New York Islanders hire Barry Trotz as head coach
Hiring Barry Trotz as their head coach should help the New York Islanders finally take some steps forward
The New York Islanders are facing perhaps their most critical offseason in franchise history. While they will soon have a permanent home at Belmont, the Isles must keep fans engaged and excited. Hiring Lou Lamoriello certainly helped that cause. So did removing Garth Snow from his role as general manager. Hiring Barry Trotz as their head coach is a significant step forward.
The Islanders haven’t had a respectable head coach since Al Arbour. In fact, the Isles, if you take away the legendary head coach (who spent 19 seasons behind the bench), they’ve had 15 coaches in 28 years.
More from New York Islanders
- Looking back at the Blackhawks’ trades involving Andrew Ladd
- 3 players the New York Islanders should still sign for 2023-24
- The 2024 NHL Stadium Series will make history this upcoming season
- The New York Islanders made the right move extending Ilya Sorokin
- The winners and losers from day one of the 2023 NHL Draft
Trotz is one of the best coaches in the league. Wherever he has gone, he has provided structure. Something the Islanders have lacked lately. He turned the Capitals around in one season, taking them to the postseason in each of his four seasons in Washington. This season, Trotz led the Caps to their first Stanley Cup. The Islanders are expecting a similar turnaround.
Trotz faces some difficult challenges with the Isles. How will he improve a defense that allowed the most goals in the NHL last season? At least the Washington Capitals had Braden Holtby when Trotz arrived.
The Islanders currently only have Thomas Greiss, who is coming off a disastrous season. Their blueline is in bad shape, as Nick Leddy is their best defenseman. It’s certainly a step back from the 2014-15 Capitals, who had Matt Niskanen, Karl Alzner, John Carlson, Brooks Orpik, and Mike Green.
It’ll be up to Trotz and President of Hockey Operations Lou Lamoriello to address their defensive concerns. Of course, signing captain John Tavares remains their top priority. But that should be easier now with Trotz around.
Next: Ranking Each NHL Team's All-Time Starting Lineup
Admittedly, signing him to a five-year deal is extremely risky. It’s worth noting the Capitals were reportedly one loss away from firing Trotz back in November in 2017. But the Islanders decided to take that risk. Win or lose, the Isles had to make sure to nail their coaching hire. Trotz should prove to be a good coach for them, but they still have a lot of improvements to make before they’re contenders again.