Slightly greater than per week into this offseason, the Islanders already can claim with some credibility that it’s their best offseason since 2018 and perhaps even their best under Lou Lamoriello, period.
In spite of everything, 2018 looks so much higher on reflection than it did on the time, when John Tavares spurned the Islanders to sign for seven years and $77 million with the Maple Leafs. With the good thing about hindsight, Lamoriello handled that departure about in addition to possible, constructing a roster that quickly transitioned right into a competitor within the Eastern Conference by signing Robin Lehner and trading for Matt Martin, hiring a future Jack Adams winner in Barry Trotz and drafting Noah Dobson, amongst other moves.
Tavares, meanwhile, has produced at a high level, but has won only a single playoff series with the Leafs. Perhaps staying with the Islanders would have raised the club’s ceiling that little bit higher between 2018-21, however it’s difficult to view the way in which things have gone for him in Toronto as successful.
With the good thing about hindsight, 2018 looks like the perfect offseason of Lamoriello’s tenure, and the overall trend is that it’s gotten worse as time has gone on.
Slightly greater than per week into this offseason, the Islanders already can claim with some credibility that it’s their best offseason since 2018 and perhaps even their best under Lou Lamoriello, period.
In spite of everything, 2018 looks so much higher on reflection than it did on the time, when John Tavares spurned the Islanders to sign for seven years and $77 million with the Maple Leafs. With the good thing about hindsight, Lamoriello handled that departure about in addition to possible, constructing a roster that quickly transitioned right into a competitor within the Eastern Conference by signing Robin Lehner and trading for Matt Martin, hiring a future Jack Adams winner in Barry Trotz and drafting Noah Dobson, amongst other moves.
Tavares, meanwhile, has produced at a high level, but has won only a single playoff series with the Leafs. Perhaps staying with the Islanders would have raised the club’s ceiling that little bit higher between 2018-21, however it’s difficult to view the way in which things have gone for him in Toronto as successful.
With the good thing about hindsight, 2018 looks like the perfect offseason of Lamoriello’s tenure, and the overall trend is that it’s gotten worse as time has gone on.
