Lou Lamoriello may be joining the New York Islanders front office, and if so, that may influence John Tavares to stay instead of testing free agency.
The Montreal Canadiens historic rival in the Toronto Maple Leafs saw a change in their front office lead this week. Team president Brendan Shanahan had already announced that then general manager Lou Lamoriello wouldn’t be returning in the same position next season. However, it came to no surprise for many.
When the 75-year-old first took the job, there was a not-so-secret succession plan that involved assistant general manager Kyle Dubas filling in after three years. Well, it’s three years later, and here we are. Now the outlook of the Leafs front office is being put into question, especially about Lou’s future role in the organization.
A senior scouting position looks to be the new nametag for the managerial veteran, but it may not be with the Leafs. Arthur Staple of The Athletic in an article mentioned that Lou may join the New York Islanders front office. The next day, Sportsnet‘s John Shannon pretty much confirmed the story on Twitter.
Can confirm the NY Islanders and Lou Lamoriello are now talking about a position within that organization.
— John Shannon (@JShannonhl) May 11, 2018
So, what does this have to do with the Montreal Canadiens? Nothing directly, but this could affect John Tavares and his decision whether to remain with the Islanders or not. The management team in Brooklyn (or Long Island, it’s tough to say where they play now) spear-headed by Garth Snow hasn’t earned a lot of confidence over the years.
Snow may be a casualty of the team’s playoff-less season. If that doesn’t help, the Islanders bringing in a man like Lou to help steer things in the right direction could be huge. Tavares wants to win, and adding someone who has done a lot of it over the years may make him a believer that it can happen with the Islanders.
It’s something to think about. If there was a sliver of a chance Tavares hits free agency and signs in Montreal, those odds probably get sliced if the 75-year-old joins.
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