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WWGSD #3: Working Within Garth's Rules |
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Are you ready for this? I tell you all the time how much I am getting out of Twitter. The information I get, the friends I have developed, the articles I have been able to read, all make it the most worthwhile social media tool available.
Here is what my friend Matt Clausen, a college student and Islanders fan, thinks he would do if he were in Garth Snow’s shoes right now. Mind you, Matt excels as a Fantasy Hockey GM, so in looking over these exceptionally well thought out and researched trade ideas, while some made me gasp, I can see where he is coming from. He truly looked at the situation the Islanders are in and tried to “work within Garth’s rules.”
WWGSD #3 from Matt Clausen:
Okay, so if I'm Garth Snow and throwing just about everything but the bathroom sink in my office in Uniondale after loss after loss..I know there's no quick fix...
However, if I could make these moves they may help now and long term.
-Swap out Kohn for Westgarth. Dustin's been good, and he's going to be in our top 6 for years to come (well, maybe, the pipeline of D looks promising)...but Westgarth gives us another big hitting Dman, and costs nothing but Kohn's spot...
-Trade Richard Park to anyone willing to offer a fourth or fifth rounder this year or maybe a third rounder a Draft or two down the road. (I'm Garth Snow I work magic on Draft day...better than anyone I'll flip those picks and get who I want when I want, dammit.)
-Call up Joensuu to replace Park (he can move to the fourth line and soak up minutes there; Gordo can arrange a Weight-Bergi-Joensuu line)
-Put feelers out for Hunter, Bergie or Gorgeous (albeit occasionally USELESS) Gervais. Some guaranteed playoff team may find Trent useful. Try to get a mid-range prospect with an upside.
-Inquire on the availability of a one Jared Boll or Raffi Torres from Columbus, Boll adds size, and unlike our fighters, he can actually skate and occasionally pop in a goal or two. (I think he has 4...and he's from NC!! Oh and I think he had a 2 goal game this year!) Hunter for Boll wouldn't be the end of the world in my eyes.
-Send Witt to the 'Yotes for something. (Give them another player and try to get Yandle...going to be a steep price, so this would require maybe giving up some rights I wouldn't want to...if not Yandle, a low level prospect who has good skating abilities either a D or a F, but I can see Witt being useful to the Coyotes, I do not entirely know why.)
-Call Bergie into the office and yell (in Finnish or Swedish) that if he doesn't actually put his game together, he becomes Cap Chow in the offseason and I’ll see to it he's sent to a bottom dwelling team in no hopes of improving at all next season (Although it'd be sad to see him skating on Broadway!)
(OKAY, This is the big one here! - DEE)
-Call Lombardi and Tambellini and start arranging a three-way deal where you get Ladislav Smid and Patrick O'Sullivan. Edmonton would get Jeff Tambellini from the Islanders as well as Jonathan Bernier and Alexander Frolov from LA. The Kings get Biron, Blake Comeau and a second rounder this year from the Islanders and Andrew Coligano and a second rounder from EDM or conversely the rights to Eriksson (personally three second rounders for the Kings is gold. Those guys know how to draft). (In the fantasy world of this discussion, slip Tambellini Sr. some Burke Juice and get him to give us Eberle.)
Rationale of the 3-Way:
The Islanders get Smid and O'Sullivan to continue “the Rebuild,” but do so with young, experienced players. Smid is 24 and a fairly decent D (He doesn't rack up points, but seemingly shuts down and doesn't take a ton of penalties, having never gotten more than 60 in a season at any level); O'Sullivan, 25 as of Feb 1, gives the Islanders a guy still putting things together but has 145 Points in 260 career games and from what I've heard is a good friend of John Tavares, so, maybe we can get lightning in a bottle twice and have another Moulson moment!
The Kings pick up a good grinding winger in Comeau. He’s not going to score a ton of goals (as we've noticed) but works the corners well, can fore-check and has the occasional brilliance that makes us forget his defensive lapses. Cogliano, 22, gives the Kings another young C who's proved he can net close to 20 goals a year in the NHL (currently having a down year), but will grow into a pretty good scorer. Alternatively, the Kings could ask for Tom Gilbert, a steady point producing D man. But I think Cogliano is a better fit.
Finally, the Kings get an experienced back-up in Marty Biron. Ersberg has been decent, no doubt, and Jonathan Quick isn't going anywhere, but Biron adds veteran savvy to the team as they make a playoff push.
Finally the Oilers get the enigma of the NHL in Jeff Tambellini. Jeff's never been a huge scorer at the NHL level as he was in Junior, College and the AHL. But given the flushed down the toilet season the Oilers are having, taking absolutely all the pressure Jeff may have felt on LI (He is constantly facing being a healthy scratch from Scott Gordon's line up. He scored 6 goals in something like 4 games earlier this year and then promptly went back to the press box. But playing in front of his Dad and Pat Quinn, if that doesn't turn him around, nothing will. Alex Frolov; I mean the guy just scores, and God knows the Oilers need someone to light the lamp other than Penner.
Basically, by the deadline, the biggest names who need to be moved are Biron, Witt and Park. They are taking up roster spots, in decline and NOT part of the future. At the same time, even if we're in a playoff hunt, it is time to throw a few guys (Joensuu in particular) into the fire and see what they can do, evaluate for the offseason, and if we sneak into the playoffs, give them a taste of some success to build on.
I'm not sure how likely these moves are, it's off the top of my head and I'm not sure of all players involved potential contracts (there's no major flags with Boll, O’Sullivan or Smid, all are signed through at least next year), but they're all young players and can assist in the rebuild not only now, but next year.
I know Garth isn't going to deviate from his plan, and while the playoffs should be a goal for this season, there isn’t one player -- or three guys that make that possible without sacrificing much.
New York Islanders Blogger • 
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