Patrick Roy and the New York Islanders may face heavy punishment for breaking major rule before team's game

There are several important NHL rules that teams and their coaches are expected to follow, and on Saturday night, Patrick Roy decided to break a serious one.

The New York Islanders wrapped the week at an even keel through eight games, coming in at 3-3-2. A recent loss to the Florida Panthers wasn't enough to set them back significantly, though, in the competitive Metropolitan Division. Off the ice, the Islanders made headlines as veteran forward Matt Martin was inked to a new deal following news that Anthony Duclair had been placed on LTIR. Later in the day, however, came the most unexpected development, taking the form of a curious media-related move.

The Islanders pulled a surprise move by making Head Coach Patrick Roy unavailable to the media during the pre-game availability just prior to their matchup against the defending Stanley Cup champions, against NHL media rules where coaches are supposed to be available pre-game. It was a very curious decision that turned some heads, especially considering the opponent and timing of the game in light of such a huge matchup against an incredibly strong Florida Panthers team.

It was a meltdown on the ice, too: The Islanders blew an early 3-1 lead that night and lost 6-3. The dramatic, inexplicable collapse did more than just ignite frustration over the performance of the team; it sparked speculation about the decision to silence Roy from the media. While some fans have harbored little more than a shrug since the incident, insisting that pre-game interviews seldom yield a great deal of substance, others have expressed more serious concerns about the secrecy involved, even questioning General Manager Lou Lamoriello's part in the matter.

This is certainly not uncharted territory for Lamoriello. The old-school GM has seen his fair share of criticism more than once for the way he's handled one situation or another, and this summer many were again questioning him for not making more significant changes on the roster. And with some on-ice struggles accompanying some behind-the-scenes mysteries, the pressure keeps building on Lamoriello, Roy, and the players for answers as to how to right this ship.

The Islanders have had an OK start to their season, but after putting some questionable decisions together with some disappointing results, real questions about the direction of the team started to be raised. Whether this incident with the media is a symptom of something bigger or not, it underlined a developing tension in this organization, and big changes could be afoot if the team does not start to right the ship.

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