The Isles could still use a big body among the top six, preferable someone with experience, but I have a feeling they're hoping PAP becomes this year's Moulson.
Yup ...agree with this thought on Pap
Still would like more size....Would like to see Martin on the 3rd line.
I would like to exchange Hunter, Shremp, and Gervais for Upgrades yet these guys have like zero value
Add Martin, Petrov or El Nino.....and get Sharp to The Island and this would be very sweet.
Not holding out on Weight making the team....He would make a Great Color Guy taking Jaffs spot...or Trotts spot.......
Don't get me wrong I want Okposo and the others youngsters to be quality all around players which obviously means they should be able to kill penalties. This is not about making their game one dimensional.
However it is undeniable that penalty killing is amongst the most tiring shift a forward has to endure. The fact of the matter is that pk'ers often miss the immediate shift after a pk if their turn is up. Thats one shift less that they have an opportunity to create some offense. Players also get tired. There is a reason someone like Crosby doesn't play 30 minutes a game.
First priority should be to get your best pk'ers to kill the pk. Okposo is obviously easily amongst that group right now. My thinking is that eventually (probably won't happen this year) if there are equally effective (or even slightly less effective) pk'ers in the bottom 6 it is smarter to "waste" a less gifted (in terms of offense) player on the pk. Okposo can then either get an extra couple of shifts even strength or just be fresher at the end of the game.
I have a hunch we are going to trade for Marc Savard, seems like he is on the market and is a top 6 forward that would be the veteran we would need, the downside is I see Comeau and MacDonald going the other way to get him. We now have 7 dmen in a 6 man setup, with Gervais (no trade value) in the 8 slot. If we add a top 6 forward, someone has to leave the top 6. I do not see the Isles trading the big 3 or Moulson, and I can't see Boston wanting Schremp.
My feeling is that a trade of Comeau/MacDonald for Savard might be something being discussed based on recent moves.
Of course signing Stempniak, means giving up nothing, but Savard is 20 times the player that Stempniak is.
Personally, I believe Parenteau will be on that 3rd line, and Park might be resigned to be on that 4th line.
I am not endorsing a trade of Comeau/MacDonald for Savard, as people know those are 2 of the guys that I overhype on here, just figuring that is the type of package that would get Savard here, while Boston dumps salary.
If this is the type of trade that is made, I'd just be happy to re-sign Park or sign Madden and call it an offseason, as Comeau has huge upside and MacDonald is a safe dman.
Snow will not move Comeau/MacD for a 33 year old Marc Savard coming off a serious concussion, even if Savard agreed to come here.
I love Savards game, but this goes against the re-build. Signing (by trade or FA) players over the age of 27/28 really sets things back, as those players acquired will not be with the team, or be ineffective, when the core of the re-build mature into impact players.
I'm pretty sure Savard has a NTC. If so, he isn't waiving it to come to the Islanders.
I just get leery when teams start to have surpluses in certain areas, like having 8 dmen, of which the 7th and 8th guys in the depth chart have 7 figure contracts. Then again this is a team that had 3 goalies last year.
It's hard to criticize Snow after the theft of Wisniewski, but were the signings of Jurcina and Parenteau necessary? Especially on the second day of free agency! Seems like two guys you could sign a week before training camp is set to open.
It's hard to criticize Snow after the theft of Wisniewski, but were the signings of Jurcina and Parenteau necessary? Especially on the second day of free agency! Seems like two guys you could sign a week before training camp is set to open.
I never understood why people complain about signing certain guys on certain days. Who cares in that regard.
Paranteau adds depth for the bottom six, if he works out cheap signing, if not, his Euro out clause means they don't pay him a dime if he can't crack the lineuo.
As for Jurcina, depth. We have had a lot on unjuries back there the past few years. Plus, his familiarity with Gordon's system will make him an easy guy to stick in the lineup. He's also had some flashes of being a real good d-man, particularly in the playoffs a year or two back.
Both were smart, cheap, additions that make perfect sense if you look at the behind the scenes needs for depth.
However it is undeniable that penalty killing is amongst the most tiring shift a forward has to endure. The fact of the matter is that pk'ers often miss the immediate shift after a pk if their turn is up. Thats one shift less that they have an opportunity to create some offense. Players also get tired. There is a reason someone like Crosby doesn't play 30 minutes a game.
He's a professional athlete. His entire life is conditioning and stamina.
Crosby doesn't play the PK more than 45 seconds a game because he is the entire engine that generates the Pittsburgh offense. Okposo is not really that guy for the Islanders. Crosby's role on the Islanders is played by Tavares. Okposo isn't really a guy who's responsible for singlehandedly generating most of the team's offense; he just needs to capitalize when somebody else does it.
I think if Okposo posted here, he'd tell us all that the idea of taking ice time from him, regardless of the situation, would be ludicrous. And I bet he'd campaign to be on the PK also. He comes off as that type of personality.
I think it will be a trade not a FA signing. I'm praying for another sign and trade with a team that needs to shed payroll. Namely James Neal. He's an RFA and could get a salary that would be too costly for Dallas. He would be the perfect pickup for the Isles.
Bailey's d-zone play, from what I saw, progressed a lot over the course of the season. He was doo-doo in the beginning of the season, but he really shined through when he was moved to wing.
Forget about D-zone situations, Bailey's biggest problem PK'ing is that he can't win a draw.
Gordon obviously was concerned about this, which is why used to put Park out to PK with Nate Thompson. Neither were great on draws, but that there was always another faceoff guy there allowed them to be more aggressive.
Nielsen and Okposo works fine. Bailey and Comeau do not, at least until Bailey knows learns how to take draws.
This team needs a center, still, who can kill PK's, win draws, chip in offensively, and play in end-of-game situations. That is, we could use a Mike Sillinger type.
I never understood why people complain about signing certain guys on certain days. Who cares in that regard.
The market cares in that regard! If Snow calls Bob Murray on July 1st and proposes Wisniewski for a third round pick, Murray laughs and hangs up. On July 30th, it's a different story!
Dallas has the money to retain Neal. But he would be a nice addition. I really think the Isles are in on Asham. I could see him playing on the 3rd line.
I would definitely welcome the idea of trading for Savard. He is a bit older than our core of prospects but still has another 5 years or so left in him.
Dallas has the money to retain Neal. But he would be a nice addition. I really think the Isles are in on Asham. I could see him playing on the 3rd line.
I hope not. No reason to go backwards. Besides I think the team wants someone for the top two lines.
I have a hunch we are going to trade for Marc Savard...
Tavares/Savard/Neilsen simply does not match up physically against the better teams in the east down the middle. NYI, if/when they are to improve the pivot spot, needs to add a guy who has some size and uses it. To be certain, a couple of the kids in the pipleine have size, but I'm thinking nearer-term and in a big minutes (#2 center) role.
Last edited by Trottier: 08-01-2010 at 04:31 PM.
Reason: spelling
Tavares/Savard/Neilsen simply does not match up physically against the better teams in the east down the middle. NYI, if/when they are to improve the pivot spot, needs to add guy who has some size and uses it. To be certain, a couple of the kids in the pipleine have ize, but I'm thinking nearer-term and in a big minutes (#2 center) role.
I agree with this, I wasn't advocating such a trade for Savard, Eklund and ESPN have mentioned Islanders "in on Savard".
I am content going into the season with "what we have" and seeing if there are opportunities for youngsters to fill in, if status quo is not working.
Worst thing is to create the current Mets syndrome whereby they have too many expensive guys blocking spots for youth.
