Roy Reacts to Islanders Draft, Development Camp and Free Agency

With the NHL Draft, Free Agency and Development Camp in the rearview window, New York Islanders Head Coach Patrick Roy addressed the media on Thursday afternoon, covering a range of topics after a busy week for the team. Watch his full media availability above and read below for select highlights and quotes:

Excitement About on Draft and Prospects

Roy started by expressing his excitement about the Islanders 2025 draft class, headlined by first-overall pick Matthew Schaefer and first-round picks in Victor Eklund and Kashawn Aitcheson.

Specifically on Schaefer, Roy has been “impressed” by his skillset on the ice, noting his “phenomenal” skating, and highlighted the 17-year-old’s maturity and intelligence off the ice. Roy attended Wednesday’s Blue and White Scrimmage and could feel the energy in the crowd when the defenseman had the puck.

Of course, with the influx of prospects in the past year – including Cole Eiserman, Calum Ritchie, Kamil Bednarik and others – the coach likes what he sees from the next generation of Isles.

“There's a lot of good young guys coming in this organization,” Roy said. “For the future of our franchise, it's nice, it's exciting.”

Assistant Coaches Ray Bennett and Bob Boughner

Roy played a key role in selecting his two new Assistant Coaches, Ray Bennett and Bob Boughner.

Bennett will oversee the Islanders power play – which is looking to rebound after finishing 31^st (12.6%) last season – while Boughner will manage the penalty kill and defensemen. Roy said he and Benoit Desrosiers – who joined the team towards the end of the 2023-24 season – will focus on the five-on-five game. Desrosiers will continue to work with the team on face-offs, an area the Isles led the NHL in a year ago with a 54.9 face-off winning percentage (FOW%).

Bennett has 24 years of NHL experience as an Assistant Coach and Boughner’s experience as an NHL Head Coach with Florida and San Jose, stood out to Roy. The Islanders Head Coach said there have already been many lengthy discussions on how to improve the special teams, which will be a bigger focus at training camp. Starting this season, all of the assistant coaches on the bench will have been selected by Roy.

“We have quality people and experienced people,” Roy said. “We’re going to mix everything, and I think that's going to make us a very good coaching staff.”

Drouin Expected to Start with Horvat

Jonathan Drouin is expected to start training camp on a line with Bo Horvat, Roy said on Thursday.

It’s not a huge surprise, given Isles GM and EVP Mathieu Darche hinted at it during his media avail on Tuesday. Roy sees Drouin’s playmaking ability as a natural fit with Horvat’s shoot-first mentality and finishing touch.

“I think they’re both going to connect very well,” Roy said.

Roy also sees Drouin – and Russian free agent Maxim Shabanov – as flanks on the power play, which he felt may have been lacking last season. Drouin’s power-play prowess – he had 31 power-play points in the past two seasons, which would have ranked second on the Isles over that span – was a key factor in Darche’s decision to sign the veteran to a two-year deal on Tuesday.

Barzal Expected to Start at Center

Mathew Barzal is expected to start the season at center – his natural position – after spending time on the wing in the past two years. Horvat still has a playmaker on his wing in Drouin, but a shift back to center should allow Barzal to carry the puck through the middle of the ice and play to his dynamic skillset. Brock Nelson’s departure at last year’s trade deadline also opened up a spot in the middle for the Islanders.

Things can always change, but that’s how Roy said he intends to start.

Perhaps most importantly, Barzal is getting healthy, as he was limited to a career-low 30 games last season. One area for Barzal to work on at center will be his face-offs, as his career winning percentage is 42.3%, but that’s an area Desrosiers can assist with.

Roy Confident in Defense Corps

While the Islanders did plenty of adding in free agency, the biggest subtraction came on the blue line in the form of Noah Dobson, the team’s most offensive defenseman over the past six seasons.

Still, Roy is confident in his d corps, noting the play of Tony DeAngelo, who signed a one-year deal, and Adam Boqvist, who also signed a one-year deal, to help fill the offensive void. DeAngelo recorded 19 points (4G, 15A) in 35 games last year and Roy liked the pairing of DeAngelo with Alexander Romanov, who inked an eight-year extension on Monday. Roy also highlighted Romanov’s physicality, specifically his ability to tag shifty players like Colorado’s Nathan MacKinnon.

Roy also reminded reporters of the banged-up nature of his blue line last year, with Romanov missing 18 games, Scott Mayfield missing 16, Adam Pelech missing 22 and Mike Reilly missing 64. A healthy d corps – with the potential for Schaefer to challenge for a spot in camp – has Roy feeling good about his back end.

“I’m very comfortable with our defense,” Roy said.

Shabanov’s Defense Catches Roy’s Eye

The Islanders won the Shabanov sweepstakes – signing the Russian winger to a one-year deal on Wednesday.

Shabanov scored over a point-per-game (67 points in 65 games) in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) last year, but Roy made a point to highlight his defensive ability.

“He's a small forward, but he plays big,” Roy said. “What I also like is the way that he played in his defensive zone. Sometimes you bring a guy in and you feel like the adjustment is going to be very difficult, but I don't think it will be for him, because he's capable playing well defensively.”

Roy thinks that two-way play will help the transition – and it probably doesn’t hurt that the Isles have a sizable Russian contingent in Ilya Sorokin, Semyon Varlamov, Romanov and unsigned RFA Max Tsyplakov.