New York Islanders hire Benoit Desrosiers as an assistant coach

Patrick Roy is adding some familiar help to the bench on Long Island.

On Friday, the New York Islanders announced they are hiring Benoit Desrosiers as an assistant coach.

Desrosiers was in the midst of his first season as the head coach of the Gatineau Olympiques of the Quebec Maritime Junior Hockey League, with his team sitting seventh in the Western Conference with a 16-27-6 record.

The 35-year-old is no stranger to working with Roy. Desrosiers served as an assistant coach of the Quebec Remparts from 2017 to 2023, including five seasons alongside Roy. The duo helped guide the Remparts to the franchise’s third Memorial Cup last season, and first in 17 years.

Desrosiers has also been an assistant coach for the Chicoutimi Saguenéens (2012-13) and Sherbrooke Phoenix (2013-2017).

He comes to the Islanders just a few weeks after Roy was named the head coach of the team, after general manager Lou Lamoriello fired Lane Lambert.

The move was a head scratcher at first, given that the Isles were still battling for a playoff spot. The move had some early signs of optimism, as the Islanders won their first game under Roy, but it has been a bumpy road for the former Jack Adams Award winner. Prior to the All-Star break, the Isles went just 1-2-1 with the Hall-of-Fame netminder at the helm.

The Islanders (20-15-11) are currently fourth in the Metropolitan Division, four points back of the third-place Philadelphia Flyers, and 11 behind the New York Rangers for first. They are also six points back of the Detroit Red Wings for the last Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference.

The Isles do not play against until Feb. 5 against the Toronto Maple Leafs.