The Patrick Roy reclamation project is not yet fully completed. But he has already pulled off what may be his most difficult feat on Jan. 20, after losing a 3-2 shootout showdown with the Rangers at the Garden on Saturday, bringing his team even closer to making the playoffs. I was letting it happen. He put the Islanders in pole position to make the playoffs as the third team or second wild card from the metro.
On the day he took over, the Islanders were in disarray, falling 19-15-11 and falling outside their playoff expectations, losing four straight games and losing six of seven. He made his debut in a stunning 3-2 overtime win against Dallas and is now tied with the Rangers for the Presidents Trophy, sitting at 18-12-5. That includes a six-game winning streak that ended in 2019. Saturday’s shootout.
It’s not often that a coach takes over mid-season and has such a big impact. More often than not, when a coach is fired, the move means either the season ends or a futile, desperate attempt to save the season. Roy will have to wait until the end of the season to safely slot him in among the New York managers and coaches who were hired mid-season and truly fulfilled the dream of a GM with an itchy trigger finger.
1. Bob Lemon, Yankees, 1978
The Yankees had already won their final five games under manager Billy Martin that year, closing the Red Sox’s 14-game lead by four games. But once Bob Lemon arrived in Kansas City, much of the buzz around the team died down. He went out of his way to say his only job was to stay out of the players’ way, and the players blossomed, going 48-20 in the 68 games Lemon oversaw, defeating the Sox in an epic one-game playoff, and then He dismissed the players. The Royals and Dodgers are headed for 22nd place in the World Series.
2. Larry Robinson, Devils, 2000
This was Lou Lamoriello’s inspiration, similar to Roy replacing Lane Lambert, which seemed crazy. The Devils were in first place when Robbie Forkreck was fired on March 24, 2000, but quickly fell away, going 4-4 under Robinson. However, the Devils were a completely different team in the playoffs under passionate Coach Robinson, winning 16 of 23 games and clinching their second title with Jason Arnott’s double OT goal against the Stars in Game 6 of the Cup Finals. obtained.
3. Red Holtzman, Knicks, 1967
When Holtzman reluctantly replaced Dick McGuire on December 28, 1967, the Knicks were 15-23 and headed for a nine-year losing streak. The Knicks lost their first two games under Holtzman, but by then their winning streak had stopped at six. , Holtzman inserted the struggling Walt Frazier into the starting lineup, which was and continues to be a wise decision. The Knicks finished with a record of 28 wins and 14 losses, and had a reliable showing in the playoffs against the 68-win 76ers.
4. Emile Francis, Rangers, 1969 and 1974
Francis twice gave up his coaching duties to focus on being a general manager, and twice the GM in him thought the team would be better if he returned behind the bench. It worked fine in both cases. Francis replaced Bernie Geoffrion in 1969, when the Rangers went 22-18-3, and the Rangers went 19-8-6, losing in the playoffs to eventual champion Montreal. In 1974, the Rangers were 18-14-9 under Larry Poppin, but finished 22-10-5, taking the eventual champion Flyers to a bloody seven-game series in the Cup semifinals.
5. Lawrence Frank, Nets 2004
The veteran Nets, led by Jason Kidd, revolted under coach Byron Scott and then quickly won their first 13 games under Frank. They finished 25-15 under Frank’s watch, overwhelmingly beating the Knicks in the playoffs but losing to eventual champion Detroit in the conference finals.
6. Mike Woodson, Knicks, 2012
When Linsanity’s fever wore off and Mike D’Antoni resigned on March 14, the Knicks had an 18-24 record. The Knicks won 8 of 9 games and 5 in a row under Woodson, slipping into the playoffs.
7. Buddy Harrelson, Mets, 1990
When Davey Johnson was fired on May 28th, the Mets of the 1980s were dying. The Mets quickly embraced buddy ball, at one point going 28-9, winning 11 straight, and spending 14 days in first place in July and August. The pirates overtook them forever.
Honorable mention: In 1947, after acclimating Jackie Robinson to the Dodgers, Leo Durocher was suspended by commissioner Happy Chandler for “associating with a known gambler.” Bart Schotten took his place on an interim basis, and the Dodgers led the Yankees to Game 7 of the World Series with a 92-60 record. Mr. Durocher returned to the job in 1948, but was traded to the Giants in July.
Wack’s Wack
Davey Johnson won’t be able to retire Doc Gooden’s jersey number Sunday because of hip surgery, but he clearly remembers the moment he knew he was onto something special. [in 1982]And the first time I saw Dwight pitch was in Kingsport when he was 17 years old. I’ve never seen anyone hit the ball like that. I told him that if I could manage the Mets, you would be on my staff too. ”
Julius Randle has been battling a shoulder injury for most of the year, but Dalton native sharpshooter Aiden Khalid picked up Randle in Randle’s absence and was part of a 30-3 campaign. In this campaign, Julius will donate $500 to literacy for every trifecta achieved. program at Earl Monroe Charter High School in the Bronx. Aiden sank 88 threes of his own. His classmates and friends matched and donated more than $21,000 to other young people in need. As The Pearl himself said, “This is what makes New York special.”
The Red Bulls held their 10th annual Autism Acceptance Night at Red Bull Arena on Saturday. For team principal Marc de Grandpre, this has special meaning as his 16-year-old daughter Julia is on the autism spectrum. This team is one of the most active organizations in professional sports in pushing autism to the forefront in real, meaningful ways. A portion of ticket sales was donated to Autism CAN at Hackensack Meridian Health.
Queen Elizabeth ruled for 70 years. Sean Marks has 62 points left.
hit back vac
Rob Schwartz: It’s ironic that college basketball and football coaches themselves bemoan the NIL and transfer portals when they themselves spend millions of dollars moving from school to school. Jumping power is higher than the checkers game!
vacuum: Of all the people I sympathize with in the brave new world of college sports (fans and alumni alike), there are about 874 fewer coaches.
Matt Deakin: The Yankees are hitting, Aaron Boone is managing well, they’re playing defense, their on-base percentage and strikeouts are down, they’re fun to watch, and they’re winning. What does a good Yankees fan like me have to complain about now? It’s still early, but I’m unsure.
vacuum: No need to be confused. Just sit back, relax and enjoy it all.
@MichaelHal59591: Jalen Brunson should be first team in the NBA, not second or third team. Take off Luka or Tatum or Giannis. No one has played better than Brunson. And Brunson is as good and inspirational to watch as any player in the league.
@Mike Vac: I felt the same way in 2002 when Jason Kidd finished second to Tim Duncan for MVP. Back then, just like now, I watched every game, so I thought I might be biased. I believe now, as then, that I was right.
Louis Ray: A friend of mine emailed me yesterday about JD Martinez’s injury. I found out he had medical issues with the Mets, and I emailed him back asking, “When is the funeral?”
vacuum: Hey there, Mets fans. You laughed at that.
