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Islanders' firing of Patrick Roy changes perception about present, future
Patrick Roy. Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Islanders' firing of Patrick Roy changes perception about present, future

By Alex Wiederspiel  |  Last updated Apr 5, 2026 3:55 PM ET

The New York Islanders fired Patrick Roy and announced the hiring of veteran coach Pete DeBoer in a stunning move on Easter Sunday.

It's a move that likely spells a new direction, at least in perception, about what the expectations are around the New York Islanders. Roy went 42-31-5 this season and 97-78-22 in parts of three seasons on Long Island. The Islanders remain in the last guaranteed playoff spot in the Metropolitan Division with 89 points. They lead Philadelphia (88 points) and Columbus (88 points), but both teams have games in-hand over the Islanders. 

New York sat in a playoff spot at Thanksgiving, usually seen as a crucial indicator for likelihood of making the playoffs. Now, the Islanders don't control their own destiny. What was once thought to be a strategic retreat season has become a hard charge to the finish line. 

Pete DeBoer's history indicates the Islanders aren't rebuilding 

This is DeBoer's sixth head coaching job in the NHL. He coached in Stanley Cup Finals with New Jersey (2011-12) and San Jose (2015-16). In 17 seasons coaching, DeBoer led New Jersey, San Jose, Vegas and Dallas to a combined 10 playoff trips. His teams only failed to advance out of the first round once (2016-17 with San Jose). 

The expectations may not have changed internally, but the perceptions around the team will change with the arrival of a veteran head coach known for his ability to out-scheme other coaches in the playoffs.

The Islanders have young talent coming, but the game changer was Matthew Schaefer's historic season. Schaefer, 18, was the first overall pick in the 2025 NHL Draft. His 58 points is a record for an 18-year-old defenseman. He also holds the record for most goals (22) by an 18-year-old defenseman. 

The Islanders don't appear to be rebuilding in a traditional sense. They traded defenseman Noah Dobson last summer to Montreal for two first-round picks and prospect Emil Heineman. At the time, it felt like the beginning of long, difficult changes on Long Island.

Islanders veteran core responds to Schaefer

The veteran core of the Islanders had other plans. Captain Anders Lee, 35, is on the final year of a seven-year contract. General manager Mathieu Darche recently signed center Jean-Gabriel Pageau, 33, to a four-year contract extension. Top center Bo Horvat is 31. Forward Mat Barzal is 28. Recent trade deadline acquisitions Brayden Schenn (34) and Ondrej Palat (35) are nearing the end of their careers. Defensemen Ryan Pulock (31), Adam Pelech (31) and Scott Mayfield (33) are lineup regulars, each with at least four years remaining on their current contracts. 

Superstar goaltender Ilya Sorokin, 30, still has six more years on his contract and is in the midst of a Vezina-worthy season. His .918 save percentage has helped power a surprise Islanders team this far. In other words, the Islanders are having their cake and eating it too — getting younger while simultaneously letting the older core play.

Eventually, they will need to integrate winger prospects Cole Eiserman (2024 20th overall pick), Victor Eklund (2025 16th overall pick) and defense prospect Kashawn Aitcheson (2025 17th overall pick). That's something for Darche to worry about, not DeBoer.

DeBoer has a veteran group with scoring talent, an 18-year-old superstar and a superstar goalie. His primary concern is salvaging the next four games while building next season's push for a playoff spot in what should be a wide open Metropolitan Division. 

One thing is clear, the NHL's flat-cap era of firmly defined rebuilders and contenders has ended. The Islanders are proof that savvy organizations can do both simultaneously.

DeBoer wouldn't have taken this job otherwise.

Alex Wiederspiel

Alex Wiederspiel is a professional play-by-play broadcaster and co-host of Locked On NHL Game Night, recapping the full slate of NHL games in 30 minutes for fans three nights a week. 

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