Photo: MLive
The New York Islanders announced on Saturday afternoon that they have fired head coach Lane Lambert after a 4-3 overtime loss to the Chicago Blackhawks on Friday to finish a 0-3-1 road trip. They are also 1-5-1 over their last seven games. Former Colorado Avalanche head coach and Montreal Canadiens goaltender Patrick Roy was named his replacement.
New York has fallen to 19-15-11 (.544 points percentage) this season, 12th in the Eastern Conference, and is currently two points behind the Detroit Red Wings for the final wild-card spot after falling in six games to the Carolina Hurricanes in the first round of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs during Lambert’s first season as head coach.
Lambert came over to the Island as Barry Trotz’s assistant when he was hired by New York on June 21, 2018.
New York ranks 24th in the NHL with a 2.93 goals-per-game and a 3.36 goals-against per game. Though their 22.8% power play efficiency is good for 12th, their 73% penalty-killing rate is tied for 28th.
Lambert was also an assistant on Trotz’s staff with the Nashville Predators and Washington Capitals previously, winning the Stanley Cup in Washington in 2018.
Roy, who won the Jack Adams Award as the NHL’s coach of the year in 2013-14, went 130-92-24 (.577 points percentage) while coaching Colorado for three seasons from 2013-16 before resigning. They lost to the Minnesota Wild in seven games during the first round of the 2014 Stanley Cup Playoffs in their lone postseason appearance under Roy.
Roy coached the QMJHL’s Quebec Remparts for the previous five seasons, going 524-255-66 (.659). He led Quebec to a Memorial Cup and QMJHL Championship.
New York hosts the Dallas Stars on Sunday (7:30 PM ET, ESPN+).
By Harrison Brown
