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

[Throttle]

His best chance of producing was when partnered with Horvat. You can’t expect him to have Wahlstrom and it to work out. Realistically the team surrounded him with essentially 8 bottom 6 forwards with little to no scoring ability and look at how it worked out. This is why a defensive minded system worked and they don’t have the ability to open it up or create chances on the power play.

Just like you can’t expect JT to do much with scrubs like PAP and Moulson? Both had their best years ever playing with JT and earned a ton of money as a result.

Can you name one player in ‘everyone is a scrub’ that Barzal helped elevate their game play to career seasons? Bc we can’t keep making this argument that everyone else sucks and he’s just so special that he has special needs as a player that only certain players can play with him. Yet, a basic example like JT turned AHL fodder into impactful players while playing with him.

 

[MikeyMike01]

Mid-dynasty is a little strong. They're very good but a long way from that. Even Tampa Bay isn't a dynasty.

Also, they're talking about relocating? I haven't seen that anywhere. Vegas was the beneficiary of being first for sure. It doesn't take away from the job they've done since though.

?

1981: Islanders are mid-dynasty and Flames have relocated to Calgary

 

[replayer]

Mid-dynasty is a little strong. They're very good but a long way from that. Even Tampa Bay isn't a dynasty.

Also, they're talking about relocating? I haven't seen that anywhere. Vegas was the beneficiary of being first for sure. It doesn't take away from the job they've done since though.

He meant that the Flames and Isles both entered in 1972, by 1981 Isles were winning Cups and Atlanta was in Calgary.

 

[periferal]

The Islanders and Flames entered the league at the same time, with the same expansion rules. Nine years in, one is mid-dynasty and the other is mid-relocation.

The people in charge matter far more than anything else.

1000% agree.

Which is why the Isles better get this next President/GM/scouting staff right over the next few weeks.

 

[periferal]

That’s fair. But I disagree on the difference in expansion years. One team orchestrated an aggressive organizational Philosophy to win - that was the owners mandate - it also could have backfired really badly, but it didn’t.

Seattle bc they hired Francis decided on a build until boredom sets in approach. They haven’t been aggressive as that has not been their organizational philosophy.

Team approach/philosophy and the benefit of being the first expansion team this last round are two entirely different things.

I don't care how aggressive Bill Foley is...If the Knights had to choose from what the Kraken did (and thus other GMs not needing to trade them assets) no way they would be a Cup contender now.

 

[Richie Daggers Crime]

The problem is Lou never adequately surrounded him with talent.

This again.

 

[LAIcelanders]

It’s a talentless team. With or without Barzal. Got six guys that were playing regular shifts all season that would have been 13th forwards on most playoff teams.

Whether you want to argue about Lou surrounding Barzal with talent is moot. The team sucks. Period.

 

[doublechili]

Uhhhhh getting incredibly favorable expansion draft rules is the reason why Vegas is a winner. Also go check McPhee's SEVENTEEN (17) years as GM of the Capitals from 1997-2014 when they won a total of THREE (3) playoff series. There's a reason why the next job he got was with Charles Wang's Islanders.

And in regards to the expansion draft, before you say, "Well. then what about Seattle...?" First, the NHL was prepared for expansion the 2nd time around so didn't leave Seattle with nearly the negotitaing power (see trading Devon Toews to Colorado as a prime example), and while I'm no McPhee fan, he's light years better than Ron Francis who is a black hole of a GM>.

Not exactly apples to apples is it.

So, McPhee was not successful in his first management job, and then he won a Cup in his second. That helps your argument, which was already refuted once, how?

 

[Chardo]

Need a guy with a bowtie.

 

[Islanders4Cups]

Uhhhhh getting incredibly favorable expansion draft rules is the reason why Vegas is a winner. Also go check McPhee's SEVENTEEN (17) years as GM of the Capitals from 1997-2014 when they won a total of THREE (3) playoff series. There's a reason why the next job he got was with Charles Wang's Islanders.

And in regards to the expansion draft, before you say, "Well. then what about Seattle...?" First, the NHL was prepared for expansion the 2nd time around so didn't leave Seattle with nearly the negotitaing power (see trading Devon Toews to Colorado as a prime example), and while I'm no McPhee fan, he's light years better than Ron Francis who is a black hole of a GM>.

Not exactly apples to apples is it.

 

[Islanders4Cups]

Seattle Kraken have not been an organization for 6 years yet so lets not judge their success. It took the Islanders 9 years to become a cup winner. No one here will give the Islanders 9 years but that is the patience needed with tear downs and believe me there were many ready to tear down the Islanders pre-dynasty after the 1979 playoffs. Organizational loyalty, patience and trust in the people you hire long term is what is required. The Islanders ownership group showed that to Lou and were rewarded a stable franchise which was very much out of control for decades.

I view Vegas as an outlier who were also handed keys to the vault. They didn’t fumble the keys, I give them that.

Lets hope hitting on top 3 picks aren’t required to compete for the Stanley Cup.
Hell Lou was 2 goals away with what he was handed and built.

You can have a trove of top 3 picks but all the other factors come into play such as if it is a good draft year, if the league skews the rules to help teams (Vegas), other franchises are peaking at the time (Tampa), lucky ping pong balls (NYR). Even then there are no guarantees (Edmonton trove of top 3 picks and 10 years of no cups)

Complete tear downs are a high risk way to go here with likelihood of failure due to the abundance of money and lack of patience and Lou knew that. Build respectability from within as a start, hire the right coach, bring in character/leaders. Hopefully the new regime continues in that direction.

 

[Chardo]

I doubt there would have been any Islanders dynasty if free agency existed back then.

 

[Chapin Landvogt]

You can have a trove of top 3 picks but all the other factors come into play such as if it is a good draft year, if the league skews the rules to help teams (Vegas), other franchises are peaking at the time (Tampa), lucky ping pong balls (NYR). Even then there are no guarantees (Edmonton trove of top 3 picks and 10 years of no cups)

Just waiting to see the Isles win the lottery and then the new management will kick off its time by selecting Long Island's own James Hagens...

Deep down, you can feel it coming...

 

[Isles72]

Darche is probably the one I would like to see the most but another name I'm seeing which intrigues me is Pridham from the Leafs who is more of a "cap guru" and their contract guy, though apparently he is paid very well, possibly even more than some general managers so might be difficult to get but apparently he was on the radar of the Flames and Pens recently

is that all he offers ; re: Pridham cap guru ? we'll have no idea if our new gm retains Lou's cap guy .

would Holland or Chia in a prez of hky ops position hire quality candidates to be their AGM'S or would guys like Darche just stay in TB if they dont have a full GM title while working under a Holland / Chia prez

 

[boredmale]

Deep down, you can feel it coming...

 

[impaaaaaact]

 

[periferal]

So, McPhee was not successful in his first management job, and then he won a Cup in his second. That helps your argument, which was already refuted once, how?

Huh? Are we even talking about the same thing? I'm saying that McPhee is now overrated as a GM specifically because of the favorable expansion draft rules he was handed. Without that he'd still be the average at best former Capitals GM who "led" that franchise to 3 playoff series wins in 17 years.

 

[sebsisles]

It's great that you found your soulmate at an early age.

Don't tell my wife!

 

[PK Cronin]

Seattle Kraken have not been an organization for 6 years yet so lets not judge their success. It took the Islanders 9 years to become a cup winner. No one here will give the Islanders 9 years but that is the patience needed with tear downs and believe me there were many ready to tear down the Islanders pre-dynasty after the 1979 playoffs. Organizational loyalty, patience and trust in the people you hire long term is what is required. The Islanders ownership group showed that to Lou and were rewarded a stable franchise which was very much out of control for decades.

I view Vegas as an outlier who were also handed keys to the vault. They didn’t fumble the keys, I give them that.

Lets hope hitting on top 3 picks aren’t required to compete for the Stanley Cup.
Hell Lou was 2 goals away with what he was handed and built.

You can have a trove of top 3 picks but all the other factors come into play such as if it is a good draft year, if the league skews the rules to help teams (Vegas), other franchises are peaking at the time (Tampa), lucky ping pong balls (NYR). Even then there are no guarantees (Edmonton trove of top 3 picks and 10 years of no cups)

Complete tear downs are a high risk way to go here with likelihood of failure due to the abundance of money and lack of patience and Lou knew that. Build respectability from within as a start, hire the right coach, bring in character/leaders. Hopefully the new regime continues in that direction.

I think patience is something that is missing in sports today and a lot of franchises would benefit from staying the course a bit longer. The turnover rate of coaches in the NHL is too quick, and so are GMs. It almost forces them to make very risky decisions regularly because if they try to do a slow build they'll get canned.

 

[impaaaaaact]

Just waiting to see the Isles win the lottery and then the new management will kick off its time by selecting Long Island's own James Hagens...

Deep down, you can feel it coming...

If the Isles win the lottery and take Hagens at 1 I will be pretty annoyed. If they win the lottery and trade down to 4 + 24 + 25 and take Hagens there I think I will be less annoyed but still unhappy. Only way it makes sense is to trade up for him, and with the possible names available at 10 I'm not even sure that makes sense

 

[SI90]

 

[SI90]

It's great that you found your soulmate at an early age.

All jokes aside Sebby is one of if not the most stand up guys I’ve ever met in my life!! Real dude!!

 

[periferal]

Excellent post. This is the kind of research we, as fans, should check out to really get a sense of who would be a good fit as next GM (or president).

Love seeing this stuff. Keep the videos coming!

 

[periferal]

You can read the whole thing, but the big takeaway...

• George McPhee is not in the mix. He makes big money for a strong franchise in a state with no income tax and loves where he is. Can’t blame him for not interviewing.
• Patrick Roy is not going to be the next general manager of the Islanders. Still can’t rule out Patrick staying in another role.
• If Jeff Gordon talks substantively with John Collins at all, it would only be for a position that makes him the No. 1 decision-maker with autonomy.

 

[PK Cronin]

You can read the whole thing, but the big takeaway...

• George McPhee is not in the mix. He makes big money for a strong franchise in a state with no income tax and loves where he is. Can’t blame him for not interviewing.
• Patrick Roy is not going to be the next general manager of the Islanders. Still can’t rule out Patrick staying in another role.
• If Jeff Gordon talks substantively with John Collins at all, it would only be for a position that makes him the No. 1 decision-maker with autonomy.

The problem with criticizing the old boys club that is sports is that it's exactly what people want.

Who is more qualified to coach or GM or be a president of an organization than the guys who come from organizational trees that have had success? How can people who never played the game be more experienced than someone who did? How can someone be better qualified than Wayne Gretzky for knowing the game of hockey? How do people like Lamoriello, Gretzky, Bettman, Roy, etc. not have heavy influence on people when they're vouching for each other?

Most of these people have had success somewhere, at some level, with very important/significant people and that's why they keep on getting more opportunities. The hockey world is small and it's hard to break through. If a team goes with inexperienced people, or people with a completely different philosophy than 90% of the hockey world and it goes poorly, the owners look foolish. The safe play is to put the most respectable people in the positions and hope for the best.

I'm not a person who wants the safe play here, I want someone who is going to be a bit more bold. There's a time and place for each approach and I think we're at the point where we need the latter.