Might have to leave Chara out, sounds like teams actually have a fair bit of interest in him and NY might not want to include him in this deal. Arizona should accept that. And I'm not sure if Ottawa would move Forsberg unless someone gives them someone significant

give me one reason why NYI should trade Varly for that package.

while you're at it, give me one reason why Ottawa would trade Forsberg for a mediocre AHL dman

Yeah, we've really liked Forsbergs play this year and we'll only move him at the deadline if the offer is significant. A 3rd round pick would do it, not a 23-year-old prospect I've never heard of.

I figured Ottawa might want a defensive RHD prospect rather than a pick, but maybe not. And the fact that you've never heard of him means nothing.

Ottawa says not at all.

They need the cap space next year and Varlamov has lost the starter job. Look around - you'll see plenty of Islanders AGM's that have similar value trades. Maybe adding Chara was too much, but the value is close to what is commonly seen here on this site.


Because they aren't making the playoffs and Forsberg is a UFA in the summer. They don't have very many RHD prospects to my knowledge and Kemp is a decent shutdown option for next year. He's not well known because he doesn't put up points, but he came through the USNDP, played on team USA at the U18 and U20 tournaments and spent 3 years at Yale, even serving as captain. He's not sexy, I get it. But I'm not sure you should expect a sexy A prospect for a 29 year old journeyman goalie just because he's having a decent season. He might play 5-7 games for whichever team he goes to - he's not returning a king's ransom.

Forsberg is a pending UFA. He's a 29 year old journeyman with 80 NHL games under his belt and he'll probably play 5-7 games between the deadline and the end of the season. Nobody is going to give up anything "significant" for that.

Here are four reasons why the Islanders might trade Varlamov for that package:

1. Islanders get a pretty solid LD prospect;
2. Islanders get a 2nd round draft pick
3. Islanders clear a bit of cap space this year
4. Islanders free themselves of a $5M backup goaltender next season.

I'll add that there is myriad reasons why the Islanders might not trade Varlamov for that package, but I see no reason to delve into that; you didn't ask that question, and you seem to have an idea of some of those reasons.

Completely agree smith appears to be battling threw something or he’s just very out of sync basically jumping in half way threw the season conditioning timing it’s clearly off. That being said can’t just put him on ltir without medical staff saying he’s unfit to play. The answer is skinner in my opinion just a matter of how with the contract situation. Two choices trade kosk or waive smith. Holland will wait as long as he can before considering waiving smith just out of respect just like he waited with Tippett. Rather not see that happen or wait until it gets bad enough for Holland to actually do. Moving kosk instead could help afford brining in someone upfront to just make deeper still have Keith coming back so the d should improve over time. Give skinner the net and get a good long look before knowing how much needs to be invested in net and how will handle the final year of smith and what’s really wrong with him. You know I also have very big doubts on varlamov is even an option because of the clause he has.

A cheap reliable goalie for depth or backup is valuable. 29 year old journeyman. Yes. But someone will pay to acquire him the way he's been holding it down on a bad team. A playoff team in need of a cheap option will be willing to pay a mid round pick. #rd is ideal but realistically maybe a 4th and even a 4th is still significantly more appealing than Kemp.

Ottawa's 2018 and 2019 1sts were both RD's that are in the AHL and starting to get NHL games. Kemp wouldnt slot in ahead of them, definitely not in ahead of Zub. Zatisev's got the big contract so definitely not ahead of him. Realistically he'd still be in the AHL with the Sens. Another team would table a better offer for sure.

He's 23, a 7th round pick five years ago, showing very little upside, why would I want him?

You're right, I would want a defensive RHD prospect, but Kemp ain't it.

"Two choices trade kosk or waive smith. "

I'm doing both.

He's not well known because he doesn't put up points, but he came through the USNDP, played on team USA at the U18 and U20 tournaments and spent 3 years at Yale, even serving as captain. He's not sexy, I get it. But I'm not sure you should expect a sexy A prospect for a 29 year old journeyman goalie just because he's having a decent season. He might play 5-7 games for whichever team he goes to - he's not returning a king's ransom.

I'd still rather a 3rd round pick over some guy that will probably play zero games for us.

I’m my opinion that’s a mistake often see on here. Trying to solve an issue in the most dramatic way. We both have seen what smith is capable of when healthy which I’m sure we can both agree that doesn’t appear to be the case or it could just be out of rhythm from all the lost time can’t be easy to jump in mid season like he is. It’s going to be a humbling experience for him but I’d sit him down and tell him Tippett ain’t here anymore your not running the net want him healthy and want to give skinner a shot letting skinner average two of every three starts down the stretch. Kid has earned it. Letting smith have one of every three starts won’t sink the ship not like he’s going to loose every game he plays. Against Tampa it’s easy to blame him I’d say mostly the first two against but did also make a few tough stops threw the game to give the team a chance to battle back against two time cup winning team. Between Keith coming back skinner being called up and an addition made threw a kosk trade the problem won’t be as magnified as it is. Goalies will be better supported and have the hottest goalie taking the lion share of starts.

Fair. I think the value is there though. Edmonton doesn't have a 3rd round pick though, so I'd just walk away and just using Skinner in that spot if you're going to insist on a pick.

FYI - odds are overwhelming that a 3rd round pick plays zero games for you too. And if he does, it'll be 5+ years from now. Not sure insisting on the pick is best for the Sens anyhow. But to each their own.

Smith is the 3rd best goalie the Oilers have right now. If he's not healthy he shouldn't be playing, if he is healthy then his performance doesn't warrant 1-in-3 games. I'm waiving him, if he doesn't report then his contract gets terminated. Either way, he's off the roster.

The only reason I'm trading Koskinen is because I need his cap space for Varlamov. If I didn't need the cap, I'd keep him around for the rest of the year. I like Koskinen and I know he's an above average goalie if he's not being overloaded, which would be the case behind a healthy Varlamov. Sadly, I can't make the money work. So both are gone.

This isn't a knee-jerk reaction to the last game. This has been a long time coming. Think about this: in 7 of his past 10 games, Smith has allowed 2 or more goals on the first 6 or fewer shots. That's putting the team in a hole right from the start and as a manager i can't do that to my team every night.

Hard to argue at this point I just don’t like over correcting a problem saw charelli come in and do that removing a bunch of skill to add size then didn’t have the skill left to compete. I just want skinner up and given the opportunity to run with it see if that can be an answer before adding any cap that will make this coming offseason more hectic than it already will be. Suppose could try carrying 3 goalies for a couple weeks before deadline never like that idea but would give us a clearer look at skinner before making a move.

I don't see the connection. I'm not removing skill for size here or anything remotely close to that. I've spent Koskinen, Samorukov, Lagesson, Kemp and a 2nd - none of which are core pieces now or in the future - and added some rental help for this season and a top goalie who is under contract for next year too.


Fair comment, this does make next year's cap situation slightly more difficult by adding $2.8M in Varlamov. As for giving Skinner a run, that's entirely possible as the Sens may be looking for a pick that I don't have. That would leave me with a Varlamov - Skinner tandem which I'm totally comfortable with. The only reason I went for Forsberg is to give Skinner lots of playing time this spring, but he certainly has proved that he's an NHL goalie already. I would think Varlamov would play 2/3's of the games down the stretch, I'm happy to give the rest to Skinner.

Another reason to get a more experienced backup like Forsberg would be for injury cover - if Varlamov gets injured then I'm left with a Skinner - Konovalov duo, which I'm far less comfortable with. As you say, the timing of the deals gives the possibility of doing both - if Varlamov was acquired this weekend and the Forsberg (or similar) move was done at the deadline, that gives us a 3 week window to see Skinner in the backup role.

I’d just like to hold off on varlamov as much as possible adding that cap threw this coming offseason is far from ideal. First step has to be calling up skinner and getting him into games ASAP if that means 3 goalies on the roster for the time being might be best under the circumstances. If skinner can maintain a .910% between call up and deadline getting majority of starts then just ride him out and pick one of kosk or smith to play behind him the other gets moved or waivers just before deadline. I wonder if it came down to it if smith would report or consider a conditioning stint. Right now skinner kosk is the best internal tandem can ice but if smith does agree to conditioning stint and finds his game easily the best option going into playoffs.