The New York Islanders and Ottawa Senators were both desperate for a win on Sunday. With both teams near the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings, it was a back-and-forth contest, but the Islanders pulled ahead in the third period and won 4-2 to move up to the middle of the Metropolitan Division.
It’s a tense time of year in the NHL, especially with all the coaching changes. This game was a big sigh of relief for the Islanders but a disappointment for the Senators who are watching their season slip away.
Related: Ottawa Senators Can’t Trade Their Way to the Playoffs This Season
Both teams have head coaches who are retreads; but Patrick Roy (Islanders) and Travis Green (Senators) are only in their second stops as NHL bench bosses, which can feel like the sweet spot. They have experience but aren’t recycled to the point that they don’t really bring anything new to their teams. Roy and Green aren’t the best coaches in the league, but they have shown promise early in their new tenures.
Green & Roy Have Learned From Past Mistakes
More other sports, the NHL likes to hire coaches with NHL experience. The question is, why? Coaches who fail in the past are likely to fail again, and the few who win a Stanley Cup in one stop will win in their next stop (Scotty Bowman is one of the few coaches who managed to win in three places).
But overall, hiring veteran coaches who have been through many teams doesn’t make sense when considering the most successful and longest-tenured head coaches in the NHL. Three of the four longest-tenured coaches are in their first stop; Jon Cooper (Tampa Bay Lightning), Jared Bednar (Colorado Avalanche), and Rod Brind’Amour (Carolina Hurricanes) are considered three of the game’s best bench bosses (Mike Sullivan, who is the second longest-tenured coach in the league had a previous stop).
So, why do teams still hire retreads? The big plus is that these coaches learn from their mistakes. For Roy, it was about finding a balance on the ice and behind the bench. He’s passionate about the game and has been since his playing days, but he’s started using his energy and fire more selectively than he did when he was coach of the Avalanche. With Green, the key is understanding the stars on his roster and how to get the most out of them, something he failed to do when he was with the Vancouver Canucks.
Roy and Green are getting their second chance to succeed, and they are making the most of it. The Islanders and the Senators have struggled early on, but it’s not because of their coaches. If the teams turn things around, it will be because of them.
Roy Getting the Most Out of Depleted Roster
Even with a 4-3 win against the Hurricanes on Dec. 7 and another win the next night, the Islanders are a mess. They are dealing with a surplus of injuries and have plenty of roster problems, notably on offense, where they average only 2.59 goals per game. Yet, even when though they often look lost, they remain in the playoff picture with an 11-11-7 record.
It’s because of Roy. The Islanders are adjusting to their opponents and playing great situational hockey. They ran up the score against the Hurricanes with an aggressive offense that found the back of the net four times, and then they shut things down against the Senators, using strong defense to shut things down in the third.
Roy has made the right adjustments, but he’s also been able to get the most out of the roster. The Islanders are overachieving with skaters that typically would be depth players stepping up and playing big roles. It’s a reflection of Roy’s ability to get the most out of what he has.
Green’s Struggles Remain
In his playing days, Green was a depth player who played above expectations and impacted the game at both ends of the ice. That hasn’t translated to his coaching tenure. He didn’t bring anything special to the Canucks when he was their coach. By the end of his tenure, the team was a mess – despite having talent throughout their lineup, they played poorly. Once they found a coach who could balance out how the team played and get the most out of the roster, Vancouver became one the best in the NHL (look at the past two seasons under Rick Tocchet).
Despite having the talent to be a top team in the Atlantic Division, the Senators have struggled to do anything particularly well. Ideally, Green would have his team playing two-way hockey – like he did in his playing days – and winning in multiple ways, but that hasn’t happened. On the Senators Roundtable, a weekly podcast here at The Hockey Writers, a common criticism is that the team lacks an identity despite having the players in place to make them great.
Difference Between Green & Roy
Green’s big advantage is that he remains consistent. There will be highs and lows throughout the long 82-game season, but he won’t panic or make big changes on the ice. Like Cooper and Bednar, he is reserved and calm, which explains why those coaches can withstand the tough times and never land in the hot seat.
Roy, on the other hand, is quick to pull the trigger. He’ll move skaters up and down the lineup from game to game or even shift to shift. It has helped the Islanders in the short term, but in the long run, it isn’t sustainable. Likewise, his energy behind the bench has given the Islanders a jolt this season and last season, but over time, his voice will start to wear out, as it tends to do with most passionate coaches.
Both head coaches have a lot ahead of them and look poised to succeed with their teams. However, this season is a pivotal one for both Green and Roy. Making the playoffs is vital, and proving that they can take their teams beyond that will be pivotal as well. Which head coach do you think will have more success? Let us know in the comments section below.
