Video: NHL GM Calls Patrick Roy's Bizarre Move "A Fireable Offense"

Just when you thought you've seen it all in the NHL, leave it to New York Islanders head coach Patrick Roy to pull a bizarre move that could be called controversial at best, and, at worst... Well, watch it and see, and then read what an NHL GM thinks:

Patrick Roy pulled the goalie with the draw IN THEIR OWN ZONE, his face when Tavares scores says it all 😬 pic.twitter.com/XLUsaPdhTt
— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) December 31, 2024

Yes, with 42 seconds left and trailing by one to the Toronto Maple Leafs, and a faceoff in their OWN ZONE, the Islanders pulled their goalie. The result wasn't too unexpected, as John Tavares scored 10 seconds later into the empty net to put the game away at 3-1.

Granted, the Leafs were on a power play, so Roy obviously was trying to even up the manpower in skaters, but with a faceoff just 20 feet from his own gaping net, this strange move has led at least one NHL general manager to figure that should be Roy's last call behind the Islanders bench.

I've had one NHL GM tell me it's a fireable offense
— Jimmy Murphy (@MurphysLaw74) December 31, 2024

Hockey insider Jimmy Murphy writes that one GM tells him it's "a fireable offense."

Roy's explanation? “If they win the draw, (and) we don’t touch the puck, game over.”

Yes that is exactly what happened.

“I think it’s the first time I’ve ever seen that,” Leafs head coach Craig Berube told the media afterwards.

It was just two days ago that Roy called out his players for being mentally weak. We're not sure what those players are thinking of Roy's mental state after this one.

One week ago, Roy pulled his goalie with 11:53 remaining in the 3rd period against the Buffalo Sabres, trailing 5-1. Two minutes later, that also wound up in an opponent's goal into the empty net.