I know what's written here is the exception.
Folks always like new toys, and it's likely they will get some fueled by a part time media who never has this franchises best interest in mind.
They are also good at just making things up.
Dan Boyle was correct.
How many years does Garth Snow have to make trades at the draft? Seems he done a ton more than his counterparts almost every year, same in UFA where he's gone for it more than most with many 5-6-7 year contracts.
No problem here with using 19th for BPA, and then using picks Saturday under a new head scout.
Less is more.
**********************************************
I like our players a lot entering UFA, and in a perfect world would hope they resign but this is the system.
Kyle Okposo would have been my choice to keep of the three, he's the highest scoring winger in another mediocre UFA class. No idea what he wants, we'll know soon.
John Tavares sure wants him back.
Nielsen brings many good things, not much five on five scoring, but with Strome, Nelson, Cizikas, Tavares, Grabovski (all his concussions at wing) Quine, Bailey all drafted or career centers you cannot keep playing someone out of position (even if they claim it makes no difference) when it does.
Ryan Strome came here a career center, he is 22 years old. His battle level is not going to win many pucks in corners against a lot of Scott Hartnell's no matter how you slice it. Snow moved up to draft Nelson who is a center, Grabovski came here a career center.
Barzal is a center.
Dal Colle is a left wing.
Ho-Sang is a right wing.
Anthony Beauvillier is another center.
Matt Martin would be great to keep also, but what can be said? There is a cap, a fan base that does not show up before Dec (if team is winning) to support a max payroll, and there are prospects.
************************************************
Not allergic to signing any UFA, but again this is not a good class of players.
Wrote a lot of things disparaging Ladd/Eriksson, nice players but let's stop pretending they are franchise changing players because they have not done that on their current/former teams which begs the questions what would change here?
Lee will be back, Quine (at wing) had a great playoff, Prince had a two goal playoff game, and looked like a good player acquired. Those players are on par/equal to the fringe players who helped Pittsburgh win with less moving around in their careers.
So what's the rush?
Maybe one of these kids are the best bet. What's wrong with a little patience after 101-100 point seasons, as the young core is a year older? Lee/Strome, Nelson have all broken 20+ goals/50+ points, we are not waiting for Taylor Pyatt at this point.
They have more signed quality defenders than perhaps since the 80's, with a good mix of youth/depth, although you don't want Pelech or Mayfield in Donovan spot sitting.
It's not like T.J Brennan is in the top four or Milan Jurcina, Steve Staios/Eaton........ect.
Halak should return, and when he's on his game has dominated. The record in this division the last two seasons is a big part of 101-100 points. No rush with two seasons left on his contract as he heals up into August or later. Greiss has another year to prove himself before UFA or another contract. Berube has shown good signs but after only six starts all season he needs work, and Bridgeport seems stacked if Gibson is qualified, plus Berube would have to clear waivers again.
If Berube were Poulin who only came here because of waivers/injury there would be no discussion.
Yes, I know many of our fans have no patience, want a dramatic housecleaning with another spending statement from Malkin, Ledecky, and new toys, but if that thinking fails, you become Columbus, Florida, Toronto, Edmonton or a lot of teams that rarely make the playoffs.
Fans have to learn from the past. Take a little time see what works. You know how many years they took to find Halak, Boychuk, Leddy, and then sign them?
Those were big, expensive moves, so was Hamonic, and locking up most of the core young players for several years.
**********************************************
Got into it for a minute with Brian Compton, tired of the forced branding of our team by NHL, and some media. Our teams name since 1972 is New York Islanders, nothing else.
An MLB writer started spamming Bronx, Queens the teams and editor would pick up the phone also.
Same as Senators and Devils would if they saw a steady diet of Kanata/Newark.
You know how fast Compton's phone from his bosses at NHL.com (many former Daily News Ranger beatwriters) would ring if he started writing Manhattan Rangers?
Can you imagine how fast an NFL.com writer would get sent packing if starting writing New Jersey Giants/Jets, East Rutherford?
Enough. We need our entire NY fan base engaged to sell the most tickets, not forced branding by some media with their own agenda, some of the same people who forced LI branding in the 1970's on a team that was discovered on free television in NYC with 40 percent of it's season tickets sold from NYC/NJ area in 2011.
