So during a bout of insomnia I started to really look at Capfriendly and looking at the Islanders current situation. I’ll add the link to the end of this for those who would like to see the numbers I’m looking at. Some of my “groggy/sleepy” thoughts are the following.
– I’m not against the strategy of long term contracts if we feel the players we have are the ones that will pay off. I think there are a few that we really need to take close looks at. JG is one of them. Palmieri and Nelson as well but those would probably be more trade deadline deals.
– Do we create a new identity line knowing that I doubt both Martin and Clutterbuck are resigned.
– I know that I kind of mock Leafs fans for being very top heavy but we aren’t in that much better shape.
– We seem to be rock solid at goaltender and our top D pair which is a fantastic foundation moving forward.
– We have a few RFA decisions to make….Wahlstrom probably being the pivotal one who is eligible for arbitration.
So without pretending that we are playing NHL24 and we get Crosby and Ovi for a bag of pucks, what are we wanting to see moving forward?
https://www.capfriendly.com/teams/islanders
by clebo99
6 Comments
Clutter and Martin ride off into the sunset as isles legends. Replace with MacLean and Fasching. We still need an identity line of speed and size and i think them plus Casey could do it well.
Pageau needs to come back to his old self or make him a trade piece for either a solid D man or another 3rd line piece.
Palmieri could also be a trade piece but given his contract ending in 2025 might be worth it to give the italian stallion one more go and send him off to the same farm as Martin and Clutter.
Im of the mind that I dont want to move any prospects like Maggio and Ishlakov. Id rather see what they can do here for a year or two before blindly shipping them away. Plus, im italian and a Maggio jersey would just be right.
Wahlstrom, sorry buddy, love you but id trade you for a pick.
Given we dont pay 3 guys around 40% of our entire teams cap, i wouldnt compare us to the Leafs. Also, fuck em.
Our biggest need rn is absolutely a young offensively gifted center a lot of stuff happens in hockey so in 3-5 years time all of our predictions will be wrong. Not worried about us on that time
Still relatively new to hockey but palms is 33, is a long term contract really the best move? (Just this year made the switch from diehard nfl fan to nhl fan so still don’t know too much about players aging and career lengths)
The Dobson and Romanov extensions are the biggest upcoming contracts that will really dictate how much excess cap we will have. We need those 2 locked up to as much term as we can get them for. Ideally if we could have Pelech/Pulock type contracts that would be great. Though I think Dobson is playing his way into a larger contract this season.
Wahlstrom I don’t think will ever be that good unfortunately, just seems to be the next kieffer or dal colle, is what it is when you can’t really skate and have lower hockey iq. I think “identity line” is an outdated term, teams don’t have identity lines often, game needs guys that can skate and muck it up on the 4th line, not either or. Dobson/Romanov contracts dictate future cap space. Very high likelihood in 2 years the only forwards left are Lee, horvat, barzal, cizikas, and engvall, 2 of which are because no one will ever take their contracts
When we signed JG it was worth it. Is he overpaid now? Yes. But that happens. He’s still a great 3C or at worst 4C.
4th line should be Fasching – MacLean – Gautier next year. Trade Cizikas, if we are letting go of Martin and Clutterbuck we might as well completely reinvent the wheel with the 4th line.
COMPLETELY disagree regarding the top heavy leafs. Three out of four of them are divas (Tavares, Mathews, Marner). They might not be perfect but Diva and Horvat, Barzal, Dobson, and Sorokin are never uttered in the same sentence. Plus we don’t commit that much towards that cap like the queefs.
If they can stay healthy, Pelech and Pulock would still make a good top or 2nd pair. The problem is they can’t and Pulock can’t hit the side of a barn despite having a howitzer of a shot. I would have no issue trading both of them for different faces. Make the top D Dobson and Romanov, and run with it. Will it be perfect? No, but trial by fire.
Realistically a “retool” is the way to go in our situation, NOT a full on rebuild. The problem is Lou. If he goes, most likely his son replaces him. I suspect little would change. Ownership isn’t changing, and since all they care about is the real estate aspects and putting buts in the seats I doubt we are more than a mid level team for the next 5-10 years.
However, ideally…
Keep the goalie situation the same until either Tikkanen (or Lennox) is ready to be a full time backup.
Bring back Reilly on a cheap contract, he’s been good for us. Dump Bortuzo and Bolduc. Try to trade Aho and get a competant veteran NHL d man as a spare.
Up front…this is where major change is needed.
No matter the cost rid ourselves of Lee and his albatross contract. Make Horvat captain.
Try to get rid of Engvall, Wahlstrom (and the previously mentioned Cizikas).
If a deal can be made for JG or Palmieri to get younger and cheaper, do it.
Keep Nelson, Holmstrom, Fasching, MacLean and obviously Barzal and Horvat.
Get a legitimate top line winger, a 2nd line winger, and roll the dice.
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(Someone) – Horvat – Barzal
(Holmstrom – Nelson – (Someone)
(Someone for Lee) – (Someone for JG) – (Someone For Palmieri)
Fasching – MacLean – Bring back Gautier