Well 14 is a derivative of 53 so there's that. (5 (1+4) 3 (4-1). Could have gone 41 too but wanted to appease Lou to prove he was committed to staying. That to me is proof that Bo is signing and Lou isn't done yet.
- streaks

From Gods lips to your ears!

“[The contract talks] will commence in short order, is what I’m being told,” LeBrun said. He also noted that the Islanders would’ve been on Horvat’s list of teams to speak to had he gone to market on July 1, which is something to keep in mind as talks progress."
In case yawl wondered...

Undoubtedly. I was going with the short version to appeal to the people who lurk here but rarely, if ever, post. Did you know that there was a scientific study done that found that the attention span of the average hockeybuzz reader was roughly equivalent to that of a jack russell terrier? Okay, I'm bored and just made that up.

You could well be right about JT. I just don't blame Lou for the mess he inherited from Garth. Or maybe JT always wanted to grow a beard?
- JohnScammo

I never said I did. In fact I said it wasn’t Lou’s fault. With that said to be fair Lameriello pretty much inherited the team that’s still here and a roster he clearly didn’t want to change for multiple years so that aspect wasn’t a mess to Lou at least

Lou didn't take the reins until the season was over. The best thing Lou could do was hire a proven coach to impress JT that he was serious about improving the team. He did that when he hired Trotz.

As others have said, Garth needed to give JT an ultimatum: sign or your getting traded at the deadline. Garth instead gave an inflated long-term contract to Bailey, thinking JT would never abandon his best buddy. We're still paying for that brilliant move.
- JohnScammo

His job was that along with selling to JT why things were going to change for the better. He needed to sell thw new program. As I said, more in Garth but Lou isn't without blame there too.

Lebrun on the TSN insiders show said he believes the Isles were on Horvats short list of teams come July. I’ll take that as a good sign he is very open to signing here
- Vukota

That's certainly a very good sign. Now maybe we can just worry about the numbers

There are 16 #NHL scouts in attendance tonight for #CBJ    vs. #ALLCaps   , representing Anaheim, Colorado, Chicago, Dallas, Edmonton (2), Nashville, NY Islanders, NY Rangers, Pittsburgh, San Jose, Seattle, Toronto, Vancouver, Vegas, Winnipeg

Patrick Laine? Gavrikov? Not sure what the hell we're doing there, presumably for someone else

I never said I did. In fact I said it wasn’t Lou’s fault. With that said to be fair Lameriello pretty much inherited the team that’s still here and a roster he clearly didn’t want to change for multiple years so that aspect wasn’t a mess to Lou at least
- Cptmjl

Probably the most frustrating thing to me about the current team: knowing that their window could have opened years earlier when this was a younger roster if Snow didn't insist on having to be the smartest guy in the room and just hired a competent coach. I think Staple was the only human on Earth who couldn't see that coaching was a massive deficiency with Cappy/Weight.

Lou hires Trotz with the same roster minus its franchise player, and they're sweeping the Pens in the playoffs that same season. What's done is done, but man, that was so much time wasted.

Probably the most frustrating thing to me about the current team: knowing that their window could have opened years earlier when this was a younger roster if Snow didn't insist on having to be the smartest guy in the room and just hired a competent coach. I think Staple was the only human on Earth who couldn't see that coaching was a massive deficiency with Cappy/Weight.

Lou hires Trotz with the same roster minus its franchise player, and they're sweeping the Pens in the playoffs that same season. What's done is done, but man, that was so much time wasted.
- UIF

100%, that was Garth's worst sin

Probably the most frustrating thing to me about the current team: knowing that their window could have opened years earlier when this was a younger roster if Snow didn't insist on having to be the smartest guy in the room and just hired a competent coach. I think Staple was the only human on Earth who couldn't see that coaching was a massive deficiency with Cappy/Weight.

Lou hires Trotz with the same roster minus its franchise player, and they're sweeping the Pens in the playoffs that same season. What's done is done, but man, that was so much time wasted.
- UIF

Was screaming that from the rafters for years.

There are 16 #NHL scouts in attendance tonight for #CBJ    vs. #ALLCaps   , representing Anaheim, Colorado, Chicago, Dallas, Edmonton (2), Nashville, NY Islanders, NY Rangers, Pittsburgh, San Jose, Seattle, Toronto, Vancouver, Vegas, Winnipeg

Patrick Laine? Gavrikov? Not sure what the hell we're doing there, presumably for someone else
- keaner17

Maybe we could trade our 2025 first.

Probably the most frustrating thing to me about the current team: knowing that their window could have opened years earlier when this was a younger roster if Snow didn't insist on having to be the smartest guy in the room and just hired a competent coach. I think Staple was the only human on Earth who couldn't see that coaching was a massive deficiency with Cappy/Weight.

Lou hires Trotz with the same roster minus its franchise player, and they're sweeping the Pens in the playoffs that same season. What's done is done, but man, that was so much time wasted.
- UIF

Hard to know for sure. I suspect that Staple was faced with a bit of a conundrum. On the one hand, reporters need the coach for interviews about the players and the team. If he criticizes him on a regular basis, he risks pissing them off to the point where they stop giving him useful interviews. On the other hand, if he doesn't state the obvious, then he risks alienating the fanbase. Glad I'm not a reporter....

Probably the most frustrating thing to me about the current team: knowing that their window could have opened years earlier when this was a younger roster if Snow didn't insist on having to be the smartest guy in the room and just hired a competent coach. I think Staple was the only human on Earth who couldn't see that coaching was a massive deficiency with Cappy/Weight.

Lou hires Trotz with the same roster minus its franchise player, and they're sweeping the Pens in the playoffs that same season. What's done is done, but man, that was so much time wasted.
- UIF

Garth Snow was fooling nobody with his constant nepotism coaching hires from Massachusetts, or surrounding areas. Always hooking up a buddy, never hooking up the fans. The irony is that for all those friendly hires, nobody has given back to him. Somehow nobody scooped up the fantasy hockey guru (per Dipietro) as GM, or even assistant GM. The litany of top 5 picks that are nowhere to be found is unconscionable. I don’t think there’s ever been a professional organization that allowed that much incompetence from one man for that long.

Like I've said, I like Horvat and wanted him here when it became apparent talks with Vancouver were going nowhere. I do not think in the slightest that it's a given he will sign here. I do think he's a good match for Barzy, although I thought Palmieri would be too. With Barzy I can see him hitting 30 again...I don't see 40. He is very good, but I'm not so fast to call him 'elite'. We'll see
- keaner17

Maybe he didn't take 53 cause he knows he's not staying

100%, that was Garth's worst sin
- keaner17

He phucking knew what he was doing. Hire the minor league coach chomping at the bit to get his professional start, and he owes you. He’s not a threat to your incompetence.

The coaching thing I can even understand as he was protecting his own interest. I get it……totally selfish but I get it. What I don’t get is how he failed after the first 5-6 years and continued to back his roster…..all the way to year 12. Maddening….we had to watch the lies year after year.

Lebrun on the TSN insiders show said he believes the Isles were on Horvats short list of teams come July. I’ll take that as a good sign he is very open to signing here
- Vukota

There goes my number theory

There are 16 #NHL scouts in attendance tonight for #CBJ    vs. #ALLCaps   , representing Anaheim, Colorado, Chicago, Dallas, Edmonton (2), Nashville, NY Islanders, NY Rangers, Pittsburgh, San Jose, Seattle, Toronto, Vancouver, Vegas, Winnipeg

Patrick Laine? Gavrikov? Not sure what the hell we're doing there, presumably for someone else
- keaner17

Clearly it's for gadreau

Lou tonight before sending scouts to the CBJ game. This is my metaphor to his current roster move(s):

What can we realistically get if we trade Varlamov, Lee, Bailey, Mayfield, Wahlstrom? Not saying all together but any combination should get us a sweet return of one prolific scorer and some decent picks.

What can we trade?

Edit: in the next couple of weeks.
- Cptmjl

Mayfield, Varly, Wilde, Dufour, picks


XxNYIxX

Hard to know for sure. I suspect that Staple was faced with a bit of a conundrum. On the one hand, reporters need the coach for interviews about the players and the team. If he criticizes him on a regular basis, he risks pissing them off to the point where they stop giving him useful interviews. On the other hand, if he doesn't state the obvious, then he risks alienating the fanbase. Glad I'm not a reporter....
- JohnScammo

Yeah, you're no doubt right. He probably didn't want to jeopardize his access, or at least cooperation.

His job was that along with selling to JT why things were going to change for the better. He needed to sell thw new program. As I said, more in Garth but Lou isn't without blame there too.
- keaner17

JT was following his wife to Toronto if the Pope was GM. Come on Keaner!

Maybe he didn't take 53 cause he knows he's not staying
- Upstate_isles

Or because it’s Casey’s number 😬😂😂

Lou tonight before sending scouts to the CBJ game. This is my metaphor to his current roster move(s):

- streaks

Probably the most frustrating thing to me about the current team: knowing that their window could have opened years earlier when this was a younger roster if Snow didn't insist on having to be the smartest guy in the room and just hired a competent coach. I think Staple was the only human on Earth who couldn't see that coaching was a massive deficiency with Cappy/Weight.

Lou hires Trotz with the same roster minus its franchise player, and they're sweeping the Pens in the playoffs that same season. What's done is done, but man, that was so much time wasted.
- UIF

Wait you’re forgetting the summer of shat signings and trades that was going to make the Islanders place in the bottom 5 of the league.

Yeah, you're no doubt right. He probably didn't want to jeopardize his access, or at least cooperation.
- UIF

I think Snow picked Staples brain because he needed someone to help him