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Islanders fire Patrick Roy, tab Pete DeBoer as coach

By Thomson Reuters Apr 5, 2026 | 12:39 PM

The New York Islanders fired Hall of Famer Patrick Roy as the team’s head coach Sunday and replaced him ​with Peter DeBoer.

The Islanders (42-31-5, 89 points) ‌have lost a season-high four in a row and reside in third place in the Metropolitan Division, one point ahead of the Philadelphia Flyers and Columbus ‌Blue ​Jackets. New York is ⁠idle until Thursday, when ⁠they’ll host the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Roy, 60, posted a 97-78-22 record in three seasons since taking over for Lane Lambert as coach ​of the Islanders.

DeBoer, 57, guided the Dallas Stars to the Western Conference final ⁠in three straight seasons before ⁠being fired by the team ​on June 6. He posted a 149-68-29 record ​with Dallas.

DeBoer has a 662-447-152 coaching record ‌with the Florida Panthers, New Jersey Devils, San Jose Sharks, Golden Knights and Stars. He guided the Devils to the Stanley Cup ⁠Final in 2012 and the Sharks to the finals in 2016.

Roy was a four-time Stanley Cup champion ⁠and a ‌three-time Vezina Trophy recipient during his ⁠playing days.

He is the fourth coach ​to ‌be fired this season. Rick ​Bowness replaced ⁠Dean Evason in Columbus on Jan. 12, D.J. Smith took over from Jim Hiller in Los Angeles on March 1 and John Tortorella replaced Bruce Cassidy with Vegas on March 29.

–Field ​Level Media