It's always an important night at the Bell Centre when Patrick Roy returns to his home province as a coach. The excitement will be at a fever pitch on Tuesday night, as it'll also mark the return of Patrik Laine from a preseason knee injury. It's hard to overshadow Saint Patrick in Montreal, but Laine will likely do it when the Montreal Canadiens host the New York Islanders.
Roy is 5-4 all-time against the Canadiens in his coaching career. He was 3-3 as the leader of the Colorado Avalanche from 2013 to 2016 and has played three games against the Canadiens since taking over for Lane Lambert on Long Islander last January. He lost in Montreal last January, but repaid the favour in overtime at the end of the season. The Islanders also won the first meeting this season in a shootout.
"I like to thank the Montreal Canadiens for that [recognizing Roy at last year's first game in Montreal]. Montreal has some of the best fans in the world, they love their team, and they want to support them, and I'm thankful for that. I didn't know what to expect. I don't look at the clock, but I caught myself looking and I noticed. "Patrick Roy
Roy has made a mark in the province of Quebec outside of his Canadiens triumphs. He coached 13 seasons with the Quebec Remparts in the QMJHL, compiling a record of 524-255-66. He also served time as the team's vice president and general manager. Roy's QMJHL coaching career has seen him win two Memorial Cups in 2006 and 2023, and the QMJHL Championship in 2023. Quebec was a force under Roy's reign, as they made the playoffs in 12 of 13 seasons.
Roy was also successful during his first NHL coaching tenure with the Colorado Avalanche. He finished with a record of 130-92-24, winning the Jack Adams Award in his first season. He led the team to a 52-22-8 record, and finished third in the NHL. Semyon Varlamov was also a Vezina Trophy Finalist under Roy, who will be on the Islanders' roster tonight.