Islanders fire Trotz after missing playoffs

Barry Trotz was fired as coach of the New York Islanders on Monday, with general manager Lou Lamoriello saying he felt the team needed a new voice.

Trotz lost his job after four seasons with the Islanders and the first without a playoff appearance. The 59-year-old who ranks among the most successful coaches in NHL history and won the Stanley Cup with Washington in 2018 guided the Islanders to the Eastern Conference final each of the previous two years before losing to eventual champion Tampa Bay.

Lamoriello declined to explain why he thought “a new voice” was necessary.

“I'd rather not get into any of the reasons because that's my job upon the information that I have and I experienced to make these type of decisions,” the 79-year-old longtime hockey executive said on a conference call. “Those are not questions that I will answer as far as what I thought. It's obviously that I thought quite a bit to make this type of a decision.”

A series of events outside Trotz's control contributed to the Islanders missing the playoffs this year. While their new arena was being finished, they opened the season on a 13-game road trip and were hit with a string of coronavirus-related absences and injuries that derailed their season.

Sharks re-sign Barabanov, Megna

The San Jose Sharks have locked up two of their potential free agents early in the offseason, agreeing to two-year deals with forward Alexander Barabanov and defenseman Jaycob Megna.

Interim general manager Joe Will announced the deals on Monday as the Sharks placed a priority on retaining two players who were set to hit the open market in July.

Barabanov's deal is worth a reported $5 million over two years and Megna's is worth a reported $1.625 million.