Boeser has been regressing the past 3 years and Lou doesn’t trade his guys. Also It cost in the 7.5 - 8 mill range to get Dobson on an 8 year deal.

This team probably finishes worse than this past years team.

i like the trades except the washington one..

Seems a bit steep for Varly considering his age and only having 1 year on his deal.

also, I think the Jets would sign Comrie to that before he hits the market. if no, I can see there being a bit of a bidding war that raises his cost, given his good sv% this year.

I don't think I'd want to do the Vancouver one just yet. I'd trade Wahlly in the right deal but don't think Boeser is enough of an improvement

What players would you move Wahlly for?

The only players that Wahlstrom should be moved for is Debrincat or M. tkachuk if they become available. Anything less and it will be another Devon Toews situation.

It was only two years ago 90% of isles fans on this site wanted Devon Toews traded to dump boychuks contract to sign Mike Hoffman. Isles fans love to dump young players with elite upside.

How is Boeser been regressing the last 3 years when in 2020-21 he had his second best season? (PPG wise)

He’s also played at a 65 point pace every season except this season (one down season and was dealing with personal issues) and a 30 goal pace in 3/5 seasons

Boeser isn't exciting to me at a $7+M contract. He scored 23 goals and 46 points this year in 71 games, averaging 18:34 of ice time every night and shooting 11.8%. Fine numbers but more middle-6 than top line to me.

Wahlstrom is still on his ELC for another year, he scored 13 goals and 24 points in 73 games where he averaged only 12:04 every game, with an 8.3% shooting percentage. I'm not saying he puts up better numbers than Boeser if he gets that extra six and a half minutes every night, but I don't think it's crazy to think that he pushes 20 goals this season with a shooting percentage closer to league average and middle-6 minutes. When you combine the potential for growth with Wahlstrom, plus the fact that there's already a glut of forwards on this team already making $5M+, I don't really see the difference in production making up for the $6M+ difference between the two players.

He's regressed at 5v5 for the past 3 seasons, which is where most of the game is played.

Points per 60 min over the last 3 seasons (5v5)
19-20: 2.12 points per 60
20-21: 2.07 points per 60
21-22: 1.17 points per 60

That's with getting a lot of ice time with Pettersson and Miller. He's a good top 6 winger, but hes more of a passenger and not worth over ~5 mill per

Off the top of my head? Prob guys like these:

RFAs -
Tkachuk (if negotiations go south with CGY or they cannot afford him+Gaudreau+Mangipane etc.)
Laine

2023 UFA who need to come with an extension in place
Patty Kane (if CHI goes full rebuild)
Timo Meier
JT Miller

I like Boeser as a player. But he is a tier below the guys I listed IMO. I'd prob trade the 13th pick straight up for him opposed to Wahlly and the 2nd. I think Wahlly has plenty of room to grow.

You would sign a 31 year old JT miller to a 7 year deal at over 8 mill per?

JT Miller is freshly turned 29 and yes I would. He can play multiple positions and would help immensely on the PP

He’s regressed for one year. He basically has a career year pace wise last year. I agree he isn’t worth Wahlstrom though. People think Boeser has been declining for a long time but he’s only been in the league for like 5 years

Lou loves his veterans! At least Miller is good

I don't follow the Islanders so I'm genuinely curious, what is the story behind the dismissal?

Was it ruffled feathers among players, Lou wanting to rebuild and Barry doesn't, Lou wants to keep Lane Lambert long term, Barry wanted to grow a Grizzly-Adams style beard?

J.T Miller turns 31 in the first year of his new deal. I would bet a lot of money J.T miller won’t put up more than 55 points by year 2 of his new deal. It’s like we haven’t learned from the Andrew ladd disaster

Can you even name one long term UFA contract that has worked out for a team in the last decade? )player has to be 30 or older).

Would you trade the isles 1st rd pick for Jamie Benn who has a 9.5 mill AAV for the next 4 years?

His play driving has regressed , he’s becoming more and more of a passenger every year. I think the wrist injury has a lot to do with that

Benn plays a very different style of game than Miller and is older. I know the argument you're trying to present but not every guy will deteriorate the same and it's kind of cherry picking the argument. I'd trade #13 for Patty Kane too if we are just gonna name 29+ year old guys who you'd be making a commitment to

Reading between the lines, It seems like Lou knew that there was friction between Trotz and some of the younger players (Barzal + Wahlstrom) and I think there was disagreement between Lou and Trotz regarding certain players.

Lou and Trotz both like veteran players, but Trotz doesn’t know how to coach younger players , especially forwards. Everywhere he’s been fired one of the reasons is because he didn’t put young players in a position to succeed. Nashville : Forsberg and Radulov , Washington: Vrana and Burkaovsky, isles: Barzal, Wahlstrom

Nobody knows anything yet. I think it was an awful decision

Actually they play a pretty similar style, they are both big forwards who generate most of their offensive off the cycle. Benn is way more skilled than Miller and even won the art Ross trophy 5 years ago. Benn hasn’t hit 50 points since he turned 30 years old, he’s only 3 years older than Miller.

This isn’t cherry picking , 99% of forwards regress significantly from their age 30-32 seasons. So if 99% of them are going to regress, than spending a 1st + and giving an extension is only something a stupid GM would do. Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result is the definition of insanity.

Again, just name 1 forward who signed a long term contract in their age 30 season that the team doesn’t regret.

Pavelski. Don’t think SJS had any complaints, and he’s been performing just as well in the years that followed the original deal. Whether it’s JT Miller or someone else, you have to think Lou will be swinging for the fences this summer. Firing Trotz put himself on the hot seat. He needs to perform or he is next. I don’t think trading for Mike Reilly and signing a B level free agent forward is going to get it done

Pavelski wasn't a long term deal. Only 5 years. 7-8 years is long term. And pavelski is a unicorn and a two way beast.

If Lou "swings for the fences" and trades/signs someone in their late 20's/early 30's I hope the damage exceeds the Milbury era and this team is forced in to a long an painful rebuild. So if he does something stupid like trade Beau+ 1st for 2022 1st for Miller and extend him, isles miss the playoffs by 25 points, Barzal wants out and the isles are stuck with an aging JT miller with no realistic outlook of playoff contention for the next 5+ years. It's obvious this team needs youth and speed, not old players exiting their prime.

There is no path for the isles to be contenders next season, that's what you get from trading picks for middle 6 forwards and not having enough youth in the lineup. Mike Reilly had a much better season than chychrun and is a top 10 puck mover in the NHL - isn't the goal to get a top 4 puck moving D?

List of players who have over a 90% probability of outplaying Patrick Kane and JT Miller next season:
Kevin Fiala
Andre Burakovsky
Valeri Nichuskin
Conor Garland

The narrative that "win-now" means go for old players is only something that isles fans believe. J.T miller and Patrick Kane can't even lead their own teams to the playoffs when they both have better forward cores than the isles but they are are going to make the isles cup contenders?

Boeser was our best player last year and the engine of the team when Petterssons was injured, and our other guys we’re struggling. He’s had a rough year and I understand why (probably poor mental health due to his father with dementia and Parkinson’s). He’s still a good player but probably provides more value for us than in a trade