New York Islanders head coach Patrick Roy. Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

NHL futures: Are Islanders worth a bet now that Patrick Roy is HC?

By Chelena Goldman | Last updated 1/22/24

The New York Islanders were thrust into the spotlight on Jan. 20 when they fired head coach Lane Lambert and replaced him with Patrick Roy. So how did the surprising move impact the team's standing with oddsmakers?

The Isles weren't exactly favorites at sportsbooks ahead of the season to win the Stanley Cup, but there is now speculation that the tide could be turning after they won their first game of the new HC's tenure. What are their odds of winning a championship now that Roy will be behind the bench?

Patrick Roy picks up the win in his debut as the @NYIslanders coach pic.twitter.com/Sl2Dj1kq7w
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) January 22, 2024

As of Jan. 22, the Islanders are listed as 70-1 long shots at DraftKings to win the Stanley Cup. That doesn't seem like much, given that the Isles were listed around 55-1 back in December.

However, New York also lost seven of nine games in January before Lambert was relieved of his coaching duties. If the 3-2 win against the Dallas Stars in Roy's debut is a sign of big change, then those odds are sure to shorten.

Of course, one win doesn't mean the Isles are out of the woods — especially with Roy at the helm. The former goaltender's last tenure as head coach made headlines for all the wrong reasons, and his tenure with the Colorado Avalanche was highlighted by pulling goalies way too early in games and ripping his players for celebrating goals.

Down by 3, Colorado Avalanche coach Patrick Roy just pulled the goalie with 10 minutes left...

And they scored! pic.twitter.com/EHSYoPotJk
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) November 26, 2015

Here’s Patrick Roy ripping into Matt Duchene after he scored his 30th goal of the season to cut the Avs defecit to 4-1 with 4:14 remaining in the game #isles pic.twitter.com/4Xc9O6ld7J
— Eyes on Isles (@eyesonislesFS) January 20, 2024

All of that being said, Roy has the chance to do things differently with the Islanders. Coaching in a different organization can certainly yield different results, and Roy has the chance to do just that.

With a little over a month left until the trade deadline, the Islanders at listed at 19-10 (+190) at DK to make the playoffs, and that's with them sitting two points out of a wild-card spot. If Roy can get New York to go on a streak, however, there is no doubt those odds will shorten.

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