Is Pulock really worth that much?

Connor is worth more than Pulock...Add in a good winger on the Isles side to make it happen

I love Kyle Connor, but I don't want to move Pulock for him. He's our #1 defenseman, a right-handed shot, and it would be almost impossible to replace him internally this year, even with the high hopes of Dobson and Wilde.

I think we can offer Mayfield or Leddy + a ton for Connor or Laine, but Pulock is more or less a no-go.

I agree, which is why I added in Bodie Wilde as another high end RHD prospect that I really like but I felt like that was too much of their RHD depth to give up so I added Pionk and Kulikov. For wingers we still have Vesalainen coming that I haven't even put in the lineup yet but I assume he takes Perreault's spot when he's ready. I think another winger isn't really a need. A center prospect would be great but the Islanders don't really have anyone of interest there.

Unfortunately we need a top pair RHD right now, so Pulock is the only one of interest.

Yes, and Bode Wilde is a great prospect as well

Just for the future, Koivula is a pretty decent center prospect even though he isnt liosted as one on this site, he played center in the AHL this year and had a great year

At the mention of Pulocks name, Lou hangs up. He's our #1 defense man and is loved by Trotz and Lou, he's not going anywhere. Isles have enough prospect talent to make a deal work without giving up Pulock. Plus the threat of an OS should help bring WPG around to a package built around Mayfield, Wilde and additional picks/prospects.

Jets left side looks pretty weak too, that's not an area of need?

That's a pass for me. I'm not scared of an offersheet and I don't think Mayfield can handle the top pair, tough matchups which means I have to play Buff with JMo on the top pair and hope that Mayfield can carry the second pair, which I also don't think he can. So I've traded Connor but not addressed my long term need of a top pair RHD unless Wilde develops into that but by the time he might Buff will be gone, Wheeler and Little will be aging, etc.

If you won't trade Pulock that's fine, there just isn't a deal to be made here with Connor as part of the return. Jets are in their window now so prospects/picks don't do much for me when I'm taking a top line winger coming off their ELC out of the lineup to get them.

Not really because we have JMo and then Samberg, Stanley, Niku and Heinola that are all coming. Niku and Heinola play both sides. Given the way that Stanley ended up last year I won't be surprised if coming out of camp either he or Niku will be paired with Buff. As it sits today I expect:

Jmo Pionk
Stanley Buff
Beaulieu Niku
Kulikov Poolman

Next year Beaulieu and Kulikov go away and Samberg steps in, maybe he even does this year after his NCAA season ends. When Buff's contract is up Heinola should be ready and everything is awesome on the back end for the next 5-7 years although there will be a step back this year.

I'm just not sure the Pionk is up to the task so I'd rather replace him with someone I know that is and is only 1 year older than him. It costs me a lot in Connor and Pionk, but we have lots of wingers that are looking for top 6 opportunities in Perreault, Roslovic and Vesalainen. Laine also wants Connor's spot on the top line (I'm sure Ehlers does to, but you get the idea) I trade from a position of strength to address an area of weakness. It's the whole idea behind drafting the best player available... unless you can't or won't trade.

For NYI I feel like their position of strength is RHD and their need is top line wingers to play with Barzel so I thought there could be a fit. If we're moving a top line guy we need a top line guy back.

RHD is our strength, but trading Pulock automatically makes it weaker. Dobson isn't ready for #1 D minutes, Boychuk can't handle that anymore and Mayfield is a solid 2nd pairing D, but not able to take over Pulocks spot. Our strength on the right side comes from the fact we have multiple guys who can play 2nd and 3rd pairing right now, so we can afford to move those guys, not make our D weaker by trading our best Defensemen.

I'm getting that. The only one I want is your best one though. It was just a thought and I appreciate the genuine responses.

Sorry to break it to you, but I don't see many teams trading their #1 Defensemen for Connor, so if you're looking to move him you may need to settle for a 2nd pairing guy plus additional pieces.

I'm not looking to move him. I'd rather keep him but in order to get a top pair RHD I need to trade someone of value. We have excess high end wingers and I picked Connor because it's been rumoured that the Islanders were thinking about offer sheeting him so they are interested. Wheeler has a NMC so it can't be him. It could be Ehlers but I really like his value contract and I personally think he brings more than Connor but other fanbases perception is that Connor is better. It could be Laine, but trading Laine is really tough to do considering in a really bad year he still put up 30 goals. Moving him would require a lot so I don't usually bother going there.

So it's either Connor or Ehlers that people would want that we could part with. I'd rather keep them both but would move one for the right player. I wouldn't move either of them for a collection of players, picks and prospects that don't help the team be better this season. I was sort of thinking Boychuk could handle the top pair in Barry's D first system but if that's not the case then there isn't a trade here.

I see what you're saying, but I think one of the reasons teams are looking and Connor and Laine is because there is speculation/rumors/etc saying WPG is having a hard time signing both of them, which is where, it seems, rumor of one of them or Ehlers being moved is coming from. I'd happily build something around Leddy for any of those 3, but Pulock is a non-starter for the Isles.

Boychuk had a bounce back year because he was playing mostly borderline 2nd/3rd pair minutes. At 35/36 he's not a 1st pairing D anymore.

It was only going to be tough the sign them both if we kept Trouba as our own rental, now that it hasn't happened it should all fit. Worst case scenario someone offersheets one or both of them at more than expected ($7.5M for Connor and $9.5M for Laine on longer term deals) we then just need to let Copp or Pionk go to arbitration and if the award puts us over the cap it opens up a window for us to buy out Kulikov and/or Perreault to make it fit. It's a loophole in the CBA that never gets used but it's there.

Best of luck to you guys. I love Barry Trotz so I'm pulling for you.

That is true, I forgot about the Trouba factor. So, yeah, Isles and Jets probably don't match up well on a trade then since we aren't moving Pulock lol

This is honestly one of the best trades I’ve seen on this website. Beneficial to both teams and pretty fair. I like it.

I hope this is a joke, because that trade HEAVILY favors WPG. The Isles #1 D-Man and out 2nd best D prospect, for Connor, a cap dump and a throw away piece? Lou laughs and hangs up.

It was a joke lol. I’m a ranger fan so to me this trade is great.
But in all real ness it’s not awful. I mean if they get rid of all the extra pieces and do Connor for Pulock 1 for 1 that’s actually a fair trade imo. With Bode Wilde, it becomes unfair.

Ok, so as a Rangers fan, you’d trade Trouba, one for one, for Connor? Cause that’s essentially who Pulock is becoming.

Value wise Trouba for Connor isn’t bad. But I wouldn’t do it cause we need Trouba

Little detail on contract structuring. The lowest paid year of the contract cannot be less than 50% than the highest paid year, and the difference from year to year cannot be more than 35%.

Just something to keep in mind!

Which is exactly why Pulock for Connor won’t happen. We need Pulock too much to move him, even for a top 6 winger.