Home / News / Barry Trotz has now won five playoff series with the Islanders since leaving the Capitals. Washington has won zero.

Barry Trotz has now won five playoff series with the Islanders since leaving the Capitals. Washington has won zero.

By Ian Oland

 4 Comments

June 10, 2021 12:53 am

On the three-year anniversary of the Capitals swimming in fountains, former Caps’ head coach Barry Trotz advanced to the 2021 Eastern Conference Final Stanley Cup Semifinal after his New York Islanders defeated the Boston Bruins in Game Six, 6-2.

Brock Nelson scored twice and Semyon Varlamov stopped 23 shots to help lead the Isles to victory.

For Trotz, it was the fifth playoff series he’s won with the Islanders since leaving the Capitals after their Stanley Cup year and the second-straight season he’s advanced to the final four of the NHL playoffs. Meanwhile, the Capitals, behind Todd Reirden (2 seasons) and Peter Laviolette (1), have won zero playoff series, falling in the first-round three consecutive years.

The Associated Press’s Stephen Whyno had the viral tweet.

Trotz, a lame duck coach in 2017-18 who was reportedly nearly fired during the regular season, went on to win the Stanley Cup, helping lead the Capitals past the Blue Jackets, Penguins, Lightning, and Golden Knights. The championship made a clause in Trotz’s contract kick-in where he got a two-year extension that included a $300k raise. Trotz asked to renegotiate his deal with general manager Brian MacLellan, but ultimately the term and salary demand made the team squeamish. So Trotz resigned, the Capitals kindly let him leave, and Barry signed a five-year deal worth north of $4 million per season with the New York Islanders. Barry took goaltending coach Mitch Korn and assistant coach Lane Lambert with him to Long Island.

Since then, this is how the Islanders have performed in the postseason despite arguably having less talented rosters than the Capitals.

2019 Playoffs
*Won in First Round vs. Pittsburgh Penguins, 4–0
Lost in Second Round vs. Carolina Hurricanes, 0–4

2020 Playoffs
Won in Qualifying Round vs. Florida Panthers, 3–1
*Won in First Round vs. Washington Capitals, 4–1
*Won in Second Round vs. Philadelphia Flyers, 4–3
Lost in Conference Finals vs. Tampa Bay Lightning, 2–4

2021 Playoffs
*Won in First Round vs. Pittsburgh Penguins, 4–2
*Won in Second Round vs. Boston Bruins, 4–2
Entering Stanley Cup Semifinals vs. Tampa Bay Lightning

* marks a NYI playoff series win in the first round or later.

It begs the question why: has Trotz learned how to consistently find deep postseason success, have the Isles gotten lucky, or is there something else going on, that we may not be fully grasping, which is giving this franchise an edge. I don’t know.

But congratulations to Barry and his New York Saints. Good luck against the Tampa Bay Lightning. Make sure to hydrate, young man.

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