Lou Lamoriello only had one name in mind when he decided it was time to shake up his Islanders with a head coaching change, and that was Patrick Roy.
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When asked shortly after Roy's hiring was announced Saturday if he had interviewed other candidates, the veteran hockey player responded categorically: “Patrick is the only person we wanted and that's why we're here today.” [samedi].”
Lou Lamoriello, Islanders general manager file photo, AFP
“I knew Patrick as a player but also as a coach in Colorado,” New York Islanders general manager Lou Lamoriello continued. He is an impressive presence and what he has done recently, his return to the junior ranks and the success he has had there, as well as the development of players, has always stayed with me.”
“When I spoke to him, I knew he was the right one. When you make a decision like this you have to make sure you have the right candidate and that was the feeling I had with Patrick.
A leadership position?
Roy, for his part, believes he is a completely different coach than the one who left the Avalanche with a bang in August 2016, three years after being hired.
In Colorado, Roy not only held the position of head coach, but also vice president of hockey operations.
And that's a bit of the reason for his downfall.
- Listen to the interview with Nicole Bouchard, long-time follower of Patrick Roy, on the microphone by Alexandre Dubé via
QUB radio
:
In addition, he made it clear on Saturday during his first press conference as head coach of the Islanders: He is not interested in a leadership position.
On Long Island he will be the Islanders' coach, nothing more, nothing less.
“When I took the job in Colorado, I was perhaps a little dreamy about the idea that I could combine both functions. Today it is impossible. I will have a lot of time to look after the players, the team and relations with the media.
Further changes?
The Islanders have not announced any further personnel changes for the time being.
This means that John Houda and Paul MacLean remain deputies.
When asked about his intentions to recommend or not hire certain people he had worked with in the past, as he had done in Colorado, Roy didn't want to comment too much.
“Right now it’s the status quo and we’ll see if any adjustments need to be made.”
– In collaboration with Jessica Lapinski