Isles GM Lamoriello hides 4 deals in order to execute blockbuster trade!

Lou Lamoriello has more than one trick in his bag and the experienced general manager is expected to surprised many across the National Hockey League with his latest strategy. 

According to insider Frank Seravelli of Daily Face-off, Kyle Palmieri, Casey Cizikas, Zach Parise, and Travis Zajac are all believed to have handshake agreements done with the New York Islanders though GM Lamoriello has yet to make them public. 

The only deal that was announced was the signing Adam Pelech, who agreed on Friday to an eight-year contract. 

While many things can be questioned about Lamoriello’s ways, there is a clear explanation to this strategy, according to Seravalli. Lamoriello is reportedly working on a bigger trade for a large amount of salary cap and he doesn’t want teams — possibly the team he’s negotiating with — knowing how much room he has to work with. 

Some believed this rumoured pending trade could be with the Blues about Vladimir Tarasenko. The veteran forward has demanded a trade out of St. Louis and has been waiting to be moved for a while now. He has two years left on his current contract, which carries a cap hit of $7.5 million. Lamoriello could be waiting to announce his secret deals because of a big chunk of salary retention going on in that trade and don’t want the Blues to know how little they need to absorb in a move. 

It’s been a tough go for Tarasenko. Since he hoisted the Stanley Cup on Boston ice in 2019, injuries have seen Tarasenko suit up for just 34 of a possible 127 games. 

However, Lamoriello would be the type of GM to be willing to take a gamble on Tarasenko - as we can see by his unusual ways of making business. 

Let’s see where this goes.