New Islanders coach Barry Trotz voiced excitement for coming to Long Island and playing at the Coliseum in an exclusive interview with News 12 Sports Director Kevin Maher.
The Islanders start training camp next Friday, and it will be their first time on the ice with Trotz. He has more than 700 NHL wins and won the Stanley Cup with the Washington Capitals last season.
Trotz voiced enthusiasm for returning to the Nassau Coliseum.
“I’m sort of old school. I love the Coliseum because they’re on top of you. As an opposing coach – if you wanna get hit with a beer, you can get hit with a beer,” Trotz told Maher. “But they’re on top of you, and you feel them, you can feel their breath. And that has a little bit of an effect. I am absolutely thrilled that we are going back to the Coliseum. I mean that’s where it should be, I think that’s where the fans want it, I love the fact that it’s back on the Island. I love that it’s got an intimating factor into it, because the fans are on top of you. And more than anything, they have very passionate fans here. I look forward to meeting them and I look forward to them helping us win games, because they are a factor. There’s no question about it.”
Trotz was the coach who ended the Isles’ last playoff run at the old Nassau Coliseum in 2015. He called that series between the Capitals and the Islanders as one of the most physical and demanding he can remember.
“Both teams had all the elements to punish you, and both teams punished each other,” said Trotz.