Lou Lamoriello’s era with the NY Islanders ends with both regret and gratitude

What felt inevitable to some but unlikely to others happened on Tuesday afternoon when the New York Islanders announced that the contract of Hall of Fame executive Lou Lamoriello would not be renewed after seven seasons as President of Hockey Operations and General Manager.

During his seven seasons at the helm, Lamoriello guided the Islanders to the playoffs five times, including a 103-point campaign in the 2018–19 season, their best regular season since 1983–84. The team followed that success with back-to-back trips to the NHL Semifinals and Conference Finals, coming just one game—and one goal—shy of a Stanley Cup Final appearance in 2021, falling to the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game 7.

But most things end badly. Otherwise, they wouldn’t end.

The last four seasons were marked by mediocrity and missed potential. The Islanders missed the playoffs twice and failed to advance past the first round in the other two years. The post-Barry Trotz era never truly found its footing—first under Lane Lambert, and more recently with Patrick Roy, whose future will now be decided by whoever takes over Hockey Operations.

Lamoriello doubled and tripled down on his roster, on his core players, on his belief in the group a year or two longer than he should. He tried everything he could to squeeze out everything possible from his veteran players in hope of one more magical, deep run in the post-season if everything broke right and the team got hot at the right time. The Islanders were never going to be the most talented team, but the most talented teams doesn't always win and that's what Lamoriello was banking on the last few years.

Still, stepping back, it’s clear the Islanders are in a better place as an organization than they were when Lamoriello was hired. That doesn't necessarily mean the roster is more talented or that the prospect pipeline is overflowing. But it does mean the franchise now operates with a level of professionalism and credibility that was missing before. Some of that is due to ownership and the opening of UBS Arena—but a large share of the credit belongs to Lamoriello, a respected hockey executive who brought legitimacy to a team often seen as a league afterthought.

With Lamoriello came certain traditions—strict team-first policies, no facial hair in the regular season, low jersey numbers for young players, haircuts upon arrival. “Lou’s rules,” as they became known, were easier to accept when the team was winning. Now, after seven years, the organization may shift toward a more modern and open approach—something that will be welcomed by many fans and media alike.

In the end, Islanders fans should view Lamoriello’s tenure more favorably than not. In a franchise with 52 seasons under its belt, these past seven years represent arguably the second-most successful era in team history. Playoff appearances in five of seven seasons may not be the pinnacle of hockey success, but for generations of Islanders fans—many of whom had seen just one playoff series win over a span of 25 years—it was a long-awaited taste of competitiveness, relevance, and pride.

So for Lamoriello, this moment is both a goodbye—and a thank you.