What Should Lou Do?

What Should Lou Do?

1/23/23

By Ryan Maher

At the very second this is written; Isles GM Lou Lamoriello is still employed by the New York Islanders...and as much as you’d like that to change it won’t... for now.

So, with his hockey team spiking in the standings after losing seven of their last eight games and their playoff hopes looking slimmer and slimmer by each sunrise, what should Lou Lamoriello do in what will most likely be his last months as the Isles GM, as his contract runs out after this season and is not expected to be re-upped. The trade deadline is 5 weeks away so let’s chat.

Lamoriello, who turned 80 in October, has been an average general manager at best, ever since the NHL implemented the salary cap in 2005. So, what should Lou do to either save his job or end his Isles’ tenure on the right foot?

There are a few ways to look at this.

SELL. (smartest)

With the most loaded NHL draft in nearly a decade popping up in June and where the Isles are placed in the standings with not much hope for improvement, Lou Lamoriello should SELL at the trade deadline.

A re-tool is what is needed for this team to get back to an elite level.

Lamoriello can sell players such as Zach Parise, Semyon Varlamov, and Scott Mayfield who all are on expiring contracts.

These 3 veterans can be sent to teams in hope for a cup run and the Isles can receive some picks in the draft back to add some more prospects to their slim core to begin with.

Players like Anthony Beauvillier and Josh Bailey should be shopped for whatever you can get back for them, as salary cap relief for the next GM to do his own work with is so powerful.

BUY

What if Lou doubles down on his “I believe in the group” narrative?

Will Lou then buy and hope the Isles can make their way back to the playoffs and go on yet another impressive run this time without Barry Trotz?

He can give up picks and prospects to try and get an elite scorer like Timo Meier or Bo Horvat to hopefully put his team back on track?

It is all in Lou’s hands and the performance of the Islanders over the next few weeks should make his decision easier, one way or another.