NHL News: NY Islanders make bold coaching move amid early-season struggles in net

The New York Islanders made a surprising decision six games into the 2025-26 NHL season, parting ways with longtime goaltending coach Piero Greco. The move comes despite the team winning three straight games, highlighting the urgency the organization feels regarding its goaltending performance.

General manager Mathieu Darche confirmed the change Wednesday, announcing that Sergei Naumovs, promoted from the AHL’s Bridgeport team, will take over the Islanders’ goalie coaching duties. Naumovs has a history with star netminder Ilya Sorokin, dating back to their time together at CSKA Moscow in the KHL from 2018 to 2020.

Sorokin’s start this season has been rocky. His 3.90 goals-against average ranks second-worst, while his .873 save percentage is fourth-worst among NHL goalies with at least four appearances. Darche stressed the decision is about resetting the team’s goaltending, not any individual player. “Piero has done a great job for the organization for the last seven years,” he said, according to SNY. “We just felt at this time it was the right timing to have a reset with our goalies.”

Why did the Islanders act so early in the season?

Darche clarified that Sorokin had no role in the decision. “It’s my decision — it’s not on the player,” he said. “I know he’s had success with Sergei, and that’s where we went. It’s 100% my decision, and the goalie had nothing to do with it.”

The move comes as the team navigates a challenging start with other roster issues. Forward Pierre Engvall is expected to miss five to six months after ankle surgery, while veteran goalie Semyon Varlamov continues his recovery from knee surgery. The Islanders also placed Marc Gatcomb on waivers, who had appeared in only one game this season.

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The Islanders hope the coaching change can stabilize their goaltending and support a stronger stretch run as they contend in the highly competitive Eastern Conference.