Dan Petriw: Center of Debate

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Hoping for an Isles loss with an Oilers and Panthers win tonight.

Race to the finish!!!

I'm wondering who or what (positionally) the Islanders should be targeting in the upcoming draft.

Assume that they keep the pick (which I believe they will), what is the main need for this team to fill with their selection.

I admittedly don't follow the Islanders that much. But I would think that they are set down the middle and they have a definite strength in defenseman prospects with the likes of Reinhart, Pulock and others on the verge of breaking into the league.

So that leads me to think that it will be a winger as the main target. With that would they be thinking more a skill style with a Bennett (who can play wing), Dal Colle, or Nylander? Or needing a more power forward type like a Ritchie or Virtanen (although Okposo has turned into a great power forward).

Of course my curiousity is biased as a Flames fan. I ask should the Islanders pick before them, I am wondering who may be left on the board.

Arthur Staple ‏@StapeNewsday 4m
Johan Sundstrom told me this AM his old junior/SHL teammate, Sebastian Collberg, is out injured for Frolunda in SHL playoffs. #Isles

Arthur Staple ‏@StapeNewsday 4m
Johan Sundstrom told me this AM his old junior/SHL teammate, Sebastian Collberg, is out injured for Frolunda in SHL playoffs. #Isles
- UIF

No surprise here.

I'm wondering who or what (positionally) the Islanders should be targeting in the upcoming draft.

Assume that they keep the pick (which I believe they will), what is the main need for this team to fill with their selection.

I admittedly don't follow the Islanders that much. But I would think that they are set down the middle and they have a definite strength in defenseman prospects with the likes of Reinhart, Pulock and others on the verge of breaking into the league.

So that leads me to think that it will be a winger as the main target. With that would they be thinking more a skill style with a Bennett (who can play wing), Dal Colle, or Nylander? Or needing a more power forward type like a Ritchie or Virtanen (although Okposo has turned into a great power forward).

Of course my curiousity is biased as a Flames fan. I ask should the Islanders pick before them, I am wondering who may be left on the board.
- dal_johnson

They are really deep at D, but won't pass up on Ekblad if for some reason he is still around. In the past the Isles have drafted Cs and then moved them to the wing, so that doesn't help. I think their draft board will look like this Ekblad, Bennet, Reinhart, DalColle, Draisaitl.

I'm wondering who or what (positionally) the Islanders should be targeting in the upcoming draft.

Assume that they keep the pick (which I believe they will), what is the main need for this team to fill with their selection.

I admittedly don't follow the Islanders that much. But I would think that they are set down the middle and they have a definite strength in defenseman prospects with the likes of Reinhart, Pulock and others on the verge of breaking into the league.

So that leads me to think that it will be a winger as the main target. With that would they be thinking more a skill style with a Bennett (who can play wing), Dal Colle, or Nylander? Or needing a more power forward type like a Ritchie or Virtanen (although Okposo has turned into a great power forward).

Of course my curiousity is biased as a Flames fan. I ask should the Islanders pick before them, I am wondering who may be left on the board.
- dal_johnson

I'm hoping they get the #1 and take Aaron Ekblad. Outside of that, have to think Isles are looking at forwards with this draft and wings in particular.

Draft the best player available.. If it's a center.. Fine.. Moving a center to wing is not that difficult

Draft the best player available.. If it's a center.. Fine.. Moving a center to wing is not that difficult
- Dan Petriw

Drafting the best player works for me.

I'm wondering who or what (positionally) the Islanders should be targeting in the upcoming draft.

Assume that they keep the pick (which I believe they will), what is the main need for this team to fill with their selection.

I admittedly don't follow the Islanders that much. But I would think that they are set down the middle and they have a definite strength in defenseman prospects with the likes of Reinhart, Pulock and others on the verge of breaking into the league.

So that leads me to think that it will be a winger as the main target. With that would they be thinking more a skill style with a Bennett (who can play wing), Dal Colle, or Nylander? Or needing a more power forward type like a Ritchie or Virtanen (although Okposo has turned into a great power forward).

Of course my curiousity is biased as a Flames fan. I ask should the Islanders pick before them, I am wondering who may be left on the board.
- dal_johnson

take the best player available...regardless of position

No surprise here.
- ses111

(frank)ing garth, how didnt he see this coming??

(frank)ing garth, how didnt he see this coming??
- LetsGoIsles

Just bad Islander luck to go with a lousy season.

I understand the idea of taking the best player available. But in this draft nobody is miles above the rest. Last year MacKinnon was much ahead of the rest, and then it made sense. But that's not the case this season.

So if the Isles are deep in high quality defensive prospects (which I believe they are), why would they take Ekblad and continue to leave holes in other areas?

This is exactly what the Oilers have done. They have continued to take the highly skilled smaller forward simply because he was the "best player available". And now they can't provide the minutes to warrant these players (Yakapov is a third liner) and they have blaring holes that they didn't fill (Defensemen and forwards with size). And now, yet again, they will probably have a top 3 pick. How is that any sort of progress as a team.

If anything, should they be in that position, look to trade down a spot or two so that they can still fill their real needs (as a winger) and gain an additional quality asset as well.

Dan Petriw: Center of Debate
- Dan Petriw

Dan- Isn't the center of debate really "Just how much longer can this team function under the current management before they are absolutely worse than they were BEFORE Garth took over?"

Because every question you pose about players, trades, line ups, drafts, wins & losses all really comes back to managements' mishandling of almost every decision they make.

I mean....we can talk, debate, philosophize all day long about these topics but no one is listening and we almost always end up being let down with the moves this team makes.

Aside of drafting Tavares and buying out DP, there's not too many things that have been met 100% approval, hell 90% approval by the members of this blog.

I know I am probably the No. 1 worst fan of Garth Snow and most of what I post is negative about him but to ME, it all rests squarely on his shoulders. If he had any dignity or self-respect, he would do as Neil Smith did and walk away.

Until he is no longer a part of this organization, I feel there is NO other topic more relevant or important.

Arthur Staple ‏@StapeNewsday 4m
Johan Sundstrom told me this AM his old junior/SHL teammate, Sebastian Collberg, is out injured for Frolunda in SHL playoffs. #Isles
- UIF

I predict a suspension/demotion/trade coming for Sundstrom for speaking to the media behind Garth's back. Nino 2.0, here we go.....

I understand the idea of taking the best player available. But in this draft nobody is miles above the rest. Last year MacKinnon was much ahead of the rest, and then it made sense. But that's not the case this season.

So if the Isles are deep in high quality defensive prospects (which I believe they are), why would they take Ekblad and continue to leave holes in other areas?

This is exactly what the Oilers have done. They have continued to take the highly skilled smaller forward simply because he was the "best player available". And now they can't provide the minutes to warrant these players (Yakapov is a third liner) and they have blaring holes that they didn't fill (Defensemen and forwards with size). And now, yet again, they will probably have a top 3 pick. How is that any sort of progress as a team.


If anything, should they be in that position, look to trade down a spot or two so that they can still fill their real needs (as a winger) and gain an additional quality asset as well.
- dal_johnson

until our defensive prospects become legit NHL defensemen, they are just prospects. Currently we ARE weak on defense, desperate for a goaltender that doesn't suck, and needing a coach.

If Reinhart/Pulock/Pelach/Mayfield/Pokka/Donovan etc end up showing they can play at the NHL level and play real minutes, we'll be set. That could be a year or two away at least if they pan out at all. Until then, I believe whoever is available in the draft as the best prospect when they pick should be drafted. If you asked me who I'd want them to draft if we had the 1st overall pick I'll pick Ekblad.

Arthur Staple ‏@StapeNewsday 4m
Johan Sundstrom told me this AM his old junior/SHL teammate, Sebastian Collberg, is out injured for Frolunda in SHL playoffs. #Isles
- UIF

Of course he is. Why wouldn't he be?

I understand the idea of taking the best player available. But in this draft nobody is miles above the rest. Last year MacKinnon was much ahead of the rest, and then it made sense. But that's not the case this season.

So if the Isles are deep in high quality defensive prospects (which I believe they are), why would they take Ekblad and continue to leave holes in other areas?

This is exactly what the Oilers have done. They have continued to take the highly skilled smaller forward simply because he was the "best player available". And now they can't provide the minutes to warrant these players (Yakapov is a third liner) and they have blaring holes that they didn't fill (Defensemen and forwards with size). And now, yet again, they will probably have a top 3 pick. How is that any sort of progress as a team.



If anything, should they be in that position, look to trade down a spot or two so that they can still fill their real needs (as a winger) and gain an additional quality asset as well.
- dal_johnson

You can never have too many good defencemen.

If they get Ekblad that would be huge!!!

So, from what I read on the last thread, apparently we are not as good as Buffalo (as long as we don't count anyone on our team who is.....good ).......so we might as well keep our coach. I love Rag$ fans.... they are dumber than dried cowsh*t.

You can never have too many good defencemen.

If they get Ekblad that would be huge!!!


- jimmc7722

If all of these defensemen pan out, Garth might actually be able to make a trade and get something we can keep for a while in return.

Dan- Isn't the center of debate really "Just how much longer can this team function under the current management before they are absolutely worse than they were BEFORE Garth took over?"

Because every question you pose about players, trades, line ups, drafts, wins & losses all really comes back to managements' mishandling of almost every decision they make.

I mean....we can talk, debate, philosophize all day long about these topics but no one is listening and we almost always end up being let down with the moves this team makes.

Aside of drafting Tavares and buying out DP, there's not too many things that have been met 100% approval, hell 90% approval by the members of this blog.

I know I am probably the No. 1 worst fan of Garth Snow and most of what I post is negative about him but to ME, it all rests squarely on his shoulders. If he had any dignity or self-respect, he would do as Neil Smith did and walk away.

Until he is no longer a part of this organization, I feel there is NO other topic more relevant or important.
- jmo16

I can't write the same story day after day after day... I also don't think snow is going anywhere. We all know the organization is a mess

Nice blog Dan. You're one of the top bloggers on this site

So, from what I read on the last thread, apparently we are not as good as Buffalo (as long as we don't count anyone on our team who is.....good ).......so we might as well keep our coach. I love Rag$ fans.... they are dumber than dried cowsh*t.
- dcb1

Yeah. That was getting a little tiring after a while. Wish I could have just ignored and moved on.

I understand the idea of taking the best player available. But in this draft nobody is miles above the rest. Last year MacKinnon was much ahead of the rest, and then it made sense. But that's not the case this season.

So if the Isles are deep in high quality defensive prospects (which I believe they are), why would they take Ekblad and continue to leave holes in other areas?

This is exactly what the Oilers have done. They have continued to take the highly skilled smaller forward simply because he was the "best player available". And now they can't provide the minutes to warrant these players (Yakapov is a third liner) and they have blaring holes that they didn't fill (Defensemen and forwards with size). And now, yet again, they will probably have a top 3 pick. How is that any sort of progress as a team.

If anything, should they be in that position, look to trade down a spot or two so that they can still fill their real needs (as a winger) and gain an additional quality asset as well.
- dal_johnson

Because we need defensive help, so if ekblad is available we need to grab him

XxNYIxX