Not trolling at all. Hammer is the #3 dman on the Hawks, but would be a 1 or 2 on almost every other team. Sharp is a pretty damn good winger.

They wouldn't be had for bits and pieces.

Your top 2 prospects and Nielson is not delusional for Hammer & Sharp.
- Dannyboy

Has anyone told you yet, we dont want sharp

XxNYIxX

Any trades yet???

Chicago signed Richards... they are looking for draft picks, and prospects for Oduya, Leddy, and Sharp!!!

Has anyone told you yet, we dont want sharp

XxNYIxX
- XxNYIxX

Dull or bust!

then you don't make the deal.. i'll stand my ground to an extent. but i'll be damned if i'm giving you my best prospects cause you can't manage your cap
- Dan Petriw

That damn Toews and Kane and their raises. It is a good situation to be in. Unlike some other teams, at least they are in a small cap bind b/c they are paying their home grown players top $$$ and not from overpaying bad free agents. Saad & Kruger are due for decent raises, too.

I like some of the Islanders' signings. If they had another dman or two, they would be a decent team that could do some damage.

Has anyone told you yet, we dont want sharp

XxNYIxX
- XxNYIxX

But you do want Sharp, you NEED Sharp

Break it down this way.

Sharp for Martin & Strome

Leddy & mid level prospect for Nielson

Sounds like a good deal for both teams to me
- Dannyboy

Nielsen's value >>>>>Leddy's.

That damn Toews and Kane and their raises. It is a good situation to be in. Unlike some other teams, at least they are in a small cap bind b/c they are paying their home grown players top $$$ and not from overpaying bad free agents. Saad & Kruger are due for decent raises, too.

I like some of the Islanders' signings. If they had another dman or two, they would be a decent team that could do some damage.
- Dannyboy

hold onto your hat, its a-comin'

So 1 good d man makes your whole d core good? You need at least 3 to even sniff playoffs.
- 28Girouxsalem28

You're an idiot. Hamonic, de Haan, Viz are all top 4 defenders.

Great article Dan..... Good description and recap of the Free Agency!

i don't care about the breakways..they are what they are... my bone of contention that since his rookie season he stopped driving the net with any consistancy. of his 34 of his goals many were of the ugly variety. also for someone with his speed he doesn't use it to back check with any regularity. i love grabs but if he is traded or bailey and the players we get back get us in the playoffs, then who cares
- Dan Petriw

Bailey & grabs have to be the 2 biggest underachievers, currently. If we could trade just Bailey for anyone of value, I would be impressed. But my gut tells me it will take more. Bailey/Grabs or Bailey/Neilsen or Bailey/Donovan for a top 2 Dman is totally worth it.

Bailey & grabs have to be the 2 biggest underachievers, currently. If we could trade just Bailey for anyone of value, I would be impressed. But my gut tells me it will take more. Bailey/Grabs or Bailey/Neilsen or Bailey/Donovan for a top 2 Dman is totally worth it.
- jmo16

hahah so they are both underachievers but combine their powers and you expect a top 2 dman...k...

Who is available in trade on defence?

Phaneuf
Leddy
Oduya
Myers
????

Isles finished 16th in shots against last season. With Amac gone and Viz healthy, our defense should be years better.

Isles finished 16th in shots against last season. With Amac gone and Viz healthy, our defense should be years better.
- Danformo

Goaltending will make a major difference. How many softies did we allow last year? In the third period?

Goaltending will make a major difference. How many softies did we allow last year? In the third period?
- Isles_since_6

12
17

#fact

12
17

#fact
- LetsGoIsles

I guarantee the number of soft goals was wayyyy higher than 12

Bailey & grabs have to be the 2 biggest underachievers, currently. If we could trade just Bailey for anyone of value, I would be impressed. But my gut tells me it will take more. Bailey/Grabs or Bailey/Neilsen or Bailey/Donovan for a top 2 Dman is totally worth it.
- jmo16

i think the combo of two of grabs,bailey and donovan can yield a dman

I guarantee the number of soft goals was wayyyy higher than 12
- Isles_since_6

i think he was just talking about november

i think the combo of two of grabs,bailey and donovan can yield a dman
- Dan Petriw

it definitely could yield "a dman" but that would be selling low on all 3 players..depending on the return in be worried selling low on all 3

i think he was just talking about november
- Dan Petriw

Which week in November?

Who is available in trade on defence?

Phaneuf
Leddy
Oduya
Myers
????
- jimmc7722

Buffalo would be crazy to trade Myers, struggles aside, unless it's a severe overpayment, so I doubt he's an option. Does Phaneuf have a limited NTC or doesn't he? That's probably a big factor in whether he's an option. Leddy...I'm not sure how much he helps our troubles at actually defending...keeping pucks out of the net. Oduya...I don't know much about his game since he left the Devils. Thoughts on what he'd cost?

Buffalo would be crazy to trade Myers, struggles aside, unless it's a severe overpayment, so I doubt he's an option. Does Phaneuf have a limited NTC or doesn't he? That's probably a big factor in whether he's an option. Leddy...I'm not sure how much he helps our troubles at actually defending...keeping pucks out of the net. Oduya...I don't know much about his game since he left the Devils. Thoughts on what he'd cost?
- UIF

the other thing with Buffalo would be why move Myers while he's struggling? They have no reason to. They're going to be rebuilding for a while, no expectations of being competitive and they have time to see if he can find his rookie form, so the chances of them moving him are slim to none.

I'm telling you guys we will need that depth up front. Now we can scratch non performers and have decent call ups during injuries. Like i mentioned on pointblank we were 16th in the league shots against and 30th in the league goals against. I always found that our forwards were never defensively responsible which made our defense look bad. Don't get me wrong we dont have the best defensive group in the league. With grobovski and Kulemin defensively responsible forwards our team defense will improve and 2 top notch goalies. I don't thinkit s necessary to 2 or 3 good players to put all our eggs in one basket such a yandle or Dion Phaneuf. We need veteran/quality defenseman to stabalize the blue line. Vis, dahann, hamonic Veteran defenseman then you got Reinhart Hickey, Ness, Donavan, Johnson, Mayfield, Czu, Strait Carkener to fill in the last 2 spots or injuries. Good goaltender will make a huge difference and increase the confidence of the D. Those blown leads was all confidence.
- dack1972

And has Capuano EVER benched a non performer?

Haven't been on here in a while but I had to stop in to say this. I have, like many of you, been down on this team for a long time. I am proud to say this team has improved greatly. The only hole is on defense, and I am confident it will be filled before September.

I think this past year has been our final test. Watching them take a huge step back overall from the year before, the JT injury, the Vanek fiasco, and watching that other team make a run to the finals was about as poopty of a year an Islander fan can imagine.

We have a lot of things to look forward to in the near future. Lets Go Islanders

hahah so they are both underachievers but combine their powers and you expect a top 2 dman...k...
- LetsGoIsles

Yes, because even though Bailey has sucked as an Islander, despite the fact that he's shown no heart whatsoever, the posters here have deluded themselves into believing that as soon as he is traded he will instantly become an offensive force! The only thing keeping him down is the Islanders! They are his kryptonite, holding him back from reaching his true potential! He's easily worth 3 or 4 defensemen!