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The New York Islanders made one of the biggest trades of the NHL trade deadline. They sent Brock Nelson to the Colorado Avalanche for a first-round pick and prospect Calum Ritchie. The trade was lauded by prospect analysts who love Ritchie, but it was New York's only move of the day. Islanders fans should be concerned about Lou Lamoriello's managerial choices after the deadline.
Lamoriello got one of the best returns of the deadline with a first-rounder and Ritchie. But he took winger Kyle Palmieri off the market without an extension in place. With their playoff chances dwindling, there is no excuse for keeping Palmieri. They could have traded him and brought him back in July if they were so infatuated with the 35-year-old. After the deadline, he made comments that directly opposed his actions.
“There will be change this summer,” Lamoriello said. “Until there’s change, you can’t say how much. But I can assure you there will be change.” He continued, “If we could have gotten younger and better, other than draft picks, we would have done it without question.”
Not only did Lamoriello not trade Palmieri, but he almost kept Nelson too. Andrew Gross of Newsday reported that the Islanders offered Nelson a three-year deal worth “over” $7.5 million per season. Lamoriello said he wanted to get younger but offered Nelson, who will be 34 on opening night next year, a three-year deal.
This should all be concerning for Islanders fans. The team came within one game of the Stanley Cup Final in 2021 but since then they have not won a playoff series. It has never been clearer that this window is shut and they need to get younger and faster. Does Lamoriello know that? Actions speak louder than words.
A surprise appearance should raise questions for Islanders fans
Islanders ownership is among the most bizarre setups in the NHL. The ownership group consists of five people but only two are well known. Jon Ledecky is the face of the business side of the organization. He has long been seen on the trains, in the crowd, truly shaking hands and kissing babies. His niece is Katie Ledecky, there's a famous picture of him next to Michael Jordan. You know, normal stuff.
But the brains of the business side is Scott Malkin, Ledecky's Harvard roommate and a billionaire businessman. When asked recently, Lamoriello made no qualms about it, he responds to Malkin. But he lives in London and is very rarely seen on Long Island. The Athletic's Arthur Staple said Malkin made a trip to be with the team recently.
“If there were any uncertainty around Lamoriello’s future, he likely wouldn’t give any hints, but the show of solidarity could very well mean something,” Staple said of Malkin's trip to California to join the team.
“A league source indicated that Malkin may be more hands-on than he’s been in recent seasons, both with hockey operations and the team’s business operations. Attendance hasn’t been good this season — in sheer average numbers and percentage of capacity, the Islanders rank in the bottom third of the NHL — and the prevailing sentiment of many diehards is that the team isn’t doing enough to stave off irrelevance.”
Staple believes this means that Malkin is standing behind Lamoriello in a tough time for the organization. Other fans believe Lamoriello's difference between his words and actions all came because of Malkin's arrival. Only time will tell who is right, but this situation could lead to incredible hope or the ultimate concern.
The Islanders have a great core in Mathew Barzal, Ilya Sorokin, and Bo Horvat. A refresh of the surrounding pieces is needed but Lamoriello's recent actions should leave fans concerned.
