Re: The NHL 2013-14 Thread
 

Like everyone else here feeling bad for Moulson and JT.

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Still pissed off they give a 5 minute major and a game misconduct to Dubinksy for that hit last night. Basically the new rule in the NHL is that if you're taller than someone you can't hit them.

Oh and don't worry about skating around with the puck with your head down, if you get clocked they'll just toss the other guy out and your team gets a 5 minute power play.

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Overall it was a horribly officiated game. It seemed like the ducks got a lot more calls and they waved a goal off for CBJ and then refused to review it when the replay showed it clearly should have counted.

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Yeah, he gets to go play with Ott and Kaleta instead of JT.

Sports has always been a business. Sucks that loyalty doesn't go both ways all the time. He loved the Island, the crest, fought hard through the rebuild to get us to where we are and now is sent packing. Yet the Isles gave his chance to make it in the NHL when no one else really did and made his career.

I mean it's not exactly Dave Lewis and Billy Harris, both pretty much original Islanders, for Butch Goring right before the Isles won 4 straight cups. Stinks similarly.

Re: The NHL 2013-14 Thread
 

Headline: Oilers rookie 'tender stops 47 shots in debut. Loses in shootout.

Ahhhh, yeah, the Oiler way! Let's ride his coatails to a 75pt. season :thumbsup

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It's just gotta be heartbreaking to go from an up and coming team that you helped rebuild to a team that is systematically running itself into the ground and is in the media for all the wrong reasons.

Oh well, at least he has Ryan Miller to cry with. For now.

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Moulson is a Sabre for 3 months tops. He is getting flipped, 95% chance. Don't unpack Matt. Live out of the suitcase.

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That's the thing. He's busted his butt to improve one of the worst franchises and now he gets shipped to the current worst.

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Yeah that's what I'm thinking. Gone by the trade deadline at most. Probably in a package deal with Miller to Philly for their entire current roster.

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Apparently, Vanek didn't have a no trade clause so he had no choice. But whatever, welcome aboard.

Score that GWG vs. the Rag$ tomorrow night.

The NHL 2013-14 Thread
 

I don't watch a lot of Islanders games, usually only if they play the Bruins or if they're in the playoffs like last year. My friend said to me last night that even though the numbers between Vanek and Moulson are similar he was practically carried by Tavares. Any truth to this Isles fans? If so I guess the trade makes sense but to me it looks like Isles overpaid for Vanek.

Glad to see he's out of Buffalo though, guy was a Bruins killer like Gaborik.

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I was very impressed watching him last night!

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no suspension for dubinsky. rightfully so.

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Hey! That's our captain!

Poor guy. Atleast he's only here until the trade deadline. Just as things are looking up he gets shipped off to this dumpster fire up here in Buffalo.

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If Moulson had a clue, he would have kept his mouth shut and just gone with it.

at the end of the day, he's a free agent after this season. He's going to get paid, especially if he has success in Buffalo, and who isn't to say that the Islanders aren't interested in bringing him back?

I agree with sal, the Islanders want to show that they're done rebuilding. They probably are looking at the Metro and realizing that this is their chance to make some noise.

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No. Tavares, as I've documented well in this thread, is one of my favorite non-Hawk players (along with Keith Yandle and Dave Bolland)...I love the guy, but he sure as hell didn't babysit that line.

Were Moulson's numbers inflated because he was playing with Tavares? Well, yeah, but tell me that James Neal's numbers aren't inflated because he's playing with Crosby/Malkin all the time, or Brandon Saad's (as much as I love him) numbers aren't inflated when he plays with Toews. That doesn't mean that Toews or Crosby "carried" Saad or Neal, just that you end up with numbers slightly higher than if you have more "normal" linemates. Moulson is no slouch.

Does that make sense?

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Which, yeah, I get...but they're banking a lot on resigning Vanek.

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You don't think they can keep Vanek and Moulson?

Not sure about their cap space, but I think they can do both.

Unless they want to go out in the summer and get a goalie which will probably happen.

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Oh, I do think they CAN keep Vanek, they are about to have a shit ton of cap space when the cap goes up to 70+%.

However, what if Vanek fucks 'em and signs with...whoever? Columbus? Then they lost Moulson (who would have surely resigned with them after this year), multiple draft picks, and Vanek. Ya know?

I get the idea of wanting to make sure they are displaying a "we want to win" attitude, but it's a strong gamble. I hope it works out, but we'll see. Sometimes these things backfire. I would bet that Vanek resigns in NY, but who knows...he might not.

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There have been a lot of rumors that Vanek would like to play for the Wild.

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We have played at or near the cap floor for years so we have loads of cap space. We usually get to the floor with the buyout contracts of Yashin and now DP, and by unattainable bonuses.

We had the lowest payroll yesterday and added like 4 million in payroll with the difference in contracts so according to capgeek, we are 4th from the bottom now.

We have 12 million in cap space as of today with the addition of Vanek.

Moulson could come back, yes, but who ever comes back after being a UFA. Rarely happens. I think trading him shows they didn't want him long term.

I won't say Moulson was made by JT but playing with him definitely helped. Anytime Moulson was removed from JT's line over the years to shake things up, he struggled a bit. Moulson is great in front of the net, can take the pounding to get the dirty goals, redirects, rebounds. Islanders fan always complained his lack of hitting, carrying the puck up, puck handling, sticking up for JT. I'll be interested to see if his stock takes a hit in Buffalo if he doesn't do too well. He could very well lose money if he doesn't maintain similar production. They were a big help to each other (JT & MM) to establish their careers. Moulson was nothing, wasting away, until JT urged the Isles to take a look at MM during camp of JT's rookie year.

Is it Tuesday yet? Weird that tomorrow will be the only time the Rangers come to the Coliseum this year.

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Also, I don't think Moulson comes back to NY.

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Just about to say this. :thumbsup

I can see the Isles resigning Vanek, yeah. Number 1 priority will probably be a goalie, though. Could Regier and Snow be back on the phone later? Only if Snow finds some draft picks to toss over the fence.

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Nabby is capable enough if the team plays well in front of them. 2 of our regular D are waiver wire grabs from last year's training camp and a 3rd is a rookie who has hung Nabby out to dry often. And a 4th is Carkner, who is a liability as well. The 4 of them has cost us wins already this year. Luckily, one of them Strait, got hurt so we signed Martinek, who if he was any good, would have been with a team already. We need Visnovsky back so one of them sits.

I wanted a goalie upgrade by signing someone a UFA last summer like Smith or trade for Bernier but Nabby was a good fallback for another year.

We need some quality NHL dman more than Vanek. I think I've said before that Wang/Snow refused to spend the money because we have several Dman in the pipeline, 2 of which better be ready for next year.

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I have a feeling Bernier is going to become a lifer in Toronto.

Why not sign Miller while you're at it? I'm pretty sure Miller wants to play for an American city, why not New York?

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Yeah, I meant this summer when he was with LA still. Miller could be an option next summer. I'd rather not trade for him. Price will be steep.

Any more trades should be for a defenseman.

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Agreed about Nabby. I didn't mean it to come off as a lack of confidence in him this year. I think he's fine for this season (although I do wonder about fatigue down the stretch), but I'm thinking more of after this season. Maybe a deadline grab?

Also agree about dmen... Obviously (I mean, it's me!). I like the core of Hamonic and MacDonald, but a big name guy could definitely help.

As much as I'm not a fan of Vanek's sometimes attitude and limited skill set, I get a bit of a boner thinking about what he and JT could do together if try developed some chemistry.

All in all, really rooting for the Islanders to succeed. :thumbsup

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Yeah, the problem is there really isn't much in terms of established defensemen available as FA's this summer. Trade is needed.

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Yeah like I said, I think Regier's only bargaining for draft picks or trade able assets at this point. I think Miller would be a great fit in NYI like Chris suggested, but I don't know if he could be a deadline acquisition.

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Plenty of room on the bandwagon :D

Definite worry about fatigue. Once schedule gets condensed and busy, I'm sure Poulin will play more. Fatigue may have factored in his play in the Pitt series.

Hamonic and AMac are a great 3/4 with Hamonic still developing into maybe a top 2 but we really need a Keith/Chara/Doughty/Pietrangelo....a clear Number 1 anchor. Those don't grow on trees, I know. Was hoping Reinhart would wow and make the team but it was likely for the best he went back to juniors.