New York Islanders make right call in bringing back Patrick Roy

New York Islanders newly-minted GM Mathieu Darche confirmed that head coach Patrick Roy will return behind the bench next season.

As my colleagues here at Eyes on Isles reported, Roy’s contract will be picked up through next season as both he and Darche evaluate the direction in which the team is headed.

Frankly, I breathed a sigh of relief when I heard the news.

The Isles have already undergone a major shift in management. Moving on from Lou Lamoriello was a major step this offseason. It was time for a change in philosophy as both the NHL Islanders and the AHL version struggled to live up to expectations.

While the shakeup at the helm was needed, another seismic move behind the bench could have been too much for the team to recover from in such a short span.

Think of it this way:

When a major corporation makes a significant change in its management structure, investors, customers, and observers are often concerned about the direction the company is taking. A massive shakeup only happens following a major scandal.

But that wasn’t the case for the New York Islanders this season. It wasn’t like the Isles crashed and burned like Enron did more than two decades ago.

Fans and the media wanted reassurance. That’s what they go with Roy’s confirmation. It was evident that Roy and Lamoriello weren’t on the same wavelength this past season. So, giving Roy another shot following Lamoriello’s dismissal was the right move.

The team enters next season with much more certainty, while free agents interested in coming to Long Island know what to expect.

There will be no jack-in-the-box surprises for players looking to join the Islanders. There will be no rebuild and no teardown, at least not yet.