I like to think we're just emerging from our dark ages here, but over the last decade we've seen free agents not only turn us down, but accept less money with other teams. Streit then not only accepted to come here at a time that he was being sought after by a few other teams, but became a big time representative of the team and eventual all star. Unfortunately he suffered a shoulder injury which cost him the season and he was NEVER the same. Still, most of us greatly appreciate Mark making the Isles his team when he could have headed off to other teams with a much better situation. We anticipate being far enough under the cap over the next year or two that his contract of 3 years wouldn't have killed us. That's obviously a much better situation.

I mention Marc Andre Bergeron as an example because he's precisely the type player Streit is now. So it would have seemed to me you could have signed that type of player at much less and a shorter term, which would allow you to spend what little money you have left on other areas of need. We've seen enough bad GMing around here over the last 20 years to know when we see a bad decision

Xxkeaner17xX
- keaner17

MAB had a much better shot(when he hit the net )

I think it would be worth it. Aquiring a solid young netminder who just might end up being great, to grow with this young team is worth parting with Nino and the 15th.
- canadianpenfan

I disagree simply because we already have 3 sound prospects in our system. What we don't have is a lot of power forwards, so Nino is at far more of a premium to us than Bernier. Nilsson should be ready to take over the reins on this team after this coming season and perhaps as early as midseason. Poulin deserves a shot as well.

It would seem to me the better decision would be to allow Nino to play on Jt's wing while letting Nabby and Poulin split time. By the trade deadline we'd then have a better idea on Poulin and what to do. I'd much rather do that than deal away a top six forward and high pick for another goalie at the same age who has yet to have a starting job either.

xxkeaner17xx

Next year niño can give us something we haven't had in years. A wrist shot sniper who would create tons of space on the PP
Niño would have the second or even first best shot on the team
- Danformo

Not according to Snow. He's thinking Nelson.

MAB had a much better shot(when he hit the net )
- Cptmjl

Scared the crap out of every fan sitting behind the net! Loose canon!

Xxkeaner17xX

i think that would be a solid pick up, just stay the course since you guys have boatloads of youth

bring in guy like bernier, guy like Gordon for the pk, and another top 6 guy if you can and i think that would do wonders to help you compete.

Sure it doesnt make you a powerhouse but its not always the powerhouses that win(ask crosby )
- nightmare3020

I'm waiting for everyone to start lining up their cigarettes in front of me like Red in Shawshank for predicting that Boston would waste the Pens and win the cup.

One more time:

yes ... do you realize you need more than one guy to be an upper echelon team?
- nightmare3020

Who said we don't?

Not according to Snow. He's thinking Nelson.
- Cptmjl

I ment like shooting wise, he would be the first or second best shooter on the team next yesr

I hear you but filling cap space unwisely especially for a "spending" team like you guys to me is stupid. If that's the market place then you hold off and find another way. Four year commitment to a 35 yr old player whose play has diminished is not an intelligent move whether you give him the "puck moving defender" or "captain" title(which he was by default btw). There's no defending it. Yes, if Snow signed him to a 3 year deal for a million less I would've thought he was an idiot too.
- Cptmjl

I just don't see it as being as bad as you make it out to be. Would you trade COuturier and Schenn for Yandle thereby gutting the team? Would you have stood pat and waited a couple years out of the playoffs hoping we can draft one? I don't think the org saw these as options. Also, with Timonen set to retire next year, he may be called upon to anchor the top PP unit next year as his replacement.

The ideal in my books would have been to arrange a trade for Weber after the offer sheet was signed. I would have given Couturier and maybe Schenn for him, but it didn't pan out. I guess we'll see, but I am not calling for Homer's head over this signing. If he turns out to be an absolute scrub and we start talking about this in terms of Redden or Gomez, then possibly I will want him fired.

I'm waiting for everyone to start lining up their cigarettes in front of me like Red in Shawshank for predicting that Boston would waste the Pens and win the cup.

One more time:


- keaner17

Boston is a well oiled machine.


And I think you're wrong about the goaltending situation. So sit on it.

Our options were, trade Couturier and or Schenn and or out 1st pick this year and next for maybe a guy like Yandle. It was really a case of overpay cash which we have a lot of as an org, or overpay in young assets we just acquired in 2011. I'll take this option any day as I don't want them swtiching gears again so soon.
- Hextall271

....or sign a younger FA for less money.

Streit's not MAB...he can think the game. He just doesn't play D anymore. That's kind of the issue...when he has the puck, he plays like a top-pairing d-man...he can pass better than most in the league and can set up and finish plays. But you can't give him big minutes because he's an absolute disaster defensively now...traps himself in the offensive zone and isn't fast enough to get back anymore, he gets beat wide all the time, and since the shoulder injury he refuses to be physical. So it's a challenge to figure out how and when to use him...you lose the benefits of his playmaking if you limit his minutes, but risk surefire scoring chances against if the puck goes the other way...

I'm not ecstatic that he's gone. Wouldn't have been bad to bring him back for two years to give our prospects time to develop and ease into the NHL. But not for what he was asking or for what he got. Not with the Isles. They can't buy their way out of mistakes and don't spend to the cap like Philly does. They have to be more careful about who they pick for big contracts like that, and they have too many mistakes already on the books.

((UIF))

All this arguing over Mark Streit?

To those defending the contract. Have you seen him Play the past two seasons?. 1/2 his points came on the PP. Even strength he's a defensive liability.


2011-2012 Games 82 goals 7 assists 40 points 47 minus -27

2012-2013 Games 48 goals 6 assists 21 point 27 minus-14

Missed the 2010 - 2011 season with major injury. Since then his +- is a whopping - 41

For his SEVEN Yr CAREER a Plus Minus of -52

Decide for yourselves. But I believe had the Isles kept him. His contributions to the Isles would have been minimal this coming season. I thought he should have been traded at the deadline.

I just don't see it as being as bad as you make it out to be. Would you trade COuturier and Schenn for Yandle thereby gutting the team? Would you have stood pat and waited a couple years out of the playoffs hoping we can draft one? I don't think the org saw these as options. Also, with Timonen set to retire next year, he may be called upon to anchor the top PP unit next year as his replacement.

The ideal in my books would have been to arrange a trade for Weber after the offer sheet was signed. I would have given Couturier and maybe Schenn for him, but it didn't pan out. I guess we'll see, but I am not calling for Homer's head over this signing. If he turns out to be an absolute scrub and we start talking about this in terms of Redden or Gomez, then possibly I will want him fired.
- Hextall271

Streit's only redeeming value at the moment is that he can still put up some points on the PP. As he declines, and those numbers drop off, you're going to be in a Redden situation.

Is it worth putting the team in cap hell and buying out a playoff performer in Briere to bring in a guy to try and make the playoffs for a season or two? When you see his brutal defense up close and have no cap room to replace him and no one will take the contract, will that be worth it?

I've been hoping for six years the Isles would build a foundation that would be capable of keeping the team competitive for a long long time, similar to the Detroit model. This year they showed they're making strides and we have so much young talent that is so close to making an impact along with the youth we have that is finding their next level. The team still needs a few pieces IMO but I'm perfectly fine to continue the process rather than get desperate and throw money at a player who's on the decline and may handicap the salary cap situation if he retires early. Too risky, too much money, too little ability left.

I don't expect the Isles to be in the top 4 of their conference next year, they might be a 7-8 seed again, but as each year goes on and the young talent matures, we're going to be better. I'll take the bright future, young talent and lots of cap space, rather than a juggling act each offseason to try and remain under the cap and fill a number of holes.

But...but...how do you need two Top 6 forwards when you just said the Islanders have as good as wingers as the Flyers do???

Look. I like watching the Islanders. It was great that they made the playoffs and fans like yourself deserve to have a good team.

But let's be straight-up honest here. Totally, straight-up honest. No fan hype. No crazy talk.

All the Flyers need Mark Streit to do is play on their 2nd PP and be better 5v5 than Kurtis Foster and Bruno Gervais. Come on, now. You know he's going to do that.

You can laugh at the contract. That's fine. But you're just straight-up deluding yourselves, as fans, if you think this contract makes the Flyers weaker.

That's just a case of people wanting to chase shadows that aren't there.
- AllInForFlyers

the 2 moves that were/will be made (streit, buyout Brierre) help the islanders more than they help the flyers.

thanks!

Have you ever heard of 5 Hour Energy?
- Flyfreaky

(he doesnt get jokes/sarcasm)

seeing a lot of stuff on Twitter this morning about the Isles being heavily after Jonathan Bernier...
- jimbro83

maybe i should continue reading but can you show some of the tweets? whose reporting it?

Streit's not MAB...he can think the game. He just doesn't play D anymore. That's kind of the issue...when he has the puck, he plays like a top-pairing d-man...he can pass better than most in the league and can set up and finish plays. But you can't give him big minutes because he's an absolute disaster defensively now...traps himself in the offensive zone and isn't fast enough to get back anymore, he gets beat wide all the time, and since the shoulder injury he refuses to be physical. So it's a challenge to figure out how and when to use him...you lose the benefits of his playmaking if you limit his minutes, but risk surefire scoring chances against if the puck goes the other way...

I'm not ecstatic that he's gone. Wouldn't have been bad to bring him back for two years to give our prospects time to develop and ease into the NHL. But not for what he was asking or for what he got. Not with the Isles. They can't buy their way out of mistakes and don't spend to the cap like Philly does. They have to be more careful about who they pick for big contracts like that, and they have too many mistakes already on the books.

((UIF))
- UIF

Here is the only thing that i have to say about the situation. While i hate the contract and think its a huge over-payment, after last year where 5 out of our top 6 defense men went down with injuries for a significant time, i don't hate the addition.

On the fact that Streit isn't really that sound defensively, i think people are forgetting that the Flyers D is pretty good. The thing is that they have really solid defensemen but none of them are studs. Schenn, Timonen, Mesz, Grossman, Coburn would all be either 2nd or 3 best defensemen on any team and could all play solid minutes.

So 1) i don't think Streit is going to be playing a ton of minutes every night, 2) he is going to be paired up with someone that is more of a stay at home defenseman who is sound defensively like Grossman or Schenn and 3) hes mostly going to start either when the Flyers are on the powerplay or starting play in the offensive zone, so he will have easier minutes.

Streit's only redeeming value at the moment is that he can still put up some points on the PP. As he declines, and those numbers drop off, you're going to be in a Redden situation.

Is it worth putting the team in cap hell and buying out a playoff performer in Briere to bring in a guy to try and make the playoffs for a season or two? When you see his brutal defense up close and have no cap room to replace him and no one will take the contract, will that be worth it?

I've been hoping for six years the Isles would build a foundation that would be capable of keeping the team competitive for a long long time, similar to the Detroit model. This year they showed they're making strides and we have so much young talent that is so close to making an impact along with the youth we have that is finding their next level. The team still needs a few pieces IMO but I'm perfectly fine to continue the process rather than get desperate and throw money at a player who's on the decline and may handicap the salary cap situation if he retires early. Too risky, too much money, too little ability left.

I don't expect the Isles to be in the top 4 of their conference next year, they might be a 7-8 seed again, but as each year goes on and the young talent matures, we're going to be better. I'll take the bright future, young talent and lots of cap space, rather than a juggling act each offseason to try and remain under the cap and fill a number of holes.
- Isles_since_6

Well said.

The Flyers are awful in their own zone...yet gave up just two more goals than the Islanders last season. So what are the Islanders, then?
- AllInForFlyers

young, gaining experience, and cutting dead weight (read: mark streit)

Boston is a well oiled machine.


And I think you're wrong about the goaltending situation. So sit on it.




- canadianpenfan

You shouldn't tell me to sit on it Johnny.....My cousin told me to sit on it once....ONCE

I think it's going to be hilarious in 2 years when Streit's play has really dropped off, and Pronger officially retires for a front office job, meaning the Flyers will have taken up 10 million in cap space that only gets them 1 bottom pairing defensive liability.

I think it's going to be hilarious in 2 years when Streit's play has really dropped off, and Pronger officially retires for a front office job, meaning the Flyers will have taken up 10 million in cap space that only gets them 1 bottom pairing defensive liability.
- Antilles

Does that crystal ball of yours tell you when the Blues are going to beat the Kings in the playoffs?

See what the Flyers have to deal with? The Flyers traded a fourth-round pick for a guy his previous team wasn't going to sign.

Previous team gets asset for something they no longer wanted. Good for them. Flyers get asset they wanted. Good for them.

In a cap world, Flyers sign player they paid an asset for to a contract they wanted.

Now, the previous team is talking like they've owned the Flyers for the last 15 years when the reverse has clearly been true, and most of them can't fathom how a guy who played 23 minutes a night for them could possibly have any value for another team. Nope. No value whatsoever.

Meanwhile, fans of other teams are ready to predict the Flyers' future. Amazing stuff.

The Islanders should be happy for getting an asset. Instead, all kinds of craziness has ensued, again, over A GUY YOU GUYS DIDN'T WANT.

Right? You didn't want him, right? So why are you guys so sensitive?

You should be glad that the Flyers will be in cap hell (even though they won't be). You should be glad that the guy who played 23 minutes a night for you -- but couldn't actually play -- is gone!

You guys heard from the Blues fan: Dark, dark days are heading the Flyers' way.

You guys all believe that. Right? Everybody believes that the Flyers are heading down. Right?

maybe i should continue reading but can you show some of the tweets? whose reporting it?
- LetsGoIsles

Arthur Staple ‏@StapeNewsday 1h Sources: Islanders in the mix for Kings' Jonathan Bernier http://bit.ly/16E8IXv

Arthur Staple ‏@StapeNewsday 1h Sources: Islanders in the mix for Kings' Jonathan Bernier http://bit.ly/16E8IXv
- kear20

Get 'er done, Garth!

Do yourself a favor and jump to page 9. Now.
- canadianpenfan

got it