With trade deadline approaching, will Islanders GM Lou Lamoriello be a seller or buyer?
Islanders general manager Lou Lamoriello watches his team during practice at UBS Arena on Nov. 18, 2021. Credit: Jim McIsaac
The clarion call for Islanders president and general manager Lou Lamoriello to be a seller in advance of the NHL trade deadline on March 21 comes with the even louder question of whether other teams will have much interest in anything he has to offer.
There’s also this: Does Lamoriello want to be a seller, even with the Islanders entering Sunday afternoon’s game against the Canadiens at UBS Arena 16 points out of a playoff spot?
Many around the NHL are not sure Lamoriello even knows how to spell "rebuild." Tearing things down has not been in his nature since he entered the NHL in 1987.
After all, this is a group that is coming off back-to-back berths in the NHL semifinals. And the core of the group — Anders Lee, Brock Nelson, Jean-Gabriel Pageau, Josh Bailey, Anthony Beauvillier, Matt Martin, Casey Cizikas, Ross Johnston, defensemen Ryan Pulock, Adam Pelech and Scott Mayfield and No. 1 goalie Ilya Sorokin — is signed through at least 2024, many on contracts that will become harder and harder to move if Lamoriello is so inclined.
As for potential rental sales, Cal Clutterbuck, 34, Zach Parise, 37, and defensemen Andy Greene and Zdeno Chara, 39 and 44, respectively — with Chara’s birthday three days before the trade deadline — are the Islanders’ impending unrestricted free agents.
Clutterbuck, who would add needed grit and surliness to any playoff-bound team, has been one of the Islanders’ most consistent forwards. Parise, far from his prime as a top-six forward, has been effective in a third-line role but has only four goals and 11 assists in 44 games.
Plus, given his late father J.P. Parise’s legacy with the Islanders, lasting less than a season on Long Island would be a disappointment to him.
"You can never predict what’s going to happen. You just take the information you have and make a decision," Parise said of signing a one-year, $750,000 deal after the Wild bought out the final four seasons of his 13-year, $98 million deal.
"I’m aware of [the trade deadline] but I haven’t thought about that. I think we all still have faith here. That hasn’t gone away. I’m hopeful that we’re going to turn things around here. That’s where my head is at."
Playoff-bound teams are always on the lookout for defense depth, and Chara — two games shy of tying Chris Chelios’ NHL record of 1,651 games played by a defenseman — and Greene certainly have the requisite experience. Whether they still play quick enough to entice another GM is the question.
So if Lamoriello does want to restock the organizational depth or bring in more draft picks, perhaps moving Mayfield, 29, who has an ultra-team-friendly salary-cap hit of $1.45 million through next season, is a possibility.
Another possibility would be trying to deal goalie Semyon Varlamov, who has one more season with a cap hit of $5 million on his contract. Playoff-bound teams are expected to be active in finding goalie depth.
Then again, if the Islanders string some wins together over the next two weeks, Lamoriello still could try to acquire scoring help or defense depth. That would be more in his nature.
‘Call me Barry’
Coach Barry Trotz was listing all the attributes that have allowed defenseman Zdeno Chara to last 24 seasons in the NHL.
Beyond the obvious work ethic, Trotz also noted the example that Chara sets for younger players — simple things such as carrying his own hockey bag — and the respect he shows for everyone.
"He always calls me ‘Coach,’ " Trotz said. "I say, ‘You can call me Barry, it’s fine.’ He will not. He is extremely respectful of everybody around him."
Lou’s ledger
With the NHL trade deadline approaching on March 21, here’s a review of all the trades Lou Lamoriello has made as Islanders president and general manager:
Nov. 4, 2021: Traded Johnny Boychuk to Sabres for future considerations
July 17, 2021: Traded Andrew Ladd, 2021 second-round pick (Janis Moser), 2022 conditional second-round pick and 2023 conditional third-round pick to Coyotes for future considerations
July 16, 2021: Traded Nick Leddy to Red Wings for Richard Panik and 2021 second-round pick (Aatu Raty)
April 11, 2021: Acquired Braydon Coburn from Senators for 2022 seventh-round pick
April 7, 2021: Acquired Kyle Palmieri and Travis Zajac from Devils for A.J. Greer, Mason Jobst, 2021 first-round pick (Chase Stillman) and 2022 fourth-round pick
Dec. 11, 2020: Acquired Dmytro Timashov from Red Wings for future considerations
Oct. 12, 2020: Traded Devon Toews to Avalanche for 2021 second-round pick (later traded to Coyotes/Janis Moser), 2022 second-round pick
Oct. 11, 2020: Acquired A.J. Greer from Avalanche for Kyle Burroughs
Feb. 24, 2020: Acquired Jean-Gabriel Pageau from Senators for 2020 first-round pick (Ridly Greig) and 2020 second-round pick (Roni Hirvonen)
Feb. 24, 2020: Acquired Jordan Schmaltz from Maple Leafs for Matt Lorito
Feb. 16, 2020: Acquired Andy Greene from Devils for David Quenneville and 2021 second-round pick (Sean Behrens)
July 3, 2018: Acquired Matt Martin from Maple Leafs for Eamon McAdam
Andrew Gross joined Newsday in 2018 to cover the Islanders. He began reporting on the NHL in 2003 and has previously covered the Rangers and Devils. Other assignments have included the Jets, St. John’s and MLB.
