Dan Petriw: Finding Balance

Marchand would be a nice add for a scoring winger with some grit

I hope the islanders a terrible and taveres injury comes back and they finish in the bottom two with the sabres.

Realistically i dont see them making playoffs though. taveres is amazing but the injury is going to put him back couple weeks. With garth snow u never know what he is going to do. They need to trade the fifth pick with other prospects. Maybe go after spezza or thorton to play second line center. That would take pressure off top line and even the scoring out.

I hope the islanders a terrible and taveres injury comes back and they finish in the bottom two with the sabres.

Realistically i dont see them making playoffs though. taveres is amazing but the injury is going to put him back couple weeks. With garth snow u never know what he is going to do. They need to trade the fifth pick with other prospects. Maybe go after spezza or thorton to play second line center. That would take pressure off top line and even the scoring out.
- hanleyaj

WTF are you talking about? JT has been skating for a couple of weeks now. Take a hike and mix in a english class or two

Marchand would be a nice add for a scoring winger with some grit
- MrBeanTown

I would take him in a heartbeat. Question is what would they want in return?

Garth just needs to stand pat.

Trust me, it's better that way.

Marchand would be a nice add for a scoring winger with some grit
- MrBeanTown

He would be exactly what the doctor ordered but does Boston seriously want to trade him??

WTF are you talking about? JT has been skating for a couple of weeks now. Take a hike and mix in a english class or two
- Vukota

another clueless hockey fan

Marchand would be a nice add for a scoring winger with some grit
- MrBeanTown

lol

I hope the islanders a terrible and taveres injury comes back and they finish in the bottom two with the sabres.

Realistically i dont see them making playoffs though. taveres is amazing but the injury is going to put him back couple weeks. With garth snow u never know what he is going to do. They need to trade the fifth pick with other prospects. Maybe go after spezza or thorton to play second line center. That would take pressure off top line and even the scoring out.
- hanleyaj

nielson scored 25 goals as our second line center, Nelson and Strome are also centers. I don't think we need another one, especially an older one that costs us assets. Not to say I wouldn't want one, but the defense needs an upgrade first.

keep in mind this team had the worst save percentage as a team with our craptastic goaltenders last year, adding Halak and a vet top 4 defenseman would go a long way to changing that and our offense will be more than enough to get this team chasing a playoff spot. Injuries can always change things, but I don't see us handing you a top 2 pick

you should get a top 2 pick using your own 1st.

Garth just needs to stand pat.

Trust me, it's better that way.
- grand-magus

too late, we signed a goalie.

What the roster should be:

Nelson - Tavares - Okposo
Lee - Nielsen - Jokinen/Vrbata
Bailey - Strome - Grabner
Martin - Cizikas - Clutterbuck
McDonald, Boulton

What is would be good for:

20g/25a - 35g/40a - 30g/20a = 85g
20g/15a - 20g/35a - 20g/20a = 60g
10g/20a - 20g/20a - 20g/10a = 50g
5g/5a - 5g/10a - 10g/15a = 20g

TOTAL GOALS = 215

This doesnt include defense which should chip in 15-30 goals.

I think these lines are fairly balanced with size, skill, and grit.

Bailey and Grabner are 3rd line, PK specialists. They SHOULD NOT be relied on to score top-6 numbers. They havent. They never will. The DO make for great 3rd line options though - both Bailey's and Grabner's defensive play consistently gets overlooked - they are good at D - not so good at O.

I hope the islanders a terrible and taveres injury comes back and they finish in the bottom two with the sabres.

Realistically i dont see them making playoffs though. taveres is amazing but the injury is going to put him back couple weeks. With garth snow u never know what he is going to do. They need to trade the fifth pick with other prospects. Maybe go after spezza or thorton to play second line center. That would take pressure off top line and even the scoring out.
- hanleyaj

I hope you Sabre fans trade every asset and get like 15 first round picks in 2015, and still don't get one of the top 2 picks....

I hope the islanders a terrible and taveres injury comes back and they finish in the bottom two with the sabres.

Realistically i dont see them making playoffs though. taveres is amazing but the injury is going to put him back couple weeks. With garth snow u never know what he is going to do. They need to trade the fifth pick with other prospects. Maybe go after spezza or thorton to play second line center. That would take pressure off top line and even the scoring out.
- hanleyaj

Wow. Theres been some stupid shat coming out of buffalo lately but this post is one of the more dumber ones I've seen in some time. Good job

Vanek is still in the mix at least until July 01. Vanek, JT and KO were the best line in hockey for about two months last season. Therrien has a history of screwing up some players and I do not like the way Vanek was treated in Montreal so don't hold his playoff performance against him, imo.
Halak, Vanek and Boyle would really add to the Isles.

Wow. Theres been some stupid shat coming out of buffalo lately but this post is one of the more dumber ones I've seen in some time. Good job
- Cptmjl

It really is amazing how dumb some of them are. It's embarrassing

Vanek is still in the mix at least until July 01. Vanek, JT and KO were the best line in hockey for about two months last season. Therrien has a history of screwing up some players and I do not like the way Vanek was treated in Montreal so don't hold his playoff performance against him, imo.
Halak, Vanek and Boyle would really add to the Isles.
- flyerdude17

I'd be shocked if Vanek came back plus not sure if I would want him at 6 or 7 years

What the roster should be:

Nelson - Tavares - Okposo
Lee - Nielsen - Jokinen/Vrbata
Bailey - Strome - Grabner
Martin - Cizikas - Clutterbuck
McDonald, Boulton

What is would be good for:

20g/25a - 35g/40a - 30g/20a = 85g
20g/15a - 20g/35a - 20g/20a = 60g
10g/20a - 20g/20a - 20g/10a = 50g
5g/5a - 5g/10a - 10g/15a = 20g

TOTAL GOALS = 215

This doesnt include defense which should chip in 15-30 goals.

I think these lines are fairly balanced with size, skill, and grit.

Bailey and Grabner are 3rd line, PK specialists. They SHOULD NOT be relied on to score top-6 numbers. They havent. They never will. The DO make for great 3rd line options though - both Bailey's and Grabner's defensive play consistently gets overlooked - they are good at D - not so good at O.
- kcNYI

I would stay away from Vrbata, he has proven he can only play in the desert. Just ask the TB Lightning.

I'd be shocked if Vanek came back plus not sure if I would want him at 6 or 7 years
- Vukota

Shorter term for sure but if the Wild do not entertain him he may come crawling back and accept GS offer if it is still there.

Marchand would be a nice add for a scoring winger with some grit
- MrBeanTown

Modified NTC

Which in Islander-country is a big fat middle finger in Snow's face.

Shorter term for sure but if the Wild do not entertain him he may come crawling back and accept GS offer if it is still there.
- flyerdude17

Shorter term sure but I don't know if they will offer him the original deal from a couple of months ago

He would be exactly what the doctor ordered but does Boston seriously want to trade him??
- kasperrko

Looks liek he's being shopped... BOS is tight against the cap, and he could be the odd man out for the right deal.

What they would want in return, your guess is as good as mine, there!

Modified NTC

Which in Islander-country is a big fat middle finger in Snow's face.
- eichiefs9

I'd be shocked if Vanek came back plus not sure if I would want him at 6 or 7 years
- Vukota

Question for you Isles fans, I am considering KO in a trade, keeper league. I love the guy and really think he broke out last year for good. Do you guys think he will stay healthy and repeat? Will he stay a fixture with JT? Thanks

Modified NTC

Which in Islander-country is a big fat middle finger in Snow's face.
- eichiefs9

Not necessarily... Playing left flank to tavares would be a treat