Barry Trotz has been let go by the Islanders after four seasons. Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

New York Islanders fire head coach Barry Trotz

By Chelena Goldman | Last updated 5/9/22

The New York Islanders relieved head coach Barry Trotz from his duties on Monday, general manager Lou Lamoriello announced.

#Isles News: New York Islanders President and General Manager Lou Lamoriello announced today that Barry Trotz has been relieved of his duties as Head Coach.
— New York Islanders (@NYIslanders) May 9, 2022

Trotz, 59, led the Islanders to playoff appearances in his first three seasons with the team and back-to-back conference semifinals appearances in 2020 and 2021. Both times, New York lost to the Stanley Cup-winning Tampa Bay Lighting. He ends his tenure in New York with a 152-102-34 record in four seasons including going 28-21 in the playoffs. He had one year left on his coaching contract.

The Islanders' tough 2021-22 campaign isn't entirely Trotz's fault. The team had to start off the season with an arduous 13-game road trip because construction on their new arena hadn't been completed. The rest of the season wasn't much easier, as the Isles were hit with multiple COVID-19 outbreaks — Trotz was also sidelined by the virus — in addition to numerous injuries that piled up during the season.

All assistants under Trotz remain under contract, which opens speculation as to whether associate coach Lane Lambert will take over as bench boss. Lambert was in charge during the season when Trotz was in COVID protocol.

Figure all eyes now will turn to Lane Lambert, who’s generally viewed as a strong candidate to be a head coach. All assistants remain “under contract,” per Lou. If Lambert doesn’t get the job here, he could very well end up behind the bench as a head coach elsewhere.
— Kevin Kurz (@KKurzNHL) May 9, 2022