Lou Lamoriello Departs Islanders Following Contract Expiration

Lou Lamoriello Departs New York Islanders Following Contract Expiration

Lou Lamoriello stans better hold onto their horses. After seven years with the Islanders, the Hall of Famer will depart after the team opted not to bring him back. Despite opinions and speculations from fans and analysts alike, the change is finally happening. News was made official on the New York Islanders social media pages this afternoon:

#Isles News: The New York Islanders organization announced today that Lou Lamoriello's contract as President and General Manager will not be renewed. Effective immediately, Operating Partner John Collins will lead a search to find the next General Manager.

— New York Islanders (@NYIslanders) April 22, 2025

You can say that the Isles have been uninteresting and not good in recent years. Many would agree, with plenty of evidence there to support the argument. However, when you consider what the Islanders organization was before Lou stepped in and where it is now, he deserves a major token of thanks. Right from the bat, he entered a poorly run organization that missed the playoffs more times than not. Even after hiring Barry Trotz, they were dealt a major blow when John Tavares bolted for his hometown Maple Leafs in 2018.

Most would wave the white flag and start a rebuild right there. Losing your franchise cornerstone for nothing as a free agent is a crusher. However, they embraced a team-first style that prioritized defensive structure over all. What resulted was winning five playoff series’s in three years. If that wasn’t enough, they were a game away from a Stanley Cup Final appearance back in 2021. What cost Lou his job was an over-reliance on the core group from 2020 and 21 rather than sprucing things up and retooling. Also, losing Devon Toews for pennies on the dollar wasn’t great.

Not A Victory Lap

If you’ve followed this site for a while, you can see I have gone after Lamoriello. On multiple occasions. This year was especially a breaking point as once again they left so many points on the table and let so many different things go wrong. Look no further than the special teams and injuries.

Ownership may have been a few years too late in deciding to move on from him. However, that doesn’t mean he has done a bad job. On the contrary, he has given this franchise credibility and left them much better than he found them. I even think that running this team from a hockey ops standpoint is very attractive. Brand new arena, full stash of draft picks, almost $30 million in cap space this Summer with an ownership group that will spend up to the cap ceiling every year. Don’t believe me, just see what Elliotte Friedman had to say about it:

“There’s gonna be a lot of interest in this job – a lot”
– @FriedgeHNIC #Isles pic.twitter.com/vTE9Gtq9r0

— 𝐈𝐬𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝐅𝐢𝐱 (@IslesFix) April 22, 2025

If the committee of John Collins, Scott Malkin, and John Ledecky get this hire right, then good times could very well be back on the Island before we know it. Yes, there are some rough contacts to deal with at this time. And others that need new deals. But a young, smart, and forward-thinking hockey mind is definitely in position to right the ship. Remember, this is a team that’s made the playoffs in five of the last seven years despite their low-event style of play, not because of it. Bringing a high-level scorer in would be paramount, considering the amount of complimentary players that are currently on the roster. This Summer will be incredibly eventful if nothing else for the Islanders.

Bet, hold or fold: New York Rangers defensemen

It’s a bittersweet time for this team and fan base. Yes, many will be optimistic for what the future holds. But they should also be thankful for the man that gave them some of the best years of Islanders hockey since the dynasty in the 1980’s.

Subscribe to Vendetta’s Twitch

Check out Vendetta Fantasy Contests

Subscribe to Vendetta’s YouTube

Click here for more NHL content