The New York Islanders fired head coach Barry Trotz yesterday, following his four years with the Islanders. Despite bringing the Islanders to the playoffs for three of the four years he coached, his failure to do so this season might have got him cut from the chance to try again. However, Trotz could find a spot open for him with the Blackhawks.
Trotz is known for being a strategic coach, specifically when it comes to the defensive lines. And where the Blackhawks are at the moment their defense is the most lacking. Having someone as a coach to encourage the defensive line to make shots would drastically help the game.
Trotz has been a coach since 1984 , prior to his NHL years he began as an assistant college coach, and later moved up to coaching the Minor League team, the Portland Pirates, whom he led to two Calder cups. With The background of working with younger players, Trotz could be good with getting the rookie Blackhawk players transitioned from being called up from the farm team to the NHL.
As for experience with the NHL Trotz was the first head coach of the Nashville Predators and stayed with them from their founding in 1998 till 2014. He coached the most games for a single team of any NHL head coach, a sense of consistency that would serve the Blackhawks well as the team was still searching for a permanent head coach. In his career Trotz led the Washington Capitals to their first Stanley cup in the 2018 Stanley Cup Finals.
While there is potential in the Blackhawks considering replacing King with Trotz, there is the possibility that other NHL teams have interest as well. As well as the concern that while Trotz has been an admirable coach, he did have a 19 year drought between his first Stanley Cup win, the longest of any NHL head coach. The Blackhawks, having already been in a drought, might want a more accomplished coach, rather than a slow and steady rebuild.
