Are the Nashville Predators Barry Trotz’s Kryptonite?
Despite the Islanders heading to Nashville Saturday with a four-game point streak and a two-game shutout streak, the Predators have dominated the Islanders in the Barry Trotz era. Not, only have the Predators dominated the Islanders, but also the Washington Capitals when Trotz was the head coach in there. Are the Nashville Predators Barry Trotz’s kryptonite?
Before Barry Trotz was the bench boss of the Washington Capitals and a Stanley Cup champion, he was the first head coach in the history of the Nashville Predators franchise. Trotz was the coach of the Predators for 15 seasons, racking up over 500 wins and taking the team to seven playoff appearances. Trotz ranks third all-time in NHL history in both games coached (1,196) and wins (557) with a single franchise.
But Trotz failed to ever make it past the second round of the playoffs in Nashville. He had much more success with the Washington Capitals. Trotz took the team to four playoff appearances in four years, three division titles, and most importantly, a Stanley Cup Championship. Even three straight playoff appearances and two trips to the Stanley Cup Semifinals in three years with the Islanders is more impressive than his accolades in Nashville.
Still, Trotz’s time in Nashville is definitely considered a success, despite the lack of playoff wins. He turned a brand new NHL franchise into one of the premier teams in the Western Conference and the NHL. Trotz was a key figure in building a hockey market in Nashville of all places.
However, Trotz has struggled mightily against the Nashville Predators as the Islanders’ bench boss.
In Trotz’s four games against the Predators, the team has given up 22 goals and has only scored eight. In 2018-19, when the Islanders faced off against the Predators, the team lost 4-3 at home and 5-2 at home.
Moreover, during the 2019-20 season, the Islanders were utterly dismantled by the Predators on both occasions. The Islanders lost to the Predators 8-3 at home and then 5-0 on the road. The Islanders did not face off against the Predators during the 2020-21 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Trotz did not have much success against the Predators either when he was head coach of the Washington Capitals. During his four seasons with the Capitals and eight matchups against the Predators, Trotz was 2-5-1. Trotz’s goals for and goals against statistics were poor, giving up 34 goals and only scoring 19.
Trotz’s struggles against his former team may not make sense, considering Trotz has not struggled against the Capitals as the Islanders’ head coach, but they are very much, in fact, real. Barry Trotz’s overall career record of 2-7-1 against the Nashville Predators highlights that his former team may have figured out his tricks. Nonetheless, when the Islanders head to Nashville this Saturday, they will look to pick up two points and continue their recent point streak.
Ethan is an Economics Major at the University of Florida looking to pursue a double major in Sports Management with a minor in political science.
