The New York Islanders have officially entered the off-season as a team to watch.
While several NHL teams are seeking new coaches, the Islanders appear to be the only one currently searching for a new general manager.
Following their decision not to renew the contract of 82-year-old Lou Lamoriello, the Islanders are now formally accepting applications for the role. According to Sportsnet`s Elliotte Friedman, the organization is open regarding the structure of the new leadership, potentially hiring one or more individuals.
The Islanders could opt for a President of Hockey Operations to oversee the entire department, who would then hire a general manager. Alternatively, New York might appoint someone directly to handle the day-to-day duties of a GM.
“If you’re doing a president of hockey operations, (former Red Wings and Oilers executive) Ken Holland is an obvious name to build an organization,” Friedman noted on the latest podcast episode of 32 Thoughts. “I had some people say Ed Olczyk’s name to me, but those people are not going to be day-to-day GMs; they’re going to be president of hockey operations and they’re going to hire somebody to be the GM.”
Regarding potential GMs, Friedman suggested two candidates who previously led teams that exceeded expectations this year. Marc Bergevin, three years removed from managing the Montreal Canadiens, saw players like Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, and Kaiden Guhle – acquired during his tenure – contribute significantly to Montreal`s surprising playoff run this season. Another name is Jarmo Kekalainen, who served as GM for the Columbus Blue Jackets for over a decade before being dismissed 14 months ago. Despite the team`s struggles near the end of his term, Kekalainen established many of the foundational pieces that helped Columbus improve this year and nearly capture the playoff spot ultimately claimed by the Canadiens.
In both instances, their past performance could enhance their prospects for the Islanders job.
Regardless of specific candidates, Friedman anticipates a strong pool of applicants eager for this opportunity.
“I was on the NHL Network with Brian Boyle and he said, ‘Do you think people are going to want this job?’ And I said, ‘Absolutely people are going to want this job.’”
“It’s a good organization, you can work with this ownership group, they have good resources, Lamoriello was allowed to run the (hockey operations) the way he wanted to do it. Now, will there be more talk about intertwining hockey and business? Yes, but they’re going to let you run your organization. I think they’re going to have a ton of people who are going to want this job and a ton of qualified people.”
As for Lamoriello, Friedman commended the legendary executive for his contributions on Long Island. When Lamoriello joined the Islanders, the team was on the verge of losing captain John Tavares as a free agent in the summer of 2018. Despite this setback, New York reached the playoffs` final four in both 2020 and 2021, losing each time to the eventual Stanley Cup champions, the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Even towards the end of his tenure, Lamoriello benefitted the team by acquiring a 2026 first-round pick and promising prospect Calum Ritchie in the trade-deadline deal that sent Brock Nelson to Colorado.
While the Islanders seek new leadership for their hockey operations, Friedman speculates that the indefatigable Lamoriello could potentially be hired to stabilize another franchise somewhere else.
“(People I’ve spoken to) wonder if there’s any chance a team like Buffalo reaches out to him,” he added.
Separately, Friedman also believes an offensive defenseman involved in a major trade two summers ago might be on the move again. One of Kyle Dubas` initial significant moves upon being hired by the Pittsburgh Penguins was acquiring Erik Karlsson – fresh off a 101-point season – from the San Jose Sharks. Now, after two disappointing years in Pittsburgh, Friedman thinks it`s increasingly probable that Karlsson will be traded again in 2025.
“Karlsson has a bonus and once he gets paid that bonus — I believe it’s on July 1 — his actual cash I think is $11 million for the next two years,” Friedman explained. “He’s tradable and there’s going to be interest. I think people are going to try to leverage Pittsburgh on that, get it to either eat money or throw a sweetener in there, but he’s not untradeable.”
Tristan Blackwood