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New York Islanders 3 Reasons Lou Lamoriello is GM of the Year Candidate

DALLAS, TX - JUNE 22: Lou Lamoriello of the New York Islanders prior to the first round of the 2018 NHL Draft at American Airlines Center on June 22, 2018 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
DALLAS, TX - JUNE 22: Lou Lamoriello of the New York Islanders prior to the first round of the 2018 NHL Draft at American Airlines Center on June 22, 2018 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) /
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NEW YORK, NEW YORK – APRIL 28: Robin Lehner #40 of the New York Islanders prepares to play against the Carolina Hurricanes in Game Two of the Eastern Conference Second Round during the 2019 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at the Barclays Center on April 28, 2019 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. The Hurricanes defeated the Islanders 2-1. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) /

Robin Lehner

Lou knows how important a goalie is to an organization. With Jaroslav Halak gone, and Thomas Greiss coming off a terrible season (3.82GAA and a 0.892SV%) he knew he’d need one for the 2018-19 season.

He tried to land Philipp Grubauer from the Washington Capitals after their Stanley Cup victory. But the free agent keeper would go to Colorado for a $5.5 million Brooks Orpik salary dump and a second round pick. Lou took to free agency to address his goalie issue and brought in Robin Lehner.

Lehner didn’t have a good run in Buffalo the year before Lou signed him, but Lehner was a starter. He was a goalie that could start 50+ games for the Islanders, and maybe in the right system, he could do well. Lehner posted a 0.920SV% in 2016-17 and started 58 games for the Sabres in 2016-17.

It was a gamble. And it paid off.

Lehner ended the 2018-19 season with a 2.13GAA and a 0.930SV% and a 25-13-5 record. Lehner won the Jennings trophy (with Greiss), he’s a finalist for the Masterton trophy, and is also a finalist for the Vezina trophy. Lou’s free agent gamble paid off handsomely.

Turning the Islanders around started from the crease out, and the Islanders GM picked up a Vezina finalist right from under everyone’s nose. That’s the equivalent of finding a Norris trophy finalist defenseman, or a Richard trophy finalist forward.

What other GM added one of the top three players in their position this season?

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