Mathieu Darche reveals why he fired Patrick Roy with 4 games left
Patrick Roy is out, and Peter DeBoer is in after Mathieu Darche made his move with four games left on the Islanders' schedule.
Darche finally explained it Monday, and his message was direct.
He said Roy had not lost the room, pushing back on the noise that followed the firing.
This is quite contradictory, though, as it's clear he did lose the room when his own players didn't respect him talking during a crucial and recent timeout call.
That matters, because this wasn't sold as a locker-room revolt. Darche said the players still respected Roy, but he felt the club's trend line had gone the wrong way.
The timing is what made the move hit so hard. New York made the switch on Sunday with only 4 games left, which tells you Darche thought the season was slipping fast.
The numbers back that up.
The Islanders had dropped 4 straight and were 3-7-0 in their last 10, a slide that pushed them outside the playoff line.
That's why this didn't feel like a quiet offseason setup. I
t felt like Darche saw the standings, saw the room tightening up, and decided waiting would only make it worse.
Darche moved fast once Peter DeBoer was available
Darche also made it clear the process changed once DeBoer entered the picture. He said things intensified Sunday morning after permission came through to speak with him.
That detail says plenty about the real trigger here. Roy's slide opened the door, but DeBoer's availability gave Darche the chance to act before the market got crowded.
And this wasn't some stopgap bench move.
DeBoer was signed to a long-term deal, which makes this a franchise decision, not just a push for the next week.
It also puts more weight on Darche. The New York Islanders general manager hired Roy's replacement and tied his first big coaching swing to a veteran with a heavy résumé.
For Roy, the ending is rough because Darche went out of his way to defend the coach's standing with the group. But respect only goes so far when the losses stack up in April.
Now the pressure shifts to DeBoer and the bench right away. Darche didn't just fire Patrick Roy. He told the locker room that these last 4 games still matter.
Also read on Blade of steel :
Why Mathieu Darche fired Patrick Roy — the Sorokin situation explained
Why Mathieu Darche fired Patrick Roy — the Sorokin situation explained
| POLL | ||
AVRIL 6|212 ANSWERS Mathieu Darche reveals why he fired Patrick Roy with 4 games left Did Mathieu Darche make the right call by firing Patrick Roy now ? | ||
| Yes | 53 | 25 % |
| No | 159 | 75 % |
| List of polls | ||