Which Puck Moving Defenseman Should the New York Islanders Target?

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For Sartis it up and a save is made by Mabrovsky Nelson. Lars Allen the Open Nettity Scars. Hi and welcome to the Lockdown Islanders podcast, part of the Lockdown Podcast Network, your team every day. I'm your host Gil Martin. I'm an Islanders columnist and historian and I wrote the book Ice Wars which covers the complete history of the Islanders rivalry with the Rangers from 1972 to the modern era. And welcome everybody to the Tuesday edition of the Lockdown Islanders podcast, part of the Lockdown Podcast Network, your team every day. I want to thank everyone for making Lockdown Islanders your first listen every day. Don't forget to subscribe on YouTube wherever you get your podcast so you can get new episodes as soon as they drop. We are now also available on SiriusXM on the SXM app. Just search for Lockdown Islanders. Today's episode is brought to you by GameTime. Download the GameTime app, create an account and use code locked on an HL for $20 off your first purchase. A lot to get to, busy show today. But first if there's something Islanders related on your mind and we will get to a question from a listener later on in this show. Feel free to send us an email, the email address locked on Islanders at gmail.com. And if you leave your first name and where you're from, we're happy to mention you on the show when we discuss whatever it is that's on your mind. You could also follow the show on Twitter at Lockdown Isles and you could follow me, Gil Martin on Twitter. I am at Ice Wars, NYR, VSNYI. I'll keep you up to date on all the latest Islanders news notes and happenings throughout the off season, including hiring, fireings, trade rumors, free agency and the draft. We've got it all covered for you in this pivotal off season right here on the Lockdown Islanders podcast. So we have spent some time during this off season discussing the Islanders need for more goal scoring and goal scoring is definitely something this team needs to add. But another area that has been a problem for the Islanders and that I think we need to discuss just a little bit more is the need to add a puck moving defenseman. We saw the Islanders team despite the outstanding goal tending they got for most of the season. And despite the fact that they have a pretty solid defense core top to bottom, you know, ranking fifth in the league in goals against over the course of the season. Well, they still had difficulty clearing the puck out of their own zone. And part of the reason for that was the lack of adequate puck moving defenseman. You basically had two guys on the ice who were playing that role and they both struggled in their own end at various times. You certainly had no adoption who definitely regressed in his own end. And then you have Sebastian Ajo who because of his size also often struggles in his own end and look, I think almost all of the Islanders' defenseman at one time or another had difficulty clearing the zone, whether it was skating it out, passing it out. We saw too many turnovers and it just added up to some real problems for this team. Well, look, the Islanders need to add without question a puck moving defenseman. It's something Lulamarello has talked about for a while right now. But yet he has not quite gotten that job done. So now what happens? Well, the Islanders, there are a number of free agents out there. But there's a little bit of a problem with many of them. What's assumed Scott Mayfield is going to leave? You have a bigger need if Mayfield does depart for a right handed shot. And most of the free agents available who fit the critique of puck moving defenseman, they are left handed shots. So we're going to break it down. I'm going to look at three potential free agents and maybe one trade possibility. The first free agent, Dimitri Orlov, played for the Boston Bruins in the playoffs this year. Obviously spent most of his career with the Washington Capitals, which by the way means that he is familiar with Lane Lambert and familiar with Barry Trotts. He is the kind of guy who, you know, he had 36 points this year, splitting the season between Washington and Boston, a lot more productive with the Bruins, where he had 17 points in 23 games than he was with Washington, where he had 19 points in 43 games. But you know, the 36 points is kind of a career high. So that part of it is, you know, he's not going to necessarily be that big point getter, but he's steady and he moves the puck. He's 31 years old. He's another Russian. So he would fit in with Romanov. He would fit in certainly with Sorokin and if Varlamov is back, Varley, but he's also 31 years old, 5'11'2'14' so he's not the tallest guy, but he's got thickness. And again, it depends. Is he the answer to getting younger, faster and more skilled? Well, he is more skilled, not the youngest guy in the world, but here's the deal. Cap hit last year, 1.275 million. So is it possible you could bring in Orlov for 2-2.5 million? That might make it something worth looking at. Another Russian is Vladislav Gavrakov. Now Gavrakov, bigger guy, 6'3, 2'21", he played with the Kings and Blue Jackets this past year, being traded at the deadline. Had one really productive offensive season in Columbus in 2021-2022, 5 goals, 33 points. And not exactly a power play guy, not a big offensive guy, also a left handed shot. But the good news, the size is there at 6'3, 2'21", and he's only 27 years old, won't turn 28 until November. And that certainly gives him a little bit more as far as the getting younger part of it is concerned for this Euler team. The cap hit the last year, $4.2 million. Don't know if it's really worth spending that kind of money on Gavrakov. Then here's another player that I thought was interesting, Damon Severson. Severson rather, of the New Jersey Devils. Why? Well, drafted in 2012 by the New Jersey Devils. 6'2, 2'05", only 28, he'll turn 29 in August. Again, none of these guys are guys I would want to sign to, a 5, 6, 7, 8 year contract. But for a 2 or 3 year deal, yeah, maybe. And look, 11 goals, 46 points in 2020, 2021, 2022. Fell to 33 points, but here's a guy who could certainly give you some help on the power play. Has done that rather well at 5 power play goals in 2021, 2022. He has some of the tools you want, but also a left handed shot. And again, the cap hit a little under $4.2 million. He's going to want $5 or $6 million minimum. We'll see whether or not he gets it. He's a right handed shot. And that certainly is more to the islanders' advantage. The fact that he is more familiar with the islanders' system as in, you know, Lula Morello at least. That certainly would be helpful. Then there's a player who might be available via trade. And again, it depends on what the islanders would have to give up. But that's Josh Morrissey, who is rumored to be available in a trade with the Winnipeg Jets. Morrissey 28 just turned 28 in March. A left handed shot. But again, very much an offensive player. Also, most likely going to cost a pretty penny. And the Jets, they're not looking to take on salary. They're looking to save money. So that sort of creates a little bit of an issue there. But I would love to see Josh Morrissey in an islander uniform. I think it would be very beneficial. All right, we have got a lot more to get to. We're going to answer some of your questions plus Ryan Pollock's season. And you know, what his future role will be with the islanders. We've got all this and more on this episode of the Locked On Islanders podcast. Today's episode is brought to you by Game Time, buying tickets to your favorite events shouldn't be stressful. Game Time is the fast and easy way to buy tickets for all the sports, music, comedy, and theater near you get killer deals on last minute tickets and their best price guarantee. So you could stop stressing over the tickets and start getting hyped for the fun that you'll have. Forget planning months in advance. Game Time has deals on tickets right up to the day of the event. Get exclusive flash deals on tickets for football, basketball, baseball, concerts, comedy, theater, and more. The Game Time Guarantee means you'll always get the best price if you find tickets in the same section and row for less. Game Time will credit you with 110% of the difference. 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So getting to some of your questions, these are from Frank from the Jersey Shore, and first question he asks. Why would a free agent who could make the Islanders quicker come here with loose, still in charge considering his track record for signing older, slow players? Frank, it's a good question. And the Islanders system tends to emphasize defense first, and it emphasizes checking and physicality and positioning more than it emphasizes speed. But the reason that that might be a good fit for a player with speed is because you add something to the mix. And if you're the only guy on a team or one or two guys on a team who has the speed that the team lacks, your role could be bigger on that team because you do not have to deal with three other guys on the roster who could do exactly what you do. So there is that aspect of it where a player who is speedy and wants a bigger role, and I think Pierre Engvall was a good example of that, he was buried on the third or fourth line in Toronto because of the top six talent, especially the big four, he comes to the Islanders, ends up settling on the second line and does very well for himself, especially down the stretch and in the playoffs, once he adjusted to the system. I don't think Engvall has the same opportunities in Toronto because there are players ahead of him who are faster and who are more skilled than he is on the Islanders, he's got a bigger role. Like yeah, the system may not fit them exactly identically, it's not like going to Edmonton or Toronto, but you may because you have a different skill set than everyone else have more opportunities to get on the ice and do what you do because quite honestly the team needs it more. It's not what they have. One question from Frank, did Bo Horvat under achieve or did the way the Islanders play inhibit him? Frank I'm going to say both, I'm going to say that both of those things were factors in the reason that Bo Horvat's numbers kind of fell off after he joined the Islanders. And you know, Horvat mentioned on Getaway Day how difficult it was for him to be away from his family, living out of a hotel kind of a thing. Don't underestimate that. Having your family three hours, time zones away, not being able to see them regularly, not knowing the area, adjusting to new places to shop, new barber, new doctor, new everything. That's part of it. Adjusting to new teammates, always part of it. And yes, adjusting to the Islanders system is part of it. We saw Pierre Engvall really struggle in his first five or six games with the Islanders. We saw Kyle Palmeri when he was first traded to the Islanders. Look terrible for the last, what was it? You know, 18 games or so of the regular season started to pick up his play a little bit more in the playoffs once he got used to the system a little bit more. So I think the Islanders system did inhibit him a bit. The loss of Matthew Barzal certainly inhibited him a little bit more. And I think the Islanders just didn't have a player after Barzi went down who could complement Bo Horvat. And they ended up putting Anders Lee on his line and as every dayers will know, I've mentioned Lee and Horvat, their skill set, too similar and it makes it difficult. You know, they're both guys who are going to get a lot of deflections, rebounds, tip-ins, goals from in close near, you know, the blue area just to end and around the crease. They can't put two guys like that on the same line without someone who's going to get them the puck, someone who's going to skate, Barzal was that guy. You lost him after a handful of games early after the trade. And then even in the playoffs, Barzal was far from 100%. And the Islanders just didn't have that third guy to be the skater. And I think they tried, you know, they tried Parisi at different times. They even tried Hudson Fashing a little bit. They tried, you know, several different players. Engvall had a shot at it. But realistically, I think the lack of a legitimate line mates, the change in system, being away from his family, adjusting to his new teammates, all of those things combined to make Bo Horvat's numbers fall off. And here's the important thing. What is Bo Horvat going to do next year? Because this is when the $8.5 million per year salary kicks in. This is when the Islanders need Bo Horvat to be the 25, 30, 35 goal guy he can be, to contribute on the power play, to win face-offs, to lead. This is when they need Bo Horvat to really do his thing and show that he was worth giving up your number one prospect in Attu Ratu, a number one draft choice. At the knee, Bavilla, one of the few players on your roster that did have speed, and then all that cap space that you signed him to for the 8-year, 8.5 million dollar per year deal. So a lot of pressure on Horvat, but he'll have a complete off season. His family will join him. He'll know the players on Long Island. He knows the coaching staff now. He'll know what's expected of him and folks it is time for Bo Horvat to step up, show what he's made of, and give the Islanders a lot more than what he gave them during the year, which was 7 goals and 16 points in 30 games. That is about a 44-point pace over 82 games. And then two points, one goal, one assist in six playoff games, and the goal was a garbage time goal at the end of the game. The Islanders already had one. So look, Bo Horvat knows more is expected of him. Now he's got to come through and basically show that he's worth the money, otherwise boy are the Islanders in trouble based on all the money they've allocated to him and the lack of production they got last year. Not time to panic, but definitely eyes on Bo Horvat entering next season. Alright, we're going to continue our player by player look at the Islanders, Ryan Pollock. How did he do? What's his future with the team looking like? And we'll have our Islanders birthday of the day. All that and more still to come on this episode of the Walked On Islanders podcast. To this quote, the first time I've been able to say it, I'm not going to say it. But I'm going to say that Bo Horvat is the first time I've been able to say it. I'm going to say that Bo Horvat is the first time I've been able to say it. And I'm going to say that Bo Horvat is the first time I've been able to say it. So Ryan Pollock, what did he do for the Islanders? Well the answer is a whole lot. He's 28, he'll turn 29 before the start of the season. He's got 216 pounds, 5 goals, 26 points this year. Not really at this point what we get from Ryan Pollock is a guy who is primarily a defensive defenseman but he still has that dangerous shot and can still help offensively. One of his 5 goals came on the power play this year and he had 4 power play assists. He is not a power play quarterback but he is a guy who you could set up to take blasts from the point. The issue however with Ryan Pollock is his shot is not always accurate and if you're on the power play and he takes that hard shot and misses you know it could be the odd man rush heading back the other way. Pollock attempted 301 shots this year. Only had 126 on goal that's about what 38 percent let's say off the top of my head of his shots landing on goal by contrast a year ago. 226 shots attempted 122 shots on goal. So that's an interesting difference that under Lane Lambert his shots just weren't getting through weren't as accurate. Pollock a rock in his own zone played in all 82 games this year and he is your best defenseman by far. If you were going to name a defenseman who was going to be the team's MVP I can't imagine giving it to anyone other than Ryan Pollock. This is highlighted a season I think it's easy at least to look at it offensively. Pollock had four assists back in November as the Islanders beat the Flyers and he was a plus three in that game that was the game where the Islanders really pulled away late in the game and one five to two after being down two to one late in the second period had three third period goals and Pollock offensively at least was at his best and in the playoffs he had a goal and three assists which again solidly puts him near the top. First in quote by the way from Ryan Pollock and you know always sort of looking at these things and last week he did an interview with NHL.com and here's what Pollock had to say about the Islanders current situation. Every single team has to go through this. I don't think that we need a big change. Yeah we have an older group but I think those guys are important to the leadership and success on this team. They've been here and they know what it takes. It's a tweak here I think and a tweak there. I don't think it has to be anything crazy. I know a lot of fans don't agree with that assessment but that is the assessment from Ryan Pollock. Oh and by the way Bob Nystrom quoted as saying I think there might be a few things in the world that are going to be a little older than the team. So there's Ryan Pollock basically saying he hopes not a lot of change is coming. Bob Nystrom saying it makes sense that there will be some change coming. We'll see what the answer ends up being as for his role next year. Pollock going to continue to be a top pair defenseman. And to continue to play a lot of minutes for this Islander team. Realistically he averaged almost 21 minutes per game and I think we'll see him do at least that especially if there is more defensive depth in the playoffs. He would give you even more 24 minutes 24 minutes in the overtime game 26 minutes. And again I just think he will be back and he will be a mainstay on this defense corps. He is in his prime. He is signed, sealed and delivered for the foreseeable future and that is good as well as he has a lot of time left. He is signed beyond the next five years. So Ryan Pollock going to be an Islander for a while. Time now for our Islander's birthday of the day. And yesterday was the 48th birthday of former Islander defenseman Yani Nina the Finnish defenseman drafted in the second round by the Flyers back in 1993. Made his NHL debut in Philadelphia in 96, 97 then played for the Edmonton Oilers. Had a career high 12 goals and 46 points for the Oilers in 2000-2001. Joined the Islanders late in the 0-2-0-3 season. Stayed with the team through 0-5-0-6 when he was traded mid-season to the Dallas Stars. Played for the Montreal Canadiens in 0-6-0-7 and then returned to Europe to close out his career in 741 NHL games, 54 goals, 319 points and 733 penalty minutes. He could put the puck. You know, he could be a productive offensive player. His best game as an Islander, we go back to the playoffs. The Eastern Conference quarter final first round of the playoffs. Islanders in Tampa Bay Lightning in game two of the series in Tampa Bay. Leading the series won nothing but the Islanders managed to win this one by a score of 3-0 and Yani Nina had the game winning goal. It came on the power play midway through the first period and then he assisted on the game clinching empty net goal in the final minute. So two points there in the playoffs for Yani Nina. He is our Islanders birthday of the day. Want to thank everyone again for making lockdown. Islanders, you're first listen every day, every day is tomorrow. We'll continue our player by player. Look at the team with Josh Bailey and I know when it comes to the future of Josh Bailey, there's probably more to discuss than anything else right now on this team. Have a great day everybody. Stay safe and of course, let's go Islanders. Hello Knicks fans. I'm Gavin Shaw, host of your daily New York Knicks podcast, Locked On Knicks, part of the Locked On podcast network, Your Team Everyday. Locked On Knicks brings you the latest Knicks news and analysis and breaks down all of the action. Locked On Knicks is everything a Knicks fan could want all in one 30 minute daily podcast. So subscribe now to Locked On Knicks wherever you get your podcast. Search Locked On Knicks and get your daily New York Knicks podcast. 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