Yup. Islanders are seriously lacking in high end talent and Pageau isn't that player.
- RogerRoeper

You can't say that for sure. He's been having a good season. You never really know what will happen when a player switches teams. He may keep it up, but to me, this looks like a classic "pay a player when they're in the middle of a contract year" mistake. this is his best year, by a wide margin, in his career, at age 27. I get the David Clarkson feel out of it.

But it all remains to be seen.

You can't say that for sure. He's been having a good season. You never really know what will happen when a player switches teams. He may keep it up, but to me, this looks like a classic "pay a player when they're in the middle of a contract year" mistake. this is his best year, by a wide margin, in his career, at age 27. I get the David Clarkson feel out of it.

But it all remains to be seen.
- prock

I disagree with that. Even if Pageau isn't scoring he's doing so many other things to help his team win. He's solid in all 3 zones and fits perfectly in what Trotz wants him to do. Kill penalties, win key faceoffs and shut down top line centers. Now for the contract he just got you'd expect him to still score 25-30 goals.

Clarkson was overrated and alot of people bought his hype. He tried to be the type of player the Leafs wanted and failed miserably. Pageau has a much better chance of earning his money than Clarkson did in my opinion. It's only comparable if Pageau completely $hits the bed. I can't see that happening. But you're right. You never know.

Pens won a Cup with the HBK line (Hagelin-Bonino-Kessel) as their 3rd line. Chicago had amazing depth in their Cup years but had to sell them off to stay under the Cap especially after Toews and Kane got paid the big bucks. Comparing Matthews and Marner to Crosby and Malkin or Toews and Keith is a bit of a stretch. Not talent wise. But Matthews and Marner haven't won anything yet.

Neither has Tavares. They may do so over the next few years. That's what the Leafs are banking on. The Jimmy Tanner theory. Pay your stars and surround them with replaceable cheap guys. It only works if your best players carry the team. So far in the playoffs that hasn't been the case for the Leafs.

Many fans believe the stars cancel each other out in the playoffs and it's the depth guys who decide games or a series. I don't buy that entirely. While Lars Eller came up big for the Caps in their 2018 Cup run, it was Ovechkin, Kuznetsov and Carlson leading the way. Bottom line is you need both. Your stars have to lead the way but you need your depth guys to step up as well.
- gergeswillems

he Pens defense was horrendous overall, and especially depth wise. Yeah, they had a good third line on forward, but their D and it's depth was atrocious.

Chicago's depth was all but gone by 2015 when they won. Byfuglien, Versteeg, Brouwer, Ladd, Brian Campbell, Dave Bolland, Nick Leddy, all gone.

they had great depth in their first cup win, less so with their second, and their third, it was nothing special at all. Those cups were clearly more won with their high end players, not their depth.

I disagree with that. Even if Pageau isn't scoring he's doing so many other things to help his team win. He's solid in all 3 zones and fits perfectly in what Trotz wants him to do. Kill penalties, win key faceoffs and shut down top line centers. Now for the contract he just got you'd expect him to still score 25-30 goals.

Clarkson was overrated and alot of people bought his hype. He tried to be the type of player the Leafs wanted and failed miserably. Pageau has a much better chance of earning his money than Clarkson did in my opinion. It's only comparable if Pageau completely $hits the bed. I can't see that happening. But you're right. You never know.
- gergeswillems

Would you pay someone $5M to kill penalties and win some faceoffs?

No idea where this idea that he's a good shutdown guy comes from. And even that isn't worth $5M

Would you pay someone $5M to kill penalties and win some faceoffs?

No idea where this idea that he's a good shutdown guy comes from. And even that isn't worth $5M
- prock

That's part of what Pageau is being paid for. Scoring is a part of it too. What are you talking about? How is he not worth 5 mil? It's not 2012. Danny Dekeyser makes 5. Frans Nielsen 5.25. Abdelkader 4.25. Helm 4. None of these guys are worth what they're being paid. But that's what they're getting. Why would an impending UFA like Pageau take anything less? The contracts I listed were signed years ago. The Cap will increase and salaries will go up.

That's part of what Pageau is being paid for. Scoring is a part of it too. What are you talking about? How is he not worth 5 mil? It's not 2012. Danny Dekeyser makes 5. Frans Nielsen 5.25. Abdelkader 4.25. Helm 4. None of these guys are worth what they're being paid. But that's what they're getting. Why would an impending UFA like Pageau take anything less? The contracts I listed were signed years ago. The Cap will increase and salaries will go up.
- gergeswillems

Pageau may have gotten even more than that on an open market. Philly was interested in him at the deadline, he'd be a great fit in Colorado. I'm sure there are several other teams out there that would've loved to have signed him and the competition very well could've driven that price up more towards $6M. Nobody needs to sit here and say that Lou pulled off some sort of miracle with that deal, but it's miles away from being a "bad" move.

Pageau may have gotten even more than that on an open market. Philly was interested in him at the deadline, he'd be a great fit in Colorado. I'm sure there are several other teams out there that would've loved to have signed him and the competition very well could've driven that price up more towards $6M. Nobody needs to sit here and say that Lou pulled off some sort of miracle with that deal, but it's miles away from being a "bad" move.
- eichiefs9

Agreed. We always see how stupid GM's are in free agency. Pageau definitely would've received more on the open market. Lou knew that. That's why he wanted to lock Pageau up early. Be proactive instead of reactive. There's nothing wrong with this contract. Teams will always overpay in UFA because they're giving up Cap space but no assets.

Lou signed Pageau for market value. Fans love criticizing other teams for signing players. But when it's their team it's the greatest contract in NHL history. A steal. My team's GM is a genius. Cheer for the laundry.

That's part of what Pageau is being paid for. Scoring is a part of it too. What are you talking about? How is he not worth 5 mil? It's not 2012. Danny Dekeyser makes 5. Frans Nielsen 5.25. Abdelkader 4.25. Helm 4. None of these guys are worth what they're being paid. But that's what they're getting. Why would an impending UFA like Pageau take anything less? The contracts I listed were signed years ago. The Cap will increase and salaries will go up.
- gergeswillems

So where does the idea he's a good shudown guy come from? He's a pest. That doesn't make him a shutodwn guy. Was Matt Cooke a defensive player?

So where does the idea he's a good shudown guy come from? He's a pest. That doesn't make him a shutodwn guy. Was Matt Cooke a defensive player?
- prock

Matt Cooke was one of the dirtiest cheap shot artists in NHL history. Great comparison there. 😂

Pageau may have gotten even more than that on an open market. Philly was interested in him at the deadline, he'd be a great fit in Colorado. I'm sure there are several other teams out there that would've loved to have signed him and the competition very well could've driven that price up more towards $6M. Nobody needs to sit here and say that Lou pulled off some sort of miracle with that deal, but it's miles away from being a "bad" move.
- eichiefs9

I think it has the possibility to become one, almost certainly. There is no way it's a slam dunk good trade and/or contract.

Matt Cooke was one of the dirtiest cheap shot artists in NHL history. Great comparison there. 😂
- gergeswillems

Jesus. Pick any pest that normally scores 35 points. Pest =/= shutdown guy.

Jesus. Pick any pest that normally scores 35 points. Pest =/= shutdown guy.
- prock

Antoine Roussel!

Love that guy.

Agreed. We always see how stupid GM's are in free agency. Pageau definitely would've received more on the open market. Lou knew that. That's why he wanted to lock Pageau up early. Be proactive instead of reactive. There's nothing wrong with this contract. Teams will always overpay in UFA because they're giving up Cap space but no assets.

Lou signed Pageau for market value. Fans love criticizing other teams for signing players. But when it's their team it's the greatest contract in NHL history. A steal. My team's GM is a genius. Cheer for the laundry.
- gergeswillems

There's obviously never going to be a report of it, but I have to imagine that Lou was able to at least speak with Pageau's agent to gauge interest before he shipped off a couple high picks for him.

I don't think any Islander fan realistically thinks that this all the sudden vaults them into the "serious Cup contender" tier but suggesting this was some sort of comically-bad move is absurd. They paid a premium but this isn't a young team and they don't really have the time to sit around and wait for their ~20th overall pick this year to develop for another four years.

Jesus. Pick any pest that normally scores 35 points. Pest =/= shutdown guy.
- prock

Pageau is close to scoring 30 goals. Heck of a pest.

Pageau is close to scoring 30 goals. Heck of a pest.
- gergeswillems

a breakthrough year in a contract year at age 27. Never hit 20 before and his career high in points is 43

a breakthrough year in a contract year at age 27. Never hit 20 before and his career high in points is 43
- RogerRoeper

So we're just going to pretend this season never happened to fit your flawed narrative. 😂

I think it has the possibility to become one, almost certainly. There is no way it's a slam dunk good trade and/or contract.
- prock

Sure, in the same way that signing a 31yo defenseman that plays a physical game for more than $5.5M and is likely to see his body start to break down is a "almost certainly" a "possibility" to be a disaster for a team who has a defensive corps that's largely replacement-level and has no cap space

Sure, in the same way that signing a 31yo defenseman that plays a physical game for more than $5.5M and is likely to see his body start to break down is a "almost certainly" a "possibility" to be a disaster for a team who has a defensive corps that's largely replacement-level and has no cap space
- eichiefs9

But Muzzin is a Leaf so it's a great contract. Right Roger?

But Muzzin is a Leaf so it's a great contract. Right Roger?
- gergeswillems

They constructed a great "Out" following year 2 if things look bad. He expansion eligible. I would have prefered 3 years, but what can you do.

Remember when Leafs only having 1 D signed last year was such a disaster?

They constructed a great "Out" following year 2 if things look bad. He expansion eligible. I would have prefered 3 years, but what can you do.

Remember when Leafs only having 1 D signed last year was such a disaster?
- RogerRoeper

I remember you saying the Leafs had a top 5 defense in September. No bias though.

I rememberyou saying the Leafs had a top 5 defense in September. No bias though.
- gergeswillems

Link?


Pageau is a fine deal but Nylander was a disaster. LOL

Link?
- RogerRoeper

You're denying it? 😂

Antoine Roussel!

Love that guy.
- BINGO!

Would you pay him $5M for however many years?

You're denying it? 😂
- gergeswillems

Yes completely

Islander fans defend the Pageau deal but Nylander was millions overpaid.