BIG MONEY FOR TROTZ — BUT WHICH TEAM WILL BE PAYING?

Barry Trotz is not among the highest paid coaches in NHL. In fact, he’s not even close to the Mike Babcocks or the Joel Quennevilles on the salary scale but he’s about to get some kind of raise of sorts.

The question is, will it be in Washington, where the Capitals just won the Stanley Cup, or on Long Island, where Lou Lamoriello has taken over the Islanders hockey operation or maybe in Minnesota, where new general manager Paul Fenton is an old Trotz advocate from their time together in Nashville?

Trotz was clearly not happy when the Capitals didn’t re-sign him before the final year of his contract in Washington and it has factored in the relationship between him and general manager Brian MacLellan. On the night the Caps won the Cup, both Trotz and MacLellan said all the right things and the GM talked about re-signing his coach for the coming years.

It may not be that easy.

Trotz knows he has all kinds of leverage now — something he’s never really had before — and may want to play the free-agent game just to see what may be available come July 1, when his contract expires. MacLellan is in a tough position here, because he may not adore Trotz as a coach, but how do you explain to your rather large fan base that the guy who just won you a Stanley Cup may not be returning?

Pressure from ownership may factor here. Meanwhile, Lamoriello is waiting, at least until he gets word on Trotz’s status, before proceeding with his coaching search with the Islanders. And what’s not known here is what Fenton thinks of Bruce Boudreau in Minnesota.

Whatever happens, the $1.5 million Trotz earned in his 19th NHL season, could well be tripled with his next contract, no matter where that will be.