Roy's System Produces Chances, But Not Wins For Islanders; What's Left To Change?

Patrick Roy is unwilling to make changes because he likes the way the Islanders, who have lost six of their last eight games, are playing.

ELMONT, NY -- When New York Islanders head coach Patrick Roy sat down for his postgame interview after yet another blown third-period lead and devastating 4-2 loss to the Detriot Red Wings on Monday night, he had a frustrated smirk on his face.

The Hockey Hall of Famer knew what he was going to be asked, with a blown third-period lead the storyline in four of their last five defeats in which his team has played well for 50 or so minutes in each of them. 

"We need to continue exactly what we're doing," Roy said. "Changing won't help us, so let's keep doing what we're doing well. And I really believe that those chances will go in. Sometimes, in life, you have to be resilient because if I hadn't been resilient, I wouldn't be in front of you today. 

"We could feel sorry for ourselves or we can roll up our sleeves and get ready for the next game. That's the approach we need to have. We need to believe in what we're doing and what we're doing is the right thing."

Fans are shouting from the rooftops that Roy's mindset and unwillingness to make changes is the definition of insanity, but what is he supposed to say or do?

What changes to this current roster is he supposed to make?

The Islanders have repeatedly stated that they'd be more concerned if the chances to score weren't there, but they certainly have been.

A coach's job is to put his team in a position to win hockey games, and Roy has essentially done that in every game he's been behind the bench. 

He's proven over his 59 games behind the bench that his system gives his players the opportunities to fill the back of the net regularly, yet he's watched his players time and time again fail to bear down and pot big goals at crucial moments.

Of the Islanders' 14 losses this season, 11 have been one-goal defeats, including games in which the opponent extended a slim one-goal lead with an empty-net tally. 

Roy was brought in because of his mindset, one that was different than the past Long Island coaches. 

When Barry Trotz came to town after the Washington Capitals won a Stanley Cup in 2018, he looked at the roster and built a system that best suited the personnel.

"What I found was that the defense wasn't as bad as they were made out to be, and the forwards weren't as good as they were made out to be," Trotz told us when Nashville visited UBS Arena last season. 

But after Trotz's system had run its course, getting close to a Stanley Cup Final berth in back-to-back seasons (2020, 2021), Lamoriello let go of Trotz and elevated Lane Lambert to head coach, hoping to see more offense.

Lamoriello certainly saw more offense but also saw an absolute abandonment of the team's bread and butter, with the defense looking like a shell of its former self. 

So, when Lambert was fired on Jan 20, 2024, Lamoriello believed that Roy's offensive system and respect for the defensive side of the puck could spark the group, which it did.

The Hockey Hall of Fame goaltender turned effective juniors coach was bringing his system, one focused on possession time, chance creation, and offensive production, with respect to playing sound defensively.

A full training camp under Roy was supposed to fix the areas that were broken, but unfortunately, nothing seems to be fixed. 

Since Jan. 20, 2024, they've averaged 2.83 goals per game, which ranks 25th in the NHL. 

In those 59 games, the Islanders have been shut out seven times, being held to two goals or fewer in 23 outings. 

To Roy's credit and the Islanders, they found a way last season to go on an absolute run to sneak into the playoffs. 

But, this season, we aren't seeing the big-time goals that sparked the group. 

The lack of production is not an indictment of Roy, and part of the problem, especially this season, has been the absence of two-thirds of his top line, with Anthony Duclair missing 17 games and Mathew Barzal missing 10. 

Roy may be a great coach. He may have had success with this system in Colorado for a bit and, of course, saw success coaching the QMJHL's Quebec Remparts.

Like a teacher, a coach's job is to prepare his students for the test. 

If the student doesn't study, ask the right questions, or prepare accordingly, the result won't be a passing grade. 

But when the students collectively fail in one area, it usually says something about the teacher, right?

The Islanders are failing in a system that sets them up for success, even though it appears Roy has done everything to prepare them to get wins. 

Roy could be a good coach, but not the right coach for this team. Both can be true.  

Roy's personnel options are slim to none.

The fourth line has been a zero. The third line has been solid but has struggled with inconsistency. The second line has produced with Brock Nelson and Kyle Palmieri leading the way, but the two have also struggled to come through in the big moments. 

And the top line has seen Bo Horvat truly struggle to produce without his two linemates despite the effectiveness of a resurgence for Anders Lee.

The goaltending has been really good, but in the big moments, they have struggled to make the big save. The defense has been good but not good enough in the critical moments.  

The one place Roy can tinker schematically is the power play. 

The 59-year-old bench boss isn't going anywhere, but unless his players who know how to score raise their game in the big moments or more talent is brought in, this team is going to remain where they are, good enough to hang around in a weak Eastern Conference but nothing more than that. 

All Roy can do is wait for his team to get healthy.