Islanders: Trotz signs on, checks in with Tavares

Barry Trotz has the fifth-most wins by a coach in NHL history.

DALLAS— Barry Trotz has gone from lifting the Stanley Cup with the Washington Capitals to coaching the New York Islanders in just two weeks. Islanders president of hockey operations Lou Lamoriello hired Trotz on Thursday, three days after he resigned from the Capitals, and gave him the kind of long-term security Washington wouldn’t.

Immediately scooping up an accomplished, Cup-winning coach is the Islanders’ latest step to try to keep face of the franchise John Tavares, who can become a free agent July 1.

Trotz’s new deal is reportedly worth double what he would have made annually on an automatic extension that kicked in with the Capitals and five years instead of two. The Cup win triggered a clause in his contract that gave him a $300,000 (U.S.) raise to about $2 million for the next two seasons.

Trotz has the fifth-most NHL wins in history and led Washington to finish first in the regular season in 2015-16 and 201617. After consecutive early playoff exits, the Capitals let him go into the final year of his contract without an extension, in large part because he had never made it past the second round.

GM Brian MacLellan said a long-term contract and Trotz’s wish to be paid among the top four or five coaches in the NHL were sticking points, and Trotz asked for and was given his resignation Monday.

“I went to the Caps and said: ‘You know, it’s a little unfair based on value around the league. Just tell me if anything could be done,’ ” Trotz said. “When I got the response, I knew it was time to go in a different direction.”

Lamoriello and the Islanders called almost right away, getting a deal done with Trotz before the draft begins Friday night and with time to spare before Tavares can talk to other teams about a contract. Trotz, 55, has already spoken to Tavares and said the situation “is in good hands” with Lamoriello.