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

[GOLFWANG]

we are just setting up to get Mcdavid when he becomes a UFA, everyone be patient

 

[Throttle]

Look at Suzuki's supporting cast. Caufield can score goals and they backed into Slafkovsky as a complimentary piece. Barzal had high level talent such as Oliver Wahlstrom, Jonathan Drouin and Anthony Duclair to work with. The problem comes down to him not being given capable linemates outside of Horvat but they went and split that up so Barzy can go play center again.

We’ve heard this story over and over.

Maybe we should trade him and see how he does somewhere else? (Sadly, no one wants him).

Or maybe trade for Robertson, he can center him and Horvat? My guess is in that fantasyland Horvat doesn’t break 40 and Robertson doesn’t break 50. And the line is broken up in less than 10 games.

 

[miscs75]

We’ve heard this story over and over.

Maybe we should trade him and see how he does somewhere else?

Or maybe trade for Robertson, he can center him and Horvat? My guess is in that fantasyland Horvat doesn’t break 40 and Robertson doesn’t break 50. And the line is broken up in less than 10 games.

They don’t give this team a supporting cast because the current team is clogged up with bottom 6 forwards. No interest in offloading everything for lottery picks and garbage prospects that won’t pan out just to play the rebuild game that’ll backfire for a decade. Darche is stuck working with the Lou leftovers until they start to fall off the cap next summer. Until then, it’s a stand pat type of roster until he can make the changes he wants.

 

[Glorydays22]

Uhh yea since 1990, doesn't mean I bring it up and revert back to it every f***ing post. Different era, different team, different ownership, apples and oranges

blah blah blah....same story for the past 40 years. Sorry I have a right to bitch. Don't like it, can't help you.

 

[duster19]

View attachment 1258831

Hopefully under new management. Isles feel like we have no direction. This 2 year roster stuff is nonsense. It’s the GMa job to get out from these contracts. Not spend it on more older players. We need to be scouring the market to find a new GM now so we are ready to go when we bomb out again next year.

 

[xECK29x]

blah blah blah....same story for the past 40 years. Sorry I have a right to bitch. Don't like it, can't help you.

Sure, but maybe refresh your memory on the sites spam rules while you do.

 

[Chapin Landvogt]

It's very possible that Darche has been working the phones for weeks now and is finding out that nary a soul is interested in doing anything but fleece him.

One thing we've never mentioned about his Soucy, Palat, and Schenn moves are that all the other GMs got to see what his thresholds are.

He played his hand.

Now they all know that he'll bend over.

We'll know more by Sunday, and then likely a little more by a week after that.

 

[periferal]

View attachment 1258837

Majority of the league has plenty of room to operate with almost full rosters under contract

The most maddening thing about that chart is that of the 8 teams in the NHL with the least cap space, 6 of them are pretty much the 6 best teams in the league, the next team has McDavid and Draisaitl...And then there's us.

I cannot full describe how much of a shitshow Lou left this team in, but that chart does a pretty perfect job showing it.

 

[periferal]

Honestly, I wouldn't tack any form of draft capital in order to drop back in this draft.

If the staff really loves a kid who they think they can take a few picks later, then dropping back solely from spot 13 to a later spot to gain more picks is an option. Stick with that.

But otherwise, there seems to be a clear group of 13 players that top this draft and then pick 14 already brings us into the next category.

Who are your top 13 (in order)? And would you really want #12 or 13 on that list vs dropping back into the mid/late 20's and picking up a few extra picks (maybe even for 2027)?

Darche could deal his UFA rights. That is permitted right on up until July 1st.

I'd bet a lot Lee stays. You don't hear his name out there anywhere as a consideration to go somewhere else. Even if we traded his rights I can't see anything higher than a 5th.

 

[periferal]

we are just setting up to get Mcdavid when he becomes a UFA, everyone be patient

If Darche landed McDavid I'd change my tune on him post haste.

 

[crashthenet]

So what? They are nowhere close to a cup even after these moves. The smart thing is to manage the cap and spend the next year sucking and acquiring assets. If done right the Isles can benefit in the years to come.

Pretty interesting collection of players. About 12 million left with Ovie to be signed. Goaltending better than a lot of teams. They have assets left to trade. Maybe not that far out of the picture.

 

[periferal]

It's very possible that Darche has been working the phones for weeks now and is finding out that nary a soul is interested in doing anything but fleece him.

This is a very good point, but how come he can't look down the line and take advantage of Staios or Davidson like we just saw yesterday...?

One thing we've never mentioned about his Soucy, Palat, and Schenn moves are that all the other GMs got to see what his thresholds are.

He played his hand.

Now they all know that he'll bend over.

We'll know more by Sunday, and then likely a little more by a week after that.

Honestly, is there anything worse than having a poor reputation at something, and then having to try and change that reputation while outbidding several other teams for a player you really want?

This is yet another reason why Darche should sell. Let the bidding war come to you.

 

[MarsTBOW]

It's very possible that Darche has been working the phones for weeks now and is finding out that nary a soul is interested in doing anything but fleece him.

One thing we've never mentioned about his Soucy, Palat, and Schenn moves are that all the other GMs got to see what his thresholds are.

He played his hand.

Now they all know that he'll bend over.

We'll know more by Sunday, and then likely a little more by a week after that.

Or maybe nobody wants our loser players that were given gift contracts too by Lou....
It takes two.
Lou killed us running it back for 5 years in a row

 

[Top Corner]

It's very possible that Darche has been working the phones for weeks now and is finding out that nary a soul is interested in doing anything but fleece him.

One thing we've never mentioned about his Soucy, Palat, and Schenn moves are that all the other GMs got to see what his thresholds are.

He played his hand.

Now they all know that he'll bend over.

We'll know more by Sunday, and then likely a little more by a week after that.

That’s well put and my thoughts as well. Darche certainly in my opinion got played and paid. Not sure any deals made after the Dobson deal had WIN written on it.

I’m sure many of us that have been in fantasy pools where trading is allowed , zone in on the weakest GM to see what they can steal. No different here, Darche in my opinion is kind of labeled as one who is certainly willing to pay top dollar in a trade that he is the shopper.

 

[Throttle]

Or maybe nobody wants our loser players that were given gift contracts too by Lou....
It takes two.
Lou killed us running it back for 5 years in a row

Yeah, I’ll go with this one. They even tried floating a trial balloon on Barzal…and he’s still here.

No one wants what the Isles have, plain and simple.

Kyrou waived to go to WASH…Tuch agreed to sign and trade there. Must be the tax benefits.

 

[NYI365]

This is a very good point, but how come he can't look down the line and take advantage of Staios or Davidson like we just saw yesterday...?

Fair questions but those are very specific situations that we had no chance of pulling off.

Brady Tkachuk clearly wanted to play with his brother in Florida, that was never going to happen here.

And the Chicago move reeked of desperation/ownership pushing that spiraling rebuild along in Chicago at any cost. We weren't giving up Schaefer, and we don't have another horse on D of Byram's caliber to have offered to Chicago (not that I think Byram is worth the #4 overall in Anno Domini 2026, but I digress).

 

[periferal]

Fair questions but those are very specific situations that we had no chance of pulling off.

Brady Tkachuk clearly wanted to play with his brother in Florida, that was never going to happen here.

And the Chicago move reeked of desperation/ownership pushing that spiraling rebuild along in Chicago at any cost. We weren't giving up Schaefer, and we don't have another horse on D of Byram's caliber to have offered to Chicago (not that I think Byram is worth the #4 overall in Anno Domini 2026, but I digress).

I wasn't talking about Tkachuk - I was talking about Staios giving up #9 for Eklund. Terrible move.

 

[NYI365]

I wasn't talking about Tkachuk - I was talking about Staios giving up #9 for Eklund. Terrible move.

Ahh yes there was so much yesterday I forgot that happened too

 

[YearlyLottery]

The most maddening thing about that chart is that of the 8 teams in the NHL with the least cap space, 6 of them are pretty much the 6 best teams in the league, the next team has McDavid and Draisaitl...And then there's us.

I cannot full describe how much of a shitshow Lou left this team in, but that chart does a pretty perfect job showing it.

Let's make no mistake about it though. This team was in an amazing spot post Dobson trade. Then, Darche signed Pageau and took on Palat/Schenn contracts.

 

[periferal]

Let's make no mistake about it though. This team was in an amazing spot post Dobson trade. Then, Darche signed Pageau and took on Palat/Schenn contracts.

The Dobson trade gets an A from me because it's fair value, but more importantly...The right direction to take this team to build a Cup contender.

However the day after that deal happened this team was still a mess. We have a stud franchise player and all world goalie - But that's it.

Even after the Dobson deal, we don't have a blue chip prospect, our cap is still in bad shape, and we're one of the oldest teams in the league.

And in the next 3 drafts we only have ONE (1) extra pick - A 2027 6th.

Not trading Lee and/or Pageau for picks/prospects last offseason (so you wouldn't get in a situation to have to keep them trade deadline time) was malpractice. If Darche did that and you could reverse the Schenn deal then we'd still have lots of issues, but at least have more options to solve them.

Right now this team in 3-5 years does not have a 1st line forward (much less a full line) anywhere in the franchise (Unless you want Horvat/Barzal being the Brayden Schenn of 2031), and don't have.

There are way more issues with this team than solutions. They almost have to draft perfectly in the next 3 drafts, but are down picks, and for all the staff changes Darche has made...He still hasn't upgraded the scouting department.

So no - This team has not been in any sort of "amazing position" since Darche took over - Much less the 3 years prior to that.

 

[19 in a row]

Let's make no mistake about it though. This team was in an amazing spot post Dobson trade. Then, Darche signed Pageau and took on Palat/Schenn contracts.

Yep, I was fully prepared with low expectations for 25-26 season. We had 2 firsts and a third for this upcoming draft I fully expected with TDL moves we would have 5-6 picks in the first two rounds including a top 10, plus lots of cap room due to the contracts we had traded. The future could would have been bright targeting 2027 to start making waves. Instead, stuck in the mushy middle .. I am still hopeful Darche rights the ship in the next few weeks between draft/trades/FAs but window is closing.

I really hope if one of us gets to ask Darche a question at STH or other events, that someone will ask him "what is the goal of this team? to just be a fringe playoff team every year to make sure to sell some tickets or to try to win a championship?" I hope it is the latter but since the TDL that path seems less feasible. Hope Darche proves this wrong (hint: like tomorrow!!)

 

[Glorydays22]

Fair questions but those are very specific situations that we had no chance of pulling off.

Brady Tkachuk clearly wanted to play with his brother in Florida, that was never going to happen here.

And the Chicago move reeked of desperation/ownership pushing that spiraling rebuild along in Chicago at any cost. We weren't giving up Schaefer, and we don't have another horse on D of Byram's caliber to have offered to Chicago (not that I think Byram is worth the #4 overall in Anno Domini 2026, but I digress).

Why wouldn't Darche push Barzal to Chicago. It's known that Bedard looks up to Barzal, they train together and there's a video of him asking if there is 1 player he would love to play with. It wasn't Crosby or Mathews, Or the Tkachuk brothers. He said Barzal.

Chicago wants to make Bedard happy...that's the angle....yet we lost out on an opportunity to benefit from that.

 

[MarsTBOW]

Yeah, I’ll go with this one. They even tried floating a trial balloon on Barzal…and he’s still here.

No one wants what the Isles have, plain and simple.

Kyrou waived to go to WASH…Tuch agreed to sign and trade there. Must be the tax benefits.

Lou had to give this years 2nd rounder so Chi would take Country Clubber Bailey....
That pick was just used as part of a Deal involving Buffalo lmao....
Freaking Bailey still killing us

 

[NYI365]

Why wouldn't Darche push Barzal to Chicago. It's known that Bedard looks up to Barzal, they train together and there's a video of him asking if there is 1 player he would love to play with. It wasn't Crosby or Mathews, Or the Tkachuk brothers. He said Barzal.

Chicago wants to make Bedard happy...that's the angle....yet we lost out on an opportunity to benefit from that.

You make a lot of sense. You know what also would've made a hell of a lot more sense too? Seeing some kinda tweet last night from Elliotte Friedman that went something like:

"Looks like Chicago may be sending the #4 to Long Island..."

And then have it come out that Mat Barzal was traded to Chicago for the 4th overall.

Would've made a hell of a lot more sense to everyone on planet Earth than the Byram deal did. I guarantee you ask a Chicago fan would you have rather traded the 4th for Barzal or Byram, the answer probably isn't close.

God now I just annoyed myself that this didn't come to fruition.

 

[Glorydays22]

You make a lot of sense. You know what also would've made a hell of a lot more sense too? Seeing some kinda tweet last night from Elliotte Friedman that went something like:

"Looks like Chicago may be sending the #4 to Long Island..."

And then have it come out that Mat Barzal was traded to Chicago for the 4th overall.

Would've made a hell of a lot more sense to everyone on planet Earth than the Byram deal did. I guarantee you ask a Chicago fan would you have rather traded the 4th for Barzal or Byram, the answer probably isn't close.

It would have been nice to at least here reports that Isles and Chicago were talking. Don't care if Darche started the conversation or Chicago. It was a natural fit.

I could be wrong, but I just feel since there haven't been ANY reports by any media that the isles are talking to anyone (sorry, they talked to the Blues again). It's only that they are listening...really??

Get your ass out there and start rubbing elbows with GMs...We all know we don't have many trading assets outside of Pelech and Barzal. That's why he needs to be more aggressive. Even if it's just dumping players....Get out there Darche be f***ing creative.