The Islanders GM of the Year is coming off a pretty good year, isn't he? I am the first to admit that I questioned the trade of bringing in Pageau. I thought the price was enormously high. This year's draft was one of the best in years. But looking back, it has worked quite well for the Islanders.
There was a lot of head-scratching when the Islanders signed Semyon Varlamov. Again, people questioning what Lou was thinking? Four years for Varlamov, no way would I bring a sub-par goalie.
Well, Lou did it for two reasons. First, because Lou needed a number one goalie. The second and more vital reason was to entice Ilya Sorokin to sign. Semyon was one of Ilya's mentors. So how did it work? Sorokin signed, and the so-called sub-par goalie Semyon was all-world.
Not all decisions that a GM makes are going to work out. Sometimes, they backfire. What made Lou the GM of the year was that his decision turned out. So why did it not work in New York or Toronto? I believe the difference was that Lou surrounded himself with the right group of people. He was given more control here. Lou was not given full authority in Toronto. The Maple Leafs were an offensively talented hockey team that did not fit Lou's team style. When he was allowed to run his system in New Jersey, look at what happened. Sometimes it comes down to fit, and it seems like Lou and the Islanders are a perfect fit for now.
Last Word
Look for Lou to get some picks and shed some cap. This draft is one of the best in years and Lou would love to be part of it. Every spring, Lou tries to bring in a star. He'll need to shed some cap to achieve it. The most obvious picks would be Leddy or Bailey. A buy out is not feasible as the Ladd contract is pretty much buyout-proof.
Randy
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