Whirlwind year for NHL coach
Weeks after winning Cup, Trotz joined Islanders
Barry Trotz never had the chance to grieve his departure from the Capitals. He was celebrating the franchise’s first Stanley Cup one day, announcing his resignation the next and three days later was trying to determine how he could improve the Islanders.
The change in employers happened at such a whirlwind pace that Trotz needed to be careful about not saying “Caps” instead of “Islanders” when discussing his new team on TV or radio.
“It was daunting summer,” Trotz told USA TODAY. “I don’t know if I could have put any more hours in.”
Trotz also was being tugged by the excitement of his daughter’s wedding while being involved in a final ill-fated pitch to keep center John Tavares with the Islanders.
Then came video watching. A day with the Cup. Arena issues. Hiring a staff.
“We never got together until a week before training camp,” Trotz says. “I had to do prep work from a distance.”
Despite the offseason craziness, his ability as a head coach has propelled the Islanders ahead of expectations.
While it’s too early to draw conclusions, the Islanders, who didn’t qualify for the playoffs last season, were 8-6-2 going into Tuesday and sitting in fifth place in the Metropolitan Division, four points out of first place.
They are one point ahead of the Capitals, who lost Trotz because they didn’t want to give him a five-year extension or pay him like one of the highest-paid coaches.
The most important change Trotz has brought to the Islanders has been to their defensive play. After finishing last in goals-against last season (3.57 goals per game), the Islanders are fifth this season (2.56).
“(Many) said this team couldn’t compete if they didn’t keep Tavares,” Trotz recalled.
Under Trotz’s command, the Islanders are proving it’s not true.
“I know it can be a fairly quick fix if you get your culture and your structure and the right people in the right seats,” the New York coach said.
Even without Tavares, who signed a seven-year deal with the Maple Leafs, the Islanders are scoring three goals per game.
“The thing is trying to create an Islander identity,” Trotz said. “What does that entail? Maybe it’s more of a team game, a little more structure.”
What defines Trotz as a coach is an ability to persuade or will players to take their games to the next level. When he took over the expansion Predators in
1998-99, he quickly made them competitive.
He was brought into Washington in
2014-15 to show the Capitals how they needed to play for postseason success. The mission was accomplished.
Now he is trying to restructure an Islanders team that played last season as if players believed they could win every game 6-5.
That’s the kind of challenge that Trotz enjoys. He had options. He could have sat all summer and waited to see what unfolded this season. He could have ended up in Los Angeles or Chicago this fall. Some teams might have fired their coach for a shot at Trotz.
But one appeal of the Islanders job is that Lou Lamoriello is now the team’s general manager. Trotz worked for David Poile in Nashville and respected him greatly. They became friends. Lamoriello and Poile have similarities.
“I know Lou doesn’t stand for losing,” Trotz said.
Trotz saw a team that needed to be better defensively and in net.
“I know the part of keeping the puck out,” Trotz said. “That is fixable. The mental part, culture, those are things that take you a little bit longer.”
In Washington, Trotz had an objective to get veteran star Alex Ovechkin to add more defensive responsibility to his game.
With the Islanders, it’s critical young star Mathew Barzal plays Trotz’s way.
“Ovi was an old dog I had to teach new things and Barzal is a young puppy that hopefully you get to train,” Trotz said.
Young or old, players believe in Trotz’s methods. The Capitals, particularly Ovechkin, respected Trotz. The feeling was mutual. He admired his players for overcoming their poor postseason history.
“They had a lot of scars,” Trotz said. “There’s a tension in Washington that was undeniable. I could write my name in the air there. So those players felt it.”
The Capitals had reached the playoffs in 10 of 11 seasons but never advanced past the second round. “They checked every box and got rid of the demons,” Trotz said.
It was bothersome to him that there were no goodbyes to players and folks in the organization. He will get another chance on Nov. 26 when the Islanders play the Capitals for the first time since he left. It will be an emotional game.
“Good memories,” said Trotz, who will visit Washington for the first time since his departure Jan. 18. “I’ve texted with a couple of guys. But I think players know what I think of them as people and what we did together. There will always be relationships there.”