The New York Islanders' first-year general manager, Mathieu Darche, made a bold decision to fire head coach Patrick Roy and replace him with Pete DeBoer, replacing him with Deboer with only four games remaining in the regular season. The move comes amid a four-game slide that has put the Islanders in danger of missing the postseason for the second consecutive year. Despite the timing of the decision blindsided many outside the front office, the move was seen as a long-term move that could provide an immediate spark for the team. DeBoher, who ranks 18th all time in wins in league history and has the most playoff wins of any coach who has never won the Stanley Cup without a Stanley Cup win, was praised by Darche. The Islanders return to play against the Maple Leafs on Thursday.