A year after the arrival of Patrick Roy behind the bench of the New York Islanders, the observation is clear: disappointment.
After a surprise qualification in the playoffs last year, punctuated by a first round elimination against the Carolina Hurricanes, the “Isles” are experiencing a catastrophic 2024-25 season.
Currently last in the Metropolitan division, the Islanders are struggling to find rhythm and injuries have not helped.
But it was an incident that occurred last Monday during the game against the Columbus Blue Jackets that made the rounds on social networks.
Captured by the cameras, Mathew Barzal, one of the team’s only stars, was filmed on the bench, exchanging with a teammate and letting slip unflattering remarks towards the fans.
Barzal reportedly said: “This place is empty. Fu…fu empty. It’s a joke, man.”
@krantzcke Mat Barzal was livid at the New York Islanders fans lack of attendance #nhl #espn #newyorkislanders #hockey #krantzcke ♬ original sound – Krantzcke
The images seem to confirm these words, throwing a real bomb into the locker room and igniting social networks.
Barzal, who was until now considered a fan favorite, risks seeing his popularity seriously damaged by this serious public relations error.
The Islanders, for their part, are plunged into a deep crisis, both on a sporting level and on a relational level.
The Mathew Barzal incident isn’t just a simple outburst from a frustrated player.
He is the symptom of a deep malaise that is eating away at the Islanders from the inside.
Barzal’s comments, far from being isolated, reflect a feeling of frustration shared by many players towards Lou Lamoriello’s management.
By attacking the horrible atmosphere of the UBS Arena, Barzal became the spokesperson for a generation of players who aspire to more offensive and more spectacular hockey.
A hockey that contrasts radically with the cautious and defensive style advocated by Lamoriello. Young players, like Barzal, want to have fun on the ice and achieve victories.
They don’t understand why they have to settle for a dull and soulless game.
Patrick Roy, with his flamboyant personality and offensive style of play, embodies everything that young Islanders players dream of being.
His arrival on Long Island sparked a wave of hope, but the results were not there. Yet Roy continues to enjoy endless support from his players.
Lou Lamoriello, for his part, seems trapped by his old methods. His insistence on building a team based on defense and experience no longer works in modern hockey.
Young players need freedom to express their talent, and Lamoriello seems unable to provide that environment.
The Barzal incident could well mark a turning point in the history of the Islanders. Players, fed up with a system that suffocates them, could demand radical changes.
And these changes could well involve the departure of Lou Lamoriello.
The Islanders’ future hangs by a thread. If the owners decide to keep Lamoriello, the crisis will be unprecedented on Long Island next season.
If, on the contrary, they opt for a change of direction, Patrick Roy could well be the man for the job.
The Barzal affair has exposed the deep divisions that exist within the Islanders. Players, coaches and managers each pull in their own direction, and the team suffers the consequences.
-It’s time for homeowners to make a courageous decision and choose the future.
Is Roy the only one capable of saving the Islanders as GM? Could other candidates claim this position and could Roy stay as coach?
What is clear is that fans won’t be able to put up with this situation for much longer.
The Islanders’ future is bleak. And Patricl Roy is clearly fed up.
When he arrived on Long Island a year ago, it was with the hope of breathing life into a franchise at the bottom of the hole.
But a year later, the atmosphere is electric, and the tension between the star coach and general manager Lou Lamoriello is evident.
Far from being the sacred union hoped for, this cohabitation turns into a nightmare, threatening to shatter this formation to the end.
Rumors of a conflict between Roy and Lamoriello have been circulating for months. Disagreements over line composition, management of young players and playing philosophy are said to be commonplace.
Roy’s comments at press conferences, often critical of the team’s construction, only fuel speculation.
This crisis from Mathew Barzal towards the shameful atmosphere at the UBS Arena ignited the powder.
While the players seem to support Roy in this coach vs GM duel, this outing further proved the deep tensions within the team.
Would Barzal, one of the faces of the franchise, have been encouraged by Roy to express his displeasure?
Because it sends a scathing message: the players are fed up, Patrick Roy is fed up, the fans are fed up.
For his part, Lou Lamoriello, legendary hockey figure, is increasingly isolated. His controversial decisions, his transactions sacrificing the future for finished players and the expensive contracts granted to aging players, are singled out.
The team’s disastrous sporting results only increase the pressure on the CEO.
Islanders fans, exasperated by their team’s mediocre performance, are demanding drastic changes.
Social networks are in turmoil, and calls to fire Lamoriello are increasing. Fans see Roy as the savior, a man capable of giving soul to a team lacking identity.
The future of the Islanders looks uncertain. If the conflict between Roy and Lamoriello continues, it could have disastrous consequences on the morale of the players and on the team’s results.
It is clear that the summer will be hot on Long Island. In any case, the next few months promise to be eventful.
Islanders owners will have to make some tough decisions, and the choice before them is clear: either they maintain the status quo and risk seeing their franchise sink further, or they risk changing everything by parting ways with Lamoriello and giving the keys to Roy.
The Lamoriello era appears to be coming to an end. The Islanders are at a turning point in their history. The choice that is made will have significant repercussions for years to come.
Only one name stands out to succeed Lamoriello: Patrick Roy.
The Quebecer has the charisma, experience and vision to give the Islanders the desire to win again as GM.
The story is just beginning on Long Island.
