Islanders rent Patrick Roy as coach, hearth Lambert

Patrick Roy is returning behind the bench within the NHL.

The New York Islanders named the Corridor of Fame goaltender head coach on Saturday, firing Lane Lambert in his second season with the crew. The Islanders are on a four-game shedding streak and two factors exterior of a playoff spot within the Jap Convention.

President of hockey operations and normal supervisor Lou Lamoriello introduced the choice, however didn’t point out the size of Roy’s contract. Roy’s debut as Islanders coach — and his first recreation as an NHL coach since 2016 — may come Sunday at dwelling in opposition to the Dallas Stars.

“Patrick Roy was the one particular person I used to be involved in,” Lamoriello mentioned to reporters on a convention name Saturday.

The Islanders’ season is slipping away after a promising, if inconsistent, begin. Friday’s 4-3 time beyond regulation loss to the Chicago Blackhawks — who’ve the second-fewest factors within the league — was the final straw for Lamoriello, whose crew is 2-6-2 in its final 10 video games. Lambert’s group has been hit by accidents however the Islanders had been nonetheless capable of reel off a 12-4-4 run to place themselves in a good playoff place. The present slide has the Isles sitting sixth within the Metropolitan Division and eleventh within the East. However Lamoriello feels the season will be saved.

Roy has been pining for a return to an NHL bench since he left the Colorado Avalanche following the 2015-16 season. He was the coach and normal supervisor of the Quebec Remparts within the Quebec Main Junior Hockey League for the final 5 seasons. Roy had two teaching stints with the Remparts from 2005 to 2013 and 2018 to 2023. In the course of the 2022-23 season, Roy coached the Remparts to the membership’s third Memorial Cup title. He stepped down as coach and GM of the Remparts after profitable the Memorial Cup.

Roy coached the Avalanche from 2013 to 2016. Throughout his tenure, he posted a 130-92-24 report, making the playoffs as soon as (2013-14). Roy stepped down on Aug. 11, 2016, earlier than being changed by present Avalanche coach Jared Bednar.

Lamoriello doesn’t have a deep roster of former gamers and associates to drag from when searching for a coach, and he famously stepped exterior his consolation zone to rent Barry Trotz for the Islanders in 2018. Now, with Roy, he’s discovered one other legend not from the Lamoriello inside circle to hopefully give this crew a wanted jolt.

As a participant, Roy is likely one of the biggest goalies in NHL historical past. He performed 11 seasons with the Montreal Canadiens and eight with the Avalanche, profitable two Stanley Cups with every franchise. He’s the one participant in NHL historical past to win the Conn Smythe Trophy thrice.

In 1,029 video games performed, Roy went 551-315-131 with a 2.54 objectives in opposition to common and a .910 save share. He was an 11-time All-Star and three-time Vezina Trophy winner.

Lambert, 59, succeeded Trotz because the Islanders’ coach on Might 16, 2022. His report with the Islanders over 127 video games was 61-46-20.

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(Picture: Doug Pensinger / Getty Pictures)