DALLAS — Lou Lamoriello’s Role with Islanders
Lou Lamoriello, the former general manager of the Islanders, continues to serve as an advisor to the team’s owner, Scott Malkin, as confirmed by reports on Monday.
It’s important to note that Lamoriello isn’t involved in making hockey decisions anymore. He’s not listed in the Islanders’ business directory, and the team has stressed that they consider Mathieu Darche the top figure in hockey management since his appointment as executive vice president and general manager.
This shift became even clearer during the offseason when Darche implemented his own strategies for the team. This included trading Noah Dobson along with draft picks and Emil Heineman, signing Jonathan Drouin and Max Shabanov, and extending Alexander Romanov’s contract.
Darche also made changes in the front office, bringing in Ryan Bowness as the assistant general manager and performance consultant Seana Sylvester. The Islanders even changed their goaltending coach, replacing Piero Greco with Sergei Naumov after just six games—indicating there are no remaining coaching staff members linked to Lamoriello.
The organization hasn’t clarified whether Lamoriello is officially employed or if his current role is more of a personal capacity with Malkin.
In a recent interview, Lamoriello mentioned having had several conversations with Darche, including lunch meetings during training camp. He also attended the latest NHL Board of Governors meeting in New York City, with the next one set for Colorado Springs.
The 83-year-old made it clear he has stepped back from being the general manager and doesn’t work at the Islanders’ facility anymore. “I understand what the job of a general manager requires,” he said, noting the importance of independence in the role. He expressed support for Darche’s efforts, emphasizing he enjoys observing the game from a different perspective now.
In recent game news, the Islanders faced a 2-1 defeat against the Avalanche, marking the end of an 18-game streak where they scored at least two goals to start the season—the longest stretch of this kind since 1987, according to Eric Hornig, the team’s statistician.
Monday’s practice was canceled in Dallas.
