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NHL Islanders hire Cup-winning Trotz as new coach

Barry Trotz resigned as coach of the Capitals

Barry Trotz, who began the week as coach of the National Hockey League champion Washington Capitals, was hired Thursday as the new coach of the New York Islanders. The 55-year-old Canadian resigned as coach of the Capitals on Monday, unable to reach terms on a new contract after guiding Washington to the first Stanley Cup in the club's 44-year history in the final season of his contract. Three days later, he took charge of the only other NHL team that still had a coaching vacancy, replacing Doug Weight, who was fired June 5. "Barry brings to the New York Islanders franchise a tremendous amount of knowledge, experience and success," Islanders president and general manager Lou Lamoriello said. "He is and has been one of the top coaches in the National Hockey League. I am excited to have the opportunity to work with him." Lamoriello, who won three Stanley Cups as general manager of the New Jersey Devils, left the same job with the Toronto Maple Leafs in April and last month joined the Islanders, firing Weight and general manager Garth Snow two weeks later. The Islanders have not reached the playoffs the past two seasons. They beat Florida in a 2016 first-round series for their first post-season series triumph since 1993. Trotz guided the Capitals over the Vegas Golden Knights in the Stanley Cup Final earlier this month. Washington had the best record in the NHL the previous two seasons but didn't get past the second round of the playoffs either year. Trotz won 205 of 328 games coaching the Capitals and won NHL Coach of the Year honors in 2016. With 762 career coaching wins, Trotz ranks fifth in NHL history, 20 behind former Islanders coach Al Arbour for fourth place. He won 557 games in 15 seasons with Nashville from 1998 to 2014.