Staples Twitter: Barry Trotz Interview

[LamorielloAndSon]

Just putting this out there on a mid-August day...

I'm one of those who feels Trotz IS the replacement for Tavares, so to speak. He's our new star and the guy who can single-handidly make the biggest impact on this franchise over the next three years.

I think he'll have a system of responsible defensive-zone play in place and I think the goalie coaches will have both Lehner and Greiss adding .018 points to their save percentage and easily cutting their GAAs to below 2.90.

That said, I do see more of a "scoring by committee" approach coming and I think a lot of our scorers from last season will see their stats drop considerably.

But so what?

Is not something like the following more than enough to be a playoff team if the Trotz-influenced points above materialize?

DMEN:
Leddy 8-33-41, Boychuk 3-14-17
Hickey 2-17-19, Pulock 14-22-36
Pelech 2-12-14, Mayfield 3-9-12
Aho 1-5-6, Toews 3-8-11
Rathgeb 1-3-4, Wotherspoon 0-1-1
Burroughs 0-0-0

CENTERS:
Barzal 16-46-62
Nelson 22-14-36
Filppula 8-17-25
Kovar 8-14-22
Cizikas 3-11-14
Eansor 1-0-1
Stevens 0-1-1

WINGERS:
Beauvillier 34-21-55
Bailey 14-37-51
Eberle 18-29-47
Lee 24-14-38
Ho-Sang 6-21-27
Ladd 11-14-25
Clutterbuck 9-11-20
Komarov 7-13-20
Kuhnhackl 5-12-17
Martin 4-9-13
Fritz 2-4-6
Johnston 1-5-6
Bellows 4-1-5
Lorito 1-1-2
C. Bourque 0-2-2
Dal Colle 0-1-1
Koivula 0-0-0

Granted, we're talking about slipping into the playoffs in spot 8.

I don’t get it, are the isles top 6 forwards and top 4 dmen only playing 60 games this up coming season?

 

[YearlyLottery]

I don’t get it, are the isles top 6 forwards and top 4 dmen only playing 60 games this up coming season?

Well Boychuk and Pulock probably will.

 

[LamorielloAndSon]

Well Boychuk and Pulock probably will.

Why is that expected out of pulock?

 

[YearlyLottery]

Why is that expected out of pulock?

It was a sarcastic post because well Boychuk is always hurt and Pulock had his first healthy season last year for this franchise. Even going back to his Soundtiger days he never played more than 55 games.

 

[Chapin Landvogt]

I'm thinking that we'll have to assume that Boychuk will miss his 20+ games this season.

He was operated on after the season. I don't know how much that will fix up what he's been suffering from in recent years (leg/knee problems).

Yet if he is, that'll open the door to see more of Aho and Toews.

 

[doublechili]

"This team can score, with John Tavares or without John Tavares," Trotz told The Athletic's Arthur Staple in a Q&A session. "The area it's failed in maybe the last year and a half is on the defensive end.

The last year and a half. How long was Weight the coach again?

Trotz believes Islanders 'can score, with John Tavares or without John Tavares'

 

[eoin92]

"This team can score, with John Tavares or without John Tavares," Trotz told The Athletic's Arthur Staple in a Q&A session. "The area it's failed in maybe the last year and a half is on the defensive end.

The last year and a half. How long was Weight the coach again?

Trotz believes Islanders 'can score, with John Tavares or without John Tavares'

He was only the coach for about a year and five months, not a year and a half. Totally not his fault.

 

[doublechili]

He was only the coach for about a year and five months, not a year and a half. Totally not his fault.

You got me!

 

[Stercrazy]

He was only the coach for about a year and five months, not a year and a half. Totally not his fault.

Yeah let's not over exaggerate things.

 

[eoin92]

Yeah let's not over exaggerate things.

Well that was the point.

 

[Leaf Rocket]

Honestly was very surprised that he parted ways with the caps after winning the cup, however it also tells a lot about his character and the sheer will he had to play through/coach through during those times, because essentially he was being kind of groomed to leave. His book selection by an ex-marine I believe regarding will power must have been damn powerful because he coached knowing his time, was fairly limited. I am looking forward to see how he coaches you guys now that he has that stability in his hands, and more of a grip of what he can and can't do.

I am hoping Barzal and he get along, seems like they are similar mentality in dealing with things. On paper it feels like it would be a match made in heaven but it doesn't always work out like that, so heres hoping.

 

[notDatsyuk]

Honestly was very surprised that he parted ways with the caps after winning the cup, however it also tells a lot about his character and the sheer will he had to play through/coach through during those times, because essentially he was being kind of groomed to leave. His book selection by an ex-marine I believe regarding will power must have been damn powerful because he coached knowing his time, was fairly limited. I am looking forward to see how he coaches you guys now that he has that stability in his hands, and more of a grip of what he can and can't do.

I am hoping Barzal and he get along, seems like they are similar mentality in dealing with things. On paper it feels like it would be a match made in heaven but it doesn't always work out like that, so heres hoping.

If he left the Caps because he wanted a new challenge, he found it!

 

[Thrasymachus]

If he left the Caps because he wanted a new challenge, he found it!

A new challenge but also $ and family security

 

[Strait2thecup]

I feel like pulock could potentially turn into an absolute stud under trotz

 

[Brunomics]

I feel like pulock could potentially turn into an absolute stud under trotz

Just picture this. Pulock in the Ovechkin spot on the circle waiting for one timers on the PP. With that shot either he A)scores a beauty B)hurts the goalie or C) scores a beauty

 

[notDatsyuk]

A new challenge but also $ and family security

Neither one of which is something to be denegrated.

 

[Thrasymachus]

Neither one of which is something to be denegrated.

Not at all. He has earned it for sure - I for one am happy he found those things with the islanders

 

[doublechili]

Just picture this. Pulock in the Ovechkin spot on the circle waiting for one timers on the PP. With that shot either he A)scores a beauty B)hurts the goalie or C) scores a beauty

I like it but you forgot:

D) All of the above.

 

[Chapin Landvogt]

Just picture this. Pulock in the Ovechkin spot on the circle waiting for one timers on the PP. With that shot either he A)scores a beauty B)hurts the goalie or C) scores a beauty

I sure as hell wouldn't want Anders Lee to be on that PP.

Have no problem with it being, say, Nelson on the 2nd PP unit.

 

[seabass45]

Had his day with the Cup yesterday. Would have never guessed bc you only see him in a suit usually but dude is kinda jacked?

 

[doublechili]

I had to google "whole ass meal".

That's a pretty groovy expression, whippersnappers.

 

[The Winter Soldier]

I think Trotz is going to be great for the Isles team, and for the Isles players in general.

One thing I notice about him, is players have career defining seasons under his coaching. This will auger well for players like Barzal, and for players like Ladd and Komarov who will bounce back.

I have seen in the past how a good coach can have not only a positive effect on a team's record, but on a player's season.

This to me is Trotz's greatest talent.

 

[MIK55]

I have seen in the past how a good coach can have not only a positive effect on a team's record, but on a player's season.

And on the fans. Have been watching this H of F bound coach walking out on the ice at the Barclays Center from the visitors' room all too often. I look forward to seeing him cross the ice from the home team's room.