In one line you're calling out the stupidity on this board and then follow it up with saying they should pay a fourth line player who had 19 points 3 or more million dollars. That's rich Martin is the weakest of the 3 when you talk about their entire game and what they each bring to the table. Like I've said a thousand times if they let him go they can bring in a similar high energy guys who can drop the gloves when need be and throw the body around for a lot less then 3 million
- Vukota

Kulemin had 22 points and everyone was ecstatic when we gave him 4 mill a year. Grabovski? We are talking about 500k ish. to allow him to leave for that amount is fken nuts. .. .don't sign Boulton and Bernier and u save 1.3 mill. Strait saves you another 900k, Zid another 1.5 mill... .Matt Martin meant more to this team than all those clowns combined.

could not disagree more.. If you take Matt off that line you will regret it. The stupidity of this team (and often Isles fans on this thread) is staggering. they have what is widely considered the best Energy line in hockey. A match-up that gives fits to other teams b/c Capunosense throws them out there in every situation. This type of line is NOT something you break up. .... it's the one thing that isn't broken. You keep it and move on from there.. to think you will just plug someone in there and they will not miss a beat is just plain ignorant. If the guy is too small but can skate then you will see Casey and Cal get their arse kicked every game. If he is a goon then they will get toasted when dopey puts them out there against the top line. Matt Martin should remain an Islander.. if he wants 2.5 or even 3 mill.. so friggin be it...HERE!! I will dump Bailey and give you His money.
- niteislander

I think the Islanders as we know them are going to change a lot this off season.
With 3 of the core group of this team, Franz, KO and Martin being UFA's this team if they don't sign any will be very different wether it be for the good or bad. I thought out of the 3 Franz would be a slam dunk to resign. Garth and his agent are speaking however no news yet to me is not good news. Not a very easy off season for our GM.
I don't think I give MM more than $2.5 per and thats a push.

Again with Ott You do realize their is a cap right? So you pay Martin 3 mill then you have to pay Cizikas & Clutterbuck who are both much better all around players 4 or 5 million. Can't be done, won't be done. Ott is a bad contract so the isles should hand out a bad contract as well because Ott has one? My guess if there was one taker for Ott he would have been traded a long time ago but they are stuck with him
- Vukota

Clutterbuck is making 3.5 mill this year (2.75 cap hit). It's an awful lot for the 4th line guy too isn't it? I am not complaining are you? Team will have some kids on 2nd and 3rd (maybe first) that will save a ton of money over next few years. This should not be a problem...especially with Hamonic back on defense.

So basically...

- mdw7413

That is not the t-shirt I got at the game this year.

Kulemin had 22 points and everyone was ecstatic when we gave him 4 mill a year. Grabovski? We are talking about 500k ish. to allow him to leave for that amount is fken nuts. .. .don't sign Boulton and Bernier and u save 1.3 mill. Strait saves you another 900k, Zid another 1.5 mill... .Matt Martin meant more to this team than all those clowns combined.
- niteislander

Both terrible contracts and I'm sure they play a factor in not paying Martin as much as he might want to. Unfortunately you can't go back in time. Also nobody knows what his asking price is and what the isles are willing to pay so to say the difference is only 500k really wouldn't be accurate at this time, no?

Clutterbuck is making 3.5 mill this year (2.75 cap hit). It's an awful lot for the 4th line guy too isn't it? I am not complaining are you? Team will have some kids on 2nd and 3rd (maybe first) that will save a ton of money over next few years. This should not be a problem...especially with Hamonic back on defense.
- niteislander

Let's face it Clutterbuck is more of a 3rd line player. He has also scored double digit goals in almost every year he has played. He kills penalties as well and is a much much more complete player then Martin is or ever will be. No cap give Martin whatever he wants but its not the case anymore

Let's face it Clutterbuck is more of a 3rd line player. He has also scored double digit goals in almost every year he has played. He kills penalties as well and is a much much more complete player then Martin is or ever will be. No cap give Martin whatever he wants but its not the case anymore
- Vukota

Both Cal and Casey are better than 4th line players.

Both Cal and Casey are better than 4th line players.
- ses111

Yes they are. You can't pay everybody what they want and if you're gonna over pay for somebody it has to be for somebody who brings more to the table then hits and a few goals and fights IMO

Yes they are. You can't pay everybody what they want and if you're gonna over pay for somebody it has to be for somebody who brings more to the table then hits and a few goals and fights IMO
- Vukota

Like Bailey? All of those things are intangibles and they add up to a lot. MM on this team makes it harder to play us b/c He hits, Fights, and can score 10 goals. His line also plays against top lines often and ends us cycling in the corner the whole shift and often change the whole momentum of the game.

Yes they are. You can't pay everybody what they want and if you're gonna over pay for somebody it has to be for somebody who brings more to the table then hits and a few goals and fights IMO
- Vukota

I agree. I like Martin at 2 mill or a little more, but not for 3. I did not like the Isles bringing in Grabo or Kulimen. I thought both did not address the toughness this team needed for the top 9.

No shot..u don't move Hammer. That good a player at that price, at that age are very hard to come by and it would be insane to trade him.
- niteislander

We spent the majority of the season thinking/knowing Travis would be traded. No one said the sky would fall or the team would drop to last place. Furthermore, what IF the family member with health issues suddenly gets sick again? He asked to be traded once for that reason, so what's to stop that from happening again?

If we had a better GM & Coach and a team that other high-value players HAD on their list of teams they WOULD waive their NMC/NTC, it's a whole different story but we don't. Sorry, I am a pragmatist. Tell me who else (excluding JT) could bring an equal return for what TH could?

I agree. I like Martin at 2 mill or a little more, but not for 3. I did not like the Isles bringing in Grabo or Kulimen. I thought both did not address the toughness this team needed for the top 9.
- ses111

I don't remember ANYONE complaining when they signed.

Hamonic for Trouba & swap 1st picks...?? Good, fair or unfair...??

Like Bailey? All of those things are intangibles and they add up to a lot. MM on this team makes it harder to play us b/c He hits, Fights, and can score 10 goals. His line also plays against top lines often and ends us cycling in the corner the whole shift and often change the whole momentum of the game.
- niteislander

Bailey is another bad contract. All you're doing is bringing up players with bad contracts as way to justify giving Martin a bad contract Yes Martin does those things but its not worth 3 million a year. You're acting like he is out there every shift against the other teams top lines all night long. Stop it the guy plays 12 minutes a night. Tell me one other guy in this league who makes that much and plays that little and that the team is not looking to move them because they realized they facked up with that contract?

I don't remember ANYONE complaining when they signed.
- niteislander

I complained the day they were signed. i also thought Bailey should have been given only a 3 year deal instead of 5.

Kulemin had 22 points and everyone was ecstatic when we gave him 4 mill a year. Grabovski? We are talking about 500k ish. to allow him to leave for that amount is fken nuts. .. .don't sign Boulton and Bernier and u save 1.3 mill. Strait saves you another 900k, Zid another 1.5 mill... .Matt Martin meant more to this team than all those clowns combined.
- niteislander

I thought those were two WORST signings since Yashin & DP. (Rolston was for salary floor reasons but I hated him just as much)

Martin can go, a player of his elk is replaceable....

I complained the day they were signed, Probably most did not have a problem with it.
- ses111

We all knew the isles overpaid but it actually brought in NHL talent to roster at the time....

I don't remember ANYONE complaining when they signed.
- niteislander

Probably had something to do with the current roster at that time. Do you think if that was this summer coming up Snow would do that again? Can't compare one year to others because so many things factor into each signing at that current time

Seriously?
- Vukota

Ok, maybe that was a slight exaggeration.

We spent the majority of the season thinking/knowing Travis would be traded. No one said the sky would fall or the team would drop to last place. Furthermore, what IF the family member with health issues suddenly gets sick again? He asked to be traded once for that reason, so what's to stop that from happening again?

If we had a better GM & Coach and a team that other high-value players HAD on their list of teams they WOULD waive their NMC/NTC, it's a whole different story but we don't. Sorry, I am a pragmatist. Tell me who else (excluding JT) could bring an equal return for what TH could?
- jmo16

You are not a pragmatist you are a pessimist. You are saying that guy will not waive their NMC to be on this team right now? that is false.. Isles were in top 8 with very young team. You don't agree with that b/c you are a pessimist. Barclays was insanely loud arena for playoffs. The players from other teams were even talking about it. Isles have JT, Boychuk, Hamonic, Lee, Nelson, Strome, and 4 young top tier forward prospects. Anyone with a clue would have them on their top 8 to say the least. .It's friggin New York from crying out loud... where else they going?

We all knew the isles overpaid but it actually brought in NHL talent to roster at the time....
- Ur Not Me

Exactly. If the isles had the roster they have now back when they signed Snow would never have offered those two those contracts

Ok, maybe that was a slight exaggeration.
- mdw7413

They complain about everything

We all knew the isles overpaid but it actually brought in NHL talent to roster at the time....
- Ur Not Me

It did but very inconsistent NHL players.

I agree. I like Martin at 2 mill or a little more, but not for 3. I did not like the Isles bringing in Grabo or Kulimen. I thought both did not address the toughness this team needed for the top 9.
- ses111

Kuli, may have been considered a gritty player but they were brought in as a package, for offense— a hefty reward for one good season each, with TO.