Islanders: 5 reasons Lou Lamoriello is already GM of the Year

Showing GM’s hows to do their jobs

For all the aspiring NHL GMs out there, Lou Lamoriello put on a free masterclass in how to keep your team under the salary cap and extend your most valuable assets without undermining your team. He also showed them how to use the current framework to their advantage.

Lou held off filing paperwork for three players leading up to the 2021-22 season. Kieffer Bellows, Michael Dal Colle, and Cory Schneider were all playing for the team during the preseason but neither had a contract filed with the NHL. And that remained when the official roster was released.

All three weren’t filed until after the official rosters were announced. All of them signed contracts with an AAV at $750,000. That’s $2.25 million that Lou kept off the books. Absolutely incredible stuff from Lou Lamoriello.

It’s nothing illegal, he’s just doing what Lou does. He’s taking the time he has to get everything in order and within the parameters the league wants while also making sure he doesn’t reveal any exploitable opportunities for his peers. Again, new GMs take notes.

Winning Matters

Of course, results will matter in the end, but this team is essentially the same one that’s gone 115-68-24 since 2018-19. That’s the tenth best return based on points in the NHL. So while there’s no guarantee the Islanders will do well it’s safe to think they should.

And if they do, consider these five previous points and Lou Lamoriello has a strong case for a third GM of the Year award.