Patrick Roy’s seat on Long Island is cooler than ESPN thinks

The NHL preseason is in full force, and the regular season is on the horizon. This means bold predictions from every outlet imaginable, and Greg Wyshynski of ESPN gave his thoughts on what's in store for the New York Islanders.

His prediction? "When Lou Lamoriello hired Roy in January 2024, he reportedly gave him a three-year deal that covered the rest of that season and two additional ones. Which means Roy could be in a lame-duck season for a team that's likely to miss the playoffs -- with a general manager itching to bring in his own guys behind the bench at some point, which is what new general managers generally do. Whether it's in-season or in the offseason, Saint Patrick will be voted off the Island."

If the Islanders were in rebuilding mode, feel free to take Wyshynski at his word. But that didn't happen this past offseason. There was no fire sale, trading established veterans like Bo Horvat for draft picks, and signing rentals in a weak free agency class to put together a patchwork group.

Had the Islanders done that, then call Roy a "lame duck" all you want. The guy would have probably known he was on his way out. Instead, the Isles won the draft lottery, took Matthew Schaefer, traded Noah Dobson because they knew they had their guy in Schaefer, kept Anders Lee, and brought in Jonathan Drouin.

General manager Mathieu Darche built the New York Islanders to win

If Mathieu Darche built this team to win this season and didn't think Roy was the man for the job, why keep him around and/or put him in "lame duck" mode? It makes zero sense. And it wasn't like he was building a one-year team; Darche has the Islanders on a long-term path to success with the team he has, and that doesn't include high-end prospects like Cole Eiserman or Calum Ritchie, who Roy thinks highly of and could have a spot with the big club.

You have Matt Barzal coming back, arguably the best goaltender in the world in Ilya Sorokin, and intriguing youngsters like Simon Holmstrom and Emil Heineman. By building a solid team this offseason and retaining proven veterans, there's no way Darche is going into this season with a coach he doesn't have full confidence in or plans on keeping around.

No, there's no way Wyshynski's prediction gains any traction unless Roy's Islanders botch their first 20 games and end up at under 0.500 in points. Or, he could ace the first 20, put the Isles in the Metro Division's top four, lose down the stretch, and miss the playoffs. That would put anyone out of a job, not just Roy.

The Islanders aren't built to win the Stanley Cup, but they're built to evolve

Two years ago, you knew the Islanders were regressing despite finishing third place in the Metro thanks to an incredible late-season charge. Last season, fears the Isles were regressing came to light when they missed the playoffs.

But you can pin the failures on Lou Lamoriello, and the fact he never seemed to care about putting a team on the ice that could consistently score. Instead, he brought on a physical, defense-first presence. A team that would win by scoring just enough while making life miserable for opponents when they had the puck.

These aren't Lamoriello's Islanders. They look way better on paper from a scoring standpoint with Schaefer and Drouin in town, and Barzal returning. They're playoff-worthy, and if Roy gets them there, his job is safe. If he gets them close to the playoffs, he's safe. Only a total meltdown will leave him without a head coaching job.