM Neil Smith says "The Isles are Stuck In Park"
Go to the 13:57 Mark to hear Smith speak about the Isles....

Coming from the former co-owner of the Johnstown Chiefs is kind of weird . . . the epitomy of 'old school hockey'.

One could claim Neil was the Strother Martin of that team . . .

 

[seafoam]

Powerplay sucks and PK was historically bad and yet they still managed to finish 3rd in the division.

Clean up one of both of those and they have another chance to St. Louis "Blue" themselves.

 

[NYI365]

Powerplay sucks and PK was historically bad and yet they still managed to finish 3rd in the division.

Clean up one of both of those and they have another chance to St. Louis "Blue" themselves.

May I also add a return to form for Sorokin as well.

 

[MJF]

I think collectively we can agree that the roster is not as dynamic as the rest of the league, I think "stuck in park" is unfair.

A more apt representation is "the Isles safely drive the speed limit and never dare go over."

“They can’t score, they’re not fast.” “They may squeak in the playoffs again because the division isn’t good.”

Other than Smith saying he doesn’t know Anthony Duclair, I think Smith is credible and accurate, and saying the Isles are stuck in Park is fair.

If hovering around the cut line again, making the playoffs and getting a participation trophy is the goal for 2025, Lou is on the right track.

 

[Mr Misunderstood]

“They can’t score, they’re not fast.” “They may squeak in the playoffs again because the division isn’t good.”

Other than Smith saying he doesn’t know Anthony Duclair, I think Smith is credible and accurate, and saying the Isles are stuck in Park is fair.

If hovering around the cut line again and making the playoffs is the goal for 2025, Lou is on the right track.

Buffalo is stuck in park. They cannot get anything going in a positive direction.

Regardless of whether you think making the playoffs is a good measuring stick (you and I don't think that should be the goal here) the NYI is in a better position than BUF.

 

[MJF]

Buffalo is stuck in park. They cannot get anything going in a positive direction.

Regardless of whether you think making the playoffs is a good measuring stick (you and I don't think that should be the goal here) the NYI is in a better position than BUF.

Then maybe saying the Isles are stuck in Reverse is better, because they’ve been trending in the wrong direction since 2021.

 

[MJF]

Powerplay sucks and PK was historically bad and yet they still managed to finish 3rd in the division.

Clean up one of both of those and they have another chance to St. Louis "Blue" themselves.

The Dollar and a Dream contingent is warming up in the bullpen.

 

[Throttle]

Lmao at annually complaining about a team that’s made the playoffs 5/6 seasons the GM has been here.

Yet, praise the OTT, BUF, and DETs that can’t even break through.

And get all chicken little over big bad Carolina that annually FAILs to advance their cause. Maybe if the Isles franchise goalie was a franchise goalie in the playoffs the past two seasons vs a waif, the Isles win a series, but too bad, he hasn’t delivered on his appointment.

 

[seafoam]

The Dollar and a Dream contingent is warming up in the bullpen.

 

[Richie Daggers Crime]

And get all chicken little over big bad Carolina that annually FAILs to advance their cause. Maybe if the Isles franchise goalie was a franchise goalie in the playoffs the past two seasons vs a waif, the Isles win a series, but too bad, he hasn’t delivered on his appointment.

The playoffs are full of disappointment for everyone except one team.

 

[LeapOnOver]

The playoffs are full of disappointment for everyone except one team.

Apparently if you don't win the Stanley Cup every season you are going in reverse.

 

[MJF]

Apparently if you don't win the Stanley Cup every season you are going in reverse.

Every season? How about just getting to the Finals once in a while. That hasn't happened here since 1984.

Do you think the Islanders are trending in the right direction? Since 2021 they've missed the playoffs and lost in the first round twice. Is that going forward?

 

[saintunspecified]

Other than Smith saying he doesn’t know Anthony Duclair, I think Smith is credible and accurate, and saying the Isles are stuck in Park is fair.

Arguing about a metaphor (really more like an idiom) isn't going to be productive. At least we might make it specific. The direction of the franchise in the near future was determined when the Horvat trade was made, or possibly when Barzal was signed the previous October. If one take those events as given, NYI has few rational courses other than the one they seem to be pursuing. We could argue about little things, maybe. Like Engvall, or the bottom 6, etc. But the issues re top-end talent were set then,

Would it have been better for if NYI had decided to retool in '22-23? Not traded for Horvat? Worked a sign and trade for Barzal? I mean, from things you have said I think maybe you do think that would have been better. And I don't have a criticism of that position. I understand it.

But nobody else really talks that in depth about the Islanders. So, I don't really know whether Smith's position is worth thinking about. It doesn't imo add anything new to the discussion here. It may be fair, but it's not really worth the time.

 

[mm11]

Good to see you fellas fighting the good fight. Sept is in the air. Close to bleeding orange blue and white time. Think the isles will be competing for the division title this year playing with a chip on their collective shoulders. Let's see what happens

 

[MJF]

Would it have been better for if NYI had decided to retool in '22-23? Not traded for Horvat? Worked a sign and trade for Barzal? I mean, from things you have said I think maybe you do think that would have been better. And I don't have a criticism of that position. I understand it.

This is beating a dead horse, but……

I was one who said the team should have started a re-whatever the year we missed the playoffs at the 2022 trade deadline and been sellers then, so it should never have gotten to the point of trading for Horvat had Lou gone this route. Once Lou resigned Barzal and traded for Horvat we were committed to this path of waiting for all the bad contracts to expire on their own.

 

[saintunspecified]

This is beating a dead horse, but……

I was one who said the team should have started a re-whatever the year we missed the playoffs at the 2022 trade deadline and been sellers then, so it should never have gotten to the point of trading for Horvat had Lou gone this route. Once Lou resigned Barzal and traded for Horvat we were committed to this path of waiting for all the bad contracts to expire on their own.

That's what I thought I remembered. What I'm saying is, I don't think these comments we're reading these days add much to your position. Whether you are correct about all of that, and you may be, I do think NYI would have had to do a top-bottom change to take that course. And while maybe the rewards go to those who risk, it would have been seen as very risky.

 

[MJF]

That's what I thought I remembered. What I'm saying is, I don't think these comments we're reading these days add much to your position. Whether you are correct about all of that, and you may be, I do think NYI would have had to do a top-bottom change to take that course. And while maybe the rewards go to those who risk, it would have been seen as very risky.

Nobody here had the stomach for being sellers that year. I remember all the excuses people gave, from "how can you break up a team that went to the semis 2 straight years" to "they just moved into a new arena" to "what would we have-Sorokin surrounded by nobody?"

My bottom line is the roster always played better than the sum of their parts and a difficult choice should have been made to not keep doubling down on those guys, but 4 years later here we are, waiting for most of their contracts to expire, and erroneously, giving too much term to bottom half of the roster players.

 

[doublechili]

Whether you are correct about all of that, and you may be, I do think NYI would have had to do a top-bottom change to take that course. And while maybe the rewards go to those who risk, it would have been seen as very risky.

Just to be clear, that was the big question back then - whether to do a "re-tool" (or whatever you want to call it) while trying to still compete, or do a full-blown, tear-it-down rebuild (trade Sorokoin, Barzal, Nelson, etc.) and stink for 6-8 years in the hopes we strike it rich with prospects.

 

[Throttle]

Hey folks, after years of Wang and a dilapidated arena situation, the team punched above its weight by going to two conference finals.

We are going to rebuild again. Please come to your new $1B privately funded arena and hang out for 5-10 years while we improve your entertainment experience (we think/hope).

 

[NYI365]

Hey folks, after years of Wang and a dilapidated arena situation, the team punched above its weight by going to two conference finals.

We are going to rebuild again. Please come to your new $1B privately funded arena and hang out for 5-10 years while we improve your entertainment experience (we think/hope).

Yep, strictly from a business perspective there's no way in hell a rebuild was ever a split second thought amongst anyone in ownership or management.

 

[Chapin Landvogt]

Hey folks, after years of Wang and a dilapidated arena situation, the team punched above its weight by going to two conference finals.

We are going to rebuild again. Please come to your new $1B privately funded arena and hang out for 5-10 years while we improve your entertainment experience (we think/hope).

Nobody's rebuilding.

All the concerns anyone is sharing are basically about what paths can be (or could have recently been) taken to surround Barzal, Horvat, Dobson, Sorokin, and Romanov with different elements or a different approach.

That's all.

 

[BelovedIsles]

The league is better this year. It’s going to be, yet agan, a challenge to squeak in.

 

[LeapOnOver]

Every season? How about just getting to the Finals once in a while. That hasn't happened here since 1984.

Do you think the Islanders are trending in the right direction? Since 2021 they've missed the playoffs and lost in the first round twice. Is that going forward?

It's not going in reverse, though. They added another top 6 forward, finally added to their prospect pool, and shed two of those bottom 6 contracts that were slight overpays. I'd say that's trending in the right direction. I'm never going to have your "Stanley Cup or bust" attitude because it's so incredibly hard to win it.

 

[MJF]

It's not going in reverse, though. They added another top 6 forward, finally added to their prospect pool, and shed two of those bottom 6 contracts that were slight overpays. I'd say that's trending in the right direction. I'm never going to have your "Stanley Cup or bust" attitude because it's so incredibly hard to win it.

I’ve never had a Stanley Cup or bust attitude. You have me confused with Periferal. I’m looking for steady improvements to the roster and playoff results. We were on the way there, then starting in 2021-22 Lou’s misjudgments and failures sent us on a 3 year detour..