EAST MEADOW, N.Y. — It was typically quiet around the Islanders in the days and hours leading up to the trade deadline, because that’s the way Lou Lamoriello works.



The surprise was when it was still quiet as Lamoriello addressed reporters here barely 20 minutes after the 3 p.m. deadline and his Islanders were the same team they had been before 3 p.m. Armed with a ton of cap space and a willingness to trade his first-round pick in June, Lamoriello came away empty-handed. But with his team still in first place in the Metro Division and almost certainly headed to the playoffs after losing John Tavares for nothing on July 1, Monday’s decision to stand pat somehow didn’t seem so disappointing.



“We weren’t going to sacrifice our plan here,” Lamoriello said. “You don’t do something just for the sake of doing it. We’re pleased with where we are … We’re in a foundation situation in trying to get...