Islanders part ways with Barry Trotz

Barry Trotz has been relieved of his dutes as head coach of the Islanders, the team announced Monday morning.

Trotz, 59, coached four seasons for the Islanders, joining the franchise shortly after Lou Lamoriello took over as president and general manager.

In those four seasons, Trotz compiled a record of 152-102-34 for a .587 winning percentage. He led the Isles to the playoffs in his first three seasons and twice reached the NHL semifinals.

Lamoriello thanked Trotz for everything he’s done for the Islanders in his four seasons.

“Unfortunately, it was my role to make the best decision for the organization and for the team,” he said moments ago on a conference call with the media.

Lamoriello also said he believes it was time for a new voice to lead this group of players next season and beyond. But he stopped short of saying what that “new voice” would sound like. Lamoriello said he spoke with Trotz this morning about his decision and that he did not speak with any players beforehand about it.

“A decision like this doesn’t happen overnight,” Lamoriello added. “I’d rather not get into any of the reasons.”

The Islanders began this season with a challenging 13-game opening road trip while the finishing touches were put on the new UBS Arena. The team had numerous COVID-19 outbreaks and was plagued by inconsistent play, failing to reach the playoffs for the first time since 2018 with 84 points.

Lamoriello said he does not have a timetable for finding the next head coach.