Everything garth does is with an eye down the road that's why he has the space to maneuver
- Upstate_isles

Everyone is tradable except maybe a few & JT....

How does Kyle Okposo NOT get on the U.S Team? How can anyone possibly think JVR, Blake Wheeler, Stepan, Kessler, etc. deserve to be in there instead of Kyle? He has blown all those guys away on stats for 3 years straight... fken absurd.

How do you "not worry" about things down the road? If Tavares walks because we can't afford to pay him what he demands due to Snow handing out asinine contracts all over the place...you, and everyone else, will be in here calling for his head on a silver platter.

Everything is done with "down the road" in mind.
- eichiefs9

I'm sure the 500k more u give Matt Martin is going to stop us from signing JT. This is not us spending 6 mill a year on Redden.. it's 500k. The cap could be 80 mill by that time. they will not have Grabovski, Kulemin, Halak, Hickey all off books that summer. It is certainly not a good reason to allow Matt Martin to walk in 2016.. b/c u are concerned with JT's in 2018. Some of these prospects will be ready to fill in other roles. ... maybe some will be a bust but not all of them... they will be fine.

Besides leading the league in hits (meaningless stat) what does Martin do well..??
- Ur Not Me

Stupidest statement.

Everything garth does is with an eye down the road that's why he has the space to maneuver
- Upstate_isles

Which has been why I like his so much as a GM.. BUT, that was to build this team to contend. We are past the rebuild now and don't need to take a step back over 500k.

4th line is best in the NHL... breaking that up is retarded.

I'm sure the 500k more u give Matt Martin is going to stop us from signing JT. This is not us spending 6 mill a year on Redden.. it's 500k. The cap could be 80 mill by that time. they will not have Grabovski, Kulemin, Halak, Hickey all off books that summer. It is certainly not a good reason to allow Matt Martin to walk in 2016.. b/c u are concerned with JT's in 2018. Some of these prospects will be ready to fill in other roles. ... maybe some will be a bust but not all of them... they will be fine.
- niteislander

Every penny counts, and any GM that doesn't think that way runs his team into the ground. And yes, you absolutely, unequivocally worry about Tavares' contract in 2018 when you makes signings in 2016. That's not even arguable or up for debate. Tavares' contract is priority #1, #2, and #3 until his name is signed in ink on that contract.

So many keep pulling this magical $500k number out of their pocket as an excuse, too. I'm not really sure where that is coming from.

I'm happy to keep Martin if he wants to double his salary to $2M. I understand his UFA status will only raise his price due to impending competition, so I'd happily go to $2.25M because of market demands. If it came down to it, and he wouldn't take a penny less than $2.5M then...fine. It's not good, but he's a pending UFA and it happens, it's part of the game. A penny over $2.5M and he's grossly overpaid. $2.5M is the line in the sand and, frankly, it's a generous one at that.

There are a surplus of below average hockey players that will throw their body around. Martin gets some leeway because he's a great guy and a great teammate, but that only goes so far.

How does Kyle Okposo NOT get on the U.S Team? How can anyone possibly think JVR, Blake Wheeler, Stepan, Kessler, etc. deserve to be in there instead of Kyle? He has blown all those guys away on stats for 3 years straight... fken absurd.
- niteislander

Errr...

Errr...
- Wildschwein

Please disregard the fact that Wheeler was nearly a PPG player this year.

Your cooperation is appreciated.

How does Kyle Okposo NOT get on the U.S Team? How can anyone possibly think JVR, Blake Wheeler, Stepan, Kessler, etc. deserve to be in there instead of Kyle? He has blown all those guys away on stats for 3 years straight... fken absurd.
- niteislander

Because JT plays for Canada

Because JT plays for Canada
- Vukota

I guess him having almost a point a game after JT got hurt playing for Canada in the Olympics is not relevant...

Besides leading the league in hits (meaningless stat) what does Martin do well..??
- Ur Not Me

How is that a useless stat????

Please disregard the fact that Wheeler was nearly a PPG player this year.

Your cooperation is appreciated.
- eichiefs9

How does Kyle Okposo NOT get on the U.S Team? How can anyone possibly think JVR, Blake Wheeler, Stepan, Kessler, etc. deserve to be in there instead of Kyle? He has blown all those guys away on stats for 3 years straight... fken absurd.
- niteislander

Last 3 years KO: 184
Stepan: 165
JVR: 146 (missed half season this year)
Wheeler: 208
Kessler: 143

Other than Kessler, not sure how you make the case KO blows the others away in points.

Also other than Wheeler who actually is way better than KO, you have 2 centers and a left wing.

How is that a useless stat????
- kindlyrick

Meaningless bc some hits generated are mostly after the play....

I guess him having almost a point a game after JT got hurt playing for Canada in the Olympics is not relevant...
- niteislander

I will concede that he should be there over Callahan. Seems like team USA is going for "truculence" however, so points/skill be damned!!!

Last 3 years KO: 184
Stepan: 165
JVR: 146 (missed half season this year)
Wheeler: 208
Kessler: 143

Other than Kessler, not sure how you make the case KO blows the others away in points.
- mdw7413

Kesler and Stepan are centers, so it's not even relevant. Wheeler deserves the spot over Okposo hands-down. You could make an argument for/against JVR, that's the only "toss-up".

Last 3 years KO: 184
Stepan: 165
JVR: 146 (missed half season this year)
Wheeler: 208
Kessler: 143

Other than Kessler, not sure how you make the case KO blows the others away in points.
- mdw7413

Also take into consideration that the others skate much better.....

I guess him having almost a point a game after JT got hurt playing for Canada in the Olympics is not relevant...
- niteislander

Because ultimately hockey is not like baseball where stats are basically the law. There are certain things that certain players bring to the table. Im not sure Callahan is on team USA, but a few years back he's who took OKposo's spot. Ultimately the powers that be feel that Callahan brings what they needed over Okpsoso.
The truth be told, Okposo is overrated.

http://www.newsday.com/sp...r-in-offseason-1.11859464

Garth Snow’s team will look different next season for sure, even if the Isles general manager doesn’t add a single player from outside. Kyle Okposo and Matt Martin are headed for free agency on July 1 and contracts elsewhere. Sources indicate that there have been no talks between either player’s agent and the Isles since the season ended.

Kesler and Stepan are centers, so it's not even relevant. Wheeler deserves the spot over Okposo hands-down. You could make an argument for/against JVR, that's the only "toss-up".
- eichiefs9

I gotta go with JVR over Okposo...

Kesler and Stepan are centers, so it's not even relevant. Wheeler deserves the spot over Okposo hands-down. You could make an argument for/against JVR, that's the only "toss-up".
- eichiefs9

Yeah I edited right before you quoted me.

Meaningless bc some hits generated are mostly after the play....
- Ur Not Me

Which in turn take the other player out of the play. Its not a useless stat. For a team with zero physicality (with the exception of the 4th line), having a guy who runs into everything is not meaningless.

I will concede that he should be there over Callahan. Seems like team USA is going for "truculence" however, so points/skill be damned!!!
- Wildschwein

How should he be there over Callahan?? Callahans tenacity alone wins that spot, let alone the fact that he'd take a puck to the face just to stop a shot going wide.

I'm sure the 500k more u give Matt Martin is going to stop us from signing JT. This is not us spending 6 mill a year on Redden.. it's 500k. The cap could be 80 mill by that time. they will not have Grabovski, Kulemin, Halak, Hickey all off books that summer. It is certainly not a good reason to allow Matt Martin to walk in 2016.. b/c u are concerned with JT's in 2018. Some of these prospects will be ready to fill in other roles. ... maybe some will be a bust but not all of them... they will be fine.
- niteislander

Im 100% in agreement with you on this........seems like we are in the minority. I love this "not a penny more" thing. Sounds great with all the arm chair GMs on here. But the reality is for a team thats as soft as the isles, to completely disregard what a player like MM brings to the table is laughable.

I guess him having almost a point a game after JT got hurt playing for Canada in the Olympics is not relevant...
- niteislander

Obviously to them its not