The already explosive situation between Patrick Roy and Lou Lamoriello has just crossed a new critical threshold.
As the New York Islanders are mired in a disappointing season, rumors reported by Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff indicate that Lamoriello is in discussions with the Minnesota Wild to trade Brock Nelson, a key player of the team, despite a horrible season (21 meager points in 40 games, no goals in his last 16 games).
For Patrick Roy, this news is a real affront.
The head coach, known for his hot temper, still hoped to lead the Islanders to a playoff berth.
But the idea of losing Nelson, one of the rare players capable of producing offensively despite his lethargy, symbolizes for him the abandonment of this objective by management.
Since arriving as general manager of the Islanders in 2018, Lou Lamoriello has built a team around experienced veterans, sacrificing draft picks and young talent to maximize the chances of immediate success.
The pick led to two straight Eastern Conference Finals appearances in 2020 and 2021, but left the organization without depth or a future.
Today, while the results do not follow, Lamoriello seems to have changed his mind, going from builder of a competitive team to seller.
This turnaround, interpreted by many as an admission of failure, does not go down well with Roy, who must deal with a limited and aging workforce, already emptied of its future by the past decisions of his boss.
Brock Nelson, despite a disastrous season, remains an offensive pillar for the Islanders. The 32-year-old forward, author of at least 30 goals over the last three seasons, is a leader on and off the ice.
His playoff experience and ability to elevate his game in big moments make him a valuable asset to a team with playoff aspirations.
For Roy, losing Nelson at the trade deadline would not only mean giving up his slim hopes of qualifying, but also further weakening an already struggling team.
The relationship between Roy and Lamoriello, already strained, seems on the verge of exploding. According to sources close to the team, Roy expressed his displeasure in an angry manner during a recent meeting with management, accusing Lamoriello of sabotaging the team he asked him to lead.
Lamoriello himself built this team to win immediately, sacrificing the future with every trade.
Now that the results are not following, he changes course and turns to a sales strategy, abandoning his coach and his players in an already difficult context.
This double talk from Lamoriello is enough to irritate Roy, who finds himself leading a team without coherence or direction.
With a 15-18-7 record, the Islanders sit 15th in the Eastern Conference, 9 points out of a playoff spot.
Although the team’s performance is lacking, the real problem appears to lie in the leadership at the top of the organization.
Lamoriello, at 82, appears to be sailing blind, making contradictory decisions that reflect a lack of long-term vision.
If Brock Nelson is traded, it would send a clear message that the Islanders are giving up on contending this season, leaving Roy to deal with the fallout from a situation he didn’t create.
On social networks, Islanders fans do not hide their frustration with this situation. Many express their support for Patrick Roy, while strongly criticizing Lamoriello:
“Lamoriello destroyed this team to win now, and now he wants to sell? It’s absurd. »
“Brock Nelson is one of the only players left reliable. Losing him would be a catastrophe. »
“Roy deserves better. Lamoriello should be the first to go. »
Others, however, believe the Islanders need to focus on the future, even if it means sacrificing Nelson.
But in an environment already marked by internal tensions, this debate only amplifies the crisis.
Patrick Roy, known for his ambitions to become general manager, probably sees this situation as an opportunity to demonstrate that he could manage the team better than Lamoriello.
For Roy, taking the reins of an organization would not only be a natural progression in his career, but also a way to avoid the frustrations he currently experiences as a coach.
However, before hoping for such a scenario, Roy will have to weather the current storm. And with Lamoriello at the helm, that might just be mission impossible.
The dispute between Patrick Roy and Lou Lamoriello clearly shows the deep problems that undermine the New York Islanders.
While Lamoriello appears ready to trade Brock Nelson, Roy clings to the idea that the team can still contend for a playoff spot.
But with an organization without clear direction and internal tensions continuing to intensify, it is difficult to imagine a positive outcome.
If Brock Nelson is traded, it could well be the final blow for Patrick Roy, who finds himself in an untenable position.
For the Islanders, the question is no longer just whether Roy or Lamoriello will leave the organization first, but to recognize that without fundamental change, the team risks remaining stuck in a cycle of mediocrity for years to come. .
It is clear that Patrick Roy must stay and Lamoriello must go.
Patrick doesn’t deserve to be sacrificed.
And at the moment, it seems that the CEO is becoming more and more detached from the coach.
Lamoriello’s recent comments about Igor Larionov take on a whole new meaning. In an interview with Sport-Express, Lamoriello described Larionov as a perfect coach to work with young players.
“I think he could become a head coach in the NHL right now if he wanted to. We don’t call him the Professor for nothing.
He is very intelligent, has exceptional hockey knowledge and enjoys working with young people. »
These statements, coming from the man who built the Islanders team around veterans for a window of immediate success, send a scathing message to Patrick Roy.
While the latter strives to maintain the team’s competitiveness despite limited resources, Lamoriello appears to have pivoted to a rebuilding strategy.
And by praising Larionov, he suggests that he could be looking for a coach capable of leading this new project – a profile which, according to him, does not correspond to Roy.
This turnaround from Lamoriello is particularly striking, because it contradicts his entire management philosophy since arriving on Long Island.
Since 2018, he has systematically sacrificed draft picks to acquire established players like Jean-Gabriel Pageau, Kyle Palmieri, Alexander Romanov and Bo Horvat.
This approach has drained the Islanders’ prospect pool, leaving the team with little young talent to develop.
Now that the results are not keeping up, Lamoriello seems to want to rebuild – but at what cost?
This sudden change in direction, as Patrick Roy struggles to get the most out of an aging roster, gives the impression that the GM is using his coach as a scapegoat.
Patrick Roy has never hidden that he wanted to lead a competitive team. By accepting the position in January 2024, he thought he would take the reins of a group capable of fighting for a place in the playoffs.
But he quickly found himself trapped in an organization where Lamoriello’s contradictory decisions made progression impossible.
Roy publicly expressed his frustration with the team’s situation, half-heartedly stating that it was difficult to win with an “aging and no depth” roster.
In response, Lamoriello chose to pivot toward a rebuild, putting even more pressure on an already weakened Roy.
By praising the merits of Igor Larionov, Lamoriello is not only expressing his admiration for the Torpedo coach in the KHL.
He sends a clear message that if the Islanders are going to embark on a rebuild, they need a coach who can develop young players.
Unlike Roy, who prefers a direct and competitive approach, Larionov represents a more patient style, focused on long-term development.
Roy wants to win now, even with an aging team.
Lamoriello appears ready to rebuild, a project for which he considers Roy ill-suited.
For Patrick Roy, these statements from Lamoriello could well be the straw that broke the camel’s back. This is going to end badly.
