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Islanders: Barry Trotz Doesn’t Deserve The Blame

By Matt O'Leary

UNIONDALE, NEW YORK - FEBRUARY 29: Barry Trotz the head coach of the New York Islanders pulls his goaltender during the third period against the Boston Bruins at NYCB Live's Nassau Coliseum on February 29, 2020 in Uniondale, New York. The Bruins shut-out the Islanders 4-0. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
UNIONDALE, NEW YORK - FEBRUARY 29: Barry Trotz the head coach of the New York Islanders pulls his goaltender during the third period against the Boston Bruins at NYCB Live's Nassau Coliseum on February 29, 2020 in Uniondale, New York. The Bruins shut-out the Islanders 4-0. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) /
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The New York Islanders are in the midst of a free fall. In this instance, the coach has absolutely nothing to do with it.

I can’t believe I have to write this, but there are people on the internet who are coming for Barry Trotz after this poor stretch of hockey from the New York Islanders. Firing a top-three coach in the league because a team lacking talent is struggling is the epitome of a panic move.

Yes, it’s no secret the Islanders have been struggling over the last two months or so. When a team struggles so badly it’s easy for the fans to look for a scapegoat. Lou Lamoriello gets a bunch of the blame for this roster, underperforming players, and even injuries are to blame for this lack of success.

Notice how Barry Trotz wasn’t mentioned? In the postgame yesterday, Trotz said “Some guys are not playing up to their capabilities, that’s on me and that’s on them. We’re going to get out of this as a group.”

I agree with about 95 percent of what he said. “That’s on me” is something I don’t get. Is it Barry Trotz’s fault that Mat Barzal went 15 games without a goal, or that Anthony Beauvillier and Josh Bailey have been quiet? How about Jordan Eberle and Anders Lee having underachieving seasons is that Barry’s fault too?

At some point, it’s time for the players who have a proven track record in this league to figure It out. This team is better than what they’ve been playing while also lacking talent, both can be true at the same time and neither of those reasons are to the fault of the two-time Jack Adams winning, Stanley Cup Champion, Barry Trotz.

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