What hiring this ‘brass balls’ GM could signal for Islanders

Here’s something interesting about the three candidates who appear to be front-runners to replace Lou Lamoriello as general manager and/or president of hockey operations for the Islanders.

Out of Jarmo Kekalainen, Marc Bergevin and Mathieu Darche, only one man has extensive experience doing the sort of rebuild that must be on the table for the Islanders in a post-Lamoriello world.

That would be Kekalainen.

The Finn, who spent more than a decade as general manager of the Blue Jackets, piloted the franchise through the best era of results in its history: four straight postseasons, including a 2019 first-round upset of the Lightning. What he did not do was hang onto a first-round core in the name of ticket sales or catching lightning in a bottle.