Possible Destinations for Barry Trotz as Head Coach
The New York Islanders fired head coach Barry Trotz Monday, May 9 after he coached the team for four seasons. In two of those seasons, the Islanders were a game or two away from reaching the Stanley Cup.
Lou Lamoriello decided a new voice was needed after a disappointing season where the Islanders missed the playoffs entirely. Lane Lambert slid into the vacant role a week later on Monday, May 16. Prior to his promotion, Lambert had been an assistant on Trotz’s staff since 2011, coaching the Nashville Predators, Washington Capitals and Islanders with his old boss.
Many other teams have head coaching vacancies or coaches with uncertain futures. Therefore, one of the teams below could make Trotz their new head coach.
Winnipeg Jets
After the firing of Trotz, the Jets’ interest was immediately palpable. Paul Maurice resigned last season and was replaced with interim coach Dave Lowry, who failed to get the team back into playoff position. The Jets will definitely be looking for an established coach with proven success. Trotz fits this bill and more.
He also was born in Winnipeg and grew up in the province of Manitoba. His childhood street in Dauphin, Manitoba was nicknamed “Barry Trotz Way.”
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So it’s safe to say the area has a ton of respect for him. In fact, Trotz has already been in contact with the team and could become their next coach very soon. The only negative with the Jets hiring Trotz is that the team’s offense has been much stronger than their defense over the last few years. So, there is a bit of a concern that Trotz’s defensive style may not work the best with the Jets’ roster.
Hearing Winnipeg is interviewing Barry Trotz for its coaching position today.
— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) May 17, 2022
Philadelphia Flyers
After eight years between the Capitals and Islanders, Trotz is no stranger to the Metropolitan Division. The Flyers fired Alain Vigneault last season, replacing him with interim coach Mike Yeo. Yeo has about six years of NHL head coach experience between the Minnesota Wild and St. Louis Blues. Still, the Flyers shut down any chance of him being their head coach long-term, letting him go once the season ended.
In one of the most memorable series of his tenure as the Islanders’ head coach, Trotz defeated the Flyers in Game 7 of the second round in 2020. Trotz has played the Flyers a lot since joining the Islanders in 2018, and just about every contest with them has been a close one. If the Flyers choose to keep their veteran core around, Trotz could be very successful in Philadelphia.
Vegas Golden Knights
The Golden Knights missed the playoffs for the first time in franchise history this year. They played in the 2018 Stanley Cup, but ended up losing that series to Trotz’s Capitals. The Golden Knights fired Gerard Gallant in January 2020 and Peter DeBoer finished the season. They relieved him of his duties, however, after missing the playoffs in his first full season as head coach.
The Golden Knights are far from a rebuilding team. Trotz could be a good fit because of his success in the past and his style shows some similarities to that of the Golden Knights. With full seasons from stars like Mark Stone, Max Pacioretty and Jack Eichel, the Golden Knights could return to being one of the NHL’s most dangerous contenders with Trotz behind the bench.
Die-Hard Islanders fan and writer from Plainview, Long Island, NY. I have a passion and knowledge for this team and I enjoy sharing that with others
