The New York Islanders have still not made GM Lou Lamoriello or head coach Lane Lambert available to the media, now eight days after being eliminated. There's only so many ways this hold-up can go.

It's now been eight days since the New York Islanders were eliminated from the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs, and there's been nothing out of the voice boxes of general manager and team president Lou Lamoriello or head coach Lane Lambert. 

It is believed that Lamoriello needs a new contract while Lambert's job hangs in the balance of the former. 

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There's only so many ways the New York Islanders' hold-up can go. Here's what we think is most likely to happen. 

Lamoriello & Lambert Return

Although not getting past the first round, Lou Lamoriello and Lane Lambert could both be back, as the Islanders made the playoffs after missing a season ago. 

In Lamoriello's case, judging by just what was done this past year, his moves to acquire Bo Horvat and Pierre Engvall when the Islanders needed extra boosts paid off in getting New York back into the postseason after missing in 2021-22. 

While that shouldn't make the season a success, with a first-round series win more than possible against a beat-up Carolina Hurricanes team, UBS Arena got three playoff games, something that for sure makes Islanders ownership, Scott Malkin, and Jon Ledecky, happy campers.

If Lamoriello is back, this upcoming season will be his sixth season as president and GM of the Islanders, with his squad finding a way into the playoffs in five of those six years.

The way Lamoriello has built the Islanders worked under Barry Trotz, but times have changed, and this group has shown that, over an 82-game season, that style is rather hard to keep up. 

The thought process of promoting Lambert and letting Trotz go was to see more offense from this group. 

In Trotz's final year, the Islanders averaged 2.79 goals per game, allowing 2.82. 

Lambert's Islanders averaged 2.95 goals per game while allowing 2.65 with significant help from Ilya Sorokin and Semyon Varlamov. 

Although Lambert had his rookie mistakes, he did find a way to rally the troops after a horrific January and, through countless injuries to key players, got the Islanders into the playoffs. 

He also sat veteran Josh Bailey when the leash for veterans was a bit too long in previous years.

If Lambert is back, though, one should expect a short leash. 

Lamoriello Returns, Lambert Does Not

When he hired Lambert, one would think that Lamoriello knew there would be rookie mistakes this season. 

Yes, Lambert had been Trotz's mentee from 2011-2021, but we saw Lambert unwilling to make specific changes in the regular season and the playoffs, most notably to the power play. 

There were countless times this season when the Islanders did not seem prepared for key contests, whether the matchup was an elite team or a bottom feeder. 

Lambert's job security might have been safer if he had not known this group for five years, as that first season could have been a "get to know you" opportunity. 

But because this group is not new to Lambert, his inability to get the most out of a group that's style is a bit outdated -- even with the injuries -- may show Lamoriello that Lambert is not the right fit for a team in win-now mode. 

If the Islanders believe they are in win-now mode, then getting a win-now coach, rather than a significant question mark or a rookie head coach, is likely the move.

Gerrard Galant and the New York Rangers just mutually parted ways.

Former Detroit Red Wings head coach and current Tampa Bay Lightning assistant coach Jeff Blashill has the experience.

Darryl Sutter, Brad Larsen, Dallas Eakins, and former Islanders head coach Peter Laviolette are also names available on the coaching wire.

Laviolette could very well end up coaching the Rangers. 

Lamoriello & Lambert Both Out

Although the Islanders did make the playoffs, this group underachieved during the regular season, and one could argue they did as well in the postseason. 

Lamoriello's tenure has had some success, most notably the back-to-back semi-final runs in 2020 and 2021. Still, in both years, the lacking of an elite finisher disallowed the Islanders from reaching a Stanley Cup Final.

That elite sniper has still yet to be brought in, a necessary piece for any Stanley Cup contender. 

This season, Brock Nelson served as their elite finisher -- as he did in 2021-22 --  with 36 goals, scoring twice in six postseason games. 

Horvat struggled to be a big-time offensive player in the second half of the regular season and the postseason, which didn't help Lamoriello's case. 

There's no question Lamoriello altered the franchise for the better when he took the job, but ownership may look at the past few seasons and think that it's time to go in a new direction. 

Usually, if a new GM is brought in, they will want to hire their own head coach, so Lambert would likely be out if this were the case. 

Brad Treliving and the Calgary Flames parted ways, so he's a potential fit on Long Island. 

A few assistant GMs, such as Seattle Kraken assistant GM Jason Botterill, Tampa Bay Lightning's assistant Mathieu Darche, and Toronto Maple Leafs assistant Laurence Gillman, will likely get interviews for GM positions. 

Lamoriello Returns as President, New GM Comes in

Like we saw with the Colorado Avalanche last summer, could we see Lamoriello stay president of hockey operations but appoint someone as GM?

This option is a the bottom because Lamoriello coming back as president would mean he is pulling the strings. However, if Lamoriello says he will only continue for a couple more years, it does make sense for ownership and Lamoriello to bring someone in and train them for the job. 

Not every name listed above is going to land a GM position. 

The Islanders acting assistant GM Steve Pellegrini, who joined the Islanders when Lamoriello did, previously served as Vice President of Hockey Operations for the New Jersey Devils from 2006-2018.

Lamoriello isn't likely to go this route unless he's in charge of hiring that GM, which likely doesn't make sense for ownership if they are trying to change course.