Gavrikov is a lot better than Leddy, who Mayfied had to play with. Savard did not get the job done though considering he was much worse defensively over the past two seasons, which you can see from the eye test.

That is false, i watch every isles game and they win in spite of Trotz. Yeah Trotz has had two top 20 defenseman in their prime and one of the most dynamic players in the game , but they didn’t deserve to make it far hahaha. Trotz has not changed the trajectory of any player on the isles roster and his system is nothing special, he got carried by pelech/Pulock + Barzal’s line.

I appreciate the feedback, a lot of differing opinions here. The way I see it, at this point, if the Isles don’t get a 1st rounder for him before next season, he honestly might be worth more to them on their roster than in a trade. No harm in keeping him one more year, especially since regardless of how this year ends, competing for a playoff spot is going to be next year’s objective as well.

The problem for me comes after next year; I dont really see a place for him on the roster or on the payroll past next season. Gonna be really interesting to see how they handle him, could be a really big opportunity for them (and another team, if they like Mayfield)

Trotz system works otherwise they wouldn't have made it as far as they have. 5 players can't carry a team to the ECF without a tremendous system to play within. Trotz gives them that system. This year things have fallen off the rails, but the Isles have had a lot of players sidelined.

The Isles were carried by their stars. The pelech-pulock pairing was the best D pairing in the league last season, similar to the perfection line in Boston, that pair made up for the teams other flaws because Trotz is stubborn and doesn't Ice the best team with the personnel he has available. The isles also have two stud goaltenders, which you can credit Mitch Korn for considering he's arguably the best goalie coach of all time. The players are the reason the isles made it to the ECF finals, Trotz had very little to do with it. Trotz is riding the aging curve of the teams best players, this is a fact.

It's not a fact at all. Even before the emergence of Pelech and Pullock last year the Isles were a good team. Pelech-Pullock have only been an elite tandem for one season. That's it. Their goaltending is mediocre and a system in front of them designed to minimalize high danger shots improves their stats dramatically. The same thing happened when Hitchcock was the coach of the Blues. The Blues at the time didn't have a ton of elite talent besides Tarasenko, Schwartz, Oshie, Petro and Shattenkirk. But they won a lot with Halak and Brian f***ng Elliott winning multiple Jennings trophies. They weren't that good, but a good enough system in front helps make them look fantastic. You can deny it all you want, but you discredit how systems can lead to success. That's why without Crosby and Malkin in the lineup Pittsburgh still wins games.

You do know that before Pulock and Pelech became a pair in 2018-2019, in the 2017-2018 season they gave up the most goals in the entire league being the worst defensive team in ten years with Boychuck and Leddy as their first pair. Buddy you better do your research first before you make any statements.

And who became coach in the 18-19 season? Trotz. You better do your research too buddy. Notice how I said they became elite? They weren't elite in 18-19 that came after the fact. The system that was put in place helped them eventually get to that elite status.

On the flip side you can't enact a system without the right personal in place. Personal is the foundation before you do anything else.

It's a symbiotic relationship. The right coach gets the most out of his players and that's what Trotz does so well.