Ben Shelley: Josh Bailey is an offseason trade candidate for Islanders

John Toneli for HOF

"..We’ve seen Devon Toews, Jordan Eberle and Nick Leddy all leave due to cap issues but no impact players actually added to replace them..."

Well, if there are cap issues, then that limits the team's ability to add "impact players". Also, Palmieri might qualify as an impact player, even if he had a poor start to the season, apparently due to a nagging injury.

"..We’ve seen Devon Toews, Jordan Eberle and Nick Leddy all leave due to cap issues but no impact players actually added to replace them..."

Well, if there are cap issues, then that limits the team's ability to add "impact players". Also, Palmieri might qualify as an impact player, even if he had a poor start to the season, apparently due to a nagging injury.
- JohnScammo

He’ll rebound this season. Of that I’m certain.

So far as moving Bailey, I can’t see it happening. But if he were moved, I can’t see any reason why Bellows wouldn’t be an adequate replacement . Hell, the kid might end up being an upgrade.

"..We’ve seen Devon Toews, Jordan Eberle and Nick Leddy all leave due to cap issues but no impact players actually added to replace them..."

Well, if there are cap issues, then that limits the team's ability to add "impact players". Also, Palmieri might qualify as an impact player, even if he had a poor start to the season, apparently due to a nagging injury.
- JohnScammo

Correct, the point being this time they're in a better cap situation where if they could move out some money, they'd actually have the room to try to make an upgrade, rather than the last two seasons where players were moved just to get under the cap to begin with.

And with Palmieri, I suppose it could be viewed the team knew they'd lose a forward over the summer due to cap/expansion draft when they traded for Palmieri, but they didn't end up adding an Eberle-level replacement after the point in which he was taken by Seattle.

Correct, the point being this time they're in a better cap situation where if they could move out some money, they'd actually have the room to try to make an upgrade, rather than the last two seasons where players were moved just to get under the cap to begin with.

And with Palmieri, I suppose it could be viewed the team knew they'd lose a forward over the summer due to cap/expansion draft when they traded for Palmieri, but they didn't end up adding an Eberle-level replacement after the point in which he was taken by Seattle.
- Ben Shelley

My recollection is that Palmieri had a much more impactful playoffs than Eberle. I think his cap hit is similar to Eberle's, so it made sense at the time to keep Palms over Ebs. But Palms was indeed pretty bad early in the season.

"..We’ve seen Devon Toews, Jordan Eberle and Nick Leddy all leave due to cap issues but no impact players actually added to replace them..."

Well, if there are cap issues, then that limits the team's ability to add "impact players". Also, Palmieri might qualify as an impact player, even if he had a poor start to the season, apparently due to a nagging injury.
- JohnScammo

True and agree. With that said we should’ve prioritized unloading salary like Bailey’s giving up a pick mid pick if we had too so we could get said player. Not saying there would be a line of takers or anything I just feel like it wasn’t a priority. Maybe I’m wrong? Who knows? None of us have any idea what’s going on with the team in that sense we can only speculate. If they weren’t prioritizing dumping Bailey I understand that reasoning even though I would’ve rather they got rid of him a few years ago. The team played well with him in the lineup so why force it.

True and agree. With that said we should’ve prioritized unloading salary like Bailey’s giving up a pick mid pick if we had too so we could get said player. Not saying there would be a line of takers or anything I just feel like it wasn’t a priority. Maybe I’m wrong? Who knows? None of us have any idea what’s going on with the team in that sense we can only speculate. If they weren’t prioritizing dumping Bailey I understand that reasoning even though I would’ve rather they got rid of him a few years ago. The team played well with him in the lineup so why force it.
- Cptmjl

Please baby Jesus please!

"..We’ve seen Devon Toews, Jordan Eberle and Nick Leddy all leave due to cap issues but no impact players actually added to replace them..."

Well, if there are cap issues, then that limits the team's ability to add "impact players". Also, Palmieri might qualify as an impact player, even if he had a poor start to the season, apparently due to a nagging injury.
- JohnScammo

I would say to date that Toews was Lou's biggest mistake. I did not mind losing Ebs bc of his consistency issues. I did not mind moving on from Leddy as his offense did not make you forget about his porous defense.