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Jon Ledecky Foolishly Puts Confidence in Lou Lamoriello

Jon Ledecky

Co-Owner and Alternative Governer of the New York Islanders, Jon Ledecky and Commissioner of the NHL, Gary Bettman (Photo by Mike Stobe/NHLI via Getty Images)

Jon Ledecky
Co-Owner and Alternative Governer of the New York Islanders, Jon Ledecky and Commissioner of the NHL, Gary Bettman (Photo by Mike Stobe/NHLI via Getty Images)

Jon Ledecky Doubles Down on Lamoriello Support

Jon Ledecky is making a grave mistake. The owner of the New York Islanders once again voiced his support for President of Hockey Operations Lou Lamoriello.

However, are we sure the best has come and gone under his reign? You don’t have to look far to see my thoughts on the Hall of Fame executive. At this point, I don’t know how much longer this team can go on with Lamoriello in charge.

Thankfully, Ledecky will not make a common mistake that countless other owners have:

“The owner who becomes the GM or the owner who thinks he’s a GM has a fool for a client,” Ledecky said. We hand that over to Lou and let Lou do his job and that’s what he’s trying to do. Every day we’re trying to go out and win a game.”

Quote via New York Post

That I can reason with. The guy is being honest and admits he has no idea how to run a hockey team? But do you really think Lamoriello is the answer right now? Lane Lambert has come in and done a pretty good job all things considered. Maybe some young blood in the front office would help too?

It wasn’t too long ago that the Islanders were looked upon as a real up and coming force across the NHL. In back-to-back seasons, they reached the third round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Both times they fell to the eventual champions in Tampa Bay.

However, Lamoriello still has not addressed the team’s glaring need. Frankly, this team has needed it for the better part of a decade: a bona fide No. 1 scoring winger. The closest you could find in recent history was either Kyle Okposo or Matt Moulson. But that is going way too far down memory lane.

Even a Blind Man Could See!

Look at every great team in hockey today, they are almost guaranteed to have an electrifying winger on the top line. Pastrnak, Marner, Robertson, Kucherov, Rantanen, the list goes on and on. Ledecky was right about a lot of things in that article. The AHL team in Bridgeport has arguably never been better. Even in the midst of injuries, guys are able to be called up and at least look like they belong.

See the whole quote below:

“Every team has ups and downs, every team is managing through injuries,” Ledecky said. “It’s part of the game. I just like their resilience and the tenacity of the team. I like the fact that we can call folks up from [AHL] Bridgeport and they’re playing right away in the system and they’re ready to go. We’ve had some great, I think, pleasant surprises with those folks fitting right in and playing well.”

Quote via New York Post

That’s what irks me. The farm system is actually showing signs of life. Guys like Simon Holmstrom, Aatu Raty and Parker Wotherspoon have all come in and competed at the NHL level. Why doesn’t Lou Lamoriello try to prolong the window by sparing some of the younger guys to get a big-time scorer?

The Isles are mediocre at best right now. They’re a point and two games behind Pittsburgh in the race for the final Wild Card spot, and there is legitimately no shortage of options in the trade market: Patrick Kane, Vladimir Tarasenko and Timo Meier. I would even call Ottawa up and see if they would bite on Alex DeBrincat! I wouldn’t even be opposed to seeing Bo Horvat jumping aboard and moving Mat Barzal out to the wing.

The Clock Is Ticking

Come on, Lou. You know what’s got to be done. Josh Bailey is not saving the season. Furthermore, Kyle Palmieri is getting up there in age and injuries so he’s probably not the answer. Samuel Bolduc made the AHL All-Star game for crying out loud! Oliver Wahlstrom is looking more and more like the odd man out in the lineup these days. The assets to make a big swing are clearly there. You have money to move around in guys like Bailey and Anthony Beauvillier. All you gotta do is make it happen. Losing 2-1 in the shootout to Dallas at home is not going to get this team very far.

I have one more ounce of hope left in Lou Lamoriello. He is letting everyone down by not upgrading this roster, which makes things more dangerous because the Islanders are in no man’s land.

On the one hand, they’re not anywhere near bad enough for Conor Bedard, and tanking halfway through the season is idiotic. On the other hand, they’re nowhere near a true contender. Therefore, you either make a big play and get someone like Kane or Meier. Or you strip it all down, move the vets out, and gather as many assets as you can. But I can guarantee you that the latter won’t happen with Lamoriello in charge.

Getting this team to some form of respectable was the bare minimum. 2020-21 cannot be the only highlights Islanders fans can hold onto for the next decade. If the floundering continues, I hope Jon Ledecky can realize that a change upstairs is needed. In conclusion, the players and fans of the New York Islanders deserve better if Lou Lamoriello can’t get it done.

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