Isaiah George and the New York Islanders' turnaround could have saved Lamoriello’s job

The New York Islanders were in a downward spiral roughly two weeks ago. The Isles had gotten pounded by the Florida Panthers, lost to the lowly Anaheim Ducks, and were shut out by the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Then, the Islanders managed to edge the Buffalo Sabres but were thoroughly beaten by the crosstown New York Rangers.

Since then, the Isles have gone 3-0-2 and have looked like a completely different team. The wave of injuries, if anything, has allowed players like Anders Lee to resurrect their performances. Meanwhile, JG Pageau has risen to the occasion while playing on the top line with Bo Horvat and Lee.

Then, there’s the emergence of Isiaih George. George, a fourth-round pick from 2022, has played like a first-round since coming up five games ago. He’s averaged nearly 20 minutes a night, playing a career-high 24 minutes against the New Jersey Devils on November 9.

The New York Islanders turnaround seems to be the result of the team rallying behind coach Patrick Roy’s old-school, tight-checking system. Plus, the outstanding goaltending from Ilya Sorokin has helped the Islanders get back into the Metro Division playoff race.

But there’s one other area that the Isles’ turnaround has impacted the organization. The recent point streak has essentially saved Lou Lamoriello’s job on Long Island.

How the New York Islanders' recent point streak has saved Lamoriello’s job

The criticism surrounding Lamoriello’s roster decisions has been favoring veterans over younger players. That particular criticism came under scrutiny when Roy benched Samuel Bolduc after one bad turnover. Bolduc played 5:56 minutes on November 3 against the Rangers. The miscue landed Bolduc on the bench and back to Bridgeport.

Similarly, younger players like Oliver Wahlstrom, Simon Holmstrom, or Liam Foudy haven’t gotten their fair shake. But it’s been George’s emergence that has renewed faith in Lamoriello’s willingness to adapt to changing circumstances.

Also, Pierre Engvall’s resurgence after returning from the AHL and Matt Martin’s leadership have made Lamoriello’s decisions look solid.

Of course, the New York Islanders are not perfect. With Mathew Barzal, Anthony Duclair, and Adam Pelech out, the Isles will need to continue playing like every game is a playoff elimination contest. In the end, the Isles have bought Lamoriello some time to figure out his next moves.

With teams such as the Pittsburgh Penguins already throwing in the towel, the Isles could be looking for depth pieces to complement their current roster. Another depth defenseman, a middle-six forward, and perhaps a depth center should be on Lamoriello’s shopping list.

Fans shouldn’t expect any major moves before Thanksgiving. But by the time the calendar turns to December, Lamoriello could be testing the waters to see who could be available, especially on the cheap.