New York Islanders head coach Patrick Roy will return to Denver on Monday night and face his former team, the Colorado Avalanche, for the first time as a coach. He looks forward to the reunion with mixed feelings.

“Lots of great memories,” Roy said, according to Evan Rawal of the Denver Gazette. “That’s how I want to see it.”

The Hall of Fame goaltender spent eight seasons as a player with the Avalanche, winning two of his four Stanley Cups and one of his three Conn Smythe Trophies during that time. He also served as head coach and vice president of hockey operations for three seasons from 2013 to 2016.

Roy's departure from the team in 2016 was tumultuous and he admits he regrets the way things ended.

“I wish I had done it differently back then,” he said. “I don’t think I had enough respect for the coach’s position.”

Roy abruptly resigned from his position in August 2016, about six weeks before the start of training camp, citing a lack of say in personnel decisions. Joe Sakic – Colorado's general manager at the time – eventually named Jared Bednar as Roy's replacement on the bench.

During an interview in 2023, Roy admitted that a dual coaching/front office role is not feasible in the modern NHL.

Roy won the Jack Adams Award as NHL Coach of the Year in his first season in the dugout in 2013-14. He led the Avalanche to a 112-point season, a year after they finished with the second-worst record in the league. Colorado missed the playoffs in each of the next two seasons under Roy.

However, Roy left a lasting impact on the organization, as he claims he was instrumental in the decision to draft Nathan MacKinnon first overall in 2013.

“We wouldn’t have drafted MacKinnon if I hadn’t been there,” Roy said. “I’m proud to see how Mac played for them.”

Aleksander Barkov, Jonathan Drouin and Seth Jones were among other considerations for the top pick in 2013.

The Islanders hired Roy as head coach midway through the 2023-24 season. He led the club to a 20-12-5 record and a postseason appearance. The Islands are 0-1-1 at the start of the new season.