Garth will re-sign Steit if he can. Maybe only two years. But he won't trade the captain of the team at the deadline. I can't say he should def go but in the future he shouldn't on our top pairing. Hamonic/Reinhart in two years swill be one of the better d lines in the league. Then some of the other 47 dmen in the system will hopefully be ready.
- jmo16

That largely depends on just where we are in the standings at the deadline. I'd say that trading a 35 year old one dimensional defender is perfectly fine if the return is decent. In addition, it may be far easier to trade your Captain rather than demote him next year when the Captaincy goes to Tavares. I'm willing to bet he'll field a larger offer from a team in need of a pp QB while we have plenty of guys in our system ready to assume that role. I like Streit, and have no problem with him staying for a year or two, but I think we'd be all the wiser to get something for him and continue imrpoving our team.

Rolston is from Michigan and Capuano is from Rhode Island. What exactly is the trend?
- shinkdew

RI, close enuf. -New England. Scott Allen(former Asst). Garth goes with who he knows was my point.
and kudos for knowing about rolston. I wouldn't waste the time to look up anything about him .

I have no problem with this signing at all since Strait was heading for UFA status after this season due to the CBA. Since his hit is virtually the same as the 1 year deal he was on with Pittsburgh, his cap hit is next to nothing.

My bigger question is not so much, why did the Isles extend him when we had all of the bargaining power, but 'what does this mean?'

Is this a signal that Streit is indeed on his way out at the end of the year and we're planing on someone from minors to take his place? Or better yet, does it mean that they don't feel any of our defensive prospects will start next season on the roster?

Since the cost is minimal I'm sure they can make him a frequent press box occupant if need be, but I don't think that's the overall plan. Strait is the new Andy MacDonald (IMO) though he'll hopefully be asked to only fill a #6 or 7 slot next year. MacDonald will be entering the final year of his contract so perhaps his swan song is approaching.
- keaner17

i have no problem with it at all either, considering the fact that he is barely 25 years old and everyone knows defenseman take longer to develop that forwards; the kid is REALLY young and has room to improve. before this season, he played 12 games in the nhl.

if it means streit is gone at the deadline, sayonara

That largely depends on just where we are in the standings at the deadline. I'd say that trading a 35 year old one dimensional defender is perfectly fine if the return is decent. In addition, it may be far easier to trade your Captain rather than demote him next year when the Captaincy goes to Tavares. I'm willing to bet he'll field a larger offer from a team in need of a pp QB while we have plenty of guys in our system ready to assume that role. I like Streit, and have no problem with him staying for a year or two, but I think we'd be all the wiser to get something for him and continue imrpoving our team.
- keaner17

He wouldn't move PA last year when we were out of contention and I agree, if we're not in the top 8 at/near the deadline, get something for him vs. him possibly leaving as an FA. Is it tampering to trade a player but telling him there's a contract for the next year if he wants?

i have no problem with it at all either, considering the fact that he is barely 25 years old and everyone knows defenseman take longer to develop that forwards; the kid is REALLY young and has room to improve. before this season, he played 12 games in the nhl.

if it means streit is gone at the deadline, sayonara
- LetsGoIsles

I agree. Especially about Streit gone at the deadline.

it's very very early and 6 games doesn't show us much, but I think strait could easily play in a 5th or 6th role, and if paired with a more offensive minded defenseman as he has been, he doesn't look out of place in a top 4. I like him a lot, quiet and steady. The problem is, has he just played 6 average games or has he just played 6 very good games? What's his ceiling? Is he playing above it? time will tell.
- Isles_since_6

I think the contract signing speaks volumes of how confident they are in what they've got with him. My guess is that they think he's showing signs of being a very good defensemen and his value will be a bit higher than what they've signed him for by years end. So in doing so, they've locked up the kid with no real impact to the salary cap. I'm okay with it.

He wouldn't move PA last year when we were out of contention and I agree, if we're not in the top 8 at/near the deadline, get something for him vs. him possibly leaving as an FA. Is it tampering to trade a player but telling him there's a contract for the next year if he wants?
- jmo16

It was a very different situation since I think the Isles felt they might be able to sign PA at a bargain price especially seeing as no one showed any real interest in him at the deadline. Certainly they felt 4 years @ 12 Million would be fine for him but no one saw $16 million coming. At that point, their plans changed.

At the risk of opening up the PA debate again, unless the Isles envisioned PA to be a top line player on this team three years from now, there was no need to commit that type of dough to him. Not with Nino, Kabanov, Strome waiting in the wings. I still contend that while a very good player, PA's stats were a mirage due to playing with JT and Moulson. His stats down the final stretch of last year spoke volumes to me.
17GP 3G 5A 8pts....

That largely depends on just where we are in the standings at the deadline. I'd say that trading a 35 year old one dimensional defender is perfectly fine if the return is decent. In addition, it may be far easier to trade your Captain rather than demote him next year when the Captaincy goes to Tavares. I'm willing to bet he'll field a larger offer from a team in need of a pp QB while we have plenty of guys in our system ready to assume that role. I like Streit, and have no problem with him staying for a year or two, but I think we'd be all the wiser to get something for him and continue imrpoving our team.
- keaner17

There comes a time where you have to stop trading away vets and bringing back prospects and picks if you want to make the playoffs. If you really think this team can become a playoff team this year or over the next two seasons, you have to bring Streit back. I don't see a point in trading him away for a second round pick or something like that. Sign him to a two-year extension. You know he'll sign a fair deal, he already did and he did so when the team was s**t. Now that it appears to be on the upswing, I'm sure Streit would re-sign for a fair deal.

It was a very different situation since I think the Isles felt they might be able to sign PA at a bargain price especially seeing as no one showed any real interest in him at the deadline. Certainly they felt 4 years @ 12 Million would be fine for him but no one saw $16 million coming. At that point, their plans changed.

At the risk of opening up the PA debate again, unless the Isles envisioned PA to be a top line player on this team three years from now, there was no need to commit that type of dough to him. Not with Nino, Kabanov, Strome waiting in the wings. I still contend that while a very good player, PA's stats were a mirage due to playing with JT and Moulson. His stats down the final stretch of last year spoke volumes to me.
17GP 3G 5A 8pts....
- keaner17

we agree completely here. He would have blocked any of the kids from growing into the top 6. a one or two year deal would have been fine but 4 was too long.

There comes a time where you have to stop trading away vets and bringing back prospects and picks if you want to make the playoffs. If you really think this team can become a playoff team this year or over the next two seasons, you have to bring Streit back. I don't see a point in trading him away for a second round pick or something like that. Sign him to a two-year extension. You know he'll sign a fair deal, he already did and he did so when the team was s**t. Now that it appears to be on the upswing, I'm sure Streit would re-sign for a fair deal.
- Jethro09

I'd like to see him back as well. We don't have anyone that is ready to step into that role and we'd lose a big element of the PP by trading him away. That said, if he can't be resigned before the deadline he's got to be dealt for whatever we can get. He's a much more important piece than PA was.

It was the same thing with Neilson. A Mac will get his contract when the time comes. Say what you want about how they do business,, the isles have rewarded their own with contracts the last few years
- Isles316

One thing Snow has done well was getting RFA's signed to reasonable contracts. If we ever are in a situation where we start utilizing our cap space we will obviously be in a good spot.

He's a Mass boy....just like garth...rolston...capuano...see a trend forming???
- jmo16

OOOOOOHHHH, he's part of the New England trash mouth breather clan. Makes sense now, that's all it takes.

That largely depends on just where we are in the standings at the deadline. I'd say that trading a 35 year old one dimensional defender is perfectly fine if the return is decent. In addition, it may be far easier to trade your Captain rather than demote him next year when the Captaincy goes to Tavares. I'm willing to bet he'll field a larger offer from a team in need of a pp QB while we have plenty of guys in our system ready to assume that role. I like Streit, and have no problem with him staying for a year or two, but I think we'd be all the wiser to get something for him and continue imrpoving our team.
- keaner17

I agree with this. Hopefully Snow will get something for him. Tavares is the next leader of this team and he's ready to take it over. If we are out of it getting a return on Streit is a no brainer.

i have no problem with it at all either, considering the fact that he is barely 25 years old and everyone knows defenseman take longer to develop that forwards; the kid is REALLY young and has room to improve. before this season, he played 12 games in the nhl.

if it means streit is gone at the deadline, sayonara
- LetsGoIsles

If the signing of some guy that's played 18 games in the NHL dictates whether we trade Mark Streit we are in alot of trouble.

I think the contract signing speaks volumes of how confident they are in what they've got with him. My guess is that they think he's showing signs of being a very good defensemen and his value will be a bit higher than what they've signed him for by years end. So in doing so, they've locked up the kid with no real impact to the salary cap. I'm okay with it.
- keaner17

Me too, minimal impact whether it's wacky or not. It is the Islanders we're talking about after all.

It was a very different situation since I think the Isles felt they might be able to sign PA at a bargain price especially seeing as no one showed any real interest in him at the deadline. Certainly they felt 4 years @ 12 Million would be fine for him but no one saw $16 million coming. At that point, their plans changed.

At the risk of opening up the PA debate again, unless the Isles envisioned PA to be a top line player on this team three years from now, there was no need to commit that type of dough to him. Not with Nino, Kabanov, Strome waiting in the wings. I still contend that while a very good player, PA's stats were a mirage due to playing with JT and Moulson. His stats down the final stretch of last year spoke volumes to me.
17GP 3G 5A 8pts....
- keaner17

6 3 1 4 +5 Not too shabby. OK lets not get into this again

we agree completely here. He would have blocked any of the kids from growing into the top 6. a one or two year deal would have been fine but 4 was too long.
- Isles_since_6

We don't have an excess of kids stepping into a top 6 role. Who? Kabanov is looking like a better prospect but he's far from a blue chip and is a couple fries short of a happy meal. Nino? I hope so but lets not make believe that's all rainbow and butterflys. Strome is our only blue chip prospect and he's projecting to be our second line center. I really don't see how PA would have stunted anyone's growth into our line up? If you guys really sit there and think about it there is not some stream of exceptional talent coming up here. I think there are some guys that are projected to be decent checkers but not guys that are gong to put up 70 points. On that note I'm done with the PA talk IDK why I just wrote this

One thing Snow has done well was getting RFA's signed to reasonable contracts. If we ever are in a situation where we start utilizing our cap space we will obviously be in a good spot.
- Cptmjl

drafting and signing RFA's seem to be Snow's comfort zone. He needs to step outside that and find us some UFA's on the most wanted list instead of the garage sale brand. At some point, and I'm hoping it's this season, we'll need to decide which prospects can be packaged for a return of a player who can actually help. Not filler, not prospects, not a reclaimation project. We need to kick this thing into the next gear. I will say that so far I've been pleasantly surprised by the goal scoring the Isles have shown so far.

There comes a time where you have to stop trading away vets and bringing back prospects and picks if you want to make the playoffs. If you really think this team can become a playoff team this year or over the next two seasons, you have to bring Streit back. I don't see a point in trading him away for a second round pick or something like that. Sign him to a two-year extension. You know he'll sign a fair deal, he already did and he did so when the team was s**t. Now that it appears to be on the upswing, I'm sure Streit would re-sign for a fair deal.
- Jethro09

I know where you are coming from Jethro. For me I just do not trust Streit on D and I do not think he is much of a leader. Isles need better vets than Streit and I would not mind trading him.

It was a very different situation since I think the Isles felt they might be able to sign PA at a bargain price especially seeing as no one showed any real interest in him at the deadline. Certainly they felt 4 years @ 12 Million would be fine for him but no one saw $16 million coming. At that point, their plans changed.

At the risk of opening up the PA debate again, unless the Isles envisioned PA to be a top line player on this team three years from now, there was no need to commit that type of dough to him. Not with Nino, Kabanov, Strome waiting in the wings. I still contend that while a very good player, PA's stats were a mirage due to playing with JT and Moulson. His stats down the final stretch of last year spoke volumes to me.
17GP 3G 5A 8pts....
- keaner17

Wasn't opening the PA debate...just using as an example...but Garth is stingy while the rest of the NHL GM's are like sailors on shore leave. I don't have a problem with not overpaying but to think you'll get the hometown discount all the time in this day and age is naive, at best. I was shocked at what JT signed for. He will command a kings ransom when he becomes a FA next time. Maybe if this team were Detroit, they could succeed in offering lesser contracts but last time I checked, we weren't... that said,....let's rip it up in NJ. Run Marty out of the goal.

drafting and signing RFA's seem to be Snow's comfort zone. He needs to step outside that and find us some UFA's on the most wanted list instead of the garage sale brand. At some point, and I'm hoping it's this season, we'll need to decide which prospects can be packaged for a return of a player who can actually help. Not filler, not prospects, not a reclaimation project. We need to kick this thing into the next gear. I will say that so far I've been pleasantly surprised by the goal scoring the Isles have shown so far.
- Isles_since_6

I just hope they can keep this going. Put some kind of string of wins together. Get some space between them and some other teams. Usually when I have notions like this is when the ground falls out

drafting and signing RFA's seem to be Snow's comfort zone. He needs to step outside that and find us some UFA's on the most wanted list instead of the garage sale brand. At some point, and I'm hoping it's this season, we'll need to decide which prospects can be packaged for a return of a player who can actually help. Not filler, not prospects, not a reclaimation project. We need to kick this thing into the next gear. I will say that so far I've been pleasantly surprised by the goal scoring the Isles have shown so far.
- Isles_since_6

bet you Garth's a big fan of This Old House. Except we don't have Norm Abrham to turn poope into shinola

I just hope they can keep this going. Put some kind of string of wins together. Get some space between them and some other teams. Usually when I have notions like this is when the ground falls out
- Cptmjl

this is going to be the test. If they can string some wins together and put some space between them and give them a more secure hold on a playoff position I'll feel a lot better about it. This season is going to be nuts with all conference games. A three game losing streak could knock from you 4th down to 12th. All these OT games are still giving the losers valuable points.

bet you Garth's a big fan of This Old House. Except we don't have Norm Abrham to turn poope into shinola
- jmo16

this was the case what we really need is Holmes Makes it Right.

Okposo still on the first line tonight. You know what they say..."if it ain't workin, don't fix it".

That's how it goes right?