2022-2023 Islanders thread

Playing pretty well these past couple of games. 5-1 over the Panthers on Friday and last night vs the Pens. Hopefully they can keep it going.

 

Hard to tell how well the Isles played because it’s pretty obvious the Jackets are just a terrible team, but the game wasn’t as competitive as the 2-1 final would seem. Johnny hockey clearly took out his frustration of not getting a call from Lou during free agency on Beau. Can’t imagine he wouldn’t prefer being on the Island right now.

 

being outplayed badly by the Kraken in the first period...

P.S. The female commentator on ESPN has the most annoying voice ever, I had to turn the sound off

 

She’s awful. She calls entering the zone the same as a goal being scored.

 

This team is painful to watch. Good enough on most nights to make you hopeful but then just awful too many others to crash those hopes. Hopefully Lou wakes up for the trade deadline; we have some players that could bring back some assets and this roster needs some significant tweaking. Lou hoped the team would show last year was a fluke; they’ve shown that somewhat but it is also painfully clear they aren’t a Cup contender as currently constructed.

 

Lou's biggest mistake so far was not trading away guys like Bellows and Wahlstrom when they had prospect value in 2019 and 2020 in packages for more impact players considering Trotz is not a coach who wants to play young players. Instead he kept prospects Trotz wouldn't develop and made trades for second tier players like Palmieri. There simply was no point in keeping the prospects if you are committed to building a team tailored for Trotz.

Now he has a slow team that Trotz maximized that doesn't have Trotz. I get that he hoped the team could be a Cup contender with another voice but they aren't with a slightly increased emphasis on offense for the same reason they were not last year -- they peaked and are on the decline. If Lou doesn't start making moves with that in mind he definitely needs to go.

 

Not a good start for what is likely the make or break part of the season. I appreciate the players are a tight knit group but being close doesn’t supersede being good.

 

I don't see them making the playoffs and hopefully Lou steps down as GM. He can remain President, but we need someone else to handle the GM duties. Lou doesn't have "it" anymore to construct a championship caliber roster.

 

I think it is safe to say when Lou took over in 2019 he expected a rebuild and his plan included a commitment to keeping his prospects and not trading them away for immediate fixes. Good plan until the team's success in 2019 threw a monkey wrench in that. In hindsight he should have gone all-in on trading away prospects for elite pieces once the team looked like a legitimate contender but did not, and instead sought more affordable trade pieces that did not cost him his prospects. Despite 2020 and 2021's runs seemingly validating that approach, it is still a mistake in hindsight because a more aggressive trade for players like Mark Stone, Taylor Hall, Tyler Toffoli or Max Pacioretty at the expense of Wahstrom or Bellows and picks could have been exactly what we needed to beat the Lighting in 2020 and 21.

This season Lou was inversed in his perspective about the team, believing they were a contender and not wanting to break them up. The question becomes will he make the same mistake he did in 2019 and stick to the plan he had coming into the season just as he did in 2019, despite the team not performing to expectations like in 2019, or will admit the team is not what he had hoped and take the measures needed to fix them for next year? What he does by the deadline will determine whether he needs to go but I think it's time to get whatever return can be had for Varly, Beau and Wahstrom and get Bailey's and Palmieri's contracts off the books, and even find a taker for Pulock's contract. Clear salary and bring in elite talent in the offseason.

 

Here is something different. A casino where the Coliseum is?

News12LI on Twitter: "BREAKING NEWS: Las Vegas Sands enters agreement to purchase lease of# NassauColiseum as site for hospitality, entertainment and casino project. https://t.co/eWWxb7pxwh" / Twitter

 

As frustrating as it is this is the best thing for the team because it leaves no ambiguity about their prospects, both this year and forward, as currently constructed. Last year was not an exception it’s as an indicator of what was to come.

 

Blow it up. This group peaked with the back-to-back ECF appearances under Trotz. Everyone not named Sorokin is available IMHO. There is no way an 80-year-old man should be leading a rebuild that will take a few years.

 

Carolina Hurricanes assistant GM Eric Tulsky would be a good choice. The Canes are a well-run organization so I would look to bring him in for an interview if I am Ledecky and Malkin.

 

I would keep Barzal, you have to have a star player and keep surrounding him with talent.

Brock Nelson is another center that I would keep, good centers are hard to come by, if you can acquire a scoring winger that would be a home run.

Bailey and company have ridden a wave of below average performance and have been rewarded for it.

 

I could see keeping Barzal but Nelson is 32. He is a good player now but by the time the Isles are ready to win again he might be on the decline. The Isles could get a good deal for Brock right now though. He would be valuable for a team that is in win now mode. This is all moot anyway because until Lou get fired or retires, we will just keep spinning our wheels here. Lou can't be the one leading the rebuild.

 

This says a lot about Lambert's system.

Stefen Rosner on Twitter: ""They had shots from outside like they seem to do to every team"--#mnwild G Filip Gustavsson Quote says a lot about how #Isles offense is viewed around #NHL. Not dangerous." / Twitter