Much needed help on defense as if the offense is fine? If only the defense was better this year

The Islanders have a new building and they finally have to be able to sign a top FA. Excuses are over.
- ses111

Oh come on there will be new excuses to replace the old ones.

Oh come on there will be new excuses to replace the old ones.
- Cptmjl

I look forward to the next Panarin situation.

Kevin Kurz
@KKurzNHL
·
16m
Could an Anthony Beauvillier trade get the Islanders needed help on defense?


I hope Lou threads the needle perfectly and this team's able to go on another run next season. But, man, it wasn't long ago we were talking about using our surplus of defensemen to trade for needed scoring up front. We never really got that boost in scoring despite moving d-men out, and now we likely have to trade forwards to replace the d-men.

Decent depth is really the only strength this team has left, so if they start chipping away at that, there better be something good to show for it!
- UIF

Tito for…?

Much needed help on defense as if the offense is fine? If only the defense was better this year

The Islanders have a new building and they finally have to be able to sign a top FA. Excuses are over.
- ses111

Unless of course, said FA just says… no?

Kevin Kurz
@KKurzNHL
·
16m
Could an Anthony Beauvillier trade get the Islanders needed help on defense?


I hope Lou threads the needle perfectly and this team's able to go on another run next season. But, man, it wasn't long ago we were talking about using our surplus of defensemen to trade for needed scoring up front. We never really got that boost in scoring despite moving d-men out, and now we likely have to trade forwards to replace the d-men.

Decent depth is really the only strength this team has left, so if they start chipping away at that, there better be something good to show for it!
- UIF

Instead we traded our surplus of defensemen for three second round picks and Richard Panik

Instead we traded our surplus of defensemen for three second round picks and Richard Panik
- eichiefs9

Said picks did help rid us of Ladd.

So there’s that.

Any thoughts on this kid. Rumors are he could be available.

New Jersey Devils winger Jesper Bratt
- Nfdbulldawg

I don't believe Bratt is really available.. (any more than Beau is available). A lot of these SITEs constantly type nonsense click bait out there and then everyone else runs with it as... "Rumored to be available" ...

I got a million texts on Trotz to Flyers, Nashville, Boston, etc. B/c someone put it in their blog... Trotz wants to spend time with his sick wife, and some other family issues. He didn't want an extension b/c after his mom passed and all of the stuff going on he thought he needed to take a break. Lou "Fired" him to give him that break and b/c he couldn't commit long term.

I could see him getting a position closer to home in MGMT where he doesn't have to travel.. but until it's proven otherwise by a contract.. I can't imagine he is going to coach this year.

I will say what I said last summer.. The Islanders should sign UFA Tony DeAngelo..

Sign him and then get me one UFA forward like Filip Foresburg or Johnny G... giddy up.

Instead we traded our surplus of defensemen for three second round picks and Richard Panik
- eichiefs9

Yep. I'm not blind to the cap realities the team faced. I get the reasons why things went down the way they did. But the end result is quite a bit of talent on D went out the door with not much to show for it at any position. And now there's really no position of strength to deal from...maybe goaltending, but that hasn't been the hottest trade market for a while now...so the Isles are probably going to have to find a cap-strapped team of their own to really take advantage of to get things back on track.

Yep. I'm not blind to the cap realities the team faced. I get the reasons why things went down the way they did. But the end result is quite a bit of talent on D went out the door with not much to show for it at any position. And now there's really no position of strength to deal from...maybe goaltending, but that hasn't been the hottest trade market for a while now...so the Isles are probably going to have to find a cap-strapped team of their own to really take advantage of to get things back on track.
- UIF

You can always figure it out with the cap.. that is what good teams do (Vegas, Tampa, etc. ) .. they did that trade b/c of the expansion draft. I still don't like the trade but he would have been gone last summer anyway.. although we would have kept Eberle.

Tito for…?
- Wildschwein

I have no idea how teams would value Beau. Most of the time I'm not even sure what I think of him as a player

I will say what I said last summer.. The Islanders should sign UFA Tony DeAngelo..

Sign him and then get me one UFA forward like Filip Foresburg or Johnny G... giddy up.
- niteislander

They don't have the cap space to add DeAngelo and either Forsberg or Gaudreau and still re-sign Dobson. Not to mention DeAngelo plays the right side. We need two guys to play on the left.

I have no idea how teams would value Beau. Most of the time I'm not even sure what I think of him as a player
- UIF

Same boat.

Varlamov for a defender probably makes more sense.

Yep. I'm not blind to the cap realities the team faced. I get the reasons why things went down the way they did. But the end result is quite a bit of talent on D went out the door with not much to show for it at any position. And now there's really no position of strength to deal from...maybe goaltending, but that hasn't been the hottest trade market for a while now...so the Isles are probably going to have to find a cap-strapped team of their own to really take advantage of to get things back on track.
- UIF

Bailey to the Yotes is a must.

Unless of course, said FA just says… no?
- Wildschwein

It's an issue if the Islanders still get rejected this offseason with a new building and two recent long playoff runs.

They don't have the cap space to add DeAngelo and either Forsberg or Gaudreau and still re-sign Dobson. Not to mention DeAngelo plays the right side. We need two guys to play on the left.
- eichiefs9

Hope Salo gets a real look this year. This will help the Cap.

It's an issue if the Islanders still get rejected this offseason with a new building and two recent long playoff runs.
- ses111

You’re gonna be pissed when Forsberg declines the Islanders cause he loves his moustache.

You’re gonna be pissed when Forsberg declines the Islanders cause he loves his moustache.
- Wildschwein

I'll have to blame Lee if we lose out on Forsberg.

They don't have the cap space to add DeAngelo and either Forsberg or Gaudreau and still re-sign Dobson. Not to mention DeAngelo plays the right side. We need two guys to play on the left.
- eichiefs9

I knew the second I mentioned "cap space" u would show up. they have more Cap space than 50% of the teams in the NHL.. over $12 mill and only have to Sign RFA dobson.. if they need more they can EASILY move Varly.. or less easily move Bailey (please God).

https://www.capfriendly.com/ You see it as .. OMG we don't have any cap space.

I see it as .. We have more than most teams in the league. And have movable assets to create more.

Bailey to the Yotes is a must.
- ses111

His old teammate had some interest in Minnesota last year. Hopefully he ends up there..

I don't believe Bratt is really available.. (any more than Beau is available). A lot of these SITEs constantly type nonsense click bait out there and then everyone else runs with it as... "Rumored to be available" ...

I got a million texts on Trotz to Flyers, Nashville, Boston, etc. B/c someone put it in their blog... Trotz wants to spend time with his sick wife, and some other family issues. He didn't want an extension b/c after his mom passed and all of the stuff going on he thought he needed to take a break. Lou "Fired" him to give him that break and b/c he couldn't commit long term.

I could see him getting a position closer to home in MGMT where he doesn't have to travel.. but until it's proven otherwise by a contract.. I can't imagine he is going to coach this year.
- niteislander

Where did you get this info from?

Where did you get this info from?
- Cptmjl

Trotz info? Staple wrote about it a few days after it happened.

I knew the second I mentioned "cap space" u would show up. they have more Cap space than 50% of the teams in the NHL.. over $12 mill and only have to Sign RFA dobson.. if they need more they can EASILY move Varly.. or less easily move Bailey (please God).

https://www.capfriendly.com/ You see it as .. OMG we don't have any cap space.

I see it as .. We have more than most teams in the league. And have movable assets to create more.
- niteislander

Varlamov has a NMC no? That makes it exponentially harder to move him. If it were so easy to move Bailey he would’ve been gone already don’t fool yourself with that one. There’s a reason he was exposed and it wasn’t because lameriello thinks he’s a super cerebral hockey player.

Trotz info? Staple wrote about it a few days after it happened.
- niteislander

Meh ok. Staple knows as much as we do. Everyone wants to give a reason to trotz being let go other then he was just fired. Lameriello firing him is literally his MO have no idea why everyone has such a hard time with the idea?

I knew the second I mentioned "cap space" u would show up. they have more Cap space than 50% of the teams in the NHL.. over $12 mill and only have to Sign RFA dobson.. if they need more they can EASILY move Varly.. or less easily move Bailey (please God).

https://www.capfriendly.com/ You see it as .. OMG we don't have any cap space.

I see it as .. We have more than most teams in the league. And have movable assets to create more.
- niteislander

Having "more cap space" than most of the league is irrelevant without considering how many holes need to be filled on a given roster.

They have to fill three open spots on the blueline, including Dobson. One of the non-Dobson players needs to be actually talented. Maybe the other is Salo and he will re-sign cheap. But that's risky for a guy who didn't impress management/coaches last year.

Trading Varlamov would be exceptionally bad, especially when you realize that we'd have to sign a backup who'd be a significant downgrade for probably $2.5M-$3M or just fill a garbage can with manure to backup Sorokin and pray he never gets hurt.

Moving Bailey alone won't create enough space to sign an offensive defenseman AND a top-tier UFA. It probably won't even create enough space to be able to afford an offensive defenseman and Kevin Fiala. Moving out Beauvillier probably gets them there but then you're creating another hole up front that has to be filled and please don't sit here and tell me Kieffer Bellows (who also needs a contract) is an adequate player to do that.