And fans are left scratching their heads.
Before Barry Trotz was hired prior to the 2018-19 season, the New York Islanders hadn’t been to the conference finals in 25 years. In four years as the head coach of the Islanders, Trotz led the team to back-to-back conference finals for the first time since they won four straight Stanley Cups from 1980-83.
On Monday morning, the Islanders released a statement saying, “Barry Trotz has been relieved of his duties as Head Coach.” This decision came under direct order from Team President and General Manager Lou Lamoriello, to the outrage of the team’s supporters.
In a press conference that followed, Lamoriello claimed simply, “this group of players needs a new voice.”
Rumors abound suggest star player Mat Barzal was not happy playing under the system Barry Trotz preached. There has also been murmurs that Lamoriello and Trotz had disagreements about the team, resulting in Lamoriello cutting ties.
An aura of secrecy around the maneuver certainly exists, especially considering Lamoriello’s rather concise and guarded breakdown.
One group of people who has spared no words, with regards to the decision: the Islanders’ faithful fan base.
“Hiring Barry Trotz was the single greatest decision that the #Isles franchise has ever made in my lifetime,” the @FanaticsArmy fan account otherwise known as “Isles Fanatics” posted on Twitter. “I’m in shock right now. Thank you for everything Barry.”
The majority fall on the side of Trotz in this instance, and Lamoriello is now on a hot seat to prove he made the right decision in firing Trotz.
“Year 1: Jack Adams. Year 2: Conference final, lost to eventual champs. Year 3: Conference final, lost to the eventual champs. Year 4: Fired,” said @ NYIslesNation, known as Isles Nation on Twitter. “This is the NY Islanders we’re talking about. His first 3 seasons were the best 3 seasons in my 28 years on this planet.”
They say numbers don’t lie. And Trotz’ certainly didn’t. He came in and had instant success, turning around a dismayed franchise and returning it to relevancy, something the fans hadn’t felt in almost 30 years.
“I dare you to find another season that has been as bizarre, disappointing, shocking as the #Isles 2021-22 season,” said Rob Taub, another passionate Isle fan Twitter user.
And it was a very strange season. Due to unfinished construction in their new arena, the Islanders were forced to start on an unprecedented 13-game road trip. The team was then hit by a Covid-19 outbreak, and were forced to play with back-ups for an extended stretch before having games postponed. Both happening early on in the season, the Islanders were off to an abysmal start that put them deep in the irredeemable red before embarking on an uncharacteristically unsuccessful bid for the playoffs.
Now, the heat is on. Lamoriello must replace Trotz with a coach that can get them back on the winning track; otherwise, this unforeseen ousting was just the beginning.
