Islanders dismiss Patrick Roy as head coach with four games remaining in playoff hunt

Islanders Part Ways With Coach Patrick Roy

The New York Islanders have made the decision to let go of head coach Patrick Roy, even while being in the tight playoff race.

General Manager Mathieu Darche revealed that Peter DeBoer, who was previously with the Dallas Stars, will take over as head coach starting June 2025.

This change comes at a critical time, with only four games left in the regular season. The Islanders are struggling, having lost four consecutive games, which adds up to a disappointing seven losses in their last ten outings.

Interestingly, although the NHL standings remained unchanged as of Sunday, the Islanders find themselves in third place in the Metropolitan Division with 89 points. That said, they would secure a playoff spot if the season concluded today.

However, both the Philadelphia Flyers and Columbus Blue Jackets, each with 88 points, are vying for that final playoff spot in the division. This high-stakes environment likely motivated the Islanders to make a bold move with the hope that DeBoer might guide them into the playoffs next week.

Roy’s exit followed a 4-3 defeat to the Carolina Hurricanes, who have already clinched their place in the playoffs.

And Roy isn’t the only one facing the ax; the Las Vegas Golden Knights also recently fired coach Bruce Cassidy and are temporarily using John Tortorella as a replacement.

As for the Golden Knights, they sit more comfortably, holding the third and final playoff spot in their division with a five-point lead over the Los Angeles Kings.

While Tortorella is just an interim option for Las Vegas, the Islanders are planning to retain DeBoer for at least the 2026-27 season.

DeBoer has an extensive coaching history, having led five different franchises throughout his career. He played in over 1,260 games with teams like the Florida Panthers, New Jersey Devils, and San Jose Sharks, boasting a solid coaching record of 662 wins against 447 losses.

Though DeBoer hasn’t been involved with the Islanders this season, he’s taken this opportunity to attempt to lead Long Island back to playoff contention after two seasons away from the postseason spotlight.