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Grading Islanders’ stunning decision to ditch Patrick Roy for Peter DeBoer before playoffs
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- Grading Islanders’ stunning decision to ditch Patrick Roy for Peter DeBoer before playoffs
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The New York Islanders made the stunning decision on Sunday to fire Patrick Roy and hire Peter DeBoer . According to reports, DeBoer's contract runs through the end of the 2030 season, so this is a long-term decision for New York. Roy coached 197 regular-season games in New York, but a recent collapse cost him his job. Did the Islanders make the right decision? Or is this a panic move that will cost them valuable years of Matthew Schaefer 's career?
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The Islanders fired general manager Lou Lamoriello after a disastrous 2024-25 season and hired Mathieu Darche. They won the Draft Lottery, selecting Schaefer, but still had low expectations coming into the season. Early on, they blew expectations out of the water and were closing in on a playoff spot until recently. They have lost four consecutive games for the first time all season, putting their playoff spot in jeopardy.
This is a sensible move for the rest of this season. Roy's message had grown stale, evidenced by a timeout in a recent game against the Philadelphia Flyers , where he was screaming at the team only for the Islanders to immediately take a penalty.
The Islanders have changed course in the midst of this season, moving from a retooling squad to a team pushing for a championship. They traded a first-round pick for Brayden Schenn and made other moves for veterans in the trade market. Darche wants this team to make a deep playoff run this year, but will also go into next year with bigger expectations.
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Darche did not hire Roy and had no previous relationship with him before taking the Islanders' job. That makes it less stunning that Roy was fired on Sunday, but the urgency of these final four games makes it a shock.
Why did the Islander fire Patrick Roy now
James Guillory-Imagn Images
The grade for the Islanders' move starts pretty high because something had to change. They were handing a playoff spot away, even though the Columbus Blue Jackets and the Flyers haven't been interested in grabbing it. With the trade deadline gone, there was only one thing Darche could do to truly shake up the locker room.
Where the Islanders start to lose points with the professor is the long-term commitment to DeBoer. According to Stefen Rosner of The Hockey News, Roy had two years left on his deal. So, unless he gets another NHL head coaching job, New York is on the hook for his salary, and DeBoer's salary will not be cheap. Things had to change, but the expensive coaching change can't stop roster movement this offseason.
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The Islanders have a franchise cornerstone in Matthew Schaefer under team control for seven seasons. One of them is about to end, and it should end with his first Stanley Cup Playoffs experience. If DeBoer, who worked with Miro Heiskanen in Dallas , can make Schaefer an even better defender, this will be a slam-dunk move.
Many opinions about DeBoer will be crafted over the final four games of the season. The Islanders are back in action on Thursday against the Toronto Maple Leafs in a must-win game against a bottom-dweller. Then they finish the season with the Ottawa Senators , Montreal Canadiens , and Carolina Hurricanes , all at home. If DeBoer can steady the ship and get them in the playoffs, it will be seen as a good move.
But the Islanders have a bright future, and DeBoer must be the right coach for that future for this to be an A+ move. For now, this is B-for the Islanders. It had to happen, but it is a risky move at a pivotal time for the franchise.
Related: Islanders rumors: Defensive concerns around Ilya Sorokin led to Patrick Roy firing
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