Its been one week since the end of 2010 and the Islanders continue to shape their roster for this season and next.
The Islanders traded defenseman and leading point producing James Wisniewski to the Montreal Canadiens for a couple of draft picks.
Snow, striking while the iron was hot also traded Goaltender Dwayne Roloson to the Tampa Bay Lightning for the 6'4" 230 pound defensive prospect Ty Wishart.
Then a mild positive pleasant surprise happened. Snow managed to sign defenseman Milan Jurcina to a one year contract extension.
What does this tell us?
It tells us that Wisniewski could not come to terms with the Islanders and wanted to move on or cash in big time.
I was convinced that Snow would move Jurcina out for more draft picks and was proven wrong.
Jurcina has been a steadying presence on the Islander blue line when he has been healthy and his signing is a very positive thing because it shows that Snow is thinking about building for next season and already knows this season has been lost to injury.
We can talk about Streit and Oksposo until we are blue in the face, but injuries to Comeau, Bailey, Jurcina, MacDonald, Mottau and Doug Weight are what killed this season for the Islanders.
You can't blame injuries? To bad. I am blaming injuries.
I will go to the grave saying that this seasons Islanders if they would have maintained any assemblance of health would have made the playoffs.
What other changes are coming to the Islanders line up?
Snow is not waiting for the off season to try and sign the players he wants to stay for next year and that is a very smart strategy. The only thing that happens when you wait unless you are the New York Yankees is someone will come along with more money and years.
You lock them up now by offering security and a raise and look at that, there is a chance you will get someone to sign.
When a player has 4 or 5 offers in front of him for similar money and years the Islanders are just not going to win that battle.
The next target for Snow should be to lock up Moulson who is going to command a multi year obligation.
Get him signed now or trade him before the deadline.
It does no one any good to lose a player like Moulson for nothing which is exactly what fueled the Wisniewski trade.
I am sure Snow tried to get "The Wiz" under contract on another 1 year deal but he is definitely going to want some multi year security after having a career season this year.
Roloson is a player that will be on a 1 year deal for however long he chooses to play and the Islanders are already all but out of the playoff hunt so adding another defensive prospect was a good idea.
Other unrestricted free agents on the Islanders right now are - Matt Moulson, Doug Weight, Radek Martinek, Zenon Konopka, Jon Sim, PA Parenteau and Trevor Gillies.
The player out of the group I would work on signing to extensions right now is Moulson.
Everyone else will not be back or should not be back.
Voice your opinions below.
2 comments:
I would think that they should also try to sign Konopka and Parentau. I might even try Gillies. They are all young enough and perform a useful role. I am on the fence with Martinek. Good pllayer, lots of injuries. I think Weight should be gone and can't wait for Hunter's contract to be up.
I totally agree on signing PA. I've heard lots of fans give him grief for some of the bone head plays he's made, but he's jelled really well with JT and Moulson and has put up important points for us. I think he deserves one more year. Konopka is also a no-brainer for me. Face-off expert that adds grit and dimension. I really like Gillies, but unlike Konopka, he's got no hockey skills beyond fighting.
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