Neil Smith believes that Lou Lamoriello's offseason moves do not put the Islanders in a favorable position.
Neil Smith served as general manager of the New York Rangers from 1989-2000 and won a Stanley Cup with the organization in 1994, so he knows what he is talking about when it comes to offseason moves.
The former executive was brutally honest when talking about the New York Islanders as he feels Lou Lamoriello has not put the team in a good position moving forward.
“I don’t see this team having improved at all,” Smith said. “I don’t think they’ve moved. I think they’re stuck in park to be honest with you.”
Lamoriello certainly isn’t known for his flashy offseason moves and is generally quiet come summertime.
One of his bigger splashes this offseason was signing former Rangers forward Anthony Duclair to a four-year $14 million contract.
Smith was baffled by this signing and is under the belief that Lamoriello should have done his homework on Duclair.
“Duclair was able to get Lou to give him a four-year deal, which I was stunned at because, as you said at the open of the Islanders segment here, Anthony Duclair is on his ninth team in 11 years,” Smith said. “Well, you know what, there’s something going on if every time you go to a team they don’t re-sign you, they move you on to the next team. I don’t know what it is, I don’t know the young man, but there’s something going on.”
The Islanders are coming off of a season where they finished third in the Metropolitan Division with a 39-26-16 record, but ultimately lost to the Carolina Hurricanes in the first round of the playoffs.
