New York Notables-Let's talk lineup/changes needed


If Nelson has to be traded for a winger at 32 so be it. Despite all the talk I don't see Barzal or Horvat as wingers full time, and Barzal got hurt (twice) as a wing.

So cup favorite Carolina grabbed RD DeAngelo at 27 (a second time for 1.6 million) and our team gave Mayfield at 30, 3 million for 7 years, who's not an offensive defender.

No law getting younger wingers with less term for Pageau, Palmieri, Cizikas and Nelson at 32 who can move Barzal/Horvat where they need to play at center, and give them scoring wingers. You have to play Durandeau/Iskhakov here and let Holmstrom battle it out with Dufour and give Maggio some games here. That 4th line needs to go, you replace Johnston with Martin for a year, move Cizikas as fast as possible, and if necessary trade or retire Clutterbuck, this team needs speed, scoring from it's bottom lines, and they made the commitment on Engvall/Fasching, and this organization badly needs to stock up on draft picks.

Skarek two year extension

Wahlstrom Re-signed


Not too often do you see a player sign/get traded, I don't think he had much leverage off his injury.

Bill McMillan RIP


Billy MacMillan is honored on the historical site with the former/current staff that won the Stanley Cup wearing Wayne Merrick's #11.

Rick Kowalsky Promoted To Head Coach By Bridgeport

New York Trade Offer-Rejected

Brent Thompson goes to Anaheim/asst coach


NYIFC Comments:
I was very outspoken many years that it's time for a change. AHL teams are not supposed to be this bad, this long. Is that all Brent Thompson, who won a division title there, and worked behind NYI bench? Absolutely not, but clearly that franchise has had no success since 2003, and their leading scorer just went to the KHL. My personal thought it was simply time for a change for change skake. Ken Gernander was terrible in Hartford for almost as long, and came to Bridgeport. I have no answers on this, but at some point your AHL fans need a winning team that has playoff success. Providence does, it seems WBS Pens, or Hershey do every year. How come this franchise had a great inagural season, had moderate success in year two, and that's been it in terms of playoff success whether it be Cronin (now an NHL coach) Marshall, Baseggio, Pellerin, Bingham. Best of luck to Brent Thompson, we'll see who Lamoriello's son hires.

The AHL schedule will be out tomorrow/posted on prospect site.

Don't Expect Any Name Scoring Added...

New York Signs Three

7/2/23: Lamoriello Needs Some Hockey Trades-BADLY


Lamoriello did what he did, no problem with re-signing Sorokin, which easily could have become a Tavares situtation for the best goalie in the NHL, who would have gotten even more money with teams much closer to a Stanley Cup. Go look at Bobrovsky's contract, Tristan Jarry got five years who never met a soft goal he did not like. I don't subscribe to the one-hit wonders come playoff time. Not a fan at all of Varlamov's term or dollars but if Sorokin wants a partner he's happy with, you do it. Skarek got his qualifying offer, Lennox is signed.

On paper Mayfield was the top 2-3 UFA defenders, and Orlov was hardly a superstar. The defense is young enough with Dobson, Aho, Romanov & others to take this risk, but after all the years he was underpaid, he was getting more dollars for less term, or what he got here. And they needed a right side defender because after this is was injured Hutton on his three year deal or Paul Ladue.

Lamoriello believes in Engvall from Toronto. For a career 3/4 line player that's a lot of commitment, he has to get 20 goals for this to make sense.

As Lamoriello said yesterday he needs a hockey trade for a scoring winger. It has to come from that group of Pageau, Palmieri, Cizikas, Martin, Clutterbuck, Johnston with Bailey now gone, and hopefully Parise staying home or going to Devils/anywhere else. Those wingers have to get younger/faster/better in corners/transition.

Sorokin, Barzal, Horvat, Nelson, Lee, Pelech, Pulock, Mayfield, Cizikas, Pageau, Varlamov are the menu with Romanov/Dobson, and likely an extension coming for Aho's skating/offense. Hudson Fashing is a nice player but a journeyman, who like Engvall belongs on a third/fourth line. Only management sees where Wahlstrom, Holmstrom, other prospects fit here now, sooner, or later.

Most of the teams around them have more speed/skill in their prime years who have a lot of offensive depth. This can't be another year of two goals or less in 12/13 games with an awful powerplay that's it's own worst enemy.

Lane Lambert has not spoke since the final game, only he knows if he picks his own assistant coaches. Apparently Mitch Korn is staying as goalie consultant.

Sorokin, Varlamov, Engvall, Mayfield Re-signed/Long Term

Lamoriello comments/NYI website.
The New York Islanders have announced the following: -- Goalie Ilya Sorokin signed an eight-year contract extension that kicks in next season 8x8m. -- Defenseman Scott Mayfield signed a seven-year contract 7x3.5mil. -- Forward Pierre Engvall signed a seven-year contract 7x3,21 mil. -- Goalie Semyon Varlamov signed a four-year contract 4x2,75 mil.

NYIFC Comments:
That's almost everyone, forget outside scoring help or Debrincat, Tarasenko, they left themselves with no room to add scoring help. All the other teams were going dumpster diving for one year show-me deals, this team gave Varlamov four more years at his age, durability? Engvall no discount at 3 million, or Mayfield for seven years even though he was the second best defenders in UFA. Sorokin was a great deal, he was getting that and more next summer from someone, that's a chance you take because he's a generational talent. I would not have given a bad goal machine like Tristian Jarry any contract much less five years. Still they had to improve their speed/scoring on the wings, and failed to do so. Now they are still stuck with Pageau, Cizikas, Palmieri, Martin, Clutterbuck, Johnston & likely Parise.

New York Qualifies Wahlstrom, Skarek


The following are now UFA. Bode Wilde Parker Wotherspoon Blade Jenkins Collin Adams

The prospect website is now updated with draft picks/qualifying offers.