Page 32 - bon-dia-aruba-20220510

A32 sports
Diamars 10 mei 2022

Islanders fire coach Barry Trotz after missing playoffs

(AP) - Barry Trotz was Lamoriello said players were
fired as coach of the New not consulted about the fir-
York Islanders on Monday, ing, which was known only
with general manager Lou by ownership before he de-
Lamoriello saying he felt livered the news to Trotz on
the team needed a new Monday morning.
voice.
“These type of decisions are
Trotz lost his job after four made for going forward,”
seasons with the Islanders Lamoriello said. “With this
and the first without a playoff group we have — and they
appearance. The 59-year-old are on notice right now —
who ranks among the most that the new voice is what’s
successful coaches in NHL necessary for us to have suc-
history and won the Stan- cess, in my opinion. And un-
ley Cup with Washington in fortunately or fortunately, my
2018 guided the Islanders to opinion is what has to make
the Eastern Conference fi- these decisions.”
nal each of the previous two
years before losing to even- Jon Cooper, whose Lightning
tual champion Tampa Bay. eliminated Trotz’s Islanders
the past two years and lost to
Lamoriello declined to ex- his Capitals in 2018, called
plain why he thought “a new the firing unfortunate news.
voice” was necessary.
“Whatever the reason was,
“I’d rather not get into any and injuries that derailed Lamoriello in charge of a ers would keep Trotz in the in Lou’s mind there’s prob-
of the reasons because that’s their season. franchise that had not won a Metropolitan Division, while ably some reason for it,” said
my job upon the informa- championship since its early the Jets would represent a re- Cooper, who is the longest-
tion that I have and I experi- Lamoriello said the choice to 1980s dynasty. New York turn home for the Manitoba tenured coach in the league
enced to make these type of move on from Trotz was not went 152-102-34 in the regu- native. after being hired in 2013.
decisions,” the 79-year-old made primarily about what lar season and 28-21 in the “On the other side of things,
longtime hockey executive happened this past season. playoffs under Trotz, the or- Trotz coached the Nashville I think Barry is a top-flight
said on a conference call. He said, “This is certainly ganization’s most success in Predators for their first 15 coach in this league. I can’t
“Those are not questions that a business decision as far as more than two decades. seasons, helping them reach comment on what goes on in
I will answer as far as what I hockey and winning.” the playoff seven times. His their organization other than
thought. It’s obviously that I Lamoriello said Trotz’s con- 914 regular-season wins rank they’ve run a first-class op-
thought quite a bit to make Trotz had one year remain- tract status did not factor into third among coaches in NHL eration from the coach all the
this type of a decision.” ing on his contract, which his decision. A message sent history. way up.
would have put him in the to Trotz’s agent seeking com-
A series of events outside same situation he was in with ment was not immediately The Islanders begin a coach- “But it is tough. It really
Trotz’s control contributed the Capitals. They decided in returned. ing search with the franchise makes you take a step back
to the Islanders missing the the summer of 2018 not to in the midst of contending and think about the busi-
playoffs this year. While their rework Trotz’s contract de- Trotz could immediately be- window. Asked what he was ness at times when coaches
new arena was being fin- spite the championship and come a candidate for vacan- looking for in a replacement, can have so much success
ished, they opened the sea- granted him his release. cies in Philadelphia, Detroit Lamoriello said he couldn’t and then they pay the kind of
son on a 13-game road trip and Winnipeg, plus others answer specifically and added price for it. But we know that
and were hit with a string of Days later, he joined the Is- that open up because of his there was no timeline. going in, and so it’s just part
coronavirus-related absences landers, who had just put availability. Joining the Fly- of the business.”

Logano bumps Byron on next-to-last lap for Darlington win

(AP) — After William Byron hit the wall in turn three and Logano so close to the end.
squeezed him against the wall on went on to his first win of the season The fans at Darlington let the Team
a final restart, Joey Logano knew and first at the track “Too Tough To Penske driver know what they “He slammed me so hard, it knocked
what he’d do if he got the chance Tame.” thought, booing the 2018 NASCAR all the right side off the car and sent
to regain the lead. champion when he got out of his car. me into the corner,” Byron said.
“There’s something to be said for an “He’s just a moron. He can’t win a
Logano bumped Byron from behind angry race car driver,” said Logano, “I’ve been called a lot of things, a lot race, so he does it that way.”
on the next-to-last lap to win at Dar- who broke a 40-race winless drought. worse than moron,” Logano said.
lington Raceway on Sunday. Byron Logano led 108 of the 293 laps and
Logano, who started from the pole, Byron, who signed a contract exten- reached victory lane for the first time
had one of the strongest cars all day sion with Hendrick Motorsports, since winning on the dirt at Bristol in
and was in front coming out of the seemed as if he’d keep up his team’s 2021.
pits before a restart with 25 laps left. dominant season over the final laps.
But Byron, who started low, forced Instead, Logano broke a 40-race win- It was the first time the new Next
Logano into the wall and out of the less drought. Gen car took on NASCAR’s oldest
lead. superspeedway and the results were
Tyler Reddick was second followed mixed. The racing was strong, al-
“If someone’s going to be willing to by Justin Haley, Kevin Harvick, though several of the top competitors
do that to you, then the gloves are Chase Elliott, Christopher Bell, Mi- didn’t last to the end.
off,” Logano said. chael McDowell, Ricky Stenhouse
Jr., Austin Dillon and Daniel Suarez. Reigning NASCAR champion Kyle
Byron was not happy with the ma- Larson was out with engine failure
neuver, calling Logano an “idiot” Byron fell to 13th. He said the restart after 112 laps. Past champions Kyle
and a ”moron” who has raced others was just close racing and Byron didn’t Busch and Brad Keselowski were also
questionably throughout his career. deserve a hard hit on the rear bumper out well before the finish.