Islanders Add New Assistant Coach To Roy’s Staff

There’s a newer-new man behind the bench for the New York Islanders.

On Friday morning, Islanders team president of hockey operations and general manager Lou Lamoriello announced that Benoit Desrosiers has been added to head coach Patrick Roy’s staff as an assistant coach.

#Isles News: Islanders President of Hockey Operations & General Manager Lou Lamoriello announced today that Benoit Desrosiers has been hired as an Assistant Coach. He will join Head Coach Patrick Roy’s staff, along with current Assistant Coaches Doug Houda & John MacLean.

— New York Islanders (@NYIslanders) February 2, 2024

Desrosiers, 35, was in his first season as the head coach of the Gatineau Olympiques of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL). Desrosiers previously worked as an assistant under Roy while Roy was the head coach of the Quebec Remparts, helping win a Memorial Cup in 2023.

It’s unclear at this moment what exactly Desrosiers’ responsibilities will be with the Islanders, but he will fill a void that’s existed in their coaching staff for the last year and a half.

Most NHL teams operate with three assistant coaches, but the Islanders have worked with two ever since Lane Lambert became the head coach.

Under Roy, the Islanders are going back to the traditional model by adding Desrosiers to join assistants John MacLean and Doug Houda.

Rumors had swirled for the last several weeks about Desrosiers coming to the Islanders, given his longstanding relationship with Roy.

On January 22, the team released an official statement denying a report they had hired Desrosiers at the time.

When asked prior to the All-Star break if he had any interest in bringing on a third assistant coach to his staff, Roy said that decision would be solely up to Lamoriello.

The Islanders and Desrosiers will return from the NHL’s All-Star break on Monday against the Maple Leafs in Toronto.

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