New York Islanders relatively quiet trade deadline shows lack of direction

The New York Islanders had a relatively quiet trade deadline. Yes, the Isles made a huge bang with the Brock Nelson trade. And then… the momentum simply fizzled out. Fans had hopes that the team would at the deadline even if meant by subtraction.

In the Nelson trade, the Islanders did just that. The club added two highly useful pieces: A first-round draft pick and a high-end prospect, Calum Ritchie. But that was the issue. The two moves were designed to work in the long run, not this season.

Had the Islanders flipped that first-rounder for another player, that would have made sense. It would have helped the team plug in gaps needed such as another center.

But that didn’t happen. The Islanders held on to the pick and Calum Ritchie.

The other big-name free agent rumored to go was Kyle Palmieri. But as Arthur Staple noted in The Athletic, no one met Lou Lamoriello’s reported price of a prospect and a second-round pick. So, Palmieri stayed in Long Island. Now, Palmieri is a significant flight risk this summer.

The rest of the trade deadline was nothing but crickets for the Islanders. So, what does this tell us? Is it incompetence on the part of Islanders’ management? Or, is there something deeper brewing beneath the surface?

Personally, the reported rift between the Isles’ management team, as initially discussed by the Fourth Period’s David Pagnotta, seems to indicate there is a certain degree of disarray in the Islanders’ front office. That could be the reason why owner Scott Malkin has been spotted more regularly at games.

The overall botched trade deadline signals the Islanders are like a shift adrift at sea. Yes, there is a plan to make the playoffs and remain competitive. But without a clear course, the Isles will continue to float aimlessly amid the waters of a highly competitive Eastern Conference.

Time for the New York Islanders to find new leadership

Over the years, I’ve been vocal in my defense of Lou Lamoriello. In particular, the Toronto Maple Leafs made a mistake in shipping Lamoriello out in favor of Kyle Dubas. Dubas fumbled the Leafs’ best opportunity at a cup in 2021 and has subsequently supervised the destruction of the Pittsburgh Penguins.

The Islanders capitalized on the Leafs’ mistake by bringing Lamoriello in. Lamoriello’s efforts led to back-to-back Conference Final appearances. He engineered the Bo Horvat trade and has been successful at finding gems in the bargain bin.

But the time has come for the Islanders to make a move at the helm. If anything, the Islanders' current situation resembles that of the Edmonton Oilers last season when they let go of long-time NHL executive Ken Holland.

Sure, Holland has decades of experience. He’s won Cups and handled some of the most difficult trade situations in the league. But like Holland and the Oilers, the Islanders, and Lamoriello have naturally reached an impasse.

The time has come to find new blood that can harness Patrick Roy’s unique coaching skills and take a talented core into the next phase of the team. I’m not calling for a full-blown rebuild, but there needs to be something more substantial done in order for the New York Islanders to remain a relevant team in the years to come.

That starts with finding a new GM who’s more plugged in with the times.