New York Islanders: Lamoriello Contract Not Renewed; John Collins Searching for Next GM

[Kevin27nyi]

Floated here, great listen this morning lots of insight into how Lou isolated himself with others, especially Collins who wants fans to have more access to players and players more involved in the community

When you consider how close the isles players and fans have been in the past compared to now, Collins has a point. And when we were great, you don’t mind Lou’s isolation of the players. When you’re losing..

I do really like the idea of adding the Baileys, Martins and Hickeys to the front office. Some people look down on those things due to country club atmosphere but I think it’s the same as above. Lou isolating players has its pros when they’re winning. When they’re losing you see the flaws. Always pros and cons to these things. I do like the pro side of familiarity with the market as a player and solid reputations these guys have and having a voice. And their relationships with fans.

Am I wrong for thinking Cal and Hickey were more pissed than the players on being spanked by the Rangers all year? Wouldn’t mind a little bit of that in the front office. Better than Roy’s “we played well”

 

[Chapin Landvogt]

Agree, potential “shit show” or NOT is next.

It will all depend on what the ownership priorities are and if the vision presented by the candidates match.

Does ownership believe this organization is broken and needs major surgery OR is it continuing Lou’s vision of rebuilding on the fly and trying to remain competitive with butts in the seats which is why ownership stuck with Lou for so long?

I do NOT think we know yet but I suspect the latter.

If draft picks and prospects are emphasized, vets are bought or shipped out then we are in a rebuild and in for some pain.

Fans and ownership will need to be patient which is cringeworthy. You cannot be changing GMs when results are too slow and you hear crickets at UBS for the next 2+ years. I do not see season ticket sales magically going up this summer or anytime soon if major surgery is coming.

It is high risk and It brings a decade of rebuilding into play if you hire the wrong guy.

However, if we see any sign of “we can still win now” with some adjustments, slow rebuild like Lou was attempting, then that is something completely different. If the belief is we are 2-3 players away and convincing additions are made, then perhaps slow rebuild is on while slowly righting the ship in scouting, player development and Bridgeport

A very interesting early summer is ahead of us.

Every somewhat modern GM out there knows you can take a team's core, slyly cut away some of the fat, swap assets here and there, carefully insert a few established players, and start competing as soon as the next season, all while simultaneously building up your prospect bin and rounding out a productive AHL squad as a breeding ground.

Carolina and Dallas have been doing it for years. Washington has recently started doing that and is already benefitting.

St. Louis has recently started doing it.

You're right that we don't know what's coming, so it could be painful.

But in the modern game, the idea of sacrificing the future in order to throw everything in the pot for now is very passé.

Teams have long since realized that one doesn't have to come at the expense of the other once a solid core has been established.

And I think any new GM is gonna come in here seeing that we have that stepping stone.

 

[Medvescak]

Thanks for some great years Lou and bringing back respect and stability to the franchise front office. For the first time in a long time I felt we were not a "Mickey Mouse" franchise. No jokes about former goalie GM, DiPietro contracts, Yashin buyout. Of course ownership had alot to do with that as well. Fingers crossed to get a competent GM and quick rebuild / retool underway.

 

[saintunspecified]

I don’t mind a separate President & General manager.

This is one thing that we can thank both the new ownership *and* LL for - there hasn't been any known disfunction within the Islanders in since LL was hired. The was the ordinary sort that comes with losing, but that happens anywhere there's losing. The stigma really is a thing of the past.

Even entering a retool after a failed 2024-25 team that followed pretenders, the franchise is in far better shape now than its been for most of my (now middle age) life. While there are some aging players on the roster, the bad contracts really aren't a significant hinderance. Bridgeport was awful and it appears as if there's only one player who finished the year down there who is likely to be an NHL player in the near future (George). But 'the farm' is actually getting better.

Relatedly, it makes more sense now that NYI did not sign Nelson, Finley, or Eiserman. High profile college prospects ask for things like burning a year off ELC's, and if LL was already notified he was being let go he was kind of a lame duck. (imo Eiserman should go back to BU anyway, but imo the other two are ready for pro development).

 

[impaaaaaact]

I’m for it. He played in Syracuse with a family friend of mine in 02-03. Owner of the Crunch was an East Meadow resident around that time too.

The Dolgins right? Lived across the street from them in high school

 

[saintunspecified]

At the very least I would try to promote a proven and experienced former head coach to the position as having an understanding of the position and the close relationship between the two is critical to any organization’s success. I’d speak to Mike Sullivan. He has a questionable future with the Pens but I think it is time for him to move up the ladder.

I wish I knew whose idea it was to bring Eric Karlsson to that team. The results were soo predictable. Anyone who supported imo should be disqualified.

Sullivan is a really good coach. Some of his really well coached teams were sunk by bad goaltending (we all saw it, and we saw it happen to NYI in the Tavares era). NYI have been associated with the New England/US crew for years and years now in one way or the other. idk what he's willing to do, but a Sullivan/Pandolfo combo would kind of be down the middle for the Islanders.

 

[saintunspecified]

I do really like the idea of adding the Baileys, Martins and Hickeys to the front office. Some people look down on those things due to country club atmosphere but I think it’s the same as above.

imo it totally depends on the players. Having met many dynasty-era and post dynasty era Islanders, it's not exactly surprising that other than the Sutters there weren't a lot of front-office coach types among them. It's extraordinary for people to be blessed with high end skills in disparate areas. and in the salary cap age, managing that aspect is one of those.

 

[miscs75]

The Dolgins right? Lived across the street from them in high school

Yup, I know the one son graduated a year or two after me.

 

[YearlyLottery]

Of course everything starts at 100% possibility, but the kind of stuff you are suggesting is going to take more than 1-2 years to happen. You don't get to trade aging vets and sign star UFAs at the same time. Any prospects we get are going to be years away. The only chance we have of watching winning hockey is if someone comes in and makes moves exactly like Lamoreillo, just does it better.

You are right with some of this. Trading Lee, Pageau, and Pulock for example will not lead to immediate success for the next 1-2 seasons. Once you get those assets though you don't NEED to use all of them to draft prospects.

Just about everyone including me said look out for the Detroit Red Wings how many years ago.

Imagine even the great Stanley Cup winning player and GM Steve Yzerman has been humbled with rebuilding a franchise since 2019. The Red Wings have not been in the playoffs since 2016.

Lou has had better success.

Call it exhibit A of the potential risks and pitfalls of a complete rebuild.

I don't think a complete rebuild is the answer. But trading vets who will not be great after the next 2 seasons would be a good move. Otherwise we will lose out value on all of our vets who we can use to get more picks and prospects.

You can take some of the picks to move up in the draft, trade for roster players, or just pick players. The cap is increasing a ton over the next three years as well.

Making those moves gives us options; something we have not had in a while.

 

[Chardo]

Every somewhat modern GM out there knows you can take a team's core, slyly cut away some of the fat, swap assets here and there, carefully insert a few established players, and start competing as soon as the next season, all while simultaneously building up your prospect bin and rounding out a productive AHL squad as a breeding ground.

Carolina and Dallas have been doing it for years. Washington has recently started doing that and is already benefitting.

St. Louis has recently started doing it.

You're right that we don't know what's coming, so it could be painful.

But in the modern game, the idea of sacrificing the future in order to throw everything in the pot for now is very passé.

Teams have long since realized that one doesn't have to come at the expense of the other once a solid core has been established.

And I think any new GM is gonna come in here seeing that we have that stepping stone.

Vegas built an instant contender from table scraps. A few smart moves later and they're a perennial favorite.

 

[Chardo]

With the draft coming soon, and the importance of getting those few picks right, the new GM should be someone currently involved in scouting.

 

[Chapin Landvogt]

Vegas built an instant contender from table scraps. A few smart moves later and they're a perennial favorite.

Yep, the eternal example of how quick it can happen - albeit, the regulations involved in that expansion draft showed what kind of gifts the NHL affords a new club.

Meanwhile, Ron Francis didn't make all the moves McPhee did and now it looks like he's been taking a few notes out of the Lamoriello player-and-personnel-managemen book in recent years, earning a bit of mediocrity in the process.

 

[Zeeker]

I don't really get the celebratory mood. It's likely we are in for several more years of losing now....new front office to get acclimated, then a new coach....gonna be a shit show. I'm glad Lou's no longer at the helm, but this is far from a moment to be excited about it. We suck right now...and we'll probably suck in the near future.

Nobody here is excited because they think the Islanders will be a 100+ point team next year, but that we now have the chance to finally hire competent management which can lead to sustained future success.

Patience…

 

[Abradolf Lincler]

Apparently King and Picker got let go as well

 

[Strummergas]

Apparently King and Picker got let go as well

I feel bad that they lost their jobs, but not having to hear King's shriek any longer was an act of mercy by the organization.

 

[Rehabguy]

I think he was the right hire for the time....no one else would have brought "instant" respectability. After year four though it was clear it was time to move on. I do not blame Lou for that, i blame ownership. They should have seen that Lou peaked at being an asset as our GM....i use peaked loosely.

In any event, this is not a bold or shocking move, this is the right move....will be interesting and fun to see how it all plays out and evolves.

I get the love for the “instant respectability” for past accomplishments but I wouldn’t hire someone to run my business based on their aura. “Instant respectability” can devolve very quickly into a shit show. Barry Trotz brought “instant respectability” to the Preds, but don’t you think the owners have second thoughts now. You hire a manager based on recent accomplishments in management and experience. Lou brings experience but that experience is stuck in a 90’s mindset and we all knew this based upon reports. Trotz brought neither to the Preds. Other than his aura I don’t know exactly what Lou actually other than hire two good coaches in Trotz and Roy with 2 totally different coaching strategies. Maybe that is enough, but I don’t think so. His asset management and the results we see today in my mind don’t really suggest he deserves much credit. The next GM will have to fix all this. At least he had a good team and assets to work with when he took over the team. It was in good shape. That can’t be said today. He was all over the place in regards to his vision for this team unless you like what you see.

 

[Rehabguy]

I wish I knew whose idea it was to bring Eric Karlsson to that team. The results were soo predictable. Anyone who supported imo should be disqualified.

Sullivan is a really good coach. Some of his really well coached teams were sunk by bad goaltending (we all saw it, and we saw it happen to NYI in the Tavares era). NYI have been associated with the New England/US crew for years and years now in one way or the other. idk what he's willing to do, but a Sullivan/Pandolfo combo would kind of be down the middle for the Islanders.

My dream management team would be Roy as GM and Mike Sullivan as coach. Both have had excellent results throughout their careers in those positions and both of them are still in their 50’s so their mindsets are not stuck in the 1980s.

 

[BrockLobster]

Apparently King and Picker got let go as well

How can a professional franchise have no radio broadcast. Craziness.

 

[periferal]

He writing a really long letter…

Funny you should mention...

• April 6, 2018 - Letter written to Malkin/Ledecky to fire snow. Snow fired June 5, 2018.
• February 12, 2025 - Letter written to Malkin/Ledecky to fire Lou. Lou fired April 22, 2025.

I'm 2 for 2...

 

[miscs75]

I feel bad that they lost their jobs, but not having to hear King's shriek any longer was an act of mercy by the organization.

I’m glad I’m not the only one who couldn’t tolerate that voice.

 

[periferal]

I don't really get the celebratory mood. It's likely we are in for several more years of losing now....new front office to get acclimated, then a new coach....gonna be a shit show. I'm glad Lou's no longer at the helm, but this is far from a moment to be excited about it. We suck right now...and we'll probably suck in the near future.

Lou created a very boring team with no chance of a Cup nor any excitement around the franchise. Now there will be. I'd much rather watch a bunch of young/talented prospects grow and create an exciting core over the next fewyears than continue watching a group of Pelech, Pulock, Palmieri, Mayfield, Pageau, Lee, Engvall, Cizikas, Duclair, etc essentially become on-ice corpses.

Whenever Lou left there was going to be 2-3 years of a shitshow/total cleanup. That's how bad he was. Did you want that clock to start now or years from now?

24 hours ago there was no hope. Take solace that now there is.

 

[BrockLobster]

I’m glad I’m not the only one who couldn’t tolerate that voice.

Im gonna miss that screech

 

[leeroggy]

Funny you should mention...

• April 6, 2018 - Letter written to Malkin/Ledecky to fire snow. Snow fired June 5, 2018.
• February 12, 2025 - Letter written to Malkin/Ledecky to fire Lou. Lou fired April 22, 2025.

I'm 2 for 2...

You should consult on divorce hearings . . .

 

[JJ18Sniper]

How can a professional franchise have no radio broadcast. Craziness.

Unless they're replaced, this is minor league stuff. We should have a radio broadcast.

 

[Throttle]

Apparently King and Picker got let go as well

This is a sign that Collins is now in control of the direction of the franchise, he had a plan in place, and now he’s executing it.

He came in while Lou was in charge. He waited for Lou to fail and/or retire.

This should be fun as Lou changed the perception of the Isles, but also brought some traditional things along the way. Collins is savvy business guy with a different view on things in the positive.