It’s hard to look at the New York Islanders and see them as close to the Stanley Cup, especially when they are compared to the two finalists, the Edmonton Oilers and the Florida Panthers. The Islanders at best can make the playoffs but this team as constructed can’t go much further and certainly can’t compete against the Oilers and Panthers, two model franchises.
Related: Are the Islanders Close to Being Stanley Cup Contenders?
The big picture looks grim but the bright spot is that the Islanders have the right head coach in place. Patrick Roy was hired midseason and he turned this team around as they went 20-12-5 with him behind the bench to make the playoffs. He only coached for a few games but Roy is the reason the Islanders have hope for next season as he looks like one of the great coaches in the league.
How Roy Mirrors Knoblauch & Maurice
Both the Oilers and Panthers play balanced and structured hockey. On top of that, they win with defense, something that is prevalent in the playoffs with both teams shutting down potent offenses. It’s reflective of the great coaches behind the bench. With the Panthers, it’s Paul Maurice and the Oilers are led by Kris Knoblauch, who like Roy, was hired midseason and never looked back.
Roy brought structure and discipline back to the Islanders while allowing the offense to still play well. The big thing is how the defensemen play as they dictate how the team looks on the ice. In their zone, they are more structured but when they are in the offensive zone, they have more freedom and can look to find the back of the net. With Roy instilling this, the Islanders have become a balanced team.
Knoblauch is a calm and reserved coach while Roy is anything but so that’s a contrast between the two coaches. However, like Maurice, Roy brings a fire and passion behind the bench that rubs off on the roster and is something the Islanders need. Looking at how the Panthers play for Maurice, it’s easy to see how the Islanders eventually can play up to their head coach who has gotten the best out of an average roster.
In a Full Season, Roy’s Impact Will Be Felt
It’s hard not to think of Roy’s trajectory as a similar one to Rick Tocchet’s. When Tocchet was hired in the middle of the 2022-23 season, he had an uneventful first few months with the Vancouver Canucks. They weren’t piling up the wins but the foundation was being set as the team was starting to…
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