New York Islanders make shocking change
The New York Islanders have missed the Stanley Cup Playoffs for just the first time in the last four seasons and the only time since Barry Trotz was hired at the start of the 2018-19 NHL season.
However, the New York Islanders have officially relieved Barry Trotz of his duties as head coach. It was announced this morning by team president and general manager Lou Lamoriello.
After a very slow start, with 13 straight road games to start the season, the Islanders finished with a record of 37-35-10. That was good for fifth in the Metropolitan Division and ninth in the Eastern Conference, as they missed the playoffs by 16 points in a stacked Eastern Conference.
The Islanders made the Conference Finals the last two seasons, losing to the eventual Stanley Cup Champion Tampa Bay Lightning both times. In six games in 2019-20 and seven games in 2021-21.
Trotz got the Islanders to the postseason the first three years he was behind the bench. That was after making the playoffs all four years he was with the Washington Capitals, ending in a Stanley Cup Championship in 2019.
Barry Trotz has an all-time coaching record of 914-670-60*-168 in 1,812 games behind an NHL bench. *60 ties from 1998 to 2004 when they were still in the NHL.* He has been the head coach of the Nashville Predators (15 seasons), Washington Capitals (4 seasons) and New York Islanders (4 seasons). He won the Jack Adams Award for being the top coach in the NHL in 2016 and 2019.As an NHL coach, he is third all-time in wins, only behind Scotty Bowman and Joel Quenneville.
Trotz has one more year left on his contract with the Islanders at $4 million for next season. Really a shocking move by Lou Lamoriello and the Islanders, who have only missed the playoffs once under Trotz but still had a winning record on the season, especially after being so close to the Stanley Cup Finals in the previous two years.
There's no doubt that Trotz deserves another coaching job in the NHL, but the question is, where's the best fit for him next season?
A rebuilding team with a vacant head coaching spot like the Detroit Red Wings or Philadelphia Flyers? The Winnipeg Jets had an underwhelming season, and reports are that they aren't planning to bring back interim coach Dave Lowry. Maybe the Vegas Golden Knights? Who were heavy Stanley Cup favourites in the off-season but failed to make it to the postseason at all.
