Trotz' $4M annual salary with the Islanders makes him the fourth-highest paid coach in the NHLGETTY IMAGES
The Islanders appear to have "completely turned the corner" with the hiring of Barry Trotz as coach and Lou Lamoriello as President of Hockey Operations, exactly what co-Owners Scott Malkin and Jon Ledecky have "wanted to do since they took over full time" in the '16-17 season, according to Brett Cyrgalis of the N.Y. POST. The total restructuring of the organization "could only have been thought of as fantasy a few months ago," but things have "fallen into place." Now the Islanders hope negotiations with C John Tavares "continue to progress" and the sides "close what now seems like a very small gap and Tavares re-signs rather than hits free agency on July 1." Trotz said, "I've done my research on the general manager in Lou and the organization, they are fully committed to making this a great franchise" (N.Y. POST, 6/22). On Long Island, Mark Herrmann writes the Islanders are "willing to pay" Trotz, and that he was willing to take the job "says everything about how far the franchise has come in the past two months." Trotz' arrival "reinforces the point that the Islanders mean business." His hiring is a "sign that this is a new day" (NEWSDAY, 6/22). THE ATHLETIC's Arthur Staple noted Malkin and Ledecky "fumed into the end of the regular season" after missing the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the second straight year. But less than 10 weeks later, the Islanders are "barely recognizable." Tavares "may still host four or five teams hoping to sign him" at CAA's offices in L.A. next week, but the "pull of Lamoriello and Trotz appears to be strong" (THEATHLETIC.com, 6/21).
CASH, MONEY, RESPECT: THE HOCKEY NEWS' Jared Clinton noted Trotz' $4M annual salary with the Islanders makes him the "fourth-highest paid coach in the NHL" (THEHOCKEYNEWS.com, 6/21). The Washington Post’s Kevin Blackistone said the move to hire Trotz is "great for the Islanders." Blackistone: "They get the hottest coach out there right now, a guy coming in with a shiny new ring, and it’s great for Barry Trotz because he got the contract he couldn't get in Washington” (“Around the Horn,” ESPN, 6/21).
EXTENDED RETURN: New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Thursday announced the Islanders will "play an additional eight games" at NYCB Live's Nassau Coliseum during the '18-19 season. On Long Island, Yancey Roy notes the increase means the Islanders will "play 20 of their 82 games next season at the Uniondale venue they called home" from '72-'15. They will "play a total of 68 games there in the next three seasons, part of a split schedule with Barclays Center." Cuomo said that the additional games were being "switched to the Coliseum because of 'high demand' for the 12 games already scheduled there" (NEWSDAY, 6/22).
