Islanders Shock Fans: Iconic GM Lou Lamoriello Sidelined, Future Uncertain

Hey there, hockey fans, or should I say, Isles loyalists, buckle up. We’re diving into a major shakeup over at the Islanders’ front office. Lou Lamoriello, the octogenarian titan of the NHL, is out as the president and general manager. His contract, like his ties to the franchise, has been cut. This comes in the wake of the team’s latest non-playoff season, stirring a pot of emotions among fans, players, and well, everyone involved in Long Island hockey.

The New York Islanders threw their hats into the ring, expressing gratitude to Lamoriello for his commitment over the past seven years. His legacy in the league is as deep as our passion for the game, yet the team has decided it’s time for a new voice, a fresh perspective, in the GM chair.

Now, I’ll tell you, the organization doesn’t just change gears. They’ve got John Collins spearheading the search for Lamoriello’s successor, signaling change… and perhaps a new era. This decision is both a nod to Lamoriello’s Hall of Fame status and a testament to the Islanders’ drive to reclaim their former glory, which is now forty-some years in the past.

Despite missing the playoffs this year, Lamoriello’s tenure wasn’t without its highlights, namely five playoff appearances, even a trip to the Eastern Conference Finals in that unforgettable 2020 bubble. Yet, as I’ve come to understand in my years navigating the SEO landscapes, success isn’t just about past results. It’s about the ability to adapt, to innovate, and to evolve with the changing tides of industry dynamics.

Now, I’ve shared thoughts on the Devils’ franchise before, of how their claim to near-irrelevance was shaken to the core after Lamoriello’s arrival. With three Stanley Cups in a stretch that couldn’t be predicted, and the stars he helped polish like Marty Brodeur and Scott Niedermayer, you

Lou Lamoriello is out as president and general manager of the New York Islanders, after the team said Tuesday the longtime NHL executive’s contract was not being renewed. Managing partner John Collins will lead a search to find the Islanders’ next GM.

“The Islanders extend a heartfelt thank you to Lou Lamoriello for his extraordinary commitment over the past seven years,” the team said in a statement. “His dedication to the team is in line with his Hall of Fame career.”

Lamoriello, 82, spent the past seven years running the Islanders’ hockey operations with a close connection to ownership. They missed the playoffs this season but qualified five times under Lamoriello’s watch, including a trip to the Eastern Conference final in the 2020 “bubble” during the coronavirus pandemic.

For the bulk of his time in the league, Lamoriello worked as president and GM of the New Jersey Devils from 1987-2015, a stretch during which they won the Stanley Cup three times. He served as GM of the Toronto Maple Leafs from 2015 until he joined the Islanders in 2018.

A Hall of Famer in the builders category, Lamoriello’s old-school approach with everything from not sharing information to banning facial hair for players and coaches made him a rarity in modern hockey and arguably played a part in stagnating the once widely successful franchise. It is now more than four decades removed from the dynasty days when the Islanders won the Cup four years in a row from 1980-83.

If he indeed steps away from hockey, he will largely be remembered for his work with the Devils, a franchise that saw little success before his arrival. The club would soon advance to four Stanley Cup Finals across a nine-year span, polishing Hall of Fame careers, along the way, for goaltender Martin Brodeur and defensemen Scott Stevens and Scott Niedermayer. With no affiliation to the Islanders next season, the Devils would have an appropriate opportunity to add Lamoriello to the team’s ring of honor.

Moving on from Lamoriello puts the entire organization in flux, including the future of the rest of the front office and coaching staff. Lamoriello hired Patrick Roy as coach in January 2024 to replace Lane Lambert.

Son Chris Lamoriello has worked for the Islanders since 2016, originally as director of player personnel, and was promoted to assistant GM to work for his father in 2018.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.