The Shockwave on Long Island: When Patrick Roy Decided to Draw the Line

Something cracked in the calm of an ordinary game day. No warning, no hints — just a headline that hit the NHL like a thunderclap. Patrick Roy, the fiery, fearless head coach of the New York Islanders, had just made a decision that sent shockwaves from Long Island to every locker room across the league.

It wasn’t about a trade, or an injury, or a freak accident in practice. It was something far more personal — and far rarer in modern hockey.

A superstar benched.

For fans who have followed Roy’s career — both as the legendary goaltender who never backed down from anyone and as the coach who thrives on accountability — this shouldn’t have been a surprise. And yet, somehow, it was. Because this time, the target of his discipline wasn’t a rookie making mistakes. It wasn’t a struggling fourth-liner. It was his best player.

The Islanders arrived in Ottawa to face the Senators, their confidence high, their rhythm steady. But behind the calm of pre-game routines, something was already brewing. There was a conversation that changed everything — a moment between coach and star that would stay behind closed doors, though everyone in the arena would feel its aftermath.

By the time fans filtered into the Canadian Tire Centre, the news had already leaked. Whispers at first, then tweets, then full-blown disbelief. “This can’t be real,” one fan posted. “Roy can’t possibly be benching him.”

But he was.

Inside the Islanders’ locker room, teammates exchanged glances, pretending to focus on taping sticks or lacing skates. The energy shifted. When you remove a star like Mathew Barzal from the lineup, everyone notices. Not just because of what it means for the team on the ice, but for what it says about the hierarchy in the room.

Roy, as always, didn’t flinch. Reporters say he walked into the media area with that familiar expression — calm, confident, unreadable. If anyone expected an apology or a diplomatic spin, they were clearly new here.

“Sometimes,” Roy said cryptically, “you’ve got to remind everyone what it means to be ready.”

No elaboration. No names. Just that.

What followed was chaos — fan forums exploding, analysts scrambling for explanations, insiders dropping half-truths and speculations. Was it tactical? Was it injury-related? Was there tension? Or was this simply Patrick Roy being Patrick Roy — the same man who once stared down Wayne Gretzky and dared him to beat him?

Whatever the reason, the message was unmistakable. In Roy’s world, no one — not even the brightest star — is above the standard.

By puck drop, every sports desk in North America had turned its cameras toward Ottawa. Social media was ablaze. The Islanders’ fanbase was split between outrage and awe.

And as for Mathew Barzal — the face of the franchise, the heartbeat of the team — he wasn’t skating warm-ups.

He was somewhere else entirely.

But why?

That’s the part no one saw coming.

Oct 18, 2025; Ottawa, Ontario, CAN; New York Islanders head coach Patrick Roy speaks to center Matthew Barzal (13) in the third period against the Ottawa Senators at the Canadian Tire Centre. Mandatory Credit: Marc DesRosiers-IMAGN Images

Photo credit: Marc DesRosiers-IMAGN Images

The head coach of the New York Islanders, Patrick Roy, is a man who will always stand his ground, no matter what.

He just proved it in spectacular fashion by announcing that his best player, Mathew Barzal, will be eating popcorn in the press box tonight!

Wow… That’s like Martin St-Louis sending Nick Suzuki to the stands-imagine that!

Surprise: Mathew Barzal is scratched from Patrick Roy’s lineup for tonight’s game

A good old “healthy scratch” for the Islanders’ star center, Mathew Barzal.

Patrick Roy has a solid reason for making such a drastic decision.

“Breaking: Mat Barzal is being healthy-scratched tonight as punishment for being late to the rink. He’ll be back in tomorrow against the Caps.”

– Ethan Sears

Even worse, this decision by Patrick Roy actually forces team management to make a call-up!

“Patrick Roy said the Islanders would be making roster moves this afternoon to add another forward.” Sears added.

He clearly wanted to send a message…

“Hearing Cal Ritchie will make his NYI debut in place of Barzal, who was late to rink today” – Elliotte Friedman

There’s no one quite like Patrick Roy-and we love it!

Mathew Barzal, 28 years old, is a 6-foot-1, 190-pound forward who was a first-round pick (16th overall) by the New York Islanders in 2015. He notably recorded an incredible 85 points in 82 games during his rookie NHL season.

And you-do you like this rather bold move by Roy?