Now the reality is Lou has not done everything right as General Manger of the Devils. No one is perfect. Everyone knows about the slightly less than average marketing department, YankeeNets, and oh the lack of a Plan B when Scott Niedermayer left town. However as a builder, Lou Lamoriello rates as one of the best ever when you come right down to it.
Do not discount the Devils scouting department as Lou built it from pretty much scratch in the late 1980’s. David Conte has been Lou’s right hand man as long as anyone can remember. Yet he stays loyal to Lou and New Jersey…even when offers do come in. Think of all the guys drafted in the Jersey system….in the Lamoriello era. Just some of the notables…..Brodeur, Niedermayer (Scott), Dowd, and so many others along with Zajac, Parise, and why not throw in guys like Bergfors and Greene as well.
Also do not forget that Lou made some shrewd deals in his day. The Scott Stevens case still may have singlehandedly been the GM’s best move. As everyone knows, the St. Louis Blues tried to sign Brendan Shanahan anyway they could. There was one problem…they tried just a bit too early. The price the Blues had to pay was Stevens, several draft picks and money that seemed to keep coming up until the last couple years. If a team’s fortunes ever got improved from one single move…it was this one.
Lou also brought in guys like Nieuwendyk, Richer, Claude Lemieux twice and so many others. Sure not all of his moves worked out but Lamoriello had a strange and curious way of getting things done. His moves at the deadline would not often be the most spectacular but they would generate some results. Amazing how sometimes less is more.
He even ran Team USA for a time and brought the program back some respectability. Now it is in the hands of Brian Burke (some cringe there) but Lamoriello laid down an excellent foundation for the program to prosper. If only they could ever find a goaltender like Mike Richter, they would be golden. Will it be Ryan Miller? Anything is possible but this USA team owes a lot to Lou Lamoriello.
Lamoriello even fought back against the NHL salary cap. Just when it seemed like the Devils were up against it…he fired off a trade that had NHL people screaming in anger especially when they were approved. Alex Koroyluk anyone??? It is not the first time that Lou ticked off the hockey establishment but also a reason why he earned this induction into the Hockey Hall Of Fame as a builder. He built up Providence College, the New Jersey Devils, and Team USA. Though I could never imagine him as a Commissioner of the league. He is the type of leader I would go to war with. Honest and never pulls any punches…that is Lou Lams in a nutshell.
Congratulations Lou Lamoriello on your induction tonight…you truly deserve your due!!
