Their contracts are essentially buyout proof

You get no space for buying out Ladd. Might as well wait till the Seattle expansion draft and give them assets to take the contract.

I wish the islanders would just bury him in the AHL. He does not deserve to be up with the big club. He’s played 23 NHL games in the last 500 days.

Ladd is 4,833,333 for the next 3 years if bought out and Boychuk is 5,166,667 for 2 years then 416,667 for another 2 years if bought out. Makes no sense to buyout even one of them.

Ladd will probably get to the point that he will sit on LTIR. The islanders aren't starved for cap space right now anyway.

As for boychuk... I think he could get a small return from a team if his contract is retained. He's still an NHL defenseman.

If a player is continuosly injured like Ladd, chances are he'll accept his fate and go on Robidas island. He still gets paid and the team gets his cap relief. I imagine Ladd is if not already getting to that point.

As for Boychuck, i think moving him would be hard but not impossible. Definitely will require the Isles to take back a big contract.

Any scenaruo where Isles move Boychuck and remove all cap from the deal is probably nil. It'll most likely be a Lucic for Neal type deal. All depends on who gets Neal and who gets Lucic. Lol

What about Boychuk for Lucic??

I don't know if moving Boychuk would require a Lucic/Neal type scenario. Boychuk is still a serviceable 3rd pairing Defenseman and at a reduced cost (Isles retain 2-3m) could probably land the Isles a 3rd or 4th round pick for him. A team like EDM, who needs help on the RHD side, should be all over JB. Only issue with JB is, he has a M-NTC in which he lists 8 teams he CAN be traded to... with the way the Isles are playing right now, I can't see him waiving he NTC so that only leaves 8 teams Lou can work with.

Him having trade protection is one major factor but i think you may be overstating his servicability. Lucic despite declining is still "serviceable". It becomes is the player in question worth 3m a year for 3-4 more years when a i could spend 1m a year on 1 year contracts and get that same result?

I think the small advantage JB might be able to give you is not enougg to sway a GM from simply dipping into free agency and signing a Polak for 1m and no strings attached...


I dont think there is a gm in the league right now that would take JB with 50% retained for just a pick. That team would be sending salary back regardless and at that point Isles still have 50% of JB and whatever contract coming back which almost negates the benefit of moving JB in the first place. Hence why the best option would be to find your "Neal". A player with big salary but could actually help your team better and the other team could see JB helping them.

I don't think you can compare Lucic and Boychuk. JB has shown last year and this year, that he can still play solid defense while Lucic hasn't done anything the last few years. Being able to dress and skate for a team may be "serviceable" but it's nowhere near what Lucic was supposed to be when he signed his deal. JB is still playing his game (Strong D and Physicality) just at fewer minutes per game (18+ minutes down from 20+ minutes a night). That's a big difference between the two.

A team like EDM who is now down Larsson and was already looking for RHD help before that might be more willing now to pay 3-4m for someone like JB, especially since they are finally looking like a legit playoff/cup contender this year. Is it going to be easy, no, but I also don't think it's going to require the Isles to take back an equally bad contract or forfeit a significant amount in terms of Picks/Prospects to do it either.

I think you may be misinterpreting. Im not saying he is as bad as Lucic, simply that itll take a Lucic vs Neal type deal. "Equal salary going back".

Im sorry but as serviceable as JB is there are a plethora of wiaver wire, cheap trade candidates that can be had for less headache.

3M for 1 year is fine buts its because its not for 1 year. Boychuck is getting up there in age and is signed long term. That is simply not worth the risk.

Obviously all this comes down to opinion. I personally dont think it can happen without roughly equal salary coming back. Im not just pulling this out my rear end, using previously done trade history as example for my thoughts.

I understand what you're saying. I just don't think it's going to take taking back another 6m per year contract to move JB. And, honestly, if that's what teams are requiring then I'd rather just keep Boychuk and move other players. Mayfield (even though I don't want to move him) would be easily moveable to clear a spot for Dobson, though doesn't really help the Salary Cap issues, which is the point is moving JB. If we aren't getting CAP relief to sign the big 3 next season, then there is no reason to move Boychuk, in my opinion.

Would you rather have a Boychuck equivalent but as a forward? Because that could be an option. Less spots available on defense but on forward you may have use for a player like that.

As much as you don't mind Boychuck, there is simply no space for him or at the very least there is players pushing him out within the year or next.

Cap space in today's NHL is paramount. I don't think you quite understand the importance of making every dollar count. There is currently only 1 team in the NHL that can take on Boychucks full salary and only 9 that can take him on with 50% retained. Four of those 9 teams are tanking right now. 1 of those other 5 is The isles. That leaves 4 teams in the NHL that can take JB right now.

MTL, WPG, COL and Nashville. Winnipeg is the only team I could see maybe being willing to add Boychuck but then again, they are barely a playoff team and are sitting in limbo till the Buff situation comes into play.

We haven't even gotten to the fact that JB has a 8 team trade list he will accept to...................

He's 35 turning 36 in Jan. He has a 23 team NTC. He makes 6M for 3 years. You cannot argue the odds are stacked against the Isles right now. Believe what you want but I would almost guarantee no teams would take JB even with 50% without some form of cap going back the other way also. He simply is not good enough and his contract is simply not enticing enough for that to be a possibility.

That is to say, despite still being a serviceable player.

I'm well aware of how the CAP works, which is why I don't see trading JB for a forward equivalent has being a good use of CAP. First off, you're getting an Andrew Ladd type player if you go that route which the Isles don't need another of of those clogging up the forwards. Second off, A team like EDM (I use them because JB is from the area and may be more willing to waive his NTC now that they look legit) could use someone like JB on their 2nd pairing RHD spot and may be more willing to give up a late round pick if the Isles eat 2-3m on the remaining three years.

If we could swap JB for someone like Neal, who wasn't terrible before CGY and seems to now be terrible after, then I am all for upgrading the Top 6 that way. I just don't see a scenario where that would be an option and trading JB for another Ladd situation isn't a good use of the limited CAP space we are going to have next season.

Yes, Boychuk is being pushed out by younger guys, but instead of weighing ourselves down with another high priced FW who won't be useful, I'd rather Keep JB as a 7th D to help slowly work in those younger D, like Dobson this year and likely Wilde next.