Last season, the New York Islanders proved just how much of a difference an offseason can make by launching themselves to a fifth-place finish in 2018-19.

The offseason started out with an impressive rebuild off the ice. In late May, the Islanders announced the hiring of Lou Lamoriello as the new president of hockey operations, and he shortly thereafter fired general manager Garth Snow, naming himself to the position he held for the previous 30 years between the New Jersey Devils and Toronto Maple Leafs.

Lamoriello replaced head coach Doug Weight with Barry Trotz, whose already impressive résumé was just updated with a Stanley Cup title with the Washington Capitals. Suddenly, the franchise that had just three playoff berths over the previous 13 seasons had a proven winning culture making decisions.

The future got brighter when the Islanders drafted standout USNDT forward Oliver Wahlstrom at No. 11 and fourth-ranked defenseman Noah Dobson at No. 12 at the 2018 draft.

But the biggest box on Lamoriello’s to-do list would ultimately go unchecked as captain and franchise center John Tavares opted to sign with the Maple Leafs in free agency, sending a dark cloud over Long Island.

It was the most notable loss for a fan base that had already watched its former GM allow players—including Frans Nielsen, Kyle Okposo, Matt Moulson, Matt Martin, and Andrew MacDonald—to sign with other teams throughout the years.

Yet, 76-year-old Lamoriello, who had seen it all in 30 years, wasn’t going to allow the loss of a single player to ruin the team, and his experience proved valuable in the challenge of replacing Tavares.

Lamoriello didn’t go out and sign the next best guy, or the guy after that, or the guy after that; in fact, he didn’t make a splash in free agency at all. Instead, he brought in a few veterans, including Valtteri Filppula and Leo Komarov. It’s the third veteran that would show the upside of an opportunity and a feel-good story of a second chance.

That veteran was goaltender Robin Lehner, whose polarizing play with the Buffalo Sabres saw him go unqualified, which allowed the then-26-year-old to enter unrestricted free agency. Lehner fielded some interest from teams, but his transparency with a recent treatment for alcoholism and diagnosis of bipolar disorder scared most suitors off, but not Lamoriello. 

Islanders goalie Robin Lehner opens up about his addiction and bipolar diagnosis: 'I could not stand being alone in my brain' https://t.co/5ixx2q3K9A

— The Athletic NHL (@TheAthleticNHL) September 13, 2018

Instead, he signed Lehner to a one-year contract reliant on the stretches of outstanding play Lehner would piece together at times over his career. The thought process was simple; a sober mind in a good place would mean a focused and more confident mind.

And that’s just what happened. Lehner was a tandem with Thomas Greiss, as the two combined for the fewest goals against with just 196, earning the William M. Jennings Trophy.

They carried the team to a 48-27-7 record on the heels of a .925 SV%, 2.33 GAA, and 11 shutouts. Lehner, who went 25-13-5 personally with a .930 SV%, 2.13 GAA, and six shutouts was nominated for the Vezina Trophy as the league’s top goaltender.

On July 1, Lehner will be an unrestricted free agent once again and this time the interest will be exorbitant. With Lamoriello’s recent re-signings of top-six forwards Brock Nelson and Jordan Eberle, you can bet he’s aiming for Lehner and captain Anders Lee to be next. 

While Trotz certainly deserves credit, Lehner played a significant part in the Islanders’ ability to go from 31st to first in goals against in just one season and commit to team defense.

Lamoriello’s gamble paid off and rededicating the crease to Lehner will go a long way in the Islanders continuing the momentum they built in 2018-19.

But Lee should be just as high of a priority. The 27-year-old is on track to become an unrestricted free agent and with 102 goals and 165 points over the past three seasons, the gritty power-forward is a key cog in the top-six.

Named captain ahead of the 2018-19 season, Lee made headlines by indirectly calling out former teammate Tavares by stating “loyalty” as the top quality he looks for in a teammate.

Anders Lee's response when asked the best quality in a teammate via the @nhlpa:

"Loyalty."

— Rob Taub (@RTaub_) October 10, 2018

Finances aside, leaving the team via free agency would look rather awkward for Lee at this point, given the extensions of his teammates and the promising careers of young players including Mat Barzal, Anthony Beauvillier, and Ryan Pulock, in addition to several high prospects.

Rumors of an impending extension for Lee date back to the start of the season and naming him captain says a lot about their view of him and interest in his long-term future with the club.

With approximately $22 million in cap space, Lamoriello could opt for a bigger splash this time around. The free agent market is loaded with notable players and the strong season from the Islanders could go a long way in enticing players to join a team dedicated to its players and its future.

Have a question or a comment for Jacob Messing? You can find him on Twitter @Jacob_Messing.