It is hard to see where such a deal for a d-man is, but Garth has been on a winning streak this offseason, so who knows?

In other words, Reinhart and or Pulock and or Pokka better be ready and/or Donovan better be, um, more ready than last season.

donovan wasn't bad last season, just don't pair him with carkner and expect him to the one defensively responsible one. When donovan was paired with dehaan you could see he was a LOT more steady and was even stepping up and taking the body with some good open ice hits. Paired with carkner if he took one chance it was in our net because carkner was some kind of awful last season.

Do you really see a trade happening after training camp begins? I hope I'm wrong, but I think the current D-men are it.
- JimmyP

you mean do i think its possible? sure, its certainly been done before.

donovan wasn't bad last season, just don't pair him with carkner and expect him to the one defensively responsible one. When donovan was paired with dehaan you could see he was a LOT more steady and was even stepping up and taking the body with some good open ice hits. Paired with carkner if he took one chance it was in our net because carkner was some kind of awful last season.
- Isles_since_6

Donovan was bad at times last year regardless of who he was playing with. You can't tell me him missing or flubbing one timer after one timer was because he was playing with Carkner. He was better later on in the year no doubt but I'm still far from sold on that guy regardless of who he plays with.

yes lots of teams will have to trim their rosters

XxNYIxX
- XxNYIxX

That won't be the top 4 D-man we're hoping for.

Thomas Kaberle says he has agreed to a NHL tryout but didn't say what team. I have a feeling its with the Isles

Thomas Kaberle says he has agreed to a NHL tryout but didn't say what team. I have a feeling its with the Isles
- Vukota

a tryout? i would have no problem assuming its with the islanders... and his veteran experience would certainly go a long way as well.

That won't be the top 4 D-man we're hoping for.
- JimmyP

it could be

XxNYIxX

donovan wasn't bad last season, just don't pair him with carkner and expect him to the one defensively responsible one. When donovan was paired with dehaan you could see he was a LOT more steady and was even stepping up and taking the body with some good open ice hits. Paired with carkner if he took one chance it was in our net because carkner was some kind of awful last season.
- Isles_since_6

Donovan was nothing short of atrocious this year. He needs to be as far away from the roster this year as possible.

a tryout? i would have no problem assuming its with the islanders... and his veteran experience would certainly go a long way as well.
- LetsGoIsles

Yes a tryout

Yes a tryout
- Vukota

Yes a tryout
- Vukota

Who the fack is this?

http://islanders.nhl.com/...lub/player.htm?id=8476147

Who the fack is this?

http://islanders.nhl.com/...lub/player.htm?id=8476147
- Vukota

Never heard of him. probably JTS new first line winger

if you have something to say, just say it. Or are you just hurt I made fun of you predicting the sens would finish 2nd in the atlantic just behind Boston? Because we can go over that one again if you like.
- Isles_since_6

The problem bud i said no such thing ,i said there are only 2 potential teams i see as playoff locks.Next time you run your mouth about me check your facts ok

The problem bud i said no such thing ,i said there are only 2 potential teams i see as playoff locks.Next time you run your mouth about me check your facts ok

- top shelf 15

not true and you know it. Quit wasting my time. You ran your mouth and said aside from Boston there's no team clearly better than the sens in the atlantic and that you could easily see the sens finishing second in the division. Convenient that you can't seem to remember 3 pages of back and forth on that one. Head back to your blog and keep dreaming that the sens won't finish bottom 5 in the conference.

**added**

for the record, Tampa, Montreal and Detroit will also finish higher than the sens who will finish in a pack that includes the leafs, panthers and sabres.

Who the fack is this?

http://islanders.nhl.com/...lub/player.htm?id=8476147
- Vukota

He was signed earlier this summer. I think he played at Bridgeport last year. Depth signing for them I would think.

Dan Petriw,

You said it. This is the best summer the Isles have had it decades. Halak, Dal Colle, Ho-Sang, a legit backup goalie, Grabovski, Kulemin, a couple of low-risk fliers taken on Conacher and Brennan, and finally, new ownership!

Who could have predicted all of this happening just 5 months ago after Garth seemed to completely botch his little Vanek auction and it looked like it was the S.O.S.?
- Snowblind

It didn't "seem" like it he completely botched it and it was the SOS

I'm still waiting on another defenseman to help push us toward the playoff picture. I'm happy with what's happened this summer but we still need that piece. We're significantly improved, but I still have a lot of doubt when it comes to our d. Plenty of time left for a move, so I'm waiting.
- Isles_since_6

I'm with you on this. I'm all starry eyed and happy as a fan but excuse me for wanting a bit more. It's a clear need. There is that chance that a kid can come in and DeHaan can elevate his game even further but that's a moron bet I wouldn't be willing to take if i were a GM.

It didn't "seem" like it he completely botched it and it was the SOS
- Cptmjl

yup, I think most of us agree that the trade at the time only made sense if he was going to immediately follow by fixing the defense and goaltending. The fact that those two areas had been the ones killing us and were left as they were ruined the entire season and also cost us any potential chance of resigning vanek as well.

If we'd been a playoff team, he may have considered it, but ultimately wifey gets what wifey wants.

bad trade, targeted the wrong thing to try and fix on the team and then lost again when we moved vanek at the deadline. I don't think the habs are that happy with that deal either, but they certainly lost less than we did to buffalo.

I'm with you on this. I'm all starry eyed and happy as a fan but excuse me for wanting a bit more. It's a clear need. There is that chance that a kid can come in and DeHaan can elevate his game even further but that's a moron bet I wouldn't be willing to take if i were a GM.
- Cptmjl

not with two new owners watching, the sabres fans watching and the last year in the old building. To bet a playoff season on a couple of kids stepping up and a 38 y/o with concussion problems is asking for a massive let down. We need one more top 4 defenseman and it needs to be a vet with gas left in the tank.

JT might be the best player in the NHL at making himself better. He's gonna have a very long and successful career because of that. Can't wait for Ryan Wilson to do the Lockout season Hart analytics so we can see what a sham it was that Ovi beat JT.
- Shaundre93

Very well said. I've seen very few players with his compete level or his willingness to improve his game. He never thinks he's good enough. That's what separates him to me.

not with two new owners watching, the sabres fans watching and the last year in the old building. To bet a playoff season on a couple of kids stepping up and a 38 y/o with concussion problems is asking for a massive let down. We need one more top 4 defenseman and it needs to be a vet with gas left in the tank.
- Isles_since_6

Hoping for that too. Someone with a couple years under his belt could really stabilize our blue line and help the kids along. We need that anchor IMO. That happens and anything is possible with this team. Minus the coach. Damn it. Still can't wrap my head around that one.

Thomas Kaberle says he has agreed to a NHL tryout but didn't say what team. I have a feeling its with the Isles
- Vukota

There's our new "top 4"

It is hard to see where such a deal for a d-man is, but Garth has been on a winning streak this offseason, so who knows?

In other words, Reinhart and or Pulock and or Pokka better be ready and/or Donovan better be, um, more ready than last season.
- Snowblind

This is a recipe for disaster