Lou Lamoriello

The Noah Dobson era is officially here for the Islanders

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New York Islanders, Noah Dobson

While the New York Islanders deal with the aftermath of the Devon Toews trade and wait for the impending move of veteran Johnny Boychuk, another era has officially gotten underway.

The Noah Dobson era.

Dobson, the 12th overall pick from the 2018 draft, has now earned his place as the next in line to be the centerpiece on the Islanders’ defense.

The highly-touted rookie spent all of last season with the Isles, in part due to the organization not wanting to send him back to juniors and the inability to have him play in the AHL because of age restriction. Dobson played in 34 games for the Islanders and tallied a goal and six assists. The 20-year-old also suited up in the Islanders’ last game of the playoffs, the 2-1 OT loss in game six of the Eastern Conference Finals to the Tampa Bay Lightning. In that contest — his only appearance in the postseason — Dobson didn’t look out of place and showed right then and there he was ready for the challenge of being a top-four defenseman in the NHL.

Now he’ll get his chance to reward the organization’s faith in him. With Toews off to Colorado, Dobson is the one expected to step up in his place.

“We would not have made this move if the ice time that Devon received, we didn’t have the ability to put a player into that,” Lamoriello told reporters on Monday after the Toews deal. “And Noah Dobson, we feel, is certainly ready to take the next step so we’ll have to just wait and see.”

Not since Ryan Pulock, and the aforementioned Toews, has the franchise been so high on one of their blueliners. After all, Dobson was a top-15 pick and was one of the top defensive prospects in his draft class that included Rasmus Dahlin, Quinn Hughes, Evan Bouchard, and Adam Boqvist; out of those five, he, Hughes, Boqvist and Dahlin have had a significant impact on their clubs thus far. Add to that, his dominant junior career. The Summerside, PEI native became one of the premier defenders in his time in the QMJHL, received a ton of accolades, and won back-to-back Memorial Cups with Acadie-Bathurst and Rouyn-Noranda.

Dobson definitely has the capabilities of being elite at both ends of the ice. Who knows, maybe there’s a possible Norris Trophy down the road. Some experts did say when he was picked that Dobson could turn out to be just that good.

Let’s not get ahead of ourselves though, we’ve only seen a small sample size of what he’s is truly capable of.

Despite that, his real arrival is coinciding with where the Isles are as an organization — on the cusp of something truly special.

The Islanders are coming off their second consecutive postseason appearance and their deepest playoff run in 27 years. They’re also in “win now” mode and on the verge of being a Stanley Cup contender for years to come. In addition, they have one of the best coaches in the league in Barry Trotz, a 25-year-old stud goalie who is their future in goal named Ilya Sorokin and one of the top defensive units in the league. Dobson becoming a major player of that core only provides even more excitement.

“Our back end is really, really good and Dobber is going to be a big part of the future,” Trotz said a few weeks back. “And the now, I guess, because we’ll be into the next season very shortly here. He’ll be a big part of it going forward.”

The start date for next season still hasn’t been announced, but when it does, Dobson will be the one to watch. Whether that means he’s a part of a third-pairing with Andy Greene — the two were the club’s best duo heading into the postseason bubble and Greene most likely being back with the organization based on Lamoriello’s words a few days ago — or slated in the top-four and helping on special teams, the spotlight will be on him.

Dobson is set to turn 21 next month. By then, he will officially no longer be a teen. Not only that, he’ll be the face of the future on the backend for the Islanders.

There are still changes coming for the Isles, but one big one has already taken shape. It’s Dobson and the beginning of his ascent in the organization.

His time is officially here.

 

The Islanders had no choice but to trade Devon Toews

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New York Islanders, Devon Toews

The first few days of NHL Free Agency had been quiet for the New York Islanders. That is until yesterday.

In a shocking move, the Islanders traded 26-year old d-man Devon Toews to the Colorado Avalanche in exchange for two second-round picks in 2021-22.

Toews, who was a restriction free agent after this past season, was set to for arbitration with the organization. General manager Lou Lamoriello made it clear to reporters this was not a move he wanted to make but that the current situation played a part in the transaction along with the Isles’ cap issues while still needing to get Ryan Pulock and Mathew Barzal signed to new deals.

“It certainly played a role, I’ll be straight forward on it, unfortunately,” Lamoriello said. “Combination of the player going to arbitration with the unknown and being able to acquire assets, which we’ve used in previous trades. It’s all encompassing.”

No one had the thought that Toews wasn’t going to be a major part of the organization’s future moving forward, including me. Just a year and a half ago, Toews was projected to be an elite presence on the Islanders’ defense for the future. When he got the call up to the team in December of 2018, Toews showed he was worth all the hype. Immediately he added another dynamic to a blue line that was still in the early stages of becoming one of the best in the league and one in the midst of a historic season. His strong play followed into this past year his first full season in the NHL where he notched 28 points in 68 games and a postseason where he tied for most points by an Isles defenseman.

Toews did slow down towards the tail end of the Islanders’ run to the Eastern Conference Finals. However. the B.C. native more than established himself as a sturdy top-four d-man.

Obviously that wasn’t enough. And as much as Toews being the sacrificial lamb was something no one envisioned, and Lamoriello making it clear last week his intentions were to try and keep this current core together, he basically had his hands tied. There are too many factors just not in the Islanders’ favor right now beyond the cap.

The Islanders need to do everything in their power to get Barzal signed. We’ve heard — and I was told this again yesterday as well — that Barzal could be looking for $10 million in a possible new deal. They also needed to recoup assets after basically sending most of them away at the deadline in the deals for Andy Greene and J.G. Pageau. The Marc Staal deal by the rival Rangers set the tone of the market when it came to dealing picks. And up until yesterday that market looked like it was going to be extremely difficult to navigate for the Islanders.

Now, they have something they can work with and it can possibly lead to them being able to trade a bigger contract out like Johnny Boychuk, which has been rumored now the past few days.

Something to also be taken into consideration with Toews being dealt is the talented prospect pool on defense the Islanders have right now and how much head coach Barry Trotz likes Nick Leddy and his game. Besides Dobson, they have Sebastian Aho, Samuel Bolduc, Bode Wilde, Parker Wotherspoon, Grant Hutton and Mitch Vande Sompel (those two signed new deals  yesterday and this morning); a few of those names could be with the big club soon too. Trotz called Leddy the Islanders’ best player in the postseason.

“We did give up a good player to acquire assets,” Lamoriello said. “It takes two to make any transaction. Devon was the individual involved — that’s the best way to put it. Not that he was a player targeted (by us to trade).”

Toews will do great things in Colorado. Especially, being a part of an already stacked team featuring Nathan MacKinnon, Mikko Rantanen, Cale Makar, Sam Girard and Bowan Byram.

On the flip side, the time has come for Noah Dobson. The organization knows it and they have put their full faith in him as the one to replace Toews. “Noah Dobson, we feel, is certainly ready to take the next step so we’ll have to just wait and see,” said Lamoriello.

So, yeah, trading Toews came at a price. But a lot of aspects probably went into the decision.

It sucks to see him go but the Islanders were really stuck with no choice.

The Islanders emphasized one thing in their drafting this year

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The wait was long enough for the New York Islanders to finally get in on the action of day 2 of the NHL Draft yesterday.

No seriously.

The Isles waited an excruciating four hours and 56 minutes before they made their first of five selections on the day at pick number 90. With that pick, they would go on to select 18-year-old Alexander Ljungkrantz (yep that last name is a handful).

Ljungkrantz, a product from Brynas Jr. of Sweden’s J20 SuperElit league, was ranked the No. 66-ranked European skater by NHL Central scouting coming into the draft.

More importantly, Ljungkrantz is a winger. By selecting him — and the other two forwards in the fourth and fifth rounds — the organization showed exactly what the emphasis was going to be as the rounds forged on, and it wasn’t just picking the best players available.

It was about building up the youth on the wings.

“We’re pleased [with our 2020 Draft Class],” GM Lou Lamoriello told reporters after the draft concluded. “We drafted three forwards, all of good size and all wingers.”

The Islanders’ brass has done a better job at shoring up the winger spot the last two drafts. But it still hasn’t felt like it’s been enough at times.

They do have Oliver Wahlstrom, Kieffer Bellows and the aforementioned Josh Ho-Sang — who received yet another qualifying offer from the organization on Monday — but those are the only three guys who have played in the NHL recently. Behind them, Simon Holmstrom, Arnaud Durandeau, Cole Coskey, Blade Jenkins and Anatoli Golyshev are all in the system. All seem like they are still a few years away from reaching the pros. That’s why it was important the team keep adding to that position.

The Isles’ current core has five wings who are age 26 and above, with three others currently being the exception — Anthony Beauvillier (23), Michael Dal Colle (24), Otto Koivula (20).

In today’s game which only continues to get younger and faster, that’s not going to cut it. And though the other two wingers they selected — Alex Jefferies at 121 and William Dufour with the 152nd pick — might be longer-term projects (both are also 18), it allows the organization flexibility for the future and possible options a few years from now.

“I complement our scouting staff at the job they did, not having a first-and-second round pick,” Lamoriello also said. “The objective going into the draft was no different than any other draft… Trying to get the best possible players available that will allow you to stockpile your assets… That’s exactly what transpired today.”

The other two picks the Isles made in the sixth and seventh rounds they used on defenseman Matias Rajaniemi and goaltender Henrik Tikkanen. Rajaniemi, stands at 6’4, 201 pounds and plays with the Pelicans U-20 team in Finland’s Jr. A SM-liga; Tikkanen, who comes in at a towering 6’8, is a member of HIFK in the same league as Rajaniemi.

Lamoriello said the 20-year-old Tikkanen was someone the team identified because of his size and improvement from last year to this past one.

The Tikkanen selection signaled the end of the day for the Isles, one that actually turned out to be balanced and quite productive despite not getting to pick in the first and second round.

Productive because they made an emphasis to making the winger position a top priority.

 

Josh Ho-Sang getting a qualifying offer signals Islanders still see something in him

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Josh Ho-Sang still seems to be a part of the New York Islanders’ future.

Yesterday, Ho-Sang was tendered a qualifying offer from the Isles along with seven others players — Mathew Barzal, Devon Toews, Ryan Pulock, Mitch Vande Sompel, Kyle Burroughs, Parker Wotherspoon and Grant Hutton.

News came out last week that the Islanders were expected to offer Ho-Sang a deal according to his new agent Patrick Bedell. This came as a shock to many who believed his time with the organization had finally reached its demise. The 24-year-old Toronto native has had as contentious a relationship with the Isles from the very beginning.

Starting with him oversleeping the first day of training camp in 2015, to g.m. Lou Lamoriello asking him to stay home after he requested a trade and sitting out the first ten weeks of last season after not making the big club out of camp, and a laundry list of other events, there really hasn’t been a dull moment for the 28th overall pick from 2014. That’s why it still befuddles some as to why the Islanders haven’t just sent Ho-Sang on his merry way.

But there could be a reason for that. Maybe, just maybe, Lamoriello and his staff still see obviously see something in Ho-Sang in a positive light.

The talent has always been there with Ho-Sang. It still is. He had ten points in 16 games after returning to AHL Bridgeport last December; another three in six games when he was loaned to the Blues’ affiliate in San Antonio at the trade deadline. That’s never been the issue. Ho-Sang’s age too — he still being just 24 — leaves a lot to be desired; the Islanders are still trying to get younger despite an aging core and Ho-Sang remains one of those younger assets. Truthfully though, it’s always been his inability to grasp the defensive game and somewhat his character.

Those two things have kept him from succeeding at the NHL level after he came shot out of a cannon in the second half of the 2016-17 season. And for a franchise like the Islanders, where the organizational emphasis instilled by Lamoriello and head coach Barry Trotz the last three years is ‘we over me’, a personality like Ho-Sang at this point in time seems like it wouldn’t be in the cards. Yet, he we are.

Ho-Sang is still is a vital piece to the Islanders despite a lot of people saying he has next to no value. And there’s no question he can definitely still help them in a couple of ways, whether he’s still with the team or not.

Who knows, Ho-Sang could be a part of a package deal at the draft — the draft is tonight and tomorrow — to bring an established scorer to the organization. Or it’s possible he gets dealt as a way for Lamoriello to add some draft capital. Or even further to that, Lou and Co. had a serious sit down with Ho-Sang and made it clear they want him to be a difference maker for this team as they forge forward toward contending for a Stanley Cup over the next several years. Some forget, beyond Oliver Wahlstrom and Kieffer Bellows, the franchise doesn’t have those big time young guys who possesses speed and skill at the forward position. Ho-Sang is really one of the very few.

However you may perceive it, the Islanders aren’t giving up on Ho-Sang. For him to get qualified again, it shows there still something to be had. We will find out soon what his future with the organization may be depending if he accepts the offer or not.

But for now, Ho-Sang still has a place in this organization until further notice.

New York Islanders: The one quote from Lou Lamoriello yesterday that stuck out than the rest

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This offseason was already going to be a vital one for the New York Islanders to build off their first Eastern Conference Finals appearance in 27 years. And now after general manager Lou Lamoriello’s comments yesterday, there’s even more to that notion.

“There’s room for improvement internally and if we can get better externally, we’ll certainly do that,” Lamoriello told reporters yesterday in his first presser since the Isles left the bubble. “But right now we’re going to focus in on keeping our team together.”

Keeping the core of that the organization has assembled might very well be Lamoriello’s focus presently, but it’s the first part of his quote which speaks more to how the franchise could take that elusive next step towards a Stanley Cup.

Everyone knows who those internal pieces are — Oliver Wahlstrom, Simon Holmstrom, and to a further degree, Kieffer Bellows. You can even throw Josh Ho-Sang in that mix, despite his shortcomings; his agent confirmed to Arthur Staple of The Athletic that the team will be qualifying him as a restricted free agent. Wahlstrom is the key to that trio though. He’s the proverbial “goal-scoring threat” the team hopes can be that missing link which improves the Islanders’ offense.

As for the outside alternatives, the names are ridden with potential star power. Patrik Laine. Mike Hoffman. Evgeni Dadonov. And there could be more where that came from, according to Lamoriello.

“There could be a lot more players available than people think,” he said.

That can either hurt or help the Isles, depending on how Lamoriello maneuvers his way around getting his top three RFAs — Mathew Barzal, Ryan Pulock and Devon Toews — and some of the club’s other UFAs locked up as well with only $8 million in cap space to play with. The team’s unrestricted free agents include Matt Martin, Derick Brassard, Tom Kuhnhackl, Andy Greene and goalie Thomas Greiss.

Lamoriello all but assured that Greiss probably won’t be back when he too said it’s “obvious” where the Isles’ goaltending situation is with 25-year-old Ilya Sorokin now aboard and Semyon Varlamov locked down for another three years.

The other names on that list, there are cases to be made for why they should or shouldn’t be brought back.

Let us start with Matt Martin.

  • He’s been a key piece of the organization in the last decade.
  • A valued member of the best fourth line in hockey since their inception.
  • A respected leader in the locker room and one of the faces of the franchise in the Long Island community.

The reason not for not retaining Martin’s services comes down to one name, Ross Johnston. Johnston is a younger version of Martin, and a much cheaper option to boot.

Andy Greene:

  • Came in at the deadline and “fit in like a glove” (Lamoriello’s words).
  • Is a Lamoriello disciple and has already been given a boost of confidence in the club wanting to bring him back
  • Showed his metal in the postseason even at age 37.
  • Definitely a cheap option for a defensive core that has a number of established guys on it.

The issue here is that the Islanders’ blue line is crowded. And with the emergence of Noah Dobson and a few others in the organization’s pipeline — Bode Wilde, Parker Wotherspoon and Samuel Bolduc — as possible NHL options soon, it’s hard to see where Greene fits in.

Derick Brassard and Tom Kuhnhackl:

  • Both showed what they could be capable of in the early portion of the bubble postseason; Brassard also was a solid contributor as the later rounds proceeded too.
  • Reasonably cheap bottom-six options.
  • Established veterans who have a winning reputation.

The Islanders still need to get younger upfront. So by letting these two walk, it opens up the possibility for the team to explore their options. Brassard did struggle in the regular season more than expected and was scratched four times in the playoffs. Head coach Barry Trotz gave his reasons for it, but it’s still something to keep in mind if he’s not re-signed.

The work for Lamoriello and his staff has already begun with the more important date coming two weeks from now when free agency opens. But from his comments, this club can improve in one way or the other.

How that happens remains to be seen.

The good thing, is Lamoriello won’t be sitting on his hands.

 

J.G. Pageau believes Islanders can “win year after year”

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J.G. Pageau believes the New York Islanders are in a place where they have the chance to win with each passing season.

Pageau, who signed a six-year extension with the organization after the Isles g.m. Lou Lamoriello traded for him at the trade deadline back in late February, told an Ottawa newspaper there are reasons for it while touching on several other topics.

“The whole team should look the same over the next few years and for fans and for the team, it’s encouraging to have come this far,” the 27-year-old said to leDroit. “We have a team that has a chance to win year after year.”

Pageau’s feeling about the Islanders comes after the team made it to the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time in 27 years. They were ousted in six games by the Cup winners — the Tampa Bay Lightning — who actually won it all last night over the Dallas Stars.

“I can’t wait to start training again,” Pageau added. “The end of the season that we had, it makes me hungry to continue to work hard. I can’t wait to have my next chance to win the cup with this team, ”he said.

 

The Ottawa native has been in this position before too when it comes to seeing a bright future for his club after they almost reached the pinnacle. Pageau was a member of the 2017 Ottawa Senators who went on a wonderful run that ended with a game seven loss in the Conference Final to the eventual champion Pittsburgh Penguins; that team was dismantled by g.m. Pierre Dorion after that run. Pageau’s current club is in a much different spot. They are still very much at the beginning of their window being open even with most of the organization’s core all in their late-20s and early-30s.

But then there’s what the Isles do have. Which is, players still in their early 20s — Mathew Barzal, Anthony Beauvillier, Ryan Pulock, Scott Mayfield, Devon Toews, etc. — who have now been together for almost three years now while also gaining huge experience from the last two years with long playoff runs. A 25-year-old goalie in Ilya Sorokin — who was the best goaltender not on this side of the pond now signed for next season — and is expected to be the franchise’s future in goal. Some top prospects coming soon (Oliver Wahlstrom, Kieffer Bellows) and a defensive system which has made the team improve by a mile the last two seasons. Add in the GM of the Year in Lamoriello, arguably the best coach in the NHL, Barry Trotz, and the culture those two have instilled in the franchise since they arrived, and it’s easy to spot why Pageau feels so highly about the team’s future.

Now, Lamoriello does some work to do this offseason to validate what Pageau sees. This means finding a way to add cap space — the team only has just over $8 million to work with — while trying to add a quintessential piece or two to the puzzle. He too has to get the team’s most important RFAs, Barzal, Pulock and Toews, all signed. If he can maneuver his way through all that, there’s no doubt the Isles will be ready to roll come time puck drops in late December or early January.

Still, the enthusiasm oozing out of Pageau, already a fan-favorite, shouldn’t be taken lightly.

The Islanders’ franchise has taken monumental steps in the last couple of years. And, it’s only going to continue to get better on and off the ice. Pageau is, and has already been, a major part of that. He believes this team can be a consistent winner.

They are on the right path to do it too.

 

 

New York Islanders: Lou Lamoriello’s Case for General Manager of the Year

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New York Islanders, Lou Lamoriello

New York Islanders‘ general manager Lou Lamoriello is a nominee for the Jim Gregory award. This award goes to the best general manager of the year, as voted by his peers. Mr. Lamoriello has a strong case for winning this award. The Islanders’ captain and franchise player John Tavares left in free agency, and just 700+ days later, the Islanders are in the ECF. This doesn’t just happen off of good coaching; there needs to be a good roster put forth. Lou Lamoriello gave the Islanders the extra pieces they needed to make a deep playoff run.

Trading for Pageau

J.G. Pageau has been one of the Islanders’ top playoff performers this year. Also, Pageau doesn’t lose too many faceoffs. On top of that, Pageau also is on the penalty kill. Lou Lamoriello traded late-round conditional picks for a second-line center and then signed him hours later to a cheap contract. Pageau is a perfect Islander, and Lamoriello traded virtually nothing for him. How many points did that late first-rounder score?

Signed Ilya Sorokin

The Islanders drafted goalie Ilya Sorokin in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft. It took six years just to sign him. Lou Lamoriello not only signed Ilya Sorokin for this year but resigned him to a one year deal. Lamoriello signed Sorokin twice in the span of a day, while Garth Snow couldn’t sign Sorokin at all. Sorokin is going to be a key piece in the Isles’ quest to become Stanley Cup champions.

Signing Derick Brassard

Every Islander fan always moans about how there are too many bottom-six forwards on the roster, how the young guys won’t get a shot because of that. The young guys like Bellows, Wahlstrom, and Holmstrom have to prove they’re worthy of taking spots away from these veterans. Derick Brassard is the name that comes to mind. Yes, Brassard is inconsistent. But, Brassard has scored some clutch goals as of late. Don’t forget his amazing pass to Andy Greene, leading to a goal in game 7.

Trading for Andy Greene

Yes, Andy Greene has taken some costly penalties and turned the puck over a lot as of late. But, he was the perfect replacement for Adam Pelech when he went down. Greene is top 5 in shot blocks, and he’s a veteran leader. His play alongside Dobson in the regular season is amazing for Dobson’s development. Greene has scored some big goals in the playoffs and has been a solid top 6 defenseman.

Conclusion

Lou Lamoriello should be the general manager of the year. He took the Islanders roster from one of the worst on paper to a respectable one. The Islanders are in a better position for the future with Lamoriello at the helm.

Lou Lamoriello Takes Big Swing for the New York Islanders at the Trade Deadline

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New York Islanders, Lou Lamoriello

Lou Lamoriello believes in his team, and today, he made it clearly known by making the biggest move in his tenure as general manager of the New York Islanders thus far, as well as the Isles’ biggest trade deadline acquisition in nearly 13 years.

This morning, Lamoriello swung a deal for Ottawa’s Jean-Gabriel Pageau for a 2020 conditional first-round pick, 2020 second-round pick, and a 2022 conditional third-round pick. He then signed the 27-year-old to a long-term deal for the next six years at $5 million AAV.

“First of all, we felt that with our lineup, to solidify down the middle we needed a center iceman,” Lamoriello said in a conference call with reporters just after the 3 P.M. deadline had passed. In particular a right shot.”

The addition of Pageau immediately makes an Islander club, who has been struggling to find the right recipe for their third-line center since Valtteri Filppula left in free agency and since Casey Cizikas went down. They’re now deep down the middle for the foreseeable future with he, Mathew Barzal, Brock Nelson and Cizikas.

What the trade also does is add some juice to a forward corps who have been in desperate need of a spark in recent weeks.

“When you’re looking at a center you try to get a complete player who can play in all situations and certainly this young man fit the bill. He has signed an extension and we’re delighted with that, especially with the age he’s at and what we feel he can bring,” Lamoriello added.

Lamoriello wasn’t done there, as it looked like he was also gunning to snag another big-time name, Zach Parise.

Parise and Lamoriello go way back to when Parise was drafted by Lamoriello when he was the general manager in New Jersey. The deal couldn’t come to fruition, and although Lamoriello wouldn’t confirm or deny that there was some smoke to the fire, it once again showed he was taking initiative to keep improving this core group.

I had written on Friday that the pressure was on Lamoriello to do something major, even after he traded for veteran d-man Andy Greene last Sunday. Trading for Pageau was exactly that. It sends a message to the fans, players, and the coach that this is a win-now organization that’s not focusing on the future like years prior.

Making a move like this speaks volumes about Lamoriello and how he’s continuing to keep this franchise moving in the right direction.

He’s tried at the deadline last year and failed. He failed in the offseason with Artemi Panarin. This time around, he didn’t. He connected and it was a home run.

Lamoriello in one instance again changed the narrative that this franchise has a bright future ahead of it. And yes, it might be not be until down the road when we know just how important this day was. But at this moment, Lamoriello got the job done and swung for the fences to do it.

 

The Pressure is on for Islanders G.M. Lou Lamoriello

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New York Islanders, Lou Lamoriello

The New York Islanders season has reached a critical stage, and for general manager Lou Lamoriello, the heat has been turned up to a different level.

With the NHL Trade Deadline just days away, the Isles have lost four straight games following last night’s 3-1 loss in Colorado. They’ve produced only two goals over the previous 240 minutes of play and are now are positioned in the second wild-card spot in the Metropolitan Division.

“Right now we’re going through some adversity, some guys are drying up, we’ve got some people out, and we need some people to step up,” head coach Barry Trotz said after the game. “We can’t look back on this trip, we can’t do anything repair this trip, but we can repair our next game and the following game and focus on what’s ahead of us.”

That frustration being shown by Trotz, the players in the room and the fans, has been mounting for a while. The Islanders’ offense has all but vanished, defensively they’re struggling even with the addition of Andy Greene for Adam Pelech, and the goaltending has been spotty for several weeks now. The playoffs aren’t a guarantee now either as it once was earlier this season when the team manufactured a 17-game point streak.

Those factors combined should provide Lamoriello with enough motivation to make an impact move or two.

Why, you ask?

The East still very much seems open this year, and the Islanders aren’t that far off from being one of those top-echelon teams. They’ve also shown they can play with some of those top teams, having beaten Tampa, Boston, Washington, etc. And getting that extra bit of help could also shorten that gap and give them the boost to make some noise this last quarter of the season.

Plus, a seismic move for the franchise is long, long overdue. No disrespect to Andy Greene, but the Isles haven’t had make-you-jump-out-of-your-seat trade in-season since Thomas Vanek in 2013. You could also throw Ryan Smyth in there, but guess what, that’s already 13 years ago when former g.m. Garth Snow was in his first season calling the shots upstairs. Also, it’s not as if Lamoriello, during his tenure on Long Island, hasn’t shown any unwillingness to add to the organization. He took his swing at Artemi Panarin in the offseason, and he was in on forwards Mark Stone and Matt Duchene at last year’s deadline though before they were dealt elsewhere.

So you see, Lamoriello could very much get something done. And yes, we all know he’s harped on if a deal is struck that acquisition has to be the right fit and bring the right character to the Isles’ room. But, in the position his team is in at this moment, sometimes you have to put those things to the side and just go for it for the sake of keeping your team moving in the right direction.

The stakes are higher more than ever for Lamoriello to make this team better. This is a win-now team despite what some may say. And missing the postseason would be an abject failure on Lou, as well as the entire organization, especially after the Islanders shocked the hockey world with 103-point season and a first-round sweep of the Penguins.

The Islanders will play two more times before Monday’s deadline, starting tonight against Detroit. Whatever happens during that time, it won’t change the fact that the pressure is on Lamoriello to get something done.

He needs too.

The Isles season might be hanging in the balance.