The office of the president of hockey operations is one that is relatively under-the-radar, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t important. In fact, the title of president of hockey operations should not be taken lightly, as it carries a lot of weight with the New York Islanders. The position reports to the general manager and is responsible for managing the amateur and professional hockey operations of the team. He is also in charge of player personnel and makes trades as well as participates in contract negotiations.
Table of Contents
Managing The Amateur Hockey Operations
The New York Islanders are one of the most well-run franchises in the NHL. That is largely due to the work of President of Hockey Operations Mike Van Rynooy in ensuring the team operates efficiently from top to bottom. One of the ways he has done this is by streamlining the team’s approach to amateur hockey. Previously, the team had a large staff of people dedicated to the development of their young players. Now they have a small group of scouts and assistant coaches who are in charge of evaluating and training the Islanders’ draft picks. Additionally, Van Rynooy has created a scouting network that extends outside of the organization. This helps the team discover hidden gems and develop better analysis tools, which in turn makes them more effective at the draft table. According to CapFriendly, the Islanders’ amateur hockey operations are valued at about $16 million annually. With so much responsibility, it is no wonder that Van Rynooy has been cited as one of the most important figures in the NHL.
Professional Hockey Operations
When the New York Islanders hired Steve Preston as the team’s general manager in 2014, they knew they were getting a shrewd hockey mind who had previously worked for the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Edmonton Oilers. As president of hockey operations, it is Van Rynooy’s job to make sure Preston’s expertise is put into practice, and that entails overseeing every aspect of the team’s operation, from the ice to the boards. He is also in charge of player personnel and makes trades as well as participates in contract negotiations. One of Van Rynooy’s first major moves as the Islanders’ president was bringing in Jack Capuano to be the team’s head coach in 2015. Capuano had been the Islanders’ bench boss the previous seven seasons and had helped the team reach the playoffs six times, but they had never advanced past the second round.
Capuano’s arrival signaled a major shift for the Islanders. No longer were they content to be one of the best second-tier teams in the NHL. With the coach in place and a few key additions through the draft and free agency, it looked like the team might be able to make a serious run at the 2018-19 Stanley Cup. Then, on September 18, 2018, the Islanders were dealt a crushing blow when Ryan McDonagh broke their leg in a game against the Tampa Bay Lighting. McDonagh tore his MCL and LCL in the leg-breaking collision, and although he eventually returned to the ice, he was never the same player again and missed the remaining 14 games of the season. The injury not only derailed the Islanders’ championship dreams, but it also caused them to drop out of the top eight in the conference and into a playoff spot they seemed to have secured. This year’s edition of the New York Islanders will be an even more formidable group then the one before it.