Lou Lamoriello’s Future with the Islanders Tied To Results of the Season
Dave Pagnotta of the Fourth Period was on TSN Radio in Montreal and was asked about the New York Islanders and if the results of this season will be tied to Lou Lamoriello’s future there.
NHLRumors.com Transcriptions
NHL Rumors: Could Change Be Coming with the New York Islanders
Host: “You talk about one New York team, Dave, are the Islanders saving their season a little bit with a couple big a big win over the weekend, a couple wins in a row.
And with the Islanders in town last week, Gallo and I were really discussing the future of Lou Lamoriello, and I know that, Patrick (Roy), you never even know with someone like Lou running the ship, but what’s Lou’s relationship with ownership and the Islanders? Because it’s just a shut door. No one knows anything. What’s going on there?”
Dave Pagnotta: “It’s a fairly open understanding, understanding relationship, that’s my take on it, and that’s what I’ve been led to believe, is that he’s got an open line of discussion with Scott Malkin and John Ledecky.
But the expectations from ownership also my understanding they have not been met. They were sold on the fact that this team was going to be much improved, and they were going to start re-entering contender status. I mean, they’re not that far removed from back-to-back Easter Conference Final appearances, but at the same time, the bulk of the core of those groups are still there.
NHL Rumors: New York Islanders; Brock Nelson and Kyle Palmieri
And that was 20 and 21 like, there haven’t been that many significant modifications to an aging roster. And with the Islanders hosting the ’26 All-Star game before the Olympic break, you always want to make sure that you’re hyping up your team and your organization with those types of special events. Lou’s on an expiring contract as well.
I think there are going to be some issues for potential change at that position. If things do not get going for this club, it’s clearly some some heat between coach and GM. Let’s see, kind of how things kind of move from there. I mean, you give them a little bit of a bye, they’ve had some injury issues with (Mathew) Barzal and (Adam) Pelech and (Anthony) Duclair out for, for stretches, how much more of that can be used as a legitimate excuse.
You’ve got a great goaltender. You’ve got Barzal and (Bo) Horvat and others part of the core up front. You’ve got Noah Dobson kind of leading things on that back end with Pelech and Pulock there. But the additional pieces haven’t been there, and their drafting hasn’t been nearly what it needed to be to continue to add young talent to that to that group.
NHL Rumors: What’s Happening on the Island?
I think they’re going to be some interesting changes that are going to be faced with this club going into the summer, depending on how the rest of the season plays out, and a lot of Lou’s future, I think, is dependent on how this team performs this year.”
NHLRumors.com Note: The Islanders have not improved their roster and have needed to add a goal scorer heading into this season. As RG reported, there were some inside the organization that wanted Lamoriello gone last year. The Islanders have players like Brock Nelson and Kyle Palmieri that will draw interest. But unless Lamoriello feels his team is out of it, they will not sell.
You have to think anything short of a playoff appearance the Islanders will make a GM change.
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