Curt

This talk about the Islanders and their style of play brings a question to my mind. Might it be a wise NHL strategy to develop a team that is defense first focused? For no other reason that the fact that the salaries that players can get are often based largely on their point production. In this way, a team can have more good players who fit their system, and keep the team together for longer under the cap, because good defense first players are generally paid less than good offense first players. This is essentially what the Isles are doing. Doesn’t make for the most exciting hockey but it’s an economical approach.

Did they trade a star D to avoid paying them? I feel like if they had a good player that they wanted to keep, they would probably pay them what they were worth.

You know which other Pen’s teams could definitely make a run in the playoffs? The ones that won back to back cups. Were those teams not balanced? Were they too small? Were they not tough enough? So, are you saying the roster that they built when Botterill was there was unbalanced and inferior to what they have now, even though they won back to back cups at the end of Botterill‘s time there?

Is this question: How long should this take? Or, How long do we feel like it will take? The answer to those questions is probably very different for most. I believe it is possible to start a string of playoff appearances next season, but I don’t have any real confidence that it will actually happen. The team isn’t that far away, but I have lost faith that the required combination of luck and quality moves come to pass.

So, the Senate impeachment hearings look like they are going to be wrapping up soon. Trump’s lawyers and Senate Republicans agree that there is no need to hear from witnesses because they already have enough proof that he is guilty of the things he is accused of. However, that’s not going to be enough to have him removed from office, of course. So the legacy of these impeachment proceedings will be a dark smudge on Trump’s reputation and display of the ineffectiveness of the legislative branch in checking the power of the executive branch.

People keep saying that Buffalo has no one with any value to trade. I don’t see how that’s true. Risto, Montour and a bunch of D prospects (Pilot, Borgen, Samuelsson, Laksonen, Johnson and others). For forwards: Mittelstadt, Thompson, Asplund, Pekar, Davidsson. Even Reinhart COULD be traded, but almost definitely won’t. They also have picks to move. Now, not all these players have tons of value, but good, quality players get traded every season for a grab bag return of pieces and parts. That’s probably more common than straight up good player for good player trades. Buffalo has the ability to trade for good players.

Agree. It’s definitely been slow.

What are all these things you speak of? All I’ve seen is that guy who called in an epic rant and this song. Wats all this other stuff about?

And have they had better results due to doing so? They won back to back Stanley Cups right before Botterill left, so it’s really hard to justify the viewpoint that Botterill’s cluelessness was holding they back.

I know, but it was the truth about his early career. He wasn’t always seen as the consummate winner like he was late in his career. I don’t want to disregard you man, I want to converse!

That’s fine, but it did nothing to convince me that there are good trades out there that involve Dahlin, or Eichel. That’s what you think the way to go is, no? Anything less is just shuffling deck chairs?

Stevie Y is your prototype 2-way C? He did develop his defensive play throughout his career, but early in his career he was considered a soft 1-way guy who maybe wasn’t the kind of leader you wanted. Also, this doesn’t answer my question at all.

So what was the extent of the roster changes during the “reset” of that initial Botterill offseason? I feel like it was pretty minimal to be considered a reset. No major players were changed.

I may be hesitant to even put Byfield in the NHL next season. He will be 17 still on draft day and 18 for all of the 2020-21 season. Super young, which frankly is part of the long term appeal. He is probably going to fill out to be a 6’4” 230 lb monster of a man who is still a very good skater and a high skill, 2 way C. However, his youth may work against him when it comes to being NHL ready from the get go. I see your response about Buffalo getting a stop gap C, and I agree.

So Dahlin, Mittelstadt, Thompson and Pilut for Hischer, Subban and Wood? Bogo is a FA, Simmons is a FA, Hall is a FA and not even a Devil anymore. Traded to the Coyotes weeks ago. Also Subban is playing like poop and due $9M per for 2 more years.

I don’t even know what “best 2-way C” means. Is that the best defensive C? The best C who is better at defense than offense? The best overall C when offensive and defensive contributions are combined? Is there some list of guys who qualify as 2-way C’s, and another of guys who qualify as 1-way C’s? Honest question, what’s the criteria?

Throw out some hypothetical, reasonable trades of some “core” pieces that would actually make the team better. Teams don’t generally get better by trading away their best players. It’s not unheard of, but it’s not the norm.

I guess the question is: What kind of salary would he require? It might not be that much. What does a 30-35 point offensive D cost? $3.5M-$4.5M? I haven’t tried to figure it out. My mind has shifted a bit this year though. Coming into the season I thought they should move Risto. Now I think they should move one of Risto/Montour.

Dahlin’s next contract, if for 8 yrs, will probably in the $8-$10M range. $11M would be really high and I doubt it happens. Guys like Weber, Suter, Subban, and Karlsson are worth a ton when they are in their primes. When they are getting old and breaking down, not so much. Dahlin won’t be getting old for quite some time.

Ruin? Nah. Waste? eehhh..............

Killorn’s becomes a 15 team no trade list after this season, so maybe him? I honestly don’t know. Only guys on their roster WITHOUT a NTC are Point, Kucherov, Cirelli, Sergachev, Cernak, Vasilevsky(for 1 yr), Stephans, and Paquette. This offseason Cirelli, Cernak, and Sergachev come off their ELCs, and Vasilevsky goes from $3.5 to $9.5. They need to do something pretty big.

-Mittelstadt -One of: Asplund/Pekar/Thompson/Ruotsalainen -One of: Pilut/Borgen/Johnson/Samuelson/Laksonan -2021 1st round pick, top 10 protected FOR -Anthony Cirelli -One of: Palat/Johnson/Killorn Or maybe something with Risto? -Risto -Mitts or a 2021 top-10 protected 1st FOR -Cirelli -One of: Palat/Johnson/Killorn

Young cheap players/picks would need to make up a large part of it. Any prospect apart from Cozens. 1st round picks would be in play as well.

Lol, yeah, you could assume that is ownership’s view. The point is not totally without merit. I believe that they certainly had a hand in how the O’Reilly trade went down. I really believe that Botterill sold ownership on a plan for a slow, methodical rebuild. I think his job is safe until after the 2020-21 season.