Would the Islanders Be Better Off if They Kept Trotz?

The Islanders would still be that type of team under Trotz. They would play great defense, and while the offense would struggle, they’d be better overall. The league has shifted to speed and skill, which made Trotz’s approach seem outdated, especially in his last season with the team. Yet, at the end of the day, defense and teams coached to defend in all three zones still win championships, something the Florida Panthers proved last season with Paul Maurice behind the bench.

The question is, how much better would the Islanders have been with Trotz coaching them in recent seasons? They were a borderline playoff team the last two season and lost both First Round series to the Carolina Hurricanes. Trotz would have made the Islanders a better team, but not a top-tier one in the Eastern Conference. Would they have won a playoff series? Probably. Would they have gone on a run? Probably not, at least not with the roster they’ve had.

Trotz as GM?

If Trotz had stayed, would Lamoriello have been ousted as GM? The ownership group had to choose between their coach and their GM, and they chose the GM. However, Lamoriello has stuck to his plan of keeping the group together and not making any big changes, resulting in a slow decline.

Trotz wouldn’t have operated that way; at least he hasn’t with the Predators. He spent big this summer, adding Steven Stamkos, Jonathan Marchessault, and Brady Skjei to the roster. However, all three signings have backfired so far, and the Predators are now one of the worst teams in the Western Conference and don’t have a clear path to contention.

Trotz wouldn’t have made a ton of big moves if he were GM of the Islanders, but he would have tried to make at least one splash. He wouldn’t have had the salary cap space to make multiple big signings but he would have still looked to add Stamkos or Marchessault to bolster the forward unit. As the Islanders coach, he’d have gotten the most out of the team but as the GM, he’d have set them back a bit, or last they’d have had more highs and lows.

That’s the difference between him and Lamoriello. Lamoriello rarely makes splashes or big signings. Ironically, the one time he did, signing Anthony Duclair to a four-year deal this offseason, the move was a flop. If Trotz were the GM, the Islanders would have a low floor but they also have a high ceiling as well. They don’t at the moment and it’s why a change at GM looks like a strong possibility this summer for the Islanders.

Would the Islanders Be Better Off in the Long Run?

The first two seasons as the GM of the Predators have been anything but promising for Trotz. It’s the start that makes it easy to think he wouldn’t do well if he stayed with the Islanders. The moves he made were expected to take the Predators to the next level but the players never worked well alongside the existing core players. That said, it’s only his second season as a GM, and it’s too early to tell if he’ll turn things around. He has plenty of time to learn from his mistakes, and patience will be key to determine if he’ll be successful. The Islanders didn’t want to be patient with him and find out if he’d become a good GM and thus, they let him go.

It makes this offseason a crucial one for Trotz. It starts with finding a coach who can get the most out of his roster. Great GMs not only make the right signings but they also make great hires and find coaches who fit the roster they have. Lamoriello’s hiring history is a mixed bag but Trotz is still an unknown, and it’s why his next hire will make or break his tenure as a GM.

The Islanders knew what they were getting with Trotz as a head coach, and ideally, they’d have kept him around while finding a new GM to work with him. They didn’t know what they’d get from him as a GM and instead took the safer route with Lamoriello, who had more predictability, even though it was less promising. That’s why even though Trotz was the riskier pick to keep around, it would have been the better one. The Islanders would likely be a worse team but they’d have a high ceiling and a chance to win a Cup, something that isn’t possible with Lamoriello as GM.