from Andrew Gross of Newsday,

So, will the offseason ultimately be judged a good or bad one?

Does importing Lamoriello, who won three Stanley Cups with the Devils, from the Maple Leafs and Cup-winning coach Barry Trotz from the Capitals outweigh John Tavares’ messy departure to Toronto?

Did Lamoriello overreact to Tavares’ joining his hometown team by bringing in too many bottom-six forwards? Is Mathew Barzal, entering his second NHL season after winning the Calder Trophy as the NHL’s top rookie, ready to take over as a No. 1 center and face of the franchise?

Will Robin Lehner, the ex-Sabre signed as a free agent, be an adequate upgrade as a No. 1 goalie?

And what about the defense corps, which lost Calvin de Haan and long-in-the-tooth Dennis Seidenberg but has, so far, gone without any additions? After all, the Islanders did allow an NHL-worst 293 goals last season.

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