And in three years when Ryan's contract is up (two if a lockout, one before he has to be traded before he hits UFA unless Wang gives him 60m front-loaded) what's left?

Amazing how a fifty seven point player (who's team finished dead last in the West)
who scores at Moulson's pace is worth half or more of the entire Islander prospect base to some.
- NYI

If Nelson and DeHaan are half the Islanders prospect base then this rebuild isn't going nearly as well as we all thought. Not for nothing but no team is built entirely through the draft. Players need to be added via free agency and trades. And guess what? You have to give something to get something. And exactly what difference does it make where the Ducks finished when evaluating a player? Would Tavares's worth in a trade be less because the Islanders finished next to last in the east?

Being a Ducks fan also I have seen Ryan play many times. The kid is exactly what the Isles need and certainly worth trading De Haan and Nelson who could be horrible at the NHL level.
- mighty13duck

They could also be stars for a lot longer than 2.5 years at best before he goes UFA, plus a fourth overall pick.

You don't make a trade like that for prime talent you invested years into, that's the kind of plan that got the Isles four playoffs in six years but never a dominating team.

The asking price for Rick Nash was, and likely still is, insanely high. They wanted a 1st, Kreider, Dubi, and MDZ/McDonagh.

Ryan is far more valuable than Nash, in that he's probably more skilled, slightly younger, and on a vastly more manageable contract. I would say the asking price for him would be as high or higher than Nash.
- eichiefs9

First order of business is defense!

A 2nd round pick and Nino for Ryan?? Literally zero chance that would even scratch the surface of a trade for him.
- eichiefs9

lol agreed, I meant to have deHann in there too. The 2nd round pick is around #34 don't forget in the entire draft

If Nelson and DeHaan are half the Islanders prospect base then this rebuild isn't going nearly as well as we all thought. Not for nothing but no team is built entirely through the draft. Players need to be added via free agency and trades. And guess what? You have to give something to get something. And exactly what difference does it make where the Ducks finished when evaluating a player? Would Tavares's worth in a trade be less because the Islanders finished next to last in the east?
- PeteM

This league is not based the way it used to be on trades or free agency. All of the top players have NTC or NVC plus most of them are available because they are overpriced or getting ready to become UFA.

Trades? Ed Snider or Dolan's dumb front-loaded contract failures like Richards, Carter or Gomez, that's your big name trade market after the front-loaded part has been paid.

All the top free agents get front-loaded contract and that takes the Isles plus 20 other teams immediately out of that game.

Toronto will not do those signings either, so no top UFA.

James Wisniewski got a 36 million dollar contract heavily front-loaded.

First order of business is defense!
- kindlyrick

Trade-wise, yes. But it doesn't mean if a quality player is available at another position it should be completely ignored.

Ive been waiting and waiting and waiting........again, its year 5 of the rebuild. There has to be a point when this organization adds legit NHL veterans with the core. Otherwise, its gonna be the same results. I pay for 4 season tickets, without playoffs.
- kindlyrick

Year 4... get with the program.

This league is not based the way it used to be on trades or free agency. All of the top players have NTC or NVC plus most of them are available because they are overpriced or getting ready to become UFA.

Trades? Ed Snider or Dolan's dumb front-loaded contract failures like Richards, Carter or Gomez, that's your big name trade market after the front-loaded part has been paid.

All the top free agents get front-loaded contract and that takes the Isles plus 20 other teams immediately out of that game.

Toronto will not do those signings either, so no top UFA.

James Wisniewski got a 36 million dollar contract heavily front-loaded.
- NYI

If you were of Native American descent your name would be "Broken Record".

Year 4... get with the program.
- jimmc7722

We're entering year 5 are we not?

What is he afraid to do, what Milbury did?

Most of you sound like Milbury, 1st, deHaan, Nino, Strome, Grabner.

Why don't you throw in Tavares too.

20 other teams cannot afford to front-load contacts. Montreal and Toronto will not front-load a contract.

That's what the top free agents all get.

You want Wang to give someone 20m for the first two years of a contract call Mangano, Kate Murray and tell them to give him a building where he makes enough money to where he can make such an offer.

The guy in Arizona will get Wang's deal from last summer in a modern building plus a seventeen million dollar check to be their Smg every year direct from the taxpayers.

Wang get's to renovate the Coliseum as tenant for slumlord Nassau.
- NYI

The islanders shouldnt do what say Buffalo did with Ehrhoff, but they certainly have the cap space to spend. Some of the fans on here have ridiculous scenarios. The isles started rebuilding, and to trade Strome, and Nino, and DeHaan, etc etc etc is ridiculous. The islanders need to find a team looking to dump salary and make a move that way. They obviously cant land the big UFA......so find a team with salary issues, and make a trade.

Garth pulled it off with James Wisniewski, and I for one thought its exactly the kind of move the isles need.

We're entering year 5 are we not?
- kindlyrick

You sir, are correct.

Trade-wise, yes. But it doesn't mean if a quality player is available at another position it should be completely ignored.
- eichiefs9

Its not about that........that is my point. The main focus here shouldnt be "draft the best player available". It should be, who's willing to give what for this pick. What can the isles get in return for the 4th overall, be it by itself or with a package. Garth said it himself..........they now have the assets to bring in what they need.

Dont forget, there is PLENTY of talent in the 2nd and 3rd rounds. Its the scouting staffs job to find it. Look at Detroit!

We're entering year 5 are we not?
- kindlyrick

Sorry I thought you said we just finished year 5... my bad.

This is a big year for the Isles... Snow needs to make a move @ the draft.

No playoffs.... no more Snow!!!

Its not about that........that is my point. The main focus here shouldnt be "draft the best player available". It should be, who's willing to give what for this pick. What can the isles get in return for the 4th overall, be is by itself or with a package. Garth said it himself..........they now have the assets to bring in what they need.

Dont forget, there is PLENTY of talent in the 2nd and 3rd rounds. Its the scouting staffs job to find it. Look at Detroit!
- kindlyrick

I wasn't talking about the draft, I meant if a guy like Ryan is known to be available via trade we shouldn't overlook him just because we have bigger needs elsewhere. Speculating about trades is like pissing in the wind though, which is why it's pointless to do. You, me or Bob McKenzie don't know what a particular GM wants in return for Player X, if that player is even available to be moved, or if Snow even wants them. Throw in stuff like NTC's and you're just throwing darts a board. I could tell you I'd trade the #4 pick for Kevin Bieksa, but that means nothing.

The islanders shouldnt do what say Buffalo did with Ehrhoff, but they certainly have the cap space to spend. Some of the fans on here have ridiculous scenarios. The isles started rebuilding, and to trade Strome, and Nino, and DeHaan, etc etc etc is ridiculous. The islanders need to find a team looking to dump salary and make a move that way. They obviously cant land the big UFA......so find a team with salary issues, and make a trade.

Garth pulled it off with James Wisniewski, and I for one thought its exactly the kind of move the isles need.
- kindlyrick

A team looking to dump salary also usually means a player failing, why do you want that here?

Having cap space to use vs having a market with players worth spending it on is another story. Unless you do a dumb front-loaded deal like Wisniewski or Ehrhoff tier two is Kaberle at 13m who Carolina dumped and was thrilled, it's Jovanovski over 35 for 16 million, or trading for a Brian Campbell.

It's Bryan McCabe no NHL team would sign or giving a tryout to Staios.

That's been the market.

The Isles do need another Wisniewski/3rd round pick kind of sign and trade as Anaheim/Snow did but those kinds of deals are extremely rare. Once the short-term is up for a Wisniewski they move on to front-loaded cash which means he leaves Montreal.

Ehrhoff and Wisniewski and the defenders before them set the market which means fat, front-loaded deals or no signing. It's going to continue because players want cash up front.

A team looking to dump salary also usually means a player failing, why do you want that here?

Having cap space to use vs having a market with players worth spending it on is another story. Unless you do a dumb front-loaded deal like Wisniewski or Ehrhoff tier two is Kaberle at 13m who Carolina dumped and was thrilled, it's Jovanovski over 35 for 16 million, or trading for a Brian Campbell.

It's Bryan McCabe no NHL team would sign or giving a tryout to Staios.

That's been the market.

The Isles do need another Wisniewski/3rd round pick kind of sign and trade as Anaheim/Snow did but those kinds of deals are extremely rare. Once the short-term is up for a Wisniewski they move on to front-loaded cash which means he leaves Montreal.

Ehrhoff and Wisniewski and the defenders before them set the market which means fat, front-loaded deals or no signing. It's going to continue because players want cash up front.
- NYI

That has not been the market... That has been the Islander market.

Sorry I thought you said we just finished year 5... my bad.

This is a big year for the Isles... Snow needs to make a move @ the draft.

No playoffs.... no more Snow!!!
- jimmc7722

That's what our fans demanded in 2001. No playoffs, no more Milbury...

Every year is a big year for every team.

It's almost impossible to make a big move at the draft in this era because all the top players have no trade clauses or no movement clauses and did not get them in their contract to waive them on live television because a gm wants to do a deal on the draft floor.

Sorry I thought you said we just finished year 5... my bad.

This is a big year for the Isles... Snow needs to make a move @ the draft.

No playoffs.... no more Snow!!!
- jimmc7722

No worries man. I couldnt agree with you more. I honestly think Garth is going to do something.......i mean he has to. When he sat with Wang and Crappy before last season and basically said the team was ready to make the next step (playoffs), he started his own clock.........and its ticking. Noone was fooled with his bush league moves last minute. It screamed panic to me........and the end result proved it.

To me, I say, trade with Montreal, and try and get Subban off their hands. If it means we take on Gomez, so be it. This site says he makes 5.5 shmill this year and 4.5 next. Thats basically what DP makes and he doesnt even play. Im not a huge fan of Gomez, but he can skate still, and he cant be worse than Rolston, for similar money. Heck, put him on Tavares' wing.......he can create space. PK Subban is exactly what the isles want......a mobile defenseman who can do it all. Plus, he's boys with JT!
http://stats.nhlnumbers.com/teams/MTL?year=2013

I wasn't talking about the draft, I meant if a guy like Ryan is known to be available via trade we shouldn't overlook him just because we have bigger needs elsewhere. Speculating about trades is like pissing in the wind though, which is why it's pointless to do. You, me or Bob McKenzie don't know what a particular GM wants in return for Player X, if that player is even available to be moved, or if Snow even wants them. Throw in stuff like NTC's and you're just throwing darts a board. I could tell you I'd trade the #4 pick for Kevin Bieksa, but that means nothing.
- eichiefs9

I was talking about the draft. These boards are filled with people talking about this prospect and that prospect. Bobby Ryan is a good player, but i wouldnt give up 4 first round picks for him.

[quote=NYI]A team looking to dump salary also usually means a player failing, why do you want that here?


Thats not true. Maybe a team is at the ceiling and needs to create space to bring in someone else. Dumping salary doesnt not always mean that a player is failing.

That has not been the market... That has been the Islander market.
- brodydog29

No, that's everyone's market. It's why the names Roman Hamrlik, Sheldon Souray move around.

Look at the NHL signings on defense last summer starting on July 1st.
http://www.nhl.com/ice/page.htm?id=69926

It's everyone's market.

[quote=NYI]A team looking to dump salary also usually means a player failing, why do you want that here?


Thats not true. Maybe a team is at the ceiling and needs to create space to bring in someone else. Dumping salary doesnt not always mean that a player is failing.
- kindlyrick

What would you offer Pittsburgh for Staal?

What would you offer Pittsburgh for Staal?
- kear20

I love Staal, but the isles have so many centers, i dont think he's a priority. But for entertainment purposes. Brock Nelson and this years first round (4th overall).

Thats not true. Maybe a team is at the ceiling and needs to create space to bring in someone else. Dumping salary doesnt not always mean that a player is failing.
- kindlyrick

You do realize how few trades are made in this NHL right?

The player usually dumped is not producing, is a pending free agent or the team is unloading after they fall out of contention. Half those players usually wind up on waivers.

No, that's everyone's market. It's why the names Roman Hamrlik, Sheldon Souray move around.

Look at the NHL signings on defense last summer starting on July 1st.
http://www.nhl.com/ice/page.htm?id=69926

It's everyone's market.
- NYI

No one said only defensive players... And some players that Florida took the gamble on and over paid with balloon contracts got them to a game 7 with the conference champs.