Islanders Name Lou Lamoriello Team President

So, the Lou Lamoriello rumors got a little more substance today when Arthur Staple mentioned Lamoriello “will be running the Islanders’ hockey operations in a matter of days, sources confirmed to The Athletic on Monday.” He joins his son Chris, already Isles Assistant GM. Lou Lamoriello was removed as GM for the Maple Leafs for Kyle Dubas at the end of April. Over his esteemed career as an NHL executive, as GM of the Devils, Lamoriello helped solidify New Jersey and win 3 Stanley Cups. As GM of the Leafs, he helped add top talent and enabled the Leafs to make the playoffs before losing to Boston, 4 games to 3, last season. Lamoriello joined the Toronto organization in 2015 and was the reason behind drafting players like Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner.

It’s been confirmed that Lou Lamoriello will be running hockey operations as Team President. His new role will be to oversee ("having full authority") any and all hockey operations for the New York Islanders. He is reserving any further comments at this time. That means 12-year GM, Garth Snow (4 playoff appearances and 1 playoff round win in 2016 vs. Fla) could be reassigned with 4 years remaining on his contract or fired with a “steep buy out,” per Staple. Sources say Snow and Lamoriello are close friends, so I’d expect him to remain in some capacity, or even stay as GM under his watch, but he has fired people for much less over his tenure in the NHL. Garth Snow and Doug Weight were in Denmark scouting the Worlds’ last week.

Elliotte Friedman added a few details today as well. “I'm not exactly sure how it will all work, but we've all believed Lamoriello will eventually run the NYI hockey operations department...and it's believed he represented the Islanders when he spoke to Tavares … More details are to come in the next few days, but there was contact last week between UFA-to-be John Tavares and former TOR GM Lou Lamoriello … On Lamoriello/NYI/Tavares contact, I’m told that in the eyes of the NHL, there are no issues with the process.” It seems like the Ownership group of Malkin and Ledecky want it to be so. And I doubt they stop at Lamoriello. Rumors of former Islander, Tom Fitzgerald, is possibly in line to join the front office as well - perhaps as the GM to Lamoriello’s President? The next few days should be interesting. Will moves like this be enough to keep impending free-agent and team captain, John Tavares in the organization?

Staple added, “Malkin has been meeting regularly with Pat Brisson, Tavares’ agent, and those two most likely arranged the sit-down. The Dec. 20 announcement that the Islanders won the right to develop an arena at Belmont Park was a big step towards that respectability, especially in Tavares’ eyes. 'For my situation, it’s really exciting news. I’m not going to say it’s going to change or ultimately make my decision, but everything that’s involved in my daily life plays into it and going to the rink, playing games is a big part of that,’ Tavares said at the press conference that day.”

Lou Lamoriello brings a no-nonsense, accountable, proven NHL level executive presence to a franchise in desperate need to reinvent their image and change a culture of mediocrity and crap-shoot gambles. Some may see the 75-year-old as a bit of the old guard, but the man knows hockey. He proved what he could do with Brendan Shanahan in rebuilding a solid base for a struggling but respected and sacred franchise in Toronto. The New York Islanders have quality free agents to evaluate and a lot of moves to make this summer, even before the July 1^st open to free agency. The new-look management group have the 11th and 12th picks in June’s NHL Entry Draft, along with some NHL and prospect talent to negotiate with. It starts with Tavares, then a quality NHL netminder and a few more pieces to perhaps galvanize a new culture for the organization, poised to reinstate its winning traditions with Belmont on the horizon.

What will today's move actually mean for our New York Islanders? I can’t wait to find out.

Isles Notes:

Anders Lee and Team USA win Bronze at 2018 IIHF Worlds.

Isles Draft Party is set for June 22nd at 5:00pm at the old Barn.

Per @IgorEronko, “Thing is I heard it from his Russian agent. Who will get NHL licence soon. Spoke a bit to Sorokin today. Said: 'Sure, someday I would be proud to be a part of NY rivalry'. Money is a factor absolutely. But so is doubtful management. Sorokin is the highest paid CSKA player now.”

Per Arthur Staple, “Been asked about @IgorEronko's tweet re: Sorokin and Snow. Here's what I know: -- It's still about $ -- Sorokin makes a lot of it in the KHL and doesn't want to play on a 2-year ELC. -- Sorokin's US-based agent was Snow's agent. Would be an odd way to show he dislikes GS.”

Per Rob Taub, “These words from my interview with Jeremy Roenick: “If the Islanders don’t get a goaltender in the offseason, I’m convinced they don’t want to win anymore.” #Isles”

Sound Tigers Notes:

The @NYIslanders have signed Travis St. Denis (F) to a two-year, two-way (NHL/AHL) deal.

The #AHL will have a new division alignment in 2018-19.

A Tribute to the Memory & Legend of the Architect: Bill Torrey

Today, we learned of the passing of Isles legend, Bill Torrey. Torrey was the “Architect” of the Islanders Dynasty and built a team so well and so skilled, they may never be duplicated in the modern age of the NHL. Torrey went from the AHL and later served as GM for the NHL Oakland Seals, New York Islanders and Florida Panthers, who until the Vegas Golden Knights, showed what a model expansion team could do by making their way to the Stanley Cup finals in 1996 before losing to the Colorado Avalanche in four games.

Known for his bow ties and eye for talent, Torrey brought on Isles Legendary Coach, Al Arbour and took “the other team from New York” and forging them into an instrument of brute force and talent. Cory Wright wrote, “He was the first man in the door, becoming the team's first general manager on Feb. 15, 1972.” After Arbour, Torrey added Potvin, Trottier, Morrow and the immortal Billy Smith to the Islanders organization and knew the way to win was to build through the draft and add key pieces at the right time. Torrey surrounded his future star players with a team Arbour could mold and hone into the legacy that became Long Island’s team. Torrey and Arbour challenged each other and pushed each other to create the dynasty. Their friendship was evident two years ago when Torrey gave a moving speech at Arbour's memorial service. "He choked up at the end saying how much he missed his close friend and confidant a year after his passing. On this day, the hockey world is mourning Torrey." Mr. Islander, Bob Nystrom said, "They had a partnership there," Nystrom said. "It was a partnership. They got along so well and Bill was just one hell of a great guy.” 

"He certainly led a charmed life and a meaningful life with all that he did," Morrow said. "I looked forward to when I would see him to catch up and thank him for all that he did for me." After he was named team President in 1980, Torrey even had the foresight to add the final piece of the puzzle, trading popular players Billy Harris and Dave Lewis for a 29-year-old veteran center named Butch Goring. What followed was 19 consecutive playoff series wins (a pro record that still stands) and four straight Stanley Cups from 1980-83. Torrey even engineered the loss of LaFontaine into a trade for Turgeon, Hogue, Krupp and McLlwain and eventually added Thomas and Creighton. Even though he resigned in 92, those players became the nucleus for the Isles surge in the 93 playoffs when they dethroned the 2-time Stanley Cup Champion, Pittsburgh Penguins and came close to contending for the cup that season.

Nystrom said of Torrey, "He was the guy who gave me a chance to play in the NHL and for that I owe him a debt of gratitude," Nystrom said. "He saw something in me and was willing to give me an opportunity. He did that for a lot of players. Had a real good way of reading character and what was really inside a person. He's going to go down as one of the greatest GMs that every worked in the NHL."

Islanders President and General Manger, Garth Snow said, "Bill set the model for how to build a franchise with the leadership he instilled through his coaching staff, his innovative drafting methods and the trades he executed," Snow said. "He was a pioneer, who became a mentor and even better friend, to so many in the industry. The teams he constructed set records that may never be broken, including the four straight Stanley Cup Championships and 19 straight playoff series wins. On behalf of the entire organization, we send our deepest condolences to Bill's family."

The tales of Mr.Torrey’s respect and earned loyalty were much like those that were spoken of Mr. Arbour. Like the legendary Jiggs McDonald, Bill Torrey always seemed to be a special part of my fandom. And based on the words of his players and those around the organization, the tributes speak to the kind of man others saw in him. Torrey’s legend will live forever and deservedly so. He helped build some of the greatest hockey memories of my life time. The team he built took a kid born in Yonkers and who grew up just above Westchester, right in the middle of Ranger’s country to become a die-hard fan of our New York Islanders. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1995.

Mr. Torrey was 83.