Lou Lamoriello explains his reasoning behind firing Islanders head coach Barry Trotz
The 2021-22 season went nothing like the New York Islanders planned. After making it to the Stanley Cup Playoff semi-final last year, the Isles failed to qualify for the post-season this year, missing by a wide margin. Constant injuries were a big factor, while poor play from some usually dependable players also didn't help. All that said, no one expected Islanders GM Lou Lamoriello to fire head coach Barry Trotz in the offseason. However, he did just that on Monday.
In a new conference following the announcement of Trotz's firing, Lamoriello was asked why he did it. At first he told reporters he didn't want to get into specific reasons.
"It would be a tremendous understatement to say this was not an easy decision. It's my role to make the best decision for the organization going forward and I believe this group of players needs a new voice, it's in no way negative on Barry Trotz," insisted Lamoriello, who went on to heap praise on Trotz as a person.
"This decision is on the knowledge that I have, of the experiences I've had and going forward what I think and feel is best for this group to have success."
Lamoriello then said that a priority for the team is improving their defence "offensively." Trotz definitely likes to play a defensive game, something some fans feel was holding back members of the team when it came to getting goals.
Lamoriello also made sure to take full responsibility for Trotz's firing, adding he did not consult with players before making the decision.
Whatever the case, there's little question that Trotz will be back behind an NHL bench next season. He's widely considered one of the best coaches of the modern era and there are plenty of NHL teams looking for a new bench boss. Winnipeg has been mentioned plenty on social media as the city happens to be Trotz's hometown. But, there are other teams seeking a new coach and you can bet Philadelphia and Detroit will be at least kicking the tires, and I can even see teams that currently have coaches giving Trotz a call. That could include the New Jersey Devils, Vegas Golden Knights, San Jose Sharks, and others. Trotz has one Stanley Cup in his coaching career, which came with the Washington Capitals in 2018.
| POLL | ||
MAI 9 | 302 ANSWERS Lou Lamoriello explains his reasoning behind firing Islanders head coach Barry Trotz Did Lamoriello make the right move in firing Trotz | ||
| Yes, the team needed a change | 75 | 24.8 % |
| No, terrible move | 170 | 56.3 % |
| Not sure | 57 | 18.9 % |
| LIST OF POLLS | ||
| G | A | PTS | ||
| Kyle Connor | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Owen Power | - | 2 | 2 | |
| Michael Bunting | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Drew Helleson | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Peyton Krebs | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Isac Lundestrom | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Vladislav Namestnikov | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Nino Niederreiter | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Gabriel Vilardi | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Jason Zucker | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Leo Carlsson | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Nikolaj Ehlers | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Ross Johnston | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Evgeni Malkin | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Josh Morrissey | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Cole Perfetti | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Bryan Rust | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Mark Scheifele | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Alex Tuch | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Trevor Zegras | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Complete stats | ||||
| STANDINGS 2024-2025 | ||||||
TOP 10 | GP | W | L | OL | PTS | |
Jets | 19 | 16 | 3 | - | 32 | |
Wild | 19 | 13 | 3 | 3 | 29 | |
Hurricanes | 19 | 14 | 5 | - | 28 | |
Devils | 22 | 13 | 7 | 2 | 28 | |
Capitals | 19 | 13 | 5 | 1 | 27 | |
Golden Knights | 20 | 12 | 6 | 2 | 26 | |
Maple Leafs | 20 | 12 | 6 | 2 | 26 | |
Rangers | 18 | 12 | 5 | 1 | 25 | |
Panthers | 20 | 12 | 7 | 1 | 25 | |
Flames | 20 | 11 | 6 | 3 | 25 | |
| Conference | Cumulative | ||||||