Patrick Roy deserves another season with NY Islanders after Lou Lamoriello’s Exit

Lou Lamoriello’s departure as GM of the New York Islanders means Patrick Roy's quality of life will dramatically improve, well, if new management thinks he should return.

One of the storylines this season was the seeming rift between Lamoriello and Roy. Midway through this season, news leaked that Lamoriello and Roy were not seeing eye-to-eye on roster construction, lineups, and overall hockey philosophy. Roy was under siege the entire season. You could see it in his face during post-game press conferences.

Following the last game of the season, Roy looked like he hadn’t slept in days. His eyes looked like caffeine and adrenaline were fueling him. I’m sure he crashed into bed the following that final game against Columbus. Roy, overall, did a good job in Long Island. He managed to turn around a messy team following Lane Lambert’s departure last season. He turned the team around and managed to squeak into the playoffs.

This season, Roy did his best to patch together a team made of not-so-exciting veterans and greenhorns. Roy almost pulled off the trick considering the mass of injuries. Then, there was the Brock Nelson saga that certainly didn’t make matters any better.

Be that as it may, Lamoriello’s exit could prompt the Islanders' new GM to keep Patrick Roy, at least for at least one more season. If that's indeed the case, Roy will have to prove this past season was an outlier amid the insane amount of injuries and inconsistency.

Roy would get his chance to run the team in his own vision. For the team’s sake, I hope he gets the chance at exactly that.

Patrick Roy should get one more kick at the can under new management

The New York Islanders’ current situation reminds me of what happened with the Toronto Maple Leafs last season.

Following their playoff elimination in 2023, the Leafs moved on from then-GM Kyle Dubas (now the leading man in Pittsburgh) and hired former Flames’ GM Brad Treliving. Right off the bat, the media speculation was that he would fire former coach Sheldon Keefe (now New Jersey’s bench boss) and hire someone to his own liking.

Instead, Treliving kept Keefe for one more season. Keefe led the Leafs to a playoff appearance and subsequent playoff bust. Despite getting a two-year contract extension, the Leafs fired Keefe and hired Craig Berube.

This story is a cautionary tale for Patrick Roy. The Islanders may not fire him, but he will have to prove himself immediately to stay long-term. With, hopefully, a healthy roster, he’ll be able to mold the team in his image and potentially get the most out of his squad. If the Islanders stumble out of the gate, or if it’s apparent that Roy and his players aren’t jiving, Roy could be on the way out. That’s when the idea of a full-on rebuild could permeate the headlines in Long Island. Let’s hope it doesn’t get to that.