Lamoriello on Belief in Islanders and Team's Resilience

New York Islanders President and General Manager Lou Lamoriello made it clear on Saturday afternoon that he believes the Islanders are still capable to compete for a playoff position, even after the departure of Brock Nelson.

As of Monday morning, the Islanders (65 points) are four points back of the Ottawa Senators (69 points) for the final wild card spot in the Eastern Conference (Ottawa has a game in-hand), with four teams between them closely in the mix. The Isles have 19 games remaining in the regular season to gain ground and make a push.

With the NHL Trade Deadline behind them, the team is locked in and ready to take on the tall task in front of them and Lamoriello reinforced his belief in the group.

“Right now, we just have to pull up our bootstraps, go to work and play together,” Lamoriello said. “But I can tell you this, the most talented teams don’t always win. But the best teams do.”

When Lamoriello met with the media on Saturday before the Islanders’ tilt against the Sharks, he echoed the same mindset that Head Coach Patrick Roy and the players have been expressing all season, which is to focus on one game at a time.

“This game tonight is very important,” Lamoriello said before Saturday’s 4-2 win over the Sharks. “That’s the way our coaches are feeling and that’s the way our players are feeling.”

Lamoriello explained that his goal at the NHL Trade Deadline was to make the team better and younger in the long-term, while keeping the team competitive this season. The Islanders acquired Calum Ritchie, a first-round pick in the 2023 NHL Draft, as well as a 2026 or 2027 first-round pick and a conditional 2028 third-round pick from the Colorado Avalanche in exchange for Brock Nelson and William Dufour.

“We tried also to look at this season, to not to give up in any way whatsoever on the guys in that room, without hurting what the mission was to go into the trade deadline,” Lamoriello said. “It ended up the way it was.”

Lamoriello also provided some injury updates on the goaltending front. Marcus Hogberg, who joined the team for two consecutive on-ice sessions on the road, was removed from the team’s IR list and played on Sunday night in Anaheim. Lamoriello said that Semyon Varlamov’s situation is “difficult” and did not offer a timeline for his return. The netminder has been out since Nov. 29 and is unlikely to return this season.

Lamoriello also touched on the status of Mathew Barzal, who is out indefinitely with a lower-body injury he sustained on Feb. 1 in Tampa. Barzal has missed the last 11 games and also had a 20-game absence earlier this season.

There is a chance that Barzal can play again this season, but Lamoriello made it clear that he will not return unless he’s fully ready.

“We hope,” Lamoriello said when asked if Barzal can be back by the end of the season. “We’re not going to push it, we’re not going to chance anything. He will be 100% completely healthy if he is to return.”

With all of the injuries and setbacks the Islanders have faced this season, the Islanders were - and continue to be - resilient as they stay competitive in the playoff race. Newcomers who weren’t on the Islanders’ Opening Night roster, such as Adam Boqvist, Tony DeAngelo, Scott Perunovich and Marc Gatcomb have stepped up and contributed in light of injuries the team has faced this season.

"Well, I think that's a tremendous credit to the coaching staff and the players themselves,” Lamoriello said. “Injuries are part of everybody's season. You can't dwell on them, can't feel sorry for yourself or anybody else. You just have to hope that the players who get a better opportunity rise to the occasion and do what they are capable of doing.”