Islanders Must Adjust Their Front Office and Reimagine Lou Lamoriello’s Role in It

May 22, 2018, is undoubtedly one of the most significant days in the history of the New York Islanders.

On that day, the Isles announced the hiring of legendary executive Lou Lamoriello as their new President of Hockey Operations. And just two weeks later, he was named the team’s general manager as well, taking on both roles in an era where that kind of power balance (or lack thereof) is becoming less and less common.

There can be no denying the tremendous impact Lamoriello’s arrival has made. The Isles have become a respectable organization and one that, despite its shortcomings, this season, is clearly committed to success. He was instrumental in bringing in Barry Trotz, the best head coach not named Al Arbour the Islanders have ever had on their payroll. 

This is no longer a team that players are trying to avoid; it’s a team they want to play for. And the turnaround was both instantaneous and incredibly impressive, given that it coincided with the loss of franchise cornerstone John Tavares — something that should’ve been a crushing blow for the organization but instead seemed to provide fuel for a team out to prove it was to be taken seriously.

In just the first season under the new regime, the Islanders finished second in the division and swept the Pittsburgh Penguins in the first round before getting swept by Carolina in the next one. The next two seasons ended just short of the Stanley Cup Final at the hands of the Tampa Bay Lightning, with the Isles pushing the defending champs to the brink by forcing a seventh game last summer.

This year hasn’t worked out quite as well or expected. It’s not the end of the world, and external circumstances such as COVID and insane scheduling did the team no favours at the start of the season. But, it was salvageable. It was also avoidable. 

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See, the thing is, for all of the things Lamoriello has done right, there are several things he’s done wrong. And it’s not that the Isles can’t go retool in the off-season or get back to where they were before, but at this point, Lamoriello has shown that he can’t be trusted to make the right moves to get this team over the hump.

If you remember reading my articles and/or tweets from before the season, I’d said that the Islanders cannot maintain the status quo and expect to take that next step. They tried to beat Tampa two years in a row with (more or less) the same formula, and it didn’t work. 

The fact that the team, as currently constructed, has not maintained the status quo is an issue, but it’s not the biggest issue — not to me, at least. 

The overarching problem is that the off-season plan was clearly to patch up the holes and, essentially, run a similar iteration of the Islanders out there again this season. 

Zach Parise was an excellent signing. I wasn’t a fan of bringing back Kyle Palmieri because he had about five minutes of actual chemistry as an Islander, save for a few moments of brilliance. I was fine with bringing in Zdeno Chara — as a spare tire. Exposing Jordan Eberle? Not great, but the effects of his departure could have been mitigated. 

I say “could have,” because Lamoriello did nothing to improve the offence. There were snipers on the market (and the Islanders have needed one since the end of the Clinton administration). He didn’t make a move to acquire one. Nor did he bring in a puck-moving defenseman to replace Nick Leddy after moving him to Detroit. It’s almost like Plan A was having Chara as a regular. And, if it wasn’t, where was Plan B or C? 

Don’t tell me the moves just weren’t out there. GMs find ways to get the players they need, even if those players aren’t in the rumor mill. The ones who don’t find a way to get the players they need usually end up out of a job sooner or later.

Lou Lamoriello shouldn’t be out of a job (and neither should Trotz, for that matter, as has been ridiculously suggested by portions of the fan base), but it is time to revisit his role in the organization. 

His résumé speaks for itself. He’s had a heck of a run. But, at this point in his career, the game has changed beyond his ability to adjust for it as a general manager. As a president of hockey ops? He’s perfect. He demands results and professionalism. He knows how to make the right hires and keep everyone in line, keep them committed to the cause. 

It’s time for the Islanders to accept this. Let Lou Lamoriello retain his original role as grand overseer, mob boss, or whatever they want to call it (I guess President of Hockey Operations works, too), and let him hire a new GM — one more in-tune with the nuances and facets of the current version of NHL hockey — to take on those responsibilities

The Isles aren’t doomed — not even remotely. But they do stand at a crossroads that will determine whether they keep trending that way or reverse their fortunes. There are a lot of good pieces on this roster to build around and a first-rate coaching staff to guide them. But they need to retool and bring in the missing pieces, which is what Lamoriello should’ve done this summer. It’s now time to hire a GM who is more equipped to fulfill that mandate. 

His vision and leadership have made him integral to the Islanders, but he needs to channel those strengths by focusing on the roles he’s most suited to and bringing in someone else who can help him see that vision through.

I can’t think of a better person to make that hire than Lou Lamoriello.

Follow Daniel Friedman on Twitter @DanJFriedman