As the Search Continues, There Are Reasons for Optimism on the Island

The New York Islanders remain without their lead executive, as the search to replace Lou Lamoriello rolls on. In the last 48 hours, there’s been a jolt of panic within the fanbase, thanks to reports that Lamoriello could remain. It’s time to stand down on the pitchforks thrown up, Islanders fans. Massive change is still coming to the organization.

Since those early week reports, the Islanders pushed back against it, and officially scheduled interviews with three top candidates: Jarmo Kekalainen, Marc Bergevin, and Mathieu Darche. Meanwhile, one eagle-eyed bystander spotted Lamoriello arriving at a Buffalo airport, with rumors continuing to swirl that he may head there to take on a senior advisor job.

If so, it marks a big shift from reports earlier this week, all of which could have been some smokescreens. Searches can get messy, especially when it’s such a culture-shifting one as the Islanders are undergoing.

It’s not as easy as the Los Angeles Kings, where they immediately plugged in Ken Holland, hoping to continue to build on their competitive window. As Elliotte Friedman stated on his podcast this morning, the Islanders’ job is more complicated than that: “It’s not that the Islanders aren’t trying to win now, but it’s gonna be more work to get there.”

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Retool and Reset Time:

With the first overall pick in hand and two firsts next year, 2025-26 truly could be a retooling year. A retool year has been something the fanbase bangs the drum louder for than many other ideas in the past couple of seasons.

Under Lamoriello, he took a decidedly slower approach, trading Brock Nelson due to Lamoriello knowing he couldn’t re-sign the center. Calum Ritchie looks to be a complete stud of a prospect, lighting up the scoreboard every night in the OHL playoffs.

If what Friedman says is true, it tips the hand of what this summer could look like. The Islanders may take a big swing or two at major UFAs like Mitch Marner or Nikolaj Ehlers, but if that fails, 2025-26’s direction will be set entirely based on how the team plays. The “more work to get there” portion of Friedman’s quote indicates the roster needs to change.

Summer Changes? What About Next Summer?

The team will investigate moving one of their veteran defenders, with an expected focus on trying to move one of Scott Mayfield or Ryan Pulock, despite their full No-Trade Clauses. Decisions on pending UFAs Kyle Palmieri and Tony DeAngelo still need to be made. Ditto for RFAs who could be let go, including Adam Boqvist and Scott Perunovich. Meanwhile, major contracts need to be worked out for Simon Holmstrom, Noah Dobson, Alexander Romanov, and Maxim Tsyplakov.

Beyond this summer, next season there is zero guarantee the team will be all-in. If they start poorly and pending UFAs Jean-Gabriel Pageau and Anders Lee are still here, they would become prime trade chips to cash in. The Islanders have two first-round picks, yes. But in one of the deepest draft classes in a decade, they still do not have a 2026 second-rounder (Josh Bailey trade).

What’s become increasingly clear, especially after the lottery win and Lamoriello’s dismissal, the Islanders will not be the same next season.

No Matter What, Massive Changes, the Owners Publicly Promised Change:

All season long, through wins and losses, the Islanders fanbase has been vocal about their demands to change. Whether it’s the frustrating on-ice results or the stoic organizational approach to just about everything under Lamoriello, people want change.

The first step came when the Islanders dismissed Lamoriello. He’s still under contract and, therefore, is helping to run things right now. I think his next role, if it is with the organization, will not affect anything. The next Islanders’ President of Hockey Operations will run his/her ship and report to Scott Malkin the same way Lamoriello did.

Beyond that, look back at Jon Ledecky’s letter to the fanbase. He guaranteed significant philosophical changes to the organization’s outreach in the community, something desperately needed. The change greatly desired will arrive. Sometimes, it just takes a little patience.

The owners only get one shot at this. They publicly promised that level of change. Now, if they fail to deliver, they may never win the fanbase over again. But, to their credit, throughout their entire reign in charge of the team, anything publicly stated by the team, they backed it up.

To close, breathe, Islanders fans. Searches for a new executive take a long time when it’s a thorough, complete search.