Barry Trotz: 'Unfinished business' for Islanders is trip to Stanley Cup Final
Islanders head coach Barry Trotz addresses the team during training camp at the Northwell Health Ice Center in East Meadow on Sept. 25. Credit: Brad Penner
The Islanders are owning the lofty expectations that accompany them into the 2021-22 NHL season.
"There’s unfinished business," coach Barry Trotz said after Tuesday’s practice at Northwell Health Ice Center in East Meadow. "Our unfinished business is we’ve got to take the next step, be it getting to the finals or winning the Stanley Cup. Anything below that is going to be considered a failure within probably the group, probably myself and probably the fan base."
The Islanders begin the regular season on Thursday night at Carolina to start a 13-game road trip before UBS Arena at Belmont Park opens on Nov. 20 against the Flames.
The Islanders reached the NHL semifinals in each of the last two seasons, losing both time to the eventual Cup champion Lightning, including a 1-0 loss in Game 7 at Tampa Bay on June 25. Those close calls have certainly positioned the Islanders as consensus Cup contender this season as well as a Metropolitan Division favorite among many prognosticators.
In 2019-20, the Islanders squeezed into the playoffs after struggling before the COVID-19 pandemic prematurely ended the regular season. They finished fourth in the eight-team East Division last season.
"There’s going to be more pressure because people expect you to do well," Trotz said. "If you don’t get off to a good start, people start questioning everything. We’re built for the playoffs. I think it’s going to be a grind for us to get to the playoffs. The regular season doesn’t always play out as a playoff-style game."
"The goal stays the same," left wing Anthony Beauvillier said. "We want to get to the Stanley Cup. We want to get to the playoffs. We definitely want to go back to where we were last year."
Trotz, of course, was in a similar position in his last NHL stop. The Capitals had experienced numerous playoff disappointments in the Alex Ovechkin era before winning the franchise’s first Cup in 2018.
"There’s internal pressure, there’s external pressure," Trotz said. "We’re mature enough to handle it. There’s a privilege to get this extra pressure. It’s a privilege to be in the playoffs.
There’s nothing given. I can’t tell you how this season is going to play out. But if we stay healthy and we play close to our ceiling all year, I feel very comfortable with our hockey team."
This season will be different in that the NHL plans to play a normal, 82-game season after two shortened seasons, including limited travel last season.
Notes & quotes: Goalie Semyon Varlamov (soreness) will start the season on injured reserve and Matt Martin (ankle surgery) is on the non-roster/injured list. But Trotz said both will accompany the Islanders when the team departs for Carolina on Wednesday. "They’re close enough where they’re going to have to be part of the group for rehab," said Trotz, ruling out either for the season opener…Michael Dal Colle cleared waivers and can be re-assigned to the Islanders’ AHL affiliate in Bridgeport.
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.
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