Lamoriello: Snow, Weight removed because Islanders need ‘culture change’

A few hours after the New York Islanders announced that general manager Garth Snow and head coach Doug Weight had been relieved of those duties — though to remain with the club — Lou Lamoriello told reporters via conference call that the moves were done because a “culture change” was needed.

However, no other changes were announced. That includes the staff preparing for this month’s NHL entry draft in Dallas, and also, at least for now, the rest of the coaching staff.

All of this is, of course, subject to change. It’s best to remember, always, that any news from Lamoriello comes only when he feels it needs to be decided or announced. He needed to signal decisive change at the top, and that’s what he’s done today.

Lamoriello said he reached out to Snow and Weight to let them know. But surely decisions on other coaching staff members are to come, even if that means retaining some of them.

What this does, however, is signal to current players and potential signings that not only is a new sheriff in town, but he’s done away with the other primary decision-makers of the past.

To be honest, Snow and Weight are probably still with the franchise in some capacity because they have been long-serving soldiers who are still under contract. So might as well make use of them and/or not create a severance agreement that risks paying them after they land a new gig with another team, however unlikely that might be.

Lamoriello also said, as you no doubt expected if asked, that the decisions were in now way affected by the prospects of being able to re-sign team captain and unrestricted free agent John Tavares.

So, now on the agenda:

• Find and hire a coach. And his staff.
• Conduct the draft.
• Get John Tavares (and Ilya Kovalchuk?) to sign.
• (Oh, and fined roles for the newly fired.)

Profit?