By STEPHEN WHYNO, The Associated Press
NEW YORK — Patrick Roy has been fired as coach of the New York Islanders.
announced the abrupt decision on Sunday after the team lost four in a row and seven of its past 10 games. The Islanders were until this late-season tailspin put their chances in danger with four games left to play.
Peter DeBoer was named as Roy’s replacement and not just on an interim basis. He has taken two teams to the Stanley Cup Final and most recently coached the Dallas Stars to three consecutive trips to the Western Conference final before being fired last spring following their latest exit.
Roy, a Hall of Fame goaltender, in January 2024 as a midseason replacement for fired coach Lane Lambert. Sparked by his arrival, the team made the playoffs that year and lost in the first round to Carolina. Regression has followed since.
Parting ways with Roy comes at crucial point for the organization. Rookie of the year front-runner Matthew Schaefer has been a revelation in his first NHL season at the age of 18, and several other top prospects are on their way.
Roy was in his second job running a team in the league, following a three-year tenure with Colorado from 2013-16 that included winning the Jack Adams Award as coach of the year and abruptly resigning in the middle of the summer.
