John Gruden, Hiller out as Isles assistants
John Gruden, New York Islanders assistant coach, watches practice at Northwell Health Ice Center in East Meadow on Tuesday, April 23, 2019. Credit: James Escher
The Islanders really will have a new coaching staff next season beyond Lane Lambert’s promotion to replace former bench boss Barry Trotz.
The team announced on Thursday that assistant coaches John Gruden and Jim Hiller were relieved of their duties. No replacements were named. That leaves only director of goaltending Mitch Korn and goalie coach Piero Greco in their same positions from last season, though the belief is still that Korn will either follow Trotz to his NHL next stop or choose not to return to the Islanders.
President and general manager Lou Lamoriello fired Trotz on May 9 after the Islanders missed the playoffs for the first time in his four seasons as coach. Lambert, Trotz’s associate coach the past four seasons and an assistant on his staff in both Washington and Nashville since 2011, was named the Islanders’ 18th coach on May 16. It is the first NHL head coaching job for the 57-year-old Lambert.
Hiller joined the Islanders from the Maple Leafs for the 2019-20 season to run the power play, replacing Scott Gomez.
Gruden worked with Trotz and Lambert the past four seasons after a successful junior hockey stint in the Ontario Hockey League.
Andrew Gross joined Newsday in 2018 to cover the Islanders. He began reporting on the NHL in 2003 and has previously covered the Rangers and Devils. Other assignments have included the Jets, St. John’s and MLB.
