Oneil is a die hard leafs fan. He runs the radio shows and even fist pumped on air when we won the lotto. He tends to be bias towards the leafs and not so much towards others. Don't take it personal :p
- lightz39

I don't its just funny how isles still don't get respected but im fine with it...

As I said these two signings are not a direct replacement for the three players we lost but they bring a lot of skill, leadership and playoff experience. The center spot is now more open.

As I said these two signings are not a direct replacement for the three players we lost but they bring a lot of skill, leadership and playoff experience. The center spot is now more open.
- Fan101

If they aquire another winger I'm assuming either Nelson or Strome will get the opportunity to consistently center a line.

Martin is a solid player and good person, I wish him the best of luck in TOR but isles needed more players that are versatile to do other things besides lead the league in "hits"... I'll be rooting & watching him still ...
- Ur Not Me

Its refreshing to have a guy like this after going through the "Kessel era". Growing up watching guys like Clark, Gilmour, Tucker, Domi you come to expect a certain level of heart and desire. You don't have to lead the league in hits or blocked shots but you sure as hell better give everything you have to win.

Lets look at what we got

16 91 ?
27 29 11
86 18 12
25 53 15

We will se about 84s health

2 55
44 3
14 6

50 and 42 extra ( one prob going back to BPT)

41
1
30

Top 6 needs one more player, and im not to crazy about what the third line would look like if barzal doesnt make the team

Lets look at what we got

16 91 ?
27 29 11
86 18 12
25 53 15

We will se about 84s health

2 55
44 3
14 6

50 and 42 extra ( one prob going back to BPT)

41
1
30

Top 6 needs one more player, and im not to crazy about what the third line would look like if barzal doesnt make the team
- Flexingtheshaft

Offer sheet Kucherov and call it a career....

These so-called analyst's don't know nothing, I understand they're former players but doesn't mean they know better. U don't keep the same players who haven't helped succeed greater than expected, so then u try a different method/plan, something called logic.....
- Ur Not Me

completely agree and I'm good with what we are doing, need 1 more top 6 and I'll be real happy. O'Neil makes me crazy, Leaf homer, big mouth ..just found it funny he would bring up the Isles but as always no respect from TSN

nobody is taking that 7 year deal in a trade
- lileapers

Is this from a Ranger fan? Two words. SCOTT GOMEZ.

Buyout would be 1 million a year hit....no biggie. As a former Captain who's been to the dance and plays N American style....he's gonna be sought after for a cup run. GUARENTEEED.

If they aquire another winger I'm assuming either Nelson or Strome will get the opportunity to consistently center a line.
- Cptmjl

The only way to address the right side of JT is by trade. If it means parting with young talent then so be it.

Bobby Ryan?

Is this from a Ranger fan? Two words. SCOTT GOMEZ.

Buyout would be 1 million a year hit....no biggie. As a former Captain who's been to the dance and plays N American style....he's gonna be sought after for a cup run. GUARENTEEED.
- kindlyrick

That was a dumb post from the Rags fan, wasn't it? As if the Isles signed Ladd to trade him right away....

If, several years from now, the Isles for whatever reason have no further use for Ladd's services, then they won't be trading a 7 year contract, it will only be a 2 or 3 year contract.

That was a dumb post from the Rags fan, wasn't it? As if the Isles signed Ladd to trade him right away....

If, several years from now, the Isles for whatever reason have no further use for Ladd's services, then they won't be trading a 7 year contract, it will only be a 2 or 3 year contract.
- JohnScammo

my post was in response to someone saying if it doesnt work out you can just trade Ladd, they seem to be inferring right away.
It's a decent signing but the players you gave up were better.
All you really needed to do was change your coach

The only way to address the right side of JT is by trade. If it means parting with young talent then so be it.

Bobby Ryan?
- kindlyrick

Ryan would be a good fit but big cap number which would need to be addressed. I would think Ottawa would have to take a contract back like Bailey or Kulemin and then a young player of Nelson, Strome or Lee. Some younger fits would Silfverberg from Anaheim, Killorn from Tampa, van Riemsdyk from Toronto or Yakupov from Edmonton to name a few...

my post was in response to someone saying if it doesnt work out you can just trade Ladd, they seem to be inferring right away.
It's a decent signing but the players you gave up were better.
All you really needed to do was change your coach
- lileapers

OK, I read rick's post to mean we could trade Ladd years down the road. I believe Ladd's contract has a no movement clause for the first two years, a no trade clause for a couple more years, and a limited no trade for the remainder.

However, we agree about the need to change the coach. I do understand your point better, and I take back calling your post dumb...

my post was in response to someone saying if it doesnt work out you can just trade Ladd, they seem to be inferring right away.
It's a decent signing but the players you gave up were better.
All you really needed to do was change your coach
- lileapers

Um no they weren't. Okposo is not better then Ladd. Nielsen though versatile is about as soft as you can be and both of those guys vanish come playoff time. With that said Snow has to somehow add a top line winger then we're OK in my book. I have a hard time seeing Snow pulling it off but I'll hope for the best.

Um no they weren't. Okposo is not better then Ladd. Nielsen though versatile is about as soft as you can be and both of those guys vanish come playoff time. With that said Snow has to somehow add a top line winger then we're OK in my book. I have a hard time seeing Snow pulling it off but I'll hope for the best.
- Cptmjl

Who would you like to see Snow get? How about Silfverberg from Anaheim? Could 25-30 goals with JT...

Um no they weren't. Okposo is not better then Ladd. Nielsen though versatile is about as soft as you can be and both of those guys vanish come playoff time. With that said Snow has to somehow add a top line winger then we're OK in my book. I have a hard time seeing Snow pulling it off but I'll hope for the best.
- Cptmjl

The comments and articles I'm reading about Okposo all make it seem like he's a superstar. I like KO and think he was a good Islander, but you'd think we let Tavares walk. I'm happy with Ladd and glad we have him over Okposo

The comments and articles I'm reading about Okposo all make it seem like he's a superstar. I like KO and think he was a good Islander, but you'd think we let Tavares walk. I'm happy with Ladd and glad we have him over Okposo
- NYI44

It's funny listening to the NBC guys talk about KO when the Isles are playing. They talk like he is this amazing power forward and he has this impact like Clark Gillies had.

If they aquire another winger I'm assuming either Nelson or Strome will get the opportunity to consistently center a line.
- Cptmjl

Staple, from Garth says the Centers of lines are as follows:
JT
Nelson
Strome
Cizikas

Staple, from Garth says the Centers of lines are as follows:
JT
Nelson
Strome
Cizikas
- jmo16

I think they forgot about Grabovski. So funny to me with this team. Which is it? Is strome a winger or a center????

Um no they weren't. Okposo is not better then Ladd. Nielsen though versatile is about as soft as you can be and both of those guys vanish come playoff time. With that said Snow has to somehow add a top line winger then we're OK in my book. I have a hard time seeing Snow pulling it off but I'll hope for the best.
- Cptmjl

It's the same problem on his "To-do" list thats carried over the last 3 years. He has to make a trade and that will require giving something up & Garth (seemingly) doesnt want to trade any top prospects. If Hall has a season anywhere near JT, points-wise, that non-trade could come back to bite him in the arse, especially if Pulock & Pelech both join the club full time(by mid-season-not out of camp).

Can everyone stop with the aging vet crap. The isles went out and got a really good player in Ladd. This is about now. Not 5 years from now.
What some fail to realize is that Ladd is an asset that was signed without giving up anything. The isles can trade him at a deadline if need be and a cup team will gladly take him for the run. Great signing
- kindlyrick

Like I said yesterday there will always be complainers. Islanders have a window to win now with the potential in futures years as well with the players in the system. I really liked both signings yesterday. People also have to realize when JT is due for a new contract the following players come off the books, Grabbo, Kuli, Halak, Bailey, Chimera. That's like 19 mil.

I think they forgot about Grabovski. So funny to me with this team. Which is it? Is strome a winger or a center????
- kindlyrick

Think that list was "as of right now." Grabo still a question, obviously.
Maybe Chimera was signed & told to run Grabo's head into the wall first day of camp?
Then LTIR kicks in & we dump him to a team that needs to reach the cap floor.

I don't its just funny how isles still don't get respected but im fine with it...
- Ur Not Me

So your saying our team is better today than if the Isles added Ladd and dumped some salary Grabbo or Kuli and kept MM, KO and Frans?
I don't think you can.
I think that's what he was getting at.
I like Ladd and Chimera but we aren't a better team as we sit today.

if we can make a trade for a top six forward without using up all of our available cap space my first choice would be to keep halak and greiss. I'm just not sure how I feel about Greiss & Berube.
- Isles_since_6

I agree Cpt and 6, I don't want to trade Halak just yet.

If they aquire another winger I'm assuming either Nelson or Strome will get the opportunity to consistently center a line.
- Cptmjl

I think they both may. It's likely Tavares, Nelson, Strome, Zeeker. Maybe they expect Zeeker to become a third liner and will add a depth center guy in, thus keeping Strome at wing, but I kinda get that feeling. This is put up or shut up year for Stromer


Overall, I'm okay with what's happened here. With Okposo, we lose a guy who frustrated the hell out of us. Great shot release, but little else to his game. We all know how weak he was on the puck and on his skates. His passing wasn't that good and his awareness seemed poor. On occasion the kid ripped a wrister that made you realize just how could he could have been if maybe he polished the rest of his game up a bit...I know he was considered a character guy, but I kinda wonder if he wasn't one of those Country Club kinda guys too. Ladd was a consistent 20-29 goal guy with the Jets. With more skill around him, i think it's reasonable to expect that he'll get 25-33 goals here, maybe more if paired with JT. Most importante, he's a big guy with skill...a combination the Isles really lacked in round 2.

Chimera is a tough guy who adds much more grit than Nielsen ever did. Fransy was cool and calm with the puck and definitely had finesse skill...but he was S A W F T..SOFT! The guy avoided contact, disappeared in gritty games and to me was a bit overvalued by us because he was a decent player that came out of an era that we had virtually none.

As for Martin, I really hate this loss, but we've got a boat load of talent coming up that will add much more offense to this team in his absence. I do wonder who is going to 'send messages' with him gone now though.....