For Barry Trotz, there are no excuses for Islanders' dismal season
Islanders head coach Barry Trotz looks on in the third period of an NHL game on Dec. 11 at UBS Arena. Credit: Corey Sipkin
Winning consistently is the only thing that will make the Islanders feel better about themselves.
"We’ve got to move forward," coach Barry Trotz said after the team practiced in Vancouver on Tuesday. "I don’t know how this whole season is going to end. But I do know that we just need to play as good a game on a consistent basis. We have not been consistent enough and that’s on the group. That’s on me. That’s on everybody."
The Islanders (16-17-6) resume play after the All-Star break against the Canucks on Wednesday night. It’s the start of a four-game road trip that includes three in Western Canada and concludes next Tuesday night at Buffalo.
The Islanders have lost four of six, including Wednesday’s no-show 3-0 loss to the expansion Seattle Kraken at UBS Arena. They were 17 points out of a playoff spot with 43 games remaining entering Tuesday’s play in the NHL.
"We have some guys that need to demand more of themselves," Trotz said. "I need to demand more of them and get our consistency back and just play better on a night-in, night-out basis. We haven’t been as resilient and we haven’t been as consistent as what we’re used to. We can make lots of excuses but, really, the reality is we’ve got to play better as a group and I’m confident that we can do that."
Trotz added it means he has to coach better as well.
"I give guys opportunities all the time," Trotz said. "Some guys that I’ve given opportunities to have let me down and I’ve stuck with them because of what they’ve done in the past or what I think they’re going to do. Sometimes, I’ve had a little slower trigger finger on certain things.
"This year has not gone the way I wanted it to go. It’s not gone the way I envisioned. But we’ve got to stay in the moment."
As Trotz said after the disheartening loss to the Kraken, words don’t mean much at this point.
But the Islanders are not hiding from their precarious position.
"It’s not all fun and games," Mathew Barzal said. "It’s back to business. It’s not acceptable to be where we’re at."
Notes & quotes: Kyle Palmieri will miss Wednesday’s game as his wife gave birth to their first child. He was placed on non-roster status and Trotz said he will rejoin the team in Edmonton. The Islanders face the Oilers on Friday night…The Kraken claimed forward Austin Czarnik off waivers. Czarnik, 29, in the second season of a two-year, $1.45 million deal, had two goals and three assists in 11 games this season for the Islanders after going without a point in four NHL games last season. "I’m a fan of Austin," Trotz said. "I think he’s got really good hockey sense. I was hoping he could get through. Anytime a player can get picked up by another team and, potentially, stay in the NHL, I’m all for it. Unfortunately, for us, it’s a piece that we’ll miss."
Andrew Gross joined Newsday in 2018 to cover the Islanders. He began reporting on the NHL in 2003 and has previously covered the Rangers and Devils. Other assignments have included the Jets, St. John’s and MLB.
