Before puck drop against the San Jose Sharks, New York Islanders general manager Lou Lamoriello spoke about his decisions at the 2025 NHL Trade Deadline, the future, and his injured players. 

Here were the key takeaways:

"First of all, the word rebuild, that's something that's brand new over the last several years," Lamoriello said.  "And if the definition of rebuild is completely break down and go forward, that's a good 10 years. So what you try and do, and I use a different word, is, maybe retool, not that that's a good word, but we try and go in such a way that you don't lose the competitiveness and the opportunity to win today, but get it towards the best possible, you can. But as far as depleting something that's not something that works."

Lamoriello on Brock Nelson leaving:  "We would have liked to have kept Brock. I won't apologize for that. You have a center iceman like that, and just can't lose a player like that. It's hard to replace. But we made an offer that we felt was fair and for the length of terms that we felt was good for him and what he can bring to the team, and it wasn't enough. And so that's when you make that decision that's best for the organization, now see what can and can't be done. And we had somewhat of an indication, and we had to get back a top prospect."

Lamoriello on Kyle Palmieri: "We're talking to Kyle. We'd like to keep Kyle, but once again, under our terms, similar to a Brock, because a player like that, with the young players that will be infused in this lineup, you still have to have players that can play, and he brings a certain element. But it might not happen. We'll see."

Lamoriello on Calum Ritchie plan: "He's a top prospect, and I feel very fortunate for the organization, that we were able to get the quality player who plays that position, and is able to basically come right into the lineup (next season) [...] We'll have him practice (after his final junior season), hopefully he goes through the whole Memorial cup run, and so he's playing as long as he can. But we will not burn the year on him. He will not play, and won't be able to play in the American League as well. So development camp, and then, yes, training camp."

Lamoriello on not making more changes: "If we could have gotten younger and better, other than draft picks, we would have done it without question. But we felt that where a few of our players are -- when I say a few, several players -- that we could have made moves with, they would be better done at a different time, where what we need to sort of infuse in the lineup, those players would be available. That's a decision we made. And along the way, we tried also to look at this season with four points out, not to give up in any way whatsoever on the guys in that room without hurting what the mission was to go into the trade deadline, and it ended up the way it was. But I can assure you that if there were other players, and not of the caliber that we got, but close to that, there would have been a lot more moves."

"There will be change this summer. Until there's change, you can't say how much, but I can assure you there'll be change."

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