Kevin Weekes NYI Sign Zdeno Chara To 1-Year Deal

[Phil]

 

[Sod16]

There is an end, even for Chara.  He might be an effective penalty killer at age 70, but at some point he's not going to be particularly viable otherwise.   Pretty ironic if he ends up with the Islanders at age 44 after they traded him for Yashin 20 years ago.  Wonder what park bench Yashin calls home today.

[Keirik]

Good. I was worried the Islanders would use every bit of cap space wisely. This was a mistake. 

[NYR2711]

He is a shell of what he used to be. He looked bad last year in Washington. There is a reason no one was after him. 

Edited September 18, 2021 by NYR2711

[Ozzy]

4 hours ago, Sod16 said:

There is an end, even for Chara.  He might be an effective penalty killer at age 70, but at some point he's not going to be particularly viable otherwise.   Pretty ironic if he ends up with the Islanders at age 44 after they traded him for Yashin 20 years ago.  Wonder what park bench Yashin calls home today.

He did land Carol Alt way back when though!

[Pete]

1 hour ago, Ozzy said:

He did land Carol Alt way back when though!

Who didn't?

[josh]

2 minutes ago, Pete said:

Who didn't?

That was the best BSBH meetup ever. 

[Albatrosss]

12 hours ago, Keirik said:

Good. I was worried the Islanders would use every bit of cap space wisely. This was a mistake. 

I personally trust in Lou more than any other hockey guy out there.  Piles are going for the cup and im scared shitless

[Phil]

I don't think this is a mistake at all. I think he's exactly what they need. The team is built to win in the playoffs. Chara may not even play half the regular season but it won't matter -- that's not what they need him for. Getting over the hump is why he's there. He's going to be a big help IMO.

[Keirik]

30 minutes ago, Phil said:

I don't think this is a mistake at all. I think he's exactly what they need. The team is built to win in the playoffs. Chara may not even play half the regular season but it won't matter -- that's not what they need him for. Getting over the hump is why he's there. He's going to be a big help IMO.

Normally I would agree if they didn’t already have fantastic coaching  and system that minimizes chances against. I just don’t think a guy like Chara changes how their offense dies in the biggest games. I’m more worried about them getting a Tarasenko or even another grizzled veteran on the offensive side of the game. A defensive pylon doesn’t worry me as much.  

[Phil]

21 minutes ago, Keirik said:

Normally I would agree if they didn’t already have fantastic coaching  and system that minimizes chances against. I just don’t think a guy like Chara changes how their offense dies in the biggest games. I’m more worried about them getting a Tarasenko or even another grizzled veteran on the offensive side of the game. A defensive pylon doesn’t worry me as much.  

I mean, sure, but this is such a value add on their blueline for exactly the reasons you listed. They will probably add more scoring punch at the deadline, too.

[SaveByRichter35]

Most of my buddies who are isles fans are shrugging it off, just wanting to retire here.  

[Keirik]

30 minutes ago, Phil said:

I mean, sure, but this is such a value add on their blueline for exactly the reasons you listed. They will probably add more scoring punch at the deadline, too.

It's value to me only be cause it's low risk adding to their biggest strength already. I really don't see where he helps the team get over any hump but they aren't paying him anything so there is that. They don't really need leadership, they dont need to learn how to hold opposition to minimal chances, and he's too old to really add anything tangible. I honestly think it would have been more in their interest to offer ptos to a few guys like the Neals of the world than this. 

[Pete]

1 hour ago, Phil said:

I don't think this is a mistake at all. I think he's exactly what they need. The team is built to win in the playoffs. Chara may not even play half the regular season but it won't matter -- that's not what they need him for. Getting over the hump is why he's there. He's going to be a big help IMO.

I posted this already, don't know why it got removed but Chara is terrible in every facet of the game. He's immobile and handles the puck like a grenade. He's only a threat to those slow enough to get tangled up with him.

Also Lou hasn't won shit in almost 20 years. I don't know why anyone would be worried about the moves he makes. He still builds teams that can't score. Shit may have worked in 2000, but not 2022. 

[Phil]

1 hour ago, Pete said:

I posted this already, don't know why it got removed but Chara is terrible in every facet of the game. He's immobile and handles the puck like a grenade. He's only a threat to those slow enough to get tangled up with him.

Also Lou hasn't won shit in almost 20 years. I don't know why anyone would be worried about the moves he makes. He still builds teams that can't score. Shit may have worked in 2000, but not 2022. 

The Isles game isn't built on mobility, but slowing the game down, so that's not really much of a problem if he's not facing the other teams' best players in the playoffs no less where the war of attrition becomes a significant factor. As a third pairing, sheltered, vet presence? Hard to think of a better "ring in the room" type than him.

If they signed him to play on their top pairing, or even to run their PP, I'd agree.

I also don't think the cut against Lou matters much either. It's a 32-team league. Most GMs "haven't won shit," and a fuck load or players won't either. Fact is, the team he's built has made the Conference Final two years running. I'd have to look back to confirm, but I'm pretty sure the last two teams to do that ended up winning the Cup in their third.

[josh]

Current Chara is the equivalent of putting the fattest guy in goal. 

[Pete]

1 hour ago, Phil said:

The Isles game isn't built on mobility, but slowing the game down, so that's not really much of a problem if he's not facing the other teams' best players in the playoffs no less where the war of attrition becomes a significant factor. As a third pairing, sheltered, vet presence? Hard to think of a better "ring in the room" type than him.

If they signed him to play on their top pairing, or even to run their PP, I'd agree.

I also don't think the cut against Lou matters much either. It's a 32-team league. Most GMs "haven't won shit," and a fuck load or players won't either. Fact is, the team he's built has made the Conference Final two years running. I'd have to look back to confirm, but I'm pretty sure the last two teams to do that ended up winning the Cup in their third.

The Caps is treated him the same way and he was again abjectly terrible to the point where he was a detriment.

Regarding Lou, sure, but let's stop treating him like everything he touches turns to gold. He had very talented and capable teams in Toronto, and his team can't score now which is the reason why they can't advance.

[Phil]

I mean, he's ancient, so it's entirely plausible he'll be bad, but bad players can still have positive influence. You do what you can to mitigate the bad (shelter, matchups, extra games off, etc) and hope that their presence does what you are hoping it will for the younger guys. The Rangers are literally doing the same thing with Reaves.

[Pete]

4 minutes ago, Phil said:

The Rangers are literally doing the same thing with Reaves

Yes I know, I've cautioned against this....people thinking Reaves is gonna be some type of difference maker. 

[Phil]

He might be. It's a risk, for sure, but when it works it works. Lots of guys credit the experience of playing with much older players with helping them along in the league.

[Sod16]

2 hours ago, Pete said:

Yes I know, I've cautioned against this....people thinking Reaves is gonna be some type of difference maker. 

Reeves at 35 is the equivalent of Chara at 44.  Both are done.  Optimism springs eternal when it comes to Islanders hating.  They still haven't gotten someone to play with Barzal.  Palmieri is no answer.  The departure of Leddy will hurt an offense that was often already quiet at key times.  All of these guys who excelled in the playoffs will not necessarily do so every year (even if the team is "built" for the playoffs).  Look at Claude Lemieux's stats: a number of excellent playoffs, for which he is known, but a number of forgettable ones as well.  Cool it with the Lou L. cult.  He left the Devils a mess and left Toronto the antithesis of a team built for the playoffs.  GMs are not necessarily good forever.  Slats and Bill Torrey did not have a lot of success after their dynasty years.