The New York Islanders announced the hiring of former Capitals assistant coach, Lane Lambert, as its new head coach on Monday. Lambert will replace his longtime partner, Barry Trotz, who was fired last week.
Lambert, 57, had served under Trotz for the last 10 years as both an assistant coach, associate coach, and an interim head coach (two weeks last season) during stints in Nashville, Washington, and Long Island.
Lambert won the Stanley Cup with the Washington Capitals in 2018 and was responsible for the team’s forwards and penalty kill.
#Isles News: The New York Islanders announced today that Lane Lambert has been named Head Coach.
— New York Islanders (@NYIslanders) May 16, 2022
“I had the opportunity to work with Lane over the past four years, which includes spending time with him on a one-on-one basis when he served as the interim Head Coach this past season,” Islanders’ General Manager Lou Lamoriello said in a statement. “In my opinion, he is the right person to coach this team.”
Trotz reportedly was “thilled” about Lambert’s hiring.
Lane says he spoke to Barry last week, and Barry told him he hoped he would get the job. They spoke again today and Barry said he was “thrilled” about the news.
— Kevin Kurz (@KKurzNHL) May 16, 2022
As was former Predators and Capitals forward Michael Latta, who spent many years playing under Lambert.
Incredible coach, about time he got a head coaching opportunity. https://t.co/s2qRXLPQY6
— Michael Latta (@Latta17) May 16, 2022
Lambert admitted that he was excited when he learned he finally got the opportunity after interviewing with the team and spending several days talking to Lamoriello.
“It’s a good day,” Lambert said. “Something I have been preparing for for a long time throughout many years in the game and many years as a coach. There’s a level of excitement for sure from a family standpoint for sure.”
Lambert will try to avoid the fate of his former friend in Washington, Todd Reirden, who was promoted into Barry’s head coaching spot after Barry left for the Islanders. Reirden continued using Trotz’s system and lasted only two seasons before being fired by general manager Brian MacLellan.
“Barry and I have worked a long time together,” Lambert said. “There’s so many things that he’s done that I’ve learned from. I’ve been in that role — he’s been the head coach — and now it flips to me to be the head coach. I envision us taking the summer to evaluate what we have and moving forward from there and giving our team the best opportunity to win.”
When asked if Lambert would change Barry’s systems that are in place, he expertly evaded the question.
“As you go along here through the summer, we sit down as we’ve done every summer, re-evaluate where we are, what are personnel looks like looking forward, and we make whatever necessary adjustments from there,” Lambert said. “The one thing that will never change is that our identity is we want to be hard to play against. That’s just who we are and that will never change from our standpoint.”
Hear from #Isles President and GM, Lou Lamoriello and Head Coach, Lane Lambert. pic.twitter.com/IRfxAIoPqA
— New York Islanders (@NYIslanders) May 16, 2022