I SLES HIRE LONGTIME TROTZ ASSISTANT LAMBERT AS HEAD COACH

The New York Islanders on Monday hired longtime Barry Trotz assistant and right-hand man Lane Lambert to succeed him as coach. General manager Lou Lamoriello announced Lambert as Trotz’s replacement a week after firing the Stanley Cup-winning coach who had one year left on his contract. It’s Lambert’s first head coaching job in the NHL. Trotz was fired last week after the Islanders missed the playoffs for the first time in his four seasons behind the bench, a disappointing turn of events chalked up significantly to opening with a 13-game road trip and getting hit with a string of coronavirus absences and injuries. Lamoriello declined to say why he fired Trotz other than he felt the team needed a new voice. Lambert, 57, has worked on Trotz’s staff the past 11 years with Nashville, Washington and New York. He has a Stanley Cup ring from the Capitals’ title run in 2018, after which Trotz resigned and joined the Islanders.