Islanders announced Monday morning the dismissal of coach Barry Trotz after a disappointing season in which the team failed to make the playoffs after two consecutive years of qualifying for the conference finals.
The news came as a shock, with Trotz’s contract remaining for one year.
“Unfortunately, my role is to make the best decisions for the organization,” Islanders President and General Manager Lou Lamoreello said on a conference call. “Any kind of decision like that doesn’t happen overnight. I prefer not to go into any of the reasons [for the decision] Because that’s my job based on the information and experience I have to make these kinds of decisions.”
Lamoreello said Trotz’s contract status did not lead to him being fired. All assistant coaches remain under contract. Trotz’s record as coach for the Islanders was 152-102-34 in the regular season and 28-21 in the playoffs.
The islanders (37-35-10) had a disastrous season in 2021-22, spurred by the ill-timed COVID-19 outbreak that derailed them after a road trip that opened the season 13 games.
With an older roster and a salary cap table that sees them stick to their current core – which Trotz and players alike have consistently expressed faith in at the end of the season – general manager Lou Lamoreello thought a change was needed.
“I think this group of players needs a new voice,” Lamoreello said. “That’s not a negative for Barry Trotz. He’s a phenomenal human being. That decision wasn’t made in the first place just this season… I can’t say enough about the working relationship we’ve had and the personal relationship we have and always will be.
“These kinds of decisions are made to move forward, not to retreat. The team is now aware that a new voice is what is necessary for us to achieve success in my opinion.”
This isn’t the first surprise shooting in Lamoreello’s career, but it sets the islanders up for a massive summer, when the following moves will set an orderly tone at a crossroads.
While there are some veterans with deep playoffs among the available NHL coaches, it’s not yet clear what direction Lamorillo will take. Al Jazeera assistant Lynne Lambert has long been seen as a potential head coach in the future.
Additional reporting by Gina Limoncelli
