Patrick Roy is gone, and now the Islanders' biggest flaws are impossible to ignore
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Cimon Asselin
Apr 12, 2026 (9:46 PM)
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Photo credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images
Mathew Barzal and Peter DeBoer now carry the fallout after Patrick Roy's firing, and the outside noise isn't letting up.
The decision landed on April 6, but the reaction hasn't cooled. Not in the locker room. Not around the league. And definitely not in the media.
One prominent voice cut straight through the usual tone and said what many were thinking. On Facebook, Anthony Martineau from TVA Sports wrote this (in french) :
“This wasn't Patrick Roy, the problem. Clearly not. This team is slow. No identity.”
That line is making the rounds because it hits a nerve inside this roster.
The Islanders had dropped 4 straight and lost 7 of their last 10 before the move. That stretch didn't just cost points. It exposed deeper issues in pace and structure.
Management didn't pin it all on Roy. But they acted anyway.
The Islanders made their move on Patrick Roy, but the real problem may still be on the ice
Now there's no argument left. The standings closed the door.
The Islanders sit at 43-33-5 for 91 points. That's not enough in this Eastern Conference race.
And the early return didn't exactly quiet the critics.
A 4-1 loss to the Montréal Canadiens showed the same patterns. The Islanders fired 31 shots but still chased the game most of the night.
They gave up 3 goals in the second period alone. That's not a systems tweak. That's a breakdown.
DeBoer already said he doesn't expect major changes. That's a gamble this late in the schedule.
Because the critique about speed? It shows up on tape.
Loose pucks. Late support. A step behind on the forecheck. It's been consistent during this slide.
The roster construction is now under the microscope more than the former coach.
And inside that room, players know it.
This isn't about one voice behind the bench anymore. It's about whether this group can respond before the end of the regular season.
The message from outside is blunt. The numbers back it up.
Now DeBoer has a few days to prove it wrong.
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