I don’t understand the Islanders. My theory on being too attached to a roster is that the Rangers handled things right with their elite teams in the mid-2010s. You had teams that won divisions, a Presidents Trophy, an Eastern Conference Title. And when things began to tail off, management understood this notion: if we couldn’t win with this little engine that could when they were all at their best (Henrik included), are we going to win with them getting older? The answer was a resounding no.
They dealt Brassard, a staple, at the right time. Stepan. They cut ties with people like Girardi. This was all before the Letter. They knew it was time for new blood.
Lou, for whatever reason, is living off of 2020 and 2021. They got close. They were good. They were tough to play against. It was never a team built on talent, but instead it was the depth and the grit. But it’s a hard brand to sustain across many seasons and these guys are mostly older and still there. And in that time, aside for grabbing Horvat, no major moves have been made to compete with the big boys in today’s NHL. They just don’t have enough talent. Barzal is good, but is he the play driver on a Cup Winner? I see him more as a secondary guy. Same for Horvat.
If this ends the way I think we can all agree it likely is going to end, it’s time to nuke that core and just start over. They had their chance. They, like the mid-2010s Rangers, had a few good kicks at the can. But it’s time for new blood in there.