Winning a press conference means nothing.
But Patrick Roy's first press conference as Islanders head coach emphasized the victory.
The Hall of Fame goaltender, who last coached in the NHL in 2016, went all out on what it means to coach the Islanders, citing the dynasty team that won four franchise championships. Ta.
“I couldn't turn down this opportunity. I love what I've seen in this organization because it brings back so many memories for me,” Roy said. “When I walked into the practice facility, I saw a lot of banners hanging outside. As a teenager, I used to watch the games and the players. And I saw them make those runs. I remember, of course, the four Stanley Cup championships that ended in 1983, and 1985 was when I started my career.
“And I was playing at the Coliseum at the time…It was like, look at that lineup. There it is. [Denis] Defensive Potvin, there. [Bryan] Trottier, there it is. [Mike] Boss, there it is. [Clark] On the other side is Gillies and Hall of Famer Billy Smith. I was very intimidated, but I'm so proud to be able to follow in their footsteps and hopefully make a difference. ”
It's the kind of answer Lane Lambert never gave, and the press conference showed a kind of comfort in dealing with the big media that Lambert never felt.
Lambert never really won over a fan base that didn't want to see Barry Trotz fired in the first place.
It culminated throughout this season with the UBS Arena crowd chanting for his firing.
Roy has the advantage of being one of the best goalies in the history of the sport, but he also had nods to fans that his predecessor never gave.
“Our fan base is very important,” Roy said. “We want our fans to come to our games and be excited about our performance. We want our fans to be able to wear that jersey and walk down the street and be proud of that team.” That's what I want people to think. And that's my goal.”
It doesn't really matter that the Islanders are unable to turn around a season that started 19-15-11, with the team currently in sixth place in the Metropolitan Division and outside of the playoffs.
But for a fan base that has spent much of this year frustrated and angry with management, Saturday felt like a long-awaited victory.
