All to know on Islanders new head coach Peter DeBoer
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A late season coaching change was recently announced by the New York Islanders.
Amidst a present 42-31-5 overall record — for 89 points in the Metropolitan Division, good for third place as of press time — the Islanders cast out Patrick Roy as head coach and have named Peter DeBoer as his replacement. The announcement was made by Islanders General Manager and Executive Vice President Mathieu Darche on the early evening of April 5. Roy previously owned a 97-78-22 record with the New York franchise after having taken over midway through the 2023-24 season.
Roy had two years remaining on his contract, meaning the Islanders will owe the former HC money unless he’s hired elsewhere, per original reporting from The Athletic.
The Islanders are still in a playoff spot by total points, but not by point percentage; the club is an even 10-10-0 since the NHL break for the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics. They next take on the Toronto Maple Leafs on April 9 and are coming off a 4-3 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes.
What to know on Peter DeBoer
DeBoer most recently coached the Dallas Stars in 2024-25.
#Isles News: New York Islanders General Manager and Executive Vice President Mathieu Darche announced today that Patrick Roy has been relieved of his coaching responsibilities. Peter DeBoer has been named Head Coach of the New York Islanders.
— New York Islanders (@NYIslanders) April 5, 2026
He boasts a 662-447-152 career record over stints with the Florida Panthers, New Jersey Devils, San Jose Sharks, Vegas Golden Knights and the Stars. For postseason experience, the now-Islanders HC made the Stanley Cup Final with the Devils and Sharks.
DeBoer is also now currently seeking his first championship.
He previously qualified for the Stanley Cup Playoffs in four of his five campaigns with the Sharks and helped lead the team to its first Stanley Cup Final appearance in franchise history during the 2015-16 season.
A leadership change for the Islanders should not come as too big a surprise for league fans. The news comes after the Golden Knights made a similar move in replacing Bruce Cassidy with John Tortorella on March 29.
This most recent offseason, the Islanders also hired general manager Mathieu Darche to replace Lou Lamoriello. DeBoer marks the first coach he has hired.
Also according to The Athletic, the assistant coaching staff of Ray Bennett, Bob Boughner, Benoit Desrosiers and Sergei Naumovs all remains intact.
Prior to NHL experience, DeBoer also has 13 seasons in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) on his head coaching resume. He captured the 2003 Memorial Cup Championship and two OHL championships (2003, 2008) with the Kitchener Rangers in addition to winning the OHL Coach of the Year Award in 1999 and 2000 with the Plymouth Whalers.
Internationally DeBoer also represented Team Canada at the 2026 Olympic Winter Games and the 2025 Four Nations Face-Off as an Assistant Coach; he won a gold medal at the 2015 IIHF World Championship and the 2005 World Junior Championship.
MORE:Why Islanders fired Patrick Roy for Peter DeBoer with 4 games left before playoffs