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

[Isles72]

Whenever i see Boqvist play I wonder if he could be a better forward. he seems to have some slick moves but they can be risky as a defenseman

I've wondered about this as well . He's often below the hash marks in the o-zone when he's playing D lol

 

[LeapOnOver]

This enigma Engvall looks dangerous every game lately (all of a sudden) He does make a difference when playing this way. My dime store memory recalls same thing happened last year. Think Lou keeps him around next year with the same drill of being scratched, buried in the AHL if he turns into a pumpkin again. For now, let's run with this horse and get in the playoffs just to piss off Perif and co LGI

I don't think he's ever played this style. He was a north / south guy with some finishing on the rush, but this is a whole different animal to his game. I'm not fooled in to believing it's permanent, but if he can continue to play like this (and have it not solely dependent on his linemates) that contract could be back in the plus side of the ledger. More data needed....

 

[boredmale]

I've wondered about this as well . He's often below the hash marks in the o-zone when he's playing D lol

It will be a nice experiment. Would be great having a guy who can play both forward and defense(incase we get an injury during the game)

 

[SI]

Although there's absolutely no-one in the system ready to step into a top 9 NHL job, I wouldn't worry too much about filling holes at this point. There's a whole summer of free agency ahead.



I'm most interested in seeing how Lou keeps all the most valuable RFAs plus DeAngelo (and preferrably Reilly) in the fold while also getting rid of Pageau and Mayfield. Engvall can be buried, if need be. But his departure isn't nearly as necessary as the aforementioned two.

And I don't equate re-signing Palmieri with "getting better". Not in any way.

I'm also not exactly thrilled with having Duclair around another 3 seasons but I don't see anything happening there.

Free agency often follows the same frustrating pattern—signing mediocre players to contracts we quickly regret while missing out on impact-free agents. This year’s class is particularly weak. Looking at the available options, I have to ask: would I rather have one year of a 31-year-old J.G. Pageau at $5 million or commit to a 34-year-old Mikael Granlund on a multi-year deal?

It reminds me of the Josh Bailey situation—giving up a second-round pick to dump his final year, only to turn around and sign Pierre Engvall to a seven-year deal at $3 million AAV. That kind of decision-making makes me hesitant about moving Pageau. It’s not just about replacing his production but also the role he plays on this team. And realistically, a 20-year-old with only seven NHL games isn’t the answer. The same concern applies to Kyle Palmieri.

I agree that Mayfield and Duclair should be moved. I wonder if San Jose would take on Duclair—his contract isn’t massive, and there’s enough in his game to convince a rebuilding team like the Sharks or Blackhawks that he could slot into their top six. The return, if anything, would likely be a late-round pick.

As for Reilly, I think the team should move on. I’d qualify Boqvist and maybe even Perunovich.

The real mystery is how this team gets younger and what moves correspond with that goal. The Isles won’t be getting younger through free agency—that much is clear. I’ll explore that in my next blog post.

 

[leeroggy]

For the posters who would be interested in trading Dobson . . .

Philly has 3 firsts and 4 seconds, all in the top half of round 2.

Would you do Dobson, Odelius and Gidlof for
#5, #23, #43 and #48?

It's not a young, similar player to Dobson, but you could end up with an entire rebuild draft in one shot.

Frondell
Hensler or Spence or Carbonneau
Murtagh
Ryker Lee
Benjamin Kevan
Charlie Tretheway

Just a thought on a slow Monday

 

[JJ18Sniper]

For the posters who would be interested in trading Dobson . . .

Philly has 3 firsts and 4 seconds, all in the top half of round 2.

Would you do Dobson, Odelius and Gidlof for
#5, #23, #43 and #48?

It's not a young, similar player to Dobson, but you could end up with an entire rebuild draft in one shot.

Frondell
Hensler or Spence or Carbonneau
Murtagh
Ryker Lee
Benjamin Kevan
Charlie Tretheway

Just a thought on a slow Monday

Lot of value there, but that would signal a rebuild over a retool. 25' draft also sounds to not be as strong as the 26' one. I'd be hesitant to trade him within the division, unless you're convinced Dobson has peaked.

 

[Mr Misunderstood]

For the posters who would be interested in trading Dobson . . .

Philly has 3 firsts and 4 seconds, all in the top half of round 2.

Would you do Dobson, Odelius and Gidlof for
#5, #23, #43 and #48?

It's not a young, similar player to Dobson, but you could end up with an entire rebuild draft in one shot.

Frondell
Hensler or Spence or Carbonneau
Murtagh
Ryker Lee
Benjamin Kevan
Charlie Tretheway

Just a thought on a slow Monday

By rule, I can't advocate trading any contributing roster player (let alone a young RHD) to an in-division rival.

 

[doublechili]

Would be great having a guy who can play both forward and defense(incase we get an injury during the game)

It's like he's a smaller Brent Burns.

 

[impaaaaaact]

The real mystery is how this team gets younger and what moves correspond with that goal. The Isles won’t be getting younger through free agency—that much is clear. I’ll explore that in my next blog post.

if they move on from mayfield (buyout) and Pageau (trade) in the summer + Nelson + Varlamov (robidas island) that’s already a lot. Add to that the potential of moving Cizikas and not re-signing Palmieri and that’s 75% of our 30+ players.

Team will be younger next year, for better or for worse

 

[SI]

if they move on from mayfield (buyout) and Pageau (trade) in the summer + Nelson + Varlamov (robidas island) that’s already a lot. Add to that the potential of moving Cizikas and not re-signing Palmieri and that’s 75% of our 30+ players.

Team will be younger next year, for better or for worse

It's how they choose to replace those players. IMO, no need for a Mayfield buyout... they will be able to trade that contract.

 

[Chockey22]

It's how they choose to replace those players. IMO, no need for a Mayfield buyout... they will be able to trade that contract.

I'm not convinced of that - that is a brutal contract and I can't imagine anyone wanting to take that on. Maybe if they retain or attach a pick, but I doubt that Mayfield, with that contract, has any value.

 

[BelovedIsles]

it’s nice to see this team play meaningful games. They tease me; lord knows I’ve been in that place. NYI, juxtaposed to…well.

Horvat has stepped up. He’s N-S; *when he wants the puck, he gets it.

Holms is my boy. Put him on the 3rd line; he’s elite.

Speaking of which, JGP for 5, is not pulling his weight. A plethora of soft plays.

There’s talk about the defense being the core. I feel bad for Ilya.

Dg is not noticeable; that’s a good thing, I suppose.

Pelech still has so much anticipation and stick work. He’s a step slow.

Romanov makes Dobson look better.

Let’s put Cal Ritchie on that 4th line; for now.

Edit: whoops, wrong thread.

 

[LeapOnOver]

Fans all over the interwebs mocking the referees and situation room in Toronto for that call last night.

 

[Chapin Landvogt]

For the posters who would be interested in trading Dobson . . .

Philly has 3 firsts and 4 seconds, all in the top half of round 2.

Would you do Dobson, Odelius and Gidlof for
#5, #23, #43 and #48?

It's not a young, similar player to Dobson, but you could end up with an entire rebuild draft in one shot.

Frondell
Hensler or Spence or Carbonneau
Murtagh
Ryker Lee
Benjamin Kevan
Charlie Tretheway

Just a thought on a slow Monday

I think any moving of Dobson is going to have to be for a bonafide U27 forward who has the kind of impact up front that Dobson has from the backline.

The contract thingy makes him tricky. Very tricky.

And Lou cannot afford to botch things up with Dobson. His value right now is far too great. You either fit him in and continue with him or you get a prime return.

We know that Lou won't just be fishing for picks.

Heck, the 3 firsts we have over the next two summers are anything but safe as long as Lou is the GM. He's about the here and now.

***
I have been closely following the Swedish HockeyAllsvenskan and after Brynäs had an incredible line-up last season, Djurgarden has one of the most interesting line-ups I've ever seen in that league. The number of established and formerly drafted ex-SHLers (and AHLers) combined with the number of promising youngsters makes every game a true event.

And my take is that both Frondell and Eklund are like "Oh my God" good. They both have NHL shots right now. The timing, the release, the acceleration - just incredible.

I'd be stoked to wind up with either, although I'm starting to think that the upside for Frondell is off-the-charts good.

 

[leeroggy]

I'd be stoked to wind up with either, although I'm starting to think that the upside for Frondell is off-the-charts good.

That's really my thought behind this proposal. I was smitten with his highlight video and saw a Peter Forsberg type potential and wondered how to get him.

I doubt Lou's even had one second of thinking about a Dobson trade, but if he did, and finding that similar forward impossible, would this be another route to take.

Philly gets the better end up-front here, but we have two excellent goalie prospects and enough LHD prospects, it becomes as much as shuffling the portfolio of talent.

Frondell and whoever we take with our first vs Dobson and the rest is a chance to balance out our pool, which currently is overloaded with LHD.

 

[Chapin Landvogt]

Seems to me Lou is planning to recreate the 2022-2025 Islanders with his preponderance of bottom 6 players. Now I realize those are the easiest guys to replace but I want to see an emphasis on skill and speed. Right now the only 2 forwards who fit that description are Danny Nelson and Cole Eiserman.

Soooo, he's gonna bring back Beauvillier?

***
Even looking at the bottom six, I think Gatcomb will be re-upped and that Cizikas will be retained (for life ).

Contrary to our feeling for the majority of the season, Engvall may be playing himself out of an early dismissal.

I'd be shocked if Tsyplakov isn't re-upped but despite what's going on now, keeping him means putting him into a position to become a 15-35-50 type of player. So, off the 4th line.

I've got no problem re-upping Fasching as forward 13/14/15 but there are likely better options out there. Seems to be appreciated by his teammates though.

Looking at BPort, the question for me is what is becoming of Jefferies, Maggio, Beckman, and Liukas next season?

When does any one of them play a role in the plans?

Not seeing it in any way right now...

 

[Kevin27nyi]

Wonder what the market for Tony D is. On pace for 49 points pro rated

 

[Chapin Landvogt]

Free agency often follows the same frustrating pattern—signing mediocre players to contracts we quickly regret while missing out on impact-free agents. This year’s class is particularly weak. Looking at the available options, I have to ask: would I rather have one year of a 31-year-old J.G. Pageau at $5 million or commit to a 34-year-old Mikael Granlund on a multi-year deal?

It reminds me of the Josh Bailey situation—giving up a second-round pick to dump his final year, only to turn around and sign Pierre Engvall to a seven-year deal at $3 million AAV. That kind of decision-making makes me hesitant about moving Pageau. It’s not just about replacing his production but also the role he plays on this team. And realistically, a 20-year-old with only seven NHL games isn’t the answer. The same concern applies to Kyle Palmieri.

My GREAT hope is that moving a Mayfield or Pageau would not be something Lou feels is achieved by paying someone draft picks.

I have always despised that and yet exactly that has been his modi operandi on several occasions.

We don't need anything in return. Just move out those contracts and if need be, take something minimal ($$$) in return.

These are still usable players.

I agree that Mayfield and Duclair should be moved. I wonder if San Jose would take on Duclair—his contract isn’t massive, and there’s enough in his game to convince a rebuilding team like the Sharks or Blackhawks that he could slot into their top six. The return, if anything, would likely be a late-round pick.

I've wondered if a Montreal could use his 3 years at 3.5 per in return for Anderson's 2 years at 5.5 MM?

As for Reilly, I think the team should move on. I’d qualify Boqvist and maybe even Perunovich.

The real mystery is how this team gets younger and what moves correspond with that goal. The Isles won’t be getting younger through free agency—that much is clear. I’ll explore that in my next blog post.

The blueline is interesting.

It all starts with Dobson. Do you lock him in at market value? Do you move him as a highly desirable and tradeable asset? Does he get a 1-year bridgedeal and if so, why risk that?

Do you re-up DeAngelo? Roy leans on him like the ne plus ultra.

Do you keep Boqvist (likely) and Perunovich (looking unlikely) in the fold?

Do you keep each of Pelech, Mayfield, and Pulock, 'cause it looks like at least one needs to go? (I've already argued that Pulock and Mayfield should boht be moved.)

Romanov is an RFA and he's now the most important guy we've got.

Reilly? I'd like to keep him but that will surely hinge on what happens with the others.

George looks like the one kid who could step in but his understandable struggles before being sent down mean that he's prolly only being seen as a #6/7 option, if that.

Bolduc seems to be completely out of the plans while Warren and Odelius surely need more seasoning (particularly the latter).

So, what happens here?

 

[Chapin Landvogt]

I'm not convinced of that - that is a brutal contract and I can't imagine anyone wanting to take that on. Maybe if they retain or attach a pick, but I doubt that Mayfield, with that contract, has any value.

Don't think this into existence.

Let's just chose to believe that a good GM can find a taker. Yes, you may take something (you can bury) back, but it's malpractice to pay someone to take your contractual mistake.

And Mayfield is 100% on Lou (as opposed to Ladd and Bailey).

 

[MJF]

Soooo, he's gonna bring back Beauvillier?

***
Even looking at the bottom six, I think Gatcomb will be re-upped and that Cizikas will be retained (for life ).

Contrary to our feeling for the majority of the season, Engvall may be playing himself out of an early dismissal.

I'd be shocked if Tsyplakov isn't re-upped but despite what's going on now, keeping him means putting him into a position to become a 15-35-50 type of player. So, off the 4th line.

I've got no problem re-upping Fasching as forward 13/14/15 but there are likely better options out there. Seems to be appreciated by his teammates though.

Looking at BPort, the question for me is what is becoming of Jefferies, Maggio, Beckman, and Liukas next season?

When does any one of them play a role in the plans?

Not seeing it in any way right now...

Don't scoff at the thought of Beauvillier getting a 2nd stint here. Loyal Lou believes in his players.

I am not disagreeing with any of points except the thought of retaining Hudson Fasching next season, but I will add Isaiah George to the mix of BPT players you mentioned. He and Bolduc (yes Bolduc) are playing well now and should be given chances to win a spot on the D in September.

 

[MJF]

I understand the Canadiens are interested in Mat Barzal. I would like to know what the Habs have in juniors and in college that make them a potential trade partner.

 

[MJF]

My GREAT hope is that moving a Mayfield or Pageau would not be something Lou feels is achieved by paying someone draft picks.

I have always despised that and yet exactly that has been his modi operandi on several occasions.

We don't need anything in return. Just move out those contracts and if need be, take something minimal ($$$) in return.

These are still usable players.

You despise that like I despise signing players to stupid term just to buy them out after 2 seasons.

 

[periferal]

Give Dobson a medium/bridge deal.

I'd much rather pay players a little extra AFTER they've PROVEN they are the goods...Rather than trying to lock in extra years for a guy who's still trying to figure it out/far from consistent.

At his full potential Dobson is probably a 9M/year defenseman. However he's only had 1 season even close to that potential, and more recently he's been playing like a 5M defenseman.

And just saying, "But the cap is going up," is not a reason to overpay any player. The "cap going up" gives GMs like Lou more breathing room to get out of their mistakes...And I don't want to see him make another one.

 

[Chockey22]

Give Dobson a medium/bridge deal.

I'd much rather pay players a little extra AFTER they've PROVEN they are the goods...Rather than trying to lock in extra years for a guy who's still trying to figure it out/far from consistent.

At his full potential Dobson is probably a 9M/year defenseman. However he's only had 1 season even close to that potential, and more recently he's been playing like a 5M defenseman.

And just saying, "But the cap is going up," is not a reason to overpay any player. The "cap going up" gives GMs like Lou more breathing room to get out of their mistakes...And I don't want to see him make another one.

there's no more medium/bridge deals for Dobson; he's an RFA with arbitration rights this year. He can get a one year deal and walk to UFA. I'm afraid this summer is put up or shut up time with Dobson. Given Chychrun just got 9 million for 8 years, I'd have to think that's probably the ballpark for Dobson.

 

[Chockey22]

Don't scoff at the thought of Beauvillier getting a 2nd stint here. Loyal Lou believes in his players.

I am not disagreeing with any of points except the thought of retaining Hudson Fasching next season, but I will add Isaiah George to the mix of BPT players you mentioned. He and Bolduc (yes Bolduc) are playing well now and should be given chances to win a spot on the D in September.

Lou clearly does not, in this case, believe in his former players - Lou could have brought Beau back for less than half of what he paid for Duclair, and the team would be better off today. And Fasching should be nowhere near this team next season, unless the plan is to tank for McKenna.