Lambert 'under contract' as Islanders coach, Lamoriello says

EAST MEADOW, N.Y. --Lane Lambert and Lou Lamoriello are each expected to be back with the New York Islanders next season.

Lamoriello addressed the media Tuesday for the first time since New York's season ended with a 2-1 overtime loss to the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference First Round on April 28.

"I don't know why these are such difficult questions when we are here," the Islanders general manager said. "We're both under contract, have been and will be, and I think that's all that's necessary."

The Islanders went 42-31-9 in Lambert's first season as coach and were the first wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs despite injuries to forwards Mathew Barzal, Kyle Palmieri, Oliver Wahlstrom, Cal Clutterbuck, Jean-Gabriel Pageau and Simon Holmstrom, and defensemen Adam Pelech and Noah Dobson. Lambert earned praise for navigating an 8-14-5 stretch from Nov. 29 to Jan. 25. Though New York averaged 2.95 goals per game and allowed 2.65 goals-against per game, compared to 2.79 goals for and 2.82 goals-against in Barry Trotz's final season as coach, the power play ranked 30th (15.8 percent) and was 1-for-18 with one short-handed goal against in the first round.

Lamoriello, though, stopped short of saying the full coaching staff would return. John MacLean and Doug Houda were Lambert's assistants this season.

"I said that they did a reasonably good job," Lamiorello said. "As far as will there be changes, that's not something that I can assert to at this point."

At 80 years old, Lamoriello would enter his sixth season as president and general manager and 56th season in hockey. His 1,405 wins as GM of the New Jersey Devils, Toronto Maple Leafs and Islanders are second in NHL history behind David Poile (1,533).

There may be other changes beginning when the Islanders open discussions with the seven players eligible to become free agents July 1: Zach Parise, Pierre Engvall, Scott Mayfield, Parker Wotherspoon, Semyon Varlamov, Wahlstrom (restricted) and Samuel Bolduc (RFA). Hudson Fasching signed a two-year contract May 1, preventing the forward from becoming a UFA.

Lamoriello hopes to sign Ilya Sorokin to a new contract before he becomes an unrestricted free agent at the end of the next season. The 27-year-old is a finalist for the Vezina Trophy given to the best goalie in the NHL after going 31-22-7 with a 2.34 goals-against average, .924 save percentage and six shoutouts in 62 games (60 starts).

"We'll certainly work at it, whatever time it takes and effort," Lamoriello said. "That's about all we have to say about it."

A player whose days may be numbered is Josh Bailey. The 33-year-old forward has one season left on a six-year contract and is the longest-tenured Islander since he was chosen with the No. 9 pick in the 2008 NHL Draft. He had 25 points (eight goals, 17 assists) while averaging an NHL career-low 15:08 of ice time in 64 games and was scratched the entire first round of the playoffs.

"(Loyalty) to me is a very important thing," Lamoriello said. "But loyalty will never get in the way of impeding progress or making whatever decisions I have a responsibility to make. Never. In Josh's case, it looks like maybe it's near the end for here, in our situation. Josh and I have, I think, a man-to-man relationship as far as honesty. We will work with him to help him, but my priority is doing what's best for the team."

Everyone on the current roster is expected to be ready for training camp. That includes Wahlstrom, a forward who has resumed skating after not playing since Dec. 27 because of a lower-body injury. Alexander Romanov played through a shoulder injury and had surgery four weeks ago. The defenseman missed nearly two weeks until returning for Game 3 against the Hurricanes on April 21.