Roster/Rumors/Speculation/Trade Talk - 2025-26: Welcome to the Darche Side

[scott99]

It’s like the Emperor’s new clothes, I’m just not seeing it. Byram is not worth the 4th overall pick, let alone 12.5 mill a year.

 

[scott99]

If the Schenn trade winds up being Darche's biggest blunder, then it's safe to assume that time will show that he had a pretty good run as GM for this team. I consider it to be an ill-advised trade, but the histrionics around here regarding that deal are WAY over the f***ing top.

Yeah, I’m not seeing how you can be so dismissive on one of the worst trades in Islander’s history. Schenn was maybe worth a 3rd and MAYBE give them the goalie as well, but even that would’ve been an overpay. To give away something as valuable as a 1st round pick in addition to the 3rd and a prospect, for a 35 year old player way past their prime, is Milbury-esque.

For those who think Lou is still in charge, even HE wouldn’t have made a trade THAT bad.

 

[Strummergas]

Yeah, I’m not seeing how you can be so dismissive on one of the worst trades in Islander’s history.

You keep saying this, so it's hard to take you seriously if you think this was as bad or worse than almost any trade that took place in the late 90s/early 2000s. I know you're a draft hound, but come on man...

 

[periferal]

Question 1:
McKenna, Stenberg, Reid, Björck, Carels, Malhotra, Cullen, Gustafsson, Verhoeff, Smits, Rudolph, Lawrence, Belchetz.

I assume that list is in order. Wasn't sure your thoughts on Belchetz as he seems like the ultimate wild card. Almost scary to me that a guy with his physical traits isn't a lock top 7 pick. He has so much of what NHL teams are dying for, so concerning that so many will pass on him.

Also Gustafsson is so interesting to me. On the one hand he's "shot up draft boards," but on the other...Perhaps most NHL teams had him top 10 from the get go and were just trying to keep it quiet as they love him. Seems like he's going to be a hit in the NHL.

I also have to assume you have Lin just outside this list - Like 14 or 15. I can't stop thinking he's going to be a hit in the NHL. He's like the anti-Belchetz in that he doesn't have all the physical skill you want, but everything in terms of hockey smarts/work-ethic.

Question 2:
If moving back to 18-24 means I get Klepov or Pugachyov, a fairly high 2nd and a 3rd or high 4th, then yes. I'd prefer that to several of the top 13 players.

Well of course that's only true IF they use those additional picks wisely. If the blow them, then better to just stay at 13.

That said when Darche trades #13 for Morgan Reilly or Darnell Nurse....

 

[periferal]

You keep saying this, so it's hard to take you seriously if you think this was as bad or worse than almost any trade that took place in the late 90s/early 2000s.

For "worst trade in Islander history" I nominate...

Luongo & Jokinen for Kvasha & Parrish

I really think that's the winner. Not sure how it could be beat.

 

[Strummergas]

For "worst trade in Islander history" I nominate...

Luongo & Jokinen for Kvasha & Parrish

I really think that's the winner. Not sure how it could be beat.

Hands f***ing down.

The Yashin deal proved to be a massive blunder as well.

 

[Sparksrus3]

It’s the same posts day after day. Rinse, recycle, repeat.

Don’t forget the Jet Dry to avoid streaks ….LGI

 

[periferal]

Hands f***ing down.

The Yashin deal proved to be a massive blunder as well.

Oh no question as it's depressing that Milbury's greatest "find" was one of the most special defenseman in NHL history...And he gave him away and more for a guy who was such a "leader" that he sat out the previous season.

What a f***ing trainwreck this franchise has been. If they ever win the Cup I can retire from being a sports fan (even though I won't).

 

[leeroggy]

If this wasn't a place for people to vent, float their own trade ideas, etc, they could just shut the board down from mid-April to September when training camp opens.

It isn't about WHAT, but HOW MUCH

 

[SayItAintSoJohnny]

For "worst trade in Islander history" I nominate...

Luongo & Jokinen for Kvasha & Parrish

I really think that's the winner. Not sure how it could be beat.

Yes, that was BY FAR the worst trade and the Schenn trade doesn't remotely compare.

Plus, it is being disingenuous to not mention we were unloading Drouin in that deal as well- still a bad trade, but not as bad as what some people are making out.

For me, what MADE IT WORSE was re-upping with JGP literally the same day..... meaning getting one for his 35- and 36-year-old seasons and the other for his 34-, 35- and 36-year-old seasons. This is NOT the correct mindset for what should ONLY be about building a contender around our YOUNG, new franchise blueliner...

 

[saintunspecified]

Yeah, I’m not seeing how you can be so dismissive on one of the worst trades in Islander’s history.

If only it were one of the worst trades in Islanders history. If only.

 

[saintunspecified]

Hands f***ing down.

The Yashin deal proved to be a massive blunder as well.

In more recent times, Toews for 2 2nds was awful.

 

[Top Corner]

Based on everything Darche has said and done, I'm fairly confident that his outline in his interview was to remain in the playoff hunt every year while retooling the roster to get younger and become a true cup competitor in Schaefer's timeline. His outline was never a full blown rebuild, even if many of us thought/think that's the correct path.

I think he also emphasized strengthening the organization internally, its prospect development side (Bridgeport/Hamilton) and fan engagement. That's where he differs from Lou, not in terms of how he views the current roster of players - in my view.

He may yet pull off a big move at the draft this weekend, but I have my doubts. I think he honestly believes this team can make the playoffs next year, while he adds prospects for the future.

If we end up moving Duclair and a LD, that's about the most I'd expect.

I can see that as his pitch to get the job but at the end of the day, I think he had enough vets and anything over 28 was not needed. He's wrinkled a couple of feathers with Lee and any ties he has with teammates leaving him possibly the odd man out if he can't make it work. That sometimes leaves a divided room which I felt was a part of their TDL skid

 

[periferal]

Yes, that was BY FAR the worst trade and the Schenn trade doesn't remotely compare.

Plus, it is being disingenuous to not mention we were unloading Drouin in that deal as well- still a bad trade, but not as bad as what some people are making out.

For me, what MADE IT WORSE was re-upping with JGP literally the same day..... meaning getting one for his 35- and 36-year-old seasons and the other for his 34-, 35- and 36-year-old seasons. This is NOT the correct mindset for what should ONLY be about building a contender around our YOUNG, new franchise blueliner...

All correct.

Here's the thing...There's no need to compare the Schenn deal to any other trade in Islander history. We just need to discuss it on its own merit, and however you discuss that it was a terrible deal that wastes assets, cap space, and doesn't help us get closer to the Cup in the short or long term.

We need to get younger, more talented, and build the team around Schaefer. So until Darche starts making moves where that's clearly the plan, then we have a right to be skeptical of him as a GM. And the more time that goes by without him doing that, at some point you have to say that he's not a good GM.

We're not there yet, but hate that we even have to be skeptical. Gorton and Hughes started building the Canadiens the right way on day 1 of their tenure...And in in that time they've lapped us going from top 5 picks to a Cup window opening.

On the flipside....Darche is doubling-down on Lou's failed ways and it's depressing.

 

[islesfan3913]

Because, for the way picks are being thrown around, unloading some of our vets would bring back a haul. The Isles are not going anywhere in the next couple of years, so we should be trading guys for prospects and picks right now.

Barzy
Cizikas
Pelech
Duclair
Palms
Mayfield
The rights to Lee
Horvat - if an incredible offer came

It's possible there is no market for a couple of these guys, but the fact that nothing at all has happened means Darche is likely running it back. Barzy and Pelech's value is higher now than it ever will be. We haven't gone anywhere with them, so sell now.

For the record, I’m not against trading any of these guys in the right deal and I do think most of them should be moved at some point within the next year.

Having said that, lets say half of those guys are traded. That now leaves us with four or five empty spots on the roster and we still have to ice a team for the upcoming season and the free agent market is thin. Maybe some would be fine with that and want to tank that much, but that is in no way good for the development of guys like Schaefer, Ritchie, Holmstrom, or Eklund, Eiserman, and Aitcheson should they get some time this season.

This isn’t an argument for trying to compete or even for trying to have it both ways in terms of building for the future and winning now. Like I said, I think most of those guys should be traded within the next year or so. But there is still plenty of time to move players and feel things out. This upcoming season doesn’t have to be the one where every single move happens. It’s most likely going to be a two or three year process of roster turnover.

 

[Glory Days]

Based on everything Darche has said and done, I'm fairly confident that his outline in his interview was to remain in the playoff hunt every year while retooling the roster to get younger and become a true cup competitor in Schaefer's timeline. His outline was never a full blown rebuild, even if many of us thought/think that's the correct path.

I think he also emphasized strengthening the organization internally, its prospect development side (Bridgeport/Hamilton) and fan engagement. That's where he differs from Lou, not in terms of how he views the current roster of players - in my view.

He may yet pull off a big move at the draft this weekend, but I have my doubts. I think he honestly believes this team can make the playoffs next year, while he adds prospects for the future.

If we end up moving Duclair and a LD, that's about the most I'd expect.

I agree. In fact I think that’s how Darche got the job. He sold everyone on keeping the team in contention while retooling

 

[Glorydays22]

For "worst trade in Islander history" I nominate...

Luongo & Jokinen for Kvasha & Parrish

I really think that's the winner. Not sure how it could be beat.

To make it worst...this deal was done to push Luongo out because Milbury took Dipietro 1st overall. LOL

 

[Sparksrus3]

For "worst trade in Islander history" I nominate...

Luongo & Jokinen for Kvasha & Parrish

I really think that's the winner. Not sure how it could be beat.

Hands f***ing down.

The Yashin deal proved to be a massive blunder as well.

I have to say the Trevor Linden deal for me is the worst . Bertuzzi - 1100 games ,
McCabe 1100 games as well . We also gave a pick and they drafted a plug Ruutu but he played 600 games .. Linden played 10 years on Van then 100 games for us.
2 years later he was back in Van for 5 more years or so… big Yukk

2nd worst I hated the Pierre Turgeon and Malakhov to Montreal for loser Muller and Schneider. Malakhov was very good and Turgeon was a freaken machine over 300 points in a little over 200 games

I also hated hated hated trading Kasparaitis. He used to punish everyone especially Lemieux. So we fn trade him to the Pens …. . Smolinski had 1 nice season and 2 years later was gone …

Lastly the trade we didn’t make was a horrible non trade
TR91TOR

Yashin - while needed at the time and helped bring the excitement with the add of Peca in the early 2000s in the look back was a lose . Spezza - 1200 games as well,1000 points , and of course Chara . Yashin did give us 300 points in about 350 games so it can’t be seen as a total loss trade

Parrish was a nice player with 130 goals in 350 games so it wasn’t a total loss.. Kvasha wound up being Milburys choefer.. . If we drafted Gaborik or Heatley like we were supposed to instead of trying to be the smartest team and take DP with Luongo finally getting a few nhl games under his belt our entire future would have been different from that point …

 

[seabass45]

Yeah, I’m not seeing how you can be so dismissive on one of the worst trades in Islander’s history. Schenn was maybe worth a 3rd and MAYBE give them the goalie as well, but even that would’ve been an overpay.

See this is going overboard. He's a 20 goal scorer and a pain to play against. That gets a first rounder at the deadline (just as Pageau and Lee could have possibly also returned a first, second at worst), and I suspect we could get the first rounder back if we traded him. It was just a bad trade for us to make at the time.

 

[seabass45]

In division trades continue!

 

[Throttle]

Based on everything Darche has said and done, I'm fairly confident that his outline in his interview was to remain in the playoff hunt every year while retooling the roster to get younger and become a true cup competitor in Schaefer's timeline. His outline was never a full blown rebuild, even if many of us thought/think that's the correct path.

I think he also emphasized strengthening the organization internally, its prospect development side (Bridgeport/Hamilton) and fan engagement. That's where he differs from Lou, not in terms of how he views the current roster of players - in my view.

He may yet pull off a big move at the draft this weekend, but I have my doubts. I think he honestly believes this team can make the playoffs next year, while he adds prospects for the future.

If we end up moving Duclair and a LD, that's about the most I'd expect.

A lot of owners looked at that WAS re-tool 2 years ago and said, can we do that instead of what Chicago is doing?

 

[MikeyMike01]

If the Schenn trade winds up being Darche's biggest blunder, then it's safe to assume that time will show that he had a pretty good run as GM for this team. I consider it to be an ill-advised trade, but the histrionics around here regarding that deal are WAY over the f***ing top.

I wonder if we traded away Vancouver’s 2nd, instead of Colorado’s 1st—nearly the same value—what the reaction here would be.

 

[Glorydays22]

In division trades continue!

He's nothing...been a big disappointment for Washington

 

[BrockLobster]

Yeah, I’m not seeing how you can be so dismissive on one of the worst trades in Islander’s history. Schenn was maybe worth a 3rd and MAYBE give them the goalie as well, but even that would’ve been an overpay. To give away something as valuable as a 1st round pick in addition to the 3rd and a prospect, for a 35 year old player way past their prime, is Milbury-esque.

For those who think Lou is still in charge, even HE wouldn’t have made a trade THAT bad.

Worst trade in history! We have really jumped the shark on this one.

Off top of my head. Luongo/kvasha disaster trade. Turgeon for kirk muller. Yashin. Etc.

 

[YearlyLottery]

If the Islanders were in an "amazing position" just after the Dobson trade, then what adjectives would you use to describe the situations that the Panthers, Stars, Hurricanes, Canadiens, Knights, and Avs are in...?

Well they certainly were not a "mess" like you stated.