Islanders hire Ryan Bowness as assistant general manager
UBS Arena during an Islanders game in the 2023-24 season. Credit: Jim McIsaac
New Islanders general manager/executive vice president Mathieu Darche has hired his likely second-in-command.
The team on Monday named Ryan Bowness, the son of former Islanders coach Rick Bowness, as assistant GM/director of player personnel.
Chris Lamoriello, the son of former president/GM Lou Lamoriello, and Steve Pellegrini also remain with the organization for now as assistant GMs. Chris Lamoriello also serves as the GM of the Islanders’ AHL affiliate in Bridgeport.
The elder Lamoriello’s contract was not renewed after seven seasons and both Chris Lamoriello and Pellegrini have ties to him dating to when he ran the Devils. The Islanders own the first overall pick in the NHL Draft on June 27-28 and any further management moves will likely wait until after that concludes.
In his new role, Bowness, 41, will be in charge of the Islanders’ pro scouting staff and assist Darche in all matters regarding player personnel.
He spent the past three seasons as the Ottawa Senators assistant GM before the sides mutually parted ways. Bowness was also with the Pittsburgh Penguins from 2016-22, first as a pro scout and then as director of pro scouting. Prior to that, he spent seven seasons in the Atlanta Thrashers/Winnipeg Jets’ organizations in various roles, including player development and scouting.
Bowness was an eighth-round selection of the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2001 but his professional playing career consisted of just 12 ECHL games in 2008-09.
Rick Bowness coached 803 NHL regular-season games over 14 seasons with seven teams, including a 38-50-12 mark over parts of two seasons with the Islanders between 1997-98.
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.
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