Former New York Islanders head coach Barry Trotz is expected to be named the Nashville Predators’ next president of hockey operations and general manager, according to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman on Sunday.
The development comes as long-time Predators president and GM David Poille announced his retirement, effective June 30, where Trotz will then take over as GM. Per Friedman, he will begin phasing in as president of hockey operations “immediately.”
Trotz began his NHL head-coaching career with the then-expansion Predators in 1998, spending 15 seasons with the team before a four-year stint with the Washington Capitals in which he won the 2018 Stanley Cup — the lone title of his career.
Contract issues resulted in Trotz’s quick departure from the nation’s capital right to the Islanders, where he took a franchise starving for stability and quickly became the organization’s second-greatest head coach behind Al Arbour.
The 60-year-old made the playoffs in each of his first three seasons, including consecutive trips to the Stanley Cup semifinals in 2020 and 2021. He ranks third in franchise history with 152 wins, first in points percentage (.587), and second in postseason wins (28).
It further bolstered his status as one of the greatest coaches in NHL history, ranking third all-time with 914 wins behind only Scotty Bowman and Joel Quenneville.
Following an injury and COVID-riddled 2021-22 season in which the Islanders missed the playoffs and Trotz himself experienced the loss of his mother, he was shockingly fired by president and GM Lou Lamoriello. Succeeded by long-time assistant Lane Lambert, New York is currently in a fight for a Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference playoff race.
While there had been speculation throughout the previous offseason that Trotz would be an obvious candidate for open head-coaching gigs, he opted not to return to the bench but was spotted at Predators games alongside Poille this season.
