The New York Islanders have fired head coach Lane Lambert and replaced him with Hall of Fame goaltender Patrick Roy in a surprising mid-season shake-up.

President of hockey operations and general manager Lou Lamoriello announced the move Saturday after the Islanders lost their fourth straight game Friday night to the rebuilding Chicago Blackhawks. New York have dropped six of their last seven.

Roy last coached for the Colorado Avalanche from 2013-16, winning the Jack Adams Award in 2014 as coach of the year. Over the last five years, he was the coach and GM of his home-town junior team, the Quebec Ramparts.

Lambert was midway through his second season as the Islanders’ bench boss, accumulating a 61-46-20 record and leading the team to a play-off appearance last season.

Despite an eight-game point streak in December, this year's squad has been unable to keep pace in the East, and their recent swoon has dropped them out of a play-off slot.

Lambert is the fifth NHL coach fired since the start of this season, joining the Oilers' Jay Woodcroft, Wild's Dean Evason, Blues' Craig Berube and Senators' D.J. Smith.

Roy played in goal for 19 NHL seasons and is third on the all-time wins list. He won four Stanley Cups as a player.

#Isles News: New York Islanders President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Lou Lamoriello announced today that Lane Lambert has been relieved of his coaching responsibilities. Patrick Roy has been named Head Coach of the New York Islanders.

— New York Islanders (@NYIslanders) January 20, 2024