Shrewd moves by GM Lou Lamoriello gives NY Islanders a fighting chance

The acquisitions of Tony DeAngelo and Scott Perunovich sent a strong signal to the rest of the New York Islanders roster

2023 Upper Deck NHL Draft - Rounds 2-7
2023 Upper Deck NHL Draft - Rounds 2-7 | Dave Sandford/GettyImages

New York Islanders GM Lou Lamoriello has done the right thing by his team in recent days, acquiring reinforcements as injuries mounted to give his team a fighting chance at making the postseason despite the long odds against them.

It would have been easy for Lamoriello to use the injuries to Noah Dobson and Ryan Pulock as reasons why the Islanders would slip quietly down the Eastern Conference standings. It would have justified selling off his trade assets and perhaps looking to do it sooner rather than later.

The only problem is that the team has been playing its best hockey of the season—winners of four straight and seven of nine overall. Lamoriello has been steadfast in his public belief in the team's core and character. For that reason, we shouldn't be surprised that, instead of doing next to nothing and having head coach Patrick Roy play Dennis Cholowski, bring Grant Hutton back, and call up Samuel Bolduc from Bridgeport, he found two players who were better options than that.

The signing of Tony DeAngelo, while viewed as controversial by some, is probably nothing of the sort through Lamoriello's eyes. He likely had a very frank and honest conversation with the 29-year-old playmaker and DeAngelo signed off on those expectations. Does anyone believe Lamoriello, with all his old school rules is going to put with a player who is not acting in the best interests of the team? DeAngelo knows he has an opportunity on Long Island and likely a short leash. If he becomes a distraction in any way, it won't work out. There's talent there, as evident by what his former coaches have said about him and what we saw in his Isles debut on Saturday night. The Islanders should be getting the best version of DeAngelo, a well-behaved one, for the remainder of the year.

Meanwhile, the trade for 26-year-old former Hobey Baker Award-winning defenseman Scott Perunovich is exactly the type of move fans have wanted Lamoriello to make. They have wanted Long Island to be the change of scenery location for a talented young player who just hasn't found his way with another organization. It's the type of move that left Blues fans scratching their heads and worried that when given an extended look, Perunovich will excel. He's a RFA next season, meaning he has a chance to turn himself into an asset for the backend of the defense core beyond this year.

Neither of these were blockbuster deals, but they each sent a signal to the dressing room. Your GM hasn't given up on the season and is giving you, individually and collectively, an opportunity to prove to him why they deserve to be kept together beyond the trade deadline. It's all you can ask for as a player. Lamoriello did his job and did it well.

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