Patrick Roy is out on Long Island, and Peter DeBoer is in, a move that puts Roy's future right back under the NHL spotlight.
The Islanders' decision to fire Roy in mid-April didn't just open a vacancy behind their bench. It reopened an old conversation in Ottawa.
Because once Roy hit the market again, one comment from Senators owner Michael Andlauer suddenly started to carry a lot more weight.
The quote itself isn't new. Andlauer made those remarks in January 2024 during an appearance on 104.7 FM.
At the time, it sounded like an honest reflection on a coaching search that had already passed him by. Now it sounds more like unfinished business.
Roy is unemployed again, and that alone changes the tone around anything previously said about him in league circles.
Andlauer's old quote now feels different about Patrick Roy
Back then, Andlauer didn't dance around the topic. He made it clear he thought highly of Roy and what he could bring to an organization.
"I really like Patrick, he's a true champion and he knows how to win," he said.
That line mattered then because it showed real admiration. It matters even more now because Roy is once again available to any club looking for a voice behind the bench.
Andlauer didn't stop there, either. He admitted there was some second-guessing on his side once Roy landed with the Islanders.
"I slightly regret not having hired him," the owner confided.
That's the part that jumps off the page now. Owners do not usually hand out that kind of public admission unless the interest was real.
Andlauer also viewed Roy as more than just a bench boss. He believed Roy could have helped the Senators behind the bench and away from the rink, which says plenty about how broad that appeal was.
That's why these comments have fresh life today. Ottawa already showed its hand once, even if only with words.
Now Roy is back on the market, and the Senators are one of the few teams tied to him by something stronger than rumor. They have history, they have interest, and they may have another opening to act.
Should the Senators make a move for Patrick Roy?
Also read on Markerzone.com:
Elliotte Friedman breaks news and the Anaheim Ducks make an official announcement
