Six Takeaways From Lamoriello's Season-Ending Press Conference

Two days after the players and coaches addressed the media for the final time, Islanders President and General Manager Lou Lamoriello held a season-ending press conference.
Lamoriello addressed a variety of topics, from injury updates, offseason planning, UBS Arena and more, as he put a bow on another long and successful season for the Islanders.
Here are six takeaways from Lamoriello's season-ending availability.

Lee had been skating over the past few weeks and was a fixture around the rink and locker room, serving as an emotional leader for the team and reading out the starting lineups. Lee had 12 goals and 19 points in 27 games prior to getting hurt.
"Anders Lee has been skating and will be 100% ready for training camp," Lamoriello said.

2. PAGEAU HAS SURGERY, ON TRACK FOR TRAINING CAMP

JG Pageau underwent hand surgery on Monday and will also be on track for training camp, Lamoriello announced.
Pageau was the Islanders leading scorer through the first two rounds of the postseason, with 13 points (3G, 10A) in 12 games, before going pointless in the seven-game series with the Lightning. Tuesday's revelation provided some clarity on Pageau's situation, as it appeared something was off with the versatile center during the Bolts series.
"Pageau was operated on yesterday morning and he will be ready for training camp," Lamoriello said.
Lamoriello said there were no other major injuries coming out of the playoff run, just the usual wear and tear of a physical postseason run.

Video: Availability 6/29: Lou Lamoriello

3. OFFSEASON TO CHANGE ISLANDERS MAKEUP

As much as Lamoriello wants to keep a "special" group together, the GM knows it'll be impossible to return with an intact roster next season, due to the expansion draft and free agency.
"This is a very special core group, not only talented, but individually, professionally and personally and we will do everything we can to keep certainly the core together," Lamoriello said. "It will be impossible because of expansion year and also free agency and also some of our young players might be ready for NHL time. These will be difficult decisions, but I'd rather have these type of decisions, than no decisions at all."
The expansion draft will take place on July 21, guaranteeing one member of the organization will not return. Per the NHL, current NHL teams can protect seven forwards, three defensemen and one goalie, or eight skaters (forwards/defensemen) and one goalie.
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The Islanders will also have salary cap considerations when free agency opens on July 28. Lamoriello announced his intention to re-sign restricted free agents Adam Pelech, Anthony Beauvillier and Ilya Sorokin.
That could impact unrestricted free agents like Casey Cizikas, who has spent 10 seasons with the Islanders. Cizikas expressed a desire to return to the Islanders and his teammates all spoke highly of him, with Cal Clutterbuck notably saying Cizikas was part of who he was as a hockey player. Lamoriello said he would do everything he could to retain the energetic center and one third of the team's identity line, but acknowledged the hurdles of free agency, as well as a flat salary cap.
"There's no question what Casey Cizikas has brought to the team," Lamoriello said. "We will do everything we possibly can to try and have him come back."
Kyle Palmieri, Travis Zajac, Andy Greene, Cory Schneider and Braydon Coburn are the other pending unrestricted free agents. With Anders Lee's salary back on the books for next season, retaining in-season acquisitions like Palmieri and Zajac could prove to be challenging. When asked specifically about Palmieri, who had tied for the team lead with seven goals in the postseason, Lamoriello said the Long Island native had also expressed an interest in returning.
"He would be someone who we would have a strong intention to bring back if possible," Lamoriello said. "He also knows our set of circumstances with reference to our cap and our roster."
Lamoriello was not asked specifically about the future of the Greene, who at 38 expressed a desire to continue his career, Zajac, Coburn or Schneider.

4. STARTING NEXT SEASON ON THE ROAD?

While nearly 1,000 workers were on site at UBS Arena on Tuesday morning, Lamoriello acknowledged the possibility of the Islanders starting the season with a lengthy road trip to allow a buffer for the building's completion.
Lamoriello said he had not seen the schedule, which Commissioner Gary Bettman and Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly said will likely be released between the end of the Final and the NHL Draft on July 23 during his media availability on Monday night, but was anticipating a road start.
If there's a plus, Lamoriello highlighted the proximity of teams like the New York Rangers, New Jersey Devils and Philadelphia Flyers that would allow his team to be able to spend some time at home despite a long road slate.
"I'm not worried about the trips. I know the NHL and the scheduling group take in tremendous consideration of having the players on the road for too long," Lamoriello said. "I'm comfortable that we'll get a schedule that we can live with, certainly it won't be under a normal circumstance… but I'm looking at this as a glass half full, the excitement of being able to play all of our available home games, 41 of them, in front of our own fans. That motivates you to maybe get over any discomfort in what the road will be like."
Lamoriello added that Islanders preseason games will be played at Webster Bank Arena in Bridgeport this fall. The Islanders will also not hold a development camp for the second-straight summer, as the GM cited the large presence of prospects with the group during the playoff run.

5. BOYCHUK OFFERED CHANCE TO RETURN TO STAFF

Johnny Boychuk joined the Islanders as a de facto coach this season after announcing the end of his career due to an eye injury he suffered in March 2020. The veteran defenseman was on the ice with the team throughout the season and was spotted in the press box with Lamoriello, giving the GM a recent player's perspective. Lamoriello called Boychuk's contributions "immeasurable."
Boychuk was placed on Long Term Injured Reserve for last season and still has one year remaining on the seven-year deal he signed in 2015. Lamoriello said he hadn't sat down formally with Boychuk, but said he planned to extend a similar offer for next season, with Boychuk being around the team and serving as a conduit between players and the coaching staff/management.

6. LAMORIELLO PROUD OF THE GROUP

Lamoriello said it was no fluke the Islanders were able to get to the third round of the playoffs in each of the past two seasons and offered high praise for his team to have done so through the challenging circumstances of a pandemic.
"I couldn't be more proud of this group and I couldn't have more respect for our group," Lamoriello said. "I experienced the commitment they had with reference to the bubble, the preparation, the discipline when they came back, the attention to detail from staying safe as far as potentially not being exposed to the COVID situation that could interrupt our whole team. I don't know if words could describe how proud I am, what a privilege it was to work with them and the coaching staff through all of this. Anything that did come up out of the ordinary, there was never a panic, there was a never head down, it was we'll get through it, we'll be ready for any adjustment that has to be made. We'll do it together. We'll have open communication, we'll be open to suggestions. Their families had to play a major in what was done too because they had to make a lot of sacrifices."
Lamoriello said the support of the Islanders ownership group was also key in keeping the players, families and staff safe during the pandemic. For a GM who is always team-first, the past 16 months was the epitome of that.