Islanders: Pros and cons of Lou Lamoriello GM of the Year nod

Pros

Conference Finals

The Islanders have made the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since 1993. No matter what happens in the series against the Tampa Bay Lightning the New York Islanders are a top-4 team in the NHL.

Again, a Conference Finals appearance hasn’t happened for 27 years and it’s thanks to Lou. Sure, this team was mainly stocked with talent acquired by Garth Snow, but Lou clearly put them in a position to win if he can get them this far in year two.

Trades Worked 

Lou Lamoriello hasn’t been the most active GM when it comes to the trade market, but when he makes a deal its worked. Making trades is a huge part of a GM’s job getting them wrong can sink any team pretty quick.

Just ask the Edmonton Oilers how the Griffin Reinhart deal worked out? If Reinhart had panned out to be what Chiarelli thought he might be Taylor Hall isn’t traded to the New Jersey Devils for Adam Larsson.

In 2019-20 Lamoriello made two major trades and one minor deal.

Getting Jean-Gabriel Pageau has proven to be a shrewd move by Lou. The Isles now have one of the strongest center cores in the league with Barzal, Nelson, Pageau, and Cizikas.

Another Winning Record

Through 68 games the Isles put up a 35-23-10 record. Sure, there was a freefall at the end of the season after Adam Pelech went down, but there was also a franchise-record 17-game point streak at the start of the season.