Friedman Reports: Why the Isles Fired Lamoriello & Who Comes Next

Elliotte Friedman let it all come out on this morning’s 32 Thoughts: The Podcast. Friedman dove into each and every reason why the Islanders ultimately pulled the trigger on firing Lamoriello.

Yesterday, we highlighted multiple reasons why the decision was made, and Friedman confirmed plenty, while adding a lot more color to the story. The biggest news came from Friedman saying back in December, the Islanders almost fired Lamoriello:

“Earlier this year, I heard they were going to make a change in-season.” That occurred in December, but Friedman confirmed that it obviously did not come to fruition. It sure seems that was tied directly to what Friedman brought up next, but he did not officially link the two events:

Infighting:

Friedman then painted the picture of an internal struggle between Lamoriello and minority owner and Business Operations Director John Collins:

“I heard at the end of the year that John Collins, who is going to be handling the search as they announced, was running the business side of the Islanders. He’s a very, very sharp guy, a very smart guy, but there was a point during the season where he stepped away because he and Lamoriello weren’t seeing eye to eye. Lamarello has a certain way that he believes things need to be done, and even though he’s in charge of hockey, he believes that hockey should be left to hockey, and business should be something else. They just weren’t seeing eye to eye.”

Collins became an operating partner of the Islanders in June 2023 and oversees the team’s business operations. As Friedman alluded to, there were serious issues between the two, where Collins walked away from the team due to the friction. Now, Lamoriello’s gone and Collins is running the search.

Rangers Blowout Changed Malkin’s Mind?

All season long, it became clear this decision came down to one man and one man alone: Islanders Majority Owner Scott Malkin. Malkin seemingly wanted to keep Lamoriello, but as the season wound down, his mind changed:

“I think he was leading for a long time to giving Lamoriello another year, but then some of the results late in the year, including the 9-2 loss to the Rangers and I think it really changed things, and I think at the last minute, he kind of agreed that maybe it was time to do something different. I don’t think it was an easy decision, but I think he felt it was the right decision, and it was surprising because I think there were a lot of people who believed that Lamoriello was going to be given another year.”

The Islanders not only played themselves out of playoff contention, but as the bad losses piled up, it ultimately cost Lamoriello his job. The 9-2 loss prompted Kyle Palmieri to say the team played with no pride, while embarrassing their fans.

All year, the Rangers owned the Islanders, sweeping the series 4-0 and outscoring the Islanders 23-5. It’d be hard for that to not become a factor.

Bridgeport’s Struggles, Friction with Roy:

Friedman continued, stating Bridgeport’s historically bad season played a role. That sure seems to indicate that Chris Lamoriello, currently an Assistant GM and Bridgeport’s GM, is not likely to return.

All season long, there became an undercurrent of tension between Lamoriello and Islanders’ Head Coach Patrick Roy. Friedman confirmed the tension once again and stated there were “disagreements,” but did not state how serious they were. Roy wanted to play an open, high-offense style of hockey with Lamoriello’s core of low-event, pack-it-in style of players.

Roy’s ultimate fate will be determined by who is hired next.

Who’s Next:

Friedman hinted at what’s next. He hinted at potential presidents like Ken Holland and Eddie Olczyk, who would then hire a general manager.

Then, Friedman stated Marc Bergevin and Jarmo Kekalainen will be two major candidates, citing their experiences and despite their mistakes, they left their previous jobs with strong infrastructure.

Friedman then noted the Islanders may want an Islanders alumnus heavily involved:

“I also wonder, too, if they’re going to want an Islander in there. Like a Matt Martin or Thomas Hickey. Those are a couple of names I could see. Train them in the business… A Martin or a Hickey, we want that kind of blood, someone who bleeds that Islanders blue, working under a more senior person. Not necessarily a GM yet, but learning to for some years down the line.”

“If you do this properly, you inject enthusiasm.”

Hickey or Martin: Future GMs?

Matt Martin and Thomas Hickey are two of the smartest and most passionate recent Islanders alumni. Martin has not yet officially retired, but the writing has been on the wall after his farewell to the fans.

At the end of the year, Roy said that if Martin wants to stay in hockey, he will. He’s that smart and that good of a person. As for Hickey, his prowess as an analyst impressed all nationally, landing not only a job between the glass with Brendan Burke and Butch Goring, but a role with Amazon Canada’s Monday Night Hockey Broadcasts.

Both are very bright and loved by the Islanders’ fanbase, making them potential candidates to learn the ropes in a front office role. I also wonder about Cal Clutterbuck or Josh Bailey, two other recent alums known for how smart they were on the ice.

Friedman specifically named Martin and Hickey for a reason, though. It’s certainly an interesting possibility.