New York Islanders firefighting coach Barry Trotz after missing the playoffs

Team president and general manager Lou Lamorillo announced that the New York Islanders sacked coach Barry Trotz on Monday.

The Islanders missed the playoffs after finishing 37-35-10. Trotz had one year left on his five-year contract.

Trotz coached the Islanders to appear in the playoff in each of his first three years with them, reaching the Eastern Conference Finals in 2020 and 2021 before losing to eventual Stanley Cup champions Tampa Bay Lightning.

A series of events beyond Trotz’s control contributed to the islanders’ absence from this year’s playoffs. As their new arena was nearing completion, they opened the season with a 13-game wild ride and had a string of coronavirus-related absences and injuries that derailed their season.

In four seasons as the team’s coach, Trotz was 152-102-34 and 28-21 in the playoffs.

Trotz, 59, joined the islanders in 2017 after helping the Washington Capitals win the Stanley Cup the previous season. The Capitals decided at the time not to rework Trotz’s contract despite the tournament and granted him his release.

Barry Trotz received his second career Jack Adams award as the NHL Coach of the Year in his first season with the Islanders during the 2018-19 season. He also won the title in the 2015-2016 season as head coach of the Capitals team.

He coached the Nashville Predators in their first 15 seasons, helping them reach the playoffs seven times. His 914th regular season victories ranks him third among coaches in NHL history.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.