Thank God! It was well past time for the Islanders to make a change. After back to back Eastern Conference Finals appearances in 2020/21', the Islanders have had ups and downs since. Missing the playoffs in their first year at their new UBS Arena. Firing former head coach Barry Trotz. Squeaking into the playoffs last year. Now, having the highest of highs and lowest of lows this season, it was time to make a change.
The Islanders (19-15-11) entered Saturday two points behind the Detroit Red Wings for the final wild-card spot in what has become a crowded Eastern Conference landscape. The season has been terrible from a season ticket holder perspective, that's not me flexing I have season tickets, I honestly wished I saved the money.
The Islanders have been losing ground in the Eastern Conference playoff race for a couple of weeks now, and overtime losses were barely keeping them afloat in standings. An overtime loss to the 31st-ranked Chicago Blackhawks on Friday night was apparently enough for Lou Lamoriello to finally do what #Isles fan have been clamoring for. Oh btw, all of Chicagos best players did not play last night/on IR.
The Islanders have lost four games in a row and six of seven to fall out of a playoff spot. Lamoriello, 81, said he made the move because he still believes his team can contend and earn a spot in the Eastern Conference playoff race.
Personally, I don't see this as a long term solution for the future of the Islanders head coach. I think it is a desperation move to take the chance on someone who can get a this team to play to the level they are capable of. People forget the Islanders were 2nd in the Metro for a cup of coffee this season. They need to stop blowing two goal leads, and coming away with a point in these OT games.
The way Islanders captain, Anders Lee has been speaking in his post game interviews the last few weeks, it seemed as if the team had quit on Lambert and were packing it in.
Lets discuss Patrick Roy now. Also I like to say his last name, makes me chuckle. Spelt Roy, but pronounced "Waa". It's the little things in life that make me laugh.
Roy, a Hockey Hall of Fame goalie, coached the Colorado Avalanche for three seasons (2013-16) before resigning Aug. 11, 2016. The 58-year-old was 130-92-24 in 246 regular-season games and 3-4 in seven Stanley Cup Playoff games. In his first season as an NHL coach, Colorado tied an Avalanche/Quebec Nordiques record of 52 wins and won the Central Division with 112 points but lost the 2014 Western Conference First Round in seven games to the Minnesota Wild. Roy was voted winner of the Jack Adams Award as the NHL coach of the year that season.
Roy didn't leave on the best terms when he resigned from Colorado. He had this to say earlier today. "When I left Colorado, I thought the phone will ring faster, but it did not and understood that the way I left Colorado was probably not the best way to do things," Roy said. "But I'm proud of taking the time to go back to junior, working with those guys, learning, kind of resource myself in the game, and making sure that I stay on top of that different culture because the player of today, it's different than what it was in my times and then it changed and you have to adjust to the younger guys. So I'm very happy that I did this. And I'm very happy that I received this call."
Despite my comments earlier regarding my season tickets, I am excited to head to UBS tomorrow night to see the Patrick Roy(Waaaaaaa) era with the Islanders.
And you know ya boi gonna get a footlong dog, mustard and kraut. Pause.