Islanders Fire Barry Trotz as Head Coach After Missing 2022 NHL Playoffs

Barry Trotz was fired as head coach of the New York Islanders.

The New York Islanders missed the playoffs for the first time in four years as their points percentage fell from...................

I believe that this group of players needs a new voice, and I think that the general manager is in no way negative on Barry Trotz.

There are other factors at play, but no specifics.

Kevin Maher @KMaherNews12

Lamoriello says this is a "business decision" in relation to winning and hockey.

Joe Pantorno @JoePantorno

Lamoriello: "This decision wasn't just primarily made on just this season." #Isles

The move is puzzling without more context.

After winning the Stanley Cup with the Washington Capitals, Trotz took the helm of the franchise and immediately made an impact.

The Islanders reached the Eastern Conference Finals in his second season, but lost to the eventual champion, the Lightning. The next year, they were in the semifinals again, and again, the Lightning were the better team.

Mike J. Asti @MikeAsti11

It seems like only yesterday Trotz, a Stanley Cup winning coach, was leading the Islanders on a franchise resurrection and a Conference Finals appearance. That was also only two years ago, literally speaking. https://t.co/E8ubRWMsKY

The team was ranked seventh in the league as training camp began.

The Islanders had to deal with a 13 game road trip to start the year and an outbreak of Covid-19. It would be unfair to place all the blame on Trotz.

John Chandler @JohnChandlerNBC

The Islanders reached the doorstep of the Stanley Cup Final under Barry Trotz, but fell flat this year when a Cup was the expectation. The 13-game road trip, Covid outbreaks, not enough scoring - a lot of factors. https://t.co/sdnEEH5WcW

The 59-year-old will be in high demand now that he is on the open market.

Michael Baumann @MichaelBaumann

Barry Trotz if you come coach the Flyers I will personally take you house shopping in Voorhees

Vinnie Parise @VinnieParise

What a bunch of dumb idiots the #Isles are.

I would hire Barry Trotz RIGHT NOW if I were the #NJDevils. They would run such a great system that shuts down opponents while guys like Jack Hughes, Jesper Bratt, and Nico Hischier can still be creative offensively.

Wow.

Mark Lazerus @MarkLazerus

Barry Trotz turned the worst defensive team in the league into a top-5 defensive team in the league in his first year with the Islanders. Gotta think he rockets to the top of the Blackhawks' wish list, unless, of course, tanking next season is on the table (which it might be!).

The pressure is on in New York. He invested heavily in the current roster after firing Trotz, leaving the front office with limited flexibility.

A coaching change is a way to shake things up without making a meaningful upgrade to the squad. For many fans, that is unlikely to justify moving on from someone who delivered the success Trotz did.