Islanders appoint Patrick Roy as head coach after firing Lane Lambert.

On Saturday, the Hockey Hall of Fame goaltender and former NHL head coach Patrick Roy was hired by the New York Islanders to replace Lane Lambert, who was fired midway through his second season as head coach.

With 49 points from 19 games played, the Islanders are currently tied for fifth place in the Metropolitan Division and two points behind the Detroit Red Wings for the last Eastern Conference wild-card spot.

Prior to being promoted for the 2022–23 season, when the Islanders finished 42–31–9 (93 points) and lost in six games to the Carolina Hurricanes in the opening round of the playoffs, Lambert, 59, was an associate coach for the team for four seasons.

Although Roy,58, is best known for being one of the best goalies in NHL history, he has also pursued a second career as a coach. From 2013 to 2016, he led the Colorado Avalanche, who finished 130-92-24 during the regular season and 3-4 in the Stanley Cup Playoffs the previous year. August 2016 saw his resignation.