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Anders Lee knows that this is a business, that general managers are hired to be fired and every other cliché you can throw at the situation.
Still, Lou Lamoriello’s omnipresence around the Islanders over the past seven years made it seem at times like he would leave only on his own terms.
And watching a general manager who built and repeatedly stood by the current Islanders core leave wasn’t easy for the captain.
“It was tough. [We’ve] been through a lot together,” Lee told The Post on Tuesday at BTIG’s Charity Day, where he was promoting his Jam Kancer in the Kan Foundation along with the Islanders Children’s Foundation. “Worked with one another alongside, working towards a common goal. We’ve been through a lot. Anytime you have that relationship with someone where not only is there a working relationship, but there’s a relationship where people care about each other, it’s never easy.
“Unfortunately it’s a part of our business and how things work. We’ll have to continue to look forward here and move forward.”
Lamoriello led the Islanders to two consecutive conference finals in 2020 and 2021, but the team has failed to win a playoff series since then.
Their failure to make the playoffs this season was the final straw for ownership, which announced a month ago it would not renew the 82-year-old’s contract as president of hockey operations and general manager.
It’s not yet clear whether Lamoriello will stay on in an advisory role once a replacement is hired.
“In so many ways, Lou was everyone’s best mentor,” Lee said. “And was able to tell you honestly where and how he felt about the game individually, where he felt the team was. His guidance for me personally as a captain and the position I had as a player on this team go unmatched. So grateful for everything he’s done for me and my family personally.
“Lou is one that could always tell you honestly, maybe not always what you wanted to hear, but what was gonna make you a better person and a better player. He played that role for everyone that came through our building during his tenure. I think all of us are just extremely grateful for who he was and the character that he has taking us through all those times.”
St. John’s coach Rick Pitino, who was hired by Lamoriello at Providence College in 1985 and has maintained a close relationship with him since, echoed the sentiment.
“He leads with tremendous honesty,” Pitino told The Post. “He cares about professional athletes who play in his organization as if they’re part of his family and that’s unheard of in professional sports today.”
The Islanders have yet to make a hire, but reports indicated Monday night that Marc Bergevin and Mathieu Darche had both received second interviews for the position.
Whoever gets the role will jump headfirst into the scouting combine, which begins June 1, with the Islanders holding the No. 1 pick after a shock lottery win.
“That was a pretty fun 20 minutes there, seeing the balls come out and all that stuff. Have a little spark for us as a team,” Lee said. “I think it’s very exciting. There’s some great options out there. Someone that’s gonna make a great impact for our club.”
Defenseman Matthew Schaefer is widely rated as the top prospect in this class, with centers Michael Misa and James Hagens — a Long Island native — also possibilities to go first overall.
“These guys [the scouting staff] know what they’re doing up top. They’ll make a great choice for our team,” Lee said. “From my understanding there’s some great options out there. Someone that’s gonna make a great impact for our club.”
The Islanders said in a statement that Bo Horvat sustained a lower-body injury at World Championships for Team Canada, and will see team doctors on Long Island.
Horvat will miss the remainder of World Championships, as Hockey Canada announced that Porter Martone, a projected top five pick in the draft, will replace him on the roster.
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