New York Islanders General Manager Lou Lamoriello

Deb Placey welcomes in New York Islanders President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Lou Lamoriello. Lou reminisces about his early days in hockey while working as a stick boy with the Providence Reds and how his relationship with Johnny Bower began (5:12). He recalls his time playing and managing in the Cape Cod Baseball League (9:53), when he took over the Providence College men’s hockey program (16:17), and his time as the school’s Athletic Director. He shares who his first choice was for the Providence men’s basketball head coaching position (17:15) and why he ultimately ended up hiring Rick Pitino (18:05). Lou fondly remembers when he was recruited to run the New Jersey Devils (19:35) and how that led to him working with George Steinbrenner (20:55). He details the time he was almost an extra on The Sopranos (27:34), his motivation for spearheading the formation of the Hockey East Conference, how he struck the first television deal for NCAA hockey (39:11) and why he supported the drafting of Soviet players to the NHL (42:10).