Islanders still have ton of belief in Patrick Roy even as seasons disappointment continues

When Patrick Roy came to Long Island, a year ago Monday to the day, it felt like general manager Lou Lamoriello had pulled a rabbit out of the hat that could help resurrect a stagnant franchise.Roy — bombastic and emotional and one of the all-time greats as a player — was a thunderclap of a hire, coming out of nowhere to replace Lane Lambert and his regime that went stale almost as soon as he took over.So sudden was the change in energy inside the Islanders building that, within a week of Roy’s hire, Mathew Barzal memorably said the team was “building a blueprint that is going to allow us to become champions.”On Day 366 with Roy, with the Islanders two games under NHL .500 and sitting in 15th place in the Eastern Conference, Barzal was asked again about those comments.“Obviously the year, where we are in the standings, isn’t indicative of the culture that Patty’s brought here,” Barzal said.

“Hopefully, we can get a few wins the next few games.The actual culture that Patty’s brought here is unlike what I’ve been a part of.

He’s just such an honest guy, has a ton of belief in everything.”The cognitive dissonance between the Islanders’ record — which is far worse now than the 19-15-11 mark that got Lambert fired — and the head coach’s standing is, really, the point about Roy at his first anniversary in the job.It’s not just that the players are standing behind the coach in public.It’s that there are no questions at all about Roy’s job security, at least in the immediate future.

All of those are directed at Lamoriello, whose roster is now struggling under a third head coach in four seasons.At least in that way, Roy’s honeymoon has lasted longer than most.Helping the Islanders get into the playoffs last season — and the difference in their defensive numbers in particular was dramatic following the coaching change — certainly contributes to that perception.

But even now, there is a lot more talk about the positive cultur...