Islanders Fire Lambert Midseason: Why Lamoriello Pulled the Plug

The Islanders are just the next team in line to replace their head coach this season. The Columbus Blue Jackets did so before the season started, but the Edmonton Oilers, Minnesota Wild, St. Louis Blues, and Ottawa Senators have also fired their head coaches in the middle of the 2023-24 season.

Lambert was the next great coach in line. He seemed poised to not only take over for Barry Trotz but take this team to the next level. Fast forward to a dry January, and he’s out of a job. The decision was surprising yet one that fans could see coming as the Islanders looked like a poorly coached team.

How Lambert Lost Locker Room

From a distance, it was noticeable that this team, while talented, was checked out. Throughout the season, they’ve proven capable of surging to the top of the standings, yet in a four-game road trip, they couldn’t win a single game. To be fair, the Nashville Predators and the Minnesota Wild have the Islanders’ number in recent seasons, while the Winnipeg Jets are one of the best teams in the NHL, making a 4-2 drubbing understandable. There’s no excuse for the loss to the Blackhawks, a team that is without their transcendent rookie Connor Bedard and sits in last place in the Central Division.

Under Trotz, there were similar warning signs. The Islanders would look lethargic and lose games they should have easily won. After a few seasons, Trotz lost his voice, and the Islanders needed a new one to lead them. It’s what Lambert said shortly after the coaching change in the 2022 offseason. Once again, the veteran-heavy roster was non-responsive to a head coach, and Lambert wasn’t going to be the person to turn this season around.

At this point, is there a head coach who can turn things around? Trotz was a remarkable coach and made a team that was a punchline and a perennial contender for the Stanley Cup. He’s even having success in the front office with the Predators, helping the team have a strong season with some positive additions in the offseason. Lambert similarly couldn’t motivate this team, and now, the question is if Roy will, and if not, does the roster itself require changes? Lambert lost the locker room, and on top of that, a lot of the red flags in a poorly coached team were visible in the Islanders, making a firing more necessary.

Lambert’s Aggressive Style Left This Team A Mess

Some of the qualities of a well-coached team include but are not limited to these things.

Teams like the Carolina Hurricanes, Colorado Avalanche, and Tampa Bay Lightning constantly fulfill these requirements, and it explains the long tenures of Rod Brind’Amour, Jared Bednar, and Jon Cooper. The Islanders under Lambert checked off none of these boxes. On the contrary, this team lacked discipline, took too many penalties, and allowed mistakes to become their downfall. The list of losses caused by errors felt endless, and eventually, that growing list became too much for Lamoriello.

Lamoriello wanted to see the Islanders become a more offensive-minded team when he promoted Lambert behind the bench. They did as the team played at a faster pace and with more focus on skill and scoring. Unfortunately, they became a team heavily focused on offense with a cost. The defense was a mess, allowing 3.36 goals per game and blowing leads in the third period throughout the season. For Lambert, the road trip was the last straw, and he joined the growing list of coaches to be replaced this season.

The Greater Coaching Implications

Taking a step back and looking at the NHL as a whole, there’s a trend when it comes to some of the coaches who were both hired and fired. Many teams were searching for the next young and rising coach who could work with the players on the roster and lead the team for years to come. The Edmonton Oilers hired Jay Woodcroft in the 2021-22 season, hoping his energy and style could mesh with the stars on the team. Earlier in the season, he was replaced by Kris Knobloch behind the bench.

There’s still a place for a young head coach in the NHL, and eventually, one will break through to lead a team to the Stanley Cup. That said, good teams require a disciplined coach who can hold players accountable. The Islanders needed a coach who could do that, and Roy’s hiring is reflective of the urge to bring discipline back to the roster.

What Comes Next?

The Islanders have short-term and long-term questions that must be answered in the coming days. Fortunately, they return to UBS Arena to help them find their footing. The bad news is that their games come against the Dallas Stars on Jan. 21 and the Vegas Golden Knights on Jan. 23, two of the best teams in the Western Conference.

As chaotic as this season has become, with the highs and lows on full display for the Islanders, there’s plenty of time for them to salvage this season. With a 19-15-11 record, they are tied with the New Jersey Devils for the fifth-best record in the Metropolitan Division, but only seven points separate them from the second-place Philadelphia Flyers. A hot streak can get the Islanders’ season back on track, and this roster is more than capable of making a deep playoff run, especially if goaltender Ilya Sorokin finds his footing with a Hall of Fame goaltender behind the bench.

That said, if the Islanders don’t have the surge up the standings that other teams have experienced with a coaching change, questions about this roster will stand to pop up with the trade deadline weeks away. If this group couldn’t play well under Trotz or Lambert and it fails under Roy, then clearly, it’s the roster in need of a chance more so than the person behind the bench. With that in mind, Lamoriello could trade away some veteran skaters who have value at the deadline to help this team rebuild or retool.

The question is, who would the Islanders trade who can help with a retool? Brock Nelson could score 40 goals for the first time in his career and is the most valuable trade asset as he becomes a free agent after the 2024-25 season. After him, the list of players who could be moved is thin. Mathew Barzal, who is the Islanders All-Star, Bo Horvat, Noah Dobson, and Sorokin are untouchable as core players for the team to build around. The rest of the roster is otherwise filled with aging veterans or young skaters still searching for a role.

This leads to the next issue. Lamoriello doesn’t rebuild and will do anything to avoid trading away talent at the deadline. His unwillingness to move on was his downfall with the Devils, and it could result in his firing with the Islanders. After replacing Trotz and Lambert, the pressure eventually will shift to the front office. Lamoriello has done a good job making this team competitive, but keeping them a contender is starting to become an issue. If this team doesn’t respond to Roy, a lot more changes will follow.