EAST RUTHERFORD | Former Islanders players John Tonelli and Bob Nystrom see a bit of Al Arbor in Patrick Roy, while journalists who follow the team see an intense man.
• Also read: The Roy Effect on Islanders Players
• Also read: Enjoying the intensity of the islanders
“The overall attitude of the team has changed a lot,” confirms Ethan Sears, who follows the team for the New York Post.
“Everyone talks about his passion and his intensity and you can just see it in the way he does his exercises. It is very intense and physical. I think it was a wake-up call for the team that didn’t play well in January.”
An example of this intensity? Ethan Sears has a good one.
“Even in game morning training, if a drill isn’t done well, the players will repeat it.”
Culture
Joe Pantorno oversees the amNewYork team and he too has seen a big change since Roy's arrival on Long Island.
“Things have changed a lot. He's trying to introduce a new culture and restore the work ethic that made the team famous and that it has moved away from over the last two years under Lane Lambert.
This change includes a change in style of play, which perhaps explains why the team has a 3-3-2 record since Roy took the reins.
“It has given players more freedom, allowing them to better express their creativity on the ice,” explains Pantorno. Defenders have more freedom to join the attack. There are a lot of bad habits that need to be eliminated.”
Joe Pantorno covers the Islanders for amNewYork. Photo Dave Levesque
details
There's obviously the aura of a former NHL star who won the Stanley Cup four times and whose name is in the hockey pantheon, but that's not all.
In his desire to improve the team's morale, Roy is cautious. It's not just the coach who brings military training to life, as was the case on Wednesday, the day after a 2-1 penalty shootout loss to the Seattle Kraken.
“He pays particular attention to details,” confirms Ethan Sears.
And according to Scott Charles, who covers the team for The Associated Press, Roy is hungry and it's becoming contagious.
“He wants more, he is establishing a form of responsibility and he is involved in a race for the playoffs and he has limited time with around thirty games and a team four points away from a fourth place.”
the atmosphere
Despite his intensity, Roy creates a change in atmosphere that seems to please those around him.
“It's a 180-degree turnaround in terms of the atmosphere in the team, even if the results aren't there yet,” claims Joe Pantorno. We have the feeling that something new is emerging here.”
And the former number 33 maintains a pleasant relationship with the media.
“He has respect for the media he will use to get his message across to fans. He is a new coach who wants to win the affection of the fans. He's basically in seduction mode.
“He wants to gain everyone’s respect, but he doesn’t expect us to give it to him right away,” believes Scott Charles.
Like a movie
The way Joe Pantorno talks about it, it feels like a movie. You know, the kind of movie where the fallen hero returns to his roots and finds the meaning of life.
“He mentioned that returning to juniors after his time with the Avalanche allowed him to learn new things in terms of patience with players and the media, among other things.
“It's a bit like his return to Quebec was a kind of rehabilitation for him. He is very open with his players, he doesn't throw anyone under the bus and in his first press conferences he thanked the media several times, which is surprising. He seems different.”