Mitch Korn leaves Islanders to join Nashville Predators and Barry Trotz
Mitch Korn, shown here in 2013 with Nashville, returns to the Predators after six seasons as director of goaltending for the Islanders.. Credit: AP/Mark Humphrey
Goalie guru Mitch Korn has long been associated with Barry Trotz in his NHL career. And now they’re together again as Korn is now the Islanders' former director of goaltending after six seasons with the organization.
The Predators announced Wednesday that Korn had been hired in the same role for his second stint in Nashville, rejoining Trotz, who is entering his second season as general manager after being fired as Islanders coach in 2022.
Korn served as the Predators' first goalie coach from 1998-2014, matching Trotz’s tenure as the organization’s first coach. The two then moved to the Capitals, where they won a Stanley Cup in 2018 before jointly being hired by the Islanders.
“I’ve known and worked with Mitch for a long time and we are happy to be welcoming back one of the great goaltending minds in the game of hockey,” Trotz said in a statement released by the Predators.
Islanders president/general manager Lou Lamoriello said after the season he expected Korn to remain with the organization. But industry speculation had long been that Korn would rejoin Trotz and an NHL source said Korn had felt his time with the Islanders had reached its end.
“I am incredibly excited to return to Nashville and the Predators organization,” Korn said in the Predators' statement.
Piero Greco, brought to the Islanders from the Maple Leafs organization by Lamoriello in 2018, remains the goalie coach under Hall of Famer Patrick Roy.
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.
