New York Trade Deadline Preview

New York Islander Fan Central | 2/25/2011 02:15:00 AM |


Obviously not much to write here unless something very unexpected happens.

This is not a great draft class, the later first round picks will/have been in play more than past few years already.

Garth Snow says he is always looking to improve his team, but unless he wants to part with players who are part of his core, prospects or his top draft pick, he has no position of strength to make a major move unless it's a salary dump from another club with a contract for next season.

Teams in playoff position do not give away depth or any asset at the trade deadline if they have the ability to help them in playoffs. Many players go on waivers/clear and are not even physically sent to the AHL.

No folks, you don't give up a potential lottery pick for Zach Bogosian, that's Atlanta's problem.

The kind of players you would want to have in play at this deadline are all injured in Weight, Hunter, Mottau, Eaton. The value of a Rob Schremp at this time is of little value above a waiver claim now that he no longer has a spot at center and is moving from wing to wing/being scratched.

Why? Josh Bailey was drafted to be a center and is first round draft pick, they wasted enough time moving him around when it's hard enough to get established at your natural position.

Defense? Garth Snow may need a transaction next week just to fill out his depth to last the remaining games and must be second guessing himself on Jared Spurgeon a little these days, who will be at Coliseum next week. Bridgeport is down to Dustin Kohn/Mark Wotton in terms of regular defenders. If Martinek were to return you almost cannot trade him any longer given what's behind them in the AHL at this time, same goes for Gervais.

I don't see Snow moving what he considered an extra first rounder in Hillen, who's had a good second half, even without the injuries on defense.

You take Jurcina/Martinek out of this defense and it's Katic, Gervais, Wishart, Hillen, MacDonald, and Hamonic with Al Monyota and Nate Lawson in goal. No team is going to hold up long with that kind of depth playing against teams fighting for first place or in must-win games for their playoff chances.

Is there a real value for a Zenon Konopka on the trade market where it makes sense to deal him next week and take a leader out of the room, who is good on faceoffs and can fight/kill penalties? I don't see it. If someone is desperate enough to offer a first round pick, see ya 7/1, Zenon, hello David Ullstrom.

If you feel Blake Comeau is never going to be any better here, maybe it's time to give someone else his spot because there are prospects or veterans who can be signed for his role, and maybe the return improves the club. I can see a trade there, but cannot see a team giving Snow anything of better current value/potential, but when Comeau starts scoring, it looks like he can carry a club.

Maybe after what happened in Philadelphia perhaps it's time to get left wing Matt Martin off the fourth line given what he did in juniors offensively, and last year when he got chances on top three lines?

This is written a lot here, but if someone puts up an upcoming or established talent with size, and offensive skill, Frans Nielsen's value may never be higher in a trade.

Great defender, faceoffs, pk. He has three even strength goals all season, two of them softies allowed by Sergei Bobrovsky. In three seasons part time, Kyle Okposo does not look like a good five on five player on his wing, maybe it's fair to speculate Trent Hunter's production struggles have to do with him at center?

Sure, he can turn into a Selke winner, he can also turn into Petteri Nokelainen, bottom line Nielsen has to be a five on five scorer for this team.

I don't see a trade for Mark Streit, but if another team comes with a big offer that includes a prospect along the lines of a Cam Fowler, that's something I have to listen to. Problem with moving Streit is UFA replacement will not be there to produce anything close to a two-way defender of his ability at his current contract.

No law a PA Parenteau cannot be traded if the right return is available, of course that would be along then lines of what Anaheim did to Wisniewski.

I see nothing happening in the goaltender department and fair to write it's a good thing Roloson (who's had some uneven games for Tampa w/four shutouts) is not here now or he might have had to stay. Montoya is not likely to keep up this pace based on his career, Lawson will have to be ready when called upon and we'll see what happens with DiPietro. If another injury happens, Koskinen will likely be called up again, Anders Nilsson may follow Poulin and sign a PTO to check out North America for a game or two in Bridgeport.

There will be no Bridgeport playoff run/the PTO contracts have been flying to supplant their roster which is almost pacing the Islanders in terms of injury with a smaller roster.

Playoff spot? 18-2 equals ninety points, which may well not be nearly enough. Carolina's number to eliminate New York from contention is 31 out of a possible 82 available points remaining between teams.

That does not include other teams between them.

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