Since his arrival on Long Island, legendary NHL figure Lou Lamoriello has tried to bring the Islanders back to the elite.
But after six years of chaotic management, marked by questionable decisions and a lack of long-term vision, the patience of supporters and owners seems about to reach its limit.
Lamoriello went from a legend…to a joke…
At 82, Lamoriello faces growing rumors of firing, fueled by his team’s repeated failures.
And in the shadows, a name begins to circulate: that of Patrick Roy. The current coach of the Islanders, once seduced by the promises of Lamoriello, could well consider taking over… as general manager.
The Islanders are going through a dark period, with a record of 15-18-7, good for second-to-last place in the Eastern Conference. Their current situation is a direct result of Lamoriello’s short-term management, who has systematically sacrificed the future in an attempt to remain competitive immediately.
The damning statistics have become the shame of the NHL.
27th in goals scored since 2018: With an average of just 2.81 goals per game, the Islanders are among the least offensive teams in the league.
10.5% power play this season: A historically low rate, which places the team among the worst performances in NHL history.
Non-existent prospect pool: The Islanders have gone undrafted in the first round in four of the last five drafts.
These figures illustrate a team without clear direction, stuck between an aging core and the absence of succession.
Lamoriello also made a series of controversial decisions, further weakening the team:
Devon Toews (2020): Traded for two second-round picks who never played in the NHL. Toews became one of the best defensemen in the NHL with the Colorado Avalanche.
Bo Horvat (2023): Acquired at the cost of a first-round pick which became Axel Sandin-Pellikka (a future star defender), Horvat signed an $8.5 million contract until 2031, a difficult sum to justify for a player with 35 points this season.
Pierre Engvall (2023): A $21 million contract over seven years for a player who started the season in the American League. And that started a conflict between Roy and Lamoriello, because the coach hates this player and the GM ordered him to be recalled from the American League.
This was one of the first sticking points between Roy and Lamoriello was the use of players.
Roy also expressed his desire to give more ice time to young players like Simon Holmström, but Lamoriello reportedly insisted on keeping veterans like Jean-Gabriel Pageau in leading roles.
Lamoriello defends his player whom he signed for 6 years and 30 million dollars while we are talking about a low-level plumber. Not to mention he sacrificed 1st and 2nd round picks to get it.
These disagreements ignited in the public square.
Roy, for example, suggested during a press conference that the roster he led was “aging and lacking depth,” a thinly veiled criticism of Lamoriello’s construction of the team.
During a verbal altercation, Roy reportedly criticized Lamoriello for his lack of support in improving special teams, particularly the historically poor power play (10.5%).
Lamoriello, in response, spoke of the need for a coach capable of working with young people, a comment interpreted as a direct criticism of Roy.
Some observers believe Roy is already positioning himself to succeed Lamoriello, subtly criticizing his decisions and emphasizing his own ideas for rebuilding the team.
The Quebecer is right across the board. Lamoriello’s costly decisions show a catastrophic lack of vision. The GM’s costly gambles have plagued the team forever.
When Patrick Roy accepted the head coaching position in January 2024, he believed he was leading a team capable of contending for a playoff spot.
-But he quickly discovered that the team did not live up to Lamoriello’s promises.
Roy, a competitor at heart, has already expressed his frustration with the state of the team. If the rumor of Lamoriello’s firing is confirmed, Roy could be a natural candidate for the general manager position.
Why Patrick Roy?
Experience and vision: Roy has proven with the Quebec Remparts and the Colorado Avalanches that he is capable of building competitive teams in a very short time.
Charisma and leadership: His outspokenness and passion for hockey make him a respected figure, capable of restoring hope to Islanders fans.
A long-term plan: Unlike Lamoriello, Roy could take a more balanced approach and would agree to rebuild.
Several media report that the Islanders’ owners, exasperated by the lack of results, would consider thanking Lamoriello before the end of the season.
A decision that could open the door for Patrick Roy to take control of the organization.
That prospect seems increasingly realistic, as Lamoriello himself has given signs of being prepared for a transition.
By recently touting Igor Larionov as a great coach for working with youth, Lamoriello seemed to acknowledge that his current model is outdated.
And above all, he wants to fire Roy before the latter replaces him. But the owners of the Islanders, who have been eating out of Lamoriello’s hand for many moons, realized that the GM destroyed this team.
And realize that Roy would be a much better leader than this 82-year-old who has become the shame of the NHL.
Islanders fans, long frustrated by the team’s lackluster performance, are beginning to demand drastic changes.
The boos at the UBS Arena and the criticism on social networks no longer only target the players, but also the management.
“Lamoriello destroyed this team. Roy deserves to have a real chance with a team he built himself. »
“It’s over for Lou. Roy DG is the only hope we have. »
Patrick Roy may have found his calling. Far from being just a coach frustrated by a poorly managed team, he could well become the solution the Islanders are desperately looking for.
If Lou Lamoriello is fired, Roy would be the logical choice to take the reins as general manager.
His experience, his passion and his ability to rebuild could finally offer a future to an organization in crisis.
For Roy, it would be a chance to prove that he is more than a coach: a builder capable of restoring Long Island to the place it deserves in the NHL.
And for the Islanders, it would be an opportunity to turn the page on years of chaotic management and find hope for a better future.
Patrick Roy’s dream of becoming CEO could well come true very soon.
And for the Islanders, this move couldn’t come at a better time.
