The New York Islanders parted ways with GM and team president Lou Lamoriello Tuesday, perhaps putting an end to the 82-year-old icon's Hockey Hall-of-Fame career running NHL teams. But there's always something to learn from brilliant people, even when they're removed from power -- and Lamoriello's legacy could and should be a vital lesson for Sabres GM Kevyn Adams.
Here's what we mean: Lamoriello has been known far and wide to be a cold-blooded operator -- someone who would fire his best friend in a heartbeat if he thought it would improve his chances of winning at the highest level of the game. Lamoriello has dismissed people time and again in the pursuit of greatness, and he came away from it with three Stanley Cups, a slew of playoff series wins, and a general greatness with the New Jersey Devils that was matched only by the Detroit Red Wings in the modern NHL era.
All of Lamoriello's quirks -- the loathing of facial hair, the ability to say nothing of consequence in interviews with the press -- all were there because of his burning drive to win. And while it became harder for Lamoriello to win in his post-Devils career with the Toronto Maple Leafs and Islanders, there was no mistaking that he was always going to double down on the talent he acquired, as well as the coaches he entrusted his players with. Whether it was Jacques Lemaire in his Devils heyday or Patrick Roy with the Isles at the moment, Lamoriello used every tool in his power in regard to coaches to gain an advantage over opponents. And that relentless focus is something Adams and the Sabres could use more of.
With Lamoriello now a free-agent of sorts, Buffalo ownership could do a lot worse than hire Lamoriello in a consultant's role. Indeed, Adams should be jumping at the chance to bring in someone with Lamoriello's pedigree, and at 82 years old, Lamoriello is probably not going to get another chance at being an NHL GM. If Adams is looking for a sounding board, Lamoriello could be an ideal hire for Buffalo. The opportunity to work with a younger group of players might be right up Lamoriello's alley, and we'd be shocked if no team hired Lamoriello to serve in one role or another.
But even if Lamoriello is hired by another team, the approach he's always taken -- with a willingness to do whatever he can to win hockey games -- should be matched by Adams and the Sabres. Some have called Lamoriello derogatory names for his style of management and the trap-happy style of his teams on the ice, but you can't take away the results that style has generated.
Kraken's Dismissal Of Coach Bylsma Is Another Reason Sabres Should Be Firing Bench Boss Lindy RuffThe NHL's coaching carousel continued spinning like crazy Monday, with the Seattle Kraken firing bench boss Dan Bylsma after only one year on the job. The Kraken/Bylsma news followed the news this past weekend that the New York Rangers dismissed Peter Laviolette, and that the Anaheim Ducks are moving on from Greg Cronin after only two years.
In his generation -- and in many generations -- Lamoriello has done things entirely the way he wanted them done, and that's an approach every team should borrow. Buffalo may not be the right fit for Lamoriello as a consultant, but you'd better believe his everyday approach to building a a winner is something that could help deliver better days to the Sabres. He's been in NHL circles for approaching four decades, and he's a Hall-of-Famer for good reason. And Buffalo could benefit from his unmatched experience.
Lamoriello's aura has always made him feel like the Frank Sinatra of the NHL -- and now that his era is very likely at an end, NHL GMs should be emulating him by doing things their way. The Sabres need to be relentlessly focused on winning, and that could start by bringing Lamoriello aboard. But if it doesn't, Buffalo's approach should still be as determined as Lamoriello was from Day One of his career until his final day. Lamoriello is a kingpin in his own right, and adopting his approach might be a very wise idea for the Sabres.
