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I’m sitting at the same table that I was one year ago, laptop next to coffee mug, early hours of a summer morning. Except this time, as I write about Lou Lamoriello, there’s considerably less shock, awe, Eastern Conference plate tectonics and bafflement.

Growing up as a New Jersey Devils fan, imagining that Lamoriello would leave the general manager’s chair wasn’t too outrageous. We all get old. We ride off into the sunset, content that we’ve left a legacy behind, which in his case was three Stanley Cups, five conference titles, and the basic survival of the franchise through frequency of playoff appearances. Not too shabby.

What I never imagined was seeing Lamoriello step down from the Devils to become another NHL team’s general manager. Sure, he could slide into some NCAA front office or USA Hockey role. That made sense. But seeing Lamoriello running another franchise was like seeing your franchise player wearing another sweater before retirement.

So the question is, after one year as the Toronto Maple Leafs’ general manager: Is he Ray Boruque with the Avalanche, or Mike Modano with the Red Wings?

When Lamoriello was hired, I asked five vital questions about his taking over the Leafs.

Here’s how we’d answer them after his first year at the helm.

Is Lou ready to be less important than his coach?

It appears so, although it’s not like there’s been any reason for Babcock to pull a power play yet.

Mike Babcock has an eight-year contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs worth a reported $50 million. Lou Lamoriello has a 3-year deal. There’s no question who runs the yard here – it’s Brendan Shanahan – but one imagines Babcock would win any power struggle, just given the investment.

What we’ve learned is that he won’t have to. The cohesion on the managerial side of the Maple Leafs has been impressive thus far, given the three huge personalities that are working together in Babcock, Lamoriello and Shanahan. They were on the same page for the tank, and appear to be working well in player acquisitions. (Sorta … more on that in a second.)

A coach doesn’t exactly have much sway when the team sucks, but the minute the Leafs turn the corner it’s going to be cemented as Babcock’s success. Yet we’re more confident now that Lamoriello is content to be, for the first time in his career, less important than his coach.

Which must be weird, considering he used to go through coaches like most of us go through coffee filters.

Will Emperor Lamoriello be one of many voices?

Yes.

Well, maybe.

Lamoriello’s biggest impact in the last year was in bringing some of his more … “thrifty” traditions to Toronto. Like his battle with Bell and Rogers over travel costs for television and radio talent, barring them from the team charter. It was classic Lou, and true to form, he won the battle.

But he’s also worked hard to change the culture in Toronto, bringing a refreshing candor to interactions with players while closing up leaks to the media, which is a feat more impressive in Toronto than Newark.

Shanahan’s built a hell of a braintrust: Lamoriello, Babcock, young GM-in-waiting and minor league architect Kyle Dubas, director of player personnel Mark Hunter and cap guru Brandon Pridham. Lamoriello, as the general manager, is at the top of the food chain, but it’s clear there are many voices invited into influencing the team’s decisions.

Which is why is was curious to see some of the moves the Leafs made in this offseason. Which brings us to …

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