Lou Lamoriello's five best moves in his 5 years as NY Islanders GM
Hiring Barry Trotz
To say Barry Trotz fell onto the Islanders' lap would be an understatement. Weeks removed from hoisting the Stanley Cup as head coach of the Washington Capitals, one of the most successful coaches in NHL history was available after failing to agree to new terms with Caps ownership.
Simply put, the Islanders do not get Trotz to coach their team without Lamoriello as their GM and President of Hockey Operations. Lamoriello's unparalleled credibility was paramount to Trotz taking the job on Long Island as he took over a team that allowed the most goals in the NHL and transformed them into a defensively structured juggernaut, allowing the fewest goals in the NHL.
"He brings experience, he brings knowledge and he brings success, which is the most important thing," Lamoriello said when they announced Trotz as head coach. "You have to win. He knows how to win, and he's a good human being. So I think he's a great role model for what we're trying to do as far as bring to the organization."
Trotz delivered all of that and more.