Trotz gets five-year deal to coach Islanders

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 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. “If you know anything about Lou Lamoriello, his background and what he does, he will do what it takes to win,” Trotz said. “I felt strongly that once Lou gets with John ... Lou’s going to execute a plan, a long-term plan that will be very successful so we can chase the Stanley Cup and win a Stanley Cup.” Trotz’s new deal reportedly is worth double what he would have made annually on an automatic extension that kicked in with the Capitals and five years instead of two. Trotz, 55, who helped Washington win the Presidents’ Trophy in back-toback seasons and then the Cup, didn’t feel Washington was willing to increase his salary. 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 has already spoken to Tavares and said the situation “is in good hands” with Lamoriello, a three-time Cup-winning general manager with New Jersey who also helped turn Toronto back into a playoff team. “I think that they’ll have great dialogue, and we’re hoping to have John be a part said. The New York Islanders did more than add coach Thursday, announcing they would play eight more regular-season games at their former home, Nassau Coliseum at NYCB Live in Uniondale, N. Y. That will bring the total for the coming season at 20. of it, for sure,” Trotz

Flames

Calgary star Johnny Gaudreau now is a member of an ownership group that purchased an equity stake in the U.S. Hockey League’s Dubuque Fighting Saints Thursday. The group includes Buffalo forward Zemgus Girgensons, former Sabres and Penguins coach Dan Bylsma, and Florida Panthers executive chairman Peter Luuk.