Arrr! NHL legend Patrick Roy be takin' the helm as the head coach o' the Islanders! Blimey, what a surprise!
2024-01-20
Avast ye! The scurvy New York Islanders have given Lane Lambert the heave-ho, makin' way for the great goalie Patrick Roy to lead 'em. Arrr, 'tis a tale of changin' tides in the realm of ice!
Amid a slow start to the season, the New York Islanders made a surprising move by firing head coach Lane Lambert and naming legendary goalie Patrick Roy as his replacement. The Islanders had high expectations after reaching the Eastern Conference Final in 2020 and 2021, but fell short of reaching the Stanley Cup Final both times, losing to the Tampa Bay Lightning. However, in their first season at the new UBS Arena, they missed the playoffs. Last season, they managed to make it to the playoffs but were eliminated by the Carolina Hurricanes in six games in the first round. Currently, the Islanders are the sixth seed in the Metropolitan Division, outside of the playoff picture. Injuries have plagued the team, particularly on the defensive end, with Adam Pelech and Matt Martin out. Additionally, Casey Cizikas is currently sidelined with a lower-body injury, and backup goalie Semyon Varlamaov has put pressure on Ilya Sorokin to step up. Patrick Roy, a former coach of the Colorado Avalanche, is considered one of the best goalies in NHL history. He won four Stanley Cups and holds several records. His head-coaching record stands at 130-92-24, and he was named the NHL's Coach of the Year in 2013-14. Roy had previously coached the Quebec Remparts in the QMJHL.