Barry Trotz, one of the most respected figures in modern NHL history, is stepping away from the game. The 63-year-old Nashville Predators general manager-and former New York Islanders and Washington Capitals head coach-announced Monday that he’ll retire at the end of the season, closing the book on a four-decade career that’s been defined by consistency, leadership, and a deep understanding of the game.
Trotz isn’t leaving the Predators high and dry. He’ll remain in place through the end of the season to help oversee the transition and assist in the search for his replacement. But make no mistake-this marks the end of an era.
Islanders fans know Trotz well. He took over behind the bench in Long Island in 2018 and immediately brought structure and identity to a team that had been searching for both.
Over four regular seasons, Trotz coached 288 games and posted a 152-102-34 record. More importantly, he led the Isles to the playoffs in three of those four years, including back-to-back trips to the Eastern Conference Final during the pandemic-altered 2020 and 2021 seasons.
Those playoff runs were gritty, disciplined, and emblematic of Trotz’s coaching DNA. The Islanders didn’t always have the flashiest roster, but under Trotz, they became one of the toughest outs in the league. Still, despite coming within a few goals of the Stanley Cup Final, they couldn’t quite get over the hump-falling both times to the eventual champion Tampa Bay Lightning.
Trotz earned the 2019 Jack Adams Award as the NHL’s Coach of the Year after guiding the Isles to a 48-27-7 record in his first season with the team. That campaign was a turning point for the franchise, even if it ended with a disappointing second-round sweep at the hands of the Carolina Hurricanes.
After the Islanders missed the playoffs in 2021-22, Trotz stepped away from coaching and returned to where it all began-Nashville. He took over as general manager following the retirement of longtime Preds architect David Poile, hoping to bring his steady hand and hockey acumen to the front office.
The early returns were promising. Trotz’s first year as GM included a playoff appearance and the kind of roster retooling that had fans excited. The 2024 offseason saw Nashville swing big, adding veterans like Steven Stamkos and Jonathan Marchessault in a bid to accelerate the team’s competitive window.
But the momentum didn’t last. The current season has been rocky, and the Predators now sit four points out of a playoff spot in the Western Conference.
With the trade deadline looming, Nashville appears more likely to sell than to make a push. That, combined with the grind of a lifetime in pro hockey, seems to have brought Trotz to a personal crossroads.
“I've been in pro sports in some shape or form probably for 40 years now,” Trotz said Monday. “And there comes a time when you realize that a lot of the stuff you've done and you've been immersed [in], you can't be sometimes present in both places.
You can't be present in your job and you can't be present at home. I just felt there's an end date.”
It’s a sentiment that resonates across the sports world-especially for someone who’s given so much of himself to the game. Trotz spoke candidly about the toll the profession can take on family life, and how the time felt right to shift his focus.
“There’s a responsibility that I feel to my family,” he said. “I think you see your kids grow up, I’m very proud of my kids.
Now they’re getting married, [I’ve] got grandkids now. You’re missing a lot of the dates.
In this business, our kids very seldom have their birthdays on their birthdays; seldom am I present even at their birthdays sometimes.”
Trotz walks away with a legacy that’s already Hall of Fame-worthy. A native of Dauphin, Manitoba, he ranks fifth all-time in both wins (914) and games coached (1,812). He’s one of just a handful of coaches to win the Jack Adams Award multiple times, and he reached the pinnacle in 2018, guiding the Washington Capitals to their first Stanley Cup in franchise history.
Throughout it all, Trotz has been a steadying force-whether behind the bench or in the front office. His teams were rarely the most talented on paper, but they were always prepared, always disciplined, and always tough to play against. That’s a reflection of the man himself.
As Trotz prepares to step away from the day-to-day grind of the NHL, his impact will continue to echo throughout the league. Coaches he mentored, players he developed, and organizations he helped shape all carry part of his legacy forward.
And while this may be the end of his professional chapter, don’t be surprised if Barry Trotz finds a way to stay close to the game-just maybe from a different seat in the arena.