NHL Head Coaches With Ties to the NY Islanders After Maple Leafs Hire Craig Berube

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With the Toronto Maple Leafs failing to advance to the second round for the 18th time in the last 19 seasons, the organization decided to move on from Sheldon Keefe as head coach.

On Friday, the Leafs announced they'd hired the 2019 Stanley Cup winner with the St. Louis Blues, Craig Berube.

With Berube's signing, seven head coaches in the NHL have ties to the NY Islanders at some point in their career, whether as a player or a coach. Here are those eight coaches and their connections with the Islanders.

Craig Berube, Toronto Maple Leafs

Berube's time with the Islanders was short, acquired from the Washington Capitals midway through the 2000-01 season for a 9th-round pick. Berube played 38 games for the Islanders under head coach Butch Goring, registering two assists and 54 penalty minutes.

Craig Berube #16 / Brian Bahr/GettyImages

Luke Richardson, Chicago Blackhawks

Appointed head coach of the Chicago Blackhawks before the 2022-23 season, Luke Richardson spent one season as an Islanders assistant coach in 2017-18, in what was a wacky season. The Islanders were juggernauts on the offensive end under head coach Doug Weight, but couldn't keep the puck out of their own net. Richardson, along with the rest of the coaching staff were let go at the end of the season after the hiring of Lou Lamoriello.

Greg Cronin, Anaheim Ducks

Greg Cronin spent 11 seasons with the Islanders across two stints. The first began in 1998 as an assistant coach under Lorne Henning. He'd remain with the organization after Henning's departure in the same assistant coach role under two more head coaches, Goring and Peter Laviolette. In 2003 he became the head coach of the Bridgeport Sound Tigers, while also assuming the role of Director of Player Development. He'd leave the organization in 2005, accepting the head coaching job at Northeastern University. Cronin returned to the Islanders as an assistant coach in 2014 under Jack Capuano. He'd last four seasons behind the Islanders bench before being fired along with the rest of Weight's staff. This past season was his first in the NHL as a head coach.

Jim Hiller, Los Angeles Kings

Jim Hiller was named interim head coach of the LA Kings in February after the organization moved on from head coach Todd McLellan. While Hiller hasn't officially been named head coach, he's still listed as the man in charge in LA. Hiller joined the Islanders in 2019, brought in by newly appointed head coach Barry Trotz. Hiller was part of the most successful spell since the Islanders dynasty years, making back-to-back Conference/Semi-Finals appearances. He was let go after three seasons along with the rest of the coaching staff.

Peter Laviolette, New York Rangers

A head coach in the NHL for 22 seasons, Peter Laviolette got his start with the Islanders in 2001. Replacing Islanders hall-of-famer Butch Goring behind the bench, Laviolette coached two seasons with the organization, amassing a record of 77-62-19-6, making the playoffs both seasons. Failing to make it past the first round in both seasons, Mike Millbury let go of Laviolette, and he'd win a Stanley Cup with the Carolina Hurricanes two seasons later.

Islanders v Leafs / Dave Sandford/GettyImages

Travis Green, Ottawa Senators

Travis Green spent parts of 8 seasons with the Islanders organization, getting his start in professional hockey with the Capital District Islanders of the AHL in 1990. After two and a half seasons in the minors, Green received his first NHL call-up, remaining in the NHL until his retirement in 2007. Green played in 6 seasons with the Islanders, having the best season of his career while in blue and orange, amassing 70 points (25 G, 45 A) during the 1995-96 season. Green and current Islanders assistant coach Doug Houda were traded to the Anaheim Mighty Ducks before the trade deadline in 1998. Green was appointed head coach of the Ottawa Senators this off-season, after finishing the 2023-24 season as interim head coach of the New Jersey Devils.

Patrick Roy, New York Islanders

An unexpected hire by Lou Lamoriello after firing Lane Lambert midway through last season, Patrick Roy is now the man in charge behind the Islanders bench. Roy went 20-12-5 during his first season in charge, reviving a team that looked dead and leading them into the playoffs. After a first-round elimination to the Hurricanes, Lamoriello announced that Roy would be back in charge for the 2024-25 season.

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