Page 44 - Sports Energy News, Cornwall, Issue No 134

44 Issue #134 March 2024 www.sportsenergynews.com

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Stories And More About The People In Stormont, Dundas & Glengarry
The NY Islanders recently hired fiery Patrick Roy as their new head coach. Will Patrick turn the
New York team into Stanley Cup contenders, or will he and Islanders President, Lou Lamoriello,
be an incompatible pair?
Jake Lapierre - Conditioning Coach -The NY Islanders recently hired fiery Patrick Roy as their new head coach. Will Patrick
turn the New York team into Stanley Cup contenders, or will he and Islanders’ President Lou Lamoriello be an incompatible pair?
Islanders President Lou Lamoriello’s decision to hire Patrick Roy as their new head coach was a smart, strategic decision in
many people’s minds. Mr. Lamoriello hired Patrick Roy for his intense competitiveness, passion for winning, and love of the
game of hockey. His intensity and passion will certainly spill over to the players, pushing them to compete at their highest level,
and Patrick will no doubt hold players accountable if they don’t play to win. Patricks’ time spent between the pipes has enabled him to gain
an understanding of how to structure a team and get a team working cohesively from the goalie through to the forwards; being disciplined
and making the right split-second decision in the zones at the right time.
Currently, the Islanders remain in playoff contention, however the loss to St. Louis on February 22nd didn’t bode well when the Blues scored
3 goals in 32 seconds. Patrick and the Islanders have their work cutout for them to close defensive gaps and strengthen cohesiveness to remain
in the Eastern Conference playoff race. In my opinion, the Islanders are not Stanley Cup contenders this season but I do believe they have
solid potential next season.
Jim Riddell - Seaway Karate Club -When Lou Lamoriello hired Patrick Roy as coach of the New York Islanders, it came as a
shock to many who couldn’t envision the tandem working out very well.
There is no doubting Patrick Roy’s pedigree. He won four Stanley Cups as a player, also winning the Jack Adams Trophy as
Playoff MVP three times. He coached the Quebec Ramparts for thirteen seasons in total and took them to two Memorial Cup
Championships. During his three seasons coaching in Colorado, the Avalanche won one Stanley Cup with Roy being named

the Jack Adams recipient as Coach of the Year.
Are Patrick Roy and Lou Lamoriello compatible? It should be easier for Roy with the Islanders as he only has one role, Head Coach. In
Colorado, he was also the VP of Hockey Operations and when he resigned, there were disagreements regarding the management side of his
job.
Will Patrick Roy lead the Islanders to the Stanley Cup? Roy is a very knowledgeable teaching coach that is generally well-liked by his players.
He will improve the team and, it’s quite possible that Patrick Roy will win his third Stanley Cup with the Islanders; however, with so many
good teams in the league, the odds are against him.

Peter Collins - Sports Enthusiast - It would be difficult to find two more intense competitors than Lamoriello and Roy. Both
are no nonsense types who demand a lot from their players.
Roy was the consummate winner as a player; his list of achievements includes, 4 Stanley Cups, 3 Conn Smythe awards, 3 Vesina
trophies, and 11 Allstar appearances. There is no argument that he’s one of the greatest goaltenders in NHL history. After a
successful stay as a junior hockey coach, Roy re-joined the Avalanche in 2013. In his first of three years coaching in Colorado,
he led the Avalanche to fifty-two wins. A first-round playoff loss that year and two non playoff seasons later, he walked away from the job,
claiming lack of input in personnel decisions.
Lou spent 28 years with the New Jersey Devils, building them into a consistent contender and winning 3 Stanley Cups during his tenure. He’s
one of the most respected GMs in hockey. After a brief stop in Toronto, he took over leadership of the New York Islanders in 2018. Roy is his
fourth coach since he took over the Islanders, firing the previous three coaches after short durations.
So, both men are at a crossroads in their respective careers. Lou at eighty-one years old, knows that he’s nearing the end of his run as a top-
level NHL executive. Roy needs to be successful in New York to ensure his future as an NHL coach. If the Islanders make the playoffs this year
and win a couple of rounds, status quo will likely be the plan for next season. If not, Lou may pull the plug on Roy long before his three-year
contract expires.