Islanders Fire Roy, Hire DeBoer as Coach

The New York Islanders fired head coach Patrick Roy on Sunday, replacing him with veteran Peter DeBoer as the team clings to a playoff spot with just four regular-season games remaining. General manager Mathieu Darche announced the abrupt change following a 4-3 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes on Saturday night, amid a skid that has seen the Islanders drop four straight games and seven of their last 10.

New York entered the weekend in third place in the Metropolitan Division with a record of 42-31-5 and 89 points, but the late-season struggles have transformed a comfortable postseason position into a precarious one in a tight Eastern Conference race. The move marks the second NHL coaching change in eight days, following the Vegas Golden Knights' dismissal of Bruce Cassidy last Sunday and their interim appointment of John Tortorella.

Darche, in his first year leading the franchise, cited the need for a shift to steady the team down the stretch. Sources indicated concerns over Roy's intense emotional style potentially straining player relationships, though Darche had maintained a positive rapport with the coach since taking over last spring. DeBoer, 57, steps in on a full-time...