Islanders' DiPietro out indefinitely

[toby91_ca 620]

Not quite sure why that has any real bearing on the situation at hand. (Other than it screws over my fantasy team.) DiPietro, though inconsistent out of the gate, has been very strong this season and the glue that has kept the Isles playoffs hopes stuck together. If he plays like he did the 2nd half of this season during the duration of the contract it'll be a fantastic deal. (That said, 15-year contracts are borderline insanity).

Besides, if he goes Tim Connelly on the Islanders he goes on LTI and the contract is, for all intents and purposes, "off the books".

Well, I think my concern is the reason he is out (i.e. post concussion syndrome). This scares me as being a career issue. Not to say he will need to retire anytime soon, but with concussions, you never know and it doesn't look good right now.

They could likely get the dollars off the books for salary cap purposes (not technically off, but..), however, they still need to pay out all that dough, whether he plays or not.

Who's to say they won't re-sign Smyth, anyway? I wouldn't call it a "waste" until he inks with another NHL club besides the Islanders.

Yeah, but they could have signed him in the offseason anyway and not have given up anyone in a trade.

[Matt 1,048]

Canadian media says: HE'LL GO BACK TO EDMONTON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!11oneone2

Reality says: It's up in the air at this point. Obviously the ownership situation is extremly unstable on Long Island, and somehow I get the feeling they'll throw the bank at Smyth just so he stays. Then again he may just go back to Edmonton, considering what an emotional connection he had to the city and the team. We'll wait and see.

I think the chance he goes back to Edmonton is slim to none. Seemed like far too many bridges got burned in the hours leading up to that trade.

Yeah, but they could have signed him in the offseason anyway and not have given up anyone in a trade.

Exclusive rights until July 1st. It's easier to re-sign someone when you're the only ones talking. If Smyth likes his situation there they'll re-sign him. I don't think he's a guaranteed goner after the 1st by any stretch.

[toby91_ca 620]

Exclusive rights until July 1st. It's easier to re-sign someone when you're the only ones talking. If Smyth likes his situation there they'll re-sign him. I don't think he's a guaranteed goner after the 1st by any stretch.

Some merit there, but I'm guessing that he wouldn't want to sign before July 1st.

To be honest, I wouldn't be totally shocked if he went back to Edmonton, but the real reason I am thinking he won't is the fact that he was traded in the first place....i.e. if they thought they could get him signed, they never would have traded him.

Here's a real consipiracy theory out of left field for you though: Let's say Ryan and Kevin agreed that the Oilers season was going nowhere and they would trade Smyth to get additional players and prospects for the team and Ryan will then sign back with the team in the offseason. I am the first to laugh at conspiracy theories anyway, but the big reason keeping me from believing this is that I cannot believe Ryan Smyth would ever think there was no chance of his team getting to the playoffs.

[Matt 1,048]

If the rumors were true and that the trade was a result of the two sides not being able to agree on a figure because of a $100K difference -- there's no way he's going back.

My understanding was that the first team to meet his contract demands he would sign with. I imagine that Edmonton got a small "hometown discount" rather than fair market value (Tanguay?), but that number probably went up the moment he was traded.

[NeverForgetMac25 483]

Losing Nilsson probably doesn't even bother the Islanders though. Nolan was never going to give him a chance. I mean, he called up Eric Boguniecki before Nilsson, and Boguniecki is in his 30's and has only played one decent season in his career. I really seen after that Nolan wasn't going to give Nilsson much of a shot.

Really, in my opinion, they lose O'Marra and the draft pick. Nilsson was doing so well in the minors, yet didn't seem to want to play him at all.

Even if you want to look at that way..........O'Marra and the draft pick for nothing.

And besides, Nilsson could have been traded for another player, on another team that could have been signed long-term. So you still have to factor him into the loss.

Sorry, but I don't agree with your logic.

Edited March 27, 2007 by Never Forget Mac #25

[wingsfan75 2]

Other than it screws over my fantasy team

That was the first thought that I had in my head after reading the thread title. I was just going to offer my condolences.

[NeverForgetMac25 483]

Who's to say they won't re-sign Smyth, anyway? I wouldn't call it a "waste" until he inks with another NHL club besides the Islanders.

No one, but I would like to know the percentage of players that are traded at the deadline, and then re-sign with the team that acquired them. I'd be willing to bet its not even 50%.

NN, or another resident stat guru?

Some merit there, but I'm guessing that he wouldn't want to sign before July 1st.

To be honest, I wouldn't be totally shocked if he went back to Edmonton, but the real reason I am thinking he won't is the fact that he was traded in the first place....i.e. if they thought they could get him signed, they never would have traded him.

Here's a real consipiracy theory out of left field for you though: Let's say Ryan and Kevin agreed that the Oilers season was going nowhere and they would trade Smyth to get additional players and prospects for the team and Ryan will then sign back with the team in the offseason. I am the first to laugh at conspiracy theories anyway, but the big reason keeping me from believing this is that I cannot believe Ryan Smyth would ever think there was no chance of his team getting to the playoffs.

Regardless if this is true or not, I really feel the NHL should step in, and create a rule that a player traded at the deadline won't be allowed to play for the team that traded him the following season (I.E. Doug Weight).

Edited March 27, 2007 by Never Forget Mac #25

[Kp-Wings 3]

Even if you want to look at that way..........O'Marra and the draft pick for nothing.

And besides, Nilsson could have been traded for another player, on another team that could have been signed long-term. So you still have to factor him into the loss.

Sorry, but I don't agree with your logic.

When you put it that way, yeah it is a loss.

Unless they do re-sign Smyth, which again, is still very up in the air at this point. But then again, Charles Wang has a way with putting forward contracts that are too big to refuse.

[NeverForgetMac25 483]

When you put it that way, yeah it is a loss.

Unless they do re-sign Smyth, which again, is still very up in the air at this point. But then again, Charles Wang has a way with putting forward contracts that are too big to refuse.

And if it happens and the Isles re-sign him, than it was absolutely worth it even if the Isles don't make the playoffs this season.

Edited March 27, 2007 by Never Forget Mac #25

[Matt 1,048]

That was the first thought that I had in my head after reading the thread title. I was just going to offer my condolences.

I'll live. Hopefully Lehtonen holds down the fort while Mason gets a start and Halak (just picked up), well, picks up the slack.

[toby91_ca 620]

Regardless if this is true or not, I really feel the NHL should step in, and create a rule that a player traded at the deadline won't be allowed to play for the team that traded him the following season (I.E. Doug Weight).

Or Mark Recchi...

Not sure I would agree with such a rule as players get traded against there will all the time. If they really didn't want to leave the organization, why would you hurt them by not allowing them to sign back with the team they really want to be playing for. I totally understand the purpose behind your suggestion, I am just not sure it would be fair to the player.

[Viperar 16]

Anyone remember when the Islanders were projected to be one of the worst teams in the nhl?

[NeverForgetMac25 483]

Or Mark Recchi...

Not sure I would agree with such a rule as players get traded against there will all the time. If they really didn't want to leave the organization, why would you hurt them by not allowing them to sign back with the team they really want to be playing for. I totally understand the purpose behind your suggestion, I am just not sure it would be fair to the player.

True, but its not really fair to the rest of the NHL.

Again, they could make this a trade-deadline rule only.

[toby91_ca 620]

True, but its not really fair to the rest of the NHL.

Again, they could make this a trade-deadline rule only.

Well, I guess a better rule (in my mind anyway) would be to not allow a team to trade a player at the deadline if that player is in the last year of their contract.

Again, not a rule I see happening though.

Edit: this may be something similar to what you were thinking.....

Edited March 27, 2007 by toby91_ca

[NeverForgetMac25 483]

Well, I guess a better rule (in my mind anyway) would be to not allow a team to trade a player at the deadline if that player is in the last year of their contract.

Again, not a rule I see happening though.

Edit: this may be something similar to what you were thinking.....

Good Luck with that one (not meant maliciously).

I agree with you that neither of our rules seem like they'll happen anytime soon, but your idea isn't too bad either.

You could pull a NFL, and move the trade deadline up really early in the season, but having the deadline in the NHL when it is creates a lot of excitement. IMO, its easily the most exciting trade deadline in any sport.

Edited March 27, 2007 by Never Forget Mac #25

[superstarsingh 23]

That is a knockout blow. They are likely done, even if they make it to the playoffs somehow, they will be done in five games, max.

[Kp-Wings 3]

That is a knockout blow. They are likely done, even if they make it to the playoffs somehow, they will be done in five games, max.

Those are, at the very least, baby steps for that franchise. Which is all they can really hope for at the moment after continous dropoff seasons.

The unsuccess of this franchise as of late traces back to two people: Mike Milbury and Alexei Yashin. Milbury, with his constant bad and errotic trades, has turned a team that should be a superpower right now with all the former first round picks into a bubble team that's just barely making it. Milbury is also still involved within the organization, and I have a hunch it was his input to sign DiPietro to such a long contract, amoung other things.

Yashin is just an underacheiver, year in and year out. For the amount of money he makes he should be a top ten scorer in the league, far none. Right now, he has been playing on the fourth line. That's right, a guy that makes almost 8 million a year is playing on the fourth line. If the Islanders don't take the bull by the horns with this guy and get him to start performing, or just let him go, then they will never get anywhere.

[Feldmarschall 9]

Milbury, with his constant bad and errotic trades

Errotic trades? Sounds sexy. Maybe I should be rooting for these guys.

Couldn't help myself.