Barry Trotz facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Barry Trotz
Trotz with the Washington Capitals in October 2015
Born	(1962-07-15) July 15, 1962 (age 62) Dauphin, Manitoba, Canada
Coached for	Nashville Predators Washington Capitals New York Islanders
Coaching career	1984–2022
Medal record Representing Canada Men's ice hockey, assistant coach World Championship Gold 2003 Finland Silver 2009 Switzerland

Barry Trotz (born July 15, 1962) is a famous Canadian ice hockey expert. He used to be a player and a coach, and now he's the general manager for the Nashville Predators in the National Hockey League (NHL). He's known for his smart defensive coaching style. Barry Trotz is one of the top coaches in NHL history, ranking third in total wins! Fans and players often call him "Trotzy."

Before coaching in the NHL, he led the American Hockey League (AHL)'s Portland Pirates to a championship win in 1994. He also won an award for being the best coach in the AHL that same year. Barry Trotz coached the Predators for 16 seasons, becoming the longest-serving coach in the NHL at one point. In 2018, he achieved a huge goal: winning the Stanley Cup with the Washington Capitals. After that, he coached the New York Islanders before returning to the Predators as their general manager.

Barry Trotz's Coaching Journey

Starting Out as a Coach

Before he became a coach, Barry Trotz played as a defenseman (a player who defends their own goal) for the Regina Pats in the Western Hockey League (WHL) from 1979 to 1982. He even won a championship with them in 1980! He played his last year of junior hockey in his hometown of Dauphin, Manitoba.

Trotz realized he might not make it to the NHL as a player. So, he started thinking about coaching. In 1982, he got a chance to attend a training camp for the Hershey Bears, an AHL team. An important person from the Washington Capitals (the Bears' NHL team) invited him because he thought Trotz would be a good leader or coach someday. Barry Trotz began his coaching career in 1984 as an assistant coach at the University of Manitoba. The next year, he became the general manager and head coach for the Dauphin Kings.

In 1992, Trotz became the head coach for the Capitals' minor league team, the Baltimore Skipjacks. This team later moved to Portland, Maine, and became the Portland Pirates. Trotz led the Pirates to two championship finals and won the Calder Cup (the AHL championship) in 1994, which was their first season!

Leading the Nashville Predators (1998–2014)

Trotz during his time as head coach of the Nashville Predators in 2009.

When David Poile, a longtime general manager for the Capitals, moved to the new Nashville Predators team, he brought Barry Trotz with him. Trotz became the Predators' very first head coach on August 6, 1997. Even before the team played its first game, Trotz helped scout players and design the team's facilities.

In their first season (1998–99), Trotz led the Predators to 28 wins. This was one of the best starts for a new NHL team at the time. He holds the record for coaching the most games as the first coach of an NHL expansion team. On November 4, 2008, Trotz coached his 750th game with a single team, a big milestone!

The 2006–07 season was one of Trotz's best with the Predators. They earned 110 points, which was the third-highest in the entire NHL. He was also voted the Sporting News NHL Coach of the Year by other coaches. Trotz was known for keeping his team focused. He led the Predators to the playoffs four times in a row from 2003 to 2008, and again in 2010.

On March 30, 2012, Trotz earned his 500th NHL win. After 16 seasons, the Predators decided to make a change, and Trotz left the team on April 14, 2014. His time with the Predators was the longest coaching period with one team in NHL history.

Winning the Stanley Cup with the Washington Capitals (2014–2018)

Even though the Predators offered Trotz a job in their front office, he still wanted to coach. The Washington Capitals, the team that first gave him a chance in professional hockey, hired him on May 26, 2014.

On February 28, 2017, Trotz got his 700th NHL win. He became only the sixth coach in NHL history to reach this many wins.

The 2018 Stanley Cup playoffs were a truly exciting time for Trotz and the Capitals. They had to overcome challenges in every series. They won four games in a row after losing the first two against Columbus. Then, they beat the defending champions, the Pittsburgh Penguins, in a tough six-game series. This was the first time Trotz had ever made it past the second round of the playoffs as a coach!

In the Conference Finals, they faced the Tampa Bay Lightning. After winning the first two games, they lost three in a row, putting them in danger of being eliminated. But they fought back, winning Game 6 and Game 7 with amazing shutout performances. This was the first time in the Capitals' history they came back from a 3-2 series deficit.

Finally, in the 2018 Stanley Cup Finals, they played against the Vegas Golden Knights, a new team that had a fantastic first season. The Capitals lost Game 1 but then won the next four games in a row! On June 7, 2018, the Capitals won Game 5 by a score of 4-3, clinching the Stanley Cup! This was Barry Trotz's first Stanley Cup as a head coach, after 19 seasons of coaching. It was the longest wait for a coach to win the Cup in NHL history. Shortly after, Trotz resigned from the Capitals due to a contract disagreement.

Coaching the New York Islanders (2018–2022)

On June 21, 2018, the New York Islanders hired Barry Trotz as their new head coach. On March 5, 2019, Trotz earned his 800th career win. In the 2019 Stanley Cup playoffs, the Islanders swept the Pittsburgh Penguins in the first round. On June 19, 2019, Trotz won the Jack Adams Award for the second time, which is given to the NHL's best coach.

In the 2020 Stanley Cup playoffs, the Islanders defeated Trotz's former team, the Washington Capitals, in the first round. On February 8, 2021, Trotz got his 850th career win, moving him to third place on the all-time NHL coach wins list. On May 9, 2022, Trotz left his role as the Islanders' head coach after the team missed the playoffs.

International Coaching

Barry Trotz also helped coach the Canadian national team at the IIHF World Championships three times. In 2003, his team won the gold medal!

Executive Career

It was announced that Barry Trotz would become the general manager of the Nashville Predators on July 1, 2023. This means he now helps manage the team's players and overall strategy.

Personal Life

Barry Trotz lives in Nashville, Tennessee, with his wife and one of their four children. He is very active in the community and has done a lot of charity work. In 2005, he won the Community Spirit Award for his efforts. He has supported organizations like the Williamson County YMCA and the United Way. He also works with Best Buddies of Tennessee, which helps people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Trotz was honored by being named to the Portland Pirates Hall of Fame in 2005 and the University of Manitoba Hall of Fame in 2001. He is of Ukrainian descent.

Head Coaching Record

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NHL