LOU LAMORIELLO

The New York Islanders on Monday hired longtime Barry Trotz assistant and right-hand man Lane Lambert to succeed him as coach. General manager Lou Lamoriello announced Lambert as Trotz's replacement a week after firing the Stanley Cup-winning coach who had one year left on his contract.

The New York Islanders have fired coach Barry Trotz after missing the playoffs in his fourth season with the team.

Hall of Famer Clark Gillies, a stalwart on the New York Islanders’ dynasty that won four straight Stanley Cup championships in the early 1980s, has died.

The goal of the changes is to keep the NHL season going after 67 games already have been postponed for coronavirus-related reasons.

The NHL will emerge from an extended holiday break with taxi squads and other roster revisions to guard against more disruptions to the season.

Eight players on the team are currently under the NHL's COVID-19 protocol.

The NHL has postponed two more games for coronavirus-related reasons, making it five so far this season. Upcoming New York Islanders games Sunday at the Rangers and Tuesday at the Philadelphia Flyers were postponed after additional members of the team went into the NHL’s COVID-19 protocol on Saturday. General manager Lou Lamoriello said forward Casey Cizikas became the latest player to test positive.

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid ran away in the voting to win his second Hart Trophy as NHL MVP after leading the league in points.

NHL players could start participating in voluntary small-group workouts, and teams began opening their training facilities Monday. Players learned Thursday training camps can open July 10, pending an agreement on returning to play later this summer. Now, the players are expected to trickle back in preparation of the resumption of the season. Players started skating by the handful this week in places like Boston, Chicago, Toronto, Pittsburgh, Columbus and Edmonton, while some teams waited to open their doors. Veteran Nashville general manager David Poile said that while almost a dozen players remained in the area, the NHL has instructed teams not to ask or encourage players to show up because this stage is voluntary.