Patrick Roy may be penalized for violating NHL rule following blowout loss to the Panthers
New York Islanders head coach Patrick Roy may face a fine from the NHL for skipping his pre-game media availability before last night's game against the Florida Panthers.
The Islanders had a promising start, building a 3-0 lead halfway through the first period, only to allow six unanswered goals, resulting in a 6-3 loss.
Oddly, Roy and the players were unavailable to the media prior to the game, a decision that goes against NHL policy and could result in punishment for the team. While NHL coaches, like New Jersey Devils coach Keefe, aren't required to answer every question directly, they are expected to attend press conferences, making Roy's choice unusual.
Despite the tough loss Roy did speak to the media after the game as usual suggesting he may have felt pressure to avoid the pre game conference. In his comments he even hinted at a disagreement over including Pierre Engvall in the lineup implying he was forced to play him. Normally one might expect a coach to skip the press after such a difficult loss rather than before it as emotions can run high post game.
Roy's decision has raised questions among fans and analysts, especially since it was only a regular-season game against the Panthers, a non-rival team. If this absence was an attempt at gamesmanship, it's unclear what Roy intended to achieve, leaving many wondering if this strategy will carry any future consequences for the Islanders.
| POLL | ||
27 OCTOBRE | 17 ANSWERS Patrick Roy may be penalized for violating NHL rule following blowout loss to the Panthers Do you think Patrick Roy and the New York Islanders will be fined for refusing media availability after the loss to the Florida Panthers? | ||
| Yes | 13 | 76.5 % |
| No | 4 | 23.5 % |
| List of polls | ||
