Ben Shelley: Islanders re-sign Oliver Wahlstrom

I would like Zach to return and not too worried how that effects Oliver

From the last blog. If Engval is a true center you move him to 3C and Lee to 2LW. Whoever is coming in for JGP would be 1st line player or he wont be moving any needles.
The question then , without Parise, does Engval centering Walstrom Fasching and or Holmstrom provide them with a good 3rd Defensive line?
And Debrusk playing for a contract might not be a bad thing.

From the last blog. If Engval is a true center you move him to 3C and Lee to 2LW. Whoever is coming in for JGP would be 1st line player or he wont be moving any needles.
- chazpet

You create the same problem moving Engvall to 3C.
You then still have a hole in your top 6 W

You create the same problem moving Engvall to 3C.
You then still have a hole in your top 6 W
- brodydog29

Dubrusk Hovart Barzal
Lee Nelson Palmieri
Walhstrom Engval Faschin (Parise)
MM CC CC

No Holes based on what he was proposing. If Wally included in deal still no holes.

Dubrusk Hovart Barzal
Lee Nelson Palmieri
Parise Engval Faschin (Halstrom)
MM CC CC

Right BD. Moving Engval to 3C doesn't happen unless JGP is being moved for top line player.

From the last blog. If Engval is a true center you move him to 3C and Lee to 2LW. Whoever is coming in for JGP would be 1st line player or he wont be moving any needles.
The question then , without Parise, does Engval centering Walstrom Fasching and or Holmstrom provide them with a good 3rd Defensive line?
And Debrusk playing for a contract might not be a bad thing.
- chazpet

Engvall has not played center at any point in his career as far as I'm aware

Engvall has not played center at any point in his career as far as I'm aware
- eichiefs9

I understand we traded a number of picks, but to still struggle to find internal options at this point is not good. What has been done to improve the scouting department and player development?

I understand we traded a number of picks, but to still struggle to find internal options at this point is not good. What has been done to improve the scouting department and player development?
- ses111

I mean you already gave the reason. It's not necessarily a scouting thing, look at the percentage chances of players outside the first round making it to the NHL. The odds of a 2nd round pick are less than half of the odds of a first round pick, as far as making it to the NHL and playing greater than 99 games.

Fair analysis here: https://dobberprospects.c...draft-pick-probabilities/

I mean you already gave the reason. It's not necessarily a scouting thing, look at the percentage chances of players outside the first round making it to the NHL. The odds of a 2nd round pick are less than half of the odds of a first round pick, as far as making it to the NHL and playing greater than 99 games.

Fair analysis here: https://dobberprospects.c...draft-pick-probabilities/
- eichiefs9

This is all true chief and these percentages are very disturbing, but it just does not seem like the Islanders put any importance in Bridge and player development. You have to be able to somewhat count on Bridge. Good news EK has the Islanders interested in Backlund. Another C and he is 34.

This is all true chief and these percentages are very disturbing, but it just does not seem like the Islanders put any importance in Bridge and player development. You have to be able to somewhat count on Bridge. Good news EK has the Islanders interested in Backlund. Another C and he is 34.
- ses111

Very good news. Because it all but guarantees that it doesn’t happen.

Very good news. Because it all but guarantees that it doesn’t happen.
- Wildschwein

I guess so schwein. It's not that hard to know the Islanders need a scoring wing at this point.

I guess so schwein. It's not that hard to know the Islanders need a scoring wing at this point.
- ses111

I would expect the team you see now to be the team you see opening night, probably minus Ross the Boss

Engvall has not played center at any point in his career as far as I'm aware
- eichiefs9

Talking about waiving Johnston on the other thread to solve the cap issue. If they do that which is the obvious move IMO, they will have one less player on the roster. They'll have 22 instead of 23 like most teams

I would expect the team you see now to be the team you see opening night, probably minus Ross the Boss
- eichiefs9

Come on chief. We never get pretty much the same Islander team coming back.

Talking about waiving Johnston on the other thread to solve the cap issue. If they do that which is the obvious move IMO, they will have one less player on the roster. They'll have 22 instead of 23 like most teams
- Vukota

Where are you getting that? Going off CapFriendly, they have 15 forwards, 7 defensemen, and 2 goalies for 24, which would be 23 if Johnston got later'd

Unless Kuhlman goes to Bridgeport to start of course.

Dubrusk Hovart Barzal
Lee Nelson Palmieri
Walhstrom Engval Faschin (Parise)
MM CC CC

No Holes based on what he was proposing. If Wally included in deal still no holes.

Dubrusk Hovart Barzal
Lee Nelson Palmieri
Parise Engval Faschin (Halstrom)
MM CC CC
- Nfdbulldawg

I'm pretty sure the whole point of going and moving JGP is to add a legit top 6 LW and get Lee out of that role. This proposed trade would put him back into the top 6 and breaking up the NYI best working line in Engvall - Nelson - Palmieri.
Seems like a take a step forward and a step back kind of move.

Where are you getting that? Going off CapFriendly, they have 15 forwards, 7 defensemen, and 2 goalies for 24, which would be 23 if Johnston got later'd

Unless Kuhlman goes to Bridgeport to start of course.
- eichiefs9

It says 23/23 for roster and that's with Johnston it. Maybe I'm missing something?

It says 23/23 for roster and that's with Johnston it. Maybe I'm missing something?
- Vukota

Wahlstrom is still listed on IR since he finished the season there

Wahlstrom is still listed on IR since he finished the season there
- eichiefs9

Gotcha. So they activate Wally and send down Johnston there is your 23. Got it

Gotcha. So they activate Wally and send down Johnston there is your 23. Got it
- Vukota

And Holmstrom is still waiver-exempt and can move up and down freely

And Holmstrom is still waiver-exempt and can move up and down freely
- eichiefs9

Forgot about him. There is no spot for him, correct?

Forgot about him. There is no spot for him, correct?
- Vukota

Not unless someone else goes to Bridgeport. I assume the lines will be:

Lee-Horvat-Barzal
Engvall-Nelson-Palmieri
Wahlstrom(?)-Pageau-Fasching
Martin-Cizikas-Clutterbuck
Gauthier
Kuhlman

Pelech-Pulock
Romanov-Dobson
Aho/Bolduc-Mayfield
Aho/Bolduc

Really the question I have is who is going to be the 3rd line LW. I don't recall Fasching playing much LW last year and Wahlstrom is also a RW. Gauthier/Kuhlman are also listed as RW's.

If Pageau is moved, I'm not sure why we want to move all these people to C when they can just move the guy who's actually a center, Barzal, back there. Heck, he'd probably appreciate that. I get it creates a bit of a non-traditional setup where you have three top-six centers but... .... ...I mean, oh no! I don't really see that as a problem at all but rather an opportunity to think offense a bit more and make other teams figure out how to deal with that setup down the middle.

Some might worry about matching up against other teams' top lines, but I think Horvat, Nelson, and Cizikas are all good defensive centers to the point where they can be out there against another team's stars and do the job well enough, with the added bonus that, in the case of Horvat and Nelson, they themselves are threats that other teams will have to watch out for. As for ice time and one of those top three centers not getting enough of it, I don't think you set them in as line 1, line 2, and line 3. I think you roll them out there and whichever one is going on a particular night gets more ice time. They could even mix the centers with different wingers if one of them needs more time on ice.

I don't know...Barzal-Horvat-Nelson-Cizikas down the middle intrigues me more than Barzal at wing and plugging some random dude in as 3C because that's the more traditional thing to do.

Not unless someone else goes to Bridgeport. I assume the lines will be:

Lee-Horvat-Barzal
Engvall-Nelson-Palmieri
Wahlstrom(?)-Pageau-Fasching
Martin-Cizikas-Clutterbuck
Gauthier
Kuhlman

Pelech-Pulock
Romanov-Dobson
Aho/Bolduc-Mayfield
Aho/Bolduc

Really the question I have is who is going to be the 3rd line LW. I don't recall Fasching playing much LW last year and Wahlstrom is also a RW. Gauthier/Kuhlman are also listed as RW's.
- eichiefs9

I know it won't happen but I would like to see Gauthier in a full time role over Clutterbuck or Martin.