4 Things Patrick Roy Can Learn From Jon Cooper & Mike Sullivan – Hockey Writers – New York Islanders

Patrick Roy's coaching tenure with the New York Islanders is full of promise and anticipation. He took over during the 2023-24 season and led the team to the playoffs by leading them to a 20-12-5 record. Now, the hope is that Roy, with a full season to prepare, can help the Islanders take a big step forward and finish near the top of the Eastern Conference in 2024-25.

Related: Ranking Patrick Roy Among NHL's 2023-24 Midseason Coach Recruits

He is not like other coaches as he brings intensity and passion behind the bench that cannot be compared to others. While the NHL's longest-tenured coaches are more reserved — especially Jon Cooper, Mike Sullivan, and Jared Bednar — Roy can learn from them all. Cooper and Sullivan in particular could provide some lessons for Roy as he hopes to take a mediocre Islanders team to the next level.

Getting the Best Out of the Program

There are very few high-level coaches who make the most of their programs. It couldn't be more true about championship teams. When the Pittsburgh Penguins won back-to-back titles in 2016 and 2017 and the Tampa Bay Lightning did the same in 2020 and 2021, they saw depth players excel and put the team over the top.

In part it's a reflection of the good moves made by the front office as they find hidden gems who make significant impacts despite small roles. However, teams with many players who step up and do so more than once are well trained; they have someone behind the bench who knows how to get the most out of every type of skater.

Roy has to find ways to use the depth of the Islanders system to his advantage. Last season, the depth was weak but individually, there are other skaters that Roy could use well to make the depth a strength. Simon Holmstrom has a quick shot and when he has space to work with he can find the back of the net. Alexander Romanov is a tough defender who is determined to block shots and play in foul areas. Kyle MacLean is a speedy fourth line forward. The important thing is that Roy allows them to use their skills and make a difference in every game.

Rating Star Players

What Cooper and Sullivan have in common is that they are high-level coaches, but their stars outshine them. The Lightning have Nikita Kucherov, Brayden Point, and Victor Hedman (and newly signed Jake Geuntzel) to compensate for any issues the team has. The Penguins had Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Kris Letang (and the younger Guentzel) carrying them when they won the Stanley Cup. Both Cooper and Sullivan got a boost from their stars but they wouldn't have lasted as long or had as much success if they hadn't used them properly.

The Islanders don't have the elite players at the same level as the Lightning or the Penguins but they are still a struggling team. The offense is led by Bo Horvat, Mathew Barzal, and Brock Nelson and the defense is anchored by Noah Dobson. Those four skaters give the Islanders power but can only take them so far — that is, unless Roy improves their skills.

He can play them in all kinds of situations and more importantly play different roles to compensate for problems in the entire system. The big thing Roy has to think about is how to allow his star players to revive the power play because all four skaters are strong in the offensive zone but struggle when they have the man advantage. Roy will want to get the most out of his top talent but most importantly he does so without boring them. To be a great coach, he has to think both game by game and with the 82-game season in mind.

Fighting Dog Days

It's easy to look back on the final days of former coach Lane Lambert's tenure and understand why general manager Lou Lamoriello fired him. The Islanders have been in a slump, which many teams go through in a given season, and have been losing games they should have easily won. The problem is that as the losses piled up in the middle of the season, the team looked like they were mentally sober and gone. The defeat of Jan. 19 to the Chicago Blackhawks, one of the worst teams in the NHL, was the last straw and Lamoriello had to make a coaching change to inject life into the roster.

All teams go through tough times. The Lightning started last season 10-15 and every season, they seem to have stretches that make the playoffs seem distant. However, they are not worried about the dog days of the season because of the coach they have behind the bench. That's the case with the Penguins, Colorado Avalanche, Carolina Hurricanes, and any team with a head coach. They don't let the tough times get to them and play the same way regardless of their record. Of course, Sullivan has never stopped his team in the playoffs in the last two seasons, making him a coach who just sits on the hot seat. However, throughout his tenure one thing that has kept his teams competitive has been consistency. They will always have a chance to make the play-offs because of that.

Roy has to make sure the Islanders fight in bad places. There was a decline during his tenure as they lost six games in a row from March 11 to March 21 and there was some urgency, which was evident in the roster decisions. Roy made some changes and in the end the team fought to finish the season strong and secure a playoff spot. There will be plenty of highs and lows during training camp and the key will be to see this team continue to battle through the peaks and valleys that exist every NHL season.

List Must Reflect Roy's Opinion

All great coaches have their players buy into the program. The Lightning have bought into Cooper's style in both the offensive and defensive areas of the ice (which includes accuracy and playing high-risk areas). With Crosby, it's easy for the Penguins to rush things but Sullivan can have a team that plays a slower possession-based game if needed. The Avalanche play fast. The Hurricanes play with a constant forecheck and great defense in all three positions. The Florida Panthers destroy teams with hard hitting and control in the middle of the ice and it is one of the reasons why Paul Maurice was the coach who finally lifted the trophy at the end of the season. The Islanders must play Roy's style.

What is that style? Roy likes to play with balance and win in many ways. The Islanders will win games with defense but if needed, the offense can step up and take games. Ideally, they slow down the game and win with puck control and a strong offensive presence but if they need to speed up the game and win in a hurry, they can do that as well.

The Islanders playing in Roy's vision will bring them closer to the top of the Eastern Conference this season. Sure, the program has its question marks and isn't in the same league as the Panthers or other top teams in the conference. That being said, they bought under Barry Trotz and were very successful. They can do the same thing again under Roy.