Islanders dismiss Patrick Roy and bring on Peter DeBoer with four games remaining

Changes for the Islanders as Coach Gets Fired

With only four games left in what seemed to be a sinking season, Mathieu Darche decided it was time for a change.

On Easter Sunday, Darche made a bold move by parting ways with coach Patrick Roy and bringing in Pete DeBoer to energize the Islanders as they aimed for a playoff spot.

Roy, who had been struggling to find solutions recently, oversaw a disappointing stretch of 3-7-0. This poor performance tanked the Islanders’ standing, pushing them from a playoff-locked position to a scenario where they might need to clinch wins in all remaining games just to reach the postseason.

The team’s recent 4-3 loss to the Hurricanes marked their fourth consecutive defeat, leaving them with 89 points after 78 games. They held onto third place in the Metropolitan Division but were only a single point ahead of the Flyers and Blue Jackets, who had a couple of games in hand. Complicating matters further, the Capitals were lurking close with a game still to play.

The Senators also posed a threat as they had secured the second wild-card spot, starting the day with 88 points and still having two games remaining.

DeBoer, previously coaching the Stars and now stepping in, had been regarded as a top candidate for such a leadership role throughout the year. The 57-year-old also served as an assistant coach for Team Canada during the Olympics.

Notably, he is recognized for his playoff success, boasting 97 wins—ranking fifth on the all-time list for coaches without a Stanley Cup victory.

During his time with Dallas, DeBoer reached the Western Conference Finals three years in a row but was let go following last year’s playoffs against the Oilers. Before that, he led the Devils and Sharks to the Stanley Cup Finals.

Roy, 60, stepped into the head coaching role midway through the 2023-24 season and guided the team into the playoffs, although they faced an early exit. The Islanders, missing the postseason last year, looked set for a return until their recent struggles derailed their hopes.