NY Islanders Already Feeling Impact From Peter DeBoer

Apr 12, 2026; Elmont, New York, USA; New York Islanders head coach Peter DeBoer speaks to his team prior to their game against the Montréal Canadiens at UBS Arena. Mandatory Credit: Alexander Wohl-Imagn Images IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

NY Islanders Already Feeling Impact From Peter DeBoer

Originally posted on New York Islanders On SI
By Kenneth Teape | Last updated Aug 27, 2026 6:00 AM ET

Add us as a preferred source on Google

The New York Islanders made a bold move near the end of the 2025-26 NHL regular season, moving on from head coach Patrick Roy.

With four games remaining in the campaign, he was fired. Looking to get ahead of the other franchises who would be in the market for a new head coach, the Islanders had their sights set on one person: Peter DeBoer.

A respected person in hockey circles, New York didn’t want to run the risk of seeing DeBoer end up with another team, so they hired him to coach the final four games. While the sample size was incredibly small, his impact is already being felt on the franchise.

With an impressive track record, Islanders players are ready to buy in. DeBoer can walk into that locker room and command attention by reading off his accomplishments as one of the most winningest coaches in NHL history.

Peter DeBoer already making impact with Islanders

IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

"A huge impact not only structurally, but just his presence in the locker room, his track record, it all factors into being a successful team," center Bo Horvat said via Jon Lane of NHL.com. "He knows what it takes, especially to get to the playoffs and to go far in the playoffs as well. If he can bring that to our group and bring us over the hump in that next step, then I think we're all excited for that."

His accolades speak for themselves. New York is the seventh franchise that DeBoer is going to be the head coach of, which is good and bad. His style may be grinding, leading to a worn-out welcome, but he gets results before parting ways.

Among active NHL coaches, he is seventh in games with 1,265. His 663 wins are also the seventh most. Along with the incredible regular season success, DeBoer’s teams also get the job done in the spring when the NHL postseason rolls around.

He has led two franchises, the New Jersey Devils and San Jose Sharks, to the Stanley Cup Finals in 2012 and 2016. The Vegas Golden Knights and Dallas Stars also made Western Conference Finals appearances under him.

Peter DeBoer's track record speaks for itself

IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Stars consistently made deep runs, qualifying for the Western Conference Finals in three consecutive years from 2023-25, but were never able to get over the hump. In eight of his 10 years of coaching, DeBoer has led his teams to the third round of the playoffs, with six straight postseason trips resulting in a Conference Finals appearance.

While the Islanders don’t have championship aspirations right now, as Dallas and the Golden Knights did when he was hired, ownership desperately wants a winner and believes that DeBoer is the right person for the job.

Despite not being with the franchise for too long, he is already gaining the respect of veterans such as Horvat, which is important if New York is going to reach that next level, it believes it is capable of achieving.

This article first appeared on New York Islanders On SI and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: