Barry Trotz gets coaching win No. 900 with victory over Jets
Islanders head coach Barry Trotz looks on from the bench during the first period against the Blue Jackets at UBS Arena on Thursday. Credit: Jim McIsaac
Barry Trotz was congratulated after the Islanders’ 5-2 win over the Jets on Friday at UBS Arena.
The coach wanted to know why. That’s when he found out he had just earned career victory No. 900. He is third on the NHL’s all-time coaching wins list behind Scotty Bowman (1,244) and Joel Quenneville (969).
"This means I’ve been around a long time," said Trotz, whose NHL coaching career started with the expansion Predators in 1998 and who led the Capitals to the Stanley Cup in 2018. "I’ve had some good players and we’ve been able to win some games."
Said Josh Bailey, "A Hall of Fame career for a Hall of Fame guy."
Barzal, Chara back
Trotz reinserted Mathew Barzal, placing him between Kieffer Bellows and Zach Parise, and Zdeno Chara, who was reunited with Noah Dobson. Each had missed six games.
Barzal suffered a lower-body injury and Chara suffered an upper-body injury in a 5-2 loss in Los Angeles on Feb. 26.
"Z probably could have played [Thursday]," Trotz said. "I said, ‘You’re coming back from an injury, so instead of putting you in a back-to-back, let’s put you in one.’ There was even a chance that Mathew could have played [Thursday]. Let’s just start with one."
Oliver Wahlstrom was a healthy scratch for the first time in nine games and Sebastian Aho was out of the lineup for the first time in 13.
The Islanders are playing seven games in 11 days, and Trotz said he wants to rotate his personnel as much as possible.
"I’m going to try to keep people fresh,’’ he said. "Sunday to Sunday this next week, we’ve got five [games]. I’m trying to keep everybody involved. I know there’s going to be times when some guys are going to not have the juice. I’m going to mix it up probably from now until the end. You’ll see different lineups all the time."
Isles files
Anders Lee, who has six goals in three games, skated to the glass behind the Jets’ net to acknowledge Islanders co-owner Jon Ledecky after scoring in the second period . . . Anthony Beauvillier and Jean-Gabriel Pageau each had two assists . . . Otto Koivula was reassigned to the Islanders’ AHL affiliate in Bridgeport after playing in two of the previous three games . . . The Islanders have won five straight over the Jets.
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.
