Depends on who you asked.

Vanek ultimately got the Sabres: 1 first and 3 seconds Moulson was moved for 2 seconds

Moulson 1 first and a second got you: 47 games of Vanek (he was good when he was there but it didnt work) Colleberg and a 2nd.

Sure its easy to look back at it now and say it was a terrible trade for the Islanders. Especially with having to decide on which 1st to give considering how the season ended. However Snow thought Vanek was going to put the Islanders over the hump when almost ever Sabres fan knew it wasn't going to happen. After years of watching him play most Sabres fans were pretty fed up with him.

Moulson was pretty much the same scorer as Vanek (more goals not as many points in the last few years) it was a good attempt to get better but it was made out of desperation.

As a Sabres fan I loved that trade immediately
- Stripes77

in all honesty i stopped reading after this part bc my comment was in response to this comment: "Last time I checked Snow is the current GM who traded away Moulson a first and a second for Vanek."

which one again, was not a terrible trade for the islanders...im sure the sabres org was thrilled with it

i could be very wrong but based on your comments, you arent very aware of the islanders prospects and the future of the organization...

as for the 2nd bold, if you as islander fans for just ONE thing that like about snow, just about everyone will agree its been his drafting abilities and restocking the organization with quality prospects.
- LetsGoIsles

Your future prospects? I am not fully up to date but I know who they are.


I like Reinhart and Strome though. If Reinhart turns out to be a top 2 D it would help a ton, I just dont see the rest of your prospects on the blue line being nothing more than depth guys (besides Pulock)

in all honesty i stopped reading after this part bc my comment was in response to this comment: "Last time I checked Snow is the current GM who traded away Moulson a first and a second for Vanek."

which one again, was not a terrible trade for the islanders...im sure the sabres org was thrilled with it
- LetsGoIsles

Perhaps you should read the entire thing

Your future prospects? I am not fully up to date but I know who they are.


I like Reinhart and Strome though. If Reinhart turns out to be a top 2 D it would help a ton, I just dont see the rest of your prospects on the blue line being nothing more than depth guys (besides Pulock)
- Stripes77

well considering they have hamonic and dehaan pretty much locked up for 2 of the 6 and you just gave your blessings on pulock and reinhart, thats 4 top 4 guys...im SURE of the billion or so remaining prospects and current players, 2 of them will be able to fill the bottom pairing, and if not, there is always a plethora of average (IE 3rd pairing)free agent defensemen available.

in all honesty i stopped reading after this part bc my comment was in response to this comment: "Last time I checked Snow is the current GM who traded away Moulson a first and a second for Vanek."

which one again, was not a terrible trade for the islanders...im sure the sabres org was thrilled with it
- LetsGoIsles

True, this was all about getting Collberg

I think callahan is what everyone believed clarkson was last season.....a 20-25 goal guy, with grit, character, and a physical edge to his game. so it stands to reason that he should get a similar deal......7 years at 5.25.

that being said, i'm not naive enough to think he'll get under six, someone will pay him.
- sensarmy_11

You shut your dirty mouth!

Perhaps you should read the entire thing
- Stripes77

i read it, not as bad as i thought...my point was the vanek for collberg was the trainwreck not the vanek for moulson.

having said that, its understandable why buffalo was thrilled with that deal knowing what they knew at the time

i could be very wrong but based on your comments, you arent very aware of the islanders prospects and the future of the organization...

as for the 2nd bold, if you as islander fans for just ONE thing that like about snow, just about everyone will agree its been his drafting abilities and restocking the organization with quality prospects.
- LetsGoIsles

And based on yours you have no idea about what we already have . But Our prospect pool was only rated # 2 and that was without our record number of 1st and 2nd round picks coming.

i read it, not as bad as i thought...my point was the vanek for collberg was the trainwreck not the vanek for moulson.

having said that, its understandable why buffalo was thrilled with that deal knowing what they knew at the time
- LetsGoIsles

If Vanek would have been opened to resigning in New York it wouldn't have been bad. However he had his mind up that he was going to get to Free Agency. That's what ultimately makes it a bad deal. It's not like the Islanders were a player away from making a run at the cup. I feel confident you would at least agree to that.

Even almost full year of Vanek the best case scenario is the Islanders make the playoffs. It was a head scratcher of a deal from my perspective, yet I knew why Snow made it.

And based on yours you have no idea about what we already have . But Our prospect pool was only rated # 2 and that was without our record number of 1st and 2nd round picks coming.
- Maximum Signal

Which is why ultimately I feel confident in saying I think the Sabres are better off in the terms of building a championship caliber team

And based on yours you have no idea about what we already have . But Our prospect pool was only rated # 2 and that was without our record number of 1st and 2nd round picks coming.
- Maximum Signal

top 3-4 prospects in the league...but in terms of development i think the islanders are closer...

whats the goalie situation? any top end goalie prospects?

top 3-4 prospects in the league...but in terms of development i think the islanders are closer...

whats the goalie situation? any top end goalie prospects?
- LetsGoIsles

Ullmark and Makarov potentially. However does anyone really know how the hell a goalie will develop???

top 3-4 prospects in the league...but in terms of development i think the islanders are closer...

whats the goalie situation? any top end goalie prospects?
- LetsGoIsles

Ullmark playing in Sweden

If Vanek would have been opened to resigning in New York it wouldn't have been bad. However he had his mind up that he was going to get to Free Agency. That's what ultimately makes it a bad deal. It's not like the Islanders were a player away from making a run at the cup. I feel confident you would at least agree to that.

Even almost full year of Vanek the best case scenario is the Islanders make the playoffs. It was a head scratcher of a deal from my perspective, yet I knew why Snow made it.
- Stripes77

i think this was "known" in buffalo, but only REALLY known only after he bolted from the islanders. as for vanek being that 1 player, i think they could have been a playoff team had they avoided the injury bug....having lubomir, hamonic and strait (3 of their top 4 defensemen) getting injured was the dagger...

certainly they could have used another top 4 dman but i do believe that if the defense wasnt decimated by injuries they could have competed.

top 3-4 prospects in the league...but in terms of development i think the islanders are closer...

whats the goalie situation? any top end goalie prospects?
- LetsGoIsles

Ullmark is probably the most promising but he's a few years away. Figure one more in Sweden and one in the AHL.

i think this was "known" in buffalo, but only REALLY known only after he bolted from the islanders. as for vanek being that 1 player, i think they could have been a playoff team had they avoided the injury bug....having lubomir, hamonic and strait (3 of their top 4 defensemen) getting injured was the dagger...

certainly they could have used another top 4 dman but i do believe that if the defense wasnt decimated by injuries they could have competed.
- LetsGoIsles

Without a goalie that you could lean on there was no way IMO they would have made it past the first round in this years playoffs. Certainly I don't think they would be able to compete with the Bruins

I think callahan is what everyone believed clarkson was last season.....a 20-25 goal guy, with grit, character, and a physical edge to his game. so it stands to reason that he should get a similar deal......7 years at 5.25.

that being said, i'm not naive enough to think he'll get under six, someone will pay him.
- sensarmy_11

I would like him for maybe even 5.5........but 6.5 or even 7 is completely ridiculous, and in my mind could cause TONS of problems in the locker room. Sure, money isn't the most important to some players but if you pay a guy that much more than he's worth, when it comes time to pay the guys that actually carry the bulk of the scoring load(not a worry yet as we don't have any!)we going to be screwed because they're going to expect to same inflated figure. That only last so long before you realize you've got the highest paid, mediocre ot slightly above average team in the league......also known as the Buffalo Sabres pre-rebuild.

Without a goalie that you could lean on there was no way IMO they would have made it past the first round in this years playoffs. Certainly I don't think they would be able to compete with the Bruins
- Stripes77

i would agree with this...goalie is in major need of an upgrade...poulin and nilsson were terribly inconsistent and equally disappointing. im hoping for halak and a top 4 dman

i would agree with this...goalie is in major need of an upgrade...poulin and nilsson were terribly inconsistent and equally disappointing. im hoping for halak and a top 4 dman
- LetsGoIsles

Halak would put up average numbers which really is all that you can ask from him. A top 4 would be helpful but at the same time it has to be the right top 4. A guy 24-27 would be ideal for you guys.

On Lavy to Nashville...could this possibly open back up discussions for Weber to PHL? Holmgren is probably on his way out, Hextall needs to shake things up, make a splash. Logjam at center, expendable first round pick this year. Lose Morin if you're getting Weber in return. What better place to do it then when the draft is in your house? Lavy gets some players that know his system, and Flyers get their franchise D-man. A lot of hypotheticals, and things still left to play out, but its just as crazy as anything EK has ever posted

On Lavy to Nashville...could this possibly open back up discussions for Weber to PHL? Holmgren is probably on his way out, Hextall needs to shake things up, make a splash. Logjam at center, expendable first round pick this year. Lose Morin if you're getting Weber in return. What better place to do it then when the draft is in your house? Lavy gets some players that know his system, and Flyers get their franchise D-man. A lot of hypotheticals, and things still left to play out, but its just as crazy as anything EK has ever posted
- bradley2240

In a word, no.

No Top UFA ever goes to a team about to begin a rebuild..

No Top UFA ever goes to a team about to begin a rebuild..
- Danformo

They aren't about to begin a rebuild (it started 2 seasons ago) but I still agree with you NO THANKS

When was the last time your Islanders were even in position to win anything of importance other than the NHL lottery??

You're getting desperate just like your GM but its okay keep trying please
- Stripes77

Can't wait 'till the NHL announces league expansion and the Sabres draft 3rd and lose out on both McDavid and Eichel

Can't wait 'till the NHL announces league expansion and the Sabres draft 3rd and lose out on both McDavid and Eichel
- Danformo

http://prohockeytalk.nbcs...s-vegas-seattle/#comments

Try again. Expansion wouldn't happen until at least 2016 as per league rules about announcing expansion plans.

Besides that McDavid and Eichel yes are the ultimate top 2 but they rest of the top 10 in that draft would be top 3 in this years draft.

So try again!!