The New York Islanders are turning the page on a significant era in the franchise's history. The team announced Tuesday that it would not renew the contract of general manager Lou Lamoriello for the 2025-26 season.
The 82-year-old spent seven seasons at the helm of the Islanders organization, which went 292-194-72 in that span. The team went to the Stanley Cup Playoffs five times and reached the Eastern Conference finals twice.
Unfortunately, the Islanders missed the postseason twice in the last four seasons including this year. Those failures bookended two straight first round exits and a disappointing tenure for Lamoriello that looked promising in the first half.
Islanders preparing for full rebuild after moving on from Lou Lamoriello
The team announced operating partner John Collins would begin the search for a new general manager, but it was unclear whether head coach Patrick Roy would keep his job as a result.
Either way, the Islanders roster is in desperate need of on overhaul and some big decisions are going to need to be made.
Aging veterans like Matt Martin, Kyle Palmieri and Mike Reilly will be unrestricted free agents this summer and are unlikely to be returning to the team. Other assets like Anders Lee and Jean-Gabriel Pageau could still provide some semblance of trade value heading into the draft in June.
Others like Pierre Engvall, Anthony Duclair, Bo Horvat and Mathew Barzal have been staples of the roster and clear fan favorites. They are all under contract through at least the 2027-28 season but would also be worth a significant haul if the new leadership is willing to part ways.
The next few months will be critical for the Islanders organization and every choice made could make or break its future. The team will find out which pick it has in the upcoming draft lottery in May and then the hard work begins.