Trotz Enjoys Emotional Win over Capitals

Barry Trotz saw a lot of familiar faces in the handshake line on Thursday night, after the New York Islanders wrapped up their series win over the Washington Capitals.

The Islanders coach stopped to have words with Caps captain Alex Ovechkin, Tom Wilson and Braden Holtby, wishing his former players well after a hard-fought series. As emotional as Islanders-Capitals games can be, no one felt more emotions on Thursday night as Trotz, Associate Coach Lane Lambert and Director of Goaltending Mitch Korn, who steered their current team into the second round at the expense of their former one.

"I've got great emotions in a couple of areas," Trotz said after the game. "Number one is beating a very good team that's got so much talent. I had so much invested with that group of core players that I can't tell you how much they mean to me. I'm trying to have those same relationships with my group. Hopefully, we can share something special. I look on the other side and I see champions over there. You look at Ovi, you look at [Nick Backstrom], [TJ Oshie], Braden Holtby, John Carlson, all of those guys. Those guys are champions in my mind. They always will be."

Trotz left the Capitals after leading the team to a Stanley Cup in 2018 and joined the Isles a few days later. He delivered a heartfelt speech to the Capitals during a Stanley Cup ring ceremony in November 2018, telling them if they wanted to win again, they'd have to go through the Island.

He just left out the part where he'd be the one stopping them.

"It was one of those series where as a coach, when you go through a series like that where you've had some success with a group of guys [you're facing], it tears you a little bit because there's so many good memories," Trotz said. "But at the same time, you work for someone else and you want to beat that group. We're competitive, we don't want to lose. In all of those situations, you're was split sometimes. There's so much history between the two groups."

All eyes were on Trotz when the Isles-Capitals series was set, both from an emotional and tactical perspective. Trotz didn't want the series to be about him, so he downplayed the storyline, but his players could tell how much he wanted to win.

"Of course it is [extra special]," Josh Bailey said. "The familiarity, but not just Barry, [Associate Coach] Lane [Lambert] and [Director of Goaltending] Mitch [Korn]. It feels good and it was motivation for us too. You're motivated to win the series, but you know it would mean a lot to those guys, so happy to get it done."

Trotz is happy too. As good as it feels to beat a former team, the focus is still on his current team and moving to the next round.