Adam Pelech
His numbers, per Natural Stat Trick, were ugly on Thursday: In a team-high 17:36 at 5v5, the Islanders mustered just five shot attempts vs. 20 against with Pelech on the ice.

But this is where context matters. Of that 17:36, Pelech saw the Marchand-Patrice Bergeron-David Pastrnak line for roughly nine minutes. That line had a couple of good looks, as it usually does, but nothing that jumps out at even strength. Mostly what you remember from Thursday is Pelech having his most physical game of the season, taking a piece out of Pastrnak, the NHL’s leading goal scorer, every time the puck came by.

And the two best scoring chances against the Pelech-Ryan Pulock pair came off of turnovers by Pulock. Bjork scored off one and Bergeron was denied on the other.

Against that line, the best in the league, that’s a big win. It was a big night for Pelech, who has been very steady the last seven games (on ice for three 5v5 goals against in 124 minutes) after a lousy eight-game run prior.
- Upstate_isles

The guy hasn't been lousy for 8 minutes never mind 8 games

Unfortunately the Isles don't have many appealing prospects outside of a couple of high end prospects that I just don't see them trading for a rental. They have some solid prospects that I just don't think would be enough to land one of the top rentals out there
- Vukota

I don’t agree. We have a first and we have some pretty decent defensive prospects in the AHL that our expendable because of our depth right now. That’s the other reason I like Pageau. He’s not going to cost what Taylor Hall did. In fact we have more to offer than the crap package Arizona just traded for Hall without hurting ourselves. They gave up one mediocre prospect and two garbage ones and a first + conditional. Don’t sell us short there bud😂

I'm not sure how is doing in the minors but what about bringing Hickey up to play offense?
- maximumcarnage

Um... Huh?

I don’t agree. We have a first and we have some pretty decent defensive prospects in the AHL that our expendable because of our depth right now. That’s the other reason I like Pageau. He’s not going to cost what Taylor Hall did. In fact we have more to offer than the crap package Arizona just traded for Hall without hurting ourselves. They gave up one mediocre prospect and two garbage ones and a first + conditional. Don’t sell us short there bud😂
- Cptmjl

If they want to make a run at Hall in the offseason or bring in another offensive weapon with a large salary they are going to have to move out a few bad contracts in the offseason. If they trade their 1st and some decent prospects for a rental, they'll have nothing to dangle other teams to lure them into taking a bad contract or two. I would rather use those assets to bring in somebody long term not just a few months. That's just me

If they want to make a run at Hall in the offseason or bring in another offensive weapon with a large salary they are going to have to move out a few bad contracts in the offseason. If they trade their 1st and some decent prospects for a rental, they'll have nothing to dangle other teams to lure them into taking a bad contract or two. I would rather use those assets to bring in somebody long term not just a few months. That's just me
- Vukota

Well you’re wrong as usual.

If they want to make a run at Hall in the offseason or bring in another offensive weapon with a large salary they are going to have to move out a few bad contracts in the offseason. If they trade their 1st and some decent prospects for a rental, they'll have nothing to dangle other teams to lure them into taking a bad contract or two. I would rather use those assets to bring in somebody long term not just a few months. That's just me
- Vukota

I'm not really sure they'll be able to move anything significant out. Forgetting opinions, I don't think they're going to be including 1st round picks or valuable prospects to ship out Garth's abortions. Ladd is immovable unless they're including a 1st or something valuable and I can't imagine they'd do that. Komarov is about the only possibility (after they pay his bonus this summer) and, as bad as that deal is, it's not going to clear that much room. I'm not sure they'd even explore trading Boychuk, but if they did that's a tough sell as well.

Well you’re wrong as usual.
- Cptmjl

I'm not really sure they'll be able to move anything significant out. Forgetting opinions, I don't think they're going to be including 1st round picks or valuable prospects to ship out Garth's abortions. Ladd is immovable unless they're including a 1st or something valuable and I can't imagine they'd do that. Komarov is about the only possibility (after they pay his bonus this summer) and, as bad as that deal is, it's not going to clear that much room. I'm not sure they'd even explore trading Boychuk, but if they did that's a tough sell as well.
- eichiefs9

If that's the case then they won't be adding any legit offensive talent for a couple of years

Hi (frank)ers.


That is all

If that's the case then they won't be adding any legit offensive talent for a couple of years
- Vukota

I'm not necessarily saying I endorse this, but moving Bailey may be on the table.

He has no NTC/NMC and a beyond-reasonable cap hit for four more years. If they moved him and Komarov that would clear up $8M in cap space AND they'd probably add some decent picks and/or prospects.

At 30 Bailey probably isn't going to be trending up anymore and, although it would be a hell of a tough decision, it may be a good time to capitalize on his value while it's still high.

Much more high-res version

If that's the case then they won't be adding any legit offensive talent for a couple of years
- Vukota

He’s right. Komarov sucks and so does his contract but are we trading a first to get rid of it? Probably not and nobody is taking Ladd with whatever we offer so we’re pretty (frank)ed there. We’ve had a hole on our third line minus Flippula for a long time now. Trade for Pageau and try and sign the guy. We have a good team. We need some depth i think this team can make some serious noise and if everything jives right maybe take a stab at the cup especially with some legit depth. I believe Pageau fits the mold perfectly between Trotz’s expectations, point production, and he will cost less than Hall.

I'm not necessarily saying I endorse this, but moving Bailey may be on the table.

He has no NTC/NMC and a beyond-reasonable cap hit for four more years. If they moved him and Komarov that would clear up $8M in cap space AND they'd probably add some decent picks and/or prospects.

At 30 Bailey probably isn't going to be trending up anymore and, although it would be a hell of a tough decision, it may be a good time to capitalize on his value while it's still high.
- eichiefs9

They're not trading Bailey

They're not trading Bailey
- Vukota

Probably not, but it'd be a lot easier than having to pay a haz-mat team to come dispose of Andrew Ladd's dead, rotting corpse

He’s right. Komarov sucks and so does his contract but are we trading a first to get rid of it? Probably not and nobody is taking Ladd with whatever we offer so we’re pretty (frank)ed there. We’ve had a hole on our third line minus Flippula for a long time now. Trade for Pageau and try and sign the guy. We have a good team. We need some depth i think this team can make some serious noise and if everything jives right maybe take a stab at the cup especially with some legit depth. I believe Pageau fits the mold perfectly between Trotz’s expectations, point production, and he will cost less than Hall.
- Cptmjl

Somebody will over pay Pageau to be their 2nd line center in July. It happens every summer. He won't sign here to be the 3rd line center when he'll get over paid to be somebody's 2nd line center. Lou has to get creative otherwise we'll never get that sniper for Barzal and then how long before he gets sick of playing with a revolving door of ok players?

Probably not, but it'd be a lot easier than having to pay a haz-mat team to come dispose of Andrew Ladd's dead, rotting corpse
- eichiefs9

If David facking Clarkson can get traded twice with a broken back then I'll always hold out hope that Ladd can be moved

If David facking Clarkson can get traded twice with a broken back then I'll always hold out hope that Ladd can be moved
- Vukota

Clarkson was movable because he's perma-LTIR'd. If (or when) Ladd's back or knee gives out again maybe there's a possibility the Leafs want him for the LTIR breathing room but until then he's gonna be a lot harder to move than Clarkson.

Clarkson was movable because he's perma-LTIR'd. If (or when) Ladd's back or knee gives out again maybe there's a possibility the Leafs want him for the LTIR breathing room but until then he's gonna be a lot harder to move than Clarkson.
- eichiefs9

True, they better hope the cap goes up big time and they weren't able to save Clutterbucks hand and they had to cut it off

Don Cherry just retweeted this

True, they better hope the cap goes up big time and they weren't able to save Clutterbucks hand and they had to cut it off
- Vukota

The way things look right now, Martin/Brassard/Moonbuckle/Greiss are UFA's and Barzal/Pulock/Toews are RFA's. Just a gut feeling, but I'm not so sure they bring Martin back. I think Brassard and Junecackle are almost certainly goners. Dal Colle or Johnston could probably slot into Martin's spot. Poonsmuggle is really just an extra forward so I'm sure that he could be replaced internally as well.

As far as filling Brassard's spot (or at least the spot they intended to use him for), they could either go cheap/internal and move Cizikas "up" a line and have Koivula slide in as the 4C or they could go out and sign someone like Pageau to fill it...but that eats some significant cap space.

I have a feeling that Barzal/Pulock/Toews could eat up about $20M (My guesses: $10.5M/$6.5M/$4M respectively) which probably chews through just about all the cap space, assuming the ceiling goes up by around $3M-$4M.

Then they still have to figure out the goalie situation.

Somebody will over pay Pageau to be their 2nd line center in July. It happens every summer. He won't sign here to be the 3rd line center when he'll get over paid to be somebody's 2nd line center. Lou has to get creative otherwise we'll never get that sniper for Barzal and then how long before he gets sick of playing with a revolving door of ok players?
- Vukota

This is what you worry about with Barzal. Isles wasted JT's prime years. Would be a huge help if Wahlstrom ends up being that player. Would save a lot of money and assets.

Don Cherry just retweeted this


- eichiefs9

Somebody will over pay Pageau to be their 2nd line center in July. It happens every summer. He won't sign here to be the 3rd line center when he'll get over paid to be somebody's 2nd line center. Lou has to get creative otherwise we'll never get that sniper for Barzal and then how long before he gets sick of playing with a revolving door of ok players?
- Vukota

I don’t think that’s a foregone conclusion if he even gets traded to begin with. I think getting someone like Pageau keeps our top line be a legit top line without players like Johnston infiltrating it. Not sure Barzal has to have an “elite” winger eberle and Lee are just fine.

This is what you worry about with Barzal. Isles wasted JT's prime years. Would be a huge help if Wahlstrom ends up being that player. Would save a lot of money and assets.
- ses111

I have no doubt that Lou is intelligent and proactive enough to not just sit on his hands while they waste the prime years of Barzal and not do what that fat sewer rat Snow did.

Don Cherry just retweeted this


- eichiefs9

All of the whiny, Trudeau loving flakes in Toronto let out a collective whimper when reading that from that big, bad, racist Cherry. Think that needs to be dropped on the Leafs thread if they didn’t already cover it😂