Islanders’ Losing Streak Shows Lamoriello-Roy Disconnect

The Islanders are falling apart as the season comes to a close. They’ve lost six games in a row and have become an unwatchable, hapless group in the process. When a team is playing out the string, that’s when the curtain gets pulled back and the fans get to the truth.

The truth is the Islanders were set up to disappoint this season, and now they are. The latest developments are just a case in point that Roy and general manger (GM) Lou Lamoriello have different views on the roster and who should play every night. It’s a sign that the Islanders are set up to fail with the head coach and GM not on the same page, something that must change one way or another this offseason.

The Duclair Signing Already Backfiring

The Islanders signed Duclair in the summer to take the top line to the next level. Lamoriello saw a scorer on the wing who could make the most of Mathew Barzal’s playmaking while also providing open looks to Bo Horvat. The Barzal-Horvat connection helped the Islanders make it to the playoffs last season, and adding Duclair would make the offense one of the best in the league, at least that was the hope.

Duclair only has seven goals and four assists in 44 games played. To be fair, he’s battled injuries throughout the season and hasn’t been able to form strong chemistry with Barzal, who has been out since Feb. 1 with a lower-body injury. That said, Duclair was expected to be a difference maker, and instead, he’s playing far worse than a top-six skater would.

Lamoriello wants Duclair in the lineup and playing a significant role because he’s a scorer, and the long-time GM loves to have scorers in the forward unit. It’s why he was signed in the first place. Roy, meanwhile, wants players who produce, specifically, those who show up every day, hustle, and consistently generate offense. Duclair has flashes where he looks great, but he can’t play at a high level consistently. It’s why he fell out of favor with Roy, who might want him off the roster altogether if he has a bigger say in roster decisions in the offseason.

Engvall & Mayfield Signed But Not Played

Lamoriello gave both Pierre Engvall and Scott Mayfield seven-year contracts in the 2023 offseason. The hope was that both skaters would be key depth pieces for years to come on the Islanders, with Engvall finding a role in the middle six while Mayfield remained a second-pair defenseman. Yet, neither has made their mark under Roy.

Engvall was placed on waivers early on in the season, and it took him a few weeks until he returned to the NHL roster in a 6-3 Oct. 26 loss to the Florida Panthers. He’s been on the Islanders since, but Roy has expressed his frustration in Engvall’s play, which has only resulted in eight goals and five assists in 54 games played. Like Duclair, he’s shown flashes, but Roy doesn’t want flashes, and it’s why he’s not a fit.

Mayfield, meanwhile, bounced back after a forgettable 2023-24. His 3.1 defensive point shares are third-most on the defense, and when he’s on the ice, he’s one of the Islanders’ better players. Yet, he’s not the type of defenseman Roy wants in the lineup. Roy prefers Anthony DeAngelo and Adam Boqvist, two defensemen who can move the puck and contribute offensively, and it explains why Mayfield hasn’t played since the March 20 game against the Montreal Canadiens.

Lamoriello signed both Engvall and Mayfield before Roy was hired. Now that Roy’s the head coach, he wants more of a say in roster decisions and who gets to play. Engvall and Mayfield don’t fit in his system, or at least they aren’t the players he prefers, and it’s led to the head coach and GM being at odds throughout the season.

Who Will Remain Between Lamoriello & Roy?

If the Islanders must choose between the two, Roy is the one to keep. Lamoriello’s run his course with this team, and the slow decline will make him the first to go if ownership makes a change. The Islanders need someone else to come in to help them rebuild.

Roy is far from perfect, and he’s not a generational coach, but he’s proven he can get the most out of a depleted roster. The Islanders were in the playoff picture for most of the season and still have an outside shot of sneaking in, partly because of him. Roy will likely remain the head coach and have more say in roster decisions moving forward.

That’s not to say Roy is safe, either. If Lamoriello is fired, Roy might be gone as well, since it allows for a clean break where the Islanders can start over from scratch. If a new GM comes in, they’ll want to make their own hire to lead the team from behind the bench. The Toronto Maple Leafs, Philadelphia Flyers, and Columbus Blue Jackets are recent examples of teams that hired GMs with holdover coaches and eventually all three GMs fired those coaches to bring in their own.

This season is showing the disconnect, and reality is setting in. The Islanders need changes. The final eight games will determine how much change is needed, but the bottom line is this team must look different by the start of next season.